Are we reliving Old Testament times?

I was reading Joshua and came to the last chapter. In it, Joshua is old and doesn’t have long to live and he’s telling the people to remember God’s commandments and remember all that God has done for them. God brought great nations to their knees as Israel spread out after Moses died. Battle after battle God was with them and they always prevailed. Joshua goes on to say that if they forsake the Lord, he will turn and bring disaster on His people.

Something hit me when I heard that. The U.S. has been blessed for years. In battle after battle we have defeated our enemies but now it seems we are weaker and possibly don’t have the protection we once had. Terrorists now openly mock us and plot to kill us without fear. Foreign countries look at us with disdain and contempt and I wondered when this may have started. The Vietnam War is the only real defeat we have had in battle. It can be argued whether we were defeated or not but when hundreds of thousands of our soldiers die and we pull out without victory I would say that’s a defeat. The end of that war is considered March of 1973. If we lost God’s blessing around that time what would have caused that? The Supreme Court decision on Roe v Wade was January 1973. Coincidence or not? I don’t know but if we are to believe the Bible then the start of legalizing the killing of millions of babies may have lifted our protection.

If God’s blessing on this nation is gone can we get it back? If so when and how? One thing is certain we are under constant attack by terrorists both domestic and foreign. Not only militarily but also economically. Read the Old Testament and see what happened to God’s people when they angered God. It’s not a pretty sight.

35 days and counting

Last month our church was talking about prayer and fasting. We talked about the different fasts and different ways to fast. The one common message was we were to fast something that interfered with our time with God. Food has never been a big deal to me. I go without breakfast and lunch quite often. It seemed that the one thing that got between me and God was TV. It was often normal to flip on the tube at 7 and watch for a couple hours. It was veg time.

So 35 days ago we quit watching. This is during 24 and March Madness too. One thing I can tell you is we DO NOT miss it. We spend our evenings now doing our studies, going for a walk, reading etc. We use to go out to eat but always would check our watch so we could be home in time for a certain show. Now it doesn't matter. The freedom of not being tied to a TV schedule is amazing.

My walk with God has become much closer this past month. The books I've read have opened my eyes to deeper matters I may not have considered. Our desire to serve has increased along with the time to do it.

We are all given the same amount of hours a week. Why does it seem like some get so much more done? Maybe they've shut of the tube.

Christianity is not a spectator sport

It's that time of year, March Madness! Millions will fill out their brackets and spend the next few weeks watching their favorite teams vie for the crown. It's a distraction from the day to day grind and a chance to get away from real life.

For many, church and Christianity in general is like that. We stroll into the worship center, pay our admission(tithe) and sit back for the show. Great music, video screens and a riveting speaker make for a laid back hour or two. We forget the outside world and drift into a spirit of peace. As soon as the doors are opened and we leave the center we fall back into the way of the world.

Christianity is not to be watched. We are not part of a play and watch the actors on stage. This is not our favorite team and we are not remembering when we used to be playing for the championship. We don't come to church to get something from it but we are to come to give something to it. We are to be actively engaged in the Christian life. We are called to serve, minister and love one another using the gifts God has bestowed upon us.

This year be part of the team. You've got the best coach ever and a supporting cast that is amazing. You're never too old or too far gone. So get up, get off the bench and get in the game!

God, send me a sign!

It's strange and a little sad how we are continually searching for a sign on what to do. This sign may come from God, Mother Nature or our belief in aliens. What's really sad is when a believer in Christ wonders "Is this a sign from God?"

During the period of my wife's affair she told of many times she would run into the other guy and would think "This just can't be coincidence". She would bump into him in a store or hitting balls at the driving range. Surly, she would say to herself, this isn't by chance. God wants us to be together! Add in the fact that this guy was a socializer (which I'm not) and liked to dance (which I don't) and the signs were just all over the place.

She would say something like "I know God brought him into my life for a reason".

Pardon for this interruption I just had to answer the door and was greeted by two elderly people inviting me to their church for Easter. A very nice couple of Jehovah's Witnesses. Now, was this a sign I should convert? If not, then why are some things that happen to us a sign and others aren't? Could it possibly be that our "signs" are actually our flesh giving us the go ahead to do things God would deem unacceptable? OK, back to the story.

Isn't it ironic that she was consumed with a sign from God, when God was clearly speaking to her through the Bible. Doctrine teaches us about the authority of His Word. God's Word is the path and final word on our lives. Forget our feelings and emotions, forget signs and hunches.

When you plead to God to send you a sign, remember He already did. His Word is true and will never change.

God knows your Google search

Everything you want to know about anything can be found with the click of the mouse. From the lyrics to the Flintstones to the temperature in New Zealand in August of 1977. We use the Internet to do research on term papers, buy airline tickets and keep up with friends. But what else do we do online? When no one is looking what sights are we surfing?

The vast resources available on the world wide web can also have destructive consequences. Porn, emotional affairs and voyeuristic tendencies are all easily found with one click of a button. No matter what you think, you're not sneaking away with anything. There is One who sees your every click and knows your every search. If your earthly parents were watching you surf would you be more careful in what you viewed? Remember your heavenly Father is also watching and He sees it all.

Are chick flicks emotional porn?

Porn may be a little strong but are there some similarities? In an article by Laura Leonard in Christianity Today she says "while traditional pornography appeals to men’s visual instincts and creates a false physical ideal of the female body, so the argument goes, chick flicks create in women a false emotional ideal of romance and marriage." Later in the article she reasons "Any time we say, or even think, “I wish I could find a guy like that” we are buying into a dangerous ideal of romance and marriage that just does not exist. Just as I do not want to be compared to a porn star, guys don’t want to be compared to Richard Gere. These movies can fuel a belief in “the one” — an obsession that celebrates the will of the heart, which “is deceitful above all things,” and disregards the qualities that will push a relationship through difficult times."

So what is it about chick flicks, or romance novels, that make them so appealing? Is it the physical attributes of the male hero or the happily ever after scenario? Is it the escape from an otherwise boring or less than fulfilling life? Perhaps the comparison to porn is only an apt analogy depending on the mindset of the viewer. Are the 90 minutes spent watching "The Notebook" just for fun or does the viewer end up comparing men to fictional heroes and disregarding the qualities that are actually important — faith, character, regard for others — in favor of physical attraction or chemistry? If it's the latter is it that much different than porn?

Honey, is the door locked?

A simple question usually asked at 10 PM after I'm in bed. "I think so" is the logical response especially since I have no idea but assume it is. I think so to a man means yes. I think so to a woman means no. I think so to a man means it probably is and even if it isn't I'm not worried about it. I think so to a woman means it might not be so I won't be able to sleep because someone might break in.

Men & women react so differently to what they hear and see that sometimes you have to wonder if we are from the same gene pool. When a man is in bed he's done for the night. A women gets in bed and still has 40 things on her mind that either should have been done or need to be done tomorrow. Ex: Mr. "I think so" has hinted that it would be a great night for a little romance to the Mrs. He hops into bed and there is only one thing on his mind as he watches his bride of 30 years get ready. All systems are go and we are ready for takeoff. The little woman snuggles up, gives him a kiss on the cheek and then mentions she talked to her mom today and she is coming to visit. She proceeds to tell hubby that means the living room needs to be painted and that leaky faucet will have to get fixed. Which reminds her that the toilet backed up and the plumber is coming out tomorrow. All Mr. "I think so" hears is "I wonder if anything is going to happen tonight". He really has no idea what was said.

It doesn't do any good to get mad at her for having so many things on her mind just as it doesn't do any good for her to get mad at him for desiring her all the time. We're different and we are supposed to be! God made us the way we are for a reason. Maybe discovering that reason and embracing it is part of the reason.

So smile to yourself, get up and check the door that is probably already locked. It takes seconds but sends a message to her that you value her and don't want her to worry. Tomorrow night when you get in bed just make sure you've already checked the door!

Avoiding Pain

Our daughter-in-law was stung by a scorpion the other night. The pain was short lived but still excruciating. A while back I broke a tooth and because it wasn't bothering me I didn't go see a dentist. A few months later my jaw began to ache so I went in and found out I needed a root canal. If I had gone in right away I could have just got by with a filling but over time an infection set in so more work was needed. Pain is a signal to us to make a change.

We do all we can to avoid pain. We ignore the pain in our marriage until the divorce papers are served. We ignore the pain at work caused by too many hours by telling ourselves we are doing this for our family and have no other choice until we realize we once again missed our daughters birthday party. We mask the pain in our chest with drugs until we are carried off on a stretcher. Pain is God's way of getting our attention and telling us to fix things or make a change!

Pain is not punishment from God but rather His way to wake us up. Genesis 3:17 says "Cursed is the ground for your sake" NKJV. It doesn't say for your punishment but your sake! Pain tells us something is wrong. Without the pain we would continue to do the same activity causing the pain. Without pain we would ignore the scorpion, we would ignore our marriage problems and our hearts.

The next time you feel pain ask yourself what is causing the pain and what should you do to correct it. Remember God also knows pain. He sent His son to us to endure all of our sins and pain and then die a horribly painful death on the cross. If He endured the pain of the death of His son to lay the path for us to be united with Him in heaven maybe we should use our pain to not only fix things in our lives but also to help guide others.