We tackled this question in Forum, our interactive post-service discussion group, a few weeks ago at Emmanuel. We began by simply trying to clarify in our own minds what degree of freedom and restriction we currently experience, while at the same time trying to work out what level of restriction we would be prepared to tolerate in future.

This latter aspect of the question was particularly useful, since it’s very easy to allow ourselves to succumb unthinkingly to a one-tiny-step-at-a-time process of encroachment on our liberty, so that we end up like the proverbial frog-boiled-alive, never noticing the gradually increasing heat until we doze off and end up cooked.

In response to the following 16 hypothetical scenarios, we sought to decide whether:

• We are currently in this situation; or
• We’re not currently in this situation, but we’d be willing to tolerate it; or
• We’re not currently in this situation, and we’d be unwilling to tolerate it.

(more…)

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God never asks for anything less than everything, and in his mercy, never asks for more. He remembers our frame, our dustiness is never hidden from His eyes. A widow’s mite and a sower’s seed are both limited by physical and temporal “smallness,” as are the widow and the sower themselves. All four are finite creatures, and more humbling than finitude, the widow and the sower are both fallen, both sinfully natured and habitually inclined toward sin.

But He places the mite in the widow’s hand and asks, “What will you give?” She gives everything and He asks nothing more. He did not ask for two mites. She gave her fortune, little and limited as it was, and God smiled as He smelled the redolent savor of her sacrifice. What did God do with a penny? I haven’t any clue, but I trust it was something great. He has made it a habit of doing grand and glorious things with the seemingly scant offerings of His creatures.

God knows you’re little. God made you that way, and out of his infinite mercy, He placed His own image within you. You are created, but the one whose image you bear is not. He asks you today, “What will you give?” He wants you to give everything, and will never ask for more than that. He knows your frame. He remembers you are dust.

What about the sower of seed? The farmer loves the earth and the bounty of the earth. Any sower sows in faith. Who would broadcast these dead vessels of future life without believing they can live again, and bear fruit five, ten, and one-hundred fold? Which farmer commands the clouds to spill their liquid life and then depart again to reveal the sun? Which farmer believes he can command the seasons or the stars? Doubt-filled farmers will not remain in that line of work for long. Farming takes faith. And the faithful farmer sows expecting good things in return.

God has given you a parcel of earth to tend. It may be dirt, seed, and crop, but it may not. To an author he has given paper, ink, and words—and a readership. To a teacher he has given books, lessons, and curricula—and a class. To a mother he has given a home, a hearth, and a heart—and children. To a lawyer he has given a legal code, a conference room, and a library—and clients. To each one us, he has given tools, skills, and experience—and the people around us who need us.

Like the sower of seed, you only have so much you can give today and a limited number of people to give it to. God asks for no more than you have to give, but if you hold some back in doubt, like extra manna, it will rot before sunrise tomorrow. You always have just the right amount of seed for today’s field. When the bag is empty, the field is sufficiently sown; if seeds remain, there is work left to do.

And like the widow, you have everything at your disposal that God has placed at your disposal. He only wants to bless you as you give it all, and never asks for a penny more than you have to give. He knows your frame. He remembers that you are dust.

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Guest post by Chad Poorman

Abortion! We’ve been fighting this battle openly since the 70’s. We have prayed fervently in our churches, protested lovingly, sought counsel and economic relief for those considering “the way out.”  Recently, we won victories with the Center For Medical Progress videos clearly showing the brazen evil of Planned Parenthood.  As a result of these videos the Daily Signal posted a list of companies that contribute to PP. Our friend and regular Kuyperian contributor Andrew Isker wrote a piece for Kuyperian on July 23^rd encouraging the Body of Christ to contact the corporate sponsors that donate to PP and ask for their stance on the viral videos.  I read Pastor Isker’s article and began to contemplate how to get involved and which companies I should contact (read it and get involved).

As I muddled through my day in and out of prayer and contemplation, it occurred to me that these companies that donate to PP are companies that are all about profit, “making coin,” generating revenue.  Why would these companies support the murder of babies? PP is a non-profit (wink wink nudge nudge), or at least is categorized as one.  Being overly gracious I chalked it up to a tax break.  When these corporations give to PP they receive a tax break and it is written off as charity.  Do you see the fallacy?  These companies give money to receive a tax break and the organization that they support is openly and legally killing their potential patrons.  Do these companies realize that a baby grows up, gets a job, and is able to consume their goods and services?  Surely no tax break could equal the about of money aborted babies could spend in our economy.  It does not make sense, there is no logic.

I became even more curious about the depth of this fallacy.  Taking the list from the Daily Signal, I picked a company that is all over my house, Bath and Body Works.  Their product is at every sink, in my showers, under cabinets, on my walls, this stuff is everywhere.  My wife and daughter use their soaps, shower gels, lotions, body butters (whatever that is), and lip balms.  How did all this get into my dwelling? My wife will often go to the mall with her mother, and they stop into Bath and Body Works and bring home gads of their various products.  I ask, “Don’t we have enough?” She responds, “They were buy one, get two.”  How can a company stay viable if they are giving so much product away.  They must have a large profit margin on their product, and if that is the case they are making cach hand over fist.

What are the statistics? Bath and Body Works is America’s largest mall beauty brand.  There are over 1,600 stores nationwide. They are owned by the L Brands Inc. (the L Brands also owns Victoria’s Secret).  They opened their first store in 1990.  Bath & Body Works does approximately $145,000,000 in sales every year.  One of their shower gels is priced at $12.50.

Planned Parenthood has been involved with abortion since Roe v. Wade in 1973 (I am suspicions they were doing abortions before 1973).  PP has committed approximately 6 million abortions in the last 42 years, which is an average of 142,857 lives per year.

Bath & Body Works is a large company that is in virtually every mall in America.  $75,000,000 is the amount of money Bath & Body Works would make if every aborted American baby never happened and was able at some point in their lives to purchase one retail priced shower gel.  The numbers are astounding.  Seventy-five million dollars! American corporations that sponsor PP, take a stand and look at the babies in the womb as potential lifelong patrons of your companies.

Christian, if bad publicity, and public pressure will not change the corporations’ minds, hopefully, prayerfully an understanding of potential earnings will.  I encourage you to read Andrew Isker’s article, it will help you as you get involved and fight this war.

Chad Poorman teaches 4th grade, Latin and Greek at Trinitas Christian School and is a member of Providence Church in Pensacola.  He is an avid bibliophile, and enjoys any conversation about books and Medieval history.  He enjoys cooking with his wife and daughter.

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Yesterday, my pastor and I had a lengthy discussion regarding Sabbath observance. The subject was brought up, in part, because Bill will be preaching this Sunday on a passage which includes “So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” (MK 2:28) What does it mean for Jesus to lord over the Sabbath? How does Sabbath observance encourage and mature God’s people week after week? While Bill gave a number of deeply satisfying answers, I found myself only able to offer a few relatively shallow tips: “avoid TV” I said at my peeking moment.  Coming home, I picked up Stuart Bryan’s The Taste of Sabbath: How to Delight in God’s Rest and finished it before dinner. Exegetically careful, pastorally wise, and deeply convicting, Bryan paints a picture of the Sabbath which is as beautiful as it is compelling. On the Sabbath itself, Bryan says:

“…the Sabbath expressed God’s desire for man’s rest and refreshment: for liberty, joy, health, fullness, happiness, growth. Consequently, the things done on the Sabbath should be thing that promote life, promote well being, and advance the joy and happiness of men while upholding the honor and worship of God. The Sabbath was created for the benefit of man and, consequently, served a subservient role to man’s wellbeing.[i]”

Perhaps the most helpful chapter in the book is the last, which gets into more practical matters. Now, you’d expect the “practical” chapter in a book on Sabbath to include list of “don’ts.” At least that’s where my mind immediately goes: “what can’t I do on Sundays?” Actually, Bryan begins by listing what one “gets” to do on the Sabbath; namely, rest, feast, and celebrate. While I encourage you to purchase and read the whole book (which won’t take more than an hour or two), the passage below gets to the heart of Bryan’s argument:

“This orientation of joy and gratitude helps us face the Lord’s Day aright. Rather than focus on what we cannot do on the Lord’s Day—which was one of the distortions of the Pharisees—Jesus’ conduct focuses on what we get to do. ‘Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?’ We get to rest, we get to worship, we get to fellowship, we get to show mercy, we get to study the Word, we get to refresh our souls. Glory to God.

Look around at our culture. Look how harried and distracted people are. Look how busy and hamster-like people are. Look at who benefits the most from violating the Lord’s Day, from unceasing labor—business owners and tax collectors. And in observing all this, observe the glory of Sabbath, the glory of the Lord’s Day. The Lord’s Day teaches us to rest; teaches us where prosperity comes from; teaches us where sanctification comes from. All these things come from the hand of God. So let us rest and watch Him work on our behalf. Remember Isaiah’s promise to those who call the Sabbath a delight:

Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord;

And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,

And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.

The mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Is. 58:14)

Our fundamental attitude individually toward the Lord’s Day must be one of feasting, delight, liberation, and joy. And this is where our focus as communities should be as well. What should the Lord’s Day look like? Again, what did the life of our Lord look like on this day? Prioritization of worship, devotion to teaching and fellowship with the people of God, participation in feasting and assisting others—the very things that the institution of the Sabbath was given to cultivate and protect from the beginning. So these are the types of things that should characterize us. And so what should our Lord’s Day look like? Rest, worship, instruction, feasting, fellowship, mercy. These are our priorities; these are the things that characterize a typical Sabbath day.

Once we get this right, we’re in a position to answer other related questions—should I work on the Lord’s Day? If so, under what circumstances? Should I engage in organized sports? Should I patronize businesses? These are all important questions that need answers. But if we jump to these types of questions without getting the heart of the Lord’s Day first—feasting, delight, liberation, worship, joy—then we will become nothing more than modern day Pharisees. The Lord’s Day should be the best day of the week. ‘Huh?’ Run myself ragged on the Lord’s Day? No thanks—I’d rather drive my clunker, feast with my family, and study God’s Word.’ And so, in our families, let us consider how to make the Lord’s Day the best day of the week. Let us break out the fine china; fix the best food; drag out the sweets; open a bottle of good wine; invite friends and family; read and study and enjoy the Word of God together; and pray corporately with joy. The Lord’s Day should be the best day of the week. So we should consider how to make it so given the ages of our children and the opportunities the Lord has placed before us. And when we face some decision about what to do on the Lord’s Day, we need to ask ourselves, is this thing that we are considering accentuating the feast or pulling us away from it?[ii]”

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When Americans speak of the “Founding Fathers,” they usually have a group of about six men in mind: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, James Madison, and John Adams, for sure, and maybe Alexander Hamilton or Samuel Adams. These Founders are endlessly fascinating, but if all we do is focus on this short list, we get a skewed view of the Revolution.

I recently contributed an essay on Patrick Henry to Mark David Hall and Gary Gregg’s America’s Forgotten Founders (now in its 2nd edition, from ISI Books), which introduces readers to some of the lesser-known Founding Fathers. As I also discuss in my biography, Patrick Henry: First Among Patriots,  Henry is probably one the best known of those forgotten Founders, but he is not quite in the top tier of those we remember. Perhaps Henry has lost some fame because of his bitter political rivalry with Madison and Jefferson in the 1780s, which culminated in Henry’s opposition to the Constitution. Some Americans have a hard time understanding how the great Patriot Henry could have become an Antifederalist.

In any case, in honor of the Fourth of July, here’s my personal list of the top five forgotten Founding Fathers, leaders I wish more Americans knew. Since I’ve already discussed him, I’ll leave Henry off, even though he’s my personal favorite. Anyone who participated in politics or the military during the Revolution could be on the list.

John Witherspoon: a Scots Presbyterian minister, president of Princeton, and teacher of James Madison, Witherspoon was elected to serve in the Continental Congress, and signed the Declaration of Independence (the only clergyman to do so). The best book on Witherspoon is Jeffry Morrison, John Witherspoon and the Founding of the American Republic.

Lemuel Haynes: born in Connecticut to a white mother and black father, Haynes worked as an indentured servant prior to enlisting in theMassachusetts militia, and then the Continental Army. Haynes also experienced evangelical conversion and came under the tutelage of local Calvinist pastors. Shortly after the Declaration of Independence, Haynes wrote “Liberty Further Extended,” possibly the most powerful argument against slavery from the Revolutionary era. In the 1780s, Haynes began a thirty year pastoral career in Vermont, and was likely the first African American to pastor a largely white congregation. The standard biography of Haynes is John Saillant’s Black Puritan, Black Republican: The Life and Thought of Lemuel Haynes.

Roger Sherman: another devout evangelical from Connecticut, Sherman was the only Patriot to sign all four of the great American founding documents: the Continental Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. Mark David Hall has a major new book on Sherman coming out this fall, Roger Sherman and the Creation of the American Republic.

David Avery: converted under George Whitefield’s preaching, Avery worked as a pastor in Vermont until the outbreak of the Revolution, when he became one of George Washington’s key chaplains. He prayed over American troops at the Battle of Bunker Hill, and crossed the Delaware with Washington on Christmas night of 1776. I discuss Avery at length in God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution.

John Zubly: the wildcard of the list, this Swiss Presbyterian pastor of Savannah, Georgia, became perhaps the most fascinating American Loyalist of the Revolution. Zubly led Georgia’s protests against British taxes, and represented the colony in the Second Continental Congress, but as a matter of principle, he balked at the prospect of violent revolution. He left the Congress, lost his church, and for a time hid out in South Carolina’s Black Swamp before becoming Georgia’s most active Loyalist writer. The standard introduction to Zubly and his writings is Randall Miller, ed., A Warm and Zealous Spirit: John J. Zubly and the American Revolution, A Selection of His Writings.

Who would you include on the list of Forgotten Founders? Happy Fourth of July!

By Thomas Kidd

(Originally published at Patheos)

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