The Conservative Christian Corner

Placed on the Brink?

2011-08-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

The book of Joshua contains a series of chapters describing the borders and boundaries of the inherited lands of Israel. When they overthrew the nations living there and moved in, God gave them territories by lot. What I'm about to mention may in part be trivial, but the point I'm going to be making is still worth considering.

I'd like first of all before going into this discussion to point you to Psalm 78:67-68. It says there:

"⁶⁷He rejected the tent of Joseph;

he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
⁶⁸but he chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion, which he loves."

Now look at Joshua 15 - paying close attention to verse 8:

"Then the boundary goes up by the Valley of the Son of Hinnom at the southern shoulder of the Jebusite ( that is, Jerusalem). And the boundary goes up to the top of the mountain that lies over against the Valley of Hinnom, on the west, at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim."

Notice the references to the "Valley of Hinnom?" What do we know about that valley? Historically, that valley was outside the city of Jerusalem and was used as the 'dump site' for all the refuse and filth of the city. We also know that that valley was where the children of Israel completed their abominable child sacrifices to Moloch, and traditionally this valley was the place that trash and waste were burned so as not to pollute the city. Some have speculated that Hinnom (also known as Gehenna) had constant fires there that never went out. There is not conclusive evidence to support this, but it is safe to guess that trash and waste were burned there regularly. The place is indeed something one might consider "hellish." Why am I talking about this?

God gave this putrid and abominable place as a boundary to a tribe of Israel that He chose - not only as the tribe from which He would fulfill His promise to redeem mankind, but as the place He loved. Why would a loving God place His chosen people on the brink of a place that was so despicable? Some may argue necessity - Jerusalem had a need to keep its streets clean, and thus the valley was a natural solution to the problem. That may be true, but what if God put this in Scripture as an example of how we as Christians are placed in our world today?

Think about it. Are we not called to be in the world and not of the world? (John 17:13-19, Romans 12:1-2) Is not the world we live in a place that is full of vileness and evil, a place we should strive to not emulate? (Romans 1:18-32) Isn't our inheritance in heaven? Aren't we the people Jesus has chosen to call by His name? Maybe if we consider this for a moment, we will realize that our 'border' is on the brink of 'hell' and our responsibility is to shine the light of Christ there without being a part of the hideousness of it. We have to walk in and amongst those who are not holy, without being like them. To them, we are Christ. Yes, we're called out from among the people of the world and told to be separate - but not separate as in distant. Rather, our separate-ness is in our calling - we're Christ's, not belonging to the world. In, not of. By extension, you could also consider our proximity to the stench of sin and wrongdoing as a constant reminder to us of who we used to be, and a reminder to remain holy.

This may be a stretch, but perhaps it is a stretch worth remembering now and again as we continue throughout the course of our lives as Christians. Don't forget who you are, or that God has indeed placed us on the brink. Our borders are in full view of hellish evil, our calling is to be holy and separate, and our ministry to those wallowing in despair in a modern 'Valley of Hinnom.' What we remember, what we choose to do will define how the rest of the world sees Christ - we may be the only Bible they ever read!

Manhood, Part 2: The Rehoboam Complex

2011-07-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

This post is part of my Manhood 'series' but really is applicable to more than just those who are aspiring to be men. What I want to show you is the devastating impact the Rehoboam Complex (as I like to call it) has on society and the church.

We need to first of all establish what the trend is that I'm referring to when I talk about devastating the church. I'm going to be talking about youth ministry - and no, I'm not trying to judge those who are in youth ministry, but merely to point out some significant flaws in the concepts of youth ministry.

The typical church model in America these days is one that includes a segregated Sunday school hour where children of various ages meet with a teacher and other children their own age. The youth meet with other youth, the adults gather and have Bible study with other adults. Often, the subject matter covered is similar in each class, regardless of the age group. This isn't always the case, but remember, I'm painting this picture with a fairly broad brush. The structure I've described extends to more than just Sunday mornings. It happens on any given day of the week. Often, the youth will meet even more frequently than other people in the church. The youth minister (without intending to, often) becomes the role model, the one the teenagers look up to and go to for advice.

Think of Rehoboam. Rehoboam was the son of Solomon (1 Kings 12:1-19). Solomon had, prior to his death, levied huge taxes on the people of Israel in order to support the building of the Temple. When Solomon died and Rehoboam took his place, the people came to him and asked that the taxes be eased up because they were such a burden. Rehoboam gave a token head-nod to his father's advisors, and chose instead to listen to his peers - to his shame. His actions split the nation of Israel and caused an incessant war that never was resolved. You know what is really sad? Rehoboam was likely in his 40s when this occurred.

What does this have to do with the current model of the church? Churches today are destroying the structure of family. Children who are growing up into adults don't have the wisdom and experience in life to answer the questions of life that present themselves as they mature. Teenagers really don't know as much as they like to think they know. Trust me, I used to be one. Youth really don't see the big picture. By splitting the family up, and allowing children to look to someone other than the parents as the source of advice, wisdom, guidance, and authority, the purpose of the family is defeated. It isn't a battle, it's a rout. The children who grow up in that environment more often than not will look to their peers instead of their parents when the big struggles of life arise. Two people who don't know what they're doing are no better than one who doesn't. We all know that the blind should not spend time leading other blind people. It doesn't make sense, and yet we allow ourselves to do it without even asking why!

My point is that churches are encouraging a multi-generational epidemic of Rehoboams - people who look to their friends, not the older and wiser people who are natural sources of sound advice and judgment. This is the same thing society does when splitting up families in the educational system; it tears apart that God-given structure.

This doesn't mean that youth ministers are evil people, or that churches are abominable places. It means that youth ministers who see the danger I've described should take the time to approach the leaders of the church and ask how they can help. The thing is, children DO need guidance. The point of Scripture is turning the hearts of children to their parents, and parents to the children. A youth minister desiring to stand up to the challenge should ask how he can help his church turn the eyes of children to their parents and vice versa. The leaders in churches should see the teaching in Scripture and provide direction to youth ministers. Families need to break the cycle and do what doesn't make sense - quit the 'program' and get on board with God's design - fathers raising their children.

That's why I added this to my Manhood series. Fathers need to take a huge leadership role in this. Men need to see the danger and steer their families away from it. Dads need to take the time to know their children and guide them through those times that are so crucial as they mature into adulthood. Men, STAND UP! Don't contribute to the endless stream of statistics where the numbers show only small percentages of teenagers staying in church after they grow up. Lead your families! If you are in youth ministry, think twice about what you're doing. Don't give up and watch Rehoboams continue to take over society!

Manhood: Part 1

2011-06-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

I'd like for this next series of posts to be more interactive. That said, I've been looking at the Bible trying to pinpoint the various areas of Scripture that are the source of the principles of true manhood. For the sake of this discussion, I'm assuming there's a difference between being a man, and manhood. A man is a person who is male and has grown into adulthood, whereas manhood is the state of being that allows that man to hold up his head with dignity and earn the respect of those around him.

Contrary to 'public' opinion, it isn't clothes, money, girls, cars, brains, strength, or personality that 'make the man.' The Bible seems to spend a significant amount of time discussing manhood. Take 1 Timothy 3, for example. Or Exodus 18. Both passages of describe what godly leaders should look like. Wait a second, before you interrupt, I know that I just equated leadership and manhood. I hope to show that manhood and leadership are inseparable and interdependent. How, you say? Give me a moment, and then I hope you'll tell me what you think after I share my ideas.

See, Genesis 4 describes Cain and Abel and their offerings to the Lord. Note that Abel's offering was pleasing to God, and that the first thing he did upon raising his flock is offer the firstborn of the lambs as a sacrifice. While perhaps an incomplete thought, I think it is safe to say that the first mark of manhood is not a desire to put God first, but the actual act of putting Jesus Christ first and foremost in every aspect of life.

A wise man once told me that one can boil down manhood into the concept of walking with God. What? Where does that idea come from? Oh, simple. "Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him." (Genesis 5:24) What does that have to do with manhood? Well, the idea is that if you walk with God, the various facets of one's life will fall into place, because if one is truly a Christian, those areas of life are as much subject to Christ's control as anything else. If that submission to Jesus' direction and guidance is present, the person gradually takes on the character God intends for His people to have. No, I'm not saying God can't work in the life of an unsubmitted person. I'm merely saying that God's work is evident in the hearts of those who surrender their own wills to His. And all of that is seen in the life of someone who puts God first.

I said I'd try and correlate leadership and manhood. I will make that attempt here. What is leadership, exactly? In theory, a leader is someone who stands up and takes action where it is needed, and in such a way that people follow them. Leaders are, conceptually, just as much 'made' as they are 'born that way.' But the only way any of that happens is if the leader takes steps personally to develop character that is unshakeable by the winds of society, peer pressure, or catastrophe. What kind of person in Scripture develops the character that can do that but someone that is called a man? Look at David, who was refined by the persecution of Saul until he was capable of leading a nation! Consider Moses, Aaron, Hezekiah, Josiah, Peter, John, and Stephen! All men who were leaders in their time. They all followed the will and works of Christ, setting Him as preeminent in their lives. Thus, in my estimation, manhood and leadership cannot be separated. Now hold on, there were other people in Scripture too, I know. I think you'll find though, as you read the Bible, that the people God uses as leaders are those who seek Him, and those who bear His name are worthy of being called men.

Note, if you're of the female persuasion, I don't think you're excluded from being a leader either. But this post isn't about that. Just don't take it personally - I'm not ignoring you per se so much as talking to a different group entirely.

So, those of you who have been patient enough to stick with me throughout this rambling post, I welcome your thoughts and wonder what you'd consider as the top mark of manhood or what are the other marks of manhood.

On Waiting

2011-05-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

The Christian culture in America is swamped with extremes when it comes to addressing the aspects of male/female relationships and marriage. I'm not here to necessarily call out a particular extreme as being right or wrong. I personally have made certain choices with my approach to relationships, and while I am convinced that those choices were right, they aren't right for everyone. However, my purpose in writing this post is to point out something that I've come to think is not talked about often enough. Young men, this is for you.

We are often told, depending on who we talk to, that we should 'wait' for the right woman; to 'wait' for God to reveal to us His choice for a helpmeet. This is all well and good; I would encourage such behavior. However, what does it really mean to 'wait?' I have heard ever since I can remember that young people should save themselves for marriage. I recall hearing the young ladies being told countless times that they should guard their hearts, look to their fathers for guidance, refer suitors to their dads, and learn how to be submissive and godly women from their mothers. The young men were counseled in a similar vein, but I honestly (and this could just be me) cannot recall it being harped on so much as the material presented to the girls. Young men should be just as committed to abstinence, guarding their hearts, and more. But I do believe that young men carry an even greater responsibility.

Waiting for the right woman doesn't mean sitting on one's hands trying to figure out what is next. It has been said that 'idle hands are the devil's workshop' and rightly so. A young man who has too much time on his hands has time to fantasize about the girls he sees, and the 'freedom' to 'explore' - which leads to the behavior of a flirt. Think about that for a moment - a young man who is flirtatious and fantasizes about interaction with a girl opens the door wide to ensnare his own heart, but just as much the heart of the girls he interacts with. Women are just as flattered by attention as any man. The flirt becomes a stumbling block to a person who is trying to guard their heart. So what does this mean the young man should be doing? I think there are several things a young man should consider.

There is no magic age at which one is supposed to 'fall in love' and get married. The key is what has been done to prepare for marriage. Waiting for God's timing is a very active pursuit. I want to mention four areas of focus that a young man would be wise to consider while preparing for God's calling to marriage.

First, personal relationship with God is of paramount importance. The epistles of Paul are well seasoned with pointed remarks towards young men. Titus 2:6 encourages older men to exhort the upcoming generation to be sober minded. 2 Timothy 2:14-26 contains a list of things that any young man should aspire towards accomplishing. Notable in that list is the command to 'flee youthful lusts.' A wise man considers the lusts that weigh him down and casts them aside. Lust is a devastating piece of luggage to carry into the prime of one's life. It is easily described in a lack of contentment and reliance on God, and is seen in men (and women) whose focus is on themselves instead of their Maker. The man who would be married should have a clear conscience and be able to hold his head high among his fellow man, knowing that there is nothing he has to be ashamed of. He is aware that his accountability is primarily with his God and has a track record of striving to become like Christ.

Second, a firm emphasis on ministry is vital. A young man interested in marriage should realize that he is giving up his rights to what he wants to serve others. It is crucial that this be something that has been practiced and implemented over and over again. A godly young man is aware that his life is not his own, and invests his God-given talents, skills, and energy into serving his fellow man. Ministry is a rather broad term, I know. But the investment in others that I'm talking about here is a building up of fellow believers. Evangelism is a form of ministry, but I am convinced that evangelism is also very much caught up in the concept of service to fellow believers, for Christ's comments in John 13:35 were clear: "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." The unsaved of the world are acutely aware of who we are, and much more so as we truly love our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and that is ministry.

Third, an ability to provide for physical needs is important. There's not going to be a perfect amount of provision that is required in order to become a husband and father. The important thing is the ability to provide, and the knowledge that steps have been taken to prepare for the eventuality of marriage. This means that a young man interested in marriage should not be wildly frivolous with his money. This is not to say that one can not spend money on fun things now and again, but responsibility is also very much a part of the equation. A man should be able to provide for the physical needs of a family - housing, clothing, food, and medical needs are all things that will be constant. Not everyone will have it all. Some will have to live hand-to-mouth to make it work. But again, a young man should indeed be able to provide. This requires self-sacrifice and commitment. After all, what father would allow a young man to pursue his daughter if he wasn't comfortable with the man's ability to ensure that her needs would be met? A good father will always be looking out for the well-being of his daughter, and that carries on into his evaluation of potential suitors for her hand. He won't want to house a son-in-law who leeches off of him. He won't respect a man like that, and his daughter will not care much for it either.

Finally, wisdom and caution in relationships should be carefully observed. Wait, you thought that all of the three items I mentioned up to this point were what lead up to being qualified for marriage? Not quite. A young man needs to take heed who he hangs out with, who he talks to, and who he listens to. A man who is interested in being wise should consider that a young lady is not an object, and that the woman is always under the authority of someone else. A smart young man cultivates a relationship with the father before starting to develop a relationship with the daughter - it gives the dad a chance to evaluate him and really gives the young man an advantage. The father can always provide pointers, advice, and share wisdom, and I'm not just talking about advice in how to approach the daughter. Remember, 1 Timothy and Titus talk about leaders being teachable. The key is that the father/parents of a young lady (as well as the young man's own parents) can really share some perspective with the man that really can help him grow and mature. Guarding one's self from foolish friendships is also important. Having a prolific number of friends is all well and good, but who are they, really? A man must be capable of standing alone for what he believes if he needs to. And when those times come, he should take them without whining. They will come, it is not a question of 'if.'

Now I realize that I've said a lot of this with the assumption that a young man would be interested in pursuing a young lady thru her father. I've made the choice to do so, but what you do is between you and God. I can encourage you to consider what happens when you circumvent God-given family structure, but I cannot tell you how to think. I am sure that there are exceptions, situations where the father is not present, or other circumstances could change how it is approached I'm sure. But the key is, are you going to give God control of how you approach waiting, or are you going to keep matters in your own control? Because I guarantee your own control is completely useless against God's will and sovereignty. Just sayin'. This waiting business is keeping me pretty busy, so I wish y'all the best, and pray that God works in you to do His good pleasure.

Refocusing

2011-02-05T09:26:00.000-08:00

I had started writing a post about the subject of baptism to put up, but instead, I'll simply remind y'all that the study of Scripture is important. God's truth is there. Regardless of the subject matter. God reconciles man to Himself, and you can trace that thread from Genesis to Revelation. Our Heavenly Father's perfect plan is that mankind would see the truth and that the truth would set them free. I could get into all sorts of discussions about the doctrines of election, or the covenant, or about Baptism - and those are good things to think about! It is good to know what you believe! But those things are secondary to the fact that Christ is King, and has chosen to be the ultimate Ransom for our transgressions. Studying Biblical doctrine is critical for growth in our spiritual lives - and knowing where we stand with doctrine helps us know where God wants us, helps us gain spiritual nourishment, and helps us have fellowship in a Christ-like manner.

I realized though, as I started writing the blog post about baptism that while I know what I believe, my purpose in having this site is not to convince you, the reader, of my beliefs. Instead, my goal is to point you to Scripture. My aim is to encourage you to fight the good fight, to study Scripture for yourself, and to know what you believe. No amount of eloquent or profound arguments in favor of one thing or another will change your life so dramatically as that personal interaction with God through reading His Word and through prayer. It is only through that that you will grasp His purposes, His plans, His desires for your life.

This is not to say that doctrine is secondary. This is not to say that I am unwilling to discuss what I believe. On the contrary, I'm happy to talk about where God has me in my spiritual walk, and delighted to dig into the meaty doctrines - with the proviso that if I do not know or understand a topic that is being discussed, I will defer discussion until I have had an opportunity to dig into Scripture about it before conversing about it. And doctrine and theology are foundational in their role - without doctrine or theology, one would not have the basis of having churches, fellowship, discipleship, or even evangelism.

I guess my point is this: 1 Peter 3:15 says to have an answer ready for the hope that is in you. Do you have that answer ready? Pray, study the Word of God, and wrestle with the hard things, because in doing so, you will grow.

The Ready Christian

2011-01-09T18:08:00.000-08:00

The Ready Christian

A certain country was once anxious to open trade negotiations with a land close on their border. The king of the land listened to his advisers and sent a promising young man to go to the neighboring kingdom and open discussions of trade and commerce. The young man arrived in the neighboring capitol and had an audience with the foreign king and his high council. The council plied the youngster with questions regarding trade. To their surprise, the young man knew nothing of the trade of his country, nor of the customs required by either land, nor of the terrors of the journey that the trade caravans would have to make. The council threw up their hands in disgust and sent the young man home embarrassed with the following message: ‘Do not think to send us treaties of peace and mutual benefit when you cannot send them in the hands of a wise man. Or where are your counselors? Are they as daft as the child you sent to do the work of a statesman?’

What country in their right minds would send someone as ambassador who was not capable of answering questions of policy and government on behalf of his or her country? An ambassador by nature must be well versed in all areas of the structure and governance of the country he represents. Scripture calls us ambassadors. If we’re ambassadors, we have to know how to represent Christ. If so, what does being ‘ready’ really mean?

2 Corinthians 5:14-21 & 1 Peter 3: 13-16

The ‘ready’ Christian is:

Zealous for good (v. 13)

- Zeal consumes the zealot

- Zeal is passionate

- Zeal is infectious

Understands that suffering is a given (v. 14, Ch. 4:12-13)

-> Suffering is:

Intimidation (verse 14)
Slander and reviling (verse 16)
Painful (1 Peter 4:12, fiery ordeal)
It is a test (1 Peter 4:12)
Shared experience with Christ (1 Peter 4:13)

Knows that suffering is cause for rejoicing (1 Peter 4:12-19)

Sanctifies Christ as Lord (1 Peter 3:15)

- Requires devotion to God and His word

- Requires humility

- Requires grace

- Acknowledges when there is room to change

- By nature requires change

Have answer for questions ready (2 Corinthians 5:14-21, 1 Peter 3:15)

Speak answers in love, gentleness, reverence (1 Corinthians 13:1, 1 Peter 3:15)

- Love, because all mankind is made in God’s image

- Gentleness, because our answers are never going to be easy

- Reverence, because of the awe and wonder of what God has done for us and will do in the lives of those we meet

Maintain clear conscience (Nehemiah 9, 1 Peter 3:15-16, 1 Peter 4:17-18)

Worship: A Different Perspective

2010-09-05T22:21:00.000-07:00

We in our Christian society are bombarded by different ways to promote a spirit of 'worship' in our lives. We are told how our church services should look in order to bring an atmosphere of 'worship.' We are told how to worship God in our hearts at home also. One thing that seems to be missing, though, is a warning not to worship the wrong things. I know the warning is there, and we see it in Scripture, but it is rarely repeated. I'd like to show you what I mean.

I'll start with a definition of worship that sets a baseline for the train of thought I'm on. Worship, in this context, is maintaining focus on Jesus Christ. It is that fixation on who He is, the response we have to His work in our lives - that reverence and devotion we give Him. Anything less is wrongful worship. When we pray, we are worshiping our Heavenly Father. When we sing, we worship. When we study God's word, we worship. When we fellowship with our fellow believers, we worship. (Notice that I said 'when' and not 'if!')

In our society, we treat life as a set of circumstances. Perspective has little to do with it, since few people dig into it. This mindset bleeds over into our Christian walk, and we tend to focus on our situations rather than on God and His word. We tend to get caught up in the moment and lose sight of Christ. We see the things that happen in our lives, and often that is all we see. We see trials, we see joy, we see grief, and we see good things. Because of the society we have grown up in, we often see life as a progression from circumstance to circumstance, and we are conditioned to react only to the here and now.

I've noticed that I sometimes have a tendency to focus on the negative things that I see going on around me, and that seem to directly include me. If I have a bad day at work because of difficult people, I rarely think about how God is using that in my life, but I focus on the difficulty at hand and, unfortunately, can begin to gripe and complain and murmur. This is of course not what God wants from me, or from any of us. You see, when we elevate our trials and our difficulties, and focus on them rather than on Christ, we are, in effect, worshiping those circumstances. This is because we are concentrated on our situation rather than on the One who brings us through those times in our life. Granted, it is not sinful to cry out to God and make known to Him our trouble. The problem I have, and that many of us may have, is that we don't turn to God. We simply ignore the fact that He is in control. Thus, if we are lifting up our situations and dwelling on them to the exclusion of God, we are worshiping the Potter's wheel, and not the Potter. We are elevating the crucible the Lord has us in to refine us, instead of worshiping the Refiner.

Who are we, that we have that attitude in us? Why do we forget so quickly? And who are we to question God's plan for our lives, or the work He has begun in us? Romans 9 has a very valid reminder of this very thing in verses 21 - 24:

Or does not the Potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.

This has been a challenge for me, and I hope for you as well. Don't lose sight of Christ, don't get so caught up in the events of life that you forget the One who put you there in the first place! Remember, wrongful worship is when we leave God out! Have a God-centered perspective!

Slavery: Birthright and Choice

2010-05-22T12:01:00.001-07:00

The concept of slavery is repugnant to most people in our society. Talking about it makes people uncomfortable, laws have been made to prevent it from occurring, and wars of both political and violent natures have been fought over it. A casual reader of Romans might find Paul's reference to slavery offensive. After all, common conception is that we are NOT slaves. After all, God gave us free will, right?

A slave is bound to the will of his or her master. 100%. Though the slave has a choice as to whether or not to obey an instruction, failure results in punishment. Life for a slave consists of trying to avoid discipline. Obedience becomes second nature, because of the fear that is instilled in the heart of the slave. And like any shackled person, the slave looks on the world of 'freedom' and wishes to experience that freedom. Fortunately, because of free will, we have a choice as to who we become slaves of. Let's look at the differences between slaves.

The Slave of Sin

Sin is king – Romans 6:12

Suppresses truth – Romans 1:18

The slave to sin is a lustful, self-centered one – Romans 6:12

The slave to sin is a willing one – Romans 6:13a

The slave to sin seeks to justify and prove their own righteousness – Romans 10:3

The slave to sin is on death row – Romans 6:16, 23; James 1:13-15

The Slave of Righteousness

Righteousness is knowing the right thing to do, and choosing to do it, with the right attitude

– Colossians 3:23-25

Makes a choice to serve God in righteousness – Romans 6:13b

Lives in the presence of God – Luke 1:72-75

Is justified through trust in Christ – Romans 4:2-5

Cries out for mercy when faced with their wrongdoing – Psalm 51, Romans 7:14-25

Is promised eternal life – Romans 5:17

Summary

We know innately that there is a difference between right and wrong – Romans 1:18-32. We are given a choice as to whom we will serve. We know what the rewards for serving sin are, and the rewards for serving righteousness are. Why do we choose sin? James 1:13-15 makes it clear that it is our own lusts that draw us into sin. So does the Apostle Paul in Romans 7:14-25 – it is what we were born into. (See also John 3:19.)

Who are you going to serve with your life? It is a choice that you must make! You will be held accountable for your decision, regardless of which one you make.

In Passing

2010-01-28T17:14:00.000-08:00

To those who would say that a someone who loves work can't have fun, I give you Ecclesiastes 2:24:

"There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God."

Random Question

2010-01-26T19:52:00.000-08:00

So I was recently attending a funeral for a suicide victim, and there were easily over 300 people there. For me, even though I never knew the individual, it was difficult because of the fact that this man and I were both military. We both had a common vision, to support and defend the Constitution. And yet he was dead, and I was not. He gave up a lot when he took his own life. And the question I had leaving that place was this: "How could a man think he was so alone and incapable of dealing with life, and yet have 300 people mourning his loss?"

What Struck Me

2009-08-31T20:47:00.000-07:00

I was recently reading through the book of 1 Timothy, going over the concepts of leadership that are covered there. 1st and 2nd Timothy, as well as Titus, convey a large quantity of characteristics that define not only leadership, but manhood. And I realized something, as I was pondering the concepts found there.

The majority of the "qualifications" presented for a leader to meet have little to do with the man himself. They have much to do with the relationship the man has with the people around him. His family, his church, his workplace, his acquaintances, and the man off the street. In Scripture, we see that the chief responsibility a man has is to his Maker. Reconciliation with the Almighty, and following Him in every aspect of his life is the primary duty a man has - to himself. 1 Corinthians 11 delineates a responsibility for self-examination, in order to not misrepresent the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Beyond that, the majority of the tasks true men have are to their fellow man. Think about it.

A man must rule his household well. That's a relationship with other human beings, involving them, as well as the man. A man must not be a brawler. This is also a relationship issue involving multiple people. The list goes on. Almost all of the requirements deal with how a real man deals with the people around him. How he interacts with, ministers to, serves, leads, and protects the people around him.

God has designed life to be beautiful in it's simplicity - despite the inherent complexity. If we do what He says, it's supposed to be so easy. If a man focuses on himself only to the extent that he is striving for the close relationship with Jesus Christ that all men must have, that's all he has to worry about - for himself. That's it. One thing. Everything else will come as a natural byproduct of his walk with God. The man is then free to serve his brothers and sisters in Christ, and minister the Gospel to a lost and dying world. I think Christianity as a whole overthinks the walk of the believer sometimes, and this is one of them. I believe that if a man confesses Christ, follows Christ, and serves the family of God, the Gospel is inexorably furthered in a way that leaves no doubt but that God was at work in the life of that man. This defines true masculine maturity and manhood.

It isn't about the man, as much as about the Christ. Follow the Savior, love the saints, breathe the Gospel.

Random Rant

2009-08-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

Do any of you find it irritating that what was common courtesy, nay, chivalry merely a generation or two ago is now frowned upon? That those values that defined "gentleman" and "lady" are now considered devaluing and demeaning?

I have become so frustrated by the shock that is expressed when I try and hold the door for someone. Women seem so... surprised that someone would do that for them. Men, well, they can manage for themselves, and nobody thinks of them anyway, and thus they also seem bewildered. Women use language that would make their grandmothers turn over in their graves - no wonder they're not treated like ladies. Or what gets me is when a woman is trying to carry something she obviously can't manage that well, and I offer to carry it and she says no. Why? If you can't manage, what is there to prove? I'm merely offering to assist you! Good grief! Is all this just to prove equality or individuality?

Men are no better. They don't look out for the needs of others, don't treat the younger, the weaker as worthy of protection. Instead, they assume that to protect them is to coddle them and to prevent them from experiencing the real world and learning that it's a rough place out there. Uh, hello? That's why they need protecting? Men in today's society seem to find nothing better to do than to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to tear down the reputation of other people. What's the point? To prove that you're somehow better than the other person?

When I inquire about any of this, I get "well, you just have to let people be themselves." Yeah? I am! I am merely trying to be courteous and as much of a gentleman as I can! Is that so wrong? This has nothing to do with "letting people be themselves" or not. I'm not trying to change their character or impose on them.

Does anyone else find this to be disturbing? Do I just have the wrong expectations? Guys - what makes a gentleman a gentleman and a lady a lady? Girls - what do you expect out of a gentleman? Are you devalued by a man (or person) offering assistance of any sort?

Gah! This is so irritating!

The State of the Church

2009-03-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd post some thoughts about Christianity and it's state from the perspective of someone in the military. The following are some of the observations I've made.

1.) Military members have a very high respect for religion, and Christianity is not frowned upon. As a general rule that is. Some do make light of faith and tend to mock those who follow Christ, but they are not the majority.

2.) Biblical doctrine is hard to come by. All of the chaplains I've encountered since joining the military have been so focused on being ecumenical and avoiding stepping on the toes of other denominations and even religions, that there is no Biblical teaching of any significance. Granted, this is only a random sampling of the military, and it's only one branch of the service, but the theme is consistent. In addition, this spirit of being politically correct is not limited to just other denominations and religions, but is also targeted at not offending the people listening. The people in the pews/chairs/benches are the meter of whether or not the message is acceptable. Since when is that Biblical?

3.) Despite the acceptance of religion/Christianity by the military, few actually attend churches on or off base. Contemporary worship services are the fullest, because they create the largest emotional high. Traditional services are also geared, unfortunately, at making the service member feel good about themselves. Churches are empty. And the leadership is willing to try anything to bring people in, often at the expense of the very things that define a church.

Those are just a few of my observations, but the most obvious ones.

Leadership

2009-03-06T20:18:00.000-08:00

What does leadership look like? What is the purpose of leadership? I've seen some examples since joining the military of both good and bad leadership. I could tell stories, I could talk about the things that have happened, but more importantly, the question to ask would be what God says about leadership.

God designed leadership with balance. Look at what God did through Moses. He broke down the leadership of the nation of Israel into the control of 70 elders. See what the book of Acts says about leadership. The apostles were led to share the leadership of the church with others who could interface with the people at their point of need, since they couldn't always be there.

A leader will be humble too. Even Ahab, one of the most wicked kings to rule the nation of Israel, was blessed for humility, and the punishment God had in store for him was saved for later instead of being meted out in the measure it was due. King Manesseh, the grandson of Hezekiah, when he humbled himself, was released from prison and his punishment was held for a future generation. The Apostle Paul acknowledged his own mistake when he was corrected for the way he talked to the high priest.

People in leadership have to be willing to do the things that are less than popular, even if they are hard to do. Others may dislike the leader, but a leader with God's approval has far more going for him than a leader with the approval of a thousand nations. People's opinions have no weight in God's scheme of things. I look at Moses again as a prime example of this. Moses ended up making the nation of Israel drink from a river that had had brass ground to powder thrown into it. He had to correct the nation on multiple occasions for idolatry, immorality, murmuring, and a myriad of other sins. He was disliked, the subject of plots, and yet Moses took the hard path and followed the instructions God gave him despite the horrendous odds.

These are just small things I've noticed in Scripture about leadership, but volumes have been written on the subject. The best source to go to for true leadership is Scripture. The Bible has the best instructions, the best examples, and the most complete roadmap for leaders. Follow it. Learn from it. And keep humble.

Where I Was

2008-12-24T12:27:00.000-08:00

There has been a rather large gap in time since I posted. [Editor's note: The author of this post does not believe in the "gap theory" of evolution.] Needless to say, my existence on this earth is still confirmed, but has been hard to broadcast.

To bring y'all up to speed, it needs to be mentioned that as of October 14, 2008, I enlisted in the United States Air Force for a period of 6 years. I shipped off to Basic Military Training in San Antonio, Texas at Lackland Air Force Base; Basic was completed on November 28, 2008. I am grateful for the opportunity God gave my family to come see my graduation - it was such a blessing. I departed Lackland at 0100 hours December 1 for Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. I am in training there for Communications Operations (just call me a CyberWarrior.) I am scheduled to be assigned to Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota (close to Rapid City) in March. I'll be promoted to Airman First Class on March 5, and begin advanced on-the-job training that will include Microsoft and Cisco certification.

God has blessed me in so many ways I can hardly count them. He is so good. I've had several opportunities to talk about my faith, and countless chances to encourage fellow Airmen to do what is right, despite the apparent difficulty.

Please pray I am able to maintain a spirit of humility, and be able to learn the technical material presented in class.

What About Church?

2008-06-17T22:06:00.000-07:00

Has church ditched the idea of sanctity in favor of "society?" What do I mean by that?

What causes people who claim to believe in God and to be born-again Christians to not attend church? More often than not, it's because they claim that they were doing something else, that they were busy, that something came up. Is this OK? What happened to taking the seventh day as a day of rest? What happened to attending church in order to be obedient to Scripture? Being with the body of believers in order to be of mutual encouragement?

I think there are a couple of problems that are influencing this trend. Oh, did I say this was a trend? People are not just not going to church, they are also leaving church and not coming back. Or they are leaving and starting their own home-church or Bible study. The first problem I see is that the philosophy of the world has seeped into the doctrines of the church. Common advice to a churchgoer is "if the church you are attending isn't meeting your needs, find another that will." Or, "if you are not in agreement with the teachings of your pastor, start your own study, or find another church." Whoa... time out! What's wrong here? The center of attention is ME! I get to decide what makes church acceptable. I am the one who determines if teaching and doctrine are in line with what I want to believe (emphasis on *want to believe*.) There is a clear direction in 1 Corinthians 12 and 13 to love. Chapter 12 gives us an understanding of what others-centered ministry should look like, and chapter 13 tells us why. Meeting the needs of others and encouraging one another to look to Christ as our example is the whole purpose of church. It is about edification, not the meeting of my own needs. My needs will be met as I look to Christ and meeting the needs of others, not by me seeking the fulfillment of my own desires.

There's also a significant lack of the fear of God in churches today. Many people teach a gospel that makes Jesus our "buddy" and Christ a "pal." I agree that Christ is our Friend, but He is far more than that, and we cannot as Christians seek to make Him our Friend to the point that we lose sight of His holiness. If we lose our awe of His power, His majesty, and His Deity, we lose who He is by nature, and this is another major failing in our churches. We need to bring back the fear and reverence of God. By fear, I don't mean abject terror or a debilitating fearfulness. I mean a respect and awe of the holiness of the One who is so pure that Isaiah, Daniel, Moses, the Apostle John, Paul the Apostle, and so many others fell down speechless. The kind of obeisance of the soul to the overwhelming magnificence of Almighty God. This needs to penetrate more than just our churches, it needs to be a settled part of our own individual lives so that it will filter *back* into the church and spill out into the lives of those around us. This needs to start at the heart level. It needs to start with me. And it needs to start with you.

How Far?

2008-05-11T21:12:00.000-07:00

I read some excerpts recently from Foxe's Book of Martyrs. There were some amazing quotes and stories in that book that made me realize that I am not as committed as I should be. I asked myself how far I would go for Jesus if He brought suffering into my life. I read about Blandina, who was beaten and left for the vultures to eat, but survived. When she was found alive after her tortures, she was thrown to the wild beasts in the Roman Coliseum, where she died singing. After reading this story, I was only able to come up with three natural responses to my question.

First, as a natural human being, I would only go to the point of pain, at which point I would resist. Is this response Scriptural? No. The Bible says in Matthew 5:38-39 that we are not to resist an evil person, but rather to turn the other cheek. We are also to pray for those who persecute us (v. 44-45). The response I had naturally was nothing but self-centered. Who am I serving when I "defend" myself in a situation of suffering? Myself! Who am I focused on? Myself!

The second reaction I had is that I would give in and deny my faith out of fear. I have a natural fear of pain. I hate it. Pain hurts me and I don't like it. So if pain is part of the equation, why not just avoid it? What did Peter do when challenged about his trust in Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75)? He denied any association with Him, claimed to have no knowledge of Him, and finally cursed. Why? Because he was afraid of the pain and suffering that would result if he acknowledged his relationship to Jesus as His disciple. Peter was focused on himself. What was the result? He was as guilty of crucifying Jesus as those who put the nails in His hands and feet. He openly rejected the One who came to reveal sin and open the way to reconciliation. [Praise God that He restored Peter to fellowship with Him and used him in such a powerful way later!] Thus, my second reaction is also not the correct response.

My third reflex when thinking of the intense suffering and persecution that is promised (see 2 Timothy 3:12) was that I would accept it, but with grumbling. My attitude would be one of a whiner, dragging down everyone around me in my attempt to either "feel better" or "understand" the situation. "Why me?" or "why would people do this?" I would question the reasons behind my faith, but wouldn't ditch it for fear of not entering heaven. I am a fearful person. This response is also wrong. It is a response of fear, which is nothing more than pride in saying that I don't trust God to take care of me even when I am not able to take care of myself. Fear is a choice to take the load of my wellbeing on my own shoulders instead of leaving it in the arms of Him who numbers my hairs in the first place. Fear is pride. Fear is focused on self. It's definitely not respect or reverence to God.

So, what is the right response? It's easy to say "sure, I'll be OK when the time comes. I can handle it because God will be with me." But what will really happen? Maybe it's time to think about what our reaction will be. I can tell you right now it will be difficult for me because I have spent my entire life thinking in terms of self. 1 Peter 4:12-19 makes it clear that suffering is to be expected. We know based on this passage that we are to rejoice. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 states that we are to pray always and give thanks. Give thanks for what? Maybe it's time to think about that and come up with a list of things to be grateful for. Maybe we need to think of things beyond "my house," or "my car," though they may be valid things. Perhaps we need think of everyday situations as an opportunity for us to show gratefulness. Are we grateful for the opportunities God gives us to grow our character in challenges? Are we thankful for the driver that the Lord uses to teach us long-suffering when they cut us off? Are we able to tell God how glad we are that He is using our own failures to teach us why we need Him? This is the right response... maybe if we work on it now, it will be second-nature when times of trial and suffering are REALLY on us. I am not perfect. I know my response wouldn't be right without Divine intervention and I have been working on ways to resolve this unpreparedness. What would your response be? Why? What do you think are things that we can be grateful for?

Interesting Discussion

2008-04-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

An acquaintance just asked me a rather interesting question. He said: "What are your views of reformed theology?"

The following is my response. Please read it and reply with your input and thoughts. I find this to be a stimulating discussion at any time.

Reformed theology depends on how you mean reformed theology. Do you mean with regard to dispensationalism and covenant theology?

I tend to disagree with Covenant Theology, due to it's nature to allegorize Scripture, instead of taking it literally. Baptism is another area I would disagree with Covenant theology on as well - I believe in literal baptism by immersion. The Covenant theologian and scholar tends to think of Jonah (for example) as an *allegory* that is designed to teach us a lesson, rather than to look at the story of Jonah as historical fact. The Covenant theology overlooks (in reference to the book of Jonah) that Jesus referenced Jonah in Luke 11:28-32 and Matthew 12:36-41.

Dispensationalism I disagree with based on the fact that it makes us the judge of the Bible's relevance. A dispensationalist will say that God "dispenses" His Grace to us in different ways throughout the course of history. To say this means that we can say "This passage is irrelevant to us today because God doesn't dispense His Grace to us this way anymore" about any passage we disagree with. Remember that Christ was called "the same, yesterday, today, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8)." and that "I the Lord do not change (Malachi 3:6)."

Other than these areas of "reformed theological scholasticism" I am in agreement with Reformed theological tenets:

1. Sola Scriptura: The Scripture Alone is the Standard
2. Soli Deo Gloria! For the Glory of God Alone
3. Solo Christo! By Christ's Work Alone are We Saved
4. Sola Gratia: Salvation by Grace Alone
5. Sola Fide: Justification by Faith Alone

The Gospel and Our Lives

2008-04-03T18:06:00.000-07:00

How accurately do our lives reflect the gospel? God used a message by John Piper (entitled God is the Gospel) to convict me of how vitally important this is. We as Christians are so happy to condemn those who preach the "prosperity gospel" of peace, happiness, and wealth. We do it almost without thinking. But how quick are we to see those areas of our own lives that don't measure up?

The gospel is something that changes a man from what he was into what God intended - a worshiper of Him (John 4 - "...True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such the Father seeks to be His worshipers.") The gospel isn't about us! If someone shares the gospel and leaves out the fact that it was because God wanted to reconcile us to Himself and to bring glory to Himself, it's only half the gospel. And half the gospel is not the gospel. We cannot share the gospel in a way that encourages, nay, feeds man's innate selfishness. In a way that nurtures one to become more like themselves and less like God.

All that to say, it is easy to "preach" about the evils of false gospels. But are our lives any better? If I make decisions with the same attitudes and motivations and spirit that I had prior to salvation, then am I really "walking the talk?" Not remotely! I am still living in the flesh and not the spirit of the power of God, which encourages me to be like Christ! If I am doing things that feed selfish motivations and ends, it's not a living gospel that I've become, but a dead and withered gospel that contaminates, not purges. It's about God, and about other people, not us! It's not about ME! It's not even about YOU! It's about God! And about His plan for His glory! Let's get over ourselves! It's time for us to measure our actions by different criteria.

Simple questions we can ask ourselves to make sure we are in line with the gospel are these:

Is what I am about to do something that I would be glad to be held responsible for on judgment day?
Who gains the glory because of this action?
Is this about me?
Am I doing this out of habit?
Is this habit a Godly habit?
What does the Bible say about ____ ?

Don't get me wrong. I am sure we're all wonderful Christian people. I am just trying to decry the danger in self-centeredness and pride and focus on things other than God, because these things may be the only "gospel" a non-Christian may ever have!

The Future

2008-01-27T21:15:00.000-08:00

How many of you men have thought about the future of your generation? How often do I think of the generation of which I am a part when I make decisions? What is the role of a young man in today's culture, society, and as part of the current generation? Have you thought of the fact that we are the next generation of leaders? That if we don't step up and take the responsibility for leading the next generation, we will be faced with the possibility that we won't have an option later for leading and will be stuck with following leaders that aren't qualified or men of integrity?

Sobering thoughts. I'll be the first to admit this is nothing I excel in. Being who I am, I tend to think for the immediate moment, not the future. I tend to think about what brings immediate results, not long term benefit, and certainly not about long term benefit for those around me. *Shame on me*

What does the Bible say is the role of a man (young or old) in society? Let me ask another question instead... do the passages in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 and 2 lay out guidelines for only church leaders or men in general? Do the commands to fathers in the Old Testament to train up children with a respect for God's hand in past experiences, and in the way of the law apply only in the past, or are they to be used today? I think that they are applicable today. Nowhere in the Bible are these requirements revoked. In fact, early in the Scripture we see basic principles of leadership and responsibility spelled out.

In Genesis, we have Ishmael kicked out of his home because of disrespect to his father Abraham (through the abuse of his brother). We can derive from that instance that respect for authority is important. We have Abraham picking up and moving to a place he didn't know at the command of God, stepping out in faith. Faith is an absolute must. We must have the ability to hear God to be able to be led by Him, or for Him to use us as leaders. We see in Exodus the 70 elders being set aside based on reputation and integrity, not based on name. (You should note that integrity and being "above reproach" is key to being qualified for leadership in 1 Timothy. In Leviticus, the man must be a leader in areas of moral significance. If the man fails in these areas, he is unqualified to lead anyone, because he is not able to control himself. In Numbers, submission to God-given authority is crucial, as evidenced by Israel's failure to enter the Promised land (Numbers 13). When the children of Israel rebelled, they lost two whole families (Numbers 16), and eventually lost an entire generation in the wilderness. In Deuteronomy, we see reiterated from the beginning of the book to the end the command to teach the next generation of the acts of God. There were commands to tell of the testing in the wilderness in order that the children would not turn from following God. Following God was also a prerequisite for success - entrance to the promised land was given to the generation that followed the Lord's chosen man. Also, there was an interesting command listed. It says in Deuteronomy 17: 14-20, that any leader they set aside to rule over them needs to write their own copy of the law, and read it daily, in order to keep from straying later on. In Judges, we see the consequences of a generation that fails to lead (Judges 2 and 10). In the books of the prophets, we see generations condemned because no man would stand for what was right, and what was in the law of God. Even the priests of the Lord were condemned in Malachi because none cared for the ways of God. In the Old Testament, we also see in Job the vital importance of humility, without which it is impossible for God to bless. When we come to the New Testament, the prominent passages are again 1 Timothy 2 & 3, and Titus 1 & 2.

God has placed an enormous amount of responsibility on our shoulders, men. On top of our responsibilities to the generation we are in, we are to maintain purity of thought and action. In 1 Corinthians 7, unmarried men are encouraged to devote themselves to ministry while they are un-distracted by marriage. While this doesn't preclude secular work, ministry is vitally important because it teaches a man how to serve. And when a man not only knows how to be obedient to Christ but also how to serve, that man is in the right place for God to use him in leadership. Granted, not all men are leaders of other men. But each man is to eventually be the leader of his own home (except for those God has called to be celibate.) This being the case, how much of what you do is weighed through these filters? How often do you ask yourself if what you're doing has an impact on the generation you're in and on the future? And how often do you run what you're doing through the filters of Scripture? I suggest we men read through the Bible looking at what God has to say about leadership as regards men specifically.

I'm sure there're things I missed in this, so if you have something to add, please do so in the commentary section or in the topic discussion box. Thanks!

Answering the Question

2008-01-15T10:16:00.000-08:00

I was asked this last weekend a very difficult question. The question was "What is the position of a single young Christian woman? Is it wrong for her to find work? Is it wrong for her to accept positions of management if offered to her? Or is it wrong for her to accept a management position in a Christian organization/business?"

This question is difficult for several reasons. First, Scripture is not blatantly clear on the subject of women in the workplace. Second, there's a fear I have that what I may find may not be "culturally acceptable" or may be found to be "socially regressive" and that I will be called a "repressive white male." Third, this subject goes to a deeper level than it seems.

When we look at what the Bible has to say about women, the role of a woman at that time was far different than the one we see in our modern society. What we see as acceptable in allowing women to work for a living alongside of men was unthinkable. In Biblical times, a woman was under the protection of her father. If something happened to her, the father was responsible to ensure justice. If she was in need, the father was responsible for providing for those needs. If something was brought against her in legal issues, the father vouched for her reputation. (Deuteronomy 22:13-17, Exodus 22:16-17) The father or husband of a woman was responsible to hold her accountable for her vows as well, such as the vows of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:1-23. This is reiterated in the New Testament in 1 Timothy 5:8 where the apostle Paul calls the one who doesn't provide for his family worse than an unbeliever. The other things we see involving women in the New Testament refer to a) women being submissive to their own husbands, b) single young women being free to devote themselves to the ministry of the Gospel, c) older, mature women teaching young women how to be Godly and submissive for their own husbands and husbands-to-be.

The concept we see isn't necessarily that of prohibiting female labor, but rather an authority structure. The father is responsible for his daughter - she is under his authority. This is an unusual idea for our society. For a man to take responsibility for his daughter is a rare thing outside of Christian circles, and, sadly enough, even in many Christian circles. In fact, with regards to labor, women are encouraged to labor in several places (1 Timothy 5:13) to avoid being ensnared by gossip and the wiles of advertising/scams/swindlers. This labor for a young unmarried woman is best seen in 1 Corinthians 7 as a request for single young people to be involved in ministry. I would note that any task outside of the home for a young woman is best under the authority of her father. I am NOT saying it's wrong for a woman to be engaged in a paying job, but that if she is, she is to be under the authority of the one God has placed over her.

Again, the key is authority, not the job itself. Who is the young single woman in submission to? Is the job she is doing encouraging her to be out from under the authority of her father? Is it making her vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy against her purity, against her Godliness, against her attitude?

With regard to Christian organizations and businesses, that is between the Lord, the father, and the young woman. Various businesses will do things differently. Management-wise, that's a matter of personal conviction and is again between the Lord and the father and the young woman. It's not clearly stated in Scripture that this is wrong. The question to ask is, how applicable are the mandates for church structure with regard to women? Are they applicable to everyday practice or are they only designed for a church?

If it was me and it was my daughter asking me if it was OK for her to work, I couldn't answer this question. It's too hard. My protective instinct is still there - and it would be hard for me to let my own flesh and blood be in a secular workplace unguarded by me. Yet, is it wrong? No, I can't say that it is... I am exhausted on this and have no idea what to say next, but I'd be interested to hear what would you *who shall at this point be nameless* have to input. Your *Biblically supported* say in the matter would be most welcome.

Updating the People

2008-01-10T20:38:00.000-08:00

UPDATE (clicky)

God knows what is best for us all. I received a letter this afternoon (01/05/08) denying me entrance to Southeastern Baptist College at Wake Forest. As a result, I am re-evaluating what God has for me this year in 2008. I am grieved, and trying to be at the point where I can truly be grateful to God for this new "roadblock" so to speak. Maybe it's not a roadblock, but a detour. This doesn't change my calling. It just changes the immediate vehicle to fulfilling that calling.

God has been doing a lot in my life these last couple of months. Changes of thought, heart, mind, cleansing me and preparing me for something I have yet to discover. That being said, I don't know how God will choose to direct me next, but the plan so far is to go to a local school and get basic classes out of the way, and look for more of a career job, instead of working in a dead-end job as a temporary thing. God knows what He has for me. I am willing to do it. (Easy to say, huh?) But my prayer that this will become clear for me - soon.

In the Center of God's Will

2007-12-26T22:19:00.000-08:00

When I moved back to Washington with my family this year, among my list of agendas was finding work. One would think that someone with my history of "lessons in trusting and obeying God" that I would immediately pray about it asking God to provide the right job at the right time. That would have been the appropriate way to find work. It would have at the very least set the right example for my family members, and given me an opportunity to exercise faith. But not me. Nope. Not Paul.

I looked back at past experiences at my old job, and what had made my last job an enjoyable one. I thought to myself that with all the experience I had in the cell phone industry that I would do OK in a sales job. So that's what I looked for. Didn't bother to expand my horizon of job searches to include other types of work, didn't pray, didn't even ask Dad and Mom for their guidance. (More on that in a future post, probably.) So I, in my vast wisdom and expertise, landed a *cough* wonderful *cough* job at Sprint selling cell phones.

It's important to God that we are within His will. He thought it so important that He punished Asa the king of Israel (2 Chronicles 16) for not asking Him for His direction and protection. God kind of did the same thing with me. My first few months at this job have been less than easy. To start with, I got written up several times for not selling enough and once for writing an article that was considered to be a conflict of interest for Sprint. It is now at the point where I am at the last write-up I can get. I kinda knew all along I should have checked before jumping into a job at all. But I figured this would all work out in the end. My boss wrote me up in the first week of December, when I was nowhere even close to my December quota. Between November and December, I took care of some other issues I had going on in my life that I hadn't dealt with between me and God and between myself and my parents. I also began to actually see that what God wanted was not me out of that job, but me to be willing to give it up. I turned in notice the day my boss wrote me up. Since then, God has done amazing things for me at work. My quota is no longer an issue - for the first month in my history at this job, I have made quota and exceeded it - befuddling my boss and confusing my co-workers. God has also given some financial benefits, allowing me to be able to take care of some much needed things. It's amazing to see how God works, rewarding obedience, carefully and surely drawing His sheep back into the way He desires for them. And when He is disregarded and ignored, He reproves. Praise God. My prayer is that I will respond with humility, and not jail the messenger, as with Asa in Israel. Lord, keep me humble and obedient, and help me seek Your will and not my own!

Personal Statement

2007-10-21T13:10:00.000-07:00

The following is a personal statement of faith and summary of my calling to ministry. I was required to send this in as part of an application I submitted to an institution of higher learning. I figured I would reproduce it here. I spent last weekend at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary attending the Preview Conference hosted by the Seminary. If any of you would like to hear about that, let me know.

I was saved from my sin by Jesus Christ at the age of ten. I had been an angry and stubborn child. God used the wisdom of my father and the discipline of my parents to prod me in the right direction. One instance of discipline on February 22, 1997 resulted in a discussion of my position before Christ as a sinner. I had been raised in church, and knew all the "rules" and all the "principles" and all the Christian lingo. But in this case, I knew my father was right and realized my own folly and sin. I repented of the sinful behavior and attitudes I had held so tightly and asked Jesus to save me from the heart of sin I had. God was gracious and saved me, and granted me a place in heaven.

I am far from perfect, and I have struggled multiple times over the years with rebellious attitudes, a spirit of fearfulness, as well as sins of the mind and thought. God has brought discipline to bear several times to bring me in line with where He wants me. See "On A Clear Conscience," "To Testify," "A Life of Thoughts," and "Understanding Failure."
God has been gracious enough and has continued to drive me toward him. I feel that the song I wrote called "The Legacy" summarizes my stand in faith as best as I can.

I have been called to ministry. Titus 2:6 states: "And young men exhort to be sober-minded." If one looks at what that means, they will find that this verse is not a directive to keep young men from getting drunk, though that may be entailed as a part of the fuller meaning of the verse. What Titus 2:6 is really saying is "Teach young men discretion." As I look at society, I see a huge gap where men are not being men. Men aren't raising their sons to live moral and righteous lives. Decisions are based on whether or not something is easy or not. My calling is to stand in this gap and to mentor and disciple young men, to fill this void where fathers are not training their sons to be men. My aim and vision to fulfill this calling is to do the following: a) Turn the hearts of the sons to their fathers, and to give them a healthy respect for authority (Malachi 4:6), b) Teach young men how to make decisions using Scriptural principles and critical thinking, to make decisions based on the right or wrong thereof, not the easy or hard. To be men of character, not wimps. How to handle peer pressure, how to resolve disputes righteously, c) Teaching young men how to be financially free and secure so that when the time comes, they can support a family, d) Finally, teach young men how to complete useful tasks, such as mowing lawns, weed eating, window cleaning, weed pulling, gutter cleaning, basic painting jobs, how to clean bathrooms and dishes and floors. How God will work this out in my life is something I am not clear on, but for now, the next step in my life is equipping myself to fulfill these goals through a Seminary education. And because of this, I am submitting my application to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Southeastern College at Wake Forest, North Carolina.

On the Hypocrite

2007-10-15T10:41:00.000-07:00

I heard a quote yesterday that was quite thought provoking. Richard Baxter was a Puritan leader who was addressing the other leaders of the Puritan movement on the subject of being above reproach, on letting the life you preach be the life you live. I am reproducing the quote here for your edification.

“Take heed to yourselves, lest your example contradict your doctrine, and lest you lay such stumbling blocks before the blind, as may be the occasion of their ruin; lest you unsay with your lives, what you say with your tongues; and be the greatest hinderers of the success of your own labours.

“Take heed to yourselves, lest you live in those sins which you preach against in others, and lest you be guilty of that which daily you condemn.

“Will you make it your work to magnify God, and, when you have done, dishonour him as much as others? Will you proclaim Christ’s governing power, and yet contemn it, and rebel yourselves? Will you preach his laws, and will-fully break them?

“If sin be evil, why do you live in it? if it be not, why do you dissuade men from it? If it be dangerous, how dare you venture on it? if it be not, why do you tell men so? If God’s threatenings be true, why do you not fear them? if they be false, why do you needlessly trouble men with them, and put them into such frights without a cause?

“‘Thou that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery,’ or be drunk, or covetous, art thou such thyself? ‘Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?’

“What! shall the same tongue speak evil that speakest against evil?

“Take heed to yourselves, lest you cry down sin, and yet do not overcome it; lest, while you seek to bring it down in others, you bow to it, and become its slaves yourselves: ‘For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage.’ ‘To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.’ O brethren! it is easier to chide at sin, than to overcome it.”

I suggest that we read Romans 2 and combine this quote with the reprimand that Paul gives the Roman church.

" 1 Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.

3 But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?

4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

6 who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:

7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;

8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.

9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek,

10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

11 For there is no partiality with God."

Understanding Failure

2007-08-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

What happens when you go into a week on your own strength to do something God-sized?
What happens when you count yourself a failure and try to do God's work with that attitude?

July 16-20 was a week set aside for a ministry project at the church I attended from the time I was very small. This church has taken the time to adapt the Vacation Bible School idea into their own Vacation Bible Adventure. The directors write the curriculum and music. I volunteered to assist during that week. I went into that week confident that it would be one of the most rewarding weeks I had experienced. My calling is to young men (based on Titus 2:6, which states: Young men exhort to be sober-minded) That calling directs me to teach young men discretion. What better way to "prove myself" than to work with middle-school aged children at this VBA? Assured that I was called and that I had committed myself to this duty, I plunged into the week in my own strength.

Lodging was difficult to find (God did bless me with a great place to stay at the last minute). Monday rolled in and I got 4 kids. Two of them were churched, well-behaved kids. The other two were friends, one from another local church and the other from Kentucky. The one from Kentucky was very open and asked many questions but had an undercurrent of anti-authority attitude. When he asked a question and I gave the answer, he would laugh.

Come Tuesday, the Kentucky kid asked for a Bible. His friend began using bad language. The other two kids were well-behaved. My team constantly was behind in every activity. I had a new child who was kind of shy. He came from a different church and obviously had a rough background. Wednesday, the new child was out of control and thought everything we were doing was beneath him. The concept of "team" was beyond his grasp. Obviously his intellect outshone the rest of us and he didn't need to be bothered with us. The child with the bad language was worse and began to cry when I called him on it. I spent that afternoon at the home of a friend, but when I tried to leave to go back to where I was staying, my car broke down. Didn't get home that night until 11.00 pm.

Thursday, the kid from Kentucky asked for Bible for his mom, brought another friend, and his friend that had already been coming. The "wild child" was wild, and the were the two kids who were well-behaved the whole week. Come game time, I was told that the three kids who were friends (including the one from Kentucky) were being moved to another team because I couldn't control my team. I had had to leave my car at my friend's home, so I called to get that towed, and had to pay to get that diagnosed and fixed.

Friday, I was told that I needed more experience and that maybe I would have better success next time. I picked up my car around 5 pm and went 2 miles. On Interstate 5 going Northbound at 65 MPH, my right rear tire blew. Not just a flat. The sidewall blew up. I nearly lost control of the car. I got off on the wrong side of the road because it was closer, and being new to incidents of this nature, I couldn't change the tire because I hadn't taken that car far enough from traffic. So I called Dad on one phone and 9-1-1 on the other. The State Patrol arrived, asked for vehicle registration and went back to the car to call a tow-truck. They came back to my car and told me a tow-truck would be there in an hour, and left. With my vehicle registration. I called Dad on one phone again, and 9-1-1 again on the other. The tow truck arrived before the police returned with my vehicle registration. While I was talking to the driver of the tow-truck, I came to the realization that he had no clue what he was doing when it came to a flat tire - other than pulling my car off the shoulder onto the median from the shoulder of the freeway. After finding a graceful way to dismiss the guy (with thanks for getting me far enough off to change the tire,) I began to change the tire (in nice clothes really not suited to changing a tire in the rain: did I mention it was raining?)

The State Patrolman arrived during the tire-change process and returned my vehicle registration with profuse apologies. After the tire was changed, I headed back onto the road and found a place to get gas, eat, a friend who could check the tire and make sure I had tightened it as hard as necessary. I didn't get home till nearly ten pm.

Quite the week. I think God was trying to get my attention. I knew I had failed. I had taken the week into my own hands and messed it up. Which is what made it a failure. Two weeks later, we had another Vacation Bible Adventure (VBA) at my own church (where Dad is the pastor). The leadership nicely told me that because of my performance at the other VBA, my responsibilities were changed and I would be working with a younger age group that they thought would be easier for me to handle.

Having assessed my own performance at the previous event, I came to the (foolish) conclusion that I was a failure and would never measure up. Consequently, I went into the week with a very low expectation of myself. Good move. NOT!!!!! My responsibilities were changed on Monday morning back to the older age group. Wednesday they were switched back. My attitude reflected in my behavior and I was a bad example to those around me - constantly either saying the wrong thing, or doing something to raise eyebrows from the leadership. And that's how my week was. No problems with the kids.

My point here is that failure is not just a matter of character but also a matter of perspective. I have to say that my attitude the second week reflected just as negatively on the work of the church as my performance the first week.

It doesn't pay to jump into something without God's clear direction. But you can't beat yourself up for the consequences that you face either. Sure, there'll be discipline and consequences for your actions if they take place without the guidance of our Father in Heaven. Don't take those consequences and have yourself a pity party like I did. Get up and move on. "The just man falleth seven times and riseth up again, but the wicked shall fall into mischief." Don't let that fall into mischief be you. If you fall, get up again, and don't be too prideful to ask for help. Rest assured, God will send someone to help, or he will send punishment if you fail to heed the warnings He sends.

My View vs. God's View

2007-06-27T08:26:00.001-07:00

Often when I am examining where I stand in relation to the vision God has given me for ministry, when I am looking at current happenings in my life, I wonder what I am missing. Or if I am missing something. I feel like I've only scratched the surface. And I read Isaiah 55:8, and see '"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the Lord.'

My view:

God's View:

The Provocation of Thought

2007-06-20T23:07:00.000-07:00

I was on the road yesterday and ran across a bumpersticker that said the following: "Pardon me! Your Christianity is on backwards!" I was quite taken aback, but I began to really think. What does this actually mean?

Does it mean that we need to quit "forcing our religion" on someone until we can act like Christians?

Does it just mean to act more like a Christian? (What's the definition of Christian???)

How many of us think we've made it and are good Christians? Does that mean we need to step back and examine ourselves to see if we really *are* putting on our Christianity backwards?

And, isn't Christianity more than just "putting" something on? It's more of a state of being is it not?

Let's discuss this! Let me know what you think! Post in the comments section (moderated!)

The Importance of Forgiveness

2007-05-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

On my last post, "Aged P" commented as follows: '"...not counting their trespasses against them..."?? Ouch!!' Aged P made a point that I think it well to expand upon. I will do so by sharing the following story.

One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God's call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution but the change in her was evident. As time went on she became a faithful member of the church.

She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children. It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor's son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began. You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor's son. The church began to argue and fight about the matter.

So they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand. The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry the pastor's son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife-to-be. He began to speak and his statement was this: "My fiancee's past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?" The whole church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters.

Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4 tells us to forgive one another because Christ has forgiven us. So for us to be involved in ministry and still hold others responsible for what they did (or didn't) do for us, is wrong. God will hold them accountable, but He will hold you accountable for whether or not you did His will and shared what He told you to.

So You Want to be in Ministry?

2007-04-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

So you want to be involved in ministry? Why? Because it sounds fun? Because you want to make a difference in the world and don't know how other than that? Seriously, ministry is not for the wimps in this life. Ministry is not for those who are unwilling to be involved in conflict. For those of you who have a desire to be involved in ministry, let's take a look at what it will take.

To start with, you have to know who you are and remember that it is NOT about you. It's about Jesus and His ministry; it's about reconciliation with God, not about [your name here.] 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 says "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Another important factor is to realize that ministry is dangerous - it can be a difficult, physically, emotionally, and spiritually draining thing. Read 2 Corinthians 6:4-10, 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, and 2 Corinthians 12:10. Paul didn't exactly have an easy time of it. People will say difficult and harmful things to you, about you, and do everything in their power to damage your reputation. The important thing to remember in such circumstances is the fact that it's not your reputation at stake, but God's. He is fully capable of protecting His own reputation. If you are following the will of Jesus Christ for your life, you won't be tarnishing His reputation in any way. And those who try and tear it down face His wrath, not yours. If you want to know how to respond in suffering, read 1 Peter 4.

Don't let me discourage you from the ministry if that is God's calling on your life though. It is an incredible way to grow and the rewards are unbelievable. Philippians 3:14 tells me that any calling of Jesus is a high calling. 1 Timothy 3:1 tells us that the office of overseer (church leader - a whole study in itself) is a good work and desirable. "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain!" Paul wrote that to the Philippians in chapter 1:21. That is an exalted perspective. Not to be concerned with what people think or how they will respond but to be wholly focused on serving Jesus and abandoned to His work in my life, and the lives of those around me. "Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus..."

Interperetation

2007-04-25T12:02:00.000-07:00

How does one look at Scripture? We've already established that it is important to read it regularly. But how does one understand what it really says?

There are two main "schools of thought" on interpretation when it comes to the Bible. One practice is to read Scripture and ask the question "How does this passage back up this (your thought/idea) principle?" The other procedure is to read the passage and ask "What does this passage say? What truth can I pull out of this?"

I believe that understanding the difference between these two philosophies is important for our knowledge of doctrinal teaching. The reading of Scripture to back up one's idea(ology) is detrimental because that can cause the Bible to be taken out of context and is often misinterpreted. I believe that the best thing to do is to let God's Word speak for itself and teach us what the truth is. I heard the story once of a lady who wanted to divorce her husband and told her pastor that the passage in Colossians 3:9 (Lie not unto one another seeing you have put off the old man with his deeds) meant it was ok. I am sorry, but that is not what that is saying. Looking at the context of the passage it becomes clear that we are not to lie, and to remember that we are to be different - not to live after the flesh.

There are all sorts of problem passages in the Bible, like 1 Peter 3:18-22, John 15:1-6, and many others. The only way one can understand what they mean is to know the context, put the whole passage in perspective, and ask questions. Study is work. To assess a passage for understanding, find out who it is written to, check for context, look at a concordance, and find other materials such as a commentary. Don't rely on the commentary or other material to tell you what it means. Come up with your understanding of what it means and compare it to the commentary to see if the commentator agrees.

Remember, those who don't dig don't find anything. The one who doesn't put down roots won't grow.

Why Study?

2007-04-10T08:52:00.000-07:00

Why is it important to study Scripture? Is it necessary? Who should study it? There are several reasons to spend time getting to know the Bible, studying the meaning, learning how to live what it says. Scripture teaches clearly that one must study it.

In Proverbs 2:6, we are told that "...the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding." We are also instructed in 2 Timothy 2:15 to "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." True, the passage in Timothy was written to a young elder, one whose duty was to teach others the true depth and meaning of Scripture. However, it falls right in line with 1 Peter 3:15b-16 where we are told to always be "ready to make a defense to every one who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. And keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior will be put to shame." How do we know what the hand of God in our lives looks like if we can't tell what it looks like in Scripture? God doesn't ever change. So if we can learn to recognize Him and His work in the Bible, we can then see it in our lives and then be ready to tell someone else when asked.

In addition, the study of Scripture allows us to maintain our own Godly character. If one is not grounded in Scripture, there is less definition of right vs. wrong, and that one will surely drift further and further astray from the truths of God's Word.

From the Preacher

2007-04-04T09:15:00.000-07:00

Today's note will speak for itself. It is found in Ecclesiastes 3:7b. Verse 1 has been included for context.

"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven--... A time to be silent and a time to speak."

When will we learn to shut up, or to hold our peace so that we will be counted wise?

A Life of Thoughts

2007-03-31T17:19:00.000-07:00

I think I heard somewhere that the battle for the soul is fought in the mind, but I don't recall the source. Nevertheless, it is true! Jesus said something very similar when He said (quoted from the NASB in Luke 6:45): "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man brings forth from the treasure what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart."

That being said, one thing that all men struggle with is their thought life. Why is this so important? To have and to live a Godly life, one must have purity of conscience and mind. Again, look at the verse I just quoted (the mouth pours out what ever is in the heart!) Men in particular deal with moral issues in the mind. Anything the eye sees becomes fair game for a twisted thought and that can (and has) led to action. I don't need to be very specific here, because every man who reads this will know exactly what I am talking about. There can be no pussy-footing around this. And, let me be blunt here. If any man says that he doesn't struggle with this on a regular basis, he is a liar. Sorry, folks. Truth hurts, doesn't it? Hey, I've been guilty of that. Ever have some Godly parent or friend ask you "How's your thought life been? Been struggling with immoral thoughts?" when you least expected it? What was your answer? I can tell you mine! "It's not as bad as it used to be." Or, "Not bad." Since when has this issue become a non-issue? Jesus made tons of people feel uncomfortable when He was talking to His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount. Remember what He said? Matthew 5:27-28 says: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say unto you, that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." If Jesus thought it was a big issue, you bet your boots it's an issue for us too.

So how do we as men deal with the sin of immoral/lustful thoughts? You know, I can't give you a pat answer on this one. I can tell you what has worked for me, though this is not a claim to having won the fight. This is merely a statement of the things that have worked successfully.

To start off, a clear conscience is a must. Before you can think of successfully going against thought issues, one has to start clean. A guilty conscience will literally keep you guilty and hold you back. So how does one clear their conscience of an immoral thought issue? *oww* That said, one needs to come to grips with the reality and seriousness of the sin, and then realize where that puts you before God. Confess the sin for what it is to God, ask forgiveness, and ask what He would have you do next to clear it up. I have found that God will ask me to confess to my spiritual authority. At this time in my life, that is my parents. In future, who knows? Possibly a church leader? While a church leader may be ok, God may ask you to do something else, and I have not had to deal with this sin at that level yet, because the Lord has not seen fit to make me the spiritual leader of my own family at this time. I'll tell you, 'fessing up to a real live human being is one of the most difficult things you will ever do in your life.

The second step would be to find a more mature Christian than yourself and ask them to hold you accountable. There are places in Scripture where the principle that "two is better than one" is brought forth. Such is true with this issue. First, Galations 6:1-3 tells us that we need to bear the burdens of one another. No, that doesn't mean share them as prayer requests! I am sure I have been guilty of that before! Good grief, do you know how prevalent that is? What that passage in Scripture means is that we need to come alongside one another, sharing the load. In this case, you could (being the mature Christian and all) be the one to come beside someone struggling and tell them that you struggle too and pray with them. Or whatever the Lord leads.
Third, maintain a constant saturation in the Word of God. An anchor is always needed. You will slide if you don't keep an eagle eye on the Scripture. Besides, how can you help someone else who is stumbling if you're not grounded in the Bible. This doesn't mean a cursory reading of it either. Too many Christians take Scripture and read what it says and interpret it without finding out what it really means.

Fourth, never, ever kid yourself that the battle will be over. I can't tell you how often I have thought, "If I can last till I get married, everything will be ok." WRONG!!!! I am not married now, but I know that marriage doesn't change one's nature. And it is not a safe-guard against immorality! Please, NEVER think that. Remember though the passage in 1 Corinthians where the apostle Paul tells us about the way of escape. There is always a way. Prayer is a huge help.

A word of encouragement here after that difficult message. There is a Scripture which talks about how Christ was tempted in every way like we were and yet without sin. Think about it. Jesus was tempted in His thoughts! Now if that doesn't make you pause, it did me. And He was successful! Wow!

All this to say: "How's your thought life?"

Eternity

2007-03-18T13:23:00.000-07:00

Eternity has been likened to a huge rock. Once every thousand years, a bird comes and sharpens it's beak on the rock one time. When the whole rock has been worn down, the first day of eternity will have elapsed.

With that perspective, think about hell and how horribly miserable it will be. Realizing the terror this should cause, what are you doing to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Not creating a fear of hell, which is natural to man, but pointing out sin and directing people to the Lord?

To Testify

2007-03-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

OK. I grew up in a Christian home. I have been taught all my life the basic principles of the Christian walk, and I have learned to make them my own beliefs. One of the things that stands out was the teaching about tithing. No, please don't misunderstand me here. I was taught in the home, taught in church services, and in Sunday School about the reasons for tithing, the way to tithe, and what to tithe on. I was not told in a legalistic fashion to tithe to the church or I would be in sin, or anything like that. What I was taught was that God blesses the cheerful giver, that the first-fruits (i.e. the first 10% of income) were to be tithed as a token of my obedience and gratefulness for the Lord's provision. I was pointed to Scriptures that tell of the blessing of God upon the one who tithes. (Malachi 3:8-15) All this to say, I never thought I would not tithe. I thought I knew the consequences. I thought I knew the blessings that were supposed to follow. Being human, I was wrong. *Ow, that hurt.*

When I was at work last year, I opted into a "Direct Deposit" payment option, where pay was deposited directly into the bank instead of given to me in a check. Two weeks after that, they took away my pay stub, and never gave me another one. I had been tithing regularly, 10% of the gross income. A pastor I know says when asked whether or not to tithe on the net or the gross, "Do you want to be blessed on the net or on the gross?" Without a pay stub, I didn't know what the gross was. So, I procrastinated. We were ready to move at the time and I had to quit my job, so I told myself that I would contact my former employer when we got into a house, so I could get the info. Didn't happen. I had received two paychecks, hadn't tithed on them, and 2 months had passed. I remembered a couple of times that I needed to take care of it, but I procrastinated again. Finally, God brought more pressure to bear. He allowed me to damage my computer (a possession that I had attached too much importance to anyway). I went without that for almost a month, spent a lot of money fixing and upgrading it, and when I got it back from the repair facility, the repair technicians had failed to install the upgrades I had paid for. I had to send it back.

About a week after getting the computer back, God kind of connected the dots for me. He showed me that I had failed to be obedient. At that point, I went back on my tracks, found the amounts of the paychecks, estimated the gross at a higher rate than actual probability, and paid tithe on that amount. But I am still ashamed that I failed to be obedient, and grieved that the tithe that was paid was no longer a part of the "first-fruits." I am committed to being obedient in future, regardless of cost, and I am committed to actually being grateful for the provision that the Lord makes for me, instead of taking it for granted like I did this last time.

Funny how pride is one's downfall. How, when one thinks they stand, they fall flat on their face.

Preparation

2007-03-11T21:18:00.001-07:00

Ephesians 6 talks about what is known as the "Armor of God." Verse fifteen says: "and having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace..."
What is the meaning behind that? We hear all the time about the other portions of this suit of armor we are given. But what significance is there in putting on shoes of peace?

I think of it this way. We have a message given to us of great import. We have the truth, we know how to live righteous lives, and we’ve been given the tools to defend ourselves. A shoe is important to protect the foot from getting damaged, dirty, and to help the user keep their footing. In addition to all of this, there is this injunction to put on shoes of peace. Sometimes a shoe can be put on to help someone move more swiftly over different surfaces. Maybe we are told to put on these shoes to remind us that we need to walk safely in a world where there are many things to hurt us. Perhaps we should also be aware that we can't just walk all over the people in the world. We have a message to bring them, not a command to condemn or be judgmental. If we were to look at the shoes of peace as a vehicle for bearing a message in addition to protecting against the "nails" in the ground of this world, maybe God's kingdom would be pushed forward more successfully.

Lessons Learned from Jonah

2007-03-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

The story of Jonah is one of the more widely known stories found in the Bible. Songs have been written about the whale and Jonah. Sermons have been preached, kids taught in Sunday School. But how many lessons can be found in Jonah 1? Jonah 1 is the part of the story before Jonah repents in the whale's belly. Before he preaches destruction in Nineveh.

One of the first things that can be seen in Jonah 1 is found in verse 2. It says: "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me." This immediately indicates that God is paying attention to mankind, and has a plan to take care of it. This also reminds me of the passage in Genesis 6:5-7 where the wickedness of man came up before the Lord, and He took action to put a stop to it - "The Lord said, '"I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them."' Here also God put into place His plans to correct man's sinful behavior. This does not mean that He is a mean God, but that sin is abhorrent to His holy nature, and He cannot abide evil. In Jonah, we see that His plan was to send Jonah to warn the people of Nineveh of their impending destruction (verse 2).

Another observation we can get from Jonah 1 is that we still have freedom of choice. God had a sovereign plan for Jonah that involved Nineveh. Jonah as a prophet of the Almighty God knew that, but chose to go the other way altogether. Some scholars believe that Tarshish was on the coast of Spain, which was in the exact opposite direction from Nineveh. Jonah made a choice, and God gave him the freedom to do so. But, when we know the will of God and avoid it by running away from it, God will also take steps to bring correction and discipline to the rebellious one. That's right. I called it rebellion. To know the right thing to do (i.e. the will of God) and to run the other way (i.e. contradict, or even as far as shaking your fist at the authority - in this case God) is to rebel. James 4:17 says "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin." In 1 Samuel 15:23 rebellion is equated with the sin of witchcraft. Remembering our first lesson, we know that rebellion and witchcraft cannot be countenanced by a holy God. Being holy, He must bring discipline to bear.

Next, we see that rebellion impacts more than just the rebel. The sailors in the ship that Jonah boarded were severely affected by the storm that the Lord sent to get Jonah's attention. The results disastrously impacted the crew of that ship economically, physically, and emotionally. The sailors threw out the cargo, which had to have cost them a lot of money. They were worn out by trying to save the ship. They also were at the point where they thought they were going to die. If that's not someone's sin affecting more than one person, I don't know what is! Another example can be seen in Joshua 7 where the sin of one man cost the lives of 36 warriors. It also cost the sinner his life - and the lives of his family!

To quote a great pastor I know: "When the rebel gets going, the going gets tough!" Looking at Jonah 1, we see that Jonah had a hard time. He not only had a hard heart (he didn't care that he was endangering the life of the crew of the ship) but he also had to 'fess up, a humiliating experience for most men. Then, to top it all off, he asked to be thrown overboard. Now, we never know what Jonah was thinking at this point, but it's pretty easy to picture. He may have thought that he might as well die, that way God would never be able to use him to communicate to Nineveh. Maybe he knew what would really happen. Who knows? But we do know that being thrown into a raging sea has to be a traumatic experience. Jonah's rebellion cost him! Big time! And this is just the first chapter!

Who Sinned?

2007-02-28T11:05:00.000-08:00

In today's society, the idea that sin is not the fault of the sinner is prevalent. Some people think that sin is just a fact of life and something that exists which we have to deal with. In fact I read an article by a person who propounded that very idea. I quote Dennet Krishnan here: "However, I feel sin is like a fish-bone in our throats, we have a choice to either force it down and accept it, or throw it up and begin anew and evolve as human beings." The thought behind that statement leaves out the Biblical teaching of sin being part of our nature, and treats sin as a "force" out there like gravity or oxygen. But what does Scripture teach concerning sin and its origin?

In Genesis 3, we see how Eve was deceived, and Adam failed to protect his wife and participated in her wrongdoing instead. Also, in Romans 5:12, it says: "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, ...so death spread to all men, because all sinned." Thus, it becomes clear that sin is the fault of man, not an external source. Thus, it becomes clear that sin is the fault of man, not an external source. In fact, even Satan, though very powerful, is not responsible for our sin. James 1:13-15 states: "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death." Here it is obvious that sin is completely the responsibility of the sinner. I can't make you sin, you can't make me sin. Satan can attack us based on our lust, but the temptation itself originates from the flesh, and sin is the fault of the one who sins.

I love Romans 7 when the Apostle Paul deals with sin and the law. He says in verses 21-25: "I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, But I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin." Paul understood the basic fact that his sin was his responsibility. In addition, he recognized the way out - Jesus Christ.

*Note: the quote from Dennet Krishnan also references the evolutionary theory, which I do not support. I believe that evolution is in direct contradiction of Scripture and the creation as described in Genesis 1-11.

Societal Perspective

2007-02-20T10:01:00.001-08:00

The most quoted verse in the world used to be John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” [NASB]

Sadly, in modern society, that is no longer true. The most commonly quoted verse and the best known is Matthew 7:1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged” [NASB] - and this is more often quoted by non-believers than by Christians.

Sad that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is so neglected that the world quotes Scripture to us instead of us to them. Doesn’t the Bible say that His Word is truth and that the truth will set you free?

The Legacy

2007-02-12T19:46:00.000-08:00

This is a song I wrote about a year ago - I hope at some point to be able to post a recording of the music to it.

"The Legacy", by Paul DeJarnette

1. When I was born into the world

A child of Adam's race,

There was a heirloom given me

That bound my heart and froze my mind

And hid light from my eyes

C: The legacy was forged in sin

' Twas founded in the dark

It blinds men's eyes and grips their hearts,

It seeks its own and cares not else,

For 'tis a legacy of shame.

2. I lived in glutted pride and lust

The offspring of the flesh

I revelled in my legacy

I did not see the wrong I'd done

But then I didn't care.

C: I loved to be the cause of pain

My mind was full of hate

My heart covered with callouses

And hands encased in so much filth

And thus, the legacy was strong.

3. And then one day, I saw a Light

That made me cringe in shame

I begged that it would leave at once

"It hurts my eyes," I cried in pain

"I see now who I am!"

C: The Light grew soft but brighter still

And with it came a Voice

The Voice of Love that was so sad

"I'm here to break your chains," It said

"I came to set you free!"

4. He broke my chains and raised me up

And claimed me for His own

I saw my broken legacy

A tangled wreck of sin and shame

And tears began to flow

C: I wear the yoke that He gave me

A beauty in design

That shows me who I am, I was

And how, with Him, I can assist

In making others free!

C2: "For God so loved the World," I'll say

"He gave His only Son"

That all who would believe in Him

Would His eternal life receive,

And drop their legacy!

Where are the Men?

2007-01-23T09:22:00.000-08:00

Where is man in modern society? What is his role?

Men today play very small parts in the lives of those around them. They are brought up in school (and self-taught as well) to think about themselves first. They are taught that the female gender can do a male's job just as well as a man can. This teaches growing boys that they don't need to do anything because someone else can do it for them. Later on, you get men who ditch family, morality, livelihood, and ethics for "feel-good-ism," and later still, you get men who are suicidal, jail-ready (or jail-birds) and Christians wonder why society is falling apart!

The problem here, is that the fathers in today's society don't spend time with their young sons teaching them how to live and act. Behavioral traits are not corrected. Character flaws are not pointed out for the benefit of the child. Moral principles are rarely mentioned. The father never takes the time to show the boy how to fill the shoes he was designed for. And Christians wonder why society is falling apart!

What is the solution?

The best solution would be for Godly fathers to take the time to mentor young men and show them how to be discrete. How to make moral decisions based on an understanding of God's will. How to make financial decisions based on reason and based on Biblical principles instead of self-centeredness (ow, that hurts!). How to care for those around them because they are made in God's image. How to maintain a Godly relationship with authority. How to honor those older and wiser than they are. But let's be realistic. Most of the fathers I know already do that for their sons (and daughters - yes, daughters training is a man's responsibility too). What about those who don't have a father who will train them? The church rarely does a good job of that either.

What would happen if mature Christian men were to step out and try and mentor helpless boys and young men and teach them Biblical principles, not just because they were principles and they need to be hammered home, but because they cared about the future of each young man, and because they see that when man steps up to his role - as a man? Who will do this?

The Time Has Come to Speak of Fishermen

2007-01-07T20:28:00.000-08:00

There was a small village in a well cultivated land that was situated by the seashore. The town was full of the normal people you would find in a seaside village. The meat packers, the canners, the fishermen. Oh, the fishermen...

The fishermen were known far and wide as the experts on the subject. Having lived by the sea gave them much natural wisdom, seasoned with salt. They spent hours fabricating the cleverest fish traps from the finest materials in the land. The boys, instead of going to regular school, went to special fishing forums from the time they were very small. They learned how to hold the fishing rods, where to look for fish, which fish were the best to eat, and so on. And then they grew up and taught the next generation the same things. The fishing schools (sorry, no pun intended) were the pride of the village, and well known in the entire region. Months were spent in creativity competitions to see who could create the best hook. Many fishermen blew millions of dollars on the fanciest boats money could buy.

There was one thing missing though. Fish! The hooks so carefully crafted by "seasoned" fishermen, never got wet! The fancy boats, though shiny, were never tried by water! And the fishermen, well, they never got wet either. Unless it rained.

One day, a thoughtful young fellow from the latest class spoke up. "Why do we never go out to catch fish? Why all this time spent looking like we are fishermen, but no fish to show for our work? And, what, pray tell, does fish even taste like?"

And so, you see, if we spend all our time at church, sopping up knowledge like sponges and never getting "wrung out" we will always be fruitless. How about taking that knowledge we gather and sharing it with those around us!? We have so much that the world doesn't have! We have been raised in the church as believers, and we are more than equipped to do what God has asked us to do? So, like that thoughtful young man, let me ask you: Why do we sit and study, and have nothing to show for it? Why can we not taste the results of our labors?

On a Clear Conscience

2007-01-03T16:33:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago, I was afflicted by a couple of abscessed teeth. Now, before you go off and ask what this has to do with a clear conscience, let me tell you all about it.

I had been performing poorly in my studies and was making little progress in the "maturing" process. I had become involved in sin that I was hiding from my family - particularly my parents. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but continued anyway. I chose to ignore repeated admonitions to 'fess up, and my life became quite miserable. In February, the first tooth began to abscess. I knew that the abscess was a direct punishment for my sin. I chose to continue. The dentist said, "It might go away, it might come back. Take this medication and see us in 2 weeks for xrays." We went back, and they said "It seems to have gone away." I thought I was in the clear at that point. I continued in sin, again, still knowing it was wrong and that I needed to confess my sin to my parents. Two months later, I was sick in bed because the abscess had hit again. I was miserable. We went to another dentist who gave me medication and tried to perform a root canal. The abscess had eaten up the part of the skull that the upper teeth are rooted in. The primary tooth that was abscessed was basically floating there. To make things worse, it had also eaten the bottom end of the root out, so the filling material the dentist used for the root canal just sailed out the end of the tooth. Kind of pointless. We made another appointment, and they did a reverse root canal that basically was from the root side of the tooth instead of the normal way. They did another root canal on the tooth next to it, because that one had been damaged as well. Again, I knew this was a punishment for refusing to maintain a right relationship with Jesus Christ, and for refusing to maintain a clear conscience with my parents.

At this time, I was also looking for a job. I had been turned down from three different places, and I had no doubt as to the reason - again it was my unconfessed sin. I also had a very poor experience during an outreach that year that I had partaken in several times before - some of those I associated with took home complaints about me. My attitude had not been right.

One evening in August of that year, I wasn't able to sleep, and I got out my Bible to kind of read myself to sleep. I got nothing out of it. So I turned out the light and started praying - if arguing with God can be called praying. I told God I didn't want to confess my sin, I didn't want to face the consequences. He then said, all this extra pressure that I had now in my life would only get worse. I would lose my ability to play piano for church (which I thoroughly enjoyed), I would lose a lot of the privileges I had, etc. I continued to argue with God, and told Him that this was too much. He responded by saying that nothing was too much to bring me back into an obedient life. I said to God that I couldn't bear to confess up front to my parents, because I was too scared. I got up the next morning and wrote a nice long letter (for me) to my parents explaining everything to them and asking for their forgiveness.

My parents went out for coffee that afternoon, and I took the liberty of putting the letter in their room in a conspicuous place. But the trepidation just got worse from there. I waited for 2 days before I heard Dad tell me to come to his room... and there Mom and Dad were; it sure felt like an interrogation during that discussion, but in the end, they both forgave me, and I have had their support and encouragement since then in maintaining a clear conscience.

The moral of the story: Keep a clear conscience before it is too late. I don't know how much money the dental work cost in the end, but if it takes that kind of agony to teach you a lesson, it has been too long since you have cleared your conscience! Don't let it get that far!

Why the Basics?

2006-12-01T08:13:00.000-08:00

Why is it important to go back and refresh the mind on basic information? Why are Bible studies so often repeated? A kitchen knife that is used frequently is sharpened regularly. I have seen the same knife used all day and sharpened repeatedly throughout that day. Why? Because the knife loses it's keen edge over time. The user then hones the blade, so that it can be the most useful. If we as Christians call the study of our basic doctrines and beliefs a bore because we have studied them long ago, we are discounting the value of the church! If the knife said, "I have seen the whetstone before, I know what it does, and I am going to leave it alone," it would never be fit for what we need it to do!

This goes for regular church studies, not just Sunday School. If the people in the church discount a sermon because they have "learned this long ago" then they have actually missed the entire point of the sermon and may as well miss church! True, the companionship of other believers is vital for growth; if you look at Proverbs 27:17, it says that as iron goes to iron to get sharpened, man's friend will sharpen his countenance. But let's not think that because we have "matured" beyond the basics in our Christian walk that we are no longer obliged to refresh our understanding of who we are. A Christian who fails to renew their "edge" in the basics of life will lose their freshness and ability to detect basic errors in philosophy and doctrine, and may end up adrift in an open sea without an anchor chain. The underlying problem behind this attitude is pride. Watch out for it! Be aware of it and avoid it at all costs! And let us endeavor to maintain through constant study the understanding of the basic doctrine and theology of the Christian faith!

Excuses

2006-11-13T22:35:00.000-08:00

Excuses are what some may consider a part of life. They are almost as unavoidable as the need for water to drink. Or so we think. We spend so much of our time thinking up excuses for what we do. Or maybe it is for something we didn't do; and even possibly something someone else did/didn't do. Sometimes an excuse allows us to put ourselves in a higher position than someone else, or to condemn ourselves.

What will happen on Judgment Day, when God says "Why did you ____" Will you say, "Well, I didn't mean to ____." Think about it... is Almighty God going to take an excuse? If we know it won't cut it with Him, then why do we fool ourselves into thinking that they are acceptable. Don't we realize that we will be called to account for them one day? Even Adam tried to get away with an excuse for his own actions when he said "The woman, whom You gave me, she took, and we did eat." And the woman: "The Serpent..." You get the point, while that may look like blame (well, yeah, it is blame) it is an excuse for one's disobedience. If we know we have done wrong, what is the excuse for it? If I like the smell of your sausage and then eat too much, is it your fault for making the sausage and sharing it with me? Should I say, "Well, you know, if they hadn't made it, I wouldn't have a stomach-ache now."? No, I am responsible for my own actions when I made the choice to eat that extra piece of sausage. It may smell good, but it isn't the fault of the sausage that I ate too much. Again, it becomes a matter of responsibility. Are you willing to take responsibility for your own actions. I wish I was better at it. I really don't have an excuse for that...

Are You Ready?

2006-10-17T19:10:00.000-07:00

What would happen to you today if Christ were to call a reckoning? Is your life above reproach? Can you with certainty look at those around you and know that there is not anyone who can say you have wronged them and never tried to make it right?

Have you followed the commands of Christ and pointed others to Jesus, knowing that the results are out of your hands? Have you lived your life as an example? Have you devoted your life to reflecting Jesus?

I haven't made it, but I want to be like Christ when I grow up. And I want to be ready when he calls me.

A Spiritual "Donner Party?"

2006-09-19T15:54:00.000-07:00

What happens in the church when we tear down the reputation of another believer for a difference in belief or opinion? Much like the infamous Donner Party, we become the laughingstock of the outside world. We are one of the only people groups who are known to "shoot their wounded." Is that supposed to be an image of Christ? Let us make it clear here that it is not wrong to differ in opinion from another believer. But when that becomes judgmentalism and malicious gossip because your beliefs differ from mine, that is wrong. When you participate in gossip even though you may not have a problem directly with the one involved, you are still as guilty as those in the middle of the disagreement.

I am going to define judgmentalism and gossip here so that the differences may be clear. Before I begin, let again state that both behaviors are those of a spiritual "cannibal,” and both are wrong. The reason I say that is because they both have the result of tearing down the reputation of a believer. Judgmentalism is the attitude of pride that says “I am better than you, because I don’t do what you do.” It takes the form of comparing oneself to another person, and looking for wrongdoing. The wrongdoing is defined subconsciously as an attitude or action that differs from how you would have done it.

On the other side, we have gossip. Gossip can also be passing on information about someone else that does not build their reputation. The information doesn’t even have to be true. This produces in any gossiping party a spirit of judgmentalism. It stems from the same root – pride. Judgmentalism may be limited in its attack on another (i.e. between you and the “offender”) or it may take the form of gossip. Gossip can even take the form of “advice,” or even worse, a “prayer request.”

Look at Galations 5:14-26:
14. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."
15. But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
16. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
18. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
19. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20. idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
21. envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23. gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
24. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
26. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Based on this passage, we are to oppose the works of the flesh. But in opposing them we are not to tear one another apart. It is going to be obvious which are the works of the flesh, and there won’t be a whole lot of argument over which one is a work of the flesh. Drunkenness is pretty obvious. Don’t take it the judgmental route. Don’t set yourself up as judge and condemn someone who doesn’t live up to your standard. Based on what we know of the Judge (Christ), you must know the law. You also must not be guilty of breaking any one of those laws. So that rules out every last one of us. Including me.

We must not participate in tearing down someone else’s reputation. It destroys their worth, and denies them the value that Christ gives them when He bought them on the cross. That in turn sets us up above Christ. If Christ says you are worth dying for, and I turn around and condemn you because you listen to a different kind of music that I don’t think is godly, I have at that point invalidated Christ’s evaluation and effectively said you aren’t worth dying for. And all of us are guilty of that. And to top it all off, we tell everyone about it. What does that make us? The Christian society is fraught with spiritual cannibalism. I am just as guilty of it as you are. Let’s look for the good in others, shall we? And let’s build them up – even if we don’t agree with them!

On Convictions

2006-09-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

Why do you believe what you believe? Are you a leader or a follower? Do you have convictions because someone else you trust has those beliefs? Do others have convictions based upon your beliefs?

As a homeschooled PK (Pastor's Kid) I have realized the importance of establishing convictions. As a younger child, when someone wanted me to do something that went against the convictions of our family, I was able to tell them "My parents don't think I should do that." As I grew older, it occured to me that the time would come that the answer I had been giving was NOT good enough. Someday that wouldn't fly in the face of a challenge. So I set myself to observe and see why my parents held their convictions. What made them make a decision on specific issues regarding music, dress, language, and other similar "controversial" issues? As I watched, I saw that their convictions were based on Scripture. And I noticed that some of them were based on someone else's insight. But they backed up those outside sources with Scripture.

Now that I have seen that in my parents, I am able to look on my own to see what convictions I should have. Convictions are important. As a child and growing up to a young adult, it is vital that your convictions don't conflict with those of your God-given authority. But when you go out into the world as your own person, someone is going to say "Do you believe that because someone taught you that, or because it is your own?" If you agree with a belief that someone has, check it against Scripture and MAKE IT YOUR OWN! That way, when it comes to be tested, you will be able to stand because it is yours and not someone else's.

In Israelite culture, the father taught the rest of the family the laws and history of the people. The child would see and understand the symbolism, the importance of that, and when he was older and had his own family, that child would then pass it on to HIS children. Are you going to pass something on to your child as a vital conviction something that you have not first made your own?

You father tells you that the fire is hot, don't touch it. As a small child, the fire is fascinating. You reach out and touch it despite your father's warning. You can feel the heat before you touch it. But when you put your hand in, you immediately understand why you shouldn't touch it. It burned you! And now you see why dear old Dad told you NOT to touch it. When little brother looks at the fire and you see the small, chubby little hand reaching out to feel it, you are going to say: "Stop, the fire is hot, you shouldn't touch it." Now this doesn't mean that you should try everything you are told you shouldn't do so that you know why you shouldn't do it. As a small child, common sense plays very little into the scheme of things. But as a maturing person, common sense and logic are important. If you as an older person are told that the vegetable knife is sharp, you will put two and two together. You will observe as it is used, and will also point out to yourself that, yes, it is a knife after all. Knives have a tendency to be sharp. And thus common sense will tell you without you trying to mess with it, that the knife is in fact sharp. When someone tells you that immorality is wrong and should not be condoned, you can see the poor effect immoral behavior has on society, you can look at Scripture and see how severe the prescribed punishment for it should be. You can then tell yourself that though it could be tempting, you don't want to be a part of that, and then commit to not be involved in that. And, voila, you have a conviction based on Scripture and something you can defend. And you didn't have to experience it first!

What are your convictions, and why?

The Ten Most Humble People In the World and How I Taught the Other Nine

2006-08-19T19:42:00.000-07:00

The ten most humble people are so humble that they don't want me to tell you who they are... but I don't mind saying that Me, Myself and I are in the top three ranks. Having lived with each other for the last 20 years, we have taught each other such a humble attitude. Make that "We, Ourselves, and Us." We has given Me a great opportunity to encourage Myself to live a life of deepest humility. I never talks about himself at all. Us, well, he is such a plurality of expressions that he can never raise his head in public. Ourselves is such a servant to Us that he never stops to reflect that he is wasting Our life.
Hence the wisdom of teaching humility. Having never had the opportunity to brag, these ten humbles have never learned to be proud! See, Proverbs says to train up a child in the way he should go, so that when he's old, he won't depart from it. So I has taken great pleasure engraining a pride-less entity for Us. And We wouldn't want to talk about it, since Myself would immediately try and crack down on such an expression of self centeredness. Is that "centrism?"

How Much of You Is There?

2006-08-19T19:36:00.000-07:00

Why do we focus on ourselves so much? Why is our conversation about us? Why do we act as if we were the only ones that mattered? Is your life about you? Is it about what you want and what makes you happy?

Not that ignoring yourself is the answer to that problem. Our friends the hermits in the Middle East tried that once. It got them nothing. We are supposed to sharpen ourselves through interaction with others who are believers and through Scripture.

But, for heaven's sake, stop talking about "me!!!!!"

Peace? What Peace?

2006-08-13T22:15:00.000-07:00

What is your perception of peace? Is it a time where there is no warfare or terrorism (that'll never happen)? Maybe it is a time of rest, and the absence of worry. The answer to your question would really be, what does Scripture say about peace?

In Colossians 3, it says:

Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Col 3:16 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.
Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Now, what this is telling us about peace is that God will give us peace when we are FOLLOWING Him and are ruled by His Word, His peace, and His Name. One thing that most people miss is the fact that this is not a peace of relaxation, but a peace that gives one the courage to move forward. God doesn't give us peace and tell us to have a good time for the rest of our lives. Instead, He gives us a command to seek His face in His Word. When He gives us a direction, He gives us a peace about that and we can MOVE FORWARD WITH IT!!! God didn't give us peace so we could be sluggards! The Christian life is one of action! When Jesus gives you peace, JUMP! Go with God, and go with His peace.

What Are YOU doing?

2006-08-02T15:12:00.000-07:00

I asked a friend of mine to tell me what life was like for him down in Florida where God has him in a difficult environment. His original work is below:

Life

Pensacola August 1, 2006

Basic Training:

To date, my time in the Navy as a Christian has not been easy. In Boot Camp we worked from 0500 to 2200 every day. We were given no time for our selves except on Sunday mornings. By way of how the system was set up I was not allowed to read my Bible except on Sunday. This presented a dilemma, do what I was told and not read the Bible and every thing would be “fine.” Or risk getting me and my division in trouble by reading it after the lights were out. Being denied the ability to read the Bible is something we see in place like China not in the United States of America. Let alone in our Armed forces. In the Navy’s defense boot camp is not Bible camp. But none the less this challenge is some thing I have had to face. It has forced me to cling to the Sovereignty of God. That following Him is more important than my career. Every Sunday except one I have gone to Chapel on base. The services were not of the highest quality but the chaplains with out hesitation preached the gospel every Sunday.

Pensacola:

I have grown here in my walk with God through continued trials. Let me give you a lay of the land. I am going to an Independent Fundamentalist Baptist Church by the name of Victory Baptist Church. I am driven to church by brother Der who is a full time missionary to my base. He and his family open up their home almost every night of the week for Bible study and fellowship. I live in the barracks on base. We have three to a room. In my barracks there is not one person that believes in the inerrancy of the Bible and makes an attempt to live their life by it.

So from Sunday to Sunday I have no fellowship with fellow believers. This is quite a challenge. Some times it makes me feel like I am one of the two witnesses left after the rapture. I need not go into what the average sailor or marine’s life is like, but understand this: depraved, wandering souls does not even start to describe them. (I am not going to describe this any more than I have to because of how graphic it would be.)

Faced with this onslaught what would be your response?

I personally have always liked a good offence. But more importantly what has God called us to do. Christ’s last word’s in Matthew states:

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost…” Matthew 28:20

Seeing the world around me shows me how much Christ actually did for us on the cross. And the more you see of His love the more you cannot stand by and let people die. When I stand before the judgment seat will the life’s of my roommates be on my hands because I did not tell them about how to be saved. Can I stand by and not do anything?

With brother Der and on my own I have been able to share the grace of God with many people around me. We have seen some success and lots of “failure”. I wish my sword had seen more use before this time, it feel more like a club.

The devil is firmly emplaced here on base. The more you see of the people the more you will see the lost, oppressed nature of their daily lives. Satan the cruel task master is at his best. The general mind set is “who cares were I go when I die, pass me another beer.” I pray, witness, and fast for my friends all the time.

I will share a story with you to show you what it is like. On a Saturday night we were out side the galley handing out tracts. One of the guys in our group got to talking to a young man about salvation. They spent 45 minutes talking. He ended the conversation by getting the young man to come to church the following morning. We all prayed and some of us fasted for him over the night. And we were blessed to see him come to church with us the following morning. After church the same guy spent another hour or more talking to him. At the end of their conversation the young man turned and said to the two guys witnessing to him “I feel like I am in an airplane plunging for the ground and you are trying to hand me a parachute. And you know I just do not want it.” He heard the gospel. We did our part, but it was not his time. God reminds me continually that it is Him who saves, not I.

Some of you are wondering why I think I am here. Well here it is

Just as persecution has taught the Chinese church to take Christ seriously so this time of hard ship is teaching me this. And this I do not want to give up. So please continue to pray for me as Paul says in Ephesians.

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:18-20)

And for the lost souls in bondage that are stumbling all around me.

To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Craig R. Alford

And Just Who are You?

2006-07-16T13:06:00.000-07:00

So who are you, really? What makes up who you are? What makes you tick? How do you interact with those around you, and who do they perceive you to be? Is it your belief system? Is it who you are around? Is it the fashion of the hour (or minute, as the case may be)? Is it money? Are you personable because you "have to be" to hold up your head in society? Are you a person who prefers to be alone and thus as much a hermit as the monks of yesteryear?

These questions are important for the following reason. How you live your life has a direct impact on the testimony that can be shared with those around you. Now, God can bring glory to Himself through anybody or any circumstance in Scripture. But Jesus said in Scripture that if we are silent (and this can mean our lives as much as the words we speak) the earth around us itself would cry out. [Luke 19:37-40] Now don't get me wrong here. This passage is specific to the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. My point in using this passage is to point out that as with the crowds shouting the praises of God, so our lives must completely point to Christ, without hypocrisy.

Scripture clearly lays out the fact that our design back in Genesis 1 was to bring glory to the Creator. We were created in His image! If our lives don't live up to that in the way we are, how are others going to see Him in us? We don't want to be like those in Scripture who were condemned and told [adapted] "The whole world is going to see and fear God, because of the punishment He will bring upon you!" Sure, people glorify God in that kind of a situation, but for what reason? Fear! He wants us to fear Him, that is true, but not that way! He wants us to have the reverential fear that one has in the presence of a superior. But His true desire is to have our love, and that is what He would rather have others see and glorify Him for!

This brings us back to the original question. Just who are you?

Standing Alone in the Right Wing on the Rock

2006-07-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

In a conversation I had recently had with a friend about convictions, the question came up, "Is this a hill on which to die?" The question was based on a specific issue that was going amongst this friend and some others. This forced me to consider the difference between a conviction and an opinion, and to determine what makes a conviction worth standing on.

An opinion is something that I can change if I am presented with more information. Opinion had it at one point that the earth was flat. That has since changed to a knowledge that the world is indeed round, based on new information that has changed previous opinion. So we could then say that a conviction is something that will not change. It is based on a knowledge rather than a "because I said so" attitude. An opinion on the other hand, relies entirely on one's own idea rather than having a basis on fact.

Then we get to the real heart of the issue. What makes a conviction something to stand or fall on? First, it is a constant in a world of variables. If you don't have a solid foundation, the slightest wind will come and sweep you off you know not where. Second, a conviction should be based on Scripture, and therefore to be guarded. Are you willing to "die" in defence of the Scripture? By "die" we don't necessarily mean physical death, though that may be a result of the stand that is taken. Scripture is key to the survival of the believer. Without it, how are we to know who God really is? So if your conviction is based on Scripture, it should always be a hill on which to die. You may not be called upon to defend some hills, but there are always going to be hills on which a fight must take place.

What is your hill? Which are your hills? What defences are you putting up so that they become hills on which to conquer?

Make sure you have convictions, not opinions, and count the cost! It will have a cost someday!

The End is Near?

2006-07-02T13:15:00.000-07:00

The end of the world? Near? How could that be?

For those who have read the book of 2 Peter, we know what it will be like in that day, and those who have read Matthew and the other Gospels, Romans 1, and other epistles written by the Apostle Paul, we know what it will look like in the days leading up to it, from the words of Jesus. It will look like an increasingly disrespectful culture, where there is no honor for the old or innocence for the young. There will be no sanctity of life, doctrine will be scorned in favor of the "enlightenment" of a new age. Substance abuse will abound. Legal action will be laughable because of the corruption of the judiciary branch of government. Executive branch officials will have no power. Whatever man wants, he will do. Does this sound like our day and age? Is our society degrading family to the level of an animal? Is our judiciary system failing? Is it a joke? Is substance abuse prevalent? Is morality at an all time low? Is crime high? Not just our nation, but around the world, the end IS near.

The question then becomes, where does that leave us as Christians? Are we going to run and hide? Are we going to stand on the stand on the sidelines wringing our hands and saying "They are hurting themselves! If only they knew what they were doing! I wish someone would tell them."? Are we going to get up on our soapboxes on the street corners and shout "You are all going to hell if you don't repent!"?

I must say that the answer to that question needs to be a resounding NO!!!!! There are several reasons to say no. First, they have to know what they are repenting from! They can stop what they are doing all they want, but they need to know why or they will do it again! This means that repentance from SIN must be preached! Sin must be revealed for what it is! Jesus must be proclaimed as the answer, truthfully. If we proclaim Him as a loving God who makes life a bed of _________ (your flower here), we are LIARS. He promises us that we will be a) hated, b) persecuted, and c) killed for believing in Him. Second, if we run and hide, we are no longer "the salt of the earth." (Matthew 5:13). We at that point are no better than the monks who injured themselves, deprived themselves, and isolated themselves all in the name of being "holy." Truth is, holy is as holy does. If your life isn't holy, you shouldn't be preaching holy. If someone can say to you: "You did wrong, and are a hypocrite," and they are right, what gives you the right to say to someone else "Be holy!"? Third, it is plain rebellious and disobedient to stand on the sidelines wringing our hands. We are commanded in Scripture to share His word with a lost and dying world - oh, yes, that's right, I just said it's dying. Scripture says it too, and it was written almost 2,000 years ago.

So that brings us to a final question. What is our responsibility? Examine your life to see if it is meeting God's standard laid out in Scripture. It says in 1 Peter 4:17 that it is time for judgment to begin FIRST in the house of God. That's US! That is me! If I am not living the way He wants me to, I will be judged for it. When our lives our right with Him, the next step is to see where He wants you to minister. He wants you to share with someone the change that having Jesus in your life has made. He may reward it, but it may not be while we walk this troubled earth. Live Christ-likely (yes, I just made that combination up.) Find where God has you to be, and serve there. Know Scripture, and "be ready always to give an answer for the reason that is within you - with meekness and fear." (1 Peter 3:15)

Fundamental Focus

2006-05-28T13:06:00.000-07:00

Are you focused on the pleasant times in life? Are you focused on what others can do for you, what life can give you? Are you focused on you? How many of us in the Christian life get caught up in doing things for God and then suddenly shift our focus to ourselves, expecting God to bless, to prosper us, to give us ease? In the above picture, the lake is NOT the highest point in the area. Are you content with a camping spot by the lake with all the quitters, or will you push forward and see what lies at the TOP?

When we are working (as is expected of us) for the Lord, we need to always consider that He is the One who should get the glory, and not us. He is the One who brought us out of the living death into life by His power and Almighty hand. His should be the glory and not ours. This is not to say that there won't be times where God will say, "Rest awhile, and behold the Hand of the LORD" but He does expect us to be focused on Him and not ourselves.

Fundamentally a Humble Student

2006-04-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

When you undertake to do something or learn something, do you always start with all the information that could possibly be needed for it? No! When Jesus saved us and gave us the Great Commission, He gave us a basic roadmap to live our lives by. It is our duty to study it, apply it, live it! We are to come to His Word (where He reveals Himself) and study as at the feet of a great professor. He does teach us, he does take the same painstaking care in training us that a great professor would.
Now, also, we work alongside Jesus - "Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light." [Matthew 11:29-30] When you break an ox to the yoke, you don't throw him out into the field with another inexperienced ox, and you also don't let him out there without having felt what the yoke is like. You yoke the ox to another that has had experience at responding to the master's voice or touch. The experience of the older and wiser ox helps to guide the younger one and teach it how to respond. It is the same way with the Christian walk! Jesus has infinite wisdom and experience! He is more than capable of teaching us how to respond to the voice of the Master. Now the younger, untrained ox may pull ahead of a wiser ox, and hurt himself. He may drag behind and slow down the wiser one. Make sure you are not ahead of Jesus! And for sure, watch to see where He leads and don't fall behind - and that is one benefit! He waits for us! He will spare no pains to make us useable! So watch and pray, seek His face and study His Word! Become like Him and He may use you to train another believer!

Submission to Authority

2006-04-09T13:11:00.000-07:00

Submission to authority? Is that in Scripture, is this another one of those "right-wing pacifist" views? Yes, submission to authority is clearly mandated in Scripture. The principles of submission are laid out for believers in Romans 13, and in the book of 1 Peter. Throughout the second chapter of 1 Peter, the apostle defines the protocols of submission; Be different, get behind those in authority over you (1 Peter 2:12-17), submit to them, be respectful and to your employers and obey them, all in the same manner as Christ did while He walked the face of the earth. Now don't tell me that you have to see it to know how it needs to look! I am also a "visual" person! But we have the example Christ set for us all throughout the New Testament. And His life's example of submission is written down as an example to us in Philippians and in 1 Peter. And we can always see how He works in the lives of those around us! Find a spiritually mature person, and spend time with them. Let their maturity rub off on you! They have been through things in their Christian life that you may not have encountered yet. These examples are to help YOU through the difficult times in your life. And if you claim to be a Christian, don't be surprised if you experience difficult times, because... THEY WILL COME (1 Peter 4:12-14)!

In Romans 13, the apostle Paul shows us the reason God has allowed authorities to be in our lives. First of all, God allowed it. If God brings something into your life, get behind it! Second, it is for our protection! Authorities are in place to bring punishment to those who do wrong, and to honor those who do right. Third, authority can even be there to test us! If you are committed to doing right, God will surely test you to see how committed "committed" is in your life. Be prepared! And at all times, set the example of submission for others, because God commanded submission, and in following the commands of Christ, we are showing that we love Him (John 15:9-17)

Becoming a Fundamentalist Christian

2006-03-28T17:50:00.000-08:00

In the world today, so many believers have been trapped into spending time, money, and their lives, into looking like one thing or another. Trying to make themselves appear as comfortable as those in the world, or trying to appear as successful as those in the world. Or it could be trying to look as popular as the world. Looking back, many see their lives as fruitless and unsuccessful. They question what they were looking for. Some don't even look back - they just give in to depression.

But in reality, these same believers are the bearers of the most life-changing and comfort-threatening message the world has EVER known! Jeremiah tried the same maneuver when he tried holding the message God gave him inside. He said in Jeremiah 20:7-9 "...I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me. Every time I speak, I cry aloud... But if I say, "I will not remember Him or speak anymore in His Name," then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I am weary of holding it in, and I cannot endure it." He was desperate for approval (and was obviously NOT getting it from his audience.) This passage speaks clearly to the fact that God's word is a burden that MUST be shared - as much for the benefit of the bearer as the recipient! This is why many believers end up wondering why they aren't successful! If they (or us - if this describes any one of us) don't share the message, success cannot come, satisfaction will always die! And this message is a message of being and doing! We, as Christians, are the ones the world looks at to picture who "this Christ" really is. If we don't show that we are different, how will they tell what He looks like? Let's be fundamentally Christian and fundamentally different! Look at Scripture to see the BASICS of who God really is! Live the principles you see displayed in the lives of those examples we have in the Bible! And be different!!

Being Different -- and Right Wing

2006-03-07T09:19:00.000-08:00

Scripture is very clear that we are supposed to be DIFFERENT than those of the world. 1 Peter 2:7-10 says:

"Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the Stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the Head of the corner,

And a Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light:

Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy."

This piece of Scripture puts a very straight-forward set of differences forth into our observation. We are NOT the way we used to be. We are, according to Scripture, eclectically chosen as the highest form of God's communication with very specific tasks to do. This includes sharing with others how we were where they are now, and how God through Jesus Christ has completely changed us. We know what it was like to be a lost and dying soul. We were there once. And besides, since we are a HOLY NATION, how about some NATIONAL PRIDE!? Not in the sense that we are "better" than everyone else, but how about holding our heads upright because we are ambassadors for the Most High!?

And, by the way, what is all this nonsense about not wanting to offend people? We already know because of what Jesus said - that if they hated Him, they are going to hate us too... there is nothing new there. True, we aren't there to go out and stomp all over everyone. However, the very message that we bear is the most divisive message ever to be given! It has torn nations apart, built others up, caused more death than any other, and also given more life and hope than any. How can we help it that people are offended!? Yet, our duty is to share the message, because that message MUST go forth! And also, that message is for all! And every time we share it, the seeds are planted in another's life! In addition, as far as I can see, the only reason that conservative Christians are labelled "right wing fundamentalists" is because we stand out in some way from the rest. And they somehow know that they ARE on the left! And it is our responsibility to show them how to move to the right before Judgement Day.

For the Beauty of the Earth...

2006-02-21T14:51:00.000-08:00