Brazen Lies

The Bible is crystal clear that Satan is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). In fact, one of the Enemy’s nicknames is “the deceiver” (Rev 12:9), and he’s ready and eager to launch all kinds of disinformation in your direc­tion. Through deceptive propaganda, Satan promotes all kinds of insidious falsehoods. Imagine what some of his grand lies might be:

· “There is no God” [but see Gen 1:1; Ps 14:1; 53:1].

· “‘The devil’ isn’t real” [Matt 4:1-11; 1 Pet 5:8-9].

· “You’re worthless” [Gen 1:27; Ps 8:5; 1 Cor 6:19-20].

· “You have to work harder to get God to love you” [Rom 5:8].

· “This life is all there is” [Matt 25:46; John 3:16; 1 Cor 15:19].

· “Busy-ness is good—go, go, go” [Ps 46:10; Matt 11:28-30].

· “Prayer is a waste of time—not productive” [Luke 11:8; Jas 5:16].

· “If you suffer, God’s failing to do his job” [Gen 50:20; Rom 8:28].

What about some of Satan’s lies related to finances:

· “You need more money to be happy” [Heb 13:5; Phil 4:6, 11].

· “The more you make, the more you should elevate your lifestyle” [Eph 4:28; 2 Cor 8:2; 9:7].

· “Wealthy people are more important than others” [Luke 16:19-31].

· “You’re the true owner of all your possessions” [Ps 24:1; 50:10-12].

How about in connection with sexuality:

· “No harm just looking” [Mt 5:27-30; 6:22-23; Job 31:1; Prov 6:25].

· “If everyone else is doing it, it must be okay” [Matt 7:13-14].

· “Sex before marriage is no big deal” [1 Cor 6:9; 1 Thess 4:3-5].

And in the area of outreach and evangelism:

· “No need to talk about Jesus, just be kind” [1 Pet 3:15; Mt 28:18-20].

· “Sharing your faith is rude” [Acts 8:30-38; 16:31; 17:16-33].

Let’s pray for discernment so we’re not taken in by Satan’s deadly lies!

.

"If God is for us..."

C. S. Lewis says people fall into two opposite errors regarding Satan and his demons: disbelief and obsession (Screwtape Letters, p. 3). Either extreme is fine with the Enemy; he wins big-time either when people snicker at the claims for his existence, or when demon-mania fills the minds of people who ought to be dwelling on the wonders of Christ.

The Word of God helps us avoid these extremes. First, the fact of Satan’s existence is acknowledged over and over by Jesus Christ. The wilderness temptation (Matt 4:1-11) isn’t shadowboxing; there’s a real opponent. Further, on numerous occasions during Jesus’ public ministry he’s confronted by broken souls disturbed or possessed by demonic powers. In one instance a “legion” of demons has driven a man out of his mind (Luke 8:30—in the Roman military a “legion” was a division of 6,000 foot soldiers). Of course, Jesus’ betrayal by Judas transpires with Satanic inspiration (Luke 22:3). You simply can’t read the Gospels and take them seriously without admitting the reality of Satan.

What’s more, the all-too-real Enemy is powerful, stealthy, and malicious: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith,…” (1 Peter 5:8-9). Satan is a clever, patient and devious foe who seeks to ruin your faith. That’s the hard reality.

But, if you know Jesus—if you’re trusting in Christ for his saving, sanctifying grace in your life—you need not live in fear of Satan. The Word of God speaks comfort: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31). “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The Son of God came into the world to destroy the works of the Devil (1 John 3:8). Christ triumphed over the “principalities and powers” of this world at the cross (Col 2:15). Does the prowling lion strike fear into your heart? Then “Cast all your anxiety on him [God] because he cares for you” (1 Pet 5:7). The Lord is my light and my salvation! Whom shall I fear? (Ps 27:1).

So where does this leave us? Satan is real and dangerous: stay away from him; resist the devil and he will flee from you (Jas 4:7-8). But Satan is no match for the almighty Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Rest in his care, depend on his grace, be assured of his power to forgive and protect. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear” (Ps 46:1-2a)!

.

Sports Illustrated Sorrow

February is a sad season in the sporting world as it is the time for the annual Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.

Of course, many would find this description jarring: sad? Who's sad? I'm sure millions of Americans greet the arrival of this publication with glee. A couple Februarys ago I remember a sketch on Letterman in which he chased the magazine delivery truck down the road, giddy to get his hands on the swimsuit issue ASAP.

But I say "sad" because this is the time when it's most vividly clear and "in your face" before the world that profit-driven people exploit sexual longings to increase their revenue. More than that, this is the moment when it's most obvious that sexually charged photos are finding a home in (what has been considered) mainstream media and not just in the shadowy world of adult book stores.

A news feature the other day showed a jet airliner with a huge image of a swimsuit model's body painted on the plane. It's pretty obvious there are a lot of people deeply invested in SI and CNN and various sports franchises and ad campaigns (etc.) who're working feverishly to get us all to accept the idea that gazing at near-nude swimsuit girls should be considered just one more form of innocent visual entertainment--just a little eye candy, nothing more...

Of course, among those profit-driven souls are the models who take their clothes off for SI. This is the saddest part of all: young women taught to separate themselves from their bodies, and to sell the sight of their flesh for visual consumption. I'm sure the pressure on these young women is tremendous--to be chosen for the SI swimsuit cover must be a mark of spectacular success in one's modeling career, a doorway to lucrative opportunities to be stared at yet more in the future. And I suspect many beautiful young women would find a certain comfort and ego boost in being the focus of hungry eyes--to be wanted, to be special (would they add, "to be loved"?).

TV morning show hosts this week were snickering about the infamous magazine in their "news" reports. The release of the swimsuit issue was given top story status alongside the latest on Australia's wild fires and President Obama's economic bailout plans. What's wrong with this picture?

Well, that's the world we live in. It makes me sad.

Some may think I'm "prudish" or that I don't want red-blooded men to have a little fun. The truth is, I want them to have the fullest, enduring satisfaction God has to give, a joy far deeper than the thrill of gawking at swimsuit beauties. I speak not only of the God-intended delights of sexual fulfillment within marriage, but ultimately of eternal joy in the company of the all-glorious, all-satisfying Christ.

The sad side of February reminds me that, as C. S. Lewis put it in "The Weight of Glory," we are far too easily pleased: "Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea."

May the Lord, in his powerful grace, grant that many--millions--would look past the eye candy this February and instead find true joy in the worship of Christ!

"One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple."

(Psalm 27:4, ESV)

.

"God meant it for good"

The breathtaking story of Job drives home the point that affliction is not necessarily a punishment for sin (1:1; see also John 9:1-3). Nor is it helpful to say that Satan caused the pain, since Job spoke correctly (1:22) in stating, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away…” (v 21).

Isaiah 53 prophesies of God’s Servant, the Substitute who would bear the guilt of sinners: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (53:6). This, of course, anticipates the sacrificial death of the Son of God who “gave his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Was Christ’s death the grim result of sin? Yes (Acts 3:15). Was it owing to the insidious schemes of Satan? Yes (Luke 22:3). But there’s more to say: at root, the cross was God’s doing. Isaiah 53:10, “Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer…” (so too Acts 2:23).

In both cases of extreme affliction, ultimately it’s God’s hand we see in action. Same with Joseph (the guy with the coat of many colors). His jealous brothers abused him and sold him as a slave, and he ended up wrongly imprisoned in Egypt for years—all undeserved. But God was up to something—God, the key Actor behind the scenes; God, the initiator of good plans even though they lead through dark valleys. The Lord maneuvered Joseph into an influential office in Egypt in order to save countless lives from a coming seven-year famine.

This good end is recognized by Joseph (eventually!). In Genesis 45:5-9 he says four times that it was God who sent him to Egypt. Now, of course he remembers how his nasty brothers had shipped him off with traders. But he’s looking beneath the surface: who was really at work in all those years of pain? It was God. Same in 50:20, where Joseph says to his penitent brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” All that misery he’d gone through was intended by God to take place and (of course) lead eventually to God’s good goals.

There’s no shortage of pain and trauma to go around today, what with economic turmoil, crime, family breakdown, disease… The Lord is stretching our faith: are you willing to trust him to weave a beautiful fabric, in his time and in his way, even when it includes the black strands of your pain and suffering? Are you willing to let God be God, and to leave it to him to put things right in time or eternity?

.

Lines of Reasoning

I appreciated the various "talking points" about abortion posted recently at desiringgod.org. John Piper's questions for President Obama are also important to consider. The gist of these posts is to say that the standard arguments in favor of abortion are desperately weak.

.

Inauguration and Religious Talk

I was impressed by the pomp and circumstance of last week’s presi­dential inauguration. And it really is quite remarkable how this transfer of power has come off peacefully for these 200+ years. There’s a lot to thank God for when it comes to our nation’s story.

There was a great deal of religious talk involved. Pastor Rick Warren, for example, delivered his much-anticipated invocation, and it was a God-focused, God-honoring prayer. He wasn’t shy about making his plea in Jesus’ name—in fact, by naming Jesus in four lang­uages he helped the world see that Christ isn’t some contrived Western deity but the life-transforming Savior and Commander-in-Chief over all that is.

By contrast, there was spiritual fog and confusion at Washington DC’s National Cathedral the next day—“The National Prayer Service,” involving Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and professing Christian leaders of Catholic, Ortho­dox, and Protestant backgrounds. This interfaith event featured “newly written prayers meant to emphasize liberty and diversity” in light of Obama’s embrace of religious liberalism (washingtonpost.com). Rev. Sharon Watkins gave the sermon, quoting “a wide range of religious leaders and traditions, from Ghandi to Islam to Cherokee Indians, urging the new president to remain focused on ethical and religious values such as common good, justice and compassion.”

But there’s an elephant in the room—do you see it?

It’s this: the Bible consistently testifies that Christian ethics and good deeds must be grounded in faith; right conduct is rooted in and results from conscious personal faith in Jesus Christ. The New Testament has stinging warnings for wandering churches that separate a regimen of deeds from dependence on the grace of God (e.g., Gal 1-2). Yes, true Christian faith leads to good works (Gal 5:6; Jas 2:14-26), but ethics and morals not springing from trust in the One who changed our hearts and set us free from guilt eternally amount to self-promotion if not self-justification. Further, good deeds that lack accompanying words of witness highlighting the supremacy of Christ, the only Savior (John 14:6; Acts 4:12), are woefully inadequate.

The frightful messages coming out of this event were that you can be a Christian without Christ, that ethical decency is the essence of Christian experience, and that all religions are basically variant paths to the same broad “common good” and the same beige god. All in all, a remarkable failure to represent Christ and Christianity faithfully.

.

Praying God's Word

Since God is God and not our peer, and since God has spoken (i.e., revealed himself and his purposes in human language through his holy, inspired Word, the Bible), it would follow that we’d want to pray to God about the matters HE has already brought up. How foolish it would be for us to sit down in God’s presence and talk (i.e., pray), prattling on and on about our agenda and disregarding his (i.e., the Bible). This was my point last Sunday: we ought to prioritize “praying the Word,” taking what God says and turning it around in the form of prayers to him. We can do this in various ways. Let me mention two:

First, by echoing prayers recorded in the Bible. Jesus gave “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matt 6:9-13) as a model, but there are hundreds of other biblical examples too. Psalms consists mostly of prayers (praise, thanks, confes­sion, lament, longing…). Let these heart-cries become your own as you read and reflect on them. A few other biblical prayers are: Gen 32:9-12; Josh 7:6-9; 2 Sam 7:18-29; 1 Kgs 8:22-61; 1 Chr 17:16-27; 29:10-19; 2 Chr 20:5-12 (desperation); Ezra 9:6-15; Neh 1:4-11; 9:6-38; Job 42:1-6; Ps 51 (confession); Ps 67 (mission praise); Isa 37:16-20; Jer 32:16-25; Dan 9:3-19; John 17; Acts 4:24-31 (a knock-out praise); Eph 1:15-23; 3:14-21 (a lofty vision!). If you pray these texts, watch out!

Second, by turning every kind of Bible passage into prayer. Take promises for example: thank God for what’s promised; confess past failures to trust the promise; ask for help to rest in what’s promised. Or commands: confess failure to obey; plead for power to obey; ask for discernment how to obey (e.g., when to love your neighbor by saying yes and when by saying no). Or warnings: ask God to humble our hearts so we’d gladly heed his warnings (rather than being resistant); thank God for guarding us against some danger by giving the warning. Or stories: ask for wisdom to identify the main thrust of the story; then pray for power to obey what’s taught; give praise to our Great God for how he acts in the various biblical narratives (e.g., his prison rescues in Acts 5, 12, and 16!). Whatever the genre, let it catapult you to God in praise, confession, thanks, and petitions in related to his message!

What happens when we “pray the Word”? The Lord lifts us up from the earth-bound bog of anxieties and self-groveling, setting our sights on the majestic peak of his glory. Our prayers are enlarged, our faith is built up, our fellowship is enriched, and our hearts are moved with awe at God!

.

Read the Bible in 2009-2010

If you've struggled to read the Bible through in a year, the two-year pace might be better. I know many people for whom this is just right--fast enough to get through without taking forever, yet slow enough to allow some reflection and distillation. It comes out to about 15 minutes a day, on average. Click here for the 2009-2010 reading plan.

.

God in Action in Acts

The Acts of the Apostles also recounts the sovereign Acts of God. I think back on preaching through this gripping biblical narrative in 2008, and so many of the Lord's mighty deeds come to mind, including:

The dramatic ascension of Jesus up to heaven (1:9); moving of the Spirit, sound of wind, visions of flame, giving of speech in foreign languages (2:1-13); doing of many signs and wonders through the apostles (2:43); healing of man crippled from birth (3:7); saving of 5,000+ to form the Jerusalem church (2:41; 4:4; 6:7); striking down Ananias and Saphira (5:1-11); miraculously freeing Peter and John from prison (5:19); a vision of God in his glory given to dying Stephen (7:55); turn­ing the persecution-driven scattering of believers into Christian mission (8:4); sending the Holy Spirit with power (8:15); navigating Philip to meet the chariot of the Ethiopian and lead him to Christ, and then whisking Philip away (8:26-40); boldly “arresting” Saul on the road to Damascus, blinding him, and transforming his heart (9:1-19); healing of Aeneas (9:32-35); raising Tabitha from the dead (9:36-43); giving coordinated visions to Peter and Cornelius so they’d meet (10:1-43); bestowing of the Spirit upon Cornelius and his household to speak in tongues and give praise to Christ (10:44-48); deliverance of Peter from prison as believers prayed (12:6-11); calling the worshipping Christians at Antioch to set aside Paul and Barnabas for mission (13:1-3); blinding of Elymas the magic­ian (13:4-12); joyful believing by Gentiles who were ordained to eternal life (13:48); granting signs and wonders at Iconium (14:3); healing of a crippled man at Lystra (14:8-10); preserving Paul through stoning (14:19-20); opening a door of faith to the Gentiles (14:27); blocking ministry in Asia to redirect Paul and Silas to Macedonia (16:6-10); opening Lydia’s heart to believe (16:14); sending an earthquake to break open the Philippian prison (16:26); speaking to Paul in a vision to encourage bold witness (18:9-11); tongues and prophecy accompanying baptism of new believers (19:1-7); doing of many miracles through Paul (19:11-17); raising Eutychus from the dead (20:7-12); giving prophecy by Agabus that Paul would be arrested (21:11); the Lord’s appearance to Paul in prison to say he’d testify in Rome (23:11); uncovering the plot to murder Paul (23:16); speaking to Paul on the ship to promise that all would survive (27:22); protecting Paul from a poisonous snake bite (28:5); healing many people on Malta (28:7-10); overall, the spreading of witness (1:8) all over the Roman world and to Rome itself (28:30-31).

Our God is an awesome God! Stand in awe. Bow in wonder.

.

Facebook Wisdom

For a great article on making the best and avoiding the worst of Facebook, click here.

.

The Acts of God

Spending a year preaching through the Book of Acts has been stretching and enriching for me. Along the venture through dark valleys and over spectacular peaks, I’ve noticed some familiar “sights”—recurring patterns, themes, truths. Such as:

· God is sovereign. In fact, he’s so powerful and ingenious that he can even weave hardship and persecution into a beautiful tapestry of church growth and joy-filled spiritual life in the hearts of his people as they scatter to the ends of the earth. Human authorities make their plans, including hostile advances against the church and Christians, but God overrules such rulers at will (e.g., 4:27-28). This book called “The Acts of the Apostles” is, at root, the story of “The Acts of God.”

· Healthy Christians and their churches are forward-moving and outward-oriented, taking the truth and love of Christ to others. That’s the “thesis” of the book (1:8), and it’s the outcome of the story as well: the Gospel is spread all the way to Rome. Spiritual healthy believers don’t circle the wagons and retreat from the world, but instead they step forward as Jesus’ witnesses—in both word and deed. They are sojourners in the “foreign land” of today’s world, not settlers.

· Honest Christian discipleship involves bearing a cross and following Jesus through trials (14:22). Notice that Paul’s in custody and on trial all the way from chapter 21 to 28. Also, he’s repeatedly targeted by would-be killers, and he’s accused over and over even though the charges against him are hollow and contrived. But in spite of this outrage, Paul doesn’t cling to his rights or moan about how unfair it is. Instead, he seizes the opportunity to probe the hearts of adversaries and author­ities, sharing his story of new life in Christ! Paul realizes (as we should too) that trials are really opportunities in disguise.

Amazing stuff, this action-packed, apathy-wrecking, joy-inspiring Book of Acts! I trust that God is feeding your faith as you study and savor his Word (Romans 10:17).

.

Expository Preaching

As your pastor, I’ve been solemnly charged to “preach the word” here at Goshen Baptist Church (2 Tim 4:2). It is almost impossible to overstate the importance of this task. 2 Timothy is Paul’s last will and testament (see 4:6-8) in which he passes the leadership baton to young Pastor Timothy, and in it he under­scores the Word of God—guarding, teaching, and proclaiming it. It’s as if he uses multiple neon high­lighters and bold italics to emphasize the point: as a pastor, you have to preach God’s truth and help people understand and embrace it; if you don’t proclaim the Word of God, all is lost. Of course, this must be done in a patient, loving manner (v 2). And, of course, God’s message won’t always be welcome—some “itching ears” will long to hear a different word (4:3).

In order to strive to be faithful before the Lord in preaching, I think it’s wise to preach “expository” messages at least most of the time. By “expository” I mean sermons that start with the text—God’s Word—and have no other aim than simply to explain God’s message and urge people to obey it. That’s why we’ve been working our way through Acts all this year. Our goal has been to sit still before the Lord and let him set the agenda for the times we gather in his presence. Acts is the story of the church’s birth and global expansion by God’s hand and through his witnesses. Our aim, again, has been simply to hear God’s message and watch him in action as he forms, leads and builds his church: we want to take in and follow all that he teaches us, the whole counsel of God.

Think of it, if you were granted an audience with a king (in fact, let’s say the King of Kings), would you cut in after being introduced and say, “Your Highness, thanks for inviting me to hear you talk, but I’m really not so inter­ested in what you think. I’d rather get a little help to process the issues on my mind—you know, things that are relevant. Could you please speak to my agenda?”? No, of course not. But still, aren’t we tempted in just this way? Don’t we itch for a message that scratches just so, one (mis)uses God’s Word to cause our lives revolve around us?

Don’t get me wrong: there’s a time for topical messages focused on the issues we face today. The God-honoring way to do this is by shining the Bible’s light on those needs. (And after Acts, we’ll have a sermon series about the questions on your mind—more on that next week.) But, stepping back, our bread and butter diet is the expository preaching of God’s life-changing, hope-giving, always-relevant Word. Please pray for me, that I would expound the Scriptures faithfully!

.

The Christian and the State

The presidential election is finally upon us. This is a moment when Christians need to think hard about what it means to follow Jesus here and now, in 2008. Let me offer a few key biblical perspectives:

First things first: we’re citizens of God’s kingdom, and our ultimate allegiance is to King Jesus (Rev 19:16). He’s the “Commander-in-Chief” to whom we owe supreme devotion. “Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil 3:20; Heb 9:28). Under the sovereign leader­ship of God’s Spirit, we’re enroute to “a better country, a heavenly one” (Heb 11:16). Today we live as sojourners, not settlers.

And yet, during this earthly journey it’s right to obey the law of the land (Rom 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17). In fact, Christians demonstrate trust in God when they affirm his delegation of authority to the state. Still, such compliance is always conditional: if pressed by human powers to dishonor or disobey our Lord, “we must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29; 4:19) and accept the consequences as “strangers and exiles on earth” (Heb 11:13, 35-38).

Christians should expect to face opposition or even persecution. Our daily trek involves carrying a cross (Luke 9:23); in this world “you will have tribulation” (John 16:33); the world hates Jesus’ people because they (we) “are not of this world” (John 15:19; 17:14); “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim 3:12); “Woe to you when all men speak well of you” (Luke 6:26). Not that we should despair or give up on showing Jesus’ love to neighbors (1 Pet 2:12; 1 Thess 4:12; Jas 1:27): some will be receptive to our witness! In fact…

Christ says we’re “the light of the world” and “the salt of the earth” (Matt 5:13-16)—and light and salt permeate their environments for good. But we can’t be salt and light while retreating from society or hiding away in Christian ghettoes. We’re taught to love our neigh­bors as ourselves (Matt 22:37-40; Luke 10:37), and acts of neighbor love are not just for their benefit in the life to come: we must seek God’s help to spread his material and spiritual blessings here and now as well (Luke 3:11; 1 John 3:17; Matt 11:28-30; John 10:10).

So let’s join in prayer for God’s guidance, even as we vote, to love our neighbors and seek their good.

.

Waiting for the Morning

We live in tumultuous times. Granted, a “Bubonic Plague” isn’t wiping out half our population; obviously, things could be worse. But the convergence of escalating campaign tensions, a “once in a century credit tsunami” (Greenspan’s expression), and the other life challenges we face can discourage and depress: this is a moment when our faith in Christ is on the stand. I urge you to find time today to let the life-giving, perspective-providing Word of God in Psalm 130 (NIV) speak to your soul [brackets indicate my comments]:

1) Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; [Let your weakness, fears and afflictions prompt you to turn to God and not just to stimulate greater self-motivation; “the depths” is a place of helplessness from which we need the Lord to lift us up. Can you admit to being there?]

2) O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. [Of course, calling for mercy means confessing sin—we’re not just down or downcast because of bad stuff “out there” coming at us, but also because of our own wayward, rebellious hearts.]

3) If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? 4) But with you there is forgive­ness; therefore you are feared. [Notice this absolutely crucial connection—really important: awareness of God’s mercy and forgiveness does NOT lead to an attitude on our part of taking sin lightly (“You can always confess later…”), but to an attitude of deep awe and reverence: God is “feared.”]

5) I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. 6) My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. [Faith involves waiting—yet waiting has no meaning if all is well, if all is easy, sunny and smiley. God builds all kinds of “waiting rooms” into our lives, and he does so for our good: waiting is just what the Great Physician has ordered for us. How do you handle life in the “waiting room”?]

7) O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. 8) He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins. [Notice the adjectives describing the Lord’s love and redemption: they are “unfailing” and “full.” Notice the reach of God’s redeeming love: from “all” their sins. Amidst the tsunamis of today, with our minor crises and even some major calamities, let the strong, unshakable love of God calm your soul and undergird your faith!]

.

Persecuted Church in India

The persecution of Christians in India's northern province of Orissa has been gaining momentum. A recent BBC video documents some of the suffering. Christianity Today has also been tracking this upsurge of violence against the church (e.g., click here).

"Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body" (Hebrews 13:3, ESV). Let's remember our brothers and sisters in prayer!
.

Phor Phillies Phans

The other night I watched our Phillies finish off the Dodgers and win the National League Pennant Series. But still, to find the Phillies game I had to surf through TV channels covering the final McCain-Obama debate. The truth is, I found myself wandering back and forth between the game and the debate.

So there I am, sitting in front of the tube, oscillating between heavy and light-weight matters: McCain and Obama putting forward plans to solve the economic crisis, create jobs, strengthen America’s presence in the world and so forth on one channel, and in the meantime Cole Hamels throwing smoke at L.A. batters on another. Talk of national security, civil rights and global terrorism on the one hand, and broken bats, double plays and rally caps on the other. What’s wrong with this picture?

The problem is, this jarring clash, this deep dissonance between the profound and the mundane, didn’t really bother me at first. But the more I reflect, the more odd it seems—how we get so engaged and engrossed in things which, at the end of the day, are trivial. We have to admit it, don’t we: throwing and hitting a ball around a field may be loads of fun, but it really doesn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things.

So what’s the appeal—why do baseball games and other inconsequential contests grab our attention the way they do? Because deep inside, as beings made in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27), we have a need and passion to worship Greatness and applaud the Divine Victor who reigns over all the universe. God built eternity into our hearts (Eccl 3:11); the human soul is a homing device pointing to heaven. We’re wired to admire and exalt the One who reigns supreme.

This in-built need to praise and prevail drives a lot of sports mania. And adoring fans of Hollywood stars and pop musicians play the same tune in a different key. But beneath it all is a common drive: a God-given passion for the Lord in all his glorious, sovereign supremacy. It’s this yearning that people act out and often redirect in praise of earthly heroes.

To believers, then, I say: guard your soul! Enjoy the games, but make sure your heart of hearts stays enthralled with the risen, victorious Christ! And further, be on the lookout for how sports mania may open doors for sharing your faith: maybe you’ll have opportunites to think out loud with people about all the gushing praise from Phillies Phans, and about the One truly deserving of our joyful admiration!
.

Human Rights

In light of Barack Obama's strong pro-choice position, I've been wondering how he might answer this question: What arguments persuade you that the unborn are not people?

Some Obama volunteers came to our door the other day, so I asked them this question: "Have you heard him explain why he thinks the unborn are not people?" They were rather transparent: no, this question has not been addressed.

But it needs to be addressed. Because, if abortion is to be acceptable in America, where we affirm the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all people--where we insist that these are inalienable rights to which all human beings are entitled--then one would need to be persuaded that the unborn are not people.

Either that, or one would have to say some people are more equal than others.

So I wonder. I wonder what Obama would say.

By the way, you might want to read the recent article from Robert P. George of Princeton University for a searching assessment of Obama's record and stance on abortion.
.

Financial Storms

Money is in the news these days—and the news is not good. That makes this a key moment to be sure we’re seeing financial matters the way God sees them. Let’s ask some questions.

Where did you get the things you have? From God (1 Cor 4:7), the giver of every good gift (Jas 1:17). He gives us life and breath and everything (Acts 17:25). The ability to make money is also from the Lord (Deut 8:18).

“The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1). Do you embrace the fact that all you have is really God’s? Even you belong to God—you were bought with a price (1 Cor 6:20). So that car of yours—it’s God’s. And your clothes: God’s. And your bank accounts and investments (shriveled as they may be) are God’s. And your electronics and books and house and ipod and vacation home and …

So if it’s all from God and belongs to God, what’s our role? We’re stewards, caretakers. Before the return of Christ, our job is to use all we have (time, talents, treasure) to serve others in ways that please the Owner—so when he comes back he finds us faithful (Luke 12:41-48). Are you using all you have to honor Christ and spread his Gospel?

Where does giving to God’s grand global cause (otherwise known as the church) fit into the scheme of things? Think about how the Macedonians set the pace for God-exalting, truly amazing giving: they were severely impoverished and yet they gave gen­erously, freely, gladly, beyond their means (beyond?!) (2 Cor 8:1-5). The point? You don’t have to be wealthy to excel in giving (Luke 21:1-4). In fact, loss of wealth may be just the medicine we need so we can give with radical generosity despite our lack. Jesus meant it when he said it’s more blessed to give than receive (Acts 20:35). Yes, the conventional wisdom says stockpile wealth for self (Luke 12:16-21), but God’s wisdom says work to gain to give (Eph 4:28). Be on the lookout for neighbors to bless right now amidst this economic hurricane—God may use your Christ-like love to bring your lost friends into his forever-family!

How should we feel as we watch American economic power droop and our own finances fade? Be content with food and clothing (2 Tim 6:8); be content with plenty or want (Phil 4:11); be content with what you have (Heb 13:5)? Why? Because the Lord will never leave or forsake his children. God may blow away our creature comforts, but HE will not leave us. And if we have Christ, we have enough!

.