Over the past several years rhetoric against American history, white privilege, gender inequality, Christianity, and more has been championed by secular organizations, college professors, and politicians. The fervor has become increasingly intense. Students violently protest speeches that haven’t even been given yet. Average citizens assault politicians in public restaurants and elevators. Police officers are shot while sitting in their car, and celebrities rant on the nightly news. Continue reading “How the Progressive Left Proves Christianity True”
Father Power
While most men would never dream of abusing or killing their own child, many are doing just that without even recognizing it.
We are not only experiencing the biggest dearth of Fathers in our history but also the biggest lack of real men. This may sound a bit harsh, but the evidence – like our children – screams to be heard. Continue reading “Father Power”
Sex: What Does it Have to do with Worship?
Sex! Advertisers sell it, Hollywood exalts it and Billions of dollars are given every year in search of it. But, there is something we crave even more than sex – it’s just that we often don’t realize it.
SEEKING GREATER INTIMACY
Valentine’s day is just around the corner. It is a time when people romanticize and think a great deal about the perfect, mutually-fulfilling relationship. Sadly, that kind of relationship appears increasingly difficult to come by. Life is busier, more distracting and frustratingly complicated. It also doesn’t help that culture persistently inundates us with confusing, and often opposing, ideas of what the ideal relationship is actually like. Continue reading “Sex: What Does it Have to do with Worship?”
Do You Know Any Cretans?
Have you ever been called a Cretan? If so, it wasn’t meant as a compliment.
In the small, often-overlooked book of Titus, the Apostle Paul provides instructions to his young protégé. Paul had left Titus behind on the isle of Crete to complete the work of establishing and organizing the newly formed church. He was to appoint elders and establish order throughout the over 3,000 square miles of varied terrain. Continue reading “Do You Know Any Cretans?”
Unlikely Hero
Of the many success stories that should not have been, Fred’s is certainly near the top of the all-time list. He was the product of rape and lost his Mother at a young age. He was raised by his abusive/rapist Father. The hate and animosity between the two was palatable.
Despite everything, Fred fell in love with Bible stories read to him by his Father’s wife. She even began teaching Fred how to read, until his angry Father put a stop to it. When, one day, he finally saw the chance to escape, Fred fled in search of independence and a better life.
Love Wins
Love is exceedingly greater and infinitely deeper than the trivial hash-tags and memes that permeate our social-media culture. It is far more important than the puppy dog eyes, and instant connection we witness in the fantasy world of entertainment. Love is far more than a feeling. Love is far greater than action. Love is a person.
1 John 4:8 is clear, “God is love”. Everything good and perfect emanates not from human society, and certainly not from human feelings. All good things emanate from our Heavenly Father. Love, like everything else in the universe, can only be properly viewed in the light of God’s character. Love without God is like currency from a failed government. It is a counterfeit that lacks the authority to back up what is promised.
Our Deepest Desires
Little Bobby eagerly awaits his Mother’s hug and thankful words after handing her a dandelion from the yard. Little Amy anxiously searches her Father’s face for approval following the presentation of her latest stick-family art. When the flower is placed in a vase on the dining room table and the drawing is given a prominent position in Daddy’s office, the children’s joy is made complete and overflowing. The children feel good about themselves. The pleasure they perceive from others, because of something they did, provides them with a pleasure of their own.
Engaging the Real Stakes
A few short days ago in Orlando we, the American people, experienced another devastating rip in the fabric of our collective souls. The well formulated response templates were quickly populated by the various interest groups and the battle lines were clearly drawn around philosophical and political world-views. Just as fluidly, the ideological children of those interest groups leaped onto social media to defend their virtual turf and espouse their anger toward whoever and whatever threatened their position.
It appears that with each tragic salvo, facts are more and more quickly obscured by the overarching narratives that have been custom-tailored to fit each interest group’s agenda. True compassion for victims now almost immediately gives way to objectification, as the suffering are turned into poster children for carefully guarded world-views. In this crisis, for example, victims have been used to promote less guns by one group and more guns by another. Some have used the incident to indict the entire Muslim community while others have gone out of their way to say it had nothing to do with Islam at all.
The Search of True and Lasting Love
From the Board Rooms of New York advertising agencies to school locker rooms, it is clear that we are all searching for true and lasting love. Billions of dollars, yen, sterling and other currencies trade hands every year in hopes that a product or service will somehow be the key to this elusive and priceless heart-cry.
In the process of this search, we have all been sold a bill of goods. The actors who portray perfect couples on television and movies, are often some of the worst at achieving lasting love. All too often, their home lives are a train wreck, plagued with unfaithfulness, abuse, divorce and brokenness. Their children often grow up confused and unloved – repeating the same mistakes in another generation.
10 Steps to Man Up!
With Father’s Day just a few days away. I thought it would be a great time for a quick refresher on how those of us of the male persuasion can Man Up! So here we go: