I have been listening to a lot of discussion on radio programs and other media about God. Some discuss if God exists or not. Others question if Jesus is God or not. Others just want to learn more about the other beliefs of other people. Through all of this my faith has been tried and tested. Yet, at the end of all the discussions I find myself a stronger believer in God than I was before. And one reason is because of the Word of God. The Bible is filled with many different genres of writing by many different writers. Yet, the continuity of the Bible is astounding. As I read the Bible I am constantly amazed by it. This is just one of the sections of Scripture that floors me...
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:1-5 ESV)
John paints a picture for us about the nature of Jesus and the divinity of his being. not only does John show that Jesus was divine but that he was involved in the creation of the world. This means that Jesus was not created but eternal. The most mind-blowing part to me is the last two sentences of this section. John says that Jesus was life. Jesus is the definition of what it means to be alive. Then we see that the life that Jesus embodied was a light to men. Jesus shined his life to people on earth. Then it comes to this statement, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." Jesus took his life and poured out everything he had to give life to the lifeless. He shined his life in darkness and the darkness will never be able to fend off the light that is Jesus. Our God is a humble, life-giving, victorious, King.
May we always be amazed at the thought of our God!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
He Said What?
So, I have been listening to a lot of podcasts from the "Unbelievable Radio Program" (you should check it out on ITunes) and I came across one of the programs with an Atheist from the United States named Michael Shermer arguing against a Christian named David Robertson from Scotland. They were debating whether or not Christianity is good for us. Shermer begins by saying that Christianity is good when it does good and bad when it does bad. That statement is acceptable when Christianity isn't defined by people living in love through their Savior. The problem is that he goes on to give two different examples. The first is the good. He says that religion helps the poor and staffs soup kitchens. That is good and I would agree with that. Then he goes on to say that religion "doesn't help at all and maybe even makes things worse is in South American countries" he goes on to mention that they are 99% Catholic and they are dirt poor and have high rates of crime. Shermer's second example needs to be examined and cleared up a little. First, is he really asserting that 99% of all South American countries are truly Christians? this is an absurd statement! I say that people who steal, take advantage of the needy and commit other crimes are not believers. So, to say that these people are Christians neglects the definition of Christianity. Jesus speaks to this in John 13:35 when he says that people will know you are my disciples by the way you love each other. When you allow Christianity to define itself then we see that the people committing crimes in South America are not truly Christians. However, the worst part of this argument is that he goes on to say that religion doesn't have anything to do with it because the real problem is economics. What he meant to say was, "well, I can give you examples of Christianity doing good but I cant give you any examples of it doing evil."
I pray that you have stuck with this long post until now because this is the part where you should be saying, "He said WHAT?" So in the middle of the program the two debaters begin discussing slavery. This is a topic that many non-believers bring up but I am not sure why? He says that Wilberforce was a hero to many in helping bring an end to slavery. Now of course we need to state that Wilberforce was a Christian. So that needs to be clearly stated then Shermer says something that I find amazing he says, "I think the whole civil rights movement, in fact, the civil liberties movement over the last several hundred years has not been led by religion. Religion has kind of followed in its wake." OK this statement to me could be one of the most unbelievable statements that I have heard in a long long long time. I wonder if Shermer has ever heard of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. before? To say that Christians have not stood up for the rights of people is ridiculous. I would say that Christians are the ones standing up for the rights of the unborn but I am sure Mr. Shermer would consider that limiting the woman's rights. So, we have that claim but that is not even the most jaw dropping of them all. The worst part of this whole debate is when Michael Shermer compares the civil rights movement to the gay rights movement that is happening now!
Shermer goes on to say 'other forces' are what drive change for the better in human history. he was specifically linking civil rights movements (slavery and African-American rights together) then goes on to throw one last link in by saying that gay marriage is an example of 'other forces' driving the change for a better society. So what Shermer has done was compare the rights of beaten down and mistreated slaves to the gay marriage debate. Does this really make any sense? Is there really a connection? Of course there isn't a connection! To say that homosexuals should have the right to marry another homosexual is not the same as giving the same rights to African-Americans that white Americans had. The first problem is that the gay rights movement is NOT searching for EQUAL rights. They are searching for a total change in the definition of marriage. We need to understand that a gay person has every right to marry like anyone else. They can marry someone of the opposite sex just like you and I. So, they already have equal rights. The truth of the matter is this. The Bible is clear on what the definition of marriage is and is also clear that homosexuality is sinful. So, to compare civil rights for black people and more rights for gay people is a clear example of ignorance.
I pray that this has blessed you and hopefully opened your eyes a little bit to how an Atheist views history. God is good and his people are to love and that my friends is what Christianity is. God has been active throughout the course of human history and the person that says Christianity hasn't done any good has been extremely misled
I pray that you have stuck with this long post until now because this is the part where you should be saying, "He said WHAT?" So in the middle of the program the two debaters begin discussing slavery. This is a topic that many non-believers bring up but I am not sure why? He says that Wilberforce was a hero to many in helping bring an end to slavery. Now of course we need to state that Wilberforce was a Christian. So that needs to be clearly stated then Shermer says something that I find amazing he says, "I think the whole civil rights movement, in fact, the civil liberties movement over the last several hundred years has not been led by religion. Religion has kind of followed in its wake." OK this statement to me could be one of the most unbelievable statements that I have heard in a long long long time. I wonder if Shermer has ever heard of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. before? To say that Christians have not stood up for the rights of people is ridiculous. I would say that Christians are the ones standing up for the rights of the unborn but I am sure Mr. Shermer would consider that limiting the woman's rights. So, we have that claim but that is not even the most jaw dropping of them all. The worst part of this whole debate is when Michael Shermer compares the civil rights movement to the gay rights movement that is happening now!
Shermer goes on to say 'other forces' are what drive change for the better in human history. he was specifically linking civil rights movements (slavery and African-American rights together) then goes on to throw one last link in by saying that gay marriage is an example of 'other forces' driving the change for a better society. So what Shermer has done was compare the rights of beaten down and mistreated slaves to the gay marriage debate. Does this really make any sense? Is there really a connection? Of course there isn't a connection! To say that homosexuals should have the right to marry another homosexual is not the same as giving the same rights to African-Americans that white Americans had. The first problem is that the gay rights movement is NOT searching for EQUAL rights. They are searching for a total change in the definition of marriage. We need to understand that a gay person has every right to marry like anyone else. They can marry someone of the opposite sex just like you and I. So, they already have equal rights. The truth of the matter is this. The Bible is clear on what the definition of marriage is and is also clear that homosexuality is sinful. So, to compare civil rights for black people and more rights for gay people is a clear example of ignorance.
I pray that this has blessed you and hopefully opened your eyes a little bit to how an Atheist views history. God is good and his people are to love and that my friends is what Christianity is. God has been active throughout the course of human history and the person that says Christianity hasn't done any good has been extremely misled
Friday, February 12, 2010
Thankful
"You don't know what you have until its gone" If I've heard it once I have heard it a million times! This statement seems to be true in most cases. We, as humans, really don't take time to recognize the important things in our lives. This is certainly true for me. Often I walk through life oblivious to the things God has blessed me with. I have been given a family that loves me, friends that cares for me and a church that supports me! I thank God for these people!
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! - 1 Chronicles 16:8
What are you thankful for?
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! - 1 Chronicles 16:8
What are you thankful for?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is not only one of the longest sentences I have ever read but it is packed with theological and practical implications. The biggest lesson that God has been teaching me recently is that I belong to him. Many things in this world are fighting for my allegiance. There are things that are not sinful in themselves that call me to put them ahead of everything else. The United States says that we should be patriotic and hold it in high regard. Now there is nothing wrong in itself to enjoy your country and be excited to be live there. The problem is that the law says that the American flag needs to be flown about all others. Now here is where I have a problem with that. At Crown College there are 3 flags that get flown in front of it there is the Crown College flag then above that comes the Christian flag then, by law, the American flag is flown higher than both of them. Now, you may be saying Travis this doesn't even matter! And maybe it doesn't however when I belong to Christ he comes before everything else in my life. And if that is the case then a law that makes me place a national flag over the flag of the Kingdom of God is not something that I am down for. Now loving America and the things that come with it isn't the problem. The problem is that it fights for my allegiance when my allegiance is to be only directed and attached to God.
That is just one example of something that in itself is not bad or sinful. But if we were honest there are an endless amount of things that we could think of that fight for our allegiance. For me the biggest toughest fight is the one with my selfish self. I am always trying to think of ways to better my situation. I am looking out for my best interests and trying to do what I can for myself. I don't stop at the side of the road for the person who has a flat tire or engine trouble because I need to get somewhere and if I were to stop I would be late. The battle within myself and the fight to die to myself and follow Christ to the best of my ability. That is my struggle and my fight that the Lord will help me with! I thank God that he is there for me and cares about me. The section at the beginning of this post is from Paul's opening in Romans. Later Paul writes this in Romans 8:30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. This is my hope that he has called me, justified me and will one day bring me to glorification (perfection). The battle rages on inside me but I know the real war is in the hands of the Father who loves me.
Who do you belong to?
To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is not only one of the longest sentences I have ever read but it is packed with theological and practical implications. The biggest lesson that God has been teaching me recently is that I belong to him. Many things in this world are fighting for my allegiance. There are things that are not sinful in themselves that call me to put them ahead of everything else. The United States says that we should be patriotic and hold it in high regard. Now there is nothing wrong in itself to enjoy your country and be excited to be live there. The problem is that the law says that the American flag needs to be flown about all others. Now here is where I have a problem with that. At Crown College there are 3 flags that get flown in front of it there is the Crown College flag then above that comes the Christian flag then, by law, the American flag is flown higher than both of them. Now, you may be saying Travis this doesn't even matter! And maybe it doesn't however when I belong to Christ he comes before everything else in my life. And if that is the case then a law that makes me place a national flag over the flag of the Kingdom of God is not something that I am down for. Now loving America and the things that come with it isn't the problem. The problem is that it fights for my allegiance when my allegiance is to be only directed and attached to God.
That is just one example of something that in itself is not bad or sinful. But if we were honest there are an endless amount of things that we could think of that fight for our allegiance. For me the biggest toughest fight is the one with my selfish self. I am always trying to think of ways to better my situation. I am looking out for my best interests and trying to do what I can for myself. I don't stop at the side of the road for the person who has a flat tire or engine trouble because I need to get somewhere and if I were to stop I would be late. The battle within myself and the fight to die to myself and follow Christ to the best of my ability. That is my struggle and my fight that the Lord will help me with! I thank God that he is there for me and cares about me. The section at the beginning of this post is from Paul's opening in Romans. Later Paul writes this in Romans 8:30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. This is my hope that he has called me, justified me and will one day bring me to glorification (perfection). The battle rages on inside me but I know the real war is in the hands of the Father who loves me.
Who do you belong to?
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