In Proverbs 18, we find two verses that can serve to remind us about the power of what we say:
20
From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.
21
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. There is great power in the words that we speak, and the Bible tells us in James 1 that we are to be slow to speak and quick to listen. If we take a moment to weigh the consequences of our words, and really rely on the Holy Spirit to guide our tongues, then I believe we will walk and speak in a manner more pleasing to God and more peaceful with others. The tongue has power, but the Spirit of the Lord has more, and He will enable us to speak words that honor Him and reflect His character in our lives. In Colossians 3, we read a list of behaviors that do not please God, many of them involving our mouths: 8
But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
9
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices
10
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
We can look at New Year's Day as a "reset" button for our lives - the old year has gone, and we can begin to set goals for a new time period - we can leave behind what is not pleasing to God and purpose to make a fresh start with Him. A significant amount of the sin in our lives comes as a result of what we say, which is an expression, according to Jesus, of what is in our hearts. And, our hearts can be renewed by the power of God's Word and the presence of His Spirit. By His power, we can choose to speak words that are consistent with His character within us.
Ephesians 4 really can give us some powerful principles to consider at the beginning of a new year:
29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
The greatly anticipated 38th annual List of Words to be Banished from the
Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness has been released by Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
The list is compiled from nominations sent to the school throughout the year and is released each year on New Year's Eve. It dates back to Dec. 31, 1975, when former LSSU Public
Relations Director Bill Rabe (RAY-bee) and some colleagues cooked up the
whimsical idea to banish overused words and phrases from the language.
They issued the first list on New Year's Day 1976. Much to the delight
of word enthusiasts everywhere, the list has stayed the course into a
fourth decade.
The 12 words or phrases chosen for this year are:
Fiscal Cliff
Kick the Can Down the Road
Double Down
Job Creators/Creation
Passion/Passionate
YOLO (You Only Live Once)
Spoiler Alert
Bucket List
Trending
Superfood
Boneless Wings
Guru
I can see how many of these words are overused, words we really don't want to hear again - I certainly could do without hearing Fiscal Cliff again, but I do think the word, "Passion" will be redeemed when tens of thousands of young adults gather in ATL tomorrow. I am surprised more acronymns (like YOLO) didn't make the list, but in this world of social media and texting, you may see a few more.
I was thinking how this list of overused words can really bring to mind how we need to choose our words wisely. There is a human tendency to say things without really weighing our words or regarding how they will affect other people. We limit ourselves in our communication because we simply don't take the time to think it through or to allow the Holy Spirit to guide our speech.
Interestingly enough, I was also reading a list of people who have chosen words wisely, because they only have 140 characters to make a statement. The Christian Post has a list of Top 10 Christian Tweets of 2012. #1 - there he is again: Tim Tebow. He has over 2 million followers on Twitter, and sent this tweet out:
"Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments,
worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, THANK GOD." 25,673 Retweets (Oct 4, 2012)
Monday, December 31, 2012
Friday, December 28, 2012
Leadership Lessons from Santa
In 1st John 2, we find a powerful and challenging Scripture passage that encourages us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus:
4 The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. Not only has Jesus come to redeem us and to bring us into a relationship with God the Father, but He has empowered us to follow in His footsteps. Our faith in Christ will be expressed in the way we behave. He has come to give us the necessary principles to be His disciples and follow Him, and has given us powerful tools in order to do that. And, He calls us, I believe, to be people of influence - to lead others into a saving knowledge of Christ and to be powerful examples of the power and love of Christ in and through us.
Jesus shared a timeless and effective principle of leadership as He intervened between two of His disciples who were jockeying for position in His sight:
(43)...whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant ; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
There has been plenty written about the big guy in the red suit who made his rounds once again this past Monday. And, I came across some material online about some of the leadership principles that Santa Claus has actually put into place - I thought some of these could be instructive for us as we follow our leader, our Lord Jesus.
Employment expert and blogger Lindsay Olson, writing on the US News & World Report website mentioned:
Create a formula and stick with it.
Santa hasn't drastically changed his game plan in ... forever. He's got rigorous processes in place for Dec. 25, and every elf knows his role. Rather than constantly trying to innovate...Santa knows what's tried and true, and he uses it to his advantage. This helps his elves know what to expect, and it helps them sharpen their skills so that they're constantly improving.
You know, in essence, God's game plan hasn't changed...He is intent on bringing glory to Himself, and He will execute a plan consistent with that aim. In order to do that, He has offered us redemption through Christ, and provided us with the tools to win people to Him. His mission is clear and change-less, even if the methods might change.
The Leadership Hub blog republished a blog by Jim Clemmer, who mentioned:
Leadership Can Come From Unlikely Places
Leadership is action, not a position. Rudolph saved the day because Santa was flexible and open to leadership emerging from unconventional places during the foggy crisis. He built a highly engaged team with a strong sense of commitment to each other and their mission.
God is the ultimate leader, and He has called and enabled us to share in His mission. He uses people to accomplish His tasks and to glorify Him. You might think yourself to be rather ordinary, but if we rely on God we can do extraordinary things. We are part of His team, and if we are intent in encouraging others and allowing them to step up and foster a sense of community, we can accomplish great things for the Kingdom.
And, finally, the YouTube channel for the website, www.walkthetalk.com, offers this:
Nothing motivates employees more than knowing they're makin a difference
and
Leaders set the example - every leader needs to WALK THE TALK!
How true - 1st John tells us that we are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
And, I would add one more morsel here on leadership, based on the Santa model:
Know and serve your customers.
Santa Claus is said to know when you're sleeping or awake, or whether someone has been bad or good. He keeps a "naughty and nice" list and checks it twice. His customers communicate with him - through his surrogates at malls and shopping areas, through letters and now even e-mails to Santa. And, he is so unselfish that he doesn't even take a salary!
Jesus talked about going the extra mile, and said that He did not come to earth to be served, but to serve, and give His life as a ransom for many. He expressed the ultimate acts of love through the sacrifice of Himself.
No, I'm not even comparing God to Santa Claus - but some of these leadership characteristics are remarkably consistent to Scriptural principles, and can be helpful to us as we put others first and realize our mission and purpose in Christ.
4 The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. Not only has Jesus come to redeem us and to bring us into a relationship with God the Father, but He has empowered us to follow in His footsteps. Our faith in Christ will be expressed in the way we behave. He has come to give us the necessary principles to be His disciples and follow Him, and has given us powerful tools in order to do that. And, He calls us, I believe, to be people of influence - to lead others into a saving knowledge of Christ and to be powerful examples of the power and love of Christ in and through us.
Jesus shared a timeless and effective principle of leadership as He intervened between two of His disciples who were jockeying for position in His sight:
(43)...whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant ; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
There has been plenty written about the big guy in the red suit who made his rounds once again this past Monday. And, I came across some material online about some of the leadership principles that Santa Claus has actually put into place - I thought some of these could be instructive for us as we follow our leader, our Lord Jesus.
Employment expert and blogger Lindsay Olson, writing on the US News & World Report website mentioned:
Create a formula and stick with it.
Santa hasn't drastically changed his game plan in ... forever. He's got rigorous processes in place for Dec. 25, and every elf knows his role. Rather than constantly trying to innovate...Santa knows what's tried and true, and he uses it to his advantage. This helps his elves know what to expect, and it helps them sharpen their skills so that they're constantly improving.
You know, in essence, God's game plan hasn't changed...He is intent on bringing glory to Himself, and He will execute a plan consistent with that aim. In order to do that, He has offered us redemption through Christ, and provided us with the tools to win people to Him. His mission is clear and change-less, even if the methods might change.
The Leadership Hub blog republished a blog by Jim Clemmer, who mentioned:
Leadership Can Come From Unlikely Places
Leadership is action, not a position. Rudolph saved the day because Santa was flexible and open to leadership emerging from unconventional places during the foggy crisis. He built a highly engaged team with a strong sense of commitment to each other and their mission.
God is the ultimate leader, and He has called and enabled us to share in His mission. He uses people to accomplish His tasks and to glorify Him. You might think yourself to be rather ordinary, but if we rely on God we can do extraordinary things. We are part of His team, and if we are intent in encouraging others and allowing them to step up and foster a sense of community, we can accomplish great things for the Kingdom.
And, finally, the YouTube channel for the website, www.walkthetalk.com, offers this:
Nothing motivates employees more than knowing they're makin a difference
and
Leaders set the example - every leader needs to WALK THE TALK!
How true - 1st John tells us that we are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
And, I would add one more morsel here on leadership, based on the Santa model:
Know and serve your customers.
Santa Claus is said to know when you're sleeping or awake, or whether someone has been bad or good. He keeps a "naughty and nice" list and checks it twice. His customers communicate with him - through his surrogates at malls and shopping areas, through letters and now even e-mails to Santa. And, he is so unselfish that he doesn't even take a salary!
Jesus talked about going the extra mile, and said that He did not come to earth to be served, but to serve, and give His life as a ransom for many. He expressed the ultimate acts of love through the sacrifice of Himself.
No, I'm not even comparing God to Santa Claus - but some of these leadership characteristics are remarkably consistent to Scriptural principles, and can be helpful to us as we put others first and realize our mission and purpose in Christ.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Gifts and Gratitude
The giver of all good gifts has chosen to offer to us the free gift of salvation because of His love for us and His grace shared with us. Here is what Ephesians chapter 2 says:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God ; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
Think about that: because of God's grace, we were given something we did not deserve and could never earn - salvation through Jesus Christ, a right relationship with Him. This Christmas season means that God has sent His Son to us, to each of us, as an incredible gift - and hopefully, as we have shared gifts with others during this season, we think about this meaningful custom in which we can participate, the resources that the Lord has given us in order to share gifts with others, and how we can communicate the love of Christ through our unselfishness and attitude of charity. The acts and proper attitude of Christmas bring us the opportunity to show gratefulness to God and bring glory to Him.
In Ephesians chapter 4, we find a powerful passage about the giver of all good gifts and how we have received wonderful gifts of God:
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling ; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Earlier today, I saw a stunning picture of a historic church in Mobile - the Trinity Episcopal Church on Dauphin Street, in the heart of an area that was beseiged by a large wedge tornado, that was captured on video on Christmas afternoon. The early reports were that it was "totally gone". The facts emerged that the church, along with numerous other buildings in that area of Midtown Mobile, had been severely damaged. We now know that the roof was blown off and one of the walls had collapsed of the historic structure, but it was STILL STANDING. Rector, Father Bailey Norman wrote this on the church's website:"...Our church, Trinity Episcopal, took a direct hit from the tornado and is likely a total loss. We have been told by the fire dept to stay away from the building as it has severe structural damage. We will return in the morning to survey the damage. We are so thankful that (so far) no one has been injured that we know of. We must soak all that has happened, but I believe in God's grace to overcome any obstacle and I believe in the good folks at Trinity who will band together to face what is to come..." Our lives can sometimes seem like that church - beaten by the storms of life, broken by adversity or tragedy, maybe our structure severely damaged. But, we're still standing! And, that's the blessed hope of Christmas, the dynamics of a relationship with Jesus Christ - the difference for us is that God never counts us as a total loss - no matter how buffeted we are, no matter how we may feel we are about to be destroyed, we can trust in His love, rely on His grace, and be buoyed by thankfulness that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Because you're still standing, you can rejoice! So, be thankful for the gift of new life in Christ, for a relationship with the God of second chances, the Lord of all grace and mercy!!
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God ; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
Think about that: because of God's grace, we were given something we did not deserve and could never earn - salvation through Jesus Christ, a right relationship with Him. This Christmas season means that God has sent His Son to us, to each of us, as an incredible gift - and hopefully, as we have shared gifts with others during this season, we think about this meaningful custom in which we can participate, the resources that the Lord has given us in order to share gifts with others, and how we can communicate the love of Christ through our unselfishness and attitude of charity. The acts and proper attitude of Christmas bring us the opportunity to show gratefulness to God and bring glory to Him.
In Ephesians chapter 4, we find a powerful passage about the giver of all good gifts and how we have received wonderful gifts of God:
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling ; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Earlier today, I saw a stunning picture of a historic church in Mobile - the Trinity Episcopal Church on Dauphin Street, in the heart of an area that was beseiged by a large wedge tornado, that was captured on video on Christmas afternoon. The early reports were that it was "totally gone". The facts emerged that the church, along with numerous other buildings in that area of Midtown Mobile, had been severely damaged. We now know that the roof was blown off and one of the walls had collapsed of the historic structure, but it was STILL STANDING. Rector, Father Bailey Norman wrote this on the church's website:"...Our church, Trinity Episcopal, took a direct hit from the tornado and is likely a total loss. We have been told by the fire dept to stay away from the building as it has severe structural damage. We will return in the morning to survey the damage. We are so thankful that (so far) no one has been injured that we know of. We must soak all that has happened, but I believe in God's grace to overcome any obstacle and I believe in the good folks at Trinity who will band together to face what is to come..." Our lives can sometimes seem like that church - beaten by the storms of life, broken by adversity or tragedy, maybe our structure severely damaged. But, we're still standing! And, that's the blessed hope of Christmas, the dynamics of a relationship with Jesus Christ - the difference for us is that God never counts us as a total loss - no matter how buffeted we are, no matter how we may feel we are about to be destroyed, we can trust in His love, rely on His grace, and be buoyed by thankfulness that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Because you're still standing, you can rejoice! So, be thankful for the gift of new life in Christ, for a relationship with the God of second chances, the Lord of all grace and mercy!!
When You Don't Want To Be Thankful
I want to select some verses from the 5th chapter of James:
10 As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. 13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord ; 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. So endurance brings a blessing, huh? That can be hard to comprehend, when we are in the midst of struggle or sorrow, when we are having difficult episodes in our lives. We don't want to be thankful, even though God's Word tells us to be thankful in all circumstances - realizing that what we consider to be adverse circumstances can make us stronger, if we are submissive to what God wants to do in the midst of them. This passage from James gives us the strong encouragement that God desires to meet us in our time of suffering and bring us to a point of healing and restoration - as James writes earlier, in chapter 1, the trying of our faith will produce patience, so that we might be complete in Him.
In 1st Thessalonians 5, the apostle Paul gives the admonition that can help us to gain or maintain the proper attitude when things don't go our way:
16 Rejoice always ; 17 pray without ceasing ; 18 in everything give thanks ; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
I was following Twitter about 5:00 on Christmas afternoon when I began to see the reports of something unthinkable, especially for Christmas Day - a large tornado, caught on video, heading toward the downtown area of a large southern city, Mobile, Alabama. A city that just experienced tornado damage just 5 days before...
Some might think: what a cruel joke, especially at Christmas - but it's very real for the people who suffered damage from the storm, and very real for those who were tuned in to TV and Internet, following the events of the afternoon in real time and wondering where the severe weather would head next - maybe our area? And, indeed, in the Faith Radio area, we heard reports from the Pike County area, with damage to a mobile home park near Troy, as well as other possible tornadoes in that region. And, we can be thankful that there were no injuries or deaths in the series of storms that moved through Alabama in places such as Mobile, Troy, Hamilton Crossroads, or Grove Hill. The numbers indicate that there were some 34 tornado reports throughout the Southeast on Christmas Day - easily the largest number of tornadoes for that day, ever! There have been 3 reported deaths due to this massive storm - one in Oklahoma on icy roads, another in Louisiana when a tree fell on a man's house, and another in Texas when a tree fell on a truck.
We're reminded of the fragility of life here on earth - and when struggles hit and we're beset by tragedy or adversity, we may not want to be thankful, but it's that thankfulness that can alter our attitude and freshen our perspective. Even when we might not see the evidence of God, we know that He is there - for us - in the midst of the stormy times of our lives. As I was reminded in a Christmas Eve service, God came for us. He is there in the middle of our sorrow and in life's greatest joys. And, the baby born in a manger is a sign to us of God's desire to restore us - to redeem fallen humanity, and to make Himself real when things seem to be falling apart. So, we develop a grateful heart - for Jesus coming to earth, to a fallen world, where a multiplicity of bad things happen. Because of His gift, we have hope - because He is here, we can rejoice!
10 As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. 13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord ; 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. So endurance brings a blessing, huh? That can be hard to comprehend, when we are in the midst of struggle or sorrow, when we are having difficult episodes in our lives. We don't want to be thankful, even though God's Word tells us to be thankful in all circumstances - realizing that what we consider to be adverse circumstances can make us stronger, if we are submissive to what God wants to do in the midst of them. This passage from James gives us the strong encouragement that God desires to meet us in our time of suffering and bring us to a point of healing and restoration - as James writes earlier, in chapter 1, the trying of our faith will produce patience, so that we might be complete in Him.
In 1st Thessalonians 5, the apostle Paul gives the admonition that can help us to gain or maintain the proper attitude when things don't go our way:
16 Rejoice always ; 17 pray without ceasing ; 18 in everything give thanks ; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
I was following Twitter about 5:00 on Christmas afternoon when I began to see the reports of something unthinkable, especially for Christmas Day - a large tornado, caught on video, heading toward the downtown area of a large southern city, Mobile, Alabama. A city that just experienced tornado damage just 5 days before...
Some might think: what a cruel joke, especially at Christmas - but it's very real for the people who suffered damage from the storm, and very real for those who were tuned in to TV and Internet, following the events of the afternoon in real time and wondering where the severe weather would head next - maybe our area? And, indeed, in the Faith Radio area, we heard reports from the Pike County area, with damage to a mobile home park near Troy, as well as other possible tornadoes in that region. And, we can be thankful that there were no injuries or deaths in the series of storms that moved through Alabama in places such as Mobile, Troy, Hamilton Crossroads, or Grove Hill. The numbers indicate that there were some 34 tornado reports throughout the Southeast on Christmas Day - easily the largest number of tornadoes for that day, ever! There have been 3 reported deaths due to this massive storm - one in Oklahoma on icy roads, another in Louisiana when a tree fell on a man's house, and another in Texas when a tree fell on a truck.
We're reminded of the fragility of life here on earth - and when struggles hit and we're beset by tragedy or adversity, we may not want to be thankful, but it's that thankfulness that can alter our attitude and freshen our perspective. Even when we might not see the evidence of God, we know that He is there - for us - in the midst of the stormy times of our lives. As I was reminded in a Christmas Eve service, God came for us. He is there in the middle of our sorrow and in life's greatest joys. And, the baby born in a manger is a sign to us of God's desire to restore us - to redeem fallen humanity, and to make Himself real when things seem to be falling apart. So, we develop a grateful heart - for Jesus coming to earth, to a fallen world, where a multiplicity of bad things happen. Because of His gift, we have hope - because He is here, we can rejoice!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
The End of the World as We Know It
Want to know more about the end of the world? According to the Bible it occurs 1000 years after the second coming of Jesus Christ with the armies of heaven to defeat the enemies of God at the battle of Armageddon. Here's what Revelation 19 says:
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.
Later we read that Satan is bound for 1,000 years - the millennial reign of Christ; Satan is released for a short period of time, and then - it's over - the earth is destroyed and a new heaven and a new earth is established. And, I think this really shows the nature of God...He is devoted to bringing hope - even though the old things are destroyed, He brings renewal. We can have hope for eternity in the midst of a world that is destined for destruction. In this bizarre time when people are discussing "the end", we can share the Scriptures about the second coming, the second Advent of Christ, and the hope that He brings.
In Revelation 21, we see a description of what might accurately be called the "end of the world":
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth ; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes ; and there will no longer be any death ; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain ; the first things have passed away."
It's finally here - a date that has been almost 400 years in the making! The expiration of the 13th b'ak'tun in the current cycle of the Mayan calendar...completing a cycle of over 5000 years. Whew! Glad that's over. Now, it's on to a new cycle.
There has been a lot of talk about the end of the world, according to some secret information that the Mayans supposedly had - I have a calendar at home that ends on December 31st, but that doesn't mean that the end is going to occur then. But this topic does give us an opportunity to ask our friends and family members what they think the end of the world would be like, and perhaps talk about the Biblical viewpoint, which has enormous credibility - after all, the first coming, or Advent of Jesus was predicted with great accuracy, so can't we be certain about the way that the world as we know it will end?
Of course we can. And, by the way, Jesus said that no one will know the day or the hour of His return. That comes at the end of a 7-year period of time called the Great Tribulation, and you can see that described in the book of Revelation. Following the battle of Armageddon - yes, that place is in the Bible - on the plains of Meggido, when armies from the four corners of the earth will gather in battle, you will have the second coming of Jesus Christ and the establishment of a 1000-year reign, also known as the Millennium. Then God will establish a new heavens and a new earth - destroying the old earth and building for us a New Jerusalem there.
So, there you have it! The promise and the timetable - Bible prophecy also indicates that the nations of the world will gather against Israel at the beginning of the Tribulation period...can't we see that taking place today? There are nations who are encircling Israel, and that alignment of nations is a sure sign that the fulfillment of Bible prophecy is near.
The end of the world will come, eventually and the end of our lives will take place, as well. We can say that with certainty...it is appointed for everyone to die, and after that to face judgement. We don't know when the end will come for us, but we have to be ready to meet Jesus when we see Him - we can be certain of spending eternity with Him if we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives. And, since we don't know the time of our expiration, we are called to live our lives with a sense of urgency, making the most of every opportunity, glorifying God in our lives in the short time we have on earth.
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.
Later we read that Satan is bound for 1,000 years - the millennial reign of Christ; Satan is released for a short period of time, and then - it's over - the earth is destroyed and a new heaven and a new earth is established. And, I think this really shows the nature of God...He is devoted to bringing hope - even though the old things are destroyed, He brings renewal. We can have hope for eternity in the midst of a world that is destined for destruction. In this bizarre time when people are discussing "the end", we can share the Scriptures about the second coming, the second Advent of Christ, and the hope that He brings.
In Revelation 21, we see a description of what might accurately be called the "end of the world":
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth ; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes ; and there will no longer be any death ; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain ; the first things have passed away."
It's finally here - a date that has been almost 400 years in the making! The expiration of the 13th b'ak'tun in the current cycle of the Mayan calendar...completing a cycle of over 5000 years. Whew! Glad that's over. Now, it's on to a new cycle.
There has been a lot of talk about the end of the world, according to some secret information that the Mayans supposedly had - I have a calendar at home that ends on December 31st, but that doesn't mean that the end is going to occur then. But this topic does give us an opportunity to ask our friends and family members what they think the end of the world would be like, and perhaps talk about the Biblical viewpoint, which has enormous credibility - after all, the first coming, or Advent of Jesus was predicted with great accuracy, so can't we be certain about the way that the world as we know it will end?
Of course we can. And, by the way, Jesus said that no one will know the day or the hour of His return. That comes at the end of a 7-year period of time called the Great Tribulation, and you can see that described in the book of Revelation. Following the battle of Armageddon - yes, that place is in the Bible - on the plains of Meggido, when armies from the four corners of the earth will gather in battle, you will have the second coming of Jesus Christ and the establishment of a 1000-year reign, also known as the Millennium. Then God will establish a new heavens and a new earth - destroying the old earth and building for us a New Jerusalem there.
So, there you have it! The promise and the timetable - Bible prophecy also indicates that the nations of the world will gather against Israel at the beginning of the Tribulation period...can't we see that taking place today? There are nations who are encircling Israel, and that alignment of nations is a sure sign that the fulfillment of Bible prophecy is near.
The end of the world will come, eventually and the end of our lives will take place, as well. We can say that with certainty...it is appointed for everyone to die, and after that to face judgement. We don't know when the end will come for us, but we have to be ready to meet Jesus when we see Him - we can be certain of spending eternity with Him if we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives. And, since we don't know the time of our expiration, we are called to live our lives with a sense of urgency, making the most of every opportunity, glorifying God in our lives in the short time we have on earth.
An Airborne Animal, Atheists, and Authenticity
The apostle Paul, in writing to the Romans in chapter 1 of that book, wrote about the authenticity of the gospel:
1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord... We serve a God who sent His Son to die for us and who, by virtue from His resurrection from the dead, has given us new life - that is the heart of the Christmas story. He has come to be our Redeemer. And, even though there are skeptics about the resurrection, despite the significant number of expert sources that believe that Jesus rose from the dead, you can look at the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy - over 300 references to the Messiah, all of them fulfilled by Jesus. The Word of God is true, it is authentic, and it is relevant for our culture today, who want to believe myths about Jesus, rather than the accurate portrait painted in the Scriptures - He is alive, He is the Savior of mankind, and He is the Way to God.
In the book of 2nd Peter, someone who walked with Jesus wrote this:
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 19 ...So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. 20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord... We serve a God who sent His Son to die for us and who, by virtue from His resurrection from the dead, has given us new life - that is the heart of the Christmas story. He has come to be our Redeemer. And, even though there are skeptics about the resurrection, despite the significant number of expert sources that believe that Jesus rose from the dead, you can look at the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy - over 300 references to the Messiah, all of them fulfilled by Jesus. The Word of God is true, it is authentic, and it is relevant for our culture today, who want to believe myths about Jesus, rather than the accurate portrait painted in the Scriptures - He is alive, He is the Savior of mankind, and He is the Way to God.
In the book of 2nd Peter, someone who walked with Jesus wrote this:
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 19 ...So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. 20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
Maybe you saw it, maybe you even thought it was real - a YouTube video of a golden eagle swooping out of the sky over a Montreal park to grab an infant in
its talons. It then dropped the child about 3 feet just seconds later. According to CNN, despite broad and
immediate skepticism of its authenticity, it had more than 5 million
views by Wednesday evening.
The Canadian digital-media school where the video was created, Centre NAD, issued a statement yesterday afternoon admitting that the clip was a hoax and naming the students
involved. However the school was unapologetic about its prank, and pointed viewers to another hoax video by some of its students, showing an unlikely penguin escape.
You have to be careful these days to distinguish what is true from what is not. And, even the organization, American Atheists, is having some trouble with that - they have purchased a billboard in New York's Times Square to the tune of $25,000. It pictures a jolly Santa with the words under it, "Keep the MERRY!”. Then, the second half shows a picture of Jesus dying on the cross, with the caption, “Dump the MYTH!”
This Christmas season gives us the opportunity to reflect on and share the meaning of the TRUE Christmas story. There are a lot of myths out there - see also the expiration of the Mayan calendar tomorrow. I'll have a few more comments on that tomorrow, if we're still here (just kidding!). The Bible definitely speaks to the scenario about the end of time.
The Christmas story actually happened, and we can trust in the authenticity of it, not only from a historical perspective, but a personal perspective. Historically, the pages of the Old Testament contain some 300 prophecies about the Messiah - if one were not fulfilled, you could chalk that up to maybe a misinterpretation; if a few were not fulfilled, you could totally discredit the teachings of Scripture. How many unfulfilled prophecies about Jesus? 0. That's right - NONE. So we can be totally confident on the authenticity of the story of Jesus Christ regarding His first coming, as well as His second.
And, the personal testimonies of changed lives due to the presence of the living God in the hearts of people can also provide a living certification of the authenticity of the Christmas story. Because He died and is risen from the dead, we can experience the reality of the living God. When we trust in Christ and live by His principles, we become radically transformed by the power of God.
There are a lot of distractions and false representations of the Christmas story and plan of redemption - God's Word shows us the true story, not a mythical video or a misguided set of claims, but absolute reality for our lives and our culture.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Greetings from Manitou Springs
1st Timothy 6 offers some time-honored principles about our attitude and activity:17
Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty,
nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us
richly all things to enjoy.
18
Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,
19
storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. There are principles here that are applicable, no matter what our financial statement looks like. If God has blessed us, He desires for us to use what He has given us for His glory. We can regard possessions, periods of time, and people as expendable, and toss them aside, when the Lord wants to use us in ministry - our material resources belong to Him, our schedules likewise belong to Him, and if we regard each person as someone created in the image of God, then He will give us a capacity to see them through His eyes. God will give us a sensitivity to ministry as we surrender to Him, and allow His Word and His Spirit to control our lives.
In 1st Peter chapter 4, we get a glimpse into Biblical stewardship, honoring God with what He has given to us:
9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever.
In 1st Peter chapter 4, we get a glimpse into Biblical stewardship, honoring God with what He has given to us:
9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever.
Comedian and late-night show host Johnny Carson said that there was actually only one fruitcake in existence and it was passed from one person to another. You can actually find fruitcake references dating back to the Roman empire, according to the website, WhatsCookingAmerica.net. Fruitcakes began to turn up in Britain in the 1400s when dried fruits from the Mediterranean first arrived.
In the 1700s in Europe, a
ceremonial type of fruitcake was baked at the end of the nut harvest and saved and eaten
the next year to celebrate the beginning of the next harvest, hoping it will bring them
another successful harvest. After the harvest, nuts were mixed and made into a fruitcake that was saved until the
following year. At that time, previous year's fruitcakes were consumed in
the hope that its symbolism would bring the blessing of another successful
harvest.
Claxton, Georgia, in fact, lays claim to the title of "Fruitcake Capital of the World", where two bakeries In make more than 4 million pounds of fruitcake each year. Corsicana, Texas also claims that title.
And, Manitou Springs, Colorado annual pays homage to the fruitcake in an odd, satirical way, with its annual "Fruitcake Toss". The next one is scheduled for January. Here's what the city's website says about it:
Launch your fruitcake into space with a variety of mechanical and pneumatic devices.
Once again the fruitcakes will fly at the 2013 Great Fruitcake Toss. Compete in the Hand Toss, Kid’s Toss, Launch, Pneumatic Gun or Cannon, Team Catch or Accuracy division. The cost of competing is a non-perishable food item, to be donated to the Westside Cares food bank. A limited quantity of fruitcakes are available to rent, however, we encourage you to bring your own fruitcake. Snacks and beverages provided by the MS Kiwanis Club.
Sounds intriguing, right? Fruitcakes launched from a cannon, or caught be a team after being "launched" - that's right, no hand tossing in that competition.
I believe there is actually a spiritual application here, and that deals with what we tend to toss away in our own lives. There are certain resources and people that we might tend to toss away from our lives, figuratively speaking.
Perhaps there are possessions that we do not value - if we do not have a stewardship attitude, we might acquire expendable things that either go to waste or that do not really benefit us. Our identity is not found in the amount of our possessions, and often we have tossed away what God has given to us on superfluous possessions.
And, there are activities that we deem to be expendable. In the way we structure our schedules, we might find ourselves eliminating time with God or time with family - we can toss away periods of time in favor of idle activities. We have to be careful that we are trying to make the best use of the time that God has entrusted to us, investing wisely.
Unfortunately, there are people that the Lord has brought into our lives that we toss away - it may be a friendship that you have set aside, or a tough family relationship that you'd rather not deal with. Maybe it's a stranger that has crossed your path, but you have tossed him or her aside. There are people that are, as we might say, by the side of the road, and we adopt an attitude of tossing them aside for whatever reason.
We toss possessions, periods of time, and people aside, when God wants us to develop a greater senstivity to His plan, and invest what He has given to us to bring life and light into our lives and the lives of others.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
"I Don't Like the Religion Part"
If our ways are in line with God's ways and our minds are fixated on Christ, then we have the promise of peace from the Prince of Peace:
2 Open the gates, That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in. 3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength. Isn't it interesting that during the Christmas season, there is a tendency to become so caught up in the celebration that we neglect to actually remember and communicate with the One whom we're celebrating? The Prince of Peace has come, bringing a right relationship with Him to all who call upon His name - yet, peace is absent when we become so consumed with the activities in which we're engaged this time of year. Busyness isn't necessarily bad - but if we are not abiding in Christ, life can sometimes run off the rails and our eyes taken off the Lord who has come to earth so that we might enjoy a taste of heaven on earth. Abide in God's peace and allow the celebration of Christmas to be a time to encounter the living God in a fresh way.
In Isaiah 48, we read:
17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: "I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go. 18 Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea... 22 "There is no peace," says the Lord, "for the wicked." Because of Jesus and what He did for us on the cross, we can have peace with God and peace in our hearts, even in the midst of a season in which there are some people that are encountering stress in their lives.
It was an odd moment on the "Today" show recently when host Matt Lauer brought up in a panel discussion how people will out-source different Christmas tasks. He said:
Is it okay to out-source your chores during the holiday season? We're all stressed. Holidays are supposed to be a fun time, but they also can cause stress. You can go to Craigslist and other places and you can hire someone to do just about anything, fill out your Christmas cards, buy your Christmas tree, pick out your gifts for your friends and family members. Does this cross some kind of sacred holiday line?
Star Jones chimed in: I focus on, honestly, the religion part of it. I really and truly do. So I can't out-source that part of it. I can send you to get my tree, but I can't help – you can't help me pray.
To which Nancy Snyderman, the network's chief medical editor, responded: I don't like the religion part...
2 Open the gates, That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in. 3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength. Isn't it interesting that during the Christmas season, there is a tendency to become so caught up in the celebration that we neglect to actually remember and communicate with the One whom we're celebrating? The Prince of Peace has come, bringing a right relationship with Him to all who call upon His name - yet, peace is absent when we become so consumed with the activities in which we're engaged this time of year. Busyness isn't necessarily bad - but if we are not abiding in Christ, life can sometimes run off the rails and our eyes taken off the Lord who has come to earth so that we might enjoy a taste of heaven on earth. Abide in God's peace and allow the celebration of Christmas to be a time to encounter the living God in a fresh way.
In Isaiah 48, we read:
17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: "I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go. 18 Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea... 22 "There is no peace," says the Lord, "for the wicked." Because of Jesus and what He did for us on the cross, we can have peace with God and peace in our hearts, even in the midst of a season in which there are some people that are encountering stress in their lives.
It was an odd moment on the "Today" show recently when host Matt Lauer brought up in a panel discussion how people will out-source different Christmas tasks. He said:
Is it okay to out-source your chores during the holiday season? We're all stressed. Holidays are supposed to be a fun time, but they also can cause stress. You can go to Craigslist and other places and you can hire someone to do just about anything, fill out your Christmas cards, buy your Christmas tree, pick out your gifts for your friends and family members. Does this cross some kind of sacred holiday line?
Star Jones chimed in: I focus on, honestly, the religion part of it. I really and truly do. So I can't out-source that part of it. I can send you to get my tree, but I can't help – you can't help me pray.
To which Nancy Snyderman, the network's chief medical editor, responded: I don't like the religion part...
Friday, December 14, 2012
Shooting at Sandy Hook
In 2nd Samuel 22, David cries out to God, after acknowledging Him as his stronghold:
2 "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; 3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior-- from violent men you save me. 4 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. 5 "The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. 6 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. 7 In my distress I called to the LORD; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.
In times of tragedy, where peace has fled and despair has flooded our hearts and minds, we can seek out the comfort of God and His people. He is the One who can give us hope in the times when we are at our lowest. And, even when we think that we cannot sense His presence, we can be assured that He is there, He is our source of comfort and deliverance, and even in the midst of unspeakable travesty, He is faithful.
John 10 reminds us who the author of life is, and what the enemy would desire to do in people's lives:
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Today we keep in our prayers the families of the children and adults who lost their lives as a gunman opened fire in Newtown, CT at Sandy Hook Elementary School. ABC News reports that the alleged shooter
I have to think back on my conversation with Ray Comfort yesterday, as talked about the man-on-the-street interviews that he conducted asking the question, "would you murder for money?" He was very emphatic that we as a society have been sold a bill of goods that has caused us to devalue life in a significant. If we don't believe we - or others - are precious in the sight of God, created in His image, then we will make errant choices. When we as a culture turn our backs on the ways of the Lord, then evil will reign, evil will take root in the hearts of human beings, and people will act according to their sinful nature, which for some will mean that they will take the life of another.
John Lennon's murderer just wanted to be famous. Who knows what the alleged shooter, apparently the father of a child at Sandy Hook Elementary, may have had on his mind - it doesn't justify opening fire on a school full of children, or anyone else. He believed the lie that his motive was legitimate, and the father of lies fit his job description - he stole innocence, he killed dozens of people, and he destroyed, at least temporarily, lives who will be haunted by the tragic images of others dying around them.
So, we pray for peace, for a fresh knowledge of the Prince of Peace, for the presence of Almighty God to touch the lives of the families affected and for those of us who are following the story. If you're a parent, this no doubt stirs deep emotions - I'm sure there are some who have wanted to go to their kids' school and pull them out, putting your arms of protection around them...that's perfectly understandable. We live in a fallen world, evil will occur, and that's why it's so important that we look for ways to be light to people that seemingly have none. And, pray for these people in need in Connecticut in the days to come.
2 "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; 3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior-- from violent men you save me. 4 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. 5 "The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. 6 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. 7 In my distress I called to the LORD; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.
In times of tragedy, where peace has fled and despair has flooded our hearts and minds, we can seek out the comfort of God and His people. He is the One who can give us hope in the times when we are at our lowest. And, even when we think that we cannot sense His presence, we can be assured that He is there, He is our source of comfort and deliverance, and even in the midst of unspeakable travesty, He is faithful.
John 10 reminds us who the author of life is, and what the enemy would desire to do in people's lives:
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Today we keep in our prayers the families of the children and adults who lost their lives as a gunman opened fire in Newtown, CT at Sandy Hook Elementary School. ABC News reports that the alleged shooter
I have to think back on my conversation with Ray Comfort yesterday, as talked about the man-on-the-street interviews that he conducted asking the question, "would you murder for money?" He was very emphatic that we as a society have been sold a bill of goods that has caused us to devalue life in a significant. If we don't believe we - or others - are precious in the sight of God, created in His image, then we will make errant choices. When we as a culture turn our backs on the ways of the Lord, then evil will reign, evil will take root in the hearts of human beings, and people will act according to their sinful nature, which for some will mean that they will take the life of another.
John Lennon's murderer just wanted to be famous. Who knows what the alleged shooter, apparently the father of a child at Sandy Hook Elementary, may have had on his mind - it doesn't justify opening fire on a school full of children, or anyone else. He believed the lie that his motive was legitimate, and the father of lies fit his job description - he stole innocence, he killed dozens of people, and he destroyed, at least temporarily, lives who will be haunted by the tragic images of others dying around them.
So, we pray for peace, for a fresh knowledge of the Prince of Peace, for the presence of Almighty God to touch the lives of the families affected and for those of us who are following the story. If you're a parent, this no doubt stirs deep emotions - I'm sure there are some who have wanted to go to their kids' school and pull them out, putting your arms of protection around them...that's perfectly understandable. We live in a fallen world, evil will occur, and that's why it's so important that we look for ways to be light to people that seemingly have none. And, pray for these people in need in Connecticut in the days to come.
Post-Christian, Non-Christian, and Jedi Knights
The apostle Paul used a phrase in Acts 20 that can give us a reason to reflect:
27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Pay attention to that 4-word phrase: the "whole counsel of God". In a culture where there is a great variety of religious streams of thought, and even variations on a theme of Biblical Christianity, we have to make sure that we are digesting and following the "whole counsel of God", i.e. determining that our personal faith and our practice line up with the principles of Scripture. We cannot pick and choose what we want to believe and what we want to discard. Careful study of the Word of God can help us to focus our faith on the timeless principles of Biblical truth. In 2nd Timothy 4, the apostle Paul gives an exhortation to Timothy that can apply to each of us as we view ourselves as ambassadors of Christ.2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. I think that perhaps that time is here!!
The census is in from Great Britain, and there's a good news/bad news scenario about Christianity there, according to Christianity Today, reporting on the 2011 Census. The number of residents of England and Wales identifying as Christians dropped 13% since 2001. However, Christians still make up 59 percent of the total population. That translates to 33.2 million people.
But with nearly 14.1 million people—a quarter of the population and 6.4 million more people than before—professing no religion at all, some analyses suggest that Christians could fall below majority status to a plurality by 2018. This confirms what we have believed about Europe, and even the U.K. - this is a post-Christian culture in many ways. Also, 2.7 million were identified as Muslim.
Over 240,000 people highlighted an 'other religion' on their census form - including 176,632 Jedi Knights, patterned after the ways of the force in "Star Wars". According to Patheos.com, the Jedi Church's website says: “The Jedi Church believes that there is one all powerful force that binds all things in the universe together. The Jedi religion is something innate inside everyone [sic] of us, the Jedi Church believes that our sense of morality is innate. So quiet your mind and listen to the force within you!”
There is no shortage of religious ideas in the philosophical marketplace - some resemble Biblical Christianity, but might skimp a bit on matters such as the deity of Christ or the exclusivity of Jesus as the Way, the truth, and the life. Or, there may be some God-type being at the head of some religion, but He's not really requiring a whole lot in the way of personal holiness or devotion. And, as in the Jedi Church, there's no God at all, just a nebulous "force".
This is in sharp contrast to the 500-member St. George's Tron church in Glasgow, Scotland, which recently held its final service in its sanctuary.
You see, the church which will be heretofore known as the Tron Church is the first full congregation to split from the Church of Scotland in protest at its moves towards allowing the ordination of gay and lesbian ministers. "These things shall vanish all; the City of God remaineth," were the words that echoed as their last Sunday service ended.
According to the HeraldScotland website, minister Dr. William Philip, in his final sermon, said this:
"The heart of the matter is what it means to follow Jesus. It means struggling against sin, taking up your cross and leaving behind the material desires of this world," he said. "It's not a call to asceticism, but Jesus must come first."
And, a departure from the central truths of loving and revering God and His Word above all and applying His principles in our lives results in faith that might make you feel good, but doesn't resemble the complete teachings of Jesus, the whole counsel of God. We must make sure that our decisions and actions line up with what God has set forth in His Word.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
12 Days of Christmas - Hit by Inflation!
Jesus talked about our treasure and how we regard it in Matthew chapter 6 in the Sermon on the Mount:
19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. We can ask ourselves, how do we view our money? Do we think of our financial resources as completely ours, to be spent in the way we want. Or do we regard our money as belonging to God, and He has directed a use for 90%, after we give the first 10%, the firstfruits, to Him. How we look at that important topic will determine so much about how we use what He has given to us. And, especially this time of year, we have to be so careful to spend our dollars in a way that would be pleasing to Him - if we incur massive debt during the holidays, we can find ourselves in a less-than-optimal position after the first of the year. Whether your an individual, a family, or a government - God's way is best: honor Him with our finances, and don't spend more than you make!
Proverbs 3 encourages us to be wise and responsible stewards for the resources that God has given to us:
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
Well, now that the whole 12-12-12 frenzy is over, we can settle into more serious business concerning the number 12 - that would be the "12 Days of Christmas". The story is told that the song originated among Catholic youth, who were taught the catechism in England during a time when it was a crime to practice their faith. The authenticity of that story is up for debate, although you could make the case that it could be a useful tool to teach elements of the Christian faith. Some say it came from England, others attribute it to France.
It does make for good conversation and consideration. For instance, have you thought about how much the 12 gifts could actually cost - and remember, according to the song, you have 12 packages of gifts - so that means 12 partridges, 22 turtle doves, and, of course, 40 golden rings!
According to FoxNews.com, the cost of buying all 364 items repeated throughout the timeless holiday carol has gone up 6.1 percent since last year, according to the annual Christmas Price Index compiled by PNC Wealth Management. And the new retail cost of $107,300 really hurts in the biggest U.S. cities, where state and local sales tax adds on as much as 9.5 percent.
The financial services company tracks the items - including gold rings (up big), swans (more expensive than you think) and maids a-milking (at minimum wage) as part of its Christmas price index. But it does not include sales tax.
The price of a pear tree is $189.99, an 11.8 percent jump from last year's $169.99. Five gold rings jumped 16.3 percent this year, to $750, and three French hens are now $165, instead of $150.
The $15 partridge is the cheapest item, and swans the most expensive, at $1,000 each.
19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. We can ask ourselves, how do we view our money? Do we think of our financial resources as completely ours, to be spent in the way we want. Or do we regard our money as belonging to God, and He has directed a use for 90%, after we give the first 10%, the firstfruits, to Him. How we look at that important topic will determine so much about how we use what He has given to us. And, especially this time of year, we have to be so careful to spend our dollars in a way that would be pleasing to Him - if we incur massive debt during the holidays, we can find ourselves in a less-than-optimal position after the first of the year. Whether your an individual, a family, or a government - God's way is best: honor Him with our finances, and don't spend more than you make!
Proverbs 3 encourages us to be wise and responsible stewards for the resources that God has given to us:
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
Well, now that the whole 12-12-12 frenzy is over, we can settle into more serious business concerning the number 12 - that would be the "12 Days of Christmas". The story is told that the song originated among Catholic youth, who were taught the catechism in England during a time when it was a crime to practice their faith. The authenticity of that story is up for debate, although you could make the case that it could be a useful tool to teach elements of the Christian faith. Some say it came from England, others attribute it to France.
It does make for good conversation and consideration. For instance, have you thought about how much the 12 gifts could actually cost - and remember, according to the song, you have 12 packages of gifts - so that means 12 partridges, 22 turtle doves, and, of course, 40 golden rings!
According to FoxNews.com, the cost of buying all 364 items repeated throughout the timeless holiday carol has gone up 6.1 percent since last year, according to the annual Christmas Price Index compiled by PNC Wealth Management. And the new retail cost of $107,300 really hurts in the biggest U.S. cities, where state and local sales tax adds on as much as 9.5 percent.
The financial services company tracks the items - including gold rings (up big), swans (more expensive than you think) and maids a-milking (at minimum wage) as part of its Christmas price index. But it does not include sales tax.
The price of a pear tree is $189.99, an 11.8 percent jump from last year's $169.99. Five gold rings jumped 16.3 percent this year, to $750, and three French hens are now $165, instead of $150.
The $15 partridge is the cheapest item, and swans the most expensive, at $1,000 each.
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