Berean Journeymen

From: Jonathan Falwell
Date: January 23, 2009


On Tuesday, I watched with the rest of the nation as Barack Obama was sworn in as our nation’s 44th President. The significance of the occasion was certainly not lost on me, and my heart soared as we watched our first African American President place his hand on the Bible to take the oath of office amid great fanfare.

As I have noted in this column, I have pledged to pray for President Obama over the course of the next four years. I know this undertaking has been criticized by some in the conservative community, but our nation is at a crossroads politically, economically and spiritually and I believe the evangelical community must do its part to help our nation return to health. We simply must be praying in earnest that God will enable our President and our leaders—no matter their party affiliation—to solve the problems that ail our nation.

This doesn’t mean that I will be giving President Obama a pass on everything he does. In fact, I am sure that I’m going to disagree with many of his policies. Further, I don’t pretend to believe that President Obama desires to hear from me as he takes on the enormous task of leading our nation. However, as the son of one of our nation’s foremost culture warriors and the pastor of one of our nation’s largest churches, I would like to utilize this forum to raise two primary concerns that I hope might reach our President’s ear.

First, within a short time after he had been sworn into office, the entire Whitehouse.gov website experienced dramatic change. Gone was information on the Sanctity of Human Life Sunday or any other pro-life information. In its place was verbiage supporting abortion rights, including this passage:

“President Obama understands that abortion is a divisive issue, and respects those who disagree with him. However, he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women’s rights under Roe v. Wade a priority in his Administration. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in that case.”

Why do Christians continue to dwell on abortion? Consider this: Since 1971, more than 49 million babies have been aborted in our nation. According to National Right to Life, about 1.2 million abortions were performed in our nation in 2006. While this figure is down from previous years, the abortion holocaust remains our national shame. Dr. Alveda King, pastoral associate of Priests for Life and niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., noted this week, “…there is no greater injustice than that suffered by the 4,000 babies, 1,400 of them black, who die on any given day at the hands of abortionists.”

Abortion has become an issue of convenience in America and I will not be silent about the casual destruction of innocent life. I am sincerely praying that our President, who is a wonderful family man, will work with the pro-life community to help young women consider the far greater alternatives to abortion. Conservative Christians must work with lawmakers like Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) who this week re-introduced, with more than 60 cosponsors, the “Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act,” which would deny any federal funding to Planned Parenthood of America—our nation’s leading abortion provider.

Second, the Whitehouse.gov website lays out President Obama’s civil rights plan, which includes the call for adoption rights for same-sex couples, a repeal of the U.S. Military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and opposition to a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. I am fully aware that our culture has changed in the last few years, but I am praying that our Democrat leaders will pause in their quest to coerce such broad change in our military (which is no place for social experimentation) and in deterring the will of the people, who have overwhelmingly voted to adopt marriage protection amendments nationwide.

I believe our government should be doing all it can to halt the destruction of the traditional family and working to help fathers and mothers stay together and raise their families together. Recent data shows us that children not raised in homes with natural parents tend to: engage in sexual activity at earlier rates; have emotional problems; be expelled from school; have drug or alcohol problems. We must again foster the traditional family as the basis of our society.

I hope that readers will join me in praying for the safety of and heavenly guidance for our new President, as we also pray that his heart will be open to our pro-life, pro-traditional family concerns.

Humility, honesty, repentance, forgiveness, trusting God, loving…are these not at the core of our beliefs; should they not be at the core of what we discuss and then strive to live out together? If we answer no, then have we not forsaken our first love? If we answer yes, then are many of us not hypocrites?

If we say yes to humility, but then choose to hold onto our pride as tightly as we do in both large and small ways…are we not hypocrites? Will pride continue to spill into the aisles of our church…or will we change for God’s sake…and our own?

If we say yes to honesty, but then knowingly keep hidden in darkness what Christ urges to be brought out into the light…are we not hypocrites? Will fear of another man’s opinion paralyze our church body more than the judgment of God or the wrath of the Almighty…or will we change for God’s sake…and our own?

If we say yes to repentance, but then continue to hold onto recurring sin, obvious or subtle…are we not hypocrites? Will we…will I, who claim to be born of God, who claim to be living in Him, choose to keep on sinning…or will we change for God’s sake…and our own?

What is it that holds us back…from humility, from honesty, from repentance? Do we lack faith in God’s promises? Do we really care more about what other humans think than God?

If we were to openly bring into the light our hidden sin, what is it we fear…
- Another sinful human may think less of us…so, what then?
- Other sinful humans might start talking about us behind our backs…so, what then?
- Other sinners might not respect us as much anymore, even though that respect is built on a lie…so, what then?
- We would have to deal with some short-term pain, though long-term gain is sure to follow…so, what then?

Are not human impressions utterly trivial compared to the consequences of almighty God? We must not buy into the deceit the enemy is selling!

If we were to openly bring into the light our hidden sin, what is it we gain…
- The weight of guilt holding us down would be removed…Amen!
- Barriers between God and us would begin to crumble…Amen!
- The chains that once bound would eventually be broken…Amen!
- Relationships being damaged due to our hidden lies would begin the process of healing…Amen!
- God would use our experience to help others…Amen!
- The talents and gifts He has given each one of us would be loosed for his use…Amen!
- The woe of hypocrisy would no longer hang over our heads…Amen!
- God would be honored and glorified…Amen & Amen!

Each one of us has sin, certainly that is not the question…the question is, are we dealing with it as God clearly outlines…with humility, honesty and true repentance? God is beckoning us towards sanctification with promises of blessing if we follow…what adequate reason exists not to do so?

Posted on behalf of Jim Baughman...

By John Piper

Sometimes we are so overwhelmed at being treated better than we deserve that we must exult in the all-sovereign God—the God of birds' flight and Obama’s rise. When King David pondered how many were God’s “wondrous deeds,” he said, “I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told” (Psalm 40:5). That’s the way I feel watching God’s public mercies in the last few days.

Have you considered how unlikely was the crash of USAir flight 1549 in the Hudson River on January 15—not just the rescue but the crash itself? Picture this: The Airbus A320 is taking off at an angle—maybe 30 degrees. It’s not flying horizontal with the earth. Not only that, it is flying fast—not full speed yet, but perhaps four times as fast as your car would go at top highway speeds.

The geese are flying horizontally with the ground, more or less. They are not flying in a cloud like a swarm of bees. They fly level with the ground, often shaped like a V. In view of all that, what are the odds that, traveling at this speed and at this angle, this airplane would intersect with the flight of those geese at that very millisecond which would put a bird not just in one of those engines, but both of them?

Two laser-guided missiles would not have been as amazingly effective as were those geese. It is incredible, statistically speaking. If God governs nature down to the fall (and the flight) of every bird, as Jesus says (Matthew 10:29), then the crash of flight 1549 was designed by God.
Which leads to the landing in the Hudson River—which is just as unlikely. The airbus now has no thrust in either engine. The flight attendants said it was as quiet as a library in the plane without the sound of engines. The plane is now a 77-ton glider with its belly full of fuel. Captain Sullenberger decides to land in the river. Anywhere else would mean one big fireball.

He banks and misses the George Washington Bridge by 900 feet and glides the plane into a perfect belly landing. A few degrees tilt to the front or back or the right or left and the plane would have done cartwheels down the river and broken up. On the water, the flight attendant does not let passengers open the rear door. That would have flooded the cabin too fast. The emergency doors and front doors provide exits for everyone and the plane floats long enough for all of them to climb out. Ferry boats are there almost instantly. The captain walks the aisle twice to make sure everyone is off. Then he leaves. Later the plane sinks.

If God guides geese so precisely, he also guides the captain’s hands. God knew that when he took the plane down, he would also give a spectacular deliverance. So why would he do that? If he means for all to live, why not just skip the crash?

Because he meant to give our nation a parable of his power and mercy the week before a new President takes office. God can take down a plane any time he pleases—and if he does, he wrongs no one. Apart from Christ, none of us deserves anything from God but judgment. We have belittled him so consistently that he would be perfectly just to take any of us any time in any way he chooses.

But God is longsuffering. He is slow to anger. He withholds wrath every day. This is what we saw in the parable. The crash of Flight 1549 illustrates God’s right and power to judge. The landing of the plane represents God’s mercy. It was God’s call to all the passengers and all their families and all who heard the story to repent and turn to God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and receive forgiveness for sin.

I am writing these thoughts on the evening after the inauguration of Barack Obama, the first African-American President of the United States. I cried twice today. There were two points when I was overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all. Once was when I prayed with some brothers after Obama’s speech and was overcome with the sinfulness of my own racist background. The other was in trying to express my emotion to an African-American brother about what this must mean for him.

As much as I reject Obama’s stance on abortion, I am thankful to the bottom of my soul that an African-American can be President of United States. The enormousness of it all is unspeakable. This is God’s doing. The geese were God’s doing. The landing of Flight 1549 was God’s doing. And the Obama presidency is God’s doing. “He removes kings and sets up kings” (Daniel 2:21).

And I pray that President Obama has eyes to see. The “miracle on the Hudson” and the “miracle in the White House” are not unrelated. God has been merciful to us as a nation. Our racial sins deserved judgment a thousand times over. God does not owe America anything. We owe him everything. And instead of destruction, he has given us another soft landing. We are not dead at the bottom of the Hudson.

O that Barack Obama would see the mercies of God and look to the One whose blood bought everlasting life for all who trust him. The parables of God’s mercy are everywhere. The point of them is this: God is a just and patient Ruler, and Jesus Christ is a great Savior. Turn. Turn. Turn, O President of the United States and passengers of this planet.

Full of thanks for all God’s mercies,

Pastor John

In many examples all around us every day, do we in America who claim to be Christians see the subtle yet evident shift in focus away from God and towards the idol of ourselves? Do we not fear what the books of Kings, Proverbs, Psalms, Isaiah, etc teach about the consequences for men and countries that do so?

Let there be no doubt God’s position on those who hold onto their pride. “When pride comes, then comes disgrace…Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall…The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled…The Lord Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty.

Do we not believe what God’s Word says?

If we do, then must we not be filled with both fear and hope? Fear of what God will bring about in America to remind us of our lowliness, and yet hope in what can be restored if we humble ourselves before God. “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land… Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will soon give them deliverance… Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day… Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD, I have heard you, declares the LORD…. This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”

Christian Brothers, you and I are called by God’s name and we are the ones who must humble ourselves and pray and seek God’s face and turn from our sinful ways. Will we realize the time is now or will we stand by idly as our children and grandchildren face the consequences of our complacency? Are we willing to open our eyes to see the idols that have crept into our lives…and then in humility seek repentance…and then go about removing them…or are we too proud?

Are you willing to help a family member in a time of need? Suppose your relative is in need of a place to stay (for the purposes of this paper, lets call him John). You are a caring and compassionate person and offer your home to John as a dwelling place of safety, security and refuge. John moves in and everything is going great. Your children and spouse really like John and he is great. Yet over time, you start to see a change in John. John smokes a cigarette and drinks an occasional beer in front of the kids. You don’t think anything about it, it’s just John, you love John and there’s no harm by him, right?


As time goes on, John continues to drink, smoke and now occasionally has an estranged girlfriend over, and your children have caught them heavily kissing at times. Occasionally, John will get in an argument with his girlfriend and they will yell, scream, and use profanity all in view of your children. John does not apologize for his actions and continues in this behavior. Then one night John gets angry and starts to beat up his girlfriend. He is drunk and is out of control to the point that he kills his girlfriend right in front of your children.


As with many, when you were reading about John, you probably thought to yourself, “I would never let that guy in my house!” or at least you would kick him out after a short period. As a parent, I believe it is safe to say, that none of us would allow a person like that in our house nor would we allow our children to be exposed to someone like that, but unfortunately we do it every day through the television. What society deems as a simple show such as “My Name is Earl” or “Desperate Housewives” we are polluting our children’s minds and ours. Shows that seem harmless because it’s just “Hollywood” yet we are exposing our children to situations that are interpreted as realistic in their minds. Images of sex, alcohol, violence, drugs, immoral turpitude are visible every day and at any hour on almost every channel of the television.


Through various studies and research, it has been discovered that children are being negatively affected by watching television. “Studies show that too much television viewing can have adverse affects, such as more violent and aggressive behavior, poor school performance, obesity, early sexual activity, and drug or alcohol use.” (“Family Issues Facts”). The studies have linked this to the viewing of television on a regular basis as an antagonist. According to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, approximately two-thirds of infants and toddlers watch two hours of television a day including children under the age of six as well. Children the age of eight to eighteen spend an average of four hours watching television including an additional two hours of computer or video game time (“How TV Affects Your Child”). At the most, it is recommended that people spend no more than two total viewing hours of television a day.


Programs viewed on television are to be for entertainment purposes. However, they carry a lot more weight to them than just entertainment. “TV is full of programs and commercials that depict risky behaviors such as sex and substance abuse as cool, fun, and exciting. And often, there's no discussion about the consequences of drinking alcohol, doing drugs, smoking cigarettes, and having premarital sex.” (“How TV Affects Your Child”). Studies show that youth who view these types of programs are more likely to partake in the activities they watched compared to youth who do not view the same program.


The commercials viewed during the intermission of these programs are just as bad as the program themselves if not worse. “Advertisers target kids, and on average, children see tens of thousands of TV commercials each year. This includes many ads for unhealthy snack foods and drinks. Children and youth see, on average, about 2,000 beer and wine ads on TV each year.” (“Television”). Yet we continue to allow this type of pollution in our homes across America everyday. “From the junk food and toy advertisements during Saturday morning cartoons to the appealing promos on the backs of cereal boxes, marketing messages inundate kids of all ages (“How TV Affects Your Child”).”


Not all programming on television is bad for our children to watch. Many educational programs available do a great job in aiding in the education of our youth. It is the responsibility of the parent to facilitate what is and what is not being viewed on television. There are studies coming out monthly as to the affects television today is having on our children. The statistical numbers are overwhelming and at times scary.


Parents need to further educate their children in the affects of television and not completely isolate children from everything. From the news broadcasts to the nightly television program, it is important for parents to sensor what their children are watching as well as limiting the time spent viewing television. Parents can partake in many other worthy activities with their children instead of sitting down in front of the television. As a follower of Jesus Christ, if the show is not a pleasing to God then it is not worth watching.