Islam, Mohammad, cartoons and terrorism....

Now that I have your attention let me talk about the problems of our day in light of something that happened more than 3,000 years ago.

This story is from the book of Judges in the Old Testament and is the story of Gideon. He was a fearful man in the midst of fierce Midianite armies raiding Israel each time there was anything of value to steal. After his experience with the fleece he obeyed God's calling for him, but did it with some real and honest fear. Fear of the Midianites. The Jewish people worshipped the God of the Bible, but the Midianites worshipped Baal. There was a real competition for which God would rule the people of Israel. The battle then was the same as it is now- who's God is the real God? Which God will rule?

Here is the part of the story I want to discuss-

Judges 6:25 That same night the LORD said to him, "Take the second bull from your father's herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.
26 Then build a proper kind of altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering."
27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did it at night rather than in the daytime.
28 In the morning when the men of the town got up, there was Baal's altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!
29 They asked each other, "Who did this?" When they carefully investigated, they were told, "Gideon son of Joash did it."
30 The men of the town demanded of Joash, "Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal's altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it."
31 But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, "Are you going to plead Baal's cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar."

The words of Gideon's father were bold. He declared, "If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar." These should be the words of any man threatened with death because of words, thoughts or beliefs about his faith or any other faith. If your God is the real God let him defend himself. Bold isn't it? Simple and clear. A real God can defend himself, why do we have to defend him? If your God is the real God can you let him defend himself? Will you allow him to prove himself to those who believe something different?

If your God is the real God, he can defend himself. Will you let him? Joash's words ring through the centuries to the ears of our generation. Can we trust our God, whatever our faith, to defend himself? If he is the real God he can and he will.
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"Resonant Chamber" - Animusic.com

Taking a break

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I'm at one of those times when all the business of life and work have left me mentally empty. It's time for a break. So, please excuse me while I take some time to refresh. I'll be back shortly with a renewed spark and passion. Thanks for your patience......

Fear and Trembling on planet Earth

"Aliens exist and we should avoid them at all costs." -Stephen Hawking
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Stephen Hawking is a highly honored voice in science and probably one of the most brilliant men of our time. His thoughts on this topic were quite a surprise to me. Speculation on other life in the universe is the theme of movies and any discussion on the universe and what may be out there, but I didn't expect Hawking to address it. Of course his comments are based on "the odds" that with all the galaxies, all the stars and all the possible planets there MUST be life out there. The odds say it must be so.
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It's interesting because it's such an unknown. How could the universe be so vast and not have other life? How could we be the only life in the universe? If we exist then others must as well, but what if all of this exists just for us? Unbelievable, isn't it? Arrogant perhaps? Not at all. The Bible describes the universe as God's evidence that he exists. Can you imagine any louder voice, any clearer picture than the vast universe we are still discovering that God exists, is omnipotent and is sovereign? The universe shouts to every man this clear message- SOMEONE MADE THIS! It didn't just happen, it was made and it was made by a wonderful designer.
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Aliens? There may be others in the universe, we don't know, we may never know. It's quite amazing that Hawking is so clear on the reality of aliens, but denies the obvious signs that God is there. Aliens? Maybe. God? Definitely!
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May I rewrite Hawking's words?

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"God exist and we should seek to know him at all costs!"

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The American home 2010

Two proud dads

My son, Ian, is the proud dad of a great little boy who just turned 1. Being a dad is great! Tomorrow we are going up to see the kids for my son's 35th birthday. Yes, as painful as it is to write it, my son turns 35 tomorrow. I'm proud of him. He's a great guy and has been a blessing to us. How does time pass so quickly?

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Anyway, Happy Birthday Ian. I'm sure proud of you!

Saturday's cartoon

Just thinking....

A few random thoughts on a Wednesday....

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-Why do we always have to learn the hard way? I do a lot of counseling and it seems my one "take away" from it all is that we are a stubborn and selfish race...we won't change what we are doing until it hurts! It would be great if I could see some who would say, "you know, I see that doesn't work in other's lives, I bet that won't work in my life either." But no! We each seem to choose the hard way.

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-One of the realities of our day is that divorce is pandemic in our culture. More than ever before couples are giving up. Either from an affair, a hard heart or a desire for "happiness" whatever that looks like, I'm seeing far too many people who tell me clearly, we don't believe God, we want to do it our own way....there's that hard way again. I wish some of them would believe me when I tell them it's not worth it.

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-"The veneer of maturity"....that's the only way I can describe it. I was talking to a friend at breakfast this morning and we were discussing the fact that none of us are as mature as we think we are. Even after many years of faith I know one thing...my old man, my sin nature has not improved one bit. My sinful, fallen heart is still as bad as when I trusted Christ. Over that heart many fabricate a veneer of Christianity. We look good on the outside, but don't look too close. The reality is that apart from Christ in us we are no better than we ever were. Kind of discouraging, isn't it? Thank goodness for Christ in me...the hope I have of glory ahead!

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-With other staff members I went to a conference at the local seminary yesterday. The best part of the day was our debrief at a restaurant after it was all over. I really like the people I work with!!!

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-I'm working on material for a worldviews class I am teaching for a few weeks. I'm humored how intolerant those who claim tolerance really are. They talk it for sure, but they don't really believe it.

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-One thing I've been thinking about is how much I need time for prayer. I think I need it more now than I ever have. I'm not sure what that means, but I am sure hungry for some time with God.

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Ok, enough for the moment....have a great day. Off to other conquests!

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Little annoyances

Yesterday, while I was getting my car inspected, the man helping me called me over to the passenger side of the car to point out a problem...my tire was nearly flat! I really don't like little annoyances. I have things to do, places to go. I don't have time to get a tire fixed, but I know if I don't my little annoyance will become a big one in a place where there is no help.

My tolerance for little annoyances has increased over the years. Maybe it's the fact that I know that little things are just that....little things I have to deal with. It's all just part of life. What made me "crazy" years ago now just makes me sigh. I'm used to little annoyances and I've learned something....these things that annoy me are opportunities for me to respond to God and to other people. When something goes wrong, be it a flat tire or a frustration of a different kind, I wonder what God is doing. Of course these are the trivial annoyances of life, but they aren't without purpose. Why did MY tire pick up that nail instead of the car in front of me? Why does my order at the restaurant come out wrong instead of my wife's? Why is it that at times I wonder if my family name wasn't "Murphy." I think James had it right as God spoke through him,

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James 1:2-4 Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. -THE MESSAGE

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"Not deficient in any way..." Did you see that? In the NIV translation it reads, "that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Little annoyances are gifts from God to build your faith. Are you letting them do their work or are you irritated that anything would ruin your day? It's funny how the annoyances of life are meant by God to bring about great good in us. Maybe I should be looking at them differently......

Monday's cartoon

Waiting for God

We are in the time between Passover and Pentecost on the Jewish calendar. For the apostles it was a time of waiting....waiting for what God would give them. Jesus had told them to wait for what he would give them and it came on the day of Pentecost. It was the Jewish holiday when they celebrated the giving of the law to Moses. During this same period of waiting, this 40 days, Moses waited on the mountain more than 1,500 years earlier. He waited for the same amount of time....waited for God to speak. He waited for God's word. For the apostles and for Moses it was a time to wait. Moses waited for God's given word. The apostles waited for God's given spirit. And now, we wait. We wait for the Son to return.

Before each great gift of God there is a period of waiting. Waiting seems to be part of God's plan, part of his training for us. Waiting is a discipline that forces us to trust, to calm, to focus, to anticipate. David writes about this is Psalms, Psalm 37:34 "Wait for the LORD and keep his way...." and, Psalm 38:15 "I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God." The topic of waiting is an ongoing theme with David and with others in the Bible. David speaks once more, Psalm 119:166 "I wait for your salvation, O LORD, and I follow your commands."

Joseph waited 13 years to see God's plan. David waited for his promise to come true. Moses waited. Daniel waited. You will wait as God works in your life to prepare you for what he wants to give you, what he wants to reveal to you and what he wants to do through you. Waiting is part of God's spiritual training. So, sit back and enjoy the wait. It will be worth it! He promises.

Saturday's cartoon

Quote of the day

This quote comes from A.W. Tozer's book, Knowledge of the Holy. It was a portion of the chapter my men's group is working through today. Amazing thoughts....

"God's eternity and man's mortality join to persuade us that faith in Jesus Christ is not optional. For every man it must be Christ or eternal tragedy." -A.W. Tozer
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Ready, aim, fire!

This morning I get to spend an hour with about 70 of our wonderful ladies. They have been studying Revelation for this whole semester and today is the last session and a time to ask me any questions they have about the book of Revelation. I'm really looking forward to our time together.....really. I know they will have a lot of great questions to fire at me.....I hope I have some good answers.

Departing with no one's regret

Imagine dying and not a tear is shed. Imagine family and friends having a party rather than a funeral when you die. That's the fate of king Jehoram in 2 Chronicles 21. He was the son of Jehoshaphat. His father, Jehoshaphat was a good king, but the son, Jehoram, did not follow his dad's example. He was only king for 8 years and this is the commentary on his life- "He departed with no one's regret."

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The very thought amazes me. I live and love with the hope I make a difference in those around me and will be missed when I'm gone. Imagine those around us being glad we died. What kind of life would prompt this kind of response? How bad do you have to be for this to be your commentary?

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Instead of this finale Peter invites us to a different kind of life when he writes, 1 Peter 2:12 "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." Live in such a way that you impact those around you for eternity. Make a difference for the soul, not for the soil. Be more than fertilizer when you're done. Live such full lives that the world will grieve when you die.

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Jehoram is the perfect example of how NOT to live.

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