Redemptively Different

“We can’t engineer God’s transcendent presence; we can only fall on our faces and beg for it.  In fact, we rob this world of the opportunity to see God high and lifted up – above and beyond us – when we try to program him and fit him into contemporary categories of ‘cool.’  When the size of God grips us more than the size of our churches and leadership conferences, and when we become obsessed with surrendering our lives to God’s sovereign presence, only then we will be redemptively different and serve as God’s cosmic change agents in a world yearning for change.”

Tullian Tchividjian , Unfashionable - Page 18

Obama’s Faith and the Beam in Our Own Eye

Did you hear that the President is really a Muslim?  No, really – he is!  Glenn Beck told me so  or maybe it was Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity?  Or could it have been Rick Santorum?  Wait, perhaps it was some other tea party celebrity or even one of those evangelical talking heads that appear to speak for all evangelicals when they appear on the Sunday news programs…  But, whatever the source, it must be true because so many people believe it…

Wait, I know the President says he is a Christian.  He even claims to pray regularly.  However, didn’t he go to that really radical church with that crazy pastor who wanted God to condemn America – that’s even if he actually attended church at all.  He’s a pro-choice, liberal democrat who spent his days reading Sal Alinsky while walking the streets of the inner city supposedly engaged in community organizing – whatever that means.  He’s not even a moderate Republican.  The guy just can’t be a true believer.

Oh yes, the liberals really hate it when we say things like that, don’t they!  Folks in our postmodern world think words and labels only mean what they want them to mean.  So, they don’t like it when we Conservative Evangelicals have the audacity to state that when you say you are a Christian, that actually means something!  You just can’t be something merely by calling yourself something.  Words have meanings!  People get all upset when we dare question the President’s faith.  The mainstream (or lame-stream media as I like to call them) can’t stand it when real Christians begin to stand up for their beliefs and even suggest that in order to be a Christian you have to believe and act like a Christian!

What’s that? Well, of course I’m a Christian!  Yes, it’s true that I don’t really attend church all that regularly, but you just don’t know my work schedule.  The Bible?  I’ve got one somewhere around here…  I love it with all my heart.  No, I can’t remember the last time I read it…  What about my lifestyle?  Listen, buddy, you can’t judge me!  The Bible says that you can’t judge.  “Judge not!” it says.  Where does it say that?  I don’t know.  It’s in there somewhere!  I’ve heard it before.  You have no right to be questioning my faith like that…

Show Me His Birth Certificate and I’ll Give Him My Vote…

Just A Thought on the Death of Whitney Houston

Whenever a celebrity dies, there are those who cannot wait to pontificate and announce their condemnation of said celebrity to eternal damnation as a warning to all.  I am far from certain that Whitney Houston walking through the pearly gates right now, but I do not see the need to pile on more dirt on the woman’s grave.

Of the dirt-slinging pontifications mentioned above has been the criticism of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.  Governor Christie decided to lower the flags of his state to half-mast recognizing the death of the New jersey-born singer.   Immediately on facebook photos of flag draped coffins appeared claiming that to honor Houston was to dishonor the troops.  Really?  While I abhor the cult of celebrity that plagues our country, I  just can’t see one state honoring a woman (albeit a troubled woman) who entertained millions with her music as a huge slap in the face to our soldiers.  (For the record, I am not a fan of this music)

Anyway, among these pictures I also noticed a friend’s facebook status that I thought was dead-on.  My friend John Cobbett-Walden wrote this status after talking about this subject with his wife Cathy -

I really can’t stand the updates which essentially said “if your sad about whitney Houston’s death then you hate the troops”, but it wasn’t until last night that Cathy helped me realize why. First, it’s sad when people die, and early death from addiction is all the more tragic. Add to that the pivotal role that music plays memory and emotion and you realize it would be weird if people weren’t upset. Secondly, these so called troop supporters aren’t being genuine. They weren’t posting “how can anyone care about the Super Bowl when troops are dying” and yet far more people invested far more time, money, and status updates on the Super Bowl. (Used with permission)

Again, I’m not for the cult of celebrity obsession that over-emphasizes the importance of certain people (and I’m convinced this cult is one of the factors in Houston’s death), but I’m also not in favor of hypocritical arrogance.   We should be praying for this woman’s family, learning from her mistakes (yes, we can call it what is – sin), and mourning the loss of a talented life.  Gloating is just not a Christian virtue.

Well, this was just one of the many thoughts I have about this situation, but the only one I’ll share here for now.  Trying to learn that not every thought I have is worth plastering all over the internet…

This and That 02-18-12

Let’s Have More Worship Wars – What if the young singles complained that the drums are too loud, that they’re distracting the senior adults? What if the elderly people complained that the church wasn’t paying attention to the new movements in songwriting or musical style? – Russell Moore

 

A Gospel for Losers of Whom I am Chief

Here is my latest column for the Word on the Street – the official Rock County Christian School newspaper.  This is the special Thompsonian Times blog edition.  My printed column is limited to 200 words, which I found especially difficult this month.  So, for my faithful blog readers, you get the full way-over-200-word edition!

Have you ever just felt like you match up to those around you?  I have, many times.

My three best friends in high school often left me feeling inferior.  They were good friends and they never meant to make me feel this way, but I never quite measured up to where they were at.  They were extremely intelligent; I was barely passing Algebra.  When we sang in chapel, their voices blended together in part harmony while I bellowed out sounds that resembled something like the cry of a wounded dog.  They were popular and well liked; I was literally laughed at once when I asked a girl out to our Christmas banquet.

Even still today I feel inadequate at times.  Every week at church I listen to sermons from my pastor that I struggle to understand even though I have a Bible college degree!  We have some great guys in our church who are smarter than me, better workers than me and for more younger than me…  Its embarrassing sometimes.

However, because of all my many shortcomings, I do have one advantage.  All of this allows me to have a deeper appreciation of the gospel of Jesus.  The message of the gospel is that I am nothing, but Christ is everything.  That’s great news for a guy like me. I can be nothing, no problem!  Often the gospel is hindered by prideful men with egos and accomplishments that hide their sin and nothingness.

Instead of running away from my inadequacies, I chose to embrace them in the warm glow of the cross for they lead me to greater trust and greater dependence upon Jesus.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me – II Corinthians 12:9

This and That – 02-11-12

About Any Claim of A Word from God- There is no such thing as aword from God that iserroneous. If a word affirms error, it is not God who is speaking (Num. 23:19; Jn. 17:17;Tit. 1:2; Heb. 6: 18)…  There is no such thing as a word from God that is not absolutely morally-binding (Deut. 18:19; Jn. 15:22). This absolute obligation is all-encompassing: if God tells us to act or refrain from acting, we must comply; if God tells us to think or believe, we must agree. I sin equally if I fail to love my wife (Eph. 5:25), and if I fail to refrain from committing adultery (Rom. 13:9) — but I also sin if I do not believe that Christ is God (Jn. 1:1) and that He became flesh (v. 14). – Dan Phillips

Joel Osteen Addresses Accusations of Teaching ‘Watered-Down Christianity’ – “I think, for years, people have been pushed down by religion, and I don’t say that disrespectfully, but they’ve been shown a God that you can’t measure up to,” the Texas pastor told the crowd, according to the Hawaii News Now.  ”And so, my goal is to make God good and let them know, hey, I tell them all the time, God’s smiling down on you right now. You’re his child. He’s got a great plan for your life. You can overcome mistakes, and to me, that draws people TO God,” he continued, adding as the crowd cheered: “You are victors, not victims!” – The Christian Post

4 Myths People Want to Believe About Social Media- Myth #4: “I don’t have time for social media, I have more important things to do.”  Really? What are you doing that is more important than staying connected with the other human beings in your life? What are you doing that’s taking all of your time and making you so antisocial? Please tell me it doesn’t involve hiding ammo underground! Don’t you have 10-20 minutes a day you could use to share with other people? Do you really have zippo spare time?

President Horton Announces Retirement – Pensacola Christian College Founder and President Arlin Horton has announced his retirement effective May 10, 2012, concluding 38 years of exceptional leadership at Pensacola Christian College and 58 years at Pensacola Christian Academy. Below is the announcement he shared with the PCC student body on
February 7.

Before the Dawn

Ben Everson is one of my favorite singer/songwriters.  I love listening to the harmony of his 1-man quartet A Capella music.  The video above is taken from his latest album.  Check out his website at www.beneverson.com.

My Postings at the RCCS Chapel Blog

This week I will be posting over at the Rock County Christian School Chapel Blog. This is our Spiritual Emphasis Week featuring daily devotionals from yours truly along with chapel messages (including one panel discussion) feature local pastors. You can access this blog here – http://spiritualemphasis.wordpress.com.

The Power of Sin

Just a few minutes ago I was writing about the topic of temptation.  As I wrote, this illustration from John Piper concerning the real power of sin can racing to my mind:

No, you don’t need to experiment with particular sins in order to know the power of sin in your life. Think of it this way. Someone says: How can you really know the power of the temptation to lust – say to look at Internet nudity – if you’ve never given in and experienced it? Let me give an answer in a parable. There are three men – women, you supply the necessary changes to make the parable fit your situation – and each of the three stands beside a pit of lewdness and sin. Three ropes extend out of the pit, one bound around each man’s waist. The strength of this narrow cord is one-hundred-pound test.

The first man begins to be pulled into the pit that looks exciting, but that he knows is deadly. Five pounds of pressure, ten pounds, fifteen pounds. He resists and fights back. Twenty pounds, twenty-five. He digs in his heels with all his might. Thirty pounds, thirty-five pounds, and the rope starts to squeeze and he stops resisting and jumps in. Click goes the mouse button.

The second man begins to be pulled into the pit. Five pounds of pressure, ten pounds, fifteen pounds. He resists and fights back. Twenty pounds, twenty-five pounds. He digs in his heels. Thirty pounds, thirty-five pounds, and the rope starts to squeeze. He says, No! and fights back. Forty pounds, forty-five pounds, fifty pounds, fifty-five pounds. It’s harder to breathe as the rope tightens around his stomach and it begins to hurt. Sixty pounds, and he stops resisting and jumps into the pit. Click.

The third man begins to be pulled into the pit. Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five pounds of pressure. He resists and fights back. Thirty, thirty-five, forty, and the rope starts to squeeze. He says, No! and fights back. Fifty pounds, sixty. It’s harder to breathe as the rope tightens around his stomach and begins to hurt. Seventy pounds and his feet start to slip toward the pit. He cries out for help, and reaches out to grab a branch – shaped like a cross. In the distance he sees his wife going about her business, trusting him; he sees his children playing, and in their hearts admiring him. And beyond them all, he sees Jesus Christ with a gash in his side standing, with both hands lifted and fists clenched and smiling. And filled with passion, the third man holds fast. Seventy-five, eighty, eighty-five pounds, and the rope cuts into his sides and the pain stabs. Ninety, ninety-five and the tears flow unbidden down his cheeks. One hundred and the rope snaps. No click.

Question: which of these men knows the full power of temptation?

If this were a message on lust I would look around this room and say, “Are there any soldiers here? Does anyone in this room have blood on his shirt and scars on his side? Do you know the power of temptation? Or do you just jump in before its power is spent?”

But this is not a message on lust. And all I am doing right now is answering the objection that the only or the best way to know your sin is to give into temptation and experiment with sin and taste the pit. Not true.

So I have only made one point from verse 7 so far. And that’s all I am going to make today, namely, it’s important for us to know our sin. Know your sin! This is Paul’s first defense of the Law. He says, The Law is not sin! On the contrary, the Law helps me know my sin. And this knowing is a holy thing. This knowing my sin is a righteous thing. This knowing my sin and my self as a sinner is a good thing. A precious thing. A caring, loving thing. That’s my point this morning.

Read the whole sermon here - http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/the-importance-of-knowing-our-sin