DON'T SPOIL YOUR APPETITE

A few weeks ago, I attended a business conference in Orlando, Florida. I was one of about 800 attendees, and the purpose of the conference was to learn more about a conceptual planning process that helps our clients create and keep more wealth. ("Wealth" is a relative term by the way. Whether God has blessed you with $1000 or $1,000,000, that is your wealth.)


This is the second time I have attended this conference, and there are a number of things that I like about it, among them:
 1. The creator of this planning process is an affable, intelligent, creative Christian who does not hesitate to speak of his faith. His friends call him "Don Buddy".

2. The majority - over 90% by my estimate - of the attendees are not affiliated with the company I work with. This gives me a different perspective.

3. There is a hunger and thirst for new knowledge, as well as the mastery of "old knowledge". I find it very refreshing to be among men & women who desire to be better at their God-given vocation, willing to give up their time and money to improve their professional skills.

The youngest person I met while there was 28 years old. The oldest was 80, and he still has great enthusiasm for his work. This man absolutely loves working with people, especially young people, to help them improve their financial strategies. He has attended over 15 of these conferences, which are held in January of each year. When asked why he continues to attend, year after year, he smiles and responds "because you can't learn less by being here." He seemed to have an insatiable appetite for knowledge, and a desire to share his knowledge with others.

While attending the conference, the Lord reminded me that my appetite for His word is often lacking. Truth be told - sometimes almost non-existent. Why is it that I have a hunger for knowledge and its application in my career that often exceeds my desire to be reading, studying, and applying the divinely inspired word of God? Is it just me, or have you "been there" too?

There are things that I know to be true about scripture. For example: It is divinely inspired (2 Timothy 3:16); it is a lamp for my feet and a light to my path in life (Psalm 119:104-106), it is a weapon of warfare (Ephesians 6:16-18). The word of God judges my thoughts and attitudes (Hebrews 4:12), and it is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). I know all this, and I believe it to be true, and yet sometimes I have no appetite for the word. How can this be?

When I was a kid, my mother would sometimes scold me for snacking shortly before dinner. "You're going to spoil your appetite!", she would say. She meant that I would be filled up by the snack and I would have little or no appetite for the meal she had worked hard to prepare, which was far more nutritious than what I had chosen to snack on.

What is it that "spoils the appetite" for God's word? I suppose it can be just about anything, and my guess is that it varies by individual. For me, it can be too much work, too much television, the cares of this world, and my own sin. And this is just a partial list!

What about you? Is there anything spoiling your appetite for God's word?

Think about it...

Soli Deo Gloria

John

A GREAT MIND - BUT HE STILL DIDN'T GET IT.

Written by guest blogger, Jeffrey Darville

Steve Jobs - Dead at age 59

I just picked up Water Isaacson's Steve Jobs book.  In it he quotes Jobs "The juice goes out of Christianity when it becomes too based on faith rather than living like Jesus or seeing the world as Jesus saw it."  I think we can agree with Mr. Jobs on this point.  Our goal, as Christians, is to be conformed into the likeness of Christ.  To live and die like Jesus is to see the world as Jesus saw it. ( Romans 8:29  - For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.)

However, what Steve doesn't understand is the way we do this is through faith.  He must have equated "faith" with organized religion which is an understandable, but unfortunate error.  It's one that many people make.  Most people don't get the fact that we worship God because we love him.  And because we love him, we obey his commands.  Many people who come into contact with Christianity in a cultural or badly represented form miss these key ideas.  Like the doctrine that Jesus is the God-man, and he and the father are one.  This is the central claim of the gospel. 

Isaacson goes on: Steve was attracted to Zen Buddhism because he preferred spiritual experience to received dogma.  Yet spiritual experience is part of Christianity. Every believer has a testimony about how God rescued us personally.  Often our testimony is the greatest witness to others of God's provision in our lives.  Everyone likes wonderful experiences.  In many cases we live our life by experience, such as driving a car or the habit of our morning routines.  But we don't live by experience alone.  Our experience is not replicable to others.  What we are taught about God comes from doctrine, because experiences with God are not normative.  This means that how you interact with the Almighty does not mean that I should do the same thing.  Yet we can experience God (as Henry Blackaby describes it) through spiritual disciplines, such as prayer andmeditating on scripture and .  In both cases we use the Bible to guide our activity.  And, doctrine is the system through which we understand the accumulated wisdom of God's revealed Word.  (Acts 26:18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.')

Steve goes on, "I think different religions are different doors to the same house."  This statement will tell you all you need to know about the problems with Steve Jobs' unfettered spirituality.  Our spirit is the root of our desire to reach out to the eternal.  But the idea that all paths lead to heaven is a lie from Satan.  That type of thinking is a one way ticket to hell, because it will give you false confidence in this life.  If you are blind to your own sin then you don't feel the need for a savior and you will remain a slave to sin.  (Romans 6:16  Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?") 

Jobs continues "Sometimes I think that the house exists, and sometimes I don't.  It's a great mystery."  God is a great mystery, but his existence is apparent.  He who has ears let him hear. 

There is also a story about Steve seeing a calf being born and try to walk immediately.  He comments "it was as if something in the animal’s body and brain has been engineered to work together."  It is sad that even the recognition of intelligent design without the proper grounding in theology will still lead you astray.  Even a theist without the knowledge of the one true God is still confused at best.  (Romans 18 - The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. )

Isaacson describes when Steve decided to reject the Lutheran church and Christian religion.  He brought a Life magazine cover picture of starving children in Biafra to Sunday school and confronted the pastor.  He asked "does God know which finger I will raise before I do it?"  The pastor affirmed God's omniscience.  He followed "Does God know about these children?"  The pastor told him that even though Steve could not understand God knew about them.  But he did nothing to explain the cause of suffering and evil in the world to a young, precocious, aspiring 13 year old.  Granted, this is hard to do.  But, who should be better equipped to do this than someone whose life is dedicated to reading and knowing the Word of God and God Himself?  Why don't clergy properly represent our faith?  Why don't we?  Why can't we give good answers to hard questions?  What would you say if a child or your son or daughter asked this type of question? 

Lee Strobel has a good presentation of rebuttals to the two big questions that dogged Billy Graham's friend turned atheist Charles Templeton in The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity.  The questions are about the problem of evil, sin and suffering and the exclusivity of Christ.  Without going into detail, we need to know that there are answers to these tough questions and they essentially point us to the fact that we can decide to move toward God or away from him.  But these answers will always be inconclusive or insufficient to the darkened mind and oppressive doubt that only God can remove.  God saves us, and we must choose to run to him.  I believe we can see in Steve Jobs' life the critical elements of the 1960's Cultural Revolution and the way it tainted many peoples view of Christ and God.  We have the chance to interact with many people who have picked up bits and pieces of these ideas.  May we show them God's love and present to them the truth in God's Word.  May he open their eyes.  May he use us as faithful servants.  May we live out the faith he has given us. 

(Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,)

We are all confronted with the reality that we don't know or understand all the answers.  Often "I don’t know" is the best reply to tough questions.  But even if we don't know an answer, God is the answer to our deepest needs.  Our answer must point to God, and may God grant us the wisdom to give an answer to anyone who asks the tough questions.  And to apply the doctrine we know in our days...

May it be so...

ALWAYS UNDER ATTACK

Robert Ingersoll (August 11, 1833 – July 21, 1899) was the son of a Congregationalist minister. He was a Civil War veteran, American political leader, and orator during the Golden Age of Freethought.(1) Noted for his broad range of culture and his defense of agnosticism, he was nicknamed "The Great Agnostic." Ingersoll was an extremely intelligent man, was considered to be an "electrifying" orator, and was and viewed Christianity and the Bible with great disdain. Consider these quotations:

“If a man would follow, today, the teachings of the Old Testament, he would be a criminal. If he would follow strictly the teachings of the New, he would be insane.”

“Religion can never reform mankind because religion is slavery.”

“The inspiration of the Bible depends upon the ignorance of the gentleman who reads it. ”


Speaking of the Bible, Ingersoll said “In 15 years I will have this book in the morgue.” (Ironically, Ingersoll died 15 years later. A pastor purchased Ingersoll’s desk and spent his life writing sermon’s on it.)


Robert Ingersoll it just one example of how the word of God has been attacked over the years. In fact, the attacks have continued non-stop for centuries. Yet the word still stands, and millions still read the Bible, study it, and seek to order their lives according to the truth found within it.

Why is the Bible (and Christianity) under constant attack? The answer is found in Romans 1, where we read that "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness." (Romans 1:18) The truth is suppressed because there are consequences associated with the acknowledgement that God exists, and that the Bible is His inspired word. If I tell myself that there is no God, then I can live my life as I wish, and I can rationalize my immoral behavior. If I acknowledge His existence, and that His word tells me what I am to believe about Him and how I am to live my life, there are negative consequences to continuing to live as though this were not true. Rather than deal with reality, it's just "easier" for me to deny (suppress) the truth.


Suppression of the truth comes in a variety of belief systems. There are some who say that God does not exist (Atheism). Some would say that human reason is incapable of providing sufficient rational grounds to justify knowledge whether God exists or does not (Agnosticism). There are others that agree that yes, there is a God and that this is obvious from reason and observation of the natural world, but this higher power does not intervene in human affairs or suspend the natural laws of the universe.(Deism). There are many other systems of belief that suppress the truth, and the reality is that God's word and Christianity have always been under attack, and will continue to be under attack.


As believers, we must remember that we are in a war, but we do not fight this war as the world does with the traditional weapons of warfare. No, the weapons we fight with have divine power, sufficient to demolish the strongholds of atheism, agnosticism, deism, and all other false belief systems (2 Cor. 10:4). What is this weapon? It is the "sword of the Spirit" - the word of God (Ephesians 6:16-18).


If the body of Christ is to have any significant influence on the declining culture of our nation, we must be prepared for the battle. So, fellow Christian, equip yourself to make war - pick up the Sword of the Spirit - read it, study it, and most importantly, live it. Nothing will stand against it.


May it be so...


In Christ -


John

Soli Deo Gloria

  

(1). The Golden Age of Freethought describes the socio-political movement promoting freethought that developed in the mid 19th-century United States. The Golden Age was encouraged by the lectures of the extremely popular agnostic orator Robert G. Ingersoll, the popularization of Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species, the push for woman’s suffrage, and other political, scientific, and social trends that clashed with religious orthodoxy and caused people to question their traditional ideas about the world.

A PRAYER ON THE 1OTH ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11

     Father - we come before you sobered by our memories of this day. Each of us can close our eyes and see the images so prominent in our news media the day of the attack, and for months afterward. The sky in New York was cloudless, and the sun shined brightly - just as it did in Washington, in Shanksville, and here, in Pittsburgh. We remember the black smoke and flames rising from those towers, the people falling to their death, the billowing clouds of gray dust as the towers collapsed - panicked people running through the streets .
     Almost 3,000 people died that day, and we remember Lord, that each and every one of them was made in your image - each of them an eternal being destined for heaven, or destined for hell. In that unexpected instant, they met their destiny. On that day, the lives of a very large group of people - perhaps 10,000 or more - were changed forever. We think of the husbands and wives suddenly widowed. The children who lost a parent. The first-responders who lost their services brothers and sisters, and more... We lift those people before you Heavenly Father, and ask that you comfort them - not just today, on the 10th anniversary of the attack - but every day. We pray Lord, that you would bring to them the peace that only you can bring, and that your Spirit would quiet troubled hearts.
     It is so hard for us to imagine such hatred - such evil - that could cause anyone to do something so terrible. But you, Lord - you know the heart of man. The reality is that were it not for your grace, each of us would be capable of such evil acts - and we thank you and praise you for your grace. Father in heaven, we pray against these acts of terrorism. Right now - as we gather together - there is someone plotting evil against us. We pray for those people. We ask that you would touch their hearts and minds and bring the transformation only you can bring.
     We humbly ask you - sovereign Lord, to continue to protect the United States of America. You are the only true source of security, and we acknowledge that truth. Yet -we also need to do what we can do as a nation to protect ourselves. According to your word, Government is to commend the good, punish evil, and protect its citizens. We pray for our President, Senators & Representatives, our Governors, and all who serve in elected office - that you would give them wisdom and guidance to do what is needed to protect the citizens they are called to serve. And we lift before you those who have chosen to serve in our armed forces. We thank you for these men & women, and we ask that you would protect those who protect us.

     Finally Lord, we acknowledge before you that terrorism is not the greatest threat to our nation. History teaches us that great nations have fallen in the past - not because of attacks by a hostile nation or ideology, but because they crumbled from within. We ask you omnipotent Lord - to save us from ourselves. We have drifted far from you and become prideful of our independence and wealth. We have somehow come to believe that we are responsible for this good life - when in reality you are the provider of every good and perfect gift.

     We ask that the citizens of this nation would awaken to what is happening all around us. That each would see the profound moral decay, the extensive corruption, the rejection of religion and morality and say “Enough!” Not so that we would control the power of the state, but so that you would be honored by the general conduct of this nation.

    We pray Father that you would bring revival and renewal in the United States of America, and the hearts of it’s citizens would be drawn to you.

     Always aware of how undeserving we are, yet also aware of your grace, we ask all of these things in the mighty and matchless name of Jesus.


May it be so....

NORTH PARK CHURCH CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FALL 2011

Understanding Biblical Doctrine (beginning September 11th)


Should doctrine be a part of our lives or should it be at the center of our lives? What is "doctrine" anyway? And do you know with complete confidence that what you believe as a Christian is consistent with the word of God?

In our class this Fall we will examine specific topics from a Reformed Theological perspective. Our systematic study will include (time permitting) the following content:
1. Revelation & Inspiration
2. The Nature of God
3. Man's Origin & Nature
4. The Person & Work of Christ.
5. The Holy Spirit
6. The Plan of Salvation
7. The Christian Life
8. The Church
9. The Sacraments
10. Worship
11. Christian Citizenship
12. The Christian and Secret Societies
13. Covenanting with God.

We will examine the scriptural basis for the Reformed position in each of these areas, as well as the counter claims of others.

It is my prayer that each of us will come away from this study with greater confidence that what we believe is grounded in scriptural truth, unstained by the hollow and deceptive philosophies of this world.

May it be so...

In Christ -

John
Soli Dei Gloria

GETTING WHAT WE DESERVE?

     A few weeks ago, Anthony Weiner (D-NY) tweeted an inappropriate picture of himself. After his initial denials, he admitted his wrong doing, issued the expected public apologies, and is now “seeking professional treatment” while on a leave of absence. Mr. Weiner has refused to resign his position. Sadly, moral failures of a sexual nature occur with some degree of regularity among our elected leaders. Here is a sampling going back to 1988: 

• 2011 - Nearly two years after acknowledging an affair with a former campaign staffer, Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) resigned amid a Senate ethics probe. Rep. Chris Lee (R-N.Y.) resigned within hours after it was revealed that he sent a topless photo of himself to a woman he met on Craigslist.
• 2010 - Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) resigned amid allegations he sexually harassed male staffers.
• 2009 - After disappearing from his state for nearly a week, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford admitted to having an affair with a woman in Argentina. He served out his full term, and couldn't run again because of term limits.
• 2008 - New York Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned after authorities said he spent tens of thousands of dollars to arrange visits with prostitutes.
• 2007 - Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) acknowledged that his Washington phone number was among those called by an escort service. He was reelected to a second Senate term in 2010.
• 2006 - Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) resigned after reports surfaced that he sent lurid messages to teenage male congressional pages.
• 2004 - New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey (D) resigned, announcing that he had an extramarital affair with a man.
• 2001 - Rep. Gary Condit's affair with intern Chandra Levy was exposed after the 23-year-old disappeared. The California Democrat, in office since 1989, left Congress in 2003 after losing a primary election to a former aide.
• 1998 - During the 1992 presidential primaries, former TV reporter Gennifer Flowers claimed she had a 12-year affair with candidate Bill Clinton. As president, he was accused of sexually harassing state worker Paula Jones. The Jones investigation ultimately revealed the president's relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
• 1995 - Sen. Bob Packwood (R-Ore.) resigned from the Senate following a three-year inquiry into allegations that he sexually harassed female members of his staff.
• 1990 - Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) was reelected with 66 percent of the vote after allegations that he allowed a male prostitute to do business out of his home.
• 1988 - Gary Hart, once the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, ended his bid following reports of his affairs with Donna Rice and other women.

     It is amazing to me that many of these elected leaders were able to finish out their terms of office. Some were even re-elected, and a few continue to be re-elected by their constituents, who are apparently able to look past their moral failures. This seems to be the case with Weiner. According to a recent poll by Marist and NY1, Fifty six percent of those interviewed said that Weiner shouldn't resign, while only 33 percent said he should (12 percent said they hadn't made up their minds). One constituent said "They just have to use technology better." (Does he mean use technology for a higher, better purpose, or learn to use technology better so they don’t get caught?) Another said, "I hope this doesn't kill his political career. People just have little bad habits." Indeed. What Weiner’s constituent euphemistically calls “little bad habits”, God calls “sin”.
     Are we to expect our elected representatives to be perfect? If this were the case, no one would be qualified to serve, for “all have sinned” (Rom 3:23). What we should expect is upright, moral, and ethical conduct of our leaders. If that were truly the case, the voters would also expect that when a situation such as Anthony Weiner’s arises, there would be genuine confession, contrition, and resignation. In general, this is not what we get, because in general, this is not what we expect.

     The United States is not, as many people think, a democracy. The USA is a republic, in which authority is derived through the election by the people of public officials best fitted to represent them. It is a “bottom up” form of government where the citizens at every level of government from the local to the federal, elect a civil agent that is believed to best represent them. One would expect an upright, moral, and ethical people to elect upright, moral, and ethical civil agents, and to demand that those who prove otherwise be removed from office. This is no longer the case in America, where votes are often cast, and those “little bad habits” overlooked on the basis of what the civil agent does for the people of his district. Can you say “pork projects”?

     John Adams said, “We have no government armed in power capable of contending in human passions unbridled by morality and religion…Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” (Address to the Officers of the Massachusetts Militia, 1798.)

     In 1834, Noah Webster wrote “They choose men, not because they are just men, men of religion and integrity, but solely for the sake of supporting a party. This is a fruitful source of public evils. But as surely as there is a God in heaven, who exercises a moral government over the affairs of this world, so certainly will the neglect of the divine command, in the choice of rulers, be followed by bad laws and as bad administration; by laws unjust or partial, by corruption, tyranny, impunity of crimes, waste of public money, and a thousand other evils. Men may desire and adopt a new form of government; they may amend old forms, repair breaches and punish violators of the constitution; but there is, there can be no effectual remedy, but obedience to the divine law. (Value of the Bible- unpublished manuscript): 1834, emphasis mine.

     One hundred and sixty six years ago Webster defined the problem we face today, as well as the solution.

     Think about it…


In Christ –


John
Soli Deo Gloria

NOTHING TO SHARE

One of the joys of writing this blog is the occasional comment received from someone who really relates to what I have written. Some are encouraged by my words, others are convicted. Some, I am sure, are mystified, as in “what in the world is he talking about?”. Once, after I had gone a few weeks without posting, a friend asked why I hadn’t shared anything lately. I told him that I was going through a time when I felt I had nothing to share. His response was “you always have something to share.” He is right, I always have something to share, and so do you. Let me explain…

     Our conversation in the “Truth Process” class this week has given me a new perspective on my friend’s comment. We were discussing the devaluation of the institution of marriage in our culture, and I posed the question, “How did this happen? How did it come to pass that marriage is now viewed by some as an outdated tradition?” (It must be so. After all, renowned philosopher, deep thinking actress Cameron Diaz declared marriage a “dying institution.” Ms. Diaz added, “I don’t think we should live our lives in relationships based off old traditions that don’t suit our world any longer.”)1

     When it came up that the divorce statistics aren’t much different among Christians than among the secular culture, the conversation turned to the need for consistent discipleship – that ongoing process of being taught the meaning and application of God’s word. My impression is that many within the body of believers view this as a responsibility of the organized church – that a special program should exist to disciple believers, especially those new to the faith. While I am not opposed to organized, structured discipleship, I believe that there is more to it than that. That’s where you and I come in.

     Would the body of Christ be stronger if each of us was more intentional about reaching out to our fellow believers to offer our support, counsel, encouragement, and wisdom? Wouldn’t it be great if this was happening not because we signed up for the “discipleship committee”, but because we accept the responsibility that comes with being a part of the body?

     I wonder if the condition of Christian marriages would be better if more “seasoned” married women of the church reached out to the younger women, married and unmarried alike, and shared reality with them. Reality is what the word of God says regarding a wife’s role in marriage, and the husband’s responsibilities as well. Reality is what it’s like to actually live it. Would these younger women be better prepared if a sister in the Lord had honestly shared the truth – that marriage is a commitment that requires hard work?

     And would it help if the men of the church reached out to the younger men to share, within the context of a relationship, the same realities? Severe harm is being caused to our culture by the lack of male leadership within marriage. This is occurring both within and without the church, but for those of us within the church, we should know better! Would it help if our younger men were encouraged to view the duty of loving our wives as Christ loved the church as a duty without exceptions? (Ephesians 6:25)

     Please know that I am not suggesting a “let me tell you how it is” lecture. Not at all! This kind of discipleship starts with a cup of coffee or lunch. It continues as we get to know one another on a deeper level and trust forms within the relationship. And then we see how the Spirit leads…

     In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul spoke of the church as “one body, many parts”. He said that “God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” (See 1 Cor 12:15-22)

     I can’t help but think that this kind of interdependent discipleship would help the body of Christ become stronger and more unified, which is desperately needed. But we face a significant challenge – most of us are too busy, and at times, too self-oriented.

     In any given week there are 168 hours – that’s it. There is no way to increase that number, and we cannot “make time” or “find time”, we can only take time. This means that we must take time away from some other activity that is part of what fills up our 168 hours. In some areas we have no choice regarding the use of our time. In others we do, and it is in these areas where we have the opportunity to choose to take the time to reach out to others.

     Now some of you may be think “I have nothing to share.” You always have something to share that will help a fellow believer. You may not know what it is yet, but if you will start by sharing your time, the Lord will lead.

     Have my words “pinged” your conscience? Are you feeling convicted about the people who have come to mind, those people you have been meaning to call? If so, I’ll leave you to deal with your conscience and conviction, while I deal with mine.

     May it be so…


In Christ –


John


Soli Deo Gloria

1 DR. KEITH ABLOW: Cameron Diaz Is Right -- 4 Reasons Why Marriage IS a Dying Institution May 06, 2011 FoxNews.com