For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Romans 8:6-8, ESV
How easily we get caught up in our worries, wants, and walking. (Being indifferent. Alliteration is fun.)
These times are active rebellion against God. We should pay for the Father to give us the strength and wisdom to overcome in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Yesterday — Wednesday, November 29 — the US was shocked to learn that Matt Lauer, co-anchor of NBC’s Today news show for the past 20 years, was fired after an allegation of sexual misconduct – specifically during the Sochi Olympics a couple of years ago.
This is after a string of accusations that began with Harvey Weinstein several weeks earlier. If you ask some of my friends, I sort of called this tsunami of accusations at that time, saying Weinstein was the catalyst that opened the floodgates.
Sadly, I was right.
In terms of Lauer’s accusation, this one made me stop and actually cry at the news. The big reason is that his accuser did it right. She went privately with her lawyers to the NBC execs, did not demand money or attention, and only requested the right thing be done.
This is not to say that others are liars or only out for some attention. Nor is this to say that every accusation is true. I am merely saying that the manner in which this woman (and others with their allegations) is handling it gives more credence. And this is what helped to break my heart a little more than other accusations of late.
NBC even came out and said they had enough evidence that this was not an isolated incident, which immediately brought into question so many past moments.
A few years ago, former co-host Katie Couric responded (half-jokingly) in an interview that the worst thing about her former colleague was that he would pinch her “rear-end” (she used a different term).
There were times his questions (to both genders) seemed awkward, weird, or “creepery” even then.
Why did some people – most notably Ann Curry – not get along with him?
With this and so many other allegations, one can easily ask:
Why do so many people do such inappropriate/vile things?
I was not surprised by this wave of allegations. Why? Why did I seem to expect it?
Simply, because the Bible told us it would be so.
I do not mean specifically in 21st Century United States of America. This was a general thing.
For starters, several other people have pointed out – as well as the Bible – that whenever people live however they want, especially when the abandon God, they focus on sex.
Think about what the Bible says, especially in Judges: “The people did what was right in their own eyes.”
Does that not sound much like our society?
“Do what feels good. Do what feels right. Do not tell others that what they are doing is wrong.”
And what happened the most frequently? Sexual sins … of all sorts.
In fact, Paul specifically mentioned this and other sins in his letter to the Romans:
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. . . .
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. . . .
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:20-21, 24-26, 28-32, ESV
Now, this may sound like I am saying the victims deserved it. Am I?
Consider the number of artists (actresses, singers, etc.) who expressed their excitement at being able to take their clothes off, be in sex scenes, and the like.
This is almost begging for unwanted and inappropriate sexual advances.
But no one deserves it!
And it is not a one way street, only men against women. It is also women against men, men against men, women against women, adults against children …
Some may immediately jump to the Catholic Church’s issues in this area, but it is at least as prevalent outside of the Church, as well.
What Scriptures tells us is that this is all because God basically says, “Fine. Turn away from me. I will let your nature take its course.” He gives us over to our sinful nature, and it plays out … just like we see it today with all of these allegations.
Some may say, “But even Christians do these things (not just sexual)! How can you say they turn away from God?”
This is all about denying the image of God in each other. Whenever we do anything against another human being, we are turning away from God by spurning his image in them.
But God is a God of love, grace, and mercy. He even extends it to those who have abused and been abused.
The answer either way is the same: REPENT! Turn from you evil ways and change your thinking!
We must turn away from our own desires and actions to have our minds renewed by Christ through the Holy Spirit.
Only this will keep us from even wanting to commit such acts, let alone doing them, and only this will bring about full healing.
While there may be nothing new under the sun, one constant we can trust is God’s wisdom. Get a taste at Proverbial Thought!
As I type this, the world has been reminded time and again about what groundhogs across the United States have said about the coming of Spring (or the extension of Winter). While the first official day of spring is March 20 (which happens to be six weeks from February 2nd), a lot of people are really wondering if there is going to be six weeks more of snow and cold or if it will come to an end soon.
What has been the primary mode for people reminding each other on social media of this grand revealing by a groundhog of the start of Spring?
Groundhog Day (1993) poster, from IMDb.com
Talking about Bill Murray’s Groundhog Day.
The basic premise of this film is that a bitter man (played by Bill Murray) keeps waking up on February 2nd, the same day, over and over again. It is not until he learns to appreciate life that he can break the cycle.
The Bible touches on this, as well:
What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 1:9, ESV
The Bible gives similar, albeit more focused, advice for breaking the cycle of repeating the same things over and over:
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
But this life is not the end. As Proverbs 1:7 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,” so we need the full story.
This little story out of Acts 16 (vv. 24-34) demonstrates where the fear of the Lord should lead us:
Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
Continue preparing your heart for wisdom by reading the thoughts over at Proverbial Thought!
It is now the second week of Advent! (See last week’s devotional thought here.)
Again, Advent is a time to remember our Lord’s first coming as we look forward to His imminent return.
So, let us prepare hearts for encountering the Lord!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.In him was life, and the life was the light of men.The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1-14, ESV
It is important for us to remember that God’s people, the Israelites, those who painstakingly preserved the written Word of God and pursued righteousness, failed to recognize Him when he came to them quite literally in the flesh.
Jesus said just three chapters later, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:23). Our culture today is largely spiritually dull, even in many churches.
Ask yourself, “Would I recognize God if He approached me today?” Seek His face in prayer, Bible reading, and the fellowship of believers. Ask God to reveal Himself to you. Too many missed Him the first time around. Seek the living Lord!
As the book of Proverbs is finally “all commentaried out”, go catch some of the final wise words this week at Proverbial Thought!
“Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.”
Psalm 119:37, ESV
“I made a covenant with my eyes . . .”
Job 31:1, NIV
A couple of weeks ago, I announced through Facebook that my wife and I were cancelling our Netflix and Hulu accounts.
This decision had very little to do with what we watch. We try to be rather discerning in what we watch because we do not want to let too many immoral and/or blasphemous things in our minds if we can help it.
Rather, the decision came after a comment made by one of seminary professors.
While working through the book of Acts, we were discussing whether Christianity was a threat to the Roman Empire. My reply was “Technically. I mean, look at when Paul got upset with the girl with the Serpent spirit and cast it out of her in the name of Jesus. The people who were making money off of her fortune-telling were suddenly out of a means of income.”
The conversation then focused on how Christianity messed with the economy of the Empire. This is because makers of idols, workers in pagan temples, and even tour guides around cities with temples would lose business throwing off the entire economy of entire cities if not the entire Empire.
Then the professor made this comment: “Imagine if Christians still gave up all of their idolatrous and ungodly pursuits. How many Christians pay for pornography in our society?”
My initial thought was “I’m glad that is not us!” (Caitlin and me)
Then some conviction set in.
How much have Netflix and Hulu used their profit to produce shows or movies that glorify sex and nudity?
How much have Netflix and Hulu used their profit to produce shows or movies that mock or blaspheme Christians and God?
At first I tried to justify having these accounts:
How many Christian-based things do they show?
It is not like I watch those things!
Netflix especially comes in handy working in a school, for both my wife and me!
I found myself getting angry that I should have to give up something.
Why was I angry and finding such a need to justify my actions if I was doing nothing wrong?
More than anything, I needed to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
So, instead, I turned to my classmate and said “I am not very happy with the professor right now.” We then laughed about my silliness.
Most people I talked with about it went through the same justifications. A couple of them even said I was being too legalistic.
To combat that, a) I am not saying everyone needs to cancel Netflix and Hulu. This is a personal conviction. I certainly will argue for others to let go, because how much do we really need Netflix, Hulu, and television in general? This is especially true when we consider how useless most television is, how ungodly most television is, and how much God and Christians are blasphemed and mocked. b) We still occasionally watch TV. We enjoy being entertained as much as anyone, and not everything on TV is bad for us. c) We will still go to some movies (Speaking of which, The Lego Movie is rather fantastic in a purely entertaining vain!), for through this we might still be able to show Hollywood what kind of content we prefer while supporting some local businesses (or at least our friends who work at local businesses.
More importantly, though, is that we want to not only obey God in our lives but push others toward Christ by refusing to be a part in causing others to stumble:
“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where
“‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’
Everyone will be salted with fire.
“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”
Mark 9:42-50, NIV
We both felt that our continued subscription to these businesses supported content that could cause others to stumble or even be led astray. We would rather not have these forms of entertainment and be closer to Christ than have to have our conscience troubled if what we are doing is moral and godly. Christ and other people are more important than our temporary enjoyment.
How many things in our lives do we devote too much of our time and money to instead of focusing on loving God and people?
In our culture of instant gratification, pleasure, and stuff, how often do we unplug, sacrifice, and get quiet?
Do we truly love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths? Maybe I can help with the mind part, at least! This is Daniel M. Klem, apparent poet, reluctant yet passionate Disciple (Peter?), and foolish man attempting to understand theology!
