...absolute hatred for each other.
I recently had an email exchange with a Christian author, speaker, and blogger. I stumbled on a tweet he wrote about conservative radio hosts that are going blind and are deaf that was simply tasteless. I called him on it. He responded to my email with venom, defending his "joke". I responded saying I felt bad for him, to which his response was "LOL. Whatever."
This has bothered me. We were saved by the same blood of Jesus. We will go to the same Heaven when we die. We will not go to a separate Heaven based on our denomination, ideology, or church down the street from the church we broke away from. I do not personally like conflict, but I know that when something is dividing us, it needs to be talked out. If someone has an opinion, you can disagree with it, yes, but you do not have to disrespect it. The only time a separation is essential is if it is in disagreement with the Word of God.
To let our disagreements dissolve into hate is simply unacceptable. We can not live in agreement with a brother, therefore we must insult him. In this, we are truly children, and we live with a deficiency of the knowledge of the Word of God. In John 17, Jesus prayed for the unity of the church. There are 66 books that give us instruction in life, leadership, and how to get where we are going. Yet because we are led by our immaturity, our flesh nature, and not by the Spirit, we are divided against ourselves. This is why we are not as strong to reach the world as we should be.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
It Just Isn't Going to Happen- and That's Great!
Over a month ago I wrote a blog called "How Can I Miss You..." regarding the Spirit of Christ being in you, even when things are not so good. I want to revisit that in a way, adding something recent based on some scripture I've been reading.
Our pastor this past Sunday encouraged the church to read Romans ch.8 every day for three weeks. Aloud. And, to get the best benefit from it, make it the first thing you do each day. No denying, it is difficult, when the first thing you hear is your children either crying or in the potty to make it the first thing in the morning. I did well the first four days, and day five (tonight) came at 9:45p.m. My wife and I have been writing down what God has shown us each day. This was not mine for today, yet it is something that I want to show you. It is one of the most famous parts of the chapter, and the beginning of the climax to one of the fabulous chapters of the Bible:
"35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" I was reading it in my NLT Study Bible, and it said it so beautifully: "Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?" I love that! "Does it mean he no longer loves us?" Your situation that you are facing is difficult, yes. No words can minimize the trouble that you may face.
But if you are in Christ, the intended reader of chapter 8, then you may have passed the part that says that we will suffer with Christ. Yet these sufferings are not in comparison with the joy that awaits us (v.17-18). We will suffer many things: joblessness, children with diseases, loss of friendships, loss of a dear one, hunger, despair of great proportions. But the Spirit of God, which raised Christ from the dead, lives in you, Christian (v. 11)! He is not going anywhere! Nothing will separate us from Him or His love! Nothing!
Your despair that you face, He hasn't left you to face it alone. He intends it for your good (v. 28). He is for you (31), not against you. You can stand with confidence. Call on Him in this time. He is not far, and He wants to talk to you. He will comfort you, shelter you, and ultimately, deliver you. But rest assured, He is there, and nothing will tear the two of you apart.
Our pastor this past Sunday encouraged the church to read Romans ch.8 every day for three weeks. Aloud. And, to get the best benefit from it, make it the first thing you do each day. No denying, it is difficult, when the first thing you hear is your children either crying or in the potty to make it the first thing in the morning. I did well the first four days, and day five (tonight) came at 9:45p.m. My wife and I have been writing down what God has shown us each day. This was not mine for today, yet it is something that I want to show you. It is one of the most famous parts of the chapter, and the beginning of the climax to one of the fabulous chapters of the Bible:
"35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" I was reading it in my NLT Study Bible, and it said it so beautifully: "Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?" I love that! "Does it mean he no longer loves us?" Your situation that you are facing is difficult, yes. No words can minimize the trouble that you may face.
But if you are in Christ, the intended reader of chapter 8, then you may have passed the part that says that we will suffer with Christ. Yet these sufferings are not in comparison with the joy that awaits us (v.17-18). We will suffer many things: joblessness, children with diseases, loss of friendships, loss of a dear one, hunger, despair of great proportions. But the Spirit of God, which raised Christ from the dead, lives in you, Christian (v. 11)! He is not going anywhere! Nothing will separate us from Him or His love! Nothing!
Your despair that you face, He hasn't left you to face it alone. He intends it for your good (v. 28). He is for you (31), not against you. You can stand with confidence. Call on Him in this time. He is not far, and He wants to talk to you. He will comfort you, shelter you, and ultimately, deliver you. But rest assured, He is there, and nothing will tear the two of you apart.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Attack of the Grammar Police
My head is about to explode. I have been reading postings, status updates on Facebook, blogs, just words all over the place, and I can not take it anymore. I place blame on the public school system, of which I am a product.
Too many people depend on these social networks to keep all their friends informed of their lives, yet they do not have a clue of proper punctuation, grammar, or even how to spell. Why I blame public education is this: English classes of my day, and probably present day, spend too little time on grammar and more on reading and symbolism and less on teaching people how to function daily.
I have seen countless examples lately of the southern staple "y'all." Yes, it's Y'all! Y'all is short for "You all." It could not be "ya'll" because the apostrophe would separate a word. If you wonder why your spell check just flashed red, it isn't northern bias, you're wrong!
Too many people do not know the difference between there, their, and they're. "There" is telling where something is happening. "Their" is possessive, and refers to something that belongs to someone. "They're" is "they are." So there!
Really aggravating to me is that people do not know the difference between "to", "too," and "two." "To" is a word that is so multifunctional that is is its own category in the English language. "Too" means also, as well. "Two" is a number. To say "I'm going to" and to say "I'm going too" means two different things. Watch how you type it!
One more, and my rant for tonight will stop. "Your" is possessive. "You're" means "You are." This appears to be the worst offense. It really drives me nuts when I read Facebook posts and I have to read it three times to understand it!
There are more rants, but I will save them for another time. Just to give you a hint: "It's" going to be fun!
Too many people depend on these social networks to keep all their friends informed of their lives, yet they do not have a clue of proper punctuation, grammar, or even how to spell. Why I blame public education is this: English classes of my day, and probably present day, spend too little time on grammar and more on reading and symbolism and less on teaching people how to function daily.
I have seen countless examples lately of the southern staple "y'all." Yes, it's Y'all! Y'all is short for "You all." It could not be "ya'll" because the apostrophe would separate a word. If you wonder why your spell check just flashed red, it isn't northern bias, you're wrong!
Too many people do not know the difference between there, their, and they're. "There" is telling where something is happening. "Their" is possessive, and refers to something that belongs to someone. "They're" is "they are." So there!
Really aggravating to me is that people do not know the difference between "to", "too," and "two." "To" is a word that is so multifunctional that is is its own category in the English language. "Too" means also, as well. "Two" is a number. To say "I'm going to" and to say "I'm going too" means two different things. Watch how you type it!
One more, and my rant for tonight will stop. "Your" is possessive. "You're" means "You are." This appears to be the worst offense. It really drives me nuts when I read Facebook posts and I have to read it three times to understand it!
There are more rants, but I will save them for another time. Just to give you a hint: "It's" going to be fun!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Let me give you a good love story
This is actually based upon a status update I placed on Facebook this morning:
I’ve come to realize something about this whole Twilight phenomenon, and why it is so popular. It catches a place in everyone that is looking for true love, which unfortunately there has been an absence of in this world. What Stephanie Meyer does is create a story where a character, Bella, meets and falls for Edward, who promises her true, eternal love.
This is where the story runs awry for me. Edward is a vampire. He has an existence based upon a curse. He loves Bella also, and knows that in order for the two of them to live and love forever, he must also curse her, which is something that he does not want to do. To readers and watchers, that provides a sense of heartbreak, and is carried on until the fourth novel.
This is where my problem with the story lies. The basis of this story rests in an ideology of “this is all there is.” It lives in a world where people live eternally, and are cursed, and those that die are not, yet are. The chance for true forever love is there, yet to have it; one must succumb to a curse. That is almost as saddening to me as the numbers of good people that have been taken in by the evil world of vampires, werewolves, and the like, which act like a “gateway drug” to the truly demonic.
For I know, and believe in my heart, of a true love story. There is One that wants to love you truly, deeply, and forever. His story cannot be found in a Stephanie Meyer novel. Like Edward, there is blood involved, yet we do not have to lose it: He already has. We do not have to die to have a life forever with Him: yet if we do, we never have to part. If we but ask Him, he will live with us, talk with us, and guide us. In this case, the thing holding us back from this perfect love is not His curse: it is ours. Opening our heart and life to Him is what frees us from that curse, and makes us free to love.
I’ve come to realize something about this whole Twilight phenomenon, and why it is so popular. It catches a place in everyone that is looking for true love, which unfortunately there has been an absence of in this world. What Stephanie Meyer does is create a story where a character, Bella, meets and falls for Edward, who promises her true, eternal love.
This is where the story runs awry for me. Edward is a vampire. He has an existence based upon a curse. He loves Bella also, and knows that in order for the two of them to live and love forever, he must also curse her, which is something that he does not want to do. To readers and watchers, that provides a sense of heartbreak, and is carried on until the fourth novel.
This is where my problem with the story lies. The basis of this story rests in an ideology of “this is all there is.” It lives in a world where people live eternally, and are cursed, and those that die are not, yet are. The chance for true forever love is there, yet to have it; one must succumb to a curse. That is almost as saddening to me as the numbers of good people that have been taken in by the evil world of vampires, werewolves, and the like, which act like a “gateway drug” to the truly demonic.
For I know, and believe in my heart, of a true love story. There is One that wants to love you truly, deeply, and forever. His story cannot be found in a Stephanie Meyer novel. Like Edward, there is blood involved, yet we do not have to lose it: He already has. We do not have to die to have a life forever with Him: yet if we do, we never have to part. If we but ask Him, he will live with us, talk with us, and guide us. In this case, the thing holding us back from this perfect love is not His curse: it is ours. Opening our heart and life to Him is what frees us from that curse, and makes us free to love.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Perhaps Not the Best Advice to Give
I was listening to one of those Christian radio stations that is griped about last year this week. The general manager of the station had recorded a quick bit to remind people to donate to the station by asking this:
"Have you ever inserted your name into a scripture?"
He then goes on to use Isaiah 61, inserting the station into the verse, making an impassioned plea for support.
The thought occurs to me: I have never inserted my name into a verse. I've heard many preachers do that to John 3:16. "For God so loved Jonathan, that he gave his only begotten son..." Yeah, I see how that would work for that verse.
But what about other verses? What about Genesis 4:8? "and it came to pass, that when they were in the field, that Jonathan rose up and slew his brother Abel..." -No, that doesn't work.
What about Genesis 39:12? "And she caught Jonathan by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and Jonathan left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out." That doesn't work either. Actually, it puts me in some compromising positions that doesn't really fit me.
So, you can "personalize" the scriptures you use to make the Bible a little more personal. Just be careful which ones you use. Have fun!
"Have you ever inserted your name into a scripture?"
He then goes on to use Isaiah 61, inserting the station into the verse, making an impassioned plea for support.
The thought occurs to me: I have never inserted my name into a verse. I've heard many preachers do that to John 3:16. "For God so loved Jonathan, that he gave his only begotten son..." Yeah, I see how that would work for that verse.
But what about other verses? What about Genesis 4:8? "and it came to pass, that when they were in the field, that Jonathan rose up and slew his brother Abel..." -No, that doesn't work.
What about Genesis 39:12? "And she caught Jonathan by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and Jonathan left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out." That doesn't work either. Actually, it puts me in some compromising positions that doesn't really fit me.
So, you can "personalize" the scriptures you use to make the Bible a little more personal. Just be careful which ones you use. Have fun!
Monday, June 14, 2010
You CAN make this stuff up
Tonight a wonderful thing happened. Truly wonderful. I realized today that I am truly blessed. For some reason, while I was realizing this tonight, a conversation popped up in my head that I imagine would have happened between God and me, had I been listening at first. These things are always scary and borderline blasphemous. I promise I will keep it on the up & up.
"Hey God?"
"Yes?"
"Look. I know that you have blessed me to receive a brand new lawn mower..."
"Well, the giver was blessed, and he passed a blessing on to you."
"I would really like to mow the lawn today, too."
"I know. You need to, I've seen it. Some of that grass is taller than your children."
"Yeah..."
"Go ahead. You can ask me."
"Lord, why is it raining?!? I can't mow in the rain!"
"I know you want to get out there. I really want you to. How about if I knock down the dust, and take the temperature down 15 degrees?"
"Oh! That's what the rain is for! OK- that's fabulous. High 70s is better than low 90s when mowing."
"I know."
"Well, thank you again! I'll get as much done as I can."
"You're welcome."
"You know, you're better to me than I realize sometimes."
"I know. That's what I do. How about a little breeze, too?"
"Wow. Thank you."
"Anytime. I mean it. Anytime. You want to talk to me, I'm here."
"I should really talk to you more."
"I know."
"Hey God?"
"Yes?"
"Look. I know that you have blessed me to receive a brand new lawn mower..."
"Well, the giver was blessed, and he passed a blessing on to you."
"I would really like to mow the lawn today, too."
"I know. You need to, I've seen it. Some of that grass is taller than your children."
"Yeah..."
"Go ahead. You can ask me."
"Lord, why is it raining?!? I can't mow in the rain!"
"I know you want to get out there. I really want you to. How about if I knock down the dust, and take the temperature down 15 degrees?"
"Oh! That's what the rain is for! OK- that's fabulous. High 70s is better than low 90s when mowing."
"I know."
"Well, thank you again! I'll get as much done as I can."
"You're welcome."
"You know, you're better to me than I realize sometimes."
"I know. That's what I do. How about a little breeze, too?"
"Wow. Thank you."
"Anytime. I mean it. Anytime. You want to talk to me, I'm here."
"I should really talk to you more."
"I know."
Friday, June 11, 2010
Maybe I'm a little punchy
It happens anytime I read. I get so sleepy! I can not explain it, it is a phenomenon. I was reading the Bible tonight, in the book of Mark, and I just started cracking up! I'm talking cackling, looking at Cake Wrecks laughing! So what was I reading?
"32 They brought to Him a deaf man who also had a speech difficulty, and begged Jesus to lay His hand on him. 33 So He took him away from the crowd privately. After putting His fingers in the man's ears and spitting, He touched his tongue. 34 Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!"). 35 Immediately his ears were opened, his speech difficulty was removed, and he began to speak clearly." -from Mark 7, HCSB
I just got the mental picture of Jesus sticking His fingers in this guy's ears and spitting. It didn't say where He spat, but He spat. It didn't even say why He spat, because all He really had to do was say the word. It doesn't say why He touched the man;s tongue. What a picture! What a riot!
It just serves as a reminder to me that God does not always work in the way that we would expect. He may have a whole new way to do it. As it says, His thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways are not our ways. The answer may come in an unusual fashion, but wait- the answer will come. If He needs to stick His fingers in your ears and touch your tongue, be willing to say aaahh.
"32 They brought to Him a deaf man who also had a speech difficulty, and begged Jesus to lay His hand on him. 33 So He took him away from the crowd privately. After putting His fingers in the man's ears and spitting, He touched his tongue. 34 Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!"). 35 Immediately his ears were opened, his speech difficulty was removed, and he began to speak clearly." -from Mark 7, HCSB
I just got the mental picture of Jesus sticking His fingers in this guy's ears and spitting. It didn't say where He spat, but He spat. It didn't even say why He spat, because all He really had to do was say the word. It doesn't say why He touched the man;s tongue. What a picture! What a riot!
It just serves as a reminder to me that God does not always work in the way that we would expect. He may have a whole new way to do it. As it says, His thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways are not our ways. The answer may come in an unusual fashion, but wait- the answer will come. If He needs to stick His fingers in your ears and touch your tongue, be willing to say aaahh.
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