In 1953 Hugh Hefner published the first issue of a magazine that would become an American icon. The magazine became symbolic of a nation in pursuit of pleasure, the objectification of women, and moving beyond biblical morality. Hefner framed his views with a long-running series of articles that attempted to show the tyranny of biblical morality and historic Christian theologians like John Calvin. He wanted to see the Bible thrashed and tossed aside. Hefner’s “philosophical” views were a thin veneer that covered his own fantasy that women served no higher end than to fulfill his perverted desire. Hefner died this past Wednesday, but his dream lives on. This dream has shaped the way our culture views women and God for […]
Monthly Archives: September 2017
13 posts
When emotions are strong, words can hurt. This can be especially true of conflicts with teenagers. God wants you to look beyond the emotional upset. He wants you to do something more than be hurt by hard conversations. He wants you to listen and learn from what is behind the sharp exchanges. The following lyrics are from a song by Linkin Park, titled Numb. The video has over 655 million views on Youtube. That’s right, 655 MILLION views! The theme in the video is about a broken relationship between a mother and her daughter. The daughter, like way too many daughters, is a self-injurer. Read the lyrics slowly, these are the thoughts of an angry, hurting teenager, perhaps even your […]
Christ’s last words in the Sermon on the Mount are a storm warning! The final four verses (Matthew 7:24-27) teach that these storms will be powerful and that they cannot be avoided. They are on the way. So, the question is not how to avoid the storm, but how to remain secure when the storm strikes. This much is certain: the storms will come. Jesus is talking about more than physical dwellings. He is talking about your life. The same things – the rains, the rising streams, the winds will attack each house with equal fury. Don’t be fooled. The security of the house rests not upon the elaborateness and beauty of its construction, but upon the solidness of its […]
I asked Tedd Tripp what he means by formative instruction and why it is important for parents. Tedd believes that children are impacted by everything you do as a parent. Every moment is a teachable moment. The question, then, must be what is it that you, as a parent, are teaching? Your responses to the daily events of life are formative for your children. God designed us to learn by example (Philippians 4:9), and your children learn by your example. Your goal, of course, is to have the examples that your children follow be ones that lead them to Christ and his ways. To honor God in your parenting you must be conscious of the importance of formative instruction. Your […]
Steve Jobs revolutionized the way our culture communicates. Steve Jobs was a legend. However, there was one area Jobs recognized where he was lacking. He was a private man, even from his own children. “I wanted my kids to know me,” Jobs was quoted as saying by Pulitzer Prize nominee Walter Isaacson, when he asked the Apple co-founder why he authorized a tell-all biography after living a private, almost ascetic life. “I wasn’t always there for them, and I wanted them to know why and to understand what I did,” Jobs told Isaacson in their final interview at Jobs’ home in Palo Alto, California. Millions have benefited from Jobs’ creativity while his own children had to wait for his biography […]
In 1933 some of the leading educators and thinkers of the day penned and signed the Humanist Manifesto. Among the signers was John Dewey, arguably the most influential voice in modern American education. Two full generations have come and gone, but the core beliefs of this document continue to shape American values, culture, and educational philosophy. The Manifesto found in Sartre’s version of existentialism a rich soil in which to grow and propagate its anti-Christian agenda. The Manifesto sought to strip biblical influence from western culture. it has largely succeeded in its mission. People seem to think that their ideas and values are law unto themselves. The question is will the church embrace truly biblical thought so it can once […]
Each day is another day for the history books. Some days are more spectacular than others. However, every day has its own special story. We ask ourselves, “What is that story about? What is my story about?” Life is a mixture of blessings and hardships. Sometimes these can appear to be radically out of balance. But there is balance. There is a unifying theme for all of human history! The story of human history is really the story of redemptive history. Either we are on a random journey, subject to the impersonal rule of random collisions of molecules or we are living out the great plan of the Great King to save a people for his honor and glory! Life […]
We humans are people of words. God designed us to be that way. But as valuable as words are, the Bible tell us there is something beyond our words that must not be missed. Our words, our spirit, our actions, our faith must all point to a common life-giving thread: our relationships. Relationships are not sustained primarily through our words, they are sustained by the power God’s Spirit. The most important relationship is the one that makes all others possible. Knowing Jesus Christ is the one relationship that matters above all else. James teaches us how destructive words can be. Insensitive words are like sparks that can ignite a roaring fire. If your words have been hurtful to others simply […]
Today is the anniversary of 9/11. Sixteen years ago, the word terror took on a new, fresh meaning, indeed a terrifying meaning. It was the formal beginning of a war and a new way of life which shows no signs of ending any time soon. This war is fought by targeting children, shoppers, office workers, airplane passengers, and folks simply wanting to go for a walk. The weapons are often not instruments of war, but the common vehicles of daily transportation. The battlefields are not marked by soldiers lining up for battle, but by city streets, or office buildings, or by tourist attractions. The purpose of this war is not to win a piece of land or conquer a country. […]
This spectacular photo was taken in Jacksonville, Florida, as Hurricane Irma began to move towards the state. The rainbow is a promise from God that there are limits to his wrath. At this moment, we can only imagine the devastation that Irma might bring. But beyond the storm clouds, the wind, the rain, and the surges, the promise of God’s rainbow shines in radiant beauty. Hurricanes remind us of the fury and harshness of life and even of our own sin. Just as the winds and the waves of the storm damage our environment, the storms of sin ravage the landscape of our lives. Beyond the storms, beyond the hurt, there is grace of God. To the world the rainbow […]