Coming to a Town Near You

Here is a video of a British couple who were arrested for arguing against Islam.




Here is a British couple who were questioned by police after making comments against homosexuality.




Before you think these things could not happen here think again. The new hate crimes bill recently signed by President Obama is vague enough that it is not too hard to imagine someone complaining about the truth of God’s word being hateful and thus being illegal. What is interesting is that it seems the idea of something being hateful only flows in one direction, against Christianity, as many make hateful comments against Christianity but that is to be considered free speech.

What if my husband says he does not want to homeschool?

I was on Facebook the other day and the question came up with regards to homeschooling as to what a wife was to do when a husband wanted to send their children to the government schools. So this led me to add this question to my previous list, see the bottom of this post for links to past posts. While this is not really along the same lines as the other usual objections to homeschooling it is a very important question that needs to be addressed.

First I would like to address the opposite of this question, what if my wife does not want to homeschool. I will admit this question is heard very little but there may be those that hear it. For those husbands that have this issue the key is not to dictate that the wife is to school the children, husbands need to lead by example. I hope it has been clear throughout this entire series that the issue of homeschooling needs to be grounded in scripture and God’s decrees and not in the ineptitude of the government system, as inept as it is. So, as the leader of the family, husbands need to lead their wives to see that homeschooling is not simply a choice but God’s design for the family. However, things must not stop there as it is also not enough for husbands to convince their wives but they must also help as they are able. We as husbands need to serve our wives and sacrifice ourselves as Christ sacrificed himself for His church (Eph 5:2,25). This may take the form of moving from where you live and even taking a different job, doing whatever it takes to disciple your children as God calls us fathers to do. The bottom line is as husbands we need to lead in more than just words but also in action.

So in the instance where the wife is the reluctant spouse, husbands need to lead by action and not just dictate what needs to be done. Find ways to help in the process of homeschooling and show your commitment to the process. In all of this bathe everything in prayer and in leading your wife to see this is all being done in obedience to God’s word.

Now for the question I started with which is by in large the norm for most families. I will confess it was for our family as it was my wife that saw the need to homeschool years before I did, yes I said years. It was her diligent and prayerful conviction that allowed her to convince me to homeschool over what I am sure were years of frustration. But even then it took more years than it should have for me to come around. I was convinced that this homeschool business would be OK for the primary years but once high school came we would need to seek change. I thank God that He changed my heart before then. That gives you some background so you can see that what I am sharing here is what I should have done and not what I did. It is only by the grace of God that we are where we are today, but that is God. He is faithful when we are not.

So what are wives to do if their husbands do not want their children homeschooled? Well, I can do no other than start with scripture which says that wives are to submit to their husbands (Eph 5:22-23) and work to help their husbands see the need for homeschooling (1 Ptr 3:1), in a God honoring way. If you honor your husband, and thus honor God, God will strengthen you in discipling your children, along with your husband, until God changes his heart. The tough part of this for wives is that they are not required to submit to that which God forbids and so the question arises as how does this relate to homeschooling. Scripture places husbands as responsible for the family so the wives submission to them in this area is not the same as the wife desiring for their children to go to government schools. This is one of those areas where one needs place full trust in God for their children and I realize this is not easy with all that transpires in the government schools. If wives will submit to their husbands in a God honoring way I am convinced God will honor them and care for them and their children. God can give you the stamina and strength to disciple your children and to counteract the government schools until their husbands comes along. Remember that God does not simply call us to Himself for salvation and leave us but is working in all we do as well as having His hand on all those around us, even disobedient husbands. We may not know why God does not change their hearts but as with me He does this in His way and in His time.

As far as practical advise I would suggest wives give their husbands biblical reasons for homeschooling and resources that will help them see this. Some very good resources I have found and would have liked to have had earlier are: When You Rise Up by R.C. Sproul Jr. as well as the CD series from the 2009 Leadership Summit. Both these resources are biblically grounded and challenging. I know when I read R.C. Jr.’s book the lights went on for the first time as it related to God’s plan and reasoning for homeschooling/discipling. For too long I had simply been looking at what form of schooling appeared to offer the best education but I had neglected to look at what we are truly called by God to do and that is disciple God honoring children first and foremost. Education will happen but it is not our primary reason for homeschooling, raising children that honor and glorify God is. Another resource I have found is an article written by Israel Wayne called A Christian Education Manifesto which is chock full of verses and biblical evidence for the need to home educate.

While I do not like to tell people to change churches I do fear that there are too many churches with pastors that are falling short by condoning Christians sending their children to the government schools. If possible speak to your pastor and work to help him see what God desires but at the end of the day you may need to find a church that supports homeschooling. Pastors need to realize that by their lack of conviction with regards to homeschooling they are enabling fathers to keep their children in the government schools and they are in the process not doing wives or children any favors.

So that is a short overview of this issue and I pray it has been some help. You can read over the previous posts I have done on the subject of homeschooling, see below, as there is much biblical evidence in them and they may also help to answer some objections that are commonly used to avoid homeschooling.

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?

Bow Making

Thanks to Paul for placing this video on the Vaughnshire Farm Blog.

This man really knows what he is doing and is a real craftsman.

A New Look

Well after a few years of blogging I have finally changed my template. Thanks to my son Andrew for making the changes for me.

Around the Web and Blogosphere (10/13/09)

Here is a Tribute to Chris Klicka, who just went to be with the Lord, by Israel Wayne. Also, here is a post by his wife Tracy: PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD IS THE DEATH OF HIS SAINTS... The video below is a tribute by J. Michael Smith, Michael Farris, and Doug Phillips:






From the Vaughnshire Farm Blog, Suicide of the West, Paul says, in commenting on the carton he posted:

“The missing piece I see is that Islam is not pointing the gun at our families but yet we have embraced the liberal Hollywood life style that is in fact a style of death. We kill our unborn children, we have killed the institution of marriage, our churches have been over run with radical arminian theology, and we wonder why our culture is crumbling. First we turn our back on God and look to the state to save us, and then we wonder why Uncle Sam is committing suicide. He is not equipped to be the saviour of all men.
We have one hope – Repent! Turn back to a gracious Creator and seek to honor Him in every area of life. Otherwise, it is RIP America.”

How true.



This looks like it will be a great conference - Family Economics: A practical, Biblical Vision for Work, Wealth, Debt, and Inheritance in the 21st Century. The speakers will be R.C. Sproul Jr., Dennis Peacocke, Scott Brown, Kevin Swanson, and James Lansberry. It will be held at The Rock Church in Castle Rock, Colorado which is about 1 hour outside of Denver and is being held March 5-6, 2010. If you register by December 12th the cost is $99 per family.



Speaking of conferences don't forget the Sufficiency of Scripture Conference December 10-12, 2009

The Swine Flu Shot

Have you ever listened to the drug ads on TV and all of the side effects that can occur? It’s amazing that anyone would take these things. Now think about the current swine flu vaccine and ask has anyone, other than individuals speaking out about it, mentioned the possible side effects, no. HMM.

While I am not really a fan of rap but this video by the Health Ranger is good. At the end of the day do we take the drugs that are making millionaires out of the pharmaceutical company execs because we are too lazy to take care of the bodies God has given us. I am not saying there is no place for drugs but we have become a people addicted to pills, pricks and potions to “solve” our woes when we do little to prevent them.

Isn’t how we educate our children a preference?

As I come to the end of the series on homeschooling I think this last question in its broadest sense is the one I have heard as much as any other. At the heart of this question is the idea that God’s word is not specific or explicit enough as to give an answer. For me this comes from a couple issues. One is from those seeking to justify sending their children to the government schools who are seeking to do so by claiming God leaves this up to each of us. The other angle that this question may come from is in not seeing God’s word as sufficient for all things thus there are things, such as how we school our children, that God’s word does not speak to in a clear manner. I think if you have read the previous posts on homeschooling you will see that this is not the case. God is specific that we are to raise our children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:4) and this does not happen in government schools.

Now the actual answer to the question is Yes and No. It is yes in that there are no specifics as to curriculum or method of teaching explicitly set out. But even here I would say God’s word is more specific than most give it credit. By this I mean that while God may not say use Saxon Math or some other specific curriculum we are to judge even a math curriculum by where it places God in the context of the curriculum. Now this may sound strange to some as one may ask what does God have to do with math but He has everything to do with math. We need to raise children that understand that math does not work without God and thus God is to get all credit in the endeavor of math. This same principle applies to every subject so we need to see how any curriculum we are evaluating deals with God so that our children see God as integral to all areas of study. Remember that what your children learn early on they will carry into their later life. Thus there is room for preference in curriculum but that is only within the parameters God sets forth in His word.

But this is not the usual direction the “preference” question is intended to go. As I said before the usual direction taken is to find allowance to have others teach our children in the public sector, the question of homeschool vs. Christian school is for another day. The conclusion that seems abundantly clear from scripture is that while there is an area of preference in what is taught the area of preference with regards to being able to send our children to government schools is were God answers the preference question with a definite “no.” It is not only our duty to be responsible for the training of our children we are also tasked to protect them from all that the government run schools are seeking to instill in our children. Since Jesus says that a disciple will be like the one discipling them (Luke 6:40) it seems clear we as Christian parents should be the one doing the teaching.

Over the course of this series I pray that the articles were taken as they were intended. To both encourage and challenge parents to not simply do what they feel is right but to do what God commands as right. In a day and age that balks at absolutes let us understand that God’s word is absolute and in the area of schooling our children it is much more explicit than it is often given credit for. Even if the government schools were neutral, if such a thing was even possible, we would still be called by God to raise our children ourselves. As believers we need to make sure our decision to homeschool is not grounded in the state of our government run schools but is grounded in the all sufficient word of God. Yes the government schools direction should make our decision to homeschool easier, it really should, but even then our decision is to be grounded in God’s word not our preference.

My call to you, if you do not already, is to do whatever it takes to take your children out of the government schools. Seek God for the strength and direction to accomplish this change. It may not be easy and it may not happen overnight but it needs to happen. If your lifestyle must change it must change. If you need to seek help, do that as well. Again this must all be done with your conviction coming from scripture as it will be God’s word that will sustain you when things get tough and if your conviction is anything other than biblical you will be tempted to give in if things appear to change or the trials appear too hard.

Please read over the links below as much of the biblical grounding for our call to disciple our children is given in them. This is not a call we are to do in our own power as if that is the case we will fail. This is a call that is to be done in God’s power and for His glory.

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?

An Evening on Eschatology

While I have just started listening to the audio I thought it prudent to get the link up now for the great discussion on eschatology, An Evening on Eschatology, that was hosted by Desiring God and Bethlehem College & Seminary. As one who as a new believer thought that the only issue to be settled was whether to be Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib, or Post-Trib resources such as this from Desiring God Ministries are very important. The audio and video has been made available for free on their web site and I would highly encourage you to download it and listen, or view it.

This is a two hour discussion among Jim Hamilton (professor of New Testament at Southern Seminary in Louisville), Sam Storms (pastor of Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City), and Doug Wilson (pastor of Christ Church, Moscow, Idaho) moderated by John Piper. The three historic positions of the Christian church are defended by each of the participants: Pre-millennialism, Amillennialism and Post-Millennialism.

Download the discussion and enjoy but above all seek to see what God’s word says about His coming. While I stared out, after I realized there were more views than dispensationalism, Pan-Millennial (it will all pan out in the end) I soon realized that as I studied scripture I was going to be forced to not avoid the issue of eschatology. There are too many texts that when being interpreted correctly will lead in an eschatological direction and we cannot simply “pan” over them. As with all things we should, with humility and diligence, seek to see what the word of God says on this subject and realize that simply because it may not be easy that is no reason to avoid this area of study.

After listening to this audio, probably a number of times, I may review it at a later time.

Around the Web and Blogosphere (10/07/09)

The Continuing Collapse: October 2009 by Bruce Shortt – Exposing Government Schools: The Youth Ministry of the State Church of Secular Humanism. A look at government run schools for those that still think that it is OK for believers to send their children to these halls of humanistic indoctrination.



Paul Vaughn links to an article and video by the BBC on large families in his post Fighting the ‘Contraceptive Mentality’. The article by the BBC is in general complimentary as opposed to many other articles written about large families.



Israel Wayne has a good post, Christian Schools vs. Homeschooling, where he looks at the question that follows after one realizes that the government schools are not where their children should be. All too often Christian parents assume that if a school is “Christian” it is OK but not only is that assumption often incorrect it still avoids the core issue of parents discipling their children in all areas of life and not turning that God given duty over to others.



Scott Brown at the NCFIC is starting an Elder Discipleship program that would be of use to many churches trying to train up their men to be Elders. Check out the site and see the great thought that has been put into this resource.

What I am Reading

I am in the process of reading a number of books with of course God’s word at the top of the list. Here is what else I am reading:

Presuppositional Apologetics: Stated and Defended by Greg Bahnsen and edited by Joel McDurmon: This is a very good book to help one gain an understanding of what presuppositional apologetics is. So many people by their starting point in conversations with the unbelieving world as well as their focus of argumentation during those conversations often reveal a lack of trust in God’s word. When I say lack of trust this is not to say these people do not believe God’s word or it’s inerrancy but by “lack of trust” I mean trust in the power of God’s word. Bahnesn, in as far as I have gotten, does a great job of explaining not only the reason to hold to presuppositional apologetics but also how it should be used.


Revolution Via Education by Samuel Blumenfeld: If you still think it is fine to send your children to the government schools you need to read this book. Some of the things mentioned in this book may be a shock to some. Mr. Blumenfeld reveals how the goal of government education is not to education but to make good little socialist, my wording. He also has some interesting things to say about the prevalence of dyslexia that exists int todays schools and how it can be directly related to the educational goals of the government schools.







Confessions by Saint Augustine: I am reading this with my children as they work through the Christian Classics Study Guide that Generations with Vision has produced.








Theonomy in Christian Ethics by Greg Bahnsen: I am slowly working through this book. Not that it is overly difficult but with so much to read I am simply working through this book as time permits. Having gotten through chapter 2, The Abiding Validity of the Law in Exhaustive Detail (Matthew 5:17-19), I would say this chapter is one that all should read that question the continuing validity of God’s law for believers today.




Lastly, I recently finished James E. Adams book War Psalms of the Prince of Peace: Lessons from the Imprecatory Psalms. The imprecatory Psalms are usually a troubling section of scripture for many because of the subject matter. They also raise the question as to whether we should be praying these Psalms and if so how. Many like to recite the Psalms and sing them but avoid the imprecatory Psalms. This book gives a good overview of these Psalms and may help you to see how they are valid to pray and helps to show how this is to be done.

Around the Web and Blogosphere (9/30/09)

Here is a link to a good article on Postmillennialism at Forerunner. This view of eschatology is a very misunderstood one and often maligned. This article will give you a good understanding and I hope food, or should I say scripture, for thought. Also a good book on this subject is Keith Mathison’s Postmillennialism: An Eschatology of Hope.



My son Andrew has put up an explanation on “How to Make a Photo Widget” for your blog


Don’t forget the upcoming Sufficiency of Scripture 2009 Conference in December.





As a last reminder today is the last day to save $100 if you pre-buy the Venture Academy DVD set.





It just seemed this video needed to go last on this post. On Voddie Baucham's blog he posted the very sobering video below on abortion: Shocking Abortion Video. Abortion is murder and we should not play games with words so as to avoid the truth of the matter.

Do Parents Need Relief From Their Children?

This may not be a question you have asked but I have heard it said in passing a number of times. To make a confession I thought like this in a manner when we first started homeschooling many years ago. I would see my wife frazzled after a day with the children and seriously thought that the government school would be the answer. The truth is that I was more concerned about how my wife related to me than her well being. Instead of looking to see how I could help with the schooling I was seeking to, at least to my mind, eliminate the problem. What I should have done was seek out scripture and seek to help with the schooling and not try and find a way to avoid the issue by sending my children away.

This same mentality often permeates the church as I have heard many people speak of parents needing a break from their children during worship as a reason to send their children off to “children’s church” or some form of youth group. What is missed is the God given opportunity to train our children to worship as God calls them to by including them in the activities on the Lord’s Day alongside the adults. I mention this as the issue with children in the meeting of the church and the need to send children off to school to give mom a break often stem from the same misguided view of children.

Children are called a blessing (PS 127:3) in scripture but all too many Christians by their actions treat them as an inconvenience. I believe this results from not understanding why we as believers have children. If God’s purpose in everything is to glorify Himself, and it is, then children must be given to us so as to glorify Him. Thus the main purpose God gives us children is to raise them to glorify Him and to do this at all cost. If our mindset is to raise children to glorify God and that God will empower us to do so I think our mindset on needing relief from them would be less of a temptation.

We are a culture of relaxation and that mindset infiltrates every area of our lives and this includes the raising of our children. We do not see this drive for relaxation and relief when reading Scripture and in truth we do not see it from the great movements of God in history. What we do see is a pursuit to raise families that seek to honor God in all they do. Can children be difficult, can they being tiring, the answer is yes. The fact they can be all these things is not a reason however to seek to avoid our responsibility to raise them in any way we can.

Let me add here that the husband plays a great part in this. Where I failed to help as I should have I would encourage other fathers not to do the same. Seek ways to help in the raising of your children so that by mutual encouragement and support the temptation to seek relief from your children will not surface. Homeschooling is a family endeavor not simply a job for the wife. I would say, and I too failed here, the responsibility for the homeschooling lies with the husband. Scripture speaks of the father as the one that is to train the children (Eph 6:4) and while we as fathers may enlist our wives in this endeavor we are responsible to God and would add that responsibility is not just for the children but also for the welfare of our wives. If our wives are tired we need to care for the children not send them off to the government.

I started by asking if parents need relief from their children which often leads to the temptation to send ones children to the government schools. I hope you have seen that this is a question that should not be entered into as it stems from a wrong view of children and our responsibility to them. It is a question we need to repent of if we have asked it, and I have in the past, and ask God to give us the right mindset with regards to children.

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?

Swine Flu Vaccine

Be informed about the Swine Flu Vaccine the government wants us to take. In the video below the anchor cuts in while the doctor is about to mention squalene which is probably more dangerous than the thimersol the anchor focuses on. Also listen to the end when the doctor mentions the very high levels of mercury in the vaccine. Levels that are not allowed in other products but even so the government says we should inject these levels directly into our blood stream. If you like toxic chemicals injected into your body then I guess this vaccine is ok:)

Lets see I can have the flu or I can have toxicity levels that may cause much worse issues now and in the future – does not seem like a difficult choice.

Reminder about the Venture Academy DVD Set

As a reminder; the $100 ($395 instead of the final price of $495) discount on the Venture Academy DVD Set ends next week on September 30th. In October the set will go to $440 and then when released it goes to the final price of $495.

Click the banner below to go to the Franklin Springs Family Media site for more information and to order your copy of the DVD set:



The following are some videos to give you an idea of what the set includes:

Venture Analysis Part 1:



Venture Analysis Part 2:



Other Videos:

To Be One - DVD Review

If you want to start a lively discussion in your church bring up the topic of courtship/betrothal as opposed to the current practice of dating. Our culture, including the church, is so ingrained with the idea that dating multiple people before marriage is the norm that to oppose it, even with scriptural support, creates animosity. While scripture gives no warrant for or commands to practice dating it does give us principles and practices that are meant to protect the hearts of singles until marriage and these are seen most clearly in what is known as courtship and betrothal. Keep in mind these words do not necessarily mean the same thing to everyone but what they do have in common is that singles do not seek to share their intimate and personal affections until they are led by God to the one they discern, or the parents discern as is often the case, He is leading them to marry.

We just watched a new documentary called “To Be One” that shows the process that three couples and their parents went though leading up to and after their weddings. Now if you are expecting this documentary to be an apologetic for courtship and betrothal it is not. Yes there is scripture shown and spoken of but in general the idea of courtship/betrothal is assumed as the biblical mandate. We do see some variation in how one views the courtship and betrothal process. Two of the couples start with a courtship phase with the intention of marriage if God leads then move to betrothal while a third couple moves straight to betrothal. Norm Wakefield, who speaks in the first part of this documentary, says it best when he shares that while there are biblical principles to follow if one is looking for a perfectly defined road map you will miss God’s hand working in the process (my paraphrase). I would add that this is much as we see in scripture as not everyone meets and marries their spouses in the exact same way but all have the similarity that there is no process such as we have today where one tries out, so to speak, a number of possible suitors before settling on the best of the lot.

Another important aspect that is shown in this documentary is the involvement of the parents in each couple’s marriage. This includes even as far as suggesting a future spouse with one couple moving into betrothal after having not known each other in more than a cursory manner. I am sure some would see this and think of this process as archaic and maybe even wrong but that would only be an opinion derived from enculturated instincts not biblical commands and principles. All too often parents are removed from the marriage process until the end but as is seen in this documentary all the parents are involved from the beginning, in varying manners but all were involved early on. What is not shown but seems alluded to is that that these parents did not just get involved in the lives of their children when marriage was coming around but this was simply an extension of their relationship with their children. The message to us as parents is to start now, not later when they are older, so that being involved later will not be an issue.

I also like the consistent stress on marriage being a picture of Christ and His bride, the church. It made me wonder if the idea we have of “trying Jesus” came from our cultural views on marriage or if our these views on marriage led to this attitude. Regardless, in our society today the professing church all too often marginalizes the marriage process and also tends to marginalize the relationship between Christ and His church. We need to take how we proceed into marriage with as much seriousness as we are called to with our relationship to Christ.

I think this documentary was well done as it did a great job of putting some meat to the idea of courtship and betrothal. It allows others to see, at least in a small way, what the process can look like. All courtship and betrothal will not be the same but the goal is the same: to protect the hearts of God’s children until they are ready to “leave and cleave.” I am sure for some, probably many, this documentary will be strange but to live by God’s standards will be strange. It was strange for Abraham to live as he did among the pagans. It was strange for Moses and Paul to live as they did as it was for the other saints of scripture. It will be strange for us to live by God’s all sufficient word but that is what we are called to do. We are to seek out God’s will realizing that things will not always be as you may have seen in the documentary but the principles that flowed through it do not change.

I would encourage you to watch this documentary and if it does not sit right with you do not brush it off but search out scripture to see if your discomfort is from your presuppositions. Even if the idea of courtship/betrothal is not new to you and that is your leaning I think this will give you some insight in various way this works. One thing I took away from this documentary, and I should have thought of this before, was the whole idea of Christ coming for His bride and how we usually make weddings all about the bride when it is to be focused on the groom. Not because he is the groom but because he represents Christ coming for His bride the church. Hmm, I think my daughter at her wedding will be the one waiting at the altar for her future husband to come get her.

Here is a link so you can see a trailer and purchase the DVD: To Be One

Keeping Your Way Pure

It was a great day of worship as we looked at Psalm 119:9-16, sermon link here. What a great passage with so many seeking to find ways around God’s law the Psalmist in seeking how to have a pure walk lets us see it is by seeking out God’s commands, statutes, ordinances, testimonies and precepts.

The walk that most glorifies God is one that seeks to live by HIs all sufficient word. He is most glorified by this type of life because it is He who empowers His children to live as such. The Psalmist in V1-8 speaks of how we are to walk and then in V9-16 deals with how we accomplish the walk we are to have. It is about how we are to Keep Our Way Pure.

We see in V9 that we are to Guard our Life by His word and this is to be done in Whole Hearted Submission (V10) that will be used by God to help one not to wander from His commandments. In V11 the Psalmist reveals that the battle against sin is accomplished by Storing up His Word in our heart. Our heart is not to seek after avoiding His precepts and commands but is to be one that has A Desire to be Taught (V12) all God’s word contains. Our lives are to be so impacted by God’s law-word that we can do no other than Proclaim His Law (V13) and reveal that we Find Our Delight in His Word (V14).

Lastly in V15 and v16 we see the Psalmist move towards what he will do. All that has been proclaimed is not simply theoretical or what he has done but it will be part of his life to come. A life that will be Focused (V15) and fixed on God’s ways. The Psalmists life, as ours should be, will find delight in His law, in His statutes. This challenges us to ask if our True Joy is in Him and His word (V16) or is it in something else.

Let us seek to walk the blameless walk God calls us to by the path He sets forth for us in His word by His power.

Constitution Day - 2009

Today is Constitution Day in remembrance of the September 17th 1787 signing of the US Constitution. It is a sad state of affairs in our country when many if not most Americans have no idea what our Constitution is and what was intended by it.

When historical revisionists ignore its biblical moorings and move to have it interpreted by an humanistic epistemology rather than the Christian worldview that its signers lived under it begins to take on a meaning not originally intended. We need to take the time to read the Constitution as well as the writings of this countries founders so as to be able to hold our elected officials and appointed judges accountable for their blatant disregard for its original meaning. The Constitution is not a living document but has a meaning that was originally intended and one that was meant to continue on.

“The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.”

Patrick Henry

The following are some sites that you can visit for more information on the Constitution:

The US Constitution (Hypertext Version)

The US Constitution (Archives Version)

You can download until the end of the day (9/17/09) an MP3 of the Constitution here.

The Institute on the Constitution

The Tenth Amendment Center

Kevin Swanson Interview of Wade Myers

Kevin Swanson had a good interview with Wade Myers of the Venture Academy and the New Venture Lab with regards to family entrepreneurship:

As an update/reminder; the pre-buy time for the Venture Academy DVD Set discount from Franklin Springs Family Media is ending September 30th. If bought before then there is $100 savings, $395 instead of $495 – Click here or below to Pre-Buy this great tool.

Around the Web and Blogosphere (9/14/09)

Kevin Swanson writes on slavery in his blog post Pick Your Slavery. He writes:

"The day we cease to look to big governments and petty lords for our security, and we learn to trust in God for our daily food and our salvation, and we repent of our sins of pride, slothfulness, idolatry, and addictions, then we will no longer need the chains of institutional slavery to form our social systems. That day we are more impelled by the motivation of love than the motive of power, is when we will spend more time preaching the Gospel than enslaving our fellow men by centralizing power and wealth in fifedoms large or small."



Charley at HomeDiscipling Dad writes in Childlike Joy….. on how we need to review how we relate to God and His word to see if we have allowed our walk with him to loose the joy we first had.



Lee Duigon writes and excellent article entitled: Public School Teacher ‘Professionalism’: A Myth Exposed. How many shy away from their call as Christian parents to school their children because of the myth Mr Duigon speaks of. The government schools perpetuate this myth so as to retain a hold on our children and Christians need to realize this. We as Christian parents need to realize when God says He will “equip you with everything good that you may do his will” (Heb 13:20-22) the training and raising of our children is one things He will equip us for.



Voddie has on his blog the always insightful “September 2009: Welcome to the Continuing Collapse!” by Bruce Shortt. The subtitle is very telling Exposing Government Schools: The Youth Ministry of the State Church of Secular Humanism.


Here is a good site that deals with the Tenth Amendment: Tenth Amendment Center

True Worship

Yesterday at our Lord’s Day gathering we looked at Gen 22:1-14. How often do we look at the Genesis 22 and look for what it says about our salvation? But the context ,while certainly being a picture of substitutionary atonement , has even more to offer. We see in the text that Abraham's test involved the worship of God. Would Abraham worship God as God called him to worship or would he devise his own plan. We know the answer but that answer is relevant to us as we are not only called by God to worship Him but are told in Heb 12:28 that we are not to simply offer any worship we desire but to offer worship that is acceptable to God.

So, unlike Nadab and Abihu (Lev 10:1-2 ) and Uzzah (2 Sam 6:6-7) who thought it best to do things the way they desired we need to see that acceptable worship is that which is defined by God. Also we need to see that worship is not about a particular day of the week,even though we are to set aside the Lord’s Day, it is about all of life. If we truly saw all of life as about worship and that God defines what acceptable worship is then we should see that God then defines how we are to live so as to be acceptable worship of Him.

In the text we need to see that it was not only the final act of being ready to offer up Isaac that reveled Abraham's faith it was also the act of going to a mountain in the “land of Moriah” to make his offering that was worship. Let us be as Abraham so that our life is that of an act of worship. A life that seeks to glorify God in all we do (1 Cor 10:31).

It has been such a great joy being able to preach though Genesis and seeing how relevant it is to us today. As Genesis was written to the Hebrews who would be soon crossing the Jordan to live in the pagan lands on the other side we too should gain the same hope Moses was seeking to instill as we journey in the pagan lands God has placed us in Let our life be the living sacrifice it is called to be in Hebrews 12:1-2, a living act of worship.

Past Genesis messages can be found here.