I was an active participant in one of Jesus’ parables. In Matthew 20: 1-16, He gave the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard.
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’
“So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
I say I was a living participant because a similar thing happened to me. On Christmas Eve, my job allowed all workers to leave at 3:00pm. Though some came in at 9 and other at 11:00, we each left at 3:00 yet were paid for a full day. To those like me, who came in at 8:00am, it might seem unfair that those who came in at 11:00 got the same privileges and pay. In fact, the thought has originally passed through my mind. Then, the Lord brought this passage to my mind. He helped me to understand its true meaning.
The passage is not about how much who gets paid for what work. Instead it is about grace. When we read the passage, we look at it from the same standpoint as the Pharisees did, from the perspective of the workers. However, Jesus meant for the passage to be looked at from the perspective of the landowner. As the landowner pointed out, the workers were not cheated because they got what was agreed upon. Because he paid the same to those who did less work was not an affront to the workers, but actually to the landowner. He paid the same wage for less work. In fairness to himself, he should have paid the workers who came in later on a sliding scale. Instead, he paid them all equally. The landowner lost out not the workers. The first workers would have gotten paid the same regardless because it the agreement. The other being paid the same was only grace on the part of the landowner.
Jesus spoke this parable to stress to the Jews that though the Gentiles (us) came (or will come) into a relationship with God late, we will receive the same reward as they would. This is not a slight to the Jews who followed God earnestly all their lives, but grace to the Gentiles. It is God who takes the loss of rewarding equally those who did not serve Him as He does those who did.
Things look different when you see them through another’s eyes. It’s all a matter of perspective.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Religion and Christ
Here's a preview of a chapter in my next book...if I ever get a chance to sit down and write it.
Religion and Christ
Religion is destructive. It is no wonder that people don’t like religion. Religion divides homes. Religion puts people in bondage. Religion steals people’s joy and peace. Religion kills. Why? Religion is about people trying to perform good enough to please their gods. The problem with religion is that it is based on a person’s interpretation of what it takes to please that god.
Rules and Rituals
To be a good follower of any religion, one has to jump through a number of hoops in order that he or she might please their god. These hoops, or rituals, restrict the freedom God desires for his people to enjoy. It is also the fear of these hoops that keep many people from coming to a relationship with Christ. Rituals come in different forms and not all rituals are bad. Just the ones that someone says must be done or God won’t accept you or be pleased with you. These are the ones that add to the law of God. A good example is the Sinner’s Prayer. This is the prayer that someone who trusts Christ as Lord and Savior prays. In the prayer, the sinner asks God to come into his or her heart and to forgive them of their sins. It is a good idea and a good practice, but it is not biblical. Not one time in the New Testament when someone ask, “What must I do to be saved?” did Peter, John, or Andrew reply, “Say this prayer after me.” Instead the answer was “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” Afterwards, they were baptized. Not any place in the narrative is it mentioned that a prayer was ever said. As Bill Cosby said, “Get yourself a thick Bible.”
What are the benefits of rules and rituals? They lead people into legalism. Legalism is a strict interpretation and adherence to the letter of the law. Legalism is following the do’s and the don’ts, the thou shall’s and the thou shall not’s. The problem with legalism is that if you fail to cross a T or dot an I, you might be in trouble. With legalism one never knows when he or she has done enough to please God. That goes back to the concept of religion is man’s way of trying to get himself back to God.
Another issue with rules and religion is that bad teaching can lead people to do all sorts of things. Religious indoctrination can get people to do things they normally wouldn’t do. In order to please their god or to gain some semblance of assurance of salvation, people will steal and kill. Jesus warned His followers that it will be religious people who will be their greatest enemy not lost people. In John 16:2, Jesus said, “They (religious people) will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.”
The errors of legalism and religion are that they will always fall short because man is imperfect. He can never do enough to satisfy a holy God. The Psalmist said, “There is none righteous, no not one. There is none who understands. There is none that seeks after God; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no not one. Isaiah went on to say that all our righteousness were as filthy rags before God. As a result, no one has assurance of Salvation. They can’t even be sure when and if things are ok between them and their God. To do all this work and still not know is not freedom; it is bondage.
Religion and Christ
Religion is destructive. It is no wonder that people don’t like religion. Religion divides homes. Religion puts people in bondage. Religion steals people’s joy and peace. Religion kills. Why? Religion is about people trying to perform good enough to please their gods. The problem with religion is that it is based on a person’s interpretation of what it takes to please that god.
Rules and Rituals
To be a good follower of any religion, one has to jump through a number of hoops in order that he or she might please their god. These hoops, or rituals, restrict the freedom God desires for his people to enjoy. It is also the fear of these hoops that keep many people from coming to a relationship with Christ. Rituals come in different forms and not all rituals are bad. Just the ones that someone says must be done or God won’t accept you or be pleased with you. These are the ones that add to the law of God. A good example is the Sinner’s Prayer. This is the prayer that someone who trusts Christ as Lord and Savior prays. In the prayer, the sinner asks God to come into his or her heart and to forgive them of their sins. It is a good idea and a good practice, but it is not biblical. Not one time in the New Testament when someone ask, “What must I do to be saved?” did Peter, John, or Andrew reply, “Say this prayer after me.” Instead the answer was “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” Afterwards, they were baptized. Not any place in the narrative is it mentioned that a prayer was ever said. As Bill Cosby said, “Get yourself a thick Bible.”
What are the benefits of rules and rituals? They lead people into legalism. Legalism is a strict interpretation and adherence to the letter of the law. Legalism is following the do’s and the don’ts, the thou shall’s and the thou shall not’s. The problem with legalism is that if you fail to cross a T or dot an I, you might be in trouble. With legalism one never knows when he or she has done enough to please God. That goes back to the concept of religion is man’s way of trying to get himself back to God.
Another issue with rules and religion is that bad teaching can lead people to do all sorts of things. Religious indoctrination can get people to do things they normally wouldn’t do. In order to please their god or to gain some semblance of assurance of salvation, people will steal and kill. Jesus warned His followers that it will be religious people who will be their greatest enemy not lost people. In John 16:2, Jesus said, “They (religious people) will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.”
The errors of legalism and religion are that they will always fall short because man is imperfect. He can never do enough to satisfy a holy God. The Psalmist said, “There is none righteous, no not one. There is none who understands. There is none that seeks after God; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no not one. Isaiah went on to say that all our righteousness were as filthy rags before God. As a result, no one has assurance of Salvation. They can’t even be sure when and if things are ok between them and their God. To do all this work and still not know is not freedom; it is bondage.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
God is Ultimately Responsible for All Suffering
Last week, I was listening to a sermon by Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church, Dallas. The sermon was titled “God is Ultimately Responsible for All Suffering.” It was part of a sermon series he is preaching, called “Politically Incorrect.” The sermon title got me to thinking. As I thought about the title and listened to the sermon, I realized that, as Baptists, we essentially say the same thing only in a different way.
Like some of you, initially, when I read the sermon title, I took it to mean that God brought about or caused all suffering in the world. But that was not the case. Pastor Jeffress’ sermon essentially said that if God is all powerful and is the Sovereign of His universe, then He is ultimately responsible for everything that happens in it. God doesn’t cause the suffering but He does allow it to happen. As Baptist, we certainly say that God is All-powerful and All-knowing. Therefore, if He knows what’s going to happen and is able to stop it but don’t He is ultimately responsible for the consequences it brings.
Job is the prime example. God was aware of what Satan was going to do and even put limitations on how far he could go. Therefore, He was ultimately responsible for the tragedies in Job’s life. Even Job did not discount this. For he said:
God has delivered me to the ungodly,
And turned me over to the hands of the wicked. (Job 16:11)
He also said,
What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? (Job 2:10)
As I begin to think over what I was listening to, it came to me that it was God who sent calamity upon the Israelites. God testified that it was He who raised up the Babylonians who would later lead Judah into captivity (see Ezek. 23:22-24). It was God who sent the flood over the world. Therefore, God is ultimately responsible for all suffering whether He caused it or allowed it.
Think about this: if you allowed your child to touch a hot stove because you wanted to teach them that stoves are hot, you will be ultimately responsible for any suffering that child goes through as a result of their touching the hot stove. Likewise, God is ultimately responsible for any suffering we go through because He allowed it.
Here’s the good news. Since God is ultimately responsible for all suffering, He is also responsible for how much suffering we have to endure. Perhaps you’ve heard the old saying, “God will never put more on us than we are able to bear.” Although it is not in the Bible, there is some truth to it. God may put more on us than we think we are able to bear, but I don’t believe He allows situations to crush us. We may not know the full council of God, we do know that He allows us to undergo some situations to draw us closer to Him. Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11-28-.30).”
He also allows suffering because it is through suffering that we learn obedience (Heb. 5:8). I think He also allows suffering to remind us that we live in a fallen world that is governed by a fallen angel and co-inhabited by fallen people. In short, we live in a sin-filled world. Someone once said, we don’t learn anything when times are good. It is in difficult times that we grow and are shaken from our comfort zones.
Therefore, take courage. In the world, we shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer for Jesus has overcome the world. He that is with you is greater than he who is with them. And finally, if God be for you, no one can be against you. For like Paul, I am convinced that there is nothing, no trial, tribulation, or calamity that can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.
Like some of you, initially, when I read the sermon title, I took it to mean that God brought about or caused all suffering in the world. But that was not the case. Pastor Jeffress’ sermon essentially said that if God is all powerful and is the Sovereign of His universe, then He is ultimately responsible for everything that happens in it. God doesn’t cause the suffering but He does allow it to happen. As Baptist, we certainly say that God is All-powerful and All-knowing. Therefore, if He knows what’s going to happen and is able to stop it but don’t He is ultimately responsible for the consequences it brings.
Job is the prime example. God was aware of what Satan was going to do and even put limitations on how far he could go. Therefore, He was ultimately responsible for the tragedies in Job’s life. Even Job did not discount this. For he said:
God has delivered me to the ungodly,
And turned me over to the hands of the wicked. (Job 16:11)
He also said,
What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? (Job 2:10)
As I begin to think over what I was listening to, it came to me that it was God who sent calamity upon the Israelites. God testified that it was He who raised up the Babylonians who would later lead Judah into captivity (see Ezek. 23:22-24). It was God who sent the flood over the world. Therefore, God is ultimately responsible for all suffering whether He caused it or allowed it.
Think about this: if you allowed your child to touch a hot stove because you wanted to teach them that stoves are hot, you will be ultimately responsible for any suffering that child goes through as a result of their touching the hot stove. Likewise, God is ultimately responsible for any suffering we go through because He allowed it.
Here’s the good news. Since God is ultimately responsible for all suffering, He is also responsible for how much suffering we have to endure. Perhaps you’ve heard the old saying, “God will never put more on us than we are able to bear.” Although it is not in the Bible, there is some truth to it. God may put more on us than we think we are able to bear, but I don’t believe He allows situations to crush us. We may not know the full council of God, we do know that He allows us to undergo some situations to draw us closer to Him. Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11-28-.30).”
He also allows suffering because it is through suffering that we learn obedience (Heb. 5:8). I think He also allows suffering to remind us that we live in a fallen world that is governed by a fallen angel and co-inhabited by fallen people. In short, we live in a sin-filled world. Someone once said, we don’t learn anything when times are good. It is in difficult times that we grow and are shaken from our comfort zones.
Therefore, take courage. In the world, we shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer for Jesus has overcome the world. He that is with you is greater than he who is with them. And finally, if God be for you, no one can be against you. For like Paul, I am convinced that there is nothing, no trial, tribulation, or calamity that can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Our Christian Duty
I know many of you were disappointed when Barack Obama won the presidential election. Some feel that he is too liberal in his thinking. This may be true. I’m not trying to defend his moral or ethical leanings. The only thing that I ask, and it is the same I asked when George Bush was elected president in 2000, is that we pray for our leaders, national and local. Prayer can make a difference.
Many, like myself, are concerned that President-Elect Obama might support laws that are pro-homosexual or pro-abortion. He has made statements to that effect. But I am convinced that is we pray for God’s divine influence on the lives of our leaders, they may find themselves doing things differently than they pledged.
1 Timothy 2:1-4 says, Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” God can move upon the hearts of men to do His will even though they believe they are doing their own (see also Rev. 17:17).
I pass on to you the same advice I gave to those who were not happy about George W. Bush’s election to the high office: Don’t complain about it, but pray for him. He is the president now. Christians have a responsibility to pray for those who are in leadership. Peter wrote to his flock, “13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good… 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.” Romans 13:4 says rulers are God’s minister to us of good. So whether they be president, congressman, senator, governor, mayor, councilman, or school board representative, pray for God’s leadership in their lives. Also, pray for their families. Spouses can have greater impact than many lobbyist groups.
Praying for those in leadership is not only our civic duty, it is our Christian duty.
Many, like myself, are concerned that President-Elect Obama might support laws that are pro-homosexual or pro-abortion. He has made statements to that effect. But I am convinced that is we pray for God’s divine influence on the lives of our leaders, they may find themselves doing things differently than they pledged.
1 Timothy 2:1-4 says, Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” God can move upon the hearts of men to do His will even though they believe they are doing their own (see also Rev. 17:17).
I pass on to you the same advice I gave to those who were not happy about George W. Bush’s election to the high office: Don’t complain about it, but pray for him. He is the president now. Christians have a responsibility to pray for those who are in leadership. Peter wrote to his flock, “13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good… 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.” Romans 13:4 says rulers are God’s minister to us of good. So whether they be president, congressman, senator, governor, mayor, councilman, or school board representative, pray for God’s leadership in their lives. Also, pray for their families. Spouses can have greater impact than many lobbyist groups.
Praying for those in leadership is not only our civic duty, it is our Christian duty.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
A Christian Nation?
6 Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, 7 and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them, 8 but you shall hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day.—Joshua 23:6-8
During my quiet time the other day, I got a strong revelation from the Lord. Now, it may not be a revelation to you, but it was a revelation to me. Then again, I am slow sometimes. But as I was thinking about our state as a ‘Christian Nation’ these verses came to my mind. What was it that led the Israelites astray? It wasn’t that they doubted God. It wasn’t that they didn’t believe in God. It was that they didn’t serve God. It was that they served too many gods.
God’s commandment to them before they entered the Promised Land was to completely and utterly annihilate the inhabitants of the land. If they did not, then the gods of these foreigners would be a snare to them and would lead them away from Him. Yet, they did not obey. They left some of the inhabitants alive with the intentions of making slave of them. Needless to say, the gods of these slaves turned the hearts of the Israelites from their God. They began worshiping them and serving them and doing all sorts of abominable acts, including fornication, sacrificing infants (post-birth abortions), and making idols. The result: a pantheon of gods and no absolute truths.
We did just the opposite with the same results. We were a nation founded on Christian principles. This is represented in our Declaration of Independence, our pledge of allegiance, and our oaths of office. The term “In God We Trust” is on our money. What happened? (This is not the whole answer but this is part.) Instead of going to the land of the infidels, the infidels came to us. Instead of holding fast to the Lord our God, we embraced theirs. Some have said the Allah is just another name for God. Universalism and Unitarianism has penetrated our society. We worship Ashtoreth with free love (pornography and x-rated songs) and Molech (abortion clinics and Pro-choice laws). We have said, if not in word, in spirit, that there is not just one god, but many gods. We have substituted the absolute truth of God’s word for “truth is relative”.
The result is the same. When we turn from God, He will turn from us. Not we have become a nation just like Israel:
And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, by following other gods, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.—Judges 2:19
Like the Israelites, we have become more corrupt then our fathers. Homosexuality is an accepted “alternative lifestyle”. Pornography is more readily accessible than Bibles. Profanity is readily available on network TV programs and mainstream music. It is practically illegal to talk about God, not to mention Jesus, in any public forum. Supreme Court has banned the Ten Commandments on the walls of public buildings. Bibles cannot be read and prayers cannot be made in public schools. And that’s just what I can think of off the top of my head.
I didn’t hear the context of Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s sermon. But one thing I can say. Deuteronomy 28 speaks to this issue. God blesses a land that serves and obeys Him and He curses a land that does not. Like Deuteronomy 28 and Judges 2:21, God will withhold His blessings from us.
I don’t care what anyone says, September 11th was a wakeup call. It may even be part of the Judgment of God. Those who say that it wasn’t sound to me like the Israelites of old. The Prophets told them that judgment would come because of their sinfulness. They persecuted and killed them because they didn’t believe that God would punish His people. God sent the Assyrians to take down Israel and the Babylonians to capture Judah.
Apparently, they forgot that lesson because when the Jesus and His Disciples tried to warn them of God’s punishment, the Pharisee rebuked and persecuted them. They did not believe that God would destroy the City because the Temple was there and they were God’s people. Yet, in AD 66, God did just that. He sent the Romans to sack the city. Israel wasn’t a nation again until 1948.
So if you think that God won’t just the United States because we are a ‘Christian nation,’ think again. We may be a nation founded on Christian principles, but we are not a Christian nation. The problem with our society is that we are a democratic republic not a theocracy. We elect people to lead us. Those people are supposed to reflect the views of society. That is not always the case. Therefore, we get people who pass laws like Roe vs. Wade and declare Bible reading in schools unconstitutional.
The solution: Pray. Pray first for ourselves. Pray that God make us righteous before Him. In order for our nation to be changed, we must first be changed ourselves. (More on that another time). Next pray for our leaders—local and national. Pray that God will lead and guide their hearts and minds so that they might do His will even though they don’t know it. Finally, pray for God’s protection of our nation. In order to be a Christian nation, we must first put Christ in the nation.
During my quiet time the other day, I got a strong revelation from the Lord. Now, it may not be a revelation to you, but it was a revelation to me. Then again, I am slow sometimes. But as I was thinking about our state as a ‘Christian Nation’ these verses came to my mind. What was it that led the Israelites astray? It wasn’t that they doubted God. It wasn’t that they didn’t believe in God. It was that they didn’t serve God. It was that they served too many gods.
God’s commandment to them before they entered the Promised Land was to completely and utterly annihilate the inhabitants of the land. If they did not, then the gods of these foreigners would be a snare to them and would lead them away from Him. Yet, they did not obey. They left some of the inhabitants alive with the intentions of making slave of them. Needless to say, the gods of these slaves turned the hearts of the Israelites from their God. They began worshiping them and serving them and doing all sorts of abominable acts, including fornication, sacrificing infants (post-birth abortions), and making idols. The result: a pantheon of gods and no absolute truths.
We did just the opposite with the same results. We were a nation founded on Christian principles. This is represented in our Declaration of Independence, our pledge of allegiance, and our oaths of office. The term “In God We Trust” is on our money. What happened? (This is not the whole answer but this is part.) Instead of going to the land of the infidels, the infidels came to us. Instead of holding fast to the Lord our God, we embraced theirs. Some have said the Allah is just another name for God. Universalism and Unitarianism has penetrated our society. We worship Ashtoreth with free love (pornography and x-rated songs) and Molech (abortion clinics and Pro-choice laws). We have said, if not in word, in spirit, that there is not just one god, but many gods. We have substituted the absolute truth of God’s word for “truth is relative”.
The result is the same. When we turn from God, He will turn from us. Not we have become a nation just like Israel:
And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, by following other gods, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.—Judges 2:19
Like the Israelites, we have become more corrupt then our fathers. Homosexuality is an accepted “alternative lifestyle”. Pornography is more readily accessible than Bibles. Profanity is readily available on network TV programs and mainstream music. It is practically illegal to talk about God, not to mention Jesus, in any public forum. Supreme Court has banned the Ten Commandments on the walls of public buildings. Bibles cannot be read and prayers cannot be made in public schools. And that’s just what I can think of off the top of my head.
I didn’t hear the context of Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s sermon. But one thing I can say. Deuteronomy 28 speaks to this issue. God blesses a land that serves and obeys Him and He curses a land that does not. Like Deuteronomy 28 and Judges 2:21, God will withhold His blessings from us.
I don’t care what anyone says, September 11th was a wakeup call. It may even be part of the Judgment of God. Those who say that it wasn’t sound to me like the Israelites of old. The Prophets told them that judgment would come because of their sinfulness. They persecuted and killed them because they didn’t believe that God would punish His people. God sent the Assyrians to take down Israel and the Babylonians to capture Judah.
Apparently, they forgot that lesson because when the Jesus and His Disciples tried to warn them of God’s punishment, the Pharisee rebuked and persecuted them. They did not believe that God would destroy the City because the Temple was there and they were God’s people. Yet, in AD 66, God did just that. He sent the Romans to sack the city. Israel wasn’t a nation again until 1948.
So if you think that God won’t just the United States because we are a ‘Christian nation,’ think again. We may be a nation founded on Christian principles, but we are not a Christian nation. The problem with our society is that we are a democratic republic not a theocracy. We elect people to lead us. Those people are supposed to reflect the views of society. That is not always the case. Therefore, we get people who pass laws like Roe vs. Wade and declare Bible reading in schools unconstitutional.
The solution: Pray. Pray first for ourselves. Pray that God make us righteous before Him. In order for our nation to be changed, we must first be changed ourselves. (More on that another time). Next pray for our leaders—local and national. Pray that God will lead and guide their hearts and minds so that they might do His will even though they don’t know it. Finally, pray for God’s protection of our nation. In order to be a Christian nation, we must first put Christ in the nation.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Revelation 6
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”—Revelation 6:6
I have no doubt that many who have read this verse have wondered how could a quart of wheat cost a day’s wage and {cooking} oil and wine be too expensive to even think about buying. I wonder how many people are wondering that now. In these days of high fuel costs and skyrocketing food costs, there is no reason to wonder how these things could be. Simply put, it is basic economics.
The law of supply and demand is based on the premise of scarcity of goods and limited resources. Revelation 6 speaks to the arrival of the Anti-Christ. He will speak of peace but it will be a deception. Behind the scenes, he will be manipulating people and events against the very peace he is promoting. The evidence is in the following verses. Shortly after the Antic-Christ arrives, War will follow. Next, will be Famine, followed closely by Death and Hades.
This is the sequence of events: the Anti-Christ comes to proclaim peace but will work to start wars all over the earth. The natural consequence of war is famine and plagues. Because of the devastation of war, farmlands will be burned; soils will be poisoned by radiation and radioactive fallout. People will be wounded and without access to adequate medical care, infections will set in. These left untreated will lead to plagues. The radiation from nuclear, germ, and biological weapons will also contribute to the spreading of plagues. Because of the scarcity of food, wild animals will venture into populated areas to scrounge for food. Their hunger will cause them to attack people in packs and even each other. The lack of food, attacks of animals, effects of war, and uncontrolled plagues will lead to death.
So, what does this have to do with economics? War will lead to destructions of pipelines causing fuel prices to increase. Planes, trucks, and trains will also be targets of terrorist and soldiers. Each knows that one way to win a war is to cut off supplies and starve the people into submission. As mentioned earlier, the effects of war will lead to scarcity of goods. Wheat fields, for example, will be burned out through fire and radiation poisoning. This will lead to a scarcity of goods. This scarcity will drive up the price of wheat and anything made with wheat. The scarcer the product and the greater the demand for it, the higher the price for it will be.
Here’s an analogy from our own lives. Because terrorists were attacking pipelines in the Middle East, the Arabs had to increase security. This increased their costs, which they passed on to us. Then, Gustav and IKE damaged some of the oil platforms in the Gulf. This led to a supply issue. Yet, demand for the product, gasoline, never went down. As a result, prices went up, way up. This in turn, led to increase prices in almost everything from food to electronics to air fare because gasoline was a factor with each. Manufactures have to get their products from the warehouses to the retail stores. Increased gas prices meant increased transportation costs, which were passed on to the consumers. This is why airlines starting increasing their ticket prices and charging for checked bags. The additional weight of each bag meant more fuel consumption.
We’ve seen items like bread and milk increase fifty cents to a dollar each. And those increases were without the devastation of war and famines. Imagine what prices would have been like with these.
What’s the conclusion of the matter? We are seeing the small fulfillments of Biblical prophecy in our lifetime. We are seeing nations rise against nations and hearing about rumors of wars. Parents are betraying their children to death and children their parents. As Jesus said, these are the beginning of birth pangs. We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. In the coming months and years, things are only going to get worse. It doesn’t matter who is in the Oval Office, God has a plan. Things are set in motion. We can only pray for the leadership of whoever gets in office and pray that we miss all this that is to come.
I have no doubt that many who have read this verse have wondered how could a quart of wheat cost a day’s wage and {cooking} oil and wine be too expensive to even think about buying. I wonder how many people are wondering that now. In these days of high fuel costs and skyrocketing food costs, there is no reason to wonder how these things could be. Simply put, it is basic economics.
The law of supply and demand is based on the premise of scarcity of goods and limited resources. Revelation 6 speaks to the arrival of the Anti-Christ. He will speak of peace but it will be a deception. Behind the scenes, he will be manipulating people and events against the very peace he is promoting. The evidence is in the following verses. Shortly after the Antic-Christ arrives, War will follow. Next, will be Famine, followed closely by Death and Hades.
This is the sequence of events: the Anti-Christ comes to proclaim peace but will work to start wars all over the earth. The natural consequence of war is famine and plagues. Because of the devastation of war, farmlands will be burned; soils will be poisoned by radiation and radioactive fallout. People will be wounded and without access to adequate medical care, infections will set in. These left untreated will lead to plagues. The radiation from nuclear, germ, and biological weapons will also contribute to the spreading of plagues. Because of the scarcity of food, wild animals will venture into populated areas to scrounge for food. Their hunger will cause them to attack people in packs and even each other. The lack of food, attacks of animals, effects of war, and uncontrolled plagues will lead to death.
So, what does this have to do with economics? War will lead to destructions of pipelines causing fuel prices to increase. Planes, trucks, and trains will also be targets of terrorist and soldiers. Each knows that one way to win a war is to cut off supplies and starve the people into submission. As mentioned earlier, the effects of war will lead to scarcity of goods. Wheat fields, for example, will be burned out through fire and radiation poisoning. This will lead to a scarcity of goods. This scarcity will drive up the price of wheat and anything made with wheat. The scarcer the product and the greater the demand for it, the higher the price for it will be.
Here’s an analogy from our own lives. Because terrorists were attacking pipelines in the Middle East, the Arabs had to increase security. This increased their costs, which they passed on to us. Then, Gustav and IKE damaged some of the oil platforms in the Gulf. This led to a supply issue. Yet, demand for the product, gasoline, never went down. As a result, prices went up, way up. This in turn, led to increase prices in almost everything from food to electronics to air fare because gasoline was a factor with each. Manufactures have to get their products from the warehouses to the retail stores. Increased gas prices meant increased transportation costs, which were passed on to the consumers. This is why airlines starting increasing their ticket prices and charging for checked bags. The additional weight of each bag meant more fuel consumption.
We’ve seen items like bread and milk increase fifty cents to a dollar each. And those increases were without the devastation of war and famines. Imagine what prices would have been like with these.
What’s the conclusion of the matter? We are seeing the small fulfillments of Biblical prophecy in our lifetime. We are seeing nations rise against nations and hearing about rumors of wars. Parents are betraying their children to death and children their parents. As Jesus said, these are the beginning of birth pangs. We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. In the coming months and years, things are only going to get worse. It doesn’t matter who is in the Oval Office, God has a plan. Things are set in motion. We can only pray for the leadership of whoever gets in office and pray that we miss all this that is to come.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Consent of the Governed
When I was watching the debates a couple of weeks ago between Senators John McCain and Barack Obama, the phrase consent of the governed was on the screen behind Sen. Obama (and later Gov. Sarah Palin in the Vice-Presidential debates). That phrase stuck out to me. What is “consent of the governed?”
The term is used in the Declaration of Independence. “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed—" I believe the term comes from the principle that says, “whenever a government ceases to meets of the needs of the people, the people have a responsibility to abolish such government and replace it with a new one.” It was used to rationalize the colonies’ succession from the Commonwealth of England.
In effect, consent of the governed means that governments get their power from the permission of those they govern. I suppose this is even true of those dictatorships. Even though they claim divine right of leadership, the people they govern give them their authority. They give their consent because they do not stage revolutions, plot coup d’etats, or attempt assassinations.
In the U.S., we give our consent when we vote. The U.S. is what is called a Democratic Republic. We elect people to represent us in Congress and the White House. Those people are supposed to represent the wishes of the majority of the people. That may not always be the case because with the Electoral College, it is possible to win the majority vote but lose the race with fewer electoral votes (that’s for another discussion). Some are trying to eradicate the Electoral College, but I don’t know how what going.
It gets me when people say they are not going to vote, yet they complain about the government later. They argue that they do not vote because there is no purpose. They think is all a set up and the other person is going to get in anyway. The thing is, if you don’t vote, you can’t complain about the government. If you refuse to exercise your right to voice your choice of candidate or the acceptance or decline of a proposed law, then you should keep quiet when things don’t go their way later. This is especially true of black people who didn’t even have the right to vote at one time. They had to fight to get the right to vote and now they do not want to exercise it is totally foolish.
We have a responsibility to vote. We have a responsibility to our nation, our community, and our family to put the person we think will best lead our nation. We have a responsibility to ensure the laws that are passed are laws that will be beneficial to us. The reason why lobbyists have so much power and budgets are so full of earmarks is because there is lack of accountability on the part of the constituency. If we would fire politicians when they fail to keep their promises, they might think twice about what they promise and how easy they break those promises.
We should pray first, then cast our votes and leave the rest to God. After the election, we should continue to uplift our leaders in prayer. The Bible says, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence (1 Timothy 2:1-2).” We also need to keep them accountable for their actions. If not, we cannot complain about high taxes and unethical practices in government. We must remember both honest and dishonest politicians govern by our consent.
Take advantage of your freedom and exercise your right to vote this election year!
The term is used in the Declaration of Independence. “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed—" I believe the term comes from the principle that says, “whenever a government ceases to meets of the needs of the people, the people have a responsibility to abolish such government and replace it with a new one.” It was used to rationalize the colonies’ succession from the Commonwealth of England.
In effect, consent of the governed means that governments get their power from the permission of those they govern. I suppose this is even true of those dictatorships. Even though they claim divine right of leadership, the people they govern give them their authority. They give their consent because they do not stage revolutions, plot coup d’etats, or attempt assassinations.
In the U.S., we give our consent when we vote. The U.S. is what is called a Democratic Republic. We elect people to represent us in Congress and the White House. Those people are supposed to represent the wishes of the majority of the people. That may not always be the case because with the Electoral College, it is possible to win the majority vote but lose the race with fewer electoral votes (that’s for another discussion). Some are trying to eradicate the Electoral College, but I don’t know how what going.
It gets me when people say they are not going to vote, yet they complain about the government later. They argue that they do not vote because there is no purpose. They think is all a set up and the other person is going to get in anyway. The thing is, if you don’t vote, you can’t complain about the government. If you refuse to exercise your right to voice your choice of candidate or the acceptance or decline of a proposed law, then you should keep quiet when things don’t go their way later. This is especially true of black people who didn’t even have the right to vote at one time. They had to fight to get the right to vote and now they do not want to exercise it is totally foolish.
We have a responsibility to vote. We have a responsibility to our nation, our community, and our family to put the person we think will best lead our nation. We have a responsibility to ensure the laws that are passed are laws that will be beneficial to us. The reason why lobbyists have so much power and budgets are so full of earmarks is because there is lack of accountability on the part of the constituency. If we would fire politicians when they fail to keep their promises, they might think twice about what they promise and how easy they break those promises.
We should pray first, then cast our votes and leave the rest to God. After the election, we should continue to uplift our leaders in prayer. The Bible says, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence (1 Timothy 2:1-2).” We also need to keep them accountable for their actions. If not, we cannot complain about high taxes and unethical practices in government. We must remember both honest and dishonest politicians govern by our consent.
Take advantage of your freedom and exercise your right to vote this election year!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Big Brother Rant
I was thinking earlier today about a show I watched this summer called Big Brother. Big Brother is one of my wife’s favorite shows. I think she likes it because of the drama. Personally, I wonder if it’s rigged. I admit I did get into it this past season. Now, that I think back on it, I remember why I stopped watching it.
It gets is name from Big Brother, meaning the government (remember the phrase, “Big Brother is watching you”?), the lessons it teach are about the same. Like the government, the game teaches to get ahead you must lie, cheat, backstab, and double-cross. Isn’t that how people get ahead in politics? The winner of Big Brother 10, Dan Gheesling, won a half million dollars this way. So what is Big Brother endorsing? What benefits can one learn from a show that thrives on deception and betrayal? People form multiple alliances and stay true to the one that will get them the farthest. They give their word one minute and break it the next. They smile in a person’s face and talk about them behind their back to another. The sad thing is the winner of the game is the one who does this the best. This isn’t “outwit, outsmart, and outlast.” This is out-con, out-manipulate, and out-deceive.
Of course, the ones I was rooting for were evicted. Those were the ones who played the game with some sort of integrity. Big Brother isn’t about integrity. It’s about who’s the best at using people and maneuvering situations. Don’t get me wrong, to win you have to have good people skills. You’ve got to know how to read people and seize opportunities. You also have to be willing to do some unsavory things. Dan, who’s a Catholic school teacher, did not set a good example for his students, in my opinion, with his game tactics. How can he counsel someone on bad behavior when he was the epitome of bad behavior on national television?
Big Brother reminds me of a movie I once saw, Pleasantville. Pleasantville was a movie about modern-day siblings who were pulled into their television into a 1950’s sitcom. What I thought was going to be a movie about the wholesomeness of the 1950’s turned out entirely different. In the movie, instead of the wholesomeness rubbing off on the kids, they began to contaminate the 1950’s with their modern lifestyles. I suppose if anything it is a movie about Galatians 5:9: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” In other words, a little sin can corrupt everyone.
Then again, what does it say about our society where a show like Big Brother can earn so many loyal viewers. Unlike other reality TV shows, Big Brother offers other viewing option for those who can’t get enough during the three weekly one hour episodes. To feed your fix for sin, you can also see then during Big Brother: After Dark on Showtime Too and subscribe to their 24-hour feed.
It gets is name from Big Brother, meaning the government (remember the phrase, “Big Brother is watching you”?), the lessons it teach are about the same. Like the government, the game teaches to get ahead you must lie, cheat, backstab, and double-cross. Isn’t that how people get ahead in politics? The winner of Big Brother 10, Dan Gheesling, won a half million dollars this way. So what is Big Brother endorsing? What benefits can one learn from a show that thrives on deception and betrayal? People form multiple alliances and stay true to the one that will get them the farthest. They give their word one minute and break it the next. They smile in a person’s face and talk about them behind their back to another. The sad thing is the winner of the game is the one who does this the best. This isn’t “outwit, outsmart, and outlast.” This is out-con, out-manipulate, and out-deceive.
Of course, the ones I was rooting for were evicted. Those were the ones who played the game with some sort of integrity. Big Brother isn’t about integrity. It’s about who’s the best at using people and maneuvering situations. Don’t get me wrong, to win you have to have good people skills. You’ve got to know how to read people and seize opportunities. You also have to be willing to do some unsavory things. Dan, who’s a Catholic school teacher, did not set a good example for his students, in my opinion, with his game tactics. How can he counsel someone on bad behavior when he was the epitome of bad behavior on national television?
Big Brother reminds me of a movie I once saw, Pleasantville. Pleasantville was a movie about modern-day siblings who were pulled into their television into a 1950’s sitcom. What I thought was going to be a movie about the wholesomeness of the 1950’s turned out entirely different. In the movie, instead of the wholesomeness rubbing off on the kids, they began to contaminate the 1950’s with their modern lifestyles. I suppose if anything it is a movie about Galatians 5:9: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” In other words, a little sin can corrupt everyone.
Then again, what does it say about our society where a show like Big Brother can earn so many loyal viewers. Unlike other reality TV shows, Big Brother offers other viewing option for those who can’t get enough during the three weekly one hour episodes. To feed your fix for sin, you can also see then during Big Brother: After Dark on Showtime Too and subscribe to their 24-hour feed.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Stepping Out on Nothing
Perhaps you have asked, “What is faith?” I’m sure you’ve heard sermons on it and attended Bible studies regarding it. But what exactly is it? How do we exercise it? How do we walk in it? We are all familiar with Hebrews 11:1—“Faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things unseen.” But what does that mean? I believe the Holy Spirit has given us the answer.
Faith is believing in that which is not likely or is impossible to happen. Real faith does not just believe in what is improbable, but what is impossible. Real faith doesn’t just believe in that which is not likely to happen but in that which cannot happen. Real faith is not believing in the face of the odds but believing in spite of the odds. Real faith is believing for that for which there is no earthly way possible it could happen.
Let’s allow a few heroes of the faith bear witness:
· Noah exercised faith by building an ark to be saved from a flood, even though up to that time no rain had fallen on the earth.
· Abraham exercised faith by believing God for a son when he and his wife were elderly and she was unable to bear children!
· David walked in faith when he entered into a battlefield to face down Goliath, an experienced and armored warrior. He exercised his faith by believing that God would give him the victory even though every natural and military law would have marked him for dead.
· Peter literally walked in faith when he stepped out of the boat and stood on the surface of the water even though every natural and physical law dictated that he should have sunk to the bottom like a rock.
The best definition of faith I can think of is line from one of Shirley Caesar’s songs. “Faith is stepping out on nothing/landing on something.” Essentially, that is faith. It is believing God for what you want or need even though everything is against it happening. Circumstances, laws, or situations do not bind God. God is God. He can do exceedingly abundantly above all that we may ask or even think.
Genuine faith does not just believe in something or for something that could possibly happen. Genuine faith believes in something or for something that cannot. In short, faith says, ‘yes,’ when everything else says, ‘no.’
Faith is believing in that which is not likely or is impossible to happen. Real faith does not just believe in what is improbable, but what is impossible. Real faith doesn’t just believe in that which is not likely to happen but in that which cannot happen. Real faith is not believing in the face of the odds but believing in spite of the odds. Real faith is believing for that for which there is no earthly way possible it could happen.
Let’s allow a few heroes of the faith bear witness:
· Noah exercised faith by building an ark to be saved from a flood, even though up to that time no rain had fallen on the earth.
· Abraham exercised faith by believing God for a son when he and his wife were elderly and she was unable to bear children!
· David walked in faith when he entered into a battlefield to face down Goliath, an experienced and armored warrior. He exercised his faith by believing that God would give him the victory even though every natural and military law would have marked him for dead.
· Peter literally walked in faith when he stepped out of the boat and stood on the surface of the water even though every natural and physical law dictated that he should have sunk to the bottom like a rock.
The best definition of faith I can think of is line from one of Shirley Caesar’s songs. “Faith is stepping out on nothing/landing on something.” Essentially, that is faith. It is believing God for what you want or need even though everything is against it happening. Circumstances, laws, or situations do not bind God. God is God. He can do exceedingly abundantly above all that we may ask or even think.
Genuine faith does not just believe in something or for something that could possibly happen. Genuine faith believes in something or for something that cannot. In short, faith says, ‘yes,’ when everything else says, ‘no.’
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