Home School Graduation

A few weeks ago we attended a graduation ceremony for homeschooled children who had completed Grade 8 and Grade 12. It was the brainchild of a small group of parents who decided they wanted a significant event to mark the accomplishments of the children. It was well attended, well organized and very thoughtfully planned. The organizers did a wonderful job.

I was asked to give the address and was very pleased to do so. By request, I have decided to post the transcript here. A speech is different from an essay so I was reluctant to post it as is, but wanted to edit it to make it more suitable for reading. However, I think the transcript captures the mood of the moment, so I decided to post it verbatum and beg your understanding.

Well, congratulations. The end of grade eight, or twelve. It marks the end of a long string of years. Well done. And congratulations, to you all. This is not just a great accomplishment for you students, but it is the culmination of years of effort and planning by your parents and families as well. What a testimony this day is to the perseverance of students and parents.

I heard a comedian talking about home schooling. He’s an American and he was observing that those bumper stickers you sometimes see on cars in the United States that say things like “My son is an honour student at George Eliot Elementary”, or “My daughter is on the Dean’s honours list at Steven Ross Secondary” can be a little intimidating for homeschoolers. I mean, many of us don’t have report cards and can’t rank accomplishment relative to others. He suggested that homeschoolers might want to have bumper stickers made up that say, “My son is homeschooled, and we have no idea how he’s doing.” Well, I can tell you, and the footprints on the wall can demonstrate, and the testimony of your families and friends, the presentations we’ve already hear, the fact we’re gathering tonight to celebrate your accomplishments all say how you’re doing: just fine. You’re doing just fine. And for those of you graduating, and your families, you’ve done more than fine, you’ve excelled, you’ve conquered!

And this is a night and a great program that’s been put together to help commemorate how you’ve done. Hasn’t it been great? Didn’t the folks who organized it do a terrific job? Don’t you love the footprints all over? We had a great time putting them together at our house. What a clever way to prompt memories of the past year. And the theme verse, Proverbs 16:9: The mind of a man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. is a wonderful reminder of not only how success is determined, but even how it is defined.

Think back to when you first started school. Perhaps you started off in the government schools, or perhaps private schools, or maybe you were homeschooling from start to finish, or possibly some combination. Regardless, think of the plans that were laid for you and with you by your parents. Think about the journey you’ve made, and however long it’s been: eight years, or twelve, do you think you could have predicted where you’ve ended and all the changes along the way? You see, the mind of a man makes plans, but we’re just not able to plan perfectly. The steps belong to the Lord. The outcome is God’s, and not ours. Despite our most elaborate plans, God is working out His purposes and His plans. And He is always faithful in doing so: working His plans and directing our steps. Think back over your schooling journey, and you will see that God has been faithfully working together all things according to His purposes and for the good of those who love and serve Him. God is faithful. He will work out His plans. Before you move on to the next stage of your life, whether that’s high school, or university, or a career, or marriage, or something else, take some time to not only reflect on His faithfulness, but to establish memorials to it. Like the footprints, like a favoured school project, or a subject that seemed impossible, until you suddenly “got it”. Hold on to those and in years to come, when you face discouragement, when you face set backs and you wonder what is happening, when doubts creep in and fear begins to crowd out the hope in your heart, pull out these memorials, these reminders, and let them testify to you God’s goodness.

This is not a new idea. This is a biblical idea. One of my favourite hymns is “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”, but not the revised one, the original lyrics. A line in the 2nd verse claims “Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thine help I come”. I suppose one reason that they changed it was some people read that and thought “What’s an ebenezer?” Perhaps some of you are here tonight. Well, I think ebenezer is a good word, and biblical word, and it’s important that people understand what they sing and are taught.

So, what is an Ebenezer? I Sam 7 talks about it. It’s a memorial stone. You see, God had just delivered Israel in a great victory over the Philistines. So, Samuel intentionally plants a memorial stone to not only declare his appreciation, but also to remind himself, and all around, that God is faithful. Right here, in this place, God was faithful. “Thus far the Lord has helped us” I do not know what the future holds, but I do know that God has faithfully brought me to this place, that up to this point, this turning point, He has directed my steps for all the years up to now, and I am trusting Him, believing Him, that He will continue to do so in the future. But I forget. I always forget, and so I am planting a permanent reminder here that God is faithful.

So, what will be your ebenezer? What will remind you of God’s faithfulness to this point? The footprints have helped. This ceremony and the photos and memories can do it. Perhaps you can paint a picture, plant a tree, write a poem or some music, do a page of math problems that once seemed impossible to testify to what you’ve learned. Anything, at all. But I urge you, do it. Because the future will be sometimes hard and will have moments that will cause you to doubt and despair. Do it, because you will need it. You will need an ebenezer.

The mind of a man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. We’ve talked about the past, but what about the future? What about what’s to come? If God directs the steps of a person, then why do we need to plan or think of the future at all? John Stott has said, “God’s promises of guidance are not given to save us the bother of thinking”. It would be nice if they did though wouldn’t it? It would certainly be easier.

No, the point is that as you plan for your future, whatever that is, more school, or careers or businesses or travel or jobs, whatever you do, no matter what you set your heart to do, no matter how detailed and careful and elaborate your plans, the ultimate success or failure rests with God. How liberating! God determines success. Your job is to determine God’s will for you. As you think of all the future may hold, all the options you have, it can be difficult to choose. There seem to be so many choices.

So, regardless of your plans, make sure that God is in them.

But how, how do you do that? How do you make sure that God is in your plans? Well, there are a number of ways I’ll mention. It’s not an exhaustive list, but hopefully will move your hearts and minds as we reflect on them.

First, ask yourself, not what you desire and is that okay with God, rather think about how your plans will fit in to God’s will. That is, God is working out His purposes, and how can you be a part of that?

Second, use your mind and the mental faculties you have just spent these years working on. Do not do as many and use faith as an excuse to avoid reason. Instead, do as the Scriptures suggest and let your mind be renewed by God (Rom. 12:2, Eph. 4:23) and prepare your minds for action, and be sober-minded (I Peter 1:13).

Third, search the Scriptures. Not as a collection of random verses, but search and study them using all the tools of proper biblical interpretation. Don’t pull verses out of context to justify your own desires. I’ve heard of people randomly opening the Bible and taken what they find there as direction. For example, (Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you” – II Sam 7:3). Well, beside the fact that it didn’t work out for David in the end, I have to tell you, but I’m not the prophet Nathan, you’re no King David. Don’t use Bible verses like Tarrot cards or tea leaves, but study to gather principles that God teaches that will help guide your decision.

Fourth, seek good counsel. Prov. 12:15 – The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. There is no shame in seeking counsel. Moses took advice from Jethro, David from Abigail, Rehoboam took the wrong advice, so counsel ought not overrule the other elements, but seeking it is wise. For those of you still living at home and under your parent’s protection and authority, they are authorities God has placed in your life for your good and protection. Welcome their advice and instruction, do not spurn it, but be wise.

Fifth, pray earnestly. When planning, it is easy to succumb to a purely logical or academic way of thinking, but this is a sacred, a spiritual endeavour also. James 1:5 assures us that God willingly grants wisdom to those who seek it. So seek it!

Finally, remember Psalm 37:23. The steps of a man are established by the LORD; And He delights in his way. Notice here that it’s God who is doing the delighting. So, ask yourself some questions. Are these plans something God will delight in? Will my actions be something that gives God pleasure? Is it intrinsically worth doing? Even if you could make no money, or accumulate glory, or even satisfaction, would you still do it? Is the pleasure of your heavenly father sufficient?

God has shown faithfulness in the past, and He is Sovereign over the future. So, as you celebrate and comemorate this past and look to the future with eager anticipation, may it be with a profound awareness of our good and faithful and Sovereign God. Congratulations to you all, may the memories of this day always give you cheer, and may God bless you in the days to come.

Trusting in God – Isaiah 50 (Part 4)

3. The consequences of trusting ourselves and of trusting God.

Who is among you that fears the LORD,
That obeys the voice of His servant,
That walks in darkness and has no light?
Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.

Behold, all you who kindle a fire,
Who encircle yourselves with firebrands,
Walk in the light of your fire
And among the brands you have set ablaze.
This you will have from My hand;
And you will lie down in torment.

- Isaiah 50:10, 11

These verses exhibit the parallelism characteristic of Hebrew poetry. Verse ten deals with the consequences for he who trusts in God, and verse 11 the consequences for he who trusts in himself.

The excuses we often use for trusting in our own efforts or our own devices are rooted in the circumstances we find ourselves. “I can’t trust God, I’m a practical man!”,“I have no time for prayer.”, “I’m a man of action!”. “The night is so dark and I am so frightened, I will do anything I can to keep the darkness at bay.” Yet our verse shows that just when we are most likely to trust in our own efforts and wisdom is the time to trust in God. We trust in God not despite the darkness, but because of the darkness. We trust in God in the darkness because we know kindling a fire and encircling ourselves with flames and walking by the light of our own fire are all insufficient. Instead, we rely on God, because we know we are unreliable. We lean on God, because we know, we need something to lean on.

One common complaint about Christians is that we think we are better than everyone else. What an indictment! Believers are no better than anyone else. We follow God because we know we’re no better, because we know on our own we are weak and powerless and selfish. Perhaps is we could learn to trust in God more, if we could stop trying to rely on ourselves to solve our problems or “be good”, the critics would be silenced by the recognition that we walk by faith, not by sight, just as the Servant of God did.

Trusting in God – Isaiah 50 (Part 3)

2. What we can learn about trusting in God from the example of Jesus.

The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples,
That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word.
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.

The Lord GOD has opened My ear;
And I was not disobedient,
Nor did I turn back.

I gave My back to those who strike Me,
And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard;
I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting.

For the Lord GOD helps Me,
Therefore, I am not disgraced;
Therefore, I have set My face like flint,
And I know that I shall not be ashamed.

He who vindicates Me is near;
Who will contend with Me?
Let us stand up to each other;
Who has a case against Me?
Let him draw near to Me.

Behold, the Lord GOD helps Me;
Who is he who condemns Me?
Behold, they will all wear out like a garment;
The moth will eat them.
- Isaiah 50:4-9

These verses are written from the point of view of the Servant of God (in this case, referring to the Messiah) and saw fulfillment when Jesus was handed over to be crucified.

We sometimes think that Jesus, the suffering but obedient servant of God, actually did not have a hard time understanding the Lord’s will or having the courage to be obedient because He is God and has always been God. To think in such a way however, betrays a poor grasp of the incarnation and the persons of the Godhead. Jesus, though wholly God, is also obedient to the Father and submissive to His will. Verses 4,5 show Him taking on the role of obedient disciple of God, who inclines His ear to the Lord’s instructions. The servant learns and grows, and we know that Jesus too grew and increased in stature with God and man.

Not only was Jesus attentive to the Lord God, but He was obedient. He did not merely look at the Word and so deceive Himself, He did what it says (James 1:22-25). And this obedience continued despite suffering and shame (vs. 6) greater than that which Israel has yet endured. In both these ways, Jesus not only sets us an example, but robs us of any excuse for our own disobedience! He remaned faithful, despite suffering.

The result, of course, was God helping Him, vindicating Him, removing condemnation and shame, restoring confidence (not in self, but in God). So too, we can have confidence and freedom from condemnation, we can live in forgiveness (Romans 8) when God comes to our aid.

So, what do we learn from the Servant about trusting in God? We learn that the very thing that invites the suffering (being a disciple vv. 4,5) is also the thing that gives us strength, confidence, and vindication. The answer lies in living the life of a disciple, listening to God day by day, inclining our ear as a disciple and giving a word in season to others. May God help us faithfully serve Him and listen to His Word.

Trusting in God (Isaiah 50) - Part 2

Why we fail to trust in God.

Thus says the LORD, "Where is the certificate of divorce By which I have sent your mother away? Or to whom of My creditors did I sell you? Behold, you were sold for your iniquities, And for your transgressions your mother was sent away.

"Why was there no man when I came? When I called, why was there none to answer? Is My hand so short that it cannot ransom? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, I dry up the sea with My rebuke, I make the rivers a wilderness; Their fish stink for lack of water And die of thirst.

I clothe the heavens with blackness, And make sackcloth their covering."
- Isaiah 50:1-3

When God seems far off, or we suffer calamities of many kinds, or we lack a genuine love for others, we sometimes ask why God is causing these things, or allowing them to happen. There are many different reasons, but in verse one, it’s clear in the context of our passage that God (temporarily) abandons Israel leaves her to her own devices, not because God no longer cares, or is unable, or unwilling to help, but because of their sin.

It is worth noting that though we often think that if our sin or failure to trust God has any effect, it is only on us. But here God declares that there is a residual effect of sin on those around (both you and “your mother”). For us as a family, this means that sin never happens in isolation or has no influence or effect on the harmony and happiness of the rest of the family. So, we are learning to seek God and depend upon Him, not just because He commands it, and not just for our own sakes, but also for the sake of those we mingle with.

In this instance, what was their sin? It was failing to trust God. He came near to ransom, but they had already turned elsewhere, as though God were incapable of helping, or as if He who controls Creation, has power over seas and rivers or any necessities of life is powerless to help or to deliver.

As with many truths about God, this is two-edged. He who has power to deliver also has power to discipline. Verse 3 uses strongly apocalyptic language (echoes of which are heard in Revelation 6:12) and the suggestion seems to be that if trust is insufficient motivation to lean upon the Lord, perhaps fear is.

So, why do we fail to trust God? When faced with a problem, why do we seek our help in friends, books, counsellors, our own skills, money, intelligence or countless other false securities? Perhaps pride (“I don’t need God’s help”), or convenience (“Oh, I know how to solve this problem! I’ll just do such and such..”, or flat out rebellion (“I won’t submit to His autocratic manipulation!”, or unthinking ignorance (“Oh yeah, perhaps I should have turned to God there.” The bottom-line is, such failure to trust in God and lean upon His mercy is sinful and, at some level, idolatry: elevating something above God.

Next time, we’ll consider how we can learn to trust God by following the example of Jesus.

Trusting in God – Isaiah 50 (Part 1)

One of the things we appreciate about Grimsby Bible Church is the desire to study and submit to the entirety of the Bible. One of the ways we have tried to do that is by systematically studying entire books of the Bible expositionally. The Wednesday night Bible Study group at Grimsby has been going through the book of Isaiah for the past several months and I recently led the group through a brief look at Isaiah 50.

Isaiah 50 is near the beginning of the section of Isaiah (chapters 49-55) that deals with the “Servant of God”. These chapters are among the most frequently cited of Isaiah, but are none-the-less difficult to interpret properly for two main reasons. The Servant sometimes refers to Israel and sometimes to the Messiah and the difference is seldom explicit so we need to infer from the context which meaning is being used. Secondly, as in all of Isaiah (and most Biblical prophecy), the point of view of the narrative shifts frequently (sometimes God is speaking, sometimes Israel, sometimes Isaiah) and there are sometimes very few markers in the text to help us identify the transitions.

In the case of Isaiah 50, the Servant refers to the Messiah and vv 1-3 have God speaking, vv 4- 9 have the Messiah speaking and it concludes in vv 10, 11 with the prophet Isaiah proclaiming.

With that in mind, I outlined Isaiah 50 thus:

1. Why we fail to trust in God.
2. How we can learn to trust Him.
3. The consequences of trusting God and of trusting ourselves.

Written on Our Hearts

FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
Hebrews 8:10

In the Marsh house we have been committed to having a near-daily Worship Time for several years now (I capitalize it to distinquish it from our other teaching times and daily, informal discipling). We have tried different formats, times and frequencies and, while some approaches have been more successful than others, we are grateful that God’s given us sufficient grace to continue on.

Our goal has been to teach our children that the worship of God is an integral part of our daily lives and of who we are as a family. To that end, our times of worship involve singing songs of praise to God, memorizing Scripture, praying and teaching from the Bible, and we try to make it a priority above other activities.

As the chidren have aged, we have changed the emphasis of our Worship Times. While they were very, very young and not yet professing believers, we spent much time giving factual information about God and the faith. Now that two of them are believers, we are spending more and more time working on practical applications of what they have learned. Through it all, I have often forgotten that what is important is not how I will mould and modify my children’s behaviour, but how God will change their hearts, and thereby modify their behaviour.

What is true of them, is equally true of me, and of all who follow Christ. While studying the Scriptures and looking to the truth of God are vital, may we never forget that it is God who writes His Law on our hearts and minds, and God who conforms us to the image of His beloved Son.

New Name, New Banner

So, I hope everyone likes the new banner. It took me long enough to make it (I know, it doesn’t look like it, but that just shows how technically inept I am).

When we started this blog, it seemed like a good idea to focus on the ten commandments, to keep it from becoming too wide ranging and unfocused. However, as time went by, I increasingly found that what I really wanted to write about wasn’t the ten commandments specifically, but the manner in which we, as a family, are growing and striving to be more obedient to the Lord. In other words, how we Marshes fulfill John 15:14 together. Hence, the new name: 15:14 for Six: John 15:14 as it applies to the six Marshes.

One way we try to learn to serve the Lord more faithfully is through our family worship times: hence the new banner showing us singing together recently. In a future post, I will write about how we structure our worship times and what we have gained from them.

Back from Hiatus

Some people have asked where I’ve been and the answer is: All over! A couple months ago, I decided I wanted to slightly change the focus of the blog (to better reflect what I was interested in writing about). Of course, once I decided on the change of focus, I thought I should change the name, and maybe add a banner, and perhaps change the entire purpose, and… it’s now July. To those who have been asking about updates, my apologies. Hopefully, I’ll be more regular from here on in.

Disciplined for Godliness

Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.
- I Timothy 4:7

Each year I try to take at least one solo canoe trip, usually at the very beginning or very end of the season. There are several reasons for it (beyond the mere fun of canoeing) but probably the primary purpose is to spend time alone in the near-wilderness. I have found it to be a consistently profitable experience to work hard all day and think and reflect. There is some combination of physical exertion, fresh air and solitude that has always yielded fresh spiritual insights in to the state of my family and my life.

On my most recent trip, I was convicted of the need for us Marshes to live a more disciplined life. We had gotten in to habits which, while not directly bad, distracted us from our real family goals of glorifying God and living peaceful and quiet lives (among other things). In other words, we were wasting time. The result was children (and parents) getting insufficient sleep, still not accomplishing all our daily jobs, and making little progress. I was convicted that by wasting time, killing time, passing time, we were not showing due gratitude to God for His gift of time. God has given a limited amount of time to us (only He knows precisely how much) and I wonder how often we neglect to treat it as the precious commodity it is because we have forgotten how little of it we have, and squander it.

To that end, we have instituted a relatively strict wake-up time in the Marsh home. While formerly the children were able to sleep almost as long as they liked, these days they are all awakened at the same time and we have breakfast together as a family before I head off to work and they begin their morning jobs and school. So far, God has blessed our efforts. We have found we’ve been much more effective at school and work, are sleeping better, and, most importantly, are reaping the spiritual benefits the extra time brings. We have all experienced better times of study and prayer and are enjoying the nearer communion with God and each other that has resulted. And that, after all, is the point: we discipline ourselves, not so that we can be efficient or pious, but for the purpose of godliness.

Seeing God

'Like an east wind I will scatter them
Before the enemy;
I will show them My back and not My face
In the day of their calamity.'"

Jeremiah 18:17

This verse is the culmination of God’s threatened judgement for the idolatry of Judah and Jerusalem begun in verse 11. It struck me when reading it recently that of all the judgements and punishments God declares against them (making their land a desolation, scattering them), the final judgement is that He will turn His face from them. Of all the punishments that God can mete out, this is the most severe: to us off from Himself and hide His face from us.

It seems that the times that are most difficult for me, the burdens that are hardest to bear, are those that do not accompany a deep awareness of God’s presence. What a horror to think of a life without the comforting presence of God to cheer and to guide my family and me. It is a horror that will be experienced by many when, in the last day, Jesus will declare to them :'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' – Matt. 7:23.

I am so grateful that though we often turn our backs on God, He never turns His back completely on us, that there is always room for repentance and restoration, until the final day. I am also thankful that He has promised to preserve us to the end until we will finally see Him face to face forever.

Havner on Extremism

If we preach the whole counsel of God, we shall be accused of extremism, not only by the world but also by a professing church that cannot endure sound doctrine.
Vance Havner

Beware the Extreme!

Last month I read The Fourth World War: Diplomacy and Espionage in the Age of Terrorism by Count de Marenches and David Andelman. de Marecnhes was the head of SDECE (France's intelligence agency) from 1970 to 1981 and had a number of very controversial things to say.

Written in 1992, I remember reading this book in 1998 and thinking Marenches was a kook, based in part on statements like this:

"…the very essence of the enemy embodies a new form – which is what makes the Fourth World War so much more deadly, and desperate. Our enemy this time is the theological fanatic. Such a fanatic will never be happy as long as there is one member of his detested opposition left alive. .. it will be the heart of increasingly broader conflicts in the battles of the Fourth World War."

Essentially, Marenches was positing a fourth global conflict (the Cold War being the third) that would pit the West against small groups of deadly and fanatical terrorists and the occasional rogue states that supported them. This, just a few years after the fall of the Berlin wall, the "End of History" and the "Peace Dividend"!

He claimed that Europe and North America were not taking the threat seriously, but was optimistic that this would change. It took nine years, but what looked like alarmist rantings in 1992 look positively astute in light of September 11, 2001:

"My hope for the future enlightenment of the Americans springs from… my certainty that international terrorism will finally find its way to their shores. That is not something I would wish on my most mortal enemy, let alone my friends. But if the terrorist threat has the effect of shaking up the American people and especially their leadership, then it will have had some value. The Americans until now have led a relatively charmed and sheltered existence. Terrorist incidents involving Americans or American property have all happened far from the territory of the United States. "

"Many of the circumstances are changing, though. With international terrorism now nearly two decades old, its leaders have become adept at, even smug about, operating in any type of environment. The FBI is beginning to look no more threatening that France’s DST or Great Britain’s MI5. The Untied States may soon seem a soft and tempting mark. And it will only take one successful terrorist operation there to convince the terrorist international that the United States is a promising new and virtually untapped well of targets for their violence."

I did not take the warnings seriously, and neither did anyone else. Could the events of September 11, 2001 been avoided had the Americans taken seriously de Marenches' call to arms? It's impossible to say, but more vigilence would not have been amiss.

Why have I devoted a post to this book? Simply because it is a lesson to us all to always examine a claim in light of objective truth and not reject it simply because it runs contrary to what "everybody knows" or because it is "extreme". It is a sad commentary on our current culture, that the litmus tests for arguments seems to be not, primarily, whether they are true, but whether they are "extreme" or "offensive". Revolutionary ideas almost always seem extreme and offensive. Jesus’ words to the scribes, Pharisees, sinners and smug, self-righteous, religious nationalists of His day of were both "offensive" and "extreme", but never the less, true and still hold the key to abundant and eternal life.

Things that are extreme or revolutionary are not always true, but neither are they, by definition false. When encountering unfamiliar ideas, may we have discernment and wisdom to be able to look beyond our cultural biases and fear of the "extreme" to see clearly those ideas which are true and revolutionary and may ultimately be for our good.

Rejoicing Parents

Continuing my presentation to the youth, I continued on from having looked at some of the reasons to obey parents to some practical goals for youth with respect to their parents. More correctly, I suggested one goal: instead of seeking to merely obey their parents, perhaps they might think about how to delight their parents.

Proverbs 23:25 - "May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth rejoice!"

But how? How do we bring gladness and joy to our parents. In addition to obedience, it seems that a life lived in wisdom and righteousness will bring joy to any parent.

Proverbs 10:1 - "A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother."

Proverbs 23:24 - "The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him."

The young people responded incredibly well to this challenge and we spent a good time discussing ways in which to bless our parents, particularly as it related to growing in holiness, righteousness, and wisdom. As I have written before, many of the children live in very awkward circumstances, but (or perhaps, because of this) they have a genuine hunger for the truth of the Bible and an encouraging responsiveness when it is presented to them.

What I've been reading

From left to right:

The Temple: Its Ministry and Services
Alfred Edersheim

I have really enjoyed reading this book, which is a good overview of the 1st century temple. Though written well over a century ago, the illustrations and Edersheim's descriptions hold up very well. He very carefully goes through the physical aspects of the temple, then the services and practical organization. The footnotes are never distracting and the illustrations are clear and helpful. I appreciated the manner in which he shows how the temple traditions were established: some by God in the Old Testament, some by rabbis and priests through the intervening centuries.

Edersheim also takes great care to demonstrate how Jesus Christ fulfilled the prophecies and symbols of the temple. Best read in several sittings and casually, but certainly worth reading for the depth it adds to our understanding of much of the New Testament. My only caution is that given the age of the book, it does not adequately reflect the research and archeology of the last century.


The Elders of the Church
Lawrence Eyres

This is a book that can be read fairly quickly, but is more than a pamphlet. Eyres is a Presbyterian and it certainly shows in his approach to the ideas of eldership in the church. The early chapters, in which he deals with the more general ideas about eldership (E.g. a church should be governed by a plurality of elders, God calls men to be elders, the qualifications and function of elders), are the best and contain the most biblical evidence. The later chapters (on specific roles and ecclesial issues) are not nearly so well written and, unsurprisingly, contain much less biblical evidence to support his contentions. Despite that short-coming, the final chapters do contain enough good advice (based on years of experience in a local church) that they are worth reading and considering.

If nothing else, his book is a challenge to think biblically and carefully about how and why we select leaders for the local church.

The Fourth World War: Diplomacy and Espionage in the Age of Terrorism
Count de Marenches and David Andelman

I first read this book (in an overview fashion) in 1998 and ignored the claims Marenches was making. He predicted the War on Terror we now find ourselves in and suggested a number of (often immoral) ways of waging it. Still, this book has valuable lessons which I will be addressing in a future post.

King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table
Thomas Mallory (updated and translated by the Illustrated Junior Library)

Read at bedtimes with the children, this book is a relatively faithful adaptation of the Malory version of the Arthurian legends, but sanitized and updated for the 1950 children’s library release. Unfortunately, it combines the worst both worlds: the archaic language of Malory with none of the grandeur or epic feel. So, it was more difficult for the children to understand, but with none of the benefits. Still, the children all enjoyed the book (some more than others).

Also, it was nice to have a children’s version that kept the main elements sweep of the legend (both heroic and tragic). The Pyle version was my first exposure to Arthur, and will always be classic, but its glaring deficiency is the way he ignores or glosses over the less noble aspects of the story.

One Thing for Children

Continuing the look at Ephesians 6:1-3 that I shared with the youth, we notice that while God has a lot to say and directions to give about how wives should relate to husbands, and husbands to wives, slaves to masters and so on, there is only one requirement he gives to children: obedience. Not only so, but he also gives the rationale for the command (which he does not always do with the others): that it may go well with you and that you may live long on the earth.

So, I spent a good part of the talk discussing reasons to obey our parents, and they are:

1. Because God commands it.

2. That it may go well for us

3. It is for our good (Prov. 1:8,9)

The idea here was that God has given us parents to be an instrument of His blessing in our lives, that their instruction may “be like a wreath about your head”.

4. It is good preparation. (Prov. 3:1-4, 11-18)

This chapter of Proverbs directly ties obedience to our parents with obedience to and fear of, the Lord. This, in turn, is the basis of all wisdom, for which accrues many benefits to us. One way this applies specifically to the idea of obeying parents is that learning to obey our parents at as young an age as possible, is excellent training for a life of obedience to Jesus Christ. If a child learns to bend his will to the directions of his parents, even when the reasons for the directions are hard to understand, that child will, we pray, find it easier to bend his will to God’s because he will already be accustomed to obedience.

I summarized all of that, by making the statement, "your relationship with Jesus Christ will grow proportionately with you willingness to obey your parents".

Next time, I’ll relate some of the specific goals I shared with the youth with respect to relating to their parents.

Thinking About Blogging...

I don't have a lot of time today, but have been thinking about blogs and blogging and how I choose what to write. As a result, my thoughts keep returning to the the saying:

Everything that needs to be said has been said, but not everyone has said it yet.......

How's that for an excuse to not post a very meaningful entry today?

What Are Parents For?

Last time I wrote about some of the questions that the youth I spoke with asked regarding their parents. One statement they didn’t make, but which they all admitted they had exclaimed at their parents in frustration was: "I didn’t ask to be born!".

That’s entirely true. None of us asked to be born. Why did God give us parents? Are they just there to keep teens from doing what they want? Or, is there a deeper, transcendent purpose for which God gave parents?

Unsurprisingly, God has a lot to say about the subject in His Word. In his letter to the Ephesian Christians, the Apostle Paul devotes long sections to establishing principles to guide the relationships that believers have with one another. He spends the first three chapters talking about the unity we enjoy because of what Jesus has done, and the last three outlining practical ways in which these principles can be applied to how we live our lives. So it is that in chapter six, after having given guidance to husbands and wives on how to relate, he comes to speak to children:

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.
- Ephesians 6:1-3

The first thing to note from a reading of Ephesians 5-6, is that not only is a parent’s relationship with his children one of many, but it is not even the most important relationship. A husband and wife should make their marriage of greater priority than their children, and each must give primacy to their individual relationship to God. So, the first point I wanted to make to the teens was that they are not, and should not expect to be, the top priority for their parents because their parents have other God-given responsibilities that they can not neglect. In our day of hyper-parenting, it is good to remind ourselves that our lives ought not revolve around our children, or any other human relationship, but they ought be centred on God.

Teach Them Gently

A few months ago I was privileged to speak with the youth of our church. I had been given the topic of "parents" and really enjoying preparing and presenting the message. Most of the youth are not from the church, so I enjoyed the challenge of dealing with the variety of questions that came from them, specifically as their varied living situations relate to the commands to obey their parents. Some questions were ones you’d typically expect from teenagers, and others were more complex.

"I spend weekdays with my mom, and weekends with my dad. Who should I obey? When?"

"My dad doesn’t want me going to the church’s youth group any more."

"My parents are dumb and don’t know anything. How can I respect them?"

"My mom thinks school is a waste of time and wants me to help in the store instead."

"My dad’s a drunk who doesn’t care about me."

And on and on.

I was grateful to God for the opportunity to share with them that the teachings of the Bible are relevant to their situations, that God is able to be a help in difficult times, that God is willing to deal with us regardless of our current spiritual maturity.

I have been convicted of late by the words of James 3:13.

"Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom."

The phrase "gentleness of wisdom" has really stuck with me.

How often when dealing with the social and moral issues of our day do we who are believers come across as harsh, or intransigent or unloving because of the manner in which we present our understanding of what the Bible teaches. We can become critical and seem smug or even, forgive us, superior, to those we are seeking to convince. May God grant that we present the truth He has revealed in Scripture in such a fashion that our manner does not invalidate what our mouths are speaking. It is such a difficult thing to present uncompromising truth in a gentle, loving spirit that we need to cry out to God for His help, because we know without that assistance, we will fail. We need to pray that we will be known for love and truth, and the gentleness of wisdom.

Next time, I’ll write on what I actually taught the youth about God’s plan for children and parents.

Walk in Love

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
- Ephesians 5:1-2

My family and I have been blessed to be worshipping with the believers are Grimsby Bible Church Sunday evenings the past few months. We have been working our way through I Peter and a few weeks ago Kirk Wellum brought a message from I Peter 1: 22-25 in which he spoke about the importance and priority of love, especially among believers. As always, it was both exegetically sound and challenging. In the days that followed, we Marshes have been presented with numerous opportunities to serve others in often unpleasant ways. It has been inconvenient and tiring, disruptive to our schedules and distracting from our plans, but we are thankful that God in His grace and by His Spirit has reminded us of His command to walk in love and given us the discipline and willingness to serve. I can not say it has been easy, but we all feel the satisfaction that obedience to the Lord brings and I pray my entire family will continue to learn how to love one another cheerfully, and from the heart.

I am sometimes asked why I blog on the ten commandments. After all, we are under grace and the Law of Christ, not the Law of Moses. We ought to focus on love alone. While I heartily agree that the chief end of Christ’s law is to love God and to love our neighbours (Mat 22:37-39) I also freely acknowledge my own sinful and deceptive heart. In a day when love has lost much of its objective meaning and had become largely self-defined, the ten commandments, especially the final six, serve as practical examples of how I am to love my neighbour. I can so easily justify my own selfish desires that I thank God He has given commands to not covet, to be honest with others in all things, and to bear with one another.

May the God of all grace glory help each one of us to “walk in love”, sincerely, truthfully and sacrificially.

Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,
- I Peter 1:22

What I've been reading

From left to right:

Worship by the Book

Edited: Don Carson

Easily the best book currently in print about corporate worship. Carson and his co-authors write thoughtfully and well about the subject. The first chapter alone is worth several times the cover price. It has heavily influenced my own thinking on corporate worship and though this was my third time through, I still gleaned more from it than from almost any other current book on the subject.

Business for the Glory of God

Wayne Grudem

Grudem offers a fairly superficial overview (it's a short book!) of the morality associated with various activities associated with business. He is clearly coming from a distinctive economic perspective, but never the less, challenges the reader to think biblically and clearly about engaging in business activies.

Nine Marks of a Healthy Church

Mark Dever

This is a good, popular level book, clearly written by a Pastor, about the characteristics of a healthy church. It is not a restatement of the classical view of the 'true church', but is rather a practical corrective to many of the features of contemporary churches which distract from the purpose of the church. An easy, but worthwhile read.