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Archive for the ‘Religion’ Category

Have you ever thought to yourself what the consequences of your beliefs would be – if you REALLY lived them out?  I’m talking about what you claim to believe, not what you show you believe by your actions.  What would really happen if you lived out your truth claims to the fullest? Read the rest of this entry »

People.  We are weird creatures. Given the ability to choose, too often we choose unwisely.  Most seem to prefer to be told what to think rather than to reason through issues themselves.  Over the years I’ve participated in various internet forums and e-mail lists, acting as moderator on a few.  In that time it has been my privilege to observe humans interacting with each other.  I was reminded today about something my friend Jim Taylor said years ago.  “The internet is a great place to talk and a poor place to communicate.“  That pretty much sums it up right there.

And it is interesting to hear folks talk on the ‘net.  Over the years it has been my pleasure to visit various internet friends in person.  And getting to talk with someone over a cup of coffee or a meal is a great way to get to know them a bit better.  Sometimes one forms an opinion about folks because of the way they “talk” on the internet. But once you get to know them personally you see a different face entirely.  And then there’s the voice.  Am I the only one who forms an “image” of what someone’s voice must sound like by reading what they write?  The first time I talked with various people was an experience – because they didn’t sound like I’d thought they would.  And what about SEEING them? That reminds me of my dad and a story he told about someone he used to talk with on the phone all the time.  He built up an image of the person based on their name and their voice. But when he met that person in person he was in for a surprise.  From physical stature to race – everything was different. Read the rest of this entry »

Here are a couple of videos off of YouTube – the repository of all kinds of video stuff on the ‘net.  I’m no sports fan, but even so I could not ignore the the scandals the rocked Tiger Woods’ world.  It made the news clear down here.  What did not make it down here was the criticism of Brit Hume for sending a message to Woods via some kind of sports commentary in which he inserted his opinion that Woods should turn to the Christian faith in which he would find forgiveness and redemption.  Hume then did a follow up on O’Reilly’s show.   Here’s the clips. Read the rest of this entry »

Revival. We hear the word a lot in the religious world. We are told over and over again that we need “revival”. Now I tend to be a bit contrary in my way of thinking. I’m slow to jump on the bandwagon and I tend to prefer to have my OWN bandwagon (preferably without drums unless they are accompanied by bagpipes) than to join in on one that’s headed the wrong direction or is badly out of tune. So here’s my thoughts (at least some of them) on the topic of revival.

First, I took a look at Merriam Webster’s online dictionary. It’s a great resource and one I find myself turning to again and again. I just wish I had a copy of one of the old Noah Webster dictionaries printed back in the 19th century as they were not yet full of so much politically correct garbage – but I digress.

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Thanks to Steve Harvey for pointing me in the general direction in which I found this excerpt from a book titled “Faith Undone”.  It is a look at the current tendency to “candy coat” christianity.  There are a lot of folks out there trying to come up with a “new and improved” version of the Gospel which was preached by Jesus the Christ and His Apostles.  The original article Steve pointed me towards was written by Roger Oakland.  It starts off with a quote by Doug Pagitt. Read the rest of this entry »

There is about the human creature a mental simplicity akin to that of a child. We all seem to suffer from it in one degree or another. It’s the The “Ooooohhh!!!! Shiny!!!! Syndrome”

As a child we tended to be attracted to the pretty doodads our mothers hung over our cribs. As they bounced and swayed our little child’s eyes followed them around and we’d laugh and coo and giggle and wiggle and try to grab them. And all that was needed to distract us was another new and shiny object on the horizon. Read the rest of this entry »

⁴ Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5

²³When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. ²⁴He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. ²⁵For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. I Peter 2:23-25

Today a carnal gospel is being preached around the world.  Time after time I hear people declaring that God wants us to be prospered in that which is disappearing, that He wants us to be rich in that which will be destroyed.  Today, Saturday of “Holy Week” here in Colombia, we are awaiting the celebration of Christ’s resurrection which we will have tomorrow.  As we transition from remembering how He died and was buried to celebrating His return to life we have time to reflect on the simple question: “Why?” Read the rest of this entry »

¹“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ²The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. ³The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. John 10:1-6

There are many voices competing for our attention today. There are many who are promising all kinds of rewards if we will but follow them. So how does one recognize the Voice of the Master? How does one recognize the Voice of the Shepherd? Read the rest of this entry »

¹⁵“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ¹⁶By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

²¹“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ ²³Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Matthew 7:15-23

This scripture makes it clear that not all who call themselves “prophets” ARE prophets in the Biblical sense. It’s quite evident – when one loves the truth – that not all who claim to be of God ARE of God. When our Lord said “Watch out for false prophets” it is clear that a false prophet is someone that one can spot. And by spotting him or her one is not judging, one is merely doing what the Lord said to do, “Watch out for false prophets.” Read the rest of this entry »