Would you go to church if: you couldn’t go to the mountains, you couldn’t go to the beach, you couldn’t go on vacation, if the weather is not too bad, if your favorite team is not playing on TV, if you don’t have tickets to see your favorite team play, if this weren’t your only chance to catch an important film or fine arts performance, if the weather is too rainy for a hike or picnic, if you weren’t too tired, if you weren’t feeling bad, if you didn’t have yard work to do, if you didn’t have an important book to finish, if things were going better at work, if you didn’t feel so far from God, if you […]
Entertainment
Full disclosure: I am a big Star Wars fan. But that doesn’t mean one should watch Star Wars or anything else without discernment. All films have a behind-the-scenes agenda. For example, take George Lucas’ purpose for the Star Wars movies. He wanted to use Star Wars as a platform to introduce Buddhism to America. The “Force” represents the impersonal god of eastern mysticism. You don’t have to avoid Star Wars, but you and your children should be aware of its agenda. You should be able to articulate how using “the force” is different from how the Holy Spirit works in the life of God’s people. The Holy Spirit’s power comes from his membership in the Trinity and is distinct and […]
Americans are fascinated by fame. This attraction is fatal. Romans teaches that the pursuit of fame leads to a great exchange. God’s truth is exchanged for a lie. Man worships and serves things which are created instead of the One who creates: They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator… Romans 1:25 By making this exchange man becomes less of what he could be, not more. If we chose to ignore God, then all that is left is the praise of men. In this setting, man becomes self-absorbed like the inhabitants of Babel: Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a […]
He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. Proverbs 12:11 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. Romans 14:23 Electronic gaming is another one of those activities that is not mentioned by name in the Bible. Such activities often cause problems for parents and children. We tend to want to find a verse somewhere that gives a thumbs up or down to our activities. We think it would be nice if Proverbs 35:10 said: It is okay to do gaming, but no more than 30 minutes a week, else you will be in […]
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. —Colossians 2:8 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. — Proverbs 4:23 A Guide to Entertainment You and your children are targets of a subtle but vicious enemy. The enemy is a master of deception and stealth. He knows that if he attacks openly he will be recognized for who he is. So this enemy plans his attacks when they are least expected. He has no sense of fair play. He looks for the times when you and your family are […]