In 2nd Corinthians 4, we see the need expressed to view this world and its issues, accurately, in the light of Scripture:
4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
In this age where we struggle to know and accept what is true, we need to be able to see with spiritual eyes, to develop discernment so that we appraise all things from a Biblical perspective. There is plenty of information that is disseminated, but there is much that is just flat out not true. And, if we are not grounded in God's truth, our view of reality becomes distorted, and we begin to live our lives based on principles that do not line up with His ways. Incorporating God's Word into our thinking helps us to see more clearly, and we do not base our decisions on false information, but on the accurate standards of His truth.
The apostle Paul, in praying according to the will of God, wrote this in Ephesians chapter 1:
16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
I was reading the other night about the development of a video game character that is supposedly so real that the game's release was delayed so that her emotional makeup could be so complex and so compelling as she accompanies the player through a maze of challenges. No wonder that video gaming becomes the new reality for a number of teens and young adults, and even older adults - some might say it's a more appealing alternative than real life for some of the players.
And, we craft a world for ourselves through the use of social media, developing "friends" on Facebook and living our lives through the posts that we compose and consume. They're real posts, but are they real friendships? And, does the life we portray really reflect reality?
Google is developing technology through its glasses that present an enhanced reality - when you put on the "Google glasses", you would be able to get additional information on the circumstances around you, and apparently you would be able to record audio and video using the glasses, a kind of mobile security camera, but what a great invasion of privacy. PluggedIn reports that a Seattle business has already banned the use of these devices, even before they have been released. TIME reports that the technology’s already perturbing lawmakers: the West Virginia legislature has introduced an amendment to an existing bill to establish “the offense of operating a motor vehicle using a wearable computer with a head-mounted display.”
Virtual reality - social reality - enhanced reality - these can all offer escapes for us and a distortion of life itself, when we really need a clear picture of reality. As believers in Christ, an escape from the real world does not adequately or accurately equip us to deal with it. Like never before, we need our senses trained to be able to process the information that we interface with daily, and to do so from a Christian worldview perspective. When reality hits, it's not beneficial to immerse ourselves in some sort of virtual reality and escape the real issues. God does equip us to deal with real life, and through discernment, we can respond in a Biblical manner to the challenges of this world, using the principles of God's world. We bring the heavenly, the eternal, into the temporal world of the here and now - His ways are higher than ours, and more real that what we encounter with our senses here on earth.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
What Are You Standing On?
In Isaiah 28, we read a word of caution about building our lives on a foundation other than a relationship with Christ and hiding in our hearts thoughts and motives that are contrary to His:
14 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem. 15 You boast, "We have entered into a covenant with death, with the grave we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweep by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place." 16 So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.
When we experience collapse in our hearts or when circumstances deteriorate in and around our lives, we really do have to evaluate what our lives are really built upon. The Lord will use those times of adversity to teach and strengthen us, and to deal in areas that are shaky. Unhealthy emotions can lie beneath the surface and affect us in ways that we don't realize, causing cracks in our foundation and making life generally unstable. We can rest assured that as we abide in Christ, the Holy Spirit will point out the areas not pleasing to Him and begin to do His masterful repair work and bring security to our lives.
Ephesians 2 underscores the importance of a strong foundation:
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
It seems we've been hearing a lot about crumbling foundations these days, especially in West Central Florida, where late last week in the city of Seffner, another sinkhole appeared. This occurred just weeks after Jeff Bush was swallowed up by a sinkhole as laid in his bed when it opened up under his home. The hole was so massive - 30 by 60 feet - that it is doubtful that Mr. Bush's body will ever be recovered. Last Saturday evening, a new sinkhole, measuring about eight feet wide, appeared between two homes. This is the third one to be found in the same town during the last month.
According to the website iScienceTimes, there are many factors that contribute to the forming of sinkholes. According to experts, sinkholes are formed from a combination of natural factors including weather and moisture as well as man-made factors like wells and plumbing.
State Geologist Jonathan Arthur says that February is usually the driest month in Florida for the year. However, February is also followed by a rainy season. Acidic rain can significantly eat away at limestone to cause natural caverns underneath the state.
"An extensive drought can cause soil and sediment over a cavity to be extremely dry and collapse," said Arthur, indicating the other face of the coin.
Acidic rain can, over time, eat away the limestone and natural caverns that lie under much of the state, causing sinkholes. Both extremely dry weather and very wet weather can trigger sinkholes, he said.
So, the conditions can be conducive to the development of sinkholes, but you never really know what lies beneath and what could trigger the ground to suddenly cave in.
In a world that is need of an anchor and a sense of security, we do have a firm foundation upon whom we can rest. When uncertainty comes - and it will - we can run to the rock and find stability. When below the surface, in our heart of hearts, we are beset by fears, doubts, and wounds of the spirit, the Lord can bring healing and restoration to us. He repairs us when areas of our lives collapse, or when we are overwhelmed by a sinking feeling that things are falling apart. He came, died, and rose again so that He might fix what was, and is, broken.
14 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem. 15 You boast, "We have entered into a covenant with death, with the grave we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweep by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place." 16 So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.
When we experience collapse in our hearts or when circumstances deteriorate in and around our lives, we really do have to evaluate what our lives are really built upon. The Lord will use those times of adversity to teach and strengthen us, and to deal in areas that are shaky. Unhealthy emotions can lie beneath the surface and affect us in ways that we don't realize, causing cracks in our foundation and making life generally unstable. We can rest assured that as we abide in Christ, the Holy Spirit will point out the areas not pleasing to Him and begin to do His masterful repair work and bring security to our lives.
Ephesians 2 underscores the importance of a strong foundation:
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
It seems we've been hearing a lot about crumbling foundations these days, especially in West Central Florida, where late last week in the city of Seffner, another sinkhole appeared. This occurred just weeks after Jeff Bush was swallowed up by a sinkhole as laid in his bed when it opened up under his home. The hole was so massive - 30 by 60 feet - that it is doubtful that Mr. Bush's body will ever be recovered. Last Saturday evening, a new sinkhole, measuring about eight feet wide, appeared between two homes. This is the third one to be found in the same town during the last month.
According to the website iScienceTimes, there are many factors that contribute to the forming of sinkholes. According to experts, sinkholes are formed from a combination of natural factors including weather and moisture as well as man-made factors like wells and plumbing.
State Geologist Jonathan Arthur says that February is usually the driest month in Florida for the year. However, February is also followed by a rainy season. Acidic rain can significantly eat away at limestone to cause natural caverns underneath the state.
"An extensive drought can cause soil and sediment over a cavity to be extremely dry and collapse," said Arthur, indicating the other face of the coin.
Acidic rain can, over time, eat away the limestone and natural caverns that lie under much of the state, causing sinkholes. Both extremely dry weather and very wet weather can trigger sinkholes, he said.
So, the conditions can be conducive to the development of sinkholes, but you never really know what lies beneath and what could trigger the ground to suddenly cave in.
In a world that is need of an anchor and a sense of security, we do have a firm foundation upon whom we can rest. When uncertainty comes - and it will - we can run to the rock and find stability. When below the surface, in our heart of hearts, we are beset by fears, doubts, and wounds of the spirit, the Lord can bring healing and restoration to us. He repairs us when areas of our lives collapse, or when we are overwhelmed by a sinking feeling that things are falling apart. He came, died, and rose again so that He might fix what was, and is, broken.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Stomping on Jesus
In 1st Peter 2, we see Jesus described as the stone, the foundation, that many rejected:
4 As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-- 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Jesus is the one Master Builder, and told Peter that "upon this rock" - the rock of the knowledge of God and who Jesus is - would form the foundation for the Church, the body of Christ. The so-called "builders" rejected that knowledge, and you might say that to craft a system of religion that is not predicated on the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, His perfect sacrifice, is building on the wrong foundation. He is the One True God, and we can experience stability and security in our lives as we accept His sacrifice and follow His principles.
In Isaiah chapter 53, the prophet gives us a picture of the suffering Savior, our Lord who was rejected by men so that He could pay the price for our sins:
4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Florida Atlantic University has issued a formal apology to a student that was facing academic charges after he complained about a professor who ordered the class to write the name “Jesus” on pieces of paper and then stomp on the paper.
According to Todd Starnes of Fox News, Ryan Rotela, a student at FAU, was accused of violating the student code of conduct after he reported his instructor to university administrators. He was removed from the class, ordered not to contact fellow students, and was facing possible suspension or expulsion – pending the outcome of a student hearing.
Corey King, the university's dean of students, said, “First and foremost, we are deeply sorry for any hurt regarding this incident, any insensitivity that may have been seen by the community and the greater community at large." King said that,“upon reflection, the university has decided not to move forward with any disciplinary action against any student regarding this matter.” King said it was obvious the lesson caused “hurt and pain” within the community and within the university’s population.
It is unclear if any action will be taken against the professor. The assignment said this: “Have the students write the name JESUS in big letters on a piece of paper,” the lesson reads. “Ask the students to stand up and put the paper on the floor in front of them with the name facing up. Ask the students to think about it for a moment. After a brief period of silence instruct them to step on the paper. Most will hesitate. Ask why they can’t step on the paper. Discuss the importance of symbols in culture.”
Liberty Institute defended Ryan, and attorney Hiram Sasser said the outcome of Rotela’s case should serve as a lesson for other Americans facing religious persecution. “It just takes one person to stand up against this type of aggressive nonsense,” he told Fox News. “It also takes like-minded people standing together to say we are not going to tolerate this type of religious bigotry.”
This is an especially pertinent lesson during Holy Week, when Jesus Himself was severely persecuted, beaten, humiliated, and eventually crucified - for a higher purpose, for the forgiveness of our sins, bearing sin upon Himself so that we could be free. He was put to death by sinful men, so that He could redeem sinful humanity. We do well to reflect on and gain a deeper appreciation of what He has done for us, so we can appropriate a greater degree of His presence in our lives.
But, there are those of us that take His sacrifice for granted - some outright reject that sacrifice; some have called on the name of Christ, but by their actions, they deny Him. In Hebrews 10:28-29, we read:
28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? This is part of a passage describing the actions of God, our consuming fire, upon those who have known to a limited extent, but turned their back on God. John Piper writes that there are 5 descriptions of these people:
Verse 26: they go on sinning willfully...
Verse 27: at the end of the verse they are called "adversaries."...
Verse 29: they have trampled under foot the Son of God. The Son of God laid his life down for them to receive as their substitute, and instead of receiving him as their life and hope, they paused, got some religion, and then stepped on him and went on to other things...
Verse 29b: they regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant...They drank the cup of the new covenant, said, "Nice juice," and went away to sin - as if it were not the most precious reality in the universe...
Verse 29 at the end: They "insulted the Spirit of grace." They tasted the grace of God in their lives, were influenced by it in some measure, but then they began to turn it into license and used it to justify their love of sinning, and eventually threw it away as unnecessary.
So, while this professor in Florida missed it when he asked his students to "stomp" on the written name of Jesus, we also recognize that there are actions that we take that in essence do something much worse - to reject the sacrifice of the Son of God for us and to follow our own course. That is why it is so important that when we sin, that we confess our transgressions so that we can be restored by God into a right relationship with Himself.
4 As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-- 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Jesus is the one Master Builder, and told Peter that "upon this rock" - the rock of the knowledge of God and who Jesus is - would form the foundation for the Church, the body of Christ. The so-called "builders" rejected that knowledge, and you might say that to craft a system of religion that is not predicated on the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, His perfect sacrifice, is building on the wrong foundation. He is the One True God, and we can experience stability and security in our lives as we accept His sacrifice and follow His principles.
In Isaiah chapter 53, the prophet gives us a picture of the suffering Savior, our Lord who was rejected by men so that He could pay the price for our sins:
4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Florida Atlantic University has issued a formal apology to a student that was facing academic charges after he complained about a professor who ordered the class to write the name “Jesus” on pieces of paper and then stomp on the paper.
According to Todd Starnes of Fox News, Ryan Rotela, a student at FAU, was accused of violating the student code of conduct after he reported his instructor to university administrators. He was removed from the class, ordered not to contact fellow students, and was facing possible suspension or expulsion – pending the outcome of a student hearing.
Corey King, the university's dean of students, said, “First and foremost, we are deeply sorry for any hurt regarding this incident, any insensitivity that may have been seen by the community and the greater community at large." King said that,“upon reflection, the university has decided not to move forward with any disciplinary action against any student regarding this matter.” King said it was obvious the lesson caused “hurt and pain” within the community and within the university’s population.
It is unclear if any action will be taken against the professor. The assignment said this: “Have the students write the name JESUS in big letters on a piece of paper,” the lesson reads. “Ask the students to stand up and put the paper on the floor in front of them with the name facing up. Ask the students to think about it for a moment. After a brief period of silence instruct them to step on the paper. Most will hesitate. Ask why they can’t step on the paper. Discuss the importance of symbols in culture.”
Liberty Institute defended Ryan, and attorney Hiram Sasser said the outcome of Rotela’s case should serve as a lesson for other Americans facing religious persecution. “It just takes one person to stand up against this type of aggressive nonsense,” he told Fox News. “It also takes like-minded people standing together to say we are not going to tolerate this type of religious bigotry.”
This is an especially pertinent lesson during Holy Week, when Jesus Himself was severely persecuted, beaten, humiliated, and eventually crucified - for a higher purpose, for the forgiveness of our sins, bearing sin upon Himself so that we could be free. He was put to death by sinful men, so that He could redeem sinful humanity. We do well to reflect on and gain a deeper appreciation of what He has done for us, so we can appropriate a greater degree of His presence in our lives.
But, there are those of us that take His sacrifice for granted - some outright reject that sacrifice; some have called on the name of Christ, but by their actions, they deny Him. In Hebrews 10:28-29, we read:
28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? This is part of a passage describing the actions of God, our consuming fire, upon those who have known to a limited extent, but turned their back on God. John Piper writes that there are 5 descriptions of these people:
Verse 26: they go on sinning willfully...
Verse 27: at the end of the verse they are called "adversaries."...
Verse 29: they have trampled under foot the Son of God. The Son of God laid his life down for them to receive as their substitute, and instead of receiving him as their life and hope, they paused, got some religion, and then stepped on him and went on to other things...
Verse 29b: they regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant...They drank the cup of the new covenant, said, "Nice juice," and went away to sin - as if it were not the most precious reality in the universe...
Verse 29 at the end: They "insulted the Spirit of grace." They tasted the grace of God in their lives, were influenced by it in some measure, but then they began to turn it into license and used it to justify their love of sinning, and eventually threw it away as unnecessary.
So, while this professor in Florida missed it when he asked his students to "stomp" on the written name of Jesus, we also recognize that there are actions that we take that in essence do something much worse - to reject the sacrifice of the Son of God for us and to follow our own course. That is why it is so important that when we sin, that we confess our transgressions so that we can be restored by God into a right relationship with Himself.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Life's Interruptions and God's Perspective
In Exodus 15, we read these 2 verses which can help shape our perspective on the wonder and wisdom of Almighty God:
11 "Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you--majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? 13 "In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.
There is none like our God - He is above all others which we would falsely label to be god of our lives, and the One who possesses unfailing love. He prepares us for the interruptions of life and He gives us perspective during those interruptions, as well. He has great strength to give us that will sustain us in tough times, and we can be confident that His love never fails. Our trust in His love, wisdom, and strength are vital as we navigate through the unexpected trials that come our way.
Romans 8 can help us to be prepared for life's interruptions and to have the right perspective:
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
It's a series of moments that so many have been waiting for - the anticipation of the unexpected and the display of athleticism in wall-to-wall coverage. The first weekend of March Madness is now history and the NCAA men's basketball tournament lineup has been whittled down from 68 to 16 teams.
Throughout the weekend, we had not only a flurry of exciting games, some incredible upsets, and compelling story lines. And, they were all enhanced by a flurry of announcers posted across 4 different networks.
One of the best, of course, is Clark Kellogg, who I would assume is part of the lead announcing team on CBS with Jim Nantz - as I recall, they had the call on one of the truly thrilling games of the weekend, Indiana and Temple, which appeared to be an Owls victory until the final seconds. In less than 2 weeks, prior to the Final Four in Atlanta, he will be teamed with another believer and someone who was featured prominently in the NCAA coverage over the weekend, Ernie Johnson. Together, they will emcee Athletes in Action's annual "Legends of the Hardwood Breakfast", where the John Wooden "Keys to Life" Award will be presented. This year's winner will be former Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett.
Clark played for Ohio State, then went to the NBA with the Indiana Pacers. Unfortunately, knee problems resulted in the end of his career 5 years later. Kellogg writes on AIA's, BeyondTheUltimate.com website:
As we think about Coach Wooden's "Keys to Life", these guys illustrate that, as the Coach says, we can make each day a masterpiece. Good or bad, we recognize that each day is a gift, and though the interruptions may come, we know that He is with us and His love never fails.
11 "Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you--majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? 13 "In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.
There is none like our God - He is above all others which we would falsely label to be god of our lives, and the One who possesses unfailing love. He prepares us for the interruptions of life and He gives us perspective during those interruptions, as well. He has great strength to give us that will sustain us in tough times, and we can be confident that His love never fails. Our trust in His love, wisdom, and strength are vital as we navigate through the unexpected trials that come our way.
Romans 8 can help us to be prepared for life's interruptions and to have the right perspective:
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
It's a series of moments that so many have been waiting for - the anticipation of the unexpected and the display of athleticism in wall-to-wall coverage. The first weekend of March Madness is now history and the NCAA men's basketball tournament lineup has been whittled down from 68 to 16 teams.
Throughout the weekend, we had not only a flurry of exciting games, some incredible upsets, and compelling story lines. And, they were all enhanced by a flurry of announcers posted across 4 different networks.
One of the best, of course, is Clark Kellogg, who I would assume is part of the lead announcing team on CBS with Jim Nantz - as I recall, they had the call on one of the truly thrilling games of the weekend, Indiana and Temple, which appeared to be an Owls victory until the final seconds. In less than 2 weeks, prior to the Final Four in Atlanta, he will be teamed with another believer and someone who was featured prominently in the NCAA coverage over the weekend, Ernie Johnson. Together, they will emcee Athletes in Action's annual "Legends of the Hardwood Breakfast", where the John Wooden "Keys to Life" Award will be presented. This year's winner will be former Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett.
Clark played for Ohio State, then went to the NBA with the Indiana Pacers. Unfortunately, knee problems resulted in the end of his career 5 years later. Kellogg writes on AIA's, BeyondTheUltimate.com website:
In 1985, while rehabilitating from a third knee surgery, I began thinking about my purpose in life. A local minister started conducting chapel services prior to games. Curious about the peace he had, I asked him to walk me and my wife through the Bible and teach us about God.In 2003, Ernie Johnson was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He had 6 rounds of chemo, and reports that the cancer is in remission. He says that:
...people have asked me, “How’d you get through that?” I tell them there are three words: “Trust God. Period.” Not “Trust God if this next test comes back the way I want it to. Period.” He relates that he has that perspective because of his decision to follow Christ 9 years before that "interruption".Clark's interruption led him to seek more of God in his life and resulted in his accepting Christ. Ernie accepted Christ, which prepared him for a major interruption in his life. Both of these gentlemen can teach us that God has a plan, and even though life may not go the way we think it should sometimes, it's important that we are prepared for difficult times and realize that our difficulties can drive us to seek God more deeply.
As we think about Coach Wooden's "Keys to Life", these guys illustrate that, as the Coach says, we can make each day a masterpiece. Good or bad, we recognize that each day is a gift, and though the interruptions may come, we know that He is with us and His love never fails.
Friday, March 22, 2013
Signs of the Heart
In Ephesians chapter 2, we can see how Christ has come to give us a new life and a new identity and how He desires to express His nature and tell His story through us:
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus... 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
You are loved by God, alive in Christ, raised up with Him, declared to be His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus. If we were to display and wear a sign about our life, that's a great start - we are new creations in Christ Jesus, and declared to be holy and righteous before Him...completely forgiven by His blood. If we grasp that message and allow it to permeate us, it will make a difference in the way we think - and the way we live!
In Jeremiah 17, we read:
1 "The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; With the point of a diamond it is engraved On the tablet of their heart, And on the horns of your altars, 7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. 9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? 10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.
A set of parents in Florida who have been disappointed in their 13-year-old's behavior as of late took a unique approach to punishment recently: according to Yahoo!, last Saturday, the teen (whose name has not been released) spent 90 minutes standing at a busy intersection with a hand-written sign describing her sins. It read: "I’m a self-entitled teenager w/no respect for authority. I’m also super smart, yet I have 3 'D’s' because I DON’T CARE."
The mom told a local paper that, “I wasn’t even thinking about what the public was going to think...I was thinking about our daughter. It was for her to be in the public and recognize what she had done wrong."
In a statement, the parents said, "We spend so much focus on not wanting to hurt a child's self esteem that we don't do anything." And, "Walk a mile in someone's shoes...We must undo at home what the world tries to tell her is better."
Well, there are indications that the bizarre punishment may have been effective, but when something unique is demonstrated in such a public manner, there is a good chance that people with cell phones will take pictures and post them online, which has happened, with many taking the family to task for the shame and humiliation.
I will not comment on the wisdom of this punishment, but I did think about this: what if you were forced to hold a sign that expresses what's in your heart? The messages that are written on our heart will ultimately be expressed in our behavior. This teenager's behavior was posted for thousands to see - and there is a message that each of us demonstrates through our life for others to see, as well.
The 2 young men who were convicted in Steubenville, Ohio for drugging and victimizing a young lady certainly had the wrong signs written on their hearts. So did their fellow teens who took part in filming the incident and posting video online. And, the father of one of the boys stated his own culpability: "Everyone knows I wasn't there for my son. I feel responsible for his actions. I feel highly responsible for his actions."
Sportwriter Dan Wetzel, quoted in The Christian Post, noted that there was arrogance: "Arrogance from the defendants. Arrogance from the friends. Arrogance within the culture...."A culture of arrogance created a group mindset of debauchery and disrespect, of misplaced manhood and lost morality."
The mother of the victim wanted to write a different message and hold a sign of forgiveness: the Post quotes her statement:
So, again, we can ask ourselves what messages we are displaying with the way we live our lives - our behavior is a visible sign of what's in our heart - what are we writing there? And, parents, what messages are we writing on the hearts of our children?
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus... 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
You are loved by God, alive in Christ, raised up with Him, declared to be His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus. If we were to display and wear a sign about our life, that's a great start - we are new creations in Christ Jesus, and declared to be holy and righteous before Him...completely forgiven by His blood. If we grasp that message and allow it to permeate us, it will make a difference in the way we think - and the way we live!
In Jeremiah 17, we read:
1 "The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; With the point of a diamond it is engraved On the tablet of their heart, And on the horns of your altars, 7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. 9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? 10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.
A set of parents in Florida who have been disappointed in their 13-year-old's behavior as of late took a unique approach to punishment recently: according to Yahoo!, last Saturday, the teen (whose name has not been released) spent 90 minutes standing at a busy intersection with a hand-written sign describing her sins. It read: "I’m a self-entitled teenager w/no respect for authority. I’m also super smart, yet I have 3 'D’s' because I DON’T CARE."
The mom told a local paper that, “I wasn’t even thinking about what the public was going to think...I was thinking about our daughter. It was for her to be in the public and recognize what she had done wrong."
In a statement, the parents said, "We spend so much focus on not wanting to hurt a child's self esteem that we don't do anything." And, "Walk a mile in someone's shoes...We must undo at home what the world tries to tell her is better."
Well, there are indications that the bizarre punishment may have been effective, but when something unique is demonstrated in such a public manner, there is a good chance that people with cell phones will take pictures and post them online, which has happened, with many taking the family to task for the shame and humiliation.
I will not comment on the wisdom of this punishment, but I did think about this: what if you were forced to hold a sign that expresses what's in your heart? The messages that are written on our heart will ultimately be expressed in our behavior. This teenager's behavior was posted for thousands to see - and there is a message that each of us demonstrates through our life for others to see, as well.
The 2 young men who were convicted in Steubenville, Ohio for drugging and victimizing a young lady certainly had the wrong signs written on their hearts. So did their fellow teens who took part in filming the incident and posting video online. And, the father of one of the boys stated his own culpability: "Everyone knows I wasn't there for my son. I feel responsible for his actions. I feel highly responsible for his actions."
Sportwriter Dan Wetzel, quoted in The Christian Post, noted that there was arrogance: "Arrogance from the defendants. Arrogance from the friends. Arrogance within the culture...."A culture of arrogance created a group mindset of debauchery and disrespect, of misplaced manhood and lost morality."
The mother of the victim wanted to write a different message and hold a sign of forgiveness: the Post quotes her statement:
"It did not matter what school you went to, what city you live in, or what sport you've played. Human compassion is not taught by a teacher, a coach or a parent. It is a God-given gift instilled in all of us. You displayed not only a lack of compassion but a lack of any moral code...So, the mom has chosen to display the sign of forgiveness and desires to write words of healing on the heart of her daughter and those who attacked her. Noted author Ann Voskamp is taking the occasion to write words of respect for women on the heart of her son. In the blog post, "After Steubenville: 25 Things Our Sons Need to Know About Manhood", she writes:
"This does not define who my daughter is. She will persevere, grow and move on. I have pity for you both. I hope you fear the Lord, repent for your actions and pray hard for his forgiveness," she added.
"...when the prevailing thinking is boys will be boys – girls will be garbage. And that is never the heart of God. That's what you have to get, Son – Real Manhood knows the heart of God for the daughters of His heart."Among the 25 things Voskamp advises for her sons to learn about manhood are: "To stay silent is to let perpetrators perpetuate;" "Unless a man looks to Jesus, a man doesn't know how to treat a woman;" and "Real Manhood means you take responsibility for your body."
So, again, we can ask ourselves what messages we are displaying with the way we live our lives - our behavior is a visible sign of what's in our heart - what are we writing there? And, parents, what messages are we writing on the hearts of our children?
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Are the Dominos Falling?
As we approach Holy Week, we can be challenged to develop a greater appreciation of the message of the cross; here's what 1st Corinthians 1 says:
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
Here we see the contrast of worldviews - the Christian worldview, rooted in Biblical principles, centered on the power of the cross; and the secular worldview, steeped in worldly wisdom and human understanding. And, there is great polarization in our culture today between those two positions. The Great Commission is focused on winning hearts, not necessarily winning arguments. Sure, we speak and act boldly and skillfully according to Biblical truth, but the way we display the character of Christ can ultimately play a key role in winning the heart. Cultural decline essentially takes place because people do not know or follow God, so to reverse that, it's important that people are being influenced with the knowledge and presence of Christ.
I was reading the closing statement of Moses to the people of Israel this morning, and it really rocked my world, sort of speak - listen to the words of Deuteronomy 32, as Moses recognized that there would be those who reject God.
18 Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, And have forgotten the God who fathered you. 19 "And when the Lord saw it, He spurned them, Because of the provocation of His sons and His daughters. 20 And He said: 'I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end will be, For they are a perverse generation, Children in whom is no faith. 21 They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God. I believe that there are many individually who are experiencing God's face being hidden from them, but keep in mind, they are still not beyond redemption through a saving knowledge of Christ. But, if a person is separated from, even hard-hearted toward the things of God, then we can't necessarily expect that person to embrace our worldview. They have a different perspective, and we end up trying to win an argument without winning a heart.
According to Religion Today, a new national poll reflects the continued cultural shift in attitudes toward gay marriage one week before it faces a monumental test at the Supreme Court, PBS reports. The Washington Post/ABC News survey released Monday found that 58 percent of Americans believe it should be legal for gay couples to get married. Thirty-six percent of respondents opposed making same-sex marriage legal. The survey "reflects a remarkable -- and remarkably fast -- turnabout in American public opinion one of the most emotionally raw and politically divisive issues of the past decade," according to the Post. Washington Post. Here is an interesting component of the survey data: voters ages 18-29 support legalizing gay marriage 81 percent to 15 percent.
The dominos are clearly falling on this issue - Bill Clinton, the President who signed the Defense of Marriage Act, defining marriage as one-man for one-women, has now said that he thinks the Supreme Court should overturn it; his wife has also announced her support for same-sex marriage. A leading House member, Rob Portman, has done the same, wanting his gay son to live happily in a committed relationship.
Meanwhile, at Yale University, an event on campus was just held that promotes “compassion” and “understanding” for those who engage in bestiality and incest, as part of “Yale’s Sex Weekend.” Christian groups at Yale, by the way, can't receive official recognition if they restrict their leaders and members to only those who share their religious beliefs.
So, how does that make you feel? Angry? Like giving up? Helpless? All of the above? While politically, one could conclude that Christians are losing on this issue - losing because the Biblical definition of marriage is clear and people don't seem to be getting it - one man for one woman, which was confirmed even by Jesus, who some say didn't address the matter of homosexuality.
But, hold on a minute - this should be driving us to our knees...that's why Praying Across Alabama and other prayer initiatives are critical as we seek to recapture our moral foundation as a state and nation, but we also recognize that revival begins with us. And, as we generate a greater dependence on God, we go forward, not with the motive of winning political battles necessarily, but to win hearts for the Lord. You and I individually can't change the culture, but we can change the atmosphere around us, and prayer serves a key role in that. And, we can join our hearts with thousands, even millions of other believers, to pray for the cultural trends that disappoint us - Alliance Defending Freedom is in the midst of a 9-week prayer initiative leading up to next week's Supreme Court arguments. This event at the high court next week should be on our prayer list, for sure.
And, for the majority of Americans, especially young adults, who embrace this view of marriage, we have to be extra careful that we are not repelling the people that God calls us to win. There is a place for political and social actions, for sure, but we also recognize that a person who does not know Christ cannot necessarily be expected to understand our Biblical position on cultural issues. It is through a change of heart that a change of position or worldview can be enacted.
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
Here we see the contrast of worldviews - the Christian worldview, rooted in Biblical principles, centered on the power of the cross; and the secular worldview, steeped in worldly wisdom and human understanding. And, there is great polarization in our culture today between those two positions. The Great Commission is focused on winning hearts, not necessarily winning arguments. Sure, we speak and act boldly and skillfully according to Biblical truth, but the way we display the character of Christ can ultimately play a key role in winning the heart. Cultural decline essentially takes place because people do not know or follow God, so to reverse that, it's important that people are being influenced with the knowledge and presence of Christ.
I was reading the closing statement of Moses to the people of Israel this morning, and it really rocked my world, sort of speak - listen to the words of Deuteronomy 32, as Moses recognized that there would be those who reject God.
18 Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, And have forgotten the God who fathered you. 19 "And when the Lord saw it, He spurned them, Because of the provocation of His sons and His daughters. 20 And He said: 'I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end will be, For they are a perverse generation, Children in whom is no faith. 21 They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God. I believe that there are many individually who are experiencing God's face being hidden from them, but keep in mind, they are still not beyond redemption through a saving knowledge of Christ. But, if a person is separated from, even hard-hearted toward the things of God, then we can't necessarily expect that person to embrace our worldview. They have a different perspective, and we end up trying to win an argument without winning a heart.
According to Religion Today, a new national poll reflects the continued cultural shift in attitudes toward gay marriage one week before it faces a monumental test at the Supreme Court, PBS reports. The Washington Post/ABC News survey released Monday found that 58 percent of Americans believe it should be legal for gay couples to get married. Thirty-six percent of respondents opposed making same-sex marriage legal. The survey "reflects a remarkable -- and remarkably fast -- turnabout in American public opinion one of the most emotionally raw and politically divisive issues of the past decade," according to the Post. Washington Post. Here is an interesting component of the survey data: voters ages 18-29 support legalizing gay marriage 81 percent to 15 percent.
The dominos are clearly falling on this issue - Bill Clinton, the President who signed the Defense of Marriage Act, defining marriage as one-man for one-women, has now said that he thinks the Supreme Court should overturn it; his wife has also announced her support for same-sex marriage. A leading House member, Rob Portman, has done the same, wanting his gay son to live happily in a committed relationship.
Meanwhile, at Yale University, an event on campus was just held that promotes “compassion” and “understanding” for those who engage in bestiality and incest, as part of “Yale’s Sex Weekend.” Christian groups at Yale, by the way, can't receive official recognition if they restrict their leaders and members to only those who share their religious beliefs.
So, how does that make you feel? Angry? Like giving up? Helpless? All of the above? While politically, one could conclude that Christians are losing on this issue - losing because the Biblical definition of marriage is clear and people don't seem to be getting it - one man for one woman, which was confirmed even by Jesus, who some say didn't address the matter of homosexuality.
But, hold on a minute - this should be driving us to our knees...that's why Praying Across Alabama and other prayer initiatives are critical as we seek to recapture our moral foundation as a state and nation, but we also recognize that revival begins with us. And, as we generate a greater dependence on God, we go forward, not with the motive of winning political battles necessarily, but to win hearts for the Lord. You and I individually can't change the culture, but we can change the atmosphere around us, and prayer serves a key role in that. And, we can join our hearts with thousands, even millions of other believers, to pray for the cultural trends that disappoint us - Alliance Defending Freedom is in the midst of a 9-week prayer initiative leading up to next week's Supreme Court arguments. This event at the high court next week should be on our prayer list, for sure.
And, for the majority of Americans, especially young adults, who embrace this view of marriage, we have to be extra careful that we are not repelling the people that God calls us to win. There is a place for political and social actions, for sure, but we also recognize that a person who does not know Christ cannot necessarily be expected to understand our Biblical position on cultural issues. It is through a change of heart that a change of position or worldview can be enacted.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Spiritual Warfare and the Power of Distraction
1st Corinthians chapter 15, verses 57 & 58 can remind us that God calls us to walk in victory:
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
If we are viewing our lives and the world around us through spiritual eyes, we recognize that spiritual warfare is taking place. The enemy is attempting to bring distraction and deception into our lives to make our walk with Christ less pleasurable and render less effective our work for His Kingdom. And, he is using his devices to draw people away from God, to reject His principles, and to act in a manner that is contrary to Biblical truth - to do evil, essentially. In the context of this cultural situation we have been placed - to exalt God in our thoughts and actions, to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as we allow Him to guide us, and to, even in small ways, seek to bring the presence of Jesus into the part of this fallen world into which we're called.
In 1st Peter chapter 5, we see a description of spiritual warfare and the potential we have to walk in victory through Christ:
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
"The Bible" miniseries on the History Channel is back in the top slot among all broadcast and cable programs. This past Sunday's episode, the third of five, drew 10.9 million viewers, better than its previous week of 10.8 million. It bested AMC's "Walking Dead" (10.8 million) and CBS' "60 Minutes" (10.2 million).
According to Baptist Press, the series was No. 1 among broadcast and cable shows in its first week but dropped to No. 3 in its second week. And, with episodes 4 and 5 bookending Holy Week, the series is primed to do even better, I would think.
And, that's without some unwanted attention which just could serve to get some curiosity seekers tuning in. Apparently, on Twitter this past Sunday night, some remarked how the actor playing the role of Satan looks like President Obama. Please! This is headline news?
Mark Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey, the creators of the miniseries "The Bible" and the History Channel are denying reports that the character Satan intentionally resembles President Barack Obama. The Burnetts issued a statement, which said: "This is utter nonsense. The actor who played Satan, Mehdi Ouzaani, is a highly acclaimed Moroccan actor. He has previously played parts in several Biblical epics -- including Satanic characters long before Barack Obama was elected as our president." Downey added: "Both Mark and I have nothing but respect and love for our president, who is a fellow Christian. False statements such as these are just designed as a foolish distraction to try and discredit the beauty of the story of the Bible."
The History Channel also set out to put an end to the rumors, saying the show aims to feature "a diverse cast of respected actors." The network said in a statement: "History Channel has the highest respect for President Obama. It's unfortunate that anyone made this false connection. History's 'The Bible' is meant to enlighten people on its rich stories and deep history."
This is consistent with the abundance of tweets and Facebook memes that seek to portray the President in a negative light. While, we may not agree with some of his policies - and we are correct to evaluate policy from a Biblical perspective - to move into the realm of character assassination or outright mockery is not appropriate for the Christian. We are directed in Scripture to pray for him and all those in authority. And, while Mr. Obama is visiting the land given to God's chosen people, this may be a great time to start!
That being said, this negative publicity may draw more people to watch the miniseries and be confronted with the truth about Jesus and the Bible. And, I would like to use this as an opportunity to share briefly on Satan and the nature of evil.
In our incredible Pastors' Prayer Time yesterday, I was struck by the spiritual warfare dimension of what we were doing - gathering shortly before Easter, when more people attend church, and when the enemy would want to distract our messengers and shepherds. This focused time is intended to help strengthen our leaders. And, we can be reminded that we are in a spiritual battle, but we have been given powerful tools to resist the enemy, who would come to diminish the effectiveness of our ministry.
I also listened as there were some prayers about the presence of the enemy in culture. Coming on the heels of Josh McDowell's incredible message that some had heard the night before about how the enemy is corrupting hearts and minds through Internet pornography, we recognize that we are in a fallen world and that, in the midst of people who would deny God - and the devil - Satan is making a distinct impact. There were prayers lifted up against the perversion of marriage, one of the bedrock institutions that make for a stable culture, an institution ordained by God. And, there was concern expressed about the proliferation of crime in our area - a topic about which the church can certainly offer answers, through prayer and direct ministry, which can result in true heart change by Jesus Christ.
The Bible tells us in 1st Peter 5 to resist him, to resist the devil, even though he is seeking whom he may devour. Personally, through speaking God's Word when the enemy attacks, putting on the full armor of God, resisting temptation, and obeying God, we can walk in victory. And, culturally, our prayers and obedience can help to reverse the trends of a culture that is bent on doing what is right in its own eyes, without being informed by a faith in Jesus Christ. There is hope, but we have to decide to allow God to use us to effectively counter the real enemy of the souls of humanity.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
If we are viewing our lives and the world around us through spiritual eyes, we recognize that spiritual warfare is taking place. The enemy is attempting to bring distraction and deception into our lives to make our walk with Christ less pleasurable and render less effective our work for His Kingdom. And, he is using his devices to draw people away from God, to reject His principles, and to act in a manner that is contrary to Biblical truth - to do evil, essentially. In the context of this cultural situation we have been placed - to exalt God in our thoughts and actions, to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as we allow Him to guide us, and to, even in small ways, seek to bring the presence of Jesus into the part of this fallen world into which we're called.
In 1st Peter chapter 5, we see a description of spiritual warfare and the potential we have to walk in victory through Christ:
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
"The Bible" miniseries on the History Channel is back in the top slot among all broadcast and cable programs. This past Sunday's episode, the third of five, drew 10.9 million viewers, better than its previous week of 10.8 million. It bested AMC's "Walking Dead" (10.8 million) and CBS' "60 Minutes" (10.2 million).
According to Baptist Press, the series was No. 1 among broadcast and cable shows in its first week but dropped to No. 3 in its second week. And, with episodes 4 and 5 bookending Holy Week, the series is primed to do even better, I would think.
And, that's without some unwanted attention which just could serve to get some curiosity seekers tuning in. Apparently, on Twitter this past Sunday night, some remarked how the actor playing the role of Satan looks like President Obama. Please! This is headline news?
Mark Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey, the creators of the miniseries "The Bible" and the History Channel are denying reports that the character Satan intentionally resembles President Barack Obama. The Burnetts issued a statement, which said: "This is utter nonsense. The actor who played Satan, Mehdi Ouzaani, is a highly acclaimed Moroccan actor. He has previously played parts in several Biblical epics -- including Satanic characters long before Barack Obama was elected as our president." Downey added: "Both Mark and I have nothing but respect and love for our president, who is a fellow Christian. False statements such as these are just designed as a foolish distraction to try and discredit the beauty of the story of the Bible."
The History Channel also set out to put an end to the rumors, saying the show aims to feature "a diverse cast of respected actors." The network said in a statement: "History Channel has the highest respect for President Obama. It's unfortunate that anyone made this false connection. History's 'The Bible' is meant to enlighten people on its rich stories and deep history."
This is consistent with the abundance of tweets and Facebook memes that seek to portray the President in a negative light. While, we may not agree with some of his policies - and we are correct to evaluate policy from a Biblical perspective - to move into the realm of character assassination or outright mockery is not appropriate for the Christian. We are directed in Scripture to pray for him and all those in authority. And, while Mr. Obama is visiting the land given to God's chosen people, this may be a great time to start!
That being said, this negative publicity may draw more people to watch the miniseries and be confronted with the truth about Jesus and the Bible. And, I would like to use this as an opportunity to share briefly on Satan and the nature of evil.
In our incredible Pastors' Prayer Time yesterday, I was struck by the spiritual warfare dimension of what we were doing - gathering shortly before Easter, when more people attend church, and when the enemy would want to distract our messengers and shepherds. This focused time is intended to help strengthen our leaders. And, we can be reminded that we are in a spiritual battle, but we have been given powerful tools to resist the enemy, who would come to diminish the effectiveness of our ministry.
I also listened as there were some prayers about the presence of the enemy in culture. Coming on the heels of Josh McDowell's incredible message that some had heard the night before about how the enemy is corrupting hearts and minds through Internet pornography, we recognize that we are in a fallen world and that, in the midst of people who would deny God - and the devil - Satan is making a distinct impact. There were prayers lifted up against the perversion of marriage, one of the bedrock institutions that make for a stable culture, an institution ordained by God. And, there was concern expressed about the proliferation of crime in our area - a topic about which the church can certainly offer answers, through prayer and direct ministry, which can result in true heart change by Jesus Christ.
The Bible tells us in 1st Peter 5 to resist him, to resist the devil, even though he is seeking whom he may devour. Personally, through speaking God's Word when the enemy attacks, putting on the full armor of God, resisting temptation, and obeying God, we can walk in victory. And, culturally, our prayers and obedience can help to reverse the trends of a culture that is bent on doing what is right in its own eyes, without being informed by a faith in Jesus Christ. There is hope, but we have to decide to allow God to use us to effectively counter the real enemy of the souls of humanity.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Fake Sugar and Real Temptation
In 1st John 2, the author outlines three general areas in which we face temptation, our areas of vulnerability:
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. In our own wisdom, we regard areas that could be good for us, but are actually sinful. And, we can be thankful that we have access to the Holy Spirit, who is the discerner, the convictor, the helper, and the counselor, who will guide us in matters of the heart - He will show us what is in our best interest, and more importantly, in God's best interest, and He will caution us against participating in certain behaviors that will be detrimental to us and not glorify God. A goal of our spiritual life is to learn to pay attention to the leading of the Spirit, which is always consistent with God's Word, and allow Him to guide us in our ways.
The serpent came to Adam and Eve in the garden, and used the lust of the flesh and the eyes, and the pride of life, in other words, they were vulnerable to wanting to be their own Lord...here's the narrative from Genesis 3:
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
I will tell you, I really like Tim Challies' blog, especially his "a la Carte" section. And, today's installment linked to a piece on the New Republic website about the threats, real and perceived, about diet soda.
In light of this debate over New York City Mayor Bloomberg's attempt to ban soft drinks over 16 ounces and a judge's finding that the proposed law was "arbitrary and capricious", we are discussing what's good for us, what's not good, and how we deal with it. I'm uncomfortable with the government telling me what I can or cannot drink, but I'm not sure I disagree with the mayor's latest proposal to keep retailers from publicly displaying tobacco products.
And, I certainly appreciate Nicole Weider and Victoria Hearst for their continued campaign against displaying Cosmopolitan magazine without the cover hidden. I appreciated one local retailer that my wife and I visited the other night that actually had their Cosmo's not in plain sight - well done!
Sensible official regulations can actually be good for our society at large when people are not exercising their choices wisely - the sticking point is, where do you draw the line?
Scripture offers us clear direction on right and wrong, good and evil, what can be and what can't be in our best interest. There are many things in this world that are not good for us and can cause our spiritual life to suffer. And, we have to be sensitive to the Great Regulator - the Holy Spirit, who will teach us right from wrong. The Bible has a strong prescription for those areas in which we indulge, and will caution us against potentially destructive behaviors - if we will only listen, being sensitive to Him as our guide. If we praying about more of our decisions and paid attention to the inner voice of God's Spirit, then we will be apt to make wise choices and participate in a lifestyle that is pleasing to Him.
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. In our own wisdom, we regard areas that could be good for us, but are actually sinful. And, we can be thankful that we have access to the Holy Spirit, who is the discerner, the convictor, the helper, and the counselor, who will guide us in matters of the heart - He will show us what is in our best interest, and more importantly, in God's best interest, and He will caution us against participating in certain behaviors that will be detrimental to us and not glorify God. A goal of our spiritual life is to learn to pay attention to the leading of the Spirit, which is always consistent with God's Word, and allow Him to guide us in our ways.
The serpent came to Adam and Eve in the garden, and used the lust of the flesh and the eyes, and the pride of life, in other words, they were vulnerable to wanting to be their own Lord...here's the narrative from Genesis 3:
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
I will tell you, I really like Tim Challies' blog, especially his "a la Carte" section. And, today's installment linked to a piece on the New Republic website about the threats, real and perceived, about diet soda.
There is some evidence out there from studies that drinking diet soda doesn't seem to lead to losing weight; in fact, there are signs it does the opposite. The data to support this bolder, more disturbing claim—that fake sugar can be fattening— come from several long-term studies, conducted on many thousands of participants starting in the 1970s and 1980s.The piece goes on to say that:
If low-calorie sweeteners are fattening, then we could be on the verge of a spiraling disaster. The bigger we get (and the greater our incidence of diabetes), the more of these sweeteners we'll consume. That in turn will make us bigger, and more interested in diet products, and bigger still forevermore. But scientists have not yet proved that sugar substitutes make us fat.But the evidence is not universal - for instance, it is pointed out that between 1999 and 2008, obesity rates in the U.S. finally leveled off as the use of artificial sweeteners doubled among children and went up by 29 percent among adults. So, the conclusion is that we are still in a fake sugar stalemate - it could be good for you, but then again, it couldn't.
In light of this debate over New York City Mayor Bloomberg's attempt to ban soft drinks over 16 ounces and a judge's finding that the proposed law was "arbitrary and capricious", we are discussing what's good for us, what's not good, and how we deal with it. I'm uncomfortable with the government telling me what I can or cannot drink, but I'm not sure I disagree with the mayor's latest proposal to keep retailers from publicly displaying tobacco products.
And, I certainly appreciate Nicole Weider and Victoria Hearst for their continued campaign against displaying Cosmopolitan magazine without the cover hidden. I appreciated one local retailer that my wife and I visited the other night that actually had their Cosmo's not in plain sight - well done!
Sensible official regulations can actually be good for our society at large when people are not exercising their choices wisely - the sticking point is, where do you draw the line?
Scripture offers us clear direction on right and wrong, good and evil, what can be and what can't be in our best interest. There are many things in this world that are not good for us and can cause our spiritual life to suffer. And, we have to be sensitive to the Great Regulator - the Holy Spirit, who will teach us right from wrong. The Bible has a strong prescription for those areas in which we indulge, and will caution us against potentially destructive behaviors - if we will only listen, being sensitive to Him as our guide. If we praying about more of our decisions and paid attention to the inner voice of God's Spirit, then we will be apt to make wise choices and participate in a lifestyle that is pleasing to Him.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Spare the Mockingbird
Are you seeing life and are you viewing others through the eyes of Jesus? The Bible exhorts us in Philippians chapter 2:
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. The writer, the apostle Paul, says to "let this mind be in you" - this is the mind of Christ. It's a mindset that's less concerned with our own power and position, but concerned about how we can be compassionate and effective witnesses for him. One of the great literary characters of all time said these words, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view–until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
Jesus put on human form, He became a man, and we are told that because He was tempted in all things, as we are, He can be a source of help to us when we are tempted. He identifies with us in our weaknesses, so we can be partakers of His strength. He enables us to see other people through His eyes.
As we approach Holy Week and the commemoration of Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, we can be inspired to think about the One who gave His life for each of us, even though we don't deserve it. Romans 5 gives us a picture of the significance of Christ's sacrifice:
6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
I had the opportunity over the weekend to view the superior performance of "To Kill a Mockingbird" at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival - a stage adaptation of the classic novel by Monroeville's Harper Lee.
Readers of the book and viewers of the movie or play are taken in by the depth of the characters, including the idealistic attorney Atticus Finch and his inquisitive children Scout and Jem, and throughout the stage play, you have the wonder about the mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley, who appears near the end of the performance in a daring, life-saving feat.
And, you can pick up on a strong faith element that can be instructive to our lives today - over 50 years after the book's release in 1960, the lessons of the Great Depression in the South can haunt and help us.
Author Mark Litton wrote a book called, The Mockingbird Parables, which explores some of these compelling aspects of the literary classic. In a post on the "CNN Belief Blog", he writes:
The Christian faith originated with a God who moved into our neighborhood, who “climbed into human skin and walked around in it,” and who truly understands and connects with humanity...
2. Live in the here and now. Lee’s novel challenges us to remember that our faith should impact our actions today.
A heroine of the novel, Miss Maudie, remarks that she is thankful that the town has at least one man (in Finch) with the conviction to do the right thing. But she also laments that “there are some men who are so worried about the next world that they have never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the streets and see the results.”...
3. Embrace and encourage idealism. ...Don’t many of us grow older and just accept the injustice, the poverty, the hurting people, the oppression and sin around us as “the way it is”?” So did many of the adults in Maycomb, the fictional town where the book is set...
4. Be guided by faith, not circumstances. Christians could also stand to remember the racism of the “good church going folks” of Maycomb, that the protagonist of the novel calls it a “disease,” and be wary that the same types of religious folks were actually responsible for the crucifixion of our Jesus.
Atticus Finch is an example of someone who saw the best in people - daring to buck the social mores of the day and attempt to defend an innocent black man. In an age when justice did not come easy, if at all, to people of color, Atticus is a clear voice of justice - he can remind us that Jesus stands with the oppressed and He directs us to bring a sense of justice in our culture, even when it may not be popular.
Atticus even naively thought that the loathsome Bob Ewell, who clearly had framed Tom Robinson in a crime he did not commit, would not make good on threats that he had made. It has been said that while he championed good, he underestimated evil. Zack Boren writes on The Gospel Coalition website:
In an age when people want to redefine sin or explain it away, the moral clarity of this statement, and the sense of right and wrong displayed in this American classic can be inspiring for the way we relate to our culture.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. The writer, the apostle Paul, says to "let this mind be in you" - this is the mind of Christ. It's a mindset that's less concerned with our own power and position, but concerned about how we can be compassionate and effective witnesses for him. One of the great literary characters of all time said these words, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view–until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
Jesus put on human form, He became a man, and we are told that because He was tempted in all things, as we are, He can be a source of help to us when we are tempted. He identifies with us in our weaknesses, so we can be partakers of His strength. He enables us to see other people through His eyes.
As we approach Holy Week and the commemoration of Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, we can be inspired to think about the One who gave His life for each of us, even though we don't deserve it. Romans 5 gives us a picture of the significance of Christ's sacrifice:
6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
I had the opportunity over the weekend to view the superior performance of "To Kill a Mockingbird" at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival - a stage adaptation of the classic novel by Monroeville's Harper Lee.
Readers of the book and viewers of the movie or play are taken in by the depth of the characters, including the idealistic attorney Atticus Finch and his inquisitive children Scout and Jem, and throughout the stage play, you have the wonder about the mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley, who appears near the end of the performance in a daring, life-saving feat.
And, you can pick up on a strong faith element that can be instructive to our lives today - over 50 years after the book's release in 1960, the lessons of the Great Depression in the South can haunt and help us.
Author Mark Litton wrote a book called, The Mockingbird Parables, which explores some of these compelling aspects of the literary classic. In a post on the "CNN Belief Blog", he writes:
The novel has been described simply as the story of one man’s stand for racial justice, but we cannot ignore the other valuable messages–including Christian ones-for today’s culture of distrust.
From Wall Street to Washington to Main Street, it seems our decisions are governed by what is financially, politically, and socially expedient. Our faith is more of an afterthought than a guiding force.
The many lessons of Lee’s novel can lead us back to a restorative way of making choices by following these four principles:1. Try understanding others. The theme is revealed in lawyer Atticus Finch’s memorable explanation to his daughter: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view–until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
The Christian faith originated with a God who moved into our neighborhood, who “climbed into human skin and walked around in it,” and who truly understands and connects with humanity...
2. Live in the here and now. Lee’s novel challenges us to remember that our faith should impact our actions today.
A heroine of the novel, Miss Maudie, remarks that she is thankful that the town has at least one man (in Finch) with the conviction to do the right thing. But she also laments that “there are some men who are so worried about the next world that they have never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the streets and see the results.”...
3. Embrace and encourage idealism. ...Don’t many of us grow older and just accept the injustice, the poverty, the hurting people, the oppression and sin around us as “the way it is”?” So did many of the adults in Maycomb, the fictional town where the book is set...
4. Be guided by faith, not circumstances. Christians could also stand to remember the racism of the “good church going folks” of Maycomb, that the protagonist of the novel calls it a “disease,” and be wary that the same types of religious folks were actually responsible for the crucifixion of our Jesus.
Atticus Finch is an example of someone who saw the best in people - daring to buck the social mores of the day and attempt to defend an innocent black man. In an age when justice did not come easy, if at all, to people of color, Atticus is a clear voice of justice - he can remind us that Jesus stands with the oppressed and He directs us to bring a sense of justice in our culture, even when it may not be popular.
Atticus even naively thought that the loathsome Bob Ewell, who clearly had framed Tom Robinson in a crime he did not commit, would not make good on threats that he had made. It has been said that while he championed good, he underestimated evil. Zack Boren writes on The Gospel Coalition website:
It is only Atticus, adrift in his world of unimpeachable lawyering, who fails to see Ewell for who he is, proclaiming in the novel’s denouement that he can’t conceive of a man who’d try to kill children. He should have seen it coming. Atticus’s attitude illustrates the limits of moral tolerance and the courage required to stand up to evil, demonstrated by Boo Radley.And, we are challenged by the words of the phrase that contains the title, "It is a sin to kill a mockingbird". The mockingbird here can caution us not to pronounce judgment on the innocent, a reminder to revere life, and to respect others. And, the word, "sin", is used by the author.
In an age when people want to redefine sin or explain it away, the moral clarity of this statement, and the sense of right and wrong displayed in this American classic can be inspiring for the way we relate to our culture.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Life-Prints: Digital and Otherwise
In Colossians chapter 3, spelled out for us is the relationship between the degree to which we allow the Word of God to dwell in our hearts and the potential behavior that is displayed in our lives:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching
and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. We can only "do all in the name of the Lord Jesus" as we are not only knowledgeable about God's Word, but also abiding in God's Word - and allowing the Scriptures to abide in us. If we are allowing our beliefs and attitudes to be shaped by Scripture, then our choices will reflect our reliance on Christ. Our beliefs ultimately determine our behavior, and the narrative of our lives is governed by what's in our hearts. A goal for us as Christians is to allow our life-print to be written by Him.
In John chapter 5, Jesus reinforces the notion that He is One with the Father, and without the life of the father, He, the Son, could do nothing:
19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.
A new Cambridge University study shows that intimate personal attributes can be predicted with high levels of accuracy from ‘traces’ left by seemingly innocuous digital behavior - in this case, Facebook Likes. This research, published today in the journal PNAS, shows that surprisingly accurate estimates of Facebook users’ race, age, IQ, sexuality, personality, substance use and political views can be inferred from automated analysis of only their Facebook Likes - information currently publicly available by default.
They analyzed a dataset of over 58,000 U.S. Facebook users, who volunteered their Likes, demographic profiles and psychometric testing results through the myPersonality application. Models were constructed, which proved 88% accurate for determining male sexuality, 95% accurate distinguishing African-American from Caucasian American and 85% accurate differentiating Republican from Democrat. Christians and Muslims were correctly classified in 82% of cases, and good prediction accuracy was achieved for relationship status and substance abuse – between 65 and 73%.
And, there was an attempt in the study to determine the level of intelligence of respondents based on some of the items which were "Liked". According to the Wired website, if you like thunderstorms, The Colbert Report or curly fries on Facebook, you’re a genius. If you like Sephora, Harley-Davidson or the country-western band Lady Antebellum, you’re not.
The researchers described Facebook Likes as “a generic class of digital record that could be used to extract sensitive information.”
So, a word to the wise about online privacy - your activity online tells a story, and if you don't want people to see your personal patterns and choices, then don't post them online.
But, there's an even more reliable indicator of our personal belief system, and that is found in our behavior. The choices we make reflect what's in our souls, and how we act is governed by the thoughts and intents of the heart. Even the words we speak, according to Jesus, flow out of the abundance of our hearts.
So, while those digital traces tell a story, our very lives tell an even more accurate story of who we really are. An important question is this: Are we allowing our lives to be regenerated by the power of the living God? Do our choices reflect a reliance on Christ? Our life-print, the story of our lives, ultimately becomes a compelling indicator of the degree of our dependence on Him. And, if we recognize that we fall short, we can change the trajectory and alter the narrative, so that it reflects more of God's story in us.
In John chapter 5, Jesus reinforces the notion that He is One with the Father, and without the life of the father, He, the Son, could do nothing:
19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.
A new Cambridge University study shows that intimate personal attributes can be predicted with high levels of accuracy from ‘traces’ left by seemingly innocuous digital behavior - in this case, Facebook Likes. This research, published today in the journal PNAS, shows that surprisingly accurate estimates of Facebook users’ race, age, IQ, sexuality, personality, substance use and political views can be inferred from automated analysis of only their Facebook Likes - information currently publicly available by default.
They analyzed a dataset of over 58,000 U.S. Facebook users, who volunteered their Likes, demographic profiles and psychometric testing results through the myPersonality application. Models were constructed, which proved 88% accurate for determining male sexuality, 95% accurate distinguishing African-American from Caucasian American and 85% accurate differentiating Republican from Democrat. Christians and Muslims were correctly classified in 82% of cases, and good prediction accuracy was achieved for relationship status and substance abuse – between 65 and 73%.
And, there was an attempt in the study to determine the level of intelligence of respondents based on some of the items which were "Liked". According to the Wired website, if you like thunderstorms, The Colbert Report or curly fries on Facebook, you’re a genius. If you like Sephora, Harley-Davidson or the country-western band Lady Antebellum, you’re not.
The researchers described Facebook Likes as “a generic class of digital record that could be used to extract sensitive information.”
So, a word to the wise about online privacy - your activity online tells a story, and if you don't want people to see your personal patterns and choices, then don't post them online.
But, there's an even more reliable indicator of our personal belief system, and that is found in our behavior. The choices we make reflect what's in our souls, and how we act is governed by the thoughts and intents of the heart. Even the words we speak, according to Jesus, flow out of the abundance of our hearts.
So, while those digital traces tell a story, our very lives tell an even more accurate story of who we really are. An important question is this: Are we allowing our lives to be regenerated by the power of the living God? Do our choices reflect a reliance on Christ? Our life-print, the story of our lives, ultimately becomes a compelling indicator of the degree of our dependence on Him. And, if we recognize that we fall short, we can change the trajectory and alter the narrative, so that it reflects more of God's story in us.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Lessons from the Circle
We serve a great and mighty God, a God who is so large that He is responsible for creating the entire universe, but so intimate that He knows every thought and intent, so compassionate that He sent His son to die for you so that you might have life in Him. Here is what Isaiah 45 says:
18 For thus says the Lord, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: "I am the Lord, and there is no other. 19 I have not spoken in secret, In a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, 'Seek Me in vain'; I, the Lord, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
God our Creator is so powerful and so wise - He has created every living thing and is concerned about the most minute detail - you are fearfully and wonderfully made, in His image, and you were formed to reflect His glory. There is no one like Him - and no one like you; you are unique...not only physically, but also you have been wired, or shaped, with unique gifts and talents, a distinct personality, designed to bring glory to Him. As we think today about God the Creator of the earth and the entire universe, we also think of His creativity expressed in you.
In Proverbs 8, the author uses the literary device of personification to represent wisdom:
27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, 29 When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, 30 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him,
In His wisdom and unlimited power, we acknowledge that God created the heavens and the earth.
This is March 14, which can be written at 3/14, or 3.14. Well, 3.14 is representative of the mathematical element known as "pi", and many schools across America now celebrate March 14th as "Pi Day" - it's a time to have fun with math, which can sometimes be a thankless subject in school. Some will make pies - the edible kind - and there are numerous other activities.
So, who invented, or discovered "pi". Well, I went to the official website, piday.com.
We know that "Pi (Ï€) is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. Pi is a constant number, meaning that for all circles of any size, Pi will be the same."
Also, the website says:
God's hand in creation. Before there was Columbus, there was the declaration of the Scripture in Isaiah 40:22 - "He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in." We also see a reference to a circular earth in Job 26:
7 He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing. 10 He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters, At the boundary of light and darkness.
God's help as we call. Washington, DC area pastor Mark Batterson has authored a book called, "The Circle Maker", in which he challenges readers to believe God for extraordinary answers to prayer. Utilizing the concept of a circle, he says that, “Drawing prayer circles around our dreams isn’t just a mechanism whereby we accomplish great things for God. It’s a mechanism whereby God accomplishes great things in us.” I would suppose that just as we literally or figuratively draw circles on a calendar around important dates, so we draw a circle around important prayers, prayers that we long to see God answers.
God's heart in community. And, there's a concept that I have been a part of on many occasions throughout the years - the "prayer circle". God's people joining hands - and hearts - and going before Him in prayer, sharing requests, praises, and concerns and uniting together. Sometimes each member of the circle contributes something, often it's just the symbolic, yet powerful, sense of community and agreement we receive as we join together.
So, the circle has stories for us - reminders of God's nature and His faithfulness. He is our powerful creator God, who hears us when we call, and desires that we enter into community together.
18 For thus says the Lord, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: "I am the Lord, and there is no other. 19 I have not spoken in secret, In a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, 'Seek Me in vain'; I, the Lord, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
God our Creator is so powerful and so wise - He has created every living thing and is concerned about the most minute detail - you are fearfully and wonderfully made, in His image, and you were formed to reflect His glory. There is no one like Him - and no one like you; you are unique...not only physically, but also you have been wired, or shaped, with unique gifts and talents, a distinct personality, designed to bring glory to Him. As we think today about God the Creator of the earth and the entire universe, we also think of His creativity expressed in you.
In Proverbs 8, the author uses the literary device of personification to represent wisdom:
27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, 29 When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, 30 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him,
In His wisdom and unlimited power, we acknowledge that God created the heavens and the earth.
This is March 14, which can be written at 3/14, or 3.14. Well, 3.14 is representative of the mathematical element known as "pi", and many schools across America now celebrate March 14th as "Pi Day" - it's a time to have fun with math, which can sometimes be a thankless subject in school. Some will make pies - the edible kind - and there are numerous other activities.
So, who invented, or discovered "pi". Well, I went to the official website, piday.com.
We know that "Pi (Ï€) is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. Pi is a constant number, meaning that for all circles of any size, Pi will be the same."
Also, the website says:
By measuring circular objects, it has always turned out that a circle is a little more than 3 times its width around. In the Old Testament of the Bible (1 Kings 7:23), a circular pool is referred to as being 30 cubits around, and 10 cubits across.For those who compartmentalize academics and Scripture, here is one of many references that can help us see that the Bible is a math book...it's also a science book, as we'll see momentarily:
The mathematician Archimedes used polygons with many sides to approximate circles and determined that Pi was approximately 22/7. The symbol (Greek letter “Ï€”) was first used in 1706 by William Jones. A ‘p’ was chosen for ‘perimeter’ of circles, and the use of Ï€ became popular after it was adopted by the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler in 1737. In recent years, Pi has been calculated to over one trillion digits passed its decimal. Only 39 digits past the decimal are needed to accurately calculate the spherical volume of our entire universe, but because of Pi’s infinite & patternless nature, it’s a fun challenge to memorize, and to computationally calculate more and more digits.Well, OK - I don't know about the "fun challenge" part, but thinking about "pi" or a "circle" can help us in 3 areas:
God's hand in creation. Before there was Columbus, there was the declaration of the Scripture in Isaiah 40:22 - "He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in." We also see a reference to a circular earth in Job 26:
7 He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing. 10 He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters, At the boundary of light and darkness.
God's help as we call. Washington, DC area pastor Mark Batterson has authored a book called, "The Circle Maker", in which he challenges readers to believe God for extraordinary answers to prayer. Utilizing the concept of a circle, he says that, “Drawing prayer circles around our dreams isn’t just a mechanism whereby we accomplish great things for God. It’s a mechanism whereby God accomplishes great things in us.” I would suppose that just as we literally or figuratively draw circles on a calendar around important dates, so we draw a circle around important prayers, prayers that we long to see God answers.
God's heart in community. And, there's a concept that I have been a part of on many occasions throughout the years - the "prayer circle". God's people joining hands - and hearts - and going before Him in prayer, sharing requests, praises, and concerns and uniting together. Sometimes each member of the circle contributes something, often it's just the symbolic, yet powerful, sense of community and agreement we receive as we join together.
So, the circle has stories for us - reminders of God's nature and His faithfulness. He is our powerful creator God, who hears us when we call, and desires that we enter into community together.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Free Grumpy Cat
In 1st Peter chapter 4, the author addresses our mindset, even when we face difficulties:
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
Difficulties can absolutely destroy us and drive us away from God - if we let them. But, the Biblical mindset is that trials come into our lives in order that He might develop more of His character in us. When circumstances overwhelm us, we can draw from the inner strength that flows from a relationship with the Most High God through Jesus Christ. While bad times could tend to make us grumpy or despondent, the Lord prescribes for us to respond in joy and allow more of His nature to radiate throughout our souls.
In Psalm 30, the writer lays out a pattern for an attitude that can be very helpful to us, especially in times of adversity:
2 O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me.
3 O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
4 Sing praise to the Lord, You saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.
The annual music and media festival known as South by Southwest is underway now in Austin, Texas. I became a bit more familiar with the event through one of my contributors, Chuck Harvey of the website, The One21 Music, who has provided some coverage of the Christian element of the event in the past. He's also the official Meeting House "American Idol" analyst - and I expect to have Chuck back on the show soon, now that we're into this season's top 10...by the way, Chuck points out that 8 out of the finalists have a Christian connection. So, we'll look forward to that.
Well, South by Southwest is underway in Austin throughout the week, and one of the "stars" of the festival so far is not human and not a musician - yes, it's the YouTube sensation known as "Grumpy Cat" - everyone loves crazy cat pictures and videos, right? Remember Keyboard Cat? Or other, "fill-in-the-blank" cats?
Well, Grumpy Cat, also known as, "Tardar Sauce", showed up at SXSW and became an instant sensation, with people standing in a long line to see this feline up close and personal. CNN reports that this is the first official public appearance for Grumpy Cat, who lives with her owner, Tabatha Bundesen, in Morristown, Arizona. The cat first gained fame in September when Bryan, Tabatha's brother, posted some photos of her on Reddit, the social-news site.
"It was an accident," said Bryan Bundesen of the viral stardom that followed. "We thought it would get some laughs, with the Internet liking cats. And it just kept going."
Grumpy Cat now has a website that Bryan Bundesen said attracts 1.5 million unique visitors a month, plus a popular Facebook page, YouTube channel and Twitter account. Bryan manages her social media pages from his home in Ohio with occasional help from Tabatha, who sends him fresh Grumpy Cat photos every week or so.
"I don't mind it," Tabatha said of her pet's celebrity. "I'm thrilled to see that my cat brings joy to people."
Of course, not everyone is impressed - there is a move on the Internet to "Free Grumpy Cat", presumably driven by the notion that putting a cat in a cage to be gawked at by throngs of people is somehow cruel. Oh, well.
In this case, "grumpy" is funny. And, poor Tard apparently has her face fixed in a frown due to a genetic disorder. But, in real life, grumpy is not really funny - and we do have a choice.
So, what makes you grumpy? And, does it affect the people around you? When the Biblical prescription is to rejoice, and since are given the capacity to choose, God is pleased when we radiate His nature. Sure, there will be devastating circumstances, and there are times to mourn and weep, but remember the Psalm - "joy comes in the morning". And, that's the endgame for the believer in touch times - and a witness to the world...we can have joy in the Lord, who will sustain us in our times of difficulty. And, as our minds are fixed on Christ and He controls our countenance, it makes a difference in our outlook and the resulting atmosphere around us - so choose joy today!
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
Difficulties can absolutely destroy us and drive us away from God - if we let them. But, the Biblical mindset is that trials come into our lives in order that He might develop more of His character in us. When circumstances overwhelm us, we can draw from the inner strength that flows from a relationship with the Most High God through Jesus Christ. While bad times could tend to make us grumpy or despondent, the Lord prescribes for us to respond in joy and allow more of His nature to radiate throughout our souls.
In Psalm 30, the writer lays out a pattern for an attitude that can be very helpful to us, especially in times of adversity:
2 O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me.
3 O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
4 Sing praise to the Lord, You saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.
The annual music and media festival known as South by Southwest is underway now in Austin, Texas. I became a bit more familiar with the event through one of my contributors, Chuck Harvey of the website, The One21 Music, who has provided some coverage of the Christian element of the event in the past. He's also the official Meeting House "American Idol" analyst - and I expect to have Chuck back on the show soon, now that we're into this season's top 10...by the way, Chuck points out that 8 out of the finalists have a Christian connection. So, we'll look forward to that.
Well, South by Southwest is underway in Austin throughout the week, and one of the "stars" of the festival so far is not human and not a musician - yes, it's the YouTube sensation known as "Grumpy Cat" - everyone loves crazy cat pictures and videos, right? Remember Keyboard Cat? Or other, "fill-in-the-blank" cats?
Well, Grumpy Cat, also known as, "Tardar Sauce", showed up at SXSW and became an instant sensation, with people standing in a long line to see this feline up close and personal. CNN reports that this is the first official public appearance for Grumpy Cat, who lives with her owner, Tabatha Bundesen, in Morristown, Arizona. The cat first gained fame in September when Bryan, Tabatha's brother, posted some photos of her on Reddit, the social-news site.
"It was an accident," said Bryan Bundesen of the viral stardom that followed. "We thought it would get some laughs, with the Internet liking cats. And it just kept going."
Grumpy Cat now has a website that Bryan Bundesen said attracts 1.5 million unique visitors a month, plus a popular Facebook page, YouTube channel and Twitter account. Bryan manages her social media pages from his home in Ohio with occasional help from Tabatha, who sends him fresh Grumpy Cat photos every week or so.
"I don't mind it," Tabatha said of her pet's celebrity. "I'm thrilled to see that my cat brings joy to people."
Of course, not everyone is impressed - there is a move on the Internet to "Free Grumpy Cat", presumably driven by the notion that putting a cat in a cage to be gawked at by throngs of people is somehow cruel. Oh, well.
In this case, "grumpy" is funny. And, poor Tard apparently has her face fixed in a frown due to a genetic disorder. But, in real life, grumpy is not really funny - and we do have a choice.
So, what makes you grumpy? And, does it affect the people around you? When the Biblical prescription is to rejoice, and since are given the capacity to choose, God is pleased when we radiate His nature. Sure, there will be devastating circumstances, and there are times to mourn and weep, but remember the Psalm - "joy comes in the morning". And, that's the endgame for the believer in touch times - and a witness to the world...we can have joy in the Lord, who will sustain us in our times of difficulty. And, as our minds are fixed on Christ and He controls our countenance, it makes a difference in our outlook and the resulting atmosphere around us - so choose joy today!
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