Daily Thought: The Foundation of Community

"There is no ideal community.  Community is made up of people with all their richness, but also with their weakness and poverty, of people who accept and forgive each other, who are vulnerable with each other.  Humility and trust are more at the foundation of community than perfection." ~ John Ortberg, Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them, p. 48

Flip Flopping Candidates

The reason candidates flip flop on issues is because they lack core principles which guide their beliefs and their actions.



Support Ron Paul for President.

Making Your Voice Louder

On SteveDeace.com Jen Green summarizes the details of a focus group looking the the Republican candidates for president.  The point I would like to make comes from question #2: What is the real problem you have with Ron Paul?

Most in the group said their biggest concern with Ron Paul is his foreign policy, but they also take issue with his “extreme” position on state’s rights on all the social issues.

I understand that people are concerned about Ron Paul's foreign policy because they are scared of the Muslim bogeyman.  Though I think that is an irrational and ultimately uninformed position to take I know that many conservatives are scared about Iran getting a nuke and other terrorist threats.

Here is what I really want people to understand: That Ron Paul's "extreme" position  on state rights would make their voice louder and more valuable.  On a national stage our voice is basically drowned out by larger and more influential voices.  Lobbyists and even bigger states have bigger voices than what we have or then what smaller states have.  If we returned more power to the states two positive things would happen.  First, we would have more of a say on things the truly matter to us and directly effect us.  Something that might have a positive effect for California may have a negative effect for Iowa.  If the states had more power California could pass a law that might benefit them, but it wouldn't effect Iowa.  Aside from that we would have a greater chance of having our voices heard.  In the last 30 years where have the best anti-abortion efforts have come from?  They have come from State governments.  On the Federal level virtually nothing has happened.  If abortion was given back over to States, that would allow State governments to make abortion illegal.  Right now it is like we are shouting in a 100, 000 seat stadium and our voice is getting lost in the noise.  Go to a smaller stadium, then you have a great chance at being heard.

The second positive thing that would come from this is that it would give people a chance to vote with their feet.  If one state funded abortion with tax dollars then a citizen of that state could decide to move to a state where the state not only did not fund abortion, but made it illegal.  We don't have that option right now.  When it is managed at Federal level you are stuck with it wherever you go, unless you gave up your privileges of US citizenship and move to a different country.  Not many of us a willing to do that, partly because there really isn't any place else to go.  So leaving things in the hands of the Federal government reduces our options on how to deal with bad legislation.  When state government see their tax revenue fall because people are moving out of the state it would force them to at least consider what that is happening.

What this tells me is that most conservatives, in spite of their talking points, are not interested in a small government.  Ultimately conservatives want a large federal government that does things their way.  That is why the United States will continue down the road to destruction, because people are not willing to see that that there is a better way to govern.  The best way to reduce the size of the federal government is to return power to the states.

Daily Thought: A Single Family

"Because the gospel is the announcement that the crucified and risen Jesus is Lord of the world.  And if he is Lord of the whole world, then those who believe in him, who give allegiance to him, must form a single family.  There cannot be divisions based on nationhood or race." ~ N. T. Wright, Paul for Everyone: Galatians and Thessalonians, p. 16

Daily Thought: The Master Passion of the Soul

"The desire to be admired by other people, in all its various forms, has come to totally consume most people in our culture.  Even though we often think this problem belongs only to the upper classes, the fact is that it dominates both sexes and all social classes.  It takes many forms and hides itself in many disguises.  It permeates all we think, speak and do.  Sometimes it is openly acknowledged, but even when it is not, it is often the underlying motivation that guides many men and women and is often the master passion of the soul." ~ William Wilberforce, Real Christianity, p. 83

Daily Thought: The Simple but Challenging Call of Christ

"Our central job is not to solve the world's problems.  Our job is to draw our entire life from Christ and manifest that life to others.  Nothing could be simpler—and nothing could be more challenging.  Perhaps this partly explains why we have allowed ourselves to be so thoroughly co-opted by the world.  It's hard to communicate to a prostitute her unsurpassable worth by taking up a cross for her, serving her for years, gradually changing her on the inside, and slowly winning the trust to speak into her life (and letting her speak into our life, for we too are sinners).  Indeed, this sort of Calvary-like love requires one to die to self. It is much easier, and more gratifying, to assume a morally superior stance and feel good about doing our Christian duty to vote against 'the sin of prostitution.'" ~ Gregory Boyd, The Myth of a Christian Nation, pp. 64-65

Daily Thought: Study the Bible

"And the Bible has been given to help us.  God has so superintended the writing of Scripture that it serves as a most reliable guide for our own spiritual formation.  But as in its authorship, so in its presentation to the world, God uses human action.  So we must consider how we can ourselves come to the Bible ans also how we can present it to all peoples in a way that does not destroy the soul but inducts it into the eternal kind of life." ~ Richard Foster, Life with God, p. 9

Daily Thought: Don't Be Consumed by Religion

"There may not be a more dangerous weapon for violence or oppression than religion.  It seems counterintuitive, but when human beings create religions, we use them to control others through their guilt and shame.  True religion always moves us to serve others and to give our lives to see those oppressed find freedom.  Paul persecuted followers of Christ and even instigated their deaths, but then he risked his own life so that others might live.  He once personified the very worst that happens when a religion becomes civilized.  It moves away from God and oppresses humanity in God's name.  Paul was once consumed by religion, but then he was transformed by the living presence of God Himself." ~ Erwin McManus, The Barbarian Way, p. 47

Daily Thought: Jesus Comes for Sinners

"Here is revelation bright as the evening star: Jesus comes for sinners, for those as outcast as tax collectors and for those caught up in squalid choices and failed dreams.  He comes for corporate executives, street people, superstars, farmers, hookers, addicts, IRS agents, AIDS victims, and even used car salesmen.  Jesus not only talks with these people but dines with them—fully aware that His table fellowship with sinners will raise the eyebrows of religious bureaucrats who hold up the robes and insignia of their authority to justify their condemnation of the truth and their rejection of the gospel of grace." ~ Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel, p. 23

Linkage: Following Jesus Doesn't Work For Us

If we are honest there are times when following Jesus isn't all that wonderful.  We came to Jesus hoping that He would make our lives better, and in certain ways He has, but now there also seems to be a whole new layer of problems that we never had to deal with before.  We were hoping for our best life now, and Jesus tells us that we have to wait.

Hebrews 11 illustrates this reality.  All those people mentioned did not experience the fullness of God's promise while they lived.  In fact, for the anonymous majority they were persecuted and killed for their faith.  So they might have been able to enjoy miracles here and there, their lives were also filled with heartache and pain.

In this essay, Following Jesus Doesn't Work,  Gregory Boyd deals with the this issue of discipleship.  The bottom line is the Jesus doesn't work for us, but we are to work for Him.

I met a middle aged woman one day who told me she had given up on Christianity. “It just didn’t work for me,” she said. My response was: “What on earth made you think Jesus was supposed to work for you? The truth is that you were supposed to work for him.” 

The sentiment is widespread. I seems that many assume Jesus is supposed to be our personal magical genie who grants our wishes, at least some of the time. Such a magical view of faith is catastrophic, for people abandon what they thought was the Christian faith when it doesn’t work. And worse, people think they’re embracing the Christian faith when it does.

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Daily Thought: The Source of our Woe

"Our woes began when God was forced out of His central shrine and 'things' were allowed to enter.  Within the human heart 'things' have taken over.  Men have now by nature no peace within their hearts, for God is crowned there no longer, but there in the moral dusk stubborn and aggressive usurpers fight among themselves for first place on the throne." ~ A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God, p. 11

Our True Citizenship

{Ephesians 2:19-22, ESV}

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. 

The only citizenship that truly matters is our citizenship in God's Kingdom.  In this passage the apostle Paul is addressing Gentile Christians, and he reminds them that before Jesus they were on the outside of the God's Kingdom.  They were no better than strangers and aliens in a foreign land, for they did not possess the citizenship papers of the Kingdom, the citizenship papers of faith in the One True God.

That has now all changed!  They no longer had to live as foreigners in regards to God's Kingdom, because now they belonged.  What wonderful news that is!  Regardless of the land of their birth or their ancestry they could find a place, not only in God's Kingdom, but in His very household.  They could be part of the precious and loved people of the World's One True God!

One of things we like to say is, "God bless America!" and we come to believe that because we are citizens of the United States we have a privileged status in the world.  What we forget is that none of that matters.  We can be the most productive and patriotic citizens of this country and it wouldn't matter, because we would be aliens in God's Kingdom without Jesus.  Being citizens of the United States means nothing if we are not first and foremost citizens of God's Kingdom.

When we are citizens of God's Kingdom we realize that the way God blesses America is through blessing His people (the Church), that we can go out and be a blessing to those around us.  We realize that the foundation of our lives is not some political philosophy, be it liberal or conservative, but Jesus Christ.  So what is needed for a God Blessed America is not converting people to our political persuasion so that "Christian" laws can be made, but to convert people to the way of Jesus so that true Christians are created.

The Church will do far more good for the United States when we stop trying to create a Christian nation through politics and begin to bless those around us as we live as true citizens of God's Kingdom.  For that to happen we will have to accept the fact that our American citizenship is worth nothing, and our true citizenship in God's Kingdom is worth everything.

Daily Thought: It is Far Truer

"The most important divine truth ever given is far truer and even more difficult for us to absorb than a simple golfing truth.  From Moses to Malachi and from Jesus to John, the Bible witnesses to this elemental truth: God loves us.  He loves you, and he loves me—as individuals.  This big truth needs to be absorbed into our beings." ~ Scot McKnight, The Jesus Creed, p. 24

Daily Thought: Mutually Opposed Desires

“I want two things that are mutually opposed—I want to live a nice little life, and I want to play an important role in God’s kingdom.  And it’s in those times that I am trying to live a nice little life that I make decisions and choices that cause me in small and subtle ways to live outside of Jesus.  The Shepherd is headed one direction, and I am headed another.  Not to some flagrant sin—that’s too easy to recognize.  Instead, I’m simply wandering off looking for the pasture I deem best.” ~ John Eldredge, Walking with God, pp. 89-90

Daily Thought: The Cost of Forgiveness

"Beware of the pleasant view of the Fatherhood of God—God is so kind and loving that of course He will forgive us. That sentiment has no place whatever in the New Testament. The only ground on which God can forgive us is the tremendous tragedy of the Cross of Christ; to put forgiveness on any other ground is unconscious blasphemy. The only ground on which God can forgive sin and reinstate us in His favour is through the Cross of Christ, and in no other way. Forgiveness, which is so easy for us to accept, cost the agony of Calvary. It is possible to take the forgiveness of sin, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and our sanctification with the simplicity of faith, and to forget at what enormous cost to God it was all made ours." ~ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

Daily Thought: No Matter the Consequences

"The moment you know what God wants of you is the moment to do it.  He doesn't expose sin in our lives so we can take care of it later.  When God speaks, it requires immediate attention.  We might be tempted to put things off until it's easier to deal with them.  We might hesitate in an attempt to minimize the consequences.  Yet courage does what's right regardless of situation or consequence." ~ Erwin McManus, Uprising, pp. 100-01

A Life Lesson from Tim Tebow and the Broncos

I am a fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes, the Boston Celtics, and the Denver Broncos. I don't pay much attention to sports outside of those teams.  You can imagine that I am pleased with the way the Broncos, led by Tim Tebow, have been silencing the critics for the last three weeks.  Now, truth be told, when the Broncos used a first round pick last year to get Tebow I was not very happy, and I still have questions on whether or not he can have success over the long haul in the NFL, but I am cheering for the guy.  Not only because he is a man of character and faith, but also because he is showing the world that you can be different and be successful.

People who cover the NFL tell us that you need to be a drop back pocket passer to be successful, and that is not who Tim Tebow is.  The Broncos tried that, and in his second start this season, Tebow and the Broncos got embarrassed by the Detroit Lions.  That sent John Fox and the Bronco coaching staff to the drawing board to come up with a scheme that will enable Tebow to have success, and in the last three games they have.

That is the lesson that we, as followers of Christ and as Church Families, can take away from this.  In a world of sameness, God often requires us to be different.  For us to be obedient to the call God has placed on our lives requires us to use the unique skill set He has blessed given to us.  That is part of what being a member of Christ's body is all about:

For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don’t have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; or service, let us give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching; or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness (Romans 12:4-8; WEB).

We don't have to be a great preacher, writer, singer, or missionary to make a difference in the world for God's Kingdom. What we need to do is be faithful in using the gifts He has blessed us with to build His Kingdom. Our Church Family doesn't need to adopt the same programs that the successful church across town or across the country uses, but rather we need to think of creative ways to use the spiritual gifted and talented people who make up our Church Family. We are not called to copy our neighbor, but to be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us.

People who are successful in athletics share a couple of traits regardless of their skill sets.  First, they work hard and develop their physical talents.  You can't be successful without hard work.  Second, the don't give up.  When they get knocked down they get back up and try again.  To follow Christ requires us to share certain traits with our fellow followers.  One is to live with faith, faith like Abraham's faith.  Regardless of your skill set this is a must, for you can't follow Jesus without it.  A second one is love, for love, we are told, is what defines us as followers of Jesus.  Love for God and a love for people.  As we use our talents in the context of faith and love we will discover that we are being transformed into the people God created us to be.

Daily Thought: Reflecting God's Image

"If the creator God is the goal, then what that means for human beings is not that they will be absorbed into God, losing their identity and individuality, but that they will come once more to reflect the divine image fully and completely—from God into the world, and from the world back to God.  In other words: rulers and priests." ~ N. T. Wright, After You Believe, p. 139

Daily Thought: It is Time To Do Something

“God has created you to do something.  It is not enough to stop the wrong and then be paralyzed when it comes to the right.  God created you to do good.  And doing this requires initiative.  There is a subtle danger of hiding apathy behind piety.  Getting rid of the sin in your life?  Great.  Now it’s time to do something” ~ Erwin McManus, Seizing Your Divine Moment, p. 35

More Than Life Voyeurs

It is so easy in our culture to live our lives through the adventures of other people. So we spend our time watching reality TV, keeping up on the latest Hollywood gossip, following our favorite sports teams, and playing action adventure video games. These things keep us distracted from the life God has given us to live.

Let's face it, watching another person live their life is a lot safer than actually living our own life. We don't have to worry about the hurt of rejection or the pain of failure. Being life voyeurs is a relative safe thing to be.

Think about what Jesus said to his disciples before he ascended into heaven:

Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, a baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20, NLT).

There are two truths that I want to point out. First, Jesus makes it clear that he has the authority, and in that authority he is sending us out. We have the authority of God behind us! That should give us the courage and the resolve to live boldly!

Second, is the command to go. Jesus expects his disciples to go into the world. As we go we are to proclaim the Gospel, in both word and deed, to those around us. We cannot follow Jesus and remain on the sidelines.

It is easy to watch other people live life, but that is not the type of life God created us to experience. He created us so that we can join Him in bringing redemption to the world. Now that is a life worth living!

Daily Thought: Room In Our Hearts

"When people are allowed to go on deposit in our hearts, strong affections and attachments form. When people are not in our hearts, there is no interest or concern. Because Christ has called us into the people business, it is important that we find room for them in our hearts." ~ Gary Carpenter, What the Bible Says about the Heart, p. 41

Linkage: Our Besetting Sin

As a scholar I appreciate what Dr. Ben Witherington has to say.  His commentary on Galatians, Grace in Galatia, proved to be a real guide to me as I preached through that Pauline Epistle.  His political commentary I find very frustrating since he writes it from a more left wing perspective.  With that being said I think this post, Our Besetting Sin, which deals with the Occupy Wall Street and the issues surrounding that movement is worth reading.  This thought, which is found towards the end, is the essential point that we need to remember: "The only cure for narcissism is a real conversion. Not just a change of direction, or a change of a few ideas, a real conversion which allows one to give up the self-centeredness and actually love God and neighbor."  Ultimately this isn't about a change in politics, it is a transformation of the heart, and that can only happen when we surrender our lives to Jesus and learn to love God and those around us.

I was watching the television interviews of some of the Occupy Wall Street young people. In this particular segment they seemed to only be able to find 22 year olds. That is, those just out of college who have not been able to find a job. The latter is understandable since the unemployment rate of 18-22 year olds is somewhere in the neighbor- hood of 25% or worse. They are angry. They feel they have been sold a bill of goods. They have been told, ‘get a good education and you will find your job and place in life’. Only that isn’t so much happening these days. There are a lot of unemployed college graduates, and the number of unemployed high school graduates who did not go on to college is astronomical. Your odds at least are better if you have a college degree. Looking around for someone to blame for this mess, the Occupy Wall Street crowd has fixed on Wall Street, on the Bernie Madoffs in our world (as in made off with our cash). And of course there is some truth to the rumor that greedy people on Wall Street caused the crash of 2008. But it is not the root of the problem. Nor is the root of the problem laziness. Nor is the root of the problem a lack of hard work. Americans still by and large are very hard workers, compared for example to the Greeks. No, none of this gets at the root of the problem.

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Daily Thought: Minimizing the Central

"How wise was Rupert Meldenius in the 17th century, who is quoted as saying that we must preserve unity  in essentials, liberty in non-essentials, and charity in all things.  Many of our troubles in inner-church relations arise from our lack of proportion.  We minimize the central and magnify the peripheral.  We make concessions on clearly revealed truths which should never be surrendered, and yet insist upon secondary matters and even on trivialities which are neither revealed nor required by God." ~ John Stott, What Christ Thinks of the Church, p. 53

Daily Thought: Move With God

"When you move with God, He always shows up. It's just difficult to predict what He will do or how He will do it. If you wait for guarantees, the only thing that will be guaranteed is that you will miss endless divine opportunities--that you can know for certain." ~ Erwin McManus, Seizing Your Divine Moment, p. 67

Video: A Pagan Influence of Christianity

Daily Thought: Implementing the Victory

"The battle between the true God and the powers of evil that enslave and deface humankind came to its height on the cross.  But the church is charged with implementing the victory that was won there, and the powers don't like it." ~ N. T. Wright, Paul for Everyone: Galatians and Thessalonians, p. 102

We Don't Stand Alone!

Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil...Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm (Ephesians 6:11 and 13; NLT).

The Bible does not hide the reality that life is hard and that we will be under attack from the Evil One. It should not surprise us that we experience temptations, trials, and struggles.

During these times we are commanded to stand firm. It is when we stand firm that we are able to resist the Satan. Yet experience tells us that we don't have the strength to stand firm. Time and time again we have been knocked down by the attacks of the evil one. So it can get discouraging if we think standing firm depends entirely on us.

Part of the Gospel message is that we don't stand alone and unaided. God has placed in our lives the Church so we can stand firm together, and He has provided us with the equipment we need so we are have what we need to resist the Enemy.

I urge us to take time and ask God to teach us how to use the equipment He has given us so we can stand firm by His power. Remember we don't stand alone!

Daily Thought: No Shortcuts, No Alternate Routes

"The truth is, unless we come humbled and barren, with empty hands and open hearts, then access to the kingdom is denied.  There are no shortcuts, no alternate routes.  All must pass the way of the cross." ~ Mark Moore, Encounters With Christ, p. 26

The Christian Case for Ron Paul

Tom Woods has been one of the individuals who has influenced my thinking recently.  Here is his interview with Steve Deace on the Christian case for supporting Ron Paul.  It is just over 24 minutes long so I would encourage you to listen to it.

Daily Thought: Take the First Step

"Don't let the unknown of the second step determine whether or not you will take the first step.  Some people are not willing to take the first step unless they know what will happen when they do! Faith leaves the next step to God and 'steps out' in obedience, believing God will supply 'all things that pertain to live and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue' (2 Peter 1:3)." ~ Henry Blackaby, Created to Be God's Friend, p. 47

Live Wisely and Redeem the Time

You and I have been given a great gift. The gift of life is the most precious thing that we have, and therefore it is imperative that we don't waste it.

Yet it is very easy to waste our lives. We can let the moments of our lives slip through our fingers as we sit in front of a TV or computer screen. It is possible to waste our lives as we discover one more excuse to work later rather than going home to our family or to give into the voice for some "me time" rather obeying God's call.

Vacation, Sabbath, and alone time are important because we need opportunities to recharge our batteries and anchor our lives to Christ Jesus. We should never feel guilty for getting the rest that we need, just as we should never feel guilty about fulfilling our obligations.

What we need to be conscious about is how we are using the time God has given us. How we use our time determines how well we are living.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians:

So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do (Ephesians 5:15-17, NLT).

To make the most of every opportunity means that we buy up the time we have been given. We redeem the time from this evil age and bring it into God's glorious Kingdom. This requires prayer on our part so we can know God's will. We can't be in obedience to God's will if we are ignorant of what His will is. Redeeming the time also requires an intentionality on our part. It is choosing to seem God's will, committing to do His will, and making the effort to do it. We get to decide whether or not we are going to redeem the time for God's glory and honor.

To make the most of our lives and to live wisely means that we redeem the time given to use. By dedicating it to God's Kingdom. That is the best way to use the gift of life God has given to use.

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Daily Thought: The Fruit of Sin

"What is the fruit of sin?  Step into the briar patch of humanity and feel a few thistles.  Shame.  Fear.  Disgrace.  Discouragement.  Anxiety.  Haven't our hearts been caught in these brambles?

"The heart of Jesus, however, had not.  He had never been cut by the thorns of sin.  What you and I face daily, he never knew.  Anxiety?  He never worried!  Guilt?  He was never guilty! Fear?  He never left the presence of God!  Jesus never knew the fruits of sin...until he became sin for us." ~ Max Lucado, He Chose the Nails, p. 26

Daily Thought: God's Promise to Love

"Even better, the premise that God loves us is also a promise.  God takes the first step toward us.  It all begins with his gracious love for us, regardless of who we are and what we have done.  He promises this much: he will love us." ~ Scot McKnight, The Jesus Creed, p. 30

Good Habits

One of the realities of this stage of my life is the fact that I am unable to attend Sunday morning worship on a weekly basis. My current job requires that I work every other weekend and I am scheduled to work the 8am to 4pm shift. So I have missed Sunday morning worship more times in the last four months than I have in my entire life leading up to that point.

What I have realized is the importance of good habits in our lives. I am surprised how fast this every other week thing became the new normal and how I don't even give it a second thought now about missing Sunday morning worship. There is no doubt in my mind that without other good and essential habits it would be very easy to let the current of life to sweep me away.

One of the habits that I have is a morning Bible reading, devotional, and prayer time. These private disciplines are essential in rooting my life in God. There is no doubt that in the hustle and bustle of life that a daily time with God helps give us focus on life and taps us into God's transforming power.

A second habit that has proved to be essential is weekly participation with our life group. This is such an important time for me and functions much like Sunday morning for me. We have a time of praising God, a time of study and discussion, and a great time of prayer. To be honest without this group I would not be able to miss Sunday morning worship as much as I do. I regularly thank God for this small group of people.

The writer of Hebrews wrote:

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near (Hebrews 10:23-25; NLT).

We need good habits in our lives. Without them we put ourselves in danger of slipping away. Cultivate good habits in your life.

Daily Thought: What is Religion?

"All social intercourse between human beings is a response of personality to personality, grading upward from the most casual brush between man and man to the fullest, most intimate communion which the human soul is capable.  Religion, so far as it is genuine, is in essence the response of created personalities to the Creating Personality, God." ~ A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God, p. 6

Daily Thought: The Instrument of Reason

"Instead, reason's role is that of a servant.  Reason is a God-given instrument to help us better understand and defend our faith.  Though the Holy Spirit gives us assurance of the basic truth of our faith, He does not impart knowledge of all its ramifications and ins and outs—for example, whether God is timeless or everlasting, how to reconcile providence and free will, or how to formulate the doctrine of the Trinity.  Those are things we must decide by thinking about them." ~ William Lane Craig, Hard Questions, Real Answers, p. 37

I Will Praise You

In the responsibilities and distractions of every day life it is easy to put loving God on the back burner. I even find my devotional life turns it a distraction from truly loving God.

Praise for our Creator begins with an intention to worship. We may not feel like worshipping, but we commit ourselves to the act of worship, to thanksgiving and prayer. I find that if I wait until I feel like offering praise that it rarely happens. That is why it is so important to be intentional about praising God.

I think this intention shows itself first in our commitment to attending corporate worship. If we are not intentional about setting aside one day a week to praise God then it will be difficult to be consistent in our praise of God.

This intentional weekly praise of God then needs to move into a daily response to what God has done for us. This doesn't mean that we set aside a time of singing each day, but it does mean that we spend time each day thanking God for loving us, for providing for us, and guiding us in His ways. This is so essential as we seek to follow Jesus. It keeps us centered and focused on what needs really matters, no matter what we may be going through. Praise is the lifeblood that we need to remain faithful in whatever circumstance we might find ourselves in. May we commit ourselves to praising God.

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Daily Thought: Our Human Rights

"In the much talk today about human rights, we forget that our human rights are derived from the Christian faith.  In Christian terms every single human being, whoever he or she may be, sick or well, clever or foolish, beautiful or ugly, every single human being is loved of his Creator, who has, as the Gospels tell us, counted the hairs of his head.  This Creator cannot see even a sparrow fall to the ground without concern.  Now it is from that concept our rights derive." ~ Malcolm Muggeridge, The End of Christendom, p. 19

Daily Thought: Unceasing Love

"The life of the Trinity is an unceasing offering and receiving of self-giving love.  The Father holds the Son in his heart, and the Son does the same with the Father. 'The Father is in me and I am in the Father,' Jesus says, and the Spirit holds and is held as well.  'Hold you me'—missive, generous, creative, self-giving love—is what the Trinity has been doing from before the beginning of time." ~ John Ortberg, Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them, p. 37

Daily Thought: Our Fatal Freedom

"Astonishingly, the Creator seldom imposes himself on his creatures.  It requires attention and effort on our part to 'remember you Creator,' because the Creator slips quietly backstage.  God does not force his presence on us.  When lesser gods attract, God withdraws, honoring our fatal freedom to ignore him." ~ Philip Yancey, Rumors of Another World, p. 50

Video: Aren't We All Atheists?

Daily Thought: The Record of Human History

"This is the true spiritual condition of humanity.  The nuances of particulars and intensity might be different in each individual case, but the underlying principles remain true.  Whether ancient times or modern, human history is a record of human depravity.  This is the humbling truth." ~ William Wilberforce, Real Christianity, p. 32

Jesus Helps Me

I have been using Oswald Chambers' devotional book My Utmost for His Highest in my devotional reading in the mornings. The reading for November 2 I thought was good and really blended well with some of the thoughts I have been pondering the past few days. Yet, there was one sentence I just could not accept. Chambers wrote; "Jesus Christ will not help me obey Him, I must obey Him; and when I do obey Him, I fulfill my spiritual destiny" (p. 307). I have no doubt that our spiritual destiny lies on the other side of obedience, and it is because the stakes are so high that Jesus gives us the ability to obey.

Part of the problem of the human condition is that we don't have what it takes live a life of obedience. We are dominated by the flesh and we don't naturally do what God has called us to do, even when we have good intentions that we will. If my spiritual destiny depends on my obedience then I am in huge trouble!

Oswald Chambers began the reading with John 14:15; “If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (ESV). Our love for Jesus is demonstrated in our obedience to His will. Yet Jesus goes on to say; "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you" (John 14:16, 17; ESV). Jesus knows we need help in our obedience and so He sends the Holy Spirit to be the help that we need.

The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:13; I can do all things through him who strengthens me (ESV). Paul credited his continued obedience in the face of hardship to the strength that Christ provided. This was not something that Paul could have done on his own, he need the help of Jesus.

When it comes to obedience it does start with our intention and commitment. In other words we need to position our lives towards obedience. For me that includes going to God and asking for the strength to forgive, to love, to serve, and to give generously. If these things depended solely on me then I would fail. The help of Jesus is essential for my obedience, and I am going to continue to rely on His strength as I follow after Him.

Daily Thought: Learning to be Free

"But if they are called to be God's free and freedom bringing people, then they must learn to live as God's free people, giving up the habit of slavery—yes, slavery is as much a habit of mind as a physical state—and learning the art of responsible, free living." ~ N. T. Wright, After You Believe, p. 92

Video: I like Ron Paul except on Foreign Policy

Daily Thought: Being Faithful to the Constitution

"If our government were scrupulously faithful to the Constitution, we would not need to be especially concerned when a person who represents a philosophy different from our own takes political office.  Our Constitution delegates relatively few tasks to the federal government, so it should almost be a matter of indifference who is elected.  We wouldn't have to worry that a social policy of which we disapproved would be imposed on our neighborhood at the whim of the new president and his court appointees, or that more of our money would be stolen to fund yet another government boondoggle.  And we would also be spared the spectacle of countless American individuals and corporations frantically donating to candidates for political office during election years to reserve a place on the federal gravy train if their favorite should win." ~ Ron Paul, The Revolution, p. 66

God's Well of Health

Since my prayer times have felt unfocused and undisciplined I have been using Celtic Prayers from Iona to guide my times of prayer.  This morning as I was praying one of the prayers used for Tuesday morning ended with this phrase; "And let me be made pure in the well of your health" (p. 25).  For whatever reason this phrase stood out to me, and so I took a few moments to reflect on it.
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What occurred to me is that our physical health is of little value if our hearts and spirits are sick.  God's well of health not only brings healing to our bodies, ultimately when we receive our resurrected bodies of God's Kingdom, but also bring purity to our hearts and spirits.  God's healing strips away the corruption and decay of sin so that the purity of His image can shine through our lives.
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We need to be reminded that even though our physical bodies are falling apart and the ravages of time are becoming more evident with each passing day, that God's healing is still at work in our lives.  Our hearts, minds, and spirits are be transformed from the ugliness of corruption to the beauty of purity.  May we be made pure in the well of God's health.