Well, my daughter warned me that keeping up with a blog would not be easy. As if time doesn't fly by enough, it's amazing how tough it is to post something monthly.
Anyway, I'm trying something a little different this time. I'm going to post a short story in installments (even if I had the time, which at my typing speed is a lot), carpal tunnel would probably kill me before I finished.
With obvious influences (and thanks), to C.S. Lewis and Frank Capra; off we go.
It was another hot day in Hell (much worse than the 15 years we spent in Florida), as Satan was sipping his coffee (I knew the devil had to be behind caffeine!). As Satan employed an open door policy, his demons were often dropping in with questions or concerns. This day his first visitor was Dolty.
"Well sir, I guess you're a bit disappointed with how things are going in America these days."
Satan put down is Disneyworld coffee mug and inquired, "What are you babbling about?"
"Well, with such a large percentage of Christians up there, it's gotta be a bummer," Dolty explained. "You know, all that hard work gone to waste."
Depending on different factors, polls could indicate that as many as 80% of Americans identify themselves as Christian.
"Listen stupid," Satan began, "those polls don't mean squat. You have to consider the source. With that group you could probably produce a poll indicating most believe in unicorns."
In fact, there are most likely many "christians" who believe in unicorns, but I digress.
Dolty winced, it wasn't pleasant being rebuked by the Prince of Darkness.
Satan continued, "Most of these people don't know what a real Christian is - let alone are one."
"How do you know this stuff, sir?"
Satan rolled his eyes. "I have a little familiarity with the Bible," he emphasized.
Dolty hated it when Satan was sarcastic, but considering he was the Prince of Darkness, that was probably one of his most positive character traits.
"In fact," the Devil continued, "I was in the inner-circle up there and learned a lot about authentic Christianity before I go the boot."
"Can you tell the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian?," asked Dolty.
"Aha Dolty, just when I was beginning to think you were brain-dead. That's the $64,000 question."
Dolty actually smiled, which was frowned upon for obvious reasons, but Satan let it pass.
"You see I can tell the difference." (It was a pretty important job skill for someone in his position), "but let's find out if you can."
Dolty was pretty sure he didn't like where this was going.
"What I'm going to do is give you some Bible verses and send you up there to see if we need to "worry" about these polls."
Now the slow-witted demon knew he didn't like this. He never did like the humans he "met". They were such whiners (although, under the circumstances; who could blame them). Additionally, they had always "come to him" (in a manner of speaking). It was creepy to imagine going up there. He was downright terrified of the Bible. He knew it had "good" parts, full of murder, lying, adultery, and all kind of sin, but he heard it contained scary stories about the "end times".
Similar to the early Catholic Church, when only priests had access to the Bible; only Satan had access to the Bible in Hell and knew the Pit was the ultimate destination for him and his minions. So truly, for all the other demons; ignorance was bliss.
Satan took a carefully prepared biblical outline of salvation and handed it to Dolty. It highlighted such verses as: James 2:14-17, John 14:15, James 1:22, Matthew 7:16, and many others that emphasize a true believer's responsibility in bearing good fruit.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT INSTALLMENT!
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Rearranging Deck Chairs on the Titanic
As I'm a big fan of Christian apologetics and love defending the faith, I think now would be a good time to employ "self-apologetics" as it applies to my blog. That is: where do I get off espousing my views on these subjects.
First and foremost, they may be my views, but they are neither original or exclusive. I did not "discover" them as Newton did gravity, and there are a multitude who share them, as I learned through many hours of study over the last several years. In fact, part of my joy in these posts is being able to pass on wisdom from great men of God gleaned from Grace Gems.
This is a marvelous website containing sermons, stories, speeches, from many and varied brilliant Christian men and women from previous centuries. Although there are exceptions, most are from the 17th thru 19th centuries, with the most "modern" being Arthur Pink (circa 1940's). The famous (Spurgeon), to the obscure (at least to me), are represented. The amount of material by some of the more prolific writers alone is amazing. Multiply by the amount of authors and you pretty much cover all subjects: high theological to practical living. It's such a wonderful example of timeless truths as these people deal with so many of the issues we still deal with today.
As Ecclesiastes tells us "...there is nothing new under the sun." It's very interesting seeing this reality when you read of the concerns of these writers from the last 2-300 years. They're the same ones we have today: degradation of society, lukewarm (at best), churches, false prophets, and Second Timothy Christians.
One of the unique qualities of this site is the clarity of thought expressed by those not distracted by modern society. They were not waylaid by cell phones, e-mail, texts, twitter, face book, etc. Pretty much (excepting a letter), you weren't interacting with someone unless they were physically there. Amazing things can be accomplished with uninterrupted concentration. Heck - you need uninterrupted concentration to read their stuff!
Enough of the plug for Grace Gems; let's see if I can pull this post back on track.
The crux of my "right to write" is contained within this sentence. It is my (and yours), right to express thoughts. This is not just reserved for celebrities, highly educated, or "experts". Especially as these people often expound on subjects/issues with little more than opinion, as the areas are outside the realm of their knowledge/experience. Additionally, what constitutes an "expert" can be hard to discern. Which is all to say, everyone has the right to express thought; if it's done in the proper manner. Proper, being a method that is respectful of those who disagree, whereas they can easily avoid hearing or seeing your presentation (i.e., no yelling or bullhorns, bumper stickers, or T-shirts that portray profanity,pornography, or anything else clearly designed to incite. A blog is a great forum as it has to be actively sought out and purposely perused, all the while with the option of "clicking away" at anytime, or leaving a comment.
The blog also allows me to shine some light in the ever-encroaching darkness and spread salt on decaying society; can we ever have too much of that? Yes, to a certain degree, this is rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, but we are called to do so by Christ. The world is sinking into sin and ultimately will go under, but God commands us to "arrange" as many lives for Christ as we can while we're still afloat.
I must admit to the enjoyment in writing, especially when it is being read by others. In the movie Chariots of Fire, the actor portraying Eric Liddell says "...when I run, I feel his pleasure." Well, when I write, I feel his pleasure. I'm sure my writing is not as world class as Liddell's running, but the principle applies. Hopefully, in time, others too may get some pleasure from my writing.
Chariots of Fire (yes, in my opinion, one of the best movies ever made), has another scene where Eric Liddell is discussing with his sister why he wants to run in the Olympics, and then, go to China for missionary work. Telling her that God made him for a purpose (missionary work), he says that God also made him fast, and to not use that blessing for God's glory would be a sin. Again, not to equate my the quality of my gift with Liddell's, but I do feel a certain compulsion or duty to use it for God's purpose. I don't consider it a gift of evangelism as my blog is directed to believers, but more for encouragement, as my hope is that some will be energized knowing there are others that feel as they do.
Let's continue telling others about Christ, and what it means to be a Follower. For those of us who are actually being salt in these decaying times; never stop. God's mercy through Christians is why there is still much to be thankful for in this terrible world.
First and foremost, they may be my views, but they are neither original or exclusive. I did not "discover" them as Newton did gravity, and there are a multitude who share them, as I learned through many hours of study over the last several years. In fact, part of my joy in these posts is being able to pass on wisdom from great men of God gleaned from Grace Gems.
This is a marvelous website containing sermons, stories, speeches, from many and varied brilliant Christian men and women from previous centuries. Although there are exceptions, most are from the 17th thru 19th centuries, with the most "modern" being Arthur Pink (circa 1940's). The famous (Spurgeon), to the obscure (at least to me), are represented. The amount of material by some of the more prolific writers alone is amazing. Multiply by the amount of authors and you pretty much cover all subjects: high theological to practical living. It's such a wonderful example of timeless truths as these people deal with so many of the issues we still deal with today.
As Ecclesiastes tells us "...there is nothing new under the sun." It's very interesting seeing this reality when you read of the concerns of these writers from the last 2-300 years. They're the same ones we have today: degradation of society, lukewarm (at best), churches, false prophets, and Second Timothy Christians.
One of the unique qualities of this site is the clarity of thought expressed by those not distracted by modern society. They were not waylaid by cell phones, e-mail, texts, twitter, face book, etc. Pretty much (excepting a letter), you weren't interacting with someone unless they were physically there. Amazing things can be accomplished with uninterrupted concentration. Heck - you need uninterrupted concentration to read their stuff!
Enough of the plug for Grace Gems; let's see if I can pull this post back on track.
The crux of my "right to write" is contained within this sentence. It is my (and yours), right to express thoughts. This is not just reserved for celebrities, highly educated, or "experts". Especially as these people often expound on subjects/issues with little more than opinion, as the areas are outside the realm of their knowledge/experience. Additionally, what constitutes an "expert" can be hard to discern. Which is all to say, everyone has the right to express thought; if it's done in the proper manner. Proper, being a method that is respectful of those who disagree, whereas they can easily avoid hearing or seeing your presentation (i.e., no yelling or bullhorns, bumper stickers, or T-shirts that portray profanity,pornography, or anything else clearly designed to incite. A blog is a great forum as it has to be actively sought out and purposely perused, all the while with the option of "clicking away" at anytime, or leaving a comment.
The blog also allows me to shine some light in the ever-encroaching darkness and spread salt on decaying society; can we ever have too much of that? Yes, to a certain degree, this is rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, but we are called to do so by Christ. The world is sinking into sin and ultimately will go under, but God commands us to "arrange" as many lives for Christ as we can while we're still afloat.
I must admit to the enjoyment in writing, especially when it is being read by others. In the movie Chariots of Fire, the actor portraying Eric Liddell says "...when I run, I feel his pleasure." Well, when I write, I feel his pleasure. I'm sure my writing is not as world class as Liddell's running, but the principle applies. Hopefully, in time, others too may get some pleasure from my writing.
Chariots of Fire (yes, in my opinion, one of the best movies ever made), has another scene where Eric Liddell is discussing with his sister why he wants to run in the Olympics, and then, go to China for missionary work. Telling her that God made him for a purpose (missionary work), he says that God also made him fast, and to not use that blessing for God's glory would be a sin. Again, not to equate my the quality of my gift with Liddell's, but I do feel a certain compulsion or duty to use it for God's purpose. I don't consider it a gift of evangelism as my blog is directed to believers, but more for encouragement, as my hope is that some will be energized knowing there are others that feel as they do.
Let's continue telling others about Christ, and what it means to be a Follower. For those of us who are actually being salt in these decaying times; never stop. God's mercy through Christians is why there is still much to be thankful for in this terrible world.
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Walk on the Narrow Side
This admittedly covers some of the same ground as my June 15th post, but it's an important topic that can be approached from many different angles.
Bumper-sticker Christians are everywhere: "...those displaying a form of godliness, but denying it's power." This is 2 Tim. 3:5, one of my memory verses. So many like to make a "Christian fashion statement" in the form of stickers, plaques, t's, music/movies, and yes, even tattoos. However, these examples are just as superficial as popular brand-name logos (Aeropostale, Polo, UnderArmour). These outward signs are more form than substance, just as a "sophisticated" label on clothes doesn't necessarily indicate a sophisticated person; shiny fish plaques on a vehicle don't always indicate an authentic Christian behind the wheel. And these are just everyday shlubs; forget about all the high profile politicians, celebrities, and athletes making public professions and then committing all forms of sin. I'm not talking about the sin all truly saved people will still commit due to our fallen nature. This is mostly unintentional and emotional such as wanting to smash your computer with a cinder block because every time you turn around it's infected with a new virus. Clearly, getting angry (dare I say hating!), an inanimate object is not the standard for a follower of Jesus, but it's quite different than willfully pursuing a sinful lifestyle. Paraphrasing A. W. Tozer: we should not expect perfection, but perfect intention from a believer. The standard is perfection that you know is unattainable, but as a believer you're still disappointed when you fall short. You want Jesus to be Lord of your life - not just Lord of your salvation (as the pretenders do). These "professors" deny the power of the gospel by living reprobate lives.
These reasons aforementioned are why I don't even like to refer to myself as a Christian. These days, it conjures up all manner of images; from stupid, timid sheep; to dogmatic, bombastic hypocrites; none very complimentary. Not that I'm out for the world's approval, but I want to be persecuted for the right reasons: that I am an unapologetic follower of Jesus, who is not afraid to identify and avoid sin, and those who wallow in it. And make no mistake: if you claim to be a Christian, but live like the unsaved; you don't understand salvation (specifically, you don't understand the role of repentance in salvation). By the time I explain to others that I'm a Christian, but not that kind of a Christian, their eyes are rolling back into their head. Not only has Christian lost it's meaning; it's lost it's edge. It doesn't reflect the guts needed to walk the narrow path. So, when the subject comes up, or people ask if I'm religious (yikes!), I like to say I'm a Jesus-follower. This is much less nebulous than Christian - heck, it rules out a large percentage of "Christians". I want to be that "weirdo" that doesn't drink alcohol, tell (or laugh), at dirty jokes, use profanity, leer at women, watch inappropriate "entertainment", listen to the wrong music, gossip, etc., but not in the sense of being a prude or stick-in-the-mud. I want to be recognized as a fun and pleasant guy who enjoys a good time. Not looking to be the "life of the party", but to communicate that there is joy in Christ. I'd like others to know you can have a good time - devoid of sinful behavior.
In a weird irony, claiming to be a Christian can put one in good stead with the world. That is if your "Christianity" is Osteen/Oprah-esque: non-confrontational, affirming, trendy, smart and avoids all the unpleasantness of sin, hell, repentance - you know! In other words, it's not authentic, biblical Christianity; it's pseudo-religious, feel-good, I'm OK - you're OK baloney.
As history runs out on this little planet God made for us, I don't anyone confused as to where I stand when it comes to Christ. There is no grey area in this regard. If you are not wholly for Christ; you are wholly for Satan. Stating that I am a Jesus-follower should be a good clue.
It's been said, "...what's in a name?" Sometimes, a lot!
Bumper-sticker Christians are everywhere: "...those displaying a form of godliness, but denying it's power." This is 2 Tim. 3:5, one of my memory verses. So many like to make a "Christian fashion statement" in the form of stickers, plaques, t's, music/movies, and yes, even tattoos. However, these examples are just as superficial as popular brand-name logos (Aeropostale, Polo, UnderArmour). These outward signs are more form than substance, just as a "sophisticated" label on clothes doesn't necessarily indicate a sophisticated person; shiny fish plaques on a vehicle don't always indicate an authentic Christian behind the wheel. And these are just everyday shlubs; forget about all the high profile politicians, celebrities, and athletes making public professions and then committing all forms of sin. I'm not talking about the sin all truly saved people will still commit due to our fallen nature. This is mostly unintentional and emotional such as wanting to smash your computer with a cinder block because every time you turn around it's infected with a new virus. Clearly, getting angry (dare I say hating!), an inanimate object is not the standard for a follower of Jesus, but it's quite different than willfully pursuing a sinful lifestyle. Paraphrasing A. W. Tozer: we should not expect perfection, but perfect intention from a believer. The standard is perfection that you know is unattainable, but as a believer you're still disappointed when you fall short. You want Jesus to be Lord of your life - not just Lord of your salvation (as the pretenders do). These "professors" deny the power of the gospel by living reprobate lives.
These reasons aforementioned are why I don't even like to refer to myself as a Christian. These days, it conjures up all manner of images; from stupid, timid sheep; to dogmatic, bombastic hypocrites; none very complimentary. Not that I'm out for the world's approval, but I want to be persecuted for the right reasons: that I am an unapologetic follower of Jesus, who is not afraid to identify and avoid sin, and those who wallow in it. And make no mistake: if you claim to be a Christian, but live like the unsaved; you don't understand salvation (specifically, you don't understand the role of repentance in salvation). By the time I explain to others that I'm a Christian, but not that kind of a Christian, their eyes are rolling back into their head. Not only has Christian lost it's meaning; it's lost it's edge. It doesn't reflect the guts needed to walk the narrow path. So, when the subject comes up, or people ask if I'm religious (yikes!), I like to say I'm a Jesus-follower. This is much less nebulous than Christian - heck, it rules out a large percentage of "Christians". I want to be that "weirdo" that doesn't drink alcohol, tell (or laugh), at dirty jokes, use profanity, leer at women, watch inappropriate "entertainment", listen to the wrong music, gossip, etc., but not in the sense of being a prude or stick-in-the-mud. I want to be recognized as a fun and pleasant guy who enjoys a good time. Not looking to be the "life of the party", but to communicate that there is joy in Christ. I'd like others to know you can have a good time - devoid of sinful behavior.
In a weird irony, claiming to be a Christian can put one in good stead with the world. That is if your "Christianity" is Osteen/Oprah-esque: non-confrontational, affirming, trendy, smart and avoids all the unpleasantness of sin, hell, repentance - you know! In other words, it's not authentic, biblical Christianity; it's pseudo-religious, feel-good, I'm OK - you're OK baloney.
As history runs out on this little planet God made for us, I don't anyone confused as to where I stand when it comes to Christ. There is no grey area in this regard. If you are not wholly for Christ; you are wholly for Satan. Stating that I am a Jesus-follower should be a good clue.
It's been said, "...what's in a name?" Sometimes, a lot!
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