A Call Out to Physicians
Written by Blaise Edwards, M.D. |
Thursday, December 16, 2021
Those physicians who are authoritatively forcing the shot on all patients have blood on their hands. They should know better, especially regarding pregnant women and children. Never in my lifetime have we abdicated testing, crossed our fingers, and said, “Well, so far, so good. Let’s give it a shot on pregnant women.” There was always a significantly higher burden of safety here.
When I was in medical school, I had the privilege of working in a large inner-city hospital, located right between two rival gangs. There were no emergency room residents, so trauma was handled by the general surgery residents. As such, I had firsthand views of some significant trauma. Each “emergency room” was basically curtains separating a large open space into cubicles. One day, a report came over the radio, we would receive a wounded officer and a wounded gang member. The officer was unfortunately shot in the back and paralyzed, the gang member shot in the knee, but otherwise fine. They were placed side by side, but with the curtain open, giving more room for triage. I’ll never forget that the officer, with a neck brace on, couldn’t move, but his eyes were constantly looming rightward, toward the gang member. The gang member could turn his head, and he was giving the officer his best death stare, no remorse.
Someone whispered what I was thinking, basically the desire to withhold treatment and kick the gang member out of the hospital, or actually harm him. But what we did, and what the trauma team did, was to treat him like every other patient. In essence, we did our jobs.
So now, in current times, we have doctors refusing to see “unvaccinated” people. Really? That is the hill these physicians want to die on? We have an experimental gene therapy that did not go through full proper testing, underwent data manipulation so they could get their precious EUA, and doesn’t do anything it is supposed to. On top of that, it is seemingly harming, both directly through injury and indirectly through immune weakness, lots of innocent people. And these supposedly “trained” doctors, because they are too scared to stand up to the administration and their peers, are not only allowing this disaster to be carried out but actually arguing with patients about the purported benefit of the therapy.
It doesn’t take long to find out that safety has been shelved and replaced by profit motives. Why is there no data safety review board? Why are the drug companies and the government (in other words, the industry) the ones reviewing their own investigations? The safety review board should be independent and beyond reproach. This is not happening.
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In Search of Community: A Place for Our Girls
Our girls are to be cared for, esteemed, sought after, taught, seen, discipled, valued, just as any member of the body of Christ is. If they are believers, just because they are young and maturing does not diminish their value or position in the body of Christ. If they are not yet believers, our prayer is that the authentic, loving, gospel-saturated community they experience in our churches is so compelling that they are drawn to it and one day say, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it…How awesome is this place!
On a cool summer’s evening just a few weeks ago, I witnessed something important. Four teenage girls were squished together on a bench, under a large oak tree in the backyard of one of our church members. I approached them, hoping to get some intel on what they wanted to do together this year in our “Challengers” program, a teen girl discipleship group our church supports. They causally looked up at me and respectfully shrugged their collective shoulders. I asked a few more direct questions, got a little more information, thanked them and slowly walked away. What did I witness in that particular moment? They showed me that all they really wanted this year was to be together.
Maybe it’s always been that way. As one of the leaders of the group, my mind typically is focused on preparing for each week: what we’ll do together, what we’ll study, what service project we’ll tackle. But what they want is to be together. It was a reminder to me why a girls-only ministry matters and why our girls need it.
In our nation today, we are witnessing an assault on our girls. Recently, the CDC reported on the mental health of our youth, finding that almost three in five U.S. teen girls reported feeling sad or hopeless in 2021, the highest level seen in a decade and nearly twice the rate among teenage boys. Nearly a third of girls said they seriously considered attempting suicide, up 60% since 2011.[1] In these critical years, studies say that our girls are uniquely vulnerable and awkward: They found that there was a distinct drop in girl’s self-esteem and sense of self between the ages of 11 and 14. [2] Seventy-four percent of girls say they feel like that must please “everyone” which drives perfectionism and unrealistic expectations leading to mental crisis.[3][4]
Those who have studied this trend tell us that the main culprits are cell phones and social media, through which our fledgling girls have access to an artificial world, designed by “media influencers” who use their sway to define the ideal woman. Their solution to this distressing trend is to limit phone use and access to social media and create more “inclusive communities” where our youth are accepted “as they are.”[5]
They’re not wrong. Limiting phone use and access to social media is a healthy start to staying this trend. And, to their credit, they recognize community is vital to the mental health of our girls. It’s not a new discovery; but what is dawning on many is the significance –and absence –of real community. Girls in our churches are not immune to these trends. When our girls look for acceptance and community, do they find them in our churches?
As Christians, we know that Christ redeemed us to experience real community (1 Pet. 2:9-10). When God calls us to faith in Jesus Christ by His grace alone, we were given the gift of community. Our salvation and adoption are both gifts that are sealed to us by the Holy Spirit and can never be revoked (Eph.1:13-14). He gave us a home in Him and with His people. Furthermore, God has given us everything we need for life and godliness and that includes how to create and sustain thriving covenant communities that glorify God (2 Pet. 1:3). Covenant community is not an option, as if it were a selection from a pull-down menu. We are designed for community within the household of God.
Our girls—as girls—need to experience this God-designed, genuine community in our churches so they can recognize the counterfeit community of the world—and there are plenty of counterfeits who pull our girls from their purpose: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Our daughters were designed to be pillars of strength for the flourishing of families and communities and for the health of nations (Ps. 144:12). Their beautiful, essential identity for the benefit of all of humanity is being lost and devalued. The church must speak louder, love stronger, invest deeper in our girls and lift up their eyes to see their worth in the eyes of their Maker.
If our goal is to see our girls flourish and mature in community (Gal. 4:19, Eph. 4:13), then we need two complimentary approaches in our churches. The first is to welcome and integrate them into the life-giving community of a healthy, gospel-centered church, so they are nourished in truth, godliness, and authentic womanliness. Our girls need to be included – INVITED – to be a part of women’s fellowship, so they can see and experience mature, godly community. Our girls need this. Our women’s ministries must have a multi-generational vision for discipleship of our girls. Womanhood is our ground. We cannot abdicate it to the world. God has entrusted it to us as stewards (Tit. 3:3-5).
Secondly, our churches need to prioritize a girl-only ministries. Setting aside a specific time and space allows them to thrive as girls. Our churches should not wait until they are women to understand this need. Our girls need this ministry during their formative years. What does a girls-only ministry look-like?Time. Set aside time during the mid-week to have a girls-only fellowship. A girl-only fellowship time gets them away from co-ed distractions; allows them to flourish in their femininity; they learn from one another, guided by godly women who emphasize Christ-centered friendships.
Activities. Explore Titus 2:4-5 and Proverbs 31:10-31 which give plenty of categories of activities that build character, skill and aptitude for our girls. Activities give opportunity for training in godliness in many areas of interest and ability for the diversity of covenant life.
Mentorship. Support godly women who have a heart to disciple girls in bible study skills, the power of prayer, the value of our design, the pitfalls of sin, and most importantly the gospel message of redemption and wholeness through Christ alone.Our girls are to be cared for, esteemed, sought after, taught, seen, discipled, valued, just as any member of the body of Christ is. If they are believers, just because they are young and maturing does not diminish their value or position in the body of Christ. If they are not yet believers, our prayer is that the authentic, loving, gospel-saturated community they experience in our churches is so compelling that they are drawn to it and one day say, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it…How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (Genesis 28:1-17).
When I think about those four girls squished together under that tree, my heart yearns that Christ would capture their hearts and they would know their value. Only God can do this, in His time. As women, we’re called to be faithful stewards of His idea of womanhood. They are looking to us as we look to Christ. They need us to show them the true community they were made for. Let’s not let them down.
Sharon Smith Leaman is a member of New Life in Christ Church (PCA) in Fredericksburg, Va.[1] Teen Girls Report Highest Levels of Sadness and Sexual Violence in a Decade, CDC Says. (2023, February 13). Time. https://time.com/6255143/teen-girls-sadness-sexual-violence-cdc/
[2] Girls Have Much Lower Self-Esteem During their Teen Years, According to New Study. (2021, January 31). Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicebroster/2021/01/31/girls-have-much-lower-self-esteem-during-their-teen-years-according-to-new-study/?sh=7a9b663a5eb7
[3] Barber, H. M. (2019, February 22). Girls feel pressure to please everyone, survey finds. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/education/girls-feel-pressure-to-please-everyone-survey-finds/2006/11
[4] Hinshaw, S. P., & Kranz, R. (2009). The triple bind: Saving our teenage girls from today’s pressures. Ballantine Books.
[5] Center for Disease Control. (2021). Youth Risk Behavior Survey. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/YRBS_Data-Summary-Trends_Report2023_508.pdf
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Eschatological Fried Pickles (End Times Series Part 25)
Isaiah foresaw a period known as the latter times (or last days), when the Messiah would be born in His incarnation and when He would set up a world-conquering Kingdom. This is not a future reality we are waiting for but a reality we live in. We are in that end time Kingdom of Christ. We are serving that end-time Messiah who is in His millennial reign. And He will continue to bring about this eschatological Kingdom until the entire earth is under His rule and power. He promised His disciples this very thing in Acts 1, and the Word and Spirit testify that this is still the case today.
The Evangelical Echo of Narcissus
As mythologies go, a young man named Narcissus once lived, blessed with an ethereal beauty that outshone all the other lads of his great day. He was the half-breed son of a river god and tree nymph. From his earliest days, it was apparent that Narcissus possessed a rare and otherworldly charm that drew admirers from every corner of the realm. Yet, despite his captivating allure, he was an incredibly aloof man who was far too distant in his demeanor, casting aside the affections of whoever sought his favor.
One fateful day, as he wandered through the enchanted woods, Narcissus encountered Echo, a nymph ensnared by the curse of Hera. Echo, as her name suggests, could only repeat words that were spoken to her and could not generate an original thought. At least not verbally. And as comedies often go, she fell head over heels in love with the bristly chap, all while lacking the physical ability to express it—just an endless string of echoes.
Like Sting peering in your windows humming “Every Breath You Take,” she followed him around like a real creeper in the night until he obviously spurned her advances and callously dismissed her affections, which shattered her heart into a million microscopic particles.
On this occasion, the gods became incensed by Narcissus’s conceit and cruelty and decided to enact a fitting punishment upon him. Guiding him through the wooded realm, they led him to a crystalline pool of water; its surface was as clear as polished sapphire. As Narcissus bent down to the tranquil pool for a few generous gulps, he beheld his reflection shimmering upon the water’s surface. At that moment, he became so profoundly entrapped by his image, enthralled by his unparalleled beauty, that he fell deeply in love with his reflection and refused to move from that spot.
Hours soon turned into days, and then days quickly morphed into weeks, such that he neglected his own body, sustenance, and thirst and began to wither away. As time wore painfully onward, Narcissus’s beguiling visage collapsed utterly into decline, yet the narcissist could not pull away. In the throes of his obsession, he realized his self-love was going to kill him, and instead of repenting from such a foolish action, he whispered a final farewell to that magnetic reflection and breathed his final breath. In some ways, the modern American Church has followed Narcissus’ decline.
Instead of falling in love with herself, the devil led her down to the murky fount of dispensational waters, and she became so captivated by eschatological futurism and defeatism that she has since withered away in the present. Instead of standing up and leaving that toxic vision to serve God with all her heart, soul, mind, and strength and to retake culture by making disciples of all the nations, she sits idly by that squalid pool, consumed with negativity, refusing to see the plain reading of the text, and is so captivated by a future that will never come; she has squandered her witness in the present.
This is why we began talking about eschatology all those weeks ago. That is why we started in the Gospels in general and in Matthew’s account of the Olivet Discourse in particular (Matthew 24) because there is so much eschatological doom and gloom attached to those verses it took us multiple months to untangle it. Now that this work is complete, it makes good sense to keep going forward, deeper into the New Testament Forrest, proceeding into the book of Acts, so that we can see what futurist and defeatist lies are left to be untangled there. This is intended to strengthen the church and get her to stand up and walk away from the toxic waters of dispensationalism. More than any other, that destructive doctrine has caused the Lord’s Church to wither in the same violent way as Narcissus. And before her lamp stand blows out in the West, I want to call her with all my might to stand up, stop looking at that cursed vision, and to get back into the fight.
Now, let us begin with the text. Luke’s second book opens this way:The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” – Acts 1:1-11
Eschatological Fried Pickles
On rare occasion, before those mouth-watering sub rare ribeye tips arrive mooing on my plate, I often enjoy a basket of deep-fried pickle chips with a healthy cup of boom boom sauce when visiting my favorite local restaurant. The steak is the main course for my meal, of course, but the fried pickles are too good to skip over. This is how I will be approaching this passage. The main course comes at the end, but there are a few little pickles we have to chew on before we get there.
Pickle #1: When do the Events of Eschatology Begin?
The radical futurist would have us believe that the majority, if not all, of the events of eschatology, are situated somewhere in the not-so-distant future. Kind of like a carrot that dangles just beyond the exhausted bite of a weary ass. Instead of those events having already begun, for 2000 years, the futurist has just kept kicking that old can, clattering down the road. The refrain echoes again every century, “the end is just around the corner.” Yet, Jesus disallows this from even being a possibility. What do I mean?
According to Jesus, in this passage, the end is not something we are waiting for; it is something we are already living in. How could I make such an incredible claim? Let me give you one single word: “Began.”
Luke tells us:The first account I composed [The book of Luke], Theophilus, [was] about all that Jesus BEGAN to do and teach. – Acts 1:1 (Emphasis mine)
Luke does not tell us of a Christ whose work was buried away in the remote recesses of future time. Luke tells us of a savior who began that work when He burst upon the scene and that we can trust his most trustworthy accounting of those events.
It is at this point that you may object. “Bah Humbug! Luke didn’t say the events he described were of the eschatological variety! He talked about how Jesus came, preached sermons, did some miracles, died on the cross, rose from the grave, ascended into heaven, and poured out His Spirit on His people. These are not eschatological events!”
To such an objection, I must heartily retort with an emphatic: “Really?”
When Luke mentions that Jesus ascended “up” and that He went into the “clouds,” was he not referring to the Old Testament eschatological prophecy of the Messiah in Daniel 7, who, in the last days, will ascend up to the Father, on the clouds, and be given His end-time Kingdom?
Daniel says:“I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven one like a Son of Man was coming, and He came UP to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. “And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.- Daniel 7:13-14 (Emphasis mine)
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Heavenly Rewards
But one of the most important things that rewards do for Christians is to remind us of the character of our God. Among Satan’s primal lies is that God is not good and does not want what is for our true good and happiness (see Gen. 3:1–7). Scripture gives us reminder after reminder of the truth about God—He is good, and what He does is good (Ps. 119:68). All that our record deserves from God is condemnation and death. By His everlasting mercy, the Father has united us to His Son.
Starbucks. Marriott. Southwest Airlines. Even Domino’s Pizza. It seems that just about every company has some kind of rewards program. The more you eat, drink, fly, or spend the night, the more you earn. Rewards programs make sense because they reflect the way that the world works. When we work, we earn a wage. Our accomplishments often bring us praise and perks.
So it would seem that when the New Testament writers speak about heavenly rewards in the kingdom of God, we understand exactly what they are talking about. If we work hard in the Christian life, then we will earn blessing from God, right? Wrong. The Bible’s teaching on rewards is just one example of the way that God turns our expectations and assumptions upside down.
If only for this reason, we need to give careful thought to what the Scripture says (and doesn’t say) about heavenly rewards. We may think about this biblical teaching along five lines.
First, there are heavenly rewards, tied to the obedience and service of the believer in this life. Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount is filled with references to heavenly rewards (Matt. 5:12, 46; 6:1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 16, 18). Rewards are only for those who trust in and follow Christ, not for unbelievers. These rewards will be given not in the present but in the future, after the believer leaves this life (see 16:27). Rewards relate to the good works that we do in this life, including such minor and insignificant actions as “giving one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple” (10:42).
The Apostles no less emphasize the fact and importance of rewards in the Christian life. Addressing ministers and elders, Paul says that the last day will be a time of sifting and assessing of ministerial labors. “The fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward” (1 Cor. 3:13–14). Addressing all believers, Paul speaks of “the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8). Paul encourages “bondservants” to live in faithful obedience to Christ because they know “that from the Lord they will receive the inheritance as their reward” (Col. 3:22, 24).
Second, there are differences in heavenly rewards, with some believers receiving more or less than other believers. Jesus underscores this point in His parable of the minas (Luke 19:11–27). In this parable, a king gives his servants each one mina. After some time has passed, each servant appears before the king and gives an account of what he has done with that mina. The first servant has earned ten minas with his one mina, and the second servant has earned five minas with his one mina. The king rewards the first servant with “authority over ten cities” and the second servant with authority over “five cities.” There is inequality in these heavenly rewards. Some will get more than others. But if the rewards are unequally bestowed, they are not randomly assigned. Rewards in heaven are proportionate to (but never based on) obedience on earth—the servant who earned ten minas receives authority over ten cities, and the servant who earned five minas receives authority over five cities. The reward for the investment so outweighs what was earned that our earthly obedience does not actually merit it. The reward is not based on obedience in that meritorious sense.
Third, every believer is justified on exactly the same basis, the imputed righteousness of Christ alone. The Scriptures teach that “none is righteous, no, not one,” that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 3:10; 6:23). Far from earning life and heaven, humans have earned death and hell. By nature, we are guilty of Adam’s first sin (in addition to all our own sins). We are therefore born into this world condemned, deserving of judgment. The sinner’s hope is not in himself but in Christ.
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