So Smart, It Hurts…

I really want to overcome my natural tendency to look for the things that people do or believe differently than me. I am learning a lot from studying the Word; Enough that I am beginning to form opinions about things that have been debated over for hundreds of years, but what good is an opinion if it only serves as a personal point of contention with those who have differing views than me? When I read a book or listen to a sermon I often find that I am so focused on looking for the 10% bad that I miss the 90% good. This smells of religiousness (the bad kind) and I want it to stop. Praying..

Morals and Ethics

Truth Project taught me last night that MORALS are how a person or society ACTUALLY conduct themselves and that ETHICS are how they SHOULD conduct themselves. Today’s culture has muddied the water with philosophical relativity to the point that it no longer separates ethics from morals. To do so is impossible when you do not have an absolute. When there is nothing to peg yourself to you are ruled by what is most popular. When a culture is ruled by what is most popular, bully’s will rise… Remember high school? Popularity is not based on what is fair and it is a cruel system for the weak…

Side note- America was intended to be a Republic with systems in place designed to protect the weak. It has over the years, through legislation become more and more a Democracy, where mob rule is in affect. What is happening is I am being taxed heavily in order to support programs that are against my moral code (I am being forced to give). That is bad enough, but what’s worse is that due to these heavy taxes I now no longer have the money to support the programs/ charities that I do believe in. So the popular government programs continue to expand while the private less popular ones shrink (and in some cases disappear)… This is one of the many crisis 21st century America finds itself in…

Living Sacrifice part 2

Continued from my post yesterday (Read Yesterdays post)-  Far be it from me to belittle the suffering that Jesus endured. He has called me to be a living sacrifice and to take up my cross daily… I want to understand how that applies to  living day to day in 21st century America..? An element I have begun to recognize is the depth of change and growth I experience while suffering. Suffering is a touchy subject for many within our faith, but I personally cannot deny the fruit that has been born in my life and in the lives of many around me because of it. I think it is a potent fertilizer for anyone who perceives difficult circumstances as an indication of God’s loving discipline. When we embrace what God is doing and hold still while being pruned, growth comes swiftly.

When I read the scriptures below (and many, many others that are similar in nature) I see a trail being cut by Jesus. This trail is then paved in blood by the original disciples (11 of 12 died violently for their faith). The Bible reveals that suffering was a key ingredient in the lives of these men (and the apostle Paul) as they daily took up their crosses. It was not something to be avoided; It was quite the opposite as many forms of suffering were considered a privilege to experience. My wife, thankfully reminds me that to obey is better than sacrifice (1Sam 15:22) because I could easily martyr myself on the altar of religiousness… So, in remembering obedience first I still need to be mindful that (especially when considering the versus below) God is likely leading me into circumstances that will demand some forms of suffering and sacrifice. I often pray that there be no needless suffering in my life or the lives of my wife and son, but I never pray that there be none.

Here are some random thoughts I’ve had while pondering and studying this:

1) I know for a fact that when someone suffers graciously it acts like a bull horn to a lost and dying world- “THIS IS THE WAY OUT!” It is the formula by which Jesus established the church and as mentioned above, the original apostles followed right behind Him. He taught in John chapter 12 that unless a seed is buried and dies it cannot multiply. To me this does not invoke the image that a blessed or fruitful life is an easy life.

2) What about Jesus promising that his yoke is easy and his burden is light? I’m reminded of the grace Stephen received while being stoned to death. I believe if you are obediently pursuing the Will of God, His grace will cover you to the point of calm no matter what the circumstance.

3) Life is a redemptive process and God will bring light to the dark places of my heart, but only as I invite Him to do so. I believe that all of the sin in my life is rooted in the belief of one lie or another. Inviting God to use the scalpel of Truth to surgically remove a lie, especially one that I have bought into my entire life is painful. Overcoming sin hurts. Therefore, rather than making us suffer all of it at once He allows us to graduate slowly into suffering..? Like my post suggested yesterday, perhaps for some of us (depending on where we’re at within the process) taking up our cross does simply mean giving up a favorite TV show that you know to be questionable. Do that successfully and you graduate to greater circumcision, LUCKY YOU!  - I think life really gets tough, but gives the most reward when we’ve moved beyond solely suffering for our own personal redemption (denying our lusts, etc.) and have graduated to the kind of sacrifice that is about building up others… Disclaimer: I think I’m on to something here with #3 though I have not completely nailed it down yet. I’m just thinking out loud…

4) I have discovered that how I react to life’s pain and suffering is a fantastic barometer  for how closely I’ve been relating to and engaging with God. If someone does something hurtful towards me do I react out of love? If I am physically sick do I despair and think woe is me or do I praise God in spite of my discomfort?

5) Comfort is not required for contentment to exist (in fact I think more often than not it hinders it).

Gen 3:17  And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

John 12:24-26 ²⁴ Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. ²⁵  Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Luke 9:23-25 ²³ And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. ²⁵  For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

Heb 12:5-6  “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
⁶ For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”

Romans 12:1-2  I appeal to you therefore, brothers,^[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.^[b] 2  Do not be conformed to this world,^[c] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Acts 5:40-42…and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. ⁴¹ Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. ⁴² And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

Matt 5:2-10  (7 out of 10 conditions mentioned in the Beatitudes lean towards suffering)

² And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

³  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

⁵ “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

⁸ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

⁹ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons^[a] of God.

¹⁰  “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹  “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹²  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Phil 2:29-30 ²⁹ For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, ³⁰ engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Living Sacrifice..?

Does being a living sacrifice hurt? Shouldn’t it?.. Really questioning some of the ‘things’ in my life that I have the freedom through faith to enjoy… I know without a doubt that I have the freedom to enjoy them, but in reality many of them serve to distract me from what is most important or worse they subtly program my thinking towards a world view rather than a faith view. In our society of ease and comfort, could taking up my cross mean simply going without a favorite TV program or 2nd helping of mashed potatos? I’d love to hear thoughts on this one… Read Part 2 of this post.

Friendship Booby Traps

This applies to many, but my intended audience is the Church… Try not to focus so intently on what others are doing wrong (individually, corporately or denominationally), rather embrace what you believe they are doing right.

Try not to correct a belief that is different from your own, but encourage deeper, mutual pursuit of the beliefs you have in common. I’ve said this for some time, but have begun to take to heart that God doesn’t want us to all be identical. If he did there would be need for only one of us…

What Are You Tethered to?

I see the Bible as an anchor that God has given us to tether ourselves to. Our experiences may have some swaying one way while others are swaying another, but we as Christians are all secured to the same immovable object. It really saddens me that some folks I know of within the “Church” are untethering themselves from the security and strength that is Scripture, believing that their relational experiences supersede the steadfastness of the Word. I believe both are equally important and work best when one is balanced against the other… Rely to heavily on Scripture without Divine relationship/ influence and you’ll find yourself becoming legalistic; Rely to heavily on your relational experiences and you have the potential to drift far from the the reality of Truth. Since “our battle is not against flesh and blood…, but against spiritual forces of evil” we should understand that it is our mind that is the battle ground. Unseen forces that are both good and evil have access to it. If you do not have something immovable to weigh your thoughts against how will you trust the source of those thoughts?

PS 138:2 I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness; for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word and You have magnified Your word above all Your name!

Affliction and Suffering and God’s Love

‎”Where afflictions and sufferings for the sake of Christ are not considered by men as the chastisement of their heavenly Father, and improved as such as (Lee- received as though it is passing through the hands of a loving Father with the intention of correcting rather than simply Divine punishment), they will be a dangerous snare and temptation to apostasy, which every Christian should most carefully watch against” – Mathew Henry’s Commentary (Heb 12) Lee again- As children of the Living and ever present God we must stop labeling only the “good” things in life as blessings and realize that in everyday, every moment (pleasure or pain) there is opportunity for us to receive a blessing… Dig deep. Don’t live life on the surface. Ask Jesus to judge you now, but only if you are prepared for Him to challenge you in the areas of your life that you have not yet yielded to His sovereignty. If you ask Him and then constantly turn from Him within the classroom of affliction, it would be better for you to have not asked at all.

My Journey From Droid To iPhone, Back To Droid

I had posted the below paragraph on Facebook a week ago and as a result I have people asking me why I prefer Droid over iPhone. Below that you’ll find iPhone pros and cons.

I have tried desperately to like my iPhone. In the deep, dark recesses of my mind the thorough Apple superiority brainwashing over the years still has me wanting to believe it is a better product. Having put it to the test for the past couple of weeks, I will likely never think iPhone better than Droid again. They are different products and comparing them in many ways is like comparing apples to oranges. They’re both fruit, I just happen to like the taste of Droid better. While the iPhone is smoother in terms of Glitch free operating, I miss the freedom and ease of use that comes with the Droid, not to mention the screen size. Come Monday I’ll be getting the Samsung galaxy with the extended battery, Verizon 4g, and googles new ice cream sandwich OS. Very excited to get back in the Google saddle. I’m glad I gave Apple a chance. I now know what I’m not missing.

Pros:

-Glitch free, very smooth operation

- Sexy little phone

-Camera and video quality are unbeatable

Cons:

-Screen size: I’m going from an iPhone 3.5″ to a Droid 4.6″

-iPhone has better gaming apps… I don’t need any further encouragement to sit around wasting time. =)

-I seriously miss my little green indicator light that tells me of the arrival of a new email, missed calls, texts, calendar reminders, or social media interactions

-I know I cut my teeth in Droid, but I typically overcome change easily. Apple just seems more difficult to navigate.

-Flexibilty- Droid allows me to change ringtones to a song in my library while on the fly. I can also manipulate my music library on the fly. With iPhone you have to jump through hoops to do either.

-Did I mention screen size?

-4G LTE

-I can place my apps where ever I want on my screen and manipulate how many rows and columns my screen can hold.

-Under settings Droid has about 6.8 million more options to tinker with than iPhone

-expandable memory

-Tweetdeck (a social media aggregator that I use) has a much smoother interface on Droid than on iPhone.

That’s it in a nutshell…

One of My Favorite Founding Father Quotes

Is it not High Time for the People of this Country explicitly to
declare, whether they will be Freemen or Slaves? It is an
important Question which ought to be decided. It concerns us more
than any Thing in this Life. The Salvation of our Souls is
interested in the Event: For wherever Tyranny is establish’d,
Immorality of every Kind comes in like a Torrent. It is in the
Interest of Tyrants to reduce the People to Ignorance and Vice.
For they cannot live in any Country where Virtue and Knowledge
prevail. The Religion and public Liberty of a People are
intimately connected; their Interests are interwoven, they cannot
subsist separately; and therefore they rise and fall together. For
this Reason, it is always observable, that those who are combin’d
to destroy the People’s Liberties, practice every Art to poison
their Morals. How greatly then does it concern us, at all Events,
to put a Stop to the Progress of Tyranny. It is advanced already
by far too many Strides. We are at this moment upon a precipice.
The next step may be fatal to us. Let us then act like wise Men;
calmly took around us and consider what is best to be done. Let us
converse together upon this most interesting Subject and open our
minds freely to each other. Let it be the topic of conversation in
every social Club. Let every Town assemble. Let Associations &
Combinations be everywhere set up to consult and recover our just
Rights.

Samual Adams, Oct 1772

Google’s NGram Viewer… Great, But Troubling

This disturbs me… TED video on NGrams

Google’s NGram Viewer in the right hands is an awesome and powerful tool for tracking human culture throughout the last several centuries. My only concern is succinctly illustrated in this TED video about NGrams. Thanks to Google these guys have 15,000,000 books to draw data from, but through a process of elimination, that they themselves determined, whittled it down to 5 million books. So authors or ideas that are contrary to the presenters ideology can be eliminated, which allows the presenter to manipulate any audience into believing the ”facts” that they themselves have filtered. Just like these guys did (at least that is how it appears to me). They seem to have the audience pretty dazzled.

Added a bit later… What they learned from 5 million carefully selected books is over run with what I learned from all 15 million books, that is if you want a credible cross section of culture without any filters. Note how they cut their’s off at the year 2000, yet from 2000 to 2008 there is huge up tick in the use of the term “God’s not dead.”