Joy to the World

Tis the season, or so they say. Just about everyone spreads the sentiment of peace and joy and brotherhood during these last few months of the year. Everyone seems to agree that this is a good thing but the atheist or the skeptic will be quick to argue that faith is not required to spread peace and love to others and that Christmas can be just as meaningful without Christ. Many Christians flounder for a response to this and tend to mumble something about commercialism or the "true" meaning of the holiday but what if I told you that both sides may be missing the point?

We read the beautiful story of the nativity in Luke one and two, and we can almost hear the chorus of angels say "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" But do we really get understand this? The meaning of the nativity and of this proclamation -like the cross itself- is tied to our past. In order to understand the right side of the Bible we need to know the left side; the Old Testament.

In the beginning God created. Now without getting into a creation argument (which is not the focus of this writing) we can see that God made man -specifically Adam and Eve. According to the book of Genesis mankind was, in those early days, perfect. We were were without sin or the knowledge of it and enjoyed a perfect communion with God. Simply put: we were truly good and there was nothing keeping us from or restraining our relationship with God.

Everything changed at the fall. Adam was given very little instruction, but chiefly he was told not to eat the fruit of a certain tree.

“Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

(Genesis 2:15-17)

This command was translated to Eve after her creation and things seemed to go as normal for a time. However, Eve chose to disobey God when temptation came to her and Adam -instead of correcting her- followed suit. In that moment their eyes were opened to evil and they “fell” from their perfect state and passed that sin nature on to their descendants, us.

This sin nature has plagued humanity ever since, it is a wedge between the creation and the Creator and makes us creatures of wrath rather than sons of glory. We're the spiritual cockroaches of the universe. The important point to remember here is that while we once enjoyed close companioship with God we are now estranged and more than that we are His enemies.

“For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

(Romans 8:6-8)

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened....being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”

(Romans 1:20-21, 29-32)

So the world and all the people in it are naturally at odds with the God who created them. This brings us back to Luke and the angel's proclamation, “ Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” People tend to throw this verse around while pushing for unity in mankind and the brotherhood of humanity but the angels, I think, had a very different meaning in mind.

You see, they weren't here to spout empty blessings or hollow promises. They weren't here to warm hearts and calm minds. They had come to proclaim the birth of the King! Man was estranged and at enmity with God, doomed to a just punishment and eternal separation from their creator. The flames of Hell lie in front of us and we are powerless to alter our path, but God has made a way.

The story of Christmas is the story of salvation, of God come to earth in the form of man that a way to Heaven may opened to us! Jesus, that little baby in the manger, was more than the offspring of Mary. He was and is God in flesh, Deity in humanity, the infinite within the the finite. He was the same man who would grow up to face death on the Cross that we might receive life in eternity. His sacrifice paid the price for our crimes and allows God to forgive us, putting our sins on Jesus' account.

The angels didn't come to make the shepherds feel good as they cowered in that field. They didn't come to proclaim peace throughout the nations. The angels were a delegation from the King to His people in rebellion, they were messengers of His intentions of peace towards us. The goodwill toward men is His goodwill! Though we are haters of God and though we have rejected Him at every opportunity He has goodwill and peace intended for us! He extends the olive branch and offers us a way of reconciliation.

Now through Jesus Christ we can look foreword not to the unending flames of Hell but to the peace and rapture of Heaven.

“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”

(Revelation 21:1-7)

We need not fear tomorrow and we need to war against our maker. We who were the enemies of God have been shown peace and forgiveness. Remember this Christmas that the birth of Jesus is only understood when viewed in the light of the our past and that baby's future. God came to man when man would flee from God, He has built a bridge over the chasm we had built.

“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.”

(Luke 2:8-20)

Back in the Saddle ... Sort of.

Hello again!  I do apologize for essentially abandoning my blog for so long.  Life is life and I don't really have time to update this regularly at the moment.  I do want to start posting on here again but I can't promise any sort of schedule.  For now though I do have a new post which will be separate from this announcement.  Thanks for reading.

Sin in Particular

     Let's talk about sin a bit shall we? Sin is an evil thing, a destructive corrosive thing that devours and distorts everything it touches. From our perspective there are bad sins and worse sins and minor sins and slight sins and more, but to God there is just 'sin.' Now one thing we as Christians are getting accused of more and more as of late is picking and choosing which sins we condemn -specifically in others. I have to say I've seen this but really I think this idea stems from our own poor work at explaining reality as the Bible describes it.

     Take homosexuality for example. Just about everybody knows (or should) that Christianity is not fond to say the least but do they know why? Do they understand that God is the rightful ruler of all things and that He has made the world in a certain way. The world may be contaminated but that doesn't change the standard, any deviation from His order is wrong. We create more problems than we fix by always harping on this subject because it creates a skewed perspective both for those outside the faith and for ourselves. How many times have you heard someone ask about the other old testament laws and why we don't uphold those? People see us not living what we preach and it creates a wall of misunderstanding that keeps them away from the truth.

     People need to know that homosexuality is not particularly sinful. By that I mean that it is no more or less sinful than stealing or lying or any other misdeed. Personally I don't find it hard to believe that someone could be born that way, we are corrupted by sin after all however, the Bible tells us that it takes a will to make sin.  Choice is a key component. You cannot have inherently evil objects because it is always a consciousness that defines evil, a willful choice. People get outraged at us partially because we fail to explain that it is not the feeling of a desire that is the sin, it is the embracing and acting on that desire. When we point out the sin without explaining this people naturally feel as if we are telling them that they -as an individual person- are inherently evil. Of course people actually are evil but you get my point.  The understanding that you are guilty of a crime is different than being told that the feelings you have no control over and that seem to be a natural part of you are evil. Again, they are and it is the same for all of us not just homosexuals but the understanding of that comes with a greater knowledge of God and the plight of man.

     We need people to know that we don't think that homosexuals in particular are going to Hell. Everyone is, because we are all deserving of it. Homosexuality is just another sin, another example of man's fallen state. We need to focus less on pet sins and specific infractions and more on the overall condition of humanity. God will punish all sin and evil, not just the ones that are publicly obvious. God hates evil, it is an affront to His purity and righteousness and because He is also just, He must punish and deal with that evil. But God is also love and He loves us despite our sin.

     Because God is just, He must punish evil but since He loves us He made a way of escape. Jesus came down to earth, the Son of God took on the form and nature of man and lived here as we do but without sin. His life and identity made Him the perfect and only sacrifice worthy to pay for our debt. Ultimately it comes down to who bears the burden of your sin, you or Jesus? You can pay for your own sin but it will take an eternity of suffering and punishment, or you can lay your burden at the cross and Jesus can bear it for you. Your individual sins do not set you apart for your evil, they simply mark you as human. We are all sinners, whether in much or in a little, and we are all in need of a savior.

Perspective and the Point

Not much of a post today I'm afraid.

     I'm a young writer and by that I mean that I am neither particularly advanced in age nor am I extensively experienced as a crafter of sentences and paragraphs. I'm still trying to find my voice, my particular take on things. Right now I'm really trying to fall in love again with creating. Lately I've remember how much I drew when I was younger and yet I hardly ever draw now. I used to write poems all the time and when I was in elementary school I would write these odd stories for class and at home. Now that I'm an adult though, I can't help but feel the press of responsibility on my shoulders and I just don't feel the love anymore.

     I've lost that inexorable force that compels me to pick up my pencil and just doodle. I have so many ideas in my head for stories and books and such but sitting down to write them scares me more than excites me more often than not. I need to reevaluate my perspective and I need to remember the point of it all. I love writing this blog, I do, but there needs to be more within me that writes for me.

     When I started the blog up again I tried to post five days a week and that was killing me. Now that I'm posting three times a week I feel that I am capable of producing that much content but the schedule is effecting the quality of the blog itself. I plan on dropping down to twice a week for now and perhaps when my job situation becomes more stable and I have more time I'll post more often.

     Really I'm just concerned about putting out good posts rather than simply getting a post out. Beyond that I need to readjust my own mind find a bit more of me as a writer. I feel like, if I don't do this, I'll kill this for me. To that end I'll be taking a week off to do some other writing and more importantly thinking and working towards a better system and better perspective. I'll be finishing off this week so I'll have a new post on Friday. Thank you all for your readership and understanding.

See you on the other side.

-Jonathan

The Freedom of Choice

     Has it ever bothered you that you didn't have a choice? Have you ever not liked the choices laid out before you? I'm sure you have, just as I have, just as we all have. Life presents us with choice that we frequently would rather exchange for others but that we have no real control over. We believe that Humans have free will but we often stumble along the road and crash headlong into situations where we really have no choice at all. Personally, I take this as evidence that the question of free will is actually quite more complicated or at least different than we have come to believe.

     The question is an old one: does man have free will? This is an important philosophical question. From our perspective, if man lacks free will than his choices are not really his own and thus the blame of any negative consequences resulting from those actions should not be placed upon man. Essentially we want to reserve the right of free will for everyone but we desperately want to be free of the implications, at least the negative ones. This is why determinism is so tempting. If we can ferret out a way for man to be essentially programmed than none of his actions can be blamed up on the man himself, only on his nature.

     From what I see man, in point of fact, does not have free will. Many secular scientists would agree with me on that but not for the same reasons. It is becoming a popular belief that since man is nothing more than a “meat machine” by humanist standards, since there is no supernatural, since there is only what we can see-hear-taste and touch, then there is no other option than for man to be nothing more than an elaborately programmed robot of flesh. Evolution leaves no room for the transcendent and so man must be firmly rooted in random chance and chemical reactions, there is no room for sentience. Biblicaly speaking though, there is transcendence, there is the supernatural, there is more than what we see. As far as I can see man does not have free will -however- he does have free choice.

     These two concepts are similar to be sure but there is start difference. To have free will is to have the power of decision over both action and result, cause and consequence. To have free choice is to be free, without push or pressure, to choose from a set of available options. In the garden God did not set Adam and Eve down on the grass to roam free and wild. In the perfection that was initial creation God gave perfect people rules. Now why would He give rules and laws to perfect people? Really that is a complex question that would take a long time to answer but for the purpose of this post it was in part to facilitate man's need for free choice. In that time God gave man one simple choice, obey or disobey. Don't eat the fruit! That was man's first and only necessary and conscious choice that had any significance. That choice is what ultimately doomed us all.

     You see Adam and Eve new the rules, they new what God said but they had the power to choose against that prescription. Because of that choice they came to know evil and their innocence was lost. God had no choice but to punish them because it is in His nature to oppose sin. We see here the plain difference between free will and free choice. They were free to choose to disobey but they had no say in the consequences that would follow.

     We find ourselves in a similar situation now. All of creation, all of our reality comes down ultimately to one simple choice: obey or disobey, repent or be punished. God has given us a way out of sin in the sacrifice of His Son. We must choose now to follow God or remain in rebellion. The choice is ours but we must then deal with result. We have freedom to choose but it is God's will that matters in the end.

"Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, "because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."

(Acts 17:30-31)

More than Obedient

I want to be more than obedient, God

I want to do more than get by

I want to desire to honor You Lord

I want not to walk but to fly.

It isn't enough to just serve You

It isn't enough to repent

It isn't enough to just do what I'm told

I need to do more than relent.

Though it's faith that I need more than anything

Though it isn't my works that redeem

Though eternity's not mine to earn from You

A desire to serve should seen.

I want to be more than obedient

I want to love You more and more

I want to give all that I have to You

That's what I was created for.

by. Me

Attempts at _ _ _ _ _ _ ianity

     You may have recently heard about the American pastor who no longer beliefs in God. From what I've read the man states that the ideas of God and creation and the infallibility of scripture are legends that have long since been if not disproved then found to be illegitimate. He claims that you need not believe in God and doesn't like it when people say he is not a Christian. I have to ask though, if he doesn't believe in God, the Bible, Jesus as we know him, miracles, creation, Heaven, Hell, or the need for salvation...what does he believe in? You cannot take away everything that is Christianity and still claim to be a Christian.

“This is the uniqueness of the Christian message: You can take any philosophical system and any religious system, you can remove the founder from the system, the system will remain. So if you remove Buddha from Buddhism, if you were to say to a Buddhist: “Did it have to be the Buddha who gave us this system, theoretically Could it have been anyone?” They'll be very insistent that it was the Buddha but yes, theoretically anyone could have given us Buddhism and if we even try to argue that Buddha never existed, it doesn't matter; the teaching of the system remains. We can do the same in Islam. Now, Muslims will be even more strongly insistent but if you push them to the theoretical point eventually they will concede. Did God have to give this revelation to Muhammad or theoretically could it have been anyone? They'll be absolutely insistent, it was Muhammad but could God have chosen anyone? Absolutely....You can remove the founder from the system, the system remains but you cannot remove Christ from Christian. If you remove Christ from Christian you are left with the letters I-A-N and Ian cannot help you!”

-Michael Ramsden

     This is not the first time nor the last that people will try and insist that belief is not necessary, that you can still be a Christian without dedication to what it means to be one. Jesus gave us no room to slide past His claims. He claimed to be God in flesh which means He was either a liar, insane, or God. We cannot simply cling to His teaching as His teaching are tied inexorably to His claims. He quoted the old testament and upheld its accuracy and authority so we cannot put aside scripture. He held up creation as how we came to be so we cannot discount it at poetry. We cannot believe in that which we don't believe in, that is the exclusive domain of the lunatic and the fool.

     We live in a world marked by a distinct lack of scholarship. Nearly anyone you find who believes in evolution as the means of our existence will have very little if any actual knowledge of how the system is supposed to work and those who do will most likely not have worked out its implications. We have become so literal a people that we simply “believe” things with no bases, we trust what we're are told is true like we trust the auto-maker when he says our car will carry us safely along the way. Modern man has the same faith in God (or “not-god”) that he has in his computer; he really has no idea how it works but as long is it does what he needs it to he does not care. Sadly this behavior which is beyond foolish and obviously dangerous has bled into the church. Many of us no longer care to learn the truths of God and to really understand what we believe. This results in pastors and people like that man, who find themselves a system that works for them, rejecting a God that they don't really know in the first place.

     Christianity is all about Jesus, there is nothing apart from Him. If we divorce ourselves from this central truth than we will find ourselves with no solid ground beneath our feet. This foundation cannot be destroyed if our castles are to stand. I pray for those who have turned away from the God they never looked at, who believe in essentially nothing. I pray for them and I thank God for the firm foundation upon which I stand. He has revealed Himself to us but we will never know how the story goes if we never read the book. Belief is essential, but what we believe in matters all the more.

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”

(John 15:4-6)

A Letter to Myself in the Moment

Dear Me,

     I know that I'm not necessarily “with” you right now. I know that you may not be thinking clearly and I understand that what I'm telling you may not be obvious to you at the moment. I know that whether you are home alone or going about your day, that you are doing something seemingly normal and yet you are fighting. You are fighting an enemy that knows your every weakness, knows your deepest fears, an enemy that never tires, never loses focus, never doubts, an enemy that hates you more than you can comprehend and wants desperately for you to fail. Worse still you are also fighting yourself.

     I know that your judgment isn't currently at it's best and though you want to win this fight you grow more and more tired with every blow exchanged. I know that there is a voice trying to convince you that what you know to be wrong is anything but, or that it will be okay this one time. The voice tells you that you are weak, it reminds you of every time you have failed and every battle lost. It asks you why you should bother fighting. I know that in the midst of the battle it can all seem so impossible. The lure of the enemy seems so right and their voice so loud that you can barely hear me, can barely hear God. I know that your flesh is a traitor. Your own urges and desires are a turncoat working with your foe to pull you down. I know the outlook is bleak.

     I know all these things but I also know something that you may find difficult to remember as you struggle to lift your sword: the war is over. Th enemy screams and yells to distract you, to keep you from seeing that he has no sword and no shield; his fangs are long since broken and his oily tongue says nothing but lies.

     I implore you, me, for both our sakes, remember who has bought you! Remember that your chains are broken and your slave debt paid. Remember that Jesus has paid for your freedom in blood and that you never need to listen to your old masters again. Remember that the old man may writhe and struggle within you but he is already dead! Remember that you need not, indeed dare not, rely on your own strength. Remember that the spirit of God is there within you with all the power you need and more to win the day. Don't waste time fumbling with useless weapons or futilely raising your wooden shield, turn to your heavenly Father and scream for the help that only He can give! In Him and His strength will you find the victory, in Him alone is the battle won.

     Remember this please, for if you forget it during the fray you -will- fall and when next we meet it will not be in gratitude and praise to God but with with the knowledge that you had no reason for defeat and every assurance of victory. You know that I will remind you of these things. You are not alone. Though you may not hear me when the battle joins, remember these words, and live.

Not Today but Tomorrow

     Are we afraid to be different? How many times have you kept your mouth shut when you should have preached because you were concerned about the reaction your words may cause? How many times have we all fretted over the possible loss of friendships or a suddenly uncomfortable work environment? Many of us are frozen over concern for our public image and unable to act as we should.

     It's understandable really. Humans are social creatures and we attach a great deal of significance to our relationships. Any effect we have on those connections can have serious repercussions in our daily lives. So yeah, the concern makes sense but it still doesn't matter. Once again it really all comes down to selfishness. Remember that the friend you don't want to offend is a lost soul headed to hell. That co-worker who might not like you anymore is God-hating wretch just like you used to be. If we really care about these people at all we need to tell them about Jesus! If we're keeping to ourselves the very thing they need because WE don't want to be uncomfortable...what does that say about us?

     One of the major components of our faith is self sacrifice. Ours is not a life spent on gathering inward but one of giving outward. We need to be selfless not selfish and that means letting go of our public image and social comfort. Think back to the apostles and early church fathers, they were beaten and imprisoned, accused and insulted, dragged around cities and stoned, all for the sake of the message of Christ. They didn't care about their reputation or how many friends they had, all they cared about was getting the Gospel into the ears and minds and hearts of as many people as possible. They gladly endured trials and rejoiced that they were considered worthy enough to suffer even a fraction of what Jesus went through.

     Remember that we don't live this life seeking for the rewards we can enjoy now, we are working towards eternity. Yes, things may be hard now, they may get difficult, they may hurt, they may be scary, or uncomfortable, but no matter how dark things may get for you the promise of Heaven is brighter by far! That is the hope that we look to, that is the promise that drives us. To be with God for eternity in a place that never spoils or fades and where suffering is a thing long forgotten. Don't be afraid of an uncomfortable today when tomorrow is guaranteed to be amazing.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

(Romans 8:18)

Gospel Truth

**Announcing my new YouTube Channel!**

- Ex-Positional -

*It's still very new and not on a set schedule yet but please take a look!**

     How 'good' are you? Most people will respond by stating that they find themselves to be pretty alright. It's natural to like yourself after all, and most of us like to think that we're at least mostly okay. When you think about it, can our goodness be measured anyway? Isn't everything just cultural and societal distinctions developed over many years? Aren't we all just products of our environments with our own particular moralities? That is the commonly held belief, that there is no absolute good or bad and it is essential to modern man's mental health. Without this notion that we are free to define our own morality, we would be forced to face the truth that lies in the shadow of our philosophy: we are anything but good.

     In order for anything to be truly good or evil they have to objectively good or evil. This means that they have to be good or evil regardless of anyone's belief; the good is good even if everyone on earth thought that good was bad and vice verse. Now, modern societies usually claim that there are no absolutes and that everything is perspective. The problem with this is of course its patent absurdity. There are certain truths that just are: a normal human can't stop a bus without harm or jump off a tall building and survive, humans need air to breathe, and light makes things brighter. Even beyond that there is the fundamental reality that every normal person recognizes the evil of certain things. You'll find very few people that think it's okay to kill a child or to rape someone. Some may even try and claim that don't believe these things to be objectively wrong but they can't explain away their visceral gut reaction.

     The Bible tells us that God made the rules for reality and these rules were not made out of nothing but that they extend from the very attributes of God. Killing is wrong because only God has authority over life and death and He has declared the worth of man - creating him in His own image; rape is wrong for similar reasons and because it perverts the gift that is the sexual relationship between husband and wife, to lie is evil because God is truth, and so on. Because God is over and above all of creation, His rules are beyond any of us and we are all beholden to them. They are objective. So take a look at yourself in light of this information.

Do you think yourself good?

Have you ever lied, even once? - Well that makes you a liar.

Have you ever lusted after another? - That makes you an adulterer in your heart according to Jesus.

Have you ever stolen anything? - That means your a thief.

Do we need to go on?

     God is utterly perfect and the only way to be worthy of eternity and heaven is to be perfect as well. It takes only a moments perfunctory glance at ourselves to see how unworthy we are. A single stain on a white cloth is all it takes to ruin it. One lie, one moment of lust, one stolen candy bar, and that's it. What is worse is that we are not only condemned by ourselves but by our nature. When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden he became tainted by that evil. Since that time that taint has been passed down the line of humanity into all of us. We're evil from birth and our actions play that out.

     God however, had a plan. He knew this would all happen, knew that we would need salvation. God is just though and could never simply pardon evil, it has to be dealt with. In His love He planned for a way He could deal with our sin and evil justly and yet save souls from an eternity of damnation. We needed a sacrifice, someone who could die in our place and who could bear the weight of our sin on our behalf. The main problem though is that no one would be worthy. Every human carries their own sin and thus their death would never be sufficient would never even be enough to pay for their own sins let alone a billion others. So God sent His Son.

     Jesus came down to earth and took on a human nature. God became man so that man would have the sacrifice we needed to be saved. Being God He lacked the sin nature we all carry and He lived a perfect life without sin so that His sacrifice would be sufficient for the cost. When He died on the cross God the Father poured out His wrath against sin, all of His anger against evil, onto Jesus. Three days later Jesus rose from the grave and won victory over death and sin and evil. He died for us so that He could lay His death, the death of an infinity valuable person, onto the accounts of all who believe in Him. God could now give us the righteousness of Christ in exchange for our sin and pardon us from our just due without violating his justice.

     That's what it took to save us. A good man/a perfect God had to die. He left heaven and the presence of God the Father to live on this dusty sinful ball and to die a cruel horrible death, for you. For you and for me and for everyone who will but call upon His name. The reality of our sin is laid our before us, you know your own faults. Take that knowledge and go to God, admit what you know and ask for His forgiveness. Because of Jesus God can forgive your sins and give you a new heart that loves what is good and yearns for righteousness. You can be free from the shadows and the lies of this world, free to a future without sadness or sorrow or death. What will you do?

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

(John 3:16-17)

“For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

(Romans 10:12-13)

Marriage, at the Front and Back of the Book Part 2

*See part one HERE*

     Marriage is about a bond. A self-strengthening and mutually self sacrificial system that leads to the ultimate betterment of both parties. Here we see the major flaw in most people's thinking about marriage: the point of your marriage is not that your spouse will fulfill all your desires or “needs.” We shouldn't even really be thinking of ourselves; the majority if not all of our thought should be on making the life of our spouse and our spouse themselves better. One of the biggest things a Christian will face when trying to live out a godly marriage is that we oppress women by saying they have to submit to their husbands. People never seem to read the part right after that, where men are called to love their lives like Christ.

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

(Ephesians 5:22-27)

     Yes women are called to submit to a fallible human man, but we men are called to live like Jesus! Which do you think is harder? Which do you think is more likely? Christ loves His church to the point where He left the glory of heaven and allowed himself to be brutally tortured and murdered, just to save us. Just to make a way for people who hate Him to live. And I get it, I do, you hate the idea of obeying. You hate that men have the “top spot.” Remember though, that having a position of leadership in the Bible does not make that person better than those who are lead. A wife who obeys her husband will give her husband less cause to fly off and try and control her through force and a husband who truly loves his wife will not seek to have dominion over her. I have the final say in my home but what that really means is that whether we find success or failure the buck stops with me. That is the weight of responsibility.

     These are all arguments that can be made and explanations that can be repeated and rejected as the case may be but really there is only one true reason for the attack on marriage. The real reason for the attack is because of the real meaning for marriage. Marriage is more than just two people chasing after happiness. It is more than a couple fulfilled by their union. It is more than two individuals drawing strength from each other to make it through tomorrow. Marriage -is- all these things but ultimately it is a picture. Marriage is a picture of God and His church. The family is a metaphor for eternity. Look again at the passage from Genesis 2. We see the man leave his family and join to his wife, the two forming “one flesh.” Flip to the other side of the Bible and we see Jesus leaving His Father in heaven and that the church is the joined into the body of Christ with Jesus as it's head. One flesh. The roles laid out for men and women are not their to set us against each other or to set one up against the other or higher than the other. We are here to show the world what God has done for His people.

     Marriage will always be under attack because it is a picture of God and man. In this one thing, this one amazing thing, God has set up a continually running example of His love for us. That image cannot be allowed to survive in a world that hates and rejects Him. That image has to die if this world wants to forget Him and ignore Him. Sure, there are cultural trappings and society has done great damage to the simple beauty of marriage. Sure we have made a hash of it in general and the record is not good. But these things are superficial, nothing more than dirt on the surface that can be easily looked past and cleaned away. You wouldn't throw away a diamond because of the stone that encases it would you? Just the same marriage is a scuffed gem that any one of us can clean and polish, leaving something of great and enduring value.

Marriage, at the Front and Back of the Book Part 1

*Sorry for the missed updates, today's post ended up being pretty long so I had to split it up over the weekend.  Come back on Monday for part 2!*

     Marriage is taking a lot of hits lately. Books and movies, magazines and television, blog posts and radio programs alike all seem to tearing down a once honored institution. Listen to the crowd and you'll hear how nearly every piece of this thing so many of us love is some hold over from a lesser time. I've heard it said that the wedding is nothing more than elaborate transfer of property, that the ring on her finger is a glittering brand that marks her as owned, that people can't honestly expect us to keep some silly vows, and a hundred other depressing critiques. The problem is hardly one sided but I see a common theme in that people look only at the cultural add-ons, the societal trappings that surround marriage. I don't know if anyone really talks about marriage itself anymore.

     People see marriages failing all around, they read the statistics they study marriages in cultures around the world. Its easy to see why so many fail to see the point in trying. The problem is that the statistics mean nothing and the numbers are just a blindfold so you don't have to look at your own short comings. Marriages only fail because those involved allowed them to do so. I've heard someone say that they can't honestly expect that they or their partner will fulfill each others needs in sixty years. I would ask why not? The point of the promise, it's power, comes not from the making of it but from the keeping of it. When I made my vows to my wife they were more than a hope, more than a dream, more than a maybe, I -vowed- to love, honor, and cherish as long as we both shall live. I'm not perfect. I'll screw up and fail a lot along the way but I will never give up and I will never let go. That is the point of a promise, it keeps even you in check.

“And the LORD God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.'.....Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: 'This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.' Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”

(Genesis 2:18, 22-25)

     Before cultures existed and before a society was formed we had the first marriage. Man was created first and women mad from and for him. Not as plaything to enjoy, not as property to be coveted, and not as a servant to ordered about but as a companion. Adam wasn't presented with Eve because he needed something to make his life better, God gave them to each other because it was evident that it was not enough for man to exist alone! This truth is seen in the shadows of what we do today. Some say that when a father gives his daughter away that it is transfer of property. I say that it is a reflection of that first marriage, when God the Father gave His first daughter to her husband. In that moment God was giving Adam the responsibility of caring for His daughter, for His first ever little girl. It is not a transfer of property but of responsibility. And those rings that people complain about? Those pretty cattle brands as I've heard them called? Don't forget they exist on both hands! I am marked by mine as she is marked by hers and yes it is a sign of ownership and of belonging to another because we belong to each other and no one else.

“Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.”

(1 Corinthians 7:3-4)

Strength for the Day

     I don't know about you but I'm caught between the idea that I should be using my time for something constructive and the unavoidable truth that I'm not using my time for anything particularly useful. I don't have a fantastic job, heck I don't even have a single full time job, so there's enormous pressure to change that. Then beyond the pure pragmatism of simply getting a “better” job there's the haunting shadow of the ideal. The ghost of that dream that may never exist in your future that still manages to haunt you here in the present. Mix all this together with the modern idea of “success,” a good dose of classic male ego, and all the struggles that go along with the life of a Christian man and it can be pretty crushing and just flat out exhausting.

     I struggle with this. I struggle with this a lot. I mean -a lot- a lot. Sometimes it feels like if I'm not spending every free moment I have to make myself better for my family, or to do something for God's Kingdom, or actually writing that book I talk about, or ...whatever, than I'm just being selfish and lazy and ultimately failing at this life. I can't tell you how tired I am sometimes...

     These times, when I'm just so tired; these times when I don't want to go to work tomorrow because I feel like running away from it all and be free; these times are when I remember that my strength may not be sufficient but God's is. It is in these times that I am reminded that when He says that He strengthens us He doesn't just mean for the big task at hand. God gives us the strength to take that first breath in the morning, to get out of bed, to keep going one step at a time. It is in these times that I remember that I desperately need Him if I'm going to even try to live today.

     This man, this flesh and blood that the world sees is so very far past useless. I wonder how many of us realize this? I wonder if I really understand it. As Paul Washer likes to say, “There are no great men of God. There are only small, weak, sinful men of a Great and Holy God.” Time and time again I am confronted with the reality that I just...can't. Can't what? Anything, everything, I just can't. But I do. I get up every day for His compassion is renewed every morning. I don't need persecution or turmoil to break me, life is enough. I don't need tragedy to show me my need for God when I have the mirror staring at me every day!

     A piece of treated canvas can keep you dry, can keep you warm, can provide a place of safety in the storm. That canvas can do a lot but without a few tent-poles to hold it up and keep it in shape you'll find it is far less useful. I don't know if I have answers to my own inner problems, only that I need to pray. I need to read the Word, I need to seek God in the small things as well as in the big things. We were never promised that this life would be easy or that we would understand it. It's not, but I live for the day when it is. Someday the veil that separates us will be more than torn it will be cast aside and God will walk with men again! In that day all of my small struggles and all the tears of my brothers and sisters who have faced so much more will be gone! There will be peace, finally, peace.

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

(Revelation 22:21)

The War Around Us

     Nothing is easy or so they say. Life is a struggle and everything worth having means work. The Christian life is no different, though we would prefer it so. Our sin nature nags us continually, just waiting for our guard to drop. The world around us tempts and pulls us in a million different directions; each one promising to be better or more exciting than the path that God has set us on. Evil men and women lie and deceive to lure us away and Satan and his minions throw innumerable obstacles in our way. The odds seem horribly stacked against us.

     We often forget, in our cozy western civilization world, that the life of a Christian is the life of a soldier. We are at war! If you are a member of the body of Christ you are a soldier, period. You may be an unprepared soldier, a good soldier, a lazy soldier, or a flat-out bad soldier, but you are a soldier nonetheless! Do not let yourself think that life will be easy or comfortable at all times. Like any war there will be lulls, there will be times when the battle lessens in its ferocity but rest assured the fighting will begin again! We cannot allow comfort or ease to trick us into lowering our shields.

"When I have brought them to the land flowing with milk and honey, of which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and filled themselves and grown fat, then they will turn to other gods and serve them; and they will provoke Me and break My covenant.”

(Deuteronomy 31:20)

     Look to the Old Testament, to ancient Israel. It was when they grew comfy in the promised land that they ran into problems. Not when they were surrounded by enemies, not when they were new to the fulfillment of God's promises, not when they had miles to march and cities to take, but when they were home with a stomach full of food and a place to sleep at night. Israel, like ourselves, tended to only remember their need for God when it was physically obvious. We must be aware that the war never stops and though things be easier for the moment, we still need God for everything.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

(2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

     Luckily we do not fight alone. We have God's words in the Bible and The Spirit of God in our hearts. We have what we need to win the fight, the weapons and armor required to be victorious; we just need to take them up. God fights for His own and the victory is His. The war is already finished, we just have to make it through all the battles and get to the end. Again, don't get complacent and don't complain when the going gets tough. We face a defeated enemy who won't admit his loss. Swords and shields up people, this is going to be rough.

Love You Still

     We know that we need to love God. We know that He is worthy of our praise. I can't help but wonder however, if we base our love for Him too heavily on what He has done for us and not as much on who He is? It's natural to focus on that aspect of our relationship, it's easier to praise someone for the things they have done than it is to praise their attributes. Also, I think we find it more personal somehow to look to what He has done in our lives specifically. God is more than what He does and has importance greater than the providence in our lives.

     I feel a little weird talking about this because, well, because the two sides of this particular coin are admittedly close. What God does is intrinsically tied to who He is and I would say that it is impossible to completely divorce the two. I also would not say that we should not praise and thank Him for His gifts and works; I just think we should be careful not to base our praise exclusively on the fact that He does nice things for us. We may be grateful for our ability to sing but God was artistic long before our voices were heard, we may be grateful for our lives but God was living long before us and is far more alive than we ever will be, and we may be grateful for our family but God has existed in perfect relationship for eternity.

     In the Psalms we see a blending of praise for God's works and for His holy name. David penned songs that thanked God for the many things He had done in his life and for the wonder and majesty of who God is. This combination of perspectives is important. If we focus solely on either one we will end up with a skewed view of God and our relationship with Him. Solely thanking God for what He does for us can lead to a Santa Clause view of God and leave us expecting more and more gifts and make us upset when things don't go the way we want. If we only praise Him for His attributes we may come to think of Him as disconnected and too far away from us to really matter. A proper blending of both reminds us that He is great and mighty and we are small and dependent but also keeps us aware of His work in our lives and His love for us.

“This feeble faith of mine, wants nothing more than this;

to love You, apart from what You give. So take from me

the things You give if purposed in Your will, and I will love you still.”

-”Love You Still," The Tree

©2008 Julianna Zobrist

The Worth of Trophies

Would you like another feather, sir?

To put into your cap?

More accolades and honors earned

More fame that you can tap?

Do you let your eyes go wandering

Your many high awards?

Do you spend your free time pondering

How you can earn still more?

You can gather up the trophies

You can heap up much esteem

You can keep it all so closely

But what does it all mean?

Is all you are so tightly wrapped

In who you think you are?

Are your relationships all trapped

Behind narcissistic bars?

How do you deal with how they see

The life you daily live?

Do you miss the forest for the tree

Does truth fall through the sieve?

Can you take any of it with you?

Will it warm you in the tomb?

When your time on this world is through,

Will it save you from your doom?

Let love for self be love for others

Put 'me' back on the shelf

Let your heart beat for your brothers

And you will find true wealth.

by. Jonathan Schaefer

02/25/15

Nothing So Bad

     You find yourself once again in the shadows; at the bottom of a hole without even moonlight to brighten your vision. Maybe you've been traveling along just fine for quite a ways (for once) or maybe you just got out of another hole or maybe you're in the same hole you've always been in, doesn't really matter. We've all been there and it is probably one of the biggest barriers to salvation for a lot of people: how could God possibly forgive me?

     With true repentance comes a far better if not perfect understanding of the reality of our sin. We come to see to a much greater degree just how messed up we really are and how far God will have to bring us if we are to make it to perfection. This is a key part of salvation but many people get stuck here before they even accept God's grace. The shadows seem so dark and the hole they inhabit so deep that they can't imagine a light bright enough or a ladder long enough to escape. So they turn God away at the gate, refusing to believe that He can or will save them. I do think that a part of this is actually pride masquerading as humility, after all humans are not victims and we are not lost innocents who can't find the way despite a desire to do so. We will use even the knowledge of our sinfulness to reject God and continue living in a way that is comfortable and if we really admitted it, we like. However, there are folks that just simply can't imagine that a perfect God would give so much for them.

     Now this may seem an odd way to comfort those people, or it may seem like a totally non-helpful way to explain this but never the less it is a part of the truth: God didn't die for you. Not entirely, anyway. Yes, God gave His Son and died for sinners because He really does love us but if we stop there than we are left wondering why. We don't really have an answer as to why God would do such a thing because we don't have an answer to the follow up. Why does God love us? Many of us, even as Christians, get caught in a never ending spiral of confusion asking what it was that God saw in us that prompted our particular salvation. This is yet another instance where proper theology is vitally important to our faith and our day to day lives.

     The key here is to remember that everything that God does, from the big to the small, is for His glory. Now if we saw this in a human we would call it narcissism or egotism or something worse but with God it is simply proper behavior as He is worthy of all glory and honor and praise. As the one true God and King of all there is no amount of praise that is too much, no glory given that is over the top or inflated. He is due all the love and adoration that can be given and so much more, not just for what He has done but for who He is!

     This is comfort because it brings us to this simple fact: God did not save you because of anything He saw in you or in what you would become. That means that there was nothing of -you- that caused, brought about, influenced, or affected your salvation. Which further means that there is no amount of sin, no heinousness of deed, no depth of depravity that can make you any less fitting for heaven. God saves the horrible not because He lacks justice or because He saw “the good” in them but because the more unlikely the convert the more glorious the savior. If a “righteous” man turns to God how surprising is it? When the the “good” live by grace are we astonished? How about the murderer? How great is the glory to God when one who is so utterly removed from Him is turned back to their Master?

     So don't listen to the lie that you are too far gone to be saved. Whether it be the malicious misdirection of masked pride or the genuine confusion as to why God would want you, the lie is the same. God seeks the salvation of sinners and if you are more reprobate than your fellow man than your salvation will be all the greater and more telling of the awesomeness of God. There is no debt of sin and no cost of humanity that can be equal to the worth of the blood of Jesus. He has paid our price from an account that cannot run dry and cannot even be diminished. If you do not know Him, know this, He is there for you so turn. Turn away from your life and run to His death and you will find that true life is there under the cross of Christ. If you do know Him than remember when you fall that He knew you would and saved you anyway, that you cannot mount up a debt greater than what has been credited to your account. The glory of God is raised up by the hands of horrible people made new.

More Than Humanity 3: Strength From God

     We can't fight on our own. When we face temptation, when we run up against a choice to either live faithfully or fleshly, when those moments come and we fail, it's because we tried to do battle on our own strength. We're only human and so we lack the ability to succeed in a war against evil if for no other reason than evil is within us! We are born of shadow and will run from the light given the slightest chance. Thanks to Jesus' redemptive work we aren't “cured” from sin but brought from death to life; not sick men made better but dead men made alive. We need God to get us through those difficult moments.

     Our example in this, like in all things, is Jesus. We see in the pages of scripture that while He was on earth He limited Himself. He did not exercise the full range of His Godhood so as to be a proper example and a fit sacrifice. When we see Jesus perform miracles, we often see Him praying before hand asking for these miracles from the Father. Jesus, just like we must do, sought the Father and relied on the Spirit to do what He needed to do. The primary example for our discussion today is Jesus temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-10).

     The devil appears and presents Jesus with several scenarios, different forms or avenues of temptation designed to push Jesus away into sin. It's quite fascinating that no where does Jesus simply tell satan to bugger off or even cast Him away; this of course is well within His power and authority as a part of the God-head. What Jesus does do is use the Word of God. Each time He is presented with a temptation He replies with a piece of Scripture. Jesus knew in that time that no lies can supplant the pure truth of God and that we find that truth in the Word given to us. Again, He didn't simply cast satan away but used the same resources we have available to us: the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.

     We need to learn, to train ourselves to go to God and His word when we are under temptation. More than that we need to ask God to keep us aware of what's going on around us, to make us sensitive to temptation so that we recognize it when it rears its ugly head. If we continue to rely on our own strength we will never see anything more than failure. We were dead before, and dead men cannot fight a war; if we cut ourselves off from that which makes us alive in the first place what do we think will happen?

The Great Debate

     Have you ever been on a social media site or a forum page and noticed someone posting yet another anti-Christian quote or rant or phrase? We all have, and like me I'm sure you go through that little internal conversation about whether it's worth getting into it. The biggest problem I see is that we got into it attempting to prove the other person wrong. We see ourselves as “defending” the Word or “defending” God. That may seem all well and good but the way I see it there are two major flaws with that perspective: God doesn't need our help, and we should be worrying about the salvation of that persons's soul.

     It's tempting to try and defend the gospel, after all people -are- attacking it. As I said though, God doesn't need our defense and He doesn't need our help. The Bible will endure no matter what is thrown against it, no one will ever prevail against it. I don't remember who said it but I love the phrase “The Bible goes on to outlive its pole-bearers.” There have been detractors from the very beginning so one or two or a million pithy atheistic comments on Facebook are not going to bring it down. Furthermore, I can't help but wonder if when we “defend” the Bible are we really just defending ourselves? We see this person attacking our faith and so we attack back, but do we care about the truth or just being right? Our we not secure enough in our faith that we can handle others disagreeing with us? God will sort out who will be saved and who won't and who cares if people think I'm stupid?

     The real point I'd like to make though is this: when we jump into these arguments do we care about the soul on the other side of the debate or do we only let ourselves see an enemy? That person over there may be blaspheming the name of God, He may be calling into question the very character of our Lord Jesus Christ, but what do you expect Him to do? We are all naturally God-haters and enemies of the Lord so it does not surprise me at all when I see people attacking Christianity. It's not a perspective or a mindset that comes naturally so we have to pray and ask God for His perspective on people. I don't want to see enemies, I want to see the lost. These people need Jesus, they desperately need the God they hate so much or understand so little. I'm not saying not to debate but our goal can't be about being right or proving wrong but about shedding light onto darkness and putting the truth of God into the minds of others, about pushing that person one step further in the right direction.

To Marry or to Stand Alone

     Well, tomorrow is the big day, Valentines Day! A day of love and romance and other gooshy, lovey-dovey topics. You might expect another post about relationships and marriage and whatnot but no sir! Today we are going to discuss darn near the exact opposite, singleness. I know, I know, kind of a weird topic given the time of year but I think its rather appropriate, so lets go!

     Marriage is such an oft discussed topic that I think it overshadows singleness, and that's understandable. Marriage is the picture used to describe the relationship between Christ and the church. A proper respect of our marriages is vital to our lives and one of the backbones of the church. That being said, I think we get so focused on the importance of marriage that we think that everyone should be married and that singleness is a lesser state.

But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord; how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world; how he may please his wife.

(1 Corinthians 7:32-33)

But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am;

(1 Corinthians 7:8)

     Paul points out that although marriage is a good thing, it adds to you a whole host of concerns that you did not have before. A single man (or women) is free to live wholly for God, but the married must give of themselves to their spouse as well as to God. This is the critical factor, we have done so much to promote proper marriage that we have neglected to encourage people to see if God would have us get married at all! Not everyone wants to get married, and not everyone is “supposed” to get married.

     Those who remain single have the opportunity to use their time and their efforts more freely for the kingdom. Think about how much you could do without a spouse to care for, provide for, and protect; how much work could you do for the kingdom if you didn't have to raise your children? Now I am not by any means belittling marriage and family here. They are wonderful things and encouraged by God but our message seems to be all marriage all the time and that those not married should be preparing for marriage. We should be teaching our young men and women (and the old ones as well, frankly) to almost ignore marriage specifically and learn to live for God! If God has planned for you to marry than He will make it happen and you will be all the better prepared for it if you are focused on Him! We are God's first and our spouse's second, that has to be at the heart of marriage and our singleness.

     So don't feel bad this year if you don't have an “S.O.” to cuddle. God has a plan for you and that may include marriage and it may not. In either case you will most fulfilled when trust yourself to Him first. Remember to use the time and freedom you have as a single person to do what you can for God and His kingdom. Who knows, out in the mission field may just be where you find him/her anyway.

Progress?

What does it say

When you throw it away

Where does your future go?

How can we see

Eternity

When we've lost sight of what's below?

They tell us that progress

Is what we should seek

They tell us the past is passe

They tell us the future

Is coming and soon

The old things must pass away.

But what makes what's here

something to fear

What makes our own past something wrong?

Why do we eschew

The truths we lived through

When we've known them for so very long?

I think that the past

Holds things that should last

There are truths across history's span.

I don't think that we'll reach

The vision we teach

If we lose sight of where we began.

by. Jonathan Schaefer

02/10/2015

On Love

*Sorry about the lack of updates last week, had a project that required my time, but now we're back!*

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.”

(1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

     I'm going to be talking about marriage again today, it seems an appropriate topic given the soon to be arriving holiday. February is often seen a s “love month” so why not, right? I've learned some things to be sure but I have only been married for about a year and a half, so don't take this as the words of a master. That being said this is what I've seen and realized and learned after a year of marriage and a number of years in this relationship: love is magical, not magic.

     What I mean is that while love is an amazing thing that rocks the foundations of your world, its not what the world at large thinks it is. Love is not a single glance and a captured heart, it is not passion, it is not a need or desire or any feeling at all, love is not something that is outside your control (to an extent). We see it all the time, the story on the screen; two young people have a chance encounter and love explodes and they spend ninety to one hundred and twenty minutes stressing over it until they have a passionate kiss in the rain until the credits roll. It makes for a good popcorn selling flick but have you noticed that we never stick with them? We don't see their relationship a few days or weeks or years down the line. We don't see them realize that they have no shared interests, or that the guy is obsessed with his career or that she belittles things she doesn't personally like or understand. We don't see real people with the real personal issues that make relationships hard and love interesting.

     Love isn't a spark and an explosion, its a carefully built campfire. The wood and tinder and everything else need to be placed and maintained properly if they're going to burn for a long time. Long story short, love is a choice and a willful act not something that just 'happens' to you. That feeling you get when your heart is full and the world is a song? That's the result of love not love itself and in mistaking one for the other we've made a horrible mess. The love that is most true and stands the test is the love that is chosen once and every day.

     Men, this brings me to the real point I'd like to make today. We all need to understand that it is both easy and difficult to love our wives and girlfriends. We forget sometimes that its a daily effort to maintain a relationship, that its another full time job but one that is way more important than that which puts food on the table. Your love for her is hard in that your responsibility never lets up, never gives you a holiday, never really changes, and will never be fully understood. It's easy in that you don't have to move mountains to show her you care. Love is more often than not, I've found, to be a skyscraper built of Lego bricks; something great made out of a million small things. Write her little notes, buy her candy or a card for no reason, do the dang dishes without being asked! And above everything else, talk to each other! Ask her what makes her feel loved and do it! Love and marriage are exercises in self-sacrifice, you're supposed to be uncomfortable sometimes; remember that your perspective should be to make your spouse happy not vice-verse.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her”

(Ephesians 5:25)

The Meaning of Words 1: Fundamental

     You see a lot of words getting thrown about in the world today and most of them with little care for their actual meaning. Often groups or individuals will take a word or phrase that sounds good or has a particular popular understanding and adopt it for their own purposes. Take the word “fundamental” for example, you've probably seen it used more as a part of “fundamentalist” or “fundamentalism” and nearly always in a negative context. That being said however...

     According to Webster: ( fun·da·men·tal ) forming or relating to the most important part of something; of central importance; serving as a basis supporting existence or determining essential structure or function.

     So something that is fundamental is something that is based on, connected to, or is a part of the most basic necessary factors of a thing. Kind of strange when you see fundamental behavior being characterized as something weird, illogical, or insane. You most often see this word used in regards to religion and specifically religious people. They get labeled as “fundamentalists” and everyone knows right away that you're talking about crazy people who live on a ranch somewhere and don't let their daughters date or wear pants instead of dresses. Thanks to Webster though we can see that someone who is a fundamental believer in something is really just someone who holds to what that system actually teaches. Ultimately then, it comes down not to whether someone is fundamental or not but to what those fundamentals are that they believe whether or not you think them defensible.

     Lets make a quick comparison of Islam and Christianity. Now of course this a cursory look but the point should still be served. Anyone who reads the two texts (the Qur'an and the Bible respectively) will or at least should notice a marked difference in the way each text treats those who don't believe. Now the Bible doesn't mince words, there is only one way to heaven and those who do not choose to follow God will face Hell but it is Islam that calls for the earthly destruction of non-believers.

From the Qur'an:

“Kill disbelievers wherever you find them. If they attack you, then kill them. Such is the reward of disbelievers. (But if they desist in their unbelief, then don't kill them.)”

2:191-2

“Fight them until "religion is for Allah."

2:193

“War is ordained by Allah, and all Muslims must be willing to fight, whether they like it or not.”

2:216

And now, the New Testament of the Bible:

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

(Matthew 28:19)

“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

(Romans 12:17-21)

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,”

(Matthew 5:43-44)

     Now there are all kinds of points that can be made about context and historical text verses commanding text but again my point holds. To be a fundamental Christian is to be one who loves their enemies and wishes harm on no one, to be a fundamental Muslim is to work for the kingdom of Allah on earth either by conversion or by the sword. No where in the New Testament are we told to establish a kingdom for God or to “convert” others by any means. We are teachers, preachers, and prophets telling the people around us what God has said; they are responsible for their own souls after that. Those who murder and steal and cause harm in the name of Christ are in fact, not following the words of Scripture.

     Being fundamental is not necessarily a bad thing. Its important for example that a chemist be a fundamental chemist, otherwise they'll be ignoring some very important laws and they won't be very useful. Don't let people around you lump “fundamentalists” into one giant group of crazy people, study the beliefs and ask yourself if their being fundamental is really the right way to be. I am a fundamental Christian because I hold to what the Bible actually teaches; not what people think it says, not what people say about what it says, and certainly not because everything in there is easy or liked by whoever reads it. A belief must be judged by what it claims and not necessarily by what the “followers” actually do, it must be judged by its fundamentals.