Honduras, Predisan, and Trying to make sense of it all.

If you have been following the news coming out of Honduras, to say the country is on edge is an understatement. Kyle Huhtanen, one of the directors at Predisan, writes a compelling essay about how the dominos have fallen thus far. Kyle also notes how the consistency of our challenge to model Christ is paramount and takes precedence over any of our particular political druthers, no matter how high the stakes.

Our prayers go out to Honduras, Predisan and particularly the families living in such a tense situation.

And the next logical step is...

... to start worshipping frogs. It would be hilarious if it weren't so tragic.

Post Number 100

Even the world recognizes how shallow chasing after materialism is.

The clip is only 32 seconds long, but when the woman at the end sarcastically notes, "Now my job is WAY less soul crushing." ... the harsh truth about how soul crushing and soul destroying the agenda of this world really is comes creeping out around the edges.

Compared to 90% of the world or more, anyone working in the conditions these people are acting as if they are working in would be considered beyond rich and successful, but there is no satisfaction to be gained in life through only an abundance of stuff.

Jesus said "A man's life consists of more than just and abundance of things."

Church-Shopping.

I recently came across a pair of articles that discussed the frequency in which Americans change their religious affiliation. One conclusion, "More than four in 10 American adults are no longer members of the religion they were brought up in..." or as noted by another article, "What the Pew researchers didn't anticipate is that fully 44% of Americans have changed faiths at least once. "

It is interesting that an article chose to headline the minority behavior uncovered by Pew Research (i.e. "Church-Shopping" and "Changing Religion"). Further, there is no indication if this is an increase, decrease or steady trend in American behavior. The article entitled "Changing Religion" touches on this by noting that, "the fact that most people who switch religions do so before they are 24, combined with the finding that older people as well as younger people have changed, suggests to Smith that the trend has been going on for some time". It seems to me that there is nothing new in the results of the study. America has always been a religious "free-for-all". From the Puritans to the Latter Day Saints to the Family churches, there has always been choice in this country when it comes to the choosing of one's religion.

The real trick, in my opinion, is to maintain your faith. If "church-shopping" is a result of an effort to keep one's faith fresh, I cannot find fault in it. But in the end I think it is a loop that cannot circle forever. It will eventually lose it's momentum. The apostle Paul was a master at finding the good in every situation. He exhorts Timothy in 1 Tim 6:6,"But godliness with contentment is great gain.". At the end of the day I believe that what we all need is Love. That is supplemented with Peace for those who are able to be contented in their godliness. I hope that our house of worship is providing both in great abundance.

Ref:

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1894361,00.html

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/27/changing.religion.study/

While I'm Waiting by John Waller

Part of the soundtrack to the movie Fireproof. Excellent movie, sensational song.

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom." Isaiah 40.28

Dishonest Scale

It will not matter if the Constitution of the United States is interpreted to read that the union of two men or two women is equal to the union of a man and a woman in marriage. Just because someone, a court, a congress, a king or a president declares a lie to be the truth, that lie does not cease to be a lie and the truth does not cease to be the truth.

The financial parallel is just as destructive as we have seen how declaring someone living entirely from gov't benefits, i.e. unemployment, food stamps, welfare, (all of which have a legitimate place in our society) as equal to someone providing a service or producing a product, i.e. gainfully employed, when it comes to being able to purchase a home or qualifying for a loan.

The dishonest scale hurts everyone involved even if the damage is not felt immediately as was the case with the banks and other financial institutions of the United States.

The Parallel Mission

In Gen. 24 Abraham has his servant swear to him he would go find a wife for his son Isaac from among his own people. We never learn of this servant's name and his role is completed by the end of the chapter.

The servant is going to find a wife for the son of his master. Since the church is the bride of Christ and we are trying to bring people to Christ, isn't our mission the same as Abraham's servant? I am sworn to find a bride for my master's (God's) Son.

Also note how the servant is concerned about the "what if." What if the girl refused to come back and be the son's wife? Then the servant is released from his oath. We don't have to worry about those who refuse, ours is only to press on presenting Jesus' offer of glory, salvation, redemption and honor.

Why Does God Operate The Way He Does?

It's the age old question of "Why?" Why doesn't God intervene in a different of more effective way as I see it? Why does God allow what seems to be injustice in my eyes to occur on almost a daily basis?



I believe this is part of the mystery of God. God tells us His ways and thought are not our ways or thoughts, His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. As the heavens are higher than the earth, is the illustration God uses through His prophet Isaiah 55.8-9

Penn Jillette gets to heart of the matter.

The money line comes around 3:15 "How much do I have to hate someone not to share Jesus, if I believe they are lost?"



I believe this is the fear and trembling attitude Paul writes about when sharing Christ with the Corinthians in 1 Cor. 2.3. Notice how Penn is impacted by the man's kindness. More change comes from love than criticism. I believe I read that from H. Norman Wright's, "Quiet Times For Couples"

Meeting the Eyes of Jesus

John Mark Hicks is an author and a professor. I have had the privilege to hear him give a couple of lectures on the book of Job. He has been the author of some of the most dynamic insight I have ever been around. His penetrating essay on what Peter saw when he met Jesus' eyes immediately after fulfilling Jesus' prophecy about denying him three times before the rooster crowed taps into the power of God's Word so effectively it's humbling, inspirational and encouraging at the same time