Category Archives: blogging

by | February 25, 2014 · 10:38 am

I’m Going to Offend

Offended Anyone?

Have you ever offended anyone? I bet you have. Sooner or later, all of us will. We may say something we don’t mean, act carelessly, or speak the truth without love. Offenses happen.

However, there are times when  simple words and phrases will set people off. For example, if you want to rile people up into a tizzy, just get on Facebook or Twitter and post any of the following words (your opinion doesn’t matter):

  1. Grits, okra, and turnip greens
  2. Roll Tide! / Go Vols!
  3. “Put some clothes on!”
  4. “It’s only a translation.”
  5. Rapture
  6. First On Race Day (Ford)
  7. “I hate Twilight.”
  8. “My kids will never do that.”
  9. “You’re an idiot!”
  10. Ronald Reagan

Seriously, use any of those words and it won’t take 10 minutes before people are arguing and fighting, calling each other names, questioning each other’s religion, and saying things like, “DON’T JUDGE ME!”

Nevertheless, we should do our best to “live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). It should never be our intent to hurt feelings or make people angry. The apostle Paul instructed us to “follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another” (Romans 14:19).  So, as much as is possible, we should watch what we say, choose our words carefully, and do our best not to offend.

And, when necessary, we should apologize.

The Rock of Offense

On the other hand, there are times when we MUST offend. Sometimes speaking the truth is the only loving thing to do; anything less is an offense to God.

For example, the following words will not make many friends, but are guaranteed to generate hate-filled comments from around the troll-dwelling universe. Yet, they must be said!

  • Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man can come unto the Father but by Him (John 14:6).

As a blogger, my words are read all over the world by people who hate the name of Jesus, and when I mention Him they go ballistic. I hate it for them, but how can I remain silent?

Jesus told the followers of John the Baptist,

“…Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.“ – Luke 7:22-23 

I don’t like offending people, but here’s the thing: if we let the fear of offending silence the Truth, how then can we “follow after the things which make for peace?” There can be no real peace without the Prince of Peace.

So, I guess I’m going to offend.

2 Comments

Filed under blogging, Christian Living, Christian Maturity, Defending Traditional Marriage, Defining Marriage, Faith, General Observations, Life Lessons, salvation

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | February 20, 2014 · 12:45 pm

Thursday Thoughts (Proverbial Speaking)

Proverbial Thought

In February of 2012 the Lord put on my heart the idea of a blog/devotional called Proverbial Thought. Then, with the help of several others, I launched that blog on April 1st, 2012. Today, nearly 700 days and 350,000 words later, we are done.

A total of eight other writers contributed to Proverbial Thought over the last two years. Some contributed more than others, but all were greatly appreciated.

The three generations of Welfords in England  – David, Nick (David’s son), and Ken (David’s father) – made C. S. Lewis and C. H. Spurgeon proud. Daniel M. Klem, residing in Arizona, put in his fair share while attending college and seminary. Grady Davidson, a Presbyterian pastor in Chattanooga, “lent” his deep thinking to several posts. Chris Jordan, a Four Square pastor in Canada, already a prolific writer, had a great Spirit. Jason Sneed, a music minister in Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, shared his fine-tuned perspective. And last, but not least, my own daughter, Katie Marie Baker, contributed our most youthful (and certainly our most female) wisdom.

The Next Steps

proverbial thought pictureAs was always the plan, two things are going to happen next. First, even though none of us will be regularly contributing to Proverbial Thought, starting in April the old posts will be re-posted each day on a regular schedule. Now, there will be some new stuff every now and then, because a few proverbs (verses) were missed. And, if any of the contributors feel the desire, they are always welcome to come along and add some additional thoughts, later. Nevertheless, starting in April, there will be re-runs.

Secondly, I will be attempting to edit this voluminous work in order to submit it to a publisher. For all I know, no one will want to turn Proverbial Thought into a published commentary, one unlike any other on the shelves. If that is the case, we may have to self-publish. Either way, my desire is to have the contributions to Proverbial Thought turned into a printed work that will honor God, even when the internet is down.

Prayers Needed

Pray for me, please! Pray that I will recognize the right window or door God may open. Pray that Proverbial Thought will continue to minister to people around the world, whether digitally or in print. And lastly, pray that God will continue to bless those who graciously accepted the invitation to help me with this awesome project.

“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” – 1 Corinthians 1:23-25 KJV

8 Comments

Filed under blogging, Christian Maturity, Christian Unity, Countries, ministry, Preaching, the future, wisdom

Tagged as , , ,

by | February 12, 2014 · 8:05 pm

The Voice of the Video

Yes, I know this is the 3rd post in one day, but it’s been snowing. What else was I supposed to do?

The Video

It was only my second Monday Monkey video, but it still remains to be one of my favorites.

“There’s a Monkey at the Wheel” was my first music video, but I was not the one singing. As a matter of fact, I got a former American Idol contestant to do the vocals!

If you haven’t seen it, have fun watching it for the first time…or the second, or third, or fourth 😉

The Voice

Lauren Huckabee, Mr. Monkey, and Me

Lauren Huckabee, Mr. Monkey, and Me

The voice behind this video was a young lady named Lauren Huckabee. The reason I bring this up now is because Lauren is singing with a group that is rising rapidly up the gospel charts, Rhonda Frye and Riverside.

On top of that, Lauren has published her first blog post. In it she shares her past, one full of drugs, alcohol, and danger. But more than that, she gives glory to God for sparing her life and giving her hope.

Please read Lauren’s story and pray for her. And, if you get a chance, listen to the real music she’s doing. I’m sure you will like it just as much, if not more, than any parody I’ve done.

Click HERE to read Lauren’s Story.

Leave a comment

Filed under abuse, Alcohol, blogging, Christian Living, Faith, Life Lessons, Monday Monkey, music

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | February 4, 2014 · 11:19 am

Nye / Ham Debate

Having been around the block a few times, I am certainly aware that any time a blogger says anything negative, or even questions the theory of evolution in any form, there is going to be a hateful backlash from atheists and agnostics. I certainly expect a few to say something after I post this commercial for the upcoming debate between Bill Nye (The Science Guy) and Ken Ham (Answers in Genesis).

The Debate

promo-slide

Click here to listen to audio.

I will be attending a live streaming of the debate at Bayside Baptist Church in Chattanooga. If you get to attend, come say “Hi!” However, find somewhere to watch this, even if it’s on your home computer.

Please be pray for Ken and Bill. Pray for those in the audience, along with those who will be watching elsewhere. Pray that eyes will be opened, hearts will be softened, and ears will be tuned in to the Truth.

Have a blessed Tuesday, everybody!

2 Comments

Filed under blogging, Culture Wars, Faith, General Observations, World View

Tagged as , , , ,

by | January 30, 2014 · 1:10 pm

Thursday Thoughts

It’s another Thursday – and a cold one! – here in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  It was a whopping 5 degrees Fahrenheit this morning, and that’s cold enough to make Joel Osteen preach on hell to get warm. [Laugh, I know you want to]

The weather leads me to the first of one of my short thoughts for the day…things I want to write about, but don’t want to take the time to go into much detail…

Comparisons between the North and the South. 

I am getting really weary of people making fun of how we Southerners deal with snow. They make fun of us because we make such a big deal out of a “dusting,” while Yankees take their kids to school on bobsleds. Give it a rest, you lutefisk-loving haters of state’s rights!

Believe it or not, I have driven in Rochester, New York while there was 6-inches of snow on the roads. But that is totally different from driving on asphalt covered with a quarter-inch of ice.

 

Screen grab from Dr. Oz's website

Screen grab from Dr. Oz’s website

Dream Analysts (with freaky-colored hair)

This week I saw a segment on Dr. Oz that featured a “Certified Dream Analyst.” Giiiiive meeeee uuuuhhhh breaaaak!

Patient: “I have this dream where I am falling.” Analyst: “That is your body responding to you being out of control in your life.”

Patient: “People chase me in my dream, and I can’t get away.” Analyst: “That’s a classic sign that you are running from something in your past, or something you don’t want to deal with.”

Patient: “I keep having this dream that I am in school.” Analyst: “Your body is trying to teach you something.”

What a joke! After the first person’s dreams were analyzed, I figured out how to do the rest. How much does this pay?

Continuing Education

preaching magazineEven preachers who preach all the time (i.e., me) need to continue learning. It never hurts to seek ways to improve what you do, to hone one’s skills, even if you already do it well. That is why I was happy to see my first copy of Preaching come in the mail. My oldest daughter, Alicia, bought me a subscription for Christmas.

Never See Eye-to-Eye

A recent Facebook conversation reaffirmed an already sad realization: there are some people with whom I will never, no matter how much I try, see things eye-to-eye. For example, a preacher named Jon Dabill and I got into a long, long exchange over the issue of KJV-onlyism.

Fact is, he was wrong…I was right. What more can I say?

Oh, I know! I could say, “This is my opinion based on serious, objective study and a scholarly approach toward the original texts.” On the other hand, Jon would say, “You can’t trust the originals, just the perfect King James version, so phooey on all your study! You gonna trust scholars, or the Bible?”

Personally, I prefer truth. If a word in the KJV could be changed to better convey the original meaning of the passage, even the translators of the KJV thought it should be so (see their letter to the reader in the introduction to the KJV). Jon said, “I could care less what the translators believed.”

Well, there you have it. Another Thursday, and more stuff to think about. 

Leave a comment

Filed under baptist, blogging, General Observations, legalism, Preaching

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | January 16, 2014 · 9:43 pm

Thursday Thoughts (Cars, Stress, and Dead Actors)

Good Thursday, everyone! I hope that you are looking forward to a wonderful weekend starting with a wonderful Friday. And no matter how many times I say the name of that day, I think of the song by Rebecca Black.

So, before it is too late and this post has to become a “Forgetful Friday” edition, let me leave you with some random Thursday thoughts.

1. I don’t like new cars. New cars and all their technology have progressed beyond my comfort zone. The newest automobile I have ever owned was a 2005 model. Do you realize how much has changed since then? I don’t even know what most of the buttons on a new car do! There’s nowhere to play a cassette tape, either!

Owner’s manuals used to be something only for those who couldn’t change a tire without instructions, but not any more. Now the new owner’s manuals come with a diploma once completed. Do I sound like an old man?

IMG_1537

Checking out a vehicle we didn’t buy. Still looking.

2. Shopping for an automobile is stressful. Honestly, I can think of only a handful of things that can lead a couple any closer to the brink of divorce than shopping for a new car. It is far worse, too, when all we can afford is one vehicle. Can you guess who has to be the happiest with any decision? Can you guess who will not get something that has even one tiny little testosterone hormone stashed under a seat? Pure stress, I tell you! Pure stress!!

As much as a hate the idea of a totalitarian system of government, there is something to be said of a country that allows only one kind of car to be made and sold to its people. But then again, couples would fight over the color, if not the scent of the air freshener.

3. Some old actors died. Did you hear that Russell Johnson (the Professor on “Gilligan’s Island”) died today? He was 89! And did you hear that Dave Madden, the man who played Reuben Kincaid (the manager) on “The Partridge Family” died? He was 82! Isn’t it amazing how reruns on television make us think these guys are still as young as they were back in the 1960’s and ’70’s?

DAVE MADDEN

Dave Madden, 1973

By the way, did you know that Dave Madden was one of the voices on Focus On the Family’s children’s radio program, “Adventures in Odyssey?” He was the voice of Bernard Walton, and he will be missed.

They always say famous people die in “threes.” If that is so, I wonder who will be next? I have my guesses. Do you?

Please pray that we will find a car, SOON!

5 Comments

Filed under blogging, General Observations

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | January 13, 2014 · 12:22 pm

Favorites of the 500

Favorite Posts

post-milestone-500-1xI first started blogging back in 2009. Since then I have written over 500 posts, but many have all but been forgotten – out of sight, out of mind.

Therefore, I have gone back and picked several of my favorites from the first couple of years and listed them below. I hope you will have the time to look at a few, especially the ones specifically dealing with legalism (my pet subject).

  1. The Doctrine of Separation Examined (Where most of my Independent Baptist friends and I – I’m Baptist, too – disagree the most)
  2. Why Be a Legalist?
  3. Prostitots? (One of my most in-your-face, no-punches-pulled posts)
  4. Does Divorce Disqualify? (Very controversial post)
  5. What to Wear to Church? (Many people should read this, then send a copy to everyone in their church!)
  6. Study to Show Thyself Approved On a Survey
  7. Smoking: The Legalists Are Alive and Well
  8. Let God Be True, and Luther a Liar
  9. The Recovering Legalist Meets Building 429 (My first mega-hit piece, thanks to the band putting this on their website 😉 )
  10. The REAL Problem With the Problem of Evil (Pretty much a personal essay on the problem of evil)
  11. “You might be a legalist if…” (Did Jeff Foxworthy write this?)
  12. Anthony’s Appetite #6 (Marinated Herring) (I used to be an amateur food critic)
  13. You Call THAT a Church?
  14. Don’t Be Skeerd (my own list) (A funny list at what Christians should NOT be afraid of)
  15. Monday Monkey Meets Benny Berry (I still get teary-eyed when I watch this!)

3 Comments

Filed under blogging, General Observations, Independent Baptist, legalism

Tagged as , , ,

by | January 2, 2014 · 11:42 am

Thursday Thoughts

Today is January 2 (or 2 January, if you prefer), 2014. It is a cold, rainy day in Chattanooga, Tennessee, yet I have already been out and walked a mile and a half before my first cup of coffee. No resolutions – just doing what needs to be done.

Thursdays

Today is also Thursday…the day after Wednesday…the day before Friday…but I am not going to break out into a Rebecca Black song (although I know you want me to). No, I am going to keep my singing to myself; only my written voice will be heard.

Thursday is a day that is not quite the end of the week, but on the downhill slide from Wednesday, the middle of the week. Nothing much happens on Thursday, does it? Thursday feels like a “filler” used to make the week complete.

New Stuff

So, since it’s been a long while since I started any new series of posts, I figure why not make Thursday my random thought day? Why not make Thursday – that innocuous, boring, non-essential filler – the day when I speak my mind about whatever has been in the news that week and tick off a whole bunch of liberals? Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?

Why don’t we start with some random thoughts about family?

  • Carlos and Rebecca (my sister) Gomes

    Carlos and Rebecca (my sister) Gomes

    My sister (yes, I have a sister) lives in Germany and is married to a German. Therefore, I have a German brother-in-law, which is strange to think about in the light of the memory that I used to pretend to fight Germans while playing “army” as a child. I wonder what he thinks of George S. Patton?

  • One of my daughters is going to college (away from home) next year, and that leaves me in a perpetual bad mood.
  • All of my daughters like boys – which is good – but it makes my perpetually bad mood more dangerous, especially when they start talking about invitations and cake.

Here are some thoughts of mine regarding new laws that go into effect this week:

  • real light bulbDoing away with incandescent light bulbs is completely asinine.
  • Allowing boys and girls in California to choose which restrooms and locker rooms they wish to use is a recipe for sexual disaster and evidence that a perverted, sick, debauched spirit is behind an agenda to destroy the fabric of moral society. And if it is now law in California, don’t think it won’t be proposed in your own state.
  • A couple of states have now legalized the recreational use of marijuana. Now all the potheads can pack up and move from Tennessee! If we could only get Washington and Oregon to legalize crack cocaine and Meth, our whole drug-using community would head west!
  • I have not purchased Obamacare.

Books

I am going to try to read more this year, and one book that I have already started and will finish before the end of next week is The Measure of Our Success: An Impassioned Plea to Pastors (by Shawn Lovejoy). My wife saw this book on the shelf in a discount store. It only cost $5, so if it is not all that great I won’t be out much. However, from what I have already read, the author makes some painful and convicting observations.

the measure of our successThe idea of the book is that we pastors need to quit gauging our success by anything or anyone other than what God has planned for our particular ministries. Here’s an intriguing quote from page 23: “I am more convinced than ever before that most churches are not supposed to be large.” What do you think about that?

Enough for Today

Well, I could keep going and going and going, but I am already up to 602 words, and hardly anyone will read a blog post this long unless they are stalkers, true fans, or looking for something incriminating.

Check back next Thursday, if not before, to see what’s on my mind (or driving me crazy). 

Related articles

1 Comment

Filed under blogging, current events, Defending Traditional Marriage, General Observations, Relationships and Family

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | November 25, 2013 · 9:17 pm

A NEW PAGE!

Greetings, earthlings!

Two (2) quick things:

  1. I have broken the 50,000 view barrier! Woo hoo!
  2. There is a new page up top, up there above the stunning picture of my intellectual self, on which you can find all of my Monday Monkey videos (and then some).

So, celebrate my 50,000 views by visiting the “Monkey Archives” tab…and by watching every single one of the videos over and over.

securedownloadSeriously, a lot of new subscribers have come along since I started making those silly videos and many have never seen most of them. I hope having them all on one page will encourage you to laugh, share, and come back for more (whenever I feel in the mood to make more).

Have a great week!

Related articles

Leave a comment

Filed under blogging

Tagged as , ,

by | October 31, 2013 · 12:16 pm

Is There a “Hired Heretic” Union?

Happy Whatever!

Whether you are celebrating Halloween or Reformation Day, I hope your day is a happy one. I don’t wish anyone ill will, even if you’re dressed like a witch with a sugar craving, or sneaking around nailing lists to church doors. Just have fun and be safe, OK?

Bus Sitting

At this moment I am sitting on a school bus in Riceville, Tennessee. After my morning route I drove 60 kids from Battle Elementary to a farm. So, while the little munchkins are out finding pumpkins and petting goats, I’m trying not to freeze.

My only problem is that I forgot to bring a hat, a jacket, or any kind of food or drink. All I have is my iPhone, so that’s why I’m blogging. It will take my mind off my hunger.

Caustic Comment

A while back I wrote a post entitled “Was John R. Rice a Heretic?” In that piece I dealt with the issue of KJV-onlyism and the fact that Dr. Rice, founder of Sword of the Lord, was not a KJV-only subscriber. What came after were a slew of hateful comments from KJV-onlyists (preservationists).

Therefore, instead of complaining about being cold and hungry in a bus parked in a corn field, I wanted to share with you the latest and greatest comment I’ve received. I hope you will be encouraged and uplifted as you read the following words most assuredly written in love…

My beloved, nothing is ever going to change the truth that God has preserved his word in the English language only in the old king james 1611. Frankly speaking,If you don’t see the truth it is just because the god of this world has blinded you.
Your modern versions translate the word virgin to young woman,perverting the virgin birth of our saviour. Are you not ashamed of that,you hired heretic from the pit of hell?
You can say I’m harsh but the fires of hell will be more harsh on you because these modernists who pervert God’s word have hired a candidate of hell like you to speak good of them.
Who do you even think you are to copyright God’s word? CAN’T YOU SEE WHY GOD WILL THROW YOU INTO HELL AND LEAVE YOU THERE FOREVER?

Besides never knowing I owned a “copyright” on any version of the Bible, I am surprised to find out that I was hired by modernists to pervert the very doctrines I thought I believed. If the dark forces of liberalism paid this “candidate of hell” anything, it wasn’t negotiable at the bank. I’ve been cheated!

I guess that’s why I’m sitting, shivering, and starving on this bus as I try to earn a few extra dollars. Evidently, being an unknowingly hired heretic from the pit of hell doesn’t pay very well.

4 Comments

Filed under baptist, blogging, legalism, Martin Luther, Theology, translations

Tagged as , , , , , ,