An App for That

When you own a smart phone, it provides amazing technology that makes information easy; possibly too easy. I must admit I enjoy the various “apps” I can add to my I-Phone.  There’s one for the weather, quickly able to access a radar screen to see where bad weather is moving.  There’s one for ESPN so you can get an immediate update on sports scores and activity (there’s even the ability during baseball season to watch pitch by pitch where the ball is within the strike zone, on a visual display).  There’s an app for Facebook, of course.  I have another for my 401(k) and can check the balance of funds anytime.  There’s another for our bank.  There’s one I use for USA Today or Fox News to check what’s going on in the world.  And, I also have a great Bible app on my phone, where I can quickly change versions, highlight text, etc.

Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? But have you ever heard the phrase “information overload”?

Our culture is inundated with technology that provides information; all kinds of information. At a quick click you can access porn sights, for example, so there’s plenty    of negative stuff out there too.  Of course all of these sites that are free parade advertisements past you constantly trying to get you to bite.  And even if it’s generally positive stuff, it absorbs time.  Unless we manage our time well, that becomes a problem in itself in terms of Christian stewardship.

When we have too much information we tend to gloss over it and don’t pay enough attention to the important things. I peruse the local paper every day, but my focus tends to wander to the trivial stuff (like the funnies) and I often miss the murder on page one.  How did I do that?  Lack of focus.  Too much info and I gravitate to what appeals, rather than to what is meaningful.

If we are Christians, disciples of Christ (same thing), that must mean something in terms of how we live: the choices we make, the values we adopt, the activities we pursue, the character we develop, the service we provide.  We need focus!  Is there an app for that?

Indeed! There are two: the Bible, and the church.  The Bible is a collection of inspired manuscripts written by men who were linked to God in history, providing God’s values and expectations, providing stories of human victory and failure to walk God’s way.  It’s a very honest book, documenting the sins of its heroes just as it documents their successes.  Ultimately God is the hero!  This collection of books leads us to Jesus Christ and the salvation he provides through his sacrifice for our sins, which can be accessed by faith, as we make Jesus Lord.  The church is a resource where the mature can help school the immature, where we all remember and learn, where we seek to make the Bible teaching real in our life.  Read the Bible, participate in church, make application.

Distractions? There are many.  Don’t let modern technology rule.  Access God’s apps!

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The Devil’s Schemes

Thoughts from the devil’s perspective…

Television. Ah, even the word is music to my ears.  A human once said when seeing an early version of this tool, “This is a device that can teach people.”  We got a big kick out of that one.  Oh, it can teach alright!  We use it most effectively.  Much of the secularization of the American culture has come as we gradually encourage those in Hollywood to introduce anti-biblical concepts through the stories told on television.  Slowly but surely this modem of secular morals brings more violence, more sex, more vulgar language, more un-Christian thought into the minds of those who set passively and soak it in.  What was once unthinkable, becomes thinkable, even acceptable.  Must say, we are very proud of the results.

Our adversary must be frustrated with our success. He has gone to great lengths to provide written instruction, a book of sorts, to his followers, with stories that illustrate the catastrophes caused by rejecting him, stories that direct these followers to key elements of right relationship, stories that demonstrate his love for these abhorrent creatures, his forgiveness, but also his requirements.  We have actually encouraged the publication of these instructions, all neatly bound in an attractive book with footnotes, introductions, references, etc.  At the same time, we’ve encouraged busyness to the extent that this book lays dormant on shelves.  Busyness, laziness, no matter.  Few really read this stuff, or even go to their so-called places of worship to hear the “preacher” talk about it.  Many of those who do go, allow habit to close their ears.  Kudos to my demon friends for the extent of this success.

Along similar lines, I am very pleased with how we’ve largely removed this “book” as the guidance for cultural issues like homosexuality and sex outside of marriage for straight couples. By successfully making this an emotional issue based on feel-good and selfish thinking, it has become a subjective topic that has created a wave of support for us, even among his followers.  Hey, when the rule book lies dormant on the shelf, or when feelings overcome an objective reading of the guidelines, our battle is almost won!  Pairing love with obedience, faith with faithfulness, commitment with sacrifice (as truth in a sinful world is pursued), such common-sense things lose their weight when these humans become convinced that it’s all about selfish indulgence in this world, little thought of the next.  Well done, I say!

More victories come our way when we allow attention around holidays (a play on the words Holy Day), to become more about traditional tomfoolery. The virgin birth of their hero becomes a side show for Santa Claus and an excuse for drunken parties.  The resurrection (I shudder to say that word) becomes some vague imagery with a rabbit, of all things.  All Hallows (Saints) Day was intended to recall those who set an example for these “followers,” but we have turned it on its head with Hallows Eve (Halloween) and a sugar filled quest for candy amidst ghouls and goblins.  Our strategies have been so very successful, I think you must agree.  These are just a few examples of many victories.

Sure, there are those diehards we can’t get to.  Those who actually do rely on “the book” and work together to reinforce what our adversary desires.  But their numbers are diminishing.  Thank the devil!  Oh, shall I boast, since that is me?

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” (The Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesian church: Eph. 6:11)

Eden and the Overthrow of Evil

Yes, we live in the wreckage of the first Eden; and yes, the New Eden (the renewed earth when Jesus returns) will be grand, with so many stories and wonderful things to do. But sandwiched between those two things is a question we might ask: what about all the terrible things that have happened in this world, the evil that Satan has caused, the justice that is needed, how does that all get reconciled?

We long for justice in this life, don’t we? There are the examples of extreme evil, like what Adolph Hitler caused during the 1930’s and 1940’s with the concentration camps and brutal killing and experimentation done on innocent people.  Throughout history there have been many versions of this.  But most of the evil we experience takes place at a lower vibe.  You feel it, and I feel it.  The hurt of divorce, when two people who once “thought” they loved each other now seem like enemies bent on doing damage.  The loss of a job through no real fault of your own, and scrambling to make ends meet and support your family.  The pain of sickness and disease that cause a loved one to be debilitated and makes it hard for you to focus on the good things in life.  The accidents, the carnage of war, the gossip and back biting – too often within the church; then there’s government leaders who take advantage of their position and benefit themselves while putting their thumb on people.  Corporate leaders who allow greed to make unethical practices the norm.  It goes on and on.  It all started with Satan back in the original Eden, and he continues to play his part, but we all contribute in some way, big or small.  We may not be Hitler, but we sin, and we add to this compounding effect of a world gone mad, of a world that is held together only by God’s grace as he patiently waits for as many as possible to repent.

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling for demons, and a haunt for every unclean spirit… All the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries.”  (Revelation 18:1-3)

We’ve all seen the drunkenness of this maddening wine, haven’t we? Truth is, we’ve taken a few sips.  But our sin may be small compared to much that goes on.  Jeremiah speaks of the “high places” that were built to sacrifice sons and daughters (Jer. 32:25).  Horrible.  Yet we still see such, instead of “high places” it’s the mother’s womb.

Yes, evil must be overcome, and we won’t see that in this life, not fully at least. Oh, for a savior, for a pathway to pure relationship with God, oh for all the wrongs to be righted.  We have found that in Jesus, haven’t we?  God laid our sins upon him and we can be forgiven, we can have a way to be cleansed.  But that is only for the “few” who accept Jesus as Lord.  What about those who spit in his face, who want nothing to do with him, who revel in their sins and add fuel to the fire of this wreckage?  Or, what about those who have been persecuted for their faith, many dying; who have done their best to live a godly life and yet faced repeated heartache?  Justice in all that?

It’s why we need to have a clearer view of what awaits us. Not floating on a cloud and singing songs for eternity (that motivates few), but living on a new earth where sin is gone and Eden is restored, where rewards are given for the good we’ve done as we’ve followed Jesus as Lord.  Satan and those who align themselves with him will be tossed into the lake of fire, justice will be meted out, and we will have an eternity to gain understanding and enjoy life the way it was meant to be, the way you’ve always wanted it to be!  Where have you wanted to go, what have you wanted to do, what dreams have gone unfulfilled?  Don’t worry, my friend, all of that will be realized.

“I Can Only Imagine” was a popular song a few years back, I liked it too. The problem is, if eternity is left to our imagination it can become something very vague and unreal.  What we face in eternity is a new Eden, an earth that is restored to all its grandeur!  Don’t just imagine; it is real, it will be yours, and evil will be overthrown.

Living in the Wreckage of Eden

Oh, what a sight it was. As he looked out over the landscape, he couldn’t help but think this was something amazing.  Animals gently grazing, fruit trees with luscious food, a stream running smoothly over rocks that seemed to be placed just so, with tender care.  It’s been called Eden, thought Adam.  Adam’s wife Eve was preparing a meal, smiling, beckoning for Adam to come and be playful again.  Things were just so perfect.  But then Eve remembered.  There was another person, with the voice of an angel, but eyes that seemed to contradict the voice.  He was not like them, yet he was like them.  He made Eve think of the slithering creature they had seen down by the orchard one night, almost serpent like.  He wanted to see her, tonight.  Should she go?  There was a certain intrigue about him.  Maybe…

You know the story. And you know the biblical proportions of the damage that was done once both Eve and Adam gave into to the temptations presented to them.  That damage has compounded due to each one of us participating in defiance of our Maker.  You have felt it, and I have too.  The unexpected death of a loved one.  The diagnosis of cancer.  The loneliness and impact of divorce.   Abuse & selfish arguments that defy the good relationship we truly want with the other person.  There are food shortages in much of the world.  Even recently we’ve seen earthquakes and hurricanes and volcanoes erupt.  Wars, rumors of wars. Then there is our society that seems to have gone mad.  People hating other people because of their politics, wanting gun control (but be sure to shoot those who don’t before you put the guns away).  It’s all wrapped up in a word.  We don’t like it much, but we know it.  Sin.

And so, we live in the wreckage of Eden. God placed his angel at the entry, flaming sword in hand, and would not allow sinful man to return to his perfect environment, no fruit from the tree of life.  We’ve been struggling to make sense of things and right the wrongs ever since.  We take one step forward, and two back.  And that’s the nature of things.  Unless.  Unless we can find a way to have a new creation.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; The old is gone, the new is here!” (2 Cor. 5:17) It was promised in Isaiah, “See, I will create a new heaven and a new earth, the former things will not be remembered.” (Isaiah 65:17) And it will be fulfilled with Jesus’ return, “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”  (2 Peter 3:13) And again, from John the Apostle, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away.” (Revelation 21:1).

Is this world messed up? Indeed.  Has your life been messed up at times, maybe even now?  Indeed, I would expect you to say.  But God has not left us to wander aimlessly in the dark.  Through Jesus he has provided forgiveness of sins, a renewed relationship with the Lord, and a pathway back to the wonders and joy of Eden.  The wrongs will be made right, every tear will be wiped away.  Health restored, vigor renewed.  Maybe not tomorrow, but soon, very soon.  It’s what you’ve been longing for.  Me too.

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the lamb. And on each side of the river stood the tree of life…yielding its fruit.” (Rev. 22)

Church – Why Bother?

I grew up going to church. Mom was a dedicated Christian, but Dad was not in the early years. He would drop Mom, my sister, and myself off on Sunday morning at the side door of 1st Christian Church in Vandalia, MO. I’d attend a Sunday school class, then I’d attend worship and set with mom, my sister Sandy, and mom’s parents (my grandparents). This continued for all of my growing up years. Eventually my Dad became a Christian and was there with us. Over the 13 years until I went to college this was part of almost every week. I was part of the youth group as a teenager, part of the Christmas plays, even sang in a quartet a few times (I know this part of the story is hard to believe). Then I went to college and strayed for a few years, but as Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he’s old he will not depart from it.” There was danger in my straying, but I came back and with some bumpy roads since then have continued as a man of faith in Christ ever since.

Why do I say all this? To illustrate that church matters. The primary teacher of children growing up should be their parents, but even when this happens effectively it is very important to have a social element that reinforces such teaching and provides encouragement, connections and resources that help the individual stay the course. I’m here to tell you: church matters! We live in a day when you don’t hear that message much. Many ask: Why bother with church? They just prefer to “believe” and go their individual way.

People are busy. The kids have school activities, mom and dad both work, there’s always something, and Sunday is the one opportunity to sleep late and relax (unless there’s a school or sport activity on Sunday, even Sundays are busy now days). Then there’s the typical church services. They don’t appeal to many men who are action oriented, who love to be outside, who work hard and don’t particularly enjoy group singing and sitting through an hour of religious stuff. It becomes easy when the culture disregards such things to disregard them ourselves.

And then there’s those people. You know, those Christians. They can be an odd sort, with personalities that are as varied as the general population, some are mature, some not so much, some have unusual perspectives, some are very loving, some very strict, some are hypocrites who proclaim values they do not live up to. All of that and more. It can become very easy to be frustrated with such people who don’t always live up to the standards that even you believe should be “Christian.” I recall the old rhyme: To dwell in love with the saints above, well that will be glory; but to dwell below with the saints I know, well that’s a different story. But then there’s you….

You struggle with sin (things God in the Bible state are wrong), just like everyone else. The people criticized in the church are really a lot like the critic. A lot like you. For all of us there’s a process we must go through to take an infant faith and allow it to mature. So yes, there are plenty of those who wear the name Christian who can be criticized. Some aren’t really Christian at all; they just wear the name. Others are sincere, they just need to get further into the maturation process, growing more like their Savior. But it takes a process, for them and for you.

And that brings us back to the church. The “gathering of Christians” (what the word church means) is for that very purpose. We gather to encourage each other, to study God’s Word together to learn the path he wants us on, to remember what Jesus Christ has done for us through his death and resurrection (in the Lord’s Supper). We pray, we sing, we give to the gospel cause. We attend a class or small group and get to know others on the same path. Kids grow up having what their parents teach them at home reinforced in a social environment. It’s not always a pretty path, but in this sinful messed up world, it’s the best path of all! Can’t we recognize the value of church?

“Let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together.”  – Hebrews 10:24, 25

The Answer

God created all things good. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:1, 31).

But then sin entered the picture, and things were not so good. “she took of the tree’s (forbidden) fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened.” (Genesis 3:6, 7). Sin disrupts and separates humans spiritually from a perfect God.

“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalms 119:11)

This is not something we view from the outside, we are all participants in sin, choosing to do things that fail to honor God and his commands. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). As a result, we all are touched by sin’s impact, both directly and indirectly. At times we suffer for bad choices we have made. Other times we suffer as a result of bad choices others have made. Because sin has messed up life on earth, bad things happen to good people. Accidents happen. Things are not fair. Sickness and disease happens. It’s a consequence of the fallen world we live in.

• A young boy has lived through a nightmare of being abused for years while growing up, due to the immoral approach of an uncle. He is scarred. He needs therapy to deal with it. He struggles with relationships because of it.
• A young girl has become addicted to heroin because of friends who have provided bad influence and exposed her to a night life environment that has many temptations. She has tried to come clean, but the battle is a tough one.
• Kids must grapple with the instability of their parent’s divorce, a divorce that has caused changes in their life that they could have avoided if the family had been stable and mom and dad had stayed together.
• A middle aged lady has become caught up in the values of Hollywood, even though she grew up going to church. But church was not supported with a complimentary lifestyle she saw at home, and her escape was the movies. Whatever those “stars” believed had appeal to her.
• An older couple have lived a great life. Their parents weren’t Christian, but they were stable and provided a strong family life. The couple both went to college, got degrees, then had fulfilling careers. A nice house in the suburbs, two cars, trips to exotic places. Living the American Dream. Now they are growing older and wonder about death, but have no place for God.

Sin has touched every one of those illustrated above. It’s tempting to admire the last couple, but such a life, in-light of eternity, is very short, and goes by so quickly. And then? Truth is, that couple may be the most in danger, because life has not caused them to see their need for God. It’s not fair the way it all occurs, but in the end, even for those who live a good life, death comes. That is sin’s final result. Don’t neglect the answer God has provided through Jesus, the Messiah. He came to defeat sin and death. Through him we can have purpose, no matter our circumstances; eventually life eternal in a place where fulfillment is beyond our imagination. That’s not fair either; praise the Lord!

“For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.” (Hebrews 13:14)

Happiness and Hedonism

An old story goes like this: A Texas sheriff was pursuing a bank robber who kept crossing the Mexican border to hide out. Finally, the sheriff crossed the border himself and the posse tracked the robber to his hideout, where the robber was cornered. The sheriff needed an interpreter since he spoke no Spanish, and one was found. “Tell me where you’ve hidden the loot?” he asked. The robber wouldn’t answer. After several tries the sheriff got tough. “If you don’t tell me this time, I’m going to shoot!” He was serious, and it was obvious. The robber spilled his guts, admitting to his fault, telling where the money was hidden with detailed directions. “What did he say?” the sheriff asked the interpreter. After a few seconds the interpreter replied, “He says, ‘Go ahead and shoot.’”

The pursuit of happiness can take many avenues. If being happy is truly our deepest concern, we’ll rob for it, we’ll lie for it, we’ll do whatever it takes to be happy. Such is the life of the hedonist. They plunge into the experiences of life with one goal – enjoy! Sex in any form, lifestyles to please self, whatever it takes. A recent academic book suggests that, if the acquisition of pleasure and the avoidance of pain are our chief desires, maybe we’ve got the evolutionary theory backwards. Animals actually score highly on the pleasure scale, yet have few of the complex psychological pains, such as anxiety and disappointment, that are built into the human psyche. Yes, pleasure and happiness are good things, but they are not the only good things, and without boundaries they can enslave us. C.S. Lewis once said, if happiness was all he was after in life, a good bottle of port would do the trick.

If this life on planet earth is all there is, if the Bible’s promise of an eternity somewhere is not true, then hedonism makes some sense. Enjoy life while you can! The only boundaries you need are those that provide some level of safety, otherwise do whatever it takes to be happy. The trouble is, creating those boundaries is a fuzzy target. They vary with the individual’s background and worldview. And that’s exactly what we see in our culture, which has largely adopted the hedonistic philosophy. People stake their ground, then fight for their view of what can create happiness for them. Yet sexual fulfillment never really fulfilled anyone; financial security never really made anyone secure. Break God’s law for the sake of happiness, you end up proving God’s law, while breaking yourself.

I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. (Ecclesiastes 2:1)

There was one person who could have taken this approach and been completely successful. Jesus. All he had to do was not create the world and the people who inhabit it. Then he could have stayed away from such craziness and rested in the fellowship of God, only pleasure, the absence of pain. But he didn’t. He wanted to have fellowship with humans. He gave them free choices of right and wrong. He even allowed them to accept him and follow his way, or reject him and do what they wanted. He spelled out consequences, but there was always a choice. Because humans chose the sinful path routinely, rather than push them away, Jesus chose to come to earth and suffer, and die, a ransom price paid to win us back. Isaiah 53 tells us, “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering and familiar with pain…surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering…he was led like a lamb to the slaughter…for the transgression of my people he was punished.” This is the life Jesus chose. During his life on earth he healed the sick, provided direction for the downhearted. What is it that motivates our choices?

The Christian life comes with a cost of discipleship. God provides boundaries in his word. More than that, he provides a reason to follow joyfully. Purpose in life, finding it’s true meaning, helping others know the love of God. Hope for an eternity where the real reward comes, where the burdens of life can be laid down. Meanwhile we take up our cross and live a life of self-sacrifice for the good of others. Happy? Yes, deep down. But it’s not the same as the hedonistic type. It comes as an unsought side benefit of this God-centered lifestyle.