Wednesday, October 31, 2012
I'm Back!
After a very long time without a reliable computer I'm returning to my Blog. I'm very excited.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Thanks-giving
I was struck today with how easy it is to be ungrateful. While returning from the grocery store with a trunk full of food for Thanksgiving dinner I caught myself deep in the throes of a royal pity party. Trust me, I caught the irony! Just wait for it.
Thoughts of loneliness, inadequacy, discontentment were all clamouring to be petted and coddled in my mind. We all go through these times, right? Maybe I'm the only ingrate that could be drowning in self pity two days before the one day a year officially dedicated to gratitude! As I mentally cataloged all the things I thought I was missing in my life that Still Small Voice cleared His throat and I remembered some very important things. Some things for which no matter what is going on, or not going on in my life, I have to be very grateful for.
Let me address the charges I laid against my life as I saw it on while turning out of Orange Plaza this afternoon.
1. Loneliness.
"I will never leave you or forsake you" Hebrews 13:5; "And lo, I am with you alway" Matthew 28:20
This was such a rebuke to my heart. The Creator of the Universe has promised us He'll always be with us. If we are in Christ we are never alone. If you are not in Christ I'll get to that in a bit too. You're certainly not left out!
2. Inadequacy
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13
Ouch, I am inadequate. It is through Christ alone I can find strength.
"Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:24
Here's another wonderful promise, we are inadequate, but the same God who has promised to always be with us, and never forsake us will accomplish what He has called us to do.
3. Discontentment
"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18
"Godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6:6
God doesn't give us much of a choice with regards to contentment. We are commanded to be content! And since we know from 1 Thessalonians 5:24 and Philippians 4:13 that God will give us strength to do the things we are called to do, we don't have any recourse, we've got to be content! Plus, He promises that contentment is something special, it's great gain.
After going through these verses and mentally slapping myself in the forehead for my ingratitude I was struck by something even more incredible to be grateful for. My salvation. That same God who is omnipresent and will always be with me; who is powerful enough to accomplish His will in such an imperfect vessel; that God who is Holy enough to command that I be content with what He has given me, has given me love too. Not just any love, but the greatest display of love possible. He laid His life down for me. (John 15:13) The Creator of the Universe became one of His own creations, He subjected Himself to ridicule, torture, humiliation for me! He willingly paid the penalty that I so very obviously deserve. (Romans 6:23) I am thankful that He has saved me from my sin and one day I'll be not only be free from the penalty of sin, but the effects of it too. I'll never be lonely, weak, or unhappy again! (Revelation 21:4) Now, that is something to be thankful for.
And for those of you who are cannot claim these promises because you've never trusted that Jesus Christ is the only way for salvation, you may struggle with all those things and more. Maybe you fear death, have a sense of purposelessness, or maybe you're overwhelmed by anger. God has promises for you to claim too. 1 Corinthians 15:55 says "O death where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But THANKS be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." If you trust Christ right now you have no need to fear death, you can claim the victory which Jesus alone has won! If you struggle with purposelessness, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" Matthew 22:37. If those verses don't give you purpose and keep you busy I don't know what will! And finally, maybe you're just angry, Christ has an answer for that too. "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" Ephesians 4:31. Once we can see how much we've been forgiven it's much easier to forgive others, to let go of all the anger and bitterness that eats us up.
God has made it very clear to me today that He is deserving of my gratitude and I should think of this upcoming holiday as a time to not just be thankful for the things I see here around me, but also for promises of a loving and powerful God.
Thoughts of loneliness, inadequacy, discontentment were all clamouring to be petted and coddled in my mind. We all go through these times, right? Maybe I'm the only ingrate that could be drowning in self pity two days before the one day a year officially dedicated to gratitude! As I mentally cataloged all the things I thought I was missing in my life that Still Small Voice cleared His throat and I remembered some very important things. Some things for which no matter what is going on, or not going on in my life, I have to be very grateful for.
Let me address the charges I laid against my life as I saw it on while turning out of Orange Plaza this afternoon.
1. Loneliness.
"I will never leave you or forsake you" Hebrews 13:5; "And lo, I am with you alway" Matthew 28:20
This was such a rebuke to my heart. The Creator of the Universe has promised us He'll always be with us. If we are in Christ we are never alone. If you are not in Christ I'll get to that in a bit too. You're certainly not left out!
2. Inadequacy
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13
Ouch, I am inadequate. It is through Christ alone I can find strength.
"Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:24
Here's another wonderful promise, we are inadequate, but the same God who has promised to always be with us, and never forsake us will accomplish what He has called us to do.
3. Discontentment
"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18
"Godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6:6
God doesn't give us much of a choice with regards to contentment. We are commanded to be content! And since we know from 1 Thessalonians 5:24 and Philippians 4:13 that God will give us strength to do the things we are called to do, we don't have any recourse, we've got to be content! Plus, He promises that contentment is something special, it's great gain.
After going through these verses and mentally slapping myself in the forehead for my ingratitude I was struck by something even more incredible to be grateful for. My salvation. That same God who is omnipresent and will always be with me; who is powerful enough to accomplish His will in such an imperfect vessel; that God who is Holy enough to command that I be content with what He has given me, has given me love too. Not just any love, but the greatest display of love possible. He laid His life down for me. (John 15:13) The Creator of the Universe became one of His own creations, He subjected Himself to ridicule, torture, humiliation for me! He willingly paid the penalty that I so very obviously deserve. (Romans 6:23) I am thankful that He has saved me from my sin and one day I'll be not only be free from the penalty of sin, but the effects of it too. I'll never be lonely, weak, or unhappy again! (Revelation 21:4) Now, that is something to be thankful for.
And for those of you who are cannot claim these promises because you've never trusted that Jesus Christ is the only way for salvation, you may struggle with all those things and more. Maybe you fear death, have a sense of purposelessness, or maybe you're overwhelmed by anger. God has promises for you to claim too. 1 Corinthians 15:55 says "O death where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But THANKS be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." If you trust Christ right now you have no need to fear death, you can claim the victory which Jesus alone has won! If you struggle with purposelessness, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" Matthew 22:37. If those verses don't give you purpose and keep you busy I don't know what will! And finally, maybe you're just angry, Christ has an answer for that too. "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" Ephesians 4:31. Once we can see how much we've been forgiven it's much easier to forgive others, to let go of all the anger and bitterness that eats us up.
God has made it very clear to me today that He is deserving of my gratitude and I should think of this upcoming holiday as a time to not just be thankful for the things I see here around me, but also for promises of a loving and powerful God.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
A Beautiful Life and Death
I finally finished reading "Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy" the biography on Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas. I should have been finished with it over a month ago, but I came across the subheading "Bonhoeffer's Last Day" and I couldn't muster the courage to read it. After over 400 pages of reading about this amazing man I wasn't ready for it to end. I felt there was still more to learn from his life! But I guess with all those that God chooses to give their life for Him there is just as much to learn from his death.
Bonhoeffer was executed at the command of Hitler himself. Just a couple of weeks before Germany was defeated by the Allies a batch of secret documents regarding Bonhoeffer and other conspirators was discovered. Hitler ordered the execution of those men even knowing that the end of his reign was near. Bonhoeffer went to the gallows with a peace that can only come from someone who has been justified by Christ. His behavior was remarked on and remembered by all who witnessed his last day.
Here was a man who completely trusted God through the most evil days this world has ever seen. He sacrificed his comfortable life, and his comfortable job, and his comfortable social status to act on behalf of the downtrodden and persecuted. He didn't care what happened to him as long as he could confidently say he was following the will of God.
He completely trusted God in his death as well, he knew that he had done what he needed to do, and that his Savior would be waiting to welcome him home. He looked at death as the beginning of life! He was such a peaceful and faithful man in both life and death. At the end of the book I couldn't wait to buy "The Cost of Discipleship" and read his own thoughts on living the Christian life.
I wish I could say that I would be so brave and faithful in the face of such terrible circumstances.
Bonhoeffer was executed at the command of Hitler himself. Just a couple of weeks before Germany was defeated by the Allies a batch of secret documents regarding Bonhoeffer and other conspirators was discovered. Hitler ordered the execution of those men even knowing that the end of his reign was near. Bonhoeffer went to the gallows with a peace that can only come from someone who has been justified by Christ. His behavior was remarked on and remembered by all who witnessed his last day.
Here was a man who completely trusted God through the most evil days this world has ever seen. He sacrificed his comfortable life, and his comfortable job, and his comfortable social status to act on behalf of the downtrodden and persecuted. He didn't care what happened to him as long as he could confidently say he was following the will of God.
He completely trusted God in his death as well, he knew that he had done what he needed to do, and that his Savior would be waiting to welcome him home. He looked at death as the beginning of life! He was such a peaceful and faithful man in both life and death. At the end of the book I couldn't wait to buy "The Cost of Discipleship" and read his own thoughts on living the Christian life.
I wish I could say that I would be so brave and faithful in the face of such terrible circumstances.
Friday, February 4, 2011
One Great Quote
"If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world."
— C.S. Lewis
— C.S. Lewis
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Thoughts on Putting Out Small Fires
I just returned from a trip to see some family and friends and I got to spend time with a very thoughtful friend who suggested I write down this bit of one of our conversations.
We were discussing the problems that occur when Christians spend too much time struggling with small issues, fighting the battles and ignoring the war. Behaviors such as running around telling everyone what they should and should not do, or insisting that every Christian or non-Christian have the same standards and preferences as we do, distracts us from concentrating on the most important tasks we've been left here to complete. Probably one of the best tools the devil has is to get us to play favorites with pet causes and issues, rending the body of believers and making us completely ineffective or worse, making us saboteurs of God's purposes!
Christians, particularly, based on my observations, the "Indy-Fundy" types (a new favorite term, thanks to the originator whoever you might be), want to run around telling people how long or short their hair should be, how loud or soft their music should be, how old or new their translation should be, how serious or frivolous their services should be! The idea that the Holy Spirit Who moves in lives to bring us to salvation isn't capable of moving in our lives to conform us to Christ's image is blasphemy! Why should we concern ourselves with work that is only doable by the omnipotence and omniscience of a Holy and Righteous God? What arrogance we display when we blatantly ignore His commands and take it upon ourselves to "correct" our fellow believers, or even more foolish, non-believers!
I guess the whole thing boils down to this:
1. When speaking about Christians: In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty! Thank you St. Augustine.
2. What good is it trying to run around squishing the flies when the rotten banana is still in the basket? In other words, why do we spend so much time chasing after issues, when the root of the cause is still there? If someone is unconverted, or someone is nursing sin in their life it does no good attacking the symptoms if the state of the heart needs help!
We were discussing the problems that occur when Christians spend too much time struggling with small issues, fighting the battles and ignoring the war. Behaviors such as running around telling everyone what they should and should not do, or insisting that every Christian or non-Christian have the same standards and preferences as we do, distracts us from concentrating on the most important tasks we've been left here to complete. Probably one of the best tools the devil has is to get us to play favorites with pet causes and issues, rending the body of believers and making us completely ineffective or worse, making us saboteurs of God's purposes!
Christians, particularly, based on my observations, the "Indy-Fundy" types (a new favorite term, thanks to the originator whoever you might be), want to run around telling people how long or short their hair should be, how loud or soft their music should be, how old or new their translation should be, how serious or frivolous their services should be! The idea that the Holy Spirit Who moves in lives to bring us to salvation isn't capable of moving in our lives to conform us to Christ's image is blasphemy! Why should we concern ourselves with work that is only doable by the omnipotence and omniscience of a Holy and Righteous God? What arrogance we display when we blatantly ignore His commands and take it upon ourselves to "correct" our fellow believers, or even more foolish, non-believers!
I guess the whole thing boils down to this:
1. When speaking about Christians: In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty! Thank you St. Augustine.
2. What good is it trying to run around squishing the flies when the rotten banana is still in the basket? In other words, why do we spend so much time chasing after issues, when the root of the cause is still there? If someone is unconverted, or someone is nursing sin in their life it does no good attacking the symptoms if the state of the heart needs help!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Hope and Change
Probably one of the most over-used and misused words in public conversation right now is "hope." I know I'm not the only one who has pointed this out, and I'm certainly not the first person to take issue with the fact such a wonderful word has been drained of its meaning. The original meaning of the word is to place trust or rely on, to look forward with reasonable confidence. In other words, hope must have an object. The notion that hope is just this feeling you have when you wish something, like Jimminy Cricket is an error!
Hope must have an object otherwise it is simply wishful thinking. As Christians we know what the object of our hope is! We have a reasonable expectation based on the Word of God that He will fulfill His promises! Hebrews 11 begins with the phrase, "Now faith is substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The following verses outline in what's known as the "Hall of Faith" centuries of saints who have seen the work of their God and hoped in His promises. "These died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them." That's hope! Our righteous and Holy God has proven Himself faithful and worthy of hope!
Now where does the change come in? This hope in the promises of God should cause a change in our actions. Why do we worry? Why do we give up? Why do we succumb to temptation? We have the promises of God freeing us from worry (Matthew 6:25-34), doubt (Galatians 6:9), and sin (1 Corinthians 10:13)!
Hope must have an object otherwise it is simply wishful thinking. As Christians we know what the object of our hope is! We have a reasonable expectation based on the Word of God that He will fulfill His promises! Hebrews 11 begins with the phrase, "Now faith is substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The following verses outline in what's known as the "Hall of Faith" centuries of saints who have seen the work of their God and hoped in His promises. "These died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them." That's hope! Our righteous and Holy God has proven Himself faithful and worthy of hope!
Now where does the change come in? This hope in the promises of God should cause a change in our actions. Why do we worry? Why do we give up? Why do we succumb to temptation? We have the promises of God freeing us from worry (Matthew 6:25-34), doubt (Galatians 6:9), and sin (1 Corinthians 10:13)!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
A Distillation of Modern Thought
I've been spending a lot of time reading apologetic authors, which really is the inspiration for starting this blog. It's amazing the connections you see between all these authors. I know many of our modern apologists build on the apologists of the past, but it doesn't make their arguments any less valid. In "Orthodoxy" last night I came across a passage where Chesterton was speaking of his conversion from atheism to theism. He mentions that it wasn't the Christian authors that ultimately changed his view on the existence of God, it was reading the works of atheists that changed his mind. "It was Huxley and Herbert Spencer and Bradlaugh who brought me back to orthodox theology. They sowed in my mind my first wild doubts of doubt." I think if one really studies the works and life of the key atheist and agnostic philosophers and writers you can see the contradiction and untenable position they are in!
I was listening to a lecture by Ravi Zacharias that he gave at Harvard, I believe, the other day on the radio. He was speaking on the subject of atheism and our modern secular society. He quoted this British journalist Steve Turner. The context of this discussion was that atheistic philosophies carried out to their logical conclusions and distilled to their smallest are too terrifying! They bring up the subject of evil, which of course brings up the subject of good and their origins. That, however, is a big discussion for another time!
Creed by Steve Turner
We believe in Marxfreudanddarwin
We believe everything is OK
as long as you don't hurt anyone
to the best of your definition of hurt,
and to the best of your knowledge
We believe in sex before, during, and
after marriage
We believe in the therapy of sin.
We believe that adultery is fun.
We believe that sodomy’s OK.
We believe that taboos are taboo
We believe that everything's getting better
despite evidence to the contrary.
The evidence must be investigated
And you can prove anything with evidence.
We believe there's something in horoscopes
UFO's and bent spoons
Jesus was a good man just like Buddha,
Mohammed, and ourselves
He was a good moral teacher though we think
His good morals were bad
We believe that all religions are basically the same
at least the one that we read was.
They all believe in love and goodness
They only differ on matters of creation,
sin, heaven, hell, God, and salvation.
We believe that after death comes the Nothing
Because when you ask the dead what happens
they say nothing
If death is not the end, if the dead have lied, then its
compulsory heaven for all
excepting perhaps
Hitler, Stalin, and Genghis Kahn
We believe in Masters and Johnson
What's selected is average.
What's average is normal.
What's normal is good
We believe in total disarmament
We believe there are direct links between warfare and
bloodshed.
Americans should beat their guns into tractors .
And the Russians would be sure to follow
We believe that man is essentially good.
It's only his behavior that lets him down.
This is the fault of society.
Society is the fault of conditions.
Conditions are the fault of society
We believe that each man must find the truth that
is right for him.
Reality will adapt accordingly.
The universe will readjust
History will alter.
We believe that there is no absolute truth
excepting the truth
that there is no absolute truth
We believe in the rejection of creeds,
And the flowering of individual thought
If chance be the Father of all flesh,
disaster is his rainbow in the sky
and when you hear
State of Emergency
Sniper Kills Ten!
Troops on Rampage!
Whites go Looting!
Bomb Blasts School
It is but the sound of man
worshipping his maker
Steve Turner, (English journalist), "Creed," his satirical poem on the modern mind. Taken from Ravi Zacharias’ book Can Man live Without God? Pages 42-44
I was listening to a lecture by Ravi Zacharias that he gave at Harvard, I believe, the other day on the radio. He was speaking on the subject of atheism and our modern secular society. He quoted this British journalist Steve Turner. The context of this discussion was that atheistic philosophies carried out to their logical conclusions and distilled to their smallest are too terrifying! They bring up the subject of evil, which of course brings up the subject of good and their origins. That, however, is a big discussion for another time!
Creed by Steve Turner
We believe in Marxfreudanddarwin
We believe everything is OK
as long as you don't hurt anyone
to the best of your definition of hurt,
and to the best of your knowledge
We believe in sex before, during, and
after marriage
We believe in the therapy of sin.
We believe that adultery is fun.
We believe that sodomy’s OK.
We believe that taboos are taboo
We believe that everything's getting better
despite evidence to the contrary.
The evidence must be investigated
And you can prove anything with evidence.
We believe there's something in horoscopes
UFO's and bent spoons
Jesus was a good man just like Buddha,
Mohammed, and ourselves
He was a good moral teacher though we think
His good morals were bad
We believe that all religions are basically the same
at least the one that we read was.
They all believe in love and goodness
They only differ on matters of creation,
sin, heaven, hell, God, and salvation.
We believe that after death comes the Nothing
Because when you ask the dead what happens
they say nothing
If death is not the end, if the dead have lied, then its
compulsory heaven for all
excepting perhaps
Hitler, Stalin, and Genghis Kahn
We believe in Masters and Johnson
What's selected is average.
What's average is normal.
What's normal is good
We believe in total disarmament
We believe there are direct links between warfare and
bloodshed.
Americans should beat their guns into tractors .
And the Russians would be sure to follow
We believe that man is essentially good.
It's only his behavior that lets him down.
This is the fault of society.
Society is the fault of conditions.
Conditions are the fault of society
We believe that each man must find the truth that
is right for him.
Reality will adapt accordingly.
The universe will readjust
History will alter.
We believe that there is no absolute truth
excepting the truth
that there is no absolute truth
We believe in the rejection of creeds,
And the flowering of individual thought
If chance be the Father of all flesh,
disaster is his rainbow in the sky
and when you hear
State of Emergency
Sniper Kills Ten!
Troops on Rampage!
Whites go Looting!
Bomb Blasts School
It is but the sound of man
worshipping his maker
Steve Turner, (English journalist), "Creed," his satirical poem on the modern mind. Taken from Ravi Zacharias’ book Can Man live Without God? Pages 42-44
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