Sunday, November 9
Saturday, November 8
The Idol of Self
"People will be lovers of SELF" 2 Timothy 3:2
The passions of discontent, pride, and envy--exert themselves in each of us. We are fallen into a state of gross idolatry--and SELF is the idol we worship! The principle of SELF is deep-rooted in every heart, and is the spring of every action--until grace infuses a new principle, and SELF, like Dagon, falls before the Lord Almighty! --John Newton
The passions of discontent, pride, and envy--exert themselves in each of us. We are fallen into a state of gross idolatry--and SELF is the idol we worship! The principle of SELF is deep-rooted in every heart, and is the spring of every action--until grace infuses a new principle, and SELF, like Dagon, falls before the Lord Almighty! --John Newton
Self-Worship and Modernity's Mess
We are prone to think of God--when we think of Him at all--as wonderful. We are less likely to see Him as willful. Certainly He is both, but the overwhelming emphasis of Scripture is upon the will rather than the wonder. It is upon the exercise of God's prerogative rather than the expiation of our pleasure. The difference is probably a matter of slights rather than slanders. Nevertheless, it is a difference that makes for rather dramatic consequences.
Thus, to some of us God is little more than a cosmic vending machine in the sky, designed to dispense our every want and whim. To others of us He is a grandfatherly sage who lives to patiently offer us certain therapeutic benefits and baubles from His largess. To still others He is a kind of Santa figure--jolly, unflappable, and determined to bestow goodies upon incognizant masses. Invariably though, we moderns tend to see God in terms of ourselves--in terms of our wants, our needs, our preferences, and our desires. We have apparently, as Voltaire accused, "made God in our own image."
But, according to psychologist Paul Vitz, such a conception is not knowledge of God at all, but a form of "self-worship." According to J.C. Ryle, it is "the cruelest of all delusions" because "by it men think they have come to a knowledge God when in fact they have done nothing of the sort." Thus, Joseph Aulen has argued that "the vast proportion of modern Christians have a vastly mistaken knowledge of the person and work of the Almighty."
Thus, according to D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, "because men do not know God or the nature of God--particularly those who claim to be Christians--all of the problems of life and culture are amplified even more." Andrew Murray asserts that it is due to the fact that Christians do not "properly entertain a knowledge of God" that "societies fall into such disarray as we have in the modern world." And A.W. Tozer has said that "a lack of a true knowledge of God's attributes and character" is the "root of the indecisiveness, imbalance, and ineffectiveness" of the contemporary church.”
Thus, to some of us God is little more than a cosmic vending machine in the sky, designed to dispense our every want and whim. To others of us He is a grandfatherly sage who lives to patiently offer us certain therapeutic benefits and baubles from His largess. To still others He is a kind of Santa figure--jolly, unflappable, and determined to bestow goodies upon incognizant masses. Invariably though, we moderns tend to see God in terms of ourselves--in terms of our wants, our needs, our preferences, and our desires. We have apparently, as Voltaire accused, "made God in our own image."
But, according to psychologist Paul Vitz, such a conception is not knowledge of God at all, but a form of "self-worship." According to J.C. Ryle, it is "the cruelest of all delusions" because "by it men think they have come to a knowledge God when in fact they have done nothing of the sort." Thus, Joseph Aulen has argued that "the vast proportion of modern Christians have a vastly mistaken knowledge of the person and work of the Almighty."
Thus, according to D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, "because men do not know God or the nature of God--particularly those who claim to be Christians--all of the problems of life and culture are amplified even more." Andrew Murray asserts that it is due to the fact that Christians do not "properly entertain a knowledge of God" that "societies fall into such disarray as we have in the modern world." And A.W. Tozer has said that "a lack of a true knowledge of God's attributes and character" is the "root of the indecisiveness, imbalance, and ineffectiveness" of the contemporary church.”
Wednesday, November 5
The Day After
"Politics is not an event but a process. We sometimes lose the events but it never gives us the right to stop being faithful to our principles that enlisted us in the process. We shall live to fight another day."
--Mike Huckabee
--Mike Huckabee
Tuesday, November 4
Election Day Reminders
America's foremost comedian, Will Rogers, was born near Oolagah, Oklahoma on this day in 1897. He often lampooned politics and politicians in his beloved nation--famously saying:
“There is no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.”
“I belong to no organized political party--I’m a Democrat.”
“There is something about a Republican that you can only stand him for just so long. On the other hand, there is something about a Democrat that you can’t stand him for quite that long.”
“Democrats are the party that says government can make you richer, smarter, taller, and get the chickweed out of your lawn. Republicans are the party that says government doesn’t work, and then they get elected to prove it.”
“No party is as bad as its leaders.”
Good reminders as we go to the polls today. Politics is of course important--but, because it is just politics, it is certainly not all important.
“There is no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.”
“I belong to no organized political party--I’m a Democrat.”
“There is something about a Republican that you can only stand him for just so long. On the other hand, there is something about a Democrat that you can’t stand him for quite that long.”
“Democrats are the party that says government can make you richer, smarter, taller, and get the chickweed out of your lawn. Republicans are the party that says government doesn’t work, and then they get elected to prove it.”
“No party is as bad as its leaders.”
Good reminders as we go to the polls today. Politics is of course important--but, because it is just politics, it is certainly not all important.
More Election Day Wisdom
"Being in politics is like being a football coach: you have to be smart enough to understand the game, and dumb enough to think it’s important." Eugene McCarthy
“If it were not for government, we should have nothing left to laugh at.” Nicholas Chamfort
“The worst thing in the world, next to anarchy, is government.” Henry Ward Beecher
“Two characteristics of government are that it cannot do anything quickly, and that it never knows when to quit.” George Stigler
“When you break the big laws, you do not get liberty; you do not even get anarchy. You get the small laws.” G.K. Chesterton
“In government, the sin of pride manifests itself in the recurring delusion that things are under control.” George Will
“We do not need to get good laws to restrain bad people. We need to get good people to restrain bad laws.” G.K. Chesterton
“The most terrifying words in the English language are, I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” Ronald Reagan
“If I knew that a man was coming to my house with the conscious design of doing me good, I should run for my life.” Henry David Thoreau
“Of all the tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely expressed for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent busybodies.” C.S. Lewis
“If you want a friend in Washington, buy a dog.” Harry Truman
“You can’t even trust the dogs in this town.” Clarence Thomas
"If men will not be governed by the Ten Commandments they shall be governed by the ten thousand commandments." G.K. Chesterton
“If it were not for government, we should have nothing left to laugh at.” Nicholas Chamfort
“The worst thing in the world, next to anarchy, is government.” Henry Ward Beecher
“Two characteristics of government are that it cannot do anything quickly, and that it never knows when to quit.” George Stigler
“When you break the big laws, you do not get liberty; you do not even get anarchy. You get the small laws.” G.K. Chesterton
“In government, the sin of pride manifests itself in the recurring delusion that things are under control.” George Will
“We do not need to get good laws to restrain bad people. We need to get good people to restrain bad laws.” G.K. Chesterton
“The most terrifying words in the English language are, I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” Ronald Reagan
“If I knew that a man was coming to my house with the conscious design of doing me good, I should run for my life.” Henry David Thoreau
“Of all the tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely expressed for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent busybodies.” C.S. Lewis
“If you want a friend in Washington, buy a dog.” Harry Truman
“You can’t even trust the dogs in this town.” Clarence Thomas
"If men will not be governed by the Ten Commandments they shall be governed by the ten thousand commandments." G.K. Chesterton
Sunday, November 2
Saturday, November 1
Suddenly Too Close to Call?
In a stunning new report, pollster John Zogby has Republican John McCain starting to pull ahead in the race for president for the first time in more than a month. "Is McCain making a move?" he asks. "The three-day average holds steady, but McCain outpolled Obama today, 48% to 47%. He is beginning to cut into Obama's lead among independents, is now leading among blue collar voters, has strengthened his lead among investors and among men, and is walloping Obama among NASCAR voters. Joe the Plumber may get his license after all."
In addition, he says, "Obama's lead among women declined, and it looks like it is occurring because McCain is solidifying the support of conservative women, which is something we saw last time McCain picked up in the polls. If McCain has a good day tomorrow, we will eliminate Obama's good day three days ago, and we could really see some tightening in this rolling average. But for now, hold on."
With other pollsters, including Gallup, Rasmussen, and TIPP, predicting an Obama cakewalk, it is apparent that volatility is not limited to stocks and mortgages.
In addition, he says, "Obama's lead among women declined, and it looks like it is occurring because McCain is solidifying the support of conservative women, which is something we saw last time McCain picked up in the polls. If McCain has a good day tomorrow, we will eliminate Obama's good day three days ago, and we could really see some tightening in this rolling average. But for now, hold on."
With other pollsters, including Gallup, Rasmussen, and TIPP, predicting an Obama cakewalk, it is apparent that volatility is not limited to stocks and mortgages.
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