Entitled To What?

I got some feedback that my posting about the economic state, crime and general malaise in the city where I live, was a little "down" for them (like they needed to be reminded of this).

What I was attempting, albeit not very well, was to express how quickly we are to run to God when times are troubled but, basically, ignore Him when life is well. 

I also talked about it being time for America to bless God and should have made it clear that I was not talking about individual people, but referring to our nation as a whole. There are many people who are striving and giving up themselves for Christ, but as a nation, as a government, as a people, we are turning from God while still expecting Him to give us something. In fact, I have joined up to fast for the President once a month (you can too at Fast for the President)

There has grown in this country a mentality that we are 'owed' or 'entitled' to being blessed. I think of this as having the view of God as a grandpa than as a Father. That when something 'bad' happens it is God's fault, when something 'good' it was because we 'earned it'.

When I was in high school (yes, they had them back then) I had a girlfriend. We had been going 'steady' for two years when she suddenly, unceremoniously, broke off our relationship (and broke my heart). I was broken hearted. We had already planned our lives together and now we were not going to be together.

Well, I blamed God. How could He do this to me?  If He was so loving how could He allow me to be hurt so much? What had I done to Him for Him to do this to me? (the answer was nothing...I had done nothing for God. He was pretty irrelevant in my life and His commandments were a joke to me) OK, I was pretty convoluted at 17 but I saw the world as spinning around me.

One Sunday I had the privilege of teaching to the High School group at church.  The subject was "Giving", so I asked them to tell me what they had "given" to (done for) God that past week - in what way had they honored our Lord?

It was interesting to see the looks on their faces as they pondered this question. As I went around the room to hear their responses, a few honest ones actually said that they had not done a thing. Some answered they did things by what I would call "commission" (I prayed to God) and others by "omission" (I didn't beat up my brother), but mostly I think this was the first time they had looked at their world form God's perspective, and it was eye-opening (at least for some who told me that).

Of course, as usually happens to me when I am teaching, I had to confront this lack of giving to God in my life as well. How often do I fail to see my world through the eyes of our Lord? More often than I would care to admit, how about you?

Tom

nsf 7-20-02

What I Was, What I Am, What I Will Be

It is very difficult to summarize one's life, since people are in a constant state of flux - changing phsycially, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually.

Sunday at Church, there was an ordination ceremony for our associate pastor.  I have never been to one before and it was encouraging to see this young man and his family being committed before the Lord.

When the charge was given to the pastor, the speaker used 2 Timothy as the Scripture to base the charge.  This is Paul's encouraging letter to his protege Timothy.

During the course of the charge, the speaker referred to the meaning of verse 7 - "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." - as Paul looking back and having no regrets about his walk with Christ.

So I started thinking about my past and I have more regrets than I care to list or think about, but I also have the knowledge that I am not the man I was yesterday nor will I be the man I am now, tomorrow.

Recently, I have been under attack by someone whom I hold dear.  They are angry with me about actions done many years ago, some before my salvation, some during the years since. 

When I first tasted salvation, I did not immediately cease being the old man, who was liar and deciever and manipulator of others.  God is growing me in such a way that He is developing my character.  I am less the liar and decieve and manipulator, but only because it is the Lord doing this and not my own effort.

I have been forgiven by God of these sins and can now, because of Christ, kneel in His presence, and strive, through Him, to cease the evil that I too often find myself desiring to do.  I am redeemed but not yet fully sanctified.  I am at war with my sin, my flesh, and, sadly, sometimes it prevails in the battle, though it has failed in the conquest of me.

Unfortunately, this does not absolve me of the fact that I did sin and that I do sin and that I will sin.  This means that I still weep over my failings, how I have hurt others, how I have wronged mostly those whom I love and have loved me, how I have misused the gifts given to me.

I go on sinning not because it is my desire to do so, but because I have not yet given myself fully over to Him!  

This is a tough reality, but it makes sense of what I was, what I am, and what I will be.

God is working at His pace to shape me back into the image He intended when He created me, and He becomes more (and I less) I am humbled that He would even want to work in a scoundrel such as me, that He would call me His child when I have been such a disobedient brat, that He would call me friend when I have been such an enemy of His!

Christians are not void of sin, but we are free from the deciet of sin.  True Christians know what they were, what they are, and what they will be and they know that they are in the hands of God and not their own hands.

In this, I have no regrets - that God has saved me from my self, and my hope is in Him.

Difficult years

This is becoming another difficult year in the city where I live.  

Another major employer just layed off another 250 employees and there are rumors of more lay-offs and business failures.

The city itself is facing some serious budget shortfalls and there is talk of seeking a tax increase.

Over the last few years there has been a rash of gang killings which has sent a chill over even traveling in certain parts of the town. City officals are often quoted or heard in news stories as asking us to pray for the city. There have even been a number of prayer vigils and gatherings of religious leaders.

 

It is a sad commentary that we only seek God to bless us in times of trouble.  Maybe that is one of the answers to the ever asked question of why God allows bad things to happen - perhaps it is because He is sought in the 'bad' times.  

In the stores the red, white & blue is out in a flourish. It seems like every other car has a sticker that says "God Bless America", but America continues to refuse to bless God, to honor Him, to thank Him. Now I am not advocating creating a 'Christian' nation. I am not sure what that would even look like (though I would think heaven would be such a nation, one nation, under God as we bow before His Majesty).  

What I am advocating is that we believers need to recognize that God is more important than patriotism or ideology or philosophy. That our purpose is to give God another conduit to show His glory, and how much more glorious is He, then when a sinner is saved through His blood!

We need to focus less on our 401K and more on how we are to show Him, glorified through us, no matter what the situation.

nfs070203

Accepting Others

¹  We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. ²  Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. ³ For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." ⁴ For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. ⁵ May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, ⁶ that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁷ Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Romans 15:1-7 (ESV)

Romans 15:7 tells us to accept others just as Christ accepted you.

Acceptance can be a tough act to engage in and we need to be clear what acceptance involves.  It used to mean that we can “agree to disagree”, but now the meaning seems to be “ we are both right and I cannot tell you that you are wrong”.

As a Christian, I cannot accept that as the concept. We believe there is only one Truth, and Scripture consistently points this out as true, that the only way to salvation is through Christ and in Christ and because of Christ.

Given that, though, we are also to love each person where they are currently at.  We need to remember that we all have a long way to go to attain the righteousness and glorification of God.  No one is beyond Christ, though not all will come to Christ, but it is not our duty or our role to make that choice.  We are called to be ambassadors.

A few years ago a couple moved into the house next door. They were not married and very young They generally lived a lifestyle far from that one that honors God and God was clearly not important in their lives.

As our new neighbors though, we accepted them where they were. I helped them work some on their house, Jill sent over cookies and food. We fed their dog when they went on vacation. These were small things to show Christ's love for them.

After a few years, they got married, then had a baby, and then another.  We have shared some of their struggles.  For a while they were going to church, but this soon ebbed.

Despite this,  we continue to pray for them and ask God working in their lives.

I have had some opportunities to talk about Christ to them, though nothing deep, and we strive to continue to show them the Lord.

Will this bear fruit?   Will they come to Christ through our efforts?

I cannot answer that, but I know that we are called to continue, to not give up.

Our call is to be faithful to Christ in loving others, even those who do not know Him, to accept them where they, and to continue to hope and pray and trust God that He will work in their lives to His glory.

That is the great joy and sorrow of being a missionary - to wait on God to change the life of someone you have come to love.   Even the neighborhood missionary…or the employee missionary…or even the bowling team missionary.

We must remember to have a passion for those around us to whom only we are Christ.

For His Glory, Tom Peck

nsr052703

That Which The Lord Hates Part 7

(Proverbs 6:16-19) There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Lets look at the 5th thing which God hates - "feet that make haste to run to evil".

I like how that is phrased.  

It could have been stated simply - a desire to sin, but instead it is feet running to evil.  This is not just conceptualizing sin and then doing sin, it is a rush to sin, not just a crawl, a walk, a stroll, but a "haste to run" to evil.  It is a condemnation of all men of what is found in our heart - that we do not, at the innermost, desire for God to be glorified but for us to be glorified, for us to be on the seat of the King.

We lunge to sin when given the opportunity.  We thrust at it when temptation calls.  It is who and what we are.

We don't like to admit it.  We don't like to face it as a reality.  We want to believe otherwise, but deep inside we know that we are good despite the evidence of our lives.

But the facts speak otherwise - who has not sinned?  Who has not taken God's moral perfection and twisted and distorted it into our own image?  Who has not done that which they believe to be wrong?

Sin is our common denominator.  It is where we are all shown to be equal.  It is the true state of our heart.

Yet, here is God, who despises our rush to rebellion and His response is to sacrifice Himself in our place, opening the way for our redemption by simply realizing who we are and what we need - Christ our Salvation, our Redeemer, our Savior, our Lord.

The year Christmas Lost the "Magic"

This year Christmas lost the "magic" at our house.

Now some will say this is a bad thing.  I find it quite good since for so many years Christmas has been more about the dream of the gathering of family and the perfect gift and the warm memories than about the significance of the event.

What caused this change from a "magical", romantic, wonderful Christmas?

First, our youngest turned 10 and Santa became who he is to her - a secular symbol.  It is not that she quit "believing" in him, it is that the fantasy of him no longer had a meaning and she became more focused on her part in "Christmas" such as participating in decorating, making items, shopping for gifts for others, and paying a little more attention in church to the significance of the birth of Christ.  It was noticeable that this year was less about her and more about others.

Second, we were pounded by so much winter weather that the "magic" of a "white" Christmas turned into the reality of the temperature being too cold, the conditions too unsafe, and the shoveling too tedious.  When you have to shovel your drive for the umpteenth time and are running out of places to put throw the stuff, the ho-ho-ho becomes bah-humbug rather quickly and you are ready to throttle the next "little child" who you find out is praying for more snow!

Third, the "magical" gathering of family wasn't.  It was better.  

Our families are getting older.  They have jobs and relationships and lifestyles and live in locations that are spreading out.  It is just darn near impossible for all of them to get together at the same time in the same place. 

In order to "see" everyone Christmas moves from one huge gathering to a number of small ones.  Some are momentary to exchange a gift and a hug,  a lunchtime meeting that lasts a couple of hours,  to the all day party. 

In some ways it is sad not to see everyone at one time, but this spreads out the time and allows for a little more enjoyment of each other.  There is less of that "oh, I didn't get to talk with..." regrets.

I have always strived to consider each gathering as if it were our last.  I know that seems a little morbid but it also increases the specialness.  One day it will be our last, so let us relish in the moment now. 

Finally, church services were a little flatter.  Our regular church is not real big on the holidays.  It is their tradition to downplay the "holidays" and the Christmas eve service is very low key.  My wife, however, comes from a background where Christmas at the church was a major celebration with numerous Advent and Christmas services filled with litergy and ritual, trumpets and tympanies, choirs and circumstance.  

this year, our church cancelled the Christmas Eve service in advance of expected bad weather and the pastors being out of town.  Instead we went to my wife's old church, with her childhood experiences as an expectation.  We went to the "contemporary" service and got a rock band (that could have used a better mix) playing some souped up carols ("with a new twist" is how the pastor introduced them), a touch of litergy, a "nice" sermon, and  then the evening ended with a very slow, almost depressed, version of Silent Night.  

It was not the celebration we had anticipated, but to me it was reminder that the first Christmas had very little "magic" in it.

There was this little baby born in mundane circumstances, far from family and friends, with a minimal celebration.  Yes, there were angels telling some shepherds, which puts a little "magic" to it, but that is about it. Life did not immediately change for most of the people at the Inn nor in Bethlehem nor in the rest of the world.  Life went on.  

This Christmas changed me.  It is the loss of a dream, a fanatsy, a romantic vision of what Christmas should be with the reality of what it is - a time we stop and think about someone other than our self, or at least try to do that.

As Christians, though, this is a daily task, not just one set aside at Christmas or Easter or any "special" day.   Christ never instituted holidays or celebrations of Himself and I find that very interesting since the Jews had a ton of them.  It is because God moved from being out there somewhere at a distance to inside me close to my heart and soul.  Every day is a celebration of His birth, His death, His resurrection.  Every hour is the moment before Christmas.  Every minute His gift to me.

So the "magic" of Christmas left but was replaced by the reality of Christ.  A much better thing, I would say.

For His Glory,

Tom

Don't Pray to Congress for Help

I cannot say if this Fox News article accurately portrays what happened at this "Worship Service", but it left the impression on the writer that the prayers were to Congress to help out the automaker.

Now, this in itself is not an inappropriate prayer, but the aticle starts out:

DETROIT —  With auto workers in the pews and sport-utility vehicles at the altar, one of Detroit's largest churches on Sunday offered up prayers for Congress to bail out the struggling auto industry, Reuters reported.

This sure reads like the prayers were to Congress and not God.

Now I went to the church web site and their statement of faith (what we believe) is solidly centered on the Word and on Christ.  There was an announcement inviting auto workers to a special "Service" for prayer and annointing.

This in itself is not wrong.  Many churches some 47 years ago had special services after Pearl Harbor to pray for the dead and our nation.  Same with other events, tragedies, and circumstances.

The workers in the US auto industry and related employers are nervous.  The structure is trembling and at risk of falling putting hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of people out of work and threatens our basic economic well-being.  

It is more than apt to pray about this situation, but our prayers should be for God to be glorified and for a solution to this problem to come forth.  

We don't know if the loans will work.  They seem like a panic reaction to me, but putting that to one side, the danger, and in this case it came true, is that it leaves the impression the prayers were to Congress, not for Congress.  

It sounds like they believe the solution is the loan (or bail out), and that is their prayer, and in doing so left the impression that they were praying to Congress - at least to the writer of the article.

Our response in difficulties is to rely on God.  Our hope is in Christ alone, and we need to be very careful about leaving an impression otherwise.  

I am hoping that this church, which appears to do some great ministry to the people of Detroit, did not do as the article stated,  and, instead, truly gave some real "good news" to the autoworkers, that their true salvation is not in their employers, not in their government, not even in their churches, but in Christ alone.

The Atheist Placard in Washington State is great news

According to a Fox News and others, an atheist group in Washington State, from a demand of "equal time", have been allowed to erect a display near a Nativity Scene on the State Capitol in Olympia in honor of "Winter Solstace".  The placard on the display reads, in part,: ""There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."  There is also a "Holiday" tree up as well.  All the displays are placed by private groups.

There is a minor uproar about this, coming from Christian centers, because the statement is an overt attack on "religion".  It would not surprise me to learn if there are not protest letters and small rallies being held on the Capitol building planned as "Christians" are "offended" by the statement.

I think, though, that this is sign is great news, and if we Christians waste our time trying to silence the statement we will miss that opportunity.

Obviously Washington State is now allowing displays that do more than "honor" a holiday, like the sign by the Nativity indicates, but allowing for the discussion of what that religion believes, like the sign by the Winter Solstice.

For years, the criteria from the courts has been that "religious" displays, such as the 10 commandments, are allowed if they are "cultural" or "historic".  

Thus, in Washington State,  the Nativity Scene was placed near a "Holiday Tree" and, in past times, there was a Menorah.  In many places, Nativities on public grounds have to have other signs of the season such as Santa or reindeer or such.

Now, though, at least in Washington State, the display can do more than make a cultural statement, it can actually be used to promote your viewpoint!

The atheists' statement is clearly proselytizing their beliefs.  It is not a explanation of the holiday like the one next to the Nativity which says that the disply is to "commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ which is celebrated by Christians around the world".  

So, since atheists are now allowed to openly express their beliefs, irrelevant to the holiday, then I would urge the private group to change the sign on the Nativity to something like -"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son and whosoever believes in Him shall be saved". Maybe they could even have a little stand there with some tracts to "explain" their beliefs more fully.

While many of my brothers and sisters in Christ will lament this display as another "loss" in the culture wars, it is really a victory.  A victory for free speech and for the re-opening of allowing divergent viewpoints to be displayed.

It will be a victory only if we take this great news and use it to tell the Good News, but that should be our response to everything, anyway.  In all news, point it to the Good News.

By the way, if Santa were to use the 10 Commandments, would you be naughty or nice?

To find the answer, click here

For His Glory,

Tom

The Gift That Ends The Giving

If you have that someone on your list who is just hard to buy for, who has everything, who is sexually active and will need birth control, that STD treated, or even an abortion in the near future, then consider this - Planned Parenthood is now offering Gift Certificates.

Ever since the early days when Planned Parenthood was started by Margaret Sanger and targeted the poor, black communities to:

a. to raise the level and increase the intelligence of the population.

b. to increase the population slowly by keeping the birth rate at its present level of fifteen per thousand, decreasing the death rate below its present mark of 11 per thousand.

c. to keep the doors of immigration closed to the entrance of certain aliens whose condition is known to be detrimental to the stamina of the race, such as feebleminded, idiots, morons, insane, syphilitic, epileptic, criminal, professional prostitutes, and others in this class barred by the immigration laws of 1924.

d. to apply a stern and rigid policy of sterilization and segregation to that grade of population whose progeny is already tainted, or whose inheritance is such that objectionable traits may be transmitted to offspring.

e. to insure the country against future burdens of maintenance for numerous offspring as may be born of feebleminded parents, by pensioning all persons with transmissible disease who voluntarily consent to sterilization.

f. to give certain dysgenic groups in our population their choice of segregation or sterilization.

g. to apportion farm lands and homesteads for these segregated persons where they would be taught to work under competent instructors for the period of their entire lives.

(Plan for Peace by Margaret Sanger

Never has it be easier to give the gift of death to someone you love or care for, or to that person you think should not reproduce.

"The most merciful thing a large family can do for one of its infant members is to kill it." - Margaret Sanger

My Thoughts On "the homosexual issue"

I recently read a blog by Tony Jones, an emergent theologian (of sorts) who recently endorsed same-sex marriage (of sorts) (it is always "of sorts" with emergents).

His blog offered the opportunity to comment so here is what I wrote and it seemed the best I've been able to put down my thoughts on this issue:

Mr. Jones definitely is struggling with this issue, but it is based not on the
rule of God's law but on one's own experience.

We Christians tend to twist our role in the world as the policemen of God's Law to the world when, actually, we are to see the sin of the world and use that to police ourselves. We should not "hate" the person engaging in homosexual behavior any more than we should hate ourselves for our lusts of the flesh.

Sin is sin to God, and the difference is that we Christians are at war with our flesh through the Spirit for our soul. Those without Christ do not have the spirit so they are at war with their own image of themselves. So, to put homosexual behavior as any worse (or any better) than any other sin is ludicrous and we should be repentant about that.

However, to sanction a sin is another thing. I have seen this with heterosexual couples living together, in church, and no one saying anything in tacet approval.
We are called to be God's Ambassadors. That means we speak the truth, in love, about the sins of ourselves and others. We approach people as co-conspirators against God, the difference being that we know the Truth and want to share that Truth.

We cannot do that by screaming or by staying silent.

What causes one to have Homosexual desires is still unknown. It may be part of a genetic aspect and a developmental aspect, but most of the homosexuals I know have this preoccupation with sex (kind of like the rest of the world). It is an idol and holds bondage over them. The best response is to love but not endorse.

This is a fine line to walk, a difficult line to walk. Love is doing that which is in the other person's best interest. We should preach the Gospel while cleansing their wounds. We should heap coals that both burn and warm. Sanctioning will not change their hearts, but condemning will not save their soul. We should support their needs without supporting their sin. We should comfort them in this world while warning them of the dangers to come.

To do otherwise is to fail in our duty to love Christ.

Well, that last line about sums up my sense of it. We are to do our duty in the love of Christ towards others. Tell them the Truth about their condition but treat them with kindness, respect, dignity, and always with their best interests in mind.

It is tough, and I often fail to do so (and that is NOT a "sort of") but I still need to run that race.

That Which The Lord Hates part 6

(Proverbs 6:16-19) There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

The fourth thing that is an abomination to God - "a heart that devises wicked plans".

It is one thing to do wrong, it is another to plan to do this.  

In law, premediated crimes tend to carry a harsher punishment than those that just happen in the spur of the moment or by error.   There is always rooms for mercy and for understanding.

What this verse says about God is that He has that mercy and understanding, but doing evil on purpose, and especially when planned out, His wrath is deserved.

Today's modern portraits of God hold Him to be this loving and kind god, almost a door mat, but He is not.  He gets angry, He finds actions detestible, He has a deeper sense of justice and righteouness than we can even begin to fathom.

So, what are we to do with that concept?

It should cause us to tremble with respect for the perfection of God, and to have a deep thankfulness for any mercy He gives to us.

Today we lost an election, but the truth of our ideals have not been defeated.

I posted this on my facebook page.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. -- Matthew 6:34 (NIV) The people have spoken. It is not the first time I disagree, but I recall how glad I was when Bush won and it is good to feel a sting of loss. We need to remember, though, that a losing does not have to mean we are defeated. Our political history is one of ups and downs. Some years we do a good job of selling our ideals, other years other circumstances take precedence. Liberals never are defeated. As a former one, we tried for the incremental, and when that failed, we got back up and tried again. We know that a wall is built or torn down one brick at a time. Conservatives, however, have a flaw - we tend to be all or nothing at all people. We see ourselves as trying to hold the wall together instead of building (or removing) one. We tend to give up. Wilberforce and John Q. Adams stood against slavery for all their lives. Wilberforce saw the fruit of that effort, Adams did not, but both men were wall-builders. They saw victory even in their defeats because, like Edison, they learned what did not work. We are at war with a set of ideals that leads to destruction. History shows that when a society becomes morally and economically liberal, it will soon fail - Greece, Rome, USSR - all collapse inward first. We must take this battle one step at a time. Our arguments are valid and compelling but we need to learn to speak them rather than shout them, to convince rather than overwhelm, to help to understand rather than impose. To trust the power and plan of God rather than the strength and wisdom of any man. Today we lost an election, but the truth of our ideals have not been defeated.

What will come

It is election eve of "the most important election, ever", or so I have heard for the 9th time.  Every election is the most important ever.

We will see change.  We always do.  No new President has ever carried on the policies of the old one, or even been elected promising to carry them on.  That concept is for parliaments where one elects a party and not individuals.  In the US we have conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans.  Very often someone becomes a particular party because that is the one that gets him/her elected.

I grew up in the Detroit area, and the battle for most of the elections were during the primary.  It was a given that from the Congress to the dog catcher, the Democrat would win.   Some of the people elected were really Republicans, though, at least philosophically or ideologically.  They had more agreement with that party platform than the one offered by their own party.

Which brings us to the problem of what is Christian.  In this election, interestingly, we have two men who claim to be Christians, but theologically they are far from that (though I base this on their own statements about how they view their "faith").

One attends a church where Jesus is not viewed as God and the "Christian" faith is about liberating people from their oppressors.  The other attends a church occasionally and his Jesus is wearing a red, white, and blue robe and who has blessed this nation because it deserves to be blessed because of its greatness.

Given their world view points, I expect to see more pragmatism, more growth of a secular viewpoint, more repression of overt Christian expression in the public square, and the continued marginalizing of Him.   Maybe God is sending a message to His church - seek first Him and His Righteousness, then vote, then become a political force not from the pulpit but from the heart of men.

We need to remember that neither Mr. Obama nor Mr. McCain can thwart the plans of God.  The one who is elected will be there because God allowed it, and allowed it for His purposes, not because one was more closer to His throne than the other.

I will disclose that I am voting for Mr. McCain, somewhat with my nose held because Mr. McCain's viewpoint of government and issues is closer to mine.  Since we all fall short, every choice is about the lesser of two evils, and the laws that are passed, or repealed, show how much lesser they are.

I have a sense about who will win this election and it will be interesting come tomorrow night (or most likely Wednesday morning), but my hope lies not in either candidate, either party, nor no legistlative body or rule of law.  My hope is in Christ and Him crucified.  My hope is in the working of the Holy Spirit on my life.  My hope is in the Father as He directs the course this world until the return of His Son, Jesus.

Our response to the election is to remain steadfast in the hope of God and not be discouraged when we lose...or win.  Let Him be glorifed through you.

FHG,

Tom

That Which The Lord Hates part 5

(Proverbs 6:16-19) There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

The third thing that is an abomination to God - "hands that shed innocent blood".

What a powerful way to state opposition to murder. This is killing without just cause.

The first image my mind makes with the word "innocent" is that of a baby. They are innocent, totally reliant upon others for not only their basic needs but also for their existence. The cannot purposely cause harm to others, steal from them, lie to them. Their innocence comes from their vulnerability. They need us and most people automatically melt in the presence of a baby, holding so much potential.

To shed the blood of a child is a most despicable act to most right thinking people. It is hard to fathom that a baby could cause this reaction in another human being, but people murder when they cease to see others as human.

A woman on a radio talk show the other day was talking about her being undecided, the hose mentioned he could never vote for a supporter of abortion because that takes a human life. The woman interrupted and said "potential human life". That is a view that allows for the shedding of innocent blood.

Think of the tragedies brought by men to others - villages destroyed by soldiers, house invaders killing the occupants, heirs poisoning their elders. The Lord finds these an abomination.

But more chilling to us Christians is the concept laid forth in Matthew 21-22 where Jesus speaks:
"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire.". Our mere anger, where we want to kill someone we are angry with, is tantamount to the shedding of innocent blood.

Pretty sober thought. That is why we are to bring every thought captive to Christ! (2 Cor 10:5).
We are to be angry about sin, but not condemning the one committing the sin. It is not up to the Christian to bring the judgment of God to others by enforcing His commands. Our actions should be such that the sinner will see their sins and repent of them, just as we need to see our sins and repent of them (thou are repentance is to honor God as we have already been forgiven).

Let us stand firm in opposition to that which is an abomination before God. First in our lives, then in the world. Their struggle is as great as ours and only we offer the true hope - the one who will bring true and everlasting peace - our Lord, Jesus Christ.

For His Glory,
Tom

If God is so powerful how come bad stuff happens?

Here is the powerful answer to this question by Rev. Voddie Baucham.

That Which The Lord Hates part 4

(Proverbs 6:16-19) There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Unfortunately, the content was inadvertently deleted, but the gist of the blog was that the lying tongue lies to all, including the liar.

For His Glory,
Tom

That Which The Lord Hates part 3

(Proverbs 6:16-19) There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

When we see a sin, how do we react? Are we shocked by others? Do we turn from them in disgust? Do we go the next step and attach the sin to the value of that person?

"Haughty eyes" is a term you don't hear every day. It is not a compliment. It is an "old" word in that most people don't use it much. It has been replaced with more pejorative language as our culture has become more and more coarse and debased.

Haughtiness literally means "proud eyes" and it is seeing yourself as more important than you should. It involves either ignoring or seeing one's own sins as not as bad as the sins of others. It is measuring yourself against others and coming out ahead - way ahead. It is putting yourself right up there next to God, or maybe even in God's place.

Haughtiness is also about our spirit. It is a critical eye. It is a condemning eye. It is an eye that God wants to pluck out because it is an eye that does not view the world from His broken heart but from a heart made of stone.

We have no right to be haughty, ever. We have not earned, inherited or had the right bestowed upon us. It is a forgetting of our place before God and our equality with others in our sinfulness.

In fact, Christians should be the least haughty because we know enough of our sinfulness to realize we need a Savior. Haughty people think they are the Savior.

We should be humble with others. We should be gentle with others. We should be patient with others. We should be with others how God would want to be with ourselves.

Unfortuately we don't do that. Christians can often be the black eye of Christ. Gandhi is often attributed as saying he would have become a Christian were it not for Christians.

Whether he said that or not, it is a true testament on those in the body. We can be a haughty bunch, but this shows His grace even more so.

Let's not forget that. Let's respond to His mercy by giving that to others. Even homosexuals, even liberals, even adulterers, even drug addicts, even those who directly wrong us.

Our moment to moment prayer should be for us to share God's mercy...and to pluck out our haughty eyes.

For His Glory,
Tom

I Will But I Don't

"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. Hewent to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' "'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go. Which ofthe two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the taxcollectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you." -- Matthew 21:28-31 (NIV)

I will but I don't.

That pretty sums up most of our Christian walk, doesn't it.

We Christians have this great desire to serve God fully with all our lives, all our heart, with evey molecule and atom of our body...but we don't.

In fact, to twist and paraphrase Ghandi: It is the Christians that give the church a bad name.

I don't beleive that we can be anything but hypocrits - in the sense that we do what we don't want to do and don't do what we want to do. We profess this great love of Christ but fail to follow His simplest of commands - to love one another, to serve one another, to put your self last - and this brings great shame to the body (the church - those who profess Him Lord and Savior).

We are pretty good with the Savior part. I have that down pat. I live with the assurance of my salvation. Unfortunately that leads me to live this horrible, prideful lie that because Christ is good that I am now good. I am in terms of how God no longer holds me to account, but I still sin - sometimes purposely, sometimes callously, sometimes with great resolve, always without regard for God and what He did for me.

Oh, we say we will but we don't, so let's stop kidding ourselves. We are not only co-conspirators with other sinners, we are instigators and, worse yet, betrayers of Christ. We Christians hold the nails to His writs waiting for the "sinner" to hammer!

Our response to sin needs to be to look at ourselves first and see if we have said we will and didn't. When we go to rebuke a sin, we must do it in context not as a superior but actually as someone worse - someone who knew better and did it anyway. Someone who didn't do a "mistake" but did an "on purpose".

It is okay to point out sin, but we need to start from within first, and then move outward.

For His Glory,
Tom

That Which The Lord Hates part 2

(Proverbs 6:16-19) There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Last post on this I talked about how, with our modern mind set it is hard for us to see how a God who is Love can possibly hate. We see hate as the opposite of love, but it really is not.

Because the English language is not always precise in meanings, or at least people are not always precise in the use of the language, many words have multiple meanings. There is often a blending of definitions that, over time, expand the initial definition.

We have blended the terms love and hate with emotions. To many they mean strong like or dislike.

But the Biblical definition of Love is not a feeling or an emotion, it is a relational term. It is how we will think about someone in terms of them and not us. As a former pastor of mine defined it: "Love is doing what is in the other person's best interest". This does not involve "feelings" at all. In fact, out of love, we ignore our feelings and act in a way that is helps another person.

The real opposite of love is indifference. This is also about how we think of someone, or maybe how we don't think about others.

Hate, however, is a feeling. It is a strong dislike. It is not really relational, though it can be carried out that way. The Biblical definition of hate is focused not on people but on actions.

In this verse, we are told some actions that God really dislikes. In fact, they disgust Him. As a whole, they are acts we do towards others which reflect how we are inside. They reveal an indifferent heart. These are offenses not only to God but towards others.

I find that interesting that God finds it an abomination when we are rotten to other people. Abomination is a strong word that means a total disgust. It is something He really really really does not like.

I think this stems because God does not do these things to other people. They are opposite to His Character and since we are created in His image, we are distorting Him when we act in this way. His intent in creating humans was that we would reflect Him. Instead our sin has cracked that mirror and twisted His image in us. What was beautiful is now ugly. What was good is now evil. What was pure is now contaminated.

The other sense here is that it is also heartbreaking. These actions tend not to only hurt or harm others, they hurt the one doing them. As a dad, when my children act in any of these ways I am both angry and sad. Angry at the action and sad because my child is, ultimately, hurting himself. It may not be immediate, but those character flaws inevitably end up creating damage to himself. God knows this as well.

Our response to this verse should be one of taking a deep look at our actions and using them to measure our heart. Do we love, or are we indifferent?

That Which The Lord Hates part 1

(Proverbs 6:16-19) There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

We don't like to use the word "hate" much in our culture. It is such a "negative" word, and we want to live in a positive place - a place where we are affirmed and grow and prosper, where peace abounds aplenty and there is no conflict.

Much of the current view of God is that He is loving, which means to many that He will bring "good" upon us (meaning stuff we want). When we mention things like God's wrath, God's punishment, sin, God's anger - this can take one aback a little. Whoa, a kind, tender, loving God wouldn't get angry or punish - well, He might "time out" or "scold", but not bring down His ire like thunder on a mountain!

Well, He has and promises He will. Our vision of God is often this big, huggable guy - the friendly giant, the sweet old man next door (some even paint Him as the nice grandma, but that's another blog, another time). We fail to realize that God is as complex and multi-dimensional as we are and even more so.

Scripture tells us that He has emotions. Not the out-of-control, mind-of-their-own human-type emotions but perfect emotions (why wouldn't they be perfect, He is God?) So God reacts perfectly to every situation. He knows how to perfectly respond so that His attributes of perfect mercy and perfect justice are met as well.

God warns us about the things that make Him mad. The passage at the start of this is one of them. There are more.

If my dad said to me, "Tom, stop talking" guess what, I shut up. If I didn't I would "get in trouble". This could be any number of options, but if he said "Tom, stop talking or I will spank you" then that pretty much cleared things up. I would usually shut up.

That is how God has done this. He has warned us (pointed out that which is a sin) and given us the consequences (usually eternal time out - death by separation from Him, which also means that we are no longer under His protection from pain, suffering, etc.).

If you are a true Christian, one who is repentant of sin and under the Lordship of Christ, meaning that you are no longer living for yourself but living for Christ, then that means someone else did your punishment for your sins, which is a pretty wonderful thing to me, personally.

So my attempts at obedience to Christ is out of love for Him for what He did rather than out of fear of God for what He says He will do because I sin. This is the essence of the Christian walk - to love Christ more through knowing Him deeper by obedience to Him. That is our response to the Cross.

I will get into the specifics of "That Which The Lord Hates" in more blogs as I look at our response to Proverbs 6:16-19

For His Glory,
Tom