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5/8//08 (If you
want to share a comment with others, just send a reply to jim@saltmagazine.com.
We will send the comments with our next post. If
you want to send us a comment or message just for us, just put personal
somewhere in the subject line.) News from home: - God is so good to us, but we don't always recognize it. I praise God that at this moment I am not dwelling on my real or imagined suffering or my less than ideal circumstances. I am simply overwhelmed by how good God has been to me. If we really think about it, all of us who believe - no matter how deeply we suffer or no matter how poor our circumstances - ought to overflow with a sense of gratitude to God. I am self-condemning when I say this, but it is still the truth. If all things are working together for our good and if our current sufferings can't be compared with the glory that will someday be revealed in us, if our sins which should have condemned us to hell are all forgiven, if our time of suffering in this life is not even a small drop in the ocean of eternity, and if we can't think or imagine what God has prepared for us who love him, then how could we not be full of joy and hope in the Holy Spirit no matter what our circumstances? I am now listening to a music CD we received today as a gift from some friends of ours. The style is similar to simple 60's folk, the voice is sweet and gentle, and the words are so wonderful - so spiritually edifying. Maybe this edifying music is one of the reasons I am experiencing such joy in the Lord right now. The name of the CD is "Something More" and the name of the artist is Molly Wagner. John graduates next week, God willing, but he is signed up for a full load this fall as he is pursuing a master's degree in accounting and a C.P.A. If he can schedule all the classes he needs (this is uncertain), he could finish his master's next spring and take his C.P.A. exam next summer. We're taking our 19-year-old daughter out this morning to talk about where she goes from here. She is still writing a novel and has made good progress, though she gets sidetracked writing short stories and doing her research, writing, and editing for our magazine. We take our 16-years-old and older out at least every few months and talk about spiritual, personal, and vocational issues. May God give you and me the joy of the Lord that can only be explained by the Spirit of God living within us. In Christ, Jim SALT Magazine: Our latest of issue of SALT was mailed 11 days ago. We are planning to write an e-book on our homeschooling methodology, which we hope will be available by the end of August. If you want to ask questions, to subscribe or to order with a credit/debit card, email us and if we will be happy to help you. If you want a free issue, just email us a name and mailing address. We are also hoping for a redesign of our website to be up in May. ISSUE #1: Should you use a midwife to deliver your baby if it is legal only for doctors to deliver babies? I know I will probably offend someone with how I'm going to answer this question, but I will be as gentle and as Scriptural as I know how to be. On the one hand, I believe laws that make midwifery illegal are bad laws. I don't think the government should be in the business of directing people's medical decisions. And I also question the motives of our government - maybe they care as much about protecting doctors' business interests and maybe the enjoy telling people what to do as much as they care about the health of mothers and babies. In the past I looked up mortality rates of those who used midwives and those who did not and they were statistically identical. So I don't understand why the government would outlaw midwifery. That being said, if midwifery is deemed illegal by the government we must not rebel against the authority - become outlaws - in order to use a midwife. Generally, we are to obey those in authority over us and it doesn't really matter if the laws are unnecessary, unfair, or arbitrary. I obey good masters and those who are harsh (1 Peter). Jesus told his disciples to obey the Pharisees and teachers of the law because they sat in Moses' seat. (And we know Jesus thought the Pharisees were hypocrites.) Children are to obey their parents in everything (and we parents know that our parenting isn't perfectly just and fair.) There are times we are to disobey those in authority - when we are put in a position of having to choose between obeying God and obeying men. In that case, we must obey God. Thus, the disciples, who had been commanded by Jesus to preach the Gospel to every creature, could not obey the authorities, who commanded the disciples to stop preaching the Gospel. Daniel was told by the king to give up praying to God and pray only to the king. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were commanded to worship an idol. They could not obey the authorities and obey God. But we can drive the speed limit, obey zoning laws, pay taxes, and obey the sometimes unjust, arbitrary, or unnecessary commands of our masters at work, our elders in the church, and our husband at home without disobeying God. Some governments have said delivering a baby is practicing medical care and medicine can't be practiced without a license - which can only be obtained by getting a degree from an accredited medical school. I don't agree with this requirement, but I don't have to disobey God to obey the government's command. Therefore, I obey. If I want to deliver babies, I either work to get a law passed to allow midwifery or I attend medical school and obtain the necessary license. I could become a nurse and help deliver babies in a hospital. Or, I could move to a jurisdiction where midwifery is currently legal. If I were king, I would make midwifery legal everywhere. But I'm not the king. I realize we could think of difficult situations where it would be hard to know whether we should obey or not. In my mind this isn't one of them. Have I missed something? Are there other Scriptural principles (besides obeying those in authority) that apply? (Comments?) ISSUE #2: What are the important traits a Christian man should be cultivating in himself to make him a successful husband and father? (Comments for next time?) The following is an article from our Spring 2007 issue of SALT. Care to comment? A Love song for my children: In Honor of Mother’s Day, by Cindy McDermott Written for, and inspired by, each one of my beautiful children – young and old alike This love song began at the moment we had the first inkling you might be on your way. Then day by day, week by week, month by month, we anticipated your arrival with great joy and excitement. I thought about you constantly. I prayed for you. Each kick and movement reminded me that you were a life created by God, a person intricately woven by God in the secret place, wonderfully and fearfully made. Then the day came that I looked into your eyes and held you for the first time. I thought to myself, how good and kind God is, to grant that you would be a part of my life. You are unique and special because that is what God made you. He granted me my heart’s desire when He gave me you. The days flew by and I watched in wonderment your first smile, your first baby giggle, and your first haircut – all those milestones of such importance and joy to a mother’s heart. I hope that I can gather them all up and hold those memories forever. Time goes on and you pass through several ages and stages. I wonder how any stage can be my favorite, since each one holds something so special and enjoyable. Who knew there would be so much ahead? I love to watch you grow and discover who you are and what you think, what are your strengths and interests. Then many years have passed and the realization hits me that we have, relatively speaking, just a few short years to ready you for adult life, and even more importantly, to teach you about God and what believing in Him and living for Him really means. Suddenly the importance of each moment weighs upon me. While I grieve wasted moments, I hope that I will remember how each future moment is eternally significant and important. I so enjoy the time I spend with you as an individual and the time we spend together as a family. The activity of the house is a pleasure to me, and the sounds of voices and laughter a great source of delight. Quiet days will come soon enough – maybe too soon for me. Although I may not say it enough, it is quite pleasing to see you grow and mature. It excites me when I see your knowledge of and love for God. It warms my heart when I see your kindness and thoughtfulness towards your siblings. It moves me when you go beyond what is asked of you. It touches me when you bake me cakes and bring me flowers and sit down to talk with me. I enjoy you and love you far more than you can know. It is quite hard for me to say, “I sure won’t miss that about being a mom!” about anything, not even interrupted sleep or cleaning up the ugliest of messes. The day of which I no longer have to deal with the ‘this or that’ of being a mom is the day when you are no longer in my house or no longer at a certain stage or another. A mom looks to the day when her child is grown and mature and independent – not because that frees her, but because that has been the goal all along. Reaching that goal is a bittersweet thing for a mom – her mission fulfilled, but her heart missing the days long gone. This particular song you are reading now holds no deep instruction nor teaching. I hope that day by day you are gleaning wisdom and learning, from my correction and praise alike, from carefully planned instruction as well as observing your dad and I in the common and not so common events of daily life. I’m sorry for the times my sinful nature is ever so apparent to you – a sharp word, too quick of a reprimand, my half attention, and selfishness in any of its forms. Unfortunately, moms make mistakes, too, sometimes whole bunches. God keeps working on me, though, and it’s only by His grace that any good in me exists, and it’s only by His grace that I will become, though still imperfect on this earth, more and more like Him. Each soiled diaper, each interrupted nap, every worry and care I consider a small price to pay for the honor of being your mom, and for the joy that comes over and over again as a result. Those who choose not to have children so they can have more sleep or more stuff or less worries may think they are ahead, but what do they have in the end? You are the only things I touch that will last forever. How can anything be too much of a price to pay for that? I never knew that the emotions of being a mom were so strong. They are unlike all emotions I have ever felt before. I want to love you and defend you, discipline and scoop you up and cherish you. The emotions are so encompassing and deep. Like a mother bear with her cubs, I want to stand for you and protect you. Nobody better mess with my babies! At the same time I want God to mold you and shape you to be what He wants you to be, that you may fulfill the purpose He has for you. Sometimes that molding comes through difficulty and challenge for you. It’s a tricky thing for a mom – knowing when to act and when to let God act alone. So how can my words express what my heart contains? I thank God for you. I pray that He will be everything to you. I hope that you will live uncompromisingly for Him. I yearn that God does great things in you and through you. I ask that God will fill your days with joy. I hope you always feel loved and special. I want you to know that you will always be a treasured part of this family, and that this is always your home – you never have to leave and you can always come back. You are precious to me. I love you. Mom ©2007 SALT Magazine, 2131 W. Republic Rd. #177, Springfield, MO 65807, www. saltmagazine.com OLD POLLS: (Feel free to comment on polls.) (Right and wrong is
not
a popularity contest. Polls do not prove right or wrong - only God's
word does that. Polls are interesting and informative because they
let us know what people are thinking.) Should pastors be required to have a degree from a seminary or Bible college? Yes (0%), No (100%). Comment on the poll: No.... Was D.L. Moody a Bible college graduate? In the deep south, many years ago,
My grandfather
(a baptist minister in a rural community) was "ordained" by a group of
godly men (pastors). He had to go through a process first, a long
discussion and prayer. Grandpa was "called" to preach. He was much
loved by the many congregations he served. (he was a revival minister
who built up dead churches and then moved on to the next ones.) At his
funeral, hundreds of people came to pay their respects. There wasn't
enough room in the building for him. People had to park their car miles
away from the site of the funeral home and walk, because of the
crowds. His sermons came the old fashioned way - by solitary time of
prayer and study of Scripture. SW
Comment on the poll: It is interesting that most pastors are required to have a college degree and many are required to have a Master's of Divinity. I find nothing wrong with getting such a degree, but it is a requirement that goes beyond the Scriptural requirements found in 1 Timothy. Some of the most qualified candidates for overseer according to 1 Timothy would be hard pressed to pursue the job as it would require up to 8 years of formal education - most at expensive private colleges. For most men who have a family, paying thousands of dollars a year for 8 years for an education that requires a full time commitment and offers no income is not realistic. On the other hand, getting a seminary degree doesn't make one apt to teach or mean one will do a good job managing his own household. In other words, in some denominations the man made qualification is an insurmountable barrier for some of the best candidates for overseer and this man made hurdle has become a more important qualification than the biblical ones. Comment on women as income
producers: Hi Jim, Well... on the issue of Women speaking in
the church, I can only stand astonnished at the callousness of a church
that can't hear words so plain and unmistakable. You read the passage.
They do it anyway. That pretty much says it all. Here is the
apologetic: "I want to, therefore I will". Its pretty simple. The scary
part to me is not just that women are speaking in the church, but that
the word of God has no more clout among those who claim it as their all
sufficient standard.
As for women earning income, I
don't reckon many would argue with the lawfulness of that. And I think
you make a point about Pr.31. However, the point of contention is
around WHERE she makes it, in as much as she is commanded to be "a
keeper AT HOME", and to "guide the HOUSE", etc. (ITim.5:14, Tit.2:3-4)
Few if any of the activities found in Pr. 31 require that she leave the
home to engage in them, and most of them are to be a financial benefit
by supplying things that would otherwise have to be purchased. If she
can use her time more wisely doing this by making income, and then
buying these things, then fine. But again, the question I think
revolves around WHERE she does this, not IF she does it.
Your asking for my 2 cents, so
I couldn't resist. I'll be calling tomorrow to chat a bit. Blessings to
you all. Charles
NEW POLLS: vote starting 5/10/08 at www.saltmagazine.com If an 18-year-old Christian woman who wants to be a full time wife and mother has no prospects for marriage, would you advise her to get a job skill while she is waiting? Yes? No? SALT
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