Scattershooting
7/31/08- 5th Day - Mid-Morning. The heat and no rain continues here. The last day of July. The last three days we have seen rain from the front porch, but none of it is for us. Temps near or over 100 every day. The prognosticators are calling for it to cool a bit starting towards the end of next week. We look forward to that.
Hey, my last two audio sermons are up on BiblicalAgrarianism.com and you ought to take the time to give them a listen:
Alive to the Law
Dead to the Law
I think you will be benefited spiritually by them.
There is no easy way to do what we are doing here. Going out of "the system" and living off-grid for going on three years now has proved that to us. This is our second drought year of the three, and our second full year without air-conditioning at all. We continue to learn, and it is emphasized to us how much more we need to do to recapture the old ways and to decolonize our minds. Too many people, it seems, are wanting to live the picture-book version of this life, while insulating themselves from the reality of the work it takes to truly be free. You see, we true Christians have enemies...
You hear talk of "the world, the flesh, and the devil", and some comfortable "christians" might think that they are in some way opposed to those things, but in reality they are not. If these things are contrary to Godliness, and are the unholy trinity that comes against God's elect, then some time ought to be spent pondering them.
Anyone who dares to embrace true Christian Agrarianism will find himself contra all three of these. No professing Christian who lives in the world, in concord with the world, and in the same manner as the world, can call himself "contra-mundum" (against the world). The world has no controversy with you unless you are against the world. Likewise the flesh has no controversy with you, so long as it is being served (no matter what lies you have told yourself). A worldly Christian (and by that I do not mean a paganistic or outlandishly wicked professor - I mean a professing Christian who lives in concord with the world, according to worldly precepts, and according to the ways and philosophies of the world) will go to great lengths to convince himself that he is dying to his carnal man, but this cannot be the truth. Likewise the devil has not controversy with the worldly Christian. So long as the agents of evil have already convinced you that the world is your home and your country, and that you are to "change the world" and live in it and live by it's precepts, then the devil has no need to contend with you.
But if you once determine to live contrary to these things (the world, the flesh, and the devil), then you will find that this unholy trinity has a controversy with you, and will come against you, and will do everything to deceive you and keep your mind colonized and keep you in ignorance.
Now, there is a lot I can say about this (and a lot I have said about it), but suffice it to say that without separatism, simple living, and a completely new and more Biblical worldview, the professing Christian is heading for failure, and is likely decieved, not just about his carnal condition, but about his spiritual condition as well.
So, here is a thought you might begin to consider. Since we do have an enemy, and that enemy does desire to entrap us with the deceitfulness of the world and of the flesh, then we ought to be on guard against any agent who encourages us in that direction.
Think of prophecy. In the valleys of the Alps and in the hiding places of Europe true Christianity thrived, even during the darkest days of the height of Romanism. The move of God that included the Reformation brought to light the necessity for separation, and for Christians to eschew and reject syncretism, worldliness, riches, and earthly honor. Very soon though, the counter-reformation from the Roman Church swung into gear. I talk about this in my book Swarms of Locusts. The universal view of all the Protestants, Anabaptists, Waldensians, etc. that the Papacy was Antichrist encouraged more and more Christians to separate and to try to live simple, separate, and deliberate lives. However, too many Christians today are ignorant of the counter-reformation and what tools the devil used to bring Protestantism back into the fold of worldliness and syncretism. The greatest tool of the counter-reformation was PROPHECY. Two Jesuit priests, Ribera and Alcazar came up with two contrary prophetic worldviews (the first was Futurism, and the second was Preterism) to confound the proper identification of the Papacy as Antichrist. Futurists taught that all prophecy was to be fulfilled some time in the distant future, so why not just live your life and get along with the world, because some future rapture would protect you from Antichrist. The Preterist taught that all prophecy was fulfilled in the distant past (including the return of Christ and Judgement) and so why not just live your life and get along with the world, and take over the world for Jesus. Jesuitical Preterism particularly was used to push Christians into politics, syncretism and worldliness. Theocracy was seen as the solution for taking over the world and presenting a "christian" world to Christ. Entire nations (including this one) slipped from its separatist moorings and drifted into the wide channel of worldliness, wealth-seeking, and domination. All because the people of Christ were too ignorant, lazy, and worldly to see the dangers and to heed Christ's warnings. Antichrist was ignored by both Futurists and Preterists and what you see around you is the product of their folly.
The true Christian prophetic view of HISTORICISM was abandoned, and so was separatism, simplicity and deliberate agrarian living. Think about it. It is very likely that most bad ideas and resistence to true Christian Agrarian living is founded in a really bad idea of what the world is, who is the prince of it, and what type of lives we ought to be living as Christians.
Enough of that for now.
So I have more mesquite coffee now available. A few of you who ordered coffee from me will be receiving it this week (Lord Willing). If you would like to order some, send me an email to editor ( at ) lazarusunbound.com. I am sending it out on a donation basis right now.
I hope you are taking the time to make use of the means of grace, and are listening to the audio sermons made available on Lazarusunbound.com when you have the opportunity.
Your servant in Christ Jesus,
Michael Bunker
Hey, my last two audio sermons are up on BiblicalAgrarianism.com and you ought to take the time to give them a listen:
Alive to the Law
Dead to the Law
I think you will be benefited spiritually by them.
There is no easy way to do what we are doing here. Going out of "the system" and living off-grid for going on three years now has proved that to us. This is our second drought year of the three, and our second full year without air-conditioning at all. We continue to learn, and it is emphasized to us how much more we need to do to recapture the old ways and to decolonize our minds. Too many people, it seems, are wanting to live the picture-book version of this life, while insulating themselves from the reality of the work it takes to truly be free. You see, we true Christians have enemies...
You hear talk of "the world, the flesh, and the devil", and some comfortable "christians" might think that they are in some way opposed to those things, but in reality they are not. If these things are contrary to Godliness, and are the unholy trinity that comes against God's elect, then some time ought to be spent pondering them.
Anyone who dares to embrace true Christian Agrarianism will find himself contra all three of these. No professing Christian who lives in the world, in concord with the world, and in the same manner as the world, can call himself "contra-mundum" (against the world). The world has no controversy with you unless you are against the world. Likewise the flesh has no controversy with you, so long as it is being served (no matter what lies you have told yourself). A worldly Christian (and by that I do not mean a paganistic or outlandishly wicked professor - I mean a professing Christian who lives in concord with the world, according to worldly precepts, and according to the ways and philosophies of the world) will go to great lengths to convince himself that he is dying to his carnal man, but this cannot be the truth. Likewise the devil has not controversy with the worldly Christian. So long as the agents of evil have already convinced you that the world is your home and your country, and that you are to "change the world" and live in it and live by it's precepts, then the devil has no need to contend with you.
But if you once determine to live contrary to these things (the world, the flesh, and the devil), then you will find that this unholy trinity has a controversy with you, and will come against you, and will do everything to deceive you and keep your mind colonized and keep you in ignorance.
Now, there is a lot I can say about this (and a lot I have said about it), but suffice it to say that without separatism, simple living, and a completely new and more Biblical worldview, the professing Christian is heading for failure, and is likely decieved, not just about his carnal condition, but about his spiritual condition as well.
So, here is a thought you might begin to consider. Since we do have an enemy, and that enemy does desire to entrap us with the deceitfulness of the world and of the flesh, then we ought to be on guard against any agent who encourages us in that direction.
Think of prophecy. In the valleys of the Alps and in the hiding places of Europe true Christianity thrived, even during the darkest days of the height of Romanism. The move of God that included the Reformation brought to light the necessity for separation, and for Christians to eschew and reject syncretism, worldliness, riches, and earthly honor. Very soon though, the counter-reformation from the Roman Church swung into gear. I talk about this in my book Swarms of Locusts. The universal view of all the Protestants, Anabaptists, Waldensians, etc. that the Papacy was Antichrist encouraged more and more Christians to separate and to try to live simple, separate, and deliberate lives. However, too many Christians today are ignorant of the counter-reformation and what tools the devil used to bring Protestantism back into the fold of worldliness and syncretism. The greatest tool of the counter-reformation was PROPHECY. Two Jesuit priests, Ribera and Alcazar came up with two contrary prophetic worldviews (the first was Futurism, and the second was Preterism) to confound the proper identification of the Papacy as Antichrist. Futurists taught that all prophecy was to be fulfilled some time in the distant future, so why not just live your life and get along with the world, because some future rapture would protect you from Antichrist. The Preterist taught that all prophecy was fulfilled in the distant past (including the return of Christ and Judgement) and so why not just live your life and get along with the world, and take over the world for Jesus. Jesuitical Preterism particularly was used to push Christians into politics, syncretism and worldliness. Theocracy was seen as the solution for taking over the world and presenting a "christian" world to Christ. Entire nations (including this one) slipped from its separatist moorings and drifted into the wide channel of worldliness, wealth-seeking, and domination. All because the people of Christ were too ignorant, lazy, and worldly to see the dangers and to heed Christ's warnings. Antichrist was ignored by both Futurists and Preterists and what you see around you is the product of their folly.
The true Christian prophetic view of HISTORICISM was abandoned, and so was separatism, simplicity and deliberate agrarian living. Think about it. It is very likely that most bad ideas and resistence to true Christian Agrarian living is founded in a really bad idea of what the world is, who is the prince of it, and what type of lives we ought to be living as Christians.
Enough of that for now.
So I have more mesquite coffee now available. A few of you who ordered coffee from me will be receiving it this week (Lord Willing). If you would like to order some, send me an email to editor ( at ) lazarusunbound.com. I am sending it out on a donation basis right now.
I hope you are taking the time to make use of the means of grace, and are listening to the audio sermons made available on Lazarusunbound.com when you have the opportunity.
Your servant in Christ Jesus,
Michael Bunker
posted by Michael Bunker at 7/31/2008 08:34:00 AM
5 Comments:
Thanks for placing the face on and giving words to this enemy my flesh fights every day in this lifestyle. I had never thought about the "unholy trinity" as you have stated it. Much appreciated.
Susan
Do you have the sermons available on CD for those of us living the simple life that includes a dog slow dial-up connection?
Susan, I appreciate the encouragement.
Tracy, you can obtain copies of the sermons by emailing me or David Sifford. Try david ( at ) biblicalagrarianism.com.
M
So would you tell us what you're doing to keep cool in the heat without air conditioning?
I remember as a young girl in Argentina that everything stood at a standstill between 11 am and 3-4 pm- everyone was inside, with the shutters closed, the houses had tall ceilings.
H. Herbs,
Well, some day when we get a nice permanent structure finished, it will probably be like that for us. Right now, we stay in the shade where it is usually 10-15 degrees cooler. Sometimes when we need a break, we go down into our root cellar and we turn on a fan (which feels like air conditioning). Basically we stay under cover and praise God for the breezes. As I write it is 103!
M
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