Joe Carter's Open Letter to the Religious Right

An Open Letter to the Religious Right - the evangelical outpost

Joe is pretty much spot-on in my book. Take a look and see the common sense approach to politics that Joe is advocating. I especially agree with him in regards to Ann Coulter.

Wrapping Up Simplify

A few weeks ago I mentioned a series called "Simplify" from Pastor Doug Kyle at Green Valley Church. During that period a couple of cardiologists read me the riot act about my health. So, I took a lot of what Pastor Doug talked about in my life. I've really worked hard on simplifying my life. Much of it has to do with how I have a tendency to have my plate too full at work, Little League and a travel ball team. In the last two months I've resigned from a few positions and "simplified" these areas. I've needed to do this in order to provide proper spiritual, mental and physical focus. I've lost 15 pounds and have been exercising at least 4 times per week. Thanks Pastor Doug for the "Simplify" series.

Pastor Doug Kyle - Simplicity Series: Feature Creep

eCouragement: Feature Creep

Pastor Doug from Green Valley Church has started a new series called "Simplicity". So far, so good. I know I consistently have the need to simplify things so I'm excited about this series.

Tammy Faye - RIP

Televangelist Tammy Faye Messner dies - U.S. Life - MSNBC.com

Tammy Faye Messner, who as Tammy Faye Bakker helped her husband, Jim, build a multimillion-dollar evangelism empire and then watched it collapse in disgrace, has died. She was 65.

A family service was held Saturday in a private cemetery, where her ashes were interred, he said.

Tammy Faye was quite the character but now she's gone. Her long battle with cancer was dignified and inspiring. She's healed now.

Just Finished - The Coffeehouse Gospel

I just got done reading:

It's a very small and easy read. The basic premises of the book are that the Gospel of Jesus needs to be shared, Christians need to know the Gospel and Christians need to get past the gimmics and be human. Every human has a story and we need to LISTEN to what other folks have going on in their lives. We don't need to go up to folks and go "Hi, do you know you are going to hell?". We need to build friendships, LISTEN and share our lives. The era of the Christian sales pitch and talking over people is over, it doesn't work. It's time to move into our communities and build unconditional relationships. This means we need to build friendships with everyone not just other Christians.

I hope I take my own words to heart.

MSNBC - Pope Says Only True Church Is Roman Catholic

Pope: Jesus formed 'only one church' - Focus on the Vatican - MSNBC.com

Pope Benedict XVI has reasserted the universal primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says Orthodox churches were defective and that other Christian denominations were not true churches.

At least the pope is being honest. I don't agree with him but it's true Roman Catholic teaching.

Another Thin Jesus - The Progressive Jesus

Continuing the theme of discovering more "Thin Jesus's" (check out the No Thin Jesus series) we are going to take a look at the Progressive Jesus. Now, let's first be up front and recognize that the Progressive Jesus is really the Liberal Jesus but Progressive isn't as alarming.

The Progressive Jesus seems to care only about social justice. The idea of salvation is a secondary concern and living a holy life isn't as important as being edgy. The Progressive Jesus mocks people who wear suits to church or only listen to Christian music. He doesn't seem to care about marriage too much and isn't concerned about abortion. In fact, He won't support restrictions on abortion unless folks on the other side stop supporting the death penalty.

The Progressive Jesus really loves people that only go against the grain when a Republican is President. Those are the true patriots because they disagree. He is sending George W. Bush to hell because he hates the poor and is a warmonger. Pulling the American troops out of Iraq is a top priority for the Progressive Jesus; it doesn't matter that the country will be a total mess and murders will be even more frequent without anyone else watching. All that matters is that the evil Americans are out of Iraq.

The Progressive Jesus believes that raising awareness of issues will solve the worlds problems and will cause brutal dictators to become peaceful. All we need to do is call our leaders, put a banner on our web site and have a rock concert. Not only will peace come but the environment will be cleaned up. No real work is really required. It is best that multi-millionare entertainers try and raise funds instead of giving the money away themselves. The Progressive Jesus really can't live without their wisdom. It is really too bad that rock 'n roll and the internet weren't around in the 1930's and 40's because World War II would have never occurred.

Other heroes of the Progressive Jesus are living and dead communists and anyone who takes the side of the Palestinians. For the Progressive Jesus the only thing as bad as America is Israel. Things such as supporting the country you live in is below the standards of the Progressive Jesus. People need to have a view of the complete world as there really aren't good or bad countries as only conservatives are evil. Heck, the Progressive Jesus loves Castro more than Bush because Fidel provides great health care in Cuba.

So we've covered the Republican Jesus and now the Progressive Jesus as we are in search for the real Jesus. He's out there somewhere but I'm not sure where to look next. I know that there are complete religions based on differing views of the "Thin Jesus". I just wonder what box Jesus fits in.....

One View of a Thin Jesus - The Republican Jesus

One of the things I'm going to do in following the No Thin Jesus series is to define different versions of a "thin" Jesus. The first will be the "thin" Jesus that I've followed for a lot of my life; Republican Jesus. The Republican Jesus is basically the one who is pretty harsh. He is the one who is known as being anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage. He really only cares about getting people into heaven not too much on what we do during the rest of our life as long as we don't have illicit sex, curse or vote for a Democrat. He also doesn't care much about the arts and wants us to only listen to Christian music. The Republican Jesus cares about whether we smoke or drink but doesn't care about the abundance of church potlucks and other gluttonness behavior.

Salvation for the Republican Jesus means going forward and saying a prayer. After that the Republican Jesus expects you to read the Prayer of Jabez and the Left Behind series. From that point a follower of the Republican Jesus will equate the Israili flag with the American flag and will only see the side of Israel. They believe that Palenstinian people need to leave Israel and that God is directing America to help Israel have the Old Testament borders. The Republican Jesus focuses on His second coming and doesn't teach much on helping the poor. The tithe check covers that so nothing else is really needed.

The Republican Jesus also cares only about the Christians on the winnng team of the Super Bowl. He cannot survive without athletes and celebrities who follow Him. He really needs some big-time pastors to get on TV to help Him elect people who follow exactly what God wants them to. If anyone deviates then a vote for the person who is a true believer is required. It doesn't matter if that vote helps to put someone else in office who is even worse. The follower of the true Republican Jesus will vote for Joe Rightwing instead of Rudy Giuliani even if it means Hillary Clinton wins. Then that follower will spend the next 4-8 years hating Hillary.

Regretfully, my "Thin Jesus" is pretty close to what I've believed and followed for a lot of my life. Obviously, that's not the real Jesus. The next "Thin Jesus" to be examined will be the "Progressive Jesus".

No Thin Jesus - New Series

I'm following the new series at North Coast Calvary Chapel called "No Thin Jesus". To check out the messages and follow along go here. I'll be writing up some entries based on this series. The recommended readings are:

Jerry Falwell Dies

When I was 16 I learned about abortion from watching Jerry Falwell on TV. It was life-changing for me as I learned what a horrible thing abortion truly is; the taking of human life. That time really helped me to learn that there are issues that do matter. I have never agreed with everything Falwell did or said but am grateful for his life.

As Jerry Falwell has now left this life I choose to remember him for the lessons I learned from him way back when I was a teenager. I believe that his death must have been amazing for him. He went from working in his office to seeing Jesus face to face.

Warren Invites Obama To AIDS Summit

Pastor Defends Invitation to Obama - AOL News

Obama did not respond to interview requests. But he issued a written statement saying while he respects differing views on abortion, he hopes for unity "to honor the entirety of Christ's teachings by working to eradicate the scourge of AIDS, poverty and other challenges we all can agree must be met.

So Pastor Rick Warren, Mr. Purpose Driven Life, has invited a pro-abortion person, Sen. Barack Obama, to an AIDS summit. Well, GOOD! Unity over fighting AIDS is needed and it is possible for Christians to have differing views on abortion. I'm pro-life but I don't consider that to be an essential in determinig what is orthodox Christianity.

Is Mormonism Christian?

Hat Tip: The Corner on National Review Online

Check out this excellent article by Richard John Neuhaus on the question "Is Mormonism Christian?". I think if Mitt Romney becomes a legitimate presidential candidate in 2008 then people will want to know more about Mormonism.

John Fischer - Fellowship among foes

Fellowship among foes

Following Christ is not about joining a look-alike contest; it is finding out the joy of discovering our oneness in Christ in spite of our many differences. This is the challenge of the day.

Words such as this are very liberating. Groups seem to want to make sure everyone else is like them. Make sure we all listen to the same music, read the same books, educate our kids the same way, have the same view on eschotology, and the rest. God is bigger than these and He wants our focus on Jesus. He's the great uniter. As a friend of mine says "keep the main thing, the main thing".

Faithful, Fearless, Contentment, Disciplined == Surrendered

At North Coast Calvary Chapel the pastor is doing a series on the Invasion of the Soul which is dealing with the transformation of us into the people God wants us to be. At the same time I'm re-reading Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul. The key to transformation always comes down to surrendering to God and I've discovered four key words that I need to focus on being:

What Is The Answer To Real Pain

blog.myspace.com/towriteloveonherarms - just take a look. So many of us want formulas to heal but that's not the way God works.

Joseph Smith Arrested?

This Warren Steed Jeffs guy gets arrested for doing a lot of the same things that Joseph Smith and Brigham Young did in the 1800's until 1890 when God changed his mind due to government pressure. All the polygamy and marrying young girls was done by Joseph Smith himself, founder of the Mormon Church.

Just calling it as I see it.

Newsweek Article on Billy Graham

Billy Graham's New Thinking on Politics, the Bible - Newsweek National News - MSNBC.com

It's great to ready of what Billy Graham thinks is important. Take a look for yourself.

Alice Cooper

Alice Cooper to build teen center - Celebrity News - MSNBC.com

"We're not going to beat them over the head with a Bible," Cooper said. "But we're certainly going to be available to tell them that that's available to them."

Yes folks, Alice Cooper is a Christian. Check out his foundation. I love it.

Gibson Apology

CNN.com - Gibson: 'I am not an anti-Semite' - Aug 1, 2006

See the full apology here. Other people in the public and learn from this. This actually seems like a real apology vs. what we've seen in the past. Gibson takes full responsibility and reaches out for help from the people he offended.

Transformation

My coastal pastor is speaking on transformation for the next few weeks. It's not just enough to get saved but, as the song says, "we were meant to live for so much more". The pastor first went over many types of things we try to use for transformation but in the end fall far short of what God wants to do in our lives.

I look forward to this study as the first step mentioned towards transformation is understanding "how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ" (from Ephesians 3:18). This is something I intellectually understand but mostly haven't known it experientially. I believe it but don't feel it. I know that God is good as He's proven that to me over and over. My prayer for myself, as I desire more transformation, is to experience "how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ". I want to do more than just take that love for granted but really know that love. I really want to get to the point where true surrender can occur and true surrender only really can occur via real love, not just intellectual understanding. I need to go further and accept Christ's love for me.

UPDATE: Here's the notes and the audio.

International Justice Mission

Hat tip to Bobby from This Holiday Life.

Go check out this site about the International Justice System. They go into countries to intervene to help individuals that can't help themselves. It looks like they specialize in rescuing children from sex trafficking.

13 Paradigm Shifts - Donald Miller

Donald Miller has some great words of advice on doing Christian ministry in a pagan environmnet. These are words for all environments, not just pagan.

To Write Love On Her Arms

To Write Love On Her Arms is a very intesting story. A friend of a young lady who's going through recovery from addiction and cutting took up her cause. It's an inspiring story of hope and well worth reading.

A Great Response to "Da Vinci Code"

FOXNews.com - 'The Da Vinci Code'
A Positive for Christianity - FOX Fan - Take a look at what Father Jonathan Morris has to say about "The Da Vinci Code". I like his reaction.

Breakpoint - Apostle to the Irish

BreakPoint | Apostle to the Irish - Check out Chuck Colson's quick history lesson of St. Patrick.

The Daily Psalm - Ash Wednesday

The Daily Psalm - Psalm 51 - I know many Evangelicals in America don't even care about Ash Wednesday as it is not really something taught in many of our churches. Take a like at what Mark Roberts has to say about it.

HH - DNA and the LDS

Hugh Hewitt: February 12, 2006 - February 18, 2006 Archives - Hugh discusses an very interesting story about how some DNA studies might shake up some of the missionary work the Mormon church does in South America. Hugh has an interview with the author here.

Technorati Tag

Let's Help A Burned Church

Rehobeth Baptist Church in Lawley, Alabama: Our Story of the 2006 Alabama Church Fires

Here is an opportunity to help one of the churches in Alabama that was burned down.

Amazing Words Before Communion

Right before we took communion tonight at North Coast Calvary Chapel the pastor said this:

"What we hold in our hands is the focal point of eternity."

Nothing else needs to be said.

The Muhammad Cartoons

There is a blog burst going on about the Muhammad Cartoons but I have a bit of a different take than the main thread.

I completely agree that the cartoonists should be able to do what they are doing and would even support their right to mock my faith. My difference though is that I think it is morally wrong to mock someone's faith like that. How many of us Christians have been offended by people who mock our faith? Of course the difference is that there are threats on the life of the people drawing the Muslim based cartoons. That is hugely wrong and those people are terrorists and should be treated as such. There is nothing wrong with being offended or protesting but to threaten someone is disgusting.

I'm all about supporting Denmark and the right to be offensive but I don't support the actual cartoons. How would us Christians respond to a cartoon depicting Jesus blowing up an abortion clinic? Yes, the target of the cartoon would be the extremists but it paints with a broad brush stroke. What purpose is there in mocking other faiths? For us Christians, how should we behave?

UPDATE: Reeza at TenNapel makes some good points. Hat tip to Hugh.

Technorati Tags: jyllands-posten mohammed

PodCast of North Coast Calvary Chapel

If you have iTunes please check out the Podcast of North Coast Calvary Chapel. If you don't use iTunes then use the following link to subscribe: http://www.northcoastcalvary.org/ccnc.xml.

Hurt, Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Resolution

There are many ways people get hurt, including Christian to Christian. One of the ways is, even in the best of intentions, our words from ones mouth to another person gets twisted and perverted by the Dark Side (the Devil and his minions). We all have our weaknesses and the Dark Side knows how to exploit it. Sometimes the arrows hit us and we don’t even know it. We are walking wounded. The wounds go deeper and deeper and we don’t even know how it is hurting our heart. As time goes by those wounds don’t heal on their own. The wounded needs to deal with those wounds or our hearts get harder and harder. After a while we don't even know why there is hurt; we just know we hurt.

Even when Christians have hurt each other they do need to reconcile. In some cases resolution is not possible. This is where forgiveness and grace really need to kick in. People suck and we are terribly flawed but we are called to love each other. We will not always be able to see eye-to-eye on a disagreement but that doesn’t mean reconciliation is not possible. See this previous blog entry for more.

Thoughts derived from The Sacred Romance: Drawing Closer to the Heart of God and The Purpose-driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?.

Cloudbreak Church Goes Full-Time Now

If you are an Inland North County San Diego type person then please consider checking out Cloudbreak Church. This is the first Sunday of the church in full operation. Please feel free to contact me if you need more info.

Reading Scripture While Trying To Forget What You Already Have Learned

A few years ago I made a consious decision to try to read the Bible without leaning on some of the things I've learned in the past, especially when it comes to eschatology (the study of end-times). In my Bible study I attend we've been studying Micah. The last 2 weeks we've studied Micah 4 and I've found it very hard to understand prophecy beyond the deliverance from Babylonian captivity. If you have a certain view of eschatology then you'll take one path versus another. I'm pretty sure that Micah 4 has some type of eschatological effect but I am not sure what it is. I'll try and keep digging.

Another thought but not quite related:

I believe that the Left Behind theology has invaded the American churches too much, even though I still hold that same view. There is now an over-emphasis on the study of eschatology and I guess I've rebeled a bit and have really put it on the back burner. There are enough items for me to study and really get my arms around than something in the future. The eschatology studies are interesting and it tickles the ears but there is just too much emphasis on it. In some churches every sermon will touch on the end-times. That's not a balanced view of Scripture. Teach it all and keep focused on the Scripture at hand. If the Scripture points to future prophecy then it needs to be followed but not every passage deals with end-times.

John Fischer - On Parade

Purpose Driven Life - On Parade

Part of our mission is consciously telling people about Christ. Another part of it is unconsciously telling people about Christ. This is the unconscious part Paul is talking about here. This is the part of our mission that goes on all the time, and it is one of the reasons God wants us out in the world and not isolated or only associating with believers.

Click on the link above to read the full entry by John Fischer. It's a great argument against hanging out exclusively in the Christian Ghetto.

30 Days With Jesus

30 Days with Jesus Jan. 8 - Feb. 6, 2006 Green Valley Church

One of the churches we attend is having a 30 Days With Jesus study. It looks like a great way to start the new year. You can listen in at Green Valley Church and follow the readings at the above link. Of course, the goal is to have a lifetime with Jesus but the immediate goal is to go from a "fuzzy faith" to something much more real.

The Daily Psalm - New Mark Roberts Web Site

The Daily Psalm for January 1, 2006 - A great way to start the new year would be to go to The Daily Psalm every morning. This is a new web site by Mark Roberts so you know it's gotta be worth reading.

I Guess I Won't Be Buying These Jeans

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Features -- Anti-Christian jeans are hot trend among youth in secular Sweden

The jeans' makers say it's more of a joke, but the logo's designer said there's a deeper message.

Atldax insists he has a purpose beyond selling denim: to make young people question Christianity, which he called a "force of evil" that had sparked wars throughout history.

Very interesting to see folks making money off Christianity even when they are anti-Christian. Nice!

Affirming My Sons

One of the things that I'm getting out of Wild at Heart (and a reminder from a friend of mine) is to continue to affirm their maleness. So many forces are against boys being boys and I need to affirm to my young sons that they are boys and it's OK to act like a boy. I'm also learning to let them be a bit more adventerous and not mother hen them. One of the biggest issues with anyone raising kids, especially boys, is there are so many things to do inside. I'm getting them outside and having them try some new things or retry some old things they've not had much success with.

A Bible Study Resource

How Can I Understand the Bible? - Just stumbled upon this in Our Daily Bread.

Barbara Walters Interviews Maria Shriver on Heaven

So Barbara Walters is interviewing Maria Shriver about heaven and what it is like? It's kind of amazing that anyone would take Maria Shriver seriously when discussing theological issues. It's great that Mrs. Terminator has a point of view but the only reason she's got a platform is because of her relatives. It's interesting what the media elites see as people with an opinion that matters. This is not a slap at Shriver but at Barbara Walters for treating Maria as an expert.

A Man From Moldova

At the Coastal Church a guest from Moldova came. His name is Vasile and he had an amazing story. The bottom line is he's using the Inductive Bible Study method to train up Moldovians to be disciples of Christ. Vasile is a Tae Kwon Do master and teaches it but before the TKD lesson there is one hour of Bible study. He has teachers who teach computers and he integrates a Bible study into it. The Moldovians go to him for training because of the excellence he provides.

Be in prayer for me as I was asked to go there to teach Java for 2 weeks sometime in June. There are many obstacles so we'll see if God wants me to go. I'm open about it.

Tell Corporations You Like Christmas

AFA - American Family Association - Companies Ban 'Christmas,' Not Worried About Backlash - Many companies choose to take our money to buy Christmas presents and decorations but want to call it "holiday". Sign the above petition to tell them you are shopping for Christman not "holidays".

What Is God's Will?

As I was heading home from a discipleship meeting at the Coastal Church I was listening to a CD from the Surfing Pastor and the scripture was I Samuel 22:6-23:29. The title of the message was "Righteous Rebels/Faithful God (Do What's In Front of You)". The sermon and notes will be online soon and I will post a link when it is.

The interesting nugget from the teaching is asking the question, "what is God's will?". Many times we ask should I live here or there, take this job or that job? Really though, 99% of the time scripture talks about God's will as making the right moral choice or being obedient to God at a specific moment. Isn't that cool?

I guess God cares about the car we drive but it's the choices we make on the way to getting that car. How much debt are we taking on? Does it suit our needs? Once I have it am I generous with it? You can plug in your job, house, clothing or anything else. The moral choices we make along the way and once we have made a decision are really what matters to God. Are we doing, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, what God wants us to do? That is the question we must ask ourselves.

Turn Off Your Cell Phone In Church

This morning, while the pastor was asking people about making a decision for Christ, someone's cell phone started to ring. It was real loud and just not good. Please turn off your electronic equipement before going into a house of worship. Even better, leave them in your car.

Say 'No' to Fear on Halloween

Purpose Driven Life

This much I know: Regardless of where you land on the trick-or-treating thing, if there is anything believers should not participate in today, it's not trick-or-treating: It's fear. Christians have no business being afraid today or any day. We worship the God of the universe who is over all powers and authorities and rulers on earth, above it or "below" it. If we as Christians show fear to the world, it comes as a disgrace to God. What does it say about the reality of God in our lives when we allow fear to motivate us?

John Fischer bringing the wisdom again.

A New Church in Rancho Bernardo/4S Ranch

I met with the pastor yesterday and this sounds like a great church for the future. The first service is this Sunday, October 23, at 10:00 AM at Turtleback Elementary. We'll be there and, if you are in the area, give it a shot.

Robertson: Disasters point to 2nd Coming

WorldNetDaily: Robertson: Disasters point to 2nd Coming

"It seems clear that the prophetic times I have been expecting for decades have finally arrived. And even worse, it appears that the judgment of America has begun," Lindsey said on the Sept. 9 broadcast of the "International Intelligence Briefing" on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. "I warn continually that the last days lineup of world powers does not include anything resembling the United States of America. Instead, a revived Roman Empire in Europe is to rule the West, and then the world. "

I'm just wondering what the readers think about statements like this?

Outward Transformation - Life Impacting Sermon

One of the reasons we continue to drive out to the coast to the Coastal Church is because of the amazing teachings of the Surfing Pastor. His goal is to make sure that the teaching from the pulpit is aimed at working our hearts to live in Christ and to live out Christ. The teachings our awesome but sometimes they reach the level of standing out. Last Sunday was one of those times as he just wrapped up a series on "lab time"; covering 7 essential aspects to being a Christian. Those 7 include worship, prayer, study of Bible, fellowship, ministry, training and "outward transformation". It is Outward Transformation that this entry will focus on.

The pastor was struggling to categorize the final aspect of the 7 essential aspects. The first option was to call it evangalism or preaching or missions but those were too limiting. The scripture used was Matthew 5:13-16 which is the salt and light parts of the Sermon on the Mount. The pastor stated that the church is really good at getting people to Christ and telling them about the end but asks "what about the middle"? What are the best selling books about? What do we do in the meantime? What is the role of the Church? The role is to "bring the nature and message of Christ individually and corporately into every part and person of society. We are the fingerprints of God in culture." This means that we don't wait for someone to get saved before we engage them. This means that we don't make friendship conditional on them accepting our message. This means we need to be "in, but not of" and if we don't have contact with non-Christians we need to re-think our place in the Christian Ghetto. This means we get involved in everything, corporately speaking. We shouldn't run away from society then complain about it or even worse, we just don't care and just focus on the return of Christ. Again, if you are a Christian and don't have contact with non-Christians.... well, think about it.

I really believe we should developing unconditional friendships of all kinds (yes, even if they reject our message) as I find people are terribly interesting. They are all immortal and will live forever. As a church we need to break out of the Christian Ghetto and truly impact our society, not by puting up little Bible verses at work or dropping 4 Spiritual Law tracts into a mailbox but by engaging people and organizations at all levels of society. We cannot wait for the world to be saved, it's our job, as the Church, to try and save it. We are all called to do something! Find a place to feed the hungry, talk to someone you've never spoken to before (saying "hi" doesn't count), find a short-term mission trip, join the PTA, coach or umpire Little League, and so much more.

Listen here and notes are here.

One True God Blog

One True God

Hugh Hewitt has created OneTruGodBlog that has five heavyweight theologians to answer various "God" questions. Looks good!

Forward Thanking

From the pastor of one of the churches we attend:

I believe that all of life should be lived the way we say grace at the dinner table: giving thanks ahead of time.

In John 11:41 we find an amazing prayer. Jesus prays, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me." A closer look reveals that this prayer came right before God did one of the most spectacular miracles in the Bible. God brought Jesus' friend, Lazarus, back from the dead.

Now, when Jesus prayed this prayer, Lazarus was still in the grave. The thanksgiving comes before the miracle. It seems backwards. You would think the thanksgiving would come after the resurrection. And no doubt there were plenty of shouts of thankfulness after Lazarus was brought back to life. But Jesus did a very odd thing. Jesus thanked God before it happened.

Jesus reveals a great approach to life. Become a forward thanker. Become someone who thanks God for what He’s going to do before it happens. Not that we tell God what to do, but we thank Him for whatever He will do, knowing it is for our good and His glory.

This summer I’ve made it a habit to approach each day like I approach each meal. I give thanks ahead of time. I call it pre-gratitude. In the process, I have found that I am much more aware of what God is doing. Sometimes they are simple things, like dolphins dancing in the waves, or a special conversation with one of my kids. I realize these are some of the very things I was thanking God for earlier. Even during difficult situations I am more inclined to look for God in the midst of it. And to know there is a hidden blessing I’m suppose to discover.

If you want to experience a thriving faith each day, become a forward thanker.

I tried this a bit last week but didn't totally follow through. I did notice that when I did "forward thank" that I did have a different perspective. My mind seemed to react a bit different to situations so I'm going to try it a bit more.

WorldMap - Salting Hollywood

Tip to TenNapel

World Magazine - Weekly News | Christian Views - Check out this article about Christians in Hollywood. Here's the key point:

In Behind the Screen, Mr. Derrickson—maker of the upcoming The Exorcism of Emily—describes his various efforts over the years to answer the question, "What is the duty of a Christian in Hollywood?" Finally, he said, "I realized that my primary duty as a Christian in Hollywood is the same as the primary duty of the Christian at Microsoft or UPS or the police department. My primary duty as a Christian in Hollywood is to do my job well."

AMEN!

"That's My King" - The Best 3:32 EVER!

Yesterday at our Local Church a small sermon by SM Lockridge was played and it really touched my heart. To see what I saw, go here and get blown away.

"Worship Etiquette" from Doug TenNapel

TenNapel.com - Home of Doug TenNapel - Tomorrow is Church... - Some pretty good stereotypes of what might actually be seen at church. The man speaks a lot of truth. You always hope that anything that is done during worship is to either please God or to truly worship Him and hope folks aren't making a "look-at-me-worshipping" scene.

I know that I don't like to be told to raise my hands or clap (I think in most cases clapping just doesn't sound pleasant). During the worship sessions I believe people should just put the focus on God and don't distract others from their time of worship.

A Bit of What Heaven Might Be Like

We've started attending another church closer to home for reasons such as our kids being in a group where the kids are more local. Just a note, our primary church still remains (and will remain) NCCC but we'll be doing some double duty. During the service this morning I was reminded of a time long ago. I don't know why God brought this to my mind as I dwelt on it thoughout the service but here it is.

When I was a pre-teen (11-12) my parents decided to switch churches because the church we were going to was pastored by a man who really didn't seem to be a Christian. The new church was a Baptist church. The thing that got me thinking about my old church was the first song played during the service today. I'd never heard it but thought back to the old Baptist church were the first song was always "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name". You could always count on it and I now had a longing for a different time and place. I then started thinking about some of the folks at the service. Harry, a towering man, leading the congregation in the singing. The pastor, Harold, and his associate, Doug, on the side bench. The organist, Sue, just powering through the song. The choir (with two 6' 8" guys in the back) in their 70's colored robes (they actually still looked good into the 80's), led by Amanda. This is the church where I first heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, where I responded to this good news and was baptized.

As I thought of this point in time I had to keep from breaking into tears through the whole service today. Some of the folks had such a great impact on my life. This was a slice of what heaven will be like; people who love Jesus, gathered around singing "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name". Some of the folks mentioned above have already began gathering and are waiting for the rest of us. I can't wait until the folks from this small church, from that point in time, can sing it one more time. My longing will be fulfilled.

Sore Loserman in San Diego

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Politics -- Soledad cross measure wins; issue will still head to court

Attorney James McElroy, whose client filed a lawsuit challenging the presence of the cross on city land in 1989, called the vote meaningless.

"It still doesn't mean a damn thing," he said. "Voters should have never voted on it. It's a waste of taxpayers' money."

Speaks for itself.

The Cross Stays

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Politics > Results-- City of San Diego - It likes the cross on Mt. Soledad in La Jolla will stay. I'm extremely glad that it stays and it just shows that the loud but small minority needs to just accept this and quit being offended by a simple War Memorial. If there was a Star of David on city property that commerated the war dead then I'd want that kept also. Thank goodness for common sense.

After Last Sunday's Disaster

Go here to read about my horrible church experience last week but this week was an amazing contrast. At my church one of our associate pastors gave a trip report about 170 of our congregants going to Africa with Dream for Africa. I just can't explain the impact of the stories and the pictures that were show. Bottom line, the church in America has a golden opportunity to make a huge impact on this world.

Our people met with black people who'd never met a white person. They planted thousands of gardens and showed the love of Christ to the people of South Africa. Here's the amazing thing, do you want to see Jesus? These people did see Jesus by helping these people learn how to feed themselves:

'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'

I know that I'm always wondering when God will touch me. Instead I need to go seek Him and one way is to serve Him by serving the poor, imprisoned and the sick. As a friend of mine once said, sometimes God just tees up some extremely obvious things and waits for the Church to take Her shot. Now is that time. There are many opportunities to serve the poor, sick and imprisoned. If your congregation doesn't offer any type of service opportunities to help the "least of these" then the church needs to be fixed. If you are not hearing about the "least of these" every once in a while from the pulpit then talk to your pastor. Let's not wiff at this one.

What Is It About "End Times"

Today we went to a different church a little closer to our home to check out the youth group for our kids. We'd like them to find a group where they've got kids that go to the same school. So we went to our normal church last night and went to the other service this morning. Today, the main pastor was out so they had a guest who was brought in to talk about the evils of "replacement theology" (the belief that the Church has replaced Israel as the apple of God's eye). So the sermon starts and things get a bit crazy pretty quick. By the end of the sermon I saw President Bush slandered, America of today being equated with pre-WW2 Nazi Germany and people who hold to "replacement theology" as being under threat of judgement for not believing Israel is in God's future.

Let me say first, I am not a "replacement theology" believer. I'm a strong defender of Israel and believe God isn't through with her at all. That being said, can't there be honest disagreement on an issue that has ZERO affect on anyone's salvation or how we live our daily lives. This is an issue that has a ton of different slants and, in all honesty, I'm not willing to go to war over a point of view that is very divided among many Christians.

Bottom line, I was sickened by what I heard and by the applause throughout the service. It was a service that I would not want to bring a non-Christian to so they could get to know Christ. There was some truth thoughout the service but the emphasis on things that have ZERO effect on our lives, in terms of our relationship with Christ. This stuff should not come from the pulpit as it is based on much speculation and some twisting of Scripture to make it fit a certain point of view.

Why is it that some pastors must always diverge into end-times stuff in each sermon. Why can't they focus on the topic at hand and quit trying to tickle our ears? Quit going after my fears and try and touch my heart. Try and inspire folks to do good works, not walk out all pissed off at other Christians because they don't hold the same point of view on a topic that is not a major issue, but is difficult, controversial and not possible to be completely right about. I think God wants so much more from us like making sure we are loving towards our neighbors, giving, doing the right thing and most of all, seeking Christ constantly. In Matthew 24 and 25 Christ doesn't talk about being judged by our view of Israel but how we deal with Him and others. Why has a certain part of the Christian Ghetto decided to draw the dividing line on how we deal with end-times issues? My heart was broken today by what I heard.

FURTHER THOUGHTS: I do want to make it clear that I do support Israel in every way. I believe that they have a right to exist and that President Bush is wrong to deal in the land-for-peace arena. It hasn't worked yet and I'm not comfortable in it working this time. Does that mean I can now question the faith of President Bush? Of course not, but I do disagree with him. At the same time, my support of Israel does not mean the plight of the Palestinians can be denied. God lives them as much He loves the people of Israel or Christians. When it comes to who He wants to save I really don't think He excludes certain people.

The label I heard thrown around today a lot was "anti-semitic" and that's a big and scary word. The implication being that people who supported certain policies went against the Christian Ghetto view then they were being anti-semitic. Our words are dangerous (see James 3) and a preacher from the pulpit has great responsibility to measure what they say. Heck, I have to measure what I say. I plan on sending letters to the appropriate people (that's why no names were used) to voice my concerns.

Books About Christianity

I'm posting this to point folks to some good books about Christianity. Any other suggestions?

What's Your Theological Worldview?

This Guy Falls Down: What's your theological worldview? - My Results:

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan. You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavly by John Wesley and the Methodists. Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 82% Neo orthodox 75% Fundamentalist 68% Emergent/Postmodern 57% Reformed Evangelical 54% Charismatic/Pentecostal 43% Classical Liberal 43% Roman Catholic 11% Modern Liberal 11% What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

Word to Ponder - Affirm

The next word to ponder is affirm. I was discussing parenting with a friend of mine at church and he spoke of the need to affirm the manhood of our sons; creating, as Lewis said, "men with chests". In a world in which boys are emasculated (at least an attempt), especially in schools, our boys need affirmation of their boyhood. At our school they can't even play tag! I believe that is the case at most schools, so I'm not picking just on our school. Our schools are very feminine and are becoming even more that way as competition and rewards are being removed.

I'm very thankful for things like Little League Baseball, though not perfect, as it provides an atmosphere that boys need. They need to be put in an atmosphere where they can learn some hard lessons in character and teamwork. Our Little League has some great role models and I am grateful.

School doesn't provide much structure, homework or insentive. It's our (my wife and myself) responsibility to raise our boys but I sure wish the school wouldn't be such an enemy in our cause. Boys just respond differently and many need a lot of structure. They also like to wrestle around with each other but none of that is allowed. Boys are not allowed to be boys, and I'm not talking about letting them be sexist pigs who go around bullying others. They need to be allowed to play football, dodgeball, tag, etc. They need to be able to run off their boyness during lunch and recess. In the classroom they need structure and deadlines, not a bunch of time to go play internet games.

I'm trying to raise "men with chests" and will make an even stronger effort to affirm their masculinity. I want to raise my boys to have true faith in Christ, integrity, strength of character, tenderness of heart, loyalty, a work ethic, to be good husbands and to be good fathers.

Word to Ponder - Longing

In the list of words to ponder I'll take a quick look at the word longing. It was brought up by a friend of mine in a group meeting. My friend mentioned how C.S. Lewis thought it was a great apologetic for the existence of God; how we long for justice, morality, truth and how we just know that this world should be better. We also know it won't ever reach that. The longing we have is something that is implanted in us. Think about it, don't you watch the news (or better yet read blogs) and just know that things should be so much better in this world. All the social experiments have failed in various degrees, yet we still strive for more (and we should). The song "I Still Haven't Working For" by U2 speaks to that longing.

At the end of the day, I believe God has put that longing in us and that it will be fulfilled when Christ comes and makes everything right.

Words to Ponder

Some very wise men have turned me on to some words to ponder. They include:

Chad Thompson - "Loving Homosexuals as Jesus Would"

Relevant Loving Homosexuals

Some Christian evangelists have taken to the streets with bullhorns and picket signs to inform homosexual people that they are sinners who need to be saved. These evangelists don't realize that homosexuals don't need to be saved because they are homosexual, they need to be saved because they, like us, have been separated from God and need a savior; everything else is just a symptom.

Chad Thompson is one of the most amazing writers out there. He challenges the church on something that is very hard for the church to deal with. He goes even further in this article about how our politics can and does get in the way of reaching others for Christ.

Thoughts on Leadership Based on James 3

At my work there is a lot of demand for leadership. I used to be very reluctant but am now more open. I've now gotten some leadership experience and am in a transition stage. Below are my thoughts I wrote down in my journal last night:

Newsweek: Evangelicals Rethink Their Public Face

Newsweek: Evangelicals Rethink Their Public Face - This is an interesting article about a topic I've been thinking about for quite a while. It's not just our "public" face we should be concerned about but our private face also. What is being preached from the pulpit? What books are we reading? Is it just political issues or are we trying to find ways to impact ourselves and others for Christ, not the Republican party. I'm all about pushing conservative politics but that is a different avenue than the purpose of Christ. It all comes down to the cross, where love and truth intersect. That is not a political issue but one that all evangelicals should rally around.

Sunday School Teachers Are Amazing

Yesterday at church was dad's day to go into Sunday School and hang with the kids. What is amazing is the teachers. They give their time every Sunday, do kids songs, handle a very diverse group of kids and are amazingly patient. Make sure to say thank you, often, to these wonderful people.

Mark Roberts on the "Sin" of Benedict XVI

Tip from Hugh Hewitt.

The Cardinal Sin of the New Pope - The heart of the "problem" with B16 is explain well below.

I am not an expert in Catholic theology. Nor have I read extensively the writings of the theologians whom the Vatican disciplined under Cardinal Ratzinger's guidance. But when I was in graduate school, I did read some of the works of some of those theologians, including writings by Leonardo Boff, Matthew Fox, and John McNeill. I can remember wondering as I read their works how these folks got away with it, since their views seemed to contradict orthodox Christian theology, not to mention Roman Catholic theology. Matthew Fox's "creation spirituality," for example, seemed to me more New Age than Christian, and his flirtations with paganism seemed to go way over the line of acceptable Christian creativity.

As I understand it, Cardinal Ratzinger didn't censor these theologians or burn their books. He didn't try to take away their freedom to express their views. And, as far as I know, he didn't have them excommunicated (kicked out of the Catholic church). He simply took away their right to express their non-Catholic views as recognized Roman Catholic teachers. Yet this, in the opinion of many critics, is an extraordinary secular sin. From my point of view, it's both defensible and, in fact, commonsensical.

Benedict XVI - Salvation Only Through Jesus

CNN - wow, the brilliant John Allen just said that Pope Benedict XVI believes that salvation is only through Christ. Shocking!

New Pope - Ratzinger

German cardinal elected new pope - Election of a pope - MSNBC.com - a conservative! Good.

UPDATE: Love the Latin, "Habemus papam!"

Waiting for New Pope

It's a bit exciting, even for us Protestants, waiting for the selection of the new Pope. I'm hopeful it will be a Pope that will have an impact on a problem part of the world, just like John Paul II in Eastern Europe. Maybe tomorrow we will see the white smoke.

MSNBC - Group makes noise over Day of Silence

Group makes noise over Day of Silence - U.S. News - MSNBC.com - x-ref here for more thoughts on this issue..

According to GLSEN, 84 percent of gay and lesbian high school students experiences verbal harassment on a regular basis at school, and 40 percent experience physical harassment.

I would think that, somehow, Christian love could influence those numbers above to bring them way down and to protect those that are being harassed.

Student Banned For Anti-Gay Shirt

Christian's message worn at Poway High - This story disappoints me on two levels. The first level is that Poway Unified School District only allows one side of a controversial issue. Why can't someone display a different point of view?

The next level is that a Christian teenager (common parents) is making a big deal over homosexuality instead of the cause of Christ. I believe this type of behavior is not loving and does nothing to attract others to Christ. There is nothing wrong with believing that homosexuality is wrong and being against an agenda but there are better ways to approach this issue. The Bible condemns many types of actions including homosexuality. As the song goes "and they'll know we are Christians by our love". Let that song ring true.

UPDATE: In the comments section "Tom" asked some very good questions. Here's the comment, in italics, with my responses in yellow:

Tim, I know this is a sensitive, tough issue. And I don't want to be a horse's butt in your blog, your home. But let me ask a couple of tough questions.

And personally, I think it's a good thing if there's a tinge of embarrassment, a bit of reticence.

Mark Roberts - Protestants Should Pray Over Pope Selection

Hat tip to Hugh Hewitt.

The Protestant Mary? - Mark Roberts posts on why it is important to pray over the selection of the next Pope. I couldn't agree more, given the power and impact of John Paul II. I want another Pope with the same backbone as JP2.

New Pope Should Be From Africa

In order to help fix the major problems in Africa, the next Pope should be from Africa. That man could then effect some real change and help spread Christianity to Africa.

CNN Goes To Catholics In Name Only For Thoughts On Pope

In a time of great sadness, when a great leader of the Roman Catholic Church is dying, Paula Zahn goes to Kathleen Kennedy-Townsend for insight. People like Kennedy-Townsend are not in the good graces of the Roman Catholic Church, according to this Pope, yet the MSM goes to the CINOs (Catholic In Name Only). Nothing like agenda driven media. They just don't get it. If you don't like what the Roman Catholic Church believes then leave and start your own or find a church that holds your beliefs.

61st Christian Carnival is Up

ChristWeb: Christian Carnival #61 - lots of good bloggers and I'll need to read them also.

Faith and Science Do Co-Exist

Michelle Malkin: "WHERE SCIENCE AND FAITH COEXIST"

The newly annointed Michelle Malkin blog photograph (end of sucking up) is the highlight but Michelle has a new entry about the latest Templeton Prize winner, Charles Townes.

UPDATE: Check out this from Blogotional.

Christian Carnival LX

Belief Seeking Understanding: Christian Carnival LX

Douglas has done a great job putting together the latest Christian Carnival. Check it out!

Loving Homosexuals as Jesus Would

Tip to KMC.

Ryan Zempel has posted a column in townhall.com about how Christians should treat homosexuals. It's part of a review of a book by Chad Thompson called Loving Homosexuals as Jesus Would. I know I touched on this subject in this book review. Spread the love my brothers and sisters, unconditionally.

Spotlight - Spiritual Excercises of St. Ignatius

Based on a letter I received from Tony Campolo I purchased the above book about the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius. Ignatius was a Roman Catholic during the time of the Reformation. He created the Society of Jesus within the Roman Catholic Church and the exercises he created were a major force in the creation of that society. I'm looking for some more personal discipline in my spiritual walk so I'm open to suggestions. Fortunately, Dr. Campolo responded to my request. In my reading of this book I've been touched by some of the exercises that Ignatius is teaching. As a protestant I don't agree with all of Ignatius's methods but am finding some interesting ideas.

James 5:1-6 - A Bit of Social Justice

From BibleGateway.com.

James 5:1-6

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.

2 Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten.

3 Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!

4 Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

6 You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.

People who have money need to make sure it is not their God. Our riches will pass away and you can't take it with you. People who make their money off the sweat of other peoples' backs need to make sure they deal justly with them. As we know many have made their way to riches and power through many unjust means and God is promising to deal justly with them. Even as a country we must be aware of some of our history and even in our dealings now. At the same time we need to look at countries that are totally run by brutes and deal with them in a better way, even with the realities of their behavior and our needs. Of course, many of those countries consistently vote against us in the UN. One of the great things about our country is that we strive to improve how we deal with others.

Time's 25 Most Influential Evangelicals

Tip of the hat to Hugh Hewitt.

TIME: 25 Most Influential Evangelicals Photo Essay: Rick Warren

An impressive list but there are some missing such as Switchfoot, Jim Wallis, Tony Campolo and Chuck Smith. It shall be interesting to see the difference between the influence of Evangelical money vs. Evangelical thought and influence on the culture. I'm interested in the latter as the former is more related to power than in changing hearts.

Wisdom to Share (and a bit of lamenting)

My pastor is an amazing teacher of God's Word but in reviewing the notes from today's sermon I came upon this phrase in dealing with how to keep filled with the Holy Spirit:

Having faith in Jesus' character, acts and words, not feelings or circumstances.

Ponder that statement. How many times do we let our feelings or circumstances get us off track? We have an amazing source of strength in Christ and we let other things distract us. We have the ultimate source of wisdom and strength and we trust in ourselves instead of the One who went to the cross. The feelings and circumstances leads to Stinkin' Thinkin' (props to the pastor again) while the character, acts and words of Jesus leads to wisdom, comfort, love and eternal life. We (2 x 4 firmly implanted in my own eye) must put our faith, continuously, in Christ through prayer, the Word, service, praise and fellowship (again, props to pastor). Keep the eye on the Prize!

John Fischer - It's All About Jesus

Check out John Fischer's latest PDL entry, It's All About Jesus. It just reiterates that faith is above politics and our causes causes. Just check out the last paragraph:

Jesus came to save us, unite us, and teach us to love one another. We’ve added a lot of other stuff to this and I’m not so sure it’s helping us do what we’re supposed to be doing. If it makes you more loving to your neighbor, then it’s probably a good thing. If it makes you your neighbor’s enemy, then it’s probably not. If it’s all about Jesus, then it’s definitely “right on!”

Practical Christianity!

Wisdom on Sunday - Worship, Part 1

During our first sermon on the topic titled "Wanted: Worshipers - Lab Time, Part 1" using John 4:4-26 our pastor was speaking about how giving is an act of worship. He mentioned that a recent survey showed that only 6% of born again Christians give 10% of their income. Continuing, he said that if all born again Christians were to give 10% of their income then all there would be enough for all starvation, poverty and lack of health care would be solved with around $70 billion left for the the preaching of the Gospel.

Christians, please ponder. I actually don't believe a tithe (10%) is required based on the New Testament (NT) but I do believe the NT stresses giving as part of worship and sacrifice. CS Lewis said (paraphrase) that how much we should give is giving until it hurts and is to a point where it feels like a sacrifice.

UPDATE: I found the article that sites the statistics, Ron Sider - The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience. Go down to the section marked "Materialism and the Poor". Very disturbing. Many Evangelicals who are to the right believe that the Church should be taking care of the poor and let the government not be so involved. I hope we are all consistent in our beliefs and actions.

UPDATE 2: Audio and notes now available from last weeks service.

Latest Christian Carnival - 1/12/05

IntolerantElle.com » Christian Carnival

Check out the latest Christian Carnival.

What Does God Want From Us?

Our pastor made a most incredible statement that I had to write it down (slight paraphrase because I was jotting it down):

"God wants us to love people, not be an obnoxious billboard for Christ."

He further went on about how it's not our job to condemn everybody but to love them. The Scripture reference was John 4:4-26 (the woman at the well). Christ never condemned her but did clarify her statements about her husband. Christ always brings the truth but didn't condemn.

Great life application for me, that's for sure.

More Places To Give To Help Tsunami Victims

HeartForMissions.net

Read John Fischer Every Day

Whether you are a fan of the Purpose Driven Life book or not I highly recommend you subscribe to their daily devotional. The primary author is John Fischer and he is fantastic. To check out the archives or subscribe go here. Fischer is one of those authors who thinks outside the Evangelical box and drives people away from all the cultural Christianity and towards Christ.

Doing My Part For Change

From 2 Peter 1:4-9 with a big tip to my pastor:

(4) For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

(5) Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,

(6) and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,

(7) and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

(8) For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(9) For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

What a great passage for the new year. The attributes listed in this passage are things I need to take some initiative to see the changes I desire for.

Christmas Reflection

Christmas is now officially over. I just started watching The Passion of the Christ for the first time on DVD and the first time since I saw it in the theatre in February. As we celebrate Christmas it is so important to understand that the God-Man came as a baby. I was reminded of what that means during Christmas Eve service. I very tiny baby girl was right in front of me. She was so helpless. God chose for the Snakehead-Crusher to come as a baby, a helpless baby. He came into this world for one purpose, to die and rise from that death. Why would He do this?

As I reflect on the past year I realize that I put too much faith in myself. I need to go back to the One who was big enough to humble himself in order to save me from myself. This last year has been a very tough year; work has been extremely hard and our new public school has been a lot different than we expected. On my own strength I've gotten back into some bad habits and lost some good habits. My own strength will only get me so far but I want to go higher and farther. There is a "new way to be human" and "I still haven't found what I'm looking for" but I'm on my way. The first step is surrender. We'll see what happens next.

My Favorite Christmas Image

Santa Kneeling Before The Snakehead-Crusher.

Worship of the Snakehead-Crusher

Genesis 3:15:

And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel."

My pastor has given the tag to the One who will bruise the serpent on the head, the Snakehead-Crusher. Think the beginning of The Passion of the Christ. I love it. Count it as a new entry in my vocabulary.

The Most Politically Incorrect Words

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." - John 14:6

The New Moral Majority

I love Jerry Falwell. I think he's an incredible man of God. I will not join his new organization, The Moral Majority Coalition. I'm very concerned that this becomes an us (conservative Christians) versus them. I hold to most of the same moral values as this organization but I don't want politics to get in the way of the work of the Church. At a time when millions are dying of AIDS, leaving many more millions of orphans, I want to see the Church change hearts and minds, not elect politicians. Nobody is more of a political honk than myself but the cause for Christ is much bigger than a "pro-life, pro-family, strong national defense and pro-Israel platform". This is very divisive. There are plenty of Christians who hold differing views. Again, I believe in things that Falwell believes in but don't consider all of those an article of faith or a condition of my Christianity.

At a time when the Church in the US should be united in bringing about 3rd Great Awakaning to America, politics are gettng in the way. I pray that God changes Falwell's mind. I'd love to see him take a lead role in helping to aid the millions of orphans in Africa. As a participant in Christ's Church, I'd love for us to be known as the group that blessed the African continent and made a real difference.

Christians need to participate in politics by getting informed, supporting candidates and the rest but it cannot get in the way of the cause of Christ. I don't want to see a political group designated as "God's way". Those implications are nasty.

Make sure to pray on Wednesday, December 1 as it is World AIDS Day. The devastation of this disease on the continent of Africa is astounding. Along with prayer, is there anything you can do to help?

Christian Carnival XLIV

ChristWeb: Christian Carnival XLIV : The Big One

"Rebuilding a Church Without Walls"

Our pastor just wrapped up a series called "Rebuilding a Church Without Walls". The final teaching was about how Christianity is not bound to a culture. Us Christians in the west sometimes think we need to bring our brand of Christianity to the world. Our pastor just got back from Nepal and Bhutan. It's obviously a time where it can help you figure out what is important.

I think one think I want to communicate is that Christianity isn't about being a Republican, Democrat, American, your clothing, culture or anything else. The only barrier to becoming a Christian is dealing with the cross of Christ. It doesn't matter your background, culture, country or political leanings but who is Christ to you. It's mind blowing that people all over the world pray to the same God that I pray to. They do it in their own way (and probably a lot more than I do) but through Christ they (like me) have fellowship with the God of the universe.

Now, I do believe my faith does influence my politics but there are liberal Christians and conservative atheists. One thing I will not get dogmatic about is that you must be a conservative if your are a Christian. I'm reading a new book by a left-wing Christian named Tony Campolo. The book is called "Speaking My Mind: The Radical Evangelical Prophet Tackles the Tough Issues Christians Are Afraid to Face" and is a challenge to me. As conservative Christians we must always come together with our liberal bothers and sisters at the cross.

As talk of people of faith making demands of the Republican party start to come about I'm getting concerned about the focus of evangelicals. We need to focus on the work of Christ. Yes, politics is important but we cannot take an entitlement point of view and take our ball and go home if we don't get our way. Let's not associate Christianity with politics. Let's try and influence our government but keep the church organizations out of it. I want to see the Church win the world to Christ, save Africa from AIDS, feed the poor and love the unlovable. I want to see our political parties defend our country, keep the oceans clean, protect marriage, protect life, run schools that emphasize learning, administor fair justice and spend tax-payer money wisely. None of the political points I'm making are religious in nature and are really not the job of the Church. Now, Christians (and everyone else) should be informed and vote according to what they believe is the correct party to handle to political and moral issues facing us. BTW, moral issues are not just religious in nature. Everyone has moral standards and those should influence our votes.

I'm hopeful that the western Church will be open to where God wants to take us and that our "ideas" of Christianity won't get in the way.

Rooftop Blog on New Falwell Org

Rooftop Blog: Back Down the Sawdust Trail

James has some really good points about not being so happy about the new Jerry Falwell organization. I totally am with James here. Personally, I really like Falwell as a pastor but not as a political leader. He's a great man of God and that's what he needs to stick with. The good news of Christ is far important than getting our guys into office.

If the old guard of the religious right demands the spotlight, the MSM will be more than glad to grant it to them, and the new Christian values coalition will head back down the old sawdust trail.

I could not agree more.

ACLU Strikes Again

Yahoo! News - Trial Begins Over Ga. Evolution Disclaimer

The sticker reads, "This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."

The ACLU does not want that sticker put on text books about evolution. What a waste of time. Evolution is a theory yet the ACLU wants it taught as fact.

A Difference Between US Christians and African Christians

In church today we had a guest speaker, Donnie Dee, who was talking about what an African pastor said.

American Christians believe in Christ. African Christians need Christ. (rough repeat of the quote)

Us American Christians have really got it together because we sure act like we don't need God. We don't pray enough, read the Bible enough, build other Christians up enough, serve enough. Call me guilty! We all need God but our surroundings mask that need. We are too busy and too prosperous to realize this need. When times get tough where do we go? Where is our longing and desire for Christ to be the master of our lives? Again, guilty as charged.

Ramadan

WHAT IS RAMADAN?

Some said it is so called because the hearts and souls are more readily receptive to the admonition and remembrance of Allah during Ramadan, as the sand and stones are receptive to the sun's heat.

May us Christians take the time during Ramadan to pray for revelaton to Muslims of who Jesus is and the salvation he brings.

UPDATE: I cannot take credit for this idea as it is something I learned yesterday. It is important to understand that many Muslims have converted to Christ through dreams and visions that individuals have had. May Ramadan be a time when many invasions of Christ occur as the Muslim is looking for revelation.

Prayer Request for a Friend

A good friend, co-worker, neighbor and surf partner messed up his achilles tendon. It seems pretty bad and he goes to a orthopedic surgeon today to see how bad it really is. Please pray for Mark, first that it's not too bad, but also that he heals quickly.

Thanks!

One Man's Path To Faith

Another Man's Meat: Conversion, Part One

Please take a look at the above post from Another Man's Meat.

UPDATE: Here's part 2

UPDATE 2: Here's part 3

UPDATE 3: Here's part 4

UPDATE 4: Here's part 5
Pushing this one to the top because it's worth reading.

Extreme Home Makeover

ABC.com: ABC's 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,' Sunday 9/8c

Check out Extreme Makeover: Home Edition as it's folks from our church. You won't be disappointed. Starts in about one minute :).

What's Stopping Rather?

During one of the cable shows someone kind of let out the P-word when describing why Dan Rather won't back off his story about President Bush, the memos and Bush's service in the National Guard. That P-word is worse than the F-word and is the subject of a complete chapter in C.S. Lewis' classic, Mere Christianity. The P-word is PRIDE. It's the word that nails us all and brings out the worst in all of us. Currently, it has totally muddied our political system. Our current system (including the media) does not allow leaders to put down PRIDE and allow them to admit being wrong. If they do then they are eaten alive.

All of us must watch out for the P-word as it can destroy us when it gets a toe-hold.

Taking a Bible to School

This morning my first grader told me that his teacher wants the kids to bring books to school. He decided he wanted to bring an old Gideon's Bible that I got from college that I gave him a few weeks ago. I neither encouraged nor discouraged him but it will be interesting to see if anything happens. BTW, as a father I'm glad he has decided that a Bible is a book worth sharing.

Rendering to Caesar

Another great teaching at church and the topic dealt with a Christian's responsibility to our government. Some of the things that got me uncomfortable included how much I need to pray for my governemnt whether I like the government or not. That may be tested real hard on January 20 but the pastor was right. Another topic worth noting was how our political parties seem to like to tell us what to believe is important. Both parties consider many things that are worthwhile to be important. What needs to be addressed is that we need to drive those parties to address all issues.

There are some civility issues that need to be addressed by both parties. There is nothing wrong with discussions about rightness and wrongness of a stance but at the end of the day we need to be able to still be friends. There are many instances of bad behavior; I think my party, the Republicans, had some bad behavior when Clinton was president but the Democrats have taken things to a new level ever since going after Ken Starr. They've brought demonization to new heights.

I'm going to try and keep to the issues and I'm hoping other bloggers will do the same.

CNN - Rebecca St. James

CNN.com - Christian rock star 'sad for' Britney - May 16, 2004

I'm not fond of the music of Rebecca St. James but I hope her message gets out.

Christian Ghetto Strikes Again?

No, these are not Disney/Pixar products but something advertised on a Christian bookstore web site. My wife showed them to me from a flyer we received in the mail. As a Christian, this is quite embarrassing and is now time to smack my own.

Whatever happened to creativity? Taking characters from "Finding Nemo" and "A Bug's Life" and using them for a different purpose is despicable. I wonder if they received permission from Disney and/or Pixar to use the likeness of these characters. I sure hope so. Even if they did it is still really screwed up and shows the Christian Ghetto needs to get out more often. How about Christians get creative and create their own characters that are worth watching instead of taking the easy way and "borrowing" from something that really is well done?

Cell Phones in Church

Each week during the sermon at church I've been hearing cell phones ringing. It's been happening 2-3 times per week. Here's some alternatives; silent/vibrate mode, off button or leave the darn thing in your car.

I wonder how many of these calls have been emergencies? My guess, about zero. Most cell phone conversations I overhear (FYI, I am a great overhearer so if you speak around me, I hear it :) ) are more "so, what are you, like, doing?".

Cell phones are a great tool for communication but please consider how important it is to get that "important" phone call during church, a movie or anything else where the phone can be a horrible distraction to others.

United Methodist Failure

CNN.com - Gay pastor acquitted in church trial, can continue ministry - Mar 20, 2004

Very, very sad. This is an unrepentant sinner who does not believe she is in sin. It doesn't matter if it's homosexuality, adultry or drunkeness; if repentance is not desired then that person does not belong in any church leadership role.

Larry and Jean Elliott Memorial Fund

Election Projection - 2004 Edition

The Larry and Jean Elliott Memorial Fund
c/o The International Mission Board
P.O. Box 6767
Richmond, VA 23230

CT - The Surfer Girl's Faith

The Surfer Girl's Faith - Today's Christian

Neat story about teh faith of Bethany Hamilton, the surfer girl who lost her arm to a shark.

United Methodist Trial - Homosexual Clergy

FOXNews.com - Top Stories - Protesters Surround Lesbian Minister's Trial

It will be interesting to see how this turns out. Will we have another denomination fall into error or will it stand up for what Scripture teaches?

The Detroit News - What a Trend We Have In Jesus

What a trend we have in Jesus - 03/08/04

My first reaction to "Jesus is my Homeboy" was one of revulsion. The difference between the suffering servant and a pop culture icon is staggering. Thinking further, my hope is that people will see the pop culture Jesus and dig further. When you start further looking at Christ it is unavoidable to see that He's not just a friendly guy but a whole lot more.

Knowing About Jesus - Mark Roberts

Knowing About Jesus

Mark's insights are extremely valuable. As we get ready to see The Passion of the Christ many people will be speculating about who Jesus really is.

Check Out the Christian Carnival

King of Fools: Christian Carnival IV

"Retrofitting Our Lives" - Prayer

Our pastor is currently doing a series called "Retrofitting Our Lives for Spiritual Growth". This week the topic was prayer. Check out the audio and notes. The basis of the sermon is the prayer at the beginning of Luke 11. The practical steps for praying have been incredibly helpful to me (see the end of the notes).

Christianity Divided

Tip to Real Clear Politics.

Forum: Across the great Christian divide

This is a real interesting article. I think the two sides Rev. Standish is talking about both have their flaws. I think the ones on the left want government to do too much in terms of helping the less fortunate (instead it should be the church) while the right wants the government to do too much in terms of morality (we need to change hearts first). Both sides make a lot of great points. I see the left getting so concerned about social justice that the gospel is forgotten and the importance of the Bible is lowered and picked apart so nobody knows what even matters anymore. From the right the Bible is used for judgement and being "darn right". As Christians we need to help others, be true to evangalism, be merciful and quit "majoring in the minors". Unity around the essentials of Christ (His nature, birth, life, death and resurrection) are the only thing that can help heal the church that Jesus loves so much.

What is your Theology?

So what do we all truly believe? My pastor really nailed it today when he said our prayers reflect what we really believe about God. What do we believe about His love, power and purpose? It is reflected in our prayer lives.

He also said how his message will reach about 2000 people over the weekend and that if just 200 would commit to being faithful in their prayer lives what a difference that can make. I need to be one of those 200.

God is not a Republican?

MSNBC - My Turn: Praise the Lord! (And Howard Dean, Too.)

This is a neat story of a Christian who is a political liberal. It's always good for us conservative Christians to realize that God is not a Republican.

FOXNews - Megachurches

FOXNews.com - Foxlife - Fox Features - Religion Gets Supersized at Megachurches

Some pretty disturbing quotes from Joel Osteen. I'm all for big and small churches but watering down the Gospel of Christ is not an option. I guess Osteen will not be recommending "The Passion of the Christ".

Interesting Article About The Church Reformers

"The Bible Alone"? Not for John Calvin! - Christian History

Best Part of Purpose Driven Life

In my previous review of the Purpose Driven Life book I referred to some very helpful aspects of the book. One of those topics is reconciliation. I'm making a separate entry about this because the sermon at church yesterday reminded me of this topic. Pastor Warren wants people to make a distinction between reconciliation and resolution. Basically, we can have restoration of relationships with people without a total resolution to a conflict. Sometimes there really isn't a resolution possible but restoration can still be accomplished. The main scripture referenced is Romans 12:18:

If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

A great quote from the book:

Reconciliation focuses on the relationship, while resolution focuses on the problem.

One of the things I've learned from my pastor is there is a difference between being "right" and being "darn right". Basically what's really worth dying for and he said; God, family, country and his congregation. Putting that into perspective everything else is in play. What's really important, being right or restoring a relationship? People do matter and it's something we (me) need to keep remembering.

The God Gulf - Kristof is Back

Hat tip to the Blog Father.

January 7, 2004
OP-ED COLUMNIST
The God Gulf
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

Religion may preach peace and tolerance, yet it's hard to think of anything that — because of human malpractice — has been more linked to violence and malice around the world. And now as we enter a new campaign year, it's time to brace ourselves for a new round of religious warfare and hypocrisy at home.

I guess Mr. Kristof has never heard of communism or naziism. Yes, religious people have been pretty darn good at living up to Kristof's accusations but this statement is just a rehash of a common saying from the left. Come on Nico, you can do better.

America is riven today by a "God gulf" of distrust, dividing churchgoing Republicans from relatively secular Democrats. A new Great Awakening is sweeping the country, with Americans increasingly telling pollsters that they believe in prayer and miracles, while only 28 percent say they believe in evolution. All this is good news for Bush Republicans, who are in tune with heartland religious values, and bad news for Dean Democrats who don't know John from Job.

I almost agree with Kristof here but I'm not sure we are in the middle of a Great Awakening. Of course, I'd love to see a real Great Awakening of massive people coming to Christ or recommitting their lives to Christ. You don't have to be a Christian to believe in prayer or miracles and the term "Great Awakening" is usually used in terms of Christianity.

So expect Republicans to wage religious warfare by trotting out God as the new elephant in the race, and some Democrats to respond with hypocrisy, by affecting deep religious convictions. This campaign could end up as a tug of war over Jesus.

Just because a few Christian leaders are pretty good at sticking their feet in their mouth doesn't mean Republicans are going to wage religious warfare. Just because Dean has blown it with his sucking up to the South with Jesus doesn't mean that's going to be the tact taken for the rest of the campaign. It's my hope Christians don't fulfull this speculation.

Over the holidays, Vice President Dick Cheney's Christmas card symbolized all that troubles me about the way politicians treat faith — not as a source for spiritual improvement, but as a pedestal to strut upon. Mr. Cheney's card is dominated by a quotation by Benjamin Franklin: "And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?"

So, it's automatically assumed that Cheney doesn't believe this statement? Come on. This is a statement that says we need to pray for our nation and try and be obedient to God.

It's hard not to see that as a boast that the U.S. has become the global superpower because God is on our side. And "empire" suggests Iraq: is Mr. Cheney contending that in the dispute over the latest gulf war, God was pulling for the White House and fulminating at Democrats and others in Beelzebub's camp?

The only reason that it's not hard for Nico to get this very strange interpretation is because he has an extreme bias against people who take their faith seriously. He can't believe that Cheney may truly be asking for God's help. The statement is not a boast. The "empire" being Iraq? Excuse me but America is the empire Cheney is offering. We need God's help and Cheney knows it. Anything else is a stretch like Kristof has done here.

Moreover, Mr. Cheney's card wrenches Ben Franklin's quotation from its context and upends the humility that Franklin stood for. If you read the full speeches Franklin gave to the Constitutional Convention, including the one with the sparrow line, you see that Franklin is not bragging that God is behind him but rather the opposite — warning that the framers face so many difficulties they need all the help they can get, including prayer.

No, this is what Cheney is saying also. Cheney is asking for God's help for the American empire not helping to raise an Iraqi empire. Silly Kristof.

Meanwhile, Howard Dean is grasping for faith in a way that is just as tasteless as Mr. Cheney's Christmas card. Dr. Dean bragged to reporters that he knows much about the Bible — and proceeded to say that his favorite New Testament book is Job. Anyone who cites Job as a New Testament book should be scolded not just for religious phoniness but also for appalling ignorance of Western civilization — on a par with Mr. Bush's calling Greeks "Grecians."

Agreed expect that Bush was more of a stumbling statement (ESL for Bush sometimes) while Dean just clearly blew it. Any equivilence is a reach.

After talking to Mr. Bush's longtime acquaintances, I'm convinced that his religious convictions are deeply felt and fairly typical in the U.S. Mr. Bush says the jury is still out on evolution, but he has also said that he doesn't take every word in the Bible as literally true. To me, nonetheless, it seems hypocritical of Mr. Bush to claim (as he did in the last campaign) that Jesus is his favorite philosopher and then to finance tax breaks for the rich by cutting services for the poor. If Dr. Dean should read up on Job, Mr. Bush should take a look at the Sermon on the Mount.

Bush is hyprocritical in Krisfof's eyes because he probably believes Jesus is some socialist-type figure who said some cool things. Bush referrered to Jesus as his savior. BTW, where is the evidence that the tax breaks were used to finance cutting services to the poor. Instead spending went even higher. Nico, if you are going to make statements like this then please include some facts.

With Karl Rove's help, Mr. Bush has managed a careful balance, maintaining good ties with the Christian right without doing so publicly enough to terrify other voters. For example, Mr. Bush doesn't refer in his speeches to Jesus or Christ, but he sends reassuring messages to fellow evangelicals in code ("wonder-working power" in his State of the Union address last year alluded to a hymn).

Bush is president of the USA not of Christians. Bush does not hide his faith but tries to be inclusive. Let's not even talk about some on the left who invoke hymns also.

Republicans are in trouble when the debate moves to the issues because their policies often favor a wealthy elite. But they have the advantage when voters choose based on values, for here Republicans are populists and Democrats more elitist.

It's been all about issues; terrorism and taxes. That's the essence of what Bush is pushing and most of the rest of the Republicans. Letting all federal income tax payers keep more of their money is the opposite of what many Democrats want to do. Nico, please meet some conservative Republicans.

As we move into the religious wars, I wish we could recall how Abe Lincoln achieved moral clarity without moral sanctimony. Though often criticized for not being religious enough, Lincoln managed both of the key kinds of morality — in personal behavior, which conservatives care about, and in seeking social justice, which liberals focus on. To me, each seems incomplete without the other.

His definition of social justice is just different from a Republican's sense of social justice. Sorry, but the left does not have exclusive rights to social justice.

Or there's the real Ben Franklin — not the one counterfeited by Mr. Cheney — who warned each of the framers of the Constitution to "doubt a little of his own infallibility." That would be a useful text for Mr. Cheney's Christmas card next year.

Kristof's wrong assumptions about the original motives of Cheney make this last paragraph totally irrelevant.

OK, I'm not paid to write but Kristoff is. I think he needs to be a bit more careful before he writes about issues of faith or just admit his bias up front. I am biased and admit it (please see the statement in the upper left). I wish I could get paid for frothing at the mouth at things I don't like. Instead I just do it for fun but try to maintain a little integrity and humor.

The Habits of Highly Effective Bible Readers - Christianity Today

Hat tip to Certus Veritas. The following article looks like some real good stuff. Lately, I've been interested in finding out what the early Church fathers believed. They were closer to the time of Christ and apostles and may have had some insight we don't have.

Christian History Corner: The Habits of Highly Effective Bible Readers - Christianity Today Magazine

What President Bush did for Christmas

BreakPoint | At the Foot of the Cross

Great Thread at Evangelical Outpost - The Emergent Church

the evangelical outpost:

Check out what's going on at The Evangelical Outpost about a movement called "The Emergent Church Movement". Really interesting stuff.

Celebrating the Invasion

For me it's just a few minutes until Christmas. A few weeks ago my pastor gave a message called "The Invasion Begins" based on Mark 1:1-15 (see his notes here). I just love the term "invasion". It has connotations like planning and preparation. What a great way to describe the birth of Christ; God becoming flesh in the form of a baby. That is just mind boggling that this event occurred over 2000 years ago and was the true beginning of the most incredible invasion in human history.

For those of you who've not really considered Christ please consider a fresh look at Him. Throw out any misconceptions you may have formed because of His fallen followers. We make lots of mistakes but it's not Christ's error but ours.

Christmas is a time for many different things (don't forget the "Ralphie" movie on TBS) but it really needs to end up with us on our knees (hat tip to my pastor in awe of Jesus.

Along with the Christmas story take a look at Philippians 2:6-11.

Merry Christmas!

Living In Fear? - Further Thoughts

Sometimes when I post I'm able to walk away from the topic after I've posted. Well, the "Living in Fear?" one is not like that. I think one thing I may have done was paint with too broad a brush stroke when speaking of the Christian subculture. The things within the subculture are not all bad and some are quite good in and of themselves. My point is our relying on this alternative culture for too much. Sometimes there is a need for it and other times is can be a crutch. Everything must be handled with grace and charity as we all have different paths we are on in our walks with God. Sometimes the culture of America is so gross that there are times to just get out, especially when it comes to our children. I know that if my kids were being exposed to damaging things that I would take action.

Merry Christmas!

Politics and Faith

Further inspiration from reading "Fearless Faith" by John Fischer.

When it comes to politics have we made become so immeshed in issues that we've completely excluded the love of Christ? Many of us are very good at pointing out right and wrong but has Christ been brought into the political picture where He really shouldn't have been brought in? We've got to be engaged in the political process as this is a democracy but must be careful on how it's approached. I cringe when I hear a political candidate from any party invoke the Bible when talking about policy (for example, I'm against gay marriage because the Bible says marriage is between a man and a woman). We need to approach with logical arguments that spring forth from our worldview (which is inspired by our faith) but cannot use the argument "the Bible says so" in terms of politics. I'm confident that social concerns of many evangelical Christians have great arguments that do not need to lean on the Bible. We need to remember that the Bible speaks about truth and those truths have arguments in favor of them that do not need to just say "the Bible says so".

My main cause in politics is the fight against terrorism on a global perspective. Even this fight really is about the state of man's heart. If the hearts of some people weren't seared with hate we wouldn't be fighting this problem. This is a two-pronged attack. Government has the responsibility of protecting it's citizens and that's why I will be involved in the 2004 presidential election at some level. As a Christian I know that military might is not the final answer but changing the hearts of the terrorists is the true answer. Because of his approach to terrorism I will support George W. Bush. It's not because he's on God's side or the other side is godless but because Bush has the right (IMO) approach to fighting terrorism. Helping make the world a freer place is something worth pursuing.

Some of my views are inspired by biblical principles but I believe Christians of all political persuasions can disagree on these views. I may be incorrect in my conclusions that are reflected in my political views but the real issues of Christianity (birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus (fully God / fully man) are above politics and politics can never get in the way of those real issues. That's a big challenge for us Christians that are also involved in politics at various levels. I gotta admit it, I really enjoy politics and seeing the candidates I support win. I believe that it's important to be involved but never at the expense of Christ's mission for us.

Living In Fear?

Sometimes it happens when someone can really shake up your perspective. As stated a couple days ago I'm reading a book called "Fearless Faith" by John Fischer. He truly has a great feel for the Christian subculture that exists in America and is willing to ask the hard questions.

The big question that I'm getting asked of myself is how much of what I do is driven by fear? From politics, to the people I associate with, to how I raise my children, to where I live (on and on) what is driven by fear? Our fears are hidden by the Christian subculture that many of us exist in at various levels of participation. The first thing that many of us Christians have done is to act like France when something scary occurs, we retreat. Sometimes, instead of retreating, we attack and put this angry facade on top of our faith. In either case, how are we representing Christ? We should be engaged in the real world not just angry with it. No matter what many of us think, too many folks think that Christianity is based on just moral issues. How sad is that?

In "Fearless Faith" Fischer is asking some hard questions about the Christian subculture. What if it didn't exist? What if we didn't have Christian music, coffee shops, schools, mega-churches that fits all our needs? How much money that is invested in this culture is really paying off in eternity? I ask how can a Switchfoot album cost $16.98 at a Christian bookstore buy $7.99 at Target? How can Christians justify making money from worship albums? Are people who make money just from this subculture really good enough to do what they do outside this subculture? Are we able to function outside of this subculture?

For us who work outside this subculture, how much of it do we bring into our sphere of influence? Do we openly cringe when a co-worker drops an f-bomb on us? Do we put a layer of moral indignation on us and expect them to act differently when we are present? Let's think, are people put off by Christ because of our representation of Christianity? For some people, we are the only Jesus they will ever have a chance to meet. We need to always be aware that, like it or not, we are the only Jesus they will ever meet. Do we ignore people because they may be a bit different? Do we grab them by the collar and give them the "turn or burn" speech? Do we, instead establish credibility with them with our integrity, character and work ethic? If we have credibility with them based on what they know of us then our words about Christ will have more credibility.

These are hard questions that I'm asking myself as "Fearless Faith" pushes me to think a bit more outside the Christian subculture. The scripture that Fischer uses for theme of the book is the prayer of Jesus found in John 17. How do we respond to John 17:15:

I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.

It seems that, in general, the Christian subculture is not in line with the prayer of Jesus. We need to be "in, but nof of" the world and not be in retreat or in fear. Christ Himself prays to the Father to protect us from Satan. I don't think we could ask for a better advocate than that. Now, I just need to live it.

'Yes' to Menorah and 'No' to Nativity

What's the difference between a Menorah and a Nativity Scene? I guess there is according to this FoxNews article.

Ethical Philosophy Quiz

Taking the queue from Evangelical Outpost, I took the following ethical philosophy quiz. Here's my results:

1. Aquinas (100%)
2. Ockham (88%)
3. St. Augustine (87%)
4. Kant (77%)
5. Aristotle (62%)
6. Spinoza (61%)
7. Prescriptivism (57%)
8. John Stuart Mill (54%)
9. Ayn Rand (52%)
10. Jeremy Bentham (42%)
11. Plato (41%)
12. Epicureans (35%)
13. Nel Noddings (33%)
14. Nietzsche (33%)
15. David Hume (30%)
16. Jean-Paul Sartre (30%)
17. Cynics (29%)
18. Stoics (24%)
19. Thomas Hobbes (5%)

Courts Deny Prisoners Right to Express Religious Faith?

Please take a look at this article by Chuck Colson about a recent court ruling that could deny prisoners the right to express their religious faith. We wouldn't want prisoners to turn to religion, their old way of life was just fine.

Newsweek on Women in the Bible

This article in Newsweek looks at some recent studies about the role of women in the Bible. It's interesting to see what kind of studies are going on. I think it's great to take fresh looks at the Bible but having a preconceived determination of what you want to find is not the way to go. These types of studies seem to be leaning towards exalting women than they'd been previously spoken of through history by scholars. I believe they have a point but the important thing is not to exalt humans but to find out what God really is saying to us through the Bible.

US News on Evangelicals

Check out an attempt (a decently fair one at that) by US News and World Report to figure out Evangelical Christians. Something all Evangelicals should take a look at then look in the mirror. I want to make sure I'm not living up to the stereotypes peope have of Evangelicals.

Native Missionaries

The organization, Gospel for Asia, is big in promoting the concept of native missionaries. It's a basic fact that sending missionaries to completely different cultures can have results, more results are attained when the missionary is actaully part of the culture already. Read more about why native missionaries are necessary, here.

Being Relevant

One of the main messages I’ve been hearing since we started attending North Coast Calvary Chapel in Carlsbad, CA is making our faith relevant to our surroundings. This does not in any way mean compromising our faith to fit in to the culture but to be “in, but not of” the culture. Hugh Hewitt’s book, incidentally, is called “In, But Not Of” and has really added to my learnin’ lately. This big question that I, as a Christian, must answer is, is my faith relevant to others or will I sit back in the comfort of “churchianity”.

Now, how do we go about being relevant? That’s a question I’m still having answered but some things I’ve discovered include what information I take in. No, I’m not going to say out with the “secular”. In fact, I think there is a lot of energy wasted in the US church over things like end-times speculation, worrying about things we can’t control, looking for magic formulas, protesting too loud about things that really don’t matter and being “offended”. To most of these things I am or have been guilty.

What are the things that matter? Bottom line, it’s people and their lives here on earth and where they will spend eternity. Does it really matter to the person in Africa who has AIDS and will be dying soon that there is a big conference where more information about the second coming of Christ will be revealed? No, this person needs physical and, possibly, spiritual help. What am I doing to further my growth that will enable me to fulfill God’s plans? Am I spending too much energy on one thing that can have no real effect on eternity when I should shift that energy to something else?

I’m all for having a good time but how much of what we are ingesting is of much use? I know my weaknesses include too much TV, music and Internet browsing. None of those are bad themselves but if I spend 2 hours just reading about auto racing on the Internet and don’t take some time to read about the news or other relevant items then I’m out of balance. I even have to make sure my blogging is worthwhile for me. Am I just “adding to the noise” or do I really have something to say either to myself or to others?

I’m finding that my generation (I’m 39) is, for the most part, pretty darn immature, lazy, undisciplined, easily swayed and lacking a lot of knowledge. I find myself feeling that way too much. We don’t control ourselves very well, we eat too much, spend too much, watch too much TV and waste too much time on ourselves. I won’t be relevant until I can get the focus off my sorry self and start thinking about others. What can I do? Am I doing enough? How much time strikes the balance between time with my family and doing other things to help others? What’s my latest cop out? Is my life something others would look at and see Christ or just a judgmental jerk? What’s the balance between faith and politics? Do I really love the sinner and just hate the sin? What type of credibility do I have with others?

Intellectually, I think I know what it takes to make my faith relevant, but it’s just that my heart is too hard, lazy, busy and shallow to follow in a consistent way. The question I sometimes ask my kids is “how far is it from your head to your heart”. That’s a question I need to ask myself a bit more often.

How can my faith in Christ be of any relevance to the man dying of AIDS in Africa or to the friend down the next few cubicles who may not be feeling so well about themselves or to my sons as they grow up and decide is the faith of my dad worth anything? This is the question I need to answer with my heart not just my head.

"I Don't Belong Here"

In my "Purpose Driven Life" (PDL) readings it speaks of how earth is just a temporary residence for Christians. It speaks of how we will never be totally happy on earth. We will have times of happiness but the real happiness will come at the point right after death, then we will be home. The following song, by Switchfoot, sums it all up:

The Beautiful Letdown

Yes, the link is legal as it comes from their booking agency, William Morris.

Purpose Driven Life

I’ve always been reluctant when it comes to certain trends within Evangelical Christianity in the USA. I didn’t buy the “Prayer of Jabez” because it just seemed silly to write a book about a fairly small and obscure verse in the Bible, especially when the verse is self-explanatory. I didn’t buy into the “Left Behind” series because it just seemed to be sensationalizing a certain theology that is fairly new (last 150 years) and people really seemed to take it very literally.

When “Purpose Driven Life” started moving along I, again, became skeptical about the need for another trend and another program. Then, people I looked up to started saying it was good. I found out last Sunday that our men’s group at church was starting a study on it, I decided to jump in. I bought the book at Costco (under 11 bucks) and started into it. I’m finished the first three chapters (you are only supposed to read one a day) and am glad I’ve jumped on board. This is a good trend for evangelical’s to look at following. It’s God based, not man based. I urge anyone to check it out and find your purpose in life.

A New Take on Fasting

Our pastor gave a great message entitled "Hungering for God" based on Mark 2:18-22. The main topic was the practice of fasting and how it's different between the old and new testaments. In the OT it was used in various ways but in the NT it's different (see the notes). I've always looked at it the OT way but the new point of view is that fasting is now for us not for God and us focusing on God. It's a reminder and reflection of our longing for being (literally) with Christ. In Mark 2:19-20 Christ tells people that the disciples don't need to fast because they are with Him. Once He's gone then they will fast.

UPDATE: There is now audio for the teaching here.

Muslim Dreams of Christ

From YWAM:

We must pray for Muslims to have dreams and visions. Many individuals and some whole villages in certain Islamic countries are receiving supernatural visions or dreams of Jesus that have led to their conversion. Christianity Today reports the story of Khaled Abdel Rahman, who grew up in Iraq. One night as he slept, he saw a vision of man with a beard. “Son,” the man said, “why do you attack my sheep?” Abdel Rahman replied, “Who are you, Sir?” “Jesus Christ.” “I’m not attacking your sheep, Sir. I’m trying to bring your lost sheep back to the straight path.” “You are the one who is lost. I’m the straight path,” Jesus said. Later, after his father was assassinated in Iraq, Jesus spoke again in a dream and said, “Run away from your country. I love you. Come to me because I have a plan for you.” Abdel Rahman did so. A few months later, Iraq invaded Kuwait. Abdel Rahman now lives in the US and continues to share his new faith. Dudley Woodberry, a professor at Fuller Seminary, has collected 650 testimonies from Muslims who’ve received Christ. He says that one third of these conversion accounts mention dreams as a factor. C’mon! Let’s pray for the Islamic world as they sleep!

Testimonies of Muslims becoming Christians.

More dreams and visions.

And even more and more.

In my war on terror, I pray for dreams like these for the terrorists that want to kill us. May they find the Jesus of love and foregiveness who awaits their coming to Him.

Home For Halloween - John Fischer

I urge Christians to take a look at this article by John Fischer about Halloween and if Christians should participate or not. I know that we were extremely blessed as a family to meet new neighbors instead of going to the Harvest party at church (which is outstanding).

Split Is Required

I believe that in so many cases there have been needless splits within Christianity. There are times though when one is required. If my church were to put a person in leadership who was an unrepentant adulterer, drunkard, liar or one of many other things I'd confront my church leadership. I would tell them that, according to the Bible (Romans 1, I Timothy 3) this person is not qualified for leadership. In the case of the U.S. Episcopal Church a line has been crossed. Either they take God's Word seriously or they don't. It looks like, in the cases of who they install as their leaders, they don't. I hope and pray that all Bible believing Episcopalians throughout the world will let it be known that God's Word is clear on the qualifications for leadership and that a split will occur if they don't go back to following God's Word.

There are many areas that appear to be gray areas, but it is clear that the elevation of a unrepentant homosexual to the position of leadership that these people do not take the full council of God seriously and have decided to pick and choose what to follow and what not to follow. If I were Episcopalian, I'd leave. This one is worth dividing over.

It's very sad that it has come to this, but obedience to God's Word really isn't something we can pick and choose. It is my prayer that the Episcopal church would decide to rely on God's Word for council and not the political feelings of tolerance as chosen by so many of the elite. I'd love to see them get back in the game in terms of leading people to Christ.

Which Book of the Bible Are You?

You are Romans.


Which book of the Bible are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Hey, this thing is pretty cool. Romans is my favorite book and the description does seem to capture a bit about me.

The Invasion Begins

At our church, our pastor has started a new series on the book of Mark. Here's the notes from the first study. Now, the title of the first topic is "The Invasion Begins". Sounds like the beginning of "Independence Day". In reality, he's talking about God's invasion of this earth. We always seem so focused on us getting to Him, but He's already come for us.

The best point though was almost before the sermon even started. He was talking about raising his kids and how he didn't just raise them to be good kids but to be part of God's invasion. He's raised his kids to have an impact on this world and I think that is a challenge us parents should try and rise up to match.

What Is God's Will?

In part of tonight's sermon, Pastor Mark was talking about how many of us try and look for God's will in many of the decisions we make, almost like going to a palm reader or something. Where do I go to school? Which house do I buy? Etc. Those are all good questions and we should seek God in those answers but no matter what good or bad decisions we've made we can be in God's will, immediately, by doing what He says to do, right now. Christ Himself summed it up when He said, "Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself". Whatever situation we are in, by following that simple command, we are in God's will. God's will is more of making the right moral decisions than anything else. How do we learn what type of decisions to make? By reading the Bible and praying and letting our mind be renewed by God. Loving anything is difficult and that renewing by Christ is essential.

Pastor Mark also expounded on Romans 12:9-13 in measuring sincere love:

The New Counterculture

I received this article from Chuck Colson's Breakpoint this morning. It's a great read.

August 22, 2003

Just as the sixties countercultural influence is still felt today, there is a great opportunity for the younger evangelical countercultural influence to be felt tomorrow, and that should encourage us all.

An Old Article Refuting Kristof

This 1990 article from Christianity Today describes the Virgin Birth. Could it be that there are biblical scholars that disagree with Kristof? I just wish he'd done some better research.

Interesting Take On Virgin Birth By NYT

So, Nicholas D. Kristof has an editorial in the New York Times. I've also reprinted here with my thoughts.

Believe It, or Not
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

Today marks the Roman Catholics' Feast of the Assumption, honoring the moment that they believe God brought the Virgin Mary into Heaven. So here's a fact appropriate for the day: Americans are three times as likely to believe in the Virgin Birth of Jesus (83 percent) as in evolution (28 percent).

That's great news. Both are articles of faith but the Virgin Birth has more evidence.

So this day is an opportunity to look at perhaps the most fundamental divide between America and the rest of the industrialized world: faith. Religion remains central to American life, and is getting more so, in a way that is true of no other industrialized country, with the possible exception of South Korea.

Again, all good so far.....

Americans believe, 58 percent to 40 percent, that it is necessary to believe in God to be moral. In contrast, other developed countries overwhelmingly believe that it is not necessary. In France, only 13 percent agree with the U.S. view. (For details on the polls cited in this column, go to www.nytimes.com/kristofresponds.)

America is a great nation and France needs to be paved. Could we have a parallel here? Where the heck do people think morality comes from? Maybe some of the people in France need to read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Without a standard of morality then you've got relativism.

The faith in the Virgin Birth reflects the way American Christianity is becoming less intellectual and more mystical over time. The percentage of Americans who believe in the Virgin Birth actually rose five points in the latest poll.

OK, this is where if you are a person who takes their faith seriously will be offended. What Kristoff is really saying is that if you believe in miracles then you are an idiot.

My grandfather was fairly typical of his generation: A devout and active Presbyterian elder, he nonetheless believed firmly in evolution and regarded the Virgin Birth as a pious legend. Those kinds of mainline Christians are vanishing, replaced by evangelicals. Since 1960, the number of Pentecostalists has increased fourfold, while the number of Episcopalians has dropped almost in half.

Too many people treat church as just a little place to go and be social. Any church that has as an elder who does not believe in the Virgin Birth of Christ is a church that is not worthy of Christ. I'd bet money that grandfather also didn't believe in the resurrection of Christ or that Jesus is God. Again, to take Christianity seriously you can't just throw out the Virgin Birth or the resurrection.

The result is a gulf not only between America and the rest of the industrialized world, but a growing split at home as well. One of the most poisonous divides is the one between intellectual and religious America.

Ugh!!!! I rather enjoy my intellectual Christian friends. Our faith is based on facts not just because we want to believe. The Bible itself is extremely reliable historically so why would it lie about Jesus?

Some liberals wear T-shirts declaring, "So Many Right-Wing Christians . . . So Few Lions." On the other side, there are attitudes like those on a Web site, dutyisours.com/gwbush.htm, explaining the 2000 election this way:

"God defeated armies of Philistines and others with confusion. Dimpled and hanging chads may also be because of God's intervention on those who were voting incorrectly. Why is GW Bush our president? It was God's choice."

So equating people that want Christians dead verses believing George W. Bush was God's choice???? You've got to be kidding. Heck, I believe it was God's choice that Bill Clinton was President.

The Virgin Mary is an interesting prism through which to examine America's emphasis on faith because most Biblical scholars regard the evidence for the Virgin Birth, and for Mary's assumption into Heaven (which was proclaimed as Catholic dogma only in 1950), as so shaky that it pretty much has to be a leap of faith. As the Catholic theologian Hans Küng puts it in "On Being a Christian," the Virgin Birth is a "collection of largely uncertain, mutually contradictory, strongly legendary" narratives, an echo of virgin birth myths that were widespread in many parts of the ancient world.

If you go to biblical scholars that automatically reject miracles, like many in the "Jesus Seminars" then they will have a different conclusion. To believe this type of mindset these people must know everything if they believe miracles cannot occur. Now as a Protestent I do not believe in the assumption of Mary to heaven but am in full agreement about Mary conceiving Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Who is Hans Küng?

Jaroslav Pelikan, the great Yale historian and theologian, says in his book "Mary Through the Centuries" that the earliest references to Mary (like Mark's gospel, the first to be written, or Paul's letter to the Galatians) don't mention anything unusual about the conception of Jesus. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke do say Mary was a virgin, but internal evidence suggests that that part of Luke, in particular, may have been added later by someone else (it is written, for example, in a different kind of Greek than the rest of that gospel).

Hey Pelikan, you forgot to mention Isaiah 7:14 which clearly prophesizes about the future Virgin Birth. Oh yeah, who is Jaroslav Pelikan? Just because someone calls themselves a theologian does not make them correct. There are countless others who take a completely different view.

Yet despite the lack of scientific or historical evidence, and despite the doubts of Biblical scholars, America is so pious that not only do 91 percent of Christians say they believe in the Virgin Birth, but so do an astonishing 47 percent of U.S. non-Christians.

What sweeping generalities. I'd expect more from a person who writes as a profession. The only part he's got correct is the scientific evidence. We cannot reproduce the Virgin Birth but he's saying because he hasn't found evidence or Biblical scholars that disagree with him that the Virgin Birth must not be true. How can only 91 percent of Christians not believe in the Virgin Birth? That number should be 100%.

I'm not denigrating anyone's beliefs. And I don't pretend to know why America is so much more infused with religious faith than the rest of the world. But I do think that we're in the middle of another religious Great Awakening, and that while this may bring spiritual comfort to many, it will also mean a growing polarization within our society.

You are not denigrating anyone's beliefs? What did you just do? Praise God America has a lot of faith but we are nothing compared to the wonderful saints in Africa and other areas. Sorry Mr. Kristoff but Europe is not the rest of the world.

But mostly, I'm troubled by the way the great intellectual traditions of Catholic and Protestant churches alike are withering, leaving the scholarly and religious worlds increasingly antagonistic. I worry partly because of the time I've spent with self-satisfied and unquestioning mullahs and imams, for the Islamic world is in crisis today in large part because of a similar drift away from a rich intellectual tradition and toward the mystical. The heart is a wonderful organ, but so is the brain.

The Church is becoming more intellectual than ever! We don't just accept things because some priest or pastor says so. Many of us do our homework and look at why, intellectually, Christianity is true. True Christianity is nothing like radical Islam. The more Christians apply their faith AND intellect the better Christianity will become. How intellectual is it really to just dismiss miracles? If there is a God then He can do anything He needs to do.

There are plenty of intellectuals who believed in the Virging Birth. In terms of intellectualism I'd put anybody up against former atheist turned Christian, C.S. Lewis. All it takes is a little digging to realize that there are plenty of intellectuals who believe in the Virgin Birth and the Resurrection of Christ from the dead. Faith and being intellectual are not mutually exclusive.

To listen to some great messages from my pastor, Dr. Mark Foreman, please go here. Pastor Mark uses intellect and logic to show how God's fingerprints touch so much and point to Christ.

What Does It Mean To Believe In Jesus Christ

Today's sermon at church dealt with salvation. The real key word is "believe". Pastor Mark made the point of how the Western mind is quick to say they believe in something but it really only means a kind of mental acknowledegment. He used the illustration of him standing on the stage. He said to the crowd that you think the stage will hold him up but that Mark took that and put it into practive by standing on stage.

It seems very easy for us to say we believe in Jesus but it's not just the words or thoughts but it's what we do when we say we believe. To believe is to take action and to follow Jesus. Sounds good to me.

Stand To Reason

I just got back from a presentation at my church by Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason. The topic was "Has God Spoken?" and was a basic apologetics course on the historicity of the Bible. They were also offering Hugh Hewitt's book, "In, But Not Of" for sale. I bought a bunch of books and can't wait to dig in.

Bill Bright

A great man died on Saturday night, Bill Bright. It's amazing how when one man makes himself available to God what God will do with that person. Two of the great accomplishments of Bright were creating the "Four Spiritual Laws" and the Jesus film. Thanks Bill, your legacy is amazing.

Mormonism Debate

I've been involved on a debate on Mormonism on the Switchfoot Discussion board. Here is the link (my handle on that board is "got switchfoot?"). I've mentioned it because the tone has remained fairly good considering it's a bunch on non-Mormons versus one Mormon. I also created a document about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon.

Gospel For Asia

Hugh Hewitt was speaking with a man who has done missionary work in Pakistan. Great interview and very revealing. The most important thing that the missionary said was that native missionaries are needed. To read more about native missionaries and how important they are for spreading the Gospel click below:

Giving

At church today the sermon was on Philippians 4:14-23. A lot of the topic that was covered was about giving. Some pastors relish this type of sermon but ours just spoke truth and didn't turn it into a big sales pitch. From the notes and some of the highlights included some basic principles of giving, giving with common sense, giving is joyful for all participants, giving is and expression and sharing of concern, giving is not about God's need, giving mostly involves the Gospel, giving is rewarded and it pleases God.

I think Bono from U2 said it best when he said, "The God I serve isn't short of cash". Giving is a way for us to be involved in God's work. God's will will be done with or without us. It's just a manner of do we want to play certain roles in working for God or not.

I really liked the section our pastor spoke of about "Giving Is An Expression & Sharing of Concern". When we give it's not just a "fire and forget" scenario. When we give it should express our concern for the cause we are giving to. We should pray for the organizations we give to, read up about them and keep informed.

Some of the common sense areas of giving were very important and deserve a mention here. People don't want to be coerced, want honesty, passion and opportunities to give, giver and givee to trust God with the gifts and releasing money is a great test for us as believers against fear and greed.

A Conversation With Beth Moore

From an article from billygraham.org comes this excerpt:

I have challenged women across the country to take six months to pray earnestly each day for God to give them a love for Him and a love for the Word.

This is a great challenge for everybody. The full article is here. It also reminds me of a song by Jars of Clay called "Love Song For A Savior". For the lyrics click below.

LOVE SONG FOR A SAVIOR

in open fields of wild flowers
she breathes the air and flies away
she thanks her Jesus for the daises and the roses
in no simple language
someday she'll understand the meaning of it all
he's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
as close a heartbeat or a song on her lips
someday she'll trust him and learn how to see him
someday he'll call her and she will come running
and fall in his arms and the tears will fall down and she'll pray

i want to fall in love with you

sitting silent wearing sunday best
the sermon echoes through the walls
a great salvation through it calls to the people
who stare into nowhere, and can't feel the chains on their souls

he's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
as close a heartbeat or a song on our lips
someday we'll trust him and learn how to see him
someday he'll call us and we will come running
and fall in his arms and the tears will fall down and we'll pray

i want to fall in love with you

it seems too easy to call you "Savior"
not close enough to call you "God"
so as i sit and think of words i can mention
to show my devotion

i want to fall in love with you

my heart beats for you

Written by Jars of Clay
Copyright 1995 BridgeBuilding Music (BMI)/
Pogostick Music (BMI). All rights reserved.

Luke 15 - The Prodigal Son

The Father's Day message at church was setting up the context for the story of the prodigal son, then the story of the prodigal son and then the application.

First, the context of the story is found by looking at the first 2 parables in Luke 15. Those 2 parables speak of how the person finding something lost was so determined to find it and how joyous an occasion it is to find what is lost.

Taken to the next step, the father in the prodical son parable is absolutely joyous when his son (who he thought was gone forever) has returned. He didn't make the son beg for foregiveness. He was just so overjoyed at having his son come back and he restored the son to his original position.

Now, how does this apply to us? Our Father in heaven loves us more than the father of the prodigal son. We just need to come to Him. He's waiting for us. He sent Jesus into hostile territory to bring us to Him. What are we waiting for?

Good Friday

This article goes into graphic detail, from a physicians point of view, about the aweful death that the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, went through because of our sins.

I've got my hand in redemption's side
These scars are bigger than these doubts of mine

- Jonathan M. Foreman "Redemption" from "The Beautiful Letdown"