Dr. Sam Lamerson

With friends like this as Christian spokesmen, who needs enemies?  A pastor prays for the death of the president.  I am sorry, but agree with the president or not, this is simply out of line. 

Romans 13:1-3

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.

I know that Paul was in prison when he wrote the book of Romans, but it was not for calling for the death of Caesar.  The government at the time of the Apostle was wicked, corrupt, and totally anti-Christian.  Yet God calls for us to be subject to the governing authorities.

You can read about the prayer, as well as other “issues” (issues nothing, this man has an entire subscription) that this pastor has had here:

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/godingovernment/2009/06/former_sbc_official_prays_for_obamas_death.html

If you want to actually hear him defend his position, you can listen here:

http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/pastor-drake-prays-obamas-death-im-not

I am in Chicago doing some research on the current controversy on the temporal status of the verb in Koine Greek. I know that this sounds like too much excitement for anyone to stand, but I had a good time at the library and found some sources that I have been looking for. The question has to do with how much, if any, the Greek tense really is a tense or says more about aspect than time. I will be traveling to a week long seminar in Scranton which will deal with this topic. I am very excited.

I know, I know, I need to get out more.

Josiah left on Monday to go to San Diego.  I wrote this right after he left but have had some trouble with the site and am just now able to upload it.

My son Josiah left today for San Diego where he will be for a month of training, after which, until Christmas, he will be part of a team that travels the New England area raising awareness of the problems generated by children being used as soldiers in Uganda.  The organization for which he works is called “Invisible Children.” When seeing him off today, it was really, really tough.  I came back into the house after seeing him leave and burst into tears, weeping like a little girl.  My little beagle Mo tried to dry my tears by licking them off and I was reminded of two things: A dog saved my life; the history of the world was changed by cheap thread; and we must depend upon the providence of God for the protection of those whom we love (I often make unusual links between ideas, it’s due in part, to the fact that I have many, many characters living rent free inside my mind.  Many of these characters make themselves know when I do ventriloquism).

The story of the history of the world beingchanged drastically by the use of cheap Egyptian thread is an old one.  Remember that Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers.  Becoming a slave of the very powerful leader “Potiphar” where he was made the second in command over much of the empire.  Joseph was a very handsome man according to the apocryphal book “Joseph and Asneth” which answers the question of why Joseph, a fine Jewish boy would marry an Egyptian girl (Even the ancients had trouble with teaching their children whom they should and should not marry.  I can imagine Jewish mothers telling their sons not to marry a non-Jewish girl and hearing the answer “But Joseph did it!” The book Joseph and Asneth answers the problem by telling of Asneth’s conversion to the Hebrew God.)

Joseph’s looks get him into trouble when Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce him while the master of the house is away.  Joseph will have none of that and eventually flees from the “shameless hussy” (as my father would have said) who holds on to Joseph’s cloak (a garment that was the main article of clothing).  Because of the cheap Egyptian thread, the cloak tears and is left with Potiphar’s wife who uses it to claim attempted rape.  Joseph is thrown into prison for a crime he did not commit.  Through a series of incredible events orchestrated by God in which getting thrown into prison was critically important (Read Genesis 30-50 for the entire story), Joseph eventually becomes second in command in the entire land of Egypt.  Through this, Joseph saves his brothers and family from starving, thus saving the entire race of Israel, and by default, the people of God.  That is correct; the existence of the people of God, the nation of Israel in the Hebrew Bible comes down to a cheap piece of thread and an unfair prison sentence.  God is in control of even the little things.  As Joseph says to his brothers who sold him into slavery, “you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” (Gen. 50:20) The fact is, as the Joseph story shows time and time again, there are no little things.

The history of my life was changed drastically by a dog.  I remember my father telling me of a dog he had whom he loved greatly.  My father grew up in Indiantown in the 1920s (moving there from Arcadia in a covered wagon) and did a lot of hunting out in the swamps.  One day, in 1925, as he and his beloved dog were walking through some saw-grass, a surprised diamondback rattlesnake lunged to strike at my 15 year old father.  My dad, never tiring of the story told how his dog jumped in front of the snake and took the bite and died.  My father survived because of a dog who took his snake bite.  I exist today because of a dog who took his snake bite.  In a world run by God, there are no little things.

So while I will worry about my boy, I will also trust the God of cheap Egyptian thread and life saving dogs to take care of him.  Perhaps the Lord will send some thread, a dog, or who knows what else to keep him safe, but I will be praying mightily for him.

One of the greatest gifts that a parent can give to a child is trust.  Both of my children, Charity and Josiah, have earned my trust.  I love them with an incredibly strong love and would do anything to keep them from being hurt.  I am not, however, able to control everything.  That is the reason that I turn to my heavenly father who controls not only the “big things” like the hearts of kings (Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD like channels of water; he turns it wherever he wants. NET Bible) but also the small things, right down to the throwing of dice (Proverbs 16:33 The dice are thrown into the lap, but their every decision is from the LORD. NET Bible).

The pain at seeing Josiah leave today, only for sixth months and for a very safe and wonderful activity, reminds me afresh of the incredible sacrifice that our heavenly Father made for us when he sent his son.  What an incredible thing to think that our Father sent his son on a trip that was anything but safe, and which had as its basis nothing but grace.  Jesus came to die, sent by his father who knew the terrible pain, humiliation, and spiritual hardship that he was to face; for us.

I’ll be waiting anxiously until Josiah gets home; taking comfort in the fact that God is watching over him. He is, as Peter reminds us the shepherd of our souls (1 Peter 2:25 For you were going astray like sheep but now you have turned back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.NET Bible)

But even more than that I take comfort in the fact that I have a Father and a Savior who will be waiting for me until I get home.  I will not be going home a minute before my time, nor can I survive a second after it.  It is all worked out down to the last detail.  There are no small things with God.  I am very thankful for that.  The last thing I said to Josiah was a phrase that my mother used to say to me, “I love you, now don’t forget who you belong to” (I know that it is grammatically incorrect, but I am not going to correct my mother).  She meant not just to remember that my father had worked very hard to keep his name unsullied and a thing of honor, but that I was also a child of the heavenly father and that what I did reflected on God as well as my earthly father.

God has some great plans for both of my children.  No matter what career they decide to pursue, the most important thing they can remember is to never “forget who they belong to.” All else is small in comparison.  As Charity works on her master’s degree in social work so that she can be an instrument of grace in a broken world and as Josiah speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves, I could not be more proud.  God has been so gracious to give me such great and beautiful children (the credit goes to the Lord’s goodness and to Cindy’s incredible parenting skills, I shudder to think what they might be like without my unbelievably patient wife who has parented me as much as the kids (lines like “honey I don’t think hanging off the roof on a rope with a running chain-saw is a good idea” come to mind).

After seeing Josiah off this morning, having my tears dried by my little buddy “Mo” I wondered what the dogs must think when someone leaves like that.  It reminded me of a paragraph from a book called The Year of Jublio by Howard Bahr.  In the scene a young man is leaving his home to become a confederate soldier.  As he leaves his old dog follows him up the road:



The dog had been old, toothless, feeble, but she had followed the boy when he left for the war, had stumbled blindly down the lane after him until the future soldier stopped and knelt and petted her , said “Go home, France-you can’t follow where I’m going.” The boy had gone, quickly, not looking back, and the dog had sat in the road and nodded her head, swayed her grey muzzle back and forth trying to find him again, until father had lifted the old dog up and carried her home, still looking for the boy.

I am looking for the day when we will all be carried by our Father to the “city that has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” No more separation.  That will be a great day!  All because a father selflessly sent his son to an unworthy group, to give them an unparalleled gift.  There are no little things with God.

Please pray for my boy as he travels and I’ll try to “man up” and not cry if you ask me about him.  More importantly pray for the gospel to go forth in a mighty way as the news of the greatest Father continues to be spread.

For the Lamb,

DSL

As most of you who know me know, I read a lot. Usually three to four books a week, sometimes more, sometimes less depending on how life is treating me.  I wanted to bring to your attention a couple of new books that I just finished reading that were very good.

On the Christian front, the book Risking the Truth by Martin Downes is a book of interviews with pastors and scholars on the nature and problem of error in the church.  This work is really helpful on a number of levels.  It is a very interesting way to deal with such subjects at the New Perspective on Paul, Annihalationism, End Times, and other issues.  As is to be expected in a book like this, the interviews range from very strong and helpful (Horton, Duncan) to not as clear and not so helpful.  All in all this is a very good place to start if you would like to know more about current issues in theology that are making their way into the church.

The second book is as far away from the first as is possible.  It is a novel that contains some adult language as well as adult themes (death of children, war, the holocaust).  The book is called The Book Thief and is narrated by the character of death.  On every page I found beautifully written sentences and the story carried me along like a magic carpet.  It is the story of a girl who loves books (thus the theme of this blog) and who sees the power of words in the books that she reads as well as in the speeches of Adolf Hitler.

The story is deeply moving and wonderfully redemptive in many ways.  It is a rare thing for me to miss “characters” after a book is over.  I miss Rudy and the book thief.  If you love good writing and a good story, I believe that you will miss them as well.

Pick up a good book and read it, but don’t forget that the greatest of books has been given to us by our Father in heaven.  Don’t neglect THE book for other books (I speak to myself here).  Whether you read electronic books, or still prefer the old fashioned paper kind, remember that words have power.  Never forget that The Word is most powerful, has become flesh and dwelt among us, and has made it possible for us to be seen righteous in front of a perfect and holy God.  The Word is powerful!

I read a devotional called _From this Verse_ each day (as well as one by the same author, Robert Morgan, called _On This Day_ both published by Thomas Nelson) and I thought that today’s was particularly good.  You can find lots more stories like this either from a verse or of what happened this day in Church History by purchasing Morgan’s books either from Amazon From this Verse or the electronic version of both books (which by the way will open to the proper page for each day) from http://www.logos.com/ebooks/details/THISDAY I highly reccomend them both and On This Day has one of the strangest stories in all of Church History (it has to do with Martin and Kate Luther’s wedding night).

Here is the story:

… And Harlots

July 13

Eva J. Alexander was born to believing parents in Chennai, India, and born again at age 12 during a Billy Graham meeting. In 1963, she married R. D. Alexander, and the two took positions with the Indian government. Eva’s job exposed her to the plight of women in her country, and she began speaking out about their status and suffering. For awhile, she became so socially active that her spiritual life suffered. Politics became more important than religion.

But the Lord sent a serious illness that brought her to her knees. “God, if you’re real,” she prayed, hovering near death in the hospital, “do not allow me to die. I will serve you.” Returning home, Eva began reading her Bible again and two words in Matthew 21:31 tore through her mind like torpedoes—and harlots. Jesus wanted to bring harlots into His kingdom.

A week later, a nearby pastor told her of a prostitute who had run away from the brothels, and he asked Eva to provide a room for her. “I can’t,” said Eva. “You keep her.” Eva had a husband and four children at home, including two teenage sons. But the Lord again brought Matthew 21:31 to mind, and Eva relented.

Her family was aghast: “What is this? You’re turning our house into a brothel!” But their attitudes soon changed, and they accepted this ministry as coming from God. Other girls began showing up, and the Alexander home became a rehabilitation center. Police officers and prisons referred troubled women to Eva, and today up to 15 women live in the Alexander home at any one time. The Alexanders provide medical treatment, job training, and a strong gospel witness. Eva has started a home for the children of prostitutes where 60 children, age 12 months to 13 years, find refuge.

Her husband and children joined her work, and, spurred on by Matthew 21:31, they are bringing many harlots into the Kingdom. *

Today’s Suggested Reading Matthew 21:28–32

Jesus said unto them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.” Matthew 21:31

I will be starting a new Doctor of Ministry course tomorrow and am very excited about teaching it. The course focuses on the steps for exegeting and understanding a part of the New Testament. The powerpoints are for the students in the class, but you might find them helpful. The 12 steps are based on a great book that has been overlooked because it is a Greek book. The second half of the book, however, can be used without any Greek (though the student/exegete will lose a good bit of the nuances of the text). The book is New Testament Exegesis and I am looking forward to taking the men through this process.

If you download and look at the powerpoints I strongly urge you to get the Guthrie/Duval book (linked above) to aid you in your study of the method for a better understanding of New Testament texts.

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Often I have heard the statement “He (or she) is not a ‘real’ Christian.” What then is real Christianity?  What is it that shows our true love for Christ and his Kingdom?

I am working on a new class for this coming semester which will deal with the book of James in English (that is that one does not have to read Greek to attend the class).  It seems to me that James tells us what is “real Christianity” in the first chapter of his letter.  He says

James 1:26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

I was reminded of this passage lately because my son, Josiah, is getting ready to leave home for several months.  He will be working for an organization that does exactly what James is speaking of, helps orphans.  I am really proud of both of my children and the way that they have decided to do kingdom work.  Charity is now a social worker (having just graduated with a degree in social work) and Josiah is now working to help children who cannot help themselves. 

If you would like to know more about what Josiah is doing, and maybe even help out a little, check out his blog at http://brosiah.blogspot.com/2009/06/so.html I think that you will see why I am so proud.

Real Christianity does something.  James is clear about that.  So let us all not just sit here, but do something for the kingdom!

For the Lamb,

SamLam