Tea parties and taxes have taken center stage this week across the American landscape. Paying taxes in general, and on April 15th in particular, has long been a source of concern for many Americans. In addition, this year we have bail outs, stimulus plans and tea parties. It is safe to say that many Americans are disturbed about the direction of current events. Then, this week the Department of Homeland Security issued a warning about dangers from right wing extremists. Perhaps the most chilling aspect of this report is its definition of right extremism. Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, […]
Yearly Archives: 2009
157 posts
The most striking characteristic of the sin of lust is simply that lust never satisfies. Lust promises excitement, relief, and distraction, but it never delivers. As Ephesians 4:19 says, it only fuels a thirst for passions that will never be quenched. Here is the key to understanding lust: it is fueled by anticipation. When the desires that are anticipated and driven by lust are finally enacted, there is never relief–only bitterness, disgust and emptiness. The result is always a period of profound regret, remorse, and emptiness. The act, whether is it viewing pornography, indulging in masturbation, or other inappropriate sexual behavior, never satisfies. It leaves only bitterness, which is soon followed by the desire to commit this act again. The […]
Lust is not a particularly pleasant topic to address, but it is necessary to do so. I have touched on this issue from varying perspectives but I have not addressed it head on until now. Lust is a weapon of the enemy to enslave hundreds of thousands of young people to their own flesh. Lust, the passion of the flesh (Eph. 2:3), has the capacity to dominate lives and destroy relationships. It is not easily defeated. While our modern culture is no stranger to lust, lust itself is no stranger to people of all ages. Lust promises, but it never satisfies. Lust is fueled by anticipation of sweet satisfaction, but it yields bitter fruit. Lust captivates; it never frees. To […]
The first and most important thing about parenting is being a Christian. And the most important thing about being a Christian is trusting Jesus minute-by-minute to be your Savior. He is your Savior in justification and Your Savior in sanctification (Colossians 2:6). Why is that so important? Because you sin against your children. You sinned yesterday. You sin today. You will sin tomorrow. Does that disqualify you from being a parent? No, and if you have recognized this pattern of sin in your life, then you have great hope as you continue on in the task of parenting that God has called you to. Jesus died for your sins, and even at this moment he intercedes for you before the […]
It is Holy Week. This Sunday is Easter, a day of ultimate significance for Christians. This week is also significant for another reason. President Obama has said that Christian is no longer an adjective that should be used to describe America. Rather, he has chosen to use the word secular to describe the United States. Many would say that America has been more secular than Christian for some time, but the President has added his name to that list by his remarks in Turkey. In a news conference with the President of Turkey, President Obama stated, “We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation.” Here is the quote in context from the AP as reported in the April 6 edition […]
The goal of biblical parenting is to address children’s behavior at the level of the heart. The heart is the source of behavior, so if true, lasting change is to occur, the heart must be impacted by the parents’ teaching and discipline. It is possible, though, for you to focus on the heart issues of your children but not deal honestly with your own heart. Perhaps that is the reason that getting to heart issues with children is sometimes so elusive–you yourself are not parenting from the heart. In the last post we talked about euphemisms and how they can keep you from knowing the full power of God’s restorative grace in your life. One reality of life that is […]
“Mess up” is admittedly a euphemism. It is a term we often use to avoiding taking the full brunt of failure as a parent. For me, it is a personal term, as in, “I can’t believe I messed up again.” It is a phrase I said far too often as a parent, and thought even more often. Messing up, or more precisely, sinning and falling short of God’s best, is a fact of life for parents. Prayer and good intentions will never eliminate failure from your parenting. Because this is true, we have a natural, fleshly tendency to become comfortable with these failures – hence the euphemistic term “mess up.” Most of the posts on the blog have to do […]
The world is continually attempting to deceive people by promising that what it offers is truly satisfying. Then, when the promise is believed and the offer is accepted, the hope quickly turns to bitterness and disappointment. This tactic is what I referred to in an earlier post as “hope and switch.” Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, fell prey to the world’s offer of provision. He doubted God’s covenant and struck out on his own. But the book of Ruth gives an example of one who did not fall for the world’s deceptive ploy. Ruth was still a young woman when she came to Israel with her mother-in-law, yet she was devoted to Naomi and served her, in spite of Naomi’s bitterness. She […]
This has been an unprecedented week in America. No matter what one’s political persuasion, few, if any would have predicted that the President of the United States would orchestrate firing the CEO of General Motors. This really is change. It may not be the change many were expecting, but it is change. Some are no doubt asking about how much power can one person have? Is this new connection between the private business sector and government a good thing? At the moment, there are more questions than answers. While political activity and government initiatives are important, Christians must not lose sight of the real center of power. It is vital to keep a sharp focus regarding this pivotal point. The […]
The world we live in is not a friendly place. Even for Christians, perhaps especially for Christians, the world offers promises that it can never keep. This is an essential component of reality for your children to grasp. The truth is that the world’s promises are made to broken. Ephesians 2 speaks of a world that follows its leader, Satan. The master deceiver has constructed a world that offers hope and delivers bitterness. This reality is vividly described in the first three verses of chapter two. To adapt a common phrase, the pattern of the world is to “hope and switch.” That is, to offer hope and then, once the offer has been embraced, replace hope with bitterness. Your children […]