It should be obvious to readers of Something to Think About that I am not opposed to technology, if--and this is a big"If"--it is used properly. Several times a week I use the technological wonders of a computer and the Internet to send these thoughts to you. I find the Bible study program on my computer and the hundreds of digital books stored on my hard-drive to be quite useful.
Even with my confessed friendship with things digital/electronic, I confess I was a little taken back by the news of an i-phone app to help people confess their sins.
I believe confession is a Biblical concept. Proverbs 28:13 says, "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. I John 1:9 encourages us with the truth that if we confess our sin, He is faithful and righteous to forgive. James 5:16 indicates that there are times when confession of our sin to another human is profitable.
But confessing to a machine?
When I read some more about the confession app though, even though I don't agree with the necessity of a making confession to a priest here on earth, I could see that concept behind the app might be useful. The electronic tool encourages a person to look at God's standards and compare them to his own behavior.
Sin is a violation of God's law. Holding my life up next to God's standard to see where I have strayed is not a bad thing. If an electronic tool can help, so be it.
So what do I do If I find that my life doesn't measure up? Actually I should say "when" rather than "if." "All have sinned. . . ." (Romans 3:23)
God's standard exists--at least in part--to show me my need. Look at Romans 3:21-31. It is God's intention that my knowledge of sin would drive me to His grace.
Find out more here
It's STTA.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Not only did a preach that, I needed that!
A friend of mine speaks of preaching himself into conviction. It is a little bit of a preacher joke, but my friend really means it. I think I heard Billy Graham say one time that when he pointed a finger at someone in his audience there were three pointing back at him.
Yesterday I was preaching from Mark 11, the second time Jesus cleansed the Temple. It is a passage that has direct application for those of us, like me, who have leadership in the worship of God. I could feel the power of the Lord's condemnation of Annas and his cronies, as I shared the word with the congregation.
Basically, they took something that should have been directed to the God of the Bible--praise, worship, adoration, people doing serious business with their Lord--and they perverted it into something that was all about them--profit, power, national exclusivity. I can't imagine that these greedy religio-political-business men felt the awe and wonder of being in the place that was the center of the worship of the one true God. What impressed them was how many Shekels they extorted from the masses that day.
Worship is preeminently a proclamation of His worth.
Lord, help me remember that.
It's STTA.
Yesterday I was preaching from Mark 11, the second time Jesus cleansed the Temple. It is a passage that has direct application for those of us, like me, who have leadership in the worship of God. I could feel the power of the Lord's condemnation of Annas and his cronies, as I shared the word with the congregation.
Basically, they took something that should have been directed to the God of the Bible--praise, worship, adoration, people doing serious business with their Lord--and they perverted it into something that was all about them--profit, power, national exclusivity. I can't imagine that these greedy religio-political-business men felt the awe and wonder of being in the place that was the center of the worship of the one true God. What impressed them was how many Shekels they extorted from the masses that day.
Worship is preeminently a proclamation of His worth.
Lord, help me remember that.
It's STTA.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Camels Charging:
Beyond knowing that what is going on is incredibly dangerous, not just for them, but for those of us in lands far away, I don't understand a great deal about what is going on in Cairo. Would I be content to live under President Mubarak's authoritarian rule? Probably not. Are freedoms in Egypt greater than in many other Muslim nations? I think simply looking at the news videos and seeing how Egyptians, especially the women, are dressed, indicates that the answer is "Yes." If Mr. Mubarak and his cabinet become permanent guests of King Saud is it likely that Egypt will become a less stable place? I think without a doubt. Is it unfortunate that the US and much of the rest of the Western World is so dependent on the oil that moves through the Suez Canal? Yes, but even if we had the will to change that, it would take a while to fix it. Should the affairs of the Egyptians primarily be the concern of the Egyptians? Well, yes, but that hasn't been entirely the case for some time now.
Anyhow, seeing fighters mounted on camels charging into the fray in Cairo reminded me that these are not new problems. We've been dealing with oppressive leaders and dissatisfied citizens for millennia. In Samuel's time Israel wanted a king, they got Saul. David hadn't paid attention to his public image, so the public fell for the well-coiffed Absalom's campaign ads. Jehu provided the Old-Testament equivalent of making the trains run on time, so the people loved him--at least for a time.
We ought to do what we can to have the best government that we can, knowing that often we can't do much. We can't assume, though, that the "voice of the people" is always right. In addition to the examples above I offer one more. Two-thousand years ago some folk got off their camels and entered a public square just up the road from Egypt. They cried, "We have no king but Caesar!" and demanded the crucifixion of their rightful sovereign.
Ultimately our dependence cannot be on camels, horses, tanks, or stealth bombers. (Psalm 20:7) Rather our ultimate hope must be in the Lord. (Look at Romans 8:25 in context.) Since that needs to be the hope of the rest of the world as well, we need to wrap the news in prayer. I may not know what the President should do, but that is certainly what I ought to do. Look at 1 Timothy 2:1-8 for some ideas on how to do that.
It's STTA.
Anyhow, seeing fighters mounted on camels charging into the fray in Cairo reminded me that these are not new problems. We've been dealing with oppressive leaders and dissatisfied citizens for millennia. In Samuel's time Israel wanted a king, they got Saul. David hadn't paid attention to his public image, so the public fell for the well-coiffed Absalom's campaign ads. Jehu provided the Old-Testament equivalent of making the trains run on time, so the people loved him--at least for a time.
We ought to do what we can to have the best government that we can, knowing that often we can't do much. We can't assume, though, that the "voice of the people" is always right. In addition to the examples above I offer one more. Two-thousand years ago some folk got off their camels and entered a public square just up the road from Egypt. They cried, "We have no king but Caesar!" and demanded the crucifixion of their rightful sovereign.
Ultimately our dependence cannot be on camels, horses, tanks, or stealth bombers. (Psalm 20:7) Rather our ultimate hope must be in the Lord. (Look at Romans 8:25 in context.) Since that needs to be the hope of the rest of the world as well, we need to wrap the news in prayer. I may not know what the President should do, but that is certainly what I ought to do. Look at 1 Timothy 2:1-8 for some ideas on how to do that.
It's STTA.
Monday, January 31, 2011
It is not only in Cairo:
I can't say that I blame them--Americans I see camped out in Cairo's airport trying to get out. Questions abound: What happened, what's happening, and, more than anything else, what will happen next? I don't think anyone knows, but it is clear that it is a dangerous situation. We can be sure that people with destructive agendas are hoping to take advantage of the chaos.
What we see coming out of Egypt is not unique to that ancient land. What is happening there is the current demonstration of a syndrome that has been seen many times. Ours is a world full of conflict. Without taking sides in the conflict, I'll simply say that the problem is one of sin. Leaders, as well as those led, are filled with the kinds of tendencies that cause kindergarten teachers to write, "Doesn't play well with others." on youngsters' progress reports.
So, if this is a universal concept where do we go to get in line to escape?
Interestingly, just before the Lord Jesus Christ went to the cross, He told His followers--by extension, me--that He was leaving them in this world. Though we are not "of" this world--it is not my source of meaning, purpose, and agenda--we are in it.
But, listen to this. "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
It's STTA.
What we see coming out of Egypt is not unique to that ancient land. What is happening there is the current demonstration of a syndrome that has been seen many times. Ours is a world full of conflict. Without taking sides in the conflict, I'll simply say that the problem is one of sin. Leaders, as well as those led, are filled with the kinds of tendencies that cause kindergarten teachers to write, "Doesn't play well with others." on youngsters' progress reports.
So, if this is a universal concept where do we go to get in line to escape?
Interestingly, just before the Lord Jesus Christ went to the cross, He told His followers--by extension, me--that He was leaving them in this world. Though we are not "of" this world--it is not my source of meaning, purpose, and agenda--we are in it.
But, listen to this. "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
It's STTA.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Thumbs-Taking a Chance:
Two things happened, recently, related to my thumbs, that have never happened before. I went to a bank the other day to take care of an unusual transaction-at least unusual for me. I did all the usual things-signed my name, and produced two forms of I.D.-all under the watchful eye of the surveillance camera. Then the teller said she needed a thumb print. She got out a little ink-pad, told me what to do, and gave me a tissue to clean up my right thumb. I don't have any problem with it. It was just a new one on this old one.
Then about a week later I was finishing up a remodeling project-nothing big. Maybe it was the "What's next?" question that distracted me. I don't know, but distracted I was-at least until I felt the impact of the carbide blade on my left thumb. My Dr. says it should be OK, though the scars will no doubt provide some interesting conversation.
My thumbs have something in common-I mean beside being attached to me-both of their recent experiences relate to a concept that seems to drive a great deal of our modern thinking and actions (or lack thereof) risk. Fraud related to credit-cards, checks, and other financial transactions costs each of us hundreds of dollars every year. My unique thumbprint on that document is the bank's attempt to reduce risk. Since, at least in part it is my money that is in jeopardy, I'm OK with it. Since my left thumb has been swathed in bandages it tends to attract some attention. "What did you do?" is a frequent question these days. When I give the answer, sometimes in words, more frequently with an unmistakable look, friends and acquaintances say, "You shouldn't do that anymore. The risk is too great."
My two most clumsy digits were having an up-or-down conversation. RT was aimed skyward. "We live in a world where people rob and steal. Mistakes are made. The transaction the big guy was involved in is prone to fraud. Calling me in as a witness was a wise precaution. Nobody can forge my signature. By the way, RT, you look kinda beat up."
"Yeah," he replied, "it was the big guy. I was right there on the job. He checked out, and the rest is history . . . and thumb-burger." But in spite of the big guy's wandering mind, I'm not prepared to retire. I mean, don't get me wrong, I do need a break-pardon the pun-I've been reminding the big guy about that, but I still remember, through all this padding, the feel of a well-shaped and finished piece of wood. I could end up on the shop floor, but I'm going to leave my print on something worthwhile."
"I like your style," RT replied. "By the way, you look good in white. The other day I was thumbing through Proverbs, the HANDbook edition. Don't you just love that verb? You'll never guess what I found. 'Where no saw is, the shop is clean, but much of value comes from the ability of the saw to cut.' (Proverbs 14:4, Digital Revised Version) I hope you get better soon. Twiddling alone is no fun."
In there, there is STTA. (What do you expect from a couple of thumbs?)
Then about a week later I was finishing up a remodeling project-nothing big. Maybe it was the "What's next?" question that distracted me. I don't know, but distracted I was-at least until I felt the impact of the carbide blade on my left thumb. My Dr. says it should be OK, though the scars will no doubt provide some interesting conversation.
My thumbs have something in common-I mean beside being attached to me-both of their recent experiences relate to a concept that seems to drive a great deal of our modern thinking and actions (or lack thereof) risk. Fraud related to credit-cards, checks, and other financial transactions costs each of us hundreds of dollars every year. My unique thumbprint on that document is the bank's attempt to reduce risk. Since, at least in part it is my money that is in jeopardy, I'm OK with it. Since my left thumb has been swathed in bandages it tends to attract some attention. "What did you do?" is a frequent question these days. When I give the answer, sometimes in words, more frequently with an unmistakable look, friends and acquaintances say, "You shouldn't do that anymore. The risk is too great."
My two most clumsy digits were having an up-or-down conversation. RT was aimed skyward. "We live in a world where people rob and steal. Mistakes are made. The transaction the big guy was involved in is prone to fraud. Calling me in as a witness was a wise precaution. Nobody can forge my signature. By the way, RT, you look kinda beat up."
"Yeah," he replied, "it was the big guy. I was right there on the job. He checked out, and the rest is history . . . and thumb-burger." But in spite of the big guy's wandering mind, I'm not prepared to retire. I mean, don't get me wrong, I do need a break-pardon the pun-I've been reminding the big guy about that, but I still remember, through all this padding, the feel of a well-shaped and finished piece of wood. I could end up on the shop floor, but I'm going to leave my print on something worthwhile."
"I like your style," RT replied. "By the way, you look good in white. The other day I was thumbing through Proverbs, the HANDbook edition. Don't you just love that verb? You'll never guess what I found. 'Where no saw is, the shop is clean, but much of value comes from the ability of the saw to cut.' (Proverbs 14:4, Digital Revised Version) I hope you get better soon. Twiddling alone is no fun."
In there, there is STTA. (What do you expect from a couple of thumbs?)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Thanks, Young folk:
I have been reminded a couple of times, lately, about how lacking our culture is in support for young adults who choose to live lives sexual purity. I know a number of teens and 20 & 30 somethings who are committed to a Biblical standard of morality. THANK YOU.
Recently, a young single woman from our church visited a physician. Very quickly the conversation between, doctor, patient, and parent soon made clear the default position: It was not a question of "Are you?" but an assumption, "Since you are." I received an email today from a mom who said that her teen child is constantly confronted with peers who see no reason for sexual restraint, think the standard should be for all young women to be on birth-control pills, and think that anyone who says no to sexual activity is really quite (what is a good current word for weird/stupid?)
Personally, I thank all of you young adults who are obeying what the Bible has to say about sexuality--which basically is that it is a gift to be exclusively shared between husband and wife. I thank you not only as one who cares deeply about the standards of God's word, but as citizen of my community. The breakdown of morality and family in our culture has been costly in numerous ways. The foundation stones of a stable nation are stable communities. Stable communities are built on solid homes. Solid homes are built by folk who are willing to do things God's way.
It is a sign of the schizophrenic nature of our culture that we tend to encourage the very behavior that is destroying us. Thanks to all of you young adults who are making a difference. If I can help you, let me know. If I can be of encouragement to some of you who are considering joining their ranks, likewise, get in touch. Parents and leaders don't give in to the ethos of our debauched world. Stand for what is right, and encourage our kids to do the same.
It's STTA.
Recently, a young single woman from our church visited a physician. Very quickly the conversation between, doctor, patient, and parent soon made clear the default position: It was not a question of "Are you?" but an assumption, "Since you are." I received an email today from a mom who said that her teen child is constantly confronted with peers who see no reason for sexual restraint, think the standard should be for all young women to be on birth-control pills, and think that anyone who says no to sexual activity is really quite (what is a good current word for weird/stupid?)
Personally, I thank all of you young adults who are obeying what the Bible has to say about sexuality--which basically is that it is a gift to be exclusively shared between husband and wife. I thank you not only as one who cares deeply about the standards of God's word, but as citizen of my community. The breakdown of morality and family in our culture has been costly in numerous ways. The foundation stones of a stable nation are stable communities. Stable communities are built on solid homes. Solid homes are built by folk who are willing to do things God's way.
It is a sign of the schizophrenic nature of our culture that we tend to encourage the very behavior that is destroying us. Thanks to all of you young adults who are making a difference. If I can help you, let me know. If I can be of encouragement to some of you who are considering joining their ranks, likewise, get in touch. Parents and leaders don't give in to the ethos of our debauched world. Stand for what is right, and encourage our kids to do the same.
It's STTA.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Not at home.
I hope you are warm and secure in your home. When it is cold outside, it sure makes the warm inside easier to appreciate. As I type I'm sitting next to the fire on a comfortable couch. I need to be reminded, though, in the words of the old hymn, "This world is not my home."
I hear that some of our new members of congress are living out that concept. Since arriving at DC they have been sleeping on cots or blow-up beds in their office building.
Is it a publicity stunt? Likely, at least in part, but at least it is publicizing a concept worth remembering. Several of our representatives who are sleeping like teens at a sleep-over pointed out that they want to be reminded, and remind others that they don't live in Washington. They are there to serve their constituents back home.
The Apostle Paul said that our citizenship is in heaven. (Philippians 3:20) He counselled Timothy to not become entangled in the affairs of this world. (2 Timothy 2) Interestingly, it is those who are least at home in this world--those who realize that there is something more--who do the most good in it.
When you read/hear news stories like the one below, view them with a bit of appropriate cynicism, but, if you know the Lord, be reminded, "I'm not home either.
It's STTA.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/22/eveningnews/main7272636.shtml
I hear that some of our new members of congress are living out that concept. Since arriving at DC they have been sleeping on cots or blow-up beds in their office building.
Is it a publicity stunt? Likely, at least in part, but at least it is publicizing a concept worth remembering. Several of our representatives who are sleeping like teens at a sleep-over pointed out that they want to be reminded, and remind others that they don't live in Washington. They are there to serve their constituents back home.
The Apostle Paul said that our citizenship is in heaven. (Philippians 3:20) He counselled Timothy to not become entangled in the affairs of this world. (2 Timothy 2) Interestingly, it is those who are least at home in this world--those who realize that there is something more--who do the most good in it.
When you read/hear news stories like the one below, view them with a bit of appropriate cynicism, but, if you know the Lord, be reminded, "I'm not home either.
It's STTA.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/01/22/eveningnews/main7272636.shtml
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