Archive for the ‘ Relationship ’ Category

Happy Singles Awareness Day!

For the record, I love being married.

Also, sorry for not posting last week. I was trudging through the battle of Chest Cold 2011 … and am really still in combat.

Because of today, I think it is time to do a short marathon on love and couples … and singles. I mean, this day is not all about chocolates and candies and heart-shaped balloons and pizzas!Heart PizzaSt. Valentine

We should start in the right place: HISTORY!

Saint Valentine

According to Catholic.org, here is a brief history of the namesake of this holiday:

Valentine was a priest in Rome during the third century, specifically during the reign of Emperor Claudius II. This was during the time Christianity was illegal, and helping Christians was also illegal. In about 269, Valentine was arrested, ordered beaten with clubs and beheaded. His crime? Helping Christians.

Specifically, Valentine helped Christian couples get married. There is a legend that while awaiting death he healed his jailer’s blind daughter and then wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine”. He is considered “the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses.”

Now we can see where all of this love stuff came from, but what about all the fluff?

According to the ever-popular Wikipedia, it was during the early 1800’s that cards and hearts began being sent to people. It was just before 1850 that Brits and Americans were both creating, selling, buying, and sending Valentine’s gifts. It was really this holiday that began the mass commercialization of our holidays (hopefully they keep their mitts off of my Halloween!). Today, it is estimated that around a billion valentines are handed out every year, and teachers receive the most! (At least our children know who is in charge!) Over 15 million e-valentines were sent out last year.

So, we must ask ourselves: What happened?

This is a holiday honoring a man who encouraged biblical love and marriages, but today it is all about showing all kinds of love, like, lust, and even hatred. I could go into all of the rants and tirades about not teaching children properly and how we have had too many preachers who became gutless and/or lazy in presenting the gospel in a clear way. But does that really help anything? We should not be too surprised that we as people continue to rebel against God. Read the Old Testament. Israel helped prove that … as, so I think, our children. I know I did growing up (right, mom?).

When I hear a Christian say “I hate Valentine’s Day”, I get, quite frankly, angry. First of all, it shows people do not care about history at all, and this helps solidify the belief of many of us that ignorance runs rampant. Secondly, if we are commanded to love and are expected to grow in the love of God, then the only thing we should hate is hatred and sin (not the sinner. And yes, it is possible).

We should not, however, expect anything different from non-Christians. Especially if “God is love” and they are any of the people who do not want anything to do with religion (especially God), it only makes sense that they would hate Valentine’s Day.

We need to remember, this is a day to remember a man. At the same time this is a day to remember love between people who are going to be married or are married, being youthful, and – most importantly – loving God. That is the way it should be, but obviously it has become more about spending oodles of money on frivolous things.

2011
02/14
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Holidays
Love
Relationship
Religion
Valentine's Day
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Understanding God’s holiness?

Talk about doubts but seeking God:

Addison Road: What Do I Know of Holy

I made You promises a thousand times
I tried to hear from Heaven
But I talked the whole time
I think I made You too small
I never feared You at all No
If You touched my face would I know You?
Looked into my eyes could I behold You?

(CHORUS)
What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?

I guess I thought that I had figured You out
I knew all the stories and I learned to talk about
How You were mighty to save
Those were only empty words on a page
Then I caught a glimpse of who You might be
The slightest hint of You brought me down to my knees

(CHORUS)
What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?

(CHORUS 2)
What do I know of Holy?
What do I know of wounds that will heal my shame?
And a God who gave life “its” name?
What do I know of Holy?
Of the One who the angels praise?
All creation knows Your name
On earth and heaven above
What do I know of this love?

(CHORUS)
What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?

What do I know of Holy?
What do I know of Holy?

2011
02/05
POSTED BY
CATEGORY
Doubt
Relationship
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Rising Second Title

Earlier we heard from Mark about faith in Christ and the importance of the Resurrection. I have some other thoughts.

Today is Groundhog Day! This is the day a bunch of American’s put their faith in a small mammal who rises out of the ground to tell us whether we have to wait six more weeks for spring or should expect spring to come on March 20. So many people put their faith in this tiny creature to let them know if we have to wait 42 days to see the snowy season end or … 46 days.

Do those four days really matter? And, really, the hope is that it is an early spring will come if the little guy does not see his shadow. A few funny tidbits about Phil and his history:

  1. His predictions are frequently “Long winter”, sometimes for multiple years in a row, with “Early spring” never being repeated a year after it was last reported. That is rather pessimistic!
  2. Out of 115 predictions, 15 (13%) have been early spring.
  3. Out of 115 predictions, 45 (roughly 39%) have been correct.

To be fair, the Bible tends to be rather pessimistic, as well:

  1. All (as in all people. Every single person, minus One … but He was also fully God) have sinned.
  2. Israel could not listen, and they had to be disciplined.
  3. Our world will get worse before it gets better.

 This can cause a lot of us to doubt our world, the Word, and even weather predictions! (That order seems off)

Consider this:

  1. How many Bible prophecies have been proven false? (Honestly. Not “there is no evidence” quotes from people who have barely even touched a Bible)   0 (Zero).
  2. How many religions have founders who died, rose to life again, and have not died since?   1 (One).
  3. How many religions have changed how time itself is measured?   1 (One).

It seems that the Bible is rather reliable, and Christianity seems to be the best … nay, the ONLY real option. It really is centered around the Resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. There are some great places discussing this very thing (Most recently at Matt Appling’s blog). It is through the cross we are truly introduced to God’s grace, another central point. It is through the cross we were given forgiveness. It was the Resurrection that solidified the deal forever, justifying us by signing the check that was written in His blood to pay for our sins.

It is not faith in a furry animal that gives us peace. It is not weather forecasts or cute productions that allay our fears of death and judgment. It is all through the death and Resurrection of Jesus the Christ.

What doubts do you still have? What fears keep you from moving forward? Where are you placing your faith, your trust? Who do you reveal your worries and concerns to? What hope do you hold on to?

2011
02/02
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CATEGORY
Bible
Doubt
Relationship
Religion
Resurrection
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My Life with Jesus (My first ever Guest Blog!)

Look at how amazing I am! New to blogging, yet I already have a guest blogger! Meet Mark. He is pretty amazing, too, but I am teaching him a few amazing things. Enjoy!

Dr. Luke  Timothy Johnson in his book  The Real Jesus: The Misguided Quest for the Historical Jesus and the Truth of the Traditional Gospels asks a very pointed question.   Is Jesus dead or alive?  The question seems awfully irrelevant  doesn’t it?  In our post-modern world existence or non-existence of something or someone  really does not matter  it only matters on our perception of things.  I doubt we treat our mortgage, car payment, and credit card bills  the same way.  Scholars for years have been doing their best to discover who Jesus really was.  Books have chronicled Jesus as Mediterranean peasant, iconic sage, and even a most holy prophet.

His words have been analyzed over and his steps have been traced.  The study of Jesus has made many scholars  famous, i.e.  John Dominic Crossan.  Scholars treat Jesus solely as a figure of the past to be studied and analyzed.  I am concerned that we as Bible believing evangelicals fall into the same dangers.  The pulpit in America is devoid of sermons detailing the most pivotal event in human history.  The event I am speaking of is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Easter seems to be the only time that this event is preached.  Liberal mainline denominations have treated the resurrection story in a very postmodern way.  “The reality of the physical resurrection of Jesus is not important, it only matters how it makes you feel.”  Resurrection has been reduced to a  feel-good, happy, ethereal feeling.  I want to state unequivocally that the actual resurrection of Jesus matters.  I want to share about my life with Jesus.

Jesus Christ is not simply a figure in the past to be studied and analyzed.  I may be able to learn about Jesus by studying the gospels and tracing His steps and studying all His sayings.  Learning about Jesus is not the same as learning from Jesus.  I live my life as a disciple of the living Jesus.  My day consists of hearing from Him as the living incarnate Word.  I also learn from Him as I hear Him speak through the Holy Spirit, and as He guides me on a daily basis.  “Jesus wanted: Dead or alive.  I choose Jesus alive as One who is real and continually leading me and guiding me to the truths of His Word.  You may only choose to study about Jesus, but I choose to learn from Him.  We need to change our vocabulary from “Jesus was” to “Jesus is.”

History has enough great names in the past to learn about.  Einstein taught us about relativity.  Galileo taught us about astronomy.  Newton taught us about Gravity.  The men I mentioned are all dead and gone and their legacy lives on, and we are grateful for their contribution.  Jesus stands out from all others, because He not only walked this earth and endured every pain and sorrow on the cross for us, but He conquered the grave and beat death, thus securing our salvation by rising from the dead! (I Corinthians 15)

Today, be ever mindful that Jesus wants to teach you something today.  My life with Jesus is a life full of hope, because I know that Jesus is alive.

SOLIA DE GLORIA!

2011
02/02
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I Love/Hate Religion.

That’s right. I love religion, and I hate religion.

One of the first sayings (not the first, mind you) I learned as a young believer in Christ was “I hate religion” because “It’s a relationship!” Everyone knows that religion is a trap that constrains all who practice from truly knowing God! Everyone knows that religion causes wars and fights and church splits and all sorts of mayhem!

We hear on our TV’s and read in our newspapers and magazines that religion is what has caused all of the travesties in our world. We are raised in churches being told that religion separates us from our relationship with God. (For the record, I know this is not universally true … just go with me on this!) James even tells us that religion is worthless! (Yep, I heard this teaching in a church, and that more than once and more than one church!)

So, then, what about what James said next?

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27, NIV)

Wait. Religion can be good? Okay, but only one biblical reference does not really mean anything does it?

How about Paul?

“But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God” (1 Timothy 5:4, NIV).

Huh. That sounded pretty familiar.

Our friends at Merriam-Webster have a few words to throw in, too:

 “(1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance”

or:

“a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices.”

Yeah, I left out some other definitions, but this is my blog and I am trying to make a point!

I really like that second definition mixed with the first part of the first definition. Allow me to reword it:

“Religion is serving and worshiping God through a set or system of attitudes, beliefs, and practices.”

Makes religion sound a whole lot better, doesn’t it?

We can argue that our attitudes and beliefs and practices can interfere with our relationship with God (“what I hate I do“), and in the greater context of the whole Bible those references above and multitude others imply that to be true. We can argue that it is too easy for people to focus on following the rules or traditions or practices instead of for Whom we are doing them all.

I will use an analogy:

We sit down to play chess. For it to be enjoyable, we follow certain rules. Our pieces can only move in certain ways. We have to take turns moving our pieces. There is either a stalemate or one winner and one loser. If we change the rules or disregard them completely, then it is really a game of “I Win” and the winner is whoever can fight or argue better!

Or how about driving. We can drive however we want when we are behind the wheel; but if we want to avoid injury, loss of property/time/money, or even loss of life, then we have to follow certain safe driving rules and laws.

I hate religion because so many people get caught up in religion instead of following God.

I love religion because it helps me grow in my relationship with my Lord and Savior. If there were not certain guidelines for me to follow, I could still be heading straight for Hell thinking I am doing alright. If I have guidelines and rules to help me, we can help each other stay on the path to righteousness and grow closer to Our Lord and Savior.

What do you think? Have I gone of the deep end? Have I nailed it? Have I had  too much time on my hands and picked this to pieces?

Grace and Peace!

2011
01/18
POSTED BY
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Relationship
Religion
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