Today hundreds of thousands of students across the globe are protesting gun violence. The motivation behind these protests is understandable and compelling. There is a growing, realistic fear that their school could be the next target. To date, despite impassioned political rhetoric, there is no appearance of protection for our students. So in this sense the need for action and protest seems clear and obvious. It is more than unsettling to walk out the door to go to school, wondering if you may never come back home again. The deeper sadness is that our nation’s political and educational systems have driven our children to trusting solutions based on laws to heal and stop the wreckage caused by human sin. The […]
Current Events
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A Texas church, a New York park, a Las Vegas concert… These should be safe places, but they were not. Why? The Holy Spirit authored Scripture knowing exactly what fears you would face in this life. The face of terror is ugly and unnerving. Cafes, concerts, sporting events and church are common gatherings that have provided places of safety and refuge. But as the terror of the dark human heart is revealed before our eyes, the reality is that there is no place apart from God where anyone is truly safe. What happened in Texas this past Sunday morning could just as easily have happened to anyone of us and our families. Terror may wear the face of an angry, […]
Morning brought heavy hearts in America this Monday. At least 50 are dead and hundreds are wounded in Las Vegas and the numbers are still climbing. One man planned to destroy as many human lives as possible. As a country we are overwhelmed with grief, with anger, with sadness. And, once again the haunting question returns: Why? It will take days and weeks for the authorities to begin to give the immediate answers. But ultimately these reasons will not satisfy or heal the vulnerability of our hearts. Just knowing that individual’s motives and perversions does not bring wholeness and healing. It is important to find out the immediate whys. It is important to take better safety precautions. But these steps […]
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 […]
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 […]
First there was Harvey. He drifted through the Gulf of Mexico without much punch, crossed the Yucatan Peninsula and quickly and unexpectedly became a deadly hurricane. Harvey’s destructive power came because his progress was stalled over the Houston area for days where he dumped over 50 inches of rain in some places. The resulting flooding and devastation were unprecedented. Many called Harvey, with good reason, a once-in-a-lifetime event. Now, less than two weeks later, Irma has become the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic. Her winds have been as high as 185 miles per hour. The entire state of Florida is under an emergency alert. Irma also has the potential to be a once-in-a-lifetime event. What are we […]
On July 4th, 241 years ago today, 56 men representing 13 British colonies met in Philadelphia and signed a document that proclaimed the independence of those colonies from British rule. Britain was not pleased with the Declaration of Independence. This resulted in seven years of war. A new nation was born. Freedom always comes with a heavy price paid in blood. Maintaining freedom also demands the sacrifice of blood and treasure. In human terms, America’s independence will only remain as long as her people are willing to pay the price of blood and treasure. The declaration, signed over two centuries ago, also acknowledged, even if imperfectly, that freedom is not granted by people but by God. Self preservation cannot be […]
Media coverage of late is focused on tweets. Regardless of what you think of the tweeting culture, tweets and tweeters should not be capturing our attention. Lost in the flutter of tweets is the statement by the National Security Advisor that a list of military options regarding North Korea has been delivered to the President. Personally I am struck with the similarities between now and 1939. At that time there was also a power hungry mad-man making grave threats. Some held out for peace at all costs. Some chose to ignore Hitler’s threats and believed negotiations would control things. However, few allowed for the capacity of the human heart to embrace evil. World War II followed. The same ominous cloud […]
War talk has moved from the speculative to the possible. And it appears that we are subject to the actions of human governments. While the governing authorities and leaders are important, we must not lose sight of the real center of power. The Apostle Paul instructs that we pray for governing authorities in this way: “…of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way…” (I Tim. 2:1-2). Why would Paul want to pray for intercession for the Caesar’s and their followers? At least one reason is that government leaders […]