Would the Queen have given consent if Prince Harry wanted to marry Prince George?

Posted on May 14, 2018 by ivanjamestruman

Image result for the wedding of meghan and harry

The Instrument of Consent reads:

“NOW KNOW YE that We have consented and do by these Presents signify Our Consent to the contracting of Matrimony between Our Most Dearly Beloved Grandson Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales, K.C.V.O., and Rachel Meghan Markle.”

And the Bishop Michael Bruce Curry of Chicago, IL, who will give the address, has said,

“The love that have brought and will bind Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle together has its source and origin in God, and is the key to life and happiness . . . and so we celebrate and pray for them today.”

CBS News reports it like this:

“Buckingham Palace has released an image of the handwritten document in which Queen Elizabeth II gives her consent for Prince Harry to marry Meghan Markle. The Instrument of Consent image was released Saturday – a week before Harry is to marry the American actress at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor.

The document, illuminated on vellum, features a design to the left of the text that incorporates a red dragon, the symbol of Wales. The design to the right features a rose, the national flower of the United States.

Under British law, the first six people in the line of succession to the throne must obtain the queen’s permission to wed.

Harry was fifth in line when he and Markle got engaged. He was bumped to sixth with the birth of his brother’s son Prince Louis last month.”

I don’t know what the queen would or would not have done if Prince Harry wanted to marry a man. I do know that the progressive culture of the UK would have approved of a man wedding a man – but what about the royal family? It’s a fair question to ask since the world will be watching with joy and awe at such a majestic display of the union of a man and a woman. I just wonder if the world would have the same holy reverence and humbled awe if Harry were to marry George? Would the Buckingham Palace and St. George’s Chapel in Windsor have graced and blessed the union of Harry to George? Or would these halls and chambers require more? I don’t know . . . but it’s still a fair question to ask in this age of confusion of what a marriage is and who is the author of marriage and what is the purpose of marriage.

Since the Bishop Bruce Curry of Chicago, Il. is on record for stating that this marriage has its origin in God, will the Bishop actually read the Words of God that speak to what a marriage is: the complementarian union between Christ and the Church, a male and female wedded in both body and soul that displays the original? I don’t know if he will or not, but it’s a fair question to ask.

I do know this: come May 19, 2018 the world will celebrate a mystery:

“‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church'” (Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:31, 32).

That is, when Harry marries Meghan the world will witness with inner knowledge and consent that this is right. Why? Because Jesus married his wife, the church (all true lovers of Christ). What I don’t know is this, if the world would have witnessed a “profound mystery” had Harry wanted to marry George? Is it possible that since such dignity and royal majesty befits the crown of a male Prince wedded to a female Princess, then maybe this is why we know deep inside that not only the Queen, but we as the human race reserve marriage between a man and women, if it’s the Prince! And if the Prince, then why not all mankind? Or do we dethrone marriage for the progressive peasants?

It seems that we hold royalty to a high standard of dignity and propriety. As it should be. We want more character, not less. But why stop there – surely this auspicious occasion should at least in principle be duplicated? Marriage is a union between a man and a woman, contracted not by man, but by God who made man in his own image: “What therefore God has joined, let not man separate” (Mark 10:9), says King Jesus.

May God bless you Harry and Meghan with life-long joy and perseverance as you become one flesh.

What Makes A Christian?

Posted on May 7, 2018 by ivanjamestruman

https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/new-god-new-gospel-new-gladness/excerpts/what-makes-a-christian

Here are the words (transcript) of John Piper’s opening to his sermon at the Together For the Gospel (T4G link above) conference, and it is true: the real acid test of what is a real Christian, is the affections of the heart for Jesus Christ. If you don’t prove with your life that you love Jesus, then you are not a Christian, no matter how much you go to church, give, have been baptized, or even read or own bibles. Real Christians love and follow Jesus because they cannot resist the overwhelming desire to love and follow Jesus. That IS! the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Here’s Piper’s words:

“The most basic, most essential distinction between a Christian and a non-Christian is not new decisions of the will, not new deeds of the hands, not new doctrines in the mind, but a new delight in the heart. That’s my thesis. I’ll say it again. The most basic distinction between the body of Christ and the world is not godly decisions, not good deeds, not genuine doctrines, but glad delights in the glory of God, the beauty of God, the excellence of God, the holy majesty of God, the marvelous mercies of God — the person of God as revealed in Jesus Christ supremely.

The world is perfectly able to use its willpower to make decisions for Jesus. Judas certainly did for three years, all the while being a lover of money and a thief, while willing to follow Jesus all day every day. Secular philanthropists do good deeds. “If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3).

The devil himself knows more right doctrine to be true than anyone in this room. But neither the devil nor secular philanthropists nor the whole unbelieving world does or can delight in the glory of God supremely.”

Incivility is on the Rise! Just go to a little league game and you’ll see, and hear.

Posted on May 3, 2018 by ivanjamestruman

Humans are becoming a less civilized people. Jesus said this would happen as it gets closer to his return: “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). And the reason why lawlessness will increase is because, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men . . . For this reason God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done” (Romans 1:18, 28). As time rolls on, humanity is getting uglier because God’s restraining hand is letting us go our own way.

For example, the metal placard attached to a baseball batting cage across the street from where I live reveals what is going on the hearts of parents of little children:

“These Are Kids” says the sign. That’s because what is going on in the hearts of parents in their 30’s and early 40’s is this: “that boy on first base is my son . . . he’s better than your son . . . I will not tolerate any down-sizing of his immaculate place on the field or I will cuss you out!!!!!! My son’s exaltation is the means to my chest-beating . . . which means I, yes I, ME, ME MEMEMEMEME – is better than any of you dads. Just look at my 2018 Camaro parked over there . . .”
“This is a Game” says the sign. That’s because what is going on in the hearts of these parents is life and death. “This is not a game . . . this is my community reputation on the line . . . this is a means-to-an-end: and the end game is public praise and approval of ME.”
“The Coaches Volunteer” says the sign. That’s because what is going on in the hearts of parents is, “I swear, if he does not play my daughter in the next inning I’m going to pull my companies support to purchase next year’s jerseys and I’m going to secretly call a meeting with the other parents to have him fired from his volunteer job.”
“The Umpires are Human” says the sign. That’s because what is really going on in the hearts of parents and is coming out of their mouths is, “You ^**%#$&* piece of %&*%$@#@. Why don’t you put your *^#&()^!^* glasses on and do your (&$@*))&^ JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

As summer sports gets going, and you happen to be a parent of a child who plays and competes, guard your heart from the escalating incivility that is all around us, from social media to the baseball field.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” – Eph. 4:29

If you are a parent who loves the Lord and a nasty verbal shouting match takes place right there in the middle of the game between a parent and an umpire, (and you’ll have to prepare your child for this in advance that this is what you’re going to do if this happens), publicly walk on to the field, take your child by the hand and walk out of the game, off the field, into the car and drive away, in front of everyone! Show that you will not tolerate the incivility of adults speaking that way and acting that way in front of your child. If no one else joins you, so be it. Do the right thing: #IWILLNOTTOLERATEINCIVILITY

“Be Kind to Yourself.” Is this sound advice?

Posted on April 30, 2018 by ivanjamestruman

Listen to Andrew Peterson sing this to his daughter, then come back and let’s talk about his advice.

I’m skeptical of any advice that seems to present God’s Word as a self-help book, full of anecdotes that appeal to man becoming his own soul-physician. But Peterson’s lyrics helped me to see something that I’ve always struggled to find perspective: how to encourage someone out of the self-condemning and self-loathing words that a teenager is using against herself. Simply, I would never have thought to say, “be kind to yourself.” This gentle father at the piano is not helping his daughter by appealing to her self worth, but his promise to love her no matter what. His counsel is this: Be kind to yourself by reminding yourself of my love for you. Put away your self-hatred and injurious words that you tell yourself and believe that I love you.

It’s a given, says Jesus, that we already have a certain kind of healthy self-regard. “. . . love your neighbor as yourself.” To consider the need of another and meet that need is premised on one’s own consideration of your person. Our ability to love others is dependent upon how we regard ourselves. If poorly, then my ability to love someone is nearly impossible – for I’m locked up in my own world of self-pity and self-hatred, unable to free myself from an unrealistic pedestal of ME; I have let ME down. But if I know myself as someone who is deeply loved by my father and mother, for example, then my ability to move toward the need of another is facilitated by my own healthy regard for myself.

Peterson is therefore giving sound advice. Stop being mean and hateful to yourself by spending more time reminding yourself of the great promises of the Lord> “there is therefore now no condemnation – no matter what I’ve done to disappoint others” > “I am crucified with Christ . . . and the life that I now live I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me” > “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion unto the day of Jesus Christ – and that means all the heart-breaking things that tempt me to despair of myself, Jesus has not given up on his plan to reshape me into his image.” That’s what Peterson is advising: Use the truths of scripture to defeat this war that is against you against you against you.

This is not secular self-help motivation. This is the way any parent would want their child to put an end to self-condemnation language. “Remind yourself how much I love you when you feel so horrible about yourself. The hurtful things that you’re telling yourself are unkind words – no one should hear those words, especially you.”

Parents, Satan wants your child to hate herself. Satan wants your child to turn on herself as if she is the enemy. But as Peterson reminds us, you have to learn to love your enemies too! Parents, see to it that your child knows that you love her no matter what. And parents, while you’re at it, you also be kind to yourself when you feel horrible about your own failures as a parent and feel like you can’t face your children. If you are in Christ, then you have a Father in heaven who loves you like his own son. Tomorrow is another day of grace and mercy. Get up . . . look up . . . and with the love of Christ, go love your child.

One of My Favorite quotes of Charles Spurgeon

Posted on April 27, 2018 by ivanjamestruman

Charles Spurgeon – 1834-1892

“When I was coming to Christ, I thought I was doing it all myself, and though I sought the Lord earnestly, I had no idea the Lord was seeking me. I can recall the very day and hour when first I received those truths in my own soul – when they were, as John Bunyan says, burnt into my heart as with a hot iron. One week-night, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher’s sermon, for I did not believe it. The thought struck me, “How did you come to be a Christian?” I sought the Lord. “But how did you come to seek the Lord?” The truth flashed across my mind in a moment – I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then asked myself, “How came I to pray?” I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. “How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so?” Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, “I ascribe my change wholly to God.” I know nothing, nothing again that is more humbling than this doctrine of election. I have sometimes fallen prostrate before it when endeavoring to understand it. But, when I came near it, and the one thought possessed me – ‘God hath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation’ – I was staggered with the mighty thought; and from the dizzy elevation down came my soul, prostrate and broken, saying, ‘Lord, I am nothing, I am less than nothing. Why me? Why me?”

“His Heart Beats” – by Andrew Peterson

Posted on April 23, 2018 by ivanjamestruman

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not a theory: it’s either the most successful lie ever promoted or it’s the truth. For those who punched their Easter time-card a couple weeks ago and have moved on to better things for another year – I grieve for you. I cannot imagine what it means to have no more hope than this life with its empty promises of power, fame, and fortune. I am so thankful that after three days of stone-cold silence, the very physical heart of Jesus began to beat again – and to this day it still does. This gives me my only sure hope for this life and the one to come. I think we’ll sing this in worship soon . . .

His heart beats, His blood begins to flow
Waking up what was dead a moment ago
And His heart beats, now everything is changed
‘Cause the blood that brought us peace with God
Is racing through His veins
And His heart beats
His heart beats

He breathes in, His living lungs expand
The heavy air surrounding death turns to breath again
He breathes out, He is word and flesh once more
The Lamb of God slain for us is a Lion ready to roar
And His heart beats

So crown Him the Lord of Life
Crown Him the Lord of Love
Crown Him the Lord of All

He took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting, O grave?
How grave is your defeat
I know, I know His heart beats

He rises, glorified in flesh
Clothed in immortality, the firstborn from the dead
He rises, and His work’s already done
So He’s resting as He rises to reclaim the Bride He won
And His heart beats

So crown Him the Lord of Life
Crown Him the Lord of Love
Crown Him the Lord of All

He took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting, O grave?
How grave is your defeat
I know, I know His heart beats

The last enemy to be destroyed is death
The last enemy to be destroyed is death
He must reign until no enemy is left
The last enemy to be destroyed, to be destroyed is death

His heart beats, He will never die again
I know that death no longer has dominion over Him
So my heart beats with the rhythm of the saints
As I look for the seeds the King has sown
To burst up from their graves

I know, I know
He took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting, O grave?
How grave is your defeat
I know, I know
He took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting, O grave?
How grave is your defeat
How great, how great is His victory
I know, I know His heart beats
I know, I know His heart beats
His heart beats

Through a veil of tears or lingerie, God the Father who sent his Son is the Supreme Source of Love.

Posted on February 14, 2018 by ivanjamestruman

Cheryl and I left this past Monday to balmy Peoria, IL (we watched a tugboat push several barges through ice on the Illinois River). Though married for over 33 years, for nearly 12 years now we have been taking the time to get away during Valentines week, hiding out somewhere using up Hilton points. Speaking of the subject, Valentines that is, I just read this by Kevin DeYoung:

Marriage Tune Up: Five Books, Five Questions

We spent time yesterday evening answering the 5 questions – what a pleasure to share our answers with each other. But I can’t help to think of those whose hearts are lonely of love either through death or divorce or a very hard marriage (Kevin did point this out, the loneliness of love in singleness). There are no quick and easy answers for the later and definitely even fewer for the former. But God knows how to hold us as his beloved when we are lonely and feeling unloved. Christ was momentarily cut off from the best source of Love so that we could be brought near to the best Love one could know . . . I’m so thankful for this. Because, as the next post below says, “marriage is not meant to fully satisfy.”

50 Shade of Love

The erotic 50 Shades series still cannot provide what our hearts long for, as the post declares: “When we look for a mortal solution (perhaps I married the wrong person?) we ruin the good gift we have. But when we look to our immortal Lover, the good we have in marriage deepens and becomes better, because it is part of a larger love story.”

This is why I’ll look to my Lord for all that I need in this life. There’s only one Savior for mankind, “the man Christ Jesus.” There’s no other better way to enjoy a good marriage or endure a hard one, or to endure the loneliness of death and divorce and singleness. Through a veil of tears or lingerie, God the Father who sent his Son is the Supreme Source of Love. May this day remind you of the “the great love with which he loved us” (Eph. 2:5).

“Christ the sure and steady anchor”

Posted on January 23, 2018 by ivanjamestruman

“On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:35-41).

Let’s pray God’s Word over our lives:

“Dear restful and mighty Jesus, you are more than a great teacher – you are the sovereign Lord over every storm that breaks over our lives. We are afraid, but you are not. We are wide-awake, hopelessly lost, but you are asleep, filled with hope in your Father’s will. We think that you don’t care, but you care more about our unbelief and our small views of you than we realize. We think that the trials of this life are greater than you. Truth is, the trials of this life are no match for you – at any time of the day or week, or at any time of the storm, you are able to raise your voice and command peace. O sweet and faithful Savior, fill us with your Spirit that we may fear you more than the storm. Give us hearts full of confidence and assurance that you, our mighty anchor, will never be removed. In Jesus’ holy name we pray,

Amen.”

Grace to you . . . and Grace Be With You

Posted on November 15, 2017 by ivanjamestruman

Take a few moments to listen to Michael Card sing the last verses of Hebrews 13:20-21.

Now take a few more moments and take a glance at what the apostle Paul taught us about our need and assurance of God’s grace to us in Christ, in the way that he begins and ends his letters to the church.

Romans. 1:7, 16:24 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Grace our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

1 Cor. 1:3, 16:23 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

2 Cor. 1:2, 13:14 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ , and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

Gal. 1:3, 6:18 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Eph. 1:2, 6:24 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

Phil. 1:2, 4:23 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Col. 1:2, 4:18 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This salutation by my own hand – Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.

1 Thess. 1:1, 5:28 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

2 Thess. 1:2, 3:18 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

1 Tim. 1:2, 6:21 To Timothy, my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. Grace be with you. Amen.

2 Tim. 1:2, 4:22 To Timothy my beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

Titus 1:4, 3:15 To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Grace to you – because you can’t live today without it. And grace be with you as you get up and go live this day. Grace comes to you as you hear your Lord approach you in his word, and grace will be there today when you get there. The reason why we need the assurance of “grace be with you” is because if God has been gracious only in the past, but will not be in the future, Christians are of all people most to be pitied. As precious as the bygone blessings of God may be, if he leaves me only with the memory of those, and not with the promise of more, I will be undone. From now to eternity will be lived by future grace, as John Piper taught this years ago in his book, “Future Grace.”

Grace be with you is God’s promise to give you what you need to keep on holding fast to Christ and his promises. This means that you will never come to a place in your pursuit of following Christ where you will say, “I’m good . . . I got it from here.”

Grace to you as you read the words of Christ, and grace be with you as you put his Word down and go about your day. Grace be with you as you deal with a sick child; with you as you await words from the doctor; with you as you go to work and face a bully employer or a temperamental co-worker; with you in your unresolved pursuit of justice; with you as you muster courage to speak up for Christ over lunch; with you as you walk alone widowed; with you in the tribulations of life; with you in your next disappointment; with you as the world stands against your hope in Christ alone; with you in your trying marriage and parenting.

Grace is the undeserved affection of Christ to awaken our need of him – without which, we would still think that we’re good enough, strong enough, wise enough – to live independent of his grace.

Therefore, believe that grace awakens your understanding of your need of grace. If you can see that God’s grace is what explains everything that is right about your life, then it’s because grace came to you first. To know how needy you are of God’s grace is evidence that God has been gracious to you. Those who are in darkness can’t see their need for light, but if you do see your need for light then someone outside of you turned the switch on – inside of you: GRACE!

Now, also believe that all your tomorrows will be sustained by grace, a promise of future grace that will be there when you get there. It’s Jesus’ way of saying, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

What defines your identity?

Posted on September 18, 2017 by ivanjamestruman

What if the new 2017 Fall college student was able to say to the hazing rite offered by the campus Greek Squad: “No thanks – my identity is in Christ”?

What if the latest job application was denied but still you could say in your heart, “Thank God my identity is not based upon their approval of me”?

What if your children’s rejection of your hope in Christ, though painful, did not unravel you, but you could still say, “I love my children, but my hope is not found in them but in Christ alone”?

What if a disability, a disease, a physical catastrophe, even old age are all whispering, “you’re not worth much these days” was met with “my heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26)?

What if your boyfriend, or employer, or a certain other who can elevate your status wants you to have sex with him/her was found to be a cheap commodity compared to the extravagant wealth that you already have in Christ?

What if your hero is no longer heroic – yet, your eyes are still on Christ?

What if hoarding the things of this earth finally felt empty compared to the abundance of joy that is found in Christ’s love for you?

What if you could move toward whatever fear is telling you to run – simply because no matter what happens you will still have Christ – and he would be enough – no matter WHAT HAPPENS!!??

Today is Monday, Sept. 18, 2017. What if from here on out you will fight against identity-dysfunction by preaching the gospel to your heart? What if you were no longer a slave to fear, but knew your identity as a child of God? Here is a song that our worship team is learning and will lead in congregational worship soon. Enjoy!

the sound board

~absorb grace~vibrate grace~

Category Archives: Uncategorized