If you want your “dream baby,” do not adopt or foster a child: buy a cat and make-believe. Adopting an orphan isn’t ordering a consumer item or buying a pet. Such a mindset hurts the child, and countless other children and families. Adoption is about taking on risk as cross-bearing love. – Dr. Russell Moore

This is an article you should read in its entirety

In case you have been living under a rock or with your head in the sand, I’ll let you in on a secret – your rights as a parent are quietly being threatened. The stakes could NOT be higher. At risk is your right to raise your children as you see fit. Take a look:



For more information on how you can get involved click here.

Thanks to Dan Phillips @ Biblical Christianity for the heads up.

2. God and the Holy Spirit (cont.)

3. In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word or Son, and the Holy Spirit. All are one in substance, power, and eternity; each having the whole divine essence, yet this essence being undivided.

The Father was not derived from any other being; He was neither brought into being by, nor did He issue from any other being.

- The Son is eternally begotten of the Father.

- The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.

- All three are infinite, without beginning, and are therefore only one God, Who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties, and also their personal relations.

- This doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and our comfortable dependence on Him.

(1 John 5:7; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Exodus 3:14; John 14:11; 1 Corinthians 8:6; John 1:14,18; John 15:26; Galatians 4:6)

It can be deafening. It can be so palatable that it has its own persona and
presence. It can cause fear. It can bring solace. Silence is an interesting
thing, sometimes we can’t stand it, others we crave it like water in the desert.

Some of you may have wondered where I have been. (Or some of you may be thankful
I have been quiet!) Things around the Pauper’s hovel have been kinda tough
lately. You see the Missus has been on bed-rest for almost a month now as we try
and protect the little one on the way. Needless to say this has made a profound
impact on our household. I have struggled to keep up with all of the needs of
our household much less keep posting here on a regular schedule. So I hope the
faithful few of you who check up on us here will forgive a bit of “sporadic”
with a heavy dose of “by the seat of our pants.” We would also appreciate your
prayers for Mrs. Pauper and our Daughter on the way.

Thanks again for your understanding. I just thought you might like to know the
reason for the silence.

The Pauper

2. God and the Holy Spirit (cont.)

2. God, having all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and from Himself, is unique in being all- sufficient, both in Himself and to Himself, not standing in need of any creature which He has made, nor deriving any glory from such.

- On the contrary, it is God Who manifests His own glory in them, through them, to them and upon them. He is the only fountain of all being; from Whom, through Whom, and to Whom all things exist and move.

- He has completely sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do through them, for them, or to them whatever He pleases.

- In His sight all things are open and manifest; His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and not dependant on the creature.

- Therefore, nothing is for Him contingent or uncertain.

- He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands.

- To Him is due from angels and men whatever worship, service, or obedience, they owe as creatures to the Creator, and whatever else He is pleased to require from them.

(John 5:26; Psalms 148:13; Psalms 119:68; Job 22:2, 3; Romans 11:34-36; Daniel 4:25, 34, 35; Hebrews 4:13; Ezekiel 11:5; Acts 15:18; Psalms 145:17; Revelation 5:12-14)

2. God and the Holy Spirit

1. The Lord our God is the one and only living and true God; Whose subsistence is in and of Himself- Who is infinite in being and perfection; Whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself;- Who is a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions

   - Who only has immortality

   - Who dwells in the light which no man can approach, Who is immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, in every way infinite, most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute;

   - Who works all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, for His own glory;

   - Who is most loving, gracious, merciful, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth;

   - Who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin;

   - Who is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him;

   - and Who, at the same time, is most just and terrible in His judgements, hating all sin and Who will by no means clear the guilty.

(1 Corinthians 8:4, 6; Deuteronomy 6:4; Jeremiah 10:10; Isaiah 48:12; Exodus 3:14; John 4:24; 1 Timothy 1:17; Deuteronomy 4:15, 16; Malachi 3:6; 1 Kings 8:27; Jeremiah 23:23; Psalms 90:2; Genesis 17:1; Isaiah 6:3; Psalms 115:3; Isaiah 46:10; Proverbs 16:4; Romans 11:36; Exodus 34:6, 7; Hebrews 11:6; Nehemiah 9:32, 33; Psalms 5:5, 6; Exodus 34:7; Nahum 1:2, 3)

1. The Holy Scriptures – cont.

10.   The supreme judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and by which must be examined all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, and doctrines of men and private spirits can be no other than the Holy Scripture, delivered by the Spirit. And in the sentence of Scripture we are to rest, for it is in Scripture, delivered by the Spirit, that our faith is finally resolved.²¹

²¹Matthew 22:29, 31-32; Ephesians 2:20; Acts 28:23

1. The Holy Scriptures – cont.

8.   The Old Testament in¹⁴ Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of its writing was most generally known to the nations) were immediately inspired by God, and were kept pure through subsequent ages by His singular care and providence. They are therefore¹⁵ authentic , so that in all controversies of religion , the church must appeal to them as final.¹⁶

But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God who have a right to, and an interest in the Scriptures, and who are commanded to read and search them¹⁷ in the fear of God, the Scriptures are therefore to be translated into the ordinary language of every nation into which they come¹⁸, so that, with the Word of God living¹⁹ richly in all, people may worship God in an acceptable manner, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope.

9.   The infallible rule for the interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself²⁰, and therefore whenever there is a question about the true and full sense of any scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched by other passages which speak more clearly.

¹⁴ Romans 3:2;

¹⁵ Isaiah 8:20;

¹⁶ Acts 15:15;

¹⁷ John 5:39;

¹⁸ 1 Corinthians 14:6, 9, 11, 12, 24, 28;

¹⁹ Colossians 3:16

²⁰ 2 Peter 1:20, 21; Acts 15:15, 16

Phil over at http://teampyro.blogspot.com says this:

“A follow-up message asks me if I am suggesting it’s wrong for someone to
abandon all books and human teachers and rely only on what he can glean from
the Bible for himself. Answer: yes, I think that’s wrong because it’s arrogant
and reflects a sinful kind of unteachability. This is my whole point: sola
Scriptura doesn’t rule out the valid role of teaching in the church.

Furthermore, it is simply not the case that any common, unskilled, unschooled
individual, sitting down with his Bible and no other tools, can expect to come
to a full and mature understanding of Scripture without any help from godly
teachers who understand some things better than he will ever get it on his
own.”

“Click http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2010/07/desert-island-exegesis.html to read
the entire post)

I could not have said it better myself. Bravo Phil!