Faith and Leadership

It was a cold, wet, rainy evening as General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson set out with other officers on a mission to locate the Union Army’s shattered right flank. The panting breath and the trot of the horse’s hooves is all that could be heard. Stonewall clutched the reigns of his horse tightly in his hands. Unfortunately, after a day fighting, the Union’s position had been lost. Little did Jackson know what waited for him and his men on his own lines.

Although Stonewall Jackson is a name familiar to many Americans, few know the real story of his life and the magnificent role he played in the Confederate Armed Forces. This influential leader in the War Between the States was a man of superb character. His love and trust in God was so fervent that he dwelt securely on the fact that God was watching over him. His trust in the almighty providence of God is almost beyond comprehension, being quoted as saying, "Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me. That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave." This remarkable General led the confederacy through a number of battles, many of them won due to Jackson’s uncommon skill in trickery and surprise attacks. What happened to this general? And what lessons can he teach?

On April 21, 1861, Virginia seceded from the union. From this secession rose one of America’s bravest, most courageous, yet most calm, respectable generals in all of American history; his name, Thomas Jonathan Jackson, better known as “Stonewall” Jackson. According to a quote by a fellow officer of Jackson’s, (found in Discovering Stonewall Jackson written by the staff of the Stonewall Jackson house in Lexington Virginia), he says, “From the calm, collected (person that he appears to be), he becomes the fiery leader. Passing like a thunderbolt along the front he is everywhere in the thickest of the fight, holding his lines steady, however galling the fire, and rallying his men to charge where the danger is greatest and the pressure the heaviest…” Jackson was a deeply committed Christian who understood that he depended on God for his very next breath, no matter where he was. God knew when his time to pass from this earth would come; therefore there was no need for fear.

In the first battle against Lincoln’s union army in Manassas, Virginia July 1861 General Jackson received the nickname “Stonewall” from General Bernard. As his men began to retreat from the ceaseless fire of the Yankees, General Bernard pointed up to General Jackson and his brigade, “There stands Jackson like a stone wall, rally behind the Virginians!” (Recorded by the staff of the Stonewall Jackson House, (Discovering Stonewall Jackson). From then on General Jackson was known as “Stonewall” and his brigade, “the Stonewall Brigade.”

On one occasion Stonewall and his troops were outnumbered three to one; however, despite the immense imbalance of troops, Jackson and his men defeated all three armies which the president sent to protect the Shenandoah Valley! “With not more than 17,000 men, he defeated 60,000 Union troops in a series of lighting marches and brilliant battles.” (World Book Encyclopedia). This great feat was accomplished through sly, crafty moves and fake marches on the union in unexpected places so as to overwhelm the union forces. From that time on “Stonewall” was feared for his tricky moves and crafty maneuvering through the union army.

Out of all the battles Stonewall fought, his last battle at Chancellorsville, though his last, I believe was his greatest. Stonewall and General Robert E. Lee decided to divide the confederate army in half and launch a surprise attack. This plan was carried out and the surprise shattered two miles of the union army’s right flank. On May 2, 1863 Stonewall and other confederate officers went behind enemy lines after dark in an effort to locate the traumatized union army in hopes of launching another attack. Having seen no sign of the union army or where they could attack, Stonewall and his men returned to their own lines. Upon their arrival, men from the confederate army mistook Stonewall and his men for union Calvary. They opened fire on Stonewall and his men hitting the general twice in his left arm. Jackson was immediately transported to a field hospital where his left arm was unfortunately amputated. Upon hearing the news concerning General Jackson, Robert E. Lee said, (World Book Encyclopedia), “He has lost his left arm; but I have lost my right arm.” As bad as his wounds were, General Jackson did not die from them. While in the hospital he caught pneumonia and became very ill; his illness is what ultimately led to his death. On May 10, 1863, in the field hospital in Guiney Station, Virginia Stonewall Jackson, “crossed over the River,” eight days after being shot. His body was brought back to his hometown of Lexington, Virginia for burial.

Through this man’s tactical moves against the troops President Lincoln sent his way, Stonewall remained firm literally to the death. General Jackson was a man through whom many lessons can be learned. Although his life was shrewdly brought to an abrupt end, the way he lived can still be an influence to all. He was a completely selfless leader, a leader who could be counted on to make wise decisions in the heat of the moment; his basis for these selfless actions being his faith. General Jackson possessed a strong faith in God that is rarely seen in our nation today. His life held the theme that when God is on my side of whom or what shall I be afraid. Not even when bullets were flying all around him, cannon balls bursting in front and behind, and thousands of young men dropping dead around him would he let his fear derail his faith. He clung steadfast to God and never let go until his last breath. He stood firm upon the authority of the word of God, no matter the cost. Good leadership, then, starts with faith. If we realize that our very life is in God’s hands, no matter where we are, then our life will be seen as a vessel through which God accomplishes His purpose. Men are to be leaders. A leader who is humble and willing to make wise decisions, not based on his own comfort, but in spite of it, will be a man everyone will want to follow. God blessed General Jackson for his faith and trust in Him and used this general in a mighty way until it was his turn, along with many other men that died on those great battlefields, to enter into paradise with his Lord and Savior. In a similar way, we should be willing to be used by God in whatever capacity of leadership He chooses, regardless of the cost.

Josh

“Blessed is the man who fills his mini-van with them!”

I saw this commercial a few days ago and enjoyed its short message on manhood. On one hand it’s encouraging to see commercials like this that admit to the culture, “It is a manly thing to have a lot of children.” On the other hand, it’s a shame that the world will listen to a car commercial (or a Dockers add) when it defines manhood, but not the word of God: “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.” Psalm 127:4-5

Nevertheless, I still got a kick out of this and I thought you would enjoy it to ;)

Josh

An Irreplaceable Address

Seeking the peace and tranquility which stems out of retirement from public life, a certain old gentlemen, a politician, who had served his country a great many years, now longing to see his beloved home in Virginia once again, penned his final address to his fellow countrymen. This gentleman was none other than President George Washington, a man who had done more than his share to help retain the independence the American colonies were now privileged to possess.

In light of the fact that President Obama will be delivering his State of the Union Address this evening, I thought it appropriate to revisit the wise words of our first president. This post attempts to summarize some of the key points Washington made in his Farewell Address; points which our nation should never forget.


As he passes the baton on to the next generation of leaders, Washington pens what is known as The Farewell Address. Commencing with his reasons for retirement and concluding with his final farewells, Washington warns his fellow Americans in his address to strive to carry on the national unity America had acquired, both politically and socially. He wrote clearly on the all importance of religion (religion being Christianity) and how it relates to the morality of the American people, and the nature of American foreign policy; calling all Americans to maintain the unmatched form of government they struggled to achieve.


Through the duration of his address, President Washington made numerous references to the significance of retaining unity in the governing system of America. “The unity of government which constitutes you one people is also now dear to you.” Washington stated, “It is justly so, for it is a main pillar...” (Washington’s Farewell Address 1796). This “main pillar” (unity) gives every state something in common with other states; common religion, manners, habits, and political principles are just a few that Washington himself mentioned; knowing full well that it was only through the unity of the states that the nation could survive. Should every state resolve to remain committed, not only to their respective state, but also to the nation as a whole, the resources of the union would then increase, its security would enhance and its strength would abound. Without a doubt, Washington understood the importance of retaining the unity that so many had fought and debated to achieve, but what of the nation’s religion?


“And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion....reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” (Washington’s Farewell Address 1796). Religion and morality are inseparable; one cannot be gained without the other. Nor can government be maintained without them; they are foundational to all that government is, because ultimately government is an elaborate institution established by God to the end that a civilization can live and thrive together. Government’s chief goal is to maintain morality in its people, since at the root of every evil is some sinful deed, and because the understanding of the nature of sin comes from the Bible, then how can morality be maintained apart from religion? With wisdom, Washington proclaimed that, “...religion and morality are indispensable supports.” (Washington’s Farewell Address 1796) In other words, religion and morality should be respected and irreplaceable components of government, not neglected and replaceable ones. Certainly, our nation should strive to maintain a standard of morality inside our nation, but President Washington believed that our Faith should be reflected in our foreign policy.


In his address, Washington spent a considerable amount of time discussing foreign policy. In a father-like tone, Washington warned his fellow Americans that too close of an attachment with other nations will undoubtedly produce all forms of evil such as unjust war, and “...concessions to the favorite nation of privileges denied to others.” (Washington’s Farewell Address 1796) As a husband is to be jealous over his wife, so the citizens of this great nation are to be unreservedly jealous over the unassailable liberties they are privileged to enjoy in the vast country in which they reside. For what purpose are we to be jealous? Because, in the words of President Washington, “...foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government.” (Washington’s Farewell Address 1796) America cannot be too careful in its relations with the outside world, lest its government fall victim to the negative influences of greedy foreigners. Thus, America is to have a very limited connection with foreigners, at least politically speaking. In fact, Washington advocates that alliances should not be formed with foreign nations, instead, America is to do its utmost to fend for itself, only making alliances with foreign nations should a colossal national crisis occur; too big for America to tackle on its own (i.e. Alliance with the French during the war for independence). President Washington was very wise and confident in his views on foreign policy, and as such, it was right for him to dedicate an entire portion of his address to ensure the continued felicity of America.


Maintaining unity of government and implementing good foreign policy are both essential aspects of achieving good government, but the greatest significance is found in neither of these. Of Washington’s three main points, religion and morality seem to be the most important. Why? Simply put, if there is no religion, then how can there be good government? Government depends on religion because government is an institution established by God, so apart from religion, government is futile. Certainly foreign policy is good, but how can America know good foreign policy apart from bad foreign policy without religion? It can’t. Good foreign policy depends on knowing the difference between right and wrong, it depends on knowing how far government should go in its relations with the rest of the world, and the only true answer is discovered in the Word of God. In my mind, Washington’s Farewell Address is an irreplaceable piece of work which all Americans, especially our politicians, would do well to read.

Josh

“The People’s Seat!”

Click HERE to read Nathaniel Darnell’s comments on the exciting election of Scott Brown to the position of Senator of Massachusetts and what it means for us as followers of Christ!

Always Being Prepared...

It was February and my Boy Scout troop was camping in a cabin beside a little creek in Virginia. Myself and two fathers of several scouts in my troop were inside the cabin getting the fire started, both fathers engrossed in conversation with one another. I wasn’t paying any attention until one of the dads began talking about a rock he had that was dated to be millions and millions of years old. Now, I want you to envision two fathers having a serious conversation, nearly oblivious to the fact that a third person was in the room; well...until now. The date that reverberated in my ears was so ridiculously huge that it literally caused me to laugh!


Okay, so that probably wasn’t the best response, but I couldn’t help it. Stone silence had fallen over that tiny cabin as I turned around to see these two dads staring at me both with surprised expressions. I looked at the dad straight in the eyes and repeated with a questioning tone the date his lips had uttered just seconds ago. He looked at me with a grin and said, “Yeah!” Sounding surprised that I would dare question his immense wisdom. From this point on I engaged in my longest debate defending the Biblical account of Creation, I would guess an hour. However, I’ll say upfront, without the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence, I could not have given half the defense I gave, but the words of 1 Peter 3:15 rang in my ears, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”


It would have been VERY easy to stand by and listen to these two fathers go on about the age of this rock and just stand in the corner without opening my mouth, but the Lord had given me an opportunity to defend the faith, young though I was and am; I had to accept the challenge. The father I was debating with the most (we’ll call him Bob) is a Catholic and therefore already believes in doctrines that differ with mine as a Baptist. We debated over fossils, dating methods, when dinosaurs lived, and I did my utmost to defend the literal account of creation. However, at one point the age old defense was thrown at me when we were debating how long it took God to create the world: “But the Bible says that, ‘a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day.’”


Unfortunately, I did not respond as well to this blow as I could have. But, upon studying this passage it is interesting to note that if you read the preceding and following verses, placing the passage fully into its context, you’ll discover that Peter is speaking of God keeping His promise to come back for his church. Part of this is seen in verse 9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” And although someone could claim that this verse can just as easily be applied to Creation, it only proves that these people are careless. Their philosophy is that, “As long as I can arrange the Bible so it works for me it is okay.” However, if you hold to this view, who’s to say Christ wasn’t in the tomb for 3,000 years! Of course we know that can’t be or He’d still be there! Not to mention the fact that the Bible proclaims Christ arose on the third day and out of the 410 times the word day is used with a number in Scripture it means a literal 24 hour day. Do you see the inconsistency of saying a day means a normal 24 hour day in most cases in Scripture, except when we are speaking about creation? If you don’t, then here’s a question for you: if you reject the literal account of creation as recorded in Genesis, then how do you know the rest of the Bible is true? Come on, use your logic. How can we trust a God who sent us the Savior of the world when he lied about science? If He lied about science, might He not also have lied about the incarnate Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity?


Some may accuse me of limiting God by insisting that He could not have even used evolution in Creation, much less allowed chance and random evolutionary processes to give rise to life. However, just as with the immutability of God, I’m not limiting God; I am attempting to describe Him as He has revealed Himself in His word. Why would a God of order allow such chaos to give rise to life? That is contrary to His nature. Furthermore, we have a day by day synopsis of the Creation of the world! Ya’ll, evolutionists don’t even have a record of their supposed theory! Even the fact that evolutionists insist that their theory is correct is evidence for creation. Argue with an evolutionist and you’ll note that they use logic when arguing. However, the very fact that they use logic is evidence for creation. I could go on, but I see some of you scratching your head :)


Believe it or not, the evolutionist borrows from the Biblical worldview when he argues for evolution. For instance, without the Bible we would have no basis for the laws of logic. That didn’t help the itch on your head did it ;) Maybe this will:

“Since the God of Scripture is immaterial, sovereign, and beyond time, it makes sense to have laws of logic that are immaterial, universal, and unchanging. Since God has revealed Himself to man, we are able to know and use logic. Since God made the universe, and since God made our minds, it makes sense that our minds would have an ability to study and understand the universe. But if the universe and our minds are simply the results of time and chance as the evolutionists contends, why would we expect that the mind could make sense of the universe? How could science and technology be possible?”


You see? The evolutionist cannot even defend his own worldview without borrowing from the Christian worldview because his worldview can’t even support his own worldview.


Now, I know some of you are wondering where that “mysterious” quote above came from. As it turns out, that’s what this whole post is all about! I know that was a long introduction, but I’d like to recommend to you a book I picked up at the SOS Conference that I am thoroughly enjoying entitled, The Ultimate Proof of Creation, by Dr. Jason Lisle, yet another stellar product from Answers in Genesis! And what an appropriate name it is, for it truly is The Ultimate Proof of Creation. I’m convinced that if one applies the truths of this book when debating with an evolutionist he’ll at least leave perplexed!


If you want to be able to give a reasoned defense of not just creation, but of the entire Bible, then please buy this book; you won’t be wasting your money or your time. More than anything else this is an apologetics book designed to help us as believers give answers to critical questions that challenge our faith. I believe in our day (and, no, that’s not a literal 24 hour day ;-) the largest battle facing Christians is the battle for the authority of the Word of God, and there’s no place where this battle is being waged more than the very beginning; the first verse. This is a battle Christians must engage in, but we can’t engage in a battle we are not prepared to fight. Thus, I encourage you to pick up this book and begin sharpening your sword! The battle we are engaged in is major and the enemy is ruthless; we must be ready to stand fast on the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word.


What about the debate I told you of at the beginning? Well, although I was not successful in convincing Bob of my position, I learned a lot from it: 1) We must constantly be watching for opportunities God presents us with to defend our faith, or we’ll miss a remarkable experience. 2) We must always be ready to give a defense of the faith. 3) Whether we win or lose, with every defense of the faith comes a learning experience.


As Christians, if we’re going to be ready to provide answers to those who question us about our faith in Christ, we must be applying time to study; if we don’t then we’re just as useless as an unloaded gun. The book above is one such tool to help you study the profound Word of God.

In Christ,
Josh

Kingdom Builders

“If the heart is the heart of the matter, if our children not only are learning to be kingdom builders, but are also being kingdom builders now, if we are to train our children to train their children, then this is something we need to remind ourselves of daily. The devil, you understand, is craftier than the beasts of the field. He doesn't simply whisper in our ears, "Betray your children. Raise them in the nurture and admonition of the state." Instead he distracts us, pulls us off target, makes us forget our calling, piece by piece. Our calling is to keep our eyes on the prize – not to long to be at ease in Babylon, but to long for the city whose builder and maker is God.” --R.C. Sproul Jr. When You Rise Up

A good friend of mine sent me this quote from R.C. Sproul Jr. and I thought it served as an excellent reminder to all of us that as children of the King we are to be kingdom minded people. Meaning, our goal with this life should be to give everything we have in an effort to further the Kingdom of Christ, leaving nothing behind but a generation stronger than the one which preceded it. This is the purpose of our days. Become Kingdom builders, train your children to be Kingdom builders, keep your eyes fixed on Christ, and watch God work.

Josh

Destroy Your Idols!

Perhaps it’s because men want to demonstrate their superior strength, perhaps it is because we think there is some merit to conquering the “untamed wilderness,” perhaps it is pride, or perhaps it’s selfishness. Though it could be anyone or a combination of all these, what is it that draws men to long extreme sporting events? Why is it that a man is willing to risk his life circumnavigating the globe, skiing down deadly alpine slopes, or doing daring stunts on a dirt bike? Is it simply so he can say that he has achieved what no one else has or that he has conquered the elements? What would you say if I told you that such activities were idolatrous and a resentment of the sanctity of human life?

On December 31st, our entire family was gathered in the basement of my grandparents house watching the Hokies whip up on Tennessee (sorry UT fans!). Those of you who watched the game probably saw the excitement building for Travis Pastrana’s highly anticipated 269 ft. jump over water and onto a floating barge. I’ll admit I was pretty excited about seeing this daring feat following the game, but my mom and dad had different plans. Instead of watching Travis Pastrana risk his life for fame, dad read aloud a chapter speaking on the very topic of extreme sports in a book entitled Stand Fast, by Douglas Bond.

Suffice it to say that my opinion changed pretty quickly about Mr. Pastrana’s risky venture. For several years I have held the view, along with others, that sports can become a form of idolatry if we are not careful. And though some of you may be shaking your head in resentment of this statement, let me encourage you to evaluate your life. I’ll give you an example. From age 6 to age 14 I played baseball with my local parks and recreation center. By the time I was 9, I had made my first All-Star team and managed to make the team every succeeding year. Between the ages of 10 and 12, I decided that I wanted to increase my ball playing skills. Thus, I attended hitting camps, worked on strength and conditioning, played baseball outside of the normal season, competed in an event called Pitch, Hit, and Run which took me all the way to Baltimore, and pretty soon I found myself playing AAU ball. My love for baseball had become an obsession and it was consuming a great deal of my time and the time of my family.

Looking back, I now see that baseball had become my number one priority, not God! I had, in essence, built an idol. Thankfully, between ages 13 and 14, I started losing interest in baseball and finally quit. Before quitting, it had been my goal to play baseball in college, become an MLB player, and preach on the side. It wasn’t until I heard Dr. Voddie Baucham talk about sports in his Legacy series that it truly clicked; sports can easily become a form of idolatry if we make them our priority, master, and obsession rather than God.

I’m not saying in all of this that sports or other activities are necessarily wrong, rather I’m saying we must carefully examine our priorities. Parents, what does it say to your child when you’re willing to skip church so they can travel with their sports team? Though you may not think it, something as little as skipping church so your child can indulge himself in his favorite sport is telling him that God is to take a back seat to sports. I’ve known and do know people, who though wouldn’t admit it, think this way. Unfortunately, this is what I secretly thought when playing baseball. “Yes, I get to play baseball today instead of going to church!” I secretly loved Sundays when I had to miss church because of baseball. Though sports aren’t necessarily evil, they can have a very negative effect on us.

Christ himself has said, “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Luke 16:13). Granted, Christ is speaking specifically of money in this passage, but the principle applies to anything that competes for our devotion to Christ: “No servant can serve two masters...” Thus, it is not only sports that compete for our devotion to Christ; anything that becomes your absolute obsession other than Christ is an idol. Whether it’s school, music, sports, you name it.

However, as dad read that night, extreme sports begged an entirely different question, which was the sanctity of human life. If we are willing to risk death in order to make some seemingly great accomplishment, then we have disregarded the sanctity of human life and have ignored the teaching of scripture, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” – Matthew 4:7. Though men as leaders must learn how to be courageous, let me suggest that one need not risk his life to do so. In other words, courage is not attained by climbing Mount Everest or jumping a car 269 feet; that is insanity! That is putting God to the test; that is viewing your self-indulgence as more important than your family since you are willing to die in the act.

However, a great way for a boy to gain courage and to develop skills and character traits that will usher him into manhood is by going on adventures with dad! Boys need to enjoy the excitement and wonder of the fallen, yet still beautiful, world God has made. Boys and fathers need to spend time worshiping God together in the outdoors and learning what it means for them to take dominion. But, what we choose to do in the outdoors should be measured against our priorities (God or ourselves) and whether or not we value the life God has given us. For example, taking your son on a bungee jumping trip turns the priority of your trip away from drawing closer to God and to one another, and toward your accomplishment of something seemingly great. In addition, because the likely outcome of a botched bungee jump is death, it is a disregard for the sanctity of human life. In the end, then, fathers and sons should choose outings that, though potentially challenging, draw them closer to God and to one another and give priority to the sanctity of human life.

A once avid climber himself, Mr. Bond provides several personal examples of people he has known who have died climbing mountains notorious for producing death. In the book, Mr. Bond explains how he used to justify climbing: “God created mountains. So when I climb high on their summits I see his handiwork and draw closer to him. I can praise and worship God from the mountaintop just as well as (I was tempted to say ‘even better than’) at church.” Such thinking, as Mr. Bond notes, fails to justify indulging in such extreme sports. For as Christians all other activities are to take a back seat to worship (Hebrews 10:25). Furthermore, extreme sports often cause us to look to ourselves and praise ourselves for our accomplishments. It causes us to become prideful and those around us begin to admire us instead of God and what He has done. In other words, we end up worshiping the created, not the Creator.

So, in this new year, take the time to evaluate the events of 2009 and then look to 2010. Figure out what your idols were in 2009, (whether it was sports or any other thing that became your all consuming passion) then destroy them and draw closer to the One who has made you and saved you!

In Christ,
Josh