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| Make Like A Tree....... and leave! Here's the grand announcement of the blog's migration to www.williamcmarsh.com. I've been working for a week or so on getting up and running there and the day has finally arrived. So, if you watch the RSS feed, save this. Otherwise, I'll see you on the other side!
Ergo..........No more posts at Xanga. | | |
| You Couldn't Make This UpSurely this is a spoof? Or the fruits of local access channels on cable TV? Or the last death throes of the prosperity gospel? I don't know, but a friend sent this to me yesterday. Probably watched it a dozen times and still laugh at it everytime I see it. (Probably tells you more about me than "Rev. Charles".)
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| One lump of coal to Houston!Exhibit #249 of why Joel Osteen is the sort of wolf about which Paul was concerned in 2 Timothy. From a Fox News Sunday interview with Chris Wallace:WALLACE: And what about Mitt Romney? And I've got to ask you the question, because it is a question whether it should be or not in this campaign, is a Mormon a true Christian?
OSTEEN: Well, in my mind they are. Mitt Romney has said that he believes in Christ as his savior, and that's what I believe, so, you know, I'm not the one to judge the little details of it. So I believe they are. The little details? Like, oh, I don't know... the person and work of Christ? The sufficiency of Scripture? Lord deliver the Church from such quackery!
If you read the whole interview, I think you'll be stuck by the tentativeness and evasions, without which Osteen can't end a sentence. I thought over and over of the following from 2 Timothy 3:5-7having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. And, later in 4:3-4For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. | | |
| Here, Here!A few years ago, I didn't get nearly as worked up as others about the consecration to the Episcopal bishopric of an open, practicing homosexual. In my view, it was the logical outcome of a process that had begun many years earlier with the dilution of Biblical authority, followed by backpedaling on the virgin birth and the resurrection. Once you give up those central doctrinal issues, it really doesn't matter if the pastor is wearing a skirt (literally or even figuratively). Ed Veith writes about the Archbishop of Canterbury's recent BBC interview in which he inarticulately and unhelpfully deconstructed pop versions of the Christmas story.This doctor of theology, this head of the state church addressing his national flock, went along even with a comedian who equated belief in God with a belief in Santa Claus. The Archbishop had an opportunity and a forum to witness to the Christian faith, a chance to explain the doctrine of the Incarnation–which I suspect many Brits have never heard of–but he totally wimped out.
Anglicans of the world: Your problem is not that you have homosexual bishops. It is that you have bishops who deny the Incarnation, the Resurrection, and even sometimes the existence of God. You have bishops who are Druids and syncretists. You have bishops who want to conform to the world rather than teaching God’s Word. (I’m not saying the Archbishop of Canterbury is completely this way, though he is a Druid and is way too concerned about being accepted by Ricky Gervais.) It isn’t so much that Anglicans need heterosexual bishops; first of all, they need Christian bishops. | | |
| Remember... RememberA post at Desiring God earlier in the week quoted a sermon by Thomas Wilcox (1621-1687). It prompted me to read the entire version, which has been one of the great literary blessings of my week. I quoted this in a letter to the congregation earlier today, believing it to be particularly helpful in preparation for the Lord's Supper this Sunday. The best gold is shared:Remember Christ’s time of love when you were naked (Ezek 16:8,9), and then He chose you. Can you ever have a proud thought? Remember whose arms supported you from sinking and delivered you from the lowest hell (Psalm 86:13), and shout in the ears of angels and men (Psalm 148), and for ever sing praise, praise; grace, grace. Daily repent and pray, and walk in the sight of grace, as one that has the anointing of grace upon you.
Remember your sins, Christ’s pardoning;
your deserving, Christ’s merits;
your weakness, Christ’s strength;
your pride, Christ’s humility;
your many infirmities, Christ’s restoring;
your guilts, Christ’s new applications of His blood;
your failings, Christ’s raising up;
your needs, Christ’s fullness;
your temptations, Christ’s tenderness;
your vileness, Christ’s righteousness.
A Christian never lacks comfort, but by breaking the order and method of the gospel, looking on his own righteousness, and looking off Christ’s perfect righteousness, which is to choose rather to live by candlelight, than by the light of the sun. The honey that you suck from your own righteousness will turn into perfect gall, and the light that you take from it to walk in, will turn into black night upon the soul. Satan is tempting you by putting you to plod on in your own grace, to get comfort from that; then the Father comes and points you to Christ’s grace, as rich, glorious, infinitely pleasing Him, and bids you study Christ’s righteousness. And His biddings are enablings; that is a blessed motion, a sweet whispering, checking your unbelief. Follow the least hint close with much prayer; prize it as an invaluable jewel, it is an earnest of more to come. | | |
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