Heart of God Saturdays: Psalm 6

Psalm 6 (English Standard Version)

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.

¹O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath.
²Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing;
heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled.
³My soul also is greatly troubled.
But you, O LORD— how long?

⁴Turn, O LORD, deliver my life;
save me for the sake of your steadfast love.
⁵For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who will give you praise?

⁶I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
⁷My eye wastes away because of grief;
it grows weak because of all my foes.

⁸ Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.
⁹The LORD has heard my plea;
the LORD accepts my prayer.
¹⁰All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;
they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.

Nepali Missions

Nepali missions are going great!

My weekly schedule with Nepalis looks something like this:

Wednesdays: Visitations consisting of Evangelism, Prayer, and Discipleship; Wednesday night Bible Study going through Matthew in the home of recent repentant believers.

Thursdays: ESL and Nepali language study with Hari Lal and his wife Kamala before I go into work. I love time together with them and their family, and we have had a great time these last few months!

Saturdays: ESL and Nepali language at Rupa's home with her and her other family members in Clarkston.

Sundays: Preach when requested (about once a month)

Thursday thru Monday when I'm at dispatch: Sermon Prep, Nepali, Greek, and Hebrew Language Study.

May He be glorified! Amen!

God is the Foundation of Knowledge

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7 (ESV)

The Triune God is the fountain head of knowledge. Out of His Being flows knowledge itself. Therefore, to reject the Almighty is to reject the foundation for knowledge.

Let's elaborate on this. Reason is what we call a universal, and a universal does not need a physical object to exist. For example, I use reason when I write this blog, but, if I die, reason does not cease to exist. Reason does not cease to exist when I die physically because it is is not bound by the physical universe due to the fact that its source is God. This assumption is based on a worldview where universals really exist in a concrete yet immaterial manner. That is to say that they flow from God Himself, who is concrete yet immaterial. He is concrete (do not think of concrete in this illustration as physical material) in that He exists, yet He is immaterial in that He is not bound by the physical world that He created.

However, in a purely materialistic worldview where the world is only matter, one's ability to account for the reliability of reason has ceased. Why? If reason is dependent on the electro-chemical impulses in my brain, as the late Dr. Greg Bahnsen would say, then it ceases to exist if every brain stops transmitting electro-chemical impulses because, in this worldview, reason is forcible bound by the material world if the world is only material. This is a serious problem because reducing reason to a material object makes its universality a mere illusion at best.

How does all of this play out in everyday life? The Christian worldview accounts for reason because it flows from the very Being of God, so a Christian can trust that reason is real and not a mere illusion. This gives him the freedom to make real choices like deciding what to eat for breakfast. He really does have the freedom to decide to eat eggs and bacon or just eat cereal with milk. He is not a mechanistic robot that is bound by the pre-determined electro-chemical impulses of his brain. Man is given only a certain amount of freedom within the Sovereignty of God, but man is empowered with the ability to make real choices that are not mere illusions of the ability to freely act upon the world around him. That freedom is fallen and bound to sin (see related posting on man's total depravity), but it does exist.

Why then does a mental malfunction occur when brain damage occurs? Human beings are knit together by God, according to the Bible, as both material and immaterial, and both affects each other. If I get brain damage, that will impact the ability of my immaterial mind to operate rightly upon the vehicle of the physical brain. This is because our immaterial nature is woven together with a physical nature. However, when I die physically, I will be with the Lord immediately and any brain damage will be of no more effect because my immaterial nature will have been set free from a broken material body that inhibited my mind from functioning properly. This is not the end because man was created to glorify God within a physical and immaterial existence. For this reason, God will make a glorified body for me that is rejoined with the immaterial that will enable me to function in a marvelous way that will give me great freedom to worship God beyond a comprehension that I cannot now even begin to grasp!

For the materialist, man is a robot. This mechanistic and fatalistic religion has no choice but to deny man from making genuine free choices in acting upon the world around him. The end of this worldview is devastating. Even seeing that fact is but an illusion. Even recognition that it is but an illusion cannot be substantiated.

Therefore, it is futile for the atheists to argue against Christianity within the materialistic worldview because both the atheist and the Christian would then be predetermined to think a certain way based on their respective predetermined electro-chemical impulses. Any arguing for the atheist's worldview immediately magnifies the futility of the debate because the atheist would be incapable of persuading the Christian to become an atheist. This is why materialism leads to nihilism or what is called the zero point (see James Sire's book The Universe Next Door for a basic intro into nihilism), which is the point at which any effort to substantiate even reason itself has ceased.

Where then does this nihilism lead us? Nietzsche is called the post modern prophet because he embraced this dilemma and advocated that everyone should attempt to traverse to and through nihilism. The only problem is that this creates purpose that is necessitated by a free will that does not exist within this kind of world. Nevertheless, this worldview has entrenched itself into Western thought and ushered in an era of relativism where anything goes because absolutes (ie universals) are an illusion. Ironically, that is an absolute statement that shows just how quickly this worldview self-destructs.

Man now touts relativism, but what he really does is create a set of principles to live by for what he determines is good for him. He looks into the black hole of nihilism and refuses to jump in, so man absurdly asserts that he has freedom to choose his own way yet deep down realizes that this freedom and the recognition of it is only an illusion (existentialism, see Sire for a basic understanding of this).

In conclusion, it is no wonder why the Psalmist proclaims, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' " (first line of Psalm 14:1) Living in practical atheism (see note in ESV Reformational Study Bible on this verse) leads man to despair. Man, in his hard of hearts, would rather embrace absurdity in a futile effort to exalt himself rather than submit to a Holy God that can free him of his irrational idolatry that has taken many forms since Adam! That is what we face everyday when we evangelize! This is why manipulative evangelistic methods are ridiculous and insulting to the Only One Who can set man free from his depravity! Praise Him when a soul is set free by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit! Amen!

Horror of Abortion! God Almighty Shall Have His Vengeance!

One day our God shall have His vengeance upon the murder of these little ones! Amen!

Watch this again and again, lest you forget.

Click here.

Sermon at Nepali Baptist Church: Isaiah 6 A Transformed Heart Before The Holy God

The service went great today with the growing Nepali congregation. Six youth, most in their early to mid teens got baptized today! Praise God!

We also celebrated communion today, so praise the Lord for that as well. I believe they do that once a month.

The translator did an incredible job, and everything went smoothly.

If you'd like to listen to the sermon (half English half Nepali), click here.

If you'd like to view the notes (the notes are longer because I cut the sermon short in light of communion), click here.

Book Review---In God We Trust: Why biblical authority matter for every believer--by Steve Ham

A Book Review by Jeramy Anderson, President and Founder of The Jeramy Anderson Evangelistic Association, Inc. For further info, see http://tjaea.blogspot.com/

Ham, Steve. In God We Trust: Why biblical authority matters for every believer. Green Forest, AR: Master Books, April 2010.

Use of Apologetics

First and foremost, this book exposes the reality of biases when it comes to interpretation of anything. The idea that man can be neutral is only an illusion. The author strives to demonstrate that the Biblical text is not merely probably true but is certain. Though the book is not attempting to go into deep apologetic detail, I would reccomend that the author bring out one of the harshest consequence of rejecting Biblical authority: nihilism. By rejecting Biblical authority, we reject any ability to be certain about anything. The Triune God is not only reasonable; He is the very foundational axiom for reason.

I would also add that 'anti-theism presupposes theism', as described by Van Til. Even the atheist must steal/borrow from Christianity to make his worldview work. We must especially expose the agnositic fallacy, for he shrouds himself in a guise of humility because he claims that one cannot know anything for certain. Such is not humility but pride, for that statement is an absolute certainty used by him to insulate himself from Biblical offense. Once the agnostic is unmasked, then all the insulation in the world will fail to protect his deceptive position.

The only real criticism I have of the author's use of presuppositional apologetics is that it can be a little evidential at times. For example, in his refutation of Dawkins (p110-111), he does use evidences as 'confirmation' of the Scripture. This is a problem because it sets the evidence as superior to the text itself. I understand what he is trying to say, but it would be better to say, "Scripture alone makes sense of what we see." This kind of statement is used in other parts of the book, but, at times, his statements do become somewhat evidential without realizing it. In saying that, I applaud his use of the evidence, but it is far more formidable to consistently speak of it in relation to how God's Word alone makes the evidence understandable to begin with. For Dawkins in particular, I love to point out how he has no foundation for the reasoning by which he reasons against Christianity!

Applied Theology

Magnifying the implications of rejecting Biblical Authority is at the heart of the book. After explaining the authoritative role of the Trinity in Creation and Redemption, the author expounds magnificently on the application of the Biblical text. It does no good to claim Biblical Authority and then never live out the Bible's teaching in all facets of life.

Likewise, Steve was not afraid to assert man's purpose: the absolute worship of God. Self-esteem is promoted even within the Church sadly, yet it is God-esteem (as Piper would say) that we need. One's value must be centered upon God in Christ and not man for humanity to have any value at all.

The breakdown of the family unit and all of its ramifications shows how compromising Biblical authority effects the Church and society in general. The rejection of the Genesis creation account sets the gospel up for failure from the outset, and this is why it should be no surprise that so many claim to reject Christ because of evolution and millions of years (p210).

One point of contention that I do bring out is in the area of schooling. I applaud the author's willingness to critique what his children are learning in a Christian school. However, this is why many have become so passionate about promoting homeschool. Not only is it the the parent's role to educate and teach from a Biblical foundation, but many of our 'Christian' schools have been infected by naturalism, especially in the hard sciences and Biblical counseling. For this reason, I do find it surprising that the author does not homeschool.

Concluding Remarks

Overall, it was a great book that is far more God-centered than most 'Christian' resources. Finally, may God bless Steve Ham for the hard work that was done in crafting this book.

Why Men Believe Evolutionary Lies

Men believe in marcro evolution, which is to say molecules to man, because they detest the True and Living God in their suppression of the truth in unrighteousness (Rom 1). In spite of the absurdity of materialism, which is the philosophy that matter is all there is, men like Richard Lewontin stated himself that he cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door because of a prior commitment to this materialism.

I use the word believe because materialism is a religious system of thought. It is a worldview with no foundation at all, yet men embrace it with all their heart. Men would rather believe in the unfounded absurd than submit to the One True Triune God Who demands their repentance and worship.

Even moreso, men who call themselves Christians act like practical materialists when they pray little, teach much secular psycology, and refer people to godless therapists and counselors in time of need.

Repent you fool! If you are enslaved to this godles system, turn from your evil, and cast yourself upon Christ, Who is the Perfect Lamb of God! Amen!

Holiness of God in Evangelism and the Lies that Breed Wolves

One of the greatest and most damning lies today is how we evangelize the lost. We must not simply come up to people and ask them if they have accepted Jesus into their hearts! For what Jesus did they accept: the Hindu Jesus, the Buddhist Jesus, the Muslim Jesus, the Mormon Jesus, the Jehovah's Witness Jesus, the Evolutionist Jesus, or some other false god that enslaves men?

On the contrary, let us proclaim to men everywhere to repent of their sin and cast themselves upon the mercies of Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God, Who is King of kings and LORD of lords, and what He did on the cross for wretched sinners!

God is Holy, Holy, Holy! He is not an idol forged by the wicked hearts of men! Amen! Father, forgive us when we preach a gospel that caters to the sinful flesh, for that is no gospel at all! God does not compete against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life; He is God Almighty and not a creation of man! Amen!

When men ask us how to be saved, we must tell them to repent, which is to turn from sin, and turn to Christ putting all of their trust in Him alone for salvation! When asked if someone is a Christian, many people say they are Christians because they said a sincere prayer a long time ago asking Jesus into their heart and then got baptized, yet they live like devils who chase after the vanities and myriads of idols of the world! That is not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Father forgive us if we ever believe and preach such lies as that, lest we breed wolves who seek to destroy the sheep of God! O God, strike us down if we tell such lies! Amen!

When a man wants to know how he can be sure he is saved, we must do as Paul declared to Corinthians. We are to examine ourselves and see that we are in the faith lest we not be in the faith! A true believer will bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit as is written in Galatians 5:22, and those that see no fruit in their lives don't know God and shall be gathered and cast into the everlasting fire of eternal Hell!

We as mere men cannot declare a man to be saved, for only the Holy God of all creation knows the heart. All we can do is command men to repent as God has said in His Word and then tell them to examine their lives. A true believer loves God and hates his sin! A true believer, though he struggles and wars against the sinful flesh, wants Christ and nothing else! Amen!

I want Christ and to know Him more everyday! He who saved me from my sin and made me into a new creature is worthy of all my praise and worship and nothing else!

To Him be glory! Amen!