Have you ever had to deal with someone who hates you? At the end of this post, I’ll list three thoughts about how to think and act in this circumstance.

Back in the era of Lincoln, General Robert E. Lee had to deal with this. Erwin Lutzer writes about this:

General Robert E. Lee spoke in the highest terms to President Lincoln about an officer who was known to have nothing but hatred and disrespect for him (that is, for Robert E. Lee), his commanding officer. When someone pointed out to the general the contempt this man had for him, General Lee replied, “Yes, that’s true. But the President asked my opinion of him, not his opinion of me. – Erwin W. Lutzer, When You’ve Been Wronged: Overcoming Barriers to Reconciliation, (Chicago: Moody, 2007), Kindle, 162.

If you have a boss or friend or maybe a church member who is out to undermine you or hurt your reputation, here are three things you should remember (more…)

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Tags: back, Bible, Civil Rights, Civil War, godliness, hate, Honor, Ken Sande, Lee, Lincoln, love, Martin Luther King, peace, peacemaker, relationships, responding, Robert, speech, talk

With our Memorial Day Picnic coming up soon, my thoughts are on those who have come and gone.  My friend Wesley Strackbein has written a powerful piece to help us remember the importance of honoring the hoary head.

Strackbein concludes:

God’s word commands us to “rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man” (Leviticus 19:22). The men and women of the Great Depression who yet remain with us are truly “the last almost of a race.” If we are to be faithful Christians, it is critical that we let the aged know that — though they may have lost most of their old comrades and their life-long sweethearts — we care greatly about their past and appreciate the battles they fought before we were born.

We must do more than abide their eccentricities and humor their story-telling. We must truly honor the white-haired elders among us by endeavoring to understand the unique challenges they endured. With loving regard, we must convey to them that the memories dear to their heart from decades ago are deeply precious to us. Though we did not drink of their experiences with them, we must let them know that we will mingle their memories and wise insights into our own cup of life.

And if their hearts fail for lack of hope, we must point them to Christ so that they can join the faithful “old timers” in glory — where all of the redeemed will, one day, sup together with God for eternity.

Tell us if you’re coming to the Memorial Day Picnic on Facebook.

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Calling all photographers in attendance at this year’s Wake Forest Memorial Day Picnic held at my farm. The grand prize ribbon goes to the photographer who most effectively captured the spirit of honor, joy, and multi-generational legacy which exemplifies our annual Memorial Day celebration. Judging will happen the week following the event. Pictures must be submitted by the end of the day, May 29th. The judging panel includes: Scott Brown, Philip Leclerc, and Joaquin Fernandez.

Join us for the celebration, and help us immortalize the day with fantastic photos!

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For more information go to the Memorial Day website, www.celebratememorialday.com

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Next week, my friend Doug Phillips will host a historic event to commemorate the sinking of the Titanic. Titanic 100 International Centennial Event will be a time of celebration, a time of remembrance, a time of story telling and joy. It will be an opportunity for contemplation with the countdown to the sinking of the Titanic, for learning with a host of reenactors, for reliving history with the Titanic museum.

From the official event program: “Though more than 1,500 people died in this international tragedy, the Darwinian notion of the ‘survival of the fittest’ was rejected in favor of the age-old Christian doctrine that the ‘strong sacrifice for the weak.’ No event in modern history has done more to remind the world of this important bedrock of Western culture, as men and boys on board Titanic willingly gave their lives so women and children might live. Titanic 100 is being held to honor this legacy of sacrifice and will feature a wide range of exciting activities for the whole family, including a live play and musical performances at the Lawrence Welk Theatre, an Edwardian Ladies Tea, exclusive tours of the world’s largest Titanic attraction, a special film screening of A Night to Remember, a Gala Banquet and Celebration on board the Showboat Branson Belle, and the opportunity to engage with reenactors who will bring to life the passengers and crew who were on Titanic’s maiden voyage. May we always remember ‘women and children first.’”

Remembering the history of the Titanic is also upon the world stage. Commemorative events will be held in Europe and America, celebrating this story that occurred nearly a century ago.

Nine days from now, on April 15, 2012 (more…)

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Doug Phillips’ Titanic 100 International Centennial Event will be singular among the various events that will be happening around the world. I always marvel at Doug’s ability to recount historical events for their greatest practical impact, so that we learn the right lessons and draw the right conclusions. I am sure this will be the most inspiring display of living history available on the subject.

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Here is a really significant opportunity for education delivered by my fellow elder, Dan Horn. It is the Discerning History Tour on September 3-8, 2012.  He will be covering the second half of the Civil War, starting at the battle of Chancellorsville and visiting places such as Gettysburg, the trenches at Petersburg, and the wonderful Museum of the Confederacy.  After many more interesting locations, he will end up at Appomattox with the surrender of Lee’s army and the end of the Confederacy.

This tour will be on Labor Day Week. This is a very affordable history tour. You won’t be disappointed.

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Those that would learn well, and teach well, in religion, must not affect new-found notions and new-coined phrases, so as to look with contempt upon the knowledge and language of their predecessors; if we must keep to the good old way, why should we scorn the good old words? Jeremiah 6:16. – Matthew Henry commenting on Proverbs 4

You see this same sentiment in the “Letter to the Reader” which accompanied the Second London Baptist Confession:

Also, when we observed that those last mentioned did in their confession (for reasons which seemed of weight both to themselves and others) choose not only to express their mind in words concurrent with the former in sense, concerning all those articles wherein they were agreed but also for the most part without any variation of the terms, we did in like manner conclude it best to follow their example in making use of the very same words with them. (more…)

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Moved by the current economic, political and moral issues facing the country, MONUMENTAL, directed by Duane Barnhart, chronicles Cameron’s personal journey to historic sites across Europe and the U.S. to discover the secret that has made America the freest and most prosperous country in the word. As Cameron retraces the heroic and faithful beginnings of America, he discovers a monument to the founding fathers that answers what core principles will keep America strong, free, and well: freedom, justice, education, morality, and religion. – from Monumental’s official press release.

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Here is a fascinating article, Projecting Poverty Where it Does Not Exist,  by Steve Saint, whose father, Nate was killed in 1956 by the Waodani tribe. He states that we project our version of poverty on those who are not poverty stricken at all:

From my life experiences with the Waodani—and other people groups in Africa, Asia and South America who live simply and materially contentedly—I have learned that it is unreasonable to evaluate their “lack” based on our distorted and exaggerated perception of need.

Consider how our definition of an orphan is different from most other cultures. In the U.S., you are an orphan if your mother and father have died. In South America (where I grew up), as in other contexts where extended family structures are intact, you are not really considered an orphan as long as you have a living grandparent, uncle, aunt or older brother or sister who is capable of helping take care of you. So when North Americans build an orphanage in South America, we “create” orphans by tempting family members to take advantage of our well-intentioned largess. This is seldom in the best interest of those children who are “orphaned” by our desire to meet what we perceive as their need.

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Deborah’s great-grandmother writes of the impact of the salvation of her father:

My Father could not keep the good news, so a short time after he would take the train back every Sunday (after the morning service) to Martins Bay, and then walked to the hill country and preached to his own people and friends. Later on he preached in town in the market place, and opened a mission for the colored people where there was a settlement back of George St Belleville.

 We visited all these places when we visited Barbados on our 30th wedding anniversary.

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Deborah’s great-grandmother recalls her mother preaching the gospel to her on the island of Barbados. She writes:

“Some of my Mothers favorite verses were:

Perfect love casteth out fear.

Godliness with contentment is great gain.

Having food and raiment therewith be content.

Let the words of my mouth, and the mediation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, Oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.

How well I remember how she used to sit and tell us children of God’s simple plan of salvation!”

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Deborah’s great-grandmother writes in her diary, “my Father, Robert Thomas Lanahan Gibson (Linnie), born March 14th, 1838 in Barbados, West Indies, Below the Cliff. He married Anna Lorinthia Edwards, born Jan 21st, 1843 in Barbados, West Indies, Below the Cliff. They married Oct 11th, 1863 at St Margarets Chapel, Below the Cliff. They had 10 children.”

Robert and Anna (Deborah’s great-great-grandparents)	Tom and Carol (Deborah’s parents)

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My friend Craig Houston wrote this to me regarding our celebration of the gospel coming to Deborah’s family:

“The Grace of God is truly amazing in that He moves in the hearts of His people to bring the gospel to the regions beyond, and people there are impacted by the good news, and then they take that glorious truth of the gospel to yet another country and people. Fast forward to the two centuries, and a descendent of those converts is a preacher’s wife in NC. Praise God!”

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Brethren missionaries came here and encountered Deborah’s family near the end of the 19th century. They preached the gospel to Deborah’s great, great grandparents. According to the diary of their daughter, Lorinthia, they brought the message of salvation by grace alone, eternal security, and the final judgment. God’s kingdom was expanding as Jesus promised His disciples in the parable of the mustard seed and the leaven in Matthew 13. The gospel came to Deborah’s family through ordinary people. They had the leaven of the gospel in their souls, giving them urgings to leave their homelands to sow the seeds of the kingdom of heaven in other places. I am so grateful for these missionaries.

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