Let the Righteous Strike Me

Recently, I was practicing martial arts with a friend.  We began by showing each other some kata from our respective systems.  After watching me perform a particular kata which featured some inward forearm blocks, my friend asked a question.  He said, "What are you doing with your pinkie, there?"  My friend noticed that while making a fist and performing an inward block, that my pinkine and ring fingers of my right hand were not brought in tightly, but were slightly uncurled during the blocking motion.

When most people think martial arts, they usually only think of training fists and feet, arms and legs.  The last thing most people would even look at is a person's smallest finger.  After all, how could my pinkie help me defend myself?  It so happens that allowing my fingers to uncurl (even slightly) compromises the integrity of my fist and leaves the fingers vulnerable to being broken if caught on an opponents arm.  Having two broken fingers could easily hinder my ability to block, parry, grab or strike with that hand.  In short, it could leave me defenseless.

Without my friend watching me carefully, correcting my bad form that could cause me great injury, I would have never noticed the mistake.  In following after Jesus Christ, we can also develop bad form.  We may read the manual and practice diligently, but if we never receive guidance and critique from knowledgeable peers, our bad habits may go unnoticed.  These habits that accumulate into a lifetime of choices could lead us down a path of ruin and destruction that we might not recognize until we are in a spiritual fight for our life.

King David of Israel said:  "Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; It shall be as excellent oil; Let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked."  Psalms 141:5 NKJV

David requests the correction and reproof of his Godly peers as a kind and generous anointing; a blessing, even.  He says he would not refuse to listen to wise counselors--even when they smacked him around with Truth.

Look at these similar Proverbs:  "Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed.  6  Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."  Proverbs 27:5-6 NKJV

In this passage, King Solomon states a sentiment similar to his father, David's.  You can trust that when a friend revels a hurtful truth to you, trust in the friends intentions and be thankful.  It is better than the flattering words of an enemy or false friend.

In closing, the Apostle Paul wrote to the churches in Galatia along these same lines:  "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.  2  Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."  Galatians 6:1-2 NKJV

We are commanded to assist each other in love, gently correcting bad forms that could lead our friends to serious spiritual injury or even death.  When we show true love in honesty, we fulfill the law of Christ.  Let's be loving enough to dish it out and tough enough to take it.

God Bless!

Independence Day in Amarillo

Here is the beginning of the Preamble of the Declaration of Independence, whose drafting and signing we Americans celebrate today:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator  with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

I give thanks to my Creator today for the amazing liberties I enjoy in the greatest nation on Earth.  While doing this, I realize that most Christians throughout history have lived under the grinding boot oppression, persecution, and tyranny.  Things are changing in our country, however.  We are less free, less prosperous and less industrious than past generations.  If this pattern continues, future Americans may enjoy even less liberty than they do now. 

The lesson to American Christians in the future may be to continue exercising freedom of worship and conscience without the protection of the State; relying only on God's Grace.  If that happens, I pray that every Christian will take courage and obey God rather than any human institution.

This is also a day on which I reflect on another kind of freedom I enjoy--freedom in Christ:

Romans 6:22-23 NKJV  But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.  23  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Law of Sin and Death holds every sinner captive; the payment for sin is death.  When we accept God's grace, we are set free from our original sentence and given the hope of an eternal life, living as God would have us live.

Our response to this gift should never be selfish, but grateful to God.  We should live a life in freedom as a willing slave to God, and not to our own desires.  Part of this life means producing the fruit of the Spirit on our lives (love, joy, peace, etc.) and sharing this gift with others.  If you are free today, congratulations--let's celebrate and be thankful for eternal liberty in Jesus Christ.

However--if you are not living in Godly freedom today, the rights and independence you enjoy as an American are temporary.  You need assurance that you are set for eternity.  Please contact me to talk more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and making sure (really sure) you are saved today.

Happy Father's Day from CBS Sunday Morning: Tallulah's Two Dads

My wife and I often flip on CBS Sunday Morning while we get ready to attend Lord's Day Worship, and this morning was no different.  However this morning happened to be Father's Day.  I expected CBS to air a story about a courageous veteran spending his first Father's Day home with his family, or some great example of a honorable man who sacrifices and serves his family through discipline and leadership.  I'm not really sure why expected this, however.

Instead, I saw an offensive story about Mark Bromley (Daddy) and David Salie (Papa), two homosexual men who adopted an infant girl, Tallulah.  If you dare, watch the piece here.  They enumerated a list of ten things they've learned as "parents."  The first was explaining how being a dog owner had helped them prepare for parenthood.  I'm not going to say any more about these to people and their reprehensible lifestyle and parenting philosophy.

This is a dismal display of where the liberal media is steering our country's thinking.  It's this kind of garbage that purposefully sticks it's thumb into the eye of traditional American moral standards and panders to a small segment of society which actually accepts the homosexual lifestyle.  People slowly begin to think that if household names like CBS Sunday promote this ideology that it must also be common and mainstream.  Nothing could be further from the truth, however.

The Old and New Testaments of the Bible both teach that homosexual relationships are sin, and are against God's perfect will for humans. 

Romans 1:24-27 NKJV  Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,  25  who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.  26  For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.  27  Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

If God saw this lifestyle and family structure as ideal for propagating the human race and building society, then He would not only support it, but command it.  However, God has forbidden it; not because God has taboos or preferences, but because He designed the universe to operate optimally in a certain way.  God teaches us that to honor Him is to acknowledge the differences in men and women, and live in a way that is clean, honorable, pure, natural, acceptable and correct.

May God help His people to stand strong against all political and societal pressure to accept and embrace sinful lifestyles--whatever the type.

ABC Family: FAMILY?!?!

When you hear "ABC Family," what comes to mind?  Perhaps a cable station dedicated to providing programing and content which is suitable for--well, the whole family, right?  Well, that really depends.

Have you seen any series or episode trailers for the shows on ABC Family?  On commercial breaks, ABC showcases their newest series and upcoming episodes.  One of the most popular series on the channel is called "The Secret Life of the American Teenager."  Does that sound like family programming to you?  I know what secrets teenagers lived when I was one.  I expect to see that kind of stuff on major network prime-time or on channels like HBO and Showtime (which I choose not to subscribe to).

"Secret Life" revolves around a group of feuding teenagers who wrestle with sexuality, get pregnant and converse with gay/lesbian adults.  Channel-surfing one evening with my wife, I actually saw two adult women engage in romantic mouth-kissing.  Mind you, this wasn't at 11:30 p.m.  It was 7:00 p.m.  Here's the episode synopsys:

"Amy’s excited for a night away in a hotel with Ricky. She bonds with his mom and foster mom and they both agree she is the best thing that happened to Ricky. Even though Adrian did all that she could to take care of her unborn baby, the baby dies. Adrian and Ben are devastated and Adrian asks to see Amy. The girls hug and cry together. This terrible tragedy brings Amy closer to Ricky, the father of her child, and she decides to have sex with Ricky."

I know this sort of thing happens on television all the time, but keep two things in mind: one, these are teenagers; and two, and this is ABC Family.

It wouldn't be so bad if this station had bad programming all the time (if it did, kids wouldn't necessarily want to turn to it), but it also runs movies like "Finding Nemo" and the "Karate Kid" next to raunchy sitcoms like "That 70's Show" and Adam Sandler movies.  So, is this what you personally consider to be "family" programming?  I think it really depends on what kind of family you want to have!

Instead of filling our homes with filth, let's strive to create an environment where the holiness of God's Word is the strongest influence.  Adults should set the example of choosing wholesome entertainment, and select movies and shows that are age-appropriate for whomever is allowed to watch them. 

Memorial Day

This weekend, millions of Americans will travel, grill outside, ski the lake, go shopping, etc. As I write this post, I'm sitting is a movie theatre, waiting for a show to start (no, I'm not blogging during a movie!). We all recognize the cultural value of family gatherings and leisure time; however, let's not fail to reflect for a moment on the real reason most of us are off of work on Monday, May 30th.

Our nation has, for a few centuries, enjoyed the freedom, prosperity and relative peace and safety that only a superior military can provide. On Memorial Day, our nation remembers those members of our military who gave all they physically could in the service of our nation--their very lives.

As we celebrate, travel, etc. This weekend, don't foget to assemble with the church this Lord's Day to remember the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Only His willingness to fight sin and evil to the death on our behalf allows to experience the liberty, blessings and peace as part of God's family. Jesus conquered death so we could have the ultimate victory.

Let's remember all of the blessings we enjoy and the high price--paid in blood--that was required to purchase them.

God Bless!

A Prayer for Diligence

Proverbs 10:4 NKJV:  He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

Father in Heaven,

Thank You for giving me the gift of another day;
Please help me to realize the true value of the time You entrust to me.

Thank You for any strength or ability You give which allows me to make use of that time;
Please help me to be a good steward of these gifts and to labor diligently.

Thank You for my occupation, through which You provide for my house;
Please help me honor my employer and serve my employees, as Your Word commands.

Thank You for Your mercy, and Jesus redemptive work on the cross;
Please forgive me for the wasted days of my past.

Thank You for the six days You labored to create the Earth;
After my work is finished, please allow me to rest in Heaven as You did on the seventh day.


In Jesus' name--Amen.

Last Post Before the End of the World?

Seriously?  Another one?  I was personally hoping for a 2012 end-time scenario based on the Aztec calendar, but--oh well!  Or was it the Chinese I-Ching numerology?  And on, and on, and on...

Personally, I hate that deceivers such as Harold Camping of Family Radio get so much press and media hype.  His prediction is that the "rapture" of the Church will occur on May 21st, 2011, and that the "tribulation period" will begin.  Essentially Camping believes there will be a period of fire and death on earth, during which the unsaved will suffer for 5 months.  According to Camping, the world will truly be destroyed on October 21st, 2011.

First, Camping has a lousy track record at predicting the future.  He's been wrong about this date before, actually prognosticating that the rapture was supposed to occur back in 1994.

Second, he's incredibly arrogant.  He claims to have knowledge Jesus Himself didn't have:

Mark 13:32 NKJV:  "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Jesus is simply stating that specific knowledge of the Second Coming of Christ belonged only to God the Father.  In the verses previous to this statement, Jesus outlined specific markers for the doom of Jerusalem.  It's interesting that He gave no such signs to warn us of His return and the conclusion of Time.

Christians have always been concerned with the dating of the end of Time.  This is especially true of the Thessalonians.  Paul admonished their preoccupation with setting the date, and chided them for the futility of doing so:

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 NKJV:  But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.  2  For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

Paul says: "This is not news--I shouldn't even have to tell you--but you can't know when Jesus will return."  The thief analogy is refuted by the likes of Harold Camping, saying that thieves coming at night bring nothing good.  But look at the comparison for a moment.  People cannot predict when a thief will suddenly break in.  If people could, they would be waiting for him and prevent the harm he wishes to cause.

Jesus return likewise cannot be predicted.  Look, I won't pretend to know anything the Scripture doesn't say.  But what I know for sure is this: worrying about Christ's return is pointless--if you are ready to meet Him.  Scripture doesn't encourage us to predict; however it commands us to to be ready:

2 Peter 3:13-14 NKJV:  Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.  14  Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless...

So, let's forget about worry and focus on preparation.  If you aren't ready to meet the Resurrected Christ, you need to know Him and serve him.  For more details on how to survive the End of Time, send me an e-mail from my Blogger profile.