I deeply appreciate Switchfoot's sentiment in their song titled Happy is a Yuppie Word. Not what you would call an uplifting song, but the message throughout the song holds true. This chasing after the concept of happiness is really something that was popularized in the 60's and 70's and used as a marketing tool in the 80's with the Yuppies. It is a fruitless and fleeting pursuit that does hurt the people around you, despite what the selfish promotion would claim.
I have a friend of a friend of a friend who's family is being destroyed today. Not trying to assume I understand the circumstances leading up to where they are today, but I can guarantee you, it is this prevailing ideal of happiness played a huge part in it. Happiness depends on circumstances and external events... things that are not dependable and strangely, remove any personal responsibility and accountability for one's self.
Without revealing too much, the mother wasn't getting what she wanted from her husband, reconnected with an old boyfriend, and decided the old boyfriend would give her what she wanted better than her husband. How they had reconnected and the dangers and pitfalls associated with social networking sites are great topics for a different post. What really matters is this mother is taking her children, uprooting them from the life they have had for the past few years, the friends they made, and most importantly their father. She is taking them to another state to live with her and the new boyfriend (who incidentally is leaving his family as well).
The thought process of this mother is along the lines of "it is my time to be happy" and that "the children would want her to be happy". So basically, theses children who have already been doing poorly at school and having personal difficulties because they know there are problems with their parents, have been stressed and other issues. Now these children are supposed to take upon themselves adult issues and perspectives. So the children are expected to desire more for the parent than the parent is to desire for their children. Isn't that backwards? Isn't that expecting the child to have maturity beyond their years? And the parent relinquishes their maturity and responsibility.
I thought that once you have a child, your job is to provide for that child at least for the first 18 years. The adult's responsibility is to that child and to the child's well being, physically and emotionally. When did that change?!? At what point did the parent no longer need to put their child first? The child did not ask to take on that position. You may say, neither do all parent's ask to take on that responsibility. The problem with that kind of thinking is that the parent's decisions resulted in a consequence. You cannot always choice your consequence, but you certainly are aware of the chance of pregnancy being possible when you engage in certain behaviors. So let's not once again play the victim but instead this time step up and accept our responsibilities like big people are supposed to do.
Please don't hear what I am not saying. I am not saying that we cannot be happy. On the contrary, Christians are supposed to be filled with joy. Joy is outside of circumstances and is about accepting personal responsibility. Joy is about choosing your outlook on a given situation. Joy is maintaining proper perspective and seeing the good and hope in a situation. Sure, you can be happy as well because the circumstances allow. But be happy because of the contentment you have in what you have and what God provides. Don't go around expecting other people and the next great thing to make you happy. Don't relinquish your responsibilities and your control to others. Don't chase after the illusive rainbow that moves as you move. Life takes work, but the rewards are worth it.
So put your trust in God and His promises. He is faithful and He will not let you down. His Word gives us the secrets to this thing called life. And it only makes sense.... He created the game, so His rules are going to be the ones that work best. Put other people first. Put other's needs ahead of your own, knowing that God will reward your efforts. What you will find out is what so many before you have found out, you will have joy and peace and contentment and know a love more satisfying than anything you have known on this earth. Chase after what truly fulfills and never fails.
And most importantly, if you are finding yourself heading down a path you never thought you would be on, open your eyes to all who are truly affected by your decisions. Pray for perspective, seek sound Godly counsel, and mirror your decisions as closely as you can to the sound and proven principles of life. And then step up, accept your choices and responsibility, and make the changes inside yourself needed to benefit the ones around you. Despite what you may be thinking now, you will get more than you ever hoped for in return.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Making a mountain out of a monkey
By now you may have heard some of the rumblings about the Ida fossil. The title links to an article from off of Crosswalk.com regarding the situation.
I am not sure how much you may or may not know about evolution. It is important to know that evolution has two components: Micro and Macro. No one disputes in the slightest that Micro-evolution, that type of evolution that accounts for changes within a species like a new bread of dog or changes, is real and occurs. In that respect, evolution, Micro-evolution that is, is a proven, undisputed fact.
The challenge is that practice Darwinism (which many would go as far as classify as a religion) don't want to approach things in the pure scientific manor that they claim. For example, I believe every scientist will agree the importance of defining terms clearly so that everyone is aware of what is being discussed. This is not the case with Darwinist. Darwinist will use the term evolution without specifying what they mean. Often, Darwinist will confuse the issue (intentionally?) with this strategy of jumping from discussing Micro and Macro issues but only using the term evolution. For example, Darwinist will state that evolution is a proven fact when they are referring to Micro-evolution. Then the same Darwinist will begin discussing Macro-evolution without clarifying that they had changed terms and meanings. It is equivalent to only using the term temperature but then move from Fahrenheit to Celsius to Kalvin and back or to only using the word distance when you may mean miles, yards or feet without clarifying what you mean.
So now that we are talking about the same thing, I believe there will be a better position for understanding.
What Darwinist have been attempting to do for the last 150 years was prove the theory of Macro-evolution was more than a theory. The evidence has been hard to come by and they have had many seemingly big victories that have been highly publicized, only to find out what they had were just hoaxes or frauds (see article from Time Magazine) that seem to not get as much media play. In fact, there are several examples proven as hoaxes that are still found to be used as proof in science text books in today's classrooms.
The Ida fossil is the recent hope for Darwinism. The fossil itself has been withheld from the public for years and has not had time for peer review of the findings. Nevertheless, there are those that are quick to hold it up as the latest 'Holy Grail', although you are not allowed to say 'Holy' as being a Darwinist also means that you are a Secular Humanist (which is an entirely different subject). I am not saying there are not people out there who think they can be Darwinist and not Secular Humanist, but again, if you look at the definition of terms, that is what it means.
Besides the points made in the article, there are some very glaring gross generalizations that were implied. I thought the missing link was to be a transitional form from ape to man. If I understand the assertion, this lemur relative is allegedly a transitional form from one animal type to a primate. That is a huge leap to be taking if you are going to say that because there is a transition from prosimians to anthropoids that there is a transition from ape to man. If this kind of generalization were applied in any other area of science, the scientist would be called reckless and irresponsible. But the point of Darwinist is not to prove science, it is to prove a point and hold to a faith.
What is sad is the practical application of Darwinian theories has already been seen and continues to this day. Carl Marx was a huge Darwin fan and supporter. So was Adolph Hitler and his scientist who practiced eugenics; the founding principle of Planned Parenthood.
If you consider yourself in the slightest a feminist or support of woman's rights, I strongly suggest you read (for yourself) the beliefs of Darwin and his colleagues about the superiority of the male mind over the smaller, less effective female mind. The same goes with civil rights where Darwin's theories supported that the African American brain was more like an animal than a person. Or even gay rights. This is not me, the Christian, this is Darwin. My God tells me He made everyone and that they are special to Him and should be treated with respect, dignity, and love. Even if I don't agree with them, I am to pray for them and give them food when they are hungry and a drink when they thirst. It is not my job to decide that someone is of a particular skin tone or financial status or genetic desirability that they should live or die or how they should be treated.
The question still goes back to the fact that we have so many fossil records of so many different animal types, but there is a grossly obvious lack of the transitional forms in general. These transitional forms are the very proof Darwin stated in his theory that would be needed to prove his theory. Darwin wrote that if these transitional fossils were not found, then his theory would break down.
Darwin and the people of his day didn't have the technology we have and thought the cell was something simple. We know today that it is one of the most intricate and complex things we know of in existence. Even the simplest forms of bacteria are astounding atheistic scientist who simply are losing their faith in Darwin's theory.
I am not sure how much you may or may not know about evolution. It is important to know that evolution has two components: Micro and Macro. No one disputes in the slightest that Micro-evolution, that type of evolution that accounts for changes within a species like a new bread of dog or changes, is real and occurs. In that respect, evolution, Micro-evolution that is, is a proven, undisputed fact.
The challenge is that practice Darwinism (which many would go as far as classify as a religion) don't want to approach things in the pure scientific manor that they claim. For example, I believe every scientist will agree the importance of defining terms clearly so that everyone is aware of what is being discussed. This is not the case with Darwinist. Darwinist will use the term evolution without specifying what they mean. Often, Darwinist will confuse the issue (intentionally?) with this strategy of jumping from discussing Micro and Macro issues but only using the term evolution. For example, Darwinist will state that evolution is a proven fact when they are referring to Micro-evolution. Then the same Darwinist will begin discussing Macro-evolution without clarifying that they had changed terms and meanings. It is equivalent to only using the term temperature but then move from Fahrenheit to Celsius to Kalvin and back or to only using the word distance when you may mean miles, yards or feet without clarifying what you mean.
So now that we are talking about the same thing, I believe there will be a better position for understanding.
What Darwinist have been attempting to do for the last 150 years was prove the theory of Macro-evolution was more than a theory. The evidence has been hard to come by and they have had many seemingly big victories that have been highly publicized, only to find out what they had were just hoaxes or frauds (see article from Time Magazine) that seem to not get as much media play. In fact, there are several examples proven as hoaxes that are still found to be used as proof in science text books in today's classrooms.
The Ida fossil is the recent hope for Darwinism. The fossil itself has been withheld from the public for years and has not had time for peer review of the findings. Nevertheless, there are those that are quick to hold it up as the latest 'Holy Grail', although you are not allowed to say 'Holy' as being a Darwinist also means that you are a Secular Humanist (which is an entirely different subject). I am not saying there are not people out there who think they can be Darwinist and not Secular Humanist, but again, if you look at the definition of terms, that is what it means.
Besides the points made in the article, there are some very glaring gross generalizations that were implied. I thought the missing link was to be a transitional form from ape to man. If I understand the assertion, this lemur relative is allegedly a transitional form from one animal type to a primate. That is a huge leap to be taking if you are going to say that because there is a transition from prosimians to anthropoids that there is a transition from ape to man. If this kind of generalization were applied in any other area of science, the scientist would be called reckless and irresponsible. But the point of Darwinist is not to prove science, it is to prove a point and hold to a faith.
What is sad is the practical application of Darwinian theories has already been seen and continues to this day. Carl Marx was a huge Darwin fan and supporter. So was Adolph Hitler and his scientist who practiced eugenics; the founding principle of Planned Parenthood.
If you consider yourself in the slightest a feminist or support of woman's rights, I strongly suggest you read (for yourself) the beliefs of Darwin and his colleagues about the superiority of the male mind over the smaller, less effective female mind. The same goes with civil rights where Darwin's theories supported that the African American brain was more like an animal than a person. Or even gay rights. This is not me, the Christian, this is Darwin. My God tells me He made everyone and that they are special to Him and should be treated with respect, dignity, and love. Even if I don't agree with them, I am to pray for them and give them food when they are hungry and a drink when they thirst. It is not my job to decide that someone is of a particular skin tone or financial status or genetic desirability that they should live or die or how they should be treated.
The question still goes back to the fact that we have so many fossil records of so many different animal types, but there is a grossly obvious lack of the transitional forms in general. These transitional forms are the very proof Darwin stated in his theory that would be needed to prove his theory. Darwin wrote that if these transitional fossils were not found, then his theory would break down.
Darwin and the people of his day didn't have the technology we have and thought the cell was something simple. We know today that it is one of the most intricate and complex things we know of in existence. Even the simplest forms of bacteria are astounding atheistic scientist who simply are losing their faith in Darwin's theory.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Why NOT for me?
Why do so many of us have this twisted image of how God sees and values us?
Is it a form of pride that leads us to this self-loathing? And I am not speaking about the obvious worthlessness that the tax collector had displayed in his prayer in Jesus’ parable. I am speaking of the idea that we could think we are so special that God would pass us over for His promise. That God would choose to give other believers His authority, except us. That God’s faithfulness only applies to other people and not to ourselves or our circumstances.
Now it is true, sometimes we get ourselves into circumstances that God needs to help move us from under and into a different situation. Sometimes we choose to go gallivanting off and buy that car we know we shouldn’t buy but the world says will fulfill our needs for power and status. Or perhaps it is the house we had bought, the clothes we wear, the electronics and toys we buy, or even the amount we pay a month for our TV and DVR’s. Whatever the decisions we made, for whatever reason we made them, we went outside of the will of God to make these decisions and put ourselves into a position where our obedience and faithfulness to God has taken a backseat. God is long in patience, we all can be thankful of that every single day we draw breath, but He will only take a back seat for so long... as well He should. He is a Holy and Just God. There is no other God but Him (Deut 4:35, 39; 1Ki 8:60; Isa 44:8; Isa 45:5; Isa 45:14, 18, 22; Isa 46:9... you get the idea). How easy we can forget that and have other idols before Him.
Even the disciplining and growing that our Good Father does for us, His children, is because of His love for us. A love so deep that He chose to send His one and only Son to suffer and die for us. The only explanation is we have great value God’s eyes.
So why would our God, this Creator of the universe, this lover of our souls, this ever faithful Father make good on all of His promises to everyone else, except you? What would make you special in this reverse way? Isn’t that some sort of perverse sense of pride that God would purposely break His Word just for you?
Please understand, I am not trying to be cruel and certainly am not throwing stones as I too live in a glass house. This is nothing I haven’t had in the past and still continually have to tell myself. The bottom line is either I trust God to deliver on His promises or I don’t. Either my God is big enough to handle every single aspect of all of this creation down to holding my very cells together (see Laminin ) or He isn’t.
Is it a form of pride that leads us to this self-loathing? And I am not speaking about the obvious worthlessness that the tax collector had displayed in his prayer in Jesus’ parable. I am speaking of the idea that we could think we are so special that God would pass us over for His promise. That God would choose to give other believers His authority, except us. That God’s faithfulness only applies to other people and not to ourselves or our circumstances.
Now it is true, sometimes we get ourselves into circumstances that God needs to help move us from under and into a different situation. Sometimes we choose to go gallivanting off and buy that car we know we shouldn’t buy but the world says will fulfill our needs for power and status. Or perhaps it is the house we had bought, the clothes we wear, the electronics and toys we buy, or even the amount we pay a month for our TV and DVR’s. Whatever the decisions we made, for whatever reason we made them, we went outside of the will of God to make these decisions and put ourselves into a position where our obedience and faithfulness to God has taken a backseat. God is long in patience, we all can be thankful of that every single day we draw breath, but He will only take a back seat for so long... as well He should. He is a Holy and Just God. There is no other God but Him (Deut 4:35, 39; 1Ki 8:60; Isa 44:8; Isa 45:5; Isa 45:14, 18, 22; Isa 46:9... you get the idea). How easy we can forget that and have other idols before Him.
Even the disciplining and growing that our Good Father does for us, His children, is because of His love for us. A love so deep that He chose to send His one and only Son to suffer and die for us. The only explanation is we have great value God’s eyes.
So why would our God, this Creator of the universe, this lover of our souls, this ever faithful Father make good on all of His promises to everyone else, except you? What would make you special in this reverse way? Isn’t that some sort of perverse sense of pride that God would purposely break His Word just for you?
Please understand, I am not trying to be cruel and certainly am not throwing stones as I too live in a glass house. This is nothing I haven’t had in the past and still continually have to tell myself. The bottom line is either I trust God to deliver on His promises or I don’t. Either my God is big enough to handle every single aspect of all of this creation down to holding my very cells together (see Laminin ) or He isn’t.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Tuesday Morning Jesus
“Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 11:1 NASB
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV
I was talking with my wife and she was telling me how they were planning a skit for the Tuesday morning women’s group that she leads at our church. She needed to find one of the women who were interested and bold enough to be in the skit. She also needed a man to be Jesus. I told her that I would think of someone who would be able to be their Tuesday morning Jesus. Of course, I was just thinking I was funny by proposing this Tuesday morning Jesus concept, but I was sincere about thinking of someone who may be interested, and available, to be involved. What I was missing were the hints my wife was trying to give me about hoping I would volunteer for the role, so she had to come right out and suggest I do it myself. Well, I certainly have had my share of skits and performance parts and am not a stranger to being in front of groups of people. So being in a small skit for a ladies group was no far stretch of the imagination. Out of the quick flashes in my mind, I voiced that in order to be able to be their Jesus, I would have to grow my beard out. Either because I was making far too much a deal over this, or my wife didn’t want me to think I needed to go above and beyond for what they had planned, she assured me I would be just fine without having to grow out a full beard.
Thinking back on my response, I was really disappointed in myself and the underlying thought process I had fallen into. I know we are just talking about a five minute skit for about 70 women on a Tuesday morning, but it revealed something that I was less than proud of. My response revealed my beliefs that I somehow needed to prepare to play the part of Jesus; that there was something more I needed to do than I already do in order for people to see me as Jesus, or rather, see Jesus in me.
We are called to be Jesus to this lost and hurting world. In fact, the term Christian was first used as an insult in the New Testament (Acts 11:26) as an insult to those who were following “the Way”. People were scoffing at the followers of Jesus calling them little Christ. “Look at those people being little Christ, trying to save the world,” you could almost hear the people taunt. So why is my every day walk, talk, attitude, behavior not reflective of the One who has taken up residence in my heart? Why do I not shine with the Light that is inside me? Why is the One who is within me not being allowed to show through and be seen as the One who is bigger than the one who is in the world? I already have the victory. I already have the promise. I already have the hope and the new life. I have what the world needs and He wants to use me in every aspect of this life that I am supposed to have died to.
So if you have already blown it today, already displayed less than the love, patience, kindness, and grace of Jesus, then remember this: God’s mercies are made new every day. Jesus came to make us new creations. He is making the old new and still desires to do just that in your life, even before the sun goes down. So starting now, make the choice. Lose the selfish desires and the entitlements. God knows what He is doing. He knows everything and wouldn’t tell you to do something unless He had a plan and purpose for it. It will go against your nature. Your flesh will tell you you’re stupid. It will taunt you as those early followers we taunted two thousand years ago. It will ask you who you think you are to be this little Christ. But that’s just means you’re doing something right.
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV
I was talking with my wife and she was telling me how they were planning a skit for the Tuesday morning women’s group that she leads at our church. She needed to find one of the women who were interested and bold enough to be in the skit. She also needed a man to be Jesus. I told her that I would think of someone who would be able to be their Tuesday morning Jesus. Of course, I was just thinking I was funny by proposing this Tuesday morning Jesus concept, but I was sincere about thinking of someone who may be interested, and available, to be involved. What I was missing were the hints my wife was trying to give me about hoping I would volunteer for the role, so she had to come right out and suggest I do it myself. Well, I certainly have had my share of skits and performance parts and am not a stranger to being in front of groups of people. So being in a small skit for a ladies group was no far stretch of the imagination. Out of the quick flashes in my mind, I voiced that in order to be able to be their Jesus, I would have to grow my beard out. Either because I was making far too much a deal over this, or my wife didn’t want me to think I needed to go above and beyond for what they had planned, she assured me I would be just fine without having to grow out a full beard.
Thinking back on my response, I was really disappointed in myself and the underlying thought process I had fallen into. I know we are just talking about a five minute skit for about 70 women on a Tuesday morning, but it revealed something that I was less than proud of. My response revealed my beliefs that I somehow needed to prepare to play the part of Jesus; that there was something more I needed to do than I already do in order for people to see me as Jesus, or rather, see Jesus in me.
We are called to be Jesus to this lost and hurting world. In fact, the term Christian was first used as an insult in the New Testament (Acts 11:26) as an insult to those who were following “the Way”. People were scoffing at the followers of Jesus calling them little Christ. “Look at those people being little Christ, trying to save the world,” you could almost hear the people taunt. So why is my every day walk, talk, attitude, behavior not reflective of the One who has taken up residence in my heart? Why do I not shine with the Light that is inside me? Why is the One who is within me not being allowed to show through and be seen as the One who is bigger than the one who is in the world? I already have the victory. I already have the promise. I already have the hope and the new life. I have what the world needs and He wants to use me in every aspect of this life that I am supposed to have died to.
So if you have already blown it today, already displayed less than the love, patience, kindness, and grace of Jesus, then remember this: God’s mercies are made new every day. Jesus came to make us new creations. He is making the old new and still desires to do just that in your life, even before the sun goes down. So starting now, make the choice. Lose the selfish desires and the entitlements. God knows what He is doing. He knows everything and wouldn’t tell you to do something unless He had a plan and purpose for it. It will go against your nature. Your flesh will tell you you’re stupid. It will taunt you as those early followers we taunted two thousand years ago. It will ask you who you think you are to be this little Christ. But that’s just means you’re doing something right.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Rejoice!
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” - Philippians 4:4 NIV
I was listening to Chris Tomlin’s worship anthem How Great Is Our God. Chris Tomlin is probably the most widely known song worship leader and worship song writer currently in the world. His songs have helped me reach new levels in my own worship. God has worked through Chris’ words and music to bring people to a saving knowledge of Christ Jesus. This to say, Chris Tomlin has my greatest respect for the faithful service he has been doing for Jesus.
One of the lines in the song is “let all the world rejoice. All the world rejoice.” This is an incredible command that was incorporated into the song as an appropriate response to God’s majesty. And not to say anything against the dynamics of how Chris had sung the verse, but it hit me that perhaps this softer reflective tone doesn’t quite do the command justice.
The point of this really has nothing to do with a song critique, it has everything to do with the way we respond to our God and His presence. We, His people, those who have been called [the] children of God (1 John 3:1 NIV), should respond to our great Heavenly Father in normally expected ways … just because of who God is. There should be awe and wonder, fear and reverence, praise and thanksgiving! Much rejoicing in the Lord! This is our privilege and pleasure of being before the King. There will be a day when we all will be before His eternal presence and will have no other desire but to respond in triumph, reverence, eternal worship and praise (Romans 14:11, Isaiah 45:23). There will be no greater joy we have ever known or has ever been created than what we have in store. Too often, we get caught up in the pushes and pulls of this world. We are buffeted along this crazy river of life being tossed in the currents and sometimes even thrown against the rocks. Since this becomes our main focus, we quickly lose perspective of what will truly bring us joy in this life.
I will say it again: Rejoice!
This is our act of defiance to the world and an act of reverence for our God who has created the universe. This God who spoke creation into being and yet still holds our hearts in His hand. Take back that which God has given to you which the world tries to steal away. The joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). If we want to break out of the mundane, if we want to have more than this complacency that we have confused for contentment, then I challenge you: Rejoice! Laugh in the face of diversity. Stand against the current and remember that you are tired because you thought it would be better to go with the flow of the world and not take the narrow path given to us by our Father. God challenges us to trust His will and trust that His ways are better than our own. Borrowing another song reference, this time from Caedmon’s Call’s You Created (1999): “You created nothing that gives me more pleasure than You. And You won’t give me something that gives me more pleasure than You.”
Stand up and cheer. Give your Father His due for He is the only One worthy of our praise. Let that excited feeling deep inside your heart that dreams to be bold break out and have a voice. Let your heart be undignified in the eyes of the world and rejoice!!!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Verse:
John 3:16; Jn 3:16; John 3
Keyword:
Salvation, Jesus, Gospel
With Operators:
AND, OR, NOT, “ ”
Posts
