The end of the world as I know it.
I haven't written for a while, it's been a strange summer. I have been tempted to write a few times but I was too politically charged up. I don't want to become a raving political hack here. I want this place to be about life and values.
Politics, government and business are all a part of our daily life We take for granted that certain institutions will always be there. Our lives are affected by business cycles and actions of government but usually in an indirect sort of way. Things always seem like they are going to affect our neighbors or the community but nothing drastic really ever happens. A company goes out of business but another one replaces it, jobs are lost and regained, sometimes in another city, but in all for most of us in America the world is pretty stable. However when those institutions start to fail and Government is actively taking over where other private enterprises used to move in. And laws are being written and voted on without being read or seriously debated, I am afraid life and values are going to suffer greatly.
I usually try to find the motivation behind actions. It helps me understand the actor and what to expect next. It's easy to understand the motivation of the elected officials. They are self serving in their search for more power. They can be expected to vote for what benefits them personally and to carefully explain to their constituency how it is all going to benefit them in the end. We are going to get more jobs and more sunshine and more lollipops because of the heroic action of our wonderful representative. Senator Carnahan of Missouri was recently laughed out of a town hall meeting for trying to explain to his constituents that this Health Care bill will result in the saving of billions of dollars. The people will only stand still for so much bovine excrement.
Therefore the question is what motivates the people to allow this sort of bad government to continue? Part of the answer lies in the fact that in an orderly society we give the benefit of the doubt until we hear all the facts. I think Government has taken advantage of this fact for a long time now. When someone takes office they get all the nasty stuff through first and then during the second half of their term they work on making nice with everyone. We tend to forget by the time we can take action to vote them out.
I think the other part of the answer is that we just don't believe that an elected official would do anything to harm America. During the campaigns I had liberal friends who couldn't wait for Obama to be elected. All kinds of good stuff was going to happen.
Several of those friends work in health care. They presumed that all the problems they dealt with every day would be finally dealt with once the industry was nationalized. The problem is that candidate Obama said nothing specific about how he was going to change the system. I can only assume these friends just thought he was going to do what they knew needed to be done.
One friend who thinks the war in Iraq was the worst travesty in American history lamented that even though Obama said he would end the war, he wasn't really going to do it.
Then why vote for him? It is turning out that the things Obama is accomplishing are things he mentioned only rarely on the campaign trail. they were things that didn't seem to fit the broad generalizations he made so often. He didn't keep saying them so we sort of just let those things go. Changes to Military Defense systems and "Spreading the wealth" code word for government will take your money and give it to soemone else. And energy, he said only one time that his proposals for a green economy would "necessarily cause electricity rates to skyrocket"
I don't have time here to go into all the details. I strongly advise visiting Glenn Beck's website to get more details. www.glennbeck.com I think Glenn is the most believable of all the radio guys in Pittsburgh. Mostly because he comes to it from a more personal "Daily Experience" focused point of view. PLUS: I think he's the funniest of the top three.
I feel like I have lost my point somewhere. Here it is: We are the last truly free nation of the face of the globe. We have given up a lot of our freedoms already, bit by bit. Now there is a Globalist agenda residing in Washington that is seeking to change our great nation fundamentally and permanently. We have the responsibility of not letting that happen. We have the power to stop it but it requires diligence and ACTION. I am asking all of you, or maybe both of you. Get informed and get involved in the process.
I have now become a political hack. I am sorry, but I think he had to be done.
Andy
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Sunday, June 7, 2009
No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!
This line from the old Monty Python's Flying Circus reminds me to always expect the unexpected. In my daily search for wisdom I often find my complacency blocking my path. God has a way of shining a bright light on my lack of vigilance. Today the light comes in the form of my daughter Lindsey being in the hospital. She had a headache last Sunday and almost stayed home from church. She went to church with us and practiced to sing but didn't feel well enough to sing for worship and went to the restroom because she was ill. We went looking for her about a half hour later and she was on the floor in the restroom passed out. It is now one week later and she is still in the hospital. Viral Encephalitis is the diagnosis and we will be dealing with the effects of this for at least the next six months. Lindsey's summer missionary plans have been put on hold and her school work will be averaged and she won't have to take finals. It does not appear at this point that she has any lasting brain damage but that still remains to be seen.
The old adage, "Man plans his steps but God directs his path." comes to mind. The outlook for the summer changed dramatically last Sunday. I am tempted to ask God why. She had plans to serve Him as a summer missionary, why would He allow this to happen? I know that the answer is that I will probably never know all of the ramifications of this episode. God knows them and it's good to have opportunity to let God be God. Let Him direct our path and not get in the way. Roman's 8:28-30 reminds me that ALL things are for good to those who love God and are called to His purposes. Lindsey is called and she loves Him, now we just have to see the working out part
No one expects the downhill sides of the mountaintop. I know it is a necessary part of the mountain to have hills on either side. One day in the New Jerusalem we will be on the mountaintop to stay. For now we need the perspective that the sides give to the mountain. This could have been much worse. She may have chosen to stay home and would have been there without care for another hour or two. We may have chosen to not take her to the hospital because we didn't realize she had experienced a seizure. The doctors may have misdiagnosed the symptoms and delayed the correct treatment and more of the brain may have been involved. God is good and merciful. There are many facets to this current condition. It looks dark now but maybe that's just because the light is being re-focused elsewhere.
Right now, I am going for the Comfy Chair torture, maybe a pillow with all the stuffing up in the one end... Cardinal Fang doesn't scare me.
Andy
This line from the old Monty Python's Flying Circus reminds me to always expect the unexpected. In my daily search for wisdom I often find my complacency blocking my path. God has a way of shining a bright light on my lack of vigilance. Today the light comes in the form of my daughter Lindsey being in the hospital. She had a headache last Sunday and almost stayed home from church. She went to church with us and practiced to sing but didn't feel well enough to sing for worship and went to the restroom because she was ill. We went looking for her about a half hour later and she was on the floor in the restroom passed out. It is now one week later and she is still in the hospital. Viral Encephalitis is the diagnosis and we will be dealing with the effects of this for at least the next six months. Lindsey's summer missionary plans have been put on hold and her school work will be averaged and she won't have to take finals. It does not appear at this point that she has any lasting brain damage but that still remains to be seen.
The old adage, "Man plans his steps but God directs his path." comes to mind. The outlook for the summer changed dramatically last Sunday. I am tempted to ask God why. She had plans to serve Him as a summer missionary, why would He allow this to happen? I know that the answer is that I will probably never know all of the ramifications of this episode. God knows them and it's good to have opportunity to let God be God. Let Him direct our path and not get in the way. Roman's 8:28-30 reminds me that ALL things are for good to those who love God and are called to His purposes. Lindsey is called and she loves Him, now we just have to see the working out part
No one expects the downhill sides of the mountaintop. I know it is a necessary part of the mountain to have hills on either side. One day in the New Jerusalem we will be on the mountaintop to stay. For now we need the perspective that the sides give to the mountain. This could have been much worse. She may have chosen to stay home and would have been there without care for another hour or two. We may have chosen to not take her to the hospital because we didn't realize she had experienced a seizure. The doctors may have misdiagnosed the symptoms and delayed the correct treatment and more of the brain may have been involved. God is good and merciful. There are many facets to this current condition. It looks dark now but maybe that's just because the light is being re-focused elsewhere.
Right now, I am going for the Comfy Chair torture, maybe a pillow with all the stuffing up in the one end... Cardinal Fang doesn't scare me.
Andy
Saturday, April 18, 2009
What Have I Been Missing?
Throughout my christian life I have been living under a wrong assumption. I've had the idea that by not sinning I have missed out on something. The truth is that I have been missing out on something God had for me because I was sinning.
I believe I am not alone in this assumption.
I can easily envision the cause and effect of my sins of gluttony and verbal abuse through sarcasm and imagine what I would be like if I weren’t so.
I could put Barnabas to shame if I just thought of good things to say instead of sarcastic things to say. This is going to require massive re-training.
The basic question of all of these thoughts is this. What have I missed by sinning? Man's heart is desperately wicked and who can know it? My first choice in most of the forks in life's road is usually sinful. Unless I stop to take every thought captive and really consider my motivations I will take the easy road to sin. In taking the first option or the easy way all the time I have consistently chosen curtain number one and never looked at what was behind curtain number two, God’s curtain. What has He had in store for me if I had gone there?
In training up our youth I feel like I have to entice them to do good because evil tastes so sweet. We tend to try to sweeten the good with pizza and candy and it only defiles it. I need to show the good as good as it is, really. Even now I am suspicious of myself, what does goodness have to offer? Has anything good come out of Galilee?
The rewards of goodness are rarely immediately gratifying. Just like a meal from a crock pot or slow roasted meat has a depth of flavor. It takes time to develop the flavors of goodness. You can't experience the fruits of a long and happy life in a weekend! you can however suffer the consequences of unrighteous decisions only minutes after making them. In short, righteousness is it's own reward and it comes with a menu of complimentary sides that have lasting value.
Take the time to seek out the righteous options and goodness will follow.
I believe I am not alone in this assumption.
I can easily envision the cause and effect of my sins of gluttony and verbal abuse through sarcasm and imagine what I would be like if I weren’t so.
I could put Barnabas to shame if I just thought of good things to say instead of sarcastic things to say. This is going to require massive re-training.
The basic question of all of these thoughts is this. What have I missed by sinning? Man's heart is desperately wicked and who can know it? My first choice in most of the forks in life's road is usually sinful. Unless I stop to take every thought captive and really consider my motivations I will take the easy road to sin. In taking the first option or the easy way all the time I have consistently chosen curtain number one and never looked at what was behind curtain number two, God’s curtain. What has He had in store for me if I had gone there?
In training up our youth I feel like I have to entice them to do good because evil tastes so sweet. We tend to try to sweeten the good with pizza and candy and it only defiles it. I need to show the good as good as it is, really. Even now I am suspicious of myself, what does goodness have to offer? Has anything good come out of Galilee?
The rewards of goodness are rarely immediately gratifying. Just like a meal from a crock pot or slow roasted meat has a depth of flavor. It takes time to develop the flavors of goodness. You can't experience the fruits of a long and happy life in a weekend! you can however suffer the consequences of unrighteous decisions only minutes after making them. In short, righteousness is it's own reward and it comes with a menu of complimentary sides that have lasting value.
Take the time to seek out the righteous options and goodness will follow.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Working out my faith.
I've been mulling over this whole issue of faith. I have always struggled personally with the question:
"At what point do I stop living in my own strength and start living in the strength of Christ? Do the two modes blend seamlessly or is there a point where I break from me and lean on Him? How do I know when I am acting in faith or in my own strength?"
The fact that I have this question probably indicates that I am not relying on His strength very much or it would either not matter or not have the question. But then if I weren't the type of guy that strains at gnats I probably wouldn't be writing this blog. But, that said, I am sure I am not the only one who has thought about this.
I said in my previous post "Peace! Peace!" that faith is like two sides of a coin, it must be focused on something worthy of faith to be effective. I have faith in Christ to save me and to work through me. The second part of the equation is where I am struggling. I again, can mentally aspire to belief that Christ can work through me but how do I know it is happening?
I have sensed a tension in the Church through history about the book of James. The staunch Calvinists would be happy to see it removed from the bible and the staunch Arminians like to set up camp there. James has a definite focus on works and actions of faith. I think I have a new respect for James since I have been working through this.
James 2:14-24 NIV
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"[e] and he was called God's friend.
24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
My strength ends and Christ's begins when I simply do what Jesus commands. As I walk through my daily routines and I see the desperate need of the world I must set aside my selfish motivations and DO what is needed, clothe the naked and feed the hungry. Ah that is wonderful and true but somehow I get lazy and when I don't see any naked, hungry or needy. I think there is nothing to do here and I go on my selfish way. When I am faced with no overt need I must be diligent to look inside myself and find areas where I have not surrendered to Christ. So my original question of when does my strength end and His begin is simple. Jesus' strength should be always on and ready in a moment.
James goes on to the next step of fighting the internal fight in Chapter 3. He points out the need for the taming of the tongue and living in humility.
3: 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
This is especially difficult at home, and therefore especially important. If I am one way at church and another at home I am the worst kind of hypocrite. It is difficult at home because I excuse myself and say, "I need a place where I can let my hair down and not have to fight the good fight, just relax." I am thinking now that I have put the cart before the horse. If I can't live out my faith in the toughest field of battle, at home where everyone knows my faults, how effective can I be outside. I am pierced and convicted! I have not been very good at applying my faith at home up to now. If anyone reads this please pray for me and ask me how I am doing. Thank you.
Andy
"At what point do I stop living in my own strength and start living in the strength of Christ? Do the two modes blend seamlessly or is there a point where I break from me and lean on Him? How do I know when I am acting in faith or in my own strength?"
The fact that I have this question probably indicates that I am not relying on His strength very much or it would either not matter or not have the question. But then if I weren't the type of guy that strains at gnats I probably wouldn't be writing this blog. But, that said, I am sure I am not the only one who has thought about this.
I said in my previous post "Peace! Peace!" that faith is like two sides of a coin, it must be focused on something worthy of faith to be effective. I have faith in Christ to save me and to work through me. The second part of the equation is where I am struggling. I again, can mentally aspire to belief that Christ can work through me but how do I know it is happening?
I have sensed a tension in the Church through history about the book of James. The staunch Calvinists would be happy to see it removed from the bible and the staunch Arminians like to set up camp there. James has a definite focus on works and actions of faith. I think I have a new respect for James since I have been working through this.
James 2:14-24 NIV
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"[e] and he was called God's friend.
24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
My strength ends and Christ's begins when I simply do what Jesus commands. As I walk through my daily routines and I see the desperate need of the world I must set aside my selfish motivations and DO what is needed, clothe the naked and feed the hungry. Ah that is wonderful and true but somehow I get lazy and when I don't see any naked, hungry or needy. I think there is nothing to do here and I go on my selfish way. When I am faced with no overt need I must be diligent to look inside myself and find areas where I have not surrendered to Christ. So my original question of when does my strength end and His begin is simple. Jesus' strength should be always on and ready in a moment.
James goes on to the next step of fighting the internal fight in Chapter 3. He points out the need for the taming of the tongue and living in humility.
3: 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
This is especially difficult at home, and therefore especially important. If I am one way at church and another at home I am the worst kind of hypocrite. It is difficult at home because I excuse myself and say, "I need a place where I can let my hair down and not have to fight the good fight, just relax." I am thinking now that I have put the cart before the horse. If I can't live out my faith in the toughest field of battle, at home where everyone knows my faults, how effective can I be outside. I am pierced and convicted! I have not been very good at applying my faith at home up to now. If anyone reads this please pray for me and ask me how I am doing. Thank you.
Andy
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