tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72100170388148481952024-02-08T07:14:23.566-05:00Thinking TheologicallyUnderstanding our world through the lens of Scripture.Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-67166095289753597472015-04-04T12:27:00.001-04:002015-04-04T12:27:16.272-04:00The Power of the Resurrection<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Consider this, Jesus is about to go to the cross. For 3
years he has been pouring his life into 12 men, preparing them to one day lead
the church movement. At the last supper he is sitting with them, watching them
eat. He looks across at each one. What a motley bunch of boys they are. You
have Peter, the one who just can’t keep his mouth shut, a leader for sure.
John, good ole emotional John, one minute nestling himself next to Jesus, but
then, he is called a “son of thunder.” Andrew, a measly uneducated fisherman
like his brother Peter, and Judas, who well, will not be leading the movement.
Then there’s these other two over here. First is Matthew, the tax collector,
one the others would call a traitor for working with the Romans. And sitting
nearby is Simon the zealot, dedicated to destroying the ruling Romans and
freeing Israel of their oppression. And Jesus expects these two to work
together? Their hatred toward each other is almost palpable. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And what do they do now? According to Luke 22:24; they start
arguing about who will be the greatest in the kingdom. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point if Jesus were a little more like
me, he would be praying “Father, look at these guys. Can we just start over and
this time try picking a better group? Instead he begins teaching them to love one
another.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do they get the message? Well, look at what happens over the
course of the rest of their lives. The church movement is begun under their
leadership and ultimately changes the course of world history. So what changed?
This indeed is the power of the resurrection. Where once there was a pathetic
group of men that struggled to get along; they are completely changed, united
toward one purpose. Salvation has come upon them, the Spirit has empowered
them. All this is only possible because of the power of the resurrection.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He has risen indeed.</div>
Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-24131133364482496762015-03-14T13:55:00.000-04:002015-03-14T13:55:10.806-04:00Is The Church Facing its DoomIt seems there is a trend among Christian writers seeking to assess the church in America with a doomsday type approach. One recent article I came across with this mentality was over at Charisma Magazine entitled <a href="http://www.charismamag.com/life/culture/22494-how-the-new-christian-left-is-twisting-the-gospel" target="_blank">Here's How the New Christian Left is Twisting the Gospel</a>. I will say I honestly am not entirely familiar with this magazine and from what I do gather it is one I would not ordinarily subscribe to. But I saw this article show up on my facebook newsfeed and it caught my interest. Originally I thought it might be a good article discussing the challenges facing those who minister to the younger generation and what we can do and be aware of because of these challenges. Instead I was frustrated to find it to horribly miss something very important; namely, the teachings of Scripture.<br />
<br />
That may seem a very broad and severe accusation, but I believe it is accurate. Doomsday articles like this one miss out on one very important doctrine regarding the church, and that is the question of who is in charge. It is true that if the church was 100% guided, lead, operated, or whatever other word you might use, by man alone then the church is indeed doomed and one might argue it should have died long ago. But there is something much better, much greater at work in the church.<br />
<br />
During Peter's confession, Jesus said "on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt 16:18). The verb for "I will build" is an active tense verb. Jesus is very clearly and very intimately involved in building his church and protecting it from every possible scheme the enemy may press against it.<br />
<br />
In the Gospel of John Jesus relates to us his exact plan for how the church will be built up and protected from the enemy. Note some of the following passages from John 16:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
7"But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.<br />
8 "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment;<br />
9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;<br />
10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me;<br />
11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.<br />
12 "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.<br />
13 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.<br />
14 "He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you.<br />
15 "All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said, that He takes of Mine, and will disclose it to you.</blockquote>
The Helper, or Spirit is the one through whom Christ is even now working to build and protect his church. Just as God did not create the world, wind it up and stand aloof from his creation, so now he not only predicted the church, he started it, he is continuing to build it and will one day return for his church in its consumation.<br />
<br />
So for articles such as this one to make blanket statements such as<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Research tells us that evangelicals are drifting further away from
the orthodox truths their parents and grandparents held dear. <br />
Our
churches have rarely—if ever—faced the exodus we are seeing today. This
will have a direct effect on the spiritual and moral values that will
shape the nation in the coming years. That is why it is urgent that
concerned Christians start acting now before the situation gets worse.</blockquote>
tends to neglect the spiritual aspect of God's work in building and protecting his church. Yes we do need to be aware of the challenges faced by Christians to maintain doctrinal purity, but to speak as if unless we do something the church is going to die is an affront to God's sovereignty, power, wisdom, and love for his church.<br />
<br />
I agree that we are facing many challenges today. But for one thing, as Solomon once stated, nothing is new under the sun. The church has weathered difficult storms before and our faith informs us that God will bring us through the next one. There may be some purging of the church, turning away those who are not true believers and making it clear who are his sheep and who are goats, but in the midst of the storm, have faith and stand strong against the fiery darts of the evil one.<br />
<br />Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-10838441195416920162013-09-28T23:19:00.001-04:002013-09-28T23:19:38.988-04:00Innocent Sin<p>A husband and wife approach the express checkout lane at their local department store. The sign states “20 items or less” and they look to their cart and see they have 24 items. They are almost to the counter and a line is forming behind them. How do you solve this problem?</p> <p>Rather than get out of line, or even attempt to check out all 24 items, they choose instead to split it. She checks out 20 items, then he checks out the remaining 4. Seems clever, even a bit humorous. But what just really happened?</p> <p>We can list off numerous examples like this, where we run into a rule that we don’t want to break out of desire of being “honest” or a person of “integrity”, so instead we show a little creativity and “bend” the rule or find some loop hole through which we can jump. But I wonder, is this truly a route to take. Sure technically we are not breaking the rule, but we are cheating the system, and by doing that we are breaking from a life of integrity.</p> <p>But this is all too often how we operate, and the motivating force is not the desire for integrity or honesty or any other honorable motivation. More often the motivation is the desire for convenience, and especially in our American culture, speed. We look for the quick, easy way out of a situation, but yet want to be “good Christians” so we get creative and bend the rules just a little bit.</p> <p>The writer of Psalm 1 was concerned with this problem. When we flirt with sin, when we participate in what are innocent sins, we are opening ourselves, allowing our minds to begin to rationalize small infractions, and those small infractions always seem to lead to larger and more significant sins. Some time ago I posted about a song called <a href="http://thinking-theologically.blogspot.com/2012/03/pebble-in-shoe.html" target="_blank">Pebble in the Shoe</a> which directly relates to this danger. Casting Crowns also has sang a song about this, called Slow Fade. I suggest we all take to heart the words of this song, and maybe think twice next time before we rationalize some innocent sin.</p> <p> </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:407973e3-318f-4275-ae55-78eb536205cb" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div><object width="435" height="244"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/QASREBVDsLk?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/QASREBVDsLk?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="435" height="244" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div><div style="width:435px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Casting Crowns – Slow Fade</div></div> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-18331529828586330902012-10-13T17:22:00.001-04:002012-10-13T17:22:35.543-04:00Extreme Fidelity<p>The premise from which Joshua Harris gets the title for his book, <em>Not Even a Hint </em>comes from Ephesians 5:3;</p> <blockquote> <p>But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.</p> </blockquote> <p>It is a high calling, particularly for men but also for women, to seek out total sexual purity in this sex-obsessed culture. We are drowned by sexually explicit imagery all around in advertising, humor, clothing choices, and even holiday celebrations. The last one is becoming more evident particularly with Halloween as sales for adult costumes are now exceeding costume sales for children, and the majority of these costumes are sexually provocative. So how do we live without a single hint? What is our motivation?</p> <p>The answer I believe comes in the following verses, Ephesians 5:25-30;</p> <blockquote> <p>Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.</p> </blockquote> <p>Consider it with this question; what motivation do I have for choosing not to be unfaithful to my wife. We might say because of our love for her, because of the pain it would cause. Or that it would be harmful toward the family, thinking of the children. Or simply that we just couldn’t live with the guilt incurred. But there is a much higher reason given in this text. Marriage is a picture of the Gospel. For us to have infidelity in marriage is to be an affront to Christ. I choose to be faithful to my wife because I do not want to trivialize the Gospel of Jesus Christ before the world.</p> <p>Now consider this. Christ gave up every other desire for the sake of sanctifying his bride; the church. That is the call we are given. We are to give up every form of expression that is selfish in nature. In the realm of sexuality, it includes things such as pornography and masturbation. These acts are completely selfish in nature, seeking to gratify personal sexual desires rather than live selflessly for our bride. Our engagement in these acts deliberately attack the legitimacy of the Gospel picture being presented. Do we want to show our gratitude to God for the inexpressible gift he has given us? Then we must live in extreme fidelity.</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-58751270298160719422012-05-24T20:39:00.002-04:002012-05-24T20:39:42.930-04:00Books for Short-Term Mission TripsOver at a ministry I find is kindred in spirit to my desire with missions, they have posted a listing of books for use by people who go on short-term missions trips. Topics include cultural sensitivity, what to do after the trip, support raising, and several other good topics. I highly recommend browsing their list located <a href="http://trainingleadersinternational.org/blog/242/some-guidance-for-your-next-short-term-missions-trip">here</a>.Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-49845816203446715692012-05-07T19:54:00.001-04:002012-05-07T19:54:32.763-04:00Are You Really Getting It?<p>These past few weeks I’ve been paying more attention to how books and stories within the Bible fit together. Then I read a blog post over at <a href="http://kingsenglish.info/2012/05/05/the-words-of-the-wise-2/" target="_blank">King’s English</a> that sparked some important thoughts. First I’ll rehash a bit of what the author pointed out.</p> <p>Proverb’s 1:1 says it was written by King Solomon of whom it is said was the wisest man to ever live. 1:8 then tells us who he is addressing;</p> <blockquote> <p>My son, hear the instruction of your father, and the law of your mother.</p> </blockquote> <p>The words, “my son” are repeated 20 times in the book. The king is addressing the prince saying in 1:6 that he is offering “words of the wise and their dark sayings.” As the blogger at King’s English said; these dark sayings are “riddles to be chewed over and reflected on.”</p> <p>This is where my mind began to wander. Remember how the life of Solomon turned out? Seems he did not listen to his own wisdom. And what of his son Rehoboam? I am confident he heard the words recorded in the book of Proverbs, but we know even from his first major decision that he did not seem to follow after what he was taught.</p> <p>So hearing may be good, but is it enough?</p> <p>As we study Scripture, listen to sermons and other forms of Bible teaching such as Sunday School or reading books and blogs, simply hearing is not enough.</p> <p>David had the right idea in Psalm 119:9-16:</p> <blockquote> <p>How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.</p> </blockquote> <p>It wasn’t just head knowledge, it was heart knowledge. He actively listened and studied it, meditated on it meaning he carefully mulled it over in his mind to grasp its full meaning and implications for his life. He longed for more. He delighted in what he heard and read. It truly was his passion.</p> <p>So by way of encouragement; do more than simply hear the word. Listen. Think carefully about what is being said. And as James wisely stated, be doers of it.</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-31929762735660616522012-04-17T16:20:00.001-04:002012-04-17T16:20:19.915-04:00How Can They Know If No One Tells Them<p>The recent anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic produced at least one surprising reaction. A number of young people tweeted their surprise that the disaster was more than just another Hollywood film.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XDLem6mSXG4/T43QfmvQffI/AAAAAAAAAI4/BvW-TtZ549o/s1600-h/titanic-real%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="titanic-real" border="0" alt="titanic-real" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-dbaJOn71XuE/T43QgvRyW-I/AAAAAAAAAJA/oO4YYtzz8j8/titanic-real_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="655" /></a></p> <p>While this did make the news, perhaps it is not quite as newsworthy as we may be inclined to think. Another blogger wrote a fine piece on what this really demonstrates in American culture <a href="http://open.salon.com/blog/scott_mendelson/2012/04/16/why_i_dont_care_if_todays_kids_know_about_the_titanic" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <p>But there is something else this helps demonstrate; The importance of education and the ease which knowledge can be withheld. I am in particular thinking about the Gospel. Americans live in a “Christianized” culture, but how many Americans know the Gospel? How many can tell us just what the mission of Jesus time on this earth was all about? I even wonder how many in our churches could tell us.</p> <p>This just demonstrates the importance that we take the time to learn the Gospel ourselves, then go and share it with others. We cannot assume that because a person says they go to church or that they are Christian means they know and have accepted the Gospel message. I guarantee these people would have said they knew about the Titanic before this past month, but there source was only Hollywood (and we know how historically inaccurate they can be). So true is it that people may claim to know Jesus, but not really know him. And the only way they will hear is if we go and tell them.</p> <p><em>“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Gospel</em>.”</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-46056068870000591322012-04-04T13:05:00.001-04:002012-04-04T13:05:25.259-04:00A Reminder to Remember<p>A reading from Deuteronomy 9:</p> <blockquote> <p>"Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, 'It is because of my righteous-ness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,' whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you. (vs. 4)</p> <p>"Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteous-ness, for you are a stubborn people. Remember and do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD. (vs. 6-7)</p> <p>You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you. (vs. 24)</p> </blockquote> <p>Moses is speaking to the nation of Israel just prior to their entering the promised land at this point and is giving his final admonition to them to remember who the are, whose they are, from whence they came, and to where they are going. Most important in this message is to remember that their esteemed position with God has nothing to do with they as a people. If anything, based on their merit, they should have long before been destroyed. But there they are, sitting along the Jordan River opposite of Jericho. It will become as history shows very important for the people to spend time reminding themselves of how they got there.</p> <p>This is truly a message of grace. God is  bringing them into the land based on His character, not theirs. God made a promise to Abraham and now his is fulfilling it (in part at least).</p> <p>In the same way it is with us. We are a sinful people, at war against God and yet he still brings us deliverance from ourselves and our bondage to sin. Our salvation is based on no merit of our own righteousness, for as Isaiah says; they are but filthy rags (64:6). Instead our salvation is brought to us solely based on the grace of God. To him alone belongs the glory, honor, and praise.</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-86138040772907894462012-04-01T06:00:00.000-04:002012-04-01T08:26:55.583-04:00A Celebration and Sobering Reminder<p>Today is known as Palm Sunday. It is the day Jesus arrives at Jerusalem, and as he comes down off the Mount of Olives, people lay their blankets before him and cry out praises for the arrival of a new king. All this is a fulfillment of the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9;</p> <blockquote> <p>Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.</p> </blockquote> <p>The salvation he bore though was not what Israel desired. They wanted deliverance from Roman rule, to be their own kingdom again. The salvation Jesus brought was much greater and something we should celebrate on this Palm Sunday.</p> <p>But in the midst of this great celebration comes a sobering reminder – the nature and gravity of our sin. In just a matter of days the people who are proclaiming and celebrating the arrival of Jesus will desert him. Others will turn against him. And many will call out “crucify him.” It is an important reminder of how our sin and selfish desires can blind us to the mind, will, and love of God.</p> <p>May this day be one of celebration and thanksgiving to God for saving us, for opening our eyes to see his salvation, and our minds for understanding it, and our hearts for responding positively to it.</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-45901055831886103432012-03-30T21:43:00.001-04:002012-03-30T21:43:08.153-04:00A Thought Concerning the Mega-Lottery<p>Consider this from Proverbs 30:8-9:</p> <blockquote> <h6><font size="2"><font style="font-weight: normal">...give me neither poverty nor riches, but only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much & disown you and say,'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor & steal, and dishonor the name of God.</font></font></h6> </blockquote> <p>On the flip side we might wish someone would win the lottery who would do a lot of good with the money like give to the poor, adopt, support missionaries, etc. We may even wish that person was “me.”</p> <p>But let us be honest with ourselves. If (<em>insert your name here</em>) won the lottery, how would I truly respond? Would I truly be generous with my winnings, or would I become suspicious of everyone around me and hoard it or spend it all on myself?</p> <p>I would like to think I would be generous with it. But I know that my heart is evil, and without Christ’s empowerment I would likely fall into the second camp and perhaps end up in a short amount of time broke or even bankrupt as so many lottery winners tend to do.</p> <p>Perhaps we should just rest in the wisdom of God who knows our hearts better than we do. If he sees fit to bless us with wealth, then may we be faithful stewards of that blessing. If he sees fit to withhold from us great financial wealth, then may we see that as a blessing of God keeping us from temptation beyond what we can bear.</p> <p>Either way, our hope must remain in the Lord, not in commas and zeroes.</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-72088994606127294942012-03-04T06:00:00.000-05:002012-03-04T06:00:03.660-05:00A Pebble in the Shoe<p>Lyrics to a song by <em>The Diehm Project </em>(1993), “Pebble in the Shoe":</p> <blockquote> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7NwnKiaObiY/T1MFUqDS84I/AAAAAAAAAIU/8ffyktyYNY4/s1600-h/img001%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="img001" border="0" alt="img001" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VWxx6sIcBVY/T1MFVxzTWdI/AAAAAAAAAIc/PS65csJ8OLc/img001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="159" height="244" /></a>Started as a small thing, a pebble in the shoe,</p> <p>Grew into a boulder, crushing down you.</p> <p>Started as a notion, knocking at the heart,</p> <p>Grew into disaster, tearing you apart.</p> <p> </p> <p>Started as a small word, whispered in the dark,</p> <p>Grew into a rumor, seeking to attack.</p> <p>Started as a needle, pricking at the skin,</p> <p>Grew into a dagger, digging deep in.</p> <p> </p> <p>The Devil’s pretty good, starting out small,</p> <p>Taking bit by bit ‘til he’s taken it all.</p> <p> </p> <p>Started as a small thought, harmless at the time,</p> <p>Became an obsession, filling up the mind.</p> <p>Started as a small “no”, only now and then,</p> <p>Grew into rebellion, grew into sin.</p> </blockquote> <p>I remember first hearing this song when I was at summer camp in high school. It hit home because all too often I view small sins as “no big deal.” But those small sins are footholds for Satan. The chorus is spot on: The Devil is good at starting out small, and before we know it he has mastered us in our sin.</p> <p>We cannot let him get a foothold. When is the last time you’ve cleaned out your shoes?</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-46136201031417666452012-03-03T16:21:00.001-05:002012-03-03T16:21:21.894-05:00Entering the Lion’s Den<p>Question, if you wanted to learn what a lion eats, would you go into the the lion’s den to watch it happen, or study them from afar?</p> <p>Seems like an odd question, for it would be ludicrous to put yourself into such danger, knowing that when a carnivorous beast goes into a feeding frenzy, the best thing to do is stay away. Surely if we sat with the lion to watch, we may very well end up as an extra snack for meal time.</p> <p>Yet in some certain respects, we do just that. People think the best way to defeat sin is by going to the place where the temptation is strongest, and if we come out unscathed, then we must have experienced great victory. A man prone to alcoholism enters a pub to see if he can withstand the temptation. The pornography addict walks into an adult bookstore. Is any of this wise? Of course not. The Bible tells us regularly to avoid temptation, nay, <em>flee</em> temptation. Remove any avenues for temptation from your midst.</p> <p>This has so many applications they would be hard to enumerate them all, but I would like to focus on one particular instance. I begin by asking if it is wise to enter into a stronghold of Satan? In various college missions classes, and even church evangelism classes we take time to teach our people about the beliefs of other religions, show where their weaknesses are to demonstrate in-roads for sharing the gospel with their followers. I firmly support this endeavor, but there is one teaching method for which I strongly question; the visit to their worship services.</p> <p>It seems in our American view we tend to downplay the spiritual war taking place all around us. And so in our curiosity and even fascination with things different from us, we set out to visit houses of worship for false gods to “learn about them so we can understand them better.” I wonder at the wisdom of this idea because in it we downplay the spiritual battle taking place. We do not consider the darkness that covers over these houses of worship. And too often we are like soldiers running to battle without our weapons or armor. We are like that tasty after dinner snack walking into the lions den.</p> <p>The Bible does tell us to reach out to the nations, but entering into their prayer services is not the best way. Yes we can and should learn about other faith systems to better understand their worldview, but this does not require participating by observation of their worship. By doing so we are in essence giving credibility to belief in their gods.</p> <p>Here is the finest example of this disconnect we make. I would be shocked to hear of a Christian desiring to observe a satanic worship service such as Wicca, for clearly this is of the enemy. But then we have no problem attending a Muslim prayer service as “observers.” I admittedly have not yet been able to make a strong argument against this problem, but hopefully it will get people thinking.</p> <p>And if you should be a part of a group preparing to go, then I implore you to do two things. First, pray and ask God for wisdom before going whether you should even go or if there are other, better ways to learn about the beliefs of that particular faith group. And second, if you do decide to still attend, then pray before, during, and even after the visit, for you are entering enemy lines.</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-70153437230532893992012-02-26T22:44:00.000-05:002012-02-26T22:44:24.181-05:00Looking for MephiboshethThis is a wonderful sermon by my seminary professor, <a href="http://tiberiusrata.wordpress.com/">Tiberius Rata</a>. Powerful and something I all too often need to hear myself.<br />
<br />
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/22286860?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/22286860">Tiberius Rata - Looking for Mephibosheth</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/calvarybible">Calvary Bible Church</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-80811935641429298902012-02-25T22:51:00.001-05:002012-02-26T17:38:17.578-05:00The Gospel According to Amos<p>Consider these words from Amos 8:7-10:</p> <blockquote> <p>The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: "Surely I will never forget any of their deeds. Shall not the land tremble on this account, and everyone mourn who dwells in it, and all of it rise like the Nile, and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt?" "And on that day," declares the Lord GOD, "I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on every waist and baldness on every head; I will make it like the mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day. </p> </blockquote> <p>Jeremiah 31:34, in an exposition of the New Covenant, states directly that God “will forgive their iniquity, and [He] will remember their sin no more." So how is it that Jeremiah can say that God will forget the people’s sin while Amos says he will “never forget.” Is this an irreconcilable problem?</p> <p>Absolutely not. The passage above in Amos is a beautiful presentation of the Gospel.<sup>1</sup> More specifically, the crucifixion. Verse eight alludes to the earthquake which occurred at the death of Jesus. Consider when darkness covered the earth; the sixth hour as the Gospel writers record, which is noon. The most amazing prophecy in Amos is verse 10 when he says it will be like morning for an only son. Perhaps maybe <em>the</em> only Son of God?</p> <p>Amos is pointing to one thing, the propitiation of God’s wrath against sin. God did not forget sin, instead he brought judgment of sin down. Onto the cross. Unto the only son. Of God. In our place. Is this not the Gospel?</p> <p>So Amos is correct in saying God will never forget. But so is Jeremiah because through Christ the judgment has been executed. God remembers sin’s penalty being paid through having his wrath poured out on Christ. Then, when God looks at us, he sees Christ’s imputed righteousness and therefore “forgets” our sin.</p> <p>Truly a beautiful testimony of the Gospel.</p> <p> </p> <p>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p> <p><sup>1</sup>Special thanks to my friend Joe Helt for sharing this insight with me.</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-32812153439817893312012-02-19T07:00:00.000-05:002012-02-19T07:00:07.820-05:00Spiritual Gifts of a Different Sort<p>So what is your spiritual gift? Encouragement? Teaching? Giving? Craftsmanship? Prophecy?</p> <p>Wait, did you just say “craftsmanship”?</p> <p>I am fully convinced we church people make two significant mistakes when we think about our roles in the church body. First, we look to the lists of spiritual gifts in the New Testament and think they are exhaustive. The second is the divorce we make between what we like to consider “spiritual” and “natural.”</p> <p>There are at least two lists in Paul’s writings on spiritual gifts. These lists are not identical and I believe that is intentional. First, as always, Paul is writing to a specific audience with particular concerns in mind. In neither instance is he intending to be exhaustive on the issue of spiritual gifts. If he were, then why are some included in one list and not the other or vice versa? The answer is simple, though we often overlook it. Paul is not being exhaustive, but illustrative. But if this is the case, then how can we create a complete and exhaustive list of the gifts. We need to know if we are to help people take spiritual gift inventory questionnaires and help them find there calling in the church. This sounds like a significant conundrum.</p> <p>Well, our answer is found in our second problem. We tend to divorce the spiritual and the “secular” into categories not conducive to biblical thought. In the Bible those lines are blurred, and what we would consider “natural” or “secular” may have very spiritual implications or opportunities. Consider Bezalel and Olihab. They appear first in Exodus 31 and again in chapter 35. These are two men singled out by God with this statement; “ the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship…” God would call out these men, and gift them in a particular way which is not included in our spiritual gift inventories.</p> <p>A friend of mine once struggled with our lists, noting he never felt gifted in any of the areas we regularly included. Then he read about Bezalel. The light came on. God had gifted him in ways that he could help the Church, ways that while not included in our New Testament lists, are still gifts just the same. He is able to serve the church by the work of his hands. Not just through building maintenance, but also by helping other church members with projects in their homes. He found he could greatly bless others by the work of his hands, and thus minister to them.</p> <p>He understood it. The purpose of “spiritual gifts” is what helps us to see if something is a spiritual gift. We must ask ourselves the question, “is there something I can do that can minister to the needs of others?” When we are able to answer yes, then do it. That is how God has equipped us. He has readied every person in the body to minister to every other person. And there is no limit to what that might look like. May we become creative in seeing how each of us might work toward reaching our brother or sister in the pew next to us.</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-47443657670719987362012-02-13T14:52:00.001-05:002012-02-13T14:52:38.449-05:00The Greatest Valentine<p>With the approach of Valentines Day, Facebook is running amuck with posts by singles and married people alike about their plan to stay away from Facebook on that day. Their wish is to avoid reading posts related to the holiday.<img style="display: inline; float: right; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" align="right" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQHpGsaU81-1rU8OHtwDayDuK7k98BhOVZnF200krDeqdzyx0o4DQ" /> They desire to avoid reading from all the singles who will post complaints about loneliness or even disgust with the holiday. I, as a single person, recognize and also deal with the loneliness associated with Valentines Day. For years I jokingly referred to it as “Singles Awareness Day” or “SAD”. But this year I have something far better to focus on. No, this is not an announcement that I have a “significant other” to celebrate with. It is not the hyper-commercialism of the holiday, not the pagan historical connections of the holiday, but something much deeper. And better.</p> <p>This renewed focus will not be easy, but necessary just the same. The fact is I am already engaged to someone. I have a marriage supper to look forward to. This may sound odd coming from a male, but I am a bride anxiously awaiting my groom. And my groom loves me in a way no other person could ever love me. This groom knows my inner-most being; all the dark, dirty, shame-filled secrets of my life. But still he loves me perfectly, completely.</p> <p>This is truly good news. Hard to fathom for certain. But Gospel just the same.</p> <p>So for all of us who are a part of the Church, married or single, we have a love to celebrate which far exceeds any marital love experienced in this life. We have the love of Christ, our groom. Let us all take time to celebrate his love for us on this Valentines Day. Let us pray that our Groom would come quickly for us, his bride. Let us long for the day when we will sit at the table and enjoy the marriage supper of the Lamb.</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-40010236580960252362012-01-29T17:15:00.001-05:002012-01-29T17:15:22.961-05:00Extravagant Love<p>Ever drive through a wealthy neighborhood looking at all the mansions? Maybe you watched the old TV show <em>Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous</em> and was fascinated<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ItRPgN54nVY/TyXE-EwLPiI/AAAAAAAAAIA/xU3kjVEsdpA/s1600-h/mansion%2525201%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="mansion 1" border="0" alt="mansion 1" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Fv_Vw01PBOY/TyXE-sy940I/AAAAAAAAAII/TVeQiXu1Owg/mansion%2525201_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="165" /></a> by the posh lifestyle. Some of you may have taken it a step farther and was able to take advantage of an open house and toured one of these homes, or maybe visited a mansion that has now become a museum. It seems one word comes to mind most when looking at these homes and the lifestyles of those who live in them.</p> <p>Extravagant.</p> <p>The word brings out negative emotions for many. The definition caters to that negativity as well. <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extravagant" target="_blank">Webster’s</a> second definition for it is “exceeding the limits of reason or necessity” and continues with “lacking in moderation, balance, and restraint.” One that applies well to wealthy neighborhoods would be “Extremely or excessively elaborate.”</p> <p>But extravagance does not automatically necessitate a negative connotation. God’s love for his people could easily be called extravagant. He loves to lavish gifts on people, gifts that are far more than any of us could ever earn or deserve. Scripture is full of examples, but one that comes to mind personally is God’s continued grace in using a sinful and obstinate people as described throughout the Old Testament.</p> <p>The K-Love Christian radio network once asked listeners to call in describing how God has shown them his extravagant love. Some answers were typical. Others, well, convicting is a good word:</p> <ul> <li>God providing finances for a brother and sister to go through college.</li> <li>A wife commenting on God’s gift of her husband.</li> <li>A young man praying through the night to be released from a drug addiction, only to find himself free of it in the morning.</li> <li>One young girl mentioned God’s extravagant love in giving her a disability.</li> </ul> <p align="left">Makes us think. How has God shown his extravagant love towards you?</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-55816901791045585772012-01-19T16:44:00.000-05:002012-01-19T16:44:20.459-05:00Not of My Own Intelligence<p>For anyone who thinks they are pretty special for having a strong understanding and knowledge of the Bible, below can be a very humbling passage:</p><blockquote><p>But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. Matthew 13:16-17</p></blockquote><p>The very fact that we have the ability to read Scripture and come to a proper understanding of it and thus a saving faith in the God who inspired it, based on this passage (and even the preceding verses), have no claim to their own ability to understand. It is indeed a gift given by God.</p><p>So whether you’re John Piper, D.A. Carson, Pastor Bob, or John Doe; whatever ability we have to understand Scripture, to come to saving faith in Christ, to mature through reading and study and prayer, to offer biblical counsel to others, all of it is ascribed to the good pleasure of God. He chose us, he opens our eyes and ears and hearts.</p><p>To God alone be the Glory, Honor, and Praise.</p>Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-90651811066148538432011-12-24T22:15:00.001-05:002011-12-24T22:15:58.703-05:00The Long Awaited Messiah Has Come<p>Simeon is quite possibly my favorite part of the story surrounding the first Christmas. Here is a man who desperately yearned to see the long awaited Messiah, and God was gracious to promise he would not die before the Christ came. He understood this was to be a deliverer who would pierce the hearts of many. I wonder if he had Isaiah 25:6-9 in mind as he spoke.</p> <blockquote> <p>6  On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. <br />7 And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. <br />8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. <br />9  It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation."</p> </blockquote> <p>What a beautiful reminder, the long expected Messiah came for one sole purpose, to save his people, to “swallow up death” through his own death. To remove the veil that has blinded us all from experiencing his glory.</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-64365709391017479362011-08-16T13:48:00.001-04:002011-08-16T13:48:35.184-04:00Living Single in a Married Church World<p>The question that plagues so many, how is a single adult to survive in a church world that tends to relegate singles as second class and unusable in the Kingdom of God? A special thanks to a friend of mine, <a href="http://solumevangelium.wordpress.com/">Gabe</a>, for pointing out to me a recent blog by <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/08/04/lonely-me-a-pastoral-perspective/print/">Steve DeWitt</a> on the issue of living single and how we may use this time to grow in our faith. However, as I pointed out to my friend and received his agreement, it seems DeWitt is overemphasizing some things and missing out on others. This is not to say his insights are not helpful or even wrong, for I would argue that he is right, but incomplete. Here is my response to his post on the purpose for feelings of loneliness.</p> <p>First, it seems DeWitt makes a too solid distinction between "loneliness" and "aloneness". He equates loneliness with solely being an emotion experienced to remind us of our singular need for God only. I would disagree. We can have full fellowship with God and still feel lonely. That was the point of God parading the animals before Adam in Genesis 2. Adam was able to see all the pairs and it left him feeling that something was missing for him - a sense of loneliness (2:20). Yet this occurred before the Fall when Adam would have had complete fellowship with God and thus total satisfaction in Him. So how could Adam experience this sense of something missing if all was to be found in God alone? This is the point. Man was created to experience fullness in relationship, and particularly in a triune sort of relationship I would argue. That triune relationship is God-man-woman.</p> <p>Now does this excuse our lonely feelings. Yes and no. Those feelings for a single person are natural and healthy because we have not fully filled the role as we were created. However, we enter into a sinful position when those feelings become chief in our lives, when filling that void becomes our primary pursuit and thus an idol of sorts. This is an opportunity for us to learn to die to self. Thanks to the Fall our needs and desires have become out of whack, and over-blown in our minds. The true goal is to make all our desires and passions balanced, priorities aligned so that pursuit of God is first, others come second. Note they are second, not made so that they are not a priority at all, but put into their proper place.</p> <p>We do need to follow in DeWitt’s steps, using these feelings of loneliness to drive us toward finding our rest in God. Spousal relationships will not fulfill that lonely feeling, but nor will having only a good relationship with God. Only when we are filling our role as we were created to be in its fullness will those feelings be resolved. Even here though we encounter a problem. Married people with strong relationships with God still can feel lonely, and that serves as an indication that the Fall still causes those good relationships to be less than what they should be. And when the final redemption comes, they will be totally restored and oh how we all long for that day. Married or single.</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-88984469306415823372011-08-15T01:09:00.000-04:002011-08-15T01:09:17.068-04:00Spurgeon On Open Air Preaching"A great deal of sermonizing may be defined as saying nothing at extreme length; but out of doors verbosity is not admired. You must say something and have done with it and go on to say something more."`<br />
<br />
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
from Charles Spurgeon, “Lectures to My Students: Second Series” Baker: 1978. 89.Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-89780798353079156702011-08-13T12:00:00.000-04:002011-08-13T12:00:03.540-04:00Spurgeon on Open Air Preaching<p><a href="http://www.spurgeongems.org/chs_pic.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="http://www.spurgeongems.org/chs_pic.JPG" width="235" height="240" /></a>“I am quite sure, too, that if we could persuade our friends in the country to come out a good many times in the year and hold a service in a meadow, or in a shady grove, or on the hill side, or in a garden, or on a common, <em>it would be all the better for the usual hearers.</em> The mere novelty of the place would freshen their interest, and wake them up. The slight change of scene would have a wonderful effect upon the more somnolent. See how mechanically they move into their usual place of worship, and how mechanically they go out again. They fall into their seats as if at last they had found a resting place; they rise to sing with an amazing effort, and they drop down before you have time for a doxology at the close of the hymn because they did not notice it was coming. What logs some regular hearers are! Many of them are asleep with their eyes open. After sitting a certain number of years in the same old spot, where the pews, pulpit, galleries, and all things else are always the same, except that they get a little dirtier and dingier every week, where everybody occupies the same position for ever and for evermore, and the minister’s face, voice, tone are much the same from January to December, – you get to feel the holy quiet of the scene and listen to what is going on  as though it were addressed to “the dull cold ear of death.” As a miller hears his wheels as though he did not hear them, or a stoker scarcely notices the clatter of his engine after enduring it for a little time; or as a dweller in London never notices the ceaseless grind of the traffic; so do many members of our congregations become insensible to the most earnest addresses, and accept them as a matter of course. The preaching and the rest of it get t obe so usual that they might as well not be at all. Hence a change of place might be useful, it might prevent monotony, shake up indifference, suggest thought, and in a thousand ways promote attention, and give new hope of doing good. A great fire which should burn some of our chapels to the ground might not be the greatest calamity which has ever occurred, if it only aroused some of those rivals of the seven sleepers of Ephesus who will never be moved so long as the old house and the old pews hold together. Besides, the fresh air and plenty of it is a grand thing for every mortal man, woman, and child.”</p> <p>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p> <p><em>from Charles Spurgeon, “Lectures to My Students: Second Series” Baker: 1978. 80-81 (italics his).</em></p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-14367459831761179412011-08-08T19:36:00.001-04:002011-08-08T19:36:38.144-04:00How Could This Happen?<p>There is a common sentiment among conservative evangelicals that we must “win back” America for God particularly in the public sphere. Found within that is a growing sense of shock or even horror at the present situation with the continual eroding of acceptance toward Christianity and particularly the cross. Even now there is a law suit by the American Atheist association against the placement of two steel cross beams from the World Trade Center in a WTC memorial. The reason simply being the beams resembled a cross and many rescue workers found great solace in it. Some have even marveled at this attack because they are not concerned about the Star of David that was cut from the metal beams or even other religious paraphernalia coming from the WTC site. <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--pw3gJJOnk8/TkBzABpBWXI/AAAAAAAAAHA/clVj4FfaXcI/s1600-h/9-11-cross%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="9-11-cross" border="0" alt="9-11-cross" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-d0kKFdI1vpk/TkBzBGrHfII/AAAAAAAAAHE/3o4bw2k6Apw/9-11-cross_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="210" height="244" /></a>Why the specific focus on Christianity? Rather than ask why us, I feel the real question should be why is it only starting now? Why are so many Christians surprised at the various attacks against their faith? Maybe the American Christian needs to reexamine their Bible looking for what the New Testament authors expected from the non-believing world around them. Maybe if we stand for the cross as much as they once did we should expect the same sort of treatment.</p> <p>I know this will make for a longer post, but consider the following passages, all quoted from the ESV.</p> <p>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p> <p>Matthew 5:10-12 - <sup>10</sup> "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. <sup>11</sup> ¶ "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.<sup> </sup><sup>12</sup> Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.</p> <p>John 15:18-21 - <sup>18</sup> ¶ "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. <sup>19</sup> If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. <sup>20</sup> Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. <sup>21</sup> But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.</p> <p>Acts 5:41 – <sup>41</sup> Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.</p> <p>Romans 8:16-17 - <sup>16</sup> The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, <sup>17</sup> and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.</p> <p>Philippians 1:29 - <sup>29</sup> 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,</p> <p>Philippians 3:10 - <sup>10</sup> that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,</p> <p>2 Thessalonians 1:4-7 - <sup>4</sup> Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. <sup>5</sup> ¶ This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering-- <sup>6</sup> since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, <sup>7</sup> and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels</p> <p>2 Timothy 4:5 -<sup>5</sup> As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.<em> (note it does not say “avoid suffering” but “endure”)</em></p> <p>1 Peter 2:19-23 - <sup>19</sup> For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. <sup>20</sup> For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. <sup>21</sup> For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. <sup>22</sup> He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. <sup>23</sup> When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.</p> <p>Take up your Cross, and follow Jesus.</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-90898895646960597952011-07-15T18:45:00.001-04:002011-07-15T18:45:30.730-04:00Just a Nugget<p>One of the frustrating things when preparing a sermon is discovering some interesting nugget in Scripture that we just do not have the time to unpack or disclose during the sermon. We wish we could because we personally find it fascinating. Unfortunately we live in a world governed by the god called the clock, and to it we must bow, so we leave out these interesting little nuggets.</p> <p>A couple weeks ago I preached just such a sermon. There was so much I would have loved to share with the congregation, but time constraints as well as keeping a flow to the sermon just forced me to leave it out. My text was Ephesians 6:5-9, and since I could not share this nugget in the sermon, I figured I would share it here for the occasional wandering eye to read.</p> <p>One of the points I made in the sermon was how this passage took the greater pericope of 5:21 through 6:9. Before 6:5 Paul is talking about submission but arguably stays at the surface level. In 6:5 he takes it to a new, deeper level by saying “Slaves, obey your masters… with a sincere heart.” This is important because of the nugget I am about to disclose.</p> <p>In all our major English translations, the word “heart” appears twice in 6:5-9. In the Greek however, something different is happening. In verse 5 the Greek term is <font size="3" face="Bwgrkl">kardi,a </font>(<em>kardia</em>). Translating this term as “heart” is the normal translation, and common sense tells us Paul is talking figuratively and not about the actual blood pumping muscle. The nugget is that in verse 6 Paul switches words on us and uses the word <font size="3" face="Bwgrkl">yuch,</font> (psuche). Typically we would translate this word as “soul” but not here. Why?</p> <p>Here is my two cents. “Heart” is a good translation. Paul, when using both words here is talking about the innermost being of a person; the very essence of what makes that person a unique human being created in God’s image. The reason for utilizing both I believe is because Paul wants the hearers to realize he is talking about an all-encompassing idea. He wants the slaves to serve whole-heartedly, holding nothing back, and this must be a joyful, pleasurable desire from deep within. The service being rendered is not done “because I must” but “because I truly desire to do it.”</p> <p>Given he is using this to help expand his idea of submission, we begin to realize just how incredible a call Paul is making. This goes way beyond anything we can do naturally. It is only by supernatural, Gospel empowerment that we are able to go this extra distance. God changes our hearts, and that heart change exudes itself even in how we submit to authority and one another… and even to Christ himself.</p> Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7210017038814848195.post-33704352260863018012011-02-04T19:55:00.000-05:002011-02-04T19:55:01.268-05:00On the lighter side.Sometimes we as Christians take ourselves too seriously. But there are those who have a keen eye for how ridiculous we can truly be. I just discovered this blog called <a href="http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/">Stuff Christians Like</a>. Check it out, its worth the browsing just to get a good laugh and to lighten up about our own Christian endeavors.Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00417377845348501025noreply@blogger.com2