Father’s Day is a good day to rehearse some of the characteristics of our heavenly Father. He is loving, gracious, benevolent, all knowing, all wise, all powerful, available, approachable, purposeful, merciful, generous, righteous, and holy.
Fathers who aspire to be like the heavenly Father are not all knowing, all wise, all powerful, but they can increase their knowledge and wisdom and use the authority God has invested in the role of father to benefit their children and society. And surely families and society would benefit greatly if more fathers were loving, gracious, benevolent, available, approachable, purposeful, merciful, generous, righteous, and holy.
Happy Father’s Day!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
How Firm a Foundation?
Loyalty to a church or denomination is fading as an increasing number of churchgoers flit from church to church without regard for doctrinal distinctives. And the unwillingness of some churches to reveal its denominational affiliation contributes to the phenomenon. Consequently, many churchgoers don’t know what they believe. All they need to know is what a church offers. Does it offer fun programs for all ages? Lively music? A hip, handsome, charming senior pastor?
Several years ago, a leaflet from a church showed up at our door. The name of the church was generic. The leaflet advertised fun programs, lively music, thrilling drama, and no long, boring sermons. I told my wife I would call the pastor and ask if he preached any short, boring sermons. She didn’t think that was a good idea.
But I did call and ask the pastor about his beliefs. He said he didn’t take a position on the matters I posed. It was another case of a pastor who wanted to be all things to all people in order to achieve maximum numeric growth.
Someone was asked, “What do you believe?”
He replied, ”I believe what my church believes.”
“And what does your church believe?”
“It believes what I believe.”
“And what do you and your church believe?”
“We both believe the same thing.”
Instead of being shaky about what we believe, we need to be shaken by what we believe. What beliefs keep you steady in an unsteady world?
Several years ago, a leaflet from a church showed up at our door. The name of the church was generic. The leaflet advertised fun programs, lively music, thrilling drama, and no long, boring sermons. I told my wife I would call the pastor and ask if he preached any short, boring sermons. She didn’t think that was a good idea.
But I did call and ask the pastor about his beliefs. He said he didn’t take a position on the matters I posed. It was another case of a pastor who wanted to be all things to all people in order to achieve maximum numeric growth.
Someone was asked, “What do you believe?”
He replied, ”I believe what my church believes.”
“And what does your church believe?”
“It believes what I believe.”
“And what do you and your church believe?”
“We both believe the same thing.”
Instead of being shaky about what we believe, we need to be shaken by what we believe. What beliefs keep you steady in an unsteady world?
Monday, June 15, 2009
Contrasting Sauls
Have you noticed the contrasts between Saul of the Old Testament and Saul (Paul) of the New Testament?
• Saul of the Old Testament was Israel’s first king. Saul of the New Testament was the Gentiles’ first apostle.
• Saul of the Old Testament started out little in his own eyes but became big in his own eyes. Saul of Tarsus, the Saul of the New Testament, started out big in his own eyes but became little in his own eyes. God became all-important to Saul of Tarsus after the risen Son of God confronted him on the road to Damascus.
• Saul of the Old Testament died in defeat (1 Sam. 31:2–4), Saul of the New Testament died as a victor (2 Tim. 4:6, 7).
• Saul of the Old Testament rejected God’s will and lost his crown (1 Sam. 15:26–28; 2 Sam. 1:10). Saul of the New Testament (the apostle Paul) embraced and fulfilled God’s will and anticipated a crown (Acts 26:26:19; 2 Tim. 4:8).
We make choices every day. Some are wise; a few are unwise. Let’s choose today to obey God’s will, fight the good fight, finish the race, keep the faith, and anticipate “the crown of righteousness.”
• Saul of the Old Testament was Israel’s first king. Saul of the New Testament was the Gentiles’ first apostle.
• Saul of the Old Testament started out little in his own eyes but became big in his own eyes. Saul of Tarsus, the Saul of the New Testament, started out big in his own eyes but became little in his own eyes. God became all-important to Saul of Tarsus after the risen Son of God confronted him on the road to Damascus.
• Saul of the Old Testament died in defeat (1 Sam. 31:2–4), Saul of the New Testament died as a victor (2 Tim. 4:6, 7).
• Saul of the Old Testament rejected God’s will and lost his crown (1 Sam. 15:26–28; 2 Sam. 1:10). Saul of the New Testament (the apostle Paul) embraced and fulfilled God’s will and anticipated a crown (Acts 26:26:19; 2 Tim. 4:8).
We make choices every day. Some are wise; a few are unwise. Let’s choose today to obey God’s will, fight the good fight, finish the race, keep the faith, and anticipate “the crown of righteousness.”
Friday, June 12, 2009
Zapped!
When my dermatologist greets me every six months, he uses one hand to shake my hand and uses his other hand to shake a can of liquid nitrogen. Yesterday, he zapped me about 20 times with liquid nitrogen. Today, my head looks raw, but it should heal in two weeks or so. According to the dermatologist, I have had significant exposure to the sun.
Exposure to the sun in Colorado Springs is normal, and skin cancer is fairly common. I wear a hat outdoors, but the sun seems to penetrate it. So I have an appointment in December to visit the top-gun dermatologist again.
Exposure to the sun may be hazardous to the skin, but there are no harmful effects of exposure to the Son. If we stay close to Him, our lives will show only beneficial results. Galatians 5:22 and 23 identify them as “the fruit of the Spirit: and list them. They are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Keep walking in the Sonshine!
Exposure to the sun in Colorado Springs is normal, and skin cancer is fairly common. I wear a hat outdoors, but the sun seems to penetrate it. So I have an appointment in December to visit the top-gun dermatologist again.
Exposure to the sun may be hazardous to the skin, but there are no harmful effects of exposure to the Son. If we stay close to Him, our lives will show only beneficial results. Galatians 5:22 and 23 identify them as “the fruit of the Spirit: and list them. They are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Keep walking in the Sonshine!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Lingo, New and Old
Door-to-door solicitors descend on our neighborhood like ants at a picnic. The other day a young man rang our doorbell and introduced himself as a college student from Scotland. He was selling children’s books.
“I was born in Scotland,” I told him, “but I was just a wee wain when oor family moved tae Canada.”
To say the young man was surprised is an understatement. He was flabbergasted. “ I see you know the lingo,” he offered after regaining his composure.
“Aye!”
“Cool.”
My parents spoke with a Scottish brogue until they died, but I never heard either of them say “lingo” or “cool.” I guess the language and accent of Scots today are quite different from what they were when my parents and I lived in Scotland an awfie lang time ago. As a matter of fact, the solicitor’s accent seemed to resemble that of an Englishman.
Christianese has changed through the years too. Years ago we used to refer to being “born again,” “saved,” “ bought by the blood,” and we urged the “unsaved” to “repent” and accept Christ as your Savior.” Now, the popular vocabulary includes such terms as “a relationship with God,” “give Jesus a chance,” and “people of faith.”
Here’s my take on these modern terms. I think they are weak and meaningless. Everyone has a relationship with God, either a right relationship or a wrong relationship. Jesus doesn’t need a chance; He doesn’t come as a 30-day trial offer. And “people of faith” is nondescript. Having faith amounts to nothing unless Jesus is the object of that faith. Faith in a church or a religion or one’s good works or baptism or religious pedigree is groundless.
I hope we get back to Biblical terminology soon, but I hae ma doots!
“I was born in Scotland,” I told him, “but I was just a wee wain when oor family moved tae Canada.”
To say the young man was surprised is an understatement. He was flabbergasted. “ I see you know the lingo,” he offered after regaining his composure.
“Aye!”
“Cool.”
My parents spoke with a Scottish brogue until they died, but I never heard either of them say “lingo” or “cool.” I guess the language and accent of Scots today are quite different from what they were when my parents and I lived in Scotland an awfie lang time ago. As a matter of fact, the solicitor’s accent seemed to resemble that of an Englishman.
Christianese has changed through the years too. Years ago we used to refer to being “born again,” “saved,” “ bought by the blood,” and we urged the “unsaved” to “repent” and accept Christ as your Savior.” Now, the popular vocabulary includes such terms as “a relationship with God,” “give Jesus a chance,” and “people of faith.”
Here’s my take on these modern terms. I think they are weak and meaningless. Everyone has a relationship with God, either a right relationship or a wrong relationship. Jesus doesn’t need a chance; He doesn’t come as a 30-day trial offer. And “people of faith” is nondescript. Having faith amounts to nothing unless Jesus is the object of that faith. Faith in a church or a religion or one’s good works or baptism or religious pedigree is groundless.
I hope we get back to Biblical terminology soon, but I hae ma doots!
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