Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
It isn't enough to keep Christ in Christmas
I've been going to Grace Poin Church lately and today I ended up going away with an interesting thought. I've been thinking today about how Christians like to boycot because they want entire corporations to recognize Christmas so that they could win the culure wars. And to be honest, I don't care if people say "merry Christmas" or "happy holidays" anymore.
Let me repeat this. I just don't care! I really don't... AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!
The reason is simple. It isn't enough just to keep Christ as the center of Christmas if the rest of the year those who claim to be Jesus followers. Jesus wants ALL of our lives. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says that whether we eat or drink we should do everything to the glory of God. Yet because of the influence of the seeker sensitive movement, all preaching has been boiled down to 20-25 minutes of moralistic theraputic deism. there is no passing of the faith given once for all time for all the saints. No Christ and him crucified for our sins. nothing but self help stuff.
At the same time people we see the world getting uglier and uglier in its rebelion against the Creator and the anemic church is freaking out because they want to live in a world where it is all sushine and lollipops. So the church's solution is basically boycot all corporations that will not say "Merry Christmas". Yet in the Church's hypocracy they shop the same stores for their clothing made by sweat shops in Thailand. Something is not adding up.
Instead of boycotting every little thing, lets make sure that Christ is the center of all that we do and that Jesus is what we proclaim instead of moralistic principles.
Let me repeat this. I just don't care! I really don't... AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!
The reason is simple. It isn't enough just to keep Christ as the center of Christmas if the rest of the year those who claim to be Jesus followers. Jesus wants ALL of our lives. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says that whether we eat or drink we should do everything to the glory of God. Yet because of the influence of the seeker sensitive movement, all preaching has been boiled down to 20-25 minutes of moralistic theraputic deism. there is no passing of the faith given once for all time for all the saints. No Christ and him crucified for our sins. nothing but self help stuff.
At the same time people we see the world getting uglier and uglier in its rebelion against the Creator and the anemic church is freaking out because they want to live in a world where it is all sushine and lollipops. So the church's solution is basically boycot all corporations that will not say "Merry Christmas". Yet in the Church's hypocracy they shop the same stores for their clothing made by sweat shops in Thailand. Something is not adding up.
Instead of boycotting every little thing, lets make sure that Christ is the center of all that we do and that Jesus is what we proclaim instead of moralistic principles.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The making of the Screwtape Letters audio book
As much as I am not really a fan of Focus on the Family, I really liked the book and I do want to get a hold of this on audio cd!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Dying in the line of duty for the faith
A couple years ago, I wrote on the YWAM Denver shootings and I guess I was a little bit cavalier with my post attacking open theism without addressing the issue of suffering from a bilbical standpoint. So, I am deleting my old post and I am revisiting what happened that December night because I want to go back because I want to address some things that I didn't cover (but they should have been).
I first want to say that God knows all things and allows bad things to happen because we live in a sinful world. It is a fact of life. How can we fully appreciate the good things unless bad things happen as well?
Second, We cannot know why things happen. I found it interesting that a couple months before this tragedy that A certain YWAM leader signed a document saying that Christians and Muslims worship the same God (which is not the case). But I don't think that there is a relationship inbetween this YWAM leader's decison to sign this document and the shootings just as much as I don't think the Minneapolis tornado was a judgemnt on the ELCA. Jesus dealt with the same issue of wwhether or not a desaster happened because people were being sinful and Jesus said, "No, but unless you repent you will perish." (Luke 13:1-3)
Third, there is no higher way to die than to die for Christ. Here is what the apostle Peter says.
1 Peter 3:8-17 ESV Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. (9) Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (10) For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; (11) let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. (12) For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." (13) Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? (14) But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, (15) but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, (16) having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. (17) For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
Here's what Peter is talking about. He is saying that it is a good thing to suffer for Christ and if we are persecuted, we should explain that it is for Christ's sake that we hope.
On this annaversary of the YWAM Denver shootings, I want to ask you something. We say that Christ is worth living for. But, is Jesus worth dying for? Are we willing to be like Peter, Paul, Tiffany, Phillip, and the martyrs that have gone before to die for Christ?
I first want to say that God knows all things and allows bad things to happen because we live in a sinful world. It is a fact of life. How can we fully appreciate the good things unless bad things happen as well?
Second, We cannot know why things happen. I found it interesting that a couple months before this tragedy that A certain YWAM leader signed a document saying that Christians and Muslims worship the same God (which is not the case). But I don't think that there is a relationship inbetween this YWAM leader's decison to sign this document and the shootings just as much as I don't think the Minneapolis tornado was a judgemnt on the ELCA. Jesus dealt with the same issue of wwhether or not a desaster happened because people were being sinful and Jesus said, "No, but unless you repent you will perish." (Luke 13:1-3)
Third, there is no higher way to die than to die for Christ. Here is what the apostle Peter says.
1 Peter 3:8-17 ESV Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. (9) Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (10) For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; (11) let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. (12) For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." (13) Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? (14) But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, (15) but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, (16) having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. (17) For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
Here's what Peter is talking about. He is saying that it is a good thing to suffer for Christ and if we are persecuted, we should explain that it is for Christ's sake that we hope.
On this annaversary of the YWAM Denver shootings, I want to ask you something. We say that Christ is worth living for. But, is Jesus worth dying for? Are we willing to be like Peter, Paul, Tiffany, Phillip, and the martyrs that have gone before to die for Christ?
Monday, November 30, 2009
What if Jesus had never been born? (Audio)
A couple years ago, I listened to this podcast called Way of the Master Radio (now called Wretched Radio) and I really enjoyed the Christmas episode where the host, Todd Friel, read something by the late Dr. D. James Kennedy on the practical implications of the thesis, what if Jesus had never been born. I really think that this episode will bring to light some of the things we've taken for granted as Christians.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
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