Sexual Freedom
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. - 1 Corinthians 6:12 NIV
At the risk of being condemned by the religious right and prudes of the world, I am going to write about sex today. I know that this is a topic that most churches stay away from in any truthful way. The most you may hear is that having sex out of wedlock is sin, and should be avoided at all costs. Yet what you also find is that in the church there are so many people having sex, either being unmarried or even outside of their marriage, that it is a topic that should be addressed. Paul goes on at great length to the Corinthian church about issues of sex and addresses questions they had about it.
One thing that we have to realize when looking at what Paul says about sex and marriage in 1 Corinthians 6 & 7, is that he was talking to an audience who was extremely culturally divided. You had some Jews, Romans and Greeks, all of whom had their own cultural practices regarding sex. Jews considered sex before marriage an act of adultery against your future spouse, and punished it as if you committed adultery. Greek thinkers felt that sex outside of marriage was fine as long as it didn’t control you. Romans allowed for things like prostitution, unless you were of the aristocracy, and then forbade you to fornicate. So the Corinthians had all of these attitudes towards sex in their culture, and Paul was trying to give them some clarity on how they should filter through all of this as followers of Christ.
It’s not that different than America today. You have some people who are sexually free, and feel that it is ok to do it however, whenever and with whomever you want. You have some who are so against sex before marriage that they are willing to tell you that you will go to hell if you have it. You have some who believe that you don’t have to be married, but should be in a committed relationship before you have sex with a person. And many others who are absolutely clueless about what they believe about sex but are doing it anyway. We don’t even know sometimes where our philosophy of sex comes from. The media does a great job in giving us what they want us to believe about it, and much of that is a lie. But if that is all we see, then we might believe that it is true. Maybe you had some sort of sex talk from your parents that shaped your philosophy. Maybe you took on the teachings of your church’s opinion or lack thereof regarding sex. Maybe you only learned by experience, which also limits you. At the end of the day, you have to know where you stand on this topic, because you will be influenced by something or someone else. And I would hope that you develop this stance before you engage in a sexual relationship with another person.
It has taken me years and some fumbles to truly develop a personal theology and philosophy about sex. When I was younger, I avoided it because I didn’t want to get pregnant or get a disease. Then when I got older, I didn’t care so much about that, but wanted to make sure I was actually in a committed relationship. Then I didn’t want to have sex because I feared that God would condemn me for it if I did. Then I realized that God would forgive me, but I would have a hard time forgiving myself. Then I realized that God will be faithful to give us a way out of any situation that was not good for us, we just have to look for it. And today, I just know that I choose not to have sex with any man who is not my husband. That is my personal theology that I have developed over time based on my personal relationship with God and my willingness to seek His guidance on this matter.
It’s not because I am making a deal with God in order to get a husband, or because I am afraid of getting pregnant, or getting a disease. It is truly out of my love for God that I honor my body and choose to edify my spirit with my decision. It’s not that I can’t do it. I choose not to. It’s not a rule and regulation that I need to follow because I am a Christian. I choose to abstain. It’s not out of fear, it is out of faith. And if I slip up one day, it won’t be the end of the world. I don’t think I’ll go to hell or resolve that my life is over or that I’ll never be married because no man will want me. I’ll deal with it as God gives me the grace. And if I make it to marriage, it won’t be because I am so disciplined and so holy that I did it. It will be because God gave me grace to do it. Either way, it comes down to God’s grace. We all need it.
So many people that I have counseled have so many issues regarding sex, whether it be while they are dating or even in their marriages. Much of it comes from the lack of an understanding of it and reconciling it with their faith. If they had sex before marriage but marry the person anyway, they still sometimes have issues of guilt that come up years later and manifest in different ways. They have to get to the root of what they believe about sex before they can truly heal. If they abstained from sex for so long and got used to disciplining themselves physically to deny their sexual desires, they sometimes have a problem saying yes, even in marriage. Both can be a problem. How do you find balance?
I can’t force my opinions on you or persuade you to take my approach to your sexual life. But what I do know is that in sex, you are physically uniting to another human being to become one flesh. If you don’t know who you are as an individual, you may start to take on the characteristics of that other person and begin to lose yourself over time. That may lead to resentment and make it really difficult to exist in relationship with that person or become the true you. It’s easy to lose yourself, especially if you never knew who you were. Sex is designed to unite people spiritually, emotionally as well as physically. So if you choose to have it, you better be prepared to carry that person with you at all times. That is why it was designed for people who have already made a commitment to be with one another for life. Because even if you are apart, you can still feel that person. Only God can break that tie.
Like Paul told the Corinthians, you can do anything you want to do, but everything does not help you grow. Know what you are getting into. You might think that you can predict the consequences, but you can’t always. It’s not like God is against sex. He created it! Why not talk to the one who created it so that in your life, it can be what it was created to be? As opposed to just always asking for forgiveness for doing what you wanted to do anyway. There is a better way to live. So I encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 6 & 7 for yourself and talk to God about where you are in regards to sex in your own life. Having a personal conviction can help you to remain firm in times of temptation and also to avoid the guilt associated with doing something that you don’t want to do, simply because someone else wanted to do it. Know God for yourself. God will help you to know yourself.
I personally like the way the Message Bible puts it:
“There's more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, "The two become one." Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever—the kind of sex that can never "become one." There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love, for "becoming one" with another. Or didn't you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don't you see that you can't live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:16-20
Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
The King's Prison
“Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.” Genesis 39:20 NIV
The story of Joseph is always a comfort to me in many ways. Joseph had a hard time in life for a long time. He was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, put in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and sold out by people he helped. But in all of that, he stayed true to his faith in God. Somehow Joseph knew that God had a much greater plan for him than his present circumstances would show.
This particular verse stands out to me because it gives a small detail that we may miss in the reading of Joseph’s story. Joseph was not put into a regular prison. He was put into the place where the king’s prisoners were held. This was the king’s prison. Joseph was in the company of people who had access to the king in some point in their lives. While Joseph was in prison, he still did what he would have done on the outside in terms of his gifts. He managed the prison records and interpreted dreams. He was still a leader, even when he was in prison. And as a result, when he interpreted the dreams of two of the king’s servants, one of them got out of prison and eventually remembered that he met Joseph and told Pharaoh about him. Pharaoh called Joseph out of prison and had him interpret a dream that eventually saved Egypt and the surrounding areas from the famine that was coming. But Joseph may not have ever gotten there without being in the king’s prison.
Sometimes we all are guilty of despising where we are in life. Some positions seems to be worthless. We could develop a woe-is-me attitude about our circumstances. There is always greener grass somewhere. And when we get there, we sometimes even want to go back to the other grass. But maybe, from Joseph’s story we can learn a thing or two. God’s plan for our lives is so much bigger than our individual goals and dreams. God is not simply interested in getting you to a place of prosperity or influence for your own good. He uses those positions to help others. Yet sometimes, in order to get to that place, we have to go through a prison of our own. A place where you feel like you are in bondage. A place where you feel like your freedom is restricted. A place where you feel like you don’t belong. But like Joseph, we may not be in a normal prison. Maybe we are in the king’s prison.
Wherever you find yourself in life, be sure to look around. No matter where you are, God’s plan for you is bigger than you will ever know. Your surroundings are just a part of the plan. It may be that while in your own prison experience, you meet someone who has the key to your release. But if you stay stuck on the fact that you are in prison and never stop to use your gifts and talents anyway, you may miss it. What if Joseph was so distraught about the fact that he was in jail for a crime he didn’t commit that he refused to become a leader? What if he figured that there was no use in interpreting dreams because the dreams he had where he was a leader over all his family seemed to not have come to pass? What if he had a woe-is-me attitude? Israel may have been destroyed by the famine. Egypt may have never been in a position to provide food for the surrounding nations. All because Joseph refused to be who God called him to be, wherever he found himself. Even in a prison.
So no matter where we are, I pray that we all have the courage and faith to be who God called us to be. If you have a promise from God about where you are going in life, don’t worry about where you are now. Just be the person He called you to be and let the rest of it work out. Being your true self can put you in position to get to the next level. But if you spend your time and energy feeling sorry for yourself or lamenting over what you lost, you might miss it. And who knows how many other people will be affected by that decision. Have faith that God’s plan is bigger than any man-made institution or agenda. Maybe they wanted you in prison, but God wanted you to meet your cellmate. Maybe they wanted you to fail, but God wanted you to meet Him in that place. Maybe they wanted to lay you off, but God had you meet someone in the unemployment office. Maybe they wanted you to be frustrated, but God wanted you to develop compassion. Maybe they wanted you to lose your home, but God wanted to give you another one. MAybe they made you feel small but God wanted to show you how big He is. You never know. But just because you are in a prison today, doesn’t mean God has forsaken you. Do you anyway. You might be in a prison today and in the palace tomorrow.
The story of Joseph is always a comfort to me in many ways. Joseph had a hard time in life for a long time. He was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, put in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and sold out by people he helped. But in all of that, he stayed true to his faith in God. Somehow Joseph knew that God had a much greater plan for him than his present circumstances would show.
This particular verse stands out to me because it gives a small detail that we may miss in the reading of Joseph’s story. Joseph was not put into a regular prison. He was put into the place where the king’s prisoners were held. This was the king’s prison. Joseph was in the company of people who had access to the king in some point in their lives. While Joseph was in prison, he still did what he would have done on the outside in terms of his gifts. He managed the prison records and interpreted dreams. He was still a leader, even when he was in prison. And as a result, when he interpreted the dreams of two of the king’s servants, one of them got out of prison and eventually remembered that he met Joseph and told Pharaoh about him. Pharaoh called Joseph out of prison and had him interpret a dream that eventually saved Egypt and the surrounding areas from the famine that was coming. But Joseph may not have ever gotten there without being in the king’s prison.
Sometimes we all are guilty of despising where we are in life. Some positions seems to be worthless. We could develop a woe-is-me attitude about our circumstances. There is always greener grass somewhere. And when we get there, we sometimes even want to go back to the other grass. But maybe, from Joseph’s story we can learn a thing or two. God’s plan for our lives is so much bigger than our individual goals and dreams. God is not simply interested in getting you to a place of prosperity or influence for your own good. He uses those positions to help others. Yet sometimes, in order to get to that place, we have to go through a prison of our own. A place where you feel like you are in bondage. A place where you feel like your freedom is restricted. A place where you feel like you don’t belong. But like Joseph, we may not be in a normal prison. Maybe we are in the king’s prison.
Wherever you find yourself in life, be sure to look around. No matter where you are, God’s plan for you is bigger than you will ever know. Your surroundings are just a part of the plan. It may be that while in your own prison experience, you meet someone who has the key to your release. But if you stay stuck on the fact that you are in prison and never stop to use your gifts and talents anyway, you may miss it. What if Joseph was so distraught about the fact that he was in jail for a crime he didn’t commit that he refused to become a leader? What if he figured that there was no use in interpreting dreams because the dreams he had where he was a leader over all his family seemed to not have come to pass? What if he had a woe-is-me attitude? Israel may have been destroyed by the famine. Egypt may have never been in a position to provide food for the surrounding nations. All because Joseph refused to be who God called him to be, wherever he found himself. Even in a prison.
So no matter where we are, I pray that we all have the courage and faith to be who God called us to be. If you have a promise from God about where you are going in life, don’t worry about where you are now. Just be the person He called you to be and let the rest of it work out. Being your true self can put you in position to get to the next level. But if you spend your time and energy feeling sorry for yourself or lamenting over what you lost, you might miss it. And who knows how many other people will be affected by that decision. Have faith that God’s plan is bigger than any man-made institution or agenda. Maybe they wanted you in prison, but God wanted you to meet your cellmate. Maybe they wanted you to fail, but God wanted you to meet Him in that place. Maybe they wanted to lay you off, but God had you meet someone in the unemployment office. Maybe they wanted you to be frustrated, but God wanted you to develop compassion. Maybe they wanted you to lose your home, but God wanted to give you another one. MAybe they made you feel small but God wanted to show you how big He is. You never know. But just because you are in a prison today, doesn’t mean God has forsaken you. Do you anyway. You might be in a prison today and in the palace tomorrow.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The Wisdom of Wealth
The Wisdom of Wealth
“I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” Luke 16:9 NIV
I’ve had the privilege of having a successful career and living out what many would consider to be the American Dream. Good education, good job, nice house, nice car, traveling, good family, good friends, etc. And I cannot tell you that I have not enjoyed it all. because I have and I do. Of course I never had everything I wanted, but I’ve had plenty. I am grateful. But those things don’t last forever. Especially when God is trying to teach you something about His kingdom.
What you do with your “worldly wealth” can influence what happens to you when you are without it. If you use the time you have when you may experience abundance to be selfish and fearful with your wealth, then when it fails you at some point, you will find that you have little refuge. However, if when you are in that place of abundance, you use what you have to not only care for your own needs, but the needs of others, then you will find that in your time of need, you have an opportunity to have some refuge.
But the question is, when are you in that place of abundance? Most of us will probably say that we have not experienced that yet, and are still waiting on some type of “breakthrough”. But this is where we get it twisted. Wherever you are right now is an abundant place because you don’t know what tomorrow will hold. Today, if you have a roof over your head, food on your table, money (no matter how little) in your pocket or bank account and your health, then you have something that someone else may not have. Even still, you may not have one or all of those things tomorrow. Sometimes we only recognize that we were in a place of abundance when one of the things we took for granted is gone. Maybe you complained about your job so often that you weren’t grateful to have one, until you got laid off. Maybe you thought you had a terrible family, filled with issues until a loved one passed away. Maybe you lamented over your small savings account until you had to use it for an emergency. Maybe you complained about your weight until you developed an illness that forced you to lose weight involuntarily. You don’t know where your place of abundance actually is, therefore use what you know you have today to be a blessing to someone else.
Invite people over to your home for a meal, or someone who needs a place to stay might be able to use your extra bedroom. Use your small paycheck to help someone who has lost their job. Buy them some groceries, or a gift card to take care of some basic necessities. Ten dollars can stretch a long way when you have coupons. Be grateful for the little you have and use it wisely, because you don’t know what might happen tomorrow. You may look back and discover that you had more than you knew you had. And then you might want to go back to it. But there is no going back. You can only move forward in wisdom.
I have learned over this past year of my faith walk that it doesn’t matter where I am financially. I can always find abundance, even if it takes me a while to find it. There is wealth that you cannot measure. And for those things that I cannot afford right now, I have discovered that others in the body are happy to provide. There is always someone willing to use their abundance to bless someone else. But if we don’t open our mouths and ask, we will never know. And if you are someone who is willing to share what you have, then seek out the opportunity to help. The principle of this is something we must utilize always. Trust that whatever you have right now is enough and using it wisely will create space for you to still have, even when what you had is gone.
“I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” Luke 16:9 NIV
I’ve had the privilege of having a successful career and living out what many would consider to be the American Dream. Good education, good job, nice house, nice car, traveling, good family, good friends, etc. And I cannot tell you that I have not enjoyed it all. because I have and I do. Of course I never had everything I wanted, but I’ve had plenty. I am grateful. But those things don’t last forever. Especially when God is trying to teach you something about His kingdom.
What you do with your “worldly wealth” can influence what happens to you when you are without it. If you use the time you have when you may experience abundance to be selfish and fearful with your wealth, then when it fails you at some point, you will find that you have little refuge. However, if when you are in that place of abundance, you use what you have to not only care for your own needs, but the needs of others, then you will find that in your time of need, you have an opportunity to have some refuge.
But the question is, when are you in that place of abundance? Most of us will probably say that we have not experienced that yet, and are still waiting on some type of “breakthrough”. But this is where we get it twisted. Wherever you are right now is an abundant place because you don’t know what tomorrow will hold. Today, if you have a roof over your head, food on your table, money (no matter how little) in your pocket or bank account and your health, then you have something that someone else may not have. Even still, you may not have one or all of those things tomorrow. Sometimes we only recognize that we were in a place of abundance when one of the things we took for granted is gone. Maybe you complained about your job so often that you weren’t grateful to have one, until you got laid off. Maybe you thought you had a terrible family, filled with issues until a loved one passed away. Maybe you lamented over your small savings account until you had to use it for an emergency. Maybe you complained about your weight until you developed an illness that forced you to lose weight involuntarily. You don’t know where your place of abundance actually is, therefore use what you know you have today to be a blessing to someone else.
Invite people over to your home for a meal, or someone who needs a place to stay might be able to use your extra bedroom. Use your small paycheck to help someone who has lost their job. Buy them some groceries, or a gift card to take care of some basic necessities. Ten dollars can stretch a long way when you have coupons. Be grateful for the little you have and use it wisely, because you don’t know what might happen tomorrow. You may look back and discover that you had more than you knew you had. And then you might want to go back to it. But there is no going back. You can only move forward in wisdom.
I have learned over this past year of my faith walk that it doesn’t matter where I am financially. I can always find abundance, even if it takes me a while to find it. There is wealth that you cannot measure. And for those things that I cannot afford right now, I have discovered that others in the body are happy to provide. There is always someone willing to use their abundance to bless someone else. But if we don’t open our mouths and ask, we will never know. And if you are someone who is willing to share what you have, then seek out the opportunity to help. The principle of this is something we must utilize always. Trust that whatever you have right now is enough and using it wisely will create space for you to still have, even when what you had is gone.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Now What?
"For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall [show] signs and wonders, to seduce, if [it were] possible, even the elect." Mark 13:22
Well, May 21st came and went without much in the way of any rapture. How bout that? So now, we have the process of moving on. But that doesn’t mean that there won’t be another “prophet” who says that they have the exact date of when the world will end. The problem with that is that it is against scripture. So, if you are using Biblical scripture to justify the fact that you have the exact date of the end of the world, then you have some explaining to do. But I wanted to address some of the issues that we have to be aware of when the next “prophet” comes along.
1 – The Bible is not God - I recognize the authority of scripture as having been inspired by God, but it was not written by God. It is not supposed to be an idol, but many times people make the bible an idol without even knowing it. Harold Camping, leader of the whole May 21st thing, used the Bible as God. If you listen to a lot of what he said in interviews, he would talk about the bible as if it were God. There is a big difference in honoring and revering scripture as a God-inspired text to give us insight into the character, nature and person of God, and making the bible God. You might not even know that you are doing it. But check yourself in how you talk about scripture. Harold Camping said this in an interview: “Because I trust the Bible implicitly, the Bible is God’s word — it’s not from a man, it’s not from an organization of some kind where there’s plenty of room for error. It is the word of God. When God speaks that it is going to happen, the Bible is a very factual book, and God gives many examples of how he has made prophesies and it always has happened in exact accord with what God has prophesied.” This is an indication that something is wrong. There are prophesies in the bible that have not yet come to pass. The bible is not supposed to be what you trust in, but what you read in order to know the one you trust in. According to them, the bible is so factual that May 21st was definitely going to happen. But I write this on May 23rd. Now what? Nothing but God is to be trusted implicitly. Because the words written must also be interpreted. And as we can see, interpretation can be pretty subjective. Follow what John said in 1 John 4:1, “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.” Make sure the spirit lines up with the Word. But the Spirit of God is the barometer.
2- Love those who believed – Unfortunately, so many people have been deceived by the whole rapture thing that they now have to pick up the pieces of their life. Many quit their jobs, sold their property, gave their life savings to the ministry, uprooted their whole lives for the sake of preaching this word. Now they have to come to terms with what they thought was their mission from God. We have to be sensitive to those who were among these who genuinely believed. They are going to need to know that just because the man who predicted this was wrong, God is still real and God still loves them. True believers won’t make fun of them but will demonstrate the love of God to them. I made jokes, too before that day, but in all seriousness, they are going to need some love right now. Many of them may stray away from the faith having been so jaded. Let’s offer them the love they need.
3- Read the bible for yourself – Nobody can walk your walk for you. If you don’t take the time to ask questions of scripture, read these passages for yourself and get to know the person of God, then you are likely to fall for false teachings. In times when I fell victim to false teachings in the past, it was because I was taking somebody else's word for what the bible or God said. That made me go deeper. I don’t like to be deceived if I can help it. Just because your pastor says it doesn’t make it truth. READ IT FOR YOURSELF!!! Is it consistent with the message of scripture? Or is it an isolated text that can be taken out of context.
4- Don’t worry about the end – Jesus said he was coming back. That’s all I’m really concerned about. When he’s coming back is irrelevant. I’m supposed to keep doing what I’m called to do and then one day I will either die or see him coming in the clouds. But until then, if I try to make predictions based on numerology or look for patterns in scripture to try to make predictions of when certain things will happen, I’m wasting my time. With each prophet that God used in scripture, he didn’t use hidden symbols to give them the answers to a message they had to preach to the world. He spoke plainly. And it usually involved them doing some strange things, and often giving up their wealth. Last I checked, Harold Camping was a millionaire. That’s not to say that God can’t use rich people. But he did not hide cryptic messages in His word for people to figure out. Some of the people who wrote scripture did when they needed to hide their messages from the powers that be in that day (like in the book of Revelation). But God’s word is yea and amen and if he wants us to know when the world will end, he will tell somebody directly and not have them use the wisdom of man in order to “figure it out”.
I think I’ve ranted long enough. I could talk about the twisted use of scripture all day, but I won’t. I’m done my soapbox for the moment. But remember to demonstrate the love of Christ to all, but especially to those who have to recover mentally, spiritually and physically for believing the false rapture prediction. That might do more to bring about the coming of Christ than trying to figure out what the next date will be.
Well, May 21st came and went without much in the way of any rapture. How bout that? So now, we have the process of moving on. But that doesn’t mean that there won’t be another “prophet” who says that they have the exact date of when the world will end. The problem with that is that it is against scripture. So, if you are using Biblical scripture to justify the fact that you have the exact date of the end of the world, then you have some explaining to do. But I wanted to address some of the issues that we have to be aware of when the next “prophet” comes along.
1 – The Bible is not God - I recognize the authority of scripture as having been inspired by God, but it was not written by God. It is not supposed to be an idol, but many times people make the bible an idol without even knowing it. Harold Camping, leader of the whole May 21st thing, used the Bible as God. If you listen to a lot of what he said in interviews, he would talk about the bible as if it were God. There is a big difference in honoring and revering scripture as a God-inspired text to give us insight into the character, nature and person of God, and making the bible God. You might not even know that you are doing it. But check yourself in how you talk about scripture. Harold Camping said this in an interview: “Because I trust the Bible implicitly, the Bible is God’s word — it’s not from a man, it’s not from an organization of some kind where there’s plenty of room for error. It is the word of God. When God speaks that it is going to happen, the Bible is a very factual book, and God gives many examples of how he has made prophesies and it always has happened in exact accord with what God has prophesied.” This is an indication that something is wrong. There are prophesies in the bible that have not yet come to pass. The bible is not supposed to be what you trust in, but what you read in order to know the one you trust in. According to them, the bible is so factual that May 21st was definitely going to happen. But I write this on May 23rd. Now what? Nothing but God is to be trusted implicitly. Because the words written must also be interpreted. And as we can see, interpretation can be pretty subjective. Follow what John said in 1 John 4:1, “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.” Make sure the spirit lines up with the Word. But the Spirit of God is the barometer.
2- Love those who believed – Unfortunately, so many people have been deceived by the whole rapture thing that they now have to pick up the pieces of their life. Many quit their jobs, sold their property, gave their life savings to the ministry, uprooted their whole lives for the sake of preaching this word. Now they have to come to terms with what they thought was their mission from God. We have to be sensitive to those who were among these who genuinely believed. They are going to need to know that just because the man who predicted this was wrong, God is still real and God still loves them. True believers won’t make fun of them but will demonstrate the love of God to them. I made jokes, too before that day, but in all seriousness, they are going to need some love right now. Many of them may stray away from the faith having been so jaded. Let’s offer them the love they need.
3- Read the bible for yourself – Nobody can walk your walk for you. If you don’t take the time to ask questions of scripture, read these passages for yourself and get to know the person of God, then you are likely to fall for false teachings. In times when I fell victim to false teachings in the past, it was because I was taking somebody else's word for what the bible or God said. That made me go deeper. I don’t like to be deceived if I can help it. Just because your pastor says it doesn’t make it truth. READ IT FOR YOURSELF!!! Is it consistent with the message of scripture? Or is it an isolated text that can be taken out of context.
4- Don’t worry about the end – Jesus said he was coming back. That’s all I’m really concerned about. When he’s coming back is irrelevant. I’m supposed to keep doing what I’m called to do and then one day I will either die or see him coming in the clouds. But until then, if I try to make predictions based on numerology or look for patterns in scripture to try to make predictions of when certain things will happen, I’m wasting my time. With each prophet that God used in scripture, he didn’t use hidden symbols to give them the answers to a message they had to preach to the world. He spoke plainly. And it usually involved them doing some strange things, and often giving up their wealth. Last I checked, Harold Camping was a millionaire. That’s not to say that God can’t use rich people. But he did not hide cryptic messages in His word for people to figure out. Some of the people who wrote scripture did when they needed to hide their messages from the powers that be in that day (like in the book of Revelation). But God’s word is yea and amen and if he wants us to know when the world will end, he will tell somebody directly and not have them use the wisdom of man in order to “figure it out”.
I think I’ve ranted long enough. I could talk about the twisted use of scripture all day, but I won’t. I’m done my soapbox for the moment. But remember to demonstrate the love of Christ to all, but especially to those who have to recover mentally, spiritually and physically for believing the false rapture prediction. That might do more to bring about the coming of Christ than trying to figure out what the next date will be.
Friday, May 20, 2011
The End of the World
The End of the World?
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. “ Matthew 24:36
Ok. It doesn’t take a genius to interpret the words “No one”. It doesn’t usually mean some people, or a few people or a couple of people. It means no one. And when Jesus quoted these words he was talking to the disciples, who were the absolute closest people to him outside of the Father. He is telling them that there is no one, not even the angels, not even the Son, who knows when the earth will pass away.
Yet, we have some people today (as has been throughout history) saying that on May 21, 2011, those faithful Christians will be raptured and all others here to experience five months of torment until finally on October 21, 2011 the world will end. This is not the first prediction of the end of the world. In fact, there have been over 200 predictions throughout history from people who thought they had the answer. Despite what scripture actually says.
To me, this points to the sin of humankind. We always want to have the answer to everything. We cannot accept the fact that there are some things on this earth as long as we live here, that we will just never know. And no matter how many random scriptures we string together to come up with some calculation of what the book of Revelation says or what the prophet Daniel said or what we think Jesus told his disciples, we may just never know. Our time is better spent doing the things that we know Jesus said, like loving God, loving each other and making disciples. That way, if the world does come to an end, at least we were busy doing the things that He told us to do while we wait for him to return. He specifically says that we should be busy doing what we know we should do instead of speculating on when he would come (Matthew 24:45-51). How much time has been wasted on things that don’t matter?
Now, I’m not saying that there will be won’t be some good that comes out of this. In 1994, when someone predicted the end of the world, I got a tract on the street that sent me home worried. I was afraid that what they said was true and I didn’t know anything about it. I didn’t grow up in church, so I didn’t read much scripture. But after getting that tract, I started to read. I told my mom about the world coming to an end and she didn’t seemed phased at all. But the people were so specific. How could it not be true? They said it would happen in September 1994 and it was July. I didn’t have much time to read, but I needed to get started. So I started in Revelation, but that didn’t make much sense. So I figured I needed to go to the beginning and read Genesis. Well needless to say that by October 1994, I figured something was off and I forgot about it. But the seed was planted.
There will be some other kid or adult who will pick up a bible for the first time simply because some dude who thinks he has all of the answers in the universe predicted the end of the world. So for that, I am grateful. There will be others, however, who will become disillusioned with the Christian faith as well. I just pray that God continue to reveal the truth to people and have mercy on those who lead others astray. I would hope that Harold Camping, who started this prediction will cancel his radio program and go to Seminary to actually study the word of God before he comes out and preaches again. But if he doesn’t we will forgive him and maybe he’ll simply say that he got the dates mixed up and the calculations wrong just like everybody else who made a prediction that didn’t come to pass. Either way, maybe we should spend less time wondering when Jesus will come back and just do what he told us to do. That way it doesn’t matter. And hey, if I’m wrong, none of it , matters anyway. I wish I knew, though. I need to buy a plane ticket today. God gave me the chance to go on vacation and I want to take it. That would be so mean if He planned to end the world before I get to go to Rome. I’d have to talk to Him about that . . .See y’all Monday!!!
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. “ Matthew 24:36
Ok. It doesn’t take a genius to interpret the words “No one”. It doesn’t usually mean some people, or a few people or a couple of people. It means no one. And when Jesus quoted these words he was talking to the disciples, who were the absolute closest people to him outside of the Father. He is telling them that there is no one, not even the angels, not even the Son, who knows when the earth will pass away.
Yet, we have some people today (as has been throughout history) saying that on May 21, 2011, those faithful Christians will be raptured and all others here to experience five months of torment until finally on October 21, 2011 the world will end. This is not the first prediction of the end of the world. In fact, there have been over 200 predictions throughout history from people who thought they had the answer. Despite what scripture actually says.
To me, this points to the sin of humankind. We always want to have the answer to everything. We cannot accept the fact that there are some things on this earth as long as we live here, that we will just never know. And no matter how many random scriptures we string together to come up with some calculation of what the book of Revelation says or what the prophet Daniel said or what we think Jesus told his disciples, we may just never know. Our time is better spent doing the things that we know Jesus said, like loving God, loving each other and making disciples. That way, if the world does come to an end, at least we were busy doing the things that He told us to do while we wait for him to return. He specifically says that we should be busy doing what we know we should do instead of speculating on when he would come (Matthew 24:45-51). How much time has been wasted on things that don’t matter?
Now, I’m not saying that there will be won’t be some good that comes out of this. In 1994, when someone predicted the end of the world, I got a tract on the street that sent me home worried. I was afraid that what they said was true and I didn’t know anything about it. I didn’t grow up in church, so I didn’t read much scripture. But after getting that tract, I started to read. I told my mom about the world coming to an end and she didn’t seemed phased at all. But the people were so specific. How could it not be true? They said it would happen in September 1994 and it was July. I didn’t have much time to read, but I needed to get started. So I started in Revelation, but that didn’t make much sense. So I figured I needed to go to the beginning and read Genesis. Well needless to say that by October 1994, I figured something was off and I forgot about it. But the seed was planted.
There will be some other kid or adult who will pick up a bible for the first time simply because some dude who thinks he has all of the answers in the universe predicted the end of the world. So for that, I am grateful. There will be others, however, who will become disillusioned with the Christian faith as well. I just pray that God continue to reveal the truth to people and have mercy on those who lead others astray. I would hope that Harold Camping, who started this prediction will cancel his radio program and go to Seminary to actually study the word of God before he comes out and preaches again. But if he doesn’t we will forgive him and maybe he’ll simply say that he got the dates mixed up and the calculations wrong just like everybody else who made a prediction that didn’t come to pass. Either way, maybe we should spend less time wondering when Jesus will come back and just do what he told us to do. That way it doesn’t matter. And hey, if I’m wrong, none of it , matters anyway. I wish I knew, though. I need to buy a plane ticket today. God gave me the chance to go on vacation and I want to take it. That would be so mean if He planned to end the world before I get to go to Rome. I’d have to talk to Him about that . . .See y’all Monday!!!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
The Power to Create Wealth
The Power to Create Wealth
“But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.” Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV
I taught on this scripture a few weeks ago in my Financial Workshop. I was teaching on investing and discussing the fact that the first financial investment we make in our lives is what we will do to earn a living. Investing ourselves into something that produces money for us is the start to any investment strategy. Because if you don’t invest yourself wisely, it may have devastating effects on your overall financial picture. Think about it. People who hate what they do for a living quite often spend time saving up to quit or taking vacations to get away or always talking about retirement or buying things that do give them a sense of joy. It can effect your financial life more than you know. So the first question you want to ask when it comes to investing is where do I want to invest myself to make money. Even if you are idealistic and want to live your life helping people, you cannot escape the fact that money has to be made somehow. Even if you don’t make a lot of it.
But one thing that I noticed in this scripture when I taught a few weeks ago if when God gave the Israelites this message. They were about to cross over from the wilderness into the promised land. They spent forty years in the desert being fed from the hand of God manna and quail everyday. They were used to God providing for them in that particular way. They didn’t have to grow their own food, God sent manna from heaven everyday. They didn’t have to worry about where they were going to get food from because God promised that it would be there. And now they were shifting to a new system. Since it was an agricultural society, they had to plant and harvest their own food in the promised land. The method of them getting food was different. Now they were going to work for it.
Having to work for food is different then someone feeding you everyday. It takes a different mindset. You might start to worry little more because now you feel like you are in charge of getting food. It’s like moving from your parents house to living on your own. Maybe your mom and dad had dinner ready for you every night and you never really worried about it. But now on your own, you start to get concerned. Maybe you take more pride in what you did to earn the money that it took to feed yourself now. Maybe you forget about God in the process of making this transition.
But God is reminding Israel that He is the same God of the promised land that he is in the wilderness. He’s just feeding them a different way. He is giving them more shared responsibility for making it happen. It doesn’t mean that He is not there. Maybe with the way God was feeding them in the promised land it may appear that they were the ones making it happen. They may have started to accumulate more crops and herds for themselves and began to appear wealthy. BUt God is reminding them that it still all comes from Him. He is still God, even when He does things in a different way. He is the one who give you the power to create wealth. And He is also the God who feeds you in the wilderness when you can’t work for yourself.
I hope that we all can remember that God is the one who is our true provider, no matter how He chooses to provide for you. If you feel like you are in the wilderness, then He may have to feed you manna (like me) for a while, but it won’t last forever. Eventually you will get to a promised land, but don’t think that you are doing it yourself. God is still in charge. Remember Him when you come up from the wilderness lifestyle that you got used to. He is the one who gives you what you need to go out and earn a living. Regardless of how much that is in dollars. I also pray that we can all get to the point of doing what we love to do instead of what we tolerate. If you are not yet loving what you do, maybe you are still in the wilderness, even if you make a lot of money. Your still not in the promised land. But when you get out, remember that it is God who is with you everyday. You didn’t do this on your own.
“But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.” Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV
I taught on this scripture a few weeks ago in my Financial Workshop. I was teaching on investing and discussing the fact that the first financial investment we make in our lives is what we will do to earn a living. Investing ourselves into something that produces money for us is the start to any investment strategy. Because if you don’t invest yourself wisely, it may have devastating effects on your overall financial picture. Think about it. People who hate what they do for a living quite often spend time saving up to quit or taking vacations to get away or always talking about retirement or buying things that do give them a sense of joy. It can effect your financial life more than you know. So the first question you want to ask when it comes to investing is where do I want to invest myself to make money. Even if you are idealistic and want to live your life helping people, you cannot escape the fact that money has to be made somehow. Even if you don’t make a lot of it.
But one thing that I noticed in this scripture when I taught a few weeks ago if when God gave the Israelites this message. They were about to cross over from the wilderness into the promised land. They spent forty years in the desert being fed from the hand of God manna and quail everyday. They were used to God providing for them in that particular way. They didn’t have to grow their own food, God sent manna from heaven everyday. They didn’t have to worry about where they were going to get food from because God promised that it would be there. And now they were shifting to a new system. Since it was an agricultural society, they had to plant and harvest their own food in the promised land. The method of them getting food was different. Now they were going to work for it.
Having to work for food is different then someone feeding you everyday. It takes a different mindset. You might start to worry little more because now you feel like you are in charge of getting food. It’s like moving from your parents house to living on your own. Maybe your mom and dad had dinner ready for you every night and you never really worried about it. But now on your own, you start to get concerned. Maybe you take more pride in what you did to earn the money that it took to feed yourself now. Maybe you forget about God in the process of making this transition.
But God is reminding Israel that He is the same God of the promised land that he is in the wilderness. He’s just feeding them a different way. He is giving them more shared responsibility for making it happen. It doesn’t mean that He is not there. Maybe with the way God was feeding them in the promised land it may appear that they were the ones making it happen. They may have started to accumulate more crops and herds for themselves and began to appear wealthy. BUt God is reminding them that it still all comes from Him. He is still God, even when He does things in a different way. He is the one who give you the power to create wealth. And He is also the God who feeds you in the wilderness when you can’t work for yourself.
I hope that we all can remember that God is the one who is our true provider, no matter how He chooses to provide for you. If you feel like you are in the wilderness, then He may have to feed you manna (like me) for a while, but it won’t last forever. Eventually you will get to a promised land, but don’t think that you are doing it yourself. God is still in charge. Remember Him when you come up from the wilderness lifestyle that you got used to. He is the one who gives you what you need to go out and earn a living. Regardless of how much that is in dollars. I also pray that we can all get to the point of doing what we love to do instead of what we tolerate. If you are not yet loving what you do, maybe you are still in the wilderness, even if you make a lot of money. Your still not in the promised land. But when you get out, remember that it is God who is with you everyday. You didn’t do this on your own.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
The Power In Relationships
The Power in Relationships
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:19-20
I just re-read this scripture this past weekend and saw it in a completely different light. Most of the time when I hear this scripture quoted or think about it, I think of the power of prayer with two or three people. But that is not exactly what this scripture is talking about. This actually has to do with the power that two people have to pray when their relationship is healthy and strong.
How do I know this? Jesus spent the entire portion of Matthew 18 before this trying to teach his disciples how to relate to one another as representatives of the kingdom of God. He talks about not trying to be the greatest or fight for position. He talks about not denying the children who come to him. He talks about how to resolve conflict and then after this scripture, he talks about how many times we should forgive one another. All of this has to do with relationships. It has nothing to do with simply you and a friend praying to God for stuff you want. We have to prioritize relationships over everything else and then, nothing will be impossible.
This is not inconsistent with the rest of scripture. Jesus always talks about how we are supposed to keep our relationship with God and one another in tact. This is how things really get done. Anything is possible when two people can, even in the midst of conflict, work it out and seek God. God will honor your worship of Him as the God of Reconciliation. Jesus’ whole ministry was dedicated to reconciliation. If we can figure out how to get along with each other on earth, then heaven will be open to us and nothing will be impossible.
When you have two people who have problems with one another but are in relationship, what happens? Nothing. Except things being internalized and then one day a major blow up that leads nowhere but destruction. Jesus never said that relationships would be without conflict. But he did say that when we have it, do what we can to make it right because there is more power in agreement then there is in disagreement. Even if you agree not to be in relationship the same way, there is still power in handling it with Jesus in the midst. We don’t have to be disagreeable in disagreement.
All I’m saying is that we need to recognize the power in Rodney King’s famous words, “Can’t we all just get along?” If we can figure that out then Jesus says that we can ask God for anything and He will do it. Anything. When we gather in Jesus name, it means that we gather in a reconciled state. It doesn’t mean a bunch of people who hate each other and can’t figure out how to get along praying. This has less to do with the number of people praying and more to do with the heart of those who do.
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:19-20
I just re-read this scripture this past weekend and saw it in a completely different light. Most of the time when I hear this scripture quoted or think about it, I think of the power of prayer with two or three people. But that is not exactly what this scripture is talking about. This actually has to do with the power that two people have to pray when their relationship is healthy and strong.
How do I know this? Jesus spent the entire portion of Matthew 18 before this trying to teach his disciples how to relate to one another as representatives of the kingdom of God. He talks about not trying to be the greatest or fight for position. He talks about not denying the children who come to him. He talks about how to resolve conflict and then after this scripture, he talks about how many times we should forgive one another. All of this has to do with relationships. It has nothing to do with simply you and a friend praying to God for stuff you want. We have to prioritize relationships over everything else and then, nothing will be impossible.
This is not inconsistent with the rest of scripture. Jesus always talks about how we are supposed to keep our relationship with God and one another in tact. This is how things really get done. Anything is possible when two people can, even in the midst of conflict, work it out and seek God. God will honor your worship of Him as the God of Reconciliation. Jesus’ whole ministry was dedicated to reconciliation. If we can figure out how to get along with each other on earth, then heaven will be open to us and nothing will be impossible.
When you have two people who have problems with one another but are in relationship, what happens? Nothing. Except things being internalized and then one day a major blow up that leads nowhere but destruction. Jesus never said that relationships would be without conflict. But he did say that when we have it, do what we can to make it right because there is more power in agreement then there is in disagreement. Even if you agree not to be in relationship the same way, there is still power in handling it with Jesus in the midst. We don’t have to be disagreeable in disagreement.
All I’m saying is that we need to recognize the power in Rodney King’s famous words, “Can’t we all just get along?” If we can figure that out then Jesus says that we can ask God for anything and He will do it. Anything. When we gather in Jesus name, it means that we gather in a reconciled state. It doesn’t mean a bunch of people who hate each other and can’t figure out how to get along praying. This has less to do with the number of people praying and more to do with the heart of those who do.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Did God Say That?
Did God Say That?
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
Genesis 3:1 NIV
In the past year, I have had to come face to face with what I believe about God. I can sing about Him being Jehovah Jireh, but when I am out of money, do I truly believe that it is He who makes provision, or will I try to handle it on my own. I may say that God is faithful, but when He takes too long to make good on a promise that He made me, will I doubt what He said. I may say that God is good, but when bad things happen to me do I still think so? Sometimes things come our way to test us to see if we are just talk or if we live by our true conviction. There are a lot of things that we can say about God that we have heard other people say, but what I want to know is do you believe it in your heart? Sometimes God brings us face to face with where are faith actually is and we have to decide what we are going to believe.
Several years ago God told me to start preparing to be married. It was out of the blue. I actually wasn’t even thinking about marriage at that point in my life. But out of seemingly nowhere He told me to get ready. But today, I find myself still very much single and I realized that I have a fear that I won’t actually get married. Even though I know that I heard God say it. Subconsciously, I have been afraid that it won’t happen. And throughout my life, God has always been faithful in leading me in the area of romance. People tend to think that I live some secret life, but the truth is, God always weeds out those guys that are no good for me. So most don’t make it beyond a certain level. He has truly been faithful to keep me in this area and yet, I still have trouble trusting that He will one day give me what He promised. It’s just because it’s taking too long. I was 24 when He told me that and today I’m 31. And through all of the clarity of Him telling me not to pursue anything with this man or that man, I still wonder if I heard Him correctly because it seems like He says no more than yes. But I have a promise. And this time is a test of my faith. Remember that Satan tricked Eve by making her question if God really said what He said. And so she took matters into her own hands and ate the forbidden fruit along with Adam. And here we are today, still falling for the same trick.
But if I can’t say anything about myself, I can honestly say that I know God. I know the voice of God. He has been guiding me as far back as I can remember. Even when I didn’t know that it was His voice, I can look back and see that He was there all along. And I know what I heard. I just don’t always believe it. I often want to completely ignore what I heard and just go see what I can do on my own. I’m cute, right? I’m smart. I get approached all the time. Maybe God is waiting for me to just go out there and play the field for a while. Maybe I should try internet dating. But no. If I go those routes, then it’s not even just the marriage thing that I am not trusting that I am hearing. It’s the voice of God I don’t trust. How can I trust Him in every other area of my life and not this one just because it is taking so long? *Sigh*
My faith is being perfected. I am becoming more spiritually mature. I refuse to give into the temptation of Eve and doubt what I heard. If that was a lie, then my whole life is a lie. I should have never gone to New Covenant Church. I should have never worked at TIAA-CREF. I should have never quit TIAA-CREF. I should have never wrote a book. I should have never made certain friends. I should have never bought my house. I should have never gone to seminary. I should have never had roommates. I should have never preached. I shouldn’t probably even be writing this blog. If God is a lie, then so am I. Everything in my life is a lie. When I gave my life to God for Him to use eleven years ago, I meant it. And so, He is my shepherd. He is leading me where I need to go. And I don’t always like the route He takes, but I am trusting that it is the best path. So I wait. In the meantime, He gives me all kinds of stuff to do so I’m not too bored. But every once in a while, Satan comes to make me question. Did God really say that? And it’s up to me to say, YUP!!! He sure did.
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
Genesis 3:1 NIV
In the past year, I have had to come face to face with what I believe about God. I can sing about Him being Jehovah Jireh, but when I am out of money, do I truly believe that it is He who makes provision, or will I try to handle it on my own. I may say that God is faithful, but when He takes too long to make good on a promise that He made me, will I doubt what He said. I may say that God is good, but when bad things happen to me do I still think so? Sometimes things come our way to test us to see if we are just talk or if we live by our true conviction. There are a lot of things that we can say about God that we have heard other people say, but what I want to know is do you believe it in your heart? Sometimes God brings us face to face with where are faith actually is and we have to decide what we are going to believe.
Several years ago God told me to start preparing to be married. It was out of the blue. I actually wasn’t even thinking about marriage at that point in my life. But out of seemingly nowhere He told me to get ready. But today, I find myself still very much single and I realized that I have a fear that I won’t actually get married. Even though I know that I heard God say it. Subconsciously, I have been afraid that it won’t happen. And throughout my life, God has always been faithful in leading me in the area of romance. People tend to think that I live some secret life, but the truth is, God always weeds out those guys that are no good for me. So most don’t make it beyond a certain level. He has truly been faithful to keep me in this area and yet, I still have trouble trusting that He will one day give me what He promised. It’s just because it’s taking too long. I was 24 when He told me that and today I’m 31. And through all of the clarity of Him telling me not to pursue anything with this man or that man, I still wonder if I heard Him correctly because it seems like He says no more than yes. But I have a promise. And this time is a test of my faith. Remember that Satan tricked Eve by making her question if God really said what He said. And so she took matters into her own hands and ate the forbidden fruit along with Adam. And here we are today, still falling for the same trick.
But if I can’t say anything about myself, I can honestly say that I know God. I know the voice of God. He has been guiding me as far back as I can remember. Even when I didn’t know that it was His voice, I can look back and see that He was there all along. And I know what I heard. I just don’t always believe it. I often want to completely ignore what I heard and just go see what I can do on my own. I’m cute, right? I’m smart. I get approached all the time. Maybe God is waiting for me to just go out there and play the field for a while. Maybe I should try internet dating. But no. If I go those routes, then it’s not even just the marriage thing that I am not trusting that I am hearing. It’s the voice of God I don’t trust. How can I trust Him in every other area of my life and not this one just because it is taking so long? *Sigh*
My faith is being perfected. I am becoming more spiritually mature. I refuse to give into the temptation of Eve and doubt what I heard. If that was a lie, then my whole life is a lie. I should have never gone to New Covenant Church. I should have never worked at TIAA-CREF. I should have never quit TIAA-CREF. I should have never wrote a book. I should have never made certain friends. I should have never bought my house. I should have never gone to seminary. I should have never had roommates. I should have never preached. I shouldn’t probably even be writing this blog. If God is a lie, then so am I. Everything in my life is a lie. When I gave my life to God for Him to use eleven years ago, I meant it. And so, He is my shepherd. He is leading me where I need to go. And I don’t always like the route He takes, but I am trusting that it is the best path. So I wait. In the meantime, He gives me all kinds of stuff to do so I’m not too bored. But every once in a while, Satan comes to make me question. Did God really say that? And it’s up to me to say, YUP!!! He sure did.
Monday, May 2, 2011
The Death of the Wicked
The Death of the Wicked
“Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?” Ezekiel 33:11 ESV
This morning as I was working out on the elliptical, I saw the news. Osama Bin Laden was dead. Killed by US Navy Seals. The man who has spawn a ring of terror that has seemed to define our military strategies and media hype for the last ten years is no more. I saw the news pan to US citizens cheering in the streets, at baseball games, in businesses. All around it seemed as though people were celebrating the death of this wicked man. And then I got sad. I didn’t understand why at first, but then I realized that God is not cheering. So why should I?
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t know anybody who could convince me that Osama Bin Laden was a man that we should esteem for his goodness or his mercy or the kindness he showed to foreigners. He was responsible for the death of so many all over the world and the media did a great job of convincing us that we should fear this man and that the best place for him should be in the ground. He is who we blame for the horrific attacks in New York City ten years ago. We will never forget 9/11/. And neither will the survivors of the tragedy or the families of the deceased. It was a horrible day in the history of the US. And we went after Osama Bin Laden with all of our military might and he seemed to evade us for ten years. But finally, the US Military can claim a victory in confirming that he is dead. President Obama has probably done wonders for his political career with this one and may have even sealed his second term. The US military can boast for a while in this victory and maybe some others all around the world will sleep soundly, knowing that Osama Bin Laden is now being judged by God, or whatever they believe happens when you die. But I still say that God is not cheering.
The bible has been used to justify a lot of horrible acts in history. There are wars fought over people using passages in the Old Testament to justify their battles. Slavery of African-Americans as well as other ethnicities has been justified with bible passages. Spousal abuse has been justified using scripture. And I’m sure that there is someone out there who can justify the death of Osama Bin Laden by using scripture. But I’ve always been partial to some of what the prophets said in the Old Testament. They are the ones who seem to reveal God’s heart to the people. And the prophet Ezekiel says that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. He desires that all should turn from their wicked ways and seek the one true and living God. Yet right now, America is taking pleasure in the death of this wicked man. We are celebrating his demise. This man may no longer have an opportunity to right any wrongs he has done or apologize for his actions. He is done. Whatever has been will be. His death does not bring back any of the people killed in the 9/11 attacks. One of the fathers of a man killed in the 9/11 attacks said, “The first thought I had in my mind was that it didn't bring my son back. You cut the head off a snake, you'd think it would kill the snake. But someone will take his place. People like him still exist. The fact that he's gone is not going to stop terrorism."
Osama Bin Laden has probably done a better job at making disciples than most Christians. His death doesn’t erase terrorism from the world. We have a long way to go to stop all of those who have such evil in their hearts that they will take their message around the globe through violence. Including us. Osama Bin Laden is dead, but terrorism is not. Let’s not lose sight of the fact that the world is still not a perfect place and the death of one man will not solve the problem. And when I see the way that Americans carry on in cheers and applause to celebrate the death of another human being, it makes me sad. We are all a part of the problem. Who prayed for him? Who wept for him? I know that sounds like crap, but why is our first response to cheer because someone is dead? What kind of evil do we have in our own hearts?
I’m not saying that I wish Osama Bin Laden was still alive to carry on his terroristic reign. But we may not have ended anything, but we may very well have just started something worse. An eye for an eye only makes everybody blind. He kills many, we kill him. His people get upset, they kill more. We go after them, we start war. (I didn’t rhyme on purpose, that just happened but I liked it). It’s not over. And the more we celebrate, the clearer the problem becomes. The heart of man is evil. The only solution I know of to cure an evil heart is the love of Jesus Christ. He’s the only one that I know of who can penetrate the heart of the hardest criminal and make it new. Did anybody pray for Osama Bin Laden? I didn’t. Maybe I should have. I guess I need to pray for the heart of the next terrorist that pops up. And maybe I should also pray for our leaders and the American people and all of our hearts while I’m at it. Because part of me was happy he was dead too. Forgive me Lord.
“Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?” Ezekiel 33:11 ESV
This morning as I was working out on the elliptical, I saw the news. Osama Bin Laden was dead. Killed by US Navy Seals. The man who has spawn a ring of terror that has seemed to define our military strategies and media hype for the last ten years is no more. I saw the news pan to US citizens cheering in the streets, at baseball games, in businesses. All around it seemed as though people were celebrating the death of this wicked man. And then I got sad. I didn’t understand why at first, but then I realized that God is not cheering. So why should I?
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t know anybody who could convince me that Osama Bin Laden was a man that we should esteem for his goodness or his mercy or the kindness he showed to foreigners. He was responsible for the death of so many all over the world and the media did a great job of convincing us that we should fear this man and that the best place for him should be in the ground. He is who we blame for the horrific attacks in New York City ten years ago. We will never forget 9/11/. And neither will the survivors of the tragedy or the families of the deceased. It was a horrible day in the history of the US. And we went after Osama Bin Laden with all of our military might and he seemed to evade us for ten years. But finally, the US Military can claim a victory in confirming that he is dead. President Obama has probably done wonders for his political career with this one and may have even sealed his second term. The US military can boast for a while in this victory and maybe some others all around the world will sleep soundly, knowing that Osama Bin Laden is now being judged by God, or whatever they believe happens when you die. But I still say that God is not cheering.
The bible has been used to justify a lot of horrible acts in history. There are wars fought over people using passages in the Old Testament to justify their battles. Slavery of African-Americans as well as other ethnicities has been justified with bible passages. Spousal abuse has been justified using scripture. And I’m sure that there is someone out there who can justify the death of Osama Bin Laden by using scripture. But I’ve always been partial to some of what the prophets said in the Old Testament. They are the ones who seem to reveal God’s heart to the people. And the prophet Ezekiel says that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. He desires that all should turn from their wicked ways and seek the one true and living God. Yet right now, America is taking pleasure in the death of this wicked man. We are celebrating his demise. This man may no longer have an opportunity to right any wrongs he has done or apologize for his actions. He is done. Whatever has been will be. His death does not bring back any of the people killed in the 9/11 attacks. One of the fathers of a man killed in the 9/11 attacks said, “The first thought I had in my mind was that it didn't bring my son back. You cut the head off a snake, you'd think it would kill the snake. But someone will take his place. People like him still exist. The fact that he's gone is not going to stop terrorism."
Osama Bin Laden has probably done a better job at making disciples than most Christians. His death doesn’t erase terrorism from the world. We have a long way to go to stop all of those who have such evil in their hearts that they will take their message around the globe through violence. Including us. Osama Bin Laden is dead, but terrorism is not. Let’s not lose sight of the fact that the world is still not a perfect place and the death of one man will not solve the problem. And when I see the way that Americans carry on in cheers and applause to celebrate the death of another human being, it makes me sad. We are all a part of the problem. Who prayed for him? Who wept for him? I know that sounds like crap, but why is our first response to cheer because someone is dead? What kind of evil do we have in our own hearts?
I’m not saying that I wish Osama Bin Laden was still alive to carry on his terroristic reign. But we may not have ended anything, but we may very well have just started something worse. An eye for an eye only makes everybody blind. He kills many, we kill him. His people get upset, they kill more. We go after them, we start war. (I didn’t rhyme on purpose, that just happened but I liked it). It’s not over. And the more we celebrate, the clearer the problem becomes. The heart of man is evil. The only solution I know of to cure an evil heart is the love of Jesus Christ. He’s the only one that I know of who can penetrate the heart of the hardest criminal and make it new. Did anybody pray for Osama Bin Laden? I didn’t. Maybe I should have. I guess I need to pray for the heart of the next terrorist that pops up. And maybe I should also pray for our leaders and the American people and all of our hearts while I’m at it. Because part of me was happy he was dead too. Forgive me Lord.
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