Views from the Straight & Narrow

NEW BLOG SITE!

2008-07-31T19:16:00.002-05:00

Blogger has to many errors and stuff so here is another site I'm trying before I close this one down!
http://mjbell8.wordpress.com/

Must See Video from the new Hillsong CD

2008-07-31T00:59:00.001-05:00

check out the Blog

Al Gore as JorEl from Superman...hehehe

2008-07-31T00:27:00.003-05:00

For all you Superman fans...Thought this would bring a chuckle. Al Gore as Jor-El from the Onion:

EARTH—Former vice president Al Gore—who for the past three decades has unsuccessfully attempted to warn humanity of the coming destruction of our planet, only to be mocked and derided by the very people he has tried to save—launched his infant son into space Monday in the faint hope that his only child would reach the safety of another world.

"I tried to warn them, but the Elders of this planet would not listen," said Gore, who in 2000 was nearly banished to a featureless realm of nonexistence for promoting his unpopular message. "They called me foolish and laughed at my predictions. Yet even now, the Midwest is flooded, the ice caps are melting, and the cities are rocked with tremors, just as I foretold. Fools! Why didn't they heed me before it was too late?"

Al Gore—or, as he is known in his own language, Gore-Al—placed his son, Kal-Al, gently in the one-passenger rocket ship, his brow furrowed by the great weight he carried in preserving the sole survivor of humanity's hubristic folly.

"There is nothing left now but to ensure that my infant son does not meet the same fate as the rest of my doomed race," Gore said. "I will send him to a new planet, where he will, I hope, be raised by simple but kindly country folk and grow up to be a hero and protector to his adopted home."

As the rocket soared through the Gore estate's retractable solar-paneled roof—installed three years ago to save energy and provide emergency rocket-launch capability in the event that Gore's campaign to save Earth was unsuccessful—the onetime presidential candidate and his wife, Tipper, stood arm-in-arm, nobly facing their end while gazing up in stoic dignity at the receding rocket, the ecosystem already beginning to collapse around them.

In the final moments before the Earth's destruction, Gore expressed hope that his son would one day grow up to carry on his mission by fighting for truth, justice, and the American way elsewhere in the universe, using his Earth-given superpowers to become a champion of the downtrodden and a reducer of carbon emissions across the galaxy.

"Perhaps he will succeed where I have failed," Gore said.

Despite the child's humble beginnings, experts predict the intergalactic journey may have some extraordinary effects on Kal-Al's physique, eyesight, and, potentially, his powers of quiet, sensible persuasion.

"On his new planet, Kal-Al's Earth physiology will react to the radiation of a differently colored sun, causing him to develop abilities far beyond those of mortal men," political analyst Sig Schuster said. "He will be faster than a speeding Prius, stronger than the existing Superfund program, and able to leap mountains of red tape in a single bound. These superpowers will sustain him in his never-ending battle against conservatives, wealthy industrialists, and other environmental supervillains."

Although Gore and his wife voiced regrets that they could not accompany their son on his journey, they tried their best to equip Kal-Al for life on his new planet, providing the infant with a Keynote slide-show presentation of all human knowledge, a self-growing crystal fortress from which to monitor glacier shrinkage, and a copy of Al Gore's 1992 bestseller, Earth In The Balance.

The baby was also wrapped in a blanket emblazoned with the Gore family crest, which, because it is made of Earth materials, will be invulnerable on the new planet. It is hoped that one day it will be fashioned into a colorful costume for the boy to wear while fighting wrongdoers.

"In brightly hued tights, it will be harder for people there to ignore him when he takes on his new planet's lobbyists, auto manufacturers, and enemies of justice," Schuster said. "A bold and eye-catching unitard will give Kal-Al, last son of Earth, a formidable tool for protecting his new planet, a power more awesome than any his father could have dreamed of: the power of charisma."

Blind Faith

2008-07-29T15:23:00.003-05:00

"At least 50 people have lost their sight after staring at the sun hoping to see an image of the Virgin Mary, according to reports.Despite warnings, and the potentially harmful effects of their actions, believers are allegedly still flocking to a hotelier's house in Erumeli near where the divine image is said to have appeared."

How St. Louis Teaches Courtship

2008-07-28T00:03:00.001-05:00

I’m doing it again. Reading another pre-relationship book. (I have to admit it’s easier reading these now compared to post-relationship) This one caught my eye -sigh-because there was a rather cute girl on the cover. I know, I know. You’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover but, as always is the case, it was a combination of the eyes/smile that got my attention.
Either way, I’m about 60 pages in and I’m kind of shocked that I have not heard of this book? It is by Dr. Don Raunikar (It doesn’t ring as well as Harris or Ludy) and it is entitled: Choosing God’s Best. It was written back in the 90’s so the stats are a little outdated but I was surprised at how immersed I was in the book.

There were two illustrations that have really resonated with me and I wanted to share them because I know I’m not the only one who tends to be a little jaded in the relationship department (Just probably the only one stupid enough to admit it in public)

The first was the story of a truck, which didn’t heed the height signs while trying to go through a tunnel. The truck hit the tunnel at 20 MPH and got lodged in so deep that no amount of reverse or tugging would work. A little kid stood by and had an idea but decided it would be best to keep his distance. Let the grown ups handle it. 8 HRS later the kid came back and saw the grown-ups still struggling with the truck. They were about to take a saw to the top of the truck and just cut her out when the little kid ran up and screamed: “WHY DON’T YOU JUST LET THE AIR OUT OF THE TIRES?”

The moral of the story: sometimes the simplest answer is the simplest solution. I have been on the receiving end of conflicting advice and I have to admit it was the hardest thing for me to wade through. Especially when it came to people I cared about, maybe even loved. Yet, I also find that when people “coach” me on the subject of why I’m still single I find myself going back to the simplest answer. I’m just not hitting the wall at 20 MPH. I’ll find my own route, which keeps me away from any jams. This leads into the second story.

The Arch in St. Louis was built from the base up, both sides of it. They say that if the builders were off by just a 1/64 of a centimeter, when the time came for the two sides to make the arch, they would not meet at the center but pass each other. It wouldn’t have been the Arch.
The moral of the story: build the base, with a firm foundation, and the meeting will take place eventually. If the firm foundation just happens to line up with, let’s say: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24 ESV) Dr. Raunikar’s point in the book so far is to ask us to abandon what we deem as our norm and attempt to look at things with a heavenly perception. Especially when it comes to the opposite sex. As one person says in the book: “Any guy with his ear to God’s mouth wouldn’t be scared by it.”

Is Barack Obama the Anti-Christ?

2008-07-24T12:37:00.002-05:00

I was at work last night when someone asked me if I thought that Barack Obama was the antichrist. I laughed a little bit because after the 10 or so major "gaffes" Obama has made in the past 2 weeks, I somehow imagine the incarnate of the devil to be a little more eloquent.

I have come across some believers who I respect who really, really think that Barach Obama is the antichrist. I was a little shocked because I respect these people and they aren't the ones buying "left behind" insurance. I set out then to find out if this movement is a steady one and so I turned to google. If you put Barach Obama Antichrist you get the following:

"Results 1 - 10 of about 336,000 for barack obama antichrist"

So yeah, there are a lot of sites devoted to this thought. Compare this to if you put John McCain Antichrist:

"Results 1 - 10 of about 211,000 for john mccain antichrist."

Lets just say that many of these sites actually still refer to Barack. Either way, this appears to be a legititmate question for a lot of people?

The top website, "Barack Obama the Antichrist?" has the following as its header:

"Barack Obama may be the Antichrist, he has risen up out of no where, he mesmerizes crowds, people are gathering in huge numbers, he is likely becoming the next President of the United States. Do not look only to what I say, but look to your Bibles, to passages in John, Daniel, and Revelations."

I also found this interesting video where John Hagee states that Obama isn't the antichrist:

Anyway, I think there are a couple things to take away from this. First, I don't think Obama is the antichrist. That said, I also am not really qualified to state if he is or is not? In Matthew 24 Jesus made the point to not try and guess but to stay away from them. Somehow trying to "out" someone as the antichrist is rather pointless because Scripture states pretty clearly it will be unmistakable who the guy is! It's an adventure then in missing the point!

I also think however we would be wise to not miss what is going on in the larger picture! First, a lot of people are being drawn to this guy, across the world, because of a strong personality! A lot of people don't even really know who he is but they just want something "different". Change is not always a good thing when it is not defined what change is? It is also scary to see how quick people are willing to follow someone who they do not know! I will admit I wondered how the antichrist could "woo" the world, this is giving me a good idea!

Obama Love

2008-07-22T12:28:00.000-05:00

Better Villan: Lex Luthor or Joker?

2008-07-19T15:36:00.002-05:00

After watching the new Batman, I came across a discussion forum on whose the better supervillain. Joker is kind of seen as the ultimate villain, and after watching Batman I can understand why. Yet, some faithful Superman fans have made the argument for Lex Luthor. So...which one is the better villain?

Do I choose to be a Calvinist?

2008-07-08T14:25:00.002-05:00

This summer I have been really delving into a lot of Reformed writings/teachings and the more I do it the more I find I am surprised no one ever presented these views like this. If they had been I might have not been so against Calvinism. At least in the strictest sense of the word anyway?

I am not sure exactly where I stand on a lot of the issues but I heard a podcast today that showed me how I may not fall in line with Calvinism on salvation (at least not yet) but I'm an excellent Calvinist in other areas.

I struggle with the idea of God being the grand "puppet master" and my choices/will only being the result of His inklings or notions. Then it kind of hit me. I do things, which I lie to myself saying that these things are out of my own will, which in someways control me anyway. Wither it's being angry at something dumb which was said and causes pain. That has control over me. Or if I see a pretty girl and my mind starts to wander. That has control over me. In fact, it seems that when we sin we always make excuses for how deceived or how we lost control and by our own admission we state that it "controlled" us. Maybe having God be the puppet master isn't so bad a thing after all? What is the alternative if He is not?

"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything." 1 Corinthians 6:12

Daniel and the British Lions Den

2008-07-06T13:18:00.002-05:00

This story caught my eye with the following bi-line:

"Two boys were punished this week for refusing to kneel on prayer mats and worship Allah during a class demonstration on Islam, the Daily Mail reported."

This happened in Merry-ole Britain and the boys refused to kneel and say Islamic prayers while facing Mecca. This religious diversity experiment happened in a religion class. The school administrators had the following to say:

"Educating children in the beliefs of different faith is part of the diversity curriculum on the basis that knowledge is essential to understanding."

Now I have no problem with this idea and I have no idea with people learning about Islam. The funny thing is this situation is almost a verbatim reading of the book of Daniel. Obviously detention is better then lions but could it possibly escalate from there? By not participating are you guilty of thought crimes demeaning Islam? A grandfather was quoted as saying the following: ""But if Muslims were asked to go to church on Sunday and take Holy Communion, there would be war," the grandfather of one of the students said." Exactly! Kudos to the two boys for standing in this modern example of an old story. I don't know if they are Christians but I can only hope all of us would have their courage!

Jesus resurrected and all I got was this lousy T-Shirt!

2008-07-06T13:02:00.003-05:00

"And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith." 1 Corinthians 15:14

Good news, Jesus' resurrection isn't really that amazing! Don't believe me? Read the following:

"Some Christians will find it shocking — a challenge to the uniqueness of their theology — while others will be comforted by the idea of it being a traditional part of Judaism," Boyarin said."

Why is such a tablet a possible "shock" for the Christian community? Here it is:

"A three-foot-tall tablet with 87 lines of Hebrew that scholars believe dates from the decades just before the birth of Jesus is causing a quiet stir in biblical and archaeological circles, especially because it may speak of a messiah who will rise from the dead after three days."(emphasis mine)

The article goes on to say that the resurrection of Christ might not be much of a big deal because the Christians were just stealing Jewish folklore and making it their own. Therefore, they just expanded on a myth that was told to them since they were children! What they don't tell you till further down in the article is the following:

"Much of the text, a vision of the apocalypse transmitted by the angel Gabriel, draws on the Old Testament, especially the prophets Daniel, Zechariah and Haggai."

So, the spin of this article is that instead of the Old Testament prophesying the events of Christ's death the disciples and Jesus Himself STOLE ideas for His death/resurrection from their own culture and Scripture. Jesus could not have risen because then it would have been foretold! Something which obviously is mindboggling to those who don't have faith! Yet, here is another example of the solid ground that those of faith stand on!

Quiver Full of...DEATH

2008-07-03T11:30:00.002-05:00

So my title is a bit of an exaggeration but I ran across an article entitled "Does having children make you happy" in Newsweek and had to post some thoughts about it.

"In Daniel Gilbert's 2006 book "Stumbling on Happiness," the Harvard professor of psychology looks at several studies and concludes that marital satisfaction decreases dramatically after the birth of the first child—and increases only when the last child has left home. He also ascertains that parents are happier grocery shopping and even sleeping than spending time with their kids."

The first thing worth mentioning here is that there might actually be some truth in this. Again, I seem to be commentating from the sidelines on this issue but there is no doubt, from what I garner of my view from the bleachers, that kids are definitely a handful. A testament to that is the coffee shop I'm in now has about 7 pregnant ladies meeting together barely able to get up from their booth. It seems it just gets harder from there!

I think there are some interesting presuppositions in this article and the main one has to be that happiness is equated with monetary/material things. If that is the requirement then there is no doubt that children will not (most likely) lead to happiness. However, your material possessions disappear with your death and do not carry on your legacy/personality. I think of the old days (sorry) when it was important for a king to have a son because it carried the family name. Now we seem to think that my 401 K is more important? I guess I just rely still on the Scripture:

Psalms 127

3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.

4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.

5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

Obama on Gay Marriage

2008-07-01T12:39:00.002-05:00

I am constantly reading blogs and postings stating that there are other issues in the world besides homosexual marriage (HM). It has been labeled as overly decesive, bigoted, and homophobic to state that you oppose HM. If you even state you will not vote for someone because they support HM then you are looked at as archaic and not very well endowed intellectually. I have even heard Christians state that there are other things which should grab our attention and that this issues isn't really an issue. The irony though is that the breakdown of the family is at the root of any issue and marriage is the building blocks of civilization; period.

Barack Obama has stated before that he thinks homosexual practice is not immoral and the Bible is very clear about these type of men:

"Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter." Isaiah 5:20

That stated, the instant rebuttal for this would be that no matter who you vote for there are going to be issues which don't line up with the Christian faith. This is true but it is to easily used today. Obama states that he is a born again Christian and even if he wasn't a Presidential candidate he is deceived on this issue and the Bible is clear to go and tell a brother or sister who supports sin of their fault.

Barack has up to this point been against HM but it seems that when he's in front of an audience in San Fransisco, his political philosophy changes to "when in Rome, do as the Romans do". Barack stated the following:

“And that is why I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states,”

California is going to vote in November on wither or not to make marriage defined as one man and one woman and this is what Obama is rebutting in his letter. The funny thing is that Obama said this to Larry King about two years ago: "I am somebody who has not embraced gay marriage," he said. "I've said that it's not something that I think the society is necessarily ready for. And it strikes me that in a lot of ways for a lot of people it may intrude in how they understand marriage."

Unlike many of my fellow Christians, I do not concede the fact that "marriage" really isn't that important and we need to get onto other issues besides this divisive one. If a man who is running for President is calling sin, not sin, then that is a legitimate issue for a Christian when considering his/her choices for President. When we concede the marriage issue we should realize that those who are trying to change marriage into something it's not are not letting up with their endeavors. While Christians sleep in the light, the very thing which we all claim to want for everyone, a godly family, is being torn and ripped right from our fingertips. I think it's time to wake up!

Complementarianism Strikes Back (2.0)

2008-06-27T00:13:00.004-05:00

I found this article to be interesting. I have had a couple of discussion on the issue below and I would like to thank the ladies who commented on my earlier post along similar topic lines. I have found that the issue of women "complimenting men" has become more and more of a discussion now and it isn't shut down as quickly as it was during my Bible college days. I still don't have a problem with women in ministry (I hate the fact this sounds like such a knee jerk reaction) but I also find that a part of me agrees with this blog post from reformation21.org. I think a lot of guys may think along the same lines but are afraid to admit it because they (we) don't want to remain single. It's hard to recover when your labeled chauvinist, especially (and you know its true) given how quickly ladies can spread the word. The take away question is, are men/women "coming out" of the egalitarian closet and if they are, does this necessarily lead to barefoot and pregnant? Read and let me know what you think!

"Among them were two young couples (early to mid 20's), who fit a mold that I increasingly observe. First, they are very theologically motivated and speak with great doctrinal intensity. Second, feeling welcomed and accepted is enormously important to them. Third, they all evidence a very strong, biblical, and beautiful commitment to gender complementarity. In separate interviews, two young wives said, "I completely agree with my husband. But I also trust his judgment and want to following his spiritual leadership."

I point this out because I think there is a misconception on the gender issue, namely, that if we want to be considered relevant by the young then we cannot afford to be openly complementarian. The great majority of my experience (and admittedly, this is among people who are attracted to a church like ours) shows exactly the opposite. The young people I meet are fed up with the egalitarianism of their upbringing and yearn for counter-cultural biblical authenticity. I would suggest that the examples of younger preachers like Josh Harris and Mark Driscoll, both of whom are in-your-face complementarians and draw in flocks of young people argues in the same direction. Based on these examples, I suspect that the gender debate is much more of a baby-boomer issue. Of course, the ultimate standard is the clear teaching of God's Word. But if we are going to talk sociology, I want to put my two cents in.

P.S. The young people joining our church also say that they are blown away by classic, historically-rooted (i.e. traditional) worship. This, too, is now counter-culturally Christian."

Idling at the Light

2008-06-27T00:10:00.003-05:00

They pulled up next to me in their really ancient Chevy, the typical “old-couple”(OC). You know the ones. They look like any moment they are about to die and probably it would be just as romantic as those movies where the OC always die in each others arms. That kind of couple.
So I don’t know why this idea struck me. I’m not normally like this. I just decided it would be awesome to hit the gas at the light and take off, leaving them in my dust. The light hit green and before I could catch how stupid I was I hit the gas and shifted into second gear within 2 seconds. Leaving them far behind. Probably fulfilling the stereotype that OC have about my generation.
Well I got to the next light and lo-and-behold the OC pulled up right next to me. They probably were laughing. Here they were, obeying the laws, not speeding, not being cocky, and they ended up at the exact same place I was. This is what was racing through my head and the more I imagined what they were thinking the more I wanted to make sure they didn’t and just then the light turned green… I hit the gas again, leaving them in my dust. Then I hit the next light…red…and here comes the Chevy, slogging along till it parks right next to me. At this point the realization of how dumb I was being kicked in and I gracefully pulled away from this light. The OC turned right.
I find it interesting in John 14:6 (My favorite Bible verse) that Jesus said that He is the Way. If Jesus is the way then the road to Him is a journey. A journey implies that there are distances we have to travel and since the Bible was written to more people then just me, that means that there are others who are traveling the same road as me. Why is it that even though all of our destinations on this road are the same, we get bothered by those who seem to start out fast? Especially given that we arrive at the same place?
They say that you preach what you are going through and perhaps I am now. I don’t know. I don’t know if anyone is ever past this faze but I know I feel like the OC and seem to be the one who was left in the dust at the light. For me, it always seems that I’m in the beat up Chevy, watching as everyone else speeds ahead into the future while I’m stuck idling at the light.
As the OC pulled off to the right, the conviction for acting like a crazy person came over me and then this insight I just shared. If Jesus is the Way then that means that all of us have the same destination. My job isn’t to worry about those who are leagues in front of me but to focus on my own journey, staying on the road, etc. Funny and obviously rather simple but for me it was profound.

Politics

2008-06-24T22:37:00.003-05:00

Politics. I haven't written on them for a while because frankly I'm convinced that no one makes logical arguments anymore. Many people shout things really loud but they have no idea what they mean and it's pointless to try and argue with them. Either way, this cartoon is an example of the kind of hatred that to me is despicable. If this came out on the "right" (which I have never seen) then I would rebuke it just as hard. This kind of stuff though is horrendous and shows how much contempt people can have for a person like Rush Limbaugh. Just because you don't agree with someone, vehemently admittedly, doesn't make it right for you to wish them dead! Yet, people pray for President Bush to die and others like that. This to me shows a break down in intellectual prowess. It's easier to wish someone dead then to try to argue their point. Sad and why I'm just done with politics.

Funny Video

2008-06-24T15:48:00.001-05:00

Heeby Jeeby Worship

2008-06-24T15:17:00.002-05:00

The atmosphere was electric. The people glued to the stage. Music was blaring as loud as you can possibly handle and goosebumps/gooseflesh (which one is it actually) could be seen on any participant down the aisle. I sat there in awe, tears flowing from my eyes. Never had I experienced such joy, such elation, such beauty. All around people were crying out, screaming at the top of their lungs, singing the praises! My friends came and greeted me with a hug, we shared thoughts of joy, thoughts of praise. Then I looked up at the TV and there was the ceremony for the 2004 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. What a beautiful night!

So, if you are a Christian you probably were thinking I was referring to some type of amazing worship experience. In fact many of the emotions that I had that night were awfully familiar as the "best times in worship" I've ever had. Some people would make you feel guilty for this. I remember a "brother" in Christ coming up to me during worship and "rebuking" me for not expressing myself like I did when the Sox won it all. I turned to this "brother" and stated that when he became Jesus then he could talk. He didn't like that to much and honestly I wasn't being to much like Jesus myself. But there was something in both of our stupid comments.

The tendency in worship is to gauge "success" (think about that for a second) on the amount of "feelings" that are stirred and the natural outworking of those feelings in some type of spontaneous bodily reaction. While there should be no doubt that outward expressions of worship are a natural outworking they should not be the identification mark of worship. They should not be the gauge of success!

We view worship as successful if we stir up "emotions" that others can observe but shouldn't worship be successful every time because it is God who is being praised not us. Undoubtedly there are times when it is harder but I wonder how many times the reason it is harder is because we are addicted to the FEELINGS of worship and not the God we are worshiping? Do we then make worship more about how I feel? Is that what it is about?

Finally, I find it interesting that God states that if we don't worship Him then the stones will. Stones don't have a personality and they do not have the latest Christian "rock" band (pun intended) leading worship but just by being stones they worship. Maybe then those feelings when the Sox won it all were not so as unholy as I was made to feel? God was the one who created the emotions and God is the one who gave me the ability to feel joy, excitement, etc. If by utilizing those feelings...if by me just being me...are expressions of what God made me then maybe it was a form of worship. Maybe there are a lot of things that are worship and I'm just to hard headed to realize it? Funny, the stones gets it! We don't? Irony?

What Every Man Wants

2008-06-16T11:59:00.003-05:00

Interesting thoughts from the Boundless.org website. A young lady (I assume) sent a question about what men should look for in a woman of God because boundless had covered what woman should look for in a man. The first answers to the question are your normal: "be a Christian, love God, etc." answers but here is where it gets interesting. Disclaimer: I didn't say this,

"While both husband and wife must be open to the blessing of children, and teach their children to fear, love and obey God (Malachi 2:15, Deuteronomy 6:1-9, Ephesians 6:1-4), wives must be willing to bear the babies and take primary responsibility for their physical care in the early years (Titus 2:3-5, Proverbs 31:10-31)."

I don't see what exactly is wrong with this statement but there still is something which stings when reading it. I know I can't bear children (no matter what Oprah tells us) and I know that my responsibility will be kids as well. But the primary responsibility is the ladies? Why does this seem like it shouldn't be said? The list continues:

"Where men should be striving to have the qualifications of a spiritual leader, women should be developing the qualities that will make her a help to her husband. (Genesis 2:18) They include being self-controlled, pure and kind, as well as effective home managers."

I find my hesitation to these comments does not come from Scripture but comes from my own perceptions about how and what women think. I have no problem admitting that I look for this, even if that means people perceive me as wanting barefoot/pregnant, but I also think hidden in this viewpoint is that men are actually men! I find it interesting that even I had a hesitation towards admitting that this is what I'm looking for and this article was written by a woman? Maybe we men have been so beat up over what to look for that we no longer know what to actually look for? If there is no difference between the sexes, which is the main thesis of today's world, then there is no way for any man to have things to look for in a woman. Ladies, wonder why guys don't pursue? This would be one reason!

What is a Revival?

2008-06-13T12:47:00.001-05:00

What is a revival? When is it legitimate? Are we allowed to question anyone who claims to be participating in a revival and if we do question it could we be actually “quenching the Spirit”.

Extremes

There are two extremes for Christian reaction to any type of revival.

First are those who reject the complete thing and label any event that does not fit into their spiritual experience as heresy or as not of God. They do not go to Scripture to test the Spirit but instead rely on hearsay and there own emotions. (Ironically the same thing they condemn in others) This is not something which Scripture would allow a Christian to partake in because notice the following passage: “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone (emphasis mine), able to teach, not resentful.” (2 Timothy 2:23-24)

Second are the people who take everything and every word of an experience at a revival as truth (even though they would state they are not) and whenever someone questions them they quickly retort: “You’re quenching the Spirit.” This convenient spiritual trump card stands little chance of rebuttal because usually the person who is following the passage listed above is not trying to disavow a person (this is key) but trying to question as they are biblically commanded to do. All throughout Scripture believers are continuously warned to inspect any move of God. “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said (emphasis mine).” (1 Corinthians 14:29) Paul continues to remind those who would state that no one should question them: “Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?” (1 Corinthians 14:35) Whenever someone then rejects biblical criticism Paul states emphatically that the person be ignored. Period

What isn’t a Revival

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,” 1 Corinthians 15:3

“Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel.” 2 Timothy 2:8

Before getting into what a revival actually is, it’s necessary to weed out the things which should not lead us to conclude that a revival is legitimate.

(a) Miracles/Signs

Miracles and revival seem to go hand in hand. In conversation a revival is always justified because someone was healed or some other miraculous event has taken place. Scripture clearly states: “A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” (Matthew 16:4a) This passage is used and rebutted in any discussion as something Jesus was stating to the Pharisees. Yet, this misses the larger picture in that there is the second part to that verse which mentions the sign of Jonah. He was in the fish for three days; Jesus was in the ground for three days. The point of the matter for Jesus was not to negate miracles but to make everyone realize that miracles happen because of the greatest miracle; the resurrection of Christ! This will lead directly into what a revival is but let’s stay on this subject of miracles.

“For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect-if that were possible.” Mark 13:22

This verse makes it very clear that the “elect” cannot be deceived but notice also that it states that the false prophets/Christs will be able to perform signs and miracles. Throughout the Scriptures then there are continuous examples of men and women who are given supernatural power but do not get that power from God even though they claim to. A believer then should never let a miracle be the starting point for defending any type of revival as legitimate from God. Period.

(b) Disorder

“I just don’t put God in a box”. The second trump card. Many times revivals, at least in today’s day and age, are synonymous with very peculiar human reactions and manifestations. I won’t get into specific one’s here because the list would be to long but given the foundation we have already laid the question is what does Scripture state? “Therefore my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should (emphasis mine) be done in a fitting and orderly way.” (1 Corinthians 14:40) This verse very clearly sets out a limit for what God does in any type of revival and notice it isn’t us who puts God in a box. He gave us the map for how He is going to move! Any legitimate move of God does not defraud or diminish the image of God in us. We have a fallen nature, yes, but God does not magnify that nature or make it some other earth bound nature; He wants to destroy it.

(c) Rebuking “doctrine”

Doctrine does not get a lot of credit these days. In fact, it is almost looked at as the enemy. Doctrine is associated with a rigid, by-the-book type of mentality and many tend to state that doctrine is the reason that we do not have revivals. People would rather live by books then get into the waves of the Spirit. Again, what does Scripture state? “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine (emphasis mine). Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside myths.” (2 Timothy 3:3-4) Paul does not stop there: “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16) Paul, Jesus, and many others loved doctrine and they believed that studying it, living it, and walking it made for a stronger Christian life. As we saw earlier, Jesus even said it would save us in the end!
What is a Revival

Now that we have spent some type stating what a revival isn’t, we must now ask what a revival is.

(a) Return of the Prodigal

Perhaps the greatest example of a revival that I have ever found in Scripture is that of the prodigal son. Yeah, exactly, we don’t necessarily think of it like that! When the son came home, realized his mistake, and repented to the Father, a great feast with music and dancing was rolled out. (Luke 15) The story ends like this: “But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” (vs. 32) Any type of revival centers on the return of the prodigals home.

(b) Reformation

The prodigal analogy I believe works so well because throughout both history and Scripture, the most lasting revivals have been those which led to reformation of a persons character. One thinks of Josiah and his discovery of the book of the law or the Wesleyan revival which is credited with saving much of Britain. Revivals are not “new things” but instead “old things revisited”. We see this throughout Paul’s writings: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3) Paul also stated: “But as for your, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15) A revival then does not focus on accepting some “new revelation” but instead focuses on a return to the path of salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Keeping close to what was handed down from the past is the job of the Christian; this is why people who state that by questioning the newest revival you are quenching the Spirit are wrong. Are job as a believer is to hold fast to that old, old story. Period.

(c) Love/Fruit

Perhaps the most important sign that a revival is legitimate is something which does not become apparent right away. Time actually is the teller. Does the person experience a dramatic shift in their character? Do they love? As Paul said: “If I speak in tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:4) Paul then goes and gives the list of all the things which love are. A person cannot have experienced a revival if they do not dramatically shift their thoughts and make the fruit of the Spirit their mission in life. The best sign of revival is to see how a person comes back from one. Many times this tells us all we need to know!

(d) Spiritual Gifts

I know it seems a little contradictory to state that spiritual gifts can be a sign of a revival, especially since miracles and signs are considered spiritual gifts, but this is a tension I am willing to live with because Paul obviously did. I believe that after salvation there is a secondary experience that God bestows on all His people that prepares them to go out and do great works for Him. Acts 2:39 states: “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Peter was referring here to the events which took place earlier in the chapter where believers were baptized in tongues of fire. This gifting made rather cowardly men strong preachers of the Gospel. This gift also is so powerful that it can be a way to see that person has had a dramatic shift. “The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they had heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.” (Acts 10:45-46)

Paul placed love in between the spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians because he saw what destructive forces inappropriate revivals can have on a church. When people fight and bicker and things get out of control, no fruit can possibly grow and the body of Christ as a whole suffers because of it! You cannot have spiritual gifts without love and love always proceeds the gifts. I would also argue that fruits proceed gift and just like we prophesy in part so do we “fruit in part” except the former is fertilized by the latter. Whenever revivals start with four and ignore three, we get Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. A mistake we do not need to make again!

Conclusion

In closing I have laid out what I believe to be a biblical examination for looking at how God moves in our world today. As someone who has been on the receiving side of both extremes I know how hard it can be for a Christian to wade through the passions on both sides. Being a Pentecostal also means dealing with spiritual fascists who very quickly toss you under the bus if they feel like you are weighing the Spirit down. I have experienced though that being thrown under the bus is better then crashing and being tossed out a window of the bus. The wisest words I’ve ever heard for treading these discerning waters was from a preacher quoting Scripture. “Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” (Acts 5:38-39) Time will be the teller and we know the ending if we stick to that which has been passed down to us. Amen!

Send those 'Left Behind' an email: Only $40

2008-06-11T17:45:00.007-05:00

This may perhaps be the funniest thing I've ever seen in my life.

I liked the Left Behind series, I thought they were fun reading. I know I don't agree with the premises of some of it and I'm not to sold on a Rapture, at least as we understand it anyway. However, even if I was gung-ho about both I would still laugh at this:

"We have set up a system to send documents by the email, to the addresses you provide, 6 days after the "Rapture" of the Church. This occurs when 3 of our 5 team members scattered around the U.S fail to log in over a 3 day period. Another 3 days are given to fail safe any false triggering of the system." $40 dollar subscription!

I only have the following questions:

1) What if the person who paid the subscription isn't raptured? Do they get a refund?

(2) What happens if no rapture takes place?

(3) Why the heck would you not e-mail your family before some supposed rapture? Why wait till after?

(4) If millions of people are gone then what is the likely hood that GOOGLE talk or mail is going to be working right?

(5) Is there a buy one get one free package?

Sex and the City: Examples of the Perfect Proverbs 31 Women?

2008-06-08T16:24:00.004-05:00

ChristianityToday.com has a review of Sex and the City that was almost more outrageous then it was a good review of the movie. I understand that the website is going to have someone watch it (noticeably a woman) but that such statements as:

"And, like the TV series, the film offers much that will resonate with singles—and yes, even Christians—who see themselves not just as a demographic in a Barna poll but as sexual beings who wrestle with balancing loneliness and a desire for romantic love with a commitment to purity and platitudes like "true love waits." (And waits. And waits.)"

and

"They, unlike many Christians, don't insult my intelligence. Instead they speak to the complexities of relationships in a postmodern age—addressing baby lust, the mommy wars, sexual temptation, dating outside your "class," commitment-phobia, the reluctant desire to be rescued by a man, and the simultaneous fear that you'll lose your own hard-won identity in the process. Yes, materialism and hedonism abound. But so does a messy wrestling with complex new realities of life that I wish I saw more of in Christian circles."

pass as "ok" is really depressing for me as a single guy who doesn't believe "TRUE LOVE WAITS" is a platitude. I have to admit I was shocked reading the review because I was apparently dumb enough to believe that a Christian girl would find no interest in seeing this movie! I am just really dumb founded? I understand girls aren't turned on the same way a guy is but the movie is entitled SEX AND THE CITY. You are watching other people, from my understanding of the review, having premarital sex, committing adultery, threesomes and every other sexual abomination besides lesbianism! What shocks me even more is that Christian girls would believe that these four women in the TV show/movie are ROLE MODELS for singleness struggles? I would have no problem with stating that these women are the Harlot in Proverbs who entice men from the pursuit of Lady Wisdom! Yeah, those harlots may have some understanding, but last time I checked they weren't exactly role models for how to pursue a pure relationship with either a man or God for that matter!

So, I haven't seen the movie, and undoubtedly some will bring that up in an objection. I understand. I just can't believe we even need to really bring this up? And the same goes across the board! What are we accepting people!

What Every Girl Wants: The Hulk

2008-06-03T12:00:00.003-05:00

As if it isn't hard enough already, this new "news article" states that all women are really turned on by a guy who is "green" with his car selection. The title of the article is "EcoGeeks get all the girls". Here are some of the highlights.

* Nearly 9 in 10 women (88 percent) say they'd rather chat up someone who owns the latest fuel-efficient car versus the latest sports car.

* Eighty percent of American car buyers would find someone with the latest fuel-efficient car more interesting to talk to at a party than someone with the latest sports car.

* More than 4 out of 10 (45 percent) 18- to 43-year-olds say it's a fashion faux pas nowadays to have a car that's not green or environmentally friendly.

The irony of this whole entire article is that if we lived in different times this would be called something different. Like, being frugal! Any guy who a woman will be attracted to is going to have to show that he cares more about her then he does about material possessions. (At least from my limited experience anyway) As Shania Twain once said: "That Don't Impress Me Much". This article then serves as a great example of how something like wisdom can be bent to propaganda. We all do it but I just thought this was a funny example. Women want the Hulk! Who would have thought?

Does Finding Life on Mars Disprove God?

2008-05-31T20:38:00.003-05:00

I have been fascinated by all the pictures coming back from the Mars Lander. They just released a really cool one today (which I cannot find again online) showing what appears to be ice underneath the lander itself. Scientists are totally geeking out about it because with ice comes the possibility that some type of life form, wither at the cell level or any other level for that matter, could have either existed in the past or even exists now on the Red Planet. Who would have ever thought we could seriously ask this question but "if" the lander does find bacterial life or some other form of life, does that disprove God? Or, should this question be preempted with another one?

The question we should be asking is not what does it mean if we find life on Mars. The real question is why is life, in the highest forms we now know, on THIS planet? When that gets answered, I'll entertain the question of life on other planets.

A Conversation with an Atheist

2008-05-26T20:03:00.004-05:00

I am part of the "blogging" community at a great website entitled Hotair.com. An author on the site every Sunday posts an interesting examination of Islam and the Qu'ran and gives otherwise laypeople on the subject of Islam a world class scholar treatment on the subject. As is always the case in a Christian society, many different discussion about Christian leek through and today was really no different. I recently participated in a discussion with a very knowledgeable "atheist" on the matter of the existence of God. For fairness to his argument I will post what he said verbatim and then offer a reply. I guess you can be the judge.

"

Our limited senses only allow us to perceive a three dimensional space sliding along a time line whereas current physical theories place us in an 11 dimensional universe. So that nothing you worry about has 7 dimensions to roam around in masquerading as something. So don’t worry, modern physics is nowhere near postulating creation ex-nihilo."

Now I will tell you right off the bat; this guy is good. From what I can understand of basic physics it is that we have discovered that multi-dimensions exist and that we are only in a certain plain, mainly 3rd. However, this argument does not assist the atheist in his case nor does it work against a theists. First, many atheists try to grab ground by stating that you are coming at them with religious presuppositions while they are coming at you with science. This was clearly seen when the gentleman I had this discussion with stated that:

"St. Anselm’s ontological proof for the existence of god was completely destroyed by Immanuel Kant and David Hume by observing that it contains the unjustified assumption that the real is more perfect than the unreal or that existence is more perfect than non existence; these are belief statements which should have no part in a logical argument."

This is what is conveniently called throwing dust in your eyes. First, the idea that you can come at a certain aspect of evidence without presuppositions is circular and impossible. You cannot find evidence unless you put it together and you cannot put it together if you do not have at least an idea of what you are looking at and what you are looking for. Let us continue:

"We perceive the universe as ordered since we are part of it. This is almost a condition for us to remain sane and is certainly necessary for survival. This perceived order does not imply that there is a creator. In any event, if there were some super creator entity would still be legitimate to ask who or what created the creator. The usual answer about god always existing does not suffice since the universe could also have always existed without this add on."

I do not remember the exact logical flaw that the first sentence is but I do know that it is one. You cannot really understand something unless you have something to compare it to. Justice does not tell you what justice is just like love does not define love to you. There has to be something from which a thing "originates" in order to "define" it. Plus, why do we all universally perceive this order and why do we all know when it is out of place? My point to this gentleman was simply that I wouldn't want to believe in his god either. He is to small and to weak to even be fathomed. The idea also that the earth could be eternal was thrown away years ago. And by the definition of Anselm's argument (which my friend here does not understand) the greatest possible thing we can think of is God so therefore it is impossible to think of something even greater.

Admittedly, the theist arguments for God cannot give the "smoking gun" to any headstrong atheist. However, given the alternatives it makes the most sense. If you need an example, look no further then my friend arguing that E.T. could exist on some plane beyond our senses which dropped us off here to find our way through the depraved world in which we live. I present a God, who lives in another dimension but also dwells in this one and any others for that matter. Who is uncaused because, He is, and since He is, He is/was able to cause me. And because He caused me I can look at this world as not the depraved, spinning disaster it sometimes seems to be but as something which is a part of the master plan. It does take faith to believe in God. But what exactly does my friend prevent as the alternative?

"We perceive the universe as ordered since we are part of it. This is almost a condition for us to remain sane and is certainly necessary for survival."

Scary words indeed.

Reoccuring Dream (s)

2008-05-25T19:37:00.004-05:00

The dream starts off like it did the last week I had it. I'm in a basement, with many cloudy windows all around me, running from a large snake which is invisible but not soundless. I can never see it but no matter where I run to, I always come back to circular stairs. I run up to the top, and as I turn to hear if it is following I feel something wrap around me. Then I wake up.

There are a few dreams which I always have. This one is the most recent reoccurring dream that started my junior year of college. I've always chalked this one up to my mortal fear of snakes and that the snake is a metaphor for some type of difficulty I am going through and my dream is a reflection of that fear being played out in my subconscious. Sounds incredibly psychological but it's not the only one I've continued having.

The first reoccurring dream I remember I thank my mother for. She loved to watch Godzilla movies, and when I'm not running from a snake, I'm running from Godzilla. Anyway, this is getting too scary so let me get back to my last reoccurring dream before I get to my main point.

The last dream I have is rotating around my wedding day. I am standing at the altar of a church, decked out in a really nice tux. (Strangely I don't know the color, I just know it's a tux) Then beautiful music starts to play and I can see my family smiling around me. As I make more and more friends they are added to the crowd who come to watch the blessed occasion. Then toward the back of the church, the door opens and a man steps in with his daughter close to his side. (odd there are no bridesmaids, groomsmen, or anything else which normally proceeds this particular procession) As she begins to walk down the aisle, I can only see her gown, her beautiful hair (and I do know what color that is) and her father who brings her to me and gives her away. Oddly I never remember his face but I know it's her dad. He lifts the veil to kiss her but I can't make out her face. He brings it back down and I take her up to the altar. As I go to lift up the veil, I wake up.

This dream has frustrated me more then any of my other dreams. It frustrates me because this dream typifies much of what aggravates me in this life. I'm not only talking here of getting married, or for that matter watching everyone else getting married, I'm talking about how all of life seems to be a pursuit of something that is unobtainable. And when you get in reach of it, real life smacks you back down to reality. It's like that feeling you have when you get back from vacation, complete and utter frustration.

I am convinced that people are divided into two types. The first are those who have an expectancy or dream which, when it doesn't get fulfilled stop dreaming and hate the pursuit. Then there are those who dream and pursue and even though they do not find what they are looking for they enjoy the journey anyway. I do not know if we ever will arrive at complete fulfillment this side of heaven. I don't think we can. I think there are always going to be 'desires' we have where just as we are about to reach them, we wake up. I do not believe however that it is because our desires are to big for God to fulfill, I just think something which we could not fathom is awaiting us instead.

Being the good Bible scholar that I am, I was ecstatic many years ago when I found out that this is actually in Scripture! My preferred version of this verse is the KJV because it just flows naturally. Listen: "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (1 Corinthians 13:12)

The question then is which is more valuable to us; the journey or the destination? The second question then is, is the question I just asked an either/or fallacy. Why only those two options? Why do we make it so it has to be one or the other? It seems to me that the point of all of heaven is that while this earth is no where near the glory of heaven there still is a taste of heaven here.

I look at the dream concerning my wedding as just a taste of the things I desire. My ultimate example is seeing Christ face to face. My pursuit of Christ is very much like my pursuit of this mystery lady except the roles are reversed (as weird as that sounds) and I'm walking down an aisle that continues on and on and on until someday I will meet Him face to face. There won't be more ahead of me, just Him. That is why I believe the journey is just as important as the destination. I may be impatient and want that veil lifted now but life, subconscious dreams, and Scripture dramatically reminds me that He will be the one to lift the veil,

or maybe even it tear it?

"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." (Rev. 1:7)
"And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads."(Rev. 22:4)

Can Angels Still Fall Away?

2008-05-24T22:11:00.002-05:00

For my Practicum I have to answer different types of questions that may be received at the church. I thought this was an interesting one so I posted the question and my answer. I could be wrong on this but it would be interesting to get other's perspectives! Let me know what you think!

1.) Since we know that demons are fallen angels is it possible for angels to still fall?
2.) When we get to heaven will it be possible for us to mess up/ make a mistake/ sin and get removed from heaven?
3.) If the answer to number two is, "No, it is not possible to get kicked out of heaven." how does that work with having free will?

Angel questions are always the most difficult to answer and obviously the second and third question naturally follow from the first; and remain just as difficult no less! If angels can still fall then what hope do we have in God’s ability to keep us from doing the same thing! It is quite an awesome challenge and I will attempt to answer these from what little biblical evidence we do have!
The first thing worth mentioning at the start of this discussion is a clear definition of what Angels are. Angels are created, (Ps. 148:2,5) spirit beings just as God is but they are not eternal. (Luke 24:37-39) genderless (Mt. 22:30) and they never die since they are purely spirit. (Mt. 25:41) Angels also are given a free will because as created beings, they still have a choice to actually worship God or to not to. This is inevitably where your student questions come in and it is from this foundation that I will attempt an answer.

We know from Scripture that once an angel sins they do not have any sort of redemption available to them. (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6) We also know that many of the hosts rebelled against God and were cast down to the earth. The specifics of this fall we do not have and many speculate concerning it. The bigger point in this story though is that rebellion against God, which is what we call sin, has more then physical consequences. In fact, if the falling of the angels shows us anything it is that our sins echo in eternity unless there was some type of covering for this. Unless God had an answer that would cleanse us from eternal damnation. Hence the Christian hope is something that even the angels seem to ponder! (1 Peter 3:22)

Wither or not Angels can still fall is something which we cannot know. Scripture is silent beyond the fact that Angels did fall. However, there are some things which we can speculate and I put emphasis on that. Angels did not fall within what we know as “time”. Angels exist in a world that is separate but tied to our own and therefore there “falling” is spiritually the same as ours but different since they cannot be redeemed. Angels are purely spirits and therefore I believe that they cannot change in the way that we do. Angels cannot “turn” and be “good” once they made the decision to be “bad”. (Heb. 2:16) How this exactly works we cannot know.

Concerning the second and third question I do not believe that there is an issue with being eternally with God and still having free will. First, we will not be carrying around these fallen bodies when we are resurrected. Second, the evil forces that lead us into temptation will no longer have power over us since they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. So then the question becomes could we suffer the same fate as the angels then? I believe that we won’t because unlike the angels, we were washed in the blood of the Lamb. Something the angels never had the opportunity to understand and something which is a seal on us when we receive our resurrection bodies.

I liken our experience in Heaven/New Jerusalem as someone who has been anticipating a vacation. He freely chose to save up for the vacation, he worked for it, he took the vacation time for it, and he planned it with the help of an outside agent. When the time for the vacation comes he is not going to think of his free will being violated by enjoying the scenery, the company, and food which is presented because it was what he paid for. In fact, he is going to feel regret when he has to leave and go back. Or he could feel homesick and just want to go back to a place which is familiar to him. In heaven however neither of these options will be a factor since Heaven/New Jerusalem is a fulfillment of everything and anything we could desire. It also culminates the ultimate desire we have as humans; we found home. Therefore, we will be utterly satisfied that we have finally reached home, we have finally found peace.

So in closing, I am not sure if I actually answered your question in full. However, I hope to leave you with the following main points. First, we can’t know everything concerning the angels because the Bible does not let us in on it. Second, sin has grave consequences not just on our body but on our spirits as well. Finally, this shows us how great a salvation we have received because Jesus was made lower then the angels so that we could not suffer their fate! That kind of love is something we all seek and when we finally see it face to ace, nothing could possibly drive us away from it!

Obama'sVP choice

2008-05-24T01:48:00.001-05:00

If you are viewing this on facebook you have to go to my blog site. If you are on the blog site, let me know if you think this could be Obama's running mate? Or maybe it's his following? Hhmmm....

Wishing for Narnia

2008-05-22T22:46:00.004-05:00

I kept count over the past 2 weeks how many people on facebook had living in Narnia on their profile status. My final result was 12. (13 if you include me)

I know after a fresh snow, when there is no mud and no plows, I can't help but look out and feel like I am in Narnia. Whenever I see a lamp post, I half expect Jadis to come running around the corner in a buggy demanding that we bow to her wishes. (The White Witch for you lesser nerds)

While there is no doubt that Lewis created this world for our entertainment, why is it that so many of us wish we lived there? Why when I see fresh snow do I think of Lantern Waste? Why do we walk past wardrobes and quickly see if anyone is looking and open up the door just to make sure. Why?

In the Voyage of the Dawn Treader Aslan explains to Lucy why she can no longer come back to Narnia. The exchange goes like this:

"Dearest," Said Aslan very gently, "you and your brother will never come back to Narnia." "Oh, Aslan!" Said Edmund and Lucy both together in desparing voices. "You are too old, children," said Aslan, "and you must begin to come close to your own world now." "It isn't Narnia, you know," sobbed Lucy. "It's you, We shan't meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?" "But you shall meet me, dear one," said Aslan. "Are-are you there too, Sir?" said Edmund. "I am," said Aslan. "But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there."

A fictional story to be sure but maybe the point of the stories of Narnia is that we realize that it isn't just about Narnia. It's about knowing HIM, here?

Chastity...anyone?

2008-05-22T12:12:00.001-05:00

"Much of the modern resistance to chastity comes from men's beliefs that they own their bodies - those vast and perilous estates, pulsating with the energy that made the worlds, in which they find themselves without their consent, and from which they are ejected at the pleasure of another!" C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters

Well Adjusted Men

2008-05-20T23:02:00.002-05:00

"We have seen only one [perfect] man. And he was not at all like the psychologist's picture of the integrated, balanced, adjusted, happily married, employed popular citizen. You can't really be very well 'adjusted' to your world if it says you have a devil and ends by nailing you up naked to a stake of wood." C.S. Lewis in the Four Loves

Abortion: One Item among many?

2008-05-20T22:57:00.002-05:00

We're Not Finished

Abortion is not simply one item on our social agenda.

Stan Guthrie | posted 5/20/2008 09:29AM

Ever since C. Everett Koop and Francis Schaeffer pricked our consciences, abortion has been on the front burner for socially minded evangelicals. Thirty-five years since Roe v. Wade, it's time to ask whether it should remain the sine qua non of Christian social engagement.

Claiming to represent the new center, an increasingly self-confident wing of sincere evangelicals thinks not. "The evangelical social agenda is now much broader and deeper," asserts Jim Wallis in his new book, The Great Awakening, "engaging issues such as poverty and economic justice, global warming, hiv/aids, sex trafficking, genocide in Darfur, and the ethics of the war in Iraq."

In The Scandal of Evangelical Politics, Ron Sider, echoing a common complaint that pro-lifers believe that "life begins at conception and ends at birth," says starvation and second-hand smoke are also "sanctity of life" issues.

In other words, these and other voices seem to be saying that fighting legalized abortion—the deliberate, state- sanctioned taking of 50 million unborn human lives from their mothers' wombs since 1973 (and the accompanying national guilt)—should simply be one item among many on an ever-expanding evangelical to-do list. I agree that we have multiple responsibilities as Christians, and different callings. But if everything is a priority, then nothing is. While no one is saying that defending unborn human life is optional, the way we sometimes talk about our broader agenda appears to minimize the importance of abortion.

If everything is a priority, then nothing is.

Imagine an adviser telling Martin Luther King Jr. that he won't be participating in the march from Selma to Montgomery because there is a broader social agenda. Rightly might King retort, "But we're not finished!"

Despite all our other good and necessary deeds during the '60s, we evangelicals faced scathing criticism for being largely awol on civil rights, the premier social issue of the era. What will future generations say if we neglect the preeminent moral issue of our day? We cannot excuse ourselves by saying, "Well, protecting unborn human life is someone else's calling, but [fill in the blank] is my calling." We are all called to fight abortion.

"God wants to save these children," Ohio Congressman Tony Hall says in Michael Lindsay's Faith in the Halls of Power. "He doesn't want these children killed." Jesus never turned his back on children. Will we?

And faltering now would be doubly tragic, because the tide is turning. According to the pro-choice Guttmacher Institute, the abortion rate has dropped to its lowest level since 1974. The number has also fallen, from 1.6 million abortions in 1990 to 1.2 million in 2005. While that's still far too many, and the prospect of actually overturning Roe seems distant, it's real progress nevertheless.

For example, Americans United for Life notes that over a 14-year period, Mississippi passed 15 pro-life laws, such as the Abortion Complication Reporting Act. As a result, the number of abortions has declined by 60 percent, and six of seven abortion clinics in the state have closed.

Thanks to pregnancy care centers, ramped up adoption efforts, increased access to ultrasounds, and the judicious use of pro-life arguments (such as those in Francis Beckwith's book Defending Life), we are also winning hearts and minds. The Pew Research Center reports that 18- to 29-year-olds (many of whom consider themselves abortion survivors) consistently favor tougher abortion restrictions than do those 30 and older. In 2003 Gallup found that 32 percent of teens surveyed said abortion should be illegal in all cases—compared with 17 percent of adults. Even Hollywood appears to be sympathetic to pro-life concerns (ct, February, page 34).

Yes, some pro-lifers have besmirched the cause by the use of violence, brass-knuckle political tactics, or hateful rhetoric. And yes, a majority of Americans favors keeping abortion legal in some circumstances. But Carrie Gordon Earll of Focus on the Family notes that most would make abortion illegal except in cases of rape, incest, or threat to the life of the mother. "That's a far cry from what we have today," Earll says, "and an encouraging sign that this nation can move back to a place where abortion is no longer legal or thinkable."

It's hard to find anyone who is "pro-abortion" these days. Hillary Clinton calls abortion a "sad, even tragic choice." Barack Obama opposed banning partial-birth abortion, which the Supreme Court restricted last year. But even Obama told this magazine, "I don't know anybody who is pro-abortion."

No, we will not all be called to picket or pray in front of an abortion clinic or pass legislation or support an unwed mother or adopt a child or write letters to the editor. But we all can do something.

Opposing abortion is not simply another agenda item for evangelicals. It is our sacred duty. Whatever other good deeds we are called to do—and there are many—we cannot say abortion is someone else's business. It's our business.

How Freedom Dies

2008-05-19T11:48:00.003-05:00

"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK," Obama said."

It is amazing to me that you can say certain things in our country and no matter what it is you actually are saying people will lap it up and give you a roaring applause, just because you bring them "hope".

One of the arguments the abortion activists use for the continuation of the slaughtering of innocent children is that they feel that the Government should have no right over their bodies. Yet, these same people have no problem with Barack Obama telling them what their temperature guage should be, as well as what kind of car they can drive!

While some will argue he is talking about "excess" and "greed" I would ask how is keeping my apartment 72 degrees greedy? What is a non-greedy temperature? 71? How is it that a runner up for President has the right to tell me what my temperature will be? Who decides when I've been to greedy and I don't need that much food anyway? The list of questions could go on and on.

To be fair to Obama he isn't the only Presidential candidate speaking like this, John McCain is as well. McCain though does not advocate the nanny government as deep as Obama but McCain dances to the same beat. His dance is just a little older and not as chic as Obama. So this is how freedom dies then huh, to thunderous applause?

The Aslan Delusion

2008-05-17T02:13:00.003-05:00

I had a great conversation tonight with a guy from work who I just met and found out that he was a believer in Jesus of Nazareth. He shared with me how two weeks ago God healed his knee and he has walked without a limp since that day. I sat that there just amazed at how faithful God is to His people. How incredible He is to those whom He calls. Now I just wish I always believed it.

There is a book out called The God Delusion and the author sets out lay blame for many of the worlds problem in people's belief in God. While an interesting, unprovable premise, the author is rather entertaining and makes his points in a seemingly convincing manner. Either way, I can probably imagine that he wasn't going to be seeing Narnia this weekend.

Before I went an saw Prince Caspian yesterday I watched The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and started laughing when Lucy is in Mr. Tumnus's house looking at his book shelf with titles such as "Is Man a Myth". I could almost imagine a book there entitled The Aslan Delusion: Why Belief in Aslan Spoils Everything.

There is no doubt when reading Lewis' work that he has an agenda towards those who would call religious folk "delusional" unequivocally. Lewis had to face such accusations all the time. How can you believe in something that is not empirical? How can you ask someone to believe in something that we cannot see? We are dancing to our DNA. We are products of chance plus time. There are many Miraz's out there, the question then is where are the Caspians.

It may seem lame to even use a child's story like this and many people will view it like that. Just because it is a child's tale does not make it devoid of meaning for adults. Maybe we have overcomplicated things and we need to remember that simple lesson. It is the belief in the supernatural which brings about the best world. It is the belief in a all loving God who invaded this earth 2,000 years ago and continues to invade in the people He calls His bride. I think back to the scene in the movie and it was very telling: "I just wish he would prove Himself to me" Peter said. Lucy replied: "Maybe He is just waiting for us to prove ourselves to Him?"

Prince Caspian

2008-05-16T11:42:00.003-05:00

Besides being really, really tired this morning I'm pretty jazzed about the premiere of Prince Caspian last night. I was disappointed that no one dressed up and looked like a Faun but I guess that get up would be uncomfortable to sit in a movie theater with. Plus aren't shirts required to watch a movie? Anyway, since a lot of people have not watched the movie yet, I thought this would be a good place to get my thoughts of it down. So please understand that I'm going to spoil the movie! If you have not seen it yet, please don't read any further!

~*Major Spoilers*~

Prince Caspian (PC) was one of my favorite books as a kid. I remember the first time reading it in fourth grade when I moved to Hawaii and I think I've read it every year since. I know that high expectation can kill a movie going experience. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (LWW) lived up to a lot I expected but it still seemed to lack some important things I wanted. PC though had every major scene that I loved from the book and more!

From the opening scene you know it is going to be a darker plot then LWW as Caspian rushes out of the castle to escape his power-hungry uncle, who just found out that he had a son but Caspian stood in the way of this son becoming king. The movie has Caspian meeting Trufflehunter and Nikabrik pretty quick and has him blowing the horn even sooner but in the big scheme of things this makes sense with where they were going with the movie. In the book PC blows the horn in the midst of a battle they are losing. This is probably the biggest departure the movie makes but it worked. Thankfully!

I loved it when the Pevensies first came on the screen because you could see that they truly wanted to be back in Narnia. How do you go from being Kings and Queens to grade school again? I think the movie captured this angst really well! When they first get to Narnia you really feel their excitement and then you also feel there devastation when they realize that Mr. Tumnus and the Beavers are not going to be there anymore. That was a powerful line from Lucy.

My favorite characters in this story are easily Edmund and Lucy. Edmund has grown (physically) and matured in this film and I almost wish he was in it more! They kept his sword fight with Trumpkin in the movie and I loved it. Trumpkin though I'm going to have to wait to judge because he was probably the biggest departure from the book character wise. I think it still worked but I don't know yet if I liked it. I loved the scene where Edmund believes Lucy about seeing Aslan but my favorite scene with Edmund is easily the one where Caspian and Peter are entranced by the white witch. She is a locked up in an icicle and in order to get out needs a drop of Adam's blood. Caspian (at the point of a sword) almost gives but Peter pushed him away at first to resist but you can see the tension he has about maybe letting her out to help! Where has Aslan gone anyway? You can see the indecisiveness in Peters eyes just as the ice begins to crack and finally breaks apart with the witch screaming. There stands Edmund with a giant lion on the wall behind him. It was easily the most redemptive part of the movie and a great example of how far Edmund has come!

Lucy is simply amazing in this movie. You could feel her anguish when she realized that Mr. Tumnus wouldn't be there and that many of those dreams she had were going to be different. The one part I did not like was in the scene with the white witch they had Lucy attacking Nikabrick. I doubt that very highly. That one downside though did not spoil the many brilliant scenes she had. The Dancing Lawn scene were she finally sees Aslan as the trees danced was incredible and right from the book. They decided to make it a dream instead of a real event but it still worked really well. I loved the scene directly after the white witch scene when Peter is sitting by the stone table looking up at the picture of the Lion wondering where Aslan has gone and why he won't show himself. Lucy comes and sits down and talks with him about Aslan seeming to be MIA. You could see Peter was struggling with the fact he almost let the white witch out! Peter says: "I wish Aslan would show himself to me." Lucy replied: "Maybe he is waiting for us to show ourselves to Him."

Overall I gave this movie an 8 out 10 because there were parts in the middle where it seemed to drag. As a fan of the book I did not mind at all but a lot of people were getting up to go to the bathroom so you could tell they thought it was a little long.

Themes from the book were easily shown in the movie and they even expanded on one of them in a way I would never have expected. Aslan barely has anytime in the movie and that works well because it feeds Peter's doubt about Aslan being there to help. Why would Aslan let all these people die? Why would he not come in and save the day? If Aslan was always there then that would have created a whole other issue. Instead, making a theodicy of it worked pretty well in the story! I also loved the friendship, faith, and hope that are clearly presented. Lucy and Edmund show all of these characteristics and magnify them!

The Prince Caspian/Susan romance was perhaps the thing I dreaded the most but I have to say it worked pretty well. The infamous "kiss" scene also was tactfully done and fit the moment. I had no problem with it. Peter was a big departure from the character in the book but you could tell he was struggling with not being respected as the high king. He has some funny lines with that and it worked when you saw him struggling with his identity, especially in light of Caspian. Reepicheep is a hoot and really presents well Lewis' idea of what chivalry is. When it comes to the issue of Susan fighting so much I didn't really have a problem with it but it didn't seem to fit the character. Especially given that she hates "wars" and is sort of a pacifist in the stories. That was a little bit of a departure but I understood why.

Prince Caspian was a great movie and a faithful adaptation of the book. More then LWW was and the fight scenes in this movie are just incredible. The reason I gave it an 8 out of 10 was because it did drag towards the middle and then in the end scenes you really never understand why Lucy runs off the way she does. Where is she going to meet Aslan? I might have missed an explanation but it didn't seem to fit. I loved it in the end where they had the Reepicheep being healed by Lucy and Aslan growing his tale back. The honor of a mouse! I also loved that the last line of the movie is the last line of the book. Caspian also was great and the best scene he has was when Aslan asked all of the Kings and Queens to stand and all the Pevensies stood but PC did not. It was a powerful show of what true leadership is! The movie is very family friendly and may be a little intense for young ones but it kept bad stuff out of it and made an amazing movie I think C.S. Lewis would have been proud of! Now let's just hope they do the same thing with Voyage of the Dawn Treader!

Buffalo vs. Lion vs. Crocodile. Winner: Buffalo?

2008-05-14T23:08:00.002-05:00

If you are reading this on facebook you have to look at my blog site to see the video. It is violent but it is incredible:

OBAMALUJAH

2008-05-14T10:56:00.003-05:00

I recently signed the Evangelical Manifesto because I agree with the frustration of the authors concerning the politicizing of the Christian faith. While I have core belief systems that affect the way I vote I also do not enjoy having to defend various Christian leaders comments when I am talking to people about my faith.

I signed the Evangelical Manifesto because I do not like people using my faith as a reason to vote for them. While I certainly do not want to create a dichotomy between private/sacred, I also respect that our Government was never supposed to make a state church. Only evil comes when that happens. I also have no problem with envoking God and talking about your faith. I have a problem though with this:

There he is. The media anointed savior. I have a huge problem with this add because it just shows how selectively outraged so many people are! If you remember back in December, Mike Huckabee made an add that had a bookshelf in the background. The bookshelf made a cross. If you don't remember the picture, here it is:
Mike faced all types of criticism for this add and most came from Christians, probably those who signed the Evangelical Manifesto. He had to come out and state that it was completely incidental.

The Christian outrage, or secular outrage for that matter, is silent on this flagrant use of the cross by Barack Obama. This just gets old to say but if this was a Republican there would be outrage, news stories, retractions, stump speeches. Heck, if this was Hillary Clinton there would be outrage! I have no problem with Barack Obama's faith and I am not questioning wither or not he is a Christian. I do have a problem with the selective outrage. Not even just that but the way the media seems to think it is ok for him to use the cross and there won't be a peep in the Ivory Tower but if someone mentions that God created the world, that person is tossed from the Ivory Tower? How did we get this messed up? This is an example of why I signed the Evangelical Manifesto and this is why I think you should to. It doesn't matter if it is a Republican or Democrat, anyone who uses the cross, faith, hope, etc. in the way this add does is doing exactly what Evangelicals are so afraid of. It just isn't vogue to condemn Obama for it and sadly, we dance to the tune of media outrage. Hence, no outrage. Well I am!

Who is the Greatest?

2008-05-13T22:35:00.003-05:00

Whenever I read in the Gospel of Luke of the fights the disciples had over who would be the "greatest" in the kingdom I always think of Muhammad Ali running around saying he is the greatest. There is one particular story I am fond of and that was when Muhammad Ali refused to put a seatbelt on in a plane. A very witty flight attendant demanded that he put it on and his reply was: "Superman don't need no seatbelt." The attendant replied: "Well you ain't Superman cause he don't need no plane." She definitely got his attention with that I am sure!

You almost laugh at the two instances (Lk. 9 and 22) where the disciples are caught arguing about their greatness. What was Jesus thinking? What did they think afterward? I was reminded of this story just a few seconds ago after getting off the IM with a friend who is serving in Iraq. She made a very positive comment about me and used terms that I would never ascribe to myself, if anything I would lavish such pleasantries on her and all of are men and women who serve over in Iraq.

This blog is not going to debate the Iraq war. My point is simply this; To my friend who said those kind words, I appreciate the compliment but I am nothing in comparison to you! To all of our guys/gals who serve our country you are the great people! You selflessly put yourself in danger to protect my right to write, breathe, go to school, and live. You are constantly bashed by crazies who say your unintelligent and stupid but I would rather have you then those guys anyday!

Jesus said that no greater love has a man then when someone lays down there life for a friend. While it may sound cliche that is what defines in my book a great person! Not someone who is going for a masters degree. So a big thanks to all of our boys in the military and for those whose family support them! We love you guys and know that your doing the right thing! Will keep the country safe till you get back as you keep the country safe far from home! Thank you for being the greatest, just please put your seat belts on ;)

The Shack

2008-05-13T00:01:00.002-05:00

I picked up "The Shack" by William P. Young yesterday and I just finished it tonight. So, yeah, I read the entire book in a day. I heard about this book from many of the different blogger sites and decided to see what all the hype was about. I thought I'd throw out my own two cents and finally get to recommending the book. So here you go. ~minor spoiler warning~

(1) I won't go into the main story but suffice it to say that the book focuses on a terrible loss encountered by a father. A couple of months later he gets a letter from "Papa" to come and visit him at the very site this great loss occurred. The rest of the story are the days that he is in this "shack".

(2) God is depicted as a large, black-woman. Yep. A lot of people seem to be having a fit over this fact but I think it is an interesting point of the book. When the main character meets "Papa" the point of the story is that we constantly think of God as either a white-male or some old phogey who floats around on a cloud. God is a Spirit and therefore He does not have a sex, which is a point the author makes in the book. You will have to read it yourself to see what you think but for the most part I had no problem with this. God did appear to a man in a burning bush. I don't see why we would have a problem with God appearing in the manner He does in this story.

(3) The relationship between the Trinity in this book is astounding. It really puts into place an amazing idea of how there really is unity in the diversity of the Trinity. They are completely God but completely there own person, unified as God. There interaction is beautiful!

(4) The story itself is an amazing one and it looks at some really difficult issues like pain, suffering, loss, and bitterness. All of these are issues I am dealing with and I know many of us face all the time. For those who constantly question God this will make you bend your knee and repent.

(5) The ending to this story is really good and then becomes REALLY bad. The last page is like a drive by shooting. This did not really turn me away from the story but geesh! You would think they would have thought of this!

(6) Deconstructionism. I have read some reviews on Amazon for the book and while I can see there points on how this book seems to push a deconstruction viewpoint I don't know if I totally agree. I cannot find anywhere in my reading a point where there was "heresy" and I think the point the author makes is that when law replaces the relationship you don't have a relationship anymore. God is love and His people should love Him in it. What is the biggest obstacle to that love? Ourselves! There was never a point where the author bashes the Bible or makes it less important. He instead reminds us that the Holy Spirit should be involved in our reading! Something this Pentecostal loved to hear!

Finally, I wanted to leave you with a quote from the book:

"Let us use the example of friendship and how removing the element of life from a noun can drastically alter a relationship. Mack, if you and I are friends, there is an expectancy that exists within our relationship. When we see each other or are apart, there is an expectancy of being together, of laughing and talking. That expectancy has no concrete definition; it is alive and dynamic and everything that emerges from our being together is a unique gift shared by no one else." (p.205)

The One Ring

2008-05-10T18:00:00.004-05:00

“You are the Ring-bearer, Frodo...to bear a Ring of Power is to be alone”,

I was in church one Sunday morning and I was testing a new hypothesis I had concerning my True Love Waits ring (TLW).

I didn't have it on.

I had noticed that many of the ladies who would talk to me continued to glance down at my hand in the midst of our conversations and it started to bug me a little. The ring, for one, made me feel like I had a name tag on which said: "Hello, My Name is Matt, I'm a Virgin"and while that is not a bad thing in itself, it isn't exactly the first thing I want people thinking when they meet me.

The other thing I noticed with the ring on was that many girls wouldn't talk to me at all. Sometimes, OK a lot of times, this has worked in my favor but it did bring up quite a dilemma when girls that I did wish to speak to quickly turned away because they thought I was married. All the while I thought maybe I forgot to put the deodorant on?

That Sunday I walked into the Barn (the spiffy name for our Sunday church building) and rubbed the naked finger on my hand. The ring did not adorn it this time. I made my way to the seats and started conversations here and there, nothing really out of the ordinary, just good old Christian fellowship! Then I noticed in the midst of the conversations, the eyes began to wonder again. Inside I smirked because there wasn't anything for the eyes to see. Then the young lady who saw my eyes watching hers quipped: "Matt, that's a nice ring you have there, what is it?" I smiled and replied: "Oh, what ring?" I waved my lanky naked hands. "I don't have one on today." She apologized and the subject was changed rather quickly. I smiled. Got yeah!

This is an interesting dilemma for men who decided to stick to commitments made back in high school. Do I wear the ring or not? If I wear the ring, then many girls won't talk to me because no matter what hand it is on they will think I'm married. Or do I not wear the ring and chicken out on the promise I made so many years ago to my spouse and to myself? Do I go the way of Frodo? A ringbearer who is alone? If I don't wear the ring, then I am no longer a ring-bearer and every ring-bearer is supposed to have a flower girl, right?

Funny isn't it? This is such a stupid post but it's something that happened. I did decide what to do with the ring but the problem still continues. What a game this life truly is!

Shame On You, Al Gore, Shame On You

2008-05-06T15:28:00.003-05:00

There are few times here that I may mention someone by name. I've learned that in many ways you cannot defeat an argument by insulting the person. Al Gore however is worthy of mention and it is worthy of saying how outrageous he is. I mention Al Gore by name because if someone said God did created this cyclone to wipe out 22,000 people because of judgment for a sin everyone would be outraged. Yet, here is Al Gore using a natural (NATURAL) disaster where 22,000 people, as of now, are DEAD! This is 2 days old and Al Gore can't keep from utilizing this to press his gospel. 41,000 people are missing and possibly dead and Al Gore is running around saying that they could have avoided this if they hadn't driven their cars or changed their light bulbs. No empathy. No anything. Shame on you Mr. Vice President, Shame on you!

“It’s also important to note that the emerging consensus among the climate scientists is although any individual storm can’t be linked singularly to global warming – we’ve always had hurricanes,” Gore said. “Nevertheless, the trend toward more Category 5 storms – the larger ones and trend toward stronger and more destructive storms appears to be linked to global warming and specifically to the impact of global warming on higher ocean temperatures in the top couple of hundred feet of the ocean, which drives convection energy and moisture into these storms and makes them more powerful.”

Why iSingle*~

2008-05-05T23:05:00.005-05:00

I know from the start that by writing on this questionable subject that you, my amazing reader, might have some presuppositions pop into your head about why I'm writing this. I hope to defuse these before they even get implanted because there is nothing worse then having someone come up and comfort me about being single. I'm not a widow, I don't have a disease, I'm going to be ok! If you see me and you do that...I may shun you from my blog ;)

First, I'm not sitting here in my room, lonely, with e-harmony popped up in a corner just waiting to be matched with the love of my life. (If you are one of the few who this has worked for I hope you know I'm not knocking you, it's just not for me) Second, I'm not doing this out of some prideful, "please look at me" attention grab, trying to show myself as sensitive. I just have come to some realizations about things in the past couple of months and I know I'm not the only person to see this stuff. A lot of singles do and only talk to a couple people about it! Finally, everything I do is to exalt and magnify my God. Period. My singleness is something to rejoice in and I find many people who don't do that! As if their life isn't complete! While I understand, and admittedly face those same emotions, I actually really do enjoy being a bachelor and all the freedoms that entails. While it has it's setbacks, I'm not willing to give it up just yet. Which leads me to my actual thoughts about singleness.

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her"(Ephesians 5:25) I have not been able to get this verse out of my mind since I wrote my last blog. It has just overwhelmed me! First, we have to ask the question of how Christ "loved the church". What exactly does that mean? Think of everything Christ did for us?

(1) "but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." Philippians 2:7

(2) "who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father" Galatians 1:4

I could keep going on how Christ loved the church. It is a pretty profound and demanding idea. Christ did not just whisper sweet nothings in the ears, He died for His bride! I was thinking about this today that Christ had to wait almost 30 years before His official ministry began. He met tons of people throughout His life and He knew that He was the answer to their questions. He knew He was the one to save their soul. Yet, He waited for God's timing, He waited for God's sending! He didn't want to rush meeting His bride! Now obviously that might be a little of a stretch but the Bible says clearly that a husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the Church. Jesus had to trust God's timing for OUR salvation. His bride which God gave to Him. How much more then should we be patient for God's right timing in our relationship. Especially with our future spouses.

The second issue of this passage in Ephesians is the issue of "love". My brother will be glad that I bring C.S. Lewis into this because he's been ranting and raving about Lewis' book "The Four Loves". The one which Lewis' associates relationships with is the Greek Word Eros. Now we easily think of this as erotic but that is not what Lewis means. I find Lewis' definition of Eros astounding because it is something which I would not expect.

It is indifferent he states. How can it be indifferent? If you think about it though this makes perfect sense. In fact, this is the beginning of the answer to why I am single. Eros is indifferent because it is not based on what I CAN GET from a person, it's indifferent to that fact, it is totally based on what I can give to them. With no desire for anything to be given back. That is romantic love at its fullest, biblical capacity. That is what Lewis meant.

I think for many guys, maybe even guys who are in relationships now, we have such a tendency to control. It is truly scary how I've seen this worked out in my own life, wither in a close examination of my own internal reactions or the sad outworking of a true life story. We so easily fit Lewis' warning concerning Eros "Love begins to be a demon the moment it becomes a god." When we act like a god in our relationship we think we can create, we think we can demand, we think we can move someone else to our will. We find ways of doing it. We find way of manipulating. We find ways of forcing a girl out of her comfort zone because we are out of ours. We make our own emotions, not hers, the god of our relationship and by doing so cripple any woman who is unfortunate enough to care about us.

I have this god rise up in so many ways it has disgusted me. When I read that Ephesians passage I began to think of what "love" is. I can only fall back on 1 Corinthians 13 and while everyone quotes this verse, there is one part which really stuck out. "It [love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (13) It may be sappy, it may sound redundant, it may sound even impossible, yet the command of the man is to be this to his wife. I don't know if I'm there yet. I still battle such selfish, animal, reactions when I don't get my way. I don't act on them, but I think them. I have witnessed (more then I ever wish to have) what happens when men act on them and it has scared me more then anything I can ever have imagined.

I am not in a relationship because I don't know if I can love a woman like Christ loves the church. Frankly, in many ways I love myself a little to much for comfort. This may just be because I haven't found the right girl. Maybe all of this will change when I do? I just know in my dealings; I'm not very patient, I can be not very kind, I do kind of boast, I am definitely tend to be proud, I do envy, I am self-seeking, I do keep records of wrong, and sadly I can get angry. I want to give myself to someone who doesn't have to deal with this. And while I will always have some of these issues, no one ever loves without mistakes, I want my future wife to have the best she can get. Until I know that I can give that, I focus on my pursuit of lady wisdom. Mrs. Bell deserves Superman.

"When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me."

Jesus the Bearded Lady

2008-05-03T22:38:00.004-05:00

I remember when I was a kid my dad used to call me Macho Man. I remember this nickname fondly because included within this was the word "man". Here I am, 8 years old, and my dad is calling me a man already. I thought I was the coolest kid in the world; my dad thought I was a man! Now why won't he let me play Mortal Kombat?

When I was a kid I didn't really think a lot about what it meant to be a "man" but since I am now considered, at least by the worlds standards, a man I've been looking into it more and more. At work, manhood is defined by being able to drink, flirt, and "hook up" with no strings attached. In the some churches I've visited manliness is defined as Jesus meek-and-mild who would never offend anyone. You look at the pictures of Jesus in our churches it almost seems to be a mockery of the Scriptures which clearly show how "manly" Jesus was. Even the pictures of Jesus turning the tables looks like He's trying to protect His manicure from getting messed up. Somehow this doesn't seem to fit what we should picture.

When you think of manliness, what exactly crosses your mind? I asked myself this week that question and was utterly shocked that Jesus wasn't the first thing that came to my mind. In fact, to be honest, He wasn't even in my top five! Why is that? Part of it is that I think of Him as God and since God does not have any bodily form I don't associate manhood to Him. The paradox of Christ is that He is not only fully God but also fully man. He was a man. Think about that! The God of the universe stripped Himself of His omnipotence, His omnipresence, even His omniscience to be a man! Talk about a paradox!

Soren Kierkegaard stated that, "Paradox is really the pathos of intellectual life, and just as only great souls are exposed to passions, it is only the great thinker who is exposed to what I call paradox." Kierkegaard's point (if I dare even try to summarize it) simply was that we live a life of paradox or, men are filled with contradictory passions that do not mix at all, sort of like oil and water. The measure of a man then is what he does with those passions and how he handles the inner paradox.

C.S. Lewis had a lot to say on this subject and I have already written on how I agree with Lewis' assessment on chivalry (see Sine Qua Non for more). Lewis had some interesting thoughts in his excellent book The Abolition of Man concerning this longing for manhood: "We continue to clamor for those very qualities we are rendering impossible...In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings to be fruitful." (Abolition of Man, 26) Our modern day world is desperately searching for the function but continues to remove the organ. Manhood is defined by its extremities and in order to tame those we completely cut them out, leaving us with nothing but men without chests. Have you seen the modern church folks? Cotton Mather stated: "There are far more godly women in the world than there are godly men." Why is this!

I believe this is the case because we do not associate manliness with being like Christ! Instead, machismo (over exaggerated manliness usually associated with pride/power) seems to be what we think of manliness. Jesus however was never overbearing. He was able to laugh with the children then turn tables. He was gentle and fierce, soft but hard, He was not tame but good. Jesus was a paradox. Jesus was a man.

Pastor Chris of James River Assembly spoke on the passage in Ephesians which states a woman is to submit to a man. It isn't easy to examine this passage, especially with so many ready to drop the bigot card. However, he brought out a point which I never saw and something which I wish to close with. While a woman is supposed to submit to her husband, the Bible says the following: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her". (Ephesians 5:25) The husband is supposed to be like Jesus to His wife.

The husband is supposed to be like Jesus...

to his wife...

Let that sink in for a moment.

I don't even think of Jesus as "manly" let alone doing what this verse states! This all came together for me in such a powerful way and it's going to lead to some further thoughts later down the road on how I believe Jesus is the model for manhood. I think the paradox of manhood is culminated in the person of Jesus and that in order for a man to be a true "macho man" that we need to do as Paul said to the Ephesians church. Be Christ. How does that work or look like? Will see~

Neighborly Escapade

2008-04-30T11:13:00.006-05:00

It is said that St. Thomas Aquinas' brothers were a tad bit tired of their brothers continuous study. They could not understand why he didn't indulge himself in the world. Brilliant, honorable men that they were, Aquinas' brothers decided to spice things up and sent up a prostitute to his room. Just so he could lighten up a bit. G.K. Chesterton records the following:

"When he saw her [the prostitute] he sprang from his seat & snatched a brand out of the fire, and stood brandishing it like a flaming sword." G.K. Chesterton, St. Thomas Aquinas, 44.

Aquinas didn't hurt the lady but let's just say there was no interaction between the two. Aquinas ravings like a mad man worked and she ran screaming out of the room. Not exactly a subtle tactic but it seemed to do the trick.

I did not get much sleep last night. In fact I was up till about 5 AM this morning. It is not fun to sleep on the couch, especially when no one put you there. Why was in my living room, in my boxers, trying to sleep? Because once again my bunny rabbit neighbors were enjoying one another's company a little to much. I woke to crashing and banging at 3 AM and, for a second, thought someone was getting beat up, again; not this time. I sat there amazed at the audio spectacle that was coming through my walls and thought about banging on the wall to make them realize it's 3 in the morning, could they keep it down. Then the screaming started and I realized it wouldn't do me any good so I went to sleep.

I woke up this morning with a raging headache, very frustrated, and a tad bit annoyed that once again I was put out by my neighbors escapade. Yet, as I sat here I couldn't help think of that story of Aquinas and then of another person who had his world interrupted by the opposite sex, King David. If I was meant to learn anything last night, it was this; no matter where we are, no matter what situation we are in, we face temptations at every turn. Some of it undeserved (3 AM and unlike King David I was were I was supposed to be) some of it we put ourselves into (King David again) The question is, what do we do about it?

Aquinas' story reminds me of this situation because men of God are going to go out of there way to protect there integrity. It is not a natural reaction for a man to turn a women away. Most men can not stand the sight of a woman rejected, crying, or any other thing which seems to melt away our defenses. However, some women know that and still bring the apple of temptation our way. We have two opposite stories which show opposite results and it leaves us the question of which is the more "manly" thing to do. David fed his lust and sinned with Bathsheba. Aquinas acted like a mad man and drove the women away. Manliness now a days is defined by the David story but it seems that when presented with temptation, Aquinas was the more manly.

I believe this is the case because a real man is not going to steal moments that are not his. A real man does not look at sex as something which I can get but something which I can give. A real man is going to react violently when presented with something which violates that. A real man does not put a price on his integrity because if there is a price, the devil is going to buy it.

Malcolm Muggeridge once told the story of a business man who was on his way to some country on an airplane. As he sat down he couldn't help but notice the beautiful, young, 20 year old, brunette who took up the seat next to him. As the plane took off they struck up a conversation. The Business man decided to see something and very boldly asked the woman if he would have sex with her for a million dollars when they landed. The woman looked shocked but you could see the million dollar figure quickly breaking down her defenses. She finally agreed. As the plane was about to land the man then turned to her and asked if they could drop the price down to 100 dollars. The woman became angry, looked at him harshly, and stated: "What kind of girl do you think I am." The man smiled at her, "Honey, we already know what kind of girl you are, now we are just negotiating the price."

Omnipotent Global Warming

2008-04-25T20:05:00.000-05:00

A complete list of things caused by global warming
Acne, agricultural land increase, Afghan poppies destroyed, Africa devastated, African aid threatened, Africa in conflict, aggressive weeds, air pressure changes, Alaska reshaped, allergies increase, Alps melting, Amazon a desert, American dream end, amphibians breeding earlier (or not), anaphylactic reactions to bee stings, ancient forests dramatically changed, animals head for the hills, Antarctic grass flourishes, Antarctic ice grows, Antarctic ice shrinks, Antarctic sea life at risk, anxiety treatment, algal blooms, archaeological sites threatened, Arctic bogs melt, Arctic in bloom, Arctic ice free, Arctic lakes disappear, Arctic tundra to burn, Atlantic less salty, Atlantic more salty, atmospheric circulation modified, attack of the killer jellyfish, avalanches reduced, avalanches increased, Baghdad snow, Bahrain under water, bananas grow, beer shortage, beetle infestation, bet for $10,000, better beer, big melt faster, billion dollar research projects, billions face risk, billions of deaths, bird distributions change, bird visitors drop, birds confused, birds return early, birds driven north, bittern boom ends, blackbirds stop singing, blizzards, blue mussels return, bluetongue, brains shrink, bridge collapse (Minneapolis), Britain Siberian, British gardens change, brothels struggle, brown Ireland, bubonic plague, budget increases, Buddhist temple threatened, building collapse, building season extension, bushfires, business opportunities, business risks, butterflies move north, camel deaths, cancer deaths in England, cannibalism, cataracts, caterpillar biomass shift, cave paintings threatened, childhood insomnia, Cholera, circumcision in decline, cirrus disappearance, civil unrest, cloud increase, cloud stripping, cockroach migration, coffee threatened, cold climate creatures survive, cold spells (Australia), cold wave (India), computer models, conferences, conflict, conflict with Russia, consumers foot the bill, coral bleaching, coral reefs dying, coral reefs grow, coral reefs shrink , cost of trillions, cougar attacks, cradle of civilisation threatened, crime increase, crocodile sex, crops devastated, crumbling roads, buildings and sewage systems, curriculum change, cyclones (Australia), danger to kid's health, Darfur, Dartford Warbler plague, death rate increase (US), Dengue hemorrhagic fever, depression, desert advance, desert retreat, destruction of the environment, disappearance of coastal cities, diseases move north, Dolomites collapse, drought, ducks and geese decline, dust bowl in the corn belt, early marriages, early spring, earlier pollen season, Earth biodiversity crisis, Earth dying, Earth even hotter, Earth light dimming, Earth lopsided, Earth melting, Earth morbid fever, Earth on fast track, Earth past point of no return, Earth slowing down, Earth spins faster, Earth to explode, earth upside down, Earth wobbling, earthquakes, El Niño intensification, end of the world as we know it, erosion, emerging infections, encephalitis, English villages lost, equality threatened, Europe simultaneously baking and freezing, eutrophication, evolution accelerating, expansion of university climate groups, extinctions (human, civilisation, logic, Inuit, smallest butterfly, cod, ladybirds, pikas, polar bears, gorillas, walrus, whales, frogs, toads, plants, salmon, trout, wild flowers, woodlice, penguins, a million species, half of all animal and plant species, mountain species, not polar bears, barrier reef, leaches), experts muzzled, extreme changes to California, fading fall foliage, fainting, famine, farmers go under, fashion disaster, fever,figurehead sacked, fir cone bonanza, fish catches drop, fish downsize, fish catches rise, fish deaf, fish get lost, fish stocks at risk, fish stocks decline, five million illnesses, flesh eating disease, flood patterns change, floods, floods of beaches and cities, flood of migrants, flood preparation for crisis, Florida economic decline, flowers in peril, food poisoning, food prices rise, food prices soar, food security threat (SA), footpath erosion, forest decline, forest expansion, frog with extra heads, frostbite, frost damage increased, frosts, fungi fruitful, fungi invasion, games change, Garden of Eden wilts, genetic diversity decline, gene pools slashed, giant oysters invade, giant pythons invade, giant squid migrate, gingerbread houses collapse, glacial earthquakes, glacial retreat, glacial growth, glacier wrapped, global cooling, global dimming, glowing clouds, god melts, golf Masters wrecked, Gore omnipresence, grandstanding, grasslands wetter, Great Barrier Reef 95% dead, Great Lakes drop, greening of the North, Grey whales lose weight, Gulf Stream failure, habitat loss, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, harmful algae, harvest increase, harvest shrinkage, hay fever epidemic, health affected, health of children harmed, heart disease, heart attacks and strokes (Australia), heat waves, hibernation affected, hibernation ends too soon, hibernation ends too late, homeless 50 million, hornets, high court debates, human development faces unprecedented reversal, human fertility reduced, human health improvement, human health risk, human race oblivion, hurricanes, hurricane reduction, hydropower problems, hyperthermia deaths, ice sheet growth, ice sheet shrinkage, ice shelf collapse, illness and death, inclement weather, India drowning, infrastructure failure (Canada), industry threatened, infectious diseases, inflation in China, insect explosion, insurance premium rises, Inuit displacement, Inuit poisoned, Inuit suing, invasion of cats, invasion of herons, invasion of jellyfish, invasion of midges, island disappears, islands sinking, itchier poison ivy, jellyfish explosion, jets fall from sky, Kew Gardens taxed, killing us, kitten boom, krill decline, lake and stream productivity decline, lake empties, lake shrinking and growing, landslides, landslides of ice at 140 mph, lawsuits increase, lawsuit successful, lawyers' income increased (surprise surprise!), lives saved, Loch Ness monster dead, lush growth in rain forests, Malaria, mammoth dung melt, Maple production advanced, Maple syrup shortage, marine diseases, marine food chain decimated, Meaching (end of the world), Mediterranean rises, megacryometeors, Melanoma, methane emissions from plants, methane burps, methane runaway, melting permafrost, Middle Kingdom convulses, migration, migration difficult (birds), migratory birds huge losses, microbes to decompose soil carbon more rapidly, minorities hit, monkeys on the move, Mont Blanc grows, monuments imperiled, moose dying, more bad air days, more research needed, mortality increased, mountain (Everest) shrinking, mountains break up, mountains melting, mountains taller, mortality lower, National security implications, natural disasters quadruple, new islands, next ice age, NFL threatened, Nile delta damaged, noctilucent clouds, no effect in India, Northwest Passage opened, nuclear plants bloom, oaks dying, oaks move north, ocean acidification, ocean deserts expand, ocean waves speed up, opera house to be destroyed, outdoor hockey threatened, ozone repair slowed, ozone rise, Pacific dead zone, personal carbon rationing, pest outbreaks, pests increase, phenology shifts, plankton blooms, plankton destabilised, plankton loss, plant viruses, plants march north, polar bears aggressive, polar bears cannibalistic, polar bears drowning, polar bears starve, polar tours scrapped, popcorn rise, porpoise astray, profits collapse, psychiatric illness, puffin decline, railroad tracks deformed, rainfall increase, rape wave, refugees, release of ancient frozen viruses, resorts disappear, rice threatened, rice yields crash, rift on Capitol Hill, rioting and nuclear war, river flow impacted, rivers raised, roads wear out, robins rampant, rocky peaks crack apart, roof of the world a desert, rooftop bars, Ross river disease, ruins ruined, salinity reduction, salinity increase, Salmonella, satellites accelerate, school closures, sea level rise, sea level rise faster, seals mating more, sewer bills rise, severe thunderstorms, sex change, sharks booming, sharks moving north, sheep shrink, shop closures, short-nosed dogs endangered, shrinking ponds, shrinking shrine, ski resorts threatened, skin cancer, slow death, smaller brains, smog, snowfall increase, snowfall heavy, snowfall reduction, soaring food prices, societal collapse, songbirds change eating habits, sour grapes, space problem, spectacular orchids, spiders invade Scotland, squid population explosion, squirrels reproduce earlier, storms wetter, stormwater drains stressed, street crime to increase, subsidence, suicide, swordfish in the Baltic, Tabasco tragedy, taxes, tectonic plate movement, teenage drinking, terrorism, threat to peace, ticks move northward (Sweden), tides rise, tornado outbreak, tourism increase, trade barriers, trade winds weakened, transportation threatened, tree foliage increase (UK), tree growth slowed,, trees could return to Antarctic, trees in trouble, trees less colourful, trees more colourful, trees lush, tropics expansion, tropopause raised, truffle shortage, turtles crash, turtles lay earlier, UK coastal impact, UK Katrina, Vampire moths, Venice flooded, volcanic eruptions, walrus pups orphaned, war, wars over water, wars sparked, wars threaten billions, water bills double, water supply unreliability, water scarcity (20% of increase), water stress, weather out of its mind, weather patterns awry, weeds, Western aid cancelled out, West Nile fever, whales move north, wheat yields crushed in Australia, wildfires, wind shift, wind reduced, wine - harm to Australian industry, wine industry damage (California), wine industry disaster (US), wine - more English, wine -German boon, wine - no more French , wine passé (Napa), winters in Britain colder, winter in Britain dead, witchcraft executions, wolves eat more moose, wolves eat less, workers laid off, World at war, World bankruptcy, World in crisis, World in flames, Yellow fever.
and all on 0.006 deg C per year!
Advice of any omissions (with sources) or broken links is welcome at warmlist@numberwatch.co.uk
Note: All links were live at time of posting. Inevitably some will disappear, particularly from Yahoo News.
Thanks to correspondents for additional entries; especially, as always, Our Man in Puerto Rico. Also, thanks to "Scraperguy" for the script to form the following:
The dead link collection
Africa hit hardest, anxiety, asthma, atmospheric defiance, bananas destroyed, boredom, cardiac arrest, challenges and opportunities, cod go south, cold spells, cremation to end, damages equivalent to $200 billion, dermatitis, desert life threatened, diarrhoea, drowning people, Earth spinning out of control, extinctions (bats, pandas, pigmy possums, koalas, turtles, orang-utan, elephants, tigers,) god melts, hazardous waste sites breached, human health improvement, lightning related insurance claims, little response in the atmosphere, Lyme disease, malnutrition, marine dead zone, mental illness (Alberta), mudslides, oblivion, oyster diseases, ozone loss, plankton loss, plant viruses, psychosocial disturbances, rainfall reduction, reindeer larger, riches, rivers dry up, rockfalls, salmon stronger, shrimp sex problems, tree beetle attacks, tree growth increased, tsunamis, walrus displaced, walrus stampede, white Christmas dream ends.
Index

Superabundantly

2008-04-22T20:21:00.006-05:00

Limitless.............................

Not many things are. In fact I cannot think of anything that is limitless? A lot of places have "endless" cups of coffee or soda but that can be a little deceptive because while the coffee may always be there our body can only take so much. Basically, in the end there is a limit to the limitless. Even if we could continuously drink, the place would eventually close. Again, big let down.

In Ephesians 3.20 the Message Bible states, "God can do anything you know-far more then you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!" I read this verse tonight and had to laugh.

"I don't know God, I can think of some pretty wild things."

Yeah, not exactly what you would call the most spiritual of moments but this verse kind of stuck with me in my readings tonight and I'm beginning to understand why. Interesting that the first thing that I think of are "things". I mean we all would! If we had God's credit card, which seems to be how many view this verse, what things we could be capable of! Yet, this isn't the point, no matter how much we may want it to be!

Anything that I dare think of is going to have limits. It is going to have an end. It will have an expiration date. It will eventually fade and start to miss the shiny exterior. No matter what it is, it isn't limitless. These are things that I can think of NOW, it does not include the things I may need LATER. I can't really know what I need in the future cause I'm never guaranteed to have the future. I can still ask but God is the one who knows. I like how I read this passage in a commentary. It goes something like this:

Now to the One who is able to do beyond all things, superabundantly beyond and over and above those things that we are asking for ourselves and considering,

Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English Reader (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997, c1984), Eph 3:20.

These are the words I like to hear. Not out of some selfish, prosperity motivation but out of the fact that not only can I sort of do things for myself, my God can do beyond all things. Not even just beyond all things but superabundantly beyond all things. Not even just superabundantly (which isn't an English word according to the red squiggly line underneath it at the moment) but over and above superabundantly and beyond. Basically, the verse is saying that while I can ask for a lot, God can do better. He can do superabundantly, over, above, and beyond all things which I could even ask myself or even THINK about asking! I stated that I have a lot of things which I can ask...God simply asks: is that the best I can do?

The catch then? Simply put, it is this: "He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us." (vs.20) This does not mean God gives us His credit card to put anything on it, we have responsibility in it! God can do anything, we just have to do something! His Spirit works in us deeply and gently, leading us into the right direction, the way which He thinks will give us this superabundance. The life that we could never naturally find outselves because we could only chose things with limits. God offers more. The limitless.

Battle Hymn of the Republic

2008-04-17T00:07:00.001-05:00

Abortion-Less Sociey vs. Less-Abortion Society

2008-04-16T23:30:00.002-05:00

I recently had a very good conversation with a friend from school about my adamant stance against abortion. I hope to represent what he stated because his challenge to me is extremely important to all of us and vitally important to the issue at hand. Looking at the landscape of America right now, it does seem very possible that abortion will not be ending soon. According to my friend, if abortion were to be ended tomorrow, what would America do with all of those children? I kind of gawked at the question (which he quickly pointed out) because this doesn't work. If the child is truly a child in the womb then we are killing a person, a soul, a possible human being. Does that mean that we are going to start killing off everyone else because they cause a burden on society? Does that justify even partially accepting the 1 million babies who are aborted each year?

I think my friends argument is seriously flawed, and hopefully he will see that, however he does bring up a legitimate point and in many ways its one worth considering. It goes like this. The Democrat party has made it a platform, for the most part, to push for a "less-abortion" society. No Democrat would state flat out that abortions are "good" for society (a serious flaw in the logic of their argument) but they will state that the greater good is the woman's right to chose. Many Republicans gleefully declare that they are for an "abortion-less" society, with provisions for certain cases, and that abortion on demand should be eliminated all together. The question I posed to my friend then is which is better?

If abortion is truly the killing of a person, the most innocent of persons, then it truly is worse then slavery. However, many injustices happen all over the world, all of the time. Which should be the center of our focus more? I encourage you to read Jim Wallis' interview with ChristianityToday to get the full context of his answers to the abortion question because I do agree with him on some parts. However, I do not agree and utterly reject the following:

"I don't think that abortion is the moral equivalent issue to slavery that Wilberforce dealt with.I think that poverty is the new slavery. Poverty and global inequality are the fundamental moral issues of our time. That's my judgment."

Wallis' answer here is drastically unrealistic and sadly seems to be the view of many who are tired of the false promises of politicians promising to "end abortion". Slavery/poverty/etc. are devastating issues that affect the "sanctity of life" there is no doubt. Wallis rightly points out later in the interview that something like 30,000 children die from starvation a day. That is frankly unacceptable and should be combated. However, I would argue that abortion is truly a grave and utter crime that is worse then slavery, as horrendous as poverty and slavery were and are, if the child is truly a child. If the "fetus" is a child then the abortion is a policy of death which is the law of the United States. We fight slavery and poverty, we promote and fund abortion? Which is worse?

Therefore, the question still remains. Which is a better society? Wallis uses the illustration of Wilberforce and I find that interesting given that many echoed Wallis' arguments AGAINST Wilberforce's fight to defeat slavery. Wilberforce, however, realized as I do, that while slavery was truly a stain on national integrity, he had to continue to convince and fight for it. Many around us today are telling us to knock it off, there are other issues, don't be a one issue voter. I commend them for their apparent ability to ignore the death cries of almost an entire generation. I, however, will agree with them that I am working for a "less-abortion" society and that extends from beyond the womb into all manners of life. However, I dream of the day when there will be an "abortion-less" society and fight on to see that in my time. To state that it will never happen is a travesty. Therefore, I am a one issue voter because a person who does not have that as his/her goal will not get my vote; period.

Can We Impeach an Ex-President?

2008-04-15T08:32:00.002-05:00

Jimmy Carter, diagnosed with Stockholm syndrome, leaves a wreath at Yasser Arafat's grave:

I'm convinced global warming does bring certain death

2008-04-15T07:42:00.006-05:00

I admit it; I am now a disciple of Al Gore. I completely buy that the car I am driving is one of the reasons for the current turmoil in the world. I completely believe that global warming will cause famines, death, destruction, and poor children starving. I believe global warming is causing this not because of the climate, not because of Co2, not because of my carbon foot print, but because all of those things are now beginning to happen. Here's proof.

The picture that is to the left is of a protester in Port-au-Prince. He is eating grass. Why exactly is he eating grass? Because he is on the negative side of the continuous rise in prices for food. I'm sure you've faced it to. Milk is more, soda is more, it seems like everything is more. The question then is why?

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama recently did a "compassion forum" and it was the usual, "we are going to win the 60 year old war on poverty" mantra but there was not one substantial policy discussed; as seems to be the case this election year. We have three candidates who are experts at saying nothing. If they were to be honest, they would let you see the following facts.

"U.S. food prices rose 4 percent in 2007, compared with an average 2.5 percent annual rise for the last 15 years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And the agency says 2008 could be worse, with a rise of as much as 4.5 percent." Basically this is the highest inflation of food prices in 17 years. And this isn't an America problem.

"The reality is that people are dying already," said Jacques Diouf, of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). "Naturally people won't be sitting dying of starvation, they will react," he said." The natural reaction to the above statement is to think that there are multiple reasons for this to be happening. The forum the other night was proof of that. However, there are two articles which (suprisingly) gives a couple of the main reasons and those of you who buy the man made global warming myth should really consider what it is you are being sold.

"We drive, they starve. The mass diversion of the North American grain harvest into ethanol plants for fuel is reaching its political and moral limits."

Last year congress approved a massive increase in bio-fuels in order to supposedly cut down on our dependence of foreign oil. This is the result of this policy:

"The UN says it takes 232kg of corn to fill a 50-litre car tank with ethanol. That is enough to feed a child for a year. Last week, the UN predicted "massacres" unless the biofuel policy is halted."

Many people say that using "ethanol" is going to help the planet. The fact of the matter is that is just simply not true. Burning corn is more destructive and burns off more energy and that is on top of the fact that now prices for food which are corn based (which is pretty much every food) have spiked the highest we've seen in recent years. This has led to many leaders of Africa up in arms against America. There is no doubt that recent "meat" price spikes (tied to corn based products being fed to the meat going up?) has also had a major effect however Jim McGovern (D-MA) said the following:

Representative Jim McGovern, Democrat of Massachusetts, said he had come to realize that Congress made a mistake in backing biofuels, not anticipating the impact on food costs.

The moral of the story is this. When we buy a false premise there are still going to true outcomes. When you plant a bad seed, you are still going to get something. Wither it is desirable or not. The question then is, which is more "moral" in many people's mind. The supposed destruction of the planet because of oil, which is produced by the planet, or the increase in prices that is now jacking up the prices not only in America but in many countries of the world. Places where there really is "poor and desolate". But I guess this would make some of the global warming people happy. If you don't believe me, check out this web site:

"Phasing out the human race by voluntarily ceasing to breed will allow Earth's biosphere to return to good health."

Guess we reap what we sow?

Sine Qua Non: Chivalry

2008-04-08T22:43:00.003-05:00

On Saturday I sat in Kaldi's putting the finishing touch on a paper when a girl walked in with a wicked tall guy. They both were noticeable since he almost hit his dead on the door and she was fairly attractive. I wasn't the only one to turn my head. That was really the last thought I gave to them as I delved back into my studies at least until I saw this guy's head rise from the bench in front of me like a giraffe searching for more food. As he turned to walk out, his girlfriend (I'm assuming) got up behind him and grabbed unto him and he playfully pulled away and walked out the door. She obviously was expecting the door to stay open, any man is taught from a young age to do such a thing, but this guy must have missed that lesson because it nailed her. Hard. She didn't look to happy. He didn't even notice. Strike one for chivalry.

A lot of times chivalry is basically looked at as something that is NOT DONE. It is something that is noticeable, like a door hitting a girl in the face, when it is neglected but when actions that may be deemed as chivalrous are regularly practiced it is mocked or made fun of. Statements like: "That will wear off after five years with that girl" or other negative, verbal assaults on the idea of chivalry are constantly catapulted against its walls. Leaving any practitioner of a lifestyle of chivalry feeling rather frustrated with his situation. What then IS this idea? Is it simply just holding a door? Or is so much more then that?

Chivalry is defined as: "the sum of the ideal qualifications of a knight, including courtesy, generosity, valor, and dexterity in arms." This is the first problem with "chivalry" as a concept because it is first viewed as (1) archaic (2) dark ages and (3) women suppressing. The latter one is probably dwelt on the most today as many would argue that suppressing women was the hallmark of chivalry. However, it seems that these men did not really seem to grasp the concept of what it meant to be chivalrous. If these men could even be labeled chivalrous to begin with. So then what is chivalry in the modern era?

It is recorded in the legend of King Arthur that a fellow knight stated the following at Lancelot's funeral:

"Thou were the meekest man that ever ate in hall among ladies; and thou were the sternest knight to thy mortal foe that ever put spear in the rest."

These two ideals. These two extremeties. Both seemed to be balanced in the legendary figure of Lancelot. C.S. Lewis made the point like this:

"If we cannot produce Launcelots, humanity falls into two sections--those who can deal in blood and iron but cannot be "meek in hall", and those who are "meek in hall" but useless in battle--for the third class, who are both brutal in peace and cowardly in war, need not here be discussed. When this disassociation of the two halves of Launcelot occurs, history becomes a horribly simple affair. The ancient history of the Near East is like that. Hardy barbarians swarm down from their highlands and obliterate a civilization. Then they become civilized themselves and go soft. Then a new wave of barbarians comes down and obliterates them."

Lewis states rather emphatically that a chivalrous man is one who attempts to balance out these extremities and also has the ability to call on them when needed. When the balance is tilted in one direction or another then civilization begins to fall apart and then some other "barbarian" sweeps in. Only to have the same thing happen again. And again. And again.

History has a nasty way of repeating itself.

So we have attempted to define chivalry as something that is not archaic, not anti-women, and definitely not narrowed to specific actions but the question still remains; now what? Sine Qua Non in Latin means necessity. C.S. Lewis' article title was the Necessity of Chivalry and in many ways these two synonyms capture why it is so vitally important for any male to engross themselves in this concept. Many times chivalry is looked at as being muscular and buff but that is so grossly misguided it's disturbing. I know a lot of "macho men" who you can definitely drop the macho out of. Chivalry is not a physical appearance but a way of living. It is interesting that the definitions for chivalry are mostly nouns. However, it seems from what Lewis and myself are saying, it is a verb. It is not just something to be thought about. It is something to practice. It is something to BE. It is something that Jesus' personified and it is something that ANY and ALL godly men should attempt to be. Chivalry is in essence Christ-likeness because it is a complete dependence on God to balance out two opposing qualities and the discernment to know when to use them. Chivalry knows how to treat the ladies right and to not act like a barbarian to them by only thinking of them in physical terms. It is the purest gentlemen. If a man is truly chivalrous then I believe a lady can be truly a lady. It is when men fail at this when we get nasty side effects. Take the following as an example

A video was released today of a couple of girls (8 in total) assaulting this girl for a comment she made on myspace. Now, I could go into detail about what I think about these girls, but my concentration will focus on these two pathetic BOYS who apparently watched as this happened. In fact one cheered it on and the other stood guard to make sure no one was coming. This is exactly what happens when men do not stand up for their innate sense of protecting women. Barbarism. When men without chests, men without emotions, men with depraved passions, allow this to happen we all suffer because the downfall of society echoes through crashing halls. The barbarians are coming.

In closing then it is very easy to focus on what chivalry is not. It seems to be something that we all can easily identify yet can never really pin down what it truly is. Except in passing dreams or maybe even an occasional person we meet. My hope and something I hope can be said of me at my grave was exactly what was said at Lancelots. Not out of some vain glory or fame but out of the desire to be a man who represented what it meant to be a man. A man who stood up when he had to but knew when it was right to sit back down. A man after God's own heart. For that in essence is what it truly means to be a chivalrous man.

Sine Qua Non.

10 Thing to Never Say to Mr. Darcy

2008-04-08T00:09:00.003-05:00

Well, MSN has a very good list they put together of things that you should never say to a man. This list basically is in response to all these lists the Jane Austen book club types state should never be said to a lady. Well...fine...these are things to never say to a Gentlemen. Mr. Darcy:

(1)"That looks cute."

*Deflate MANHOOD

(2)"We need to talk."

*Ok, I have said this and have had it said to me. I think when you are alone that this should never be stated. Especially in light of the next one.

(3) "It's just a game."

*Why are 2 and 3 intertwined? Why?

(4) "Nothing's wrong."

*Ok, so you KNOW Eve had to have totally said this to God in the Garden of Eden. We men have been cursed with it ever since. God truly does know our pain.

(5) "I sound like my mom."
*I don't get this one...anyone care to explain?

(6) "I just want to be friends."
* I have said this (sorry if you are reading this) but it is pretty tuff to swallow. It almost seems like guys are like Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber when we are told this: "More like one in a million." Jim Carrey: "So you're saying I have a chance." Just tell us...no games...just tell us.

(7) "Size doesn't matter."
*A lot of times this one is taken to be a little perverted and obviously it is easy to do. That said, I think there are some ligitimate things in this statement. When a girl insults the way a guy looks or heaven forbid COMPARES him to some other guy, not cool!

(8) "What are you wearing?"
*Just be grateful it's clothes. The boxers are just as comfortable

(9) "Do you think she's pretty?"
*This is the road to hell. Gosh is this the road to hell. Also intertwined with 7.

(10) "Which outfit do you like better?"
*What standard are you using to judge that outfit? What mood are you in? Will I get slapped for answering? And who are we kidding you will pick the opposite of what I say anyway so what does it matter.

http://men.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=6014683&page=%20%20%20%20%20%202

What about America are we proud of anymore?

2008-04-05T17:11:00.005-05:00

This was from a radio talk show host last week talking about America. He simply entitled it: What are you proud of? In many ways, the past 7 years have caused many of us to become extreme pessimists and apathetic to the American experiment. If you believe in the "goodness" of America you are laughed at, called idealistic or oblivious. If you are a Christian, your told you hate all of the other countries and neglecting there "image of God" for your own idolatrous America-lust.
When did love of country become equated with idolatry? When did we lose our appreciation? Why?

"As Americans, what, today, are you proud of in your country? Are you proud of our insurance industry? I bet not. It's been demonized. People hate insurance agents, hate insurance companies, and think they're a bunch of crooks.

How about our financial institutions -- Wall Street, your bank, your savings and loan, your credit union -- are you proud of that? No. It has been demonized, too. They're just a bumbling of crooks. They don't care about you. How about our automobile industry? Are you proud of the automobile industry? No, you're not proud of it. They're getting skunked by the Japanese. Besides, they make products that use oil! And they make products that are destroying the world! "Hell no, we hate the auto industry." Are you proud of your pharmaceutical industry? Hell no! You're not proud of the people that rape you at the drugstores with these exorbitant drug prices when you think you can get 'em cheaper from Canada. You know they're running ads on TV for all these different drugs. They're just trying to get you to go to the doctor and get some. They don't care about curing you. They don't care about making you better. They just want to soak you. Let's see, are you proud of the US Military?

No, you're not proud of the US military. The military kills babies and innocent civilians! The US military tortures people at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay. (I know because John McCain tells us so, along with the liberal Democrats.) Uh, let's see. Are you proud of anything? Are you proud of the home building industry? No. You hate the home industry, because they build cheap stuff and they overcharge you for it, and it doesn't work, and you can't end up paying for it. No! You're not proud of it. Are you proud of the airline industry? Hell no! You're not proud of the airline industry. Hell, you hate flying. No peanuts anymore. You're sardined in the seats and the planes are always late, they're never on time, you can't get where you're going comfortably when you want to get there. Let's see. Do you like government? "Oh, yes! Oh, yes! Government cares for me. Government loves me. Government wants me to have health care, that they don't have to pay for, and government wants me to be safe from storms, and government wants me to not have to pay taxes.

"Government only wants the rich to pay taxes. Oh, we love government. We are really proud of our government in America." Let's see. Are you proud of the retailing industry? "No! We hate Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart why, they're mean to unions. We love unions. We are really proud of our unions in America. But we hate Wal-Mart, and we hate Kmart, and we hate the malls." Let's see... Are you proud of our schools? "Well, we're proud of the public education system." Are you proud your kids aren't learning anything? "Well, we're trying, but we need more money for our public schools. If we just had more money, then we could be proud of our public school system." Let's see. Are you proud of the shipping industry, FedEx, UPS, oceangoing vessels? "No! They pollute. They don't get my packages here on time, and they're just out to shaft me. They're just a bunch of crooks just like the people on Wall Street, just like the people at the banks. But we love our government."

Now, this is an illustration. I just asked you: What in this country are you proud of, versus 30, 40 years ago what we were proud of? We were proud of all of this. We were puffed up with pride about all of this! We were proud of our achievements. We were proud of our accomplishments. We were appreciative of our freedom. But now look at what they've made us hate. Look at what they've made us detest. Look at the absolute BS that they have more and more educated people believing -- that, oil is just a conspiracy, that there is a replacement. "There's alternative fuels out there, but they don't want to release 'em because Big Oil and big Republicans and Halliburton, Cheney, Bush. They're all in a conspiracy to keep it from threatening their own investments in oil." Is it not shocking, ladies and gentlemen, to realize just how few educated Americans understand how the world works? More than that, isn't it scary to understand how few educated Americans understand how their own country works?"

Jesus 08'

2008-04-05T01:42:00.003-05:00

In Mark 1:21 we are treated to a typical Mark "drive-by" story of the miraculous event involving Jesus pwning an evil spirit. Jesus has just arrived at Capernaum and goes to the synagogue to participate in the sabbath. As seemed to be the case with many early synagogues the guest was allowed to expound on the Scriptures and Jesus, in typical Jesus style, takes the crowd for a loop. We don't know if he had powerpoints, a three point sermon, or some type of flashy-Rob Bell approach but we do know that His sermon struck a chord because the people were blown away.

It strikes me here, for a couple of different reasons, that this story leads us to this shady man in the corner. Well, we don't know if he was in the corner, he could have been there with his family. His little daughter could have been sitting next to him. All we do know is that this demon felt the need to let itself be known. It cried out: "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!"

I read this tonight and started thinking of the current political climate and how every day there seems to be some new "endorsement" for candidate X and then there are also the other types of endorsements. The ones the candidates get but back themselves away from. They don't want these people carrying their banner. They don't want them carrying their message. They don't want them carrying their name. It's an endorsement they wish didn't happen. Sort of like a demon, in a religious house, on a holy day, revealing who He really was. In a "Luke, I am your father" sort of way. These people are shocked at His message, there about to be shocked at His healing, the last thing Jesus wants is the truth of His Gospel getting the endorsement of hell.

Have you ever wondered if Jesus knew that this spirit was there? What went through His head as this spirit spoke out these things? I started thinking of this and I almost picture Jesus devastated. Almost like Clark Kent watching helplessly as Lex Luthor reveals to Lois Lane that he really is Superman. Jesus watched as His arch-nemesis, the kryptonite He came to destroy, the serpent who tempted so long ago, began to preach the Gospel. Jesus watched as His beloved did not hear those sweet words from His lips but from the lips of the deceiver. He watched as His enemy revealed His identity, His secret, and the truth. It is then Jesus' response really carries weight: ""Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly."

He was the one who would show His beloved the truth. Not some half-wit, low life pit of hell material. Not some pitiful demon, who ends up screaming like a chicken at just Jesus words: "Come out". The Gospel message would be spoken by the King of all King. His beloved would hear His promise from His lips. It is His desire to speak them over us. His desire to let us know; His desire to let us know who He is. Many try to tell us...many endorsements come and go...but He promises to whisper them to us and shout down those who try and outspeak Him. If we would just simply listen; we would hear and see Him.

Baby=Punishment Thus Says Obama

2008-04-01T15:21:00.006-05:00

SENATOR OBAMA: "I've got two daughters, 9 years old and 6 years old. I'm going to teach them first of all about values and morals but if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby. I don't want them punished with an STD at the age of 16, you know. So it doesn't make sense."

So...let me get this straight? There is an equation with "babies" and "STD"? I actually am continuing to try and go get the disease? People are actually unable to get diseases and so they want to keep trying until they do? You and me are punishments to our parents? Obama doesn't want HIS children inflicted with children? Of course, he'll say he misspoke, or that he meant rape, or that not all babies are punishments because some parents WANT THEM, yada, yada, yada but I have to say...unacceptable Mr. President. Glenn Beck said it best:

You know what? A baby is a natural consequence of your actions of having sex. It is a natural consequence. It is why your sex organs were created -- I'm sorry -- evolved from an extra foot, and it evolved into a sex organ. It wasn't there for your pleasure. Maybe that's what you should teach your kids. That our sex organs are not for pleasure. Oh, sure, that's part of it. There's a drive in you that says, yeah, that feels good. But the reason why you feel good is so -- it was God's insurance of making sure you do it and have more babies! Not so God could punish you but he could bless you and he could bless the Earth with having more children. It's a natural consequence. But see, the part of this that people like Obama don't understand is consequence.

Islamic Da Vinci Code

2008-03-31T11:53:00.002-05:00

Last week a movie was published by an MP in the Netherlands concerning Islam. I was one of the few who were actually able to watch it before it was pulled off the internet for the following reasons:

On the 28th of March LiveLeak.com was left with no other choice but to remove the film "fitna" from our servers following serious threats to our staff and their families. Since that time we have worked constantly on upgrading all security measures thus offering better protection for our staff and families. With these measures in place we have decided to once more make this video live on our site. We will not be pressured into censoring material which is legal and within our rules. We apologise for the removal and the delay in getting it back, but when you run a website you don't consider that some people would be insecure enough to threaten our lives simply because they do not like the content of a video we neither produced nor endorsed but merely hosted.

I find it so interesting that this sort of stuff can happen. I know everyone always says this and I hope the repitition doesn't take away the powerful side to this argument but can you imagine if Christians reacted to the Da Vinci Code like this? Can you Imagine if we marched with signs like this: Demanding the death of the producers, the actors, and Tom Hanks? Obviously we would be outside of Christ on it but still I'm not talking about that. We are blinded by a media who equates Islam with peace and who is petrified of offending the hoards because of exactly what we are seeing...again...from a group of people who have been lied to their whole entire life. Willders movies Fitna, is not offensive to Islam, it states the facts of a large sect within Islam who threatens the majority if they speak out against them. It's repulsive and it is awfully familiar. Rome didn't fall in a day right? Here is the video that is causing this outrage and just as a reminder it is pretty graphic:

Musings of a Single Man

2008-03-30T15:04:00.005-05:00

I used to think I had it down.

Friends ---> Dating/Courting--->Engagement--->Marriage.

Let's just say my oversimplification was good for my own head but as I watched friends, family, and everyone in between fall into relationships, I realized my black/white viewpoint of the world was grossly inadequate.

Since August I've been in a relationship black hole. Not because of a certain person or people but simply because the reality around me didn't match up with the reality I thought of in my head. I could not neglect my ideals but I could not hold onto them with such a vice grip anymore. I also could not fall into the trap of relationship relativity or pragmatism. I can never accept "Whatever works for you, do it." There had to be some way of looking at this? A middle ground?

I remember back in high school when I made my "list" for what I was looking for in my future spouse. I actually still have it. The words etched on that paper reflect the height of my idealism. They reflect my "disney-esque" hope that if I was prince-charming that I would find my perfect princess. It wasn't till college when I had a rather rude awakening that people don't believe that works. I cannot tell you how many people chided me for limiting myself or for putting some type of false expectation that some unknown woman would have to deal with. As the years continue to pass since that list was written, those who chided continue to ask me, like those who doubt that Jesus is returning, what about those words now? Just give it up...

Those words would be easy to listen to but like I said there are some things I can't give up. As I get older the pressure from those around me, who themselves are stumbling into love, seem to be pressing me to get "in the game". As if I was benched and they can come to the sidelines to substitute me in. All the while giving me "tips and game plans" that worked for them, hoping that it will improve my game. Yet, still, it doesn't fit. I can't give up my own experiences in the game and try to make others my own. It's like Lebron says, don't try and be me...be better.

Stuck between idealism and pragmatism has led me to some conclusions and to some rather abstract, open-ended realism. I look at that list from high school and although some of the things on it are pretty random, I found that many of those things I still want. Unlike high school though there are new realities that have been added. For instance the list consisted of fragments or simple verbs, adjectives, adverbs. "Lovely...Dainty...Inner Attractiveness...Smile of a goddess...etc." It would be foolish of me to just "settle" and give up on these things. I want them. In fact I don't know any guy who wouldn't. Yet, I also find that there seems to be a level to each of these things. When they are just "stated" they seem to be "non-negotiable". They seem to be absolute. Undoubtedly some of them are: A girl, a Christian, call to the ministry, etc. Yet, some of the other things seem to have an asterisks. Maybe even scale of 1-10 by which to compare themselves by.

It used to look like this: "Dainty".

Now it may look like this: "Dainty: 8/10".

The reality of high school has evolved. As I grow closer to God, my eyes are open to new realities and depths of beauty. Things which seemed to be so clear are beginning to have color. Verbs are given adjectives. Things I never knew are opened up to me. So I expect it with my future spouse. It is not setting false expectations. It is the natural outworking of the command of God in Scripture: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." (Philippians 4:8)

As I learn more of God, the larger my capacity to see beauty is. I can have my lists but God is the filler in-between the lines. I can have my expectations. But as is the case with my salvation, my life, and my future: "Since ancient times no one has heard,no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him." (Isaiah 64:4) If Jesus then is the giver of abundant life, not just in the future but also for now, then I am promised not that my expectations are to high but that they fail to really capture what He is capable of doing for me. Therefore, the unknown factor is not that my list limits God or what He is capable of doing; instead my list is inadequate to capture the capabilities of a limitless God. The crux of course being if my list is written with eyes that are fixed on Him. Is He my delight? Is He my love? "Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight." (Psalm 119:85) For following Him leads me to Delight...

not Delilah.

Thought This Was Funny

2008-03-29T21:02:00.001-05:00

Earth Hour

2008-03-29T12:56:00.002-05:00

You have to wonder if today's event is just a hint of how the world is going to supposedly run if these Global Warming advocates begin to really persuade people that what there selling is true. Sydney, Australia was the first city to participate in what is gleamed "Earth Day" and so of course they turned off the lights from 8-9 as a reminder for all the people that those lights are currently destroying the world or at least participating in it. It doesn't matter that even though the lights were turned off CARS were still driving on the bridge but that is a little fact we need to ignore. It's the principle of the thing!

Looking at this picture I have to applaud them for their devotion but I have to ask, are we supposed to live in a world that is completely dark? Are we never supposed to have light? If that silly bridge is contributing to anthropomorphic global warming (human caused global warming) then why do you really turn the lights back on? These people only have one answer when a heretic like me points to this: "Your a doubter, you hate the planet". Or as Al Gore recently stated: "Those who doubt Global Warming are as bad as the flat-earthers." I guess your dad is bigger then my dad to right?

There is no doubt that there seems to be something going on with the planet. When we have a Tornado on Monday and Snow on Tuesday, it leaves you wondering. However, I cannot just push my head into the sand and pretend like the ship has left the port on this issue. NASA just recently said that the oceans are getting cooler or as one Scientist interestingly put it:

"Actually, no. The head of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) has actually acknowledged it. He talks about the apparent plateau in temperatures so far this century. So he recognises that in this century, over the past eight years, temperatures have plateaued ... This is not what you'd expect, as I said, because if carbon dioxide is driving temperature then you'd expect that, given carbon dioxide levels have been continuing to increase, temperatures should be going up ... So (it's) very unexpected, not something that's being discussed. It should be being discussed, though, because it's very significant."

Yah, well she just hates the planet. It's easy to just throw that out there and ignore the fact of what she is stating. Either way, the question now is this. These people who support global warming and man being the cause of it state that gas/oil/carbon monoxide are destroying the planet all the while they drive to the gas station, purchase oil, and breathe out carbon monoxide. All the while the lights WILL come back on after the hour and nothing really will be done to reduce anything. This is what used to be call hypocrisy? Instead they will continue to pontificate that we are destroying the planet. We need to stop industry, we need to stop buying oil, we need to stop having babies, some of them (admittedly the extreme) even advocate wiping the planet of humans or even having enforced birth control to stop pollutants known as children. Because this is the inescapable fact of this folks: We produce carbon monoxide when we breathe. In my mind, as simple as it seems, if that is a pollutant then God made us defective. I'm not willing to go there.

Finally, I want you to think of this in "Liberal" terms. Think of how good this is or will be for that little evil thing called business. If you made Carbon Dioxide a pollutant or at least make it so that there is less of it you are making it like a precious medal. You are making it worth something. If you have to buy carbon credits to offset your use of it then someone else is going to use your carbon credits to use carbon. It's a complete circle. Businesses are "going green" and FORCING us too under some guise of trying to protect the planet. My water bottles are "smaller" to help the planet but they are just saving money so they don't have to produce as much as they used to and still charge me like they hadn't reduced the amount of water in the bottle. They make these "earth-friendly fuels" but don't tell you that Corn, Soda, Milk, and any other corn based food is going to skyrocket in price. While I would love to believe that these people are doing this out of the burning desire of conviction...yah, right. It's always been and it will always be about the bottom line. If you can sell less for the exact price you used to sell more to a group of gullible people without complaint, then yes, I would do it to. So Happy Earth Hour everyone; we've been had!

Creating Wind

2008-03-28T11:41:00.003-05:00

"G.K. Chesterton once said that there are two kinds of people in the world: When trees are waving wildly in the wind, one group of people thinks that it is the wind that moves the trees; the other group thinks that the motion of the trees creates the wind. The former view was the one held by most of humankind through most of its centuries; it was only in recent years, Chesterton said, that a new breed of people had emerged who blandly hold that it is the movement of trees that creates the wind.

The consensus had always held that the invisible is behind and gives energy to the visible; Chesterton in his work as a journalist, closely observing and commenting on people and events, reported with alarm that the broad consensus had fallen apart and that the modern majority naively assumes that what they see and hear and touch is basic reality and generates whatever people come up with that cannot be verified with the senses. They think that the visible accounts for the invisible."

*Eugene Peterson, Christ Plays In Ten Thousand Places-Eugene Peterson. p.20*

Typical Black Guy

2008-03-27T10:29:00.003-05:00

Welcome to racism. Lebron Jame and Gisele (I don't know who she is) are in a heep of "trouble" today for this picture. According to the allegations it supposedly feeds the stereotype of "black man hurt white woman" and a lot of people are mad about it. I sat there reading the controversy and was trying to figure out what are we supposed to be mad at?

Ever since Barack Obama threw his white grandmother under the bus to protect his racist, bigoted pastor it seems that anyone and everyone is ready to throw the race card around at the drop of a hat. When I look at this picture I'm not thinking "evil black man" I'm thinking wow he's good. He can play the game and carry the woman. It's good to be the king. Not "oh how stereotypical, black man with his tats dragging a white woman around".

It seems that the unanswered question in this whole entire situation is what the heck can you actually say anymore? Now in Lebron's case I guess he can no longer be seen with a white woman ever again? These people get offended at everything and then they go around and do the exact same thing? Now a lot of people may say I can't understand anything because I am not black. Granted. A valid point. However, I can still see racism and I can still stop it and Lebron James isn't feeding a stereo type. These people are. Maybe instead of looking at the picture and whining they should realize that the picture is just a mirror of their own selves. Their getting a good look at their own problems, not Lebrons.

Narnia: Reepicheep!

2008-03-25T14:03:00.000-05:00

Happy Crossmas!

2008-03-23T21:39:00.003-05:00

Why does Easter not carry the same amount of commercialism that Christmas has been consumed by? James Marten has an amazing article today on the finer points of Easter and his writing (for the most part) is amazing.

I go home for Christmas. Why not Easter?

I have Christmas music. Where is the Easter music?

Where is the excitement for Easter, the pinnacle of my faith, that i have for Christmas?

Marten looks at it like this:

"Despite the awesome theological implications (Christians believe that the infant lying in the manger is the son of God), the Christmas story is easily reduced to pablum. How pleasant it is in mid-December to open a Christmas card with a pretty picture of Mary and Joseph gazing beatifically at their son, with the shepherds and the angels beaming in delight. The Christmas story, with its friendly resonances of marriage, family, babies, animals, angels, and—thanks to the wise men—gifts, is eminently marketable to popular culture. It's a Thomas Kinkade painting come to life. On the other hand, a card bearing the image of a near-naked man being stripped, beaten, tortured, and nailed through his hands and feet onto a wooden crucifix is a markedly less pleasant piece of mail.

The Easter story is relentlessly disconcerting and, in a way, is the antithesis of the Christmas story. No matter how much you try to water down its particulars, Easter retains some of the shock it had for those who first participated in the events during the first century. The man who spent the final three years of his life preaching a message of love and forgiveness (and, along the way, healing the sick and raising the dead) is betrayed by one of his closest friends, turned over to the representatives of a brutal occupying power, and is tortured, mocked, and executed in the manner that Rome reserved for the worst of its criminals."

This is just a taste of the brilliance in this article and I really do commend him for taking such time to think this out. I mean he nails it superbly! That said, he also takes his political swipe that is egregious and completely ridiculous:

"We may even sense resonances with some painful political issues still before us. Jesus of Nazareth was not only physically brutalized but also casually humiliated during his torture, echoing the abuses at Abu Ghraib. In 21^st-century Iraq, some American soldiers posed prisoners with women's underwear on their heads as a way of scorning their manhood. In first-century Palestine, some Roman soldiers pressed down a crown of thorns onto Jesus' head and clothed him in a purple robe to scorn the kingship his followers claimed for him. After this, Jesus suffered the most degrading of all Roman deaths: crucifixion."

Comparing what the US Soldiers did to those men, while horrendous, to Jesus' flogging and EXECUTION is deplorable and pretty much ruined the brilliance of this article. Either way, I think if you want to read it it is definitely worth the time!

http://www.slate.com/id/2186633/?GT1=38000

Resurrecting the Calloused Realists in Love

2008-03-22T23:29:00.007-05:00

I recently saw a Facebook group entitled: "Disney gave me a false expectation of love" and started laughing. How many of us grew up with those movies. Did it really do that much damage? Somehow I don't look at Aladdin and think that that is what messed up my love life but apparently others think so. Anyway, I recently watched the Disney movie "Enchanted" and this perhaps was Disney's rebuttal to all of those who blame Cinderella for their love life. In the movie the idealistic Princess is saved by her Prince and they instantly fall in love only to have it brutally interrupted by the old hag (the Prince's mom, the Queen) sending the Princess to NYC so that no one can ascend to the throne. The Princess discovers, like this facebook group, that our world is indeed pessimistic to love and that "fairy tale" endings supposedly never happen anymore. We are indeed "calloused realists in love."

Today is Resurrection Sunday and for 1.4 Billion Christians this is the day that defines all other days. It is the happily ever after moment that we all hope for. In a world filled with darkness and death, on that Sunday morning 2,000 + years ago death itself was overturned and Jesus rose from the dead with the shocking promise of a happily ever after. Someday. It is no wonder then that people who mock the resurrection accuse people who believe in it of escapism. They accuse Christians of living a fairy tale. The resurrection is no different then Enchanted; it's just man's way of trying to deal with the haunting depravity of sin. The calloused realists are in full swing, letting us know there is no happily ever after.

J.R.R. Tolkien, the writer of the Lord of the Rings, was constantly bombarded with people who stated that his stories offered his readers a sort of "escape" from the hardships of reality. He apparently would get rather perturbed with always being asked about this. His response was pretty telling: "Everything depends on that from which one is escaping. We view the flight of a deserter and the escape of a prisoner very differently. Why should a man be scorned if, finding himself in prison, he tries to get out and go home."

Philip Yancey continued this thought: "If I take Easter as the starting point, the one incontrovertible fact about how God treats those whom he loves, then human history becomes the contradiction and Easter a preview of ultimate reality. Hope then flows like a lava beneath the crust of daily life." (Jesus I Never Knew: 220)

Every generation has its fairy tales, no matter how scientific we all have some sort of idealistic fantasy. We all realize that there has got to be something better then this and if you don't then I challenge you to listen to any of the three remaining Presidential candidates. They believe it to. Yet, like that facebook group, we have the calloused people chanting for us to join their ranks. Reminding us that love never ends in happily ever after. Prince Charming turns into a fat, beer-bellied, leaving the toilet-seat up, jerk who rips you of all your dreams. Yet, Easter tells a different story. There is a happy ending. This isn't all there is. We can go home.

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:3)

~Happily Forever After~

The Offense of the Cross

2008-03-22T00:42:00.002-05:00

Good Friday. Why is it called good?

I kind of hesitated a little as the question was asked of me. Not because I didn't think I could answer it but because I only had 2 mins. This is like trying to describe a planet to an ant or rollerskating to a fish. How do you do it?

I could easily state John 3:16 and in fact, I did, but loaded within the question are about 3 billion presuppositions that make the John 3:16 passage go in one ear and out the other. People do not think of salvation when they think of John 3:16, they think of the crazy guy from the sports arena waving around a silly poster. How do you answer this question with that guy bouncing around in your head?

My night at work was very diverse because I was asked the above question while I was also given the following "reminder":
I must admit that this didn't really bother me to much because I'm used to the Christmas situation and there has to be nothing more confusing for a person then to look at Easter and try to figure out exactly what it means if you don't believe in Christ. Bunnies don't really seem to pull off the charm of Santa.

Either of these situations makes you realize that there is a serious problem with the cross. It is just offensive. We know it was back then too because there was no lower death for a person then to be nailed to a cross; to be hung on a tree. Many people cannot come to Christ because the idea of God dying is incoherent. Many people do not come to Christ because if the message that is preached really was true, then that would have a dramatic affect on their lives. It would demand it!

The cross wasn't PC in Jesus' time and it definitely is repugnant in ours. Yet, I was reminded again today of this simple fact: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18 That's why we celebrate! He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

Stuck Inbetween

2008-03-21T01:39:00.003-05:00

"I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;" Philippians 1:23

It's never easy to not feel at home.

C.S. Lewis, as always, says it best: "If we really think that home is elsewhere and that this life is a "wandering to find home," why should we not look forward to the arrival?"

I was recently at work and it was suggested to me that I not use the phrase: "God Bless You" because that is considered offensive and off putting; it's not "politically correct". I don't really seem to fit the mold of this world because I believe in a higher-power. I don't drink. I don't have or go to crazy-parties. I won't live with someone who is not my wife. I don't think that money, success, or fame are a goal to obtain but believe in this weird concept of "exalting God and not myself". I oddly don't feel like home.

I was recently joking with a friend and we were laughing at how Christians refuse to say "good luck" and insist on saying "God Bless". If you say the former you get a stern reminder that there's no such thing as luck; it's God's will. I meet people who claim the name of Christ but then use that name when they are angry as an expression of the frustration. I get flicked off when an old lady cuts me off and as I let her pass I get to see that beautiful Jesus fish on the back. I oddly don't feel like home.

It's hard to live between two worlds. There are so many beautiful things about this one. It then seems so hard to understand how something so beautiful can also be so corrupt; be so perverse. It's hard to understand how people can have the light, but hide it. I have some type of hope for something. Things are going to get better. Somewhere is going to feel like home. Somewhere is going to fit the image of peace that I have in my head. Is it escapism then? Trying to get myself away from this world; creating a fantasy world to avoid my troubles? "Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith," Philippians 1:25 Why should I not look forward to the arrival?

Man's Best Friend

2008-03-19T00:27:00.003-05:00

Precious was getting older and she could barely walk anymore. Instead of barking, jumping, playing all she could do was lay still. Not even being able to pick her self up to go to the bathroom. She knew something was wrong and we did to; we just didn't know what to do.

The days kept going on and on and she just continued to get worse. I remember the conversation with my parents about "putting her to sleep" and it just hit me so hard. She has been part of our family. She was my puppy. My parents got her before I was even born. She's moved just as much as I have. She's been to all the places I've been. We've played together, walked together, and now we were about to put an end to that. That cold December 21st night, my dear Precious was relieved of the weeks of agony as I held her when the drugs started to kick and she went limp. My families dog, one of my consistent friends, was gone.

I cannot explain to you how devastating that moment was. I cannot really put into words how I felt or how much I cried that night. Probably more then I ever have before. We drove home from that Vet. feeling like we had lost a family member. I felt like I had lost a friend. In my rational mind I was trying to see how I could put such emotion behind an animal but my heart seemed to be screaming that she was so much more then that. I think we all can relate who have shared a love for animals.

I think God created dogs because they love you and do not betray that. You do not have to worry about your dog cheating on you, rejecting you, or complaining about leaving the toilet seat up. Your dog completely and wholly trusts you for everything in its life and in return it gives you companionship and constant attention. Something that we all seem to long for. This is why I think they are given that title "Man's Best Friend." Not because they completely satisfy that longing for relationship but because they are a gift from God for man to enjoy. Precious was such a precious gift and losing her remains one of the darkest days of my life. I don't know if animals will be in heaven but if any dog could make a case for it, it had to be Precious. That's why I cross my fingers that when I walk through those gates of the New Jerusalem, Precious will be the first one to greet me. Jumping, barking, and glad to finally be able to see her little brother again.

"Did You Say You're Dirty?"

2008-03-16T21:56:00.003-05:00

I pulled into Ziggy's a little late and trudged through the parking lot with every step shooting freezing cold water up my pant leg reminding me that it's almost spring but not quite yet. I stepped into the building and like a dog, shook off my pants and began to look around to find the group of guys I was meeting. It wasn't to hard, the Red Sox Jersey's gave um away. I waltzed over to them and found my seat ready to participate in the other hope of spring: Baseball. Fantasy Baseball to be exact.

As is the case with many of my adventures, I was the only single guy at the table. All of my other friends there were married. Yet, when men have baseball, marriage isn't the topic of conversation. Even the fact that I'm single doesn't even really come up because the only "single" we are concerned about is on the baseball diamond. It's refreshing!

We tried to get the internet up and running but couldn't. I was given the task to ask the waitress and I could tell there was something afoot. You may say that my "spidersense" was tingling. Low and behold the waitress was probably in her early twenties. She was cute but in a sisterly type of way. I did ask her about the internet and she smiled all nice but told me that she didn't have any idea what to do with it. Well, that was the beginning.

I sat down a little flustered because I have to have the internet for draft and I would have been incredibly crippled with out it. She came over and quickly asked us for our order and was very excited to help me with mine closing her statement with "hun". It was awkward! When the food came out we had already started drafting when my friend Nick made the disgusting decision of drafting Alex Rodriguez. A loyal Sox fan had broke the first commandment of Red Sox baseball. Thou shall have no other gods before me. Anyway we continued to rib him for it when our prompt waitress came back and asked me if everything was ok! I smiled and said it was excellent. She then walked towards the other side and I asked Nick if he was feeling dirty for drafting A-Rod and she quickly turned to me and said: "did you just say you are dirty." I quickly stated: "No, I was talking to him." She smiled wide and was all giggly then walked away. All the guys continued the assault, except I was the subject of the mockery and not Nick. Instead of the talk being about the baseball diamond and hoping our guys score a lot of points, I was the one receiving points on how to score a lady. Particularly this lady. Now they were all joking in a very Christian way but it was still pretty funny. I took it for a grain of salt and just begged we get back to baseball. Thankfully, we did!

I thought a little last night about wither or not this waitress actually was flirting with me or if she was just trying to be nice. I couldn't tell. I've never really been good at telling. It's not some hidden insecurity or anything like that but I just don't do the random, flirt thing. I never have. Especially when baseball is going on. You better be quite a lady to steal my attention from baseball. Yet, I had to give her some props. I was with a bunch of guys and she had the guts to actually come up to all of us and give off the appearance of flirting to me and then obviously them. She definitely was anything but timid.

It made me wonder about how exactly do we go about showing our attraction off to someone? I am such an old-fashioned guy that if a girl were to ask me on a date I think I would say no and start singing "Tradition" from Fiddler on the Roof. It just seems wrong. Yet, I also find that trying to understand or read women is harder then reading Milton or Shakespeare. I don't get it and probably won't ever and with Milton and Shakespeare you can at least Google them or get cliff notes unlike the other. I don't want a woman to ask me out but I have no clue how to read her? It seems like a lose-lose situation doesn't it? Yet, as weird as it sounds, this waitress in some ways taught me a lesson last night. Risk. Brushing off timidity. Whatever may have been her intention she didn't care what everyone else thought and that was pretty bold. It was gutsy. It reminded me of baseball. You may get hit by a pitch, it can really hurt, but you still get another at bat later on in the game. The question then really is do you swing for the single, or go for extra bases even with the pain from the last at bat still there?

The Stain From Hades

2008-03-16T00:32:00.005-05:00

I walked past it a couple times. It just stayed there altering the color of the rug. I tried washing it out and scrubbing it. It just got whiter. I tried to use some cleaning stuff on it; it just stayed there. Supposedly this stain was just created by "water". Yah...right. Maybe some of that water from New York where they found prescription drugs in the tap! I mean look at this stain!

Now, I'm a pretty ordinary guy. I ain't a neat freak and heaven knows I'm no Mr. Clean. I just like to live life pretty organized and this stain was driving me nuts. Plus it looked like a stinkin snake and when you walk out in the morning with sleep in your eyes and there is this slithery stain greeting you it wakes you up quicker then anything else in the world! I tried certain other cleaners over the course of the week and they didn't work. Until this:

I can now walk free in my feet and not worry about some type of mutant bacteria from the stain rising up into my feet turning me into some freak-of-the week monster. I can walk free not having that dirty stain staring me down mocking me for my lack of feminine touch. I can now not worry if my mother should make a surprise appearance that I have something to hide! It's gone! What was the Moses to my Stained Sea?

Don't Tase Me Bro~Star Wars Mix

2008-03-15T22:13:00.001-05:00

Jesus was a Black Man

2008-03-13T16:06:00.004-05:00

Do you remember the outrage over Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson after 9/11. Do you remember the outrage over George Bush constantly using God and Franklin Graham saying Jesus' name at Pres. Bush's inaugural. Do you remember the beating that Mitt Romney took because of his faith. "Are you a cult" and "Please explain your churches doctrines." From newspapers asking wither we are ready for a Mormon to constant exposes on the Mormon church. Mitt Romney had a lot to answer for. I'm all about equal treatment and that's why I expect Barack to answer questions concerning his pastor.

I also would like to know where are the Christians who continually yelp about keeping the focus on the Gospel and not the Republican party platform. Why are they awfully quiet when a Democrat, black pastor is doing just as much damage? I'm an equal opportunity outrage guy. If we call for Falwell to apologize I want to hear Rev. Wright to.

That's What She Said

2008-03-12T00:45:00.004-05:00

Ouch. I know I tread on some serious toes possibly when I bring up issues with the Office. I'll be the first to admit I've seen every episode. I've rooted for Jim and Pam. I've been tempted to get a Dwight Bobble Head. Yah, it's funny.

Anyway, I have also made a couple jokes with family and friends concerning the most infamous line from the show which goes as follows: (If you have young ones near by...not the best time to listen to this video)

Mark Driscoll, a man I tend to either disagree or agree with, was actually presented this question and I like what he has to say.

The take away? How does that verse apply practically in our lives. Will that verse change the way we speak. Will it alter my reactions to when someone throws me a softball I can hit out of the park with "that's what she said". Which is more important? Holiness or Hilarious? What do you think?

Pope Prius III

2008-03-10T22:56:00.002-05:00

I feel in many ways this is beating a dead horse. I am a little tired. Plus, all of the carbon emissions I've used beating the dead horse could have been used elsewhere. Mainly so that Al Gore could fly around in his private Jet more. How silly of me.

Anyway, sarcasm aside, I think there are two interesting stories out there today and then one I pulled from my archives because in many ways it encapsulates my viewpoint. And no, it doesn't involve me saying the world is going to burn anyway so why not let it. I actually am probably a little more "green" then most people realize. I don't let that out in public though...well...oops.

The first story was shown to me by a friend on Facebook and it's from the Southern Baptist Convention and I have to tell you I didn't expect this one. I mean I didn't expect this one! They came out with a rather balanced viewpoint on it however one line struck me and it goes as follows: "However, the leaders said that current evidence of global warming is "substantial," and that the threat is too grave to wait for perfect knowledge about whether, or how much, people contribute to the trend." I don't know if I buy this. I'm sorry but I don't. I do not believe there is a "threat". I don't think of global warming like I do OBL. I don't see global warming walk in with suicide vest on or flying planes into a building. Does that make me hate the planet? no. Does that mean I'm putting my head in the sand? No. I just think that we can be smarter and when we use the threatening language and fear that puts me on edge. I don't like it.

This leads me to the Pope. They made a new list of the seven deadly sins and on the list there is a section on polluting the planet unnecessarily. (They also have birth control in there but will save that for another day) I agree with this assessment. While I don't know if I would put it on the "grave sins" list I still think it's pretty substantial. If you don't respect God's outer world then you obviously probably won't respect His inner sanctuary. The correlation is inseparable.

I also want to remind people though that back in December Pope Benedict warned against fanaticism in this movement and I think that reminder is still necessary now! "The German-born Pontiff said that while some concerns may be valid it was vital that the international community based its policies on science rather than the dogma of the environmentalist movement." AMEN! And I would also add that these sciences be actual science and not some left-wing, abortion toting, let's extinct the earth people. A gross exaggeration but I've been to the sites and they are there!

Finally, to give an example of the kind of nonsense I'm talking about. This little nugget came from the Baptist article. "His professor had compared destroying God's creation to "tearing a page out of the Bible."" Now I applaud the thought but has it ever struck the student or the teacher that PAPER was used to actually make that Bible? Just asking?

The Day that True Love Died

2008-03-08T16:00:00.003-06:00

The President vetoed a bill that would have banned the interrogation technique known as "water boarding" this afternoon much to the chagrin of many people, including myself. I do understand why he did it and I understand that some of these things should not be put out publicly because of the enemy monitoring what we will do and won't do. Yet, it makes me sad to think about how this technique would even be necessary. That we would find men who would be so depraved that the only way we can break through them is to do something that borders torture. War requires these things sometimes but it is so devastating to really picture or comprehend.

I was listening to Phil Wickham's absolutely amazing CD "Cannons" today and one frame really stuck out to me.

"The earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt the Fathers broken heart
tears were filling heaven's eyes
The day that true love died, the day that true love died
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn't move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, The day that true love died"

It seems all over the world we hear horrendous stories of blood and water continuing to hit the ground. I read a story today of two lesbian's who murdered their roommate just because she was annoying. I fought back tears looking through the pictures of the Jerusalem shooting; seeing all of the blood spilled on the ground, on the tables, on the Torah. They are pursuing the death penalty for the person responsible for the Auburn University slaying. The NIU and V-Tech killings still ring in my head. They just found a mass grave in Iraq. South America is on the brink of war. The earth is shaking in the dark.

I then started to think of these next few weeks as we head up to Easter. The most misunderstood holiday of the bunch. The world was just as it is now. There were wars, political infighting, hatred, barbarianism, and torture. We debate if torture is or should be a American policy but we are about to celebrate Good Friday, which exalts the torture of a man that makes water boarding look like a bubble bath.

What amazes me about Holy Week is that without Sunday, Friday would have been just another story. Another headline. Another example of blood and water hitting the ground. Another example of how desperately we need to find a solution. How we need an answer! That Friday, much blood and water hit the ground but unlike other instances of it; something happened. Creation shook, curtains ripped, and walls that had been put up that no man could move came crashing down. Sunday was coming, the day that true love died.

Come close, listen to the story. The story that starts out like every other news ticker but ends with a reversal. That Sunday there was an answer to the innocent blood that was spilled. Like Cain, God made clear to us that He is aware of the innocent blood crying out from the earth. God's answer rang loud when the Son of God first put His pierced feet back on the earth. The answer and the hope for those who believe goes back to that initial footstep. No longer do we have to look at these news tickers without hope. No longer do we have to fear if we are going to find our way into the news. Christ's resurrection showed us that for those who follow after Him, no matter what may happen here, we will some day shake off the chains of death and walk freely made alive and anew. There no longer isn't an answer. There no longer isn't a hope. We may still exist in the world that continues to tremble in the dark but that world has been pierced by the everlasting light. The day that true love died we were made alive because His blood and water hit the ground. Now we know that no innocent blood ever goes unanswered.

Homeschool? HA! You must be joking! You're in California remember?!

2008-03-07T10:06:00.005-06:00

Welcome to beautiful, sunny California. Home to gorgeous cities, surreal beaches, and a state which cracks down on home school parents because they have the gall to believe they can teach their children something without big brother credentials!

"A California appeals court ruling clamping down on homeschooling by parents without teaching credentials sent shock waves across the state this week, leaving an estimated 166,000 children as possible truants and their parents at risk of prosecution."

What is perhaps a little more disturbing about this ruling is the all-knowing judge's reason for the decision:"California courts have held that ... parents do not have a constitutional right to homeschool their children," Justice H. Walter Croskey said in the 3-0 ruling issued on Feb. 28. "Parents have a legal duty to see to their children's schooling under the provisions of these laws."

There is no where in the federal, or from my understanding of the article, neither in the state constitution that specifically says a parent must send a student to a public school since they might not hold teaching credentials. The Judge is stating that you now need credentials to teach your children even though home school curriculum is moderated by those with teaching credentials and the children have to meet state standards anyways. Apparently then credentials given by the state hold the mantle for what is right for your kids, especially in education! This perhaps wouldn't be as bad if parents were given the opportunity to actually chose which state funded high school their children could go to instead of being mandated based on their location. But that is nothing but a pipe dream. This is a scary article people for many reasons because this is just short of fascism. When a state mandates what you can do with children under the guise of children protection laws, the slippery slope has just begun!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/07/MNJDVF0F1.DTL

Where is the Rider on the White Horse?

2008-03-06T22:59:00.003-06:00

Where is the horse and the rider?

Where is the horn that was blowing?

They have passed like rain on the mountain, like wind in the meadow.

The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow.

How did it come to this?

So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?

*King Theoden, The Two Towers Movie. http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0000155/quotes

The Quran Survives the Great Satan's Onslaught

2008-03-05T11:33:00.003-06:00

The Israeli's have been sending an array of missiles into terrorist targets after a constant bombardment from the terrorists into Israeli civilian territory. Sadly, it seems like old news. A website I frequent had an interesting photo spread about the propaganda coming from the terrorists in Gaza. Take a look:

Sooo, I was just waltzing through some random debre with a camera man handy and by Allah: Look! What have we here?

Pretty effective picture if you ask me! The Quran survived the onslaught of the evil Jewish pigs! Miraculous or plant? Hhmm?
http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/191580.php

The Art of Pursuit: Does it Fulfill?

2008-03-05T00:09:00.002-06:00

In the second chapter of the book of Proverbs, the Message Bible sums up the twenty-two versus as follows: "Make Insight Your Priority". Insight basically is defined at dictionary.com as a persons ability to perceive the truth or to have discernment on a tuff issue. I bring this up from the start because anyone who studies the rest of the chapter is going to manifest that gift in order to get to the heart of the chapter. Which I sum up with the following question: Does Jesus fulfill me sexually?

Now to many that question is going to sound crude and it inevitably can border on sacrilege so please understand that that is not my intent! I remember when I was asked this by a perceptive teenager and I stood a little stunned not exactly knowing what to say? I can't say that He does because that is just a little twisted to think about and I can't say that He doesn't because we sing these songs all the time saying "He's all I want" or "You're the only one I need." Are we singing a lie?

In an attempt to "make insight a priority" I found that we need to examine the root of the question. What exactly is being said by this question? At the heart of it is the question of results based on the pursuit! Can Jesus match up? Does He meet me? If I promise to delay certain gratifications to fit His commands will He lead me to better ways then the pleasure that I feel by feeding them now? This last question is perhaps the strongest one because many are asking but it seems very few addressing! Yet, once again there is Scripture to answer!

The Message Bible states that when we pursue Wisdom that we will have to chase after it like a prospector panning for gold or an adventurer on a treasure hunt. (1-5) Now, if the man who was panning for gold or the adventurer on the treasure hunt expected to find immediate gratification, immediate results, then they would be terribly disappointed. There has to be some type of pursuit for the prize. Their is a pursuit for the goal. The writer of Proverbs compares those who pursue "insight" and by default "lady wisdom" are like these men! Except their is one difference. God's not hiding like a prize. He's not hiding like treasure. In vs. 6 the Bible states that He gives out his Wisdom for free! And unlike the pursuit for the gold, unlike the pursuit for the treasure, their is no stopping for this treasure. You might have a little but their is always more to pursue. Whereas the gold, the treasure, you find it once and are left with only a temporary thing. There might not be any other treasures to find! You might not be able to fulfill that hunt again!

The first point then can be summed up like this. Hidden within the question of "Can Jesus fulfill me sexually" is the presupposition that this is even a fair comparison! Can sexuality fulfill you sexually? And if so, why do you keep having to have sex? If you look at porn, why do you have to keep going back? Instead you have to look at it longer, look at a different site, download a different Limewire video, in order to meet the same high again. What enduring promise do you have from any of this stuff? How is it fulfilling but for the temporary? And even that fades in a quick second. What God offers, what He promises in Proverbs 2, is something drastically different.

There are two specific types of people mentioned in Proverbs 2 that the author describes as "evil" people. The first are the ones who are lost and "can't tell a trail from a tumbleweed." These are the people who seem to be really together but the Bible says: "these losers who make a game of evil and throw parties to celebrate perversity. Traveling paths that go nowhere, wandering in a maze of detours and dead ends." This is a drastic claim! I'm sure we can all think of people who would seem to fulfill this picture. We seem to envy them! Yet, the Bible states rather clearly that there paths are dead ends because they "can't get no satisfaction". They still haven't found what they were looking for. The dirty little secret about many of these supposed things that bring happiness is that they don't. Instant gratification leads to less gratification. There is no gold left in the hill to find even though they might have found some earlier, it was all spent.

The second type of evil person is the sweet-talking woman. The Temptress. Now, I'm not speaking of Shakespeare here. It's right in the Bible. This gets down to the nitty gritty on the question at hand. "Her whole way of life is doomed; every step she takes brings her closer to hell." The Bible is making the point here that those who are in covenant community with Him are going to tread on paths that not only lead to somewhere but lead to promises beyond our dreams. Jesus' message to the world is that we can partake in that future Kingdom but that we can also get tastes of it now! IT bleeds through into our current world. The sweet-talking woman can only promise a endless circle of different levels of pleasure but nothing that is everlasting. God's promises offers a taste of the Kingdom here but full disclosure of the Kingdom in the future. Which is actually a better promise?

So the question then, does the pursuit fulfill?

Yes.

No.

It's both. It has to be! We are not capable of taking in all of God at once but He promises, unlike the woman, to be our daily bread and fulfill day by day. Our only source. Our hope. Our life. To go beyond anything we can imagine. We think sexuality is the highest pleasure in life but God promises to blow that away. In fact, it seems that God is saying in this chapter: "Is that the best you can do? Do you really have such a limited view of what is pleasurable? Have you seen the stars? Have you been to bottom of the oceans? Have you seen the sun set through an entire timezone at once? Do you really limit me by such a temporary, fleeting passion?" I can just picture God replying to our opening question not that He doesn't or He does but that He gives so much more! And unlike the sweet-talking woman, He offers it for free. All He asks is that we make insight a priority, that we make a practice of the art of the Pursuit. Does it fulfill? So much more then we can imagine!

The Girl of My Dreams or The Art of Pursuit

2008-03-03T11:56:00.002-06:00

I never could have imagined more. I never could have written a purer story. I thought I’d looked everywhere but she was right there in front of me the whole time. Maybe the whole time I was pursuing after the wrong things, pursuing after the wrong lady, maybe if I’d have opened my eyes I would have seen her sooner! The love of my life, the one who fulfills me, the one who completes me; the one who cried out to me first!

She’s pretty amazing I’ll admit. She is a strong preacher, very learned in the ways of the Lord. Her name, “Hokmah”, is stunningly beautiful: It captures her unique charm, her sweet presence. She also carries the honorary title of Lady. How I was so lucky to find her is beyond me; for she is way out of my class! The first thing that drew me to her is that she doesn’t make you obsessed with her. She doesn’t try to grasp for your attention. She actually begs you to give your attention to someone else. She actually says the pivot point; the central focus for our relationship is the fear of the Lord. Many I’ve pursued before have written this off as hopeless religiosity but she has a way of showing me that you can’t have a better life then when the fear of the Lord is the pivot for everything else! Especially our love.

She’s exactly the kind of girl that my father always taught me to pursue. She’s a spitting image of what dad always said in fact. Her teachings (Torah) always seem to echo those my mother used to read to me every night. I have no fear of bring her home to meet the parents; I actually look forward to it. She’s like a badge of honor that I can wear; she’s proof of the grace of God. She must be.

I saw her reaching out to me one day and even though she so willingly opened up to me, I still pursued her like I would any riches of the world. Like if silver was dropped in front of me. Like a man with a treasure map, willing to do anything to get it, so did I pursue her. Like a crazy pirate willing to go through anything to grasp her; willing to do anything to get her to notice me. Yet, even in the crazed pursuit, never doing anything that would reflect negatively on her “ladyship”. You could call it a rather disciplined madness; compared to the insane madness of previous pursuits.

When my hunt was over, I stood in her presence a satisfied man. I realized that she is much more satisfying then any hunt for treasure, then any hunt for power, then any hunt for merchandise or things. She is more precious then rubies, then gold, then silver and nothing that I can desire can compare with knowing her. She speaks to me of profound things and walking with her has been the most pleasant experience of my life. Being with her must be like what Adam felt; a continuing partaking of the Tree of Life. I may be tired from the hunt but resting against her is the most refreshing of times. She is a strong support for my weakness.

As I get to know her, I remember my father saying to not forsake her; to not forget her because she will preserve me. “Love her”, Dad used to say, “and she will keep you.” In the past relationships seemed to be all about me but yet I can see now that by exalting her, she actually exalts me. When I embrace her, she brings me honor. I can’t let her go; I have to keep her; for she is my very life.

I may not have to state it; in fact I hope you can see that I am not talking about a specific lady. I just actually popped open my Bible to the Proverbs and was struck a few weeks ago with the pursuit of wisdom as if she were an actual lady. Not a damsel in distress because she can handle her own but a lady who desires to be with us, a lady who’s above us but still dwells with us. Solomon personified wisdom in a way that he obviously knew best. Women.

Something that I have not understood in my study of Proverbs over the past 3 weeks is why all of these books on relationships do not actually dive into the use of relationship in the book of Proverbs? It made me wonder if some of these books are actually teaching us better ways to pursue the whore that Solomon also mentions in later chapters then a woman who emulates the principles of Proverbs. (Something I will visit later) It seems to me that my attention, my pursuit, my relationships should all focus on the pursuit of lady wisdom; the pursuit of personal integrity. All centered and launched from the fear of the Lord. If I try to pursue a woman outside of my pursuit for wisdom then I am doing exactly what Solomon warned against. I am doing the very thing that has destroyed many a men and in fact destroyed the man who wrote the warning.

My closing thought is this. I used to get so annoyed with that quote I now see all over the place which states: “A woman must be so lost in God that a man should be pursuing Him to find her.” I don’t know why it urked me, maybe cause I thought it was a cop out, but the more I read Proverbs the more I see that my pursuit of wisdom is exactly what this quote is saying. This is not a cop out for guys to be lazy about the pursuit of a woman, in fact it begs us to do the opposite, but until we have that craze to purse wisdom first then we can never know how to pursue a woman properly. Wisdom teaches us the art of pursuit and that naturally bleeds over into other pursuits, other treasures, which wisdom gives to us. A noble wife, who can find? Maybe the reason for such confusion is that we need to learn the art of pursuit from the right lady?

Dirty Little Secret: No Democrat will pull out of Iraq

2008-03-02T11:48:00.004-06:00

In the last Democratic debate Barack Obama stated that if al-Quaida were to show up in Iraq that he reserves the right as President to go in after them. This led to a sparring match between him and John McCain. Obama concluded the spar by saying that if we hadn't gone into Iraq then there wouldn't be al-Qaida in Iraq. Well that's leadership for sure! It still ignores the fact that al-Quaida is in Iraq now, who cares about how it got there in the past?! What are we going to do now! Here's an example:

"According to the military, al-Saudi conducted numerous attacks against Iraqi and U.S. forces, including a Jan. 28 bomb attack that killed the five U.S. soldiers.

In that attack, insurgents blasted a U.S. patrol with a roadside bomb and showered survivors with gunfire from a mosque. The soldiers died in the explosion, the deadliest on American forces since six soldiers perished Jan. 9 in a booby-trapped house north of Baghdad.

Intelligence gathered in the Mosul area led the U.S. military to al-Saudi, who was in a car with Hamdan. A precision helicopter strike killed both and destroyed their vehicle. U.S. forces then confirmed the men's identities."

Al-Quaida is in Iraq now and they are not leaving! This story shows you how pathetic these men are by attacking from a Mosque. Now some may say that if we don't give them targets then they wouldn't attack. Hello! These people are attacking from Mosques! There in with the people! Do you want to leave Iraq to that? You may be voting for Obama or Clinton cause they promised to pull out of Iraq! Well, sorry, al-Quaida is in Iraq so it doesn't look like we aren't going anywhere!

Good News: Women are better liars!

2008-03-02T11:38:00.002-06:00

Interesting new report out this morning.

"Barash interviewed 500 women nationwide and found 75 percent lie about how much money they spend, while more than 60 percent admitted to cheating on their husband."

The latter half is truly sad. Especially with the cheating obviously. But it makes you wonder if women have a way to see down the rabbit trail better then men concerning the direction a lie can go? A lie obviously takes you down many different roads and from my interaction with the fairer sex it seems conversations takes us down many roads as well! Maybe it's a natural transition? Barash stated the reason for the need to lie:

"Women lie as a survival technique, but also to get what they want," Susan Shapiro Barash, author of "Little White Lies, Deep Dark Secrets: The Truth About Why Women Lie," told the New York Post."

Interesting. Well, I guess I'll have to add this to my list concerning the ladies. Is she a liar? Hhmm?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,334381,00.html

Hello Hank: Meet RED SOX NATION

2008-03-02T01:53:00.003-06:00

The Evil Empire Strikes back:

"Red Sox Nation?" What a bunch of [expletive] that is," he said in an interview with The New York Times' Play magazine. "That was a creation of the Red Sox and ESPN, which is filled with Red Sox fans.

"Go anywhere in America and you won't see Red Sox hats and jackets, you'll see Yankee hats and jackets. This is a Yankee country. We're going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order."

I really do not have a doubt that Mr. Steinbrenner is doing this for publicity. I usually tend to take the higher ground. Like...I...Should.....Here....OHHHH FORGET IT!

Mr. Steinbrener why is it you seem to be trying to brush off the fact that the Yankees have not won the world series since Hillary Clinton was elected Senator back in 2000. It's no doubt that you're trying to ignore the fact that you have spent the most money, posted the highest pay roll, had the most dysfunctional team, had really crappy pitching, had a 250 million dollar man who couldn't hit his way out of a paper bag in the playoffs, and still can't get out of the first round of the playoffs. It's not doubt that you're trying to ignore the fact that you stuck it to a hall of fame manager named Joe Torre and made a legend depart a legendary field in disgrace. It's no doubt that anywhere you go "Mr. Steinbrenner" you see Red Sox Nation. You may think we are a figment of your pathetic imagination but I think you should look back at October bucko...when you were watching from your couch the Sox win the World Series. How did Roger Clemens work out for ya by the way? Wicked good move there!

Baseball season is about to begin folks. And this is why I hate the Yankees. Yet, I must be honest. Nothing is going to bring me more satisfaction then to wipe the floor with this schlemiel and his team. Careful "HANK" I think you awoke a monster!

GO SOX~!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3271124

Baby Laughing at Nintendo Wii

2008-03-01T00:59:00.002-06:00

If you are reading this on facebook you have to go to my blog to see the video. Click on the above link saying it was imported to see the video.

For the Ladies

2008-02-29T12:06:00.000-06:00

He Who Must Not Be Named

2008-02-29T11:38:00.003-06:00

Barack H*ssein Obama. Oh, wait, sorry. Barack Obama. Never mind that this current President goes by George W. Bush or that his father is known as George H.W. Bush, that apparently is ok. But, Lord help you, it is the ultimate sort of "fear-mongering" to actually state that Barack's middle name is H*ssein.

What is amazing to me and why this still is I do not know, is that many of the people of left-leaning persuasion can be racists, bigots, and sexists without dismay! Take for instance Obama. A year ago a US Senator said he is the first "clean and articulate black guy". The media circled the wagons for him! He must not have meant it! Their is a story in the Washington Post (WaPO) today about a hilarious SNL skit from Saturday complaining that they got a "white guy" to play the part of Barack Obama. Was it racially motivated?

Now you have another twist on the race card. You have a bunch of liberals wondering if Barack is "black enough". You also have Barack asking not to be made fun of for his ears. We also cannot call him a liberal. And finally, according to his wife, we are not allowed to mention "he who must not be named."

I wonder, maybe we shall call it a "thought experiment", if John McCain's middle name was Adolf. Would he get the same treatment that Obama is asking for now? Would the media be circling the wagon after a talk show host uses it in a speech? And for that matter isn't it the media who are pushing the Muslim connection of Obama anyway? Who can forget that video of Ted Kennedy calling Obama Osama.

I understand Michelle Obama's point concerning those who would try to make this a wedge issue. I think she is right. Yet, it's not conservative who made a big deal about it here. It was many different liberals! But now since a conservative did it: It's racism! I know I don't care and frankly have not cared about the fact that he is 1) Black 2) black enough 3) and his middle name is H*ssein. It is and he is all those things! It's not like we aren't speaking the truth! It's the media whose trying to blow this stuff up along with hidden racist liberals! Barack needs to man up! It's who you are! Stop the fear mongering and address it! Instead of giving the Voldemort treatment and treating your middle name like a curse, utilize it and stop acting like a chicken! Your middle name is Hussein, who cares! Somehow I don't think the girls passing out at your speeches is going to stop when they hear "Hussein". I expect more from the savior of all mankind!

Being Single can Kill You!

2008-02-29T10:25:00.003-06:00

There is a fascinating article in the UK Daily Mail entitled: "Being unmarried makes a woman a high suicide risk."

When I first saw the title of the article I was a little skeptical. I started it hoping that this wasn't some post-valentines day blues or some love sick advice but it turned out to be something completely different. They surveyed "single" woman who do not actually marry anyone but instead cohabitate and then those who are just single compared with married women and their respective suicide rates. They concluded with this:

"It found that those who do not marry were killing themselves at three times the rate of wives."

The rate was something like this: "By 2004, there were 15 suicides in 100,000 single women and five among married women."

In Britain you have an obvious decline in morals concerning sexuality and especially when it comes to marriage. For example according to this article: "Since then, ministers have stripped away tax breaks for marriage, abolishing the Married Couples Allowance and removing all reference to marriage from tax and benefit forms." The Brits don't even apparently acknowledge this stuff anymore! They continued:

"The findings, in a study by the Government's Office for National Statistics, suggest that cohabitation has made a high proportion of young women more vulnerable to depression."

This last comment is perhaps the most honest statement I have ever read concerning this subject! We have heard over and over again that women who are married and stay at home are not really woman. That they are submitting themselves to a lesser existence compared to woman who go out and "make something of their lives". These "devil wears prada" women have no need for men just like fish don't need bicycles. They can survive on their own and maybe occasionally meet up with someone to fulfill "biological needs". Yet, the Brits have landed on, roughly I bet, a hard truth that we (men and women) both need each other and only a strong commitment, dare we say covenant, seems to work. For some reason marriage is a commitment that apparently, according to this study, brings more fulfillment in life. Now to be fair it no where states why these women committed suicide, a very important question I would like to know, however it's a fascinating look into how those who took the study interpreted it. Being single may kill you!

Quote of the Day

2008-02-29T00:27:00.001-06:00

Straight talk from the straight talk express:

Do you think you are a good person?

2008-02-27T11:37:00.003-06:00

I want to kind of state upfront that the subject matter of this video is rather sad, disgusting, and if there are little ones around you may want to skip the video. Disclaimer aside, here it is:

I do not wish to concentrate on the first section of the video concerning the alleged adultery. This couple has admitted to knowing about it before going on the show (along with the stealing) and just playing the part in order to win money.

It is worth noting however that this woman, after all that she had admitted, would still think she is a "good person". Even more telling was her husband shaking his head no and her father (I think) saying that she was! By even the world's standards this woman was pushing it! Yet, her first reaction, a sort of defensive mechanism, shout out: "Of course, yes I am a good person!" The lie detector put that defense to rest.

What's perhaps the most tragic aspect of this video is not only that the woman believed what she believed or that she did do any of these horrible things but that many will watch this and be blown away by the audacity but if they took a moment to put a lie detector to their own lives they'd realize they are so much like her! I think of myself in, lets say the past 3 weeks. I've lusted, lied, according to Jesus (Mt. 5) I've committed adultery, and many other things I'm sure I am not aware of! Yet, like this woman, I'm quick to shout out:"Of course! I'm a good person!" I may not have wires hooked up to tell me other wise but in my heart of hearts I know that I am not; just like she did!

Ravi Zacharias once said that: "Jesus did not come to make bad people good but to make dead people live." This woman echoes the times she lives in. "I'm progressing, I'm learning, etc." This is a evolutionary ethic. It's not a godly one. Time does not make someone "better" it just sharpens the depravity to make it sharper and deadlier. This seems to be the illusion that so many of us and our politicians for that matter, seem to live under. That with time we will get better. Yet, why is that never the case? Why doesn't that reflect reality? Because it is not true! If a person is dead to sin, they don't become a better dead person! Their still dead! We need a radical remedy to our deadness- someone to defeat it. If no one did that (or has done it) then we only get "deader" not "better". The question then is: What's the remedy?

Nuclear Lightbulbs

2008-02-27T00:28:00.009-06:00

I started my morning routine pretty much like every other morning. Got my cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee, made a bagel, put on my slippers and plopped myself down in my comfortable chair to read through the news before having some one one one with G-D. One site I frequent (mostly for my Red Sox News, cause we know God likes to hear prayers concerning the Sox) is Boston.com and one headline caught my attention rather quickly:

Energy bene fits of fluorescents may outweigh risk

Frankly, I couldn't get away from the light bulb today. I walked into the grocery store and BOOM there it was. These energy savers conveniently placed right in opening aisle. Even though they are risky, causing the death of children, unborn "fetuses",(although how can there be danger to something that isn't a someone?) and poor old fluffy! But, don't worry! Risk aside, at least you save money and save the planet at the same time! Fluffy must be happy!

I then stumbled upon a "to do list" just in case one of these light bulbs breaks. The story starts like this: "Compact fluorescent lamps contain small amounts of toxic mercury that can vaporize when the bulbs break, creating a potential health risk for infants, young children, and pregnant women." But, let's just say the inevitable happens and Fluffy knocks over the lamp! I mean it happens right? Well, just follow these easy steps to clean up the mess:

Keep people and pets away. Open windows, and leave the area for 15 minutes before beginning the cleanup.

Do not use a vacuum cleaner, even on a carpet. This will spread the mercury vapor and dust and potentially contaminate the vacuum.

Wear rubber gloves.

Carefully remove the larger pieces and place them in a secure closed container, preferably a glass jar with a metal screw top lid and seal like a canning jar.

Next, scoop up the smaller pieces and dust using two stiff pieces of paper such as index cards or playing cards.

Pick up fine particles with duct tape, packing tape, or masking tape, and then use a wet wipe or damp paper towel.

Put all waste into the glass container, including all material used in the cleanup. Remove the container from your home and call your local solid waste district or municipality for disposal instructions.

Continue ventilating the room for several hours.

Wash your hands and face.

As a precaution, consider discarding throw rugs or the area of carpet where the breakage occurred, particularly if the rug is in an area frequented by infants, small children or pregnant women. Otherwise, open windows during the next several times you vacuum the carpet to provide good ventilation.

I had to laugh after reading this insanity! I understand wanting to save energy and it makes sense to be more efficient but both of those don't come at the expense of human life! There are all types of dangerous things around the house for sure but many of those items are not going to require HazMat treatment to clean up! And most of them are not in range of kiddies! So when you do get your Nuclear Lightbulbs, just make sure you know what you are doing! Cause you can't trust anyone else to warn you!

The Negotiables: Stuck Being Single

2008-02-25T23:42:00.005-06:00

"Hello. My Name is Matt".

"Hello, Matt".

"I've been single now for about 3 1/2 years and I've not had a relapse since."

*insert clapping*

I apologize for the pathetic opening to this blog but I have to tell you, that is what I feel like I'm doing whenever I seem to fall into these conversations concerning singleness. It seems like no matter where I go people just can't believe I'm still single! It's more of a shock to them then it is me! I seem to be the only one who is ok with my current marital status. It's only when other people keep harassing me about it that I get annoyed. It's also when I see the following that I get even more perturbed:

This was the list of things which a Pastor was looking for in a youth pastor as it appeared on the AGTS job opportunity board. Now, I don't know the Pastor and he/she is entitled to their opinion. God made them leader and I have no problem with how they lead but this creates quite a frustration for me!

First, as if it is not bad enough to constantly have to answer the stupid single question and feel the stares as if I have three heads cause I'm not with someone, now I am starting to wonder if it's even possible for me to get turned down because of it! I have an answer to this question and I shall return to it but looking at this stupid picture caused the thought.

Second, I would think that we would foster an environment where we promote people being in love! Not force a litmus test! Not make people rush the marriage process or the finding a mate just so they can have a job! I can make myself learn to play the guitar. I can't make myself fall in love with someone~!

Third, Why is it that many people, when they find out you are not married, look at you like you haven't arrived yet! You really are not a grown up! You have to prove yourself as one after they find out your not married when, if you were, they would presuppose some type of "maturity". Granted, there are things that only a married person can know but I don't remember reading that my immaturity is guilty until proven other wise?

I believe I am going to wed someday. In fact I know I am because God has spoken to me in the past about it and even now He leads me on it. That said, I find a lot of times these type of conversations or signs on a bulletin board can have a certain affect on a person that can lead one to make brash decisions or really start to doubt God. When those thoughts come into my mind a certain story pops in to confront them.

Abraham was promised a son even though he and his wife were well passed the "production" stage of their relationship. In many ways it was a laughable idea. Now, I'm not relating this story because of the obvious relationship, sexual, marriage tones but being the good exegete that I am I look for the heart of the story. Which I believe is: does God respect His promises?

It seems like whenever faced with these "Ishmael" moments we can so easily take things into our own hands! I could easily say that this is a sign that I should get married and go out and find someone! Yet, I can't because I know what God has promised me! I could try and make something fit God's plan but I can't cause that's exactly what Abraham tried to do and look what happened! Many times, as I proved at the opening, it's easy to get mad at the Pastor for playing the Evangelical Yenta, however I do believe this could be the hand of God shutting the door towards that specific ministry for me. Which I would say is a sign of the opposite of which I would normally expect yet still clearly a sign even if I don't like it! The promises of God can face many moments like the bulletin board however what ever happens, God's brought me this far and He isn't going to let me down now! I can't negotiate the promise of God to fit my own whim. And most of all I can't force the will of God into my life without missing a possible "better blessing" if I had just remained patient! If I make it a negotiable, then that might make Satan a bidder. Something God isn't to fond of~

Not Exactly What I had in Mind When I Asked How to be a Man?

2008-02-25T23:37:00.001-06:00

When Jesus Found Nemo <><

2008-02-23T10:03:00.004-06:00

In Luke 5 we find another example where people are pushing to get to Jesus. I can only imagine what must have been going through His head as the people pressed up against Him, with only the sea to His back and a sea of people to His front. Did He realize that this must have been what Moses felt like, looking at the Reed Sea in front with the the Egyptians not so far behind. Did He wonder if He would have to part the sea, again, in order to back up the word preached. Did He wonder what that putrid smell was off to the side as those grungy fishermen cleaned out the nets.

In vs. 2 the author notes how Jesus saw the boats and then in verse 3, probably up to His knees in water, He asks Peter to let Him get in the boat to preach. One thing we know is that Jesus obviously did not get seasick and even though He was sitting, He probably had good sea legs.

The common place is not exactly where one would expect God to come. If you were to expect the King of all Kings to visit you, the last thing you would expect is Him to have just come from a wharf, with a strange fish smell? Yet, there stood Jesus, on a lake, with fishermen to the side, boats to His rear and throngs of people on the shore. Somehow I think this really makes us ask if their really is such a thing as a specific "holy" location? Does a place, a secular job by the way, that just has Jesus in it make it holy? Is their really a place that cannot be holy?

After, the preaching, Jesus asked the fishermen to cast out to the sea. Now, these guys had been out there all night! I don't know if you have ever worked all night but the last thing you want is to be bossed around. Especially if it was a hard nights work that resulted in no $ (no catch for a fisherman= no $). (5) I can only imagine the disciples faces as they looked on Jesus, with bloodshot eyes, tired, ready to go home after a tuff day's works, as He stated: "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." (4) Here is a carpenter and a teacher telling us to go back out? We just cleaned these nets and He wants us to go back out there? That means we would have to clean again! Peter, surprise surprise, stated his hesitation: "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!" (5) It would have been a different story if Peter hadn't qualified it: "But at your word I will let down the nets."

Many people like to argue over how much does Jesus speak to us today? Does Jesus tell me who my wife is? Does He tell me to take a job? Does He do this; does He do that? Yet, I find this verse comforting because of its simply state; what is Jesus word? How does it apply to my job? How does it apply to my life? I believe that He speaks words to us today! However, I think His words apply to our lives! Even something so mundane as fishing!

Finally, here, we can't miss the reaction of the fishermen to the catch. Peter states: "But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”" (8) Now, Peter was a fishermen, catching fish was his job. Yet, this catch seemed to really shake him up? Why is that? Peter cries out to Jesus that he is a sinful man, in a boat, with fish all around his ankles! When we encounter the Holy, it doesn't matter where we are at, we react to it! When we see God work in the most common of places, we fall to our knees! When God provides the miraculous, nothing that we have now can hold it! Jesus may have found Nemo, but Peter found Jesus and that is and still remains the bigger catch!

Evangelism Lineback

2008-02-22T18:19:00.000-06:00

Oso canta en espanol

2008-02-22T15:04:00.001-06:00

Bet you Teddy isn't singing Bridge over Troubled Water:

Nuff' said

2008-02-20T14:10:00.001-06:00

I'm not trying to pick on Obama here but I've been doing some reading on him today and it just keeps getting stranger, here's his wife:

"Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed."
http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NjljYjA3YTYzMjU2ZjA5Yzg1MmM2YjIzZjEyN2ZjZjk=