Since when did the Southern Baptist Convention start listening to Al Gore? I ran across this article that makes me nauseous a few minutes ago about the Southern Baptist Declaration on the Environment and Climate Change. This comes out as spring approaches after some record-breaking snowfall in the Unites States no less. I am just sitting here in stunned disbelief. I have met two of these signatories; I was even a member of one of the churches whose pastor signed this thing. There are plenty of scientists who say that this whole thing is sheer hysteria, and even though I was born in the 70s, I still remember that it wasn't that long ago we were bombarded with the "danger" of a coming ice age. Nevermind that there is good evidence that much of the hysteria is based on bad data from bad data collection methods. What bothers me is that this is unnecessary on the whole. It makes me evermore glad to be a Southern Baptist, since this has no effect whatsoever on my church or any other church that doesn't want to pay it any mind. And shouldn't we be reading our Bibles anyway before we listen to science. God is in control here and He is much bigger than my minivan or hairspray can. This earth isn't going anywhere or doing anything until He says so. Props to Joseph Farah for pointing out Genesis 8:22: "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." So put that in your climate change panic case and close it. I will leave you with this to put it in perspective.
Psalm 8:3-4
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
Do we seriously think ourselves so big now that we can destroy what God has put together? Get real.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
More Than Bread Devotional
Malachi 2:17
17 You have wearied the LORD with your words.
"How have we wearied him?" you ask.
By saying, "All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them" or "Where is the God of justice?"
We live in a world that tries to blur the lines of right and wrong. In fact, many prefer to make up their own standard of right and wrong based on anything from their personal feelings to a pleasure derivative calculation equation to you name it. The truth is that any system of right and wrong that has no objective basis is doomed to failure. God has provided a standard for us and He has the authority to make it stand. It has proven to be timeless and true. We should be confident to state what is good or evil based on God's standard of judgment without reservation. Be bold to call evil what it is. The God of justice is ever-present and His judgment is coming soon.
17 You have wearied the LORD with your words.
"How have we wearied him?" you ask.
By saying, "All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them" or "Where is the God of justice?"
We live in a world that tries to blur the lines of right and wrong. In fact, many prefer to make up their own standard of right and wrong based on anything from their personal feelings to a pleasure derivative calculation equation to you name it. The truth is that any system of right and wrong that has no objective basis is doomed to failure. God has provided a standard for us and He has the authority to make it stand. It has proven to be timeless and true. We should be confident to state what is good or evil based on God's standard of judgment without reservation. Be bold to call evil what it is. The God of justice is ever-present and His judgment is coming soon.
Monday, March 10, 2008
More Than Bread Devotional 3/10/08
Genesis 12:6-7
6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great
tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the
land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I
will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had
appeared to him.
As some of you may already know, my sister Gina is traveling to
Israel this week. I was thinking about the land and nation of Israel
and its reminder to us even today that God is faithful to His
promises. Think about it. He promised Abraham that his offspring
would live there in that place. They have lived there for a long
time and continue to live there to this day. Always remember this
one thing. God is faithful. You can take it to the bank. If you
ever have doubts about His faithfulness, just take a quick glace at
the people of Israel, living today again in the promised land.
6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great
tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the
land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I
will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had
appeared to him.
As some of you may already know, my sister Gina is traveling to
Israel this week. I was thinking about the land and nation of Israel
and its reminder to us even today that God is faithful to His
promises. Think about it. He promised Abraham that his offspring
would live there in that place. They have lived there for a long
time and continue to live there to this day. Always remember this
one thing. God is faithful. You can take it to the bank. If you
ever have doubts about His faithfulness, just take a quick glace at
the people of Israel, living today again in the promised land.
Friday, March 07, 2008
More Than Bread 3/7/08
Joel 2:12-13
12 "Even now," declares the LORD,
"return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning."
13 Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.
I have been pondering this idea more and more lately. The thing that God desires most from us isn't the proper words or even the proper actions; it is the proper attitude of our heart that He desires most. You can see it over and over again throughout Scripture. God doesn't want you to just do the right things; He wants you to be right. An outward show with no inward truth will fool a lot of people, but it can never fool God.
12 "Even now," declares the LORD,
"return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning."
13 Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.
I have been pondering this idea more and more lately. The thing that God desires most from us isn't the proper words or even the proper actions; it is the proper attitude of our heart that He desires most. You can see it over and over again throughout Scripture. God doesn't want you to just do the right things; He wants you to be right. An outward show with no inward truth will fool a lot of people, but it can never fool God.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
The Rehab of Martin Luther
Pope Benedict XVI is a hard one to figure out. I saw a news story today that he has come out and said that Martin Luther was only trying to cleanse the church. Is he really the first Pope to figure this out? I am not a Lutheran, but I have a lot of respect for Martin Luther and what he did. It takes a lot of courage to stand in the face of that much pressure and hold fast to your convictions. Many of us may never know what it means to be challenged in such a manner. Surely his demeanor and his unwillingness to flinch in the face of that pressure should have been enough to give the Catholic church pause before now. There was no doubt that he was sincere and the perspective of time has surely shown that his gripes about indulgences and other issues were legitimate. It was just last July that the Pope said that non-Catholic Christians are "defective". I love my Catholic brothers and sisters, but I cannot in good faith be a part of the Catholic church because some of the teachings are still unScriptural in my assessment. I have had many good discussions with friends who are Catholic and I have taken many a hard look in the Bible myself at the teachings that bother me the most, but I have been unable to reconsile them. In fact, one of those issues has taken another point today. If Pope Bendict XVI is right about Luther now, then Pope Leo X was wrong to excommunicate him then. I know that they wish to limit the scope of Papal infallibility in order to prevent problems, but shouldn't a Pope be in "infallible mode" if you will when he excommunicates someone from the church?
More Than Bread 3/6/08
Deuteronomy 4:1-2
1 Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.
When I read this passage at first I find myself asking, who in the world would add to God's laws? Aren't they comprehensive enough? But if you think about it, the temptation to add to God's commands has existed since the beginning. Remember what Eve did in the garden when the serpent asked her about the fruit? She took the command of God that they couldn't eat from the tree and added that they couldn't even touch it. It is amazing to think that even the simplest commandment of God could get twisted by a simple addition. The Pharisees in Jesus' day had made a career of adding things to what God requires. I think the important lesson for us is to stick to what God says and not get sidetracked by all the things man is tempted to add.
1 Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.
When I read this passage at first I find myself asking, who in the world would add to God's laws? Aren't they comprehensive enough? But if you think about it, the temptation to add to God's commands has existed since the beginning. Remember what Eve did in the garden when the serpent asked her about the fruit? She took the command of God that they couldn't eat from the tree and added that they couldn't even touch it. It is amazing to think that even the simplest commandment of God could get twisted by a simple addition. The Pharisees in Jesus' day had made a career of adding things to what God requires. I think the important lesson for us is to stick to what God says and not get sidetracked by all the things man is tempted to add.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
More Than Bread 3/5/08
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
This passage is one that has been foundational to God's relationship with His people for a long time. We know that Jesus referred back to this when he said that to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourself were the foundation of the law itself. Some Hebrews actually take this very literally and wear symbols on their hands and foreheads. I think it is very important for us to keep the truth of God's Word before us at every moment. Is it on your mirror? What about your steering wheel? Do you think it would be wise to put the commandments of God in front of us more? I think we could all see a difference in our lives if we focus more on His Word.
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
This passage is one that has been foundational to God's relationship with His people for a long time. We know that Jesus referred back to this when he said that to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourself were the foundation of the law itself. Some Hebrews actually take this very literally and wear symbols on their hands and foreheads. I think it is very important for us to keep the truth of God's Word before us at every moment. Is it on your mirror? What about your steering wheel? Do you think it would be wise to put the commandments of God in front of us more? I think we could all see a difference in our lives if we focus more on His Word.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
From the Pastor's Desk Column for 3/3
I have the privilege this month of supplying the pastor's column for the local paper (Cavalier County Republican) for this month. I will post them here after they are published in the paper if any are interested in reading them. Here is the first column.
Recently, there was a scary scene in the hockey world. A young player named Richard Zednik was cut in the throat by another player's skate in what would surely be seen as a freak incident. The skate cut into his carotid artery and put his life in serious danger. I saw on television that he stated he began to wonder if he would see his four year old daughter ever again. Life is a gift that we often take for granted. It is staggering statistic. 10 out of 10 humans die. We all know that this is true, but we rarely take the time to contemplate our own death. The Bible tells us that there is a day appointed for each of us when we die and then we will face the judgment of God. Have you considered how you would fare in this judgment?
Let's take a look at one of God's well known standards. Have you kept the Ten Commandments? Have you ever told a lie? I don't know of anyone that hasn't. What about theft, have you ever stolen anything, regardless of its value? It is a rare person indeed who has never stolen something. Have you ever used God's name as a curse word? It's called blasphemy and in today's society it seems to be the norm rather than the exception. We have only looked at three of the ten and already most of us are batting 0 for 3. This is the reason that Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” When you stand in God's courtroom on your appointed day, will you be innocent or guilty? The Bible is clear that we are all guilty before God, because none of us could live up to His standard. The Bible is also clear about the consequence of a guilty verdict. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” There is good news here. There is One standing in the courtroom at God's judgment who is willing to take your place. Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins and for yours as well. He offers to stand in our place, if we will let Him. If we acknowledge our guilt before God and repent of doing things our own way, God can forgive us because of Christ's sacrifice. Read the Bible to know God's way of living and do what it says. A new commandment takes its place in your life. 1 John 3:23-24 says, “And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”
No one knows the hour or the day we will be called from this life to face the judgment of God. But there is no excuse for any of us to go unprepared to face Him on that day. If you have questions or comments, I would be glad to talk to you more.
Recently, there was a scary scene in the hockey world. A young player named Richard Zednik was cut in the throat by another player's skate in what would surely be seen as a freak incident. The skate cut into his carotid artery and put his life in serious danger. I saw on television that he stated he began to wonder if he would see his four year old daughter ever again. Life is a gift that we often take for granted. It is staggering statistic. 10 out of 10 humans die. We all know that this is true, but we rarely take the time to contemplate our own death. The Bible tells us that there is a day appointed for each of us when we die and then we will face the judgment of God. Have you considered how you would fare in this judgment?
Let's take a look at one of God's well known standards. Have you kept the Ten Commandments? Have you ever told a lie? I don't know of anyone that hasn't. What about theft, have you ever stolen anything, regardless of its value? It is a rare person indeed who has never stolen something. Have you ever used God's name as a curse word? It's called blasphemy and in today's society it seems to be the norm rather than the exception. We have only looked at three of the ten and already most of us are batting 0 for 3. This is the reason that Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” When you stand in God's courtroom on your appointed day, will you be innocent or guilty? The Bible is clear that we are all guilty before God, because none of us could live up to His standard. The Bible is also clear about the consequence of a guilty verdict. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” There is good news here. There is One standing in the courtroom at God's judgment who is willing to take your place. Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins and for yours as well. He offers to stand in our place, if we will let Him. If we acknowledge our guilt before God and repent of doing things our own way, God can forgive us because of Christ's sacrifice. Read the Bible to know God's way of living and do what it says. A new commandment takes its place in your life. 1 John 3:23-24 says, “And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”
No one knows the hour or the day we will be called from this life to face the judgment of God. But there is no excuse for any of us to go unprepared to face Him on that day. If you have questions or comments, I would be glad to talk to you more.
More Than Bread 3/4/08
Joshua 1:6-9
6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
Did you notice how many times Joshua was told by God to be strong and courageous? It comes as part of a promise that God would be with Joshua wherever he went. We have a similar promise from Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:20b-"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." So I say to you, be strong and courageous. The Lord of Hosts is at our side.
6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
Did you notice how many times Joshua was told by God to be strong and courageous? It comes as part of a promise that God would be with Joshua wherever he went. We have a similar promise from Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:20b-"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." So I say to you, be strong and courageous. The Lord of Hosts is at our side.
Friday, February 29, 2008
More Than Bread 2/29/08
Psalm 121:1-4
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
I missed getting the devotional yesterday, because I hit the road to go to a friends wedding this weekend. In the process, we drove through a lot of snow and slippery conditions. I am not sure that this promise(not to slip) extends to vehicles. But the promise that God continues to watch over us and does not slumber is always true. No matter what time it is or what you are facing, God is there for you. Call on your everpresent help in your time of need.
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
I missed getting the devotional yesterday, because I hit the road to go to a friends wedding this weekend. In the process, we drove through a lot of snow and slippery conditions. I am not sure that this promise(not to slip) extends to vehicles. But the promise that God continues to watch over us and does not slumber is always true. No matter what time it is or what you are facing, God is there for you. Call on your everpresent help in your time of need.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
More Than Bread 2/27/08
Job 12:2-5
2 "Doubtless you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you!
3 But I have a mind as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know all these things?
4 "I have become a laughingstock to my friends,
though I called upon God and he answered—
a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!
5 Men at ease have contempt for misfortune
as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
Here Job is replying to one of his "friends" who had basically told him that all of his trouble was self-caused. We of course know that Job had done nothing wrong. Job also knew he had done nothing to bring this on himself. What caught my eye was verse 5. It is easy for us to think less of a person in the midst of trouble when we think they have "brought it on themselves". But it would be much wiser to step back and try to relate. I took a crack at curling for the first time. I learned a valuable lesson in the process. It is easier to watch people on the ice than it is to try and manuver on the ice yourself. I fell a couple of times trying to learn how to balance. I may have even provided a chuckle or two to some of those watching. The lesson from Job is to not look down on the troubles of others, when we are in comfort and ease. We should be willing instead to come alongside and be a support and a help in their time of need.
2 "Doubtless you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you!
3 But I have a mind as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know all these things?
4 "I have become a laughingstock to my friends,
though I called upon God and he answered—
a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!
5 Men at ease have contempt for misfortune
as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
Here Job is replying to one of his "friends" who had basically told him that all of his trouble was self-caused. We of course know that Job had done nothing wrong. Job also knew he had done nothing to bring this on himself. What caught my eye was verse 5. It is easy for us to think less of a person in the midst of trouble when we think they have "brought it on themselves". But it would be much wiser to step back and try to relate. I took a crack at curling for the first time. I learned a valuable lesson in the process. It is easier to watch people on the ice than it is to try and manuver on the ice yourself. I fell a couple of times trying to learn how to balance. I may have even provided a chuckle or two to some of those watching. The lesson from Job is to not look down on the troubles of others, when we are in comfort and ease. We should be willing instead to come alongside and be a support and a help in their time of need.
Are you serious about evangelism?
I posted some of these same thoughts at my other blog, but I wanted to place them here as well becuase I think it is very important.
Evangelism is one of those things that we all know we need to do, but many of us put off doing. I for one have used more excuses than I can remember for why I couldn't talk to someone about Christ. Well, I am getting sick of my excuses. Sharing the gospel isn't an optional thing for any of us. Most of us probably are afraid to share with others. Maybe we are afraid of saying the wrong thing. Of course, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, all you need to do is share how he changed your life. There is no way you can get that wrong. I saw a video as a part of my class, where Ray Comfort asked believers if they could overcome their fear of witnessing if they were given $1000 dollars for every person they witnessed to. What a convicting question. I have made a couple of adjustments in my life based on what I saw. First, I decided that I needed to go and put my money where my heart is. A couple of years ago, I heard about an organization called Gospel for Asia. They are involved in using native missionaries to share with their people the Gospel of Christ. For $30/month, you can be involved in sponsoring a pastor who is spreading the Gospel in Asia. I know that it isn't as heartwarming perhaps as sponsoring a hungry child, but imagine the impact of this kind of sponsorship on the Kingdom of God. I encourage you to check them out. But even more than that, I encourage you to share your own story whenever you can.
Evangelism is one of those things that we all know we need to do, but many of us put off doing. I for one have used more excuses than I can remember for why I couldn't talk to someone about Christ. Well, I am getting sick of my excuses. Sharing the gospel isn't an optional thing for any of us. Most of us probably are afraid to share with others. Maybe we are afraid of saying the wrong thing. Of course, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, all you need to do is share how he changed your life. There is no way you can get that wrong. I saw a video as a part of my class, where Ray Comfort asked believers if they could overcome their fear of witnessing if they were given $1000 dollars for every person they witnessed to. What a convicting question. I have made a couple of adjustments in my life based on what I saw. First, I decided that I needed to go and put my money where my heart is. A couple of years ago, I heard about an organization called Gospel for Asia. They are involved in using native missionaries to share with their people the Gospel of Christ. For $30/month, you can be involved in sponsoring a pastor who is spreading the Gospel in Asia. I know that it isn't as heartwarming perhaps as sponsoring a hungry child, but imagine the impact of this kind of sponsorship on the Kingdom of God. I encourage you to check them out. But even more than that, I encourage you to share your own story whenever you can.
More Than Bread 2/26/08
Romans 12:15
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
This verse really struck a chord with me. I did my first ever funeral as a pastor on Monday. It was for a lady who didn't have much family around and whose children no longer have anything to do with her. I never got to actually talk to her here on this earth, but I got to know a few things about her from some who did. What I noticed though, was that the compassion I felt for her and the family she has that I will never meet took me by surprise. I found myself on several occasions over the weekend, thinking about this woman and praying for her family and grieving the hurt that must be there. It wasn't something I take credit for personally. I believe it was the work of the Holy Spirit, living out this passage in me. While it is true that we can never totally understand and fully experience the joy or the hurt of another person. We are told here that we should share in it, both the joy and the pain.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
This verse really struck a chord with me. I did my first ever funeral as a pastor on Monday. It was for a lady who didn't have much family around and whose children no longer have anything to do with her. I never got to actually talk to her here on this earth, but I got to know a few things about her from some who did. What I noticed though, was that the compassion I felt for her and the family she has that I will never meet took me by surprise. I found myself on several occasions over the weekend, thinking about this woman and praying for her family and grieving the hurt that must be there. It wasn't something I take credit for personally. I believe it was the work of the Holy Spirit, living out this passage in me. While it is true that we can never totally understand and fully experience the joy or the hurt of another person. We are told here that we should share in it, both the joy and the pain.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
More Than Bread 2/25/08
2 Corinthians 5:11-15
11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
Where do you get your motivation? What is it that makes another Monday exciting? Sharing our faith is something that many are reluctant to do, and I speak from personal experience. But as we understand God better, we cannot get around the fact that we are called to tell the good news to all. Paul says that Christ's love compels us to live for Him and not for ourselves. This is our motivation. Getting up and getting out is a new chance to share the love of Christ with others. We don't have a choice in this. The love of Christ compels(urges, motivates, prods, you get the point) us to go.
11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
Where do you get your motivation? What is it that makes another Monday exciting? Sharing our faith is something that many are reluctant to do, and I speak from personal experience. But as we understand God better, we cannot get around the fact that we are called to tell the good news to all. Paul says that Christ's love compels us to live for Him and not for ourselves. This is our motivation. Getting up and getting out is a new chance to share the love of Christ with others. We don't have a choice in this. The love of Christ compels(urges, motivates, prods, you get the point) us to go.
Friday, February 22, 2008
More Than Bread 2/22/08
2 Timothy 2:20-21
20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
In our house, we use a lot of paper plates. They are easy to microwave stuff on and you don't have to wash them. You just throw them away. But if we are going to entertain and want to impress, we have a whole set of really great dishes that look fabulous. Of course, some of them have never been used(I guess we aren't much on impressing folks). But as I read this passage, I thought about this in a little different light. Most of us, by nature, want to be seen and heard and admired even. And that isn't automatically a bad desire. But wouldn't it be far better to be useful instead of decorative? Don't worry too much about your visibility; work instead on your availability.
20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
In our house, we use a lot of paper plates. They are easy to microwave stuff on and you don't have to wash them. You just throw them away. But if we are going to entertain and want to impress, we have a whole set of really great dishes that look fabulous. Of course, some of them have never been used(I guess we aren't much on impressing folks). But as I read this passage, I thought about this in a little different light. Most of us, by nature, want to be seen and heard and admired even. And that isn't automatically a bad desire. But wouldn't it be far better to be useful instead of decorative? Don't worry too much about your visibility; work instead on your availability.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
More Than Bread 2/21/08
1 Samuel 10:20-22
20 When Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21 Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri's clan was chosen. Finally Saul son of Kish was chosen. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found. 22 So they inquired further of the LORD, "Has the man come here yet?"
And the LORD said, "Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage."
Have you ever felt like God has called you to do something, but that it was just too much. Maybe that God's request was simply too overwhelming. You are in good company. When Saul was annointed king of Israel, he was a little overwhelmed it would seem. When it was time for him to be introduced as king, he went and hid. This was no small feat, since he was a head taller than everyone else. But notice here that God knew exactly where he was and called him out of hiding. God is like that in other places in the Bible. Just look at Jonah for example. So, if God is calling you to do something. Get to it. Don't try to hide. God will come seeking and He always finds who He is looking for.
20 When Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21 Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri's clan was chosen. Finally Saul son of Kish was chosen. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found. 22 So they inquired further of the LORD, "Has the man come here yet?"
And the LORD said, "Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage."
Have you ever felt like God has called you to do something, but that it was just too much. Maybe that God's request was simply too overwhelming. You are in good company. When Saul was annointed king of Israel, he was a little overwhelmed it would seem. When it was time for him to be introduced as king, he went and hid. This was no small feat, since he was a head taller than everyone else. But notice here that God knew exactly where he was and called him out of hiding. God is like that in other places in the Bible. Just look at Jonah for example. So, if God is calling you to do something. Get to it. Don't try to hide. God will come seeking and He always finds who He is looking for.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
More Than Bread 2/20/08
Romans 13:8-10
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
There are a lot of folks that get confused by the requirements of the law to modern Christianity. We obviously know that the 10 Commandments are still valid but the Bible also says that we can eat whatever we want. How do we draw the line between what is OK under grace and what is still forbidden if you will? I was reading this passage and it summed it up rather nicely. The commandments that God expects us to obey are summed up in one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." It sounds so simple, but it definitely isn't easy. But this is what we are called to do. It's all about love.
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
There are a lot of folks that get confused by the requirements of the law to modern Christianity. We obviously know that the 10 Commandments are still valid but the Bible also says that we can eat whatever we want. How do we draw the line between what is OK under grace and what is still forbidden if you will? I was reading this passage and it summed it up rather nicely. The commandments that God expects us to obey are summed up in one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." It sounds so simple, but it definitely isn't easy. But this is what we are called to do. It's all about love.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
More Than Bread 2/19/08
1 Timothy 1:15-17
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
In modern society there is a big push for self-esteem, or self confidence. And I am not against healthy self-esteem, but I think it is important to have a proper view of ourself and how we stand before God. Most of us wouldn't think to place ourselves in the category of the chief of sinners. In fact, most of us think that we are pretty OK people. But in the light of God's holiness, we get a very different picture. The truth is that we are all undeserving of God's mercy, but He has given us mercy anyway, to display His unlimited patience as an example for others. Are you living your life as an example to others of what God can do?
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
In modern society there is a big push for self-esteem, or self confidence. And I am not against healthy self-esteem, but I think it is important to have a proper view of ourself and how we stand before God. Most of us wouldn't think to place ourselves in the category of the chief of sinners. In fact, most of us think that we are pretty OK people. But in the light of God's holiness, we get a very different picture. The truth is that we are all undeserving of God's mercy, but He has given us mercy anyway, to display His unlimited patience as an example for others. Are you living your life as an example to others of what God can do?
Monday, February 18, 2008
More Than Bread 2/18/08
Romans 8:26-27
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
I used to teach this principle to youth by using the word Dude, a lot. It is amazing how much of our communication with each other is done with voice inflection, tone, body language and so forth, and how little of it is done with the actual words we use. Our communication with God is much the same. We don't need high-sounding formal prayers to touch God's heart or get His attention. His Spirit searches our hearts and understands us at our innermost level. Even if you don't have the words to express yourself; cry out to God. He is always listening and He always understands. Even if you just say, "Dude!"
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
I used to teach this principle to youth by using the word Dude, a lot. It is amazing how much of our communication with each other is done with voice inflection, tone, body language and so forth, and how little of it is done with the actual words we use. Our communication with God is much the same. We don't need high-sounding formal prayers to touch God's heart or get His attention. His Spirit searches our hearts and understands us at our innermost level. Even if you don't have the words to express yourself; cry out to God. He is always listening and He always understands. Even if you just say, "Dude!"
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Red Letter Christians
Let me start by saying that I generally like Tony Campolo. He spoke at chapel back in the days that I attended John Brown University and I enjoyed listening to him a lot. I even have a few of his books that I enjoy reading. But today, I ran across a column by him posted at the Huffington post about "Red Letter Christians". Now, the first part about defining Biblical Christianity is something I can heartily agree with in most respects. Certainly when it comes to the core of Christianity as the belief that Jesus is God's Son and the only means of salvation and right standing before God, I have no arguments. My problem comes in the application of that to the political realm. His main complaint is with the religious right and their attempts to politicize evangelical views. In an effort to correct this perceived wrong, he and his fellow Red Letter Christians are seeking to take the opposite end of the spectrum and make it the politically correct fold for "true" Christianity.
Seemingly it has never occurred to either of them that Jesus never sought to forge a political party or alliances. In fact, the idea of taking over the government to use its power to "make things right" is foreign to Christ's teaching. Remember it was Christ who said in John 18:36: "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." The emphasis that Campolo places on trying to create this kingdom in the now is not what Christ had intended. We as Christians should work within government to change things for the better when we can. But we shouldn't do this by bringing to bear the force of government to make everyone be charitable. It is wrong to take other's money to help those in need if we do it by force. He cites the example of Bergen, NJ and the deplorable conditions there, but I would be willing to guess that the conditions have been created by many of the things he is advocating. Simply giving people anything and everything they can possibly need does not make people better. Indeed, a lack of ownership by those same people tends to lead them in the opposite direction. If you want to see what government taking care of every need can do, simply visit a couple of the Reservations our government has set up for Native Americans.
The real truth is that our nation is now invested in taking more and more of the God-given liberty that our founders espoused from the people. The call for universal health care sounds benevolent and good, but it is simply a means to give the government more control over each individual in its sphere of power. Instead of all good things coming from our Creator, the new call is for all good things to come from a kind and generous government. I have a better question for Tony and all of those who agree with him about using the government to usher in the "Kingdom of God" here on earth. What if we took our government back to its original purpose? What if we stopped allowing the government to take 1/3 or more of what most people earn and gave them the ability instead to use that money to personally help others. Once upon a time, hospitals and charities and nursing homes were indeed the province of the church and the Christian community. We have lost our way, by allowing, expecting, or even encouraging the government to take over our responsibility to love our neighbor as ourselves. This call from Christ cannot be fulfilled by a big government solution. It can only be fulfilled by Christians who are determined to personally live out their beliefs working together. The strong arm of government is not the one that God desires to use for His Kingdom work. In an ironic twist, those who I am certain would decry legalism in our Christian life are entirely in favor of "legalism" as a solution to our national woes. He says in the article:
Seemingly it has never occurred to either of them that Jesus never sought to forge a political party or alliances. In fact, the idea of taking over the government to use its power to "make things right" is foreign to Christ's teaching. Remember it was Christ who said in John 18:36: "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." The emphasis that Campolo places on trying to create this kingdom in the now is not what Christ had intended. We as Christians should work within government to change things for the better when we can. But we shouldn't do this by bringing to bear the force of government to make everyone be charitable. It is wrong to take other's money to help those in need if we do it by force. He cites the example of Bergen, NJ and the deplorable conditions there, but I would be willing to guess that the conditions have been created by many of the things he is advocating. Simply giving people anything and everything they can possibly need does not make people better. Indeed, a lack of ownership by those same people tends to lead them in the opposite direction. If you want to see what government taking care of every need can do, simply visit a couple of the Reservations our government has set up for Native Americans.
The real truth is that our nation is now invested in taking more and more of the God-given liberty that our founders espoused from the people. The call for universal health care sounds benevolent and good, but it is simply a means to give the government more control over each individual in its sphere of power. Instead of all good things coming from our Creator, the new call is for all good things to come from a kind and generous government. I have a better question for Tony and all of those who agree with him about using the government to usher in the "Kingdom of God" here on earth. What if we took our government back to its original purpose? What if we stopped allowing the government to take 1/3 or more of what most people earn and gave them the ability instead to use that money to personally help others. Once upon a time, hospitals and charities and nursing homes were indeed the province of the church and the Christian community. We have lost our way, by allowing, expecting, or even encouraging the government to take over our responsibility to love our neighbor as ourselves. This call from Christ cannot be fulfilled by a big government solution. It can only be fulfilled by Christians who are determined to personally live out their beliefs working together. The strong arm of government is not the one that God desires to use for His Kingdom work. In an ironic twist, those who I am certain would decry legalism in our Christian life are entirely in favor of "legalism" as a solution to our national woes. He says in the article:
We Red Letter Christians consider ignoring the necessity of legislation to address such careless disregard as more than a disgrace: We call it sinful.If Christians elect to use the government to solve all of these issues that Campolo addresses, then it would be government that would get the glory, if it were to actually succeed(which is doubtful). God doesn't share His glory with anyone or anything. Jesus is not a Republican. Nor is He a Democrat. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
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