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December 10th, 2009
10:17 pm - Are You Surviving?
Why get a job so you can survive in this life?
Why just live life, and tag God onto it?
Sure that's great and all -- but life is nothing if you're just surviving it. You're just making money to get along, so you can continue to survive in life.
Is it not so much better to use your life completely for God? Serving Him personally, yes, but so much more. Why not spend your life being a witness and a minister for Christ, telling others about Him? Are you actively trying to build the Kingdom?
Yes, we must "survive" life, but if surviving is all we do, what good is it? Would it not be better to "survive" only 4 years of life, and have used those 4 years completely for God?
I'm not saying that a secular career is bad. You can be a minister for God in a secular career too. But we have about 85 years here, and then we're gone. Just 85 years - it's not really much time. And for most of us, we've used at least 1/4 of it already. And it really won't matter how well-off we were. Our money won't matter and our job won't matter. One thing will matter -- Did we make a difference?
This life isn't going to matter once we're gone. Why on earth are we spending 95% of life just "surviving" life? That means 95% of everything is absolutely worthless! Why not spend all of life for God? Maybe that means 80% working with people -eternal people- and just 20% to support ourselves doing it.
Why not?
Is your life worth anything or are you just surviving?
"The length of our days is seventy years--or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away."
-Psalm 90:10
"I've never understood why people spend all day at a job they don't like, to support a life they aren't happy with, and to pay for a house they don't live in!"
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December 4th, 2009
11:34 pm - The Impossible Museum
Museums have a lot of things, but
There are some things you just can't put on display --
The man who holds the Guinness book of World Records for humility.
First paper ever thrown away in Bill Gate's office.
First atom ever divided.
The first plane used in a Japanese Kamikaze mission.
The rocket upper stage from Apollo 11.
The Vanguard I.
The first ice hotel to make 1 million dollars.
Peter's first handkerchief, before they figured out they could cure diseases. (Acts 19:11-12)
The Hindenburg.
Last bomb to be used in World War II.
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November 26th, 2009
12:35 pm - Giving, Thanks
1. I am thankful that there is a God, and therefore life has purpose, meaning, and responsibility.
2. I am thankful for Christ, who provided salvation and deliverance from sin, and a personal relationship with the almighty God.
3. I am thankful for my family, with a wonderful Christian heritage, upbringing, and example.
4. I am thankful for you -- my friends, who mean a lot to me; who challenge, encourage, and inspire me.
5. I am thankful to live in a free country founded on Christian principles.
6. I am thankful for peace and safety, and freedom from persecution.
7. I am thankful for abundant blessings - I lack nothing, and have more things than I need to survive.
8. I am thankful for my job, where I get to impact the lives of youth; where I am privileged to learn and grow in a caring environment.
9. I am thankful for Kentucky Mountain Bible College, and our emphasis on training in holiness; training not just to survive life, but preparing for life itself.
10. I am thankful for the ability to be thankful. We're the only ones who can - we are special in creation.
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November 21st, 2009
04:25 pm - Universal Relativism
Pondering relativism recently, I was struck by a peculiar thought. I cannot build a large-scale model based on relativism, because relativism only exists in a limited scope.
Relativism is relative.
"His law he enforces, the stars in their courses
And sun in its orbit obediently shine;"
- Let All Things Now Living, Katherine K. Davis
We might believe in relativism, but why?
Let's start as far out as we know -- The Universe. Here we observe absolute law, so continuous an accurate that we (or the Mayans) can accurately predict hundreds - even thousands - of years ahead. This is true throughout the universe, the galaxy, and the solar system.
So let's come down to earth. Surprisingly, here we also observe absolute law. Gravity operates here without exception, just as it has throughout the entire universe. Everything is consistent, absolute, and reliable. Photosynthesis works - always. Respiration, the hydrologic cycle, the law of entropy, as well as recovery, and regeneration. A forest burns, and a forest grows back. Water evaporates, and water rains. It is all reliable; consistent; absolute.
Here we observe animals - something we have not seen anywhere else in the universe. They too, are very consistent, and the circle of life appears absolute. They grow; they die. But they all continue in constancy and consistency. We can predict what will happen, and it does.
Then we see a strange animal. Sometimes active during the day; sometimes active during the night. Sometimes carnivore; sometimes herbivore. Sometimes building; sometimes destroying. We cannot predict him. Each one acts differently, and each one may not act the same way every time in the same situation. Strange he is, this creature called human.
And it's the only place where we find relativism.
Nowhere else in the entire universe have we seen relativism. Nowhere else on the earth. What is it about this creature that is different? He is inconsistent; he is changeable. We cannot accurately predict him. What has given him freedom from the absolute law that governs all?
Friends, we could argue that we have evolved to this point. But how can we, who evolved by absolute law, rise above that law? How can we free ourselves from it? All of the rest of the universe is absolute -- how can we be outside it?
No -- moral relativism, social ethics, societal differences, situational ethics, and "Darwinian morality" all must come from somewhere else.
We are left with an obvious deduction: In order for us to be free from the law, we have have been freed from it. Was the human race granted freedom of choice at some point? Were humans given the ability to operate outside absolute law? Were they permitted the freedom to rebel?
Humans are different; humans are special. They are not just another animal. They are very unique. The Bible shows that it was God - the Creator of the absolute universe - who made man in His own image and gave him the freedom of choice. (Genesis 1-3) We have a privilege no other creation has. We can believe relativism and situational ethics only because God gave that freedom to us.
Friends,
Relativism shows the significance of man.
Relativism declares the existence of God.
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November 7th, 2009
09:54 pm - Well, What do You Know?
"I met a man at the coffee shop, and was telling him all about the powerful players in the Middle East controversy. Found out at the end of the conversation that this man lives next door to me."
I wonder if we can't see any of the world, because we are trying to see all of it.
(background in Amusing Ourselves to Death)
(Inspired by a small portion of the Pilgrim's Regress, p. 198-199.)
In our modern age, we are inundated with information. We have the ability to know what is going on (albeit, perhaps a bit skewed) in almost any part of the world. It has almost become a moral obligation to be not only aware, but punditic and opinionated to the point of argument.
But what has actually occurred is the exact opposite. We don't care. We are overloaded with information, and so we withdraw from it all.
Perhaps, in trying to see the whole forest, we see and care less about the trees. Perhaps, in trying to know the whole world, we know nothing about our neighbor. Perhaps, in trying to become part of the "universal consciousness," we are in fact, comatose.
What if we were created for the opposite. What if, in knowing one person so well, we can then meet all people, because we know they are just like our friend. What if, by loving our community, that love would overflow to every community we see. What if, by being so attached to one place, we then care about every place, because we know it is someone's home.
If we quit trying to save the world, (and tried to save our neighborhood) perhaps we would.
"The Landlord has knit our hearts so closely to time and place -- to one friend rather than another and one shire more than all the land."
"Out, little spear that stabs. I, fool, believed
I had outgrown the local, unique sting,
I had transmuted away (I was deceived)
Into love universal the lov'd thing."
(The Pilgrim's Regress, p. 198)
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November 3rd, 2009
10:57 pm - Don't Think and Drive (9)
Fall Break at KMBC:
Youth Challenge went great! I think this was one of the best years for me personally.
To all my friends who were there -- It was great to see you again!!
Along with 3 days there, today was a optometrist (eye doctor) appointment, which added a bit more excitement.
On the serious side:
"Microwave Altars" really bother me. If someone comes to the altar, and doesn't get help by the time we've finished the closing prayer, something didn't work. It's time to get up and go anyway. I've seen altar workers push people through a litany, like everyone has to fit situation #14 in the altar workers' handbook, or "it's just emotion." Why can't we work with people in a way that gives them time to let God really deal with them, instead of just rushing through prayers?
If you say, "we don't encourage that," I will reply. #1, I watch it encouraged all the time, intentional or not. #2, that is already the social expectation that we have created. We'll have to work to change it. When you microwave, you run the risk of it getting soft and soggy. Let's try Sonbaking!
Some funny things:
Shushan: *shock* "David is wearing a bracelet!"
Shushan: "There's a dog driving that car!"
Me: "What!?"
Shushan: "He's sitting in the driver's seat." *calming down* "Well, he's sitting in the driver's lap, but still, he shouldn't be there!"
Me: "It's probably his seeing-eye dog."
Now here is a walking motion disaster --
A tight straight jean skirt with 5 inch heel knee-boots! (Talk about "can't walk"! Lol)
So, I'm driving along today, and suddenly see a pair of sunglasses reflected in my window. I've owned this car for 8 months, and never saw those things! I guess they came free with the car. :)
Have you ever wondered why they have you pick out new frames - your new "look" for the next couple years - while your eyes are dilated, and you really can't see?
Speaking of which, I decided today that these "auto-drive" features on cars would be a great idea. After the dilation didn't wear off anywhere close to as fast as they said it would, I would have preferred for a computer to be driving my car! (for clarification, they have now begun to return to normal - over 7 hours later)
See
http://www.engadget.com/2005/08/27/gm-will-launch-self-driving-car-in-2008/
Today, my car read "Oil Pressure, 2psi. NORMAL" -- That doesn't seem very normal to me! LOL
"I prefer to run eastward marathons. Whenever I run westward, everything starts going wrong. It seems as though the whole world is turning against me!"
- Marathon runner Iván Buddíndenwin <input ... ></input><input ... >
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October 26th, 2009
11:08 pm - The Anda, Top American Invention, 2009!
http://www.segway.com/
Introducing the Anda, a brand new type of Segway that promises to keep you in shape while getting you where you need to go.
The Segway company, developers of the original Segway, have just released the Anda in response to the "fat and lazy concerns" from Segway users. Users complain about discomfort and lack of circulation resulting from the rigid stillness required to drive a traditional Segway. But the days of standing still are almost gone!
The Anda is a two-wheeled transport featuring an open frame and gyro-based moving belt. Unlike traditional Segways, which do not allow for any type of user motion, the Anda requires the user to move around while traveling. As the user pushes the belt in a walking motion, the Anda moves forward. If the user moves faster, the Anda picks up speed as well. To turn, the user simply leans to that side and continues walking. The Anda will be right underfoot. Even with wheels turning one way and the belt the other, thanks to Segway-patented gyro technology, the Anda never tips over.
The Anda MSRPs for $5500, and boasts a top speed 5.2 mph!
Segway is expected to release the Marathon, a jogging model with a top speed of 12 mph next year.
Voted Top American Invention, 2009
Check it out here.
Source:
Baloney Network - "All the news that isn't true."
Think it's a crazy idea? Think again --
Check out the Centaur -- http://news.cnet.com/Photo-Segway-Centaur/2009-1026_3-5408282.html
And this one --
http://www.engadget.com/2005/11/24/the-treadmill-bike/ (love the sentence under the picture)
http://www.bikeforest.com/tread/index.php
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October 20th, 2009
09:37 pm - Grey Area
Sometimes when a person rejects the Christian faith, it is pretty obvious that they are no longer following the Lord. One may do what they know is wrong, as a rebellious act of clear defiance.
But most often, we find ourselves concerned about someone because we just don't know where they are. They haven't clearly stepped over a line, but neither do they seem to be doing well spiritually. Sometimes, the person doesn't even know themselves. Often, people in this state will call themselves Christians, even after they seem to have long since abandoned God. How does this happen? Can it happen to us? Would we notice if it did?
There is a large piece of ground between heaven and hell. "Grey Area" is a dry and trackless wasteland, without signposts, landmarks, or boundary lines. It is very difficult to know where you are and whose side you are on. It is not like walking off a cliff and falling into sin (like most people fear, and like our first case, above). It is like wandering without any sense of direction. You can walk right into sin, and not even know it. By the time you recognize a landmark, you may find that you are a hundred miles inside the enemy camp.
By choosing to live in Grey Area, you are choosing to live without the knowledge of right and wrong. It may seem like freedom, but you've sacrificed knowledge. We often like to think that God doesn't know where the line is either, so it's safe to be out there. But if we don't know where we are until we finally see a landmark, whose landmark do you think we will see? It's the temptation that Christian faced in "Pilgrim's Progress" when he saw a green path that ran "parallel" to the road. He didn't know the path soon disappeared and left him without direction. Grey Area doesn't make you right, it makes you lost.
Many of us want to live in Grey Area, for we do not like the idea that God will judge us for our actions. We feel we are safe out there, because we cannot fall into sin. There are no cliffs; there is no danger. We are outside the clear voice of God, and outside the reach of Satan. It's a safe middle-of-the-road. But friends, if we are outside the voice of God, how will we hear when He calls His children home?
Do you know for sure that how you are living is right?
“Grant me, O Lord, the grace to know what should be known, to praise what is most pleasing to You, to esteem that which appears most precious to You, and to abhor what is unclean in Your sight.” -- Thomas a Kempis (Imitation of Christ, p. 236)
"Let a man but have so much piety as to intend to please God in all the actions of his life, as the happiest and best thing in the world." -- William Law (A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, Chapter 2)
Important Note:
*There is a difference between observing others in a "grey area," and choosing to be there personally. I strongly encourage you to personally stay out of grey areas. Choose to live the way you know for sure is right. If you don't know for sure, stay clear away from it!
On the other hand, I encourage you to have grace with others you observe. Just because you don't know if they are right doesn't mean they don't know. Don't announce that they are going to hell. We are to hold each other accountable and spur one another on in the faith. Ask if they know for sure what they are doing is right. Point them to God's Word as the boundaries and signposts for our lives. Exhort them to a life that abandons grey area in favor of right living. All of us, in any spiritual state, need to hear that exhortation.
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October 17th, 2009
10:07 pm - 1 Great Way to Get Rid of Trashy Ads
Trashy ads bothering you? Here's a simple way to help protect your space.
You don't have to live with the ads on Facebook (or the rest of the internet)!
You can get rid of them if you are using Firefox as your web browser with the adblock plus plugin!
If you do not have Firefox, start here:
1. Download and install Firefox
go to http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/personal.html
click the download button to download firefox
2. Install firefox
3. After installing, run firefox
If you are already using Firefox, start here:
4. In firefox go to https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865
this is called Adblock Plus
5. Click "Add to Firefox"
It will install (may require a few more clicks)
6. Restart firefox
7. When firefox restarts, it will show a subscription page. Select "Easy List (USA)".
8. Bam, your ads are gone!
A few notes:
--You should now have an adblock icon in your top-right corner (looks like a stop sign).
--Some legitimate web images may accidentally be blocked by adblocker (for example, it sometimes blocks the main picture on the kmbc homepage. You can disable adblock to check or select "disable for __site__". (both of these are found at the stop sign.)
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October 8th, 2009
11:11 pm - Seeing Evolution in Order
I was sitting there on the 4th floor on the highrise, placidly watching the suburban Chicago traffic. As an army of ants goes to and fro from an anthill, each minding his own business, yet working in perfect harmony, so these cars went about their circuit. As I watched the endless motion, so regular, yet so varied, I asked myself, "Where does order come from?"
I am not wholly opposed to assuming a belief entirely for a set time, in order to work from inside the belief system. So, please allow me to embrace evolution for a minute.
Cars, such as those in suburbia, and even ants, such as those in my yard, challenge my modern evolutionary thought. My understanding, based in modern theories of evolution, has great distaste for these cars operating in such harmony. This type of order presents some challenges for us. Where does order come from? In evolution, we rely on randonimity and chance. It is highly improbable that life, and ultimately man, evolved from mere non-living matter, yet it is possible. And it has happened.
Evolution is random. Given enough chances, the universe exploded into existence. Given enough time, life accidentally sprang into being. Given enough opportunities, beneficial mutations occurred, changed the organism, and created new creatures. By luck, it so happens that we humans are now here.
But where did order come from?
If I truly am to embrace evolution, I must hold that it is the best system. If it is the best system, why is this system not operating around me every day?
Why, our highways should go nowhere; our driving should be erratic. Our cars should take turns at random, and reach our destinations totally by accident! Our airspace should be hopeful, our seas should be unmapped, our lands should have no signage -- We're creatures of chance! Who needs NASA? Our spacecraft will make it eventually -- just give it enough time!
Is order really necessary?
I cannot believe that order has always been necessary, for I do not believe it was necessary for the beginning of the universe and life. But if order is not necessary, then why does it exist? It should have been eliminated a long time ago by Natural Selection. If order is not necessary, where did it come from? If all was created by random processes, then order had to be created by random processes.
As an evolutionist, I hold that random processes can produce order, or at least, an order. If I toss Scrabble pieces onto a table, it is possible that a word (most likely a 2-letter word) will be produced. We would recognize that as order, or at least, as in order. Unfortunately, I must already operate from order to recognize that the scrabble pieces are in an order. So again I am foiled. If I was a pure randomist, I would not notice the difference between my random tossing producing gibberish on my Scrabble table or producing the entire works of Shakespeare. I must understand language, which is an order, to be able to tell the difference.
So while I could argue that randonimity can produce an order, I am forced to recognize that randonimity cannot produce an operating system of order. Thus, randonimity cannot produce order, and order did not exist before the beginning. Order should not exist. But it does.
Order then, must be necessary. If it is necessary, then where did it come from? If order is necessary, why do we say it wasn't present at the beginning of things!?
One might say that order is necessary for life today, and I think they would be correct. But then we have another problem. Just when did order become necessary?
I cannot believe that order has always been necessary, for I do not believe it was necessary for the beginning of the universe and life. Perhaps then, it became necessary at some later point? I cannot say where, however.
But now I am left with another dilemma. At what point did order supersede randonimity? Order is what I observe in the world today. Without it, I would probably have been staring, panic-stricken, at a horrible mess of car pile-ups. Order seems to be the dominant operator in the present world. When did it surpass random processes? Since it did, Natural Selection would teach me that randonimity is weak, and order is superior. But if order is superior, why was it not necessary in the beginning!?
In either case, I still don't know where it came from. I also do not know how. If randonimity is all that operated prior to order, then how did order come into being? I have already found that randonimity cannot produce order. Where did order come from?
If I continue to hold that randonimity was the cause of everything, then I cannot explain why I observe order. Order is necessary, distinct from random processes.
If order is necessary, then why is randonimity? When order could explain it all, why do we insist that randonimity must explain it all?
I could propose that order and randonimity must both exist. But then, order is necessary.
If order is necessary, why do we insist that it wasn't necessary in the very beginnings of our universe and life?
Wouldn't a theory that includes both order and randonimity make more sense? Perhaps we should develop a theory in which order is dominant, and randonimity is variety. Maybe random processes have nothing to do with it. Maybe order created the cosmos, and randonimity mixes it.
Perhaps God created the heavens and the Earth.
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October 2nd, 2009
03:58 pm - What's your opinion? 2 bad parents or 1 good one?
Time for some input and discussion!
Question:
Is it better for a child to be in a bad home with 2 parents, or to be in an acceptable situation with just one? (for the sake of discussion, the "bad home" is not violent/abusive, but not a good situation either).
Originally from:
http://dlorimer.livejournal.com/25473.html
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September 28th, 2009
11:24 pm - The Innocence of Father Brown
The Innocence of Father Brown
by GK Chesterton
The Father Brown mysteries are a set of detective series by G.K. Chesterton. He was president of a mystery writers club. Although he claims to have had some differences with the style of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in Sherlock Holmes, in my estimation he shared some of the same style. Chesterton's gift for "turning things inside out" propels his mystery stories to very involved, surprising, and fulfilling plots.
In The Innocence of Father Brown, each chapter is a complete story, the only continuing elements being the 2 main characters, and of course, Chesterton's singular style.
To summarize, Father Brown, a Catholic Priest, is gifted with uncommon powers of observation, deduction, and inference. Combined with a raw knowledge of human nature, primarily gained through his profession, these gifts make Father Brown the most powerful and successful "detective" of his time. Nearly all the stories in this book involve a man named Flambeau, first as an adversary, then as a friend and colleague. (Curious? Read the book.)
If you like detective stories; if you like lots of surprises, multiple explanations, and false accusations before the truth comes out; if you like to not know what's coming, read all of GK Chesterton's mysteries. I recommend them.
Free Text:
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/204
Free Audio:
http://librivox.org/the-innocence-of-father-brown-by-g-k-chesterton/
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September 24th, 2009
10:55 pm - Essays by Francis Bacon
Finished reading the Essays of Francis Bacon. The book has some merit, but it is certainly not on my list of things to read often. Francis Bacon was a Englishman, a scientist, and an Anglican Christian. Apparently, he was well-versed in a number of other areas as well, as is evidenced in Essays. Further research points out that he was an "English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, and author. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England." 1
The essays deal a lot with politics, business, and society (all in a European Parliamentary Monarchy setting). The chief merit of the essays is their deep insights, explanation, directions, advice, teaching and directives to those who are involved in high-level society. The wisdom comes in a level, non-partisan way that reveals a deep knowledge of how things are, and how to best succeed in that reality. Bacon was either a very high-class figure, or had studied high society and gained real insight. The style is direct, not open for discussion, but backed up by reasons and example. The writing betrays much study and comprehensive knowledge. I was particularly amazed at his detailed discussion of a state garden, and the way horticulture "ought to be."
One challenge for the modern reader is this: Though the main text is in English, Bacon includes a fair amount of Latin, which was not translated. As he does not often explain, the reader may sometimes feel that the most important message is lost because of this language barrier. In defense of the text, most readers from this time period had a full textual understanding of Latin, and this linguistic change would have added distinct emphasis and authority to each point.
For most people, this would not be an enjoyable book. I found myself only part liking it.
If you are in (or contemplating) business or politics, I would recommend this book for serious study. Treat it not as an easy read, but as a textbook. Each essay forms a lesson inviting study, remuneration, experiment, and application. Remember the difference in audience and application; take what's helpful and leave the rest.
They are Public Domain now, and can be accessed for free here:
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/575
http://www.westegg.com/bacon/index.essays.html
1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bacon
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September 14th, 2009
11:14 pm - The Pilgrim's Regress
Finished reading "The Pilgrim's Regress" by C.S. Lewis tonight.
I really enjoyed the book, and highly recommend it.
It's one person's progression of thoughts and beliefs throughout life, in an allegory form. If you liked Pilgrim's Progress, if you like philosophy, if you like the study of thought, if you like Lewis, if you like to think about life, I think you would like this book.
I agree with Lewis that in general, it was unnecessarily obscure. But it didn't do very much damage to the message.
For those who have read it:
I was struck --finally-- by an understanding of Sweet Desire (I did not grasp the concept until he explained it in the Afterword). When I got it -- Wow -- Everything in life points to God. Anything that calls to us, producing a desire, but then never delivers, points to the greatest desire Fulfiller of all. God has put a longing in our hearts for Himself and for heaven, and it is evidenced everywhere. The far hill that calls to be explored leaves you yearning for the next hill when you arrive. The call of the sea is never abated, for the sea flows on. The call of the wild is not satisfied by your arrival. The desire for love and security is never fully met in humans alone. The desire to be right is never fully achieved. "There's gotta be something more." Every desire we experience points us to God. I knew, somehow, down in my heart, that my desire to hike, adventure, and explore turns my heart toward God. The two are kin. But I hadn't ever seen it in this light. Sweet Desire draws us to God.
I find myself a pretty strong "Northerner." Lewis states in the Afterword that [for a Southerner] "every feeling is justified by the mere fact that it is felt: for a Northerner, ever feeling on the same ground is suspect." (p. 206) Indeed, I find that when a feeling (often, any feeling) arises that calls for emotional reaction, the ready solution is to whip it and beat it until it is gone. Discipline, dedication, and defiance are the ready men-at-arms. "Weakness," potential instability, and an open heart can easily be crushed into subjection. I think at some points in my travels, I have seen Mania in the distance.
God, would that you send Vertue south to catch fire!<input ... ></input><input ... >
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September 8th, 2009
11:33 pm - In The Image of His Holiness
I was struck with a new thought tonight. Often, I view God's work too small. I still think like a native, instead of the alien that I am. God should be involved in so much more than we often think.
Perhaps God was asking me to consider this tonight --
God is holy. I have been redeemed though the blood of His Son, and He has called me to be holy. I know that my life is to reflect God's holiness.
"Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."" 1 Peter 1:15-16
By this I understand that my actions should reflect the image of His holiness. But am I thinking too small?
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own." 1 Corinthians 6:19
By this I understand that it's even bigger than that. My spirit, my attitudes, my life, my actions, the way I live, the way I talk should all reflect the image of His holiness."To look at the Temple was to direct one to God. The symmetry, beauty, and purity of the Temple is to represent God." - Selected But am I thinking too small?
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31
It's huge! Everything I do should reflect the image of God's holiness.
What if my room is to reflect the image of God's holiness? What would that look like?
What if my office was to reflect the image of God's holiness? What would that look like?
What if the way I dress was to reflect the image of God's holiness? What would that look like?
What if my notebooks were to reflect the image of God's holiness? What would that look like?
What if my car was to reflect the image of God's holiness? What would that look like?
I had never thought about some of these little areas of my life before. Should they be object lessons that point to a holy God? It was the thought of my car that struck me tonight. My car should reflect the image of God's holiness? Wow, time to make some changes!
"Lord, may I reflect the image of Your holiness. Help me to understand that every part of my life -- large or small -- has been touched by your Holy Spirit, and should represent you. Continue to teach me how to reflect the image of your holiness. Help me to be a little picture of a great big God. Amen."
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September 6th, 2009
11:14 pm - Death Didn't Win
It has been almost 3 weeks since the passing of a great man who won my love and respect. He was a humble, Godly man, who was loving and caring, dedicated, and hardworking.
When death, our final enemy, began plotting against him, the news came back -- Cancer. He entered battle after battle, from chemo to waiting, from physical pain to emotional torture. But in it all, he remained firm and resolute. He not only believed in God, but had a close relationship with God that was real and active. From the day he got the news he had cancer, he testified every Sunday. I cannot remember a Sunday where he did not praise the Lord, in spite of his situation. In spite of death.
Death fought hard, but could not defeat the Power working inside. He never missed a Sunday, and he testified to God's goodness until he could no longer talk. He kept his mind and his humor to the end. He was in church the Sunday before he died.
Death tried to kill him. Death tried to crush his spirit. But when I look at it all, death didn't win. Oh, he died, yes. But he died in glory. He died in way that made death to be nothing. You see, he was redeemed by the power of God through Christ. Jesus died for him and rose again, conquering death and the grave! This same Jesus lived in and through him by the power of the Holy Spirit. Death didn't win, because death had already been defeated by the Power that was working in him!
He son relayed that His last audible prayer was, "Lord, I am learning to lean on you."
May God bless the memory and legacy of Kenneth Amspaugh.
"...Our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." -- 2 Timothy 1:8
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August 29th, 2009
10:05 pm - Would Christian Socialism Work?
A Comparison of Christian Socialism
--Story from the internet--
Many people have sent this one to me. I don't know if it is true or not, but it is a fine example of socialism in action.
An economics professor at Texas Tech said he had never failed a single
student, but had once failed an entire class.
The class (students) insisted that socialism worked since no one would be poor and
no one would be rich, a great equalizer. The professor then said, "OK, we
will have an experiment in this class on socialism."
"All grades will be averaged and everyone will receive the same grade so no
one will fail and no one will receive an A."
After the first test the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The
students who had studied hard were upset while the students who had studied
very little were happy.
But, as the second test rolled around, the students who had studied little
studied even less and the ones who had studied hard decided that since they
couldn't make an A, they also studied less. The second Test average was a D.
No one was happy. When the 3rd test rolled around the average grade was an F.
The scores never increased as bickering, blame, name calling, all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for anyone else.
To their great surprise all failed.
The professor told them that socialism would ultimately fail.
The harder people try to succeed the greater their reward (capitalism) but when a government takes all the reward away (socialism) no one will try or succeed.
--End of Story from the internet--
Socialism fails. But the early Christian church practiced a form of socialism, which we can call "Christian socialism," and it worked (see references below). But there is a very major difference.
Why did Christian socialism work?
If this were Christian socialism, the story would go more like this ...
The class immediately went to work. Those who were fast readers read out loud to a group who could not read as fast. Several study guides were distributed, so they could be compared and studied together. Study groups were set up, and everyone was involved.
Well, everyone except Albert. Albert has always done very poorly in school. Albert didn't show up to the study group, and he never looked at the study guide he received. Trying to help, the class organized a study group at Albert's house. They made sure he was involved, asking questions, and challenging his responses to make them better. Albert did not tolerate this for long. He sent them all away. He did continue to show up to the "coffee and cookies" study sessions, though he didn't seem to participate in much other than the cookies.
When the grades came back, most were As, a few Bs, and 1 F -- Albert.
In Christian socialism, standards and judgment are not taken away. It is community helping fellows, not averaging of results. It is everyone working together to meet the same standard, not redefining the standard to the average.
In socialism, judgment (result) is spread out so all share equally.
In Christian socialism, all share and work together to prepare each for the judgment.
The book of Acts shows us the example of Christian socialism.
Acts 2:44-45 "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need."
Acts 4:32-35 "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. . . . There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need."
However, we notice this striking difference that I mention above in these verses:
Acts 5:1-5
"Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet. Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God." When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened."
2 Thessalonians 3:10
"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat."
I Timothy 5:8-10
"If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds."<input ... ></input><input ... >
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August 26th, 2009
09:45 pm - The God who is Everywhere
The other day, I realized how great it is that God is everywhere (omnipresent). I was praying for the persecuted church. You know, my problems are really very small compared to what they are facing. If anyone needs the presence, power, and grace of God, it is them. If God were not everywhere at all times, surely He would be with His children who are being persecuted. That means He wouldn't be with me.
But He is with me, always. He is even willing to dwell inside of me. I am happy to serve the God who is always present!
"God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." John 14:16-17
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20b
"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you." 2 Thessalonians 3:16
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August 22nd, 2009
03:11 pm - Tastes Like Baloney (A Taste of Evolution)
Ice cream and spoiled beef, clorox bleach and antifreeze.
Have you ever wondered why you have taste buds?
Eating lunch suddenly became a problem in trying to understand our supposed evolutionary structure. It seems that if the separating factor is survival of the fittest, our sense of taste has gone disastrously wrong. According to an article on Bio-Medicine.org, "The endless struggle for survival in nature inevitably boils down to finding food and eluding predators." (1)
If evolution is true, why do we have taste buds?
Taste buds are almost entirely worthless in the evolutionary sense.
Ok, imagine this -- you are suddenly cast into a primitive food-finding area (which could just mean there is no supermarket nearby). You know that some plants/foods are poisonous, while others are safe and beneficial. You put one in your mouth, and it tastes . . . good. Sorry friend, but your evolutionary mechanics just killed you.
Good!? Why does it taste good? Why does it make you smile or frown? If evolution is true, I would expect it to taste either harmful or prosperous. Why does my body make a distinction between an apple and an orange, but has some trouble between parsnips and poison hemlock? (2)
Taste buds often fool and mislead us. It is not uncommon for us to like what is really poison, and dislike that which is good for us. Antifreeze tastes very good, but is a deadly poison. While you are preparing to reply that it is man-made, I am pondering all of the natural plants that are the same way. Many (if not most) of the best-for-you vegetables taste so nasty that we could not choke them down (and they are not sold in stores because no one would buy them). The taste of some might even cause us to vomit them up again. Why has our evolution so destroyed us?
What benefit is there to taste? To be beneficial, taste ought to detect the difference between poison and non-poison.
But taste buds give like and dislike, enjoyment, pleasure, and disgust. None of these are survival instincts. How did something like this come through the survival of the fittest? Why something so worthless to our survival? Why don't we only detect poison, or protein, or indigestibility?
But if there is a God who created us in His image--
If we were modeled after a God who has likes and dislikes, enjoyments, pleasures, and disgusts--
Why, then it makes perfect sense.
(1) http://news.bio-medicine.org/biology-news-3/Can-a-taste-for-poison-drive-speciation-3F-1817-1/
(2) http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weedguide/singlerecord.asp?id=550
http://webecoist.com/2008/09/16/16-most-unassuming-yet-lethal-killer-plants/
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August 16th, 2009
10:57 pm - Principles for Music
Principles for Music / Media
notes from Aldersgate Music Class
Led by Sam Mokoli and David Lorimer
1. What do the lyrics say?
2. Do the lyrics glorify God?
3. What is the real message of the song?
4. Is the message true?
5. Can I worship God while listening to this music?
6. What does this teach me?
7. What does this teach me about God?
8. How does it use the name of Jesus/God?
9. Does this music control me?
10. How does my spirit respond when I listen to this music?
11. What does this song promote? What does this song glorify?
12. What does the Bible say about music?
13. Does this make me want to be more like God?
14. Would God like it?
These are in no particular order. This is the point summary of the lessons and discussions we had during the class. Aldersgate campers -- We had a great time and enjoyed being with you all. Hope you have a great year!
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