Denzel Washington, Martin Luther, and Our Strange Neglect of the Bible

What are the most precious things we desire? Usually things that we don't have much of. Gold, jewels, iphones, or maybe good grades are some things that we consider precious. Is God's Word precious to us?

Here are a few quotes taken from The Gospel Coalition's Blog. This one by Ray Pennoyer:

What if you and I discovered that God himself—yes, the God who made the universe—was scheduled to speak at a certain college lecture hall or sports arena? I contend that we would spare no expense, time, or energy to get to that event and hear exactly what he had to say. We would be desperate to hear that word from God. And yet, that is what we claim about the Bible. Orthodox Christians around the world affirm and believe that the Bible is the very word of God. Yet do you and I seek to hear it just as desperately? If we are being honest, the answer for most of us would probably be “no.”

Why this strange neglect of the Bible? One reason, I submit, is the superabundance of printed (and now digital) Bibles available here in the West. This abundance has lulled us to sleep. The film The Book of Eli (Warner Bros. Pictures, 2010) sheds important light on this issue, as good art often can. It portrays a dystopian, post-apocalyptic future in which the human race suddenly finds itself without the things it formerly took for granted. The character of Eli, played by Denzel Washington, puts it this way in a conversation with Solara, played by Mila Kunis:

Solara: “What was it like in the world before?”

Eli: “People had more than they needed. We had no idea of what was precious, what wasn’t.”

With access to so many Bibles today, our sense of its importance—and especially of the urgency of our truly knowing its content—has dwindled. Turning back to the film (and here I will give away a few key plot elements), Eli carries under his protection in this dystopian world the last surviving copy of the Bible. Yet when that copy is forceably lost to him, Eli is still able to pass it on to posterity. How is that possible? Because he has taken those precious words from the printed page and made them part of his heart and mind.

If you would like to read the whole article, click on this link.

Vancouver 2010

What a great evening to share about Vancouver! It's always great to remember all the great things God has done. Here's the video from Sunday night in case you missed it. I am also currently working on a slideshow of some of the more crazy times! So keep your retinas peeled!

Taking the Unchangeable and Changing

We all know the joke...
Q: How many Baptists does it take to change a light bulb?.......A: Change?  What change?  We don't change!
Hardy har har

Last night we talked about how God's Word is unchangeable (Heb.6:17-18).  When thinking about God's Word, for this example, I do not want you to think of the 66 books that make up the canon.  Sometimes when we talk about the Bible, we can get into a mindset that it is just a book as opposed to THE living Word of God (Heb. 4:12).  So I want you to understand the Bible as God speaking.  God's unchangeable words are given to us, so that we might change.

Change only comes through changing...revolutionary, I know.

What I mean by this, is that we hear messages every Sunday and Wednesday.  In small groups we talk a lot about how our life needs to change based upon truths that are unchanging.  The only problem we have is taking our application from small group and actually applying it.

Here are THREE practical steps to help you apply what you learn:

1. Write down on a note card ONE thing that you want to work on for the week
2. On that same note card, write down the one verse that showed you what you should work on.
3. Read that note card at the beginning of each day

Here are TWO spiritual steps to help you apply what you learn: (Note: without these, you will not apply God's Word!)

1. Pray that God will help you apply His Word
2.  Love the Lord

Without the Help of God, you cannot change.  It is only through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, that we will see what we are doing wrong.  Through that conviction, we then see how we can glorify God with our lives.  It is only through loving the Lord that you will have that desire to change after you have been convicted.

Take the unchangeable words of God and change...for His glory and grace.

Worse than 450 Bleeding Prophets of Baal

This taken from the blog at Desiring God Ministries

And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention. (1 Kings 18:28-29)

Imagine that scene: 450 prophets of Baal, weeping and pleading, wounds all over their bodies with blood gushing out, exhausted and limping around an altar, hoping for Baal to show himself. Could it ever get any more gruesome that this? Imagine it. Could there ever be a scene more horrible than this?

Yes.

The only scene more gruesome than a crowd of people limping around an altar, wounded all over their body with blood gushing out , begging to see a god who doesn’t exist is the true God of the universe hanging on a cross, wounded all over his body with blood gushing out, showing his love to a people who don’t care.

The prophets of Baal begged their god,  “Answer us!” “Say something!” “Give some gesture!” “Please, do something!”

And the true God showed his love for us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. We didn’t ask him for that. We were sinners who didn’t care anything about God, we worshipped ourselves, we were dead in our sins.

And it was precisely then that God showed himself. It was while we were still weak, at the right time, that Christ died for the ungodly.

Praise him.

Discouraged?

This taken from John Piper's journal:

O Lord, have mercy on me. I am so discouraged. I am so blank. I feel like there are opponents on every hand, even when I know that most of my people are for me. I am so blind to the future of the church. O Father, am I blind because it is not my future? Perhaps I shall not even live out the year, and you are sparing the church the added burden of a future I had made and could not complete?

This was written in 1986.  He was so discouraged, he thought about stepping down from his ministry.  You can get a real sense of how he is seeing his world just fall apart.  Have you ever felt like that before?  Have you ever just thought to yourself...

"I am in way over my head"?  "Why did I take on so much?"  "I will never be able to catch up on my work"?

I know I've been there before.  My first year here at Calvary, I felt that.  It seemed like all the events and lessons to work on were just too much to bear.  I had come from a church that did an event about once every month.  Here, there are about 3-4 events a month!  How am I going to keep up with that???

The following sentences of John Piper's journal, read like this:

 I do not doubt for a moment your goodness of power or omnipotence in my life or in the life of the church. I confess that the problem is mine. The weakness is in me. The blindness is in my eyes. The sin—O reveal to me my hidden faults!—is mine and mine the blame. Have mercy, Father. Have mercy on me. I must preach on Sunday, and I can scarcely lift my head.

How often in our times of woe, do we turn to God and say, "You are perfect and good and the fault is all mine for feeling this way"?  Usually our mindset is, "God make everything easier".  Here are some great biblical truths that we can use, when we feel that the pressures of life seem too much to bear.

I Peter 5:7 - "casting all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you"...you are not alone.  You have a loving and merciful Savior that desires for you to lean on him!

Psalm 38:18 - "I am full of anxiety because of my sin"...maybe you need to take care of sin.

Romans 8:28-29 - "All things work together for good"...so that you can become more like Christ.  Even the things that seem overwhelming.  They are there to help you become more like Christ.

What are some other verses that you have found to be of help when you were in times of uncertainty?

Missionaries try to take Orphans out of Haiti - Update

Here is an update, since i reported on this story earlier...

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — The judge presiding over the case of 10 American missionaries accused of kidnapping Haitian children has requested that they be freed.

"I'm asking that they drop the charges and that they be released," Judge Bernard Saint-Vil said outside the courthouse where he has spent the week questioning the Baptists.

Saint-Vil said he privately questioned the last of a group of Haitian parents who said they willingly gave their children to the missionaries to educate and care for them.

"After listening to the families, I see the possibility that they can all be released," he said.

Saint-Vil said his request to free the missionaries was forwarded to the prosecutor-general's office, which can object. But he said he intends to accept a request from the group's lawyers to free the Americans while an investigation of the case continues.

VIDEO: Judge suggests Americans be released

MISSIONARY: Leader wept when orphanages didn't give over kids

The judge said the Americans, most of whom belong to an Idaho Southern Baptist church, would have to make themselves available for future questioning. He did not say whether they would have to remain in Haiti.

Jean-René Tessier, a lawyer representing the missionaries, said the Americans may be allowed to return home.

"That depends on the judge," he said.

The Americans were charged last week with child kidnapping after being arrested Jan. 29 with a busload of 33 children, ages 2 to 12, whom they were bringing to an orphanage set up with church donations in the Dominican Republic.

They said they had proper paperwork and permission from the families, and were merely doing what hundreds of other groups in Haiti were doing — saving children from a terrible existence. But thousands more Haitian children leave the country illicitly each year, according to the United Nations Children's Fund, and are forced into difficult jobs, used as sex slaves or sold on the black market for adoption.

The pastor of the Meridian, Idaho, church attended by several of the detainees said he had yet to receive any official word on their release.

"Our confidence continues to remain, both in our faith and in our attorneys that represent our people," said Pastor Clint Henry of Central Valley Baptist Church. "Now we wait and pray, believing that in the coming hours we will receive the news we have waited for."

From behind cell bars in a grimy jail where they have been held, the missionaries declined to be interviewed Wednesday. The women were held separately from the men, who shared their cell with nine Haitian men, some of whom played checkers on the cell floor.

"We've said all we're going to say for now. We don't want to talk now," group leader Laura Silsby said.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Tim Tebow: Super Bowl Commercial (Revealed)

There were 2 main big reveals on Sunday.

1.  Focus on the Family's Super Bowl Commercial.

In case you missed it.  Tim Tebow's Super Bowl commerical (seen here) showed Mrs. Tebow sharing that her son was her "miracle baby", claiming that there were health issues.  He tackles her (fake tackle).  Then she talked about how she still worries about his health even to this day.  This ad was very non specific.

It's amazing how so many people could get worked up over the Tebow's telling their story.  There was nothing about pro-life or anti-abortion.  They simply say at the end of the add that if you want to hear the whole story you can visit the Focus on the Family web page.

My initial reaction on the add was disappointment.  They had a really great opportunity to share about the gift of life (Psalm 139).  My second reaction was, "that was good."  It offers an opportunity for those who want to learn more, and now, no one can say anything bad about the ad.  Everyone who were so up in arms over this ad now feels foolish for jumping all over Focus on the Family (FOTF).....this leads me to the second big reveal.

2. Association with the Gospel can be Dangerous

After finally seeing the ad, the National Organization for Women (NOW) President responded.  Did she repeal her earlier statement of how absurd it was for CBS to promote a wacko pro-life agenda that FOTF stands for?  Absolutely not!  The LA Times reports this:

NOW president Terry O'Neill said it glorified violence against women. "I am blown away at the celebration of the violence against women in it," she said. "That's what comes across to me even more strongly than the anti-abortion message. I myself am a survivor of domestic violence, and I don't find it charming. I think CBS should be ashamed of itself."


Celebration of violence against women?  Huh?  Violence came across stronger than the anti-abortion message?  Where were these messages at all?  I wonder if she even watched the ad.


If your worldview is shaped by the Gospel, then you will no doubt be attacked.  You will most likely be attacked more than others who come to a similar position outside of the Gospel.  If someone is a non-believer and is pro life, they will be less ridiculed than someone who trusts in Christ and is pro life.  It is the nature of the Good News.  John 15:20-21


"Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.  But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me."


Jesus promises persecution for holding to His Word.  This should not cause us to fear, but to press on (2 Timothy 2:3-4).  We are to engage the enemy.  We are not to be frightened (Philippians 1:28), because we have a hope of salvation.  We shouldn't fear those who can only destroy our body, but the One who can destroy both body and soul (Matthew 10:28).  


In humility, take a stand.  In love, proclaim truth.

Thoughts on Watching the Super Bowl by C.J. Mahaney

Thoughts on Super Bowl XLIV by C.J. Mahaney

I like this post for two main reasons.

1. He puts this game in perspective of eternity.  Guess what!!!  It's just a game.  Like Monopoly.

2. He thinks the Colts will win.  He is obviously a very intelligent person.

Baptists try to sneak orphans from Haiti out of the country

This is an interesting story.  I don't know if you've heard much about it.  Apparently there was a group of Baptists from Idaho that tried to sneak 33 Haitian orphans out of the country illegally.  This is all alleged as far as I know, since no official arrests have been made.  Here is the story as reported by USA Today.

So how should Christians view this?

Would you do "everything" possible to get those orphans out?

Is it the best possible scenario for those orphans to be out of the country and living in America?

What do YOU think?

(Note: Now in order for this particular blog to be beneficial at all, YOU will have to participate and write something down...Happy posting)

Tim Tebow: Super Bowl Commercial

I came across an interesting article in the Washington Post of all places.  Written by a woman who is unashamedly pro-choice in regards to abortions.  Here is the link to her article.  

I'm pro-choice, and Tebow clearly is not. But based on what I've heard in the past week, I'll take his side against the group-think, elitism and condescension of the "National Organization of Fewer and Fewer Women All The Time." For one thing, Tebow seems smarter than they do.
Tebow's 30-second ad hasn't even run yet, but it already has provoked "The National Organization for Women Who Only Think Like Us" to reveal something important about themselves: They aren't actually "pro-choice" so much as they are pro-abortion. Pam Tebow has a genuine pro-choice story to tell. She got pregnant in 1987, post-Roe v. Wade, and while on a Christian mission in the Philippines, she contracted a tropical ailment. Doctors advised her the pregnancy could be dangerous, but she exercised her freedom of choice and now, 20-some years later, the outcome of that choice is her beauteous Heisman Trophy winner son, a chaste, proselytizing evangelical.

Joy Behar, obviously pro-choice anchor from The View, said on the show, "[People argue that Tim Tebow] could have just as easily become a rapist pedophile.  I mean, you don't know what someone is going to be..."  We never know who anyone is going to be, does that mean we stop having babies?  All children are created in the image of God (Genesis 1).  So it would be tragic and sinful to destroy that image...especially if we don't think they are going to be a model citizen.

There is a huge uproar about this ad.  The ad will be focused on celebrating life.  What is so wrong about that?  How does a commercial that celebrates the CHOICE Mr. Tebow made in choosing life, become an anti-choice ad?

I believe that this ad is well timed and will get a massive amount of attention, as it already has.  I hope and pray that this ad does more than just promote saving your child's life, but show how Christ can save your very soul.  Let us pray that this ad will help to bring people to Christ.

Should Tiger Turn To Christianity or Buddhism??

TAMPA (AP) — When Fox News analyst Brit Hume suggested last weekend that Tiger Woodsturn to Jesus to deal with his sins, critics argued that Hume showed little knowledge about Buddhism, the faith that has been a major influence in the golfer's life.

"I don't think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith," Hume said. "So my message to Tiger would be, "Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world."

That rankled many American Buddhists, who say Hume is missing the point of the 2,500-year-old Eastern faith.

"I think it's ridiculous to make those statements," said Robert Thurman, a professor of Tibetan studies at Columbia University. "It is insulting to Buddhism to indicate that Buddhism doesn't take care of its own believers and followers. But I think he will discover that Buddhists are very forgiving about his stupid statements."

TIGER'S TALE: Woods a "bits and pieces" Buddhism believer

Woods, a married father of two, hasn't been seen since a bizarre Thanksgiving weekend car crash outside his Florida home unleashed a torrent of reports about his numerous alleged mistresses.

On Monday during an interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, Hume addressed the topic again, but didn't apologize to Buddhists: "My sense about Tiger is that he needs something that Christianity, especially, provides and gives and offers. And that is redemption and forgiveness."

Woods' spokesman declined comment for this story. But in past interviews Woods credited his mother and her Thai Buddhism with giving him the focus needed on the golf course and throughout his life, about how it teaches that people have to work out their own problems.

"I believe in Buddhism. Not every aspect, but most of it," Woods told Sports Illustrated in 1996. "So I take bits and pieces. I don't believe that human beings can achieve ultimate enlightenment, because humans have flaws."

Sex scandals in American society are nothing new, of course, and the Christian faith of many of the fallen is mentioned with their revelations. In the last couple years, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, former presidential candidate John Edwards and Nevada Sen. John Ensign are a few of the recent examples of men who have cheated on their wives. All spoke of their faith in God and Jesus and finding forgiveness in the wake of the affairs.

So how do the world's 350 million Buddhists deal with infidelity, marital strife and sin?

They follow the example of Siddhartha Gautama — the Buddha — a wealthy prince they believe became enlightened in the sixth century B.C.

"Buddhism starts with the premise that we suffer," said James Shaheen, editor and publisher of Tricycle, a Buddhist magazine. "At the foundation of Buddhism is ethics. An ethical life leads to a life of less suffering."

Buddhism's code of personal conduct is just as strong as other major religions: followers should not kill, steal, gossip, use intoxicants like drugs or alcohol or commit sexual misconduct.

"Adultery is as much of a sin in Buddhism as it is in Christianity," Thurman said. "The ethics are the same in both traditions. Adultery is a sin and causes the kinds of problems that Tiger Woods is in."

Where many Westerners stumble is that Buddhists' definition of sin — and what happens after it — differs from the Judeo-Christian tradition, as the consequences of Buddhists' actions are a result of a person's thoughts and deeds rather than divine punishment. Believers have to look to themselves and turn to an ethical way of life for redemption, although there are savior figures within the faith who do their best to help a Buddhist in need. There is no one, omnipotent "creator god" to bestow redemption as in Christianity.

Said Stephen Prothero, a Boston University professor on Buddhism and the author of "Religious Literacy: What Americans Need to Know:"

"You have the law of karma, so no matter what Woods says or does, he is going to have to pay for whatever wrongs he's done," said Prothero. "There's no accountant in the sky wiping sins off your balance sheet, like there is in Christianity."

Certain Buddhist traditions believe that if a person misbehaves, he or she will be reborn into various realms of hell. Others believe the justice is much swifter, that the penalties will be suffered in this life.

"What causes you to do what Tiger Woods did is ignorance," said James William Coleman, a professor of Buddhist studies at Cal Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif. "If you do what he's done, it comes back and hurts you. You wouldn't do that if you weren't ignorant."

Brad Warner, a California-based Zen priest and the author of the book "Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate" suggests that Woods return to his Buddhism roots and become introspective.

"I would first tell him to sit with the problem, look into himself and try to see clearly for himself what he needs to do," Warner said. "The problem is something he's got to work out for himself."

Fox is owned by News Corp.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  IS THIS A FAIR AND/OR ACCURATE ARTICLE?

Discernment

This excerpt is taken from Tim Challies blog on discernment.  He compares writing out long division with discernment.

We cannot simply leave discernment to the experts. Rather, we each need to learn to discern and we each need to grow in the skill of discernment. Like using a calculator for division, we can rely on others to give us the bottom line. But like doing long division, it is far better to do the work ourselves and to ensure we understand how to discern. The theological equivalent of using a calculator may be just Googling what John Piper or John MacArthur says about a certain topic and taking that word as law. It may be asking a parent or pastor and accepting what they say without further thought. We are all prone to want to get to the final tally without going through the intervening steps.

I think he makes a great point.  We are living in a "get it now" type of world.  That's why we have the 3G network from AT&T.  We always want answers faster.  That's why we have itouches or iphones, so we can get information on anything wherever we are and whenever we want.  If it takes more than 2 minutes to download, we think it's taking forever.

It's good to ask question and seek advice.  But I think that Tim hit the nail on the head.  Often times teenagers just want the right answer.  Here are some topics to help gain perspective...

Dating - How far is too far?  When should I be allowed to date?

Future - Where should I go to college?  What should my major be?  

Friends - Should I go to this party?  When coarse jokes are being told, should I walk away or say something to my friends?

These questions are good questions, but godly people could give you different answers for each one.  That's where you need to seek God's Word (and obey your parents) to use biblical discernment.

Here are a couple questions to help you use biblical discernment...

- Will this girl/guy/school/major/party help me to become more like Christ? (Eph. 5:1, I Cor. 10:31)

- How can I use this situation to love others? (I Jn. 4:18, Matt. 22:37-40)

You cannot take the word of fallen sinners opinions when it is not backed up with biblical principles.  Seek godly advice and seek God's Word.

Do you have questions about what is right or wrong or what you should or shouldn't be doing? Don't ask yourself "How close to the line can I get before I am sinning?", but "How close to holiness can I get?"

What are some other questions that you could use in discerning what is God honoring and what is not?

Where's the 'Peace on Earth'?

I went to foxnews.com and the top headline reads "Fight Isn't Over".  If you go to the 'world' section on usatoday.com, the devote whole pages to the war in Afghanistan.  If you've seen any Christmas movie there is always conflict.  Everyone hates Charlie Brown as the director for the Christmas play.  In "Elf", Buddy exposes the fraudulent Santa in the store and then they fight it out.  Even "The Muppets Christmas Carol", Scrooge forces  the rats to work late with little pay almost causing a revolt.

WHERE'S THE PEACE ON EARTH?  Did those angels get it wrong on the hillside when they told the Shepherds in Luke 2:14, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"  So wasn't Jesus suppose to bring peace to the earth?  Why is there still all this fighting?

Don't worry, the disciples thought that Jesus was going to stop all the wars and reign on earth at the Incarnation as well.  In John 18:10-11, Peter wanted to fight in order to keep Jesus alive, perhaps still not understanding what Jesus later told Pilate.  John 18:36, "...If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews.  But my kingdom is not from the world."

So if at the Incarnation, Jesus was not to set up His kingdom (which He WILL do in time) and instill peace on earth.  If He's not going to overthrow Rome so that the Jews can live in peace, what did the angels mean by "peace on earth"?

Through Jesus, we can have peace with God.  It is only through the shed blood of Christ that we can have forgiveness of sins (Heb. 9:22) and thus no longer be an enemy of God (Rom. 5:10).  So you can see that ONLY THROUGH CHRIST, you can be a friend of God, at peace with God, and no longer an enemy.

How many friends do you have are trusting in their own goodness to get them to Heaven?  Here's an illustration for you Lord of the Rings buffs.  Saruman (a double agent for Sauron) did lots of nice things for Gandalf, giving him advice and all that.  But finally we found out his true allegiance to Sauron.  Even though he was a nice guy for a while, he was still an enemy of Gandalf and all that was good.  Unbelievers can often fool themselves saying that they have enough good deeds to outweigh the bad deeds.  The deeds do not matter, because in their heart of hearts they are at war with God.

Let us pray that those who are enemies of God, can see how they can have peace.  What a great opportunity Christmas is to share about eternal peace with God.  You'd be surprise at how many people are searching for peace and just don't know how to get it.  I will pray that you will take the opportunity to share about peace with God during this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas>Christ came to earth>Lived a perfect life>Died for my sins (and yours)>Rose from the dead>Seated at the right hand of God>Will come back to claim His children>Praise the Lord!!!

Heathen's Greetings?!?!?!?!

Atheists are making a strong push to help "free minds" this holiday season.  It sounds like something out of The Matrix movies.  The Co-President of FFRF (Freedom From Religion Foundation), Annie Gaylor, appeared on the O'Reilly Factor last night to talk about the controversial billboards that are going up across America.  Signs that read "Heathen's Greetings" and "Yes, Virginia, there is NO God!"  Gaylor goes on to say confidently that there has never been any evidence of a God, so to teach this to you children would be indoctrinating them.  Gaylor wants children to make up their own mind and be freethinkers.  So I guess that she would suggest to parents never to teach their children anything, right or wrong, because it would be indoctrination.  I guess also, we should not tell our kids to put their coat on when it's cold outside or not to run in the middle of the street, or even put their tongue on the flag pole when it is 10 degrees outside because that would be indoctrination.

FFRF says that they're only trying to help free minds.  Question: Is there such a thing as a free thinker?  Can anyone truly be a free thinker?  The answer is no.  EVERYONE is influenced by someone else.  If someone decides that they will be an atheist, it is because they have been persuaded by other atheists.  If someone says that they want to be a free thinker, it is because they have influenced (indoctrinated) into thinking that is the way to go.  "Free thinkers" is just a phrase they use to try and show how religion traps you into living and thinking a certain way.

What Atheists celebrate this time of year is the Winter Solstice (Day with the least amount of sunlight for the year).  Gaylor claims that people have been celebrating the Solstice longer than Christians have been celebrating Christmas.  While I have no evidence to prove that is wrong, it seems that FFRF is not celebrating the Solstice but rather trying to keep people from celebrating Christmas.

Here's my thoughts:

1. Job 38:19-21 - I would like to ask Gaylor, "Surely you know who made it so that we would even have a 'darkest day of the year' and how the whole earth works.  I'm sure you were there when it all began...oh wait you weren't.  The only one who has answers is the One who has been there from the beginning...God."

2. Psalm 19:1 - The one thing that they are celebrating is the exact evidence that there is a God.  As the atheists are looking to the heavens this Winter Solstice, let's pray that they see the glory of God.

3. Ecclesiastes 1:9 - These arguments and beliefs have been here before.  They like to think that they are starting some new belief system, but they are not.  "There is nothing new under the sun."

I'll make a Christmas analogy to help us think through how to deal with this new form of atheism.  This is like getting the same thing for Christmas only it is wrapped in different packaging every year.  One year it is given to you in a plastic bag.  That's easy enough, just untie the bag and you're in.  Another year, you know it's the same gift, only this time it's wrapped up with wrapping paper.  This is a little tougher, it takes a little big of tearing and ripping, but the gift is still the same.  This year, it is put in this fancy bag.  You think it's going to be easy, but as you pull it out you find that there's a box that is covered in duct tape.  You'll have to break out a knife for this one, but the gift is still the same.

This is a new form of Atheism.  These new Atheists are more proactive in getting the word out there (i.e. witnessing) so that other people believe the way that they do.  There is a new book that is out written by Dr. Albert Mohler called Atheism Remix: A Christian Confronts the New Atheists.  I have not read it, but Dr. Mohler usually does a good job at dissecting the culture through a Biblical lens.

How would you share the Gospel with an Atheist?

To Tell or Not To Tell

ATTENTION: If you are a child under the age of 10 you need to be sure to STOP reading this post right now and to ask for your parent's permission to continue reading.

Now, let us move on. If you are a parent, you know the blessings that come with having small children. Their unending amount of energy and lack of concern and worry about everyday pressures is enviable. Children also possess something that many of us as adults have forgotten about our childhood - an imagination! At any time and at any place children can come up with some of the most unique games and imaginary circumstances. If you are parent, you will inevitably spend time teaching your children the importance of distinguishing between the reality of life and the imaginary things of this world. Such is the case with one of the most controversial subjects for Christian parents - the issue of Santa Clause.

There is no widespread consensus among evangelical parents as to whether or not it is right to tell our children about Santa Clause.  To be quite frank with our readers here, I really do not find Santa Clause to be the biggest threat to us as Christians to having a Christ-centered Christmas. I think that the materialism, gluttony, impulsive spending, and a lack of focus on the Incarnation and virgin birth should be enough to keep all of us spiritually concerned in the month of December. 

C. Michael Patton has written an excellent piece on practicing discernment with this issue and as to what the  real problems are for Christians during the month of December:

"Should Christians play Santa? I have no problem with it. Personally, I can’t bring myself to tell my children that he actually exists, but I have no problem with others who do and I have no problem singing Christmas carols that don’t involve Christ so long as Christ is the focus of our lives, not just our Decembers. If Christ is not the focus of our lives January-November, December is not going to make any difference anyway because, contrary to popular belief, December does not sanctify the rest of the year."

You can read the post in its entirety HERE.

NOTE: Personally, Christina and I do NOT tell our children that there is a Santa Clause. No, we do not believe that there is a biblical mandate for this and we would both say that this is an issue of preference and individual soul liberty rather than conviction. And NO, we will not debate or split hairs over a potential disagreement about this. Calvinism...yes...Santa....NO!!! We feel that it is difficult enough to keep young children God-centered during this time of year and with the inclusion of Santa Clause it just makes it that much more difficult. However, we do respect other Christian parents who decide to tell their children that there is a Santa Clause. I do not have a problem with that and I respect your decision.

With that being said...how many of our readers who have children would like to chime in on this? What do you do about the Santa Clause issue? How do go about explaining this or do you do what we do with the Santa Clause thing?


A Post by Pastor Mike in 2007

Are you an adulterer?

I can see how Tiger's wife would divorce him after all of his adulteries.  I can see how Tiger would use Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) to give him an edge on the competition.  (Note: I'm not saying I condone it.  I'm saying how I can see how it would come to that.)

An argument was built on ESPN's 1st and 10, where two sports columnists discuss/argue different topics in sports.  An argument was brought up, which would ruin Tiger's reputation more, getting divorced or using PEDs?

An argument was made that using PEDs is worse for his reputation that a divorce.  Such a debate just goes to show you that divorce is not a rare thing in our culture.  In a Huffington Post article from Dec. 2008, they mentioned that marriages in the celebrity world were lasting longer than ever.  The divorces of 2008 ranged from the marriages lasting 4 months to 24 years.  They were greatly impressed with those lasting 24 years because the median divorce rate for the country is 7.8 years.

When watching the news on Tiger and his multiple adulteries with other women and now his wife wanting to divorce him, I can't help but to think about Hosea.  Remember, God told Hosea to marry Gomar (a prostitute) and he told Hosea that she would be unfaithful to him.  It was a picture of how Israel was unfaithful to God by seeking love/pleasure/happiness outside of God.

Today, the church is called the "Bride of Christ".  Do we act like one who is in a marriage relationship to our Lord and Savior?  How do we view our marriage to Christ?

I want you to think about how often you betray Christ with your thoughts or actions of desiring to find love/pleasure/happiness outside of Him.  Where might you search for it?  Video games, movies, internet, earthly relationship?  While these are not always evil and can make you happy for a time, they can become sinful and adulteress when we seek pleasure in them instead of in Christ.  Think about that.  Trying to find true happiness in a friendship, dating relationship, and even in marriage can be adulteress.

Believe me when I say, you can be happy and be loved even if you have no friends on this earth, never date, and never get married.  The Ultimate Love and Happiness can only be found in Christ.

Here's my challenge.  Where do you seek love/pleasure/happiness?  If it's in your pursuit of people or stuff, you are an adulterer...and you will never be satisfied.  If it's in your pursuit of Christ, you are a righteous person...and your joy will be made full.

What are you "Committed" to?

Think about the things or people that you are committed to.  Most of you teens (and myself) are committed to Facebook.  We will say, "I will never betray you O Facebook.  I will always go to you for wisdom, guidance, and so that people know that I am a fan of smiling.  Without you, I would not know whether Pastor Matt is feeling crazy today or whether Pastor Mike is still awake after 9:30pm.  I am in need of knowing what everyone else is doing at all times and Facebook.....i....i love you."

Commitment.  Can you be in a relationship and not be committed?  Sure.

You can be in a relationship with your parents, but don't obey them or respect them or go to them for advice.  You can be in a boy/girlfriend relationship, but at the first sign of trouble, you break up.  You can go to school day in and day out, but never turn in homework on time and sleep through classes. 

Sure you can be in a relationship and not be committed.  Have you made "commitments" to something and then bailed because you wanted to do something else?

This is a constant dilemma for households, so I desire for you to think about these questions as a family.

- My son wants to be in church, but he really loves being on the sports team.  What do I do?
- My daughter wants to be in the play, but she'll have to miss Wednesday night. What do I do?

There are many other scenarios that can be played out.  What is it for your family? 

David was quite a busy guy.  Lots of things on his plate, being king and all.  He said, "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act." (Psalm 37:4-5) 

Whether you are involved in band, sports, or drama, we are to ALWAYS commit our ways to the Lord.  We are to ALWAYS delight in Him.  When you decide what you will be involved in this coming year, remember that you have an outstanding commitment already...to your Savior who purchased your life with the shedding of His blood.

Praise the Lord, He is always committed to us, even when we commit ourselves to others...He is ALWAYS faithful!!!

Back to School

For MP, this is their first day at school all week.  Not bad.  I wonder how all the kids will get back into learning mode after not being forced to learn for 5 straight days.  I remember coming back from Thanksgiving Break and sitting in the classroom.  I think the first week back was always a blur.  I had trouble focusing.  I forgot what assignments were due, if there was a test coming up or a quiz.  All simply because my mind was not thinking about school for about 5 days straight.  Since I didn't think about it, I lost track of what I needed to accomplish.  Once I was in school each day, I finally got back into the swing of things.

The same principle applies in our spiritual lives.  When you don't communicate with God (Devos/Prayer) throughout the week but only on Sundays or Wednesdays, there is a good chunk of time where you are not thinking the way God wants you to think.  Have there been times where you've felt "far away" from God?  Have you ever asked yourself, "Why does 'so and so' seem to always have a good attitude when things go wrong?"

When you are not in God's Word, you "lose track" of what you need to accomplish.  When you aren't praying, you are relying on yourself to make everything right...and I don't think I have to tell you how that turns out.

When you leave school for a break, you let your mind think about anything BUT school.  When you leave church on Sunday or Wednesday, do you do the same?  Wanting to think about anything but glorifying God or reading the Bible? 

Let me encourage you from Psalm 1:1-2 - "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."

Never take a break from thinking biblically.  Never take a break from receiving counsel from godly people.  Never take a break from delighting in God's Word. 

Never take a break from doing what you are supposed to be doing each and every second of your life.

GLORIFYING GOD

...now get back to your studies!!

Snow Day

On your snow day today, be amazed at how great God is.  Look outside...step away from the facebook and tv and look outside.  Try counting all the snowflakes as they fly around.  Did you know that Job 37:6 says that God orders the snow to fall on the ground?  Did you know that God creates each snowflake to be different?  Did you know that God knows the exact time every snowflake will hit the ground all around the world?  AMAZING!!!

The knowledge and sovereignty of God should always have us amazed.

Isaiah 1:18 - "Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool."

Have you ever had a bloody nose or have some blood get on your white t-shirt?  The blood ruins the shirt.  Isaiah says that our sins are as scarlet and red like crimson.  Sin, is like a stain on your heart that you can NEVER get out.  No matter how much you scrub with the stain stick of being kind to others or bleach it with giving to the poor, it will NEVER come out.  You will have that stain with you the rest of your life.  What is worse, that stain will cause you to be cast into the lake of fire.  And there is nothing you can do about it!  BUT GOD, who created the heavens and the earth, can take that stain of scarlet and make it as white as snow.  He can take away an hint that you ever had crimson on you at all.  He can take your heart and scrub it clean, and He does this by using...get this...the blood of Jesus Christ.  For it is through the shedding of blood that we have forgiveness of sin.  It is through the blood that we can have eternal life.

Trust in Him today.  Ask for forgiveness so that you can look outside at the pure white snow and say, "That is what my heart look like!"

Praise be to God who gave us this great picture!!!

Don't forget 10-11pm for Q & A Night on the Youth TEAM facebook page in the "Discussion" tab

Tiger Woods seemed to have it all

Tiger Woods was the first athlete ever to make $1 billion...yes, that's billion with a "B".  He is in a sport where he gets a lot of face time (no helmet), gets to travel to the most beautiful places in the world, all while hitting a ball and then taking a leisurely stroll....hit a ball take a leisurely stroll...make a billion dollars.  He is the most well known athlete.  Never caught at night clubs or bars, never wielding weapons, or with a posse that beats people up.  You might catch him at a sporting event, here or there, but nothing that would put him into the spotlight outside of the golf course.

Now, when you type in "Tiger Woods" into Google, the first additional word that pops up..."women".  ABC news is now reporting that there are 9 women that are linked to Tiger Woods.  SNL did a skit to poke fun at Tiger's alleged affairs.  So it is official, the "perfect", "hero", "nothing bad to say about him", Tiger Woods is now being seen as "scandalous", "womanizer", and "pathetic".

There are many different areas I can go with on this blog.  I could talk about how the world views marriage (allegations are that Tiger offered his wife millions of dollars to stay with him).  I could talk about the shame of sexual immorality.  I could talk about living above reproach.

The one thing I want to pull out from this post is the "lostness" of the lost.  Tiger seemed to have it all.  Wonderful family and all the money anyone could ever need.  The one thing that Tiger lacks...Christ.  Sadly enough, even Christians look at Tiger's life and say, "He had it all and then he blew it."  What?  He had it all?  What worldview are you living with?  Tiger has nothing.  If Christ is everything, then Tiger has nothing of value.

We asked a question in Youth TEAM a couple months back.  What would you do for $10 million?  Would you be willing to give up all your access to God's Word, church, and fellow believers to have that money?  What about $1 billion, like Tiger?  You CANNOT serve both God and money (Matt. 6:24).

Christian, what about you?  Are you jealous of others who have more money than you?  Are you envious of unsaved people who seem to have it all?  If you are, you are forgetting that you have the most precious gift that money can't buy.  You have eternal rewards being stored up for you in Heaven.  The High King of Glory will look at you and one day say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."  What are you living for?  Are you living for temporary pleasures that pass away?

I guess it comes down to one question.  Do you love God or money?  You have to pick one or the other.  What does your life show?

Pray that Tiger Woods will see his need for salvation.  Pray that he will come to Christ.  God often uses tragic situations in people's lives to draw them to Him.  Pray that God is doing this.