Graduation

As graduates receive the final accolades of their collegiate or high school years, there is always plenty of advice to go around. Advice from old sages to modern hip hop; practical to visionary; corporate to country; spiritual to physical; subjective to objective; simple to complex. So much advice one might ask why the need to publish anything else in this field. This is nothing new, simply a reminder of that which has driven nations since the beginning.

Consider the advice given by one teacher to his student:

1. Let no man despise thy youth (1 Tim. 4:12);
2. Neglect not the gift that is in thee ( 1 Tim. 4:14);
3. Follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness (1 Tim. 6:11);
4. Fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12);
5. Keep what has been committed to thy trust (1 Tim. 6:20);
6. Be not ashamed of the testimony of the Lord (2 Tim. 1:8);
7. Hold fast the form of sound words (2 Tim. 1:13);
8. Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus ( 2 Tim. 2:1);
9. Endure hardship (2 Tim. 2:3);
10. Strive lawfully (2 Tim. 2:4);
11. Study to show thyself approved (2 Tim. 2:15a);
12. Rightly divide the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15b);
13. Flee youthful lust (2 Tim. 2:22a);
14. Follow after righteousness, faith, charity, peace (2 Tim. 2:22b);
15. Do not strive but be gentle (2 Tim. 2:24);
16. Continue in the things that thou hast learned (2 Tim. 3:14).

Rather than seeking to "be like Mike" why not be like Jesus:

1. Jesus increased in wisdom - He developed intellectually;
2. Jesus increased in stature - He developed physically;
3. Jesus increased in favor with God - He developed spiritually;
4. Jesus increased in favor with man - He developed socially.

You cannot walk in the steps of Jesus (1 Pet. 2:21; Jho. 13:15; Eph. 5:2; 1 Jho. 2:6) unless you continue to grow (2 Pet. 3:18). Following after this kind of advice will take you well beyond the stars.

-rick popejoy

Steroids & Sports

In a world increasing void of standards, sports has always been viewed as the great equalizer. Regardless of umpiring errors or even adjusting to the strike-zone, baseball is recognized as a sport of rules. Yet, we ask, “Where are the rules when it comes to steroids?” If Barry Bonds, after a hit immediately runs to third base rather than first, he is out – that’s the rules. If Sosa running from first base is detained by the second baseman so that the shortstop tags him out, he is safe – that’s the rules. Just ask Ben Johnson, a Canadian athlete, best known for his disqualification for doping use after winning the Olympic 100m final in 1988. Johnson had his World Record of 9.79 seconds deleted from the record books.

As an avid sports fan, I have almost given up on watching professional sports altogether, especially baseball, which is closest to my heart. I have played, coached and umpired this wonderful sport being mocked players and owners. Herein are some notable related axioms to baseball’s major problems: First, millionaires cannot strike for more money! Second, no man has the right to strike while young men are preparing to go to war! Third, no man should be rewarded for breaking the rules! Compare with 2 Timothy 2:5

“And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.”

Honoring Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa or Barry Bonds is a symptom of what ails America. We have a tendency to overlook obvious infractions in order to appease either the money makers or the money spenders. According to this year's exposé, Game of Shadows, by two San Francisco sports reporters, Bonds — jealous of the attention heaped on Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa in their 1998 home run derby — started taking all manner of performance-enhancing drugs. His body and home run production swelled at an age when most sluggers' skills decline. His denials have become ridiculous in the face of mounting evidence (USA editorial, 5/14/06). Compare with 1 Timothy 6:10

“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

“Whether the numbers carry an asterisk matters little. They and the athletes who set them will always be seen by fans as the product of an era when cheating was ignored.”

~ rick popejoy

Daniel & the God of Gods

(A brief outline of Daniel 1-6)

Daniel’s God is a God of...

• Intervention (1);
• Revelation (2);
• Salvation (3-4);
• Vindication (5-6);
  
  In his book Thy Kingdom Come, Rushdoony has a chapter entitled “The Offense of Daniel.” Here Rushdoony explains why Daniel is “one of the most explosive books in all human history.” This book assumes at every point a philosophy of history which is the antithesis of every opinion held by modern man. Rushdoony sets forth five particulars in which modern man would take exception to Daniel. First, Daniel underscores the Biblical concept of God. Daniel’s God is totally self-sufficient, omniscient, and omnipotent. He is willing and able infallibly to reveal future events. He is far above anything man is or could ever hope to be. Second, Daniel sets forth unvarnished predictive prophecy—blunt, unmistakable, confident and specific. The God of Daniel uses history and is not used by it. Third, Daniel unapologetically narrates miraculous events. Fourth, Daniel asserts the total government of God. Modern man prefers the anarchy of chance and a god who can be manipulated. Fifth, Daniel reveals the fundamental discrimination which exists within the human race between the saved and the lost.
  

James E. Smith, The Old Testament Survey Series: The Major Prophets

Headlines - May 12, 2006

More public schools try Bible curriculum and Honor gays in textbooks? Calif. considers are two of today's headlines. While California, the largest buyer of textbooks, with an annual spending topping $400 million, seek to honor "the contributions of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people to the state and nation's history" Alabama, Tennessee and Missouri consider the Bible as “worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities,” as long as it is divorce from belief. There is a common denominator in the two stories. They are not opposite ends of the spectrum as some might conclude but symptoms of the same virus affecting this nation. Allow me to refer to this as lese majesty (lèse ma·jes·té), generally used in regarding the state but the meaning is simply, "an affront to another's dignity." Fox News, Discovery, A&E and CNN have all run documentaries recently which demonstrates their disregard for the Bible as the book of God; an affront to His dignity.

In fact, any society seeking pluralism as its basic fundamental religious dogma absolutely must destroy the influence of the Bible in the hearts and minds of men. If men believe, trust, comply and submit to the Bible as the word of God, pluralism slithers away.

By the way, I am not opposed to the Bible being taught in our school systems “for its literary and historic qualities”. If Benjamin Franklin can woo the French with the story of Esther, maybe we can do the same with modern Americans, but I do have these questions: Is this the only value that the Bible demonstrates? What about it’s high moral standard? (this would relate to the story out of California). Are we going to devalue inspiration in order to teach its “literary and historical qualities”? (not a necessity but certainly a possibility). Is Genesis One historical in nature? Is the flood of Genesis 6-8 historical in nature? Is the story of Jonah being swallowed by a whale historical in nature?

These two stories although miles apart and seemingly from the opposite ends of the political and religious spectrum have many things in common, among which is the strong possibility of an affront to the dignity of the Bible and its Author.

~ rick popejoy

Does It Really Matter?

Throughout my twenty-two years of preaching I have had occasion to hear people say, in effect, “It really does not matter what you believe.” Of course, the religious world has long held to the belief that as long as a person is sincere about his religion it does not matter what he believes.

Yet, how many lives have been devastated by, “I didn't think that the gun was loaded, but it was” or “I thought no one was listening, but they were” and “I thought no one would ever find out, but they did.” A hard lesson for some: it does matter what you believe!

The following are some biblical examples for our personal study: Eve believed Satan’s lie but God had plainly said, “...of the tree...thou shalt not eat of it.” (Gen. 3:4-6; 16-19). Jacob believed Joseph was dead (Gen. 37:32-35). Job’s friends believed that bad things happen to bad people they sought to convince Job he had sinned - they were convinced of it (Job 4:7-9; Luke 13:1-5). The young prophet believed the old prophet’s lie (1 Kgs. 13:17-19). Naaman believed Syrian rivers were better than the Jordan (2 Kgs. 5:10-12). It mattered what the disciples believed about Jesus (Mat. 16:13-15). It mattered what Saul of Tarsus believed about Jesus (Acts 23:1).

It does matter what you believe! “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith...” (2 Cor. 13:5).

Modified from sermon by Cecil Hutson

"Ye Should Follow His Steps"

1 Peter 2:21 “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”

John 13:15 “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.”

Romans 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Ephesians 5:1-2 “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”

1 John 2:6 “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”

1 John 3:16 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

Rick Popejoy