In grade one a couple other guys and me were caught smoking out in the hedge that surrounded the playground. I can’t remember the punishment - write out some lines or something like that. Of course it wasn’t enough to make us stop, but I remember two things about that incident as clear as if it happened yesterday.
The first was, my dad said to me, “If I ever find out that you’ve gotten into trouble at school again you’re going to get it twice as bad at home.”
The second was this thought: ‘Then you’ll never learn or hear another thing about me, from me.’ To the best of my knowledge, he never did.
I suppose if that had been all there was to it then it would just be sad. Over the decades however, what could have been just sad turned to tragic. The decision to keep an awareness of everything important in my life from my dad, was transferred to pretty much everyone else including, as it turns out, myself. Not the pain of arthritis, not the confusion of continued sexual abuse, not the fear of physical abuse - nobody got to know anything about what was going on inside.
“Are you an angry person?” one of my wife’s friends asked me during discussion after having supper with friends, maybe thirty years ago. “No!” was my much too quick reply. I think I actually believed that was a correct answer. Trouble is, I knew so little of myself that answering truthfully in that moment was probably impossible. I said what I wanted to believe.
Somebody might be tempted to ask, "How could someone as screwed up as you ever become a counsellor?"
Let me tell you something. The idea of becoming a counsellor never occurs to the so called healthy. In the words of a great 20th century poet* only those who "Have bruises on their memory," reach out to those similarly banged around by life.
Jesus has brought me a long, long way over the years but, I just remembered all this during a nap this afternoon. A dirty little memory.
* Dwight Yoakam
Monday, August 16, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The Atheist’s Only Hope
Christianity was the atheist’s only defence against Islam. What is taking place in Europe is coming to America as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow. When Christianity dies, Islam arises. Where Islam arises Sharia comes alive. The question is not if, but when.
The atheist’s mistake was in thinking that Christianity was its enemy. Of course atheism tolerates Islam or any other religion because the only religion that places any demands on the inner man is Christianity. All other religions focus on washing, and praying, dietary laws and holding one day more sacred than another and making trips to this or that city. Atheists can tolerate these things because they can ignore these things. Jesus' demand for inner change is something that atheists cannot ignore nor tolerate; hence their hatred of and war against Christianity.
The problem is, Christianity and only Christianity stands on the side of freedom; freedom to choose, freedom to believe or not believe. Rid your country of Christianity if you want but as Europe has shown in the past and is showing us again in the present, without Christianity, oppression, either in the form of Islamic Theocracy or Atheist Dictatorship seeps in under the door.
America has only known freedom under Judeo / Christian democracy. The loss of that freedom is taking shape in Europe. It’ll happen here.
Thank you atheists.
The atheist’s mistake was in thinking that Christianity was its enemy. Of course atheism tolerates Islam or any other religion because the only religion that places any demands on the inner man is Christianity. All other religions focus on washing, and praying, dietary laws and holding one day more sacred than another and making trips to this or that city. Atheists can tolerate these things because they can ignore these things. Jesus' demand for inner change is something that atheists cannot ignore nor tolerate; hence their hatred of and war against Christianity.
The problem is, Christianity and only Christianity stands on the side of freedom; freedom to choose, freedom to believe or not believe. Rid your country of Christianity if you want but as Europe has shown in the past and is showing us again in the present, without Christianity, oppression, either in the form of Islamic Theocracy or Atheist Dictatorship seeps in under the door.
America has only known freedom under Judeo / Christian democracy. The loss of that freedom is taking shape in Europe. It’ll happen here.
Thank you atheists.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Obama means well . . .
I think he really does. He gave such as lovely speech regarding Ramadan in an effort to placate those who want to destroy his nation and his people. I think he really is that naive.
A well armed group wants to destroy his nation and Mr. President really believes that if he just talks nice to these people, sucks up in a most pathetic manner that the Muslim world will change its mind about destroying the U.S. and taking everything its citizens hold dear. I know, Mr. President isn’t talking to THOSE Muslims. He’s talking to the majority who go to work every day like everyone and try to mind their own business but that’s precisely the problem.
Most of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims simply ignore the commands of their holy book to kill infidels where ever they may be found. And if ALL Muslims were slackers in the faith everything would be fine. But they aren’t all slackers - are they? A significant and growing number have blood on their minds and world political dominance in their will. Which brings us to reality.
Where ever you go in the world, be it Indonesia or England or the Netherlands or in a couple decades in the United States and Canada, the result is and will be the same. The same slacker Muslims that are afraid to speak out against their purist religious brothers and sisters who are killing and maiming and gaining control abroad, are exponentially MORE afraid to speak out when these purists bring Sharia to the country in which the slackers (we call them moderates) are now living. Slacker Muslims in North America who are even now bullied, no terrorised, into silence as members of their faith kill innocents abroad will simply rise up and join the terrorist (read Sharia) Islamic religious leaders when those leaders bring the terror to your own front door. If slacker Muslims won’t even stand up to Muslim terrorists half a world away, while someone else is willing to do the dirty work for them, they sure aren’t going to do it when it's time for them to step up or die in this country.
Make no mistake, the Muslims living down the street may be nice enough folks, but when it’s your head that’s being cut off to appease the will of Allah, they will draw the blinds and lock the doors.
Either we take the fight to Sharia, or Sharia will bring the fight to us.
Obama talks about all the values that we hold in common with Islam. Sharia lovers hold nothing in common with me. Not their hatred for and desire to see the elimination of Jews. Not their distain for women. Not their fear of education or culture. Not their racism and intolerance. Nothing.
I think Obama means well when he tries to appease those whose ONLY goal is to destroy America - or is that my naivete?
A well armed group wants to destroy his nation and Mr. President really believes that if he just talks nice to these people, sucks up in a most pathetic manner that the Muslim world will change its mind about destroying the U.S. and taking everything its citizens hold dear. I know, Mr. President isn’t talking to THOSE Muslims. He’s talking to the majority who go to work every day like everyone and try to mind their own business but that’s precisely the problem.
Most of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims simply ignore the commands of their holy book to kill infidels where ever they may be found. And if ALL Muslims were slackers in the faith everything would be fine. But they aren’t all slackers - are they? A significant and growing number have blood on their minds and world political dominance in their will. Which brings us to reality.
Where ever you go in the world, be it Indonesia or England or the Netherlands or in a couple decades in the United States and Canada, the result is and will be the same. The same slacker Muslims that are afraid to speak out against their purist religious brothers and sisters who are killing and maiming and gaining control abroad, are exponentially MORE afraid to speak out when these purists bring Sharia to the country in which the slackers (we call them moderates) are now living. Slacker Muslims in North America who are even now bullied, no terrorised, into silence as members of their faith kill innocents abroad will simply rise up and join the terrorist (read Sharia) Islamic religious leaders when those leaders bring the terror to your own front door. If slacker Muslims won’t even stand up to Muslim terrorists half a world away, while someone else is willing to do the dirty work for them, they sure aren’t going to do it when it's time for them to step up or die in this country.
Make no mistake, the Muslims living down the street may be nice enough folks, but when it’s your head that’s being cut off to appease the will of Allah, they will draw the blinds and lock the doors.
Either we take the fight to Sharia, or Sharia will bring the fight to us.
Obama talks about all the values that we hold in common with Islam. Sharia lovers hold nothing in common with me. Not their hatred for and desire to see the elimination of Jews. Not their distain for women. Not their fear of education or culture. Not their racism and intolerance. Nothing.
I think Obama means well when he tries to appease those whose ONLY goal is to destroy America - or is that my naivete?
God and Evolution
Much is made in secular circles about how one life-form morphs into new life-forms. Not new types of one life-form but a brand new species! Gradually, step, by step, by step.
This is not the way with Creator God. With our Creator, something new is brought into existence quickly and abruptly. For example, when He changes a human being from someone who ignores, or despises God to someone who worships and adores Creator God, the change is from darkness to light at the flick of a switch. We are in fact a brand new creation, and it has nothing to do with our own efforts. As atheists are famous for saying, and as everyone has believed prior to conversion, "I couldn't become a Christian even if I wanted to."
“The Messiah has made things right between us so that we're now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, He created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody. The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board. ” Ephesians 2:14,15;3:5,6
When God changes a human being from sketchy to glorious, a new type of human arises; a type where there is neither male nor female, slave nor free, no special race, no special status - all are equal under the Lordship of Jesus Christ our Saviour. There are no transitional stages.
We’re either in Christ, or we are not in Christ.
Either old or new.
Lost or Saved.
And here’s the best part.
The choice is yours.
Complete freedom.
Freedom to die or freedom to live.
This is not the way with Creator God. With our Creator, something new is brought into existence quickly and abruptly. For example, when He changes a human being from someone who ignores, or despises God to someone who worships and adores Creator God, the change is from darkness to light at the flick of a switch. We are in fact a brand new creation, and it has nothing to do with our own efforts. As atheists are famous for saying, and as everyone has believed prior to conversion, "I couldn't become a Christian even if I wanted to."
“The Messiah has made things right between us so that we're now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, He created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody. The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board. ” Ephesians 2:14,15;3:5,6
When God changes a human being from sketchy to glorious, a new type of human arises; a type where there is neither male nor female, slave nor free, no special race, no special status - all are equal under the Lordship of Jesus Christ our Saviour. There are no transitional stages.
We’re either in Christ, or we are not in Christ.
Either old or new.
Lost or Saved.
And here’s the best part.
The choice is yours.
Complete freedom.
Freedom to die or freedom to live.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Man Fully Alive
Sara Groves, has a song on one of her CD’s where the line goes,
“The glory of God is man fully alive.”
Brilliant! Profound!
And why IS the Glory of God, man fully alive? Because that is the whole reason that Jesus came to earth. To make our being fully alive possible.
Jesus explained, “satan has come to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that you might have life and have it to the full.” John 10:10. I couldn’t agree more. Since becoming a follower of Jesus, every year has been better than the year before. Every year since then and every year from now until the day I die has had and will continue to have meaning and context and purpose.
When Jesus was describing His work on earth, He quoted the following verse from Isaiah 61:1 and applied it to Himself. “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and the release from darkness for the prisoners.”
Sara Groves points out that there are so many ways for us to hide, so many ways to deny who God wants us to become. Whether it’s through busyness, or mood altering drugs, or serial relationships or even through religion, we try to deny what is real. Why do we do it? I think it’s because we don’t really believe that we will receive the abundant life here and now. Too many people think that the plan is for us to get saved and then wait for heaven. That couldn’t be more wrong. For Christians, eternity in the presence of Creator God begins now and simply grows in intensity as the intimacy of our walk with God increases.
Jesus said that He came to give us life, real life, an abundant life. Jesus promised to make us fully alive. In the Bible “life” is not an incidental issue.
“Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23
“Tell the people the full message of this new life.” Acts 5:20
“Come to Me and I will give you life.” John 5:40
“You have made known to me the path of life.” Psalm 16:11
Life and life abundantly is the very thing for which we were created.
Now atheists accuse people of becoming Christians for what they hope to receive in the future. First of all there is nothing wrong with wanting and even working to receive something great, even if it is in the future. However, as I said above, for the Christian, the abundant life and in fact eternity as a citizen of God’s Kingdom begins right now. This is backed up throughout both the Older and the Newer Testaments.
“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD here in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:13
“I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, “No one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come.” Luke 18:29-30
“For physical training is of some value, but Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” 1st Timothy 4:8
Eternity means from right now to time without ending. This is the offer of Jesus to you.
“satan has come to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that you might have life to the fullest extent possible.” John 10:10
So what are YOU waiting for?
Oh, and ya, I know. I was just playing with you. The line about the glory of God being man fully alive wasn’t Sara Grove’s line. It comes from Iranaeus. Sara just fills it out nicely.
“The glory of God is man fully alive.”
Brilliant! Profound!
And why IS the Glory of God, man fully alive? Because that is the whole reason that Jesus came to earth. To make our being fully alive possible.
Jesus explained, “satan has come to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that you might have life and have it to the full.” John 10:10. I couldn’t agree more. Since becoming a follower of Jesus, every year has been better than the year before. Every year since then and every year from now until the day I die has had and will continue to have meaning and context and purpose.
When Jesus was describing His work on earth, He quoted the following verse from Isaiah 61:1 and applied it to Himself. “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and the release from darkness for the prisoners.”
Sara Groves points out that there are so many ways for us to hide, so many ways to deny who God wants us to become. Whether it’s through busyness, or mood altering drugs, or serial relationships or even through religion, we try to deny what is real. Why do we do it? I think it’s because we don’t really believe that we will receive the abundant life here and now. Too many people think that the plan is for us to get saved and then wait for heaven. That couldn’t be more wrong. For Christians, eternity in the presence of Creator God begins now and simply grows in intensity as the intimacy of our walk with God increases.
Jesus said that He came to give us life, real life, an abundant life. Jesus promised to make us fully alive. In the Bible “life” is not an incidental issue.
“Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23
“Tell the people the full message of this new life.” Acts 5:20
“Come to Me and I will give you life.” John 5:40
“You have made known to me the path of life.” Psalm 16:11
Life and life abundantly is the very thing for which we were created.
Now atheists accuse people of becoming Christians for what they hope to receive in the future. First of all there is nothing wrong with wanting and even working to receive something great, even if it is in the future. However, as I said above, for the Christian, the abundant life and in fact eternity as a citizen of God’s Kingdom begins right now. This is backed up throughout both the Older and the Newer Testaments.
“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD here in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:13
“I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, “No one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come.” Luke 18:29-30
“For physical training is of some value, but Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” 1st Timothy 4:8
Eternity means from right now to time without ending. This is the offer of Jesus to you.
“satan has come to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that you might have life to the fullest extent possible.” John 10:10
So what are YOU waiting for?
Oh, and ya, I know. I was just playing with you. The line about the glory of God being man fully alive wasn’t Sara Grove’s line. It comes from Iranaeus. Sara just fills it out nicely.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Extravagant Love!
This series gives examples of where our Creator shows us how to love extravagantly. In like manner we are told to give our lives away, to die to self.
The example of Jesus of Nazareth, our Creator, is to love extravagantly.
Many times, when people are told about the Biblical concept of humility, they immediately think “door mat.” That of course is what the world truly believes. Look out for #1 because if you don’t, well, no one else is going to do it for you. The world sees humility as bad and pride as good.
The fact is, Humility is not thinking less of yourself. Humility is thinking about yourself less often. Humility is thinking about others first.
Love thinks!
In the beginning of your relationship it was the feelings of love that kept you thinking about your partner. Thirty years down the road however, it’s the decision to love that keeps you from taking your spouse for granted. Love requires thoughtfulness from both parties on a regular basis. Sometimes we forget.
Humility is what keeps you from being offended when your partner forgets. Have you noticed that when you’re angry at someone, it’s because they weren’t thinking about your happiness? Does that embarrass you? How can it not?
YOU weren’t thinking about MY comfort! Why weren’t you thinking about what makes ME happy? It’s your job to be thinking about ME?
Does it embarrass you? Surely it must!
In reality it’s MY job to be thoughtful of your needs. It is not my job to keep track of whether you are thoughtful of me and my needs. Love does not keep track of those kinds of things.
“My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day.” Galatians 5:13-18
Isaiah 66:2 - This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
THIS is love!
The example of Jesus of Nazareth, our Creator, is to love extravagantly.
Many times, when people are told about the Biblical concept of humility, they immediately think “door mat.” That of course is what the world truly believes. Look out for #1 because if you don’t, well, no one else is going to do it for you. The world sees humility as bad and pride as good.
The fact is, Humility is not thinking less of yourself. Humility is thinking about yourself less often. Humility is thinking about others first.
Love thinks!
In the beginning of your relationship it was the feelings of love that kept you thinking about your partner. Thirty years down the road however, it’s the decision to love that keeps you from taking your spouse for granted. Love requires thoughtfulness from both parties on a regular basis. Sometimes we forget.
Humility is what keeps you from being offended when your partner forgets. Have you noticed that when you’re angry at someone, it’s because they weren’t thinking about your happiness? Does that embarrass you? How can it not?
YOU weren’t thinking about MY comfort! Why weren’t you thinking about what makes ME happy? It’s your job to be thinking about ME?
Does it embarrass you? Surely it must!
In reality it’s MY job to be thoughtful of your needs. It is not my job to keep track of whether you are thoughtful of me and my needs. Love does not keep track of those kinds of things.
“My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day.” Galatians 5:13-18
Isaiah 66:2 - This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
THIS is love!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Who’s Trolling Now
If islam is a religion of peace, love and coexistence with people of differing beliefs, why are muslims the primary killers of Christians?
If islam is a religion of peace, love and coexistence with people of differing beliefs, why is this statement accurate?
“While not all muslims are terrorists, the world's most dangerous terrorists are all muslims.”
If islam is a religion of peace, love and coexistence with people of differing beliefs, why do we have in Darfur, today, a terrible humanitarian crisis created by muslims killing muslims?
If islam is a religion of peace, love and coexistence with people of differing beliefs, why are Israelies not allowed to enter Saudi Arabia even as tourists?
Why is it that only in countries with a Christian history that people are allowed to believe what they want to believe and convert from one religion to another (including atheism) without significant hassle from those outside of the immediate family?
If islam is a religion of peace, love and coexistence with people of differing beliefs, why is this statement accurate?
“While not all muslims are terrorists, the world's most dangerous terrorists are all muslims.”
If islam is a religion of peace, love and coexistence with people of differing beliefs, why do we have in Darfur, today, a terrible humanitarian crisis created by muslims killing muslims?
If islam is a religion of peace, love and coexistence with people of differing beliefs, why are Israelies not allowed to enter Saudi Arabia even as tourists?
Why is it that only in countries with a Christian history that people are allowed to believe what they want to believe and convert from one religion to another (including atheism) without significant hassle from those outside of the immediate family?
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