Shepherd Press Blog

Children and Money - part 3

2010-03-09T23:27:31Z

Of what does life consist?

We are looking at Christ's teaching in Luke 12 on possessions and money. In the last post we looked at verses 13-15 of this chapter. Christ makes a dramatic observation to a man who was quarreling with his brother about his inheritance. He says that one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. This was a counter cultural proposition then--and it certainly still is now in the 21^st century! But Jesus does not leave us hanging with that statement. He tells a parable to go along with his teaching to the man in the crowd. In the gospels, a parable is a literary device used to underscore a particular truth. The point of a parable is to make the teaching memorable so that it can be easily recalled. In the next five verses, Jesus does exactly that. He gives us a vivid--even shocking--word picture of a man who did think that life consisted of the abundance of his possessions. Also, we are shown the alternative--being rich towards God.

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Let's take a look at this parable:

¹⁶And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, ¹⁷and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' ¹⁸And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' ²⁰But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' ²¹So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."

Remember the immediate context. This parable elaborates on the truth that life does not consist in the abundance of one's possessions. Christ begins by talking about a rich land owner who had an abundant crop. Anyone who knows anything about farming knows that abundant harvests are no accident. This rich man had planned wisely and worked hard. He was rewarded with a plentiful harvest. The harvest was so successful that he had inadequate space to store what he had reaped. After a bit of reasoning he hit upon a plan. He would tear down the barns that were too small to hold this bounty and build bigger barns in their place. The wisdom of this plan seems obvious. With his new storage facilities he will protect his harvest and benefit from the profits for many years into the future. He has worked hard and made good decisions; building bigger barns will secure his financial future. Verse 19 indicates that this man is quite pleased with himself.

So, what is not to like? He made a wise investment with his land. He had an abundant crop. He chose to protect his harvest carefully so that it would provide for him for many years. He is now ready to kick back and enjoy life. This has every appearance of being a wise plan. He may even decide to give generously to his church. After all, now that he has acquired savings, he is able to give.

However, Christ has a radically different evaluation. To say his response is unexpected is an understatement. Look at verse 20:

But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?'

Fool?!!

Fool is a strong word. The biblical word does not carry the meaning that we give to it in our culture. The Psalms tell us that the fool has said in his heart that there is no God. Recall from Luke 16 that what is highly valued by men is detestable in God's sight. The problem with our rich landowner was that he planned as if there were no God. He had forgotten that it is God who blesses the labors of man. His harvest was bountiful because God had caused it to be so. He had also forgotten that he must be oriented to God's commands and not his personal well-being. He had made something that was a good thing into the ultimate thing. The Bible commends hard work and wise planning. But these good things must be done from the perspective of being a stranger in a foreign land. This life is not all there is!

This parable is addressing a man who demanded fair treatment. He appealed to Jesus that he be treated fairly by his brother. But In response, Jesus uses this parable to confront the man with his faulty thinking. His priorities were wrong! His first priority should have been to be rich toward God. Living for the moment, for this life, is what Jesus calls "laying up treasure for yourself." To live this way is to live as a fool--to live as one who does not know God. In the parable, Christ acknowledges that the man had "earned" his possessions. But his mistake was in thinking that his earnings were his to do with as he pleased. He forgot that his life was in God's hands. As Jesus says, what was his would belong to someone else by morning.

So Jesus is urging the man who was worried about his inheritance to first consider being rich towards God. He is warning him not to be concerned about building personal wealth at the expense of being rich towards God. Let these words of Christ sink in. They are truly counter-cultural. Today, even Christians have bought into the thinking of the rich fool. Many believe that one must first save in order to give. That is not Christ's message in this chapter.

One good way to examine your own perspective is to look at the attitude of your children toward their own "possessions." Do your children live for the acquisition of Legos, MP3s, or spring clothes? If they do, they are following the thinking of the rich fool. They are thinking that life consists of the abundance of possessions.

So, what does it mean to be rich towards God? We will look at this in the next post.

Teaching your Children about Money - part 2

2010-03-04T18:19:29Z

Life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.

Financial security is one of life's universal concerns. So it is not surprising that the issue of financial security was raised to Jesus by a worried Israelite. A man had a dispute with his brother about an inheritance he thought was due him. He asks Jesus to settle the dispute. But the response that Jesus gives is not what the man was expecting. Instead of issuing a ruling or giving a formula by which to settle the dispute, Jesus uses the opportunity to warn the man and the crowd around them about the dangers of covetousness. At first glance, Jesus' reply seems to be a strong reaction to this man's request--he is just concerned about his financial future and well being. But remember, this is the Lord of heaven and earth speaking. Christ knew this man's heart. He knew there was a larger issue to be addressed. Here is the text in Luke 12:13-15 that records this encounter:

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This conversation took place in the context of the travel narrative of Luke's gospel, when Jesus was traveling back to Jerusalem before his crucifixion. Crowds were following him and his disciples along the road. We know that the crowd comprised at least the Pharisees, tax collectors and sinners, as well as his disciples. So Christ took this opportunity to address the crowd as well. They heard the question that was asked. The Pharisees would have been particularly interested in his answer, because money issues were a consuming passion for them. Later on during this same journey, Luke describes the Pharisees as those who loved money (Luke 16:13-15). It is during this interchange that Jesus adds a strong and stinging commentary about the Pharisees' love affair with money: Christ says that what is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight!

Thus, in Luke 12, Christ is also speaking directly to those Pharisees who were in the crowd. He specifically warns the man worrying about his inheritance that he has missed what is really valuable in life. Christ warns the man and the crowd about covetousness because life is not about the accumulation of possessions, including money.

If this was true 2,000 years ago, along a dusty road in Palestine, it is certainly true today in a culture obsessively driven to acquire material comfort. Here is the important point to teach to your children - money is a possession. It is a commodity. This culture believes that the more of this commodity one possesses, the better his life will be. This theme would have played well with the Pharisees and the man who asked Jesus about his inheritance. But Jesus is announcing a different set of values. Life does not revolve around acquiring possessions. That is not what life consists of. In the following verses Christ teaches about what is important in life. But for now, consider how striking these words are.

The man that Christ rebukes is not coming to him with worries about how to win the lottery. He believes he has been treated unfairly and that financial stability is being taken from him. His confidence is in this inheritance. He believes that inheritance is rightfully his. His confidence for the future is based upon gaining this inheritance. Jesus knows that is what is in his heart. So, he explains that his life, his security, does not consist in the abundance of his possessions or in the amount of his inheritance.

Your children are the targets of sophisticated, well financed advertising campaigns that have one unifying, constant message--life does consist in the abundance of possessions, including money. Christ is not condemning wealth in this passage. Rather he is condemning reliance upon wealth as security in life. Christ is saying that there is no security in the acquisition of wealth. A number of years ago I heard Tedd Tripp connect this passage in Luke 12 with I Timothy 6:17-19. In Timothy, Paul does not condemn wealth per se. What he warns against is trusting in wealth. Paul's message in Timothy is the same as Jesus' message in Luke 12. Paul urges his readers to take hold of life that is truly life. By implication, a life that is built upon the acquisition of possessions is not life at all.

This concept gives you something concrete to discuss with your children. Life is not made better by having more Legos or matchbox cars or sneakers or iPods.

Jesus does not stop with the pronouncement that life does not consist of the abundance of possessions. Over the next several verses he elaborates upon what true riches are, and we will look at these words closely. But for now, consider the radical reminder of Christ's words to this man and the crowd. May we examine our own lives to see if our lives consist in the abundant of our possessions.

Teaching Your Children about Money

2010-03-03T05:59:05Z

Money seems to be on everyone's mind these days. There are fears and concerns about the economy that are constant topics of talk radio and cable news. Your children will undoubtedly hear some of these concerns as they listen to adults who listen to television, radio and the search the internet. In the midst of all the concerns about money and wealth it is a good idea to help your kids develop a biblical worldview about these subjects. One good place to start to do this is Chapter 12 of Luke's gospel. Here is an excerpt:

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¹³Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." ¹⁴But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?" ¹⁵And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." ¹⁶And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, ¹⁷and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' ¹⁸And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' ²⁰But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' ²¹So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."

²²And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. ²³For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. ²⁴Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! ²⁵And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? ²⁶If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? ²⁷Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! ²⁹And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. ³⁰For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

These two portions of this chapter contain Christ's own teaching about the value of money and how anxiety regarding money can is counterproductive to seeking the kingdom of God. Please read this passage carefully in preparation for the next post.

Olympic Glory - or not

2010-02-24T16:48:42Z

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games are in their final week. The performances have once again been tributes to the skill and dedication of those who participate in the games. The sacrifice has been huge. As the numerous NBC personal vignettes testify, many of these athletes have given their whole lives to reach for Olympic glory. It is a heady goal to be acknowledged as the best in the world--to win the gold medal. For many at the games, it is enough just participate in the Olympics, to compete with the best, even if they don't win the gold. The glory of the Olympics compels these athletes as well. But there is a problem with pursuing Olympic glory. In the pursuit of medals there is the danger of making this pursuit the most important goal in life. You see, the Living God has demanded of man that He be most important in our lives. It is the pursuit of God's glory that is to dominate human life. That is what people were designed to be: pursuers of the glory of God. Romans 1:21-32 addresses this very issue.

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This Romans passage explains what happens when the glory of God is exchanged for the glory of something else.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened... Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. Romans 1:21;24-25

When the pursuit of God's glory is not at the center of one's life, sexual immorality will eventually follow. The Olympics demonstrate the truth of Paul's words. Note this headline from the MSNBC website on February 17^th, entitled:

Cold days, hot nights: Olympic Village secrets - For greatest athletes on earth, flirting comes naturally

The article goes on to explain its headline:

Inevitably, some athletes get beyond flirting. That's why the Vancouver organizers have laid in a stock of 100,000 condoms, which works out to 14 for each of the 7,000 athletes, coaches, trainers and officials housed in the Games' two villages. (Apparently, skiing, skating and sliding aren't the only activities at which Olympians excel.)

The distribution of free condoms at the Olympics goes back at least to 1992 and Barcelona. In 2000, Sydney organizers thought that 70,000 would be enough. They were wrong and had to send out for 20,000 more. Beijing also ordered 100,000 condoms with an Olympic motto: Faster, higher, stronger.

This is not pleasant reading. Frankly, it turns my stomach. But if we and our children are going to watch the Olympics and admire the performances of these athletes, it is essential that we think about these performances in the context of God and the glory that is rightfully his. Attaining athletic excellence, or any other type of excellence, does not give man the right to live as he pleases. The headlong pursuit of glory and human excellence apart from the glory of God is exchanging the truth for a lie. It will result in immorality. In the MSNBC article there is no hint of alarm or concern about the sexual sins being committed in the Olympic village. Indeed, the International Olympic Committee has accepted--and even endorsed--this behavior by supplying condoms to the athletes.

Colossians 2:8 warns against being taken captive by things which depend upon deceptive human tradition. The fascination with the extraordinary accomplishments of Olympic athletes is a subtle way this captivity can take place. The stark reality is that we are watching many young men and women whose pursuit of Olympic glory is leading them straight to hell. We can certainly be impressed by the level of excellence these young people have achieved. But we do them and our children a huge disservice if we stop there. May we as Christians, who alone know what it means to live for God's glory, be moved with alarm and compassion at the way our society has embraced and honors sexual sin. The medals these athletes have won or hope to win will be of no value when they stand before God and are confronted with their sin of exchanging the glory of God for a lie.

Here is yet another opportunity to follow God's instruction in Deuteronomy 6 to talk about him to our children in all that we do.

Herein Is Love

2010-02-22T15:57:03Z

Shepherd Press is grateful for the enthusiastic response to the interview with Nancy Ganz and the special offer for the set of the Herein Is Love commentaries. Because of this response we have decided to extend the sale through this Wednesday, February 24.

This set is a tool that will enable parents to carry out God's instruction in Deuteronomy 6 to impress the Word of God on the hearts of their children. Why not let others know about this offer, available through Wednesday? This series is a wonderful way for families to start teaching their children about the riches of God's word.

As an added incentive, from now through Wednesday you may order up to three sets of commentaries. So, if you would like to purchase a set for friends, children or grandchildren, you now have this opportunity. For those of you who have already ordered a set, you may order the extra sets as well.

Here is how to take advantage of this offer:

All four volumes of Herein Is Love will be available at a special price from now until Wednesday, February 24. Here are the specific instructions to take advantage of this special:

The coupon code for the set is JYGANZ4.

The special price for this set of 4 volumes is $29.95! That's $16 off the usual set price, or $23 off the price for all four books sold separately.

You may need to be logged into the website for the coupon code to work!

To enter the coupon code, add the Herein is Love Set to your shopping cart. Click "View Cart" on the right side of your screen. At the bottom of the shopping cart page is a field titled "Redeem a discount coupon." Enter the coupon code there and click "Submit." Then proceed with the checkout process.

This is a limited time offer. Up to three sets per customer.

Nancy Ganz Interview - Part 4

2010-02-21T04:52:31Z

This post concludes our interview with Nancy Ganz, author of Herein Is Love, a set of Bible commentaries designed specifically for children. We believe this series is unique, with thoroughly biblical material presented in a warm, flowing narrative. Parents, teachers, and children will gain fresh insights into the biblical texts, insights that will impact everyday life. If you have ever wondered how to make the Bible come alive to your children and to yourself, Herein is Love will do just that.

Shepherd Press is offering the set of all four commentaries for $29.95. The details of this special can be found at the end of interview questions in this post.

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Jay Younts: We tend to look at the first books of the Bible as dry academic history. By contrast, your prose in retelling these stories is both lively and conversational. Why is this important for children?

Nancy Ganz: God imparts biblical history to us, not in a dry academic way, but through the exciting lives of real people. God's truth is revealed to us in a very stimulating way--in peoples' stories. There are some dry facts communicated too (such as long lists of numbers in the book called Numbers) but this never lasts very long. One time in Russia, my husband and I were having a tour of the Jewish Ghetto that was liquidated in WWII. The historian was imparting to us historical facts: lists of the numbers of people exterminated in different places and the dates when the massacres took place. At the end of the tour I asked the man to recount for us his personal story of that terrible time. At first he refused, saying it was unimportant. I contradicted him and said his personal memories were of utmost importance to me and to the world. I do not remember a single statistic that he told us, but I remember his story almost word for word. That is how God has imparted historical information to us--in the midst of exciting stories. This is not just important for children. It is important for all of us!

JY: This may be a hard question to answer, but do you have a favorite of the books you have written so far?

NG: This is the easiest question to answer--Genesis.

JY: Genesis coves a huge sweep of redemptive history. But the next 4 books slow down the historical clock and focus on the life of Moses. Why do you think Moses is such an important part of these first Bible books?

NG: In the last four books of the Pentateuch (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy) Moses is the main character ... aside from God, of course. Moses is the one, humanly speaking, who leads the people of God out of Egypt, through the wilderness for forty years, to the border of the Promised Land.

JY: And as a follow up, what are the things about Moses' life that children should seek to imitate, and what are some examples of things they should learn to avoid from Moses.

NG: I don't think I would ever encourage children to imitate Moses. Jesus is our great example. However, Moses was a man who lived by faith and in that sense, we too should live by faith. Moses bore witness to the Truth and to the Savior--and so should we. Moses was not perfect; he was flawed--and so are we. That is why we all must look to Christ! A great man of faith like Moses or the smallest sweetest child you can imagine--everyone must look to Christ and trust in Christ to be saved.

JY: There are number of ways that this series can be used to teach the Bible to children. One important use, I believe, is to encourage the practice of family worship. Would you agree? Do you know of families using your books as a resource for family worship, and, if so, what is their feedback?

NG: Yes and yes, I do know of families who read a portion of Scripture and then read to their children what I have written about the passage. They find this instructive for all.

JY: Perhaps you could comment on why family worship is so important, especially in our modern culture.

NG: Family worship entails reading a passage of God's Word, perhaps reading a commentary about that passage, praying to God and singing praises to God. Reading together ANYTHING is a wonderful activity for a family! Reading the Bible is the most wonderful of all. Praying as a family--what could be more crucial than that activity? And a family singing together every day/night--not just a few Christmas Carols on Christmas Eve but daily praising God together in song--that is an amazing thing to do in this world filled with sorrow and pressure and trouble of every kind. The birds sing praises to God every single day. So should we. Somebody should do a study to see if singing praises to God prevents cancer. I can't think of anything more important than all of these activities in a culture that forgets God. If your child goes to public school, the day will pass and God will not even be mentioned, except as a curse word by teachers and students. Let God be mentioned in your homes with reverence. Read His Word. Pray to Him earnestly. And sing His praises forever.

JY: Nancy, thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions. And thank you for this wonderful series. May God use it mightily for his Glory!

Blog Special

All four volumes of Herein Is Love will be available at a special price from now until Monday, February 22. Here are the specific instructions to take advantage of this special:

The coupon code for the set is JYGANZ4.

The special price for this set of 4 volumes is $29.95! That's $16 off the usual set price, or $23 off the price for all four books sold separately.

You may need to be logged into the website for the coupon code to work!

This is a limited time offer. One set per customer.

Nancy Ganz Interview - Part 3

2010-02-19T23:30:16Z

Why teach your children about Leviticus?

Today we continue our interview with Nancy Ganz, author of Herein Is Love. This is a set of Bible commentaries designed specifically for children. We believe this series is unique, with thoroughly biblical material presented in a warm, flowing narrative. Parents, teachers, and children will gain fresh insights into the biblical texts, insights that will impact everyday life. If you have ever wondered how to make the Bible come alive to your children and to yourself, Herein is Love will do just that.

Shepherd Press is offering the set of all 4 commentaries for $29.95. The details of this special can be found at the end of interview questions in this post.

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Jay Younts: Have you found that these commentaries have encouraged parents who perhaps don't have much familiarity with the biblical narrative as they teach their children?

Nancy Ganz: This was something that surprised me--the overwhelming positive feedback that I received from adults who were using these books to teach their chi1dren. Repeatedly, I have heard from parents and teachers how my books have blessed them, too. (Actually, it is the Word of God that is blessing them; I'm just helping them to understand it.)

As one woman recently wrote to me: "My two oldest children and I have just finished the first book on Genesis and it has been a truly amazing experience. As I always hoped it would, Bible is now the best part of our school day. The kids are excited to do the lessons, and I am excited to lead them. Thank you so much for putting this fantastic teaching tool in my hands ... I am amazed at how much [my children] have retained, but also how much they have been able to grasp ... I am also amazed at how much I have learned. Reading your commentary really gave me a new perspective on stories I had heard many times before and thought I knew."

Another surprising thing: I have received feedback from many pastors, who do their own study on a passage, but then look to see what I have to say. These pastors report to me how blessed they are by my work. I seem to be able to take complicated ideas and issues, and write about them simply and clearly, so that even a child will understand.

JY - You indicated that you have been writing and thinking about this material for a number of years. What are your thoughts now as you look back at your earlier work?

NG - One time I was asked: "What do you think about your work when you read it now?" The interesting thing is, it doesn't seem like my work. "How was I able to write that?" I ask myself. I find my words from twenty years ago strengthen the current me!

JY - You don't shy away from telling the whole story that these early books of scripture portray. The portions of the text that speak of murder, sex, war, long lists of regulations and laws, etc., are often glossed over or ignored completely in modern children's / Sunday School literature. How are both parents and children harmed by failing to focus on these topics?

NG - Obviously, I would never want adults or children to "focus" on murder, sex and war. I want people to focus on the glory of God and the goodness of God in the midst of a world that is filled with evil. We have to trust in God and His LOVE for us, in a world that was dark for the saints of old then, and is dark for us now. We have to live by faith in the Son of God--and not waver through unbelief--in the midst of terrible tragedies.

JY - Along these same lines, what is the value of children being familiar with the book of Leviticus?

NG - The book of Leviticus is essential to understanding the New Testament. How can you understand what John the Baptist means when he says about Jesus: "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" if you don't understand the place of the sacrificial lamb in the 0ld Testament? God was impressing upon us the severity of our sin and our need of a Savior by the continual shedding of blood, morning and evening, day after day, year after year. Sometimes I feel sick just thinking about all the bloodshed. Good. That is what I am supposed to feel. Sin is sickening and the price it required was much more than the blood of innocent animals. It required the blood of the Holy Son of God.

Why did God give us the book of Leviticus? He wanted to impress something awful upon us. And He wanted us to recognize the Lamb of God and His Sacrifice, when He laid down His life upon the cross for us. This wasn't an accident. It didn't just happen. God was showing us the blueprints of His Great Plan (in books like Leviticus) many hundreds of years before Jesus Christ even entered this world.

Read the final segment of the interview in the next post.

Blog Special

All four volumes of Herein Is Love will be available from now until Monday, February 22. Here are the specific instructions to take advantage of this special:

The coupon code for the set is JYGANZ4.

The price for this special is the set of 4 volumes is $29.95! That's $16 off the usual set price, or $23 off the price for all four books sold separately.

You may need to be logged into the website for the coupon code to work!

This is a limited time offer. One set per customer.

Interview with Nancy Ganz - Part 2

2010-02-18T16:34:46Z

Today we continue with our interview with Nancy Ganz, author of Herein Is Love. This is a set of Bible commentaries designed specifically for children. We believe this series to be unique. The material in these commentaries is thoroughly biblical and it is presented in a warm, richly flowing narrative. Parents, teachers and children will gain fresh insights into the biblical texts that will impact everyday life. If you have ever wondered about how to make the bible come alive to your children and to yourself, Herein is Love will do just that. To help encourage you to take advantage of this series we are offering the set of all 4 commentaries currently available for $29.95. You will find the details of this special at the end of interview questions in this post.

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Jay Younts

When you began writing Genesis were you thinking of just writing the one volume or did you envision the whole series through Joshua?

Nancy Ganz

When I began writing about Genesis, I don't think I was planning on writing a book, and certainly not a whole series of books. I was just writing one lesson at a time for children in my Sunday School class. Two of my own small children were part of that class and I was writing for them. I couldn't find material that I found sufficiently interesting for myself, nor could I find material focusing on what I wanted my children to learn - to love God, because He first loved us. The first draft of Genesis (and then the other Old Testament books) were hand-written on a clip board, the pieces of paper later filed in plastic bags. (Don't ask me why.) About five years later, I began re-writing the lessons, still hand-written, but this time in notebooks ... a much better system. The third revision was about five years later again - and this time I typed the lessons, with the thought that other people might like to use them. I'm not sure at what point I envisioned an entire set of commentaries on the Old Testament, but this became a grand scheme of mine along the way. My "vision" took the form of a row of green, hard-covered, gold-lettered volumes - but I doubt if that is the form they will ever take.

One has to modify one's dreams at times. Also, everything seems to take longer than anticipated. I now wonder if I will have enough time and strength to finish the Old Testament (and I have all kinds of other writing projects that I want to finish too) so I scaled down my grand vision with the plan of just getting the Israelites into the Promised Land.

People ask me: "How long did it take you to write your Genesis commentary?" I answer truthfully: "Twenty years" (although I was writing commentaries on other books of the Bible during that time as well.) In fact, when I was working on the final draft of Genesis, I was writing another book at the same time, a book not part of the HEREIN IS LOVE series at all, a finished book which has been sitting in a drawer for the last fifteen years. I really want to do a final polishing on that book too and send it off for publication.

JY - I have always appreciated your title for the series - Herein Is Love. Would you tell our readers why you chose to emphasize love in the title?

NG - Each of the commentaries is part of the "HEREIN IS LOVE" series, because God's LOVE shines forth in every book of the Bible, in every chapter of every book of the Bible! This is part of a New Testament quote: "Herein is love; not that we loved God, but that He loved us - and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (I John 4:10). That has to be one of the most important verses in the entire Bible.

JY - Bible literacy and familiarity are on the decline with families. I believe one of the reasons for this decline is that Christians have lost a sense of the wonder and drama of the early books of the Old Testament. Would you agree? (Follow up: If so, when you teach your material to children, do you see them developing this sense of excitement about the bible?)

NG -Yes and yes, I do see the chi1dren developing a sense of excitement about the Bib1e. I receive letters from children thanking me for my books and telling me how much they love learning about the Bible. One time a young woman, who years ago was a little girl in one of my early c1asses, said she was so disappointed when she grew up and read Leviticus for herself. She remembered it as a wonderfu11y exciting book. She realized then that it was the way I taught Leviticus that made it so exciting for her. Sometimes God gives us dry facts - and it's up to us to explain to the children what these facts mean and how these facts encourage faith in the God who loves us. If we want the chi1dren's attention, it's up to us to make the dry bones dance like puppets on a string.

Read more of this interview in the next post.

Blog Special

All four volumes for Herein Is Love will be available from now until Monday, February 22. Here are the specific instructions to take advantage of this special:

The coupon code for the set is JYGANZ4.

The price for this special is the set of 4 volumes is $29.95! That's $16 off the usual set price, or $23 off the price for all four books sold separately.

You may need to be logged in to the website for the coupon code to work!

To enter the coupon code, add the Herein is Love Set to your shopping cart. Click "View Cart" on the right side of your screen. At the bottom of the shopping cart page is a field titled "Redeem a discount coupon." Enter the coupon code there and click "Submit". Then proceed with the checkout process.

This is a limited time offer. One set per customer.

Interview with Nancy Ganz

2010-02-17T17:30:47Z

Nancy Ganz is author of the Herein is Love commentary series, a Bible commentary set for children. They are written following the model given to God's people in Deuteronomy 6; that is, these books talk to children about God and his Word. The writing is from the heart to the heart. In other words, the books are written from the heart of a mother and teacher passionately committed to teach the glory of God to her children. Then, the writing is directed to the hearts of children so that the things of God will be deeply impressed upon them. We believe this series to be unique. The material in these commentaries is thoroughly biblical, and it is presented in a warm, richly flowing narrative. Parents, teachers and children will gain fresh insights into the biblical texts, insights that will impact everyday life. If you have ever wondered how to make the Bible come alive to your children (and to yourself), Herein is Love will do just that.

To encourage you to take advantage of this series we are offering the set of all four commentaries for $29.95. You will find the details of this special at the end of interview questions in this post.

We are grateful that Nancy has done this interview. We are trusting God that your appreciation for this series will be deepened and that God will use this interaction for his glory and your good. This interview will come in several posts, concluding this Saturday. I believe you will find her answers to provide an intimate and encouraging look at what makes Herein is Love so special.

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Interview

Jay Younts

Nancy, the first question is the obvious, but I believe it is important for our readers to know: Why did you decide to write these commentaries for children?

Nancy Ganz

I wrote this book to teach children about the Love of God. When I was a child I learned about the God of wrath in the Old Testament. When I came of age I was confirmed in the church, even while I rejected this God in my heart--but at the right time, on the day appointed for me by God, at the age of twenty- one, the Lord brought me to Himself and I embraced this God with faith. I placed my trust in Him to forgive my sins and rescue me from death. He was not a God of wrath, but a God of Love and Grace. It has grieved me that my heavenly Father should be so maligned, especially in the eyes of little children. God's great Love pours forth from the very beginning of the Bible, from the opening words in Genesis, to the closing words in Revelation. God's great Salvation is proclaimed throughout the Scriptures--and that is how my heart was turned to Him, by seeing this salvation unveiled in the Old Testament. I discovered that the Bible was not a collection of unrelated short stories, and it was seeing this unity of the Scriptures that brought me to faith. I came to a saving knowledge of Christ through the Gospel of Moses and the last shreds of unbelief were ripped from my eyes by the proclamation of John the Baptist. He was the voice calling out in the wilderness who finally reached my heart: "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" I beheld Jesus, because I understood for the first time about the Lamb of God in the writings of Moses. This Messiah had been announced from the beginning. I had not understood what manner of Man He was, because I had not been taught all that had been written beforehand concerning Him. Jesus said, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken... And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself" (Luke 24:25, 27). How foolish we are not to teach our children about Christ the way He taught about Himself! How foolish we are not to begin where He began, with the writings of Moses! It is the Old Testament writings about which this is written: "From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching" (II Timothy 3:15, 16). I believe that knowing the Old Testament from their earliest days will make our children wise for salvation through Jesus Christ. Our children must see the Love of God from the beginning; they must see God's plan of Salvation unfolding from the beginning, if they are going to place their trust in Him. "HEREIN IS Love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (I John 4:10). The work of God's Son was proclaimed to us from the very beginning.

JY - Nancy, as a follow up - tell us when you actually decided to write these commentaries.

NG - I decided to write this book when I was sitting in the National Arts Centre Theatre in the capital of Canada. The National Ballet Company of Canada was performing The Nutcracker and I was thinking, "The world takes a silly little story like this and tells it to the children so beautifully and meaningfully that they remember it for the rest of their lives. The church takes the most beautiful and meaningful story ever told--the salvation of God's people--and somehow turns the most exciting events and amazing facts in all human history into unimaginably boring lessons. How is this possible?" It was that thought in that moment which motivated me to write this book in this way.

JY - That is a powerful motivation! What was the specific reason for beginning to write?

NG - There was also a very practical reason for this book. I needed Bible lessons for teaching. In 1980 my husband, Dr. Richard L. Ganz, was called to plant a church in Ottawa, Canada. I found myself responsible for the Sabbath School of that new work. What materials were available for teaching children the Scriptures? I was disheartened by what I found. Most Sunday School material was so uninteresting and so uninspiring that I could barely read through the lessons myself. The great theme of Scripture--God saving a people for Himself--was somehow lost in these lessons, and what emerged was the repetitive message: "Be good. Do this. Don't do that." Of course children must be taught right from wrong, but without faith, works are dead--and they cannot bring a child to life. "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith... not by works" (Ephesians 2:8, 9). All the accounts in the Scriptures, all the stories of the Bible, are there to strengthen our Faith in God. "These are written that you might Believe" (John 20:31). Every lesson should encourage the children to believe--to believe in God's Word, to believe in God's Love. I became aware that in most Sunday School lessons the focus was wrong. These lessons focused on what we should do, instead of focusing on what God had done. Their emphasis was upon our works, rather than upon God's Grace. What does the Bible say about teaching our children? "We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done... He established the Law in Israel, which He commanded our forefathers to teach their children... Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds, but would keep His commands" (Psalm 78:4, 5,7). Works follow faith. Keeping His commands follows putting their trust in God. And how do they come to put their trust in God? It is by us telling them "the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord."

O Lord, my God, how many are the wonders Thou has done!

How many are the gracious thoughts, which Thou to us has shown!

No one can sort and set them out. None can compare to Thee!

If I would tell and speak of them, they could not numbered be.

I never have within my heart concealed Thy Righteousness.

I Thy Salvation have declared and shown Thy Faithfulness.

Thy Mercy great, Thy steadfast Love, I ever have revealed,

And from the congregation great Thy Truth have not concealed.

Psalm 40:5, 10, The Book of Psalms for Singing, 40C

In this book, in these lessons, I have humbly endeavoured to begin this task, the task of telling the children of God's wonders, the task of declaring to them God's righteousness, Salvation and faithfulness, the task of revealing to them God's Truth, His great Mercy and His steadfast Love.

In the next post we will continue with this interview.

Blog Special

All four volumes for Herein Is Love will be available from now until Monday, February 22. Here are the specific instructions to take advantage of this special:

The coupon code for the set is JYGANZ4.

The price for this special is the set of 4 volumes is $29.95! That's $16 off the usual set price, or $23 off the price for all four books sold separately.

You may need to be logged in to the website for the coupon code to work!

This is a limited time offer. One set per customer.

Active Ears

2010-02-17T04:48:37Z

There are many concerns that compete for your thoughts. Paul's admonition in Philippians 4:8 is to think about things that are excellent. One of these excellent things is thinking about how to be a good, biblical listener. This post is part 2 of listening to your children from a biblical perspective. Today's post continues material with material taken from Chapter three of Everyday Talk.

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Before you can answer your children, before you can say things that are helpful, you must first listen. It is hard to be a good listener. But Proverbs 18:13 says parentspeak is a shame to you. Parentspeak is the opposite of good listening and, therefore, the enemy of good, productive, everyday talk. But be encouraged! Proverbs 18:15 has the cure for parentspeak.

"The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out."

God wants you to have active ears. That is why listening is hard. We aren't accustomed to listening aggressively. We tend to have active mouths, but not active ears. If your ears seek out knowledge about your children, they can provide you with the knowledge you need for productive, everyday talk with your kids. This is what Proverbs 18:15 is teaching you. As you and your children walk, run, drive and sometimes stumble along the road of life that Deuteronomy 6 talks about, your ears should be in "seek mode." It is difficult to listen and talk at the same time. If you want better communication with your children, you must have ears that seek out knowledge about them. Are you actively listening to your children? Do you ever take time just to sit in the next room and listen to them when they are not aware you are listening?

This might seem impossible, or at best impractical. However, think with me for a moment about situations when you do have active ears. Do you listen to your boss or supervisor at work? Are you eager to catch a word or a phrase that might pertain to you or your job? If your supervisor walks by and makes a comment in passing, do you ignore it? If your supervisor says your name, do you ignore it? Do you think, "If he really wants to talk with me, he'll try again when I am not so busy?" No, of course not! Your ears are in seek mode, listening for any tidbit or word fragment that might impact you. A supervisor can whisper your name from across the room, and you come running. Seemingly through closed doors, you can hear a phrase that was spoken about you. You have active ears whenever you want to.

With regard to your children, God wants you to have active ears, ears that seek out knowledge. God wants you to listen to your children. Listen for the things that they don't say as well as what they do say. Become a parent with active ears.

Let's look again at the jungle at Jared's house. The difference this time is that the father has been following Proverbs 18:15. His ears have been active. Listen to the difference.

"Hey, Dad, you know that slippery hill in the jungle over at Jared's house?"

"Let me think, Ethan. Oh! You mean over at the new kid's house where he has that really neat backyard that looks just like a jungle? The place where you thought you might see some dangerous jungle creatures?"

"Yeah, Dad, that's the place. Well, let me ask you something about what Jared did ..."

Why the big difference this time? Dad had active ears. He remembered that Jared was a son of the new family in the neighborhood, and that he got along well with Ethan. Even though Dad knew that Jared's hill was actually a little mound of dirt behind some shrubs, he also knew that to a seven-year-old boy,

this made a great jungle.

This time, Dad knew what Ethan was talking about. So, Ethan asked Dad a question. This is your goal. You want your children to ask you questions. According to Deuteronomy 6:20, your child's questions provide teaching opportunities.

"In the future, when your son asks you, 'What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?' . . . " (niv). Don't be put off by the language of stipulations, decrees and laws. Moses is simply saying that when your son asks you about how God's law works, that's your cue to tell him about God's faithfulness. The passage in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 assumes that the result of impressing the truth of God upon the hearts of your children is that they will ask you questions about where they are on life's path.

Your children can never ask you too many questions.

This may seem like lunacy, especially if you have a two- or three-year-old child, but it's true. You want them to ask you questions. If you teach them that God controls the world, and if you teach them that everything that happens to them is planned by God so that they would look to Him, then your children will ask you questions about what God is doing with His world. They will ask you about what God is doing along the pathway of their lives. This is your goal--to have your children ask you about what God is doing in their lives.

Your progress as a parent can be measured by the questions your kids ask. You will always hear mundane questions such as, "What's for supper?" or, "May I borrow the keys?" However, you also want to hear questions like these:

"Mom, why was Sonya saying words that are bad? Why was she mad at me?"

"Dad, why can't I have as much fun all the time as I do at Jared's house?"

"Mom, why did that dog have to jump out and eat that little rabbit?"

"Mom, why don't I fit in with everybody else? Is something wrong with me?"

"Dad, why is it that sometimes I want to use bad language the way some of the other kids do?"

These questions will not come unless you are a good listener, a Proverbs 18:15 listener. In a later chapter we will talk about Ephesians 4:29, which deals even more powerfully with good listening. For now, take a moment to evaluate with your husband or wife how much of your conversation with your children is parentspeak and how much is genuine listening.

This is how you are able to have everyday talk that helps. It does not come easily. It requires faith, time and love. Do you know what your child thinks about where he has been? God wants you to listen carefully. And as you care for your kids they will want you to know their thoughts, and they will tell you.

The better you know your children, the more you can shine the powerful light of Scripture into the dark corners of their lives. Your words can confront them with the heart-changing power of His Word. God wants your words to flow from a discerning, understanding heart. God wants you to be a good listener.

How to Listen to Your Children Biblically

2010-02-16T01:31:28Z

This is the next installment in a collection of posts that asks - What do You Think About? We looked previously at how to love your children biblically. In the next few posts we examine how to listen biblically to your children.

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It is hard to be a good listener.

It is much easier to speak first, thinking you will listen later. But often, speaking first means losing the opportunity to listen at all.

Let me repeat, it is hard to be a good listener. The pressing issues of everyday life are obstacles to good, everyday listening. You can become so focused on your own problems that you fail to be a good listener. This sort of preoccupation leads to what I call parentspeak. Parentspeak is talking without listening. This is the sort of everyday talk that damages your relationship with your kids. Most parents do this at times, sometimes without even being conscious of it. Here is an example of parentspeak. See if this conversation sounds at all familiar to you.

You have just gotten home from work. Your son finds you molded into your favorite chair, reading your paper or the mail as you start to unwind.

"Dad?"

"Huh?"

"Dad?"

"Yeah, readinpapernow."

"Dad?"

"Uh, um, speakintome?"

"Dad?"

"Uh, justaminute."

"Dad?"

"Didyaaskyormother?"

"Dad?"

"Notnow,jusgothome. gottarelax, OK?"

"Dad?"

"Umdiyousaysomthin? uhwhatimeisgameon?"

"Dad?"

"Beforyoustart, didyoufinishyourschoolstuff?"

As your son turns to leave, you call after him and say, "Sonisanythingwrong?"

Your son says, "Nothing's wrong. Bye, Dad." You shake your head and go back to your paper.

This is not the sort of everyday talk that will be helpful to your kids.

Sometimes your son might actually get to say more than just, "Dad." He might even get a whole sentence out before parentspeak takes over.

"Hey, Dad, you know that slippery hill in the jungle over at Jared's house?"

In absent-minded exasperation, you say, "Hill? What hill?

Jared who? Can this wait? I'm busy reading right now. You know we don't have hills or jungles around here."

Your son turns and walks away.

I picked on dads in this illustration, but moms can be just as guilty of parentspeak. Parentspeak is talking without listening. Your words may not run together as in the first example, but anytime you speak without listening--really listening--you engage in parentspeak. You may think you have good reasons for not listening. You are tired. You have important business decisions to consider. There may be a problem in your marriage relationship. You are trying to think how you will get all the yard work or housework done. You might be worried about bills. You desperately need to relax. Or maybe you are just preoccupied. You don't want to ignore your children--you are just thinking about other things. However, if your words are going to please God and benefit your children, you must first be a good listener.

Did I say that good listening is hard? It is. It requires sacrificial love and self-denial to give your child the time and attention to listen closely.

Consider parentspeak for a moment. Do you use it? Does it creep into your everyday talk? Does it, perhaps, dominate your everyday talk? As you reflect on your own speech patterns, don't look only for the absentminded mumbling of the previous example. Parentspeak can take other forms as well. It can be clear and direct language. Parentspeak may also sound like this: "Sarah, tonight, before you go to bed, I want you to finish cleaning your room, do the dishes, finish your homework, write your grandmother and don't listen to any music until all that is finished. Is that clear?"

You may be protesting, "What is wrong with this? Clear, directive speech is necessary for running a good household!"

I agree. But still, it may qualify as parentspeak. If this type of speaking forms the majority of your communication with your children, then it is parentspeak. Recall our working definition for parentspeak. Parentspeak is talking without listening. What does the Bible say about this type of speaking?

"He who answers before listening--that is his folly and his shame" (Proverbs 18:13).

"The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out."

More in the next post. The above material is adapted from my book, Everyday Talk.

Does God Have Your Attention?

2010-02-11T19:12:54Z

A second snowstorm within three days has brought the mid-Atlantic region of the United States to a halt. This region contains the nation's centers for finance, business, and government. In some instances, even snow plows have been kept off the roads because conditions are too dangerous for plowing. So far, Washington D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia have had record amounts snowfalls. The news media have provided extensive coverage of the disruptions caused by the snow. Questions are being asked of politicians and meteorologists about the significance of these back-to-back storms. But one question is not being asked, and that is the most important question of all. Does God have your attention?

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In an earlier post this week we looked at Job 37:5-7:

God's voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.

He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,'
and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'

So that all men he has made may know his work,
he stops every man from his labor.

Sending two crippling snowstorms to the same region is not difficult for God. If He wants to, he can easily send more storms with even more snow. But these two storms already make a dramatic point--God can change the course of human activities any time he desires. God has literally stopped the labor of men this past week. How will man respond?

I choose to believe these storms are not a matter of random occurrence. While I don't know the exact reasons for these storms, it is clear from the passage above that God has sent these storms so that men would know that God must be acknowledged for who He is. For a few days, God has chosen to stop the normal routine of life for people from northern Virginia to New York. This action is one of both compassion and of warning.

It is an act of compassion because God is graciously showing government leaders and all people of this region that ultimately, they are not in control. Laws can be passed, but God is not constrained by them. We have come to the place as a nation where God and his word are aggressively ignored by our lawmakers. This snow is a reminder from God that he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Only Christians can accurately interpret what this snow really means. While we don't know all of the reasons why God chose to send this snow, we do know the words of Job: God has done this so that men may know his work.

It is a warning because we cannot presume upon God's mercy; he will not be patient forever. America is a nation that is intent on writing God out of its laws and policies. By contrast, in World War II, American soldiers went into combat having been given Bibles with an inscription from President Franklin Roosevelt on the inside front cover. I saw an actual copy of one of these Bibles, which belongs to a friend who is an Air Force chaplain. Again, only Christians can sound the warning with compassion and accuracy.

Help your children to understand at least one reason for these massive snow events. Even if you live in Florida or Hawaii, you can still point to the work stoppage in the mid-Atlantic region and explain that God sent this snow so that men will stop their labors and know God's work.

Pray with your family and with your church that man will indeed see his frailty before God. Pray that our country would turn from our selfish, vain pursuit of the idols of this age and come to see God for who He is. Our prayer is not so much for a change in Washington as it is for a change in the hearts of men everywhere.

Pray for courage to ask others, "Does God have your attention?"

Special Blog Offer

2010-02-08T03:26:44Z

This week's special offer for our blog readers has two parts. The first part is to purchase Hints for Parents by Gardiner Spring. This book is a 19th century classic, republished by Shepherd Press. To help with application to the modern day, Tedd Tripp has written a series of gospel encouragements throughout the book. Glean timeless truths about parenting from Pastor Spring, with Dr. Tripp's expert commentary to guide you.

But this is just the first part of the offer. If you purchase Hints for Parents and enter the coupon code JYHINTS1 before you check out, you will receive 40% off your entire order! What a wonderful opportunity to get the Shepherd Press materials you have been wanting at a great discount. This offer will expire February 13. The coupon may be used once per customer.

Enjoy shopping, and thanks again for reading the blog.

The Snowmaker

2010-02-08T03:19:34Z

Snow is blanketing the East Coast this weekend in record amounts. Hundreds of thousands of homes are without power. Work will be disrupted for companies, small businesses, schools, and even the government. Thirty inches of snow simply cannot be ignored. Once again, the power of man quickly pales in comparison to the power of God. The scientific explanation of how snow occurs is not complex. The right combination of moisture, temperature, and a low pressure system will result in snow. However, small deviations in any of these three variables can result in ice or rain instead of snow. The convergence of just the right factors results in major storms like the one occurring now. For some this is a random convergence, occurring with all the certainty of a roll of the dice. But for those who believe in the God of the Bible, weather is not random at all. The Book of Job makes this statement:

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God's voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.

He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,'
and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'

So that all men he has made may know his work,
he stops every man from his labor. Job 37:5-7

This snowstorm is stopping many from their normal work and routines. Of this there is no question. However, how many will understand that God has done this so that all will acknowledge his power? It is God who says, "Snow!" and it snows. It is God who determines when the combination of temperature, moisture and low pressure will produce record snows. Even in this storm, God is saying to man, "Be still and know that I am God." One thing you can be sure of is that no one on cable news channels will be attributing this storm to the power of God. The headlines will not read: God Sends Massive Snowstorm to the Mid-Atlantic.

But, Christian, that is something that you do know. God has revealed it to you by his Spirit through his Word. We must be faithful to God and not represent his actions to others as random meteorological events. We know why there is a crippling snowstorm. God is making his vast power known in this storm, and it is an opportunity to speak about who God is. Don't join with others--even by your silence--in attributing this storm merely to weather systems.

One reason we often find it difficult to witness to others is that we don't honor God for what he does. Also, one reason that our children may struggle with appreciating the glory and power of God is that we don't associate God frequently enough with his actions, such as snowstorms. We may find it easier to leave the explanation to the Weather Channel. If that is the case, then God has not been honored as he should be, and those who need to hear of God's wonder and power are not told.

May God cause us to rejoice with awe at his power. He alone can speak to the snow, saying , "Fall on the earth." Our God has many titles, titles too numerous to count. Here is one title that will help you spread his glory on the earth: God is the Snowmaker.

The Holiest Day of the Year

2010-02-05T13:51:33Z

The Super Bowl is a major cultural event. Today's post contains thoughts about this year's game. I'll also include links to previous posts about this game. It is important to think biblically about this highly visible part of our culture. Take a look at this post and the previous ones and let us know your thoughts!

The Super Bowl and Proverbs 4:23 part 1 & part 2

The Super Bowl and Your Heart's Orientation

Greg Doyle is a writer for CBS Sports. He is a good sports reporter and I enjoy his work. I also believe that he represents what many think about the role of sports in our culture. As you may know, Tim Tebow and his mother are going to be featured in an ad sponsored by Focus on the Family during this year's Super Bowl. Mr. Doyle provides this description of what he thinks the ad will be like:

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Apparently the commercial has a beautiful, undeniable message. Tebow's mother suffered a life-threatening infection during that pregnancy, and doctors advised her to abort the baby. She didn't. She named him Tim. Just typing this paragraph gives me goose bumps. The commercial might just make me cry.

Yet, Mr. Doyle is offended by the ad. Why? Because it is airing during the Super Bowl. Listen carefully to his reasons for not wanting the ad to run. His comments honestly reflect his priorities.

And I'm not complaining about the ad because it's anti-abortion and I'm not. I'm complaining about the ad because it's pro-politics. And I'm not. Not on Super Sunday. If you're a sports fan, and I am, that's the holiest day of the year. That's a day for five hours of football pregame shows and four hours of football game and three hours of postgame football analysis. That's a day for football addicts to gorge themselves to the gills on football.

It's not a day to discuss abortion. For it, against it, I don't care what you are. On Super Sunday, I don't care what I am. Feb. 7 is simply not the day to have that discussion.

This is a clear statement of allegiance. There is deep passion voicing these thoughts. Sports is at the center of Mr. Doyle's life. He clearly believes there is room for other things--just not on Super Sunday. This view would be fine in a world where man decided his own fate, determined what was moral and what was not, and God was not a jealous God who requires undivided worship and fidelity from man. But that is not the world we live in. We live in God's world, in which he determines where we live, move and have our being (Acts 17:24-28). So issues like abortion, sexual purity, and personal holiness and righteousness matter every day, even on Super Sunday. The living God of the Bible will not be pre-empted, even for a day.

Despair and difficulty burden many in our culture because they have embraced Mr. Doyle's worldview. To be sure, he is not the originator of this viewpoint, he is just a subscriber. But living with anything other than God at the center of life is living in the world of idolatry. Idolatry always leads to despair because it can never deliver on the promises it makes. To quote from Tim Keller's latest book, Counterfeit Gods, idolatry can happen anytime someone takes a good thing and makes it the ultimate thing. In this sense, only God is ultimate, because no one or nothing else can compare to him. Idolatry may focus on things that are evil in themselves, but not necessarily. It can also result from taking something that is good in its proper context (like sports), and making that thing more important than anything else. If I make sports ultimate, to the point where I put aside issues of morality and holiness, then at least three things happen. The first is that sports will become the center of my life. The second is that relationships with others will be secondary to this primary pursuit. The third thing is that sports will turn out to be a cruel god, for it cannot deliver what it is that it promises. So all of the time that has been invested in the pursuit of this idol will come to yield emptiness.

Are Christians ready to state clearly what is most important in life? For Greg Doyle the ultimate thing is sports. But that answer won't do. God demands all of our worship and attention each day. It does matter whether or not infants are killed in the womb. It does matter whether or not drunkenness is permissible when your team wins the big game. It does matter if you look at women to lust after them. It does matter whether or not God has first place in your life. It does matter whether or not men respond to the gospel.

Next Monday the game will be over. But the real, pressing issues of life will remain. There is only one path that allows you to live in harmony with God's purposes. That is the path you must point out to your children each day. Jesus Christ is Lord of Lord and King of Kings. The spectacle that is the Super Bowl attempts to say that, just for few hours, something else is ultimate. But that is a lie, an idol that delivers only emptiness. In this sense, the idol of sports is symbolic of any pursuit other than living all of life for the glory of God. As Christians we need to live with fidelity to our King and Savior. We will not be perfect in our pursuit, but we must be consistent with it. May we show our children and people like Greg Doyle what is truly important and fully holy in life. May we take hold of life that is truly life.

This post is from a recent Shepherd Press Newsletter. The newsletter is a good way to introduce others to Shepherd Press. Please consider encouraging your friends and those at your church to sign up for the newsletter. Each week there is a timely article and also information about Shepherd Press products, as well as special offers. You can sign up for the newsletter here.