Is Christ beautiful?
"One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple." (Psa 27:4 ESV)
A story.
The property was deserted, a tangle of weeds, broken branches and litter mingled in with what might be take to be the remains of - maybe a flower bed. Broken windows, a door that would not swing shut, and a sagging roof line along with muted peeling paint highlighted the structure. All the neighborhood though the guy was crazy, a fool, for sure. He himself was not a handsome man, just average. He did not exactly move in, but he did live there, perhaps one might say he camped there.
The demolition was not total – some wood removed here and there so that structural pieces might be torn out and replaced. Then doing a stretch of days, predicted by the weather man to be fairly dry, the roof came off, only to be made new.
By late fall new windows and doors hung in their place ready to do what they were designed to do. All winter lights shone through those windows causing speculation, leading to comments about which room was being worked on, accompanied by the occasional “I wonder if he might be warm enough in there?”
Spring came, and less smoke wafted from the chimney. Now, almost a year had passed. The litter and junk seemed to be disappearing, the digging began. Weeds came out, the soil was built up, new and old bulbs, plants and seeds took their places. During the summer and fall gardens took on an air of promise – 'Wait – another year or two!'
Finished work was evident on the outside when winter returned. Now there was some expressed admiration, and a hope of someday seeing what the inside of the place might look like.
Spring marked a continued expansion of the dominion of this man. Then he was gone!
It was not until nearly two weeks later that the local gossips eagerly reported for a fact the he was back and that he had a woman with him, a cow, a horse a few sheep and some chickens, as well.
Over the years the family was blessed and grew. He kept the place well and all agreed that she was a wonderful companion. New comers would remark on the house and the beauty of the grounds, but the old timers they knew – a ruin had been restored – a man had come, a man with a heart for work, sweat and long hours. A man with skilled hands and a heart for that which is good and fruitful. He (along with her) was beautiful!
What beauty is there to behold when we look upon Christ?
(To be continued)
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Thursday, April 08, 2010
On being a single parent
First, I am not a single parent and the experience I am about to relay in this blog is no attempt to pretend that I have been a single parent.
My wife was away for 15 days. While this was not the first time she had left me to be with our older children to help with a new grandchild, this trip marked a few transitions for us. A few months ago we put Mom in a home. I had always been more or less tied down to the house, unless someone was there to watch her during previous absences on my wife's part.
Our youngest, now almost sixteen has helped out with the duties of watching her grandma, and once in a while we would have another lady watch her if we both had to be away. This time it just our youngest and myself! Freedom!!??
Well, in the name of honesty we did allow some cleaning to slide until the last couple of days, but the house did not turn into a total disaster, as we did do a few daily chorus. Also, with unlimited calling as well as the internet we were not cut off from contact with mom. And as a father of four daughters I have come to accept that dads just can not fill the role when a daughter calls and asks “Is mom there?”
Our baby, and I knew this ahead of time, has a few activities to which her mom usually drives her. Ok, I thought no problem. Then there is something referred to as father-daughter relationship. Daughters do need to be communicated with, given attention, cooked for, encouraged, corrected and just plan have some time with their parents. A note, covering all 15 days, posted on the refrig just would not do the job.
So having this delightful creature around meant something to me … “You have a daughter and for the time being you are her only parent within normal speaking range!”
What would change in my schedule, in my carefully crafted list of priorities? Work time? ME TIME? How important to me was it that I had a daughter to parent? What sacrifices would I make for her well being?
Certainly, if, in the will of God, my wife would be taken from us, this issue of being a single parent would become all too real, close and personal. How would I do? I know that I am thankful to the Lord for my wife, the mother of our children, for all her parenting. And I acknowledge that she can not be replaced, but if she were not here, I would be called upon to make permanent changes in my life. What would I be willing to give up? To change? Permanently, or at least until she got a few years older, to take her places, parent her, do father-daughter things and time, and not to let our relationship deteriorate into that of being isolated housemates?
My hat is off to all single parents who have taken this responsibility well. May the Lord give you grace day to day.
First, I am not a single parent and the experience I am about to relay in this blog is no attempt to pretend that I have been a single parent.
My wife was away for 15 days. While this was not the first time she had left me to be with our older children to help with a new grandchild, this trip marked a few transitions for us. A few months ago we put Mom in a home. I had always been more or less tied down to the house, unless someone was there to watch her during previous absences on my wife's part.
Our youngest, now almost sixteen has helped out with the duties of watching her grandma, and once in a while we would have another lady watch her if we both had to be away. This time it just our youngest and myself! Freedom!!??
Well, in the name of honesty we did allow some cleaning to slide until the last couple of days, but the house did not turn into a total disaster, as we did do a few daily chorus. Also, with unlimited calling as well as the internet we were not cut off from contact with mom. And as a father of four daughters I have come to accept that dads just can not fill the role when a daughter calls and asks “Is mom there?”
Our baby, and I knew this ahead of time, has a few activities to which her mom usually drives her. Ok, I thought no problem. Then there is something referred to as father-daughter relationship. Daughters do need to be communicated with, given attention, cooked for, encouraged, corrected and just plan have some time with their parents. A note, covering all 15 days, posted on the refrig just would not do the job.
So having this delightful creature around meant something to me … “You have a daughter and for the time being you are her only parent within normal speaking range!”
What would change in my schedule, in my carefully crafted list of priorities? Work time? ME TIME? How important to me was it that I had a daughter to parent? What sacrifices would I make for her well being?
Certainly, if, in the will of God, my wife would be taken from us, this issue of being a single parent would become all too real, close and personal. How would I do? I know that I am thankful to the Lord for my wife, the mother of our children, for all her parenting. And I acknowledge that she can not be replaced, but if she were not here, I would be called upon to make permanent changes in my life. What would I be willing to give up? To change? Permanently, or at least until she got a few years older, to take her places, parent her, do father-daughter things and time, and not to let our relationship deteriorate into that of being isolated housemates?
My hat is off to all single parents who have taken this responsibility well. May the Lord give you grace day to day.
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Hello!
Remember me? Al, the pastor of the Princeton Baptist Church, in Princeton, Me, by the will of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Yes, I have been aware of the lack of updates on this blog. No promises, however, I am making an attempt to get back into this.
My excuses??
We have sold our house. It was about a 50 minute drive from our present location in Princeton. The sale meant trips to get STUFF which we had at the house, and it also meant that we had to figure out where to put this stuff here. We are still working on that, with some measure of success. I'm amazed when another load disappears into the garage, and we can still walk in and out of the garage!!
Just a few days after the closing on the house my wife left Princeton to fly to Maryland to be with our daughter, Amy, her husband and their two daughters. While she was there a third daughter appeared. Just like that!! In the meanwhile our youngest daughter and I have been left to our own resources. Well, there were a few frozen things left in the freezer for us!
We have been managing well, but it is not the same without a loving wife and mother. Yes, I am pleased that my wife was able to be with Amy and her family. We wish they were closer so we could just drop in or spend a day to help out when needed. However, at present that is not the way it is.
God willing ,we get wife and mother back tomorrow - about supper time we should get home.
I have a couple more blogs in the works. Though, so as not to bury you in reading, I'll pace my posts.
The Lord has been good to us. We are blessed and do praise His Name.
Remember me? Al, the pastor of the Princeton Baptist Church, in Princeton, Me, by the will of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Yes, I have been aware of the lack of updates on this blog. No promises, however, I am making an attempt to get back into this.
My excuses??
We have sold our house. It was about a 50 minute drive from our present location in Princeton. The sale meant trips to get STUFF which we had at the house, and it also meant that we had to figure out where to put this stuff here. We are still working on that, with some measure of success. I'm amazed when another load disappears into the garage, and we can still walk in and out of the garage!!
Just a few days after the closing on the house my wife left Princeton to fly to Maryland to be with our daughter, Amy, her husband and their two daughters. While she was there a third daughter appeared. Just like that!! In the meanwhile our youngest daughter and I have been left to our own resources. Well, there were a few frozen things left in the freezer for us!
We have been managing well, but it is not the same without a loving wife and mother. Yes, I am pleased that my wife was able to be with Amy and her family. We wish they were closer so we could just drop in or spend a day to help out when needed. However, at present that is not the way it is.
God willing ,we get wife and mother back tomorrow - about supper time we should get home.
I have a couple more blogs in the works. Though, so as not to bury you in reading, I'll pace my posts.
The Lord has been good to us. We are blessed and do praise His Name.
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Sharing our faith through FaceBook and other internet sites.
From time to time emails and posts surface urging the reader to pass the message on if they are a believer in Christ. The express intent is to share the message of Jesus Christ. (Even worse are the Christian chain letters that speak of blessings or answers to prayer or avoidance of “bad things” if the message is passed on to some many people.)
I usually do not participate.
Here are my reasons.
First, some messages are poorly written so that the message of Jesus Christ, or the definition of what it is to be a Christian, is at best vague. Sometime bad theology characterizes the message.
Secondly, more and more people are ignorant of who Jesus Christ is; therefore, a mere mention of him in a brief FaceBook post is likely not to be thorough enough to inform the reader of the basic points of who Christ is or why one ought to trust in him.
Thirdly, reposting such messages does not, in fact, establish one to be a true follower of Christ, any more so than plastering one's vehicle with Christian bumper stickers would.
Fourthly, a true follower of Christ is to also be a transparent follower of Christ. This means that my friends on FaceBook, etc, ought, over time, to see that I do not live in sin, that my speech does speak of Christ and the Gospel, that love and truth, as spoken of in the Bible, is seen, while taking the Lord's name in vain, crude/course speech, deceit, and numerous other signs of conformity to sin are absent.
In other words, as you get to know me through the internet you also ought to see the God of the Bible in me and to hear that my boast and glory is in the God who has had mercy upon me through Christ.
Reposting “Christian” posts may not be harmful but if not accompanied with speech that shows fellowship with God such posting is at best shallow, and at worst, is hypocrisy.
Christians are not perfect people, we are still between being forgiven of our sins through a confession of Christ and being brought into Christ's glory. No one of us will be the witness that we ought to be 100% of the time. I am not trying to be critical in the sense of sending a blasting message of condemnation to 'reposters'. However, I am challenged myself to think of being a thorough Biblical, witness to the God who-is through my life on-line.
May each post by each believer add up to a grand testimony of God's grace and truth.
From time to time emails and posts surface urging the reader to pass the message on if they are a believer in Christ. The express intent is to share the message of Jesus Christ. (Even worse are the Christian chain letters that speak of blessings or answers to prayer or avoidance of “bad things” if the message is passed on to some many people.)
I usually do not participate.
Here are my reasons.
First, some messages are poorly written so that the message of Jesus Christ, or the definition of what it is to be a Christian, is at best vague. Sometime bad theology characterizes the message.
Secondly, more and more people are ignorant of who Jesus Christ is; therefore, a mere mention of him in a brief FaceBook post is likely not to be thorough enough to inform the reader of the basic points of who Christ is or why one ought to trust in him.
Thirdly, reposting such messages does not, in fact, establish one to be a true follower of Christ, any more so than plastering one's vehicle with Christian bumper stickers would.
Fourthly, a true follower of Christ is to also be a transparent follower of Christ. This means that my friends on FaceBook, etc, ought, over time, to see that I do not live in sin, that my speech does speak of Christ and the Gospel, that love and truth, as spoken of in the Bible, is seen, while taking the Lord's name in vain, crude/course speech, deceit, and numerous other signs of conformity to sin are absent.
In other words, as you get to know me through the internet you also ought to see the God of the Bible in me and to hear that my boast and glory is in the God who has had mercy upon me through Christ.
Reposting “Christian” posts may not be harmful but if not accompanied with speech that shows fellowship with God such posting is at best shallow, and at worst, is hypocrisy.
Christians are not perfect people, we are still between being forgiven of our sins through a confession of Christ and being brought into Christ's glory. No one of us will be the witness that we ought to be 100% of the time. I am not trying to be critical in the sense of sending a blasting message of condemnation to 'reposters'. However, I am challenged myself to think of being a thorough Biblical, witness to the God who-is through my life on-line.
May each post by each believer add up to a grand testimony of God's grace and truth.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
The importance of self!
We have been in Princeton now for roughly a year and a half. Time after time I see evidence of God using me, using us, to minister to people. This is not the stuff of news headlines, or maybe even local gossip. Yet as time marches on we see the image of Christ in ourselves and others growing more and more glorious.
I often think, in situations in which I 'feel' that I have been able to provide some light or an answer or speak an appropriate word, “Hey, this is larger than myself. God is at work here!” Given the frailties of our heart, and it propensity towards deception, I know that feelings are not always trustworthy guide. Yet, I would stand firm that God is working in our midst. And, amazingly, God is working in and through me.
Certainly, one should not blow his own horn. There are Biblical warnings against doing that; however, there is also Biblical support for recognizing who and what God is making a person into, where He is placing him and for what purposes. As pastor of a small flock of believers this must mean that I embrace the responsibilities, the authority and the humility of such a calling.
What I am saying is that grappling with and embracing one's calling is not an expression of sinful selfishness, rather to avoid the calling of God is selfishness. However, along with this awareness of stepping up to the plate one must have a growing conviction that it is God who is a work in ME. (Phil. 2:12,13)
Therefore, if in the end, I would be desirous of being able to say: “I have run the race!” I must now say: “By the grace of God I am running the race!”
We have been in Princeton now for roughly a year and a half. Time after time I see evidence of God using me, using us, to minister to people. This is not the stuff of news headlines, or maybe even local gossip. Yet as time marches on we see the image of Christ in ourselves and others growing more and more glorious.
I often think, in situations in which I 'feel' that I have been able to provide some light or an answer or speak an appropriate word, “Hey, this is larger than myself. God is at work here!” Given the frailties of our heart, and it propensity towards deception, I know that feelings are not always trustworthy guide. Yet, I would stand firm that God is working in our midst. And, amazingly, God is working in and through me.
Certainly, one should not blow his own horn. There are Biblical warnings against doing that; however, there is also Biblical support for recognizing who and what God is making a person into, where He is placing him and for what purposes. As pastor of a small flock of believers this must mean that I embrace the responsibilities, the authority and the humility of such a calling.
What I am saying is that grappling with and embracing one's calling is not an expression of sinful selfishness, rather to avoid the calling of God is selfishness. However, along with this awareness of stepping up to the plate one must have a growing conviction that it is God who is a work in ME. (Phil. 2:12,13)
Therefore, if in the end, I would be desirous of being able to say: “I have run the race!” I must now say: “By the grace of God I am running the race!”
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
One week from today is Christmas! But what is Christmas? Most believers recognize that Christ was most likely born on a different date, even in a different time of the year.
I am convinced that if God had wanted us to make a big deal out of the birth of His Son He would have included a few more pertinent details, such as a date. But moving on to my own history, I remember as a kid having a tree glowing with lights, stacked with gifts, accompanied by notes of Christmas music floating in the air, and trips to grandparents – long trips from northern Maine (then later central Maine) to southern Maine – more gifts, more relatives and lots more food. As time progressed some of you entered found a place in my memory. But one may have these memories without having anything directly related to the birth of the Messiah. And so, over my life time, and I am sure that this trend started long before that, we have been witnessing, and may even have had a part in, the secularization of this holiday.
In some ways, I am pleased that more non-believers are opting out of saying “Merry Christmas” and that our secular schools are not doing Christmas any more. (Though the extremes that we are witnessing of emptying our schools of all historical memories of our heritage and traditions is a grave and tragic error.) The secular American may observe 'whatever' or not as they wish too, spend as much money or not, and decorate profusely or not.
Likewise, we believers should not be tied too tightly into our American way of doing Christmas, for Christ is far bigger than any American tradition. And over the years that is what has been occurring in my own heart, and I think to some extent in my family as well, that the trappings are free to come and go because the entrance of God into the world as a human being moves us to awe and worship each and every day of the year.
Lastly, God never encourages us to make a big deal over the birth of Christ because without his death, according to the Scriptures, and his burial, and resurrection, according to the Scriptures all would be empty, meaningless! Leaving us with the option of eating, drinking and making merry for tomorrow we die! However, since this unique Son of God – come in the flesh as man – did happen, we look forward to grace and judgment upon his return. While we wait we worship, and rejoice with joy inexpressible, filled with glory, on any day.
This year I believe I celebrate with perhaps more worship and joy than I ever have. We also have fewer decorations. These two do not necessarily go together. I desire most to worship well, with Joy and Hope, so that others might see and that they too might someday have this same Hope and Joy that comes from the King of kings and Lord of lords.
I close with a couple of verses from Hebrews: Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (7:25 ESV) And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (11:6 ESV)
I am convinced that if God had wanted us to make a big deal out of the birth of His Son He would have included a few more pertinent details, such as a date. But moving on to my own history, I remember as a kid having a tree glowing with lights, stacked with gifts, accompanied by notes of Christmas music floating in the air, and trips to grandparents – long trips from northern Maine (then later central Maine) to southern Maine – more gifts, more relatives and lots more food. As time progressed some of you entered found a place in my memory. But one may have these memories without having anything directly related to the birth of the Messiah. And so, over my life time, and I am sure that this trend started long before that, we have been witnessing, and may even have had a part in, the secularization of this holiday.
In some ways, I am pleased that more non-believers are opting out of saying “Merry Christmas” and that our secular schools are not doing Christmas any more. (Though the extremes that we are witnessing of emptying our schools of all historical memories of our heritage and traditions is a grave and tragic error.) The secular American may observe 'whatever' or not as they wish too, spend as much money or not, and decorate profusely or not.
Likewise, we believers should not be tied too tightly into our American way of doing Christmas, for Christ is far bigger than any American tradition. And over the years that is what has been occurring in my own heart, and I think to some extent in my family as well, that the trappings are free to come and go because the entrance of God into the world as a human being moves us to awe and worship each and every day of the year.
Lastly, God never encourages us to make a big deal over the birth of Christ because without his death, according to the Scriptures, and his burial, and resurrection, according to the Scriptures all would be empty, meaningless! Leaving us with the option of eating, drinking and making merry for tomorrow we die! However, since this unique Son of God – come in the flesh as man – did happen, we look forward to grace and judgment upon his return. While we wait we worship, and rejoice with joy inexpressible, filled with glory, on any day.
This year I believe I celebrate with perhaps more worship and joy than I ever have. We also have fewer decorations. These two do not necessarily go together. I desire most to worship well, with Joy and Hope, so that others might see and that they too might someday have this same Hope and Joy that comes from the King of kings and Lord of lords.
I close with a couple of verses from Hebrews: Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (7:25 ESV) And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (11:6 ESV)
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Okay, I haven't blogged for a while – I living in a small town and sometimes there is not much happening!! (Disclaimer – I am exaggerating some and this blog is not strictly tied to what is or what is not happening in Princeton!).
Over the last couple of weeks I have been preparing for the next topic in our Adult Sunday School class, which will be the decrees of God and his sovereignty. I spent some time over several days getting familiar with a view known, among other names, as Open Theism. In someways this was a delightful exercise, but one that also left me with sadness. This is an excellent example of poor theology leading to bad theology. I will not rehash the whole thing but share some brief comments.
This is a teaching that speaks of God's relationship with his creation, claiming that there is much, regarding future events, that God knows only as possibilities. God knows all possibilities, and being infinitely intelligent he has the ability to to be prepared to respond to any and all combinations of possibilities. While God has the broad outline of history fixed there are many 'little' steps along the way that God is willing to take risks as to how his creatures will respond to himself as well as to events in their lives.
From my admitted limited exposure, I suggest the following poor theological points allows for even more glaring positions to be embraced. Many of the proponents are Arminian in their theology, thus they already hold that a spiritually dead person may chose life, that God is doing all that he can do to save everyone, and that God knows future events because he foresees (looks ahead) to see what we will do. Problems exist with these position yet the Open Theism proponents, while recognizing some errors, will use these as platforms to build an even shaker house. Scriptures does not seem to be the number one building tool for this theory, rather the mind is. While I argue that many of us do not love God with enough of our mind, human thinking is full of faulty presuppositions, and therefore, must not be relied upon exclusively, or even chiefly.
The Holy Spirit, and He alone, through the Scriptures, is the teacher of Truth. Yet we do have responsibility to hear, learn and build upon the truth. The following is repeated seven times in Revelation chapters two and three: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Rev 2:7 ESV) If our starting point is something learned because we have not been listening, where will our ending point be?
Over the last couple of weeks I have been preparing for the next topic in our Adult Sunday School class, which will be the decrees of God and his sovereignty. I spent some time over several days getting familiar with a view known, among other names, as Open Theism. In someways this was a delightful exercise, but one that also left me with sadness. This is an excellent example of poor theology leading to bad theology. I will not rehash the whole thing but share some brief comments.
This is a teaching that speaks of God's relationship with his creation, claiming that there is much, regarding future events, that God knows only as possibilities. God knows all possibilities, and being infinitely intelligent he has the ability to to be prepared to respond to any and all combinations of possibilities. While God has the broad outline of history fixed there are many 'little' steps along the way that God is willing to take risks as to how his creatures will respond to himself as well as to events in their lives.
From my admitted limited exposure, I suggest the following poor theological points allows for even more glaring positions to be embraced. Many of the proponents are Arminian in their theology, thus they already hold that a spiritually dead person may chose life, that God is doing all that he can do to save everyone, and that God knows future events because he foresees (looks ahead) to see what we will do. Problems exist with these position yet the Open Theism proponents, while recognizing some errors, will use these as platforms to build an even shaker house. Scriptures does not seem to be the number one building tool for this theory, rather the mind is. While I argue that many of us do not love God with enough of our mind, human thinking is full of faulty presuppositions, and therefore, must not be relied upon exclusively, or even chiefly.
The Holy Spirit, and He alone, through the Scriptures, is the teacher of Truth. Yet we do have responsibility to hear, learn and build upon the truth. The following is repeated seven times in Revelation chapters two and three: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Rev 2:7 ESV) If our starting point is something learned because we have not been listening, where will our ending point be?
Monday, November 02, 2009
A letter to a friend who is for homosexual marriage.
I noticed your post the other day encouraging people to vote, and your expression of hope that this issue (the homosexual one) will not divide friendships.
Yes, I think this issue will divide friendships. But here is how I am handling this issue, or hope to anyway. Not all of my friends on FB or otherwise are Christians, and even then not all think like I do. So from the start I know that differences exist, and I expect them to show up. I hope to have room in these relationships to debate and even persuade (or try to) some of these friends.
Regarding this issue of homosexuality and marriage. I have wondered, and even asked, but have gotten no direct answer to the following question. The Christian worldview has largely played a role in defining marriage as one man and one woman. If marriage is being redefined what than is the world view (religion or philosophy) that is replacing Christianity's place in Maine's moral playing field?
Several letters to the editor have suggested Nature, saying that homosexual activities and relationships exist in nature so it is a good thing and ought not to be 'discriminated against. I view this as a legitimate replacement, but also a very scary one, for the following reasons. Homosexuality is not the only sexual relationship displayed in the world of nature, and I know of no animals who desire to be married, i.e. get a license. So I see inconsistency in this argument. Further, what else do animals do that we have laws prohibiting us humans from doing? Those using the 'nature' argument should not complain one bit if their neighbor eats them or their family (literally) for lunch.
This, of course, is taught in our public school systems, while a great deal of effort and cost is incurred in attempts to keep the students from being just one of the animals on the evolutionary chain. Kind of ironic?
Though it has a lot of supports I do not view the 'Christian' support for homosexual as seriously as the above mentioned 'nature' argument, because it is a pick-and-choose-from-the-Bible religion based upon man. This type of Christianity, while popular at times, does not distinguish itself from none Christian thinking, and as in Europe, this Christianity here in the US will become a minor player.
Also, the Bible, taken as the Word of God is to be taken the way God gave it rather than for us to sit in judgment over it: accepting or rejecting this part or that teaching. If love, from the Bible is to govern us, than we must start with the first command: to love God with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind. Christ said to love him is to keep his commands. To pick and choose which commands we like or don't like is not loving God.
Yes, marriage is in a pretty sad state here in Maine. Yet redefining marriage to allow homosexual marriages is to move it to an even worse state. God has defined marriage as between a man and a woman, largely for reproduction sake. (Read the first several chapters of the Bible.) Unfaithfulness, divorce and remarriage, or just living together are all failures on man's part to live up to God's standard, however, they are all within the Biblical model of man-woman sexual relationship. Homosexuality is regarded by God as an abomination because it breaks that model. Man to man or woman to woman, without any hope of fruitfulness, i.e. to have children. It is like trying to attach two pieces of equipment with two nuts or two bolts. It just does not take the place of the combination of a nut and a bolt.
Further, much that contributes to the failure of marriage can be linked to the hardness of our hearts and also our willingness to pursue our lusts and desires over the self control needs to maintain faithfulness in marriage. Heterosexuals need to control their sexual desires, so do homosexuals. Let's accept that the argument that homosexuals are born that way may be true. Christianity presents the framework for the individual to have freedom from his or hers lustful desires. This is true for the homosexual, as well. We do not have to follow that desire.
If marriage is re-defined, here is what I expect will happen. The people pushing for this will continue to push for a national definition of marriage which will include homosexual relationships. They will push this as politically correct speech, and will seek to silence any opposing viewpoints, for after all homosexuality will be legal and to speak against it will to hate the homosexual, and will therefore be a hate crime. Schools and eventually churches will all have to be politically correct. The homosexual world wants their sin to be endorsed universally.
This will to some degree have an impact on my heterosexual marriage. It will be more work to teach/train children that heterosexual marriage is the right way to go. I suspect voicing an opinion as such publicly may cost me my job, position, etc, and friends. Regarding my own marriage, I don't expect this to add to or take away from how we view our marriage now.
The consequences are larger than the secular world thinks. If the God of the Bible is real - his views are expressed in Romans 1:18 through the end of the chapter – he must be taken seriously. Will God bring wrath upon us if we adopt homosexual marriage? Our adoption of such is an indication that he already has given us over to wrath. Therefore, the only safe course is to repent, individually and corporately as a state or nation, forsaking our rebellion against our Maker, to forsake those things God defines as sin, and to seek his mercy in his Son, Jesus Christ.
Some friends may hate me for holding to this position. I expect this as well.
I noticed your post the other day encouraging people to vote, and your expression of hope that this issue (the homosexual one) will not divide friendships.
Yes, I think this issue will divide friendships. But here is how I am handling this issue, or hope to anyway. Not all of my friends on FB or otherwise are Christians, and even then not all think like I do. So from the start I know that differences exist, and I expect them to show up. I hope to have room in these relationships to debate and even persuade (or try to) some of these friends.
Regarding this issue of homosexuality and marriage. I have wondered, and even asked, but have gotten no direct answer to the following question. The Christian worldview has largely played a role in defining marriage as one man and one woman. If marriage is being redefined what than is the world view (religion or philosophy) that is replacing Christianity's place in Maine's moral playing field?
Several letters to the editor have suggested Nature, saying that homosexual activities and relationships exist in nature so it is a good thing and ought not to be 'discriminated against. I view this as a legitimate replacement, but also a very scary one, for the following reasons. Homosexuality is not the only sexual relationship displayed in the world of nature, and I know of no animals who desire to be married, i.e. get a license. So I see inconsistency in this argument. Further, what else do animals do that we have laws prohibiting us humans from doing? Those using the 'nature' argument should not complain one bit if their neighbor eats them or their family (literally) for lunch.
This, of course, is taught in our public school systems, while a great deal of effort and cost is incurred in attempts to keep the students from being just one of the animals on the evolutionary chain. Kind of ironic?
Though it has a lot of supports I do not view the 'Christian' support for homosexual as seriously as the above mentioned 'nature' argument, because it is a pick-and-choose-from-the-Bible religion based upon man. This type of Christianity, while popular at times, does not distinguish itself from none Christian thinking, and as in Europe, this Christianity here in the US will become a minor player.
Also, the Bible, taken as the Word of God is to be taken the way God gave it rather than for us to sit in judgment over it: accepting or rejecting this part or that teaching. If love, from the Bible is to govern us, than we must start with the first command: to love God with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind. Christ said to love him is to keep his commands. To pick and choose which commands we like or don't like is not loving God.
Yes, marriage is in a pretty sad state here in Maine. Yet redefining marriage to allow homosexual marriages is to move it to an even worse state. God has defined marriage as between a man and a woman, largely for reproduction sake. (Read the first several chapters of the Bible.) Unfaithfulness, divorce and remarriage, or just living together are all failures on man's part to live up to God's standard, however, they are all within the Biblical model of man-woman sexual relationship. Homosexuality is regarded by God as an abomination because it breaks that model. Man to man or woman to woman, without any hope of fruitfulness, i.e. to have children. It is like trying to attach two pieces of equipment with two nuts or two bolts. It just does not take the place of the combination of a nut and a bolt.
Further, much that contributes to the failure of marriage can be linked to the hardness of our hearts and also our willingness to pursue our lusts and desires over the self control needs to maintain faithfulness in marriage. Heterosexuals need to control their sexual desires, so do homosexuals. Let's accept that the argument that homosexuals are born that way may be true. Christianity presents the framework for the individual to have freedom from his or hers lustful desires. This is true for the homosexual, as well. We do not have to follow that desire.
If marriage is re-defined, here is what I expect will happen. The people pushing for this will continue to push for a national definition of marriage which will include homosexual relationships. They will push this as politically correct speech, and will seek to silence any opposing viewpoints, for after all homosexuality will be legal and to speak against it will to hate the homosexual, and will therefore be a hate crime. Schools and eventually churches will all have to be politically correct. The homosexual world wants their sin to be endorsed universally.
This will to some degree have an impact on my heterosexual marriage. It will be more work to teach/train children that heterosexual marriage is the right way to go. I suspect voicing an opinion as such publicly may cost me my job, position, etc, and friends. Regarding my own marriage, I don't expect this to add to or take away from how we view our marriage now.
The consequences are larger than the secular world thinks. If the God of the Bible is real - his views are expressed in Romans 1:18 through the end of the chapter – he must be taken seriously. Will God bring wrath upon us if we adopt homosexual marriage? Our adoption of such is an indication that he already has given us over to wrath. Therefore, the only safe course is to repent, individually and corporately as a state or nation, forsaking our rebellion against our Maker, to forsake those things God defines as sin, and to seek his mercy in his Son, Jesus Christ.
Some friends may hate me for holding to this position. I expect this as well.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Have you ever wondered what it would have been like in the days of some of the Old Testament people when there were numerous false prophets, and sometimes but one or two true prophets of God? I believe we have not further to look that our present times. Maine is holding a vote in a few days on the issue of homosexual marriage. A number of clergy have spoken, often emphasizing love, in favor of redefining marriage to include homosexual relationships. They are thus saying, as they frequently quote the Bible, that "thus says the Lord ..."
Yet they speak a message that is not from God for they do not speak of loving God first and then loving our neighbor, in the manner God has spoken of. They speak words that sound good: "Do this thing that is a sin, and feel good about doing it!"
What do these people look like, and sound like? Often times they look and speak respectfully? They have people listening to them, and wondering at their words. They do not look evil? Nor, dangerous.
Beware, test all thing by God's Word. Test the spirits of the prophets to see if what a man says is true.
Yet they speak a message that is not from God for they do not speak of loving God first and then loving our neighbor, in the manner God has spoken of. They speak words that sound good: "Do this thing that is a sin, and feel good about doing it!"
What do these people look like, and sound like? Often times they look and speak respectfully? They have people listening to them, and wondering at their words. They do not look evil? Nor, dangerous.
Beware, test all thing by God's Word. Test the spirits of the prophets to see if what a man says is true.
Friday, October 02, 2009
Unfaithfulness and other possible traps.
From time to time one hears of marriages that are torn apart due to unfaithfulness displayed in online relationships.
I will confess that I am a member of, and regular user of Facebook (FB), that I exchange messages with, chat with and check “like” on postings made by men, women and children, other than those posted by my own family. What may one use as safe guards to prevent these 'friendships' from developing into something that may destroy a marriage (or two) and that would prevent the name of my God to be blasphemed?
Other lists may be out there, but here is my own non-legalistic list.
Honor God in all that you are doing, on or off the internet. The more this is ingrained in my character the less likely I will fall into something that would dishonor God.
Honor my marriage. Again, like the above statement, but I would also add the following. Let other people know, through conversations, maybe pictures, etc. that you are married and that your spouse – well, other than God, is your life. Post positive things about your spouse and your relationship. Don't allow yourself to start complaining or have a pity party regarding your spouse with another person on line.
Have a joint account, where available, with your spouse. While there may be times for a private conversation with someone (like ordering an birthday gift, etc. from a woodturner friend of yours) what should we hide from our spouse. And are not husband and wife one?
My wife is not on line. So I verbally pass on information gleaned from my worldwide contacts, also, her friends have learned to pass messages on to her through me. However, that is not my main point, which is be open in your communication on line. I have daughters, a daughter-in-law, and various other near and far relatives as well as people in the church in my friends list. So far I have not restricted my conversations or formed select lists of friends. I believe and hope that if some of the above named people saw conversations/responses that were not honoring God and that might be dishonoring to my marriage that they would confront me with this. And also, should not I do the same thing?
Limit your private conversations. I am not trying to be legalistic here by banning all private conversation, but I am aware of several things:
1. other marriages have been ruined due to 'friendships' that were not maintained as such.
2, Even though I am getting old, and am married, I have not found that the emotional mechanism that enables one to 'falling in love' has stopped working, therefore, I need to be aware if and when emotions kick in.
3, I am married, have I mentioned this yet?
Here is a thought I'll share, in closing. If it were God's will that my wife should pass away and I pursue marriage with one of my 'friends' on FB, or otherwise, would she know from personal experience or observation that I had flirted, etc, while married and thus that she might have cause for concern if she were to married me? Or would she know that her marriage was safe?
Pray for one another; the flesh is weak. Flee temptation.
From time to time one hears of marriages that are torn apart due to unfaithfulness displayed in online relationships.
I will confess that I am a member of, and regular user of Facebook (FB), that I exchange messages with, chat with and check “like” on postings made by men, women and children, other than those posted by my own family. What may one use as safe guards to prevent these 'friendships' from developing into something that may destroy a marriage (or two) and that would prevent the name of my God to be blasphemed?
Other lists may be out there, but here is my own non-legalistic list.
Honor God in all that you are doing, on or off the internet. The more this is ingrained in my character the less likely I will fall into something that would dishonor God.
Honor my marriage. Again, like the above statement, but I would also add the following. Let other people know, through conversations, maybe pictures, etc. that you are married and that your spouse – well, other than God, is your life. Post positive things about your spouse and your relationship. Don't allow yourself to start complaining or have a pity party regarding your spouse with another person on line.
Have a joint account, where available, with your spouse. While there may be times for a private conversation with someone (like ordering an birthday gift, etc. from a woodturner friend of yours) what should we hide from our spouse. And are not husband and wife one?
My wife is not on line. So I verbally pass on information gleaned from my worldwide contacts, also, her friends have learned to pass messages on to her through me. However, that is not my main point, which is be open in your communication on line. I have daughters, a daughter-in-law, and various other near and far relatives as well as people in the church in my friends list. So far I have not restricted my conversations or formed select lists of friends. I believe and hope that if some of the above named people saw conversations/responses that were not honoring God and that might be dishonoring to my marriage that they would confront me with this. And also, should not I do the same thing?
Limit your private conversations. I am not trying to be legalistic here by banning all private conversation, but I am aware of several things:
1. other marriages have been ruined due to 'friendships' that were not maintained as such.
2, Even though I am getting old, and am married, I have not found that the emotional mechanism that enables one to 'falling in love' has stopped working, therefore, I need to be aware if and when emotions kick in.
3, I am married, have I mentioned this yet?
Here is a thought I'll share, in closing. If it were God's will that my wife should pass away and I pursue marriage with one of my 'friends' on FB, or otherwise, would she know from personal experience or observation that I had flirted, etc, while married and thus that she might have cause for concern if she were to married me? Or would she know that her marriage was safe?
Pray for one another; the flesh is weak. Flee temptation.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
I was asked the following question the other day: “Please tell me more about why you think that Christianity and its work ethic is being thrown out?”
My thoughts are that Christianity is being thrown out of our culture and thus various aspects of Christianity, such as its work ethic, are being thrown out as well, though perhaps all are not being discarded evenly.
How would one define a Christian work ethic? First one must define what would be Christian (Christianity) in general. While there are many out there who make some claims on defining these terms the Bible, in 1 John, gives us several parameters. The first item is a belief and confession that Jesus is the Son of God come in the flesh. This includes his pre-existence, his conception, his teaching and miracles, his death on the cross, his burial and his resurrection, concluding with the understanding that he is now ruling the universe until he should return again as judge of all mankind. This is the hope of the believer, every part of it. The believer believes that Christ is the only way and the only hope of any one ever approaching and being accepted by God. Christ is what each individual needs to stand approved before God.
Holiness or obedience is the second aspect. God is described in 1 John as light. Since he is light we have fellowship with him only if we are also walking in the light. Further, if one is claiming to know God yet is not walking in the light he is a liar and does not know God. This is a bit complicated because no believer is ever perfectly obedient. So what is looked for is: 1) the power of sin has been broken in a person's life. He or she is no longer a slave to sin. And 2) the power of God is seen in a person's life in producing real and true obedience to God's Word.
Both of the above elements are essential. It is true that some might do deeds that appear to be obedient to the Bible. Yet if these deeds are not done accompanied by the confession in Christ, than one is not a believer, not a Christian. Part of the reason for this is that even our obedience is tainted with sin. Our confession is that Christ is what we need to be pleasing to God.
A third point that is mentioned in 1 John is that of loving other believers. This is far deeper than a person having a Christian for a neighbor and being neighborly to this Christian. Believers' love for each other is to be like that of Christ's love for his people. Needs of fellow believers are to be put ahead of one's own interests and desires. If this is not seen in one's life than John declares that one does not love God. Here again no believer will love perfectly as Christ loves his people, yet nevertheless, love for fellow believers will be in the true believers life.
Therefore, we must conclude that many people who claim an interest in Christianity are probably lacking because they are falling short in one or more of these areas. There are some, however, who do stand as true believers. None of these people will have a work ethic that is perfectly Christian, but there should be some effort on the part of the believer to think about this issue of work and then to apply Biblical teaching to the work place.
God himself is our first example of one doing work. (See Genesis 2:2,3 as well as 5 and 15) God worked over a period of six days to create everything that is-not-God. He is seen as working efficiently, consistently and well because in the end he was pleased with it. God expected man, as a being in his own likeness, to be a worker. The above verses mentioned this work. One should note that this work was spoken of before sin had any mark upon man or the world. After the entry of sin than work is seen as being necessary and also encumbered with much hardship.
The New Testament teaching regarding slaves serving their masters has a great deal of input for our topic. I will summarize.
Work first and foremost to please God.
Complaining in not to accompany work, and neither is sloth.
Honesty is of great importance, including the use of one's time, for all that is done casts a reflection on the God we claim to serve.
One is to seek the betterment of his employer.
Work is not solely for one's own profit. Support of oneself and family is good, but work is to be done so as to share one's own income and profit with those in need. (I would point out that this is a far different scenario than one in which the government taxes income and funnels it into a government run, or even private run, charity.)
Here are some questions one might explore as indicators of the influence of Christianity in general upon and in our culture.
Poll elementary aged students, or college students or adults, regarding the following:
Which holiday is the most important: Christmas, Easter or Halloween or 'other'?
(Christian answer: Easter)
Which holiday do you enjoy the most: Christmas, Easter or Halloween or 'other'?
(Easter)
Who were our first parents?
(Adam and Eve, made directly by God.)
Where did sin come from?
(Adam disobedience)
If someone doesn't work what should they eat?
(Nothing)
If one has family members in need who should take care of them?
(The family, then a neighbor)
To whom is one accountable?
(God: our Creator and Judge)
Who is Jesus Christ?
(The eternal Son of God come in flesh.)
Of what importance is Christ's death on the cross?
(It fulfills prophecy in the manner he died and also in that he appeased God's wrath by dying for God's people and then credited these people with his own obedience. God would be approached through the death of His Son, and only this way.)
Why is Easter so important?
(Without the physical resurrection of Christ all other points of Christian faith are null and void.)
Do you plan to retire, and if so, how do you envision yourself during these years?
(I would desire to always serve God, rather than to just seek my own pleasure, even when I start to get old and slow down.)
While such Christianity has not disappeared from America it is becoming less known. There is a pseudo Christianity claiming great tolerance in the name of love for other 'belief systems', life styles and anything that is not absolute. This willingness to grant validity to both the high road and the low road is actually a display of great hatred against the one way that God has provided.
Our culture is showing specific hatred against the God-who-is as it adopts other policies than ones based upon his revelation. Why work? Why do our work in a certain manner? What motivates our work? What shapes our policies respect non-workers? Who supports them and why? Is the Bible the authority our lawmakers turn to for light respecting the issues before them?
Even many Christians do not think about work as a service unto God, it is just something we have to do to support ourselves so that we can have fun at other times. The God of Christianity places demands for absolute serve, along with demands for absolute contentment and trust, upon each of us for He is our Creator and our Judge.
Americans would be pleased to find another god(s) who will serve us.
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17 ESV)
My thoughts are that Christianity is being thrown out of our culture and thus various aspects of Christianity, such as its work ethic, are being thrown out as well, though perhaps all are not being discarded evenly.
How would one define a Christian work ethic? First one must define what would be Christian (Christianity) in general. While there are many out there who make some claims on defining these terms the Bible, in 1 John, gives us several parameters. The first item is a belief and confession that Jesus is the Son of God come in the flesh. This includes his pre-existence, his conception, his teaching and miracles, his death on the cross, his burial and his resurrection, concluding with the understanding that he is now ruling the universe until he should return again as judge of all mankind. This is the hope of the believer, every part of it. The believer believes that Christ is the only way and the only hope of any one ever approaching and being accepted by God. Christ is what each individual needs to stand approved before God.
Holiness or obedience is the second aspect. God is described in 1 John as light. Since he is light we have fellowship with him only if we are also walking in the light. Further, if one is claiming to know God yet is not walking in the light he is a liar and does not know God. This is a bit complicated because no believer is ever perfectly obedient. So what is looked for is: 1) the power of sin has been broken in a person's life. He or she is no longer a slave to sin. And 2) the power of God is seen in a person's life in producing real and true obedience to God's Word.
Both of the above elements are essential. It is true that some might do deeds that appear to be obedient to the Bible. Yet if these deeds are not done accompanied by the confession in Christ, than one is not a believer, not a Christian. Part of the reason for this is that even our obedience is tainted with sin. Our confession is that Christ is what we need to be pleasing to God.
A third point that is mentioned in 1 John is that of loving other believers. This is far deeper than a person having a Christian for a neighbor and being neighborly to this Christian. Believers' love for each other is to be like that of Christ's love for his people. Needs of fellow believers are to be put ahead of one's own interests and desires. If this is not seen in one's life than John declares that one does not love God. Here again no believer will love perfectly as Christ loves his people, yet nevertheless, love for fellow believers will be in the true believers life.
Therefore, we must conclude that many people who claim an interest in Christianity are probably lacking because they are falling short in one or more of these areas. There are some, however, who do stand as true believers. None of these people will have a work ethic that is perfectly Christian, but there should be some effort on the part of the believer to think about this issue of work and then to apply Biblical teaching to the work place.
God himself is our first example of one doing work. (See Genesis 2:2,3 as well as 5 and 15) God worked over a period of six days to create everything that is-not-God. He is seen as working efficiently, consistently and well because in the end he was pleased with it. God expected man, as a being in his own likeness, to be a worker. The above verses mentioned this work. One should note that this work was spoken of before sin had any mark upon man or the world. After the entry of sin than work is seen as being necessary and also encumbered with much hardship.
The New Testament teaching regarding slaves serving their masters has a great deal of input for our topic. I will summarize.
Work first and foremost to please God.
Complaining in not to accompany work, and neither is sloth.
Honesty is of great importance, including the use of one's time, for all that is done casts a reflection on the God we claim to serve.
One is to seek the betterment of his employer.
Work is not solely for one's own profit. Support of oneself and family is good, but work is to be done so as to share one's own income and profit with those in need. (I would point out that this is a far different scenario than one in which the government taxes income and funnels it into a government run, or even private run, charity.)
Here are some questions one might explore as indicators of the influence of Christianity in general upon and in our culture.
Poll elementary aged students, or college students or adults, regarding the following:
Which holiday is the most important: Christmas, Easter or Halloween or 'other'?
(Christian answer: Easter)
Which holiday do you enjoy the most: Christmas, Easter or Halloween or 'other'?
(Easter)
Who were our first parents?
(Adam and Eve, made directly by God.)
Where did sin come from?
(Adam disobedience)
If someone doesn't work what should they eat?
(Nothing)
If one has family members in need who should take care of them?
(The family, then a neighbor)
To whom is one accountable?
(God: our Creator and Judge)
Who is Jesus Christ?
(The eternal Son of God come in flesh.)
Of what importance is Christ's death on the cross?
(It fulfills prophecy in the manner he died and also in that he appeased God's wrath by dying for God's people and then credited these people with his own obedience. God would be approached through the death of His Son, and only this way.)
Why is Easter so important?
(Without the physical resurrection of Christ all other points of Christian faith are null and void.)
Do you plan to retire, and if so, how do you envision yourself during these years?
(I would desire to always serve God, rather than to just seek my own pleasure, even when I start to get old and slow down.)
While such Christianity has not disappeared from America it is becoming less known. There is a pseudo Christianity claiming great tolerance in the name of love for other 'belief systems', life styles and anything that is not absolute. This willingness to grant validity to both the high road and the low road is actually a display of great hatred against the one way that God has provided.
Our culture is showing specific hatred against the God-who-is as it adopts other policies than ones based upon his revelation. Why work? Why do our work in a certain manner? What motivates our work? What shapes our policies respect non-workers? Who supports them and why? Is the Bible the authority our lawmakers turn to for light respecting the issues before them?
Even many Christians do not think about work as a service unto God, it is just something we have to do to support ourselves so that we can have fun at other times. The God of Christianity places demands for absolute serve, along with demands for absolute contentment and trust, upon each of us for He is our Creator and our Judge.
Americans would be pleased to find another god(s) who will serve us.
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17 ESV)
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Luck: or reasons for a pessimistic view of life.
Knock on wood! A saying that goes back in time to … perhaps a game or other expressions of safety, or, luck or in some case, bad luck? I am currently reading How the Irish Saved Civilization: the untold story of Ireland's heroic Role from the fall of Rome to the rise of medieval Europe, by Thomas Cahill. In this account pessimism seems to be the overwhelming world view of the early Irish: if something could go wrong, it would. At every cross road, literally and figuratively there were spirits and other beings waiting to snare them. The forces of bad luck and failure were so stacked against them that they had no hope of success. This did have it's positive side: one would not have to face disappointment because he knew all along that he would not do well in any given endeavor.
On the other hand with the arrival of the Gospel through St. Patrick the believing community seems to have changed their tune. Nature was still very animated, but now with smiling angels who might prevail over the forces of evil. One's fate was not so wrapped up in the capriciousness of which ever spirit was near by; no, now the will and the power of God permeated all.
What attitude to do we, the people of God, have regarding luck? What do we do to ward off 'bad luck”? Whom, or what, do we credit for not having bad luck in the past?
The God of the Bible makes some grand claims regarding his ability to do good to his people. Think of “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 ESV) If this is true than what sort of person ought I (you) to be? How quickly should I label something as “bad luck”, or should I not use the phrase at all? God has told his people that “all things work together for good” so I must understand this to mean both the circumstance that I might be inclined to call “bad”, i.e. experience hurts, pain, sorrows and tears, as well as the circumstance in which I would rejoice. Since God is controlling all events than I must rejoice in Him in all things.
I'll close with the words of Joseph: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Gen 50:20 ESV)
Knock on wood! A saying that goes back in time to … perhaps a game or other expressions of safety, or, luck or in some case, bad luck? I am currently reading How the Irish Saved Civilization: the untold story of Ireland's heroic Role from the fall of Rome to the rise of medieval Europe, by Thomas Cahill. In this account pessimism seems to be the overwhelming world view of the early Irish: if something could go wrong, it would. At every cross road, literally and figuratively there were spirits and other beings waiting to snare them. The forces of bad luck and failure were so stacked against them that they had no hope of success. This did have it's positive side: one would not have to face disappointment because he knew all along that he would not do well in any given endeavor.
On the other hand with the arrival of the Gospel through St. Patrick the believing community seems to have changed their tune. Nature was still very animated, but now with smiling angels who might prevail over the forces of evil. One's fate was not so wrapped up in the capriciousness of which ever spirit was near by; no, now the will and the power of God permeated all.
What attitude to do we, the people of God, have regarding luck? What do we do to ward off 'bad luck”? Whom, or what, do we credit for not having bad luck in the past?
The God of the Bible makes some grand claims regarding his ability to do good to his people. Think of “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 ESV) If this is true than what sort of person ought I (you) to be? How quickly should I label something as “bad luck”, or should I not use the phrase at all? God has told his people that “all things work together for good” so I must understand this to mean both the circumstance that I might be inclined to call “bad”, i.e. experience hurts, pain, sorrows and tears, as well as the circumstance in which I would rejoice. Since God is controlling all events than I must rejoice in Him in all things.
I'll close with the words of Joseph: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Gen 50:20 ESV)
Friday, July 24, 2009
Priorities
The following comes from Table Talks, July 9, 2009.
Feeding the Lord's people a steady diet of truth through the faithful proclamation of His Word is the pastor's chief job. All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for the Christian's spiritual health (2 Tim. 3:14-17), and so the pastor is to make sure his flock learns to hear the Word rightly and apply it practically. This involves the public reading of Scripture in worship as well as exhortation (1 Tim. 4:13), which is the process of explaining the sense of the text and drawing practical applications for the people. Customarily, this is done through the preaching of expository sermons, a practice with a biblical precedent (Neh. 8:8). Finally, pastors are to engage in teaching how the diverse portions of Scripture fit together into one stream of unified doctrine (1 Tim 4:13).
We will be headed for disaster if we ever think biblical teaching is insufficient for our sanctification. Let us never tire of the meat of God's Word, and let our pastors never think that they are able to plumb fully the depths of the Scriptures. John Chrysostom says, “It is not possible … ever to exhaust the mind of the Scriptures. It is a well which has no bottom.” (ACCNT, vol. 9, p. 193).
Without even knowing it, our expectations can be part of the problem in the church's lack of focus on teaching in our day. When we choose churches based simply on their youth activities or the style of music, we are implicitly saying that the quality of our teaching and the faithfulness of the pastor to biblical preaching are not all that important. Whatever we expect of our preacher, let us expect him first of all to feed us the Word of God.
The following comes from Table Talks, July 9, 2009.
Feeding the Lord's people a steady diet of truth through the faithful proclamation of His Word is the pastor's chief job. All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for the Christian's spiritual health (2 Tim. 3:14-17), and so the pastor is to make sure his flock learns to hear the Word rightly and apply it practically. This involves the public reading of Scripture in worship as well as exhortation (1 Tim. 4:13), which is the process of explaining the sense of the text and drawing practical applications for the people. Customarily, this is done through the preaching of expository sermons, a practice with a biblical precedent (Neh. 8:8). Finally, pastors are to engage in teaching how the diverse portions of Scripture fit together into one stream of unified doctrine (1 Tim 4:13).
We will be headed for disaster if we ever think biblical teaching is insufficient for our sanctification. Let us never tire of the meat of God's Word, and let our pastors never think that they are able to plumb fully the depths of the Scriptures. John Chrysostom says, “It is not possible … ever to exhaust the mind of the Scriptures. It is a well which has no bottom.” (ACCNT, vol. 9, p. 193).
Without even knowing it, our expectations can be part of the problem in the church's lack of focus on teaching in our day. When we choose churches based simply on their youth activities or the style of music, we are implicitly saying that the quality of our teaching and the faithfulness of the pastor to biblical preaching are not all that important. Whatever we expect of our preacher, let us expect him first of all to feed us the Word of God.
Monday, July 06, 2009
On trucks and such things.
April ended quietly. The lack of truck traffic spoke volumes in silence from late April until just a week or so ago.
Yes, trucks are noisy! Even the tire noise from a truck just cruising through Princeton is easily distinguished from that made by cars and light truck. To some extent start up noises, the sounds of a driver checking various components, empty rigs passing over bumps, engines under a load, of drivers moving up through the gears and, of course, Jake Brakes - all pollute our town with noise. Distracting noise!
Yet there is a sense of relief and gladness now that these sounds once again are heard. Though one might not like the noises, these sound symbolizes work/employment; the very life blood of this region.
Yes, there are many occupations that we don't necessarily hate, we just don't want them to be around us. Also, how many couples do not have children simply because children are a 'nuisance'? They make noise, spill things, require attention and time. Therefore, often a house without them is quieter, cleaner and perhaps more peaceful than one with one or more running around. Yet does not God refer to children as a blessing which he bestows?
We enjoy peace and quiet, clean smells and an idyllic setting. Yet God calls mankind to be productive, and often, in this present age, being productive involves a certain amount of messiness.
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. (Pro 14:4 ESV)
April ended quietly. The lack of truck traffic spoke volumes in silence from late April until just a week or so ago.
Yes, trucks are noisy! Even the tire noise from a truck just cruising through Princeton is easily distinguished from that made by cars and light truck. To some extent start up noises, the sounds of a driver checking various components, empty rigs passing over bumps, engines under a load, of drivers moving up through the gears and, of course, Jake Brakes - all pollute our town with noise. Distracting noise!
Yet there is a sense of relief and gladness now that these sounds once again are heard. Though one might not like the noises, these sound symbolizes work/employment; the very life blood of this region.
Yes, there are many occupations that we don't necessarily hate, we just don't want them to be around us. Also, how many couples do not have children simply because children are a 'nuisance'? They make noise, spill things, require attention and time. Therefore, often a house without them is quieter, cleaner and perhaps more peaceful than one with one or more running around. Yet does not God refer to children as a blessing which he bestows?
We enjoy peace and quiet, clean smells and an idyllic setting. Yet God calls mankind to be productive, and often, in this present age, being productive involves a certain amount of messiness.
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. (Pro 14:4 ESV)
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Do unto the least of these.
This is a reflection of a recent situation which God placed before us. At this point I can not say if we did well or not, but I thought some reflection might be helpful.
Briefly, during the first week of May this year two of the men in our church, along with about 300 others, lost their job due to a mill closing. I had not inquired as to the financial security of these men and their families. But let me ask, “What did I assume?” And, “How did I respond to this assumption?”
Time went by. Was I growing more concerned in my prayers? And did I do anything to provide comfort or relief to these families? Or did I even remember or care?
We praise the Lord that both men are working again in preparation of the mill once again coming back on line next week.
Did we learn anything? Would we respond the same way again? Or, slower? Or, sooner?
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."" (Joh 13:34-35 ESV)
"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" (1Jo 3:17 ESV)
Are my eyes any keener to perceive needs that a brother might have?
This is a reflection of a recent situation which God placed before us. At this point I can not say if we did well or not, but I thought some reflection might be helpful.
Briefly, during the first week of May this year two of the men in our church, along with about 300 others, lost their job due to a mill closing. I had not inquired as to the financial security of these men and their families. But let me ask, “What did I assume?” And, “How did I respond to this assumption?”
Time went by. Was I growing more concerned in my prayers? And did I do anything to provide comfort or relief to these families? Or did I even remember or care?
We praise the Lord that both men are working again in preparation of the mill once again coming back on line next week.
Did we learn anything? Would we respond the same way again? Or, slower? Or, sooner?
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."" (Joh 13:34-35 ESV)
"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" (1Jo 3:17 ESV)
Are my eyes any keener to perceive needs that a brother might have?
Friday, May 29, 2009
Life goes on.
Pastoring a small church in a small town is not the most 'exciting' job in the world. Funerals are even few and far between, as are weddings, births of new babies (though one is in development) and major crisis that get the pastor out of bed during the middle of the night are mainly limited to his mother-in-law thinking that it is time to get up, a bit early.
There is a sense of predictable-ness, settled-ness, that to some, I am sure, would led them to find a church where more was going on, yet on the other hand, this could be a great attraction for others. Yes, I like it here. However, ministering in small churches in small towns may not lack excitement if one may see the hand of God at work.
I have been here a little over a year now. Time has allowed me to see who I am ministering to and with, but do we know each other well? We are working on it. This is a long term, God willing, assignment.
What is really exciting is to see God changing lives, mine and others and, corporeally, the whole body together, into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. How does one know that this is happening? The halos of the saints shine brighter as they become holier, haven't you noticed? Well, it is not that easy. Interest in and participation in the life of a church does not make one a saint, yet these may be encouraging signs. Comments made of understanding the Bible better may warm a pastor's heart. Testimonies of reading the Scriptures and applying them to one's life are encouraging. Seeing evidences of love for one another, or, hearing of a saint taking a stand for the Lord, are other bits of evidence.
Perhaps none of these things are, of themselves, a clear, convincing, sign of God working, but as they accumulate over the years they make a pastor's heart and soul glad. (Phi 4:1 ESV) "Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved."
Pastoring a small church in a small town is not the most 'exciting' job in the world. Funerals are even few and far between, as are weddings, births of new babies (though one is in development) and major crisis that get the pastor out of bed during the middle of the night are mainly limited to his mother-in-law thinking that it is time to get up, a bit early.
There is a sense of predictable-ness, settled-ness, that to some, I am sure, would led them to find a church where more was going on, yet on the other hand, this could be a great attraction for others. Yes, I like it here. However, ministering in small churches in small towns may not lack excitement if one may see the hand of God at work.
I have been here a little over a year now. Time has allowed me to see who I am ministering to and with, but do we know each other well? We are working on it. This is a long term, God willing, assignment.
What is really exciting is to see God changing lives, mine and others and, corporeally, the whole body together, into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. How does one know that this is happening? The halos of the saints shine brighter as they become holier, haven't you noticed? Well, it is not that easy. Interest in and participation in the life of a church does not make one a saint, yet these may be encouraging signs. Comments made of understanding the Bible better may warm a pastor's heart. Testimonies of reading the Scriptures and applying them to one's life are encouraging. Seeing evidences of love for one another, or, hearing of a saint taking a stand for the Lord, are other bits of evidence.
Perhaps none of these things are, of themselves, a clear, convincing, sign of God working, but as they accumulate over the years they make a pastor's heart and soul glad. (Phi 4:1 ESV) "Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved."
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Blame?
May we, the Christian community, lay all of the blame regarding Maine's legalization of homosexual marriage on to the secular community, or is there also room for us to shoulder some of the responsibility for this change as well?
I suggest that in two areas the Church has failed. First, we have often abandoned the political arena as being too secular; while on our part we continue to expect these secular politicians to behave as believers. They will pursue a secular agenda just as a believer ought to pursue an agenda based upon a Christian worldview.
The second area is within marriage itself.
Here, I believe, we have fallen short in two areas. The first, often our own marriages are not examples of what God has commanded. Christians have affairs, suffer unfaithfulness and divorce; we do have hard hearts.
Secondly, a huge component of marriage is, by God's will, children. Sadly, the Christian community has followed the world's thinking by regarding children as an expense and burden, so we have only our 1.6 or so children. Some of these children do not believe, some are religious but live as practical atheists, while a portion, but not a large enough portion to sustain a Christian culture, believes and follows the Lord.
Therefore, we have conceded to the world the political arena through our deliberate failure to have children – contrary to God's command to be fruitful and multiply. Further, we have the audacity to be upset with the world.
Other factors are involved in the process which led to this, certainly, and ultimately, God is the one who sits upon the throne, controlling not only individual hearts but the political arena as well.
May marriage be once again defined as the union of a man and a woman? Maybe, but we will continue to lose the war by our own laxness in these two areas. The Church must dig its roots deeper into the Word while raising up political leaders. Our marriages must shine brightly, not just with love, but, with the man reflecting Christ's love for his bride and the woman portraying the Church's submission to her head. While with God's blessing lots of children ought to be welcomed into our families.
May we, the Christian community, lay all of the blame regarding Maine's legalization of homosexual marriage on to the secular community, or is there also room for us to shoulder some of the responsibility for this change as well?
I suggest that in two areas the Church has failed. First, we have often abandoned the political arena as being too secular; while on our part we continue to expect these secular politicians to behave as believers. They will pursue a secular agenda just as a believer ought to pursue an agenda based upon a Christian worldview.
The second area is within marriage itself.
Here, I believe, we have fallen short in two areas. The first, often our own marriages are not examples of what God has commanded. Christians have affairs, suffer unfaithfulness and divorce; we do have hard hearts.
Secondly, a huge component of marriage is, by God's will, children. Sadly, the Christian community has followed the world's thinking by regarding children as an expense and burden, so we have only our 1.6 or so children. Some of these children do not believe, some are religious but live as practical atheists, while a portion, but not a large enough portion to sustain a Christian culture, believes and follows the Lord.
Therefore, we have conceded to the world the political arena through our deliberate failure to have children – contrary to God's command to be fruitful and multiply. Further, we have the audacity to be upset with the world.
Other factors are involved in the process which led to this, certainly, and ultimately, God is the one who sits upon the throne, controlling not only individual hearts but the political arena as well.
May marriage be once again defined as the union of a man and a woman? Maybe, but we will continue to lose the war by our own laxness in these two areas. The Church must dig its roots deeper into the Word while raising up political leaders. Our marriages must shine brightly, not just with love, but, with the man reflecting Christ's love for his bride and the woman portraying the Church's submission to her head. While with God's blessing lots of children ought to be welcomed into our families.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Today marks another demonstration of the changing theological mindset of Mainers. There is a public hearing in Augusta on a bill which would legalize homosexual marriage. Once proposing such a bill would have been unthinkable. Across all of New England there has been a memory lose of our Christian roots. Many rejoice over this. Psalm 2 accurately portrays our present day's culture as “raging” against God, this is accompanied with an endeavor to throw off the fetters (God's law) that binds us. God is said to laugh at our attempts to be rid of him. He may laugh because He has installed His own Son as King, giving to him all the nations of the earth.
One day the Son will smash, as an iron rod would smash a clay vessel, all who rebel against God. In the meanwhile, an invitation is issued to the kings of the earth, to kiss the Son, to humble themselves under his rule, before the time of mercy is over and it is too late.
Unless God is pleased to change the thinking of a lot of people I believe that one day our state will adopt such sinfulness. The Scriptures tell us plainly in Romans 1 that homosexuality is one of the signs that shows that God has given a people over to their own desires, that God has abandoned us. While this might sound like we are getting exactly what we want, there is a price to pay: eternal condemnation away from any and all of the blessings of God. There will be no joy.
Romans 1 ends with this statement: (Rom 1:32 ESV) "Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” So today as well, we have a number people who, while they do not practice homosexual behavior, seem to be very eager to give approval to what God has declared to be an abomination.
If our region is running rapidly away from any memory of its Christian roots what will take the place of Christianity in defining who we are individually and collectively. Will the Maine legislature state definitively that we no longer stand upon a Christian foundation? Will they state what we do now stand upon? Will one theology/worldview fill the vacuum or will we all do what is right in our own eyes?
The question is not limited to: “What will we wisely adopt as our defining statement?” It is also: “To what will God give us over?” Further, will we be able to live with consistency within this new and better world?
(Heb 10:31 ESV) "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
One day the Son will smash, as an iron rod would smash a clay vessel, all who rebel against God. In the meanwhile, an invitation is issued to the kings of the earth, to kiss the Son, to humble themselves under his rule, before the time of mercy is over and it is too late.
Unless God is pleased to change the thinking of a lot of people I believe that one day our state will adopt such sinfulness. The Scriptures tell us plainly in Romans 1 that homosexuality is one of the signs that shows that God has given a people over to their own desires, that God has abandoned us. While this might sound like we are getting exactly what we want, there is a price to pay: eternal condemnation away from any and all of the blessings of God. There will be no joy.
Romans 1 ends with this statement: (Rom 1:32 ESV) "Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” So today as well, we have a number people who, while they do not practice homosexual behavior, seem to be very eager to give approval to what God has declared to be an abomination.
If our region is running rapidly away from any memory of its Christian roots what will take the place of Christianity in defining who we are individually and collectively. Will the Maine legislature state definitively that we no longer stand upon a Christian foundation? Will they state what we do now stand upon? Will one theology/worldview fill the vacuum or will we all do what is right in our own eyes?
The question is not limited to: “What will we wisely adopt as our defining statement?” It is also: “To what will God give us over?” Further, will we be able to live with consistency within this new and better world?
(Heb 10:31 ESV) "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)