Truth Matters

Taking a Stand

I receive an email every day from Christianity Today Magazine. It gives three notable events in church history that happened on the day's date. One could make a case that July 6 was a pretty rough day in Christian History. On this day in 1535, Thomas More was beheaded. He had been sentenced to die by hanging, but Henry the VIII commuted his sentence to the swifter death of beheading. No such mercy was bestowed on Jan Hus, in 1415 he was burned at the stake for heresy. No one died, at least not immediately, but on July 6, 1054, the emissaries of the Pope placed an official document on the altar of the church in Constantinople, excommunicating the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Celularius. The division between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy continues to today and was so complete that for most of that time the two sides couldn't even agree on what day it was. A millennium of division in the body of Christ. Two men, who did nothing worthy of death, executed. That's hardly a banner day. It's a day you remember, not celebrate. But, there is a common thread in these stories that is worth upholding. Likely you know very little about these three stories. All involved politics, church and/or secular, so, no doubt, the narratives are complicated. One thing is clear, though, right on the surface. All three of these events are driven by a desire to act on the truth. I'm not saying I agree with what was done. Clearly, in each case somebody was wrong. Just as clearly, though, and as plain as the nose on your face, in each account, there is a dedication to the proposition that truth matters. Some truths are so valuable and indispensable that they are worth dying for. I fear that in my day, the 21st Century Hus would have rationalized a way to avoid the flames, modern More would have made a decision shaped by the latest public opinion poll, and new millennium West and East would have swapped flowery, meaningless declarations and met for coffee, followed by a joint press conference. As I look at this listing of three days in history that should have been just ordinary, I am reminded that truth matters. That's extraordinary. Truth, let's labor to get it right and let's hold it as precious, sometimes more precious than life itself. It's STTA (Something To Think About).

Children Paying The Price

Hurting Our Children:

In our 24/7, multiple-news-outlet day a story has to be pretty bad to give us that knot in the stomach feeling.  The report of the death of three-year-old Acen King got my attention.  Acen was on a shopping trip with his grandmother.  There was a road-rage incident at a stop sign.  An angry motorist, got out of his car and fired into the car Acen was in.  A little boy died over a few seconds' delay at a stop sign.     It's sad enough that one little guy died in such a senseless way.  The reason, though, that this tragedy got to me is because we do this all the time.   Little people grow up in need, or, like Acen, don't get to grow up at all, because of the destructive habits of the adults in their lives. Dad needs to prove his manhood, or mom needs to find herself.  The kids pay the price. In my neighborhood it is common to see forty and fifty thousand dollar pickups.  Too often they're driven by folk who can't come close to affording them.  Guess who ends up on the short end? Same with houses, clothes, toys, and meals in restaurants. The ways youngsters end up paying the price go far beyond finances.  The emotional, developmental, and educational price that our children pay is far higher. Here's an idea.  How about if the grown-ups actually act like they are grown up. It's STTA.

Culture, Change, and a Corner of My Garage

Something to Think About My Ability to Change, or the Lack Thereof:

My wife and I recently returned from four months of ministry in the lovely nation of Palau.  Palauans are very friendly and accomodating.  Since their economy is based on tourism they are well trained in putting up with foreigners and our strange ways.  English is the second language there.  Virtually everyone speaks it, at least some, so one of the greatest cultural barriers is quite low.  Still it was clear to Kathy and me that we are different. Since coming back to our house here on Carpenter Drive I've been working on a project.  I've been converting just over thirty-two square feet of my garage into an office.  Some walls, insulation, a ceiling, an old desk, shelves made out of boards from an old deck, and a piece of carpet for the floor, will make my little space into a place to study.  Before the first board was cut or the first nail driven, the concept of a mini-office had taken place in my mind.  I'm about finished with bringing that thought into the realm of length, breadth, and depth--reality. Kathy and I weren't out of touch while we were gone.  Still, since arriving back in the USA I have been impressed with scale of change going on, or being attempted, around me.  Trevin Wax does a good job of summarizing what is going on, and the consequences involved, in this article.)  Those of us who live for a while realize that one doesn't have to go anywhere to experience the change of culture, even culture shock.  In particular now that the world is digitized, the way people act, talk, what they do, especially how they see the world changes with far greater speed than a jetliner can achieve.  Especially if, like me, one is of a conservative (I use the word in a nonpolitical way) bent he feels that change greatly. So, what do these thoughts on culture have to do with the corner of the building where I park my car? Just this: I have at my disposal a certain amount of resources.  I possess a measure of ability in building things.  I own the garage, free and clear, so I don't need anyone's permission to change it from one purpose to another.  When we are dealing with human beings and our place in the world that is not so.  Here is a basic point that will sound crazy, maybe shocking, to some:  l don't own myself.   I certainly have no inherent right to change, or attempt to change my world to conform to a picture I create in my mind.  I am a steward of my little part of the cosmos, not a sovereign.  I can cut an eight foot 2x4 and make it six feet long.  I can rip it on my table-saw and make two 2x2s.  I can mold the material to my vision.  When it comes to matters of humanity, however--who I am, why I'm here, and where I'm going--I can't change the fundamental realities.  To try is simply wrong.   It’s STTA. If you didn't already, I encourage you to read that article by Trevin Wax. Read here to find out about God's purpose for us all.

An Old Guy's Birthday and a Holiday to Honor Youth

Something To Think About An Old Guy's Birthday and a Holiday for Youth:

I never thought it would happen.  My birthday is a national holiday.  It’s not a holiday in the country where I am a citizen, but it is in the Republic of Palau where Kathy and I are living for four months. My birthday, a national holiday, and I’m not even dead, yet! OK.  Reality check. Yes, March 15 is a holiday in Palau, but it isn’t because this is the day I came into this world.  The fact is it is “Youth Day.”  Youth is a demographic of which I am not a part.  I am ruled out by having celebrated an excessive number of birthdays.  I am glad, however, to be making a small contribution to the development of youth, here, in Palau.  One of the goals of Pacific Islands University, the college Kathy and I are involved with, is to help students, most of whom are young, develop a Biblical Worldview.  This is a nation still in its infancy.  The Republic of Palau was born in 1994.  Though it is a tiny nation it must deal with mammoth issues.  Some of the most powerful nations in the world are interested in Palau—USA, China, Japan, Australia, to name a few.  The increase of tourism is taxing the infrastructure.  Far more damaging, though, is the cultural strain that interface with other dominant cultures is bringing to these islands.  The internet here is slow—often frustratingly slow; it is fast enough, though, to bring in everything that is polluting the rest of the world.  Add to that the music, television, and other media, and one can quickly get to a place where you need to hang up signs, “Don’t SWIM IN THESE WATERS!”  It’s not unlike what Paul experienced in Athens.   While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city.  (Acts 17:16, NLT) Sign or no sign, this world is where we live; we can’t avoid contact with all that is around us.  What we need to do is to get ourselves some glasses that enable us to view the world according to the truth of God’s word.  Wherever we are in the world, we are in the world.  Our goal needs to be not of it. (here)    The fact is Jesus not only left His followers in the world, He sent us into the world with a world changing message (See here) So, here is my birthday (Did I mention that it is a national holiday?) wish.    LIVE FOR JESUS! It’s STTA.

We Are All Pretty Much The Same:

Something To Think About People are the same:

I'm writing this from the other side of the world. I ate breakfast at the same table with a young lady who essentially speaks no English.  I speak no Japanese.  I was eating Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. I couldn't begin to tell you what was in her bowl, but it smelled good.  I'm a six foot senior citizen. She is a young lady who barely reaches five feet. Yesterday I met with a Korean guy from Texas, who is running a school in the Federated States of Micronesia, which is named after a place named after city in Japan.  A guy from another nation was part of the meeting.  He is a one-man multicultural movement. Every time I come out here, I have a Dorothy moment--other than the fact that we have hills, I figure small-town Virginia isn't that different from Kansas.  Clearly I'm not there, now. I'm working to learn to be more aware of, and sensitive to, the cultural differences that exist between different people groups.  A nutritionist might analyze the two breakfasts on the table this morning and declare one better than another, but by the measurement I'm using they are equal.  I might like one better than the other, but that is something different, isn't it.  There I sat with my coffee, and she with her tea, me with my cereal and she with her noodles, both of us doing the same thing. People all over the world eat.  At the most basic level we are the same. After breakfast I attended a prayer meeting.  Oddly back in Virginia, where it still isn't Thursday morning, I generally meet with a group of Pastors on Thursday mornings.  The conversation around the table was not significantly different than the talk I've been part of for decades.  A group of guys, concerned to share God's word and minister to people, aware that we can only do so by the power of God. I could go on and share experiences that demonstrate the oneness of the human race.  Instead, let me point to two powerful pieces of Biblical testimony: The Bible is unequivocally clear that there is but one Savior.  Jesus Christ is not subdivided, or duplicated based on skin-color, language, or geography.  Peter boldly proclaimed, "there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."  (Acts 4:12).  Paul speaks of "one God and one Mediator."  Both are speaking of God's unique Son, Jesus Christ.  He came to seek and to save the Lost (Luke 19:10).  According to Romans 3:23 that includes us all. While the Bible has been, and is being translated into thousands of languages around the globe, there is but one Word of God..As Paul tells us his protoge' Timothy it is able to "give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15).  It is this message of salvation that Jesus commanded be shared with all the world (Matthew 28:19-20).  Seldom can it be said that one size fits all, but one Bible points all people to one Savior, because all of us are the same. It's Something to Think About.   Find out about how the message of Christ's love is able to change all people here.

We Are All Pretty Much The Same:

Something To Think About People are the same:

I'm writing this from the other side of the world. I ate breakfast at the same table with a young lady who essentially speaks no English.  I speak no Japanese.  I was eating Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. I couldn't begin to tell you what was in her bowl, but it smelled good.  I'm a six foot senior citizen. She is a young lady who barely reaches five feet. Yesterday I met with a Korean guy from Texas, who is running a school in the Federated States of Micronesia, which is named after a place named after city in Japan.  A guy from another nation was part of the meeting.  He is a one-man multicultural movement. Every time I come out here, I have a Dorothy moment--other than the fact that we have hills, I figure small-town Virginia isn't that different from Kansas.  Clearly I'm not there, now. I'm working to learn to be more aware of, and sensitive to, the cultural differences that exist between different people groups.  A nutritionist might analyze the two breakfasts on the table this morning and declare one better than another, but by the measurement I'm using they are equal.  I might like one better than the other, but that is something different, isn't it.  There I sat with my coffee, and she with her tea, me with my cereal and she with her noodles, both of us doing the same thing. People all over the world eat.  At the most basic level we are the same. After breakfast I attended a prayer meeting.  Oddly back in Virginia, where it still isn't Thursday morning, I generally meet with a group of Pastors on Thursday mornings.  The conversation around the table was not significantly different than the talk I've been part of for decades.  A group of guys, concerned to share God's word and minister to people, aware that we can only do so by the power of God. I could go on and share experiences that demonstrate the oneness of the human race.  Instead, let me point to two powerful pieces of Biblical testimony: The Bible is unequivocally clear that there is but one Savior.  Jesus Christ is not subdivided, or duplicated based on skin-color, language, or geography.  Peter boldly proclaimed, "there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."  (Acts 4:12).  Paul speaks of "one God and one Mediator."  Both are speaking of God's unique Son, Jesus Christ.  He came to seek and to save the Lost (Luke 19:10).  According to Romans 3:23 that includes us all. While the Bible has been, and is being translated into thousands of languages around the globe, there is but one Word of God..As Paul tells us his protoge' Timothy it is able to "give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15).  It is this message of salvation that Jesus commanded be shared with all the world (Matthew 28:19-20).  Seldom can it be said that one size fits all, but one Bible points all people to one Savior, because all of us are the same. It's Something to Think About.   Find out about how the message of Christ's love is able to change all people here.

Headline: Drugs Kill More Than Autos

Something To Think About, Troubling Numbers:

Just about any time Kathy and I travel we go past a wreck.  We are thankful when we see the occupants of the wrecked auto standing, dazed, off the side of the road.  It means they are probably OK.  I went by a wreck the other day--little SUV upside-down with the roof crushed--and had one of those "knot in the stomach" moments.  I didn't see how anyone could have gotten out of that one alive.  We are all familiar with traffic accidents and their accompanying fatalities.  It is a part of modern life.   Most of us are a bit more insulated from deaths related to drugs.  The latest statistics in my state, however, show that more died from heroin and opioid use than from vehicle crashes in 2014 (here).  I'm not sure how the dead are sorted in the accounting that led to this grim conclusion, but I suspect it's even worse than that.  I just read an article about the jail here in my little mountain community.  It is filled to over capacity.  Most of the inmates are there, in one way or another, because of drugs.  One of the recent residents at our little prison on Main Street just pleaded guilty to a murder committed in a robbery.  The proceeds of the theft were used to buy drugs.  I'm not sure how that man's death is counted in such surveys.  Another inmate has been charged with capital murder.  Again the crime is drug related.  If he is executed does his death go in the drug-death column?    What about the babies who don't make it because their moms poison them with the drugs they take during pregnancy, or the suicides of those who find life hopeless, because they or a loved one are horribly addicted? I live in a quiet little town.  Twice, I've had property that belongs to me broken into.  Both times it was police who bashed in a door to arrest someone on drug related charges.  On both occasions concern to preserve life motivated the violent entry. Maybe my view is skewed, but I don't think by that much.  We can't just ignore what is going on around us.  This may not be much, but here are a couple of things we can do: In recent years it has become very popular for clergy and other Christian leaders to publicly drink alcohol and even encourage its use.  As leaders in the church we need to make absolutely sure that we model a clear example of responsible behavior.  I sometimes wonder whether our elevation of personal freedom has kept us from seeing broader responsibility. There are ministries that are doing the terribly hard work of reaching out to addicts.  Their work is often messy.  It is frequently unrewarding.  We should encourage these brave, hearty souls. We ought to reach out with love and compassion to those who are addicted and those who are hurt by the addiction of loved ones.  Most of us aren't trained counselors and we don't have a network of professionals at our disposal, but, if we know the Lord, we do have the word of God, the hope of the Gospel, and the power of the Holy Spirit on our side.  My experience is that we will often fail, but we will sometimes succeed.  We have to try! So, if you get in your car or truck today, buckle up.  And, before the day is over, stop and ask the Lord,    Lord there are hopeless and, apart from You, hopelessly addicted people out there. How can I make a difference?" Amen.   It's STTA. You'll find hope here.

The Need For Balance

Something To Think About, Balance:

Recently, I've been working on the skill of being old. For instance I had to work through the transition from encouraging young people to show appropriate respect to their seniors to being comfortable with young people--when did fifty get to be young?--"Sir"-ing me. Much of growing old has to do with balance.  We've all seen folk who spend their social security checks on clothing that looks good on teenagers, but on them--not so much. Aging athletes are famous for overdoing it.  Yet on the other extreme are perfectly healthy folk who just quit.  They become couch potatoes or coffee shop squatters.  They have a lot of living to do, and much to offer, but they just check out. Balance! Maintaining equilibrium is a complicated process.  It involves processing input from eyes, inner ear, and feeling from feet and legs.  That somewhat primal data is mixed with memory--"I remember that stair-tread is loose"--and reasoning--"that grass is wet and the ground is sloping. . . ."  Then a millisecond later that information is transmitted to muscles that need to instantly tense or relax, but not too much, and often one needs to do one thing while another the opposite, then that floods the brain with a whole new wave of data and. . . . Some of you fellow oldsters know what comes next.  The processor doesn't process as fast as it once did, and the left leg got the signal but wasn't up to the emergency task.  One thing that hasn't slowed down is the speed with which the ground rushes up to meet you. Bones that are less flexible, skin that is less resistant to impact, and the slowing of the healing process make the loss of balance more costly than it used to be.  So we find ourselves looking for more sensible shoes, and using hand-rails with more frequency.  Even those choices involve a measure of balance.  I've got enough metal in my body to stock a modest hardware store, but I plan to ride my bike later today.  I didn't say this would be easy. I've noticed that a lot of folk, young and old, struggle with balance.  The finely honed balance of a premier athlete or dancer produces a flowing smoothness.  Those who struggle with balance tend to herk and jerk from one awkward position to the next.  I see that a lot. Example:  Recently the terribly disturbing videos released by The Center for Medical Progress, have provoked a needed conversation.  Unfortunately the tone has often been needlessly, and unproductively shrill.  Precarious positions are being occupied.      I think we need to reach for a handrail and make sure that we keep our balance.  If you are willing to lace up your prudent footwear, we'll walk together for the next few days.  I'll warn you, there are some narrow planks we have to traverse, and we don't have safety lines, but don't get the idea that just hunkering down where you are is the wise choice.  I smell smoke. Like I said, "I didn't say this would be easy." It's STTA.

I'm a Christian AND . . .

Something To Think About, Being a Christian:

"I'm a Christian but . . ." A video published by Buzzfeed has achieved that envied status of "going viral."  It features a winsome group of young adults finishing the statement, "I am a Christian, but . . ." and answering a couple of related questions. The obvious implication is that Christians are known for being homophobic, being close-minded, unaccepting, ignorant, uneducated, andthinking they are perfect.   The young people in the video identify as being fans of Beyonce, liking wine, and appreciating science.  They obviously want to be considered normal--not like those "crazy" Christians so often seen and heard in the media.  I'm four decades past being in the demographic of this video, but I identify with them, to a point.  Many of those who are identified as Christians, especially Christian leaders, are not people with whom I want to be identified.  In these daily musings I have identified many "Christians," so called, who are very poor examples of Christ-followers.  Among them are Westboro Baptist Church, leaders who hang "Rev." in front of their names but don't preach the Gospel, those who think "godliness is a means of gain," and often times me.  There are a lot of folk out there who I wish would take the bumper sticker off their cars.  The New Testament contains examples of the Apostle Paul, and others, in essence saying, "I'm a Christian but . . ." (here, here, & here)  Let me tell you two problems with the video--not only with the video, but with the view of Christianity that led to the viral-ity of the the little piece. The fact is the way of life that Jesus calls us to is counter cultural.  The early Christians were accused of being atheists, because unlike virtually everybody else in their world they refused to offer token worship to the gods of their place and time.  In a world consumed by conspicuous consumption, Jesus calls us to a life of laying up treasures in heaven.  All around us people are saying not only, "If it feels good do it."  but, "If it feels that good it can't be wrong."  Jesus, on the other hand says, "Take up your cross and follow me."  Yes, love is at the core Christianity, but love does not rhyme with "any thing goes." The video is far stronger in pointing out what Christianity isn't, from the viewpoint of the producers, than it is at making known what Christianity is.  One critic pointed out that Jesus is only mentioned one time.  Another observed a lack of anything about Christ's coming, or His death, or resurrection.  How different from the Apostle Paul, who, when he came to the hostile environment of Corinth, was "determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."  (1 Co 2:2)   I doubt that it will go viral, but how about this?   I'm a Christian, and I'm trying to live in obedience to God's word. It's STTA.   On this page there are multiple options.  All of them point to how we can have an ongoing relationship with our Lord.

Going Against the Flow

Something To Think About, Going Against the Flow:

The actual historical footprint of the New Testament is so brief that somewhere on earth there was someone born about the same time as Jesus Christ, who was still alive when John penned the last book of the New Testament.  John, himself, didn't miss it by much.  Yet in that brief period of time the followers of Christ faced most of the crises that have marked the two millennia of the Christian era. Obviously, the followers of Christ faced persecution.  Jesus Christ the founder of Christianity was crucified.  Almost all of His closest followers were martyred. I don't think Peter's question about the propriety of paying taxes was merely a query he was repeating.  Jesus enemies accused him of being subversive.  His followers were trying to sort out just what it meant to follow this Rabbi who spoke with such authority.  The question about the legality of paying taxes to the hated Roman overlords was proposed because the Pharisees had heard something in Jesus words to indicate that this was a point where they might trip him up.  The ruling authorities were not friendly to Jesus and His followers. I found the words "Is it lawful," eight times in the Gospels.  Both Jesus followers and His enemies realized that the teachings of Jesus were counter-cultural.  Some with a desire to trap the Lord and others with a sincere desire to follow Him wanted to know how do these things sort out?  It sounds like Jesus is saying things that would lead on to a conclusion different than others around us about taxes, divorce, the Sabbath, good works, and more.  What does it mean to follow Jesus? The Apostle Paul spoke clearly about the relationship of Jesus' followers to the world around them, do not be conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2)   John and James spoke in terms of starkest contrast.  You can be someone who fits in, or you can be my follower; you can't be both.  It appears that we Christians in America are emerging from an unnatural period of history, one in which the world around us has been more friendly to Christian values than is usually the case.  We can debate another time as to whether that is a good thing or not.  Right now, I'm just pointing out that what is, is, and we need to deal with it.  The mob who demanded Jesus' crucifixion declared, "We have no king but Caesar." I don't hear a consensus yet, but I hear voices that trouble me, and some of them come from the church: "We have no God but tolerance." "Our guiding principle is to fit in." "It's OK to believe something, just don't get too carried away with it." Jesus challenges those who would follow Him to take up their cross and follow Him. You need to do a bit of translation, but this montage from the film Pearl Harbor, comes close to making the point. It's STTA.

The Absolute Rule of WHATEVER:

Something To Think About, WHATEVER:

Roger Olson uses a word near the end of his excellent commentary on today's American culture--"anomie,"  A simple definition I found for the word is: "lack of the usual social or ethical standards in an individual or group."  I tend to agree with Olson.  Some of our culture is already there; much of the rest appears to be following.  We are rejecting any norms that go beyond personal interests and desires, which leaves only personal interests and desires, and leads to the one standard that appears to be rising to absolute dominance in our public behavior and discourse--whatever.   Whatever your decisions and desires, whatever lifestyle choices you make, I should respect those.  Not only should I tolerate them, I need to embrace them.  It is the absolute standard of Whatever.   There is one caveat to the rule of Whatever.  No one should do anything that hurts anyone else.  But even this amendment has been severely narrowed for those who find Whatever to be a rule of life that is lacking.  In broad terms, personal freedom, and opportunity for individual expression trumps all broader societal concerns.  In the world of Whatever when one side of an argument is "This is what I want."  and the other side is, "This is where these personal decisions will lead."  the now and personal will always win.  It's like the old playground basketball standard, "No blood, no foul."  Unless it can be clearly demonstrated that one person choosing Whatever, will bring clear and immediate harm to another--and violated religious standards don't count--then the Whatever choice should stand. Olson raises the question of whether such a social order can stand. But since that question cannot point to any blood on the pavement, SCOW (the Supreme Court of Whatever) declares that the objection has no standing.  The Main Street Journal, in a recent one-word op-ed piece summed it up well: WHATEVER! Again, I refer you to Roger Olson's excellent article. It's STTA.

Remembering God's Image In The Face of Great Barbarity:

Something To Think About, Recognizing the Image of God:

War is a horrible thing.  William Tecumseh Sherman who perpetrated its horrors on a wide swath of the rebellious South said, "War is hell."  One of war's most hellish aspects is the treatment that prisoners of war often receive.  I recently read two books about the treatment of American P.O.W.s under the Japanese in WW2.  My uncle lost a lung and his sight as a result of his imprisonment in Germany.  How a nation treats its enemies when they are helpless to either inflict further harm or do anything to protect themselves, is a powerful indicator of the moral ethos of that people. Recent news about the brutal execution of  Jordanian pilot,  Lt. Moaz al-Kasasbeh  is a powerful indication of the lack of respect for human life on the part of the ISIS terrorists.  The video showing his death was not leaked.  It was slickly produced and released as a propaganda tool.  Americans, and Jordanians, among others, are rightly outraged. Some realities about life on this planet are made plain: Evil--monstrous evil--is a reality.  Humans are capable of committing unspeakable atrocities. Human life--even when that life is our enemy--bears the image of God.  I believe that some wars are just.  In fact I think there are times when it is wrong to not use force to restrain evil.  But even in times of war the basic reality that all human life is a reflection of our Creator must be kept in mind. The evil that we see exhibited so powerfully by the killing of Lt. Kasasbeh is not something that only resides in our enemy.  All of us are descendants of the original sinner, Adam.  I'm not saying we are just as bad as them.  The reality is, though, that the forces that have restrained evil among civilized people need to be respected and nurtured.  Unfettered evil is horrible beyond imagination. This is just the beginning of a conversation.  I hope it is taking place on the highest level in our nation.  I hope for you it is . . . Something to Think About.

Who Is Moving?

Something To Think About, False Motion:

The picture might do it for some of you.  It generally happens to me while I'm waiting at a traffic light.  I have this sudden unsettling feeling that I'm moving.  My right foot reflexively mashes harder on the brake, then there is the split-second of panic because for some reason the brake has no effect on my drifting car.  Thankfully the terror is short-lived.  “Whew, I'm not the one rolling.  It's that semi right next to me." When I have that experience on the road it usually ends with a chuckle.  When it happens in the ethical realm, the disorientation lasts a lot longer.  Indeed, some Christians--even some Christian leaders--never get over it. We live in a world in which moral realities appear to swirl and waver like smoke rising from a just-snuffed candle.  It can be disorienting.  Are the "rights-and-wrongs" I grew up with really "wrongs-and-rights" or "maybes-and-maybes" or just a swirling spiral of choices spinning around even more options? An honest evaluation of the standards that we draw from the Word of God is always valid.  If we are going to say "God said," we need to be sure we heard Him correctly.  But just because we see relative motion between our culture and the standards drawn from the Bible does not mean that those standards are in motion or that they need to move.  In fact what we really need is a fixed point by which we judge everything else that swirls and drifts.  Part of the reason that the Bible is good news is it is dependable.  It is the rock that stands firm even in the storms of life. Don't loose sight of it. It's STTA. Here is a site where you can find out about Jesus Christ and His plan for you.  You'll find several opportunities to explore.  If we can help you, let us know.  covingtonbiblechurch.com

Erosion

Something To Think About, Erosion:

When I was in college at Baptist Bible College of PA, I had the privilege ofattending the Osterhout Bible Church, near Tunkhannock.  The church was near enough the to the Susquehanna River that it flooded a time or two during major floods.  Right next to the church was a lovely farm, run by one of the church families.  One time when my dad was visiting he had occasion to chat with the patriarch of this farm.  It was only a few months after a major flood.  Huge ditches had been gouged out of some the exposed earth on the farm.  "What do you do about it?" my dad inquired.   "Well, if you tried to fill in the eroded places, you'd just have to rob topsoil from some other part of the field, and that wouldn't be any good," said the farmer, "so we'll just do what we can to control further erosion and begin to fertilize the area with manure, and, in time, we'll again build a layer of productive soil."  Clearly my agri-friend was thinking long-term. We live in a time in which we have seen moral/ethical erosion.  Standards that once kept bad things from happening, or at least slowed them down, have been knocked down, or allowed to deteriorate over time.  There have been a deluge of rhetoric and cultural influences that have left jagged fissures in the moral landscape. What do we do? We don't have the power or the resources to fix years of decay in one fell swoop.  Forgetting the specifics of the previous illustration, we need to add that which is worthwhile, even if it is just a little.  To change the image--gladly, by the way--Jesus said we are to be salt and light.  Anytime we can cast the light of God's truth and His presence through our lives onto the rutted moral surface of our culture we should eagerly do so. This Sunday at CBC we'll take time to do that in regard to the way our culture views the life of the unborn.  Join us in person or via our Truthcasting channel. It's STTA. Here is a site where you can find out about Jesus Christ and His plan for you.  You'll find several opportunities to explore.  If we can help you, let us know.  covingtonbiblechurch.com

Fact of Life:

Something To Think About, A Fact of Life:

I've been privileged to function in several roles in which I have sought to influence the way people think, perhaps, more importantly, the way they feel, about what is right and wrong, acceptable and unacceptable. What people believe--really believe in the core of their being--has life and death consequences in the real world.  I just read the remarkable story of Louis Zamparini.  Part of his account is told in the movie, Unbroken.  The movie and more so the book chronicle the inhuman way World War Two prisoners of war were treated in Japanese prison camps.  Statistics clearly indicate that prisoners held by the Empire of Japan died at rates far, far higher than inmates in any other World War Two era prisons.  Why? It has been impossible to not hear about the recent tragic murders in France.  The news from Paris has amplified reports of other atrocities.  Again, when civilized people hear of such horrors we ask, "Why?"  I just read about a documentary filmed seventy years ago.  It was never finished and released.   The subject of the movie is what many regard as the greatest atrocity of the Twentieth Century, The Holocaust.  How could civilized people perpetuate such a horror?  Why would others choose to suppress a film that exposed the degradation? In each of these cases, and countless others like them, at the bottom of these horrid actions is not a lack of laws but a system of belief that provides justification for the horrid action.  Japanese were taught that one who surrendered in battle rather than fighting to the death had dishonored himself and was thus unworthy of humane treatment.  The killers who murdered the staff of Charlie Hebdo shouted the justification for their killings.  Protecting the honor of the prophet justifies virtually any action.  The antisemitism of the Nazi regime was key in producing the death of Millions of Jews. We tend to think that the key to changing our culture is politics, legislation, and judicial appointments.  Indeed we can identify many politicians and political movements that have made significant differences.  As the presidential campaign ramps up to 2016 we will see and hear ads, and get phone calls that indicate that the saving of our nation, and indeed our way of life, depends on the election of candidate X.  I'm not saying elections aren't important, they are, but they are not most important.    Moms and Dads who teach their children are far more important.   Religious leaders who mold the consciences of those who hear them have powerful impact. Public leaders who lead not primarily by coercion but by persuasion and even more so through inspiration--think of the powerful words of Abraham Lincoln--will change culture in ways that will last for generations.   Let's remember that as we approach the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that established the current state of the law in regard to Abortion.  Our task is not stop abortion.  What we need to do is to clearly establish the sanctity of human life.  If we believe the fact that human life belongs to God, and that we cannot take it without His sanction, then we will see abortion for the abhorrent act that it is. It's STTA.