Looking Back at 2013

On this the final day of 2013, I am looking back at what God has done in this year. In no particular order this includes:
A 60th birthday party complete with worship, skits, testimonies, and many attenders, the first one in a decade.
Conclusion of a season of about seven years working with (ministering) young people in the Boston area.
A season with a home church in my home town before that dissolved.
End of a personal advocacy and identification with the "house church" movement
Study of Portuguese on a daily, serious basis, reversing one of my primary regrets in life, that i was a monoglot.
A wonderful summer in Brazil, visiting many places, churches, and friends, and making many more.
Reinforcement of the primary themes of the Kingdom of God, and personal, accountable discipleship in my life.
Testing of submission to personal discipleship.
Major breakthrough in relationship with my daughter.
Regular fasting.
Ongoing faithfulness, perseverance and mercy of God in my life.
"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen." ( 1 Timothy 1:17KJV)

The Great Degeneration

"The Great Degeneration," (Penguin Press, New York, 2013) is a rather small volume written by Niall Ferguson, the Scottish contrarian, prolific author, and current professor of history at Harvard. He seeks to explain the decay of crucial institutions in four key areas; democracy, capitalism, rule of law, and civil society. True democracy provides for a majority of people being included in economic opportunity rather than providing for a small elite. Capitalism is the means or engine for this process. The rule of law provides for impartial adjudication of the inevitable conflicts, and civil society through volunteer associations provides opportunities to aid the less fortunate.  More specifically he sees the huge increase in public debt as a breaking of a "generational contract," and ever more complex regulation strangling the economy.
    Ferguson believes that this momentum provided by these institutions has peaked and is now declining in the West. He sees the reemergence of an "extractive" elite, lessening of economic opportunity, rule of lawyers rather than rule of law, and ongoing shrinkage of volunteer associations as the role of government continues to expand. Sadly, what he, raised by atheists, and continuing in that belief, does not see is the role of Christianity, and particularly Protestantism with its emphasis on individual relationship with God, and practice of the Bible on the rise of the institutions that he seeks to restore.
     Despite citing on page 116 the work of Marvin Olasky, a Christian historian, who shows the prodigious practical output of an association of 112 Protestant churches in New York city at the turn of the 20th century in establishing industrial and other schools, libraries, kindergartens, savings and loans, medical dispensaries and other beneficial things, Ferguson misses the implication. It is the decline of genuine Christianity as manifested in submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ through obedience to the Word of God (the Bible) that is at the root of the decline of society and its relevant institutions.
    Particularly tragic in this is the reality that Ferguson has somehow escaped much of the prevailing Leftist academic orthodoxy, which allows him to actually think in a helpful way. May he surrender to his Creator and come to the cross of Jesus Christ.

Rainy Day Fund

"Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it." ( Proverbs 21:20ESV) Note that the proverb does not say a rich man. The wise man does not consume everything he has. Currently i am reading a book by a famous author, which i hope to review upon completion, dealing with the disintegration of the institutions which have characterized western civilization over the past several centuries. The author blithely sweeps aside Protestantism, and its focus on the Bible, as a cause of the success which he now sees so clearly fading away. And yet verses like the one quoted above with its emphasis on individual responsibility to live within one's means, and putting something away for a rainy day rather than depending on the government to be responsible for us is at the heart of the difference that he sees between western and other civilizations up until recently.
   Most people do not live in the theoretical so my appeal in this paragraph is for people to tighten their belts and put something away for the proverbial rainy day, which will come. I have read that most Americans, in the most affluent country on the planet, are only three weeks away from serious financial difficulty. We have so many material things yet it is mostly a house of cards built on easy and irresponsible use of credit. We may have gotten a "deal" on whatever we bought but for the most part you will only get pennies on the dollar if you were to try to sell the item.
   Both Christian and secular financial experts urge building up a three to six month cushion of living expenses as a first priority. Nowadays many people enter marriage with large student, credit card, automotive, and other debt and the hole only gets deeper as times goes on. Don't be the foolish person who devours everything that you have.
     "Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it." (Proverbs 13:11ESV)

Ezekiel 29

    Over the years i have only ever known one person named Zeke. This was in the first grade (i think) and i have no idea if his name was Ezekiel and Zeke was his nickname, or whether Zeke was his whole name. In any event while i was cruising through part of Ezekiel yesterday I read through chapter 29 again, which contains the following prophecy.Speaking of Egypt, it reads, "I will bring back the captives of Egypt and cause them to return to the land of Pathros, to the land of their origin, and there they shall be a lowly kingdom. It shall be the lowliest of kingdoms; it shall never  again exalt itself above the nations, for I will diminish them so that they will not rule over the nations anymore. (verses 14 & 15 NKJV)
     Without attempting to be scientifically precise Ezekiel is receiving this revelation roughly five centuries before Christ. There is no way that, humanly speaking, he could know the future history of Egypt to the present day. The reality is that this prophecy has been literally fulfilled. The spectacular civilization of Egypt that many school history books begin with was in the past. Since Ezekiel, Egypt has been ruled by others including Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander the Great and his successors, the Roman Empire, Persians, Byzantines, Umayyid, Abbasid, Mamluk, and Turkish Moslem dynasties, and finally the British Empire. Even with independence under Nasser and his successors the country with the second largest population in Africa has been defeated by little Israel repeatedly. Current woes continue the fulfillment of this prophecy. God is omniscient.
    This is only one of many historically verifiable prophecies in this uniquely inspired Book. God is faithful.

Sharing a Secret

Lamentations 3:27 reads, "It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth." The Proverbs stress the value of hard work (6:6-11, 14:23), and a simple life. Agur asks, "Give me neither poverty or riches- feed me with the food allotted to me." (30:8) And 1 Thessalonians 4:11 reads, "that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you."
     By the grace of God He taught me to appreciate the simple life from my late teens. Working hard was instilled in me by my dad. Working consistently took some time. Some years ago i heard a man say that if someone worked very hard at the beginning of their life they would not normally have to do that at the end. Now I understand that God can pull the plug on the entire world political/economic system at any time. Prior to that I believe that for many people it is possible to work hard, live simply, give to God's work, and save and invest the difference.
     About twenty-five years ago i heard a pastor speak to several hundred men. He outlined a vision of becoming self-supporting missionaries or workers in the Kingdom using the principles above. While i never imagined that this could happen to me, the idea never left. Four and a half years ago, in my middle fifties, i was able to retire from regular work, and embark on full time service for the Lord without needing any outside support. This was possible because of God's grace, hard work, a simple life, and frugal parents. I never made large sums of money but by recent calculations worked the equivalent of forty-eight "normal" years time in thirty-eight calendar years.
    I offer this as a suggestion to younger people. Curtail your lifestyle, consider the future, work hard now. I know so many people far more gifted than i who dream about being in full time service who cannot do this because of financial limitations. The reality is that even the affluent American Church only supports a relative minority of people, and often very poorly.

Traditions & other Thoughts

     One reality of the Christian life, historically and in the present day, is an wide divergence of doctrinal views, which are often of great importance. In startling contrast, the overwhelming majority of Christians follow traditions such as celebrating Christmas or gathering for corporate worship on Sunday that have no or little Biblical evidence. There is no hint that we are to celebrate the birth of Christ, much less to associate this with material opulence, and no command to worship on Sunday although it appears that the early church chose the day of the Lord's resurrection to gather. Yet the power of tradition in these things is insurmountable.
    In another vein there is a relatively new idiomatic saying in English, "throwing someone under the bus." This refers to betrayal, grave offense, or personal injury done to one person by another or a group. However, it is possible to lay someone very nicely and politely under the bus with the same result. The bus runs the person over.
     As the current year draws to a close, I am thankful for those friends who have determined to put up with and treat with a modicum of respect such a cantankerous fellow as myself. While their numbers are not large, they have proven faithful over many years, if not decades, and i thank God for them.
    A personal bugbear is the use of the word "pretty" in the sense of very or rather as in "that was a pretty good meal." I have traced this usage back over fifty years in books and films. While i have no idea of the origin of this usage I deplore the vulgarization.
     "Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord, and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart." ( Jeremiah 24:7 NKJV)

New York City

     As a boy my parents took me to New York City several times. I remember the World's Fair in 1965, and visiting the Museum of Natural History with genuine enjoyment. My more recent experiences have not been so favorable. Several years ago I traveled with a friend to scope out an employment opportunity in southern New Jersey. On our return we were caught at the entrance to the George Washington bridge, a major entry point by a huge traffic jam. When we finally inched to the bridge itself we discovered that two of three lanes were blocked by a fire truck and broken car.
    Yesterday was far worse. Friends and I were traveling from Canada to JFK airport so they could return to Brazil. Admittedly weather conditions were not ideal but problems began almost fifty miles away. We had two different GPS systems by two companies, and written out Internet directions. When we departed from Ottawa they gave an estimated arrival time of 4:45 PM, plenty of time to catch a 7 o'clock flight.
   We went through the worst traffic jam i have ever encountered in one million miles of driving. It took us well over an hour to go a couple of miles so we could enter the Lincoln Tunnel (2 lanes only) after paying the outrageous fee of $13. Coming out of the tunnel surrounded by busses we missed our turn and ended up in city streets in Manhattan, surely one of the most congested places in the country. We finally picked up the Queens MidTown Tunnel, paid $7.50 and continued our crawl to the airport. We arrived at 7:30. In freezing weather we bundled the luggage to the terminal.
   When i finally returned to the car and got into the line to pay for parking, insult was added to injury. Two cars ahead of me someone took nine minutes to pay their toll, a process which should take less than one. I paid $12 for an hour's time. Of course the GPS systems were unreliable, losing the satellites on a regular basis. Miraculously i went the correct way on the Van Wyck instead of the JFK and finally reached the 95 North Interstate to return to New England but not before paying another $7.50 to cross the Whitestone Bridge. If there is a toll i missed in NYC i don't know what it is.
   Paying another $1.75 to use the few miles of New York Thruway before entering Connecticut seemed like a pittance. In summary I will never willingly go to New York City again except for flying in or out of the airport.

Canada Comments

   Entered Canada last Tuesday evening with some Brazilian friends.  Much colder here than in New England. Am staying with a family with two grade school age daughters, both very charming and sweet. They are tri-lingual (Portuguese, English, and French). The younger offered to teach me French but i said fluency in Portuguese first.  Then i will take her up on her offer.
   We went to a retreat in northern Quebec province at higher elevation. Much colder there. One morning minus 19F. It warmed up to 7 above the next morning, a change of 26. Received about a foot and a half of snow during the weekend, and had a stressful ride back through blowing snow. Thankfully no black ice or freezing rain.
   Some brothers talked me into an outdoor jacuzzi. My body was warm enough but my hair started to freeze. We went into a sauna next and finally a pool. These guys know how to party.
   The first meeting i shared briefly on the feeding of the five thousand (with women and children three or four times that number) found in Matthew 14 as well as the other three gospels, one of the few events to be recorded in all four.  We had only thirty people at this retreat and food prep and cleaning took four or five people several hours so the magnitude of the feeding by Jesus, with lots of leftovers, took on additional meaning.
   As i spoke in Portuguese, my message was short and simple. The basic idea was two fold. Jesus told the people to sit down in groups of fifty to a hundred ( a detail found in Mark and Luke) rather than rushing forward, evidence of God,s order. The second was that with at least one thousand to be fed by each of the twelve disciples, and the reality that each one could only carry a limited amount of food at any one time, required them to have faith that Jesus would continue to provide food as they returned to Him, the only source of more food. Try acting this out and you will get the basic idea.

Show or Tell?

May I encourage my readers to follow the link on my blog to that of my friend Bill who has just posted on persecution in the Central African Republic. Not surprisingly it is Muslims who are doing the persecuting.
     Yesterday had the blessing of continuing discipleship with two brothers, Gary and Dan, at different times. Gary and i looked at verses pertaining to money and possessions including Luke 12:15. "And He said to them, "Take heed  and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." (NKJV) Dan and I worked through some verses on the Kingdom of God including Matthew 24:14. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come." ( Matthew 24:14 NKJV). I thank God for the receptivity of these two brothers.
    This morning i had an opportunity to share the Word on the subject of marriage and God's order with five brothers looking in particular at Genesis 2, Romans 5: 12-21, and Ephesians 5:22-33. We saw God giving responsibilities to Adam and holding him accountable. We also looked at the love that the woman needs and the respect which the man needs. ( Ephesians 5:33)
     Also received a word on Matthew 14 from my discipler Vinci with special emphasis on prayer and resting in the Lord. We will go to Canada next week, God willing, to encourage the brethren there.
     In my interactions with other believers i try very hard, by the grace of God, not to simply tell them what I believe that God is saying in His Word, but to show them exactly where i find the verses and themes so that they can see for themselves.