Using Raw Power

 "We are not experiencing a wave of social unrest generated by injustice and the abuse of police authority. We are watching an insurrection in progress, one which uses incidences of the police use of force as pretexts, but which has as its goal the destruction of the existing social, economic and political order in the United States."

Source

The Revolution still needs to cloak itself in another made-up cause, but once it gains enough momentum and strength, this will come true. The Left is truly rooting for the rioters. They need to be shut down with force, as force is the one weapon they believe effective. They believe in power, not persuasion. Intimidating Senator Rand Paul is another example.

(Vigilante justice a la Kyle in Kenosha is not the answer to this.)

Almost every police shooting they tout as proof that we are systemically racist has been proven to be legitimate and understandable. Chauvin's actions are an exception - they were reprehensible. (Interesting that this exception was the match point starting the Antifa-organized riots.) But Floyd was OD'ed. He couldn't breathe before he was on the ground.

The Revolution is using that one case to convince you that the Brianna Taylor and Michael Brown and other incidents were the same. They were not. Multiple official investigations have proven so. The police did the right thing, although they were of course tragic events.

"Say their names" is a demand for adherence to the Revolution.

"Educate yourself" is a demand to believe their line. But if you actually do the research, it's a whole different story than CNN, NYT, and MSNBC is trying to tell you. They are providing cover for a Revolution to gain steam. The 1619 Project is an "intellectual" fifth column in this.

If they can convince enough people to believe their story and riot, or do nothing while others riot, we could literally have a zombie apocalypse of huge numbers that overwhelm federal forces of law and order.

Anarchy is the goal. This is clear from the "FTP" mantra.

Lord, have mercy.

Pulpit or Table? A Meditation on the Emmaus Road

I recently read through Luke 24 in my personal devotions, and had what I believe is a typical, kind of schizophrenic, experience for a theology wonk pastor/preacher.

 

First, there is the thrill of the event itself: He is not here!  He is risen, just as He said!

The running to tell the news, to and from the tomb, the wondering.

Then He appears, and they can’t believe it “for joy.”

 

Second, there is a preaching/liturgical dispute I’ve registered over the years, largely in the Reformed world, both sides of which appeal to different parts of the Emmaus Road event.  On one side are those that emphasize the primary role of preaching, and the necessity of preaching Christ from every text.  Their watch-verse is 27: “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”  Another camp emphasizes the important (primary?) role of Communion in worship, pointing to the very next event in verse 30-31: “Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him…”

 

I’m not sure this needs to be an either/or, binary choice, choose-your-side kind of thing.  It is true that we will see Christ on every page of Scripture.  His own explaining the Scriptures Christo-centrically to the disciples on the first Lord’s Day, Resurrection Day, is a model for every preacher today.  AND God has given other means of grace.  By God’s providence, often people do not see (aren’t changed by) the Lord, in preaching but they are in the breaking of bread, in the sacrament of Communion, or in the fellowship of the church.  Preaching is not to be the sole activity of the church’s (or pastor’s) work, because of this.  But neither should we say Communion is primary over preaching because of this event, as if the Lord’s Table is somehow generally more effective than the pulpit.

 

Instead, let us cherish ALL the means of grace God has given us to receive and revel in our Lord Jesus.

Quick take on Kenosha

I haven't followed the Kenosha events very closely, but have the basic facts in hand.

1. Disregard of police (and authority generally) is assumed to be perfectly fine now.  Jacob Blake is not seen by most media as at fault at all for disregarding police instructions and resisting arrest.  Reaching into your car for something which might be a gun, when you just had a hostile encounter with police, and they are telling you to stop, and you ignore them, is a life-threatening act to an officer.

2. What is police procedure in such a case?  It seems to me that an officer could fire into the air as a warning shot, first.  Then assess Blake's response.  Why doesn't that happen?  Why shoot 7-8 times?

3. The violent riots against the courthouse are immature and revolutionary.  Any acts damaging property or harming people should be charged.  The rioters are incoherently at the same time protesting the police for harming individuals without reason, while they themselves are injuring and taking lives without reason.  Two wrongs do not make a right.  Especially when the first wrong isn't yet proven.  Don't take justice into your own hands.

Exemplary Speech // Rest and Yoke // Cancel culture or truth?

1. I recently re-subscribed to Tabletalk magazine.

This is one of the best articles I've read in it in a long while.  A thought, on 1 Timothy 4:12:  Be an example, young people, to every generation!  Think right now of the few people in your life whose speech is consistently edifying...

2. What does it mean to come to Christ and take His "yoke upon you" (Matt. 11:28-30)?

Desiring God has a great answer.

3. Cancel culture versus the Truth

Les Sillers – World podcast 8/18/20

[Commenting on a Vox article advocating marginalized voices be given the microphone instead of conservative ones, to speak "their truths."] 

“Exactly.  Their truths.  Not THE truth.  For cancel culture warriors, speech is just a tool for exerting power.  Of course they’ll try to silence other views.  We should stop being surprised by this.”

Library // Facebook behavior // Edifying Sermons

Curbside Larry
Funny 70-second video mash-up of used car salesman for using your library.


This was a convicting, short article on what pastors post on social media.


I've been listening to more Alistair Begg sermons, to escape the political vortex out there
The Power of Proper Thinking was really good - on Philippians 4:8-9
Christian Maturity on Philippians 3:12-16 - also excellent.
Christian maturity brings more honesty and humility about the shambles of your spiritual condition.
A rather provocative and personal quote from Alistair:

"If you knew everything about me, you wouldn’t listen to me preach.

"If I knew everything about you, I woudn’t waste my time on you."

Deserted by God review

 

Deserted By God? by Sinclair B. Ferguson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In a season of cultural and political upheaval, Sinclair Ferguson is a spiritual oasis in the desert.

The dark night of the soul – a phrase to describe when you feel God has abandoned you in a hard time –that’s the theme of this book. What do you do when God isn’t answering, when you don’t understand His hard providence?

“How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?” – Psalm 13:1
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” – Psalm 23:4
“Why are you downcast, O my soul?” – Psalm 42:5

The same Psalms that ask these questions give us help toward answering them. When we are discouraged we turn to the only One who has the words of eternal life. No matter the hard words He gives, or the crazy situations He takes us into, we have nowhere else to turn, and He gives us eternal life.

Ferguson deals in a very pastorally sensitive way with the difference between what we feel is true, and what is actually true. Between what may be the consequence of our own sins (he deals with Psalm 51 straight on), and baseless feelings of despair or discouragement.

I would highly recommend anyone feeling discouraged and wondering what God is doing with their lives to pick up and read this book.

View all my reviews

Hang On! // Love Them, Pastor // Be Cheerfully Difficult about Masks

Ray Ortlund has a good word for the small church pastor not seeing much fruit just now.

"“waiting on the Lord” is not like resting in a hammock with a glass of iced tea; it’s like holding a plank position until our coach tells us we’re done. But that place of unresolved tension is spiritually creative and surprisingly refreshing. Our strength is renewed."

Pastoral wisdom here, with an analogy to parenting
"If you love your children, you want them to be healthy. But if you love your children, you love them whether they are healthy or not."

Toby Sumpter says it with more force than I would, but his basic perspective on masks is right, I think.

Read it here.

Listen here.