Thursday, December 30, 2004

He had everything going for Him...

This means He is God, and always was God. He had all the power, prestige, happiness, worship, authority, true pleasure, etc. that He would ever need, not “Ladies, Booze, Cash, Cars” as Anonymous just wrote. If indeed it is possible for the Son of God to be even more glorified by doing the will of the Father, then this is exactly what occurred when Jesus came and lived and suffered and died and rose again and ascended. If you are an unbeliever, you might not understand this yet.

“But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.” (1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB) Whoever you are, I understand your being confused about my wording. May God bless you.

Wednesday, December 29, 2004

The Stars

“The skies look so cluttered,”

To myself I muttered

One star-spangled night.

“They’re so close together

In this kind of weather;

My, my, what a sight!”

 

But wouldn’t you know,

If you were to go

From one star to another,

In all of your days,

There’s way too much space

To traverse, so why bother?

Tuesday, December 28, 2004

Happy New Year

As we make our resolutions this New Year, let’s resolve to listen to God and obey Him, even if we don’t understand why. Happy 2005, one and all!

Thursday, December 23, 2004

Merry Christmas!

Most people don’t know all the symbols of Christmas that point to Christ himself as the Reason why this culture of ours celebrates the holiday. Take for example the holly, as described in “The Holly and the Ivy,” or the ever-popular Candy Cane we all love so much at Christmas. You can read the story about its symbolism at this site. Or take the word “Xmas”, the abreviation of “Christmas.” I’ve heard many well-meaning Christians say that Xmas is a bold attempt to X the name of Christ out of the name of Christmas. But in their ingorance of Greek they misunderstand. You see, the Greek letter Chi (Χ), which lookes like X, is the first letter of Χριστος, the Greek word for Christ, Jesus’ title, which means the same as the Hebrew title “Messiah”, meaning “anointed.” Merry “Χmas”!

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

God is Light

The thing which we have heard from old,

And seen, and held in hand,

Of that sure Word of Life foretold

That evermore shall stand:

That Word declare we unto you,

And manifest it be;

So with the Godhead we commune

Together joyfully.


The message is that God is Light;

In Him no darkness dwells.

If we are walking in His sight,

He shades of night dispels.

So if in darkness we are yet,

The truth we do not tell

To say the Father we have met

And in the Son do dwell.


The blood of Jesus Christ the Son

All sin will cleanse away,

As we’ve been promised, everyone,

When to the Lord we pray;

And saying not, “We have no sin,”

Ourselves thus to deceive,

But telling all our fault to Him,

To trust Him and believe.


Based on I John ch. 1

Monday, December 13, 2004

God is good.

A friend of mine in Lynchburg called me up this past Friday. Seems the restaurant he works at is really busy on weekends, so I got to work there in the kitchen, washing dishes, prep’ing food, just general all-round helping out on an informal sort of basis. But I did such I good job that they want me to do the same next weekend. This could end up being a regular thing—and if I do well at this, perhaps it’ll be easier to get other employment later on.

Sunday, December 12, 2004

Why did Jesus come?

When you think about all the things Jesus has done for God and mankind and sinners in particular, one question can be asked: Why? He had everything going for Him up there in Heaven. What is the reason or purpose for His coming to earth?

There are many that you could list, but the one reason that encompasses them all is this: He came because it was the will of His Father. People spend time these days trying to find out God’s will so that they can decide whether or not to do it. Jesus asked no questions; He simply obeyed. How are we doing with obedience these days? Hmmm?

Wednesday, December 01, 2004

A note of encouragement.

♬Burdens are lifted at Calvary, Jesus is very near.♬

Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Cross-Eyed Bear?

I’m appalled! I was on Google today trying to find the lyrics to “Gladly the Cross I’d Bear” and you know what I found? Google results were absolutely cluttered with sites on “mondegreens,” “homonyms,” “malapropisms,” and “misheard lyrics,” all of them saying how that one line in the hymn was heard to say, “Gladly, the Cross-Eyed Bear.”

Have we all gone mad? Is there not even one serious lyrics site that has posted the words to this hymn? I certainly couldn’t find any.

Monday, November 29, 2004

God Created the World

And so He has the right to govern it. And when He says that it took six days, it took six days. I’ll be happy to discuss this with anyone.

Saturday, November 27, 2004

How was your Thanksgiving?

Compared to most people’s Thanksgiving celebrations, ours was kind of scant this year. This year was a lean year for my family, but we could still thank the Lord for what we had, home and family, and basic needs supplied, and a good God who takes care of us. How about you? Are you thanking the Lord for what you have, not complaining about the lack of something you want?

Monday, November 22, 2004

Dirty

The title refers to a feeling a typical person gets after having done something physical that they never meant to do. Sometimes it’s another’s fault; but often the action is voluntary. The words “guilt,” “dirty,” “shame,” and sometimes “violated,” are some of the words used most commonly to describe this type of feeling. Without wanting to step on anyone’s toes here, let me share my personal opinion: guilt and shame are not societally determined. They are an intrinsic function of every person’s conscience.

I may have just offended more than a few of you out there, but just think about it a second, OK? All societies, even the most wicked ones, have norms and taboos. This implies that it is natural to feel “wrong” about certain behavior, and though the norms differ from society to society, the feeling is quite consistent across cultural barriers.

Please don’t take me for a judgmental, self-righteous jerk. I’m not condemning anyone. I’m simply trying to explain that God made us wired to feel guilty. The fact that we were born in sin is not our own fault, but that’s why Jesus came, to die in our place as a “sacrificial lamb” and be raised to life again so that we could be forgiven.

What you do with this information is your own choice. I love you all.

Sunday, November 21, 2004

The Fruit of the Spirit

 

  • From the Spirit comes love.
  • From love comes joy.
  • From joy comes contentment.
  • From contentment comes kindness.
  • From kindness comes generosity.
  • From generosity comes loyalty.
  • From loyalty comes deference.
  • From deference comes restraint.

(Paraphase of Galatians 5:22,23)

Saturday, November 20, 2004

You’re in God’s hands.

Whatever you need, God will supply it. Whatever you have trouble with, either He will fix it, or He will use it to conform you to His image. This Thanksgiving, try thanking the Lord that you’re in His hands. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday, November 18, 2004

I need character in my life.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is... longsuffering, gentleness,... faith, meekness, temperence...” (Ephesians 5:22,23)

God is convicting me lately about areas of my own character that I must improve: patience, kindness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control, just to name the really big ones. In the past I have been impatient, rude, selfish, proud, and quick to anger. My prayer as Thanksgiving approaches is that God will give me gratefulness towards others, as well as graciousness and deference to their wishes.

Monday, November 15, 2004

I’ve made a decision.

I’ve decided not to let what has happened in the past hurt me in the future. I’ll just trust God and continue to cultivate godliness and character in my own life, and I’ll stop worrying about myself. God will supply what I need, and in the mean time, ♬He’s still working on me, to make me what I oughta be...♬

Saturday, November 13, 2004

A thought on Eternity

It’s not what we do in Jesus’ name, but what we do for Jesus, that matters. It’s not how well we’re received, but how we give, that matters. It’s not the things we do for ourselves, but the things we do for others, that matter. Don’t live for the moment; invest in eternity.

Monday, November 08, 2004

Not incorrect, just wrong.

I’m so sorry. I guess I just have to say what’s on my mind, and one day that could get me into deep trouble. Most of my friends have deeply held views on issues, and I do, too; the problem is my views and theirs don’t agree. Now I know why I have the viewpoints that I do. But there’s a very fine line between persuasion and coercion, and I have crossed that line many times in the eyes of those whose opinion I seek to redirect. Jesus would have loved the sinners and judged the religious zealots. Please forgive me for getting it backwards.

εγω αγαπω υμας.

Wednesday, November 03, 2004

The pundits were wrong.

They said that no one has ever come back from being behind 3 games to none in the Major Leagues. Then the Red Sox showed it could be done. Then they said they couldn’t win against New York, because they never had since Babe Ruth was sold to the Yankees. Wrong again. Then they said that in every World Series since the curse when they were up against the Cardinals, they lost in game 7. Well, they not only didn’t lose, but there was no game 7!

Said all that to say this: the conventional wisdom is that, every home game right before a Presidential election, if the Redskins lost, the incumbent party was always defeated. George W. Bush has made history by breaking this pattern. Late last night, Ohio was called for the President. He not only won Ohio, but Nevada as well, putting him over the top. At the end of the day, when all the votes are in, he may have gotten 285 or more Electoral votes! He has also won the popular vote by a decisive margin.

So much for sport politics!

Update: With all the votes counted, the President has New Mexico and Iowa, for 286 Electoral votes!

Monday, November 01, 2004

Tomorrow is Election Day

If you are registered to vote, you have a moral obligation to do so. I agree with Jerry Falwell: every Christian who’s registered should vote, and if every Bible-believer voted, we’d have good men and women in office. It’s a sin not to vote.

Sunday, October 31, 2004

How about those Packers?

You know what I think about the outcome of today’s game between the Washington Redskins and the Green Bay Packers? Hm... Does it have any bearing on the election? “Eh... budeep, budeep, budeep, Poppycock!” The outcome of Tuesday’s election is still in the hands of you, the voter. If you’re registered to vote, there’s no excuse for not voting! Not even the Redskins’ loss! If you don’t vote and Kerry wins, you have only yourself to blame! Don’t let this game have a chilling effect on your plans to vote, even if you must take time off of work. This is the most important election in recent memory, and the outcome hasn’t been determined yet. Hey—the Red Sox won the World Series and no one expected that to happen, did they? So remember: God, not game results, is in control. Obey Him. And get out and vote. Besides, a bad call by a ref may have been what cost Washington the game. So vote. Vote for Bush. May the best man win.

Thursday, October 28, 2004

Curse? What Curse?

Three words about the Red Sox: “Four... game... sweep.” Need I say more? OK, “Final... game... shutout.” ’Nough said.

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.

Now, I take my faith very seriously. I maintain that the principles I believe in are timeless and apply to all people everywhere, not just myself. So I beg to differ with someone who says, “My religion is my own business. And yours is up to you to decide. After all, truth for me may not be truth for you. Who am I to judge you, as long as you’re sincere in your beliefs and practices?”

Actually, it does matter what you believe, even if you are sincere. And truth is true whether it’s believed or not. God is real, whether His presence is felt or not. And Heaven and Hell are real, not because we think they exist, but because God has said that they do. Belief of the truth has consequences, and so does the failure to believe. Jesus did not come to preach tolerence and an end to social ills; He came to give His life for our sins, and then to take His life back again. The world can be changed only through belief in the truth of the gospel, and that is why Jesus called us the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

Monday, October 25, 2004

Is Marriage Worth it?

You’re probably thinking, “He probably thinks that it would have been better if he’d stayed single. He’s gonna say that marriage is not for the faint of heart.” Well, while marriage may not be for everyone, still I would recommend it to anyone. Even with the problems that plague certain marriages, it’s still 100% better than being alone, in my opinion. Just make sure your values are in order first—if you’re doing this for your own benefit, forget it, but if you’re doing it for the other’s, then you’ve already laid a solid foundation.

Of course for those of you who entered into marriage to salve your consience, to right a wrong, or because you were lonely or wanted to be loved, it’s not too late to confess your selfish motives to God and begin to truly give to the other person from the heart. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that divorce is better. It just isn’t so.

Friday, October 22, 2004

Will you be voting?

You should, because there’s a lot of family issues at stake. Consider the candidates: the President supports a constitutional amendment that, once and for all, defines marriage as being between a man and a woman. John Kerry does not. Why is this significant? Because there is a push in several states, in the courts of all places, to force the recognition of “same-sex marriage,” which is really not marriage at all. John Kerry does not believe in same-sex marriage, but yet he will do nothing, if elected, to interfere with it or stop it. Bush will continue to champion traditional Christian family values, including Biblical marriage. All of you who agree with him should be at the polls on November 2nd voting for a second term in office. It’s your priviledge; it’s your right; it’s your civic duty.

Thursday, October 21, 2004

So, how about those Red Sox?

If you’ve been following the American League Championship Series, you know that the Boston Red Sox are now headed to the World Series. This they did by first losing 3 games straight to the New York Yankees. Tough team they are, and perhaps now the “curse” is broken. Maybe they’ll go all the way to win the World Series, too! Hey, if there’s hope for the Boston Red Sox, there’s certainly hope for a lot of struggling or dead marriages! heh, heh.

But seriously, the Yankees were getting too big for their own good. Curse or no curse, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6 b; cf. 1 Peter 5:5 b, Proverbs 3:34).

Wednesday, October 20, 2004

Effects of Modernist Doctrine on Marriage

There is in some circles today a creeping mistrust for the Holy Scriptures. “Oh, the Bible is unreliable,” some say. “It’s full of mistakes and internal contradictions. It is simply the opinions of fallible men, written down in another time, long after it was spoken, and possibly in a different language than it was originally spoken in. Besides, even if it could have been trusted for its time, times have changed. How can we expect a book thousands of years old to be relevant to us today? How do we know that the copies we translate from closely match the originals?” etc., etc., etc.

Well, you already know which side I am on. I believe that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant, inspired word of the living God, and we can not only trust its account of history to be correct, we can also trust its timeless principles to govern our lives, and most important, we can trust its gospel over man’s personal opinion of how to reach God. Ok, I’m biased, but I can afford to be; the evidence is in my favor.

But I digress... My point is: your view on the inerrancy of the word affects in turn your yardstick by which you measure truth. Either truth has a source outside of yourself, or it is determined by subjective perception of it, each person having a differing perspective, and though contradictory, equally true as another’s. This latter world view slowly erodes a society by attacking absolute standards. And it is to marriage in particular that I wish to apply it, and show you where it is leading us.

Marriage was instituted by God in the Garden of Eden when He took a rib out of Adam, made Eve, and presented her to Adam (Genesis 2). Several basic principles were established at that time:

  1. Man needs a helper suitable for him.
  2. The only helper suitable for a man is a woman.
  3. Marriage must be a lifelong commitment of one whole person (spirit, soul, body) to only one other whole person.

But by tearing away at the credibility of Scripture, we are eroding the significance of the oldest institution in the history of mankind. Then we start to wonder why marriages and families and homes are falling into ruin, why nearly a quarter of households are cohabitants with children out of wedlock, why about half of those who do decide to marry end up divorcing, why a very large percentage of them should have known better than to live together first, and why an increasing number of couples of the same gender are seeking to “marry”?

Of course this all makes perfect sense to the particular person who makes one of those choices based on his/her own subjective view and reasoning, to his/her own personal advantage, or so he/she supposes. But the soundest way to go is to obey the truth and advice of the timehonored word of God.

Saturday, October 16, 2004

Respect

Respect on both sides is necessary for a good solid bond to form. I’m talking to both husbands and wives here. The wife is to “reverence her husband” (Ephesians 5:33), and the husband is to be “giving honor unto the wife” (1 Peter 3:7). This means respect is given, even if it is unearned. I once had a double standard: when I was married, I thought that my wife owed me her respect, and I demanded it, but I supposed that my respect of her was contingent upon behavior. I was dead wrong.

Listen to your mate, and share honestly, not throwing cheep verbal jabs or bringing up old offenses. Let bygones be bygones, and move forward with respect and praise for your spouse. Guys, you’ll soon find that you love her more than you did when you married her.

Friday, October 15, 2004

Guys, appreciate your wife

Find out what your wife likes, what makes her happy, what makes her feel loved; and then do it. Do a lot of it. Make her feel so loved that she’ll never want to leave you. It may be a kind word, spoken in sincerity. It may be a gift. It may be a thoughtful act on her behalf. It may be personal attention. Or it may be a loving touch. But if you see what makes her light up and light into you, don’t ignore it like I did. What pleased my wife was when I would take the initiative to help tidy up around the house. I was young and foolish at the time, and so I let it pass and did nothing in response; now I’m not so young, and by the Grace of God, maybe not so foolish as I once was.