So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. Psalm 71:18 Another Cinderella? When will people ever get sick of this story?
Never! I have two daughters and I can remember the first time I told them about Cinderella and her plight as I put them to bed... they were spellboundt! The moment they heard about a poor girl having a terrible step-mom and wicked step-sisters, I had them hooked. "Dad, tell me the story again!" They have watched the classic Disney cartoon version, the old 1950's musical version, the "Ever After" version with Drew Barrymore, the ABC version with an African American Cinderella, the Selena Gomez version, the Hillary Duff version....and they loved each and every one of them. (I can't wait to show them the Jerry Lewis "Cinderfella", now that is a classic!) When it comes to the really good fairy tale stories, I have discovered, that what I have already discovered has yet to be discovered by those who are still discovering the things I have enjoyed discovering for the first time. And each generation should be able to enjoy the discovering on their own, and for the one who has already made the discovery it is fun just watching others discover. There is nothing like watching your daughter's eyes light-up when Cinderella's shoe fits and she wins the heart of the Prince. This wonder and thrill is not just true for the story of Cinderella, it is especially true for the message of the gospel! Woefully, some have grown bored with the telling of the gospel, "Lets move on, don't you have another story to tell?" This is the one story we are never to move on from; Christians are to visit Golgotha often, we must stop and wonder. It is this story that makes us who we are. And it still needs to be told again and again so new minds can awaken and grab a hold of the one who “gave his life for us.” Easter is a mere ten days away. Easter is our story. Easter is our life. Please take the time this week to visit Golgotha. Stop at the foot of the cross and bring your kids with you. Read the gospel accounts at the dinner table, watch "Ben Hur," and if you have the stomach for it, put on "The Passion of the Christ." And as you do, I want you to notice something - - the gospel is the Cinderella story come to life. Each person, like poor old Cindy, has lost their original family and is under the subject of an evil uncaring authority. Ephesians 2:1-4 says we are slaves to the evil one, and Galatians 3:21-23 says we are under the harsh tutelage of the law.The law is meant to make us miserable, just like the two step-sisters always pointing out our sorry state. And while we are sweeping up the cinders of our sinful mistakes, we have nothing but a gloomy existence to look forward to. That is when the Prince comes calling. Psalm 45 talks about the character of our wonderful Prince: lips of grace and strength of a warrior. Jesus wants all of us to accept the invitation to his grand ball. "Come, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest." Sounds too good to be true...but it is true. And as Psalm 45 says in verse 11, "the King is enthralled by your beauty." He wants to be with you. So he asks you, "Do you want to be with him?" Oh how angry this makes the wicked step-mom, Satan is raging, but the invitation still stands, "Do you want him?" If the answer is yes, than receive the gospel and you shall be saved! Those who are saved are known as the bride of Christ, the choice prize of the King. This is our story! I will never tire telling it!!
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(For the director of music. To the tune of "Lilies." Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. A wedding song.) "My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the King; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer." Psalm 45:1 I am not an expert, but like the vast majority of church folk, I love to worship God in song. There is a small contingent of people out there who are not moved by music, so this discussion for them is a mute point and they believe we should just get over it and get along. I can understand that.
But I believe, for a large majority of the church, when devoted followers of Jesus prepare for Sunday service they have secret wishes that their type of music will be played. Some people will actually get frustrated and leave a place if they are not touched by the music week after week. I have seen this first hand. Is this wrong? Should we expect our feelings to be touched; or is wanting warm fuzzies a sign of immaturity? Is singing your heart out nothing more than the natural response of expression when you love someone? I think the core issue for many concerning worship and praise concerns this question: is it wrong to purposely try to touch people's emotions in our music on Sunday morning? Are musicians manipulators if they can get me to cry because they know how to pick the song and tempo that will strum my heart strings? Or are worship leaders hired to try to engage all of me into this experience called worship? Here is my take.... EMOTIONS AND PSALMS We all know that the bible exhorts us in Ephesians 5:18 to "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord." The question is not "to sing or not to sing," but rather how do we sing? Many people do not know that we have an 150 chapter song book in our bible that was specifically written for Old Testament choir masters and song groups to follow. It is called the "Book of Psalms," it is a great manual for worship. So let's look briefly at some of the Psalms and ask a couple questions: How were biblical leaders guided as they considered their approach to writing songs? Are they instructed to keep a tight check on emotions, or do they ask the reader to open wide their hearts? Did they write only mindless repetitive songs? Do they ask us to sing only thick doctrinal dissertations that get every point of the fall and redemption covered? Psalms does not present music as an "either-or" question, it is a "both-and." The mind is meant to be engaged: Let me choose a few Psalms that deal very specifically with doctrine: Psalm 18 presents a rescuing God that thunders, hides in clouds, discloses laws and decrees, notices sin, and is the only God. Psalm 19 teaches about the general and special revelation that gives theologians a lot to work with when explaining and teaching epistemology. Psalm 139 is as deep as you can get when you are discussing the eternality of the Father. The Psalms contain heavy, heavy teaching. The heart is encouraged to let loose: Look for a second at how emotional the Psalm writers get. Psalm 42 pants for God.When was the last time you panted for God in song? Psalm 45 is written completely out of a stirred heart. Psalm 61 wants God to hear their cry. Psalm 63 is very vivid with how the writer's soul thirsts for God and his body longs for God (pretty self occupied isn't he?). And Psalm 66 tells the whole earth to "shout" with "joy." When is the last time you shouted with joy in a church building? "Shhhhhh, quiet, baby Jesus may be sleeping?" And speaking of repetition, have you ever read Psalm 136? 26 times the Psalmist says, "his love endures for ever." Talk about a 7-11 song, Psalm 136 takes the cake! OTHER SIDE EMOTIONS The issue to me isn't the question if emotions are good or bad, but it is how they are used? There is a famous saying by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. when it comes to teaching that has always fascinated me as a preacher, "I would not give a fig for the simplicity this side of complexity, but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity." He wants the simplicity that is found on the other side of thinking. The simplicity that people usually arrive at is before they think. I believe this to be a great maxim for emotions as well. I don't trust emotions on this side of thinking and doctrinal teaching; but I love and embrace the emotion that is derived from the convictions I have formed from teaching. Emotions do have the power to persuade, and if they are not rooted in true truth people can become suckers in the hands of master manipulators. To give you an example of this idea of emotions before thinking, I was talking to our worship pastor Jared about songs, and he said something really funny, "A lot of contemporary worship groups write 'Boyfriend Jesus' songs." That is all he said and it has really got me thinking. What is a "Boyfriend Jesus" song? After a few seconds it became obvious: They are songs that don't really ask you to think, or commit, or wonder, they just want you to feel...and often the feeling has a romantic flavor to it. It is not necessarily a warm fuzzy as much as it is a gushing heart of adolescent passion. And if the singers who are performing the songs have stunning good looks, all the better for creating the mindless vibe of "I love Jesus! Why, I don't know, I just love Jesus!" One song that comes to mind is a song that churches sang a lot in the late 90's called "Breathe." Here is the chorus: And I I'm desperate for you And I I'm lost without you And I I'm lost without you And I I'm desperate for you And I I'm lost without you I'm lost without you I'm lost without you Pretty deep stuff, isn't it? It sounds like Bella pulling on Edward as he leaves her to go fight the werewolves. Have you ever heard, "You Consume Me," by DC Talk back in the day? It is definitely a boyfriend song. I have also been a little weary of playing songs that use the cross for their own ends. Instead of causing people to pause and wonder at the great love and tragedy wrapped up on what the cross signifies; Christian artists and worship leaders will often use the cross as a spring-board to further their career and sell a product. Personally to me, this makes a mockery of Christ's spilled blood: "Hey, lets dance and party to Jesus dying on the cross?" For me, that is not consistent with the theology of the atonement. When I was a Youth Pastor I often told the students under my care that I would much rather listen to "Yellow Submarine" while we are having an "all-nighter" eating Doritos, than playing songs in the background of Jesus dying on the cross. Simplicity before complexity, emotions before doctrine, have the ability to stunt proper meditation, ignore real lament, and stop us from experiencing authentic gratitude. A QUESTION OF COMPREHENSION So then, do we only sing songs that have thick theology and give us a full sweep of biblical doctrine in one bite? I am not always for that either because I think there can be a point on Sunday morning when we reach comprehension saturation. Do you know what a saturation point is? Well, when a sponge has too much water, you can give it one drop of water on the top and out from the bottom will fall three drops because it is saturated. I think that happens often in church if you sing three or full songs in a row that are stuffed full of deep and heavy doctrine - - after awhile you get tired and give up thinking altogether. By a director's choice to teach heady stuff, sometimes they can actually cause people to become mindless and numb. So to keep stuffing us with more doctrine may just be counterproductive and nothing more than an illusion of thinking we are deep people...while our minds have checked out. Have you ever had a history or science teacher that used the "information dump" method in class? How much did you learn after they made you write down ten pages of notes for each class? Mental saturation happens quick. Have you ever read a wordy book and after one hour you only were able to comprehend a single paragraph - - mental saturation again. Sometimes this happens in church when you just sang 8 stanzas of high worded theology. For instance, look at the theology in this great new hymn "O Church Arise." As you read it ask yourself how many points of doctrine does this cover as you sing it? And honestly, how much of it do you actually retain as you sing it? O church, arise and put your armor on; Hear the call of Christ our captain; For now the weak can say that they are strong In the strength that God has given. With shield of faith and belt of truth We'll stand against the devil's lies; An army bold whose battle cry is "Love!" Reaching out to those in darkness. Our call to war, to love the captive soul, But to rage against the captor; And with the sword that makes the wounded whole We will fight with faith and valor. When faced with trials on ev'ry side, We know the outcome is secure, And Christ will have the prize for which He died-- An inheritance of nations. Come, see the cross where love and mercy meet, As the Son of God is stricken; Then see His foes lie crushed beneath His feet, For the Conqueror has risen! And as the stone is rolled away, And Christ emerges from the grave, This vict'ry march continues till the day Ev'ry eye and heart shall see Him. So Spirit, come, put strength in ev'ry stride, Give grace for ev'ry hurdle, That we may run with faith to win the prize Of a servant good and faithful. As saints of old still line the way, Retelling triumphs of His grace, We hear their calls and hunger for the day When, with Christ, we stand in glory. It is a great song, I love it, I really do. Now are you ready to sing another song about a royal diadem, a bulwark never failing or how about God being immortal, invisible, and only wise? You need to catch your breath and soothe your mind with a good simple song like "Mighty to Save!" or "How Marvelous!" Something simple and expressive helps digest the intricacies of the previous. Even more than that, isn't it O.K. to just emote after you have thought about deep and wonderful truths that are causing your heart to explode? And isn't crying also an expression of deep gratitude and wonder? We shouldn't be afraid of emotions, God gave them to us. So where do you stand, and what does music mean to you? This can be dangerous to ask because people often demand what they want after they think about it. My hope with this post is to get all of us to think about this more so we will be biblical and human at the same time as we approach music on Sunday morning. *Note: this post is dedicated to CK - thanks for the great talk yesterday!!! Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. (Ezek. 28:17) In yesterday's sermon, we discussed the domino that first fell which began the downfall and destruction of God's created order...Lucifer and his pride.
According to Ezekiel 28:17, a tragedy occurred: This highest ranking angel, a being of extreme beauty, power and wisdom; fell in love with himself and became a creature of conceit. Instead of reflecting God, he turned inward and became stuck on himself. Isn't this always the pattern with us? We are made to be image bearers, but we so easily forget about God because we are obsessed with ourselves. I am becoming more and more convinced that one of the most dangerous activities we could ever do is to "gaze" into the bathroom mirror for an extended length of time; or taking too many of those dreaded selfies and then posting it on Instagram so everyone else can gaze upon our beauty. When we start believing we are the star of this earthly show, Satan whispers sweet nothings in our ear and says, “Aren't you special, better and deserving? Isn't it fun to love yourself? There really is no one more enchanting than you.” The devil is the prime agent responsible for giving birth to narcissism: a psychological decay of the mind and a hollowing out of the soul. And look around, narcissism has infected an awful lot of people in our culture. I am sure many names come to mind of politicians, celebrities and athletes. Christianity has declared war against pride, and it is steadfastly working out the process of redemption on this broken world. Jesus wants to bring back to the life the created order that was originally intended. Restoring what was stolen. And the Holy Spirit is at work even today trying to save us from our poisoned-self and obsession with vanity. Vanity use to be a deadly sin; now it has become a marketable commodity, something everyone should be more than eager and encouraged to possess. Do you think people are dangerously addicted to themselves? If you do, then it is time for you to rise up and reclaim our humanity through humility! I have recently been taught a method to develop habits that could help us do just that. It is called the "B.L.E.S.S. Discipleship Method." I learned it through the Surge School of Spiritual Renewal in Phoenix, Arizona. It is what the new generation of Bible teachers are calling "intentional living." You need to be purposeful in your relationships and here is how the BLESS system works: B = Be a blessing to three people this week. Make one a fellow Christian, one a non-Christian, and one you believe to be in a lower station in life than yourself. A blessing can be anything from helping them with a service, writing them a letter or going out of your way to shower kindness upon them. L = Listen throughout the day to God (let his scriptures fill you through meditation) and listen to the world around you (listen to needs, joy, touches of God). Be aware of things outside of yourself first, instead of always worrying about your agenda and needs. E = Eat! (I like this one). Go to breakfast or lunch with a friend, a new person you never met, and a member of your family this week. (Maybe choose your spouse? "Naw, that is too hard!") And then be present in the moment. S = Speak to God and others. Speak to God in prayer, share your heart with him. And speak to others by encouraging, empathizing or exhorting them to live in truth. Yes, the gospel is our goal, but we don't always need to preach it with pounding fist; we can share it in action and words "fitly spoken in apples of gold in pictures of silver." S = Sabbath, rest one day a week where you don't need to succeed, produce, win, dominate, demand, or be noticed. This is a day to just enjoy and let God be in-charge for once. We are really good at criticizing a world gone mad, we can mock selfie takers without ceasing, and we are good at cynically distancing ourselves from other who irritate us. But we are called to "love our neighbor as ourselves." To combat narcissism try service. To kill your pride why not pour into someone else. My dad always would say you have two choices in life, "(1) You can complain about the darkness, or (2) you can light a candle for others to see." What's your choice? "Every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." 1 John 4:3 The bible at times can be downright terrifying. Some of the villains found within it's pages have frightened our collective imaginations for thousands of years. Here are a few: the man wielding the number 666, the angel Apollyon who holds the keys to the abyss where the fiery scorpions live, the Antichrist, the legion of demons that caused a man to live in the among tombs, and then there is of course, Lucifer himself.
Revelation gives this fallen angel quite a few names: The Great Dragon, the Ancient Serpent, the Beast coming out of the Sea, Satan, the Devil. Just mentioning these names can cause small children to go run and hide shivering under their blankets, moms to lock all doors in the middle of the afternoon and men to build fall-out bunkers in their back woods. One time at our family dinner table my daughter Ginger asked her little brother Joseph to say the name "Lucifer." So Joseph, like the gullible little brother that he is quickly said the name, "Lucifer." Ginger, baiting the poor guy, gasped and said, "Joseph, do you know who Lucifer even is?" "No," Joseph replied. She then said in a creepy tone, "It is another name for Satan!" Joseph with wide eyes and a look of dread said, "I didn't know, I didn't know, am I in trouble?" The Evil One and his minions have been fueling our deepest fears ever since time began. He has always been that outside agitator, the invisible pest that doesn't stop, the one who "made me do it." But then there are some of us who don't even believe he is real; the name is nothing more than a symbol of brokenness, a poetic device to describe decay. Nothing to worry about - - a favorite character of creepy movie makers and ghost story tellers. But what if he really is real? And even worse than that, what if his work is not something that happens "out there"; but his work takes place "in here", in the secret chambers of each individual's heart? Now that is something to be scared of. In 1 John 4:1-6, the writer John warns his readers that it is possible for some people to adopt the spirit of the Antichrist himself. This means that the attitudes, opinions, desires and decisions of Satan can be adopted and embraced by children of men. Satan isn't just shooting fiery arrows from the shadows, he is injecting his deadly poison right into our bones through persuasive lies -- and most of us don't even realize it. If this is true, what does it look like if I am infected? How do I know if I am under his spell? Oh, the bible is very clear on this: - Galatians 5:19-21 gives a list of attitudes and actions that reflect a wicked heart. - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 are things that really upset God because we were not made for this. But overall, there is one main quality that is the tell-tale sign of a corrupted soul: Pride. Pride is both thinking you are better than others (arrogance & conceit) and basking in the glow of your greatness (boasting). The book of Revelation teaches that a man is going to come on the scene that will embody everything that Satan is, he is known as the "Antichrist." Just as Jesus the Christ perfectly reflected the beauty of the Father; the "Antichrist" will reflect the warped pride of Satan himself. And just as Judas was possessed by the Devil when he betrayed Jesus, the Antichrist will be possessed by this same Devil as he tries to take over the world that Jesus rightfully owns. So what will he be like? According to 1 John 4, his spirit of pride has already been active in the world. You can see it the hallways at school when kids bully and laugh at each other. You can see it in marriages when the husband lords everything over his wife and kids; or when the wife belittles her husband, mocks him and disrespects him in front of the world. You can even see this sickness of soul in pastors who think people come to church to worship him and then do his bidding. But above all, the heart of the Antichrist starts with denying that Jesus is the Christ. Life isn't about you being the king, Jesus is King, he is the Christ (Anointed One). This is his world, not yours. We are to live for him; not for only our fame and our glory. People often think I am crazy because I read a lot of books on Hitler. One lady in our church, who will remain nameless, even has the gall to call me Adolph! But I read about him because I am amazed how easily people let this one small man exalt himself over a whole nation. It amazes me how people deny Jesus to claim his rightful place as king, but we have no problem allowing a little twerp like Adolph Hitler to take the throne just because he is so sure of his own greatness. Look around, we let little men and women set up their little thrones all over this world. It's sick. As I was reading the latest book my mom sent me on the "Fuhrer" I came across this quote about pride that was reflected in Hitler's attitude as a young man. It perfectly reveals what this seed of pride look likes that I know is growing in all of us. Tell me, does this describe you? "Pride is a conviction for all those who love themselves too much and easily forgive themselves every weakness; never are their own incompetence and laziness responsible for failures, but always the injustice of others...never do you give an honest account of your failures...others are always to blame...it is the soul that only has pity for itself...and if you can't be as great as you want, you allow yourself to become nothing, while you wallow in pity blaming others for not letting you be great." Pride is a sickness that is stuck on self. Pride is Satan's downfall. Pride is what is destroying this world. The most important question is this: Is pride killing you? It has been almost 40 years now since my brother found a bloated blue body washed up on the Lake Erie shore. I remember it well because it was my sister Stephanie's birthday, March 18th. It was one of those unusually warm March days where the sun beckoned you to come and play outside. Ah, nothing like feeling warm breezes across your face and seeing green grass again after suffering through a long Northern Ohio winter. The town I lived in is named Bay Village. It is a wonderful little place nestled on the southern shores of Lake Erie. Our family lived directly across the street from a private boat launch known to all local residents as the Bay Boat Club. Stephanie and I often went there to skip rocks because you can find the world's greatest skipping stones on it's beaches. And on this particular day we just couldn't wait to get out of the house and enjoy the new smells of spring. There is nothing better than spending a whole morning looking for the perfect rock while the friendly sun melts your cold winter bones. Little did Stephanie and I know, but our brother Don was also walking the beach on that particular morning. He too was down by the Bay Boat Club, but we couldn't see him because he was on the other side of a large peninsula of rock. This area of beach is rarely walked because it often is a catch basin for dead fish, gnarly pieces of driftwood, and garbage. He was there with our dog Buff looking for good pieces of driftwood for him to go fetch in the water. As Don was concentrating on gathering good throwing sticks, Buff began rolling on something blue. "Buff, get off the dead fish." Not again. We all hated it when our dog would roll on the dead fish that washed to shore. There is nothing worse than a dog with dead fish stink; and then having our dad demanding the 'stupid mutt' to be washed before he came back into the house. So Don yelled again, "Buff, get over here!" But he wouldn't respond. So as Don went up to grab him he noticed that this was no dead fish the dog was rolling on, it was a bloated blue body of a dead man! "Buff, get off now!" And when Buff heard the serious intent in his voice he quickly jumped up. Instantly, my brother ran to local police department to report his findings. As Stephanie and I were skipping stones, the police sirens could be heard approaching in the distance. "Steph, what is going on? We better get out of here they might be coming after us?" As we ran away from shore and up into the woods lining the Boat Club's drive, we saw a couple police cars pull into where my brother found the body. We ran home not waiting to see what actually was going on. A few hours later a police car drove up into our driveway and dropped off my brother. "You guys won't believe what happened?" Don came into the family kitchen and described the days incredible events. How could you ever forget that day? Over the next few weeks my brother received a commendation from the police department for his bravery, and then news reports kept coming out with details on the story of the missing man. It turns out this person was attending a New Years Eve party in Sandusky, Ohio at a house that overlooked Lake Erie. It was determined that he went outside to get some air, but he failed to realize that the backyard had a cliff that dropped off into the icy cold waters of a nearly frozen Lake Erie. As he dropped down a few hundred feet, he died on impact and was caught in an ice flow that eventually brought him to his resting spot on the Bay Boat Club shore. Through the months of January thru March he was reported missing; all the while his body floated a good 45 miles in two and half months. Wierd. Why do I tell you this? Well, because it is my sister's 50th birthday today. We had spent some great times together and I don't want to forget our memories of the past. I don't want to lose them, so I write. Also, those days of childhood seemed so long ago, and boy were they peaceful. No big endeavors to undertake, no deadlines, no one demanding me to be somebody, no wondering if I am failure or success? All I wanted to do was find the perfect skipping stone, that is it! Where did those days go? Why doesn't it seem like our kids have those kinds of days anymore? Parents, why do we demand so much? Why are we always wanting our children to be better than the other kids, do more, compete, compete, compete? Don't you want your kids to feel how smooth and heavy a skipping stone is in your hand...I know I do? Don't you want your kid to just go outside and soak in the sun, get dirty, and listen to silence? I find that I always feel guilty if I don't have my kids involved. Man, I am not doing enough. I need to be a Tiger Dad and demand excellence all the time. But as I think about it, isn't that a bit controlling? Isn't this another area of our life where we have taken the place of God? Like a good stew, can't we allow our kid's souls to simmer in the mundane and grace of life, instead of always turning the heat up on our kids? Too much heat causes things to boil, and is that really good? "Oh, don't you see, They need to win championships, they need to practice, they need to join clubs, have sleep overs, make great grades, and never miss out!" MISS OUT ON WHAT? There is no one like my sister Steph. (Except for my daughter Jasmine). She didn't like to compete, she loved being outside, she forced me to join in her enjoying a slow paced life. I thank God for her. I learned two great things from her: (1) A person matters because they are there with you in the moment, not always running to next event. (2) Enjoy small things...like a good skipping stone...because you will become a better person for it. Why not take some time today to let the sun melt your cold winter bones? Go outside with your kids. Throw sticks to the dog, quit feeling like you have to impress everyone with how busy you are. And you never know, if you enjoy the day with no agenda whatsoever, you might even find a dead body along the way! Wouldn't that be nice? "Jews, so they think they are special?"
Yeah, because in a certain way, they are. "So does that mean they are better, more loved, always right in every political dispute?" No, in many ways it means they will be under more scrutiny, disciplined more, and far more accountable before God than other nations. Being chosen can be quite a burden. God’s Word over and over again affirms the truth that the Jews are God’s chosen people: “You are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession” (Deuteronomy 7:6). "So, does this give them carte blanche to act anyway they want in the world?" No, not at all. This does not make them superior. This doesn't mean Bibi Netanyahu is a saint, this doesn't give their military the right to willy-billy bomb the Palestinians, and just because someone is a Jew it is not O.k. for them to hoard their wealth, and make perverse movies and TV shows...like so many of them do. Plain and simple, as the chosen, they are responsible. Scripture says, "To whom much is given, much is required." And much was given to them. "So, what were they given?" Paul says, "They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen." Wow, Jesus is a Jew... that is rather surprising? On the positive side: being chosen is an amazing honor. You get to be on the inside track with regards to the things of God. You get first dibs. On the negative side: being chosen can be tremendously dangerous; especially when you are closely watched by a jealous God. Now when I say jealous I am not talking about a God that has juvenile feelings, attitudes, and responses. God is perfect. He never reacts in a way that is less than who he is. But in his jealous perfection, he does not have as much patience for the foolishness of his chosen people as he would for other nations. All of us understand this, we exhibit the same kind of jealousy with our own kids. If they chose friends that we do not like, we are quick to let them know. If they make terrible choices at school, we are swift to punish and reprimand them. If they blurt out a disgusting curse word with glee, out comes the "Ivory Soap" for a good mouth washing. Believe me, I know. Would you respond like that if your neighbor's kid was naughty? No, you stay out of their business. So when God says he has chosen Israel to be his own, that means they have become a very real target. That can be quite scary. Three things we as non-Jews often fail to understand by this title of chosen: (1) Chosen means God has picked them to uniquely display his Greatness. This issue of being chosen really isn't about the Jews as much as it is about God's glory. In Deuteronomy 4:5-7 God explains to Israel that their obedience to his law will show him off to the world. He chose them to be his advertisers. He wants the world to watch them. He also has done the same thing now with each individual Christian he has chosen. Galatians 1:15 says that God chose us to "reveal his Son." Don't you see? Chosen doesn't mean you are better, it means you are given the responsibility to make God shine in your life! (2) Chosen means if you chose not to display God, he will make you miserable. Sadly the Jews didn't heed the overwhelming warnings given to them over the years. If you were to read Deuteronomy 28:15-68 all the way through, it is quite clear how serious God is about his glory being seen in his people. But they ignored him and chose not to display him. Sadly the holocaust plays an awful lot like this section of Deuteronomy. Romans 11 warns all Christians as well, if God can do that to his chosen nation who disobey why do we think we as chosen individuals will get away with continual disobedience? (3) Chosen means God is still going to bless the world through them no matter what. When they abandoned God, he started focusing his blessings and attention on the Gentiles. He did this for two reasons: To show the world he is good despite the response of his people, and secondly to cause his people to be jealous when they see non-Jews enjoying the grace of God. And let me tell you, when they finally come back, God is going to pour his blessings back not only on his people, but the whole world will benefit. They are the avenue of his blessings. We need to pray for Israel for the fact that when they come back we all win - - that means the ripe fruit of the new kingdom will start growing again. So don't be angry at the Jews. Be worried and show compassion for them. God will fulfill the promises he made to them, but he also promised that discipline and pruning always precedes blessing. It is a scary thing to have the eternal God as your disciplining Father. Is he yours? “Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies! Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers” Psalm 141:4 & 9 Which one of these top news stories really causes your blood to boil? 1) Young girls sold in sexual slavery. 2) OU fraternity chanting racist songs. 3) ABC Family aired two 13 year old boys kissing on "the Fosters" episode. 4) Rise in neglect with the children of meth addicts. Those who read my blog are more than likely upset by all four headlines; but for the average American, headline number three is not a tragedy, it is a triumph! USA Today was so excited about this ground-breaking event that they labeled this episode as one of the most important scenes in television history! (http://college.usatoday.com/2015/03/10/voices-the-fosters-aired-one-of-the-most-important-scenes-in-tv-history/) This gleeful sentiment was shared by a large number of popular news outlets as well. One Twitter message even said, "Super proud of @TheFostersABCF for airing the youngest same-sex kiss in the history of television #Progress #Jonnor." Ah yes, of course, the great catch-all phrase signaling evolutionary success..."progress." But should we view this as progress? Or is it sheer exploitation? The answer depends on who you are: Are you a woman or a man? A Christian or agnostic? A metropolitan progressive or a back-woods survivalist? I will answer this as a father that has two teenage sons... If we were having a discussion on "women's reproductive rights" or "the black civil rights struggle" those who are white males are never really allowed in on the discussion. We are kindly told to keep out, it is none of our business. But on this issue of male homosexuality and it's attack on young boys everyone seems to be allowed a voice; especially feminist elitist women. Their voice always seems to matter the most in our kind, tolerant society these days. But when it comes to this issue, they have no idea what they are talking about; they have not been there and done that. They don't know what it is like being in the mind of a confused teenage boy. So ladies like Rachael Maddow and Oprah, on this issue, shut your mouth and listen for once. We are all swimming in a sex obsessed, romance saturated America; and for a young male, trying to make sense of it is not as easy as you think. Boys, especially around the ages of 9-16, are not wired to emotionally handle the tsunami of gender and sexual orientation debate that is being foisted on all of us by our popular culture. Boys are emotionally vulnerable, and instead of giving them time to grow up and mature, culturally progressive quacks demand that they should be allowed to make life altering decisions right now. Let them be allowed to make sexual choices on their own without interference from their repressive, domineering parents. But young boys are not equipped to do this, nor should they be expected to. And allowing them to experiment with multi-gendered sexual experiences is just plain evil! Not only for the God-fearing Christian is this considered abhorrent sin; but psychologically, this can warp a young boy the rest of their life. Listen to this article I found in Psychology Today as it discusses the emotional growth of young boys: "Scientists are gaining new insights into remarkable changes in male teenagers’ brains that may explain why the teen years are so hard on young people and their parents. From ages 11-14, kids lose some of the connections between cells in the part of their brain that enables them to think clearly and make good decisions. What happens is that the brain is pruning itself—going through changes that will allow a young person to move into adult life effectively. 'Ineffective or weak brain connections are pruned in much the same way a gardener would prune a tree or bush, giving the plant a desired shape. Sometimes, students can’t explain why they feel the way they do. Their brain is changing from a child brain to an adult brain...there’s a portion of time when the child part of the brain has been pruned, but the adult portion is not fully formed. They are 'in-between.' They are informed but not prepared." Did you read that? Young boys can't rightly discern heavy emotional issues because they are still growing up. Boys were made to play in the dirt, hide in the woods, throw a pig skin for hours, and wrestle with their neighbors - - not to question their sexual orientation all because they still are scared to talk to girls or they think they have cooties. In the picture that I attached on this article, this is how the average growing awkward boy feels as he evaluates himself with the world around him. If you don't need to shave yet, and your voice is still high pitched, and you don't want to talk with girls it doesn't mean you are gay...it means you are normal! But we have allowed in the wolves and perverts of popular culture to change the answer to, "Hmm, you aren't comfortable with talking to girls? Your not that into them yet? Maybe that is because you were born gay!" Don't you see, this is "exploitation!" Exploitation is using something that is not rightfully yours for your selfish benefit. I am convinced that the gay world is taking unfair advantage on the emotional instability of boys, and they are using this weakness to legitimize their own perverted worldview. Do you know what kind of world actually awaits a young man who wants to experiment with their sexuality? Do you know the repercussions of allowing yourself to think you may be gay? It is not a healthy lifestyle choice, it is not kind, it does not have your best interest at heart! Instead it is a nightmarish world of bathhouses and lust driven porn sites that offer you nameless one night hook-ups and gets you to experiment on sick twisted applications like "grindr". The gay world is designed to destroy and take advantage of confused young men! I thank God I had a home where I could work through my growing up years with parents who loved me through my confusion, while shielding me from the sex obsessed world around us. They didn't push dating on me, they didn't care if all I wanted to do was play baseball, go swimming at the lake with my sisters, and throw sticks to my dog. My personality was never a matter of my sexual orientation...it was always about me being a part of the Weeks family. Why has the discussion of sex and gender become the number one issue the progressives are fighting about? Why can't we stop all this sexualized madness, and allow our kids to focus on the real things that matter; like showing general kindness, being a good person and developing self-control? Why can we take the time to help our kids learn their talents and skills, instead of who they want to kiss? There is so much more out there in the world to excite our children about than going on a date and shacking up. And we need to be honest about real life: once you do find that right one, sex never should, nor will it, drive the marriage; rather it's enjoyment is always dependent upon everything else in the relationship being healthy. Sex is only the fruit on the tree. Friendship and proper communication is the root system and branches that hold up and generate tasty, ripened fruit. And purity (marriage & monogamy) is the only thing that makes the fruit sweet. Impurity is like poison. Instead of always wanting progress, why don't we for once agree with the bible and go back and "ask for the ancient paths?" (Jeremiah 6:16) It it is there, "You will find rest for your souls!" I think that is exactly what our culture needs...rest! Hold on a second...don't misprint or misunderstand me. I am not declaring with this post that John Mayer has converted to evangelical Christianity; and he definitively is not going into the ministry. But I must admit, he gave an interview over the weekend that was very convicting for me personally. He wasn't trying to unleash a heated rant from a pulpit, he didn't use the bible, nor was he trying to convert anyone listening - - it was simply an open and honest discussion about the condition of his heart. It was one of those rare moments of raw honesty shared from a fellow struggler on this earth. It really caused me to look at my own heart, and it confronted a problem all of us wrestle with: "Ego Addiction." Here the interview if you want to watch it online: http://www.eonline.com/news/633352/john-mayer-talks-about-his-ex-girlfriend-taylor-swift If you don't know who John Mayer is, you probably haven't listened to any form of contemporary music for the last 10 years. He is a seven time Grammy award winner; and let's just say the man is a genius when it comes to playing the guitar. He is one of those rare artists that actually "feels" the music while he plays. Well, over the weekend he gave an interview on MSNBC concerning his past struggles, relationship fiascoes and the current choice to stay relatively hidden from the bright lights of Hollywood and the tabloid press. He has actually moved out to Montana so he could get back to focusing on music without interference from all the outside noise. He said he wanted to get back to his first love: writing songs. So, what caused him to get so off track? His need for approval. He freely admitted he was, and still is, an "Ego Addict." He said he got off course in his professional life when people started misunderstanding him. Being disrespected and disliked bothered him deeply. He wanted to be liked but he began to see that he was flawed; it was humbling to admit that not everything you did turns to gold. It became a struggle to get the positive press he so desperately desired. He let the opinions of people dictate his moods, the relationships he formed, and it even spoiled the music that he made. At one point he said something I found fascinating: he believes artists of today are now singing while at the same time judging themselves wondering how they are playing in the critics ear. Instead of just singing for the love of it, they are performing for success on twitter. And once people are done singing they instantly check social media to see if they did O.K. And what determines if something is O.K.? If it gets a lot of hits, likes and favorable comments in the heat of the current immediate news stream. He said he is tired of living under this pressure. As a pastor, it is hard to admit it, but I live this experience every Sunday. I feel like I am slave to the exact same tyranny of being liked...and I hate it! I want to be liked. I am afraid all of us are running in this rat race of popularity. Whether we post something on Facebook, send an Instagram pic, place a Pinterest post, we have to know if we are O.K. If people notice me positively, I'm doing great - - if people have stopped looking at what I post or don't like what I post, I'm depressed. I even struggle with this when I write blogs. Why do I write blogs? I want to simply offer a voice of reason in a world of deceit. I want to draw in people to consider the implications of having Jesus in your life. I want to try to present Christianity as reasonable and valid, warm-hearted, a message of kindness with a stiff back-bone. Like John Mayer - I want to create beauty and life. His interview was a good wake up call. I must remember not to let the opinions of critics and the desire to be liked stop me from creating. And neither should you! You gotta know when to hold em', know when to fold em'...on second thought, when you are playing God in cards, just walk away, walk away! Bluffing is an art.
Making it seem like you have a good hand when you ain't got nothing takes real talent: steel nerves, icy cold eyes and a rock hard jaw line. The best of bluffers know just how to raise the pot with that sly grin, while sporting the confidence of a 5,000 pound bull shark that is circling his prey. And when you get really good at it, your competitors will drop like flies, "I fold...I fold...I fold....so do I." Now the pile of money in the middle is all yours, but before you grab it, there is always that one player who works up the guts to ask you, "Hey fella, what was in your hand?" And with a devilish laugh, you reply, "A pair of deuces...suckers!" Winning on a pair of two's with king high takes some expert poker playing and exceptional acting skills! But...what if you played the same poker game with the same hand and all your cards were showing? How effective would your bluffing be? "I'll raise the pot by fifty!" "Dude, I can see your cards and you only have a pair of two's, what are you doing? You have nothing but trash? Just fold, that act isn't working." But no, you think raising the ante will really fool em, so your throw in a cool grand with a smirk. "Dude, didn't you hear me? I can still see all your cards and my lowly pair of fives still beats them - - but if you want to lose all your money, go right ahead!" Bluffing only works when people can't see what is in your hand. Pretty obvious, isn't it? Then if it is so obvious, why do people try to bluff God every single day of their lives? Look around, there are millions of people walking the earth thinking that God doesn't see who they really are. So they strut on the earth's stage playing the cool, calm and collected tough guy or the sweet holy girl believing that their bluff is working. But it isn't, because in the mind of God, all your cards are showing. Job 31:4 asks this rhetorical question: "Does he not see my ways and count my every step?" Answer: Of course he does! You can't bluff God because he is omniscient. That means he can see everything that is in your hand. Oh sure you can bluff other people. In fact, people do it to me as a pastor all the time. I will have people come into my office who need help but they are often acting the innocent part, wanting advice, smiling while saying what they think I want to hear. And more often than not, when they walk out the door they forget everything that was said. "Ha, that pastor is so easy to fool." But hear me out: God isn't. If you were to keep reading in Job 40:7-14, God confronts him and breaks the bad news that he has heard everything Job and his buddies have been whining about. So he calls Job's bluff by saying in very direct terms, "O.K., you think you are so smart and capable...then look on every proud man and humble him. Bury all the arrogant in the dust." In other words, if you think you have the right to challenge me and my justice, you must first prove yourself. Can you even compare to my Majesty? After he calls Job's bluff, Job is quick to admit that his hand is lousy. It is so bad that in Job 42:5-6 he says he "despises himself and repents in dust and ashes." Job folds, because he aint got nothing... And neither do you! The difficulty with most of us is that we are born arrogant & stubborn. We try to keep playing the game, acting the part of the bull shark, when we know we are only holding a pair of deuces. Wake up, your poker face is not working with God. And if you keep trying to raise the ante there will come a day when God is going to call your hand. This day is known in scripture as the "Great and Terrible Day of the Lord." Let us just say, you don't want to still be playing your hand at the table when all bets on the earth are called. God is going to come to earth as a fierce lion and he will be through messing around. Here's my advice: Fold...right now! In biblical language this means to Repent, turn back to God, and walk away from your game playing. Drop the act. Life is not a game, eternity is not like a window where you check in your chips, it is more like a court room...books will be opened...and bluffing will not be tolerated. So what will you do, it's your deal? "Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions!" Proverbs 18:2 If you are a Christian, you cannot...must not...better not be a troll!
Stop it! Internet and social media is not a free for all where you can quit acting like Christ. Free wifi is not an invitation for free venting; where you think you have the God given right to just let it all hang out without any repercussions. You still represent Jesus even if people can't see your face. Controlling your tongue includes controlling your rantings online as well. Did you know that Ephesians 4:29 and 5:4 are still in the Bible? Even the new ESV has included those two verses because they are still really important for all believers to abide by. Maybe it would help us all to be reminded again what these verses say: Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear...Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. The purpose of words, both written and verbal, is clear: "to build up others, give grace, and be thankful." How many Christians on the internet aim to accomplish these purposes? Not many. I know I am not perfect with my words, but I have intentionally tried to make one of my primary aims to encourage and build up those who listen. Sometimes building up does require tearing down what is wrong and detrimental. (Look at Ephesians 5:7-11 - Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.) But for the most part I aim to inform and bring joy. I have been wanting to write on the topic of "training your troll" for a long time now. But the recent Twitter screed against the famous baseball pitcher Curt Schilling's daughter pushed me to finally write this. If you haven't read what the Twitter world said about her you are lucky...the filth of the low-life troll world came out in full force against his daughter and it is abhorrent. Curt, as a loving and protective dad, was having none of it! Listen to some of his words, At the end of the day this is becoming a cesspool of cynicism that we live in. I can deal with my issues and my detractors and haters. But some people can’t and women shouldn’t ever have to. I grew up in a world where women were treated with respect and dignity. When did that become out of date? Obsolete? How? Why? You want to rag me? You want to MF me about RI, about things I said when I played, about my congressional testimony in 2001? Go for it. Dear Christian, you never should be a part of spewing sewage across the cyber galaxy! We are meant to beautify and bring peace. Philippians 4:8 says, "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." Wow, that is hard to do, but that is exactly what Jesus asked us to do! So, practically, how do we do this? I have three simple, tiny suggestions: (1) Before you hit post, reply or send..."think." Take a five second breath, re-read what you wrote and then if you feel Jesus is alright with what you wrote, go ahead and send it. If you notice on Facebook and twitter, people will put down the first thing that pops up in their mind. Sadly, some of these knee-jerk hostile rants are from people who go to our church - - and frankly, some of their thoughts are downright shameful. Don't people know the internet is public and everybody can read what you write? Can you imagine going up to heaven and Jesus has a folder of your postings and he says, "Really Chris, you thought it was ok talking about your bowel movements all over the internet? Is that really that lovely?" (2) Before you hit post, reply or send, make sure you have thick enough skin for the trolls that will go after you. If you are a sensitive person, my advice is to stay off the public forums. People these days will attack you over the smallest of subjects. What people sometimes say about me is mind-blowing. Because I support traditional values and believe in God, all of a sudden I have become in the eyes of many a, "Homophobic, misogynistic, close minded, stupid neanderthal, who hates progress." It doesn't bother me (well, maybe a little) because I am ready for it. But if you are not, and you start getting attacked, it can feel like you were sucker punched and you will never want to associate with the world again. People have evil thoughts, and the internet offers a very convenient avenue to express every evil thought without any personal fall out - - because there is no skin in the game. So beware! (3) Learn to love people on the internet by first trying your best to understand their point of view. Timothy Keller, a very intelligent Christian writer and pastor, once said that to love your enemy when you are arguing with them means to first understand them completely. So before you disagree or critique a point, take the time to hear their opinion, fully! And when you can objectively articulate back to them what they believe, you have loved them. It is at that point it is o.k. to respond. Did you know argument is a healthy thing? Disagreement is what brings improvement and destroys ignorance. And as Christians, the art of healthy arguing and discussion must begin with us. In fact, our job is to persuade and win over a world that hates Jesus. But if we hate first, we are just inciting more hate against him. We love because he first loved us. So stop being a troll! |
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