Back online, catching up

Sorry it's been a while. Our Internet connection was unavailable for several days. It was sobering to monitor my feelings of withdrawal, and realize just how much our family relies upon the email and web access.

We Don't Want to Be Sheep

The people of God are described over 100 times as His sheep. It's not meant to be a compliment. It is an accurate picture -- sheep are filthy, stupid (no analytic power, and zero memory), and defenseless.

Eric Evers points out that we don't want to be sheep. We kinda like the idea of a shepherd, but only if he just lets us do what we want. A good friend at work reminds me that while everyone needs to be managed, no one likes it; this concept isn't limited to just one or two dimensions of human experience!

The answer is to move into a life of repentence. Let the Shepherd take you to where you don't want to go, discipline you with His rod, and set the pace.

Feelings are Not the Arbiter of Truth

Dennis Prager does surgery on the foundations of feelings driving decisions. "The entire edifice of moral relativism, a foundation of leftist ideology, is built on the notion of feelings deciding right and wrong."

Consider how this infects our schools, legislatures, and judicial institutions. It's insidious, and biblically odious.

Coaching Modesty with our Girls

Dads, we need to work with Mom and coach our girls into modest dress and behavior. You're in charge, not the designers and manufacturers. Rebecca Hagelin has some suggestions.

Interview with Eugene Peterson

Great interview with Eugene Peterson on defining "spirituality." Worth your time. A few excerpts:

"Do we realize how almost exactly the Baal culture of Canaan is reproduced in American church culture? Baal religion is about what makes you feel good. Baal worship is a total immersion in what I can get out of it. And of course, it was incredibly successful. The Baal priests could gather crowds that outnumbered followers of Yahweh 20 to 1. There was sex, there was excitement, there was music, there was ecstasy, there was dance. "We got girls over here, friends. We got statues, girls, and festivals." This was great stuff. And what did the Hebrews have to offer in response? The Word. "

"One test I think is this: Am I working out of the Jesus story, the Jesus methods, the Jesus way? Am I sacrificing relationship, personal attention, personal relationship for a shortcut, a program so I can get stuff done? You can't do Jesus' work in a non-Jesus way and get by with it—although you can be very "successful."
One thing that I think is characteristic of me is I stay local. I'm rooted in a pastoral life, which is an ordinary life. So while all this glitter and image of spirituality is going around, I feel quite indifferent to it, to tell you the truth. And I'm somewhat suspicious of it because it seems to be uprooted, not grounded in local conditions, which are the only conditions in which you can live a Christian life."

Interview with Eugene Peterson

Great interview with Eugene Peterson on defining "spirituality." Worth your time. A few excerpts:

"Do we realize how almost exactly the Baal culture of Canaan is reproduced in American church culture? Baal religion is about what makes you feel good. Baal worship is a total immersion in what I can get out of it. And of course, it was incredibly successful. The Baal priests could gather crowds that outnumbered followers of Yahweh 20 to 1. There was sex, there was excitement, there was music, there was ecstasy, there was dance. "We got girls over here, friends. We got statues, girls, and festivals." This was great stuff. And what did the Hebrews have to offer in response? The Word. "

"One test I think is this: Am I working out of the Jesus story, the Jesus methods, the Jesus way? Am I sacrificing relationship, personal attention, personal relationship for a shortcut, a program so I can get stuff done? You can't do Jesus' work in a non-Jesus way and get by with it—although you can be very "successful."
One thing that I think is characteristic of me is I stay local. I'm rooted in a pastoral life, which is an ordinary life. So while all this glitter and image of spirituality is going around, I feel quite indifferent to it, to tell you the truth. And I'm somewhat suspicious of it because it seems to be uprooted, not grounded in local conditions, which are the only conditions in which you can live a Christian life."

New Eugene Peterson book

Many of us are fans of Eugene Peterson. His latest book is taking my breath away. It's titled "Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places."



This is a long book, 338 pages plus appendices, notes, and indexes. So I'm sure some of you will say, "Uh, thanks for the tip" and turn away. But think twice, get the book.

I could about 25 posts with great excerpts. Here's one, from page 318:

"In 1910 G.K. Chesterton wrote a book with the title What's Wrong with the World. It was early in the century and the country was full of ideas and plans for making the world a better place to live. Socialists, anarchists, and utopians of various sorts were offering up proposals regarding poverty and economics, war and peace, ignorance and education, sickness and health, mediocrity and eugenics, propoals on how to set right what is wrong with the world. It was an optimistic age and the assumption in all the proposals was that all we had to do was find the right ideas and right technology and we could fix whatever was wrong. The daily newspapers were full of intelligent advice. but they were also impersonal, dealing with programs or plans that would redistribute income, enact legislation, develop mechanisms or tools, reform the educational system. None was without merit. But not one was personal. None identified the core "wrong," the refusal to deal relationally and responsibly with what is "right" with the world, namely, God. It is not surprising that neither the word "sin" nor the word "love" appeared in their proposals. Chesterton's book was a collection of his newspaper columns in which he called attention to the conspicuous omission of any sense of God or sin among his brilliant contemporaries. If I had to summrize Chesterton's weekly polemics directed to the pundits of the day who thought they could make the world better without bothering with God or sin, I would propose, simply, "me." What's wrong with the world? Me.

Overheard

I overheard a new Christian asking an older Christian, "What is the best book of the Bible to read?"

I didn't hear the response clearly, but it made me think. There are several good answers:

"Whichever book you are currently reading."
"All of them, because the Bible is an integrated whole, a love letter from the Lord to His people."
"For new Christians, perhaps Mark or John."

Let us pray for greater desire for the whole counsel of God among our families. Let it begin with us.

Wacky Warnings

These product warnings are hilarious! Enjoy. Then ponder what it says about the level of personal responsibility in our culture. And if this trend keeps up, what warnings will be put on newborn babies and fiancees?

A brass fishing lure with a three-pronged hook on the end warns: “Harmful if swallowed"
A household iron warns users: “Never iron clothes while they are being worn”
A label on a hair dryer reads, “Never use hair dryer while sleeping”
A warning on an electric drill made for carpenters cautions: “This product not intended for use as a dental drill.”
The label on a bottle of drain cleaner warns: “If you do not understand, or cannot read, all directions, cautions and warnings, do not use this product.”
A smoke detector warns: “Do not use the Silence Feature in emergency situations. It will not extinguish a fire.”
A massage chair warns: “DO NOT use massage chair without clothing... and, Never force any body part into the backrest area while the rollers are moving.”
A cardboard car sunshield that keeps sun off the dashboard warns, “Do not drive with sunshield in place”
An “Aim-n-Flame” fireplace lighter cautions, “Do not use near fire, flame or sparks”
A label on a hand-held massager advises consumers not to use “while sleeping or unconscious”
A 12-inch rack for storing compact disks warns: “Do not use as a ladder.”
A cartridge for a laser printer warns, “Do not eat toner”
A 13-inch wheel on a wheelbarrow warns: “Not intended for highway use”
A can of self-defense pepper spray warns users: “May irritate eyes”
A warning on a pair of shin guards manufactured for bicyclists says: “Shin pads cannot protect any part of the body they do not cover.”
A snowblower warns: “Do not use snowthrower on roof.”
A dishwasher carries this warning: “Do not allow children to play in the dishwasher.”
A popular manufactured fireplace log warns: “Caution - Risk of Fire”
A box of birthday cake candles says: “DO NOT use soft wax as ear plugs or for any other function that involves insertion into a body cavity.”

The Samaritan Woman at the Well

Eric Evers has some good insights from John 4:5-52.

Movies vs. Reality

You can help your family by training them to be appropriately skeptical of what they see on TV, in movies, or even read in the newspaper. We need to be discerning men, and raise discerning citizens. We started with commercials when the kids were little. ("Hmm... do you think holding a Pringles can like that really brings you lots of smiling friends?" )

Churchlaughs.com has this fun list for movies.

Reality According to Hollywood
All grocery shopping bags contain at least one stick of French bread.
The ventilation system of any building is the perfect hiding place.
The Eiffel Tower can be seen from any window in Paris.
A man will show no pain while taking the most ferocious beating but will wince when a woman tries to clean his wounds.
Cars that crash will almost always burst into flames.
Persons knocked unconscious by a blow to the head will never suffer a concussion or brain damage.
It is always possible to park directly outside the building you are visiting.
Any lock can be picked by a credit card or a paper clip in seconds—unless it's the door to a burning building with a child trapped inside.
All bombs are fitted with electronic timing devices with large red readouts so you know exactly when they will go off.
Medieval peasants had perfect teeth.
It is not necessary to say hello or goodbye when beginning or ending phone conversations.
Any person waking from a nightmare will sit bolt upright and pant.
It does not matter if you are heavily outnumbered in a fight involving martial arts; your enemies will patiently wait to attack you one by one by dancing around in a threatening manner until you have knocked out their predecessors.

Bloglet subscriptions

There was a problem with the Bloglet email update, my apologies. Please add your email address again if you do not receive updates in the future. (Lower right column of this blog.)

Improving our Praise

The following excerpt from Discipleship Journal online is helpful. We need to build up our praise muscles!

Parting Thoughts: Worthy of Praise

Last week, while preparing for our small-group study on Isaiah, I was reminded of how often I still choose to focus on the things of this world. Though these things are decaying, dying, and ultimately going to be destroyed, that's still where too much of my time, energy, and attention get directed.

Instead, my activities should be evaluated in light of the eternal, with a kingdom focus. I need to choose to live thankfully, worshipfully, with a growing sense of God's joy and peace in my heart–trusting in and praising the worthiness and faithfulness of my loving Savior.

Here are a few reasons (from Isaiah 24–26) why our God is worthy of praise:
He is the Righteous One.
He is personal (my God).
He is perfectly faithful.
He does marvelous things.
His plans are solid and sure.
He is all-powerful.
He is a refuge.
He is our Saviour.
He is our salvation.
He is our peace-giver.
He is eternal.
He is our Rock.
He is upright and just.
He is renowned.
He is gracious.
He is behind everything that we accomplish.
He has gained glory by all He has done and will do.

In light of these truths, these chapters also give us some natural responses. We're to:
Raise our voices and shout for joy.
Give Him praise from every corner of the earth.
Celebrate Him.
Honor and worship Him.
Bear testimony to the awesomeness and worthiness of our God.
Sing the joys of His salvation.
Set our hearts and minds on Him.
Persevere.
Depend on God.
Wait on God.
Be content.
Passionately pursue our relationship with God.
Live in the light and expanding glory of God.

Need some help getting started? Try praying this passage from 1 Chronicles 29:10–13 (NIV): "Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.

"Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.

"Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name." With adoration!
Dave Wilson, Editor DJ Online News

Being Smart

We can be really, really dumb as husbands. We forget that our marriage relationship is more important than being right about goofy stuff. Todd "the FamilyMan" Wilson writes eloquently about this in his latest newsletter. (I left the subscription information intact.)

"Hey Dad,
How are things at your house? Life is pretty good at the Wilson’s. The snow has melted, the kids are healthy, and my wife and I are doing great…but that wasn’t the case a couple of weeks ago.
Marriage is like that. One week everything is fine; the next week you are on the downward hill of the roller coaster of life screaming your lungs out.
Yep, that was two weeks ago. Let me preface (I like that word) that by saying it was my fault. I could have easily disarmed the situation by being understanding, sympathetic, and reassuring. Instead, I dug in my heals and said, “I’m not gonna budge. I’m right, and you’re wrong...and that’s just the way it is.”
Not the recipe for a successful marriage.
The whole thing started because my wife didn’t feel like she was number one in my life. She thought I cared more about “the issue” than her. I, of course, told her that was ridiculous and rattled off about a dozen reasons why she was wrong, none of which convinced her.
We couldn’t resolve it...actually, I WOULDN’T resolve it.
For several days (read 1 week), we existed together with no warmth, no gentle words...just cold facts, snide remarks, and behind-the-back whispers. I hated it but was unwilling to resolve it.
Then, the unthinkable happened...she softened, threw her arms around me, and melted me like butter. That night we talked, and it was over. Later, as she slept, I lay awake feeling like a big dummy, ashamed that she had resolved it when it should have been me.
I am ‘da dad. That’s what I tell you every week and that’s what I believe. But this time I blew it. I wasted a whole week (and then some) because I refused to deal with it.
Now you can say what you like about whose responsibility it is to resolve marital disputes...but the truth is: it’s yours and mine.
So, let me ask you, Dad, how are things with your wife? Maybe you’re plunging down the hill of the roller coaster of life. If you are, learn from my mistake, and be the one to resolve it. Tonight, when everything is quiet, ask your wife what she feels. Let her talk, and don’t defend yourself. Apologize if necessary, but do whatever it takes to make her feel like she’s number one in your life.
Remember, you can learn a lot from this dummy.

You ‘da dad!
Todd

This newsletter may be freely copied and distributed in whole or in part. If you would like to receive "Familyman Weekly", just ask to be added to our e-mail list. You can reach us at familyman@bnin.net or visit us at www.familymanweb.com Copyright 2005"

Training for Obedience and Pilgrimage

I've been meditating on Numbers 9:15-23 for a few days, and think there are some great lessons here for men.

" 15 On the day the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire. 16 That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. 17 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. 18 At the LORD's command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. 19 When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the LORD's order and did not set out. 20 Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the LORD's command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. 22 Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. 23 At the LORD's command they encamped, and at the LORD's command they set out. They obeyed the LORD's order, in accordance with his command through Moses. "

The Shekinah Glory above the tent was a visible signal of God's presence and leadership. The rule of migration was simple: if the cloud moves, you follow it. If the cloud remains, you stay.

There were well over a million Israelites -- imagine how much food and water is needed for a million people in the wild desert! -- being cared for by the Lord's leadership.

God was training them to be obedient. They were to go/stay as He commanded, not of their own preference or idea. It doesn't matter if you would prefer to move on, the Lord hasn't moved on yet. Or if you really like this campsite, you can't stay if the Lord moves on. You are under authority!

God was also training them to have a pilgrimage mindset. You would have to watch carefully every day to see what God wanted you to do. You could make no assumptions about tomorrow's plans -- the focus would have to be on today. This is an attitude of service and Lordship. And you don't wander off where God doesn't lead you.

How are you doing on obedience and pilgrimage, men?

Teaching Blog

I know there are some new readers of this blog in the past few months, so I wanted to point out that I also write at Teach to Change Lives. That blog is focused on encouraging Bible teachers. I've set up RSS feeds and bloglet support (get postings by email) for both blogs, to make it easy for you to keep up!

Kids cutting themselves

A fast-growing trend to be aware of, Dads. Check out Michelle Malkin's column. Reminds me of the demoniac Jesus healed by the lake (Mark 5).

Fun Joke

(Our family really enjoy this joke. There are many copies on the Internet, so I don't know how to attribute credit.)

Four brothers left home for college, and they became successful doctors and lawyers and prospered. Some years later, they chatted after having dinner together. They discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother who lived far away in another city.

The first said, "I had a big house built for Mama." The second said, "I had a hundred thousand dollar theater built in the house." The third said, "I had my Mercedes dealer deliver an SL600 to her." The fourth said, "You know how Mama loved reading the Bible and you know she can't read anymore because she can't see very well. I met this preacher who told me about a parrot that can recite the entire Bible. It took twenty preachers 12 years to teach him. I had to pledge to contribute $100,000 a year for twenty years to the church, but it was worth it. Mama just has to name the chapter and verse and the parrot will recite it."

The other brothers were impressed. After the holiday Mom sent out her Thank You notes.

She wrote: "Milton, the house you built is so huge. I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house. Thanks anyway.

"Marvin, I am too old to travel. I stay home; I have my groceries delivered, so I never use the Mercedes. The thought was good. Thanks.

"Michael, you gave me an expensive theater with Dolby sound, it could hold 50 people, but all my friends are dead, I've lost my hearing and I'm nearly blind. I'll never use it. Thank you for the gesture just the same.

"Dearest Melvin, you were the only son to have the good sense to give a little thought to your gift. The chicken was delicious. Thank you.”

Perseverance

Terry Storch suggests that "our leadership can be defined in the brief moment of an obstacle. How will you react? How will you guard your vision? Will you persevere?"

He writes, "Leaders, you have been called to lead! And to lead you must persevere through the good and the bad, the up's and the down's. Do not grow weary and lose heart, stay focused on what you are called to do and do not back down."

Good counsel for spiritual leaders in the home, men!

Read the whole article here.

Why People Buy

Marketers have long studied consumer buying habits and identified the top ten reasons why people buy things. (This is the list after you get basic food, clothing, and shelter needs addressed.) In descending order, the motivations are:

1. Make money
2. Save money
3. Save time
4. Avoid effort
5. Increase comfort
6. Increase cleanliness
7. Attain fuller health
8. Escape physical pain
9. Gain praise
10. Be popular

Hmm...

I accept this list as the state of fallen Man's motivations. It's empirically demonstrated -- just go to Walmart and see how many cleaning products there are!

Here's a thought challenge for you. What would the list of motivators look like for completely Christ-transformed hearts? How would you rank these things on the list of motivators for spending [investing] money:

Desire to glorify God
Compassion for others
Desire to see others renounce sin and come into fellowship with Christ
Experiencing true joy
Understand more about God's ways
Deepen relationships with loved ones
Meet physical needs of others

Can you think of other motivators?

The Timing of Change

Great quote from John Maxwell: "When it comes to change, there are three seasons of timing: People change when they hurt enough that they have to, when they learn enough that they want to, and when they receive enough that they are able to."

Critical prayers

Men, one of the most important prayers you should be praying is that our hearts will be passionate and hungry for the Word of God. Pray this for you, for your amazing wife, for your blessed children. Pray this daily.

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

Performance Review

Todd "the FamilyMan" suggests we give ourselves a performance review as dads, using the same strategy you have at work. Here's the worksheet. I've got some work to do, men.

If you haven't signed up yet for his newsletter, go here. It's very good.

Recommended book for Dads

Joe White has an excellent book I recommend to you: Faith Training: Raising Kids Who Love the Lord. Terrific inspiration, and very practical suggestions for kids from infants to high schoolers.

Dual Strategy

For Tolkien fans, check out Eric Evers' post on Strength and Weakness in Harmony. Great use of the LOTR to think about law and grace.

Defining Leadership

There are scads of definitions of leadership. I like this one for spiritual leadership: "Helping people hear God's voice and obey it." (Blackaby)

Consider this interesting article from Lisa Haneberg. She writes that leadership is just one thing. And she ends with this fascinating compilation of "one thing"s:

"...the one thing is proactivity with a tinge of charisma that feels compelling, is at the service of others, demonstrates ownership of results, targeted to provide the greatest benefit, and that is delivered by someone we trust."

Think about your role as the spiritual leader in your family, and read that again. Good stuff!

Sign up for Bloglet

It's tough for busy husbands and fathers to keep up with all the good web content you "should" track. Make it easier on yourself. The XML feed is available if you want to use a news aggregator, or sign up to receive email alerts from Bloglet -- look for the signup box on the right side column. (By the way, this is a 3rd party service, so I don't see your email addresses, and they guarantee your privacy.)

Origins of Valentine's Day

There are plenty of stories about St. Valentine, so go to a reliable source. You can check out this brief article from Christian History. My favorite part: "With so many definitions of the word, the next time someone asks you to be their Valentine, you might want to be sure they don't want you to be their martyr."

Where are the Men?

Acts 16 has the amazing story of Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail. But there's something that happens earlier that grabs my attention even more.

Paul wants to go to Bythnia (Turkey) but is prevented by the Holy Spirit. He dreams about a Macedonian (Greek) man begging him "Come here and help us." (Acts 16:9). So, not being restrained by God, they go to Philippi, the Roman colony. The first Sabbath day there Paul, Silas, and Luke head for a known place of prayer by the river. They begin talking with the women who are gathered there, and after God opens her heart, Lydia is saved. They stay with her and all the members of her household.

Did you catch it? Where are the men? Paul dreams of a Macedonian man, but they find only women in this place of prayer.

We read in Acts 16:40 that the brothers were at Lydia's house. So there are some believing men mentioned there. But why weren't there men praying that morning (or at least, men gathered there who were open to hearing the Gospel)?

I'm not trying to denigrate women -- it's pure grace that anyone's heart is opened to receive the Word. Since we don't read about Lydia's husband, my speculation is that she was unmarried. But where were the men? What were they doing that was more important than prayer that Sabbath morning?

And where are the men today at places of prayer? We need salty men to come to the Lord in prayer, hear the Gospel, be transformed, and lead their families. I need to be like that. So do you.

What's Valuable about More?

Satan gets mileage by encouraging us into muchness, manyness, and noise, according to Martin Luther. I was amused to see this story -- it will give you some perspective! (Hat tip -0- Decker Marketing)

An American consultant was at a pier in a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow-fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The Mexican replied only a little while. The consultant then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish? The fisherman said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The American then asked the Mexican how he spent the rest of his time. The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, senor."
The American consultant scoffed, "I am business consultant and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and, with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution.
"You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."
The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will this all take?" To which the American consultant replied, "15-20 years." "But what then, senor?" asked the fisherman. The consultant laughed, and said, "That's the best part! When the time is right, you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public. You'll become very rich, you would make millions!"
"Millions, senor?" replied the Mexican. "Then what?" The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

Two Useful quotes

"The day hemmed in with prayer rarely comes unraveled."

"The best way out of a funk is to serve someone else. The best way out of writer's block is to serve someone else. The best way to find yourself is to serve someone else. The best way to experience more transformational work of the Spirit is to serve someone else."

No Name-Calling

I laughed out loud when I heard on the radio that schools were taking part in a "No Name Calling Week" campaign. The radio jock said, "What pinhead thought this up!?"

But I've also thought more about name-calling. Out of the heart the mouth speaks. Matthew 5:22 makes it plain that the Lord takes this seriously, and Ephesians 4:29 suggests that the only name-calling done should build up others -- using positive names!

Name-calling shows up a lot in our political culture. Marvin Olasky notes how the politics of defamation is used in his recent column titled "Twist and Shout":

" Christians and conservatives can find good news and bad news in such mockery. The good news is political: As long as Dowdists are unable to engage arguments and instead depend on ridicule, the left will not rise again in American politics. The bad news is cultural: Those people who believe that people like Bush and Dobson are idiots are less likely to hear and absorb their message of personal and cultural renewal. More people need to understand the games secular liberals play. Here's one rule-of-thumb: No matter how bad a story sounds -- particularly if it sounds bad -- recognize the pattern of defamation."

From the family room to the playground to the internet to the editorial rooms ... we become very, very good at name calling, don't we? It's not just a kid thing (though adults are more sophisticated and suave about it, or so we tell ourselves).

So we organize a school focus on no-name calling to effect a dramatic change? It does draw attention to the problem. But if it's just a bandaid approach (stop calling people names in anyone else might listening!) then it will not solve the heart problem.

The heart problem will only be fixed by the Name above every Name.

Valentine's Day thinking

Making your plans yet? This is big, guys. Don't think of it as a holiday you're compelled to keep up with. Think about this as a unique time of year when the culture works with you to honor your lady. Exercise those romance muscles!

Dr. Dobson and Spongebob

You've probably heard the media hoopla about Dr. James Dobson's comments indicting Spongebob as homosexual. Check out Dobson's newsletter giving his perspective on the events.

It's imperative that we help our wives and children develop discernment about news reporting, and to think critically about issues. Satan is not happy with critical thinkers who discern events from a biblical worldview. Here's the tough part -- you can't lead your wife and children to someone you aren't already. So exercise a bit and sharpen your mind for Christ.

Praying for Iraq

Men, let's commit to pray for Iraq as they go to the polls. Most Americans (at least since 1960) have never known anything except an easy time at the voting booth. You walk in, you make your selections, and you go about your business. No shootings, bombings, beheadings.

Can you picture peaceful power transitions in every province in Iraq? Can you imagine wise decisions being made by those elected? Can you see stability and peace, children smiling, respect for authority, civic pride?

Now ask the Lord -- who has promised to do more than we can ask or imagine -- to make it so, for His glory and purposes.

Husbands, love your wives

Men, we need to be students of our wives if we're going to fulfill Ephesians 5:21-33. Therefore I recommend you read this excellent article "The Real Life of an At-Home Mother."

Defeating Overwhelm

I'm susceptible to being overwhelmed with too many things going on, and then I don't get much of anything accomplished. Therefore I was immediately hooked by the title of Stever Robbins HBS article "Defeating Overwhelm."

If you only have a horizontal, humanistic viewpoint, it's a great article. I agree that the Getting Things Done methodology is very powerful, and I recommend it others. I completely agree with the author on a few other observations, including:

• quality multitasking is a myth -- most worthwhile things require more than a few moments of sustained attention
• technological advances and better organization methods result in temporary savings followed by increased expectations
• it's helpful to decide how much is "enough" and be selective in our information input

But as a Christian, working to be transformed in the attitude of my mind (Eph 4:23), understanding that the redemptive power of Christ transforms all my work and my relationships, how should I respond to "overwhelm" ? I cannot follow Robbins advice to stop caring, or to "take control of your own life."

Here are some reminders that may help us:

We are not our own, but were bought at a price. We are under authority of the Commander-in-Chief of the universe.
We have been called to minister in the great Name of Jesus , so why should we deal with lesser things?
We must let God define lesser things. Serving others, laying down your life for others, being a giver rather than a taker -- let us be imitators of God in these matters.
Our Lord establishes rhythms of work and rest that are good for us.
We are commanded to walk with Christ, not crawl or run. Walking allows breath for ongoing conversation with Him.

Your thoughts welcomed.

Connecting Abortion to Sexism and Racism

In this anniversary time for Roe v. Wade, John Piper's Jan 23 sermon is worth printing off and reading twice. He exegetes Exodus 1:1-22 and compares today's situation with abortion. He carefully demonstrates how many abortions are the outworking of sexist and racist views that are incompatible with the Christ-transformed heart.

Thank you God for giving us smart, scripture-saturated saints like Pastor Piper. Raise up more!

"You have no idea how good God is"

Eric Evers has an excellent short commentary on the goodness of God. An excerpt:

"How good do you think Jesus is? How beautiful, how generous, how forgiving, how gracious, how welcoming, how transforming? How deep do you think his love is? Your picture is just a drop in the ocean. Your wildest dreams can't grasp the tiniest particle of Jesus' goodness. Your bravest and most outlandish hopes can't do the slightest bit of justice to his mercy and grace. That's how amazing God is in all his grace and glory."

Subscribe by Email

Several people have asked if I can email them whenever there is a new post. I just loaded Bloglet to make this easy -- sign up in the form box in the right column. Enjoy!

We Don't Have to Come Back

Our pastor referenced the famous Nantucket "Humane Society" group that rescued sailors offshore. Their motto was "We have to go out, but we don't have to come back." Great way to think about our call as Christians, because we're in the rescue business.

Death adjectives

I've noticed several adjectives used with the word death in health-oriented newsletters, newspaper articles, and advertisements:

untimely death
premature death
unnecessary death

Untimely, premature, unncessary -- all these demonstrate humanistic thinking, a human perspective, a worldview remote from understanding soaked in the sovereignty of God.

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb 9:27) A friend reminds me "You and I have appointments, just don't know when exactly." But He will keep it.

Repenting from Anxiety

A dear friend told me he recently had spent time repenting from anxiety that was filling his heart over some issues.

This thought hit me like a 2x4 to the forehead. I'm not sure I realized I should repent from anxiety; my usual strategy is just work harder to stop being anxious and trust God more. "I mean, really, we should save repentence for more serious stuff, right?"

Repentence is the way, not the sometimes when it's obvious I have no other options way.

Valentine's Day is coming!

It's not long till Valentine's Day, men. Make plans now to show your ladies -- wives and daughters -- how special they are. They need our affirmation, our affection, our time. (Barb Rosberg points out that women spell love "T-I-M-E.")

Get Good Songs in Your Head

Music is powerful, so let's get good songs in our heads. They'll help sustain us. Here are the lyrics to a great Chris Rice hymn.

Come to Jesus

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain,
soSing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...
soFall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!

For our boys

Ken Canfield writes a nice newsletter for dads. (Subscribe here) He shares a good insight about working with our boys in the most recent column:

"Dads, we all need to be aware of our sons’ behavior and then be willing to hold them accountable. One key area in which many boys struggle is a tendency toward reckless aggressiveness. Sometimes it’s physical; sometimes it’s verbal; sometimes it shows up in disrespect toward women, or in pushing people around to get what they want; sometimes it’s expressed through a determined or stubborn will.
Boys need a dad to reel them in. We must teach our sons at an early age that we’re not going to allow certain kinds of behavior. They need to know that we’re going to confront them about their actions, with negative consequences attached (though we should never insult or belittle them in the process). We fathers can’t just let our sons go off on their own. We have to shoulder the responsibility of raising responsible, respectful young men."

Let's teach our boys about being bold, and being gentle. It's the Jesus way.

Inagural reminder

President Bush will be inagurated today. It's worth reminding your children that we live in an amazing country, where power changes hands peacefully. This is not typical in the history of the world.

M'Cheyne's Systematic Bible Reading Plan

I posted information about Robert Murray M'Cheyne's Bible reading plan on the Teach to Change Lives blog -- check it out.

Slamming Martin Luther King Jr.

It's become fashionable now to point out Martin Luther King Jr.'s many faults. There's reasonable evidence for adultery, some evidence for inappropriate work in his dissertation, and certainly his followers did not stay true to his highest ideals (most notably, Jesse Jackson).

A passage comes to mind as I consider this state of events: "Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls." (

Why Reason Alone is an Unreliable Guide

Dennis Prager outlines four problems with the concept that Reason alone can lead a person or a people into moral greatness:

Reason is itself amoral, and only a tool for decision-making
Humans are incapable of acting consistently on Reason alone
You must believe that people are basically good (an irrational idea in itself)
Reason does not compel specific action

This will be a nice article to use with your family over dinner!

Love the Lord your God will all your Mind

Doug Giles has some piercing comments about evangelicals being soft on doctrine in his column appropriately titled "Oaks of Righteousness or Evangelical Tumbleweeds?"

To say that doctrine doesn’t matter is to say that God, who is the author of
doctrine, doesn’t matter. Doctrine is not boring or irrelevant. You
might be — but doctrine sure as heck isn’t.
Sound biblical doctrine matters
greatly. Doctrine defines …
· the principal purpose of man,
· the role and rule of the scripture, · the character and nature of
God, · the purpose of creation, · the fall of man, · Christ and
the covenant of grace, · the application of redemption and· God’s view
of death and the last day.

I like the quote from Os Guiness about Christians in America: "The true story of the evangelical mind in retreat is the story of the surrender, not the stealing of America." (source: Fit Bodies, Fat Minds)

Why blog?

I get asked three questions about my blog:

Why do you do this?
How do you do this?
How do you find time to do this?

This blog is a vehicle to encourage husbands and fathers. I've got a heart passion to build up men because they're key to the Kingdom of God, and to Western civilization. Writing this is one way I can help men.

Blogger.com makes blogging very, very easy.

Making time is harder, but that's a personal discipline issue, men. Right? Right.

I think blogging (or something like it) is going to become very routine for the majority of the population so long as digital progress continues. I encourage you to get into it as an extension of your ministry to others. I have an opportunity to build up not only my regular readership, but those who wander across these pages because of a Google search, blogroll list, or "next blog" link. God be praised!

Here are two links from a pastor talking about why he blogs. I think he's right on.
http://bolsinger.blogs.com/weblog/2005/01/how_hughs_book_.html http://bolsinger.blogs.com/weblog/2005/01/blog_for_christ.html

Understanding our Times

Long, but worthwhile: The War Against World War IV, by Norman Podhertz. Reading this will help you be more like the men of Issachar.

Thermostat, not Thermometer

My last post talked about religious freedom. Citizens should savor religious freedom for it's positive impact on the culture, even if they do not believe in God themselves. If you had a super magnet that would sweep over the US and pick up everything established and supported by Christians throughout it's history, what was left would be unrecognizable. Not even the most ardent atheist and progressives (I hate it that they have corrupted the beautiful word 'liberal') would want to live here.

Here's my recommendation to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day: reread his stirring letter to the clergy written from a Birmingham jail in 1963. Note this challenge to the church, every bit as meaningful today:

There was a time when the church was very powerful. It was during that
period when the early Christians rejoiced when they were deemed worthy to suffer
for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer
that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat
that transformed the mores of society. Whenever the early Christians entered a
town the power structure got disturbed and immediately sought to convict them
for being "disturbers of the peace" and "outside agitators." But they went on
with the conviction that they were "a colony of heaven," and had to obey God
rather than man. They were small in number but big in commitment. They were too
God-intoxicated to be "astronomically intimidated." They brought an end to such
ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contest.
Things are different now. The contemporary church is often a weak, ineffectual voice with an
uncertain sound. It is so often the arch supporter of the status quo. Far from
being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the
average community is consoled by the church's silent and often vocal sanction of
things as they are.
But the judgement of God is upon the church as never before. If the church of today does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the
early church, it will lose its authentic ring, forfeit the loyalty of millions,
and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth
century. I am meeting young people every day whose disappointment with the
church has risen to outright disgust.

Religious Freedom Day

This Sunday is Religious Freedom Day, by order of the President.

Consider that freedom of religion is mentioned before freedom of speech in the 1st Amendment:

Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

I believe we need to work for religious freedom through our means as citizens of this country. Prison Fellowship recommends we work to re-establish religious freedom in our prisons. It's encouraging to see that Mr. Nedow's effort to block prayer at the President's inaguration failed. Looking abroad we should also be encouraged by the news from the Sudan.

Let us pray for God's kingdom, built upon Christ Jesus, to advance irrespective of civic freedom of religion. "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Cor 3:17)

Fabrications, not Forgeries

Much has been said about the CBS News investigation of "Rathergate," the biased 60 minutes report about a faked letter blasting the President's National Guard Service. Charles Krauthammer has a good column on this today. I just wish they would use words properly.

This letter is a fabrication, not a forgery. Forgery means making a copy of something genuine in order to deceive (see definition here). There is no genuine letter here, only a made-up creation designed to make people believe something existed.

Added blogroll

I followed Joe Carter's suggestion and added a script that lists the evangelical blogroll -- see the right sidebar. This list is dynamically updated with new blogs. Check out a few, support your fellow evangelicals.

I want to go like this man!

Tuesday, January 11, 2005 · Last updated 3:43 a.m. PT

The Rev. Jack Arnold, 69, was nearing the end of his sermon Sunday at
Covenant Presbyterian Church when he grabbed the podium before falling to the
floor, said the Rev. Michael S. Beats, the church's associate pastor.
Before
collapsing, Arnold quoted the 18th-century Bible scholar John Wesley who said,
"Until my work on this earth is done, I am immortal. But when my work for Christ
is done ... I go to be with Jesus," Beats said in a telephone interview.

Several parishioners with medical backgrounds tried to revive Arnold
and paramedics were called, but he appeared to die instantly, Beats said.

Who are the Real Spiritual Leaders?

The real spiritual leaders in any family, church, or community are the ones working hardest to hear God's voice and obey it. They teach others, in word and in example, to do the same.

It is likely that as you read those two sentences a wave of self-rating and comparison and rationalization rose up in your mind. Don't compare yourself to others. You can't stand at the foot of the cross and look up into the face of Christ hanging there, sacrificed for you, and say, "But I'm better than that guy." Jesus Christ is the standard of comparison.

Remembering Sgt. Rafael Peralta

Men, tell your families about this brave Marine, and read John 15:13 and 1 John 3:16. Let be thankful for men like Sgt. Rafael Peralta.

More Evangelical Blogs Than You Knew!

Joe Carter, who runs the marvelous Evangelical Outpost blog, is compiling a list of evangelical blogs. Great stuff for those who want to surf. I'm sure the list will continue growing.

If you're interested in starting your own blog, be sure to check out Joe's great series on how to do it well.

Tsunami Theology

Lots of newspaper, radio, and blog postings on God's role in the Tsunami. Did He cause it? Was He just "allow" it as a natural disaster? Could He not prevent it? Most Christians seem to go to Romans 8:28 and say that "God will make good to come from it."

Eric Evers has some useful thoughts:

"Trying to ask the "why" question is, simply, dangerous. It is to attempt
to peer into the hidden purposes of God. We lack the capacity to peel back
the surface of the world and discern God's intentions.We can, however, discern
God's revealed purposes. "What was God up to in the tsunami?" The
same thing God is always up to. The prologue to John's Gospel (John
1:1-18) was the assigned lectionary text for the second Sunday after Christmas
(Jan 2). In this beautiful poetry, we are told what God is up to.
God has given his word to us; indeed, he has given his Word to us. His
Word, his Son, is his pledge to save this fallen world. He "makes God
known" (literally, "exegetes" God)."

Polls are being taken. (Why are we surprised about that!) The most popular view seems to be that God didn't actually cause the Tsunami. See Jeff Jacoby's column about this.

Satan gets a lot of mileage persuading people with two lies: (1) God is only a God of Mercy, and not Justice. (2) The default state of mankind is that we go to heaven.

I'm grateful that people are wrestling with the question. May God work out better understanding of His sovereignty through this. May God's people be bold and believe what the Bible says, even when it is not popular theology. Stand firm, men.

Can your family be destroyed?

Socrates said "Know Yourself." Military leaders throughout history have advised "Know Your Enemy."

Satan would be delighted to destroy your marriage and your family. Delighted.

Here's the truth: Apart from the grace of God, the work of Christ, and the indwelling connection to the Lord that the Holy Spirit makes powerful, any family can be destroyed. Some can be destroyed much more easily than others.

So here is a good exercise: how would you ruin your marriage and family? What are the weak points? What attacks, if successful, would wound deeply, perhaps mortally? What trials are you prepared for? What siege duration could you endure?

Now, what provisions need to be made?

Longer hugs

Here's a challenge for you men today: hug your wife and kids a few extra times, and hug longer. Say a quick prayer of blessing for them while you hug.

I can't cite any scientific studies that says this will improve their test scores, increase their self-esteem 22%, or boost their immune system so they're 43% less likely to get the flu. But do it anyway. This is spiritual leadership in the home.

Recommended Book: Heaven

Randy Alcorn has done a tremendous service to us all by writing Heaven. He's constructed a wonderful picture of the thrilling, fabulous place where we want to be. I appreciate his biblical scholarship. Alcorn first builds the case for an intermediate heaven that exists now, and a final eternal heaven that is centered on the New Earth. A lot of things "clicked" into place for me as I read this book. Alcorn also has many chapters addressing common questions about heaven (e.g., will I know people, will my pet be there, will we worship all the time, what will our bodies be like).

I've encountered a number of teenagers and adults who think heaven is going to be a perpetual church service like the ones that "bore them to death" here. Absolutely not! We're not going to be disembodied spirits floating around on clouds strumming harps forever. Satan has gotten enormous mileage out of these lies.

Get it, read it, share the ideas. Heaven, by Randy Alcorn.

Uhm, let's rethink this whole "Gay Marriage" thing

Thomas Sowell is simply smart. And he writes well to boot. Check out his column on gay marriage. Key paragraph: "Of all the phony arguments for gay marriage, the phoniest is the argument that it is a matter of equal rights. Marriage is not a right extended to individuals by the government. It is a restriction on the rights they already have." Read the whole column.

Love, not Power

Chuck Colson reminds us that love is our best aim in his column on resolutions for 2005:

"Evangelicals have come back into the limelight. Talking heads are commenting on the increasing power of “values voters” and conservative Christians. And to listen to some Christians, one gets the idea that this is the time for our political payback.
So the question is this: Can we handle success and increased influence with grace and prudence?
The sad fact is that all Christians are susceptible to worldly wiles. In fact, sad to say, the Church has managed to shoot itself in the foot almost every time it has achieved power in society.
So what we need most right now is a bracing dose of humility. We’re not a labor union, lining up for our share of the spoils after the election. We are the Church. Our job is to bring biblical truth to bear in society; to win people to Christ; and to promote righteousness and justice. We serve the King of kings, no mere temporal king.
The Apostle Peter tells us always to be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is within us, but with gentleness and reverence. And we are to keep a clear conscience so that when people slander us, they may become “ashamed of their slander.” Though we are commanded to engage in the political process, we are to do so lovingly, as citizens concerned for the common good."

Colson's comment about the church shooting itself in the foot reminds me of someone who said, "The problem is not that we shot ourselves in the foot. The problem is how fast we reloaded and fired again!"

Concentration

Concentration is a key element to effective Bible study, which is a requirement for growth. Without concentration, your effort is dissipated. Concentration literally means "to stay within the circle."

Push yourself to concentrate. Get rid of all the other distractions. Focus.

Concentration is a capacity we need to help our kids develop, men.

Where Do You Stand?

Marvin Olasky quotes Walker Percy to challenge us in his column, "Christian Hypocrisy, Atheist Insanity":

" What's more striking is how the desperate search for horizontal love, person-to-person, is not matched by what should be an even more desperate search for vertical love, person-and-God. Here's Walker Percy again: "I am surrounded by two classes of maniacs. The first are the believers, who think they know the reason why we find ourselves in this ludicrous predicament yet act for all the world as if they don't. The second are the unbelievers, who don't know the reason and don't care if they don't." "

Remembering Reggie White

A good man leaves a good legacy. Talk about Reggie White with your family.

Time for Resolutions

New Year's is the traditional time for resolutions. Get some inspiration from Jonathan Edwards 70 Resolutions.

Where is Christianity growing the most?

There is some interesting demographic data on the growth of Christianity.

"Within the next twenty-five years the population of the world's Christians is expected to grow to 2.6 billion (making Christianity by far the world's largest faith). Stop and consider that: it will grow by 2.6 billion. From 1934-1994, the number of Christians in the world increased by 1300 percent (from 40 million to 540 million in the last 60 years), while the world's population grew only 400 percent.

But this growth has largely taken place in the Southern hemisphere and in Asia, outside the radar of most Western media. Of the approximately two billion Christians alive today (one-third of the planetary population), 560 million live in Europe and 260 in North America, for a total of 820 million. The combined number of Christians in Latin America (480 million), Africa (360 million), and Asia (313 million) is 1.15 billion. On a percentage basis, then, almost 60 percent of Christians in the world today live in the Third World. Jenkins forecasts that of the expected 2.6 billion Christians in the year 2025, 67 percent will live in Africa (633 million), Asia (640 million), or Latin America (460 million). Jenkins emphasizes that by 2050 only about one-fifth of the world's three billion Christians will be non-Hispanic whites. As Jenkins states: "Soon the phrase 'a White Christian' may sound like a curious oxymoron, as mildly surprising as 'a Swedish Buddhist.' Such people can exist, but a slight eccentricity is implied." "

Oddly, this geographic growth pattern seems inversely related to the number of Christian bookstores and radio stations.

Talking about the Tsunami with your family

John Piper wrote a helpful meditation about the devastating tsunami. I appreciate his clarity, and recommend you review it.

No new posts for a while

I'll be taking a rest from blogging to enjoy Christ in Christmas. Fix your eyes on Jesus, brothers.

Have you noticed the Merry Christmas revolt?

Some people have decided "Enough with the PC crowd." I've watched people catch themselves as the words "Happy Holidays" start to come out, smile, and then say "Merry Christmas!" with a smile. I've seen Merry Christmas in red 72 point font letters in an email signature. There was the pair in the street singing "We Wish You a Winter Solstice, We wish you a Winter Solstice, and a happy new year." Then they broke up laughing, waved, and shouted out "Merry Christmas!" Jewish writers commend Christmas -- see Prager, Goldberg, West, Jacoby, and Krauthammer.

Say Merry Christmas to all, and mean it.

More on taxation

Walter Williams has a good column about a national sales tax or flat tax. His recommendation that the 16th amendment be repealed is a good one, "so Congress can't hit us with both an income and sales tax."

I also liked these two comments:

"Another benefit of a national sales tax is that being taxed 23 percent to 30 percent with every purchase we become more aware of the cost of government. Income taxes and corporate taxes conceal that cost. "

"My personal preference is a constitutional amendment limiting federal spending to a fixed percentage, say 10 percent, of the GDP. You say, "Williams, why 10 percent?" My answer is that if 10 percent is good enough for the Baptist Church, it ought to be good enough for the U.S. Congress."

Women in Combat Units

It's nice to see attention to this issue again. Cal Thomas writes about some disturbing changes in military policy. I'm sure I'll be labeled sexist, and I know there are some women who can pass the physical requirements for soldiers, but it's still not right to put women in combat units. And it's increasingly difficult to distinguish combat from non-combat units in a theatre of war.

There should be something deep in a man's gut that rails against intentionally putting women in harms' way.

I'm still trying to sort out my thinking about police and firefighter roles.

Search and Rescue Patch

I keep this with my Bible as a good reminder of the mission of the Church.

Recovering the Arts for the Church

Doug Giles has a good column reminding us that the Church should recover the Arts. Many of you are very creative and artistic, and so are our children. (This shouldn't surprise us -- we're made in the image of God, the source of all creative power!)

A friend pointed out to me that "The Passion of the Christ" movie and the popularity of Christian contemporary music demonstrate there is a large economic market for good stuff. People are willing to pay money for it.

Let us encourage the Arts, and recover them for Christ-honoring purposes. They're a huge influencer on culture.

Book recommendation

I recommend you add The Heavenly Man to your reading list. This is the astounding story of God's power working through a humble Chinese evangelist named Brother Yun. It reads like the book of Acts. It's a great story of the Chinese house church movement and the men and women who commit themselves to Jesus in the face of horrific persecution.

This book would be good for your teenage and college-age children and grandchildren as well.

Here's an excerpt (p. 286-287 in my copy) to whet your appetite:

"We have also come to understand that the past thirty years of suffering, persecution, and torture for the house churches in China were all part of God's training for us. The Lord has perfectly fitted us to go as missionaries to the Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu worlds.

Once I spoke in the West and a Christian told me, "I've been praying for years that the Communist government in China will collapse, so Christians can live in freedom." This is not what we pray! We never pray against our government or call down curses upon them. Instead, we have learned that God is in control of both our lives and the government we live under. Isaiah prophesied about Jesus, "And the government will be on his shoulders" Is 9:6.

God has used China's government for his own purposes, molding and shaping his children as he sees fit. Instead of focusing our prayers against any political system, we pray that regardless of what happens to us, we will be pleasing to God.

Don't pray for the persecution to stop! We shouldn't pray for a lighter load to carry, but a stronger back to endure! Then the world will see that God is with us, empowering us to live in a way that reflects his love and power. This is true freedom!"

New blog

I've created a new blog just about teaching the Bible. It's called Teach to Change Lives. I encourage you to check it out and the xml feed to your aggregator. The xml feed is http://teachtochangelives.blogspot.com/atom.xml

For Peter Drucker fans...and dads

Some of us are Peter Drucker fans. Jim Collins tells the story of spending a day with Drucker in his introduction to The Daily Drucker. Now even if you're not a Drucker fan, all dads should appreciate this story. A few excerpts:

"His generosity of spirit explains much of Drucker’s immense influence. I
reflected back on his work, The Effective Executive, and his admonition to
replace the quest for success with the quest for contribution. The critical
question is not, “How can I achieve?” but “What can I contribute?” "

"There are two ways to change the world: with the pen (the use of ideas)
and with the sword (the use of power). Drucker chooses the pen, and has rewired
the brains of thousands who carry the sword."

"...what ultimately sets Peter Drucker apart is that he does not see
himself as a guru; he remains a student. Most management gurus are driven to say
something; Drucker is driven to learn something. Drucker’s work is
interesting—he is interesting— because, to borrow a phrase from the late John
Gardner, he remains relentlessly interested.
“Just go out and make yourself
useful,” he finished. Then, without another word, he got out of the car and
walked into his modest home..."

There are a few keys here for dads. Ask "What can I contribute?" Change the world with ideas and Christ-tempered power. Remain a student and be driven to learn something. "Just go out and make yourself useful."

Good views on Christmas

God bless Charles Krauthammer!

" I'm struck by the fact that you almost never find Orthodox Jews complaining about a Christmas creche in the public square. That is because their children, steeped in the richness of their own religious tradition, know who they are and are not threatened by Christians celebrating their religion in public. They are enlarged by it.
It is the more deracinated members of religious minorities, brought up largely ignorant of their own traditions, whose religious identity is so tenuous that they feel the need to be constantly on guard against displays of other religions -- and who think the solution to their predicament is to prevent the other guy from displaying his religion, rather than learning a bit about their own.
To insist that the overwhelming majority of this country stifle its religious impulses in public so that minorities can feel ``comfortable'' not only understandably enrages the majority, but commits two sins. The first is profound ungenerosity toward a majority of fellow citizens who have shown such generosity of spirit toward minority religions.
The second is the sin of incomprehension -- a failure to appreciate the uniqueness of the communal American religious experience. Unlike, for example, the famously tolerant Ottoman Empire or the generally tolerant Europe of today, America does not merely allow minority religions to exist at its sufferance. It celebrates and welcomes and honors them. "

Insight into the Orange Revolution

Adrian Karatnycky shares some interesting information about the religious dimension of the Orange Revolution in the Ukraine.

It's interesting to see the impact of Christian faith on political revolutions. The American Revolution was often called "the Presbyterian rebellion" in Britain because of the fiery Presbyterian sermons and prayers that fueled it. The French revolution lacked a Christian center and was based on humanist views. The Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was defeated by huge crowds surrounding the churches and reciting the Lord's prayer. Christian faith was at the heart of the movements that toppled Communist leaders in Poland and Czechloslovakia.

It's become the Silly Season

A school in Plano bans red and green attire at a school "winter break" party because they're Christmas colors? A small part of me is outraged at this. Another small part is saying "Why should anyone be surprised, it's a logical extension of decisions made earlier, right?" And the rest of me thinks this is good. Perhaps the Lord will use events like this -- and the attention they bring -- to shake a few hearts into recognition of how silly it's becoming.

Meanwhile, Christians in the Sudan and others are suffering and dying rather than deny Christ.

Useful study guides

I know some of you are working with your kids, particularly jr. high and high schoolers, to improve their study habits. Check out the excellent guides at http://www.studygs.net/lrnstudy.htm

Power of images

Check out this I-pod add spoof: http://ad-rag.com/115274.php

Also someone recently described a B.C. comic to me. The key line: "Jesus went to hell to cancel your reservation."

Thoughts from Senator Brownback

Yesterday the men of CrossTrainers were priviliged to hear Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas speak. I captured a few tidbits worth sharing:

His favorite lawyer joke: "How many lawyers does it take to grease a combine? One, if you run him through slowly enough." Apparently that didn't go over well when he first told it to a group in Washington. Puzzled, he was reminded by a friend that half the group were attorneys, and the other half didn't know what a combine was.

"There is a revival taking place in this country." Samuel Huntington, author of Clash of Civilizations, says that's the only explanation for what's going on in this country.

The political left should not fear evangelical Christians. We have an opportunity now to reintroduce ourselves to the country. It is the Christians who are helping people who need it the most -- in this country and in painful places throughout the world. And why? Not for a political idea but because the love of Christ working through them compels them. So the great need is to bear fruit, much fruit (see John 15:1-5).

We will be held to a higher standard -- and we should be. We have the Truth.

Three great priorities for Christian citizens:
* Care for the weak and the voice-less
* Stand for freedom and life
* Work for cultural renewal (e.g., restoring marriage)

Pornography is an addictive drug delivery system. It elicits the same kind of brain chemistry as many illegal drugs.

Righteousness is the plumb line of our house of government, and Justice is the level.

Taking Responsibility for Education

Walter Williams suggests we need a radically different approach to education given the data on what kind of citizens it has produced:

" A 1990 Gallup survey for the National Endowment of the Humanities, given to a representative sample of 700 college seniors, found that 25 percent did not know that Columbus landed in the Western Hemisphere before the year 1500, 42 percent could not place the Civil War in the correct half-century, and 31 percent thought Reconstruction came after World War II.
In 1993, a Department of Education survey found that, among college graduates, 50 percent of whites and more than 80 percent of blacks couldn't state in writing the argument made in a newspaper column or use a bus schedule to get on the right bus, 56 percent could not calculate the right tip, 57 percent could not figure out how much change they should get back after putting down $3 to pay for a 60-cent bowl of soup and a $1.95 sandwich, and over 90 percent could not use a calculator to find the cost of carpeting a room. But not to worry. The American Council of Trustees and Alumni's 1999 survey of seniors at the nation's top 55 liberal arts colleges and universities found that 98 percent could identify rap artist Snoop Doggy Dogg and Beavis and Butt-Head, but only 34 percent knew George Washington was the general at the battle of Yorktown. "

Dads, it's hard to read Deut 6 and say that you're not responsible for your kids' education. I'm not arguing that home-schooling, Christian schools, or public schools are the answer. I am suggesting that you need to be your kids best teacher for things that matter.

Do you have the VMAT2 Gene?

It's common folly to think "there must be a gene for everything." If it's genetic, then there would be no personal responsibility -- a perfect fit for the Humanist Manifesto and sinful hearts that enjoy sin. (We sin because we like it.) There have been multiple studies looking for the genetic basis for homosexuality -- you probably have only heard about the ones that where scientists "found" something. Funny how how Time, Newsweek, and the CBS News don't report on the studies that show no definitive genetic basis at all. And it doesn't explain how there can be so many testimonies of ex-gays (another item that gets little media attention).

So now Dean Hamer, who earlier chased homosexuality genes, has a book out purporting to show that humans with VMAT2 are more spiritually-minded. It's titled The God Gene, probably for marketing purposes. The reviews on Amazon are helpful. David Limbaugh also has a good column about it.

This is an important area to understand, and you probably should be coaching your kids to think critically on this point.

There may be some genetic predisposition to many behaviors. (Frankly, it can be difficult to sort out genetics from environment.) But if there are genes predisposing or compelling a person into homosexual sin, then I expect we could find genes for pride to be universal, and genes for stealing, for lying, for disrespect to others, for coveting what is not ours, and for idolatry of all kinds.

Grounding rituals

I enjoy a few rituals that remind me of God's faithfulness and that I'm part of His plan (see Ephesians 1:3-14).

I look in on my kids when I get up, and listen for their breathing.

I smell my Bible and run my hands over the paper.

I look at the stars when I retrieve the newspaper in the morning. They are massive and blazing hot, though I see only pinpricks of light. Walking back up the driveway, Polaris, the North Star that doesn't change, is right over our house.

I pray as I enter my workplace, asking the Lord to open my eyes to opportunities for helping others. My computer password is selected to remind me that it's not about me.

Holding hands while we pray at dinner -- I imagine the warm love of Christ connecting our family.

What kind of rituals do you have? What rituals would help you? Have you explained any of this to your kids?

Learning to Lead

Christianity Today has a useful article -- how to spot new leaders. They identify ten signs of potential:
1. Leadership in the Past
2. The capacity to create to catch vision
3. A constructive spirit of discontent
4. Practical ideas
5. A willingness to take responsibility
6. A completion factor
7. Mental toughness
8. Peer respect
9. Family respect
10. A quality that makes people listen to them

Help our troops

I'm told one much-appreciated gift, particularly for soldiers who have been wounded, are prepaid phone cards. Here's a nice statement from Hugh Hewitt:

Finally, from a naval officer I respect a great deal, an e-mail on how to aid wounded troops in the two weeks left before Christmas: "Yellow ribbons tied around trees and red, white and blue stickers on the backs SUVs saying "Support our Troops" are things that make civilians feel good but do nothing for the men and women actually in uniform. So please consider the following: The number ONE request at Walter Reed hospital is phone cards. The government doesn't pay long distance phone charges and these wounded soldiers are rationing their calls home. Many will be there throughout the holidays. Really support our troops --Send phone cards of any amount to: Medical Family Assistance Center Walter Reed Medical Center 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20307-5001 They say they need an "endless" supply of these -- any amount even $5 is greatly appreciated. Walmart has good prices on AT&T cards, Sams Club is even better, if you are a member."

Continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Iraq

Two churches bombed in Mosul yesterday. There are over 700,000 Christians in Iraq. (History note: Mosul is the modern city built where the ancient city of Ninevah stood -- see the book of Jonah.)

"We need more math and science!"

We live in a world of accelerating technological wonders. It seems that fewer Americans are seriously studying math, engineering disciplines, and the hard sciences. There is reasonable evidence that US students are not learning as much math and science as in other countries. And I'm biased -- I'm a scientist by training, and am concerned that the next generations develop a credible mastery of math and science. Their world will be significantly shaped by applications from biotechnology and materials science. Citizens lacking the capacity to understand math and science may well be the victims of it.

Side note: those who panic because our science and engineering graduate programs have many more non-US citizens than US-born students may be missing part of God's great design to bring the nations together and share the Gospel.

Christians should be the best thinkers on the planet. We should be training our children to think in biblical frameworks, to think logically, to study complex problems and work through them. (At this point we need remedial training for many adults!)

I also believe that Christians should be the best citizens in the US. We should train ourselves and our children and grandchildren in our country's great history, and civics, and how to live in community with one another.

But citizenship in heaven, through the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, is the first and second and third goal. As the Lord apportions spiritual gifts through His Body, the Church, so I believe he will apportion interests in math, science, history, psychology, economics, music, art, and every other subject. For each area of knowledge may be studied to develop our minds, serve others, and have an expanded view of the greatness of God. Each area can (and should) lead us into worship.

Spiritual Gifts

I've been thinking more about spiritual gifts lately, particularly for my kids. I have only a few more years before they leave home. They should have some sense of their spiritual gifts so they can serve confidently.

The biblical texts to study are:

• Romans 12:3-8
• 1 Corinthians 12:1-3
• 2 Corinthians 14:1-40
• Ephesians 4:7-161
• Peter 4:7-11

This makes a good meal-time discussion topic for a family.

One of the better books on this subject is Your Spiritual Gifts Can Help Your Church Grow, by C. Peter Wagner.

There are also some interesting online gifts assessment tools available. You answer questions, and then the tool gives you some ideas about what gifts are more likely given you than others. A Google search will turn up a dozen tools; try this one if you're interested.
http://www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi

I recommend you consider this "electronic survey" approach just a first step. Others in your community of faith can help discern and confirm your gifts. You'll find great joy when using your gifts.

What's a fair tax system look like?

There will be considerable debate in the coming months about what "fairer, simpler" tax code should be adopted. There are interesting position papers available on flat tax rates, national sales taxes, and value-added tax systems. (Fair warning -- none of this fits neatly into 30 second radio news sound bites.)

I believe a simpler tax system, even with no exemptions, will promote economic growth. I believe a key issue is to create a system less prone to manipulation and less likely to promote lies to evade taxation. Therefore I'm suspicious of graduated tax systems and those with many possible exemptions.

Meditate for a few moments on the 10% tithe required of the Israelites to support the Levites and the priestly ministry. There were no exemptions. No means to shift payment to another timeframe. It applied whatever business you were in, wherever you lived, whatever stage of life, and whether you were the grossest sinner or the most godly person in the community. What if God had laid out a graduated plan and set up a series of exemptions? Think of how this would been manipulated, and how fast!

Alan Reynolds wrote a readable column recently listing seven technical reasons why a single rate flat tax would be the best solution.

The other challenging issue to consider the transition plan. It will be difficult to wean Congress away from one of their favorite means of operation. I haven't studied this, but suspect that many tax exemption laws have specified timeframes to continue -- it's probably not feasible by single fiat to change all these timeframes into a short time. The IRS regulations also currently drive reporting income and spreading taxes over multiple years (e.g., depreciation schedules are factor for capital purchases in businesses). There are millions of jobs associated with the status quo for taxes. If the work changes rapidly, those people will need to find gainful work in another area. (I would hope many would shift to the revenue-generating side of the economy.)

The complexity of the transition, coupled with the charged political environment and limited-scope voter, will require bold and clear leadership through a sea of uncertainty.

I have some suggestions that might help:

• Let's act like responsible adults. Take the focus off "what's best for me, now?" and shift it to "what's best for our children, in ten years?"
• Get back to a constitutional framework for the federal government, a much more limited government. Reversing (even slowing!) the trend to shifting responsibility of the federal government is a must.

May God help us, because neither of these is easy, either.

Defeating Ungodly Ideas

Men, we're in a war of ideas. Check out Marvin Olasky's column about Peter Singer, the influential philosopher at Princeton University. " While politicians debate the definition of marriage between two people, Singer argues that any kind of 'fully consensual' sexual behavior involving two people or 200 is ethically fine. " And it gets worse.

Remember the divine weapons we have. Use 'em.

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Cor 10:3-5