Great Writing About A Great King

No offense intended to Benjamin Merkle that it took me a couple of months to get through this book. He's an excellent author. I expected a historical fiction novel, but this book is a NON-fiction narrative.

I applaud Mr. Merkle for his captivating authorship. An example from Chapter 3 illustrates the retreat of the Vikings when Alfred’s brother finally arrived at a fierce battle:

“All that was left was a view of the backside of a panic-stricken mob fleeing for its life. It took several moments for Alfred and his men to recover from their amazement and to realize what had happened. Suddenly, it became clear.

King Æthelred had finished his prayers.”

James Scott Bell (my mentor) would consider that last sentence a gem.

I wish my history books back in school had been written with such colorful word pictures and intense emotion. I'm sure my grades in that discipline would've improved. I loved history, but the texts were as dry as sawdust. Mr. Merkle made me care about King Alfred. I was saddened at Æthelred's untimely death, but encouraged by Alfred's unwavering tenacity against the marauding Danes.

I feel like I truly know this great king, although I had never heard of Alfred the Great before selecting this book. The White Horse King, Alfred, was a fierce warrior, a faithful Christian who sought wisdom, and a deeply committed leader who loved mercy and gave himself for his people, dying at the age of fifty.

The first of my friends to get a copy of this wonderful book is May Barnett, our resident Liverpudlian who said, “King Alfred sat by the fire...” when I told her I was reading about the White Horse King.

I highly recommend “The White Horse King – The Life of Alfred the Great” by Benjamin Merkle.

Great writing about a great leader!

Disclosure of Material Connection. I received this free book from Thomas Nelson Publishers as a part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The Great Escape

I promised to post my notes from Andy Woods' sermon a few weeks back, but life's busyness got in the way. Until I can organize my notes, I'll post this devotional, which I submitted to PCCWeb Daily Devotion. They published it on February 8, 2010, and I received encouraging messages from people in Maryland, Indiana, Wisconsin, Canada, England, and Uganda. What a joy to know my cats' escapade one night would bless people from all walks of life around the world!

THE GREAT ESCAPE

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me..." - John 10:27 (NASB)

The alarm woke me at 6:35. I punched the button and sat up. Something was missing. My husband Tom lay snoring beside me, but Pixie, my short-hair tabby, wasn't curled up next to me. Her sister, Feathers, the long-haired likeness of Pixie, wasn't stretched out at my feet.

I dragged myself out of bed and plodded to the kitchen to feed them. Neither cat ran to the cupboard. Even the dry food clinking into their bowls didn't bring them running.

"Where are they?" I asked.

"They're around here somewhere," Tom muffled into his pillow.

I searched the house, from room to room, calling their names.

No response.

The room where Tom was working on renovations had been a point of curiosity for them. I turned on the light and found a five-by-five inch square opening in the wood floor.

"Tom?"

Snort..."What?"

"Could you come here, please?" The calmness of my voice surprised me.

Tom stumbled, half asleep, into the workroom. "What's wrong?"

I pointed to the opening. "Where does this lead?"

Groan.

Fuzzy slippers on my feet, I was out the back door, pulling my robe around me, before Tom could put on his pants.

"Feathers!" I called. "Pixie!"

A tiny mew squeaked back to me from the neighbor's driveway behind our house. Pixie rounded the decorative fence and ran toward me, passing without stopping. She turned and ran past me again. The third time, I dropped to one knee, holding my hand out to her. She came to me, and I scooped her up to take her inside.

I set her down in the kitchen and spied the opening in the workroom floor. Oops!

Hunger overcame her temptation to escape again. Running to her plate gave me the break I needed to cover her escape hatch with the form-fitted block of wood.

Now, to find her elusive sister.

Outside in the dark, the beam from Tom's flashlight came around the side yard. He had searched the perimeter of the house.

"There she is," he said in a cautious whisper.

Her fluffy tail poked out from under a piece of discarded dry-wall.

"Come here, Feathers, " I called.

She approached me with a kittenish mew, but backed away. Again, I dropped to one knee and held out my hand to her. She scampered to me, allowing me to pick her up and carry her into the safety of our home.

My cats know my voice and usually come to me when I call. But outside, in their fear of unfamiliar surroundings, they were too skittish to obey. Only when I lowered myself to their level did they respond, allowing me to give them the safety and comfort they needed.

Our Heavenly Father lowered Himself to our level--in the form of Jesus Christ, being fully God and perfectly human--to reach us. We stray from Him at times, but we know His voice, and when He calls us back, we take His hand to the safety and comfort only He can offer.

Prayer: Gracious Father, we praise You and give thanks for Your wondrous love. You are always there with an outstretched hand and enveloping comfort even when we stray. Help us to remember to listen for our Savior's voice in our time of need. In Christ's precious name, we pray.

Amen.

The Miraculous Hypostatic Union

We had the honor of seeing Dr. Robert Gromacki of Cedarville College at Bayside Community Church on Sunday, December 27, 2009.

In the first session, he taught us about the Hypostatic Union of Christ. No one else, living or dead, has had this miraculous aspect of being. Jesus Christ alone had a true and perfect humanity, as well as the full divinity of God Almighty.

Hypo comes from the Greek root "Huppo," which means "under."

Static, also from the Greek root,"stasis," which means "stands."

One would think it means understand, but it actually means Christ stands under two entirely different natures: Humanity AND Deity.

Christ had a miraculous conception and birth. As Dr. Gromacki pointed out, a virgin bride could conceive the first time she experiences physical love with her husband, so a virgin conception isn't actually a miracle. However, the miracle of Christ's conception is that His mother had no interaction with a man. She was as pure as the driven snow, even when she brought forth her first born son. It was a natural birth--Christ didn't levitate out of Mary's womb. Jesus shows the Hypostatic Union even in his birth: normal delivery, yet divine, being born of a virgin.

He had normal human development. Although the Bible doesn't reveal anything about his childhood, we know he went to Jerusalem at the age of twelve with his family. In His human nature, he joined in familial rituals, yet in His Divinity, He taught Scripture in the temple as a boy. He had normal human experiences: birth, love, grief, joy, temptation, anger, pain, and death.

But they were transcended by His divine nature. He loved his friend Lazarus and grieved at his passing...before raising him from the dead. He was tempted by the devil, yet rebuked each temptation with Scripture. The den of thieves in the temple angered Him, and again He used Scripture to support turning over the tables. He suffered pain and an agonizing death as a human, but as God He is risen (He is risen, indeed!).

Christ is a theanthropic person. Another lesson in Greek: Theo = God, and thropic = man. Make no mistake, Jesus is not a man who achieved Godness, He is God in the flesh.

He has two natures, but is not two separate people. It doesn't mean He's schizophrenic. He has two different kinds of consciousness: Divine and human. As man, He hungered. As God, He created bread. His two natures weren't altered by their union within Him. God doesn't change in His basic essence. He didn't give up His attributes to become flesh.

Both divine and human characteristics can be attributed to Jesus under any of His names or titles, whether divine or human.

The Union of the two natures was not changed by His death and resurrection. He still bears the scars of the cross.

He manifested both natures at a single event; such as when He when the woman with a hemorrhage sought healing from Him, but He had to ask, "Who touched My robe?" As God, He felt the power leave Him, but as human, didn't know who had taken it.

I signed up with Compass Ministry years ago to receive their daily Good Morning, Lord messages. They had a mini-Bible study on this same topic on 12-24-09. Here is their explanation of Hypostatic Union:

MINI BIBLE STUDY FOR THE DAY One of the most interesting doctrines in the Bible is that of Jesus being 100 percent God, and at the same time being 100 percent man (referred to as "hypostatic union"). None of us has ever seen Deity -- we only know what we read in scripture. Nor have we seen perfect humanity -- we only know what we read about in the Bible about pre-fallen Adam and our Lord. So it is somewhat difficult to grasp the fact that Jesus retained all His divine attributes while possessing all human attributes. His humanity is also seen in these verses: Matt. 4:2 "And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry." John 19:28 ". . . Jesus . . . said, 'I am thirsty.'" My only concern with their opinion is referring to Jesus as 100% man. There is one aspect of humanity that Jesus didn't carry, and that is sin. That doesn't make him 98% man (or more correctly, 2% man). It means that Jesus is 100% God and 100% perfect man. In the second session, Dr. Gromacki discussed "Why Was the Incarnation Necessary?"

Stay tuned...that will be the next topic of discussion.

THE QUEENS CAME LATE - Norma Farber

As we all rush around in the Christmas season, we often lose sight of why we celebrate. I wanted to share this poem I found on a daily web devotional:

THE QUEENS CAME LATE

The Queens came late, but the Queens were there With gifts in their hands and crowns in their hair.

They'd come, these three, like the Kings, from far,

Following, yes, that guiding star.

They'd left their ladles, linens, looms,

Their children playing in nursery rooms,

And told their sitters: "Take charge! For this

Is a marvelous sight we must not miss!"

The Queens came late, but not too late

To see the animals small and great,

Feathered and furred, domestic and wild,

Gathered to gaze at a mother and child.

And rather than frankincense and myrrh

And gold for the babe, they brought for her

Who held him, a homespun gown of blue,

And chicken soup--with noodles, too-

And a lingering, lasting, cradle-song.

The Queens came late and stayed not long,

For their thoughts already were straining far-

Past manger and mother and guiding star

And a child aglow as a morning sun-

Toward home and children and chores undone.

Norma Farber (from "When It Snowed That Night," 1993)

Let us all remember

Jesus is the reason for the season!

The Emergent Church - by Dr, Andy Woods

On Sunday, November 22, 2009, Dr. Andy Woods returned to Bayside Community Church with another fascinating lesson on false teachers and apostasy. This time, he specifically addressed the latest apostate theology that is creeping into our churches unchecked -- namely, The Emergent Church.

Dr. Paul Benware (Moody, Radio School of the Bible, Philadelphia Bible College) spoke of this movement in one of his recent visits, so I appreciated Andy's thoroughly researched confirmation of Dr. Benware's teaching.

One of the Biblical references Andy cited for this lesson is Acts 20:29 - I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock... Point: Apostasy is eternal.

The Emergent Church brings in something new to replace the old. They teach a belief system "in process," claiming that no one has arrived at orthodoxy. The E.C. leaders target the youth, the most vulnerable sheep, stating that Christianity will die unless it changes to reach the postmodern generation. The younger generation (can I really be old enough to use that term?) has made a paradigm shift. They now say, "Tell me what I want to hear, or shut up."

In my opinion, that attitude comes from a lack of parental attention and low standards set by those in authority over children during their formative years.

This movement begins within church youth groups. (I know of one church that hired a pro-abortion man to be their youth director.) Their theology sounds evangelical, being close enough to the truth to seduce the "seeker" or immature Christian, but is in fact false.

The Emergent Church wants to redefine missions, knowledge, Scriptures, church, Christ, and prophecy.

Let's take a look at what they want to do in the mission field:

In the Emergent Church, one must elevate experience over learning the truth about Jesus. Fluidity of Arts and a sense of mystery replace the clear Gospel. Shared experiences a/o encounters are more important than telling the world about Christ. But the Bible teaches that every generation needs a clear proclamation of the Gospel. Romans 1:16-17 states: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "But the righteous man shall live by faith." (Ref. Habakkuk 2:4) And 2 Timothy 3:15 tells us that the younger generation, yes even the postmodernist, can understand. ...And that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

According to the Emergent Church leaders, sincerity in alternative religion means they can go to heaven. What does the Bible say about that? Jesus Himself claims: I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. - John 14:6. And Paul assures us in 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. So, one may be sincere in their false religion, but tragically, they are still sincerely wrong.

They promote non-confrontational evangelism, using Jesus' meeting with the Samaritan woman. What they fail to mention is that Jesus did show her that the Samaritans were wrong. He used patience, but still moved her to the truth of the Gospel.

Social gospel emphasizes fixing the world problems. Don't save people out of the world; make their experience better. We know that the world will remain in Satan's grasp until the second advent of Christ. Although it is incumbent upon us to be good stewards to the planet, and compassionate to others in their need, we will never relieve the sufferings of this world.

Their doctrine of knowledge - epistemology (How do we acquire truth?) claims we bring our own bias into Bible interpretation when we read the Bible. Dialogue breaks our bias and truth rests in common ground. (Can they teach this with a straight face?) They promote endless dialogue to attain Middle Ground Mania, which brings with it uncertainty. Truth, to them, is in the middle, so the emergent, unfinished Christian will keep seeking. Unbelief masquerades as uncertainty.

The Holy Scriptures must be demoted because they contradict what the Emergent believes. This is why they try to elevate reason a/o dialogue above the Bible. They don't realize that Jesus IS the Word. Reason and experience can go astray, hence the admonition in Proverbs 3:5, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. And Proverbs 14:12, There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Satan counterfeits. The lawless one will give experience to whoever wants it. When experience departs from Scripture, we must depart from experience. Ditto for thoughts and traditions.

The Emergent Church worship service is multi-sensory, liturgical, and contemplative. Art preaches, Scripture preaches, music preaches, and even silence preaches. The sanctuary is darkened to give an air of mysticism. Their prayers are visual, recitation, and meditative breathing; combining Yoga, Buddhism, and other pagan practices. The Bible tells us to go back to the beginning. In the apostolic teaching in Matthew 6:7, Jesus condemned mixing pagan worship with Christianity.

Preaching in this new congregation consists of group facilitators telling stories or engaging in conversations. Sermons aren't lessons to precisely define belief. They tell stories to welcome our hopes and elevate experience over truth. Without the truth, who is their Jesus? Don't give me creed, give me Jesus.

Ecumenism is The Urge To Merge. They desire to combine differing doctrines, finding common ground. Credolism's purpose is to cure worldly woes. Water down the gospel for the sake of unity. Unity is okay if it's built on the Christian foundation.

Doctrine of Christ: Atonement to Emergent Church teaching is tantamount to cosmic child abuse (Chalke & Mann). A vengeful father punishes his son for sins he didn't commit. Penal substitution is explained in Hebrews 9:22 - And according to the Law one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. And Christ's substitution is made clear in Isaiah 53:5 - But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. The Son is the sin-bearer. He absorbed the wrath of God in my place. Remember the Blood on the doorpost in Exodus 12? A lamb had to be slain to cover the doorpost so the angel of death would pass over God's people.

Prophecy: Revelation is a powerful book about the kingdom of God. But Emergent Church leaders claim the kingdom of God is here and now, available to all. How can we have the kingdom without the King? Twenty-seven percent of the Scripture was prophetic at its writing. The analogy of dark to light in 2 Peter 1:19 gives us hope for the future. So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

In Nehemiah 8, Ezra read the Law of God to the people and a revival happened. Awakening/revival are only possible with the Bible. Are we entering a new dark age? Bible-teaching churches are uncommon now. Satan so cleverly disguises his lies, that even the elect will be deceived. In my humble opinion, the only way to avoid being used by him is to be faithful to the light He gave us and be alert to these false teachings. Be like the Bereans, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. - Acts 17:10

Review: Lonestar Secrets by Colleen Coble - Thomas Nelson Publishers

"No more secrets," Jack said to Shannon. But secrets are all she has. Colleen Coble relates this touching, yet suspenseful, account of a couple who must learn to love each other for the sake of their children. Set in the plains of West Texas, this story brought back childhood memories of sandstorms, cowboy hats, and ugly multi-legged critters indigenous to that area. I once lived in Brownfield (southwest of Lubbock). One "aha" moment for me was when Jack learned the truth about love from a former racehorse. How perfect is that? (ClipArt by Millermark Creations) This author has a unique gift of creating an array of subplots, which she gathers together in one neat package in the end. She also offers riveting discussion questions for book clubs. I loved the book in spite of the fact that Colleen Coble used the name of my protagonist in my novel, "Obedient Heart." No worries. Since mine isn't published yet, my Jack McGowan will have a name change. That's the beauty of fiction! :-}

"Lonestar Secrets" - Buy it today!

Latest Book to Review For Thomas Nelson

This is the latest book I'm reviewing for Thomas Nelson Publishers. Of all the books I've reviewed for them so far, this is my favorite. Set in my home state of Texas, the story captured my interest in the opening sentence. And how surprised was I to learn that the author, Colleen Coble, is from Indian and NOT from Texas! Her descriptions of the plains of West Texas are so accurate--from sandstorms to the creepy multi-legged creatures (and I'm not referring to majestic horses) that I believed her to be a fellow Texan. I'm almost finished with this book. Wish I wasn't taking so long. It's a hard book to put down, but distractions have come in droves lately. When I'm ready to post my review on B&N and my blog (so I can choose my next book from Thomas Nelson), I'll give you more details about this unusual story of an unusual woman caught in an unusual marriage.

I'll keep you posted!