The Theologian Said...

I was reading an article yesterday about some of the current social turmoil in our country regarding same sex marriage, in which the headline said (in part) "The Theologian said". Now according to my dictionary, a "theologian" is a person who is an expert in religious faith and practices, or an expert in understanding God.

Well, I guess I am not a Theologian according to the world's standards. The reason being is that this "Theologian" who was quoted in this national publication, said that God nowhere condemns certain lifestyle choices. She even quoted out of context a few Old Testament passages, while completely ignoring clear statements to the contrary throughout God's Word in both the Old and New Testaments.

Our world likes titles! It loves people who have letters behind their names, supposedly proving they have achieved some higher level of understanding. That is the problem we see when we begin to heap respect and recognition on men and women because they have a title of some kind. The words they utter, the stances they take are accepted by many, just because they claim to be an "expert" is some area (perhaps a theologian). Many say, "Everyone has a right to their own beliefs," and that's true, as long as you are willing to accept the consequences of your decisions.

Jesus had some very clear words for people like this in Luke 11:52: "What sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you remove the key to knowledge from the people. You don't enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering."

Now I don't claim to be an expert, but I have read my bible through from front to back every year for over 25 years. I do put a fair amount of study into trying to understand God's will for us today. What that makes me is a disciple of Christ, an ongoing learner, one who walks by faith and accepts God Word as true even if it different from what is "Socially accepted," or "politically correct. It makes me a Christian who says that God is in charge telling our world what is right or what is wrong. It makes me one who believes that "God judges the living and the dead," (1 Peter 4:5), and that we are all accountable to Him for our choices here on this earth.

Yes, people in our world want to believe what they want is right and nothing else matters. That's not a new desire, the thought was planted in the mind of Eve in the Garden of Eden by Satan in the very beginning and he continues to spread the same lie. Jesus however did not agree, in fact he condemned the idea in Matthew 7:21. Notice his words (another clear proclamation of Jesus which the many "theologians" reject). "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

You may not agree with my thoughts and that's your privilege to disagree. After all I'm no Theologian, I'm just an old country preacher who keeps on reading his bible and listening to God and trying his best to do "the will of my Father who is in heaven".  

Out of the frying pan

Have you ever heard the saying: "Out of the frying pan and into the fire"?

The Italian author Laurentius Abstemius wrote a collection of 100 fables. Abstemius' fable 20, concerns some fish thrown live into a frying pan of boiling fat. One of them urges its fellows to save their lives by jumping out, but when they do so they fall into the burning coals and curse its bad advice.

The fabulist concludes: 'This fable warns us that when we are avoiding present dangers, we should not fall into even worse peril.' Is there a spiritual application to this? I believe there is!

To start with Solomon tells us in Proverbs 27:12 "A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

What is a phrase we might uses to explain this thought to someone: "Look before you leap" or "You wouldn’t jump off a cliff, just because your friends do, would you?"

The question we might ask is "What are spiritual cliffs that folks jump off of today?"

Sometimes they involve sin, sometimes they involve relationships, sometimes they just involve making bad decisions and sometimes our cliffs involve facing challenges…Sometimes your life challenge feels like you have gone from the frying pan into the fire……

So what has been your cliff, your challenge? Is it physically or spiritually, and how do you handle it?

Let me make a suggestion for handling difficult things in your life. One of my favorite passages is Romans 8:28: Paul writes there: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.”

Let me give you the “Russ Revised Version” of is verse: "Do your best to serve God, love him and no matter how badly you mess things up,  God will be able to make something good come from it." Even if you don’t see it or understand it, God has the power to work it to the good!

So it may seem that you have gone from the frying pan into the fire, but don’t forget to trust in Him, Our God and King.

That's why Psalm 23:1-6 is so dear to so many of us. It reminds us of who is in control of our world and our life. David wrote: "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in   the house of the LORD for ever."

So face life's challenges trusting in God!

GOD IS STILL ON HIS THRONE

 

A friend, Larry, and I were talking the other day and he shared a thought about our human condition and God. The bottom line is that no matter what happens in our world and our life, God is still on his throne. Another friend and I have often commented to one another that God still rules in this world. It really doesn't matter if the world denies that fact, it is still true.

All through the scripture it gives us insight into that concept. When Abraham left his home and faced challenges, God was still on his throne and caused good to happen. When Joseph was sold in to slavery, God was still on his throne and caused good to happen. When the Children of Israel were fleeing from the Egyptians and backed up to the sea, God was still on his throne and caused good to happen. When the Children of Israel were carried off into Babylonian Captivity, God was still on his throne. When three young men were thrown into a "Fiery Furnace," God was still on his throne. The list could go on and on, but you get the idea.

We forget far too often that God IS the most powerful being in all creation. We forget far too often that he doesn't have to consult us before he makes his plans. We forget that God doesn't have to let us know how he plans to use us in this life. We forget that God's ways (thoughts) are far beyond our understanding. And mostly we forget far too often that God is on his throne. He always has been; he always will be!

One of the most important things we forget is that when Jesus was hanging on a cross, God was still on his throne and good things happened. We would not have understood that if we had been there and many still don't, but nevertheless, it is true.

In Revelation 15:3-4 we see people in heaven who had won their fight against Satan singing the following song. (The words are important, they speak of our God.)

"Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations. Who will not fear You, Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous deeds have been revealed."

In Revelation 19:4 we read: "Then the twenty four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried out, 'Amen! Praise the LORD!'"

No matter what happens in our world or in your life, God is sitting on his throne! Amen! Praise the Lord!

Jiving in your car

I was driving to work about 7 in the morning the other day and stopped at a traffic light. In front of me was a young woman who was obviously enjoying her morning more that I was. By observation I would say she was listening to her radio and "jiving" to the music. She was twisting and turning, bobbing her head and moving back and forth.

I thought about that and wondered why she should be having a better morning than I was.  Was it just that I was having an off day? Perhaps it was, but I know I don't rejoice as much as I should. It's not that I dislike mornings, in fact I love to see the sunrise. The Psalmist said of God in Psalm 65:8 "Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy."

Of course you're familiar with Paul's encouragement to "rejoice in the Lord always," (Philippians 4:4), so the idea is not new. However, we, being human, we need to be reminded and reminded often. You see I do rejoice, but not enough and possibly not exuberantly enough. In fact it seems that lately I have been too busy dealing with the everyday concerns of life to remember to rejoice.

Satan does a really good job of distracting me. He works his way into my world and my life, not necessarily to drag me into some terrible or sinful behavior, but to distract me from what is really important. It's who he is, the father of lies. Revelation 12:9 describes him this way: "that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world."

How can we overcome Satan's power? First, if you haven't already done so, become a Christian or if you have left your first love, return to God. Second, spend time in God's Word; it reminds you of what is really important. Third, spend time talking to God about those things that trouble you; it helps to unload your problems on someone who truly cares. Fourth, spend time with God's people in worship and if fellowship. You can't be part of the army fighting to protect one another and fight Satan if you don't show up at boot camp or for training. You can't fight and protect yourself and others if you aren’t watching out for others and participating in the battles.

I may not "jive in my car," but I can still rejoice in my Lord and all he does for me and gives to me. I don't know that I will try a little "seat dancing" this morning on my way to work, but what I do know is that "I can do all things through him that gives me strength," (Romans 8:28). I know I need to count my blessings and rejoice more. Maybe you should try it!

How are you doing?

The other morning at my workplace someone asked one of the men, "How are you doing?" He responded: "I'm alive, awake and God loves me, you can't do better than that!" I loved how he responded! I just wish I could claim to have said it first. What a positive attitude that man had. Does that mean he doesn't have any problem? No, of course not, but he is keeping them in perspective.

Right this minute how would you respond to a question like that? Be honest, can you be as positive and upbeat as that all of the time; honestly, not many of us can be. Don't you wish you could be like the apostle Paul and say, "I've learned to be content what ever situation I get into." Again, honestly, I have had limited success in doing that. Limited how? Limited in my mind because I always expect more of myself, I am my own worst critic. Limited sometimes, because I just flat mess up even when I'm trying to do my best.

Do you know what that makes me? Human! You may not appreciate that fact and others may not appreciate that fact, but the best we can be is flawed human beings. We mess up! We sin! And if you don't think so, then you don't understand who we are.

I met a man one time that told me, "I never sin." "Since I became a Christian it's not possible for me to sin." I asked him to turn in his bible to 1 John1:8-10 and read it with me. It reads, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

I asked him what those verses meant, he responded: "I don't know, but they don't mean what they say." He didn't have much to say about Romans 3:23 either, which read, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."

So, knowing that we all sin and struggle with problem of this world, how can we possibly remain upbeat and positive? We do it because we know, as the man said, "I'm alive, awake and God loves me." Paul also said in " Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

So how are you doing? Could it be time to put a little more trust, a little more faith in what our God can do for you, in you and through you? Think about it, you will never find perfection in yourself, but only through your relationship to God.

Shaving the Cat

A friend, Daryl, shared this story with me and it got me to thinking about other applications.

Daryl has a real problem with allergies, especially to hair cat. When he was a youngster he often visited his best friend who had a cat. Daryl was hesitant to visit, because of the cat. One day his friend told him he had solved the problem and Daryl should come on over for a visit. He didn't know what to expect, but when he got there he was confronted by a extremly bald and unhappy cat. His friend had shaved the cat for Daryl. Of course the young man then had to deal with the consequences with his parents, but can you imagine what he had to go through to shave a cat? Would you have been committed enough to a friend to do that?

In our world we are constantly challenged to step up and come to the aid of others. Every day we are bombarded with advertisments about donating to organizations that help others. Those are great and needful, but the majority of the time it requires only the gift of money, not a presonal commitment. We don't put ourselves at risk, we are not required to become personally involved.

The question we need to ask ourselves is who we would be willing to shave the cat for? Do you have friends and family that are struggling in some way? Maybe someone that you have just heard of that could use some help that you could supply. Could it be that your church needs something that only you can supply.

So the question is, what cat are you going to have to shave for the benefit of someone else? I would imagine that shaving a cat has its draw back, cats have claws and teeth. There is pain involved and it takes more than just a casual commitment to get the job done. You can't just throw money at the cat and hope it goes bald. You have to grab hold of it and perhaps suffer someone else's benefit.

The thing I want you to remember is that the young man in the story was willing to suffer for the benefit of his friend. Could it be that you have a friend that needs the peace and security that only comes from having a relationship with Christ? Are you willing to shave the cat (so to speak), to give them what they really need. To face the pain and possible rejection just because you care for them?

The scripture tells us that: “God so loved the world that he gave his only son”, (John 3:16). He is not asking us to do that, but it is our example of what real love is like. What are you willing to do?

Silence is Golden

If you are a "Baby boomer," or just like music from the 60's (like me), you might remember Frankie Valli belting out in mournful tones the words to the song by the name, "Silence is Golden". In the song he proclaimed the sorrow in the heart of a young man who saw the girl he loved mistreated by another.

My wife was commenting last night on the changes we go though in our lives. When we are young, there is rarely a time when we think that silence (quiet time) is something to be desired, much less valued as much as gold. As we get older though, we learn to appreciate more and more the times of quiet in our lives. We have discovered the most important button on the Television remote control is the "mute" button, followed closely by the "off" button. Why those buttons? We like those buttons, because we have learned to appreciate silence more at this time in our lives.

It's was interesting to me to learn that the first recorded use of the phrase was in 1848. Actually the entire phrase was, "Speech is silver, Silence is golden". We might say, "just stop speaking and listen".

I would suggest that in this day and age that we need to think about those words. Our world is filled with chaos, the daily news reports seem to carry nothing but reports of unrest, danger and tragedy. When do you find time to escape the turmoil and pressure of this world?

The writer of Psalm 46 had this to say about our world and the need for silence.

"The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble! God's voice thunders, and the earth melts!

The LORD of Heaven's Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude

Come, see the glorious works of the LORD: See how He brings destruction upon the world.

He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; He burns the shields with fire.

"Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world."

The LORD of Heaven's Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress." (Psalms 46:6-11)

Yes, sometimes silence truly is golden (of great value), be cause unless we can shut out the world we can never hear the voice of God. The storms of life rage, the mountains shift and crumble, fires burn, houses fall, accidents come, death takes loved ones, but God's voice is a constant source of strength and promise for us.

Can you stand a little silence in your life? Maybe it's time to spend time listening to God!