The Holier-Than-Thou Dilemma

Have you ever heard or said these words yourself? “Oh, I cannot understand God. Why would I seek a God I cannot see? Why would I want a God to help me who allows people to live through unbearable circumstances or horrific pain?”

Trusting God seems to be a cop-out.

“Not sure I really believe God is real even though I grew up going to church. Remember those Bible stories they told us in Sunday school? Who can believe them?”

Eve ate the wrong apple.

Noah built a very large boat for the flood God told him was supposed to come.

A Philistine giant didn’t see that rock coming that killed him.

Daniel was thrown into a den of lions yet lived to tell about it.

The problem here lies in our definition of what we believe Jesus can and cannot do.  Forget he is God on earth and everywhere all the time and is all-knowing.  Or that he was here before time began, created the earth and did it solo.

Yet we have the audacity to think he is incapable of doing that which we think we can? Even if we can’t, we aren’t quite sure we can leave him to his own merit or aptitude to do it either.

This sanctimonious haughtiness we indulge in is a result (only) of our independent self-reliance. We don’t need God nor do we need him to do it for us.

Remember your words of self-determination when the sky falls and Chicken Little is nowhere to be found to announce your impending doom.

If truth be told we know our limitations or boundaries but refuse to admit we were not born equipped to do that which only God can do, nor can we accept he did this on purpose.

Our false view of ourselves could be the outcome of an inner envy that we cannot do what God can.

While we question and analyze how we think God will accomplish the impossible, our own inadequacies and weaknesses are exposed.

Why not humble yourself, get on your wobbly knees and confess your need for his help.

After you have respectfully and meekly admitted your sin of pious, holier-than-thou self- efficiency, maybe, just maybe he will give you a hint of how he does the impossible.

Are you Angry? Grieved? If you aren’t, Maybe You should Be

What makes you angry? What makes you cry?

Road rage?
Your EX?
“Touched by an Angel?”
The new drum set the kid next door just bought?

Anger is zeal or wrath with the right focus. Whatever we permit will continue; good or bad.

Spewing verbal nonsense at your spouse for beating you at Spades might not be such a good idea.

Kicking the neighbor’s dog for using your yard as a bathroom might get you a visit from The Humane Society.

Through the ages great men and women hated/and or grieved certain issues so much they did what they could to change them.

Moses hated slavery.
David wasn’t too fond of a Philistine giant.
Solomon hated ignorance.
Paul hated legalism.

Albert Einstein hated the violin.

President Ronald Reagan told “Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall.”
Mother Theresa grieved over poverty.
Martin Luther King Jr. hated hate
Bono hates AIDS

Many issues today grieve me.  Some I hate. For instance:

How the church is being persecuted.
I grieve over abortion, those deceived into homosexuality, injustice.
I hate human trafficking, violence and crime; abuse, dictatorships and bullying.
I hate the possible results of drunk driving.
I grieve over orphans, the homeless and sick; war, starving people, and the terminally ill.
I grieve for those who are depressed, addicted, heartbroken or suicidal; oppressed, innocent and downtrodden.
I absolutely hate cigarettes. And raspberries.
I hate/grieve over what is happening to our nation.

I grieve over the pain and agony Jesus suffered for me.

 

Miraculous changes are often the result of motivated God fearing anger.

Healing of the wounded or afflicted can be end products of the fire of a grieving heart.

So, you ask,

“What can I do about this?”

Ask God.

If God wants any of us to act, he will equip us to fulfill his calling.

Mark 6:46: “And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.”

If we are unable to physically deliver on a need, then pray. Pray and pray some more.

It works.

Who knows. Maybe we can change the world. 

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Copyright @ 2013 All Rights Reserved

The Agressors of Arrogance

Traveling the same road for years to the store are some areas that have taken a hit as far as progress goes. As if time stands still many houses are old and run-down. Most likely families have remained never moving anywhere else. This is the deep- south where life is slower; people are generational but true to their heritage.

One particular house has always caused me to look a little deeper.

With white painted wood on the outside, it is rather dilapidated and old. It has potential, but definitely needs a lot of TLC. The structure isn’t what catches the eye but the front yard.

A chain linked fence that once use to go around the house is bent and partially gone. Covering the fence is a massive dead tree uprooted from the ground. The limbs extend over much of the yard revealing the demise was long before we arrived 6 years ago.

The size of this tree is so large the culprit that took it down had to have been a tornado or most likely a hurricane that blew in from the coast.  No one has made any effort to remove it even though it is an eyesore.  Who knows if it was too costly or a reminder of days past; whatever the reason I am always curious as to the story behind it.

Driving past it yesterday I sensed the evil that extracted the roots of such a colossal plant. Power so strong the ground probably shook when it fell.

However on either side of this plot of land home to this ugly dead tree, was an upgrade of life.  A few flowers here and there, with some shrubs or plants lining the area.  Not a huge bump of landscape but enough to notice.

God reminded me of David and Goliath.

David: The Bible Mini-series

David, the unlikely aggressor took to the stage of the Philistine’s mockery and came out swinging.  Unafraid, the sheep herder picked up stones and vowed to end this 40 day display of arrogance & taunting.

David didn’t look at the Philistine. He set his gaze beyond the giant and saw his God.

Placing his faith in the God of Israel, he knew before he threw the stones the fight was already over.  The Philistine and his armored militia never saw the curtain fall on their bad acting.

Just like the ugly dead tree, God surrounds evil with his good. The appearance of a “shroud of doom” covering our land, are the “David’s” who are resting in the shadow of the Almighty waiting to trample the great lion and the serpent.

We as Christians must do as David did and look past, over, around or under the destruction that blocks our way.  What we see is temporary; what is unseen is eternal.

 We have the same God David did.  

2 Chronicles 20: 15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”

No matter how many “Goliath’s” are out there, God is bigger than all of them.  Trust him to give you a sling shot and the ability to carry out his purposes.

What are you waiting for? Go find your rocks.

http://samuelatgilgal.wordpress.com/2013/07/10/bearers-of-light/

http://theteentheme.wordpress.com/2013/07/10/i-believe/

Copyright @ 2013 All Rights Reserved

The Latest in Stupid

Heil halfwit: Greek soccer player gets lifetime ban after Nazi salute

He claims he didn’t know what it meant and wouldn’t have done it had he known.

Teen shoots himself in the groin, blames suspiciously unsubtle ninjas

The truth was he has “gang” ties. He was in the car playing with the gun when it discharged.

The choices or decisions we make often come back to haunt us.

Or end our careers.

Or land us in the hospital from a self-inflicted accidental wound.

Consequences may not show up for days, weeks or years but it is one thing in life you can count on. Repercussions don’t just go away.

Then there are those desperately stupid choices like:

Robber in bank in New York only gets away with lollipops.

The robber handed the teller a note and told her he had a bomb. She told him to fill out a withdrawal slip and he ran away but not before grabbing a bunch of lollipops from the bowl on the counter.

Watching the first two episodes of the mini-series “The Bible” again yesterday before the new one began at 8pm, I was struck with the absolute stubborn foolishness of Pharaoh. His refusal to “let God’s people go” was in an all-out effort to prove he was God himself.

I can’t believe he was illiterate or incompetent; unwise and thoughtless? YES.
Reckless and arrogant? YES. Cruel and heartless. YES.

His obstinate and pig-headed decisions initiated the ruin and downfall of Egypt and the loss of many lives including his first born son. So much for thinking our judgments don’t affect those around us.

The Walls of Jericho surrounded the Canaanite’s who inhabited the “Promised Land” of the Israelites. Before God sent Joshua in with his army to take it over, word had reached Canaan of “the God of Israel” and his power. They were filled with fear and yet they fought against them and lost.  What should they have done?

The Philistines persistent and inflexible desire to control and annihilate the Jews was met with the muscles of Samson, “The Nazarite.”  This fatal determination incensed him to the point of exerting his wrath on any of them who crossed his path. Having been chosen by God, his strength was unmatched.

Judges 16:30 “Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.”

In the end, he killed nearly 3,000 enemies of Israel.

Who can forget the senseless and jealous acts of King Saul? As David, a shepherd boy killed the giant Philistine, he gained the love and adoration of Saul’s kingdom. He became an ardent swordsman in the army of the Lord. Saul was overcome with envy of David’s success and popularity; so much so it all but drove him mad. And I don’t mean just angry. Saul went mental.

Instead of embracing the love David had for him and the position God had crowned him with, Saul allowed his emotions to get in the way of living as a wise King.  He also put many including his own family members in harm’s way. He died a broken king due to his own idiocy.

The ages have not changed much. Stubbornness and unyielding pride remain in the forefront of society.

Whether it be an evil salute or suspicious ninjas we have not outgrown the vanity of an egotistical Egyptian leader or the smugness of a Philistine army.

When will we ever learn?

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http://vineoflife.net/2013/03/18/understanding-redemption/

http://johnadavid.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/c-s-lewis-daily-63/

http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/2013/03/17/as-we-seek-to-be-closer-to-him/

Copyright @ 2013 All Rights Reserved

An Advocate for “Nihilism?”

The description of “nihilism” has been thrashed about by well-meaning but mis-guided individuals who claim to know Jesus. As we sit back and do nothing but hide behind the facades of reality, we are pinned up on a cork board of the intellects of religious modernism.

The radical idea of our freedom to bear arms is a counterfeit to our pro-life stance; this written as they protest the evils of war as if to stand unarmed defenseless.

Maybe they should borrow David’s slingshot.  Didn’t he fight against the Philistine with God’s blessing?

Had Israel not continued to fight, the lineage of Jesus would not exist. It is almost an insult to God to believe otherwise.

The following blog-post caught my attention last night. And then I exploded.

http://pubtheologian.com/2012/12/17/christianity-gun-violence-the-nihilism-of-mike-huckabee/

After this theologian of modernistic behavior or whatever he claims to be blatantly called out Governor Huckabee for his stance on guns, he twisted it around other issues.

How can you believe in guns and be pro-life?

How can you justify what that madman did?

He called those of us who believe “God has been taken out of schools” had nothing to do with what the shooter did, as “nihilism.”  In other words a façade to cover up the real issues; or ignore them such as “Gun control.”

Luke 22:36 “He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.”

He seems to like that word “nihilism.” He defined the 1980 Secretary of the Interior as one for his “lack of interest in environmental concerns since Jesus is returning soon.” What?

This was the kicker. “Christians who believe in Pro-life yet glorify in the culture of death, worshipping the altar of violence and pledge allegiance to arms” and so on and so on. His words are sickening.

He had the wrong person read that post. My fierce guardianship and protection of our Armed forces will not allow me to keep my mouth shut when one such coward spews his hate for those who gave/give him the freedom to speak!

His jugular points are nothing but notably negative deceptions; he has postmarked many Christians into a “box” full of useless paper ads. To be honest, I am not sure which side he is on.

His barrage of defilement towards Christians is somewhat questionable; especially to one who may be secular. The use of the words “many” or “refuse” or “versions” of Christianity he displays would do nothing more than confuse a non-believer.

However, it is indisputable his efforts to claim Governor Huckabee as a gun-toting, bomb throwing junkie who happens to be a Preacher on the side. I am no Preacher, but he may as well add my name to his list of Huckabee wanna bees…….as he so specifically spelled out we sanction for preemptive wars, and remain quiet as we drop  bombs on innocent people.

To ease my infuriated soul while writing him a nasty reply, I cordially and “largely” invited him to come to our Air Force base. Spelling out the necessities of our heroes who have and do fight daily for him to spew his anti-military hate, I advised him we do live behind a bomb site. I thought he needed to be aware that I have confiscated some of those unused bombs to do just as he said; drop on innocent heads…I won’t say it.

As an addition to my speech to Mr. Snider I made it clear how safe I feel living here. I can only imagine the amount of ammo/weapons stashed.

His agenda that most Christians are “environmentally challenged war mongers” is not in my Bible.

So, where did he get his Theology? It must be “nihilism.”

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/12/18/stop-school-shootings-by-letting-teachers-fire-back-say-texas-officials/

http://vineoflife.net/2012/12/18/a-voice-was-heard-in-ramah-a-voice-was-heard-in-newtown-connecticut/

http://www.examiner.com/article/arming-teachers-worked-for-israel-and-thailand?cid=rss

http://vineoflife.net/2012/12/16/could-connecticut-school-shooting-wake-up-the-church-in-new-england/

P. S.  He was referenced by the LGBT community for his support of Gay rights after a speech he gave August 13, 2012. I guess he hasn’t read Leviticus 18:22 “You shall not lie with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination.”