Veterans
November 9, 2009 at 4:10 pm | In Christianity | Leave a CommentTags: Jesus, ateasetees, Christian, God, evangelism, truth, Texas, Islam, Bible, peace, mercy, sin, hope, church, America, support, sacrifice, judgment, hell, grace, elderly, justice, Muslim, Afghanistan, Quran, Vietnam, just, veterans, war, soldier, old, senior, Nidal Malik Hasan, Fort Hood, shootings, submission, protest, US, Armed Forces, thank you
The Proverbs 31 Man
November 2, 2009 at 3:57 pm | In Christianity | Leave a CommentTags: ateasetees, bless, Born Again, Christian, elders, evangelism, evil, Gates, God, good, heart, hell, hope, husband, Jesus, judgment, kids, known, love, marriage, noble, praise, proverbs 31 woman, salvation, saved, sin, trust, truth, wife
The type of woman that I expected to marry when I was younger (and unsaved) is completely different from what I would look for today. After I got saved, any time someone brought up the subject of marriage, the “proverbs 31” woman was the template of the type of woman that Christian men should look for. The problem is they’re really hard to find. One reason for this is that many women (and men) who are in the church aren’t saved. They can’t be the “proverbs 31” woman because they don’t have the source of her strength. The second reason that “proverbs 31” is hard to find is because I don’t know that we’re supposed to be looking for her. While it would be amazing to find someone like this, the truth is that they are maturing and are at different levels in their spiritual walk and to try and fit them into the “mold” isn’t fair to them.
I thought about this and something struck me. All the focus seems to always be placed on the woman. While she has an important part in the family, she’s not the only one. The majority of verses found in Proverbs 31 do focus on the woman and the amazing things that she does for her family. But, there are some verses that have to do with the husband and they are often overlooked and usually aren’t talked about. Looking at scripture, the woman isn’t the only part of the family and it is important that Christians not only realize this but live it out.
So, let’s look at the few verses that mention the husband:
Pro 31:11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, And he will have no lack of gain.
The husband of the Proverbs 31 woman has a heart that trusts in her. He shows her grace and knows that she will do what is best for her and her family. Because he trusts his wife, he can focus on the things that he needs to do to support his family. Because of their deep, trusting relationship, the husband carries that deep love they share and it helps drive him on.
Pro 31:12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.
While this just mentions the husband in passing, it still speaks some important things. The man has a wife who does him good. This can only happen when the man fulfills his duties as a husband and treats his wife like a woman of God. Their relationship is lasting because she will do her husband good all the days of her life. There is no wavering in the love they have for one another and it shows in how they act and react to everything that happens.
Pro 31:23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.
The gates were where all the important business of the city took place. The judges passed sentence on criminals. They decided the minutest disputes with wisdom and honor; and this husband was a part of all of the business. He displayed wisdom and this allowed him to sit among the elders. This is not something that happened lightly (unlike today).
Pro 31:28 Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying: “Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all.”
Here is one thing that I feel safe in saying many husbands don’t do much of. The husband of the woman praises her. Just like her work and love carry him in trials, so his praises carry her. Regardless of anything, his love for her causes him to tell her that while many other wives have been good to their husbands, she has done so much more than they and he wants her to know that. Because of the husband’s treatment of his wife, the children they have together follow his lead and bless their mother for the person that she is.
The portrayal of the husband that is found in Proverbs 31 (if it’s looked for) shows some things that many people overlook. I hope that the husbands who name the name of Christ strive to look like the man found in Proverbs 31. I hope that they treat their wives like this man does and the women strive to be like the Proverbs 31 woman. The men and women who belong to Christ need to live out the truth of marriage in front of their families, their churches, and those in the world. It shows them all how Christ loves His bride and rejuvenates fellow believers by reminding of this love so they can endure.
Is this how your marriage looks? Are you the husband of Proverbs 31 (or 1 Peter, or Ephesians, or Colossians)? If not, let me encourage you to love your wives like Christ loves the church. Are you the wife of Proverbs 31? Are you striving to take care of your family? I’m not talking about making extra money. I’m talking about raising your kids and nurturing them. I’m talking about raising them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord. If not, let me encourage you to strive to be more like the bride of Christ and live in truth.
Boys or men?
October 19, 2009 at 3:49 pm | In Christianity | Leave a CommentTags: abortion, America, ateasetees, Bible, blasphemy, blessing, boy, cars, childish, children, Christian, clothes, death, deceived, definition, dignity, divorce, drama, entertainment, evangelism, faith, fake, family, fornication, generous, God, heart, hell, high school, homosexuality, honor, idolatry, image, immoral, inheritence, integrity, irreconcilable differences, Jesus, judgment, love, man, marriage, mature, men, mock, money, murder, politics, pornography, president, protect, right, righteous, role model, sacrifice, scoff, sin, single mother, std, teen pregnancy, ten commandments, theft, trial, truth, value, wicked, wrong
It seems that the definition of what it means to be a man has changed over the last 50 years. When I was growing up, a man was someone who worked hard to support his family, taught his children right and wrong, and disciplined them when they were misbehaving. Men were those who acted with honor, integrity, and dignity. They were protectors and role models and people looked up to them. They knew about sacrifice and were willing to do without so that family, friends, and even complete strangers could be helped. They married one woman for life and, barring death, stayed with her through everything; not just for the sake of the kids, but because he loved her. While this definition of a man still fits some, it seems to be a dying breed.
In America it is common now to see single mothers trying to eke out an existence on their own, working to support their kids and hardly having the time to spend with them to nurture and guide them. While there are the strange cases where the mothers don’t want a man around to help them (which I really can’t figure out…), a large percentage of them are due to the “man” leaving the woman and children to fend for themselves. Marriages are getting to be less common then they were and divorce is rampant (many due to “irreconcilable differences”). Now, “men” go around in fancy cars, designer clothes, and spend a lot of money in an effort to “get the girl” for a few weeks or months and when the newness wears off, they’re out. Some don’t even wait that long. They act like bigger versions of their high school selves with all the drama and tension.
When did men forget what it means to be a man?
Before someone gets mad at me, I’m not saying that all men that have nice cars, designer clothes, or spend a lot of money are boys in bigger bodies. Seriously though, when did men forget what it means to be a man? When did it become “cool” to leave the woman you professed to love yesterday for the new woman you met this morning? When did it become fashionable to leave the kids that need you so that you can go “do your own thing”? When did your word become so meaningless to you that you are willing to break your vows or walk out of a marriage? I just don’t get it. Look, I know that there have always been men that have been adulterers (the Bible shows me that). And I know that there have always been men that have requested divorces from their wives (the Bible tells me that too). I don’t recall there being much talk about what is currently going on though (and it’s not just America). The stories that I hear about many of the “men” in America are appalling. It’s like they’ve never grown up or learned to take responsibility for their actions. It’s like they are still back in high school playing all the little games that the kids play. And then there are the “men” who just don’t care. Where did this all start?
I actually think that I know when and where this all started, at least in America. This all started back in the early sixties when they began removing God from our public lives. When God and the Ten Commandments were removed from the schools, a number of troubling things started happening. Teen pregnacies rose by hundreds of percentage points. Sexually transmitted diseases rose too. Promiscuity and vulgarity weren’t far behind. I wonder how many people know that back in the early days of movies there were actually laws that prohibited the blasphemy of God’s name? They also prohibited profanity and other shameful things that have become commonplace in the “entertainment” industry. Because we removed God, He removed His hand and we’re reaping the results of that. Our kids are growing up in an increasingly immoral society. They are taught (and even raised) by immoral people who came from the same system. Back when it began, there were still reminants of the decency that comes from a fear of God. Now, those things are all but gone. Sins like homosexuality, pornography, fornication, and adultery are not only condoned, they’re celebrated (If that doesn’t sound like Romans 1 then I don’t know what does)! Greed and covetousness rule the political, industrial, and individual lives of many Americans. Murder is nothing to us anymore and to see that someone died is just another “normal” day.
The fact that our nation has thrown out its morals is the reason that we no longer see men being men. Now our many of the “men” in this nation are monsters, animals (which is what they’ve been taught through the evolutionary indoctrination they get from public school – so much for public schools being religion free…), or effeminate. They have become nothing like the men who used to be here. And the saddest part of all of this is the fact that more often than not, these same “men” are in the church! Some of them are actually leading “churches”. The church is full of men who let their sexual desires run rampant with no concern for themselves, the women, or God. It is full of boys in mens’ bodies who think they know what it means to be a man and are really nothing but a shadow of what they could (and should) be. It is filling up with “men” who love other “men”, “men” who have denied the way that God has defined them and chosen to let their depraved minds lead them down a path of sin. Marriages are torn apart by “men” who spend more time looking at pornography than they do with their wives trying to build their marriage up. Is it any wonder that our country is like it is when the “men” of the church are playing the roles they should be? I think that it’s somewhat amusing that there are many inside and outside the church who talk about what it means to be a man and each of them have their own definition. Oftentimes, these definitions contradict one another, but who cares right? I mean, as long as my definition of a man fits me and appeals to me, what else is there? What these “men” don’t realize is that it’s not their definition of what a man is that counts. The atheists, evolutionists, and secular humanists can talk all they want about how man is just a glorified monkey, but that definition isn’t true. Other’s talk about how a “man” is the one with the biggest house, the newest car, and the most money/toys; but that’s not the true definition of a man either. See, in our post-modern world, we’ve been taught that we can define everything however we see fit. If we don’t like something, we can redefine it. We see this is everything from public schools to the presidency. But that’s not how things work.
If something already has a definition, then that is how it is defined, whether I like it or not. A square is defined as a geometric shape with four sides that are all the same length. If I see a shape that has five sides then it’s not a square. If I see another that has four sides of differing lengths then that’s not a square either. The only things that are truly squares are those things that fit the definition of a square, regardless of how hard or how many times we try to redefine what a square is. The same is true for men. While we can try as hard as we want to define what a man is so that it suits us, if it doesn’t fit the true definition of a man, it’s not one. The true definition of a man is found nowhere else but in scripture. The Bible tells us exactly what a man is and what it’s not. If the “men” in our country don’t fit that definition then they aren’t men. Period. They can talk all they want, they can whine about it and how it’s not fair, but that doesn’t change the definition of a man. God has defined what man is and that’s that.
So what is a man? Here are some scriptures that will help make the definition of a man clear:
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:26-7)
-Man is made in the image of God. This means that we are like Him in many ways. It also means that while we are in His image, we are not exactly like Him. Unlike what many of the prosperity preachers seem to think, we are not “little gods” or “god’s with a little ‘g’”. We cannot create anything from nothing. We can’t “speak things into existence” or command wind and waves like God can. We can be relational. We can communicate and even create.
“Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.” (Gen. 9:6)
-Here we see that God values the life of man. If God values the lives of men (and women and children), then a true man will too. They will protect the innocent and the defenseless.
He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. (Deut. 8:3)
-Regardless of what some “scientists” and other mockers of God say, every person on the planet owes their very life to God. A true man knows this and respects God.
Every man is to give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you. (Deut 16:17)
-A true man is generous. He gives as much as he is able to help those in need because he wants to. He doesn’t have to be forced to give or guilted into giving. He doesn’t hoard the things that he has because he knows that God has given them to him and can just as easily take them away (Job 1:21).
Blessed is the man that does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1)
-A true man will not give an ear to the wicked. He will keep himself from their schemes and the calamity that comes with them. He will not live his life in a way that will keep sinful man from coming to repentance. While he will be truthful and call things as they are, he will not mock or scoff like so many boys do. A true man meditates on the Law of God and keeps it in front of him day and night that he may not sin against the Lord.
What is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty! (Psalm 8:4-5)
-A true man recognizes his place and does not see himself any higher than he should. While confident, a true man is humble enough to see his shortcomings and admit them.
A man will not be established in wickedness, but the root of the righteous will not be moved. (Proverbs 12:3)
-A real man does not depend on wicked deeds or schemes to build his life. Instead, he does those things that are right in God’s eyes, knowing that it is these things that will keep him strong in the toughest trials and worst storms.
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. (Proverbs 13:22)
-A true man thinks of his wife, children, and family before himself. He endeavors to leave his children better off than he was. He doesn’t do this just with material things because he knows that those things are fleeting. He leads his family in the way of the Lord, teaching them the things of God so that they spend their lives glorifying Him.
A good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. (Matt. 12:35)
-A true man knows that his heart is the source of evil things like murder, adultery, theft, fornication and other sins (Mark 7:21). He understand that his heart must be changed by God so that it will bring forth the good treasure that he and those around him need.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just man shall live by faith”. (Rom. 1:17)
-A true man does not live by his intelligence alone. He knows that this is foolishness because his heart and mind can deceive him. Becasue of this, he lives by faith, not in himself, but in the truth as revealed to Him in the scriptures of the Bible. This faith is not blind, but is the 20/20 vision that he needs to see through the veil of lies the world weaves.
Blessed is the man who’s sin the Lord will not take into account. (Rom. 4:8)
-A true man knows that he is forgiven. He knows that no work that he has done has merited him the free gift of salvation (Eph. 2:8-9). He understands, through the cross, the manifold grace and mercy of God that has been directed toward a sinner like him.
When I was child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; but when I became a man, I did away with childish things. (1 Cor. 13:11)
-A true man knows that maturity is one of his hallmarks. He doesn’t think like a child. He thinks like a mature adult. He doesn’t use the reason that he used to because he’s grown up and gained knowledge and wisdom. He has respect for God and for others and because of this, he does away with childish speech, thinking, and reasoning.
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. (Gal. 6:7)
-A true man is not deceived. He is honest about himself and others. He knows that his actions have effects not only in his life, but in the lives of those that he loves. He knows that his actions can hurt others and therefore strives to live like God calls him to live so that he blesses those around him.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12)
-A true man understands that although he strives to live holy before God, trials come to test him and glorify God. He understands that others actions and choices can affect his life and takes everything that happens to him in light of the scriptures so that he can walk in righteousness.
While these scriptures are no exhaustive, they are an indication that the definition of a man does not come from anatomy alone. According to God’s definition, the definition of a man has nothing to do with the money that he makes or any other material thing. Instead, a man by God’s definition is so much more. The definition that the scriptures give for a man is not something that will be easy to live up to. It is something that will cause a man to choose difficult things and make him look at himself in the purest light. But a true man will make those choices becasue he loves God, loves his family, and loves the lost.
If our nation is to become a place that we desire our children to grow up in, then it will need men to act like men. The church needs the same thing. It is time for the “men” in church to grow up and stop playing. It is time for them to act like men as defined in scripture so that their children will grow up to do the same.
If you think that this is ust about men, you’re wrong. This is about women too. Women need to be women. They don’t need to try and fill the roles that men do. They have their own roles to fill and can find many graces and blessings in doing so. It won’t be until men are men and women are women (inside and outside the church) that things will truly change.
Play the man (or woman)!
Yom Kippur
September 28, 2009 at 5:04 pm | In Christianity | Leave a CommentTags: Abihu, ark, ateasetees, blood, bulls, Christian, covenant, Day of Atonement, Egypt, evangelism, Exodus, gift, goats, God, guilt, heaven, high priest, holy of holies, hope, Israel, Jesus, law, Leviticus, Moses, Nadab, salvation, scapegoat, shame, sin, tabernacle, tent of meeting, veil, Yom Kippur
Today is one of the holiest days of the year for the children of Israel. If you don’t know, today is Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur means “Day of Atonement” in Hebrew. It is a very special day, with a lot of meaning for both Jews and Christians. Some of you may not understand why this is important to Christians, but I hope to explain that.
To understand what the Day of Atonement means, we have to look at what happened on that day and what its purpose was. When Yom Kippur was started, it was as Israel was traveling through the wilderness after leaving Egypt. It was the beginning of the second year and Moses had just set up the tabernacle (Exodus 40:17). When the tabernacle was finished, the glory of the Lord descended and no one could enter the tabernacle. The Lord called to Moses from the tent of meeting, and over the next month, laid out exactly what was expected from His people and His priests. He explained the offerings and how they were to be done. He gave them laws about cleanliness, diet, and morality. He also made sure that they knew how serious this was. When two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, came to God with strange fire, He incinerated them on the spot and told Aaron (through Moses) that He was to be treated as holy (Leviticus 10:1-3).
Location, location, location
September 21, 2009 at 4:37 pm | In Christianity | Leave a CommentTags: Jesus, ateasetees, Christian, God, evangelism, gospel, salvation, Catholic, faith, mercy, death, sin, hope, repent, scripture, judgment, hell, preach, grace, cross, context, false, race, martyr, teach, glory, justice, tradition, son, Father, location, Christendom, belief, Bereans, proclaim, heretic, hermeneutics, verse, platitude, Hebrews 12:1-2, witnesses, run, endurance, fix, risen, Lamb of God, grave, rebel
Sometimes I look at the different things that are happening in Christendom and I just shake my head. Some of the beliefs that are being touted like they were always there and scripturally sound are sad. There are many who are proclaiming a false gospel. They twist the scriptures to make them say what they want (always out of context) and are misleading many who name the name of Christ. (Notice I didn’t necessarily say they were Christians…)While this makes me mad to say the least, what gets up my nose even more are the things that are spouted or passed on in ignorance. Many of the things that we take as “gospel truth” or “tradition” have no basis in scripture whatsoever. And yet, we keep regurgitating them like they are. Worse than that, it seems that we don’t want to be bothered with checking the scripture to see if they’re actually in there. Continue reading Location, location, location…
The heart of David
September 14, 2009 at 2:58 pm | In Christianity | 1 CommentTags: 1 Sam. 13:14, adultery, Ammonites, ateasetees, Bathsheba, character, Christian, David, evangelism, faith, God, Goliath, heart, hell, Holy Spirit, Israel, Jesus, Judge, justice, knowledge, love, man after God's own heart, moral, murder, Nathan, perfection, Psalm 51, repent, salvation, sin, Solomon, truth, universe, wrath
I’ve heard many times over the years how David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14). Any time the heart of God is mentioned, invariably you’ll hear about David as well. As I recall all that I’ve heard about David being a man after God’s own heart, I don’t seem to remember anyone really going into why he was this way. Usually, this sentiment is just stated as fact and the rest of the sermon is spent encouraging the listener to do everything necessary to be just like David was.
The problem is that without an understanding of what made David a man after God’s own heart, no one can do the things David did to be that way. All they are left with are shallow platitudes or “7 steps” that produce nothing more than a fuzzy feeling and certainly no lasting change. Often, when we think of David, we see the young man who was willing to face a giant of a man with a sling and a stone. Or, we see a king who was not where he should have been and ended up sinning against God by committing adultery and murdering a man to hide the sin. The first instance is usually used to inspire the youth in the church that they can do anything and the second is usually used to (sadly) soften the guilt and shame of sin. “If the king of Israel, a man after God’s own heart sinned and was still accepted by God, then the rest of us can be too!” I wonder what would happen if people actually took the time to look at David the way that scripture says he saw himself.
It’s often said that you can best tell what someone’s character is when they are in a horrible situation. It’s the whole tea bag in hot water cliché. During his life David found himself in a number of bad situations. From the lion and the bear, to the showdown with Goliath, to the numerous times that Saul (his father-in-law) tried to kill him, David faced tough times. And he faced them all the same way. David was convinced that God would protect him and help him. He had faith that God would keep his promises. There is one time though that I think truly shows David’s heart and why God chose to call him a man after His own heart.
One year, while David was king, Israel was going off to war to fight the Ammonites (2 Sam. 11:1). There was one problem: David, the king of Israel, stayed behind in Jerusalem when he should have been with his army fighting. Evening came and David walked along the roof of his house. While he was walking he saw a beautiful woman bathing. David asked about the woman and was told that she was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite (who was one of David’s mighty men). He sent for her, and proceeded to commit adultery with her. Not long after, she told the king that she was pregnant. David sent for Uriah and tried everything that he could think of to get the man to spend the night with his wife, but Uriah was too noble for that. He wouldn’t do that while his brethren were fighting a war. David even went to the point of getting him drunk and Uriah still wouldn’t do it. Finally, David sent Uriah back to the war with a note to Joab, the commander of the army. Sadly, Uriah didn’t realize that he was carrying his own death sentence. The note was a plan to make sure that Uriah was killed in an attack on the Ammonites. After Bathsheba heard about her husband’s death, she mourned for the appropriate time and then the king took her as his own wife. Shortly thereafter, the prophet Nathan came to David and told him a parable about a rich man who had many sheep and took the only ewe lamb of a poor man to use in a feast for a guest. David was outraged…until Nathan told him that he was that man. God, through Nathan reminded David of all the He had done and all that He promised him. He also told the king what would happen because of his sin. When David heard all of this, he immediately repented of his sin. But David’s sin would still have consequences. The child that Bathsheba was carrying would die because of the sin David committed.
This is a sad tragedy in the life of any man or woman. And it should always be remembered that this is the result of man’s sin. But we’re looking at the character of David and why he was a man after God’s own heart. As most people know, David wrote many of the Psalms. He poured out his heart and soul into them and expressed everything that he was feeling. In Psalm 51, we see his response to his sin with Bathsheba and get a window into the character of a man that we are always encouraged to be more like:
Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
By Your favor do good to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices. In burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.
As soon as David was confronted with his sin, he repented. He saw things for what they were and took the steps he needed to take to be reconciled with God. This was only possible because David knew some things that allowed him to come before God correctly and allowed God to immediately say (through Nathan) that his sin was forgiven.
First, David understood himself. He knew that he was a sinful man from conception. He knew that if he were left to himself, he would constantly rebel against God because of the man that he was. Instead of expressing his own goodness and trying to make himself feel good about who he was and what he was doing, he was truthful. He knew that there is nothing good in him.
The next thing that helped David was the fact that he understood sin. He knew that sin was ultimately against God and Him alone. While certain sins may involve other people (willingly or unknowingly); all sin is an open rebellion against God. It is a full frontal assault on His character and nature by His own creation. Sin has been man’s doing from the beginning and will continue to be so until all is said and done. David also understood his need to be cleansed from sin. He knew that he couldn’t be reconciled without having his sin removed. This (along with other Psalms) also shows that David understood the truth about the Messiah and the Christ’s role in the salvation of men. David’s understanding of sin also includes the knowledge of what sin does to us and our relationship with God.
David also understood God. Look at how much David focuses on God and His character. He knows that God is gracious, merciful, and compassionate (v. 1) in the act of removing sins. He understands that God is able (and willing!) to wash him of his sins. Not only that, but David understands that God is completely right in what He says and blameless when He judges sin. David understood that God IS moral perfection and therefore His judgments against sin are also perfect. We may not understand them, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t correct. David didn’t just see God as the Judge though. He also saw Him as the One who could restore him and create a clean heart in him. He saw Him as the One who could renew his spirit and create a clean heart in him. David longed for God and it shows. He didn’t want God to take away His Holy Spirit or cast him away from His presence. It wasn’t only about what God could do for him, it was about God Himself. He knew that the Law had its purpose but that the Law didn’t satisfy God and neither did the sacrifices of bulls and goats. He understood what God desired from man and what would allow man to be cleansed of his sin and restored to God. But, there is one more thing that he knew and it is this that I believe truly shows David as being a man after God’s own heart.
David wasn’t just concerned about himself! He didn’t focus on just his own trouble, he was concerned about others. He tells the Lord that when he is cleansed he will teach other sinners the ways of God and they will be converted to Him. That is the heart of God. While He knows that men will sin and that many will reject the free gift of salvation offered through Jesus Christ, it is not His wish that any perish but that all come to repentance. David understands the need for those who do know Christ to go out and tell others who don’t know about Him the truth of the gospel and what truly saves men from their sins.
While all of this is interesting and it’s wonderful to see what scripture says, now comes the hard part. Are you like David? Do you truly understand yourself? Do you recognize that you are a wretched sinful person who needs a Savior daily? If you’ve been saved, do you understand where you (should) stand in regards to sin? Do you stand there? Do you understand that sin, transgression of the Law (Ten Commandments) is a horrible action worthy of death and hell in the sight of God? Do you understand that if you die without your sins being paid for that you will find yourself in hell for eternity? Do you understand your need to be cleansed from your sin and that the only One that can do this is God Himself? Do you understand who God is? Do you see Him as the just Judge of the entire universe or is He just some “doting Daddy” who has no backbone or gives in to everything (which is idolatry, by the way). Do you understand that He is angry at sin and that His wrath abides on those who practice it? Do you understand that there is nothing that you can do in and of yourself to bring about your own salvation? Do you understand that God is holy, just, righteous, and perfect and expects the same from those who follow Him? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to be that way, even if it means changing or letting go of friends, family, or objects that God shows? Do you long for God like David did, wanting Him and His Word more than anything else in existence? Does it concern you that others around you may be on their way to hell because their sins aren’t forgiven? Does the plight of others concern you so much that you are willing to do whatever you can to tell them the truth of the gospel, even if it means going out and witnessing to others; teaching them the ways of the Lord? Or, are you content to just sit back and pray that someone else does it because you’re too shy or it just won’t come out right or you don’t know enough (which are all cop outs by the way)? Is the comfort of your own salvation keeping you from being a laborer working to see souls saved from an eternal hell?
This is not something to be taken lightly. The Bible makes it clear that we only have on chance on the earth and that none of us are promised tomorrow. What are you doing? Are you a man/woman after God’s own heart? Are you someone who sees and understands God, sin, yourself and the need of others to be saved? If you are, and you are going out into the world proclaiming the true gospel of Jesus Christ, then let me both commend and encourage you. Do not give up the fight! It is vital to those you are witnessing to that you continue even when things get hard. If you understand these things and you are not going out to tell others, then please consider what you are doing. You are basically keeping what other need to yourself. Instead of giving them the one answer that will help them escape the wrath of God and the eternal punishment for sin, you are turning a blind eye to them. Can you honestly say that you love them? If you do not understand these things at all, then you need to look at your life and make sure that you are saved. Have you repented of your sins? When? How do you know? Does you life look differently now? If you haven’t repented – why? What makes you think you’re a Christian if you haven’t repented? This is a literal life and death situation and each of us holds the key in our own hands. Either we will see ourselves in truth and run to the One who can save us, repenting of our sins and putting our trust in Him alone; or we will continue to delude ourselves into thinking that we’re ok and we don’t need saving, eventually causing us to go straight to hell.
Who’s heart are you after?
Teach Your Children Well
September 8, 2009 at 4:39 pm | In Christianity | Leave a CommentTags: abortion, America, ateasetees, budget, change, Christian, climate change, Constitution, crime, discrimination, doctor, education, end of life care, euthanasia, evangelism, faith, fishy, founders, free market, freedom, future, global warming, God, Great Depression, healthcare, Hinduism, history, homelessness, hope, Islam, Jesus, justice, love, nurse, Obama, patriots, Pharoah, police officer, poverty, repent, resposibility, revolution, Sal Alinsky, school, sin, stimulus, taxes, teach, teacher, train, transparency, truth, vacation
Today, President Barack Obama gave a speech to a number of school children around the country for “President Barack Obama’s Back to School Event”. And while I didn’t hear the speech itself, I did read the transcript. If his teleprompter showed exactly the same thing as the transcript, then this speech wasn’t as political as it could have been. Somehow I have a hard time believing that he stuck to the script, seeing as he hasn’t done that yet. Adding to the controversy is the supposed lessons that were to go along with the speech. With all of this, I can’t help but be skeptical.
Even so, a quick read of the transcript shows a shallow but somewhat encouraging speech. The problems come when you look deeper and compare what he is saying to reality and to the president’s own agenda. From the beginning, the president plays on emotion (like he always does) to “touch” people. I wonder if the president realizes that the state the nation is in is “no picnic for any of us” and that everything he plans on doing will only make it worse.
His supposed purpose for the speech is to remind the kids of what’s expected of them. That they are to be responsible. He told them that they are responsible for their own future. Amazingly, I actually agree with the president on this point, but later on in the speech he tells the kids that the goverment is doing all it can to help. I find talk about responsibility pretty funny coming from a man who doesn’t seem to know what the word means (along with the words transparency, freedom, and justice). He tells the children they are responsible for their own education and if they fail, then they not only fail themselves, they fail the country. Maybe the president should start with his own responsibilities and actually fulfill those before he tries to tell others what they need to do. It is because the president has failed to be responsible that we are in the situation we’re in. He has already spent more money than all the other presidents combined and he hasn’t even been in office a year yet. Much of the money has been wasted and has failed to produce any positive effect on anything. The president has failed to be responsible to America by allowing the bills he supports (those meant to stave off “catastrophe”) to be rushed through Congress and avoiding any kind of debate on the issues. The bills have been passed in the dark of night by Congressmen (who are supposed to represent you and I) who didn’t read them at all (and at an average of 1000 pages each, who would want to?). How is that responsible? How does the president expect people to be responsible when he continues to push them to depend completely on the government for everything? On top of that, the man has taken vacations that would make Robin Leach jealous (some costing $35,000 a day!) on the taxpayer’s dollar! Tell me again how that is responsible when there are now millions of people without jobs and the economy is suffering?
He tells the children that if they want to have a good job and help the nation, they will have to work hard and train for it. How much training did Mr. Obama have for his job? Does Sal Alinsky’s book really teach the things that the president of a free republic needs to know? I doubt it… He then lists a number of jobs that they need an education for. If they want to be a doctor they will need an education. He fails to tell them that if his healthcare plan gets passed, there will be no need many doctors because the government will be deciding who gets to practice, what they get to practice, and where they get to practice. They will need an education to be a teacher. But, the president fails to tell the kids that teachers are so overworked and underpaid that it’s not funny. He doesn’t tell them that the public (government run) schools are so bad in many places that teachers fear for their lives. The teacher’s union doesn’t make things any better…Another job they’ll need an education for is police officer. What he forgot to tell the kids is that if they actually do their job, they will be labeled racists or worse (I mean, really, how many beer summits can the president have anyway?). Maybe they want to be nurses, architects, lawyers, or be part of the military. Out of the entire list, the only ones that may make money are the lawyers. There is a shortage of nurses, but in many places even those nurses who are working are having their hours cut because of the economy. Architects are feeling the crunch of the economy as well. And for those going into the military, he forgot to mention that he cut the defense budget. This means that the soldiers we have (and the new ones coming in) will have to do without more than they already do and still do the same job (reminds me of Pharoah taking away the straw…). All of this on top of the fact that they are fighting his war in Afghanistan.
He then tells the kids that their classes will help them get the skills they need to “meet our greatest challenges in the future”. They will need math and science to gain problem solving skills needed to find cures for AIDS and cancer. Of course, we need to ask if it is really science or if it is the evolutionary trash that they are talking about? Or maybe it’s the “climate change” pseudo-science? Not only that, he doesn’t tell them that their cures will be rationed to the people that the government determines are most needed and viable (which kind of ignores the whole Hippocratic oath doesn’t it?). They will also need these skills to develop “new energy technologies” (except nuclear power) and protect our environment (from things like global warming – oops! – I mean climate change). They will also need critical thinking skills from things like history and social studies to “fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and free”. What history will they be taught Mr. President? Will it be the revised one that removes much of the truth that liberals have been pushing for decades or will it be the true history of our country that includes the faith of the founders and their dependence on God? Will it be the one that shows how atrocious things get when the government takes control of things or will you leave those parts out because they don’t fit your agenda? Will is show how lazy and complacent people get when they depend on the government for everything or will the oversized, “big brother”, federal government be painted as the hero? Will they have to fight poverty by stealing from one who is successful (which could very well be them!) and giving it to someone who has no desire to do what it takes to acheive anything? He also tells the kids to develop their creativity and ingenuity so that they can start new companies and “boost our economy” but fails to tell them that his administration (and those like him) is destroying small businesses through taxation, legislation, and the erosion of the free market.
He tells the children that we need every single one of them to help solve our most difficult problems, but what about the millions of unborn children who were not fortunate enough to make it to school age because they were unwanted and aborted? Don’t we need them too? Don’t we need the senior citizens to teach up and coming generations what made this country great, how to live within their means, and what honor and integrity are; instead of pushing for “end of life care” and euthanasia to eliminate them (except the ones in Congress of course…)? He talks about the stuggles that many of the kids face but fails to admit government’s role in many of them. Are those situations tragic? Yes! Should they be addressed? Yes! But, it should be with something that works and the government isn’t that something.
He calls on each child to set goals for themselves and meet them. He doesn’t tell them that they’ll be fighting the government every step of the way. Maybe they’ll get involved in extracurricular activities or voluteer in the community (like with ACORN Mr. Obama?). Maybe they’ll stand up for those being bullied and teased because of who they are and what they look like (unless they’re Christians – because we can tolerate everyone but them…). The president says that he believes that every child deserves a safe environment to study and learn in (provided they make it out of the womb alive). I agree with the sentiment but I don’t think that a public school classroom is that place.
He tells the kids that being successful is hard (and it is) but they can do it if they persevere. He tells them that they shouldn’t let their failures define them. Instead they should learn from them. Sadly, his own words and actions don’t line up. He says that failures should teach us but completely ignores his own failures, continuously lies to defend them, or attacks those who point them out for what they are. His stimulus package just had to be passed but it has failed to keep the unemployment rate below 8% (which was promised), it has failed to produce millions of “shovel ready” jobs to boost our economy(another promise), it wasn’t debated or put up for 5 days so the public could read it (still another promise), and it has failed to responsibly spend the taxpayers money (yet another promise). Not only that, it saddles the children he talked to with about $100,000 in debt before they can ever make a dime (and he’s not done yet). He claims that no one is born good at things, but he sure acts like he is (hence the Messiah title given to him by some of his followers).
He says that the kids should be afraid to ask questions, but I can’t help but wonder if he set up an email where other kids could rat them out if the questions they asked were “fishy”? Why should the kids ask questions if they will only get the same tired “party line” or be reprimanded for actually disagreeing with the administration? He tells them to go to others to ask for help, but who should they go to Mr. Obama? You mention family, teachers, and coaches. Family would be best (if they have that option), but teachers don’t often have the time (or don’t have the right things to say) and coaches can get in severe trouble if they give what is deemed to be Christian advice (you know, that whole separation of church and state thing that’s not even in the Constitution…). He does mention counselors. Does this mean that he’s planning on setting up a new government department (there’s those shovel ready jobs!) so that kids can call an “anonymous” hotline for help?
He then tries to tie in history (which is something that he hasn’t been too good at) to his agenda, telling the kids that out country’s story is one of people who never quit when things got tough. They loved their country “too much to do anything less than their best”. I find it ironic that the people from 250 years ago he’s talking about were fighting against a bigger than life, tyrannical government that wanted to take away their individual liberties and freedoms (kinda like the current administration!) They fought oppressive government who failed to represent them and tried to tell them exactly what they could and couldn’t do. Not only did many of them fight for their freedom, many died for it too. How far have the American people fallen. Today, if the government offers us the same old thing in a shiny new wrapper, we jump all over it and seem to forget that they’ve continually lied to us for decades. Today, we don’t vote for elected officials based on character, honor, and integrity. Instead we vote for them based on party affiliation, charisma, and rhetoric. The people who were there 75 years ago overcame a Depression that was made worse by constant, ill-conceived government intervention by a government that was larger than it had ever been up to that point. It was a raw deal complete with numerous wasteful government programs (basically the ancestor of the current administration). They destroyed crops at a time when people were starving (and still do!). It destroyed the economy and the job market, leading many to commit suicide. The world war we fought was something that our nation didn’t need to be in and something that the president of the time (Woodrow Wilson) promised the country he would keep them out of. We may have changed the way we communicate, but unless we’re telling each other the truth, nothing has really changed.
So, what has the president contributed? He’s contributed to the national debt, mocked our nation, lied to the American people on numerous occasions, surrounded himself with people who promote everything that America has always been against, and enlarged the federal government to a size that defies the Constitution. He hasn’t solved any of the country’s current problems (it’s hard to do that when you’re always on vacation) and has added numerous new problems to the pile. If there is a president in the next 20/50/100 years, I hope that he sees this generation as the one who said they’ve had enough and turned back to God and the Constitution. Mr. Obama says that he’s trying to fix the classrooms but that’s not his job. He tells the kids to get serious, but he fails to do the same. He then adds what has become a cliche in America: “God bless you, and God bless America”. Which God are you talking about Mr. Obama? Is it the god of Islam? Is it one of the gods of Hinduism? Or is it the God of the Bible? If it’s the latter, then he is just deluding himself (or trying to delude us). Barack Obama neither knows or has seen the God of the Bible. If he really had, then the things that he does and says would be much, much different.
If we’re going to see true change in our country, we have to so something other than what we’ve always (recently) done. We have to go back to our moral foundations. We have to start living by the word of the Lord. We have to teach our children to fear God and obey what the Bible says. We have to restore the traditional (Biblical) family to its position of prominence in our nation. Proverbs says, “Train up your child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will never depart from it”. We’ve stopped training our children in the way they should go and we’re paying for it. We’ve have ignored God’s wisdom and it is now catching up to us. The only ones we have to blame are ourselves…
Arm Yourself – Persecution
August 31, 2009 at 6:30 am | In Christianity | Leave a CommentTags: arm yourself, ateasetees, atheist, Benny Hinn, Bill Hybels, boiled in oil, Born Again, Brian McLaren, burned at the stake, Cathy Duplantis, Christian, Creflo Dollar, crucify, Donald Miller, Emergent, evangelism, evil deeds, faith, false prophet, false teacher, feelings, gladiator, Gloria Copeland, glory, God, Greg Boyd, hate, hell, Hindu, holy, homosexuality, Jesse Duplantis, Jesus, Jim Wallis, Joel Osteen, John, Juanita Bynum, judgment, Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, love, martyr, megachurch, mocking, Muslim, obvious, P.E.A.C.E. plan, Patmos, Paula White, persecution, radical, Rick Warren, righteous, Rob Bell, sawn in two, scourging, sin, stone, T.D. Jakes, Tony Campolo, torture, Voice of the Martyrs, wax, Willow Creek, world
In America today, there seems to be a horrible disconnect with the rest of the world concerning persecution. Many children and adults who grow up in the American church have no idea or understanding of what persecution really is. Sadly, many don’t even realize what is happening to Christians outside the U.S.
In America, we consider persecution to be when people attack us verbally for our beliefs. We see anti-Christian groups like the ACLU and various atheistic groups as persecutors when they try to get Christmas images removed or when they try to get “Under God” removed from our money. To many, persecution is covering up images of Moses in the government buildings in Washington, D.C. or it’s seeing our ability to speak out against issues like homosexuality or abortion slowly eroding away. For Americans, persecution is uncomfortable and disconcerting because it removes some of the things we take for granted or bursts our little bubble of warm fuzziness. Continue reading Arm Yourself – Persecution…
Does God Still Move Today?
August 24, 2009 at 4:40 pm | In Christianity | Leave a CommentTags: Assembly, ateasetees, Christian, clergy, ELCA, eternity, evangelism, forgiveness, God, hell, holy, homosexuality, Jesus, joy, just, life, Lutheran, priest, repent, righteous, salvation, sin, tornado
I am working on another Arm Yourself blog post about persecution, but I wanted to write a little bit about something that was brought up in a few places becasue of something that happened last week.
If you aren’t aware, last week the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) had its General Assembly for this year. During the meeting, the denomination was going to discuss and vote on whether or not practicing (i.e. not celebate) homosexuals should be allowed to be members of the clergy. The session in which this issue was going to be discussed was due to start at 2 PM Wednesday afternoon. Continue reading Does God Still Move Today?…
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