Recently, I have been overwhelmed with spam in my comments to the point that it is difficult to wade through the comments left in order to find the legitimate comments. I am working on finding ways around this. If I have not posted your comment it is not because I do not value your comment, but rather it is only because it is too time intensive to weed through all the bilge that has been coming my way in order to find the pearls from my friends.

If anybody knows how to filter all this spam, I’m all ears.

On the right you will find a new feature on ironink.org and that is a mechanism by which donations can be given.

At some point in the early days of his ministry R. J. Rushdoony wrote to his supporters saying,

“Scholarship, arts, and literature are being subsidized to serve the purposes of humanism and statism, and our schools and colleges have been largely captured by these forces, as have been most publishers and periodicals.� This movement has been a long time in developing: it cannot be defeated overnight. It cannot be defeated by short-sighted people who want victory today or tomorrow, and are unwilling to support long-term battle. The future must be won, and shall be won, by a renewal and development of our historic Christian liberty, by an emphasis on the fact: the basic government is the self-government of the Christian man, and by a recognition that an informed faith is the mainspring of victory. History has never been dominated by majorities, but only by dedicated minorities who stand unconditionally on their faith.”

I don’t claim to be another Rushdoony. I do claim to have taken up the long-term battle in which he was engaged. What he wrote above in 1965 remains relevant in 2011 and the need for those to do battle is even more necessary than in 1965. Any support directed my way is support for the same battle in which men like Dr. Glen Martin, and Dr. R. J. Rushdoony were involved.

I know in these times dimes are thin. If no financial support came in through Ironink I would keep pounding away as I’ve been doing for years. I can’t help doing so. However, if you would like to yoke together with my efforts to champion Christ for sinners, advocate for Reformation in the Church, cry out for the crown rights of King Jesus, and work towards the revitalization of Western civilization I and my family would be glad to have your help. If you can’t contribute in this way then we would be glad for you to be the beneficiary of whatever can be of help here.

In closing the words of Rushdoony from 1965 seem fitting,

What you are doing, in your support of me, is to sponsor a counter-measure to the prevailing trend, to promote by your support, interest, and study, a Christian Renaissance, to declare by these measures your belief that the answer to humanism and its statism is Christian faith and liberty. Our choice today is between two claimants to the throne of godhood and universal government: the state, which claims to be our shepherd, keeper, and savior, and the Holy Trinity, our only God and Savior.� You have made your choice by both faith and action.

The great man has gone on, and lesser men have no choice but to take up the great work upon which he spent his life.

A five minute video that is clear, concise and straight to the point. The next time you want to say the “Pledge of Allegiance” you remember this video.

For the whole 20th century Communism advanced by complaining about the injustice of those in power, only to turn around and compound the ruling wickedness they complained of by 1000 fold. If the Czar’s killed their thousands, the Bolsheviks and Communists killed their tens of millions. If Chiang Kai-shek was ruthless it looked like gentle kisses in comparison to Mao’s Communism. Castro made Batista look like a day care provider. On and on the list goes. Wherever Communism has come to power it has made the roughness of the previous ruling authorities look like Nirvana.

This comparison includes Mandela and the ANC as compared to the Apartheid rulers. The West forced the end of white rule in South Africa and it feted and hailed Mandela when he visited the States. However the communist black rule of the ANC makes the “oppressive” white rule look absolutely benign.

This link is a excellent exposition of that idea and I recommend its viewing … especially in light of the recent Hollywood release of “INVICTUS” that continues to try and make Mandela look like some victimized God.

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On a lighter note, the following link is absolutely hilarious. It is a song done by Don White (who has a Masterful singing voice) titled “I’m Arminian.” It is based on a poem written by Mark Chambers and set to the tune of, “If I Only Had A Brain.”

http://www.donsvoice.com/chambers/IAA.mp3

This is a genuine letter w/ a few of the details altered. I’m posting it so people can see the implied expectations of Christian ministers for public ceremonies.

Pastor Handley Miller
Christ Church
3495 Moonbeam Avenue
Rock Hill, SC — 29206

Dear Pastor Miller

Thank you for your kind acceptance of our invitation to offer the invocation and benediction at our evening commencement ceremony on 13 June at 6:30 pm in the Smiley Sports Center. As the proud Grandfather of a graduating Senior (who is also very proud of her Grandfather, I might add!), you surely know it is a special time for High Plains University and we look forward to your participation. Since our students come from very diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, we know the words you offer will be welcoming to all.

For your part, you will be introduced at the beginning of the ceremony and asked to come to the stage to offer the invocation, which should be brief. You will then return to your seat with your spouse in the front row for the remainder of the ceremony. At the conclusion, you will again be asked to return to the stage to offer the benediction. Again, we know your words will be accepting of people of many faiths and ethnic backgrounds who are represented in our student body.

We are very pleased you and Mrs. Miller will be able to join us, and are grateful for your willingness to participate in this way. If you have any questions, you may contact my assistant Marsha Brady at 1.800.PC.JESUS or multicultural@HighPlains.edu. We look forward to your role in our ceremony, and we know it will be a very special day for our students, and their families and friends.

Sincerely,

Were you a minister who were to pray at this ceremony how would you pray, given the clear expectations?

http://dougwils.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7403:trouble-building-a-taco-stand&catid=136:dualism-is-bad-juju

http://throughneweyes.info/default.aspx

My wife listened and said there was to much ad hominem. I’ll have to work on that for next time.

A note of gratitude to Rev. Uri Brito for doing the interview and putting the podcast online.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=122710

http://www.frame-poythress.org/frame_articles/2010VanDrunen.htm#_ftnref6

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704320104575015010515688120.html

Charlotte Christian Reformed Church Christmas Liturgy 2009

*–Congregation Stands

Prelude — Miss Sarah Bacon

*Call to Worship Psalm 92:1-4

1 It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night,
3 On an instrument of ten strings,
On the lute,
And on the harp,
With harmonious sound.
4 For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work;
I will triumph in the works of Your hands.

Invocation

Creedal Affirmation — Belgic Confession Of Faith Article X

Christmas Worship

Brothers and Sisters our Psalter’s Church Order informs us that “Worship services shall be held in observance of Christmas” as well as other high days on the Church calendar. The conducting and attendance of such services provide one objective marker for us as well as those outside of the faith that we are a Christian people. By the conducting and attendance of such services we testify to all who have eyes to see that our understanding and celebrating of Christmas is distinct from the modern pagan who has reduced Christmas to crass materialism or a one size fits all “Happy Holidays.” By the marking of such days as Christmas for worship the ebb and flow of our whole lives, year in and year out, are Christ formed and Christ shaped by a calendar itself formed by Christ. Finally, our gathering gives us one more opportunity to publicly placard Christ as the only hope for the weary, the heavy laden, the alienated and the Christian.

On this Christmas Eve then, we gather together once more as Reformed Christians have done for centuries, and as the ever swelling numbers of newly converted will continue to do until our Lord Christ shall return. We do so to mark the birth of our Lord Christ and to together offer up praise that he made Himself of no reputation in order to glorify the Father, save His people from their sins, and to lead them from triumph unto triumph until the Kingdoms of this world increasingly become the Kingdoms our Lord. In keeping with the purpose of our gathering let us confess our undoubted Catholic Christian faith

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Maker of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;

He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost;
the holy catholic church;
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body;
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

Prayer

Benevolent and Sovereign Father, we thank thee for thy eternal covenant that predestined the coming of your Messiah for the redemption of the world. We thank thee that thou promised the Messiah upon mankind’s rebellion to reverse the effects of our treason. We exalt thee that thou deigned to gain your victory by crushing the serpent’s head and by destroying his people. We are humbled Father by how you ordered redemptive history so that coming of Christ was articulated by the patriarchs and prophets who spoke of the coming of your Messiah. We thank thee for all in Holy Scripture that limned the coming of Christ and we thank you that after ordering history for the coming of thy eternal Son in the fullness of time our Lord Christ came as one born under the law.

Father, we come humbly before to thank you for your faithful Church — that ark of Christ — which was guided by your Holy Spirit to embrace the full divinity and humanity of Christ while affirming his singular person. We thank you for your faithful Church that continues to speak Christ to us today and we ask of you Father that you would continue to build up your faithful Church so that future generations will have the nativity of Christ set before them in all its saving splendor that thy name may be honored among men. In the name of Jesus Christ our Savior, who taught us to pray, saying,

Our Father, who art in heaven: Hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

*Hark The Herald Angels Sing Brown Hymnal 184

Old Testament Reading — Isaiah 9:1-6

Strings Trio Bacon Family

New Testament Reading — Luke 2:1-14

*Come Thou Long Expected Jesus Brown Hymnal 168

Epistle Reading — Titus 2:11-14

Joy To The World — Brown Hymnal 171

Offering General Fund

Offertory Mrs. Linda and Miss Rachel Bacon

Offertory Thanksgiving Adapted from the Book of Common Worship, 1906

O most merciful and gracious God, from whose open hand we all have received much: We ask you to accept this offering of your people. Remember in your love those who have brought it. Remember also those persons and purposes for which it is given. So follow this sacrifice with your blessing that it may promote peace and good will, and advance the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen!

Homily — Jesus, The Fulfillment Of God’s Promise

*Silent Night (Candle Light) 195 Brown Hymnal 316

*Benediction 2 Corinthians 13:14

This is exactly what I said to Tim Bayly,

“I don’t care if your best friend is a minister in the first church of Satan. That comment was out of line, and I do take umbrage for myself and a good number of other faithful ministers and laymen who are trying to fight the good fight.

I’ll chill out when you learn how to write about matters you’re apparently clueless about.”

As you can see there is no profanity here which Bayly’s deletion strongly implies.

You’ll also notice I didn’t say his friend was a minister at the first church of Satan. I put the comment the way I put because Tim Bayly had suggested that all because his best friend is a minister in the CRC therefore I shouldn’t be put off by his denigrating comments. That observation was completely irrelevant to anything I said and I put the phraseology the way I did to draw attention to its irrelevancy.

And yes … I am ticked off. It’s hard enough laboring in the CRC without the hyperbole sloshing Tim Bayly taking potshots from the sidelines. As I told him, there remain many faithful ministers and laymen in the CRC and for him to suggest that the CRC is completely bereft of faithful ministers is just stupid on steroids.