We went on a field trip to a historical museum (The Swigart Museum)last week and though I'm not very interested in cars I did learn much about how people at the turn of the century lived. For example, the headlights were "little lanterns" that could be removed and carried if the driver got a flat tire! The vehicle in this picture is called aDuesenberg. We learned that this particular model or year is the only one in existence. They said it is worth millions. Here is a short description:
This can be well said to be America's"foremost automobile." Built in Indianapolis, Indiana, it was and is today, "King of American Classics." Nothing in America ever approached its quality of styling and its leadership was never questioned. The automobile is a Double Cowl Murphy Body, Model J. Factory records suggest two having been made and this is the only one remaining. The engine is a 265 horsepower double overhead cam. It starts quickly with a roar, yet runs smooth and vibrationless. Clutch, brake, and acceleration pedals are all easy to work, which is unusual in a vehicle with such massive weight.
This car may well be the finest classic in America today. It has the distinction of having won 1st prize from the Classic Car Club of America, and is a National First Prize winner for the Antique Automobile Club of America. It merits all of the respect that it so richly receives.
After leaving the Swigart museum we ventured to Raystown Lake and went on a lovely nature hike and learned about some of the birds and wildlife that inhabit the area. Later we visited the boating area to feed the fish. Now, for some reason I pictured feeding some fish maybe no bigger than a 6" goldfish but these guys were HUGE! They ranged in length from 2' to 2 1/2 feet and they were begging for food like a dog! I do believe that it would have been possible to bend down and pet them. This serves to strengthen my belief that the Lord has created everything with a definate level of intelligence that perfectly suits each creature! Yes, even a fish!! Thank you Lord for another beautiful day to continue learning!
I've decided to make each Tuesday the time when I will post on issues of compromise in the church. I'm entitling this weekly series "Combating Compromise".
Many of the prayerful responses that were contributed had shown me that
it would be beneficial to post an entry on this topic once a
week. I will be letting those of you who responded know about
this post and that each Tues. it will be open for discussion here on my
blog. Gottsegnet also had a good suggestion about submitting the topic
as a carnival and I will be in prayer about it.
In this Tuesday's entry on compromise, I want to talk about an area where I believe there is MUCHneglect*and*MUCH focusand
is responsible for some of the compromise in the church. What am I
talking about? Let me ask you a couple of questions........
Within
most churches on Sunday morning, how do we normally begin the service
before the Pastor delivers the sermon? How do we usually close
the service?
What do most of the young people engage in on sometimes a daily if not hourly basis?
Do you know the answer? It's MUSIC and SONG Again,
this is not an area where *most* Christian homeschoolers have a problem
but it is a growing trend among the body of Christ for both youth and
adults no matter if your child is in ps or private and it IS beginning
to affect homeschooled students as well.
We are all susceptible to this kind of deception, music is everywhere
and has the power to influence us for good or for evil. The Lord
in His word tells us:
Finally,
brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be
any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8
We need to be on guard as what we put into our eyes and ears can affect our thoughts and spiritual life.
"Casting
down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against
the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ." II Corinthians 10:5
Most parents don't understand the depths
and the lengths that the devil will go through in an attempt to cause
us to fall and 2nd guess the Gospel. Some of us view music as a
harmless means of entertainment aside from worship in song during
church. Oh really, is it JUST that? Guess again. Some may argue
that it's all of the heavy metal that's bad, that is the type of music
that the devil uses. Oh really? What do the innocent
sounding pop songs cause us to think about? Self? Lust? Greed?
Are these good?
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:6
How
much does it take, listening to the wrong thing? When does it begin to
cause compromise? Will your children stand firm when approached with a
few harmless songs to give a listen to? I have a few tools that I will
share with you next time, tools that we are using to combat another ill
tide that brings a wave of compromise.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord! In His Love, Cathy
What
are some ways that we can combat compromise and set a godly example for
our children? Obviously I am not alone in my disappointment by
what I have been seeing. In
part 3 I would like to list several ways that we can protect our family
and possibly turn some of the ugly tide around. What is the purpose for gathering with other believers anyway? Is
it not for encouragement, edification, instruction, worship in song,
Bible study and reproof to name a few? As we deal with our own
sinful natures, the last thing that we want to concern ourselves with
when we meet as the body of Christ is resisting *more* sin. There
should be no question but the answer cannot be found in compromising.
What is compromise?
An amicable agreement between parties in controversy, to settle their
differences by mutual concession. A concession to something that
is harmful or depreciative.
2
Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; I am surprised over the well thought out and prayerful responses topart 1andpart 2andI
want to thank all of you for your contributions to this topic.
Something is not right, when we read in one of the responses that
while teaching a class for adults in their church, this husband and
wife had been asked to find a more "seeker friendly" topic. What was the introductory question asked of this class?If you don't believe the 1st five words in the Bible, how can you believe the rest? I believe that would have the Lord's seal of approval don't you? But sadly not by those in position who oversee the classes.
In another comment, it is brought to our attention that the church
lacks the ability to think logically and critically. Again, this
is another area where we find homeschoolers instructing their children
and leading the way! Why *do* we acquaint our children with logic? We
understand the need for the tools to properly defend the Word of God. A
good example of an introductory course for children would be a book
called"The Fallacy Detective" Thirty-Six Lessons on How to Recognize Bad Reasoning by Nathaniel Bluedorn and Hans Bluedorn
What is a fallacy? A fallacy is an error in logic – a place where someone has made a mistake in his thinking. I used this book to instruct the children in our local co-op. This is an example of a way that we can help our children learn to divide truth from error.
Another commented that we lack a foundational knowledge of scripture.
Right again! This is why it *is* foundational for us as Christian
parents and homeschoolers to continually talk of and learn the Word of
the Lord with our children on a daily basis. How does what we see
around us compare to what the Lord says in the Bible? How can we
change a wrong behavior in our lives? Go to the Word! Pray to the
Father through the Son! He is with us, He will lead us into all
truth if we will only yield to Him and become teachable! This another
example in combating compromise.
The last way to combat compromise, surly there are more ways, but in
order to sum up this entry, is by what we have done right here on our
blogs. I did not think that many would take the time to even read
these long posts on compromise let alone respond to them in such
prayerful ways as you've done. I see that we have touched and helped
one another in this issue. We must continue toprayand seek out those who desire truth.
When we are faced with the temptation to sin (and I cringe as I say
this), when we are gathered in a place of worship, remember that HE is
with us! When we are mocked for choosing what is right before the
eyes of the Lord, He is with us and He will provide shelter from the
tempter!
Ways to Combat Compromise in the Church
Pray and seek Jesus Himself (first) and He will instruct us and lead us to each other and to those who will encourage us to be strong.
Set an example for our children by studying the Bible with them and learn the basics of the foundation that the Bible is built upon and hold fast to what you've already received.
Practice ourselves, instruct our children and those who the Lord places in our path to divide truth from error via critical thinking skills and logic courses.
Resist the devil and he will flee from you!!!!
Please feel free to add to this list! May the Lord bless and keep us in His constant care! In His Love, Cathy
I've
not finished pondering and questioning why the church has been
compromising. We are to love one another and it is sad to see our
brothers and sisters fall prey to the works of the devil. It is a
heavy responsibility indeed for a Pastor to shepherd those who
continually desire the lusts of the flesh. We need to be proper
ministers in our own homes, studying God's Word and I applaud my fellow
brothers and sisters who have taken on the full responsibility for
educating their children.Dr. John MacArthur, host of the syndicated radio program Grace to You,has
recently said that we lack the discernment necessary to refute errors
and He is right! This is another reason why we see such
compromise. Here is a segment from the Grace to You website:
"Not
only are biblical terms used imprecisely, thereby spreading confusion
throughout the church, but erroneous teachings of every kind are
readily tolerated. This is because so few people have the discernment
necessary to identify and refute such errors. And if they do sense that
something is wrong, their powers of discernment are too weak to put
their fingers precisely on the point where the error lies. Or, if they
do point out the error, other people denounce them as heresy hunters"
([Eugene, Oreg.: Harvest House, 1987], pp. 35-36)."
I have to refer toAIGagain
when I say that the Lord has raised up a mighty ministry. I could never
effectively defend the Gospel "from the beginning in Genesis" until I
had been taught the truth" and shown directly from God's Word why it is
dangerous for a Christian to follow evolutionary thought. Here is
another segment from Grace to you;
"
Some say that doctrine divides. That's true! If you set aside biblical
truth and remain silent for fear of offending people, opposition will
disappear, but so will some other things like truth, holiness, and God
Himself. Jude 1:3-4 says we are to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
For certain persons have crept in unnoticed ... who turn the grace of
our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus
Christ." Diluting doctrine only ends up making things easier for those
who stealthily seek to victimize the church."
And
here again, we not only compromise our worldviews and actions, but we
directly compromise the Word in an effort to get along and not to
offend, if you will. We are called to please God
and in doing so we will be properly equipped to serve our brothers and
sisters. And here is one last quote from Dr. MacArthur;
"Instead of integrating worldly ideas with God's truth, the psalmist made a clear distinction between the two: "How
blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor
stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his
delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and
night" (Ps. 1:1-2). Titus 1:9 says we are to refute doctrinal error by "holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching."
We
need to hold fast, hold fast....when we receive truth we need to hold
onto it with our very lives! I don't think that there is too much
more that I can add to that. May you be blessed as you go about
your day and continue to hold fast to the Word of the Lord!
What
is the reason for some of the compromise that we see in the body of
Christ? Could it be that we don't fully understand God's
Word? Are we too busy following the latest trends and fashions of
our present culture? How about the music of our day and
age? I can think of quite a number of reasons. Are we
really listening to the voice of the Lord? Do we tune Him out
when hearing His instruction becomes an inconvenience? One of my
all time favorite ministriesAnswers in Genesishas
lifted the shroud and exposed one of the terrible mistakes that the
church has been making lately and that is not taking ALL of the Bible
seriously. Some Christians think that it doesn't matter what we
believe about the accounts written in Genesis but I have to say that it
makes the rest of the Gospel crystal clear concerning origins, where
sin came from, geology, astronomy etc. Ken Ham
To
me, it was vital that the pastors defend the Book of Genesis to the
students. After all, if the first book in the Bible can’t be trusted in
their eyes, why should any other? As one lady put it to me 20 years
later, ‘When my church told me that I had to accept evolution, and that
Genesis couldn’t be believed as written, I asked, “When does God start
telling the truth then?”’ I had enough interaction with the
students to know that this was how their thinking went as well. If in
their religious education classes they were being told to believe the
New Testament—but they knew from science that the first book in the
Bible wasn’t true—why should they trust any of it?
Gary Bates "Can
you see what has happened? The world has ‘salted’ the church instead of
the other way around, in spite of the increase of Christian resources.
How can the church change the world for Christ when the world sees the
church as irrelevant to the real world? Especially when the church is
viewed as not even believing what it’s supposed to believe? Ask
yourself, ‘How many church or para-church organizations do you know of
that take an uncompromising stand like AiG’s?’" {Why doesn’t the church taste good any more?}
These
men are right on. If we are so preoccupied in trying to look like
the world in order to win them over for Christ when will we ever have
time to truly witness? We are told to get "Christianized tatoo's"
to show the world our faith, again, who is influencing who here?
Whatever happened to the fruit of the Spirit? A tree is known by
it's fruit not it's tatoo and there we go again looking at the exterior
and not at the heart. A believer whose heart is focused on Jesus
will lead a life that reflects Christ and good fruit.
It has been one hot summer this year in the eastern portion of the US.
We haven't bothered to switch on the AC because the past several
summers had been a mixture of rain and lower than normal temps so we
welcomed this long awaited summer with open arms!
Along with the souring temps also comes the chances for
thunderstorms. Our average T-storms in the east don't produce too
many lightning strikes but with the rise in temps this year we are on
the look-out for sudden cold fronts to produce whopper storms! We
had one such storm last night. I could see it was going to be an
"intensly electrified" storm evidenced by the multiple lights in the
sky miles away. I called home to tell Annette because I was
planning to stay with my mother until the storm passed.
The storm moved in quickly and it was a dangerous one to say the least. We were surrounded by lightning!!!
My usual response was to keep an eye on everything and to pray that it
would pass quickly but this time was very different, each huge
bolt that would stretch from sky to ground caused me to praise our
Awesome God. No fireworks display could come close to this mighty
hand in the sky. The decibles from the rumbling thunder shook the
floors but I had no fear. All I had was an awareness of an
Awesome Lord who made everything, who knows the number of hairs on my
head, who can move mountains (even the earth if he wants to!) My
God is the Rock of Ages of whom or what shall I be afraid? The
lightning was in-escapable and un-ignorable. A Holy God uses
whatever means He has to get our feeble attention, from the tiniest
firefly to the flaming arrows in the sky. We are without excuse.
WhO SaiD LeaRniNg CaN't Be FuN??
Welcome to our homeschooling treasure trove of learning and ideas. This is our place to share some of the exciting things that we are doing and learning together in our family's homeschooling adventure. We are Christians, and our goal is to yield to our Heavenly Father's will. We hope to encourage others who may be considering homeschooling and help to dismiss some of the misconceptions they may have about living a life of learning!
*Days of Creation Poll*
*Worship With Us* VolumeI Click the CD cover above to listen to Sound Clips
Recorded at Daylight Sound and Recording Studio High Quality Sound at an Affordable Price!
The vehicle in this picture is called a Duesenberg. We learned that this particular model or year is the only one in existence. They said it is worth millions. Here is a short description:
for some reason I pictured feeding some fish maybe no bigger than a 6" goldfish but these guys were HUGE! They ranged in length from 2' to 2 1/2 feet and they were begging for food like a dog! I do believe that it would have been possible to bend down and pet them. This serves to strengthen my belief that the Lord has created everything with a definate level of intelligence that perfectly suits each creature! Yes, even a fish!! Thank you Lord for another beautiful day to continue learning! 
We haven't bothered to switch on the AC because the past several
summers had been a mixture of rain and lower than normal temps so we
welcomed this long awaited summer with open arms! 
My usual response was to keep an eye on everything and to pray that it
would pass quickly but this time was very different, each huge
bolt that would stretch from sky to ground caused me to praise our
Awesome God. No fireworks display could come close to this mighty
hand in the sky. The decibles from the rumbling thunder shook the
floors but I had no fear. All I had was an awareness of an
Awesome Lord who made everything, who knows the number of hairs on my
head, who can move mountains (even the earth if he wants to!) My
God is the Rock of Ages of whom or what shall I be afraid? The
lightning was in-escapable and un-ignorable. A Holy God uses
whatever means He has to get our feeble attention, from the tiniest
firefly to the flaming arrows in the sky. We are without excuse.
