Preface: I was on a road trip today and planned to stop in a very small Christian bookstore along the way....as I have done for decades actually while heading to this particular destination. I wasn't shocked for I knew it would probably happen someday....but it had closed up for good. A few years ago I had offered to help the lady who owned it. I would buy an assortment....a couple dozen....of solid Christian books. (That is my field folks....I know what good solid and powerful Christian books are)....and she could keep all the profits and just return to me the cost of the book. As the books would sell....and they would....for evangelicals have no idea today what is available to them....we could continue this arrangement. The bookstore would thus be profitable....the community would be blessed....and God would be glorified....but she could not discern the difference between the books that she had on the shelves....and any books that I would offer
Oh maybe a month ago in a general conversation I asked my son just who was this Joe Rogan? Well it really took him by surprise that I didn't know much about him....and he proceeded to fill me in. Are you somewhat astonished that I wasn't very familiar with him? I submit to you that it is partially because I am not familiar with him....whereas you might be not only very familiar with him but a regular listener to whatever it is that he does....that I know that Jesus is at the very door....and you find that ridiculous that we can know anything like that? You cannot live in the podcasts of these men....or Fox or Breitbart....or talk radio....on a regular basis....and have discernment from God. It doesn't work that way.
I knew the name....it would be nearly impossible not to hear his name in the news a lot......and he did that interview with Trump....of which I watched about a minute of it....which is the only minute that I have ever heard his voice. I have read his opinions from time to time in the news....the most recent being this morning. I knew that he was an influencer....and came to find out that he was an ultra popular influencer....I just wasn't familiar with how effective he was in connecting with the youth today. I knew nothing about his being on a television comedy show....NewsRadio....until today. Never saw the show. The ring fighting and all that? Found that all out today.
So I cannot comment too much on Joe Rogan at all....but I can say this.....apparently.....from what I have recently learned....he is the Rush Limbaugh of today in influence. In other words he took Rush's place. Would you disagree with that. I know I could be wrong. And I can say this....he is all yours. The difference between he and Rush....from the little I know of him....compared to the lot that I knew of Rush....seems to be the difference that I perceive in conservatives today from what we used to be. Enough said. He is yours....along with Marjorie Taylor Greene....and Nancy Mace....and Gaetz....and the WWE guy...and the UFC guy.....and Musk....(can you even believe that Elon Musk has become one of our heroes)....and RFK Jr....and Tulsi....and Vivek....Hulk Hogan....Kristi Noem....Tucker....and Melania....and Don Jr....Lara...and Jim Jordan....and Lauren Boebert....and Paula Cain....and Jonathan Cahn...need I go on....and Trump's pay back....and....now you owe me big time....cabinet....they are all yours! This is the new conservatism and the new evangelicalism! I don't hear the Good Shepherd's voice here....I don't even hear Rush's voice here.
Evangelicalism has changed. John MacArthur hasn't been in his pulpit in twenty weeks....because of health reasons....and he was the last defender of the gospel on the national stage in America....Billy Graham having essentially been gone for over six years. Who is there left? Tell Me. Joel Osteen? Any one of these megachurch Christian Nationalist pastors? Eric Metaxas? Gordon Robertson? R. C. Sproul is long gone. There are no Christian bookstores anymore. Hank Hanegraaff joined one of the religions he used to inform us about. Ligonier.org is still there but without R. C. it is no longer on the national stage. Tim Keller has gone to be with the Lord along with Billy Graham and R. C. Sproul. That only leaves John Piper....wherever he is.
Folks....why am I so combatative? It's because the evangelical today....generally....does not know the seriousness of the situation! They know socialism....and they know woke....but they do not know and do not particularly care to know of God's warnings on us! They were possessed with Joe Biden getting a second term....or Kamala getting a first....but have no concern that the Antichrist....if it indeed is a man....is walking around as an adult right now!
I thought that I might ask Santa for a shortwave radio for Christmas. So I did some research to see what might be a good SW radio to start with....and I found out that there are men all over the place....putting out their videos....their basement or workrooms or whatever they are....filled with all kinds of electronic equipment....and they are overflowing with all this information of bands and frequencies and this and that....and it's very impressive! I respect them for putting in so much time over so many years to know exactly what they are talking about. So I did my research....and I told my wife to tell Santa what I would like. Well guess what? That's the same thing that I've done for forty years. In my workroom you would see hundreds upon hundreds of books and Bibles and filled notebooks and charts. That's my resume folks. I hope that you look at me as I look at all these electronics wizards and say....it sounds like this guy knows what he is talking about!
Note: John MacArthur did make a return to the pulpit this past Lord's Day during the evening communion service....to give thanks and to tell how...."Sometimes trials are blessings in disguise." You can listen to this sermon by going to his ministry website....gty.org....and it is right there as the latest sermon.
