Prayer is typically viewed as being a time of silent "talking" to God. Sometimes we're not too silent.
But then there's the "active" part of prayer. Throughout this study, we have sought to transform or reform our lives into lives of prayer. A life of prayer is when we are "being" with God throughout the entire day. We are thinking about Him and speaking to Him. We may sing to our Father during the day, but He's looking for more from us.
I LOVE Easter and the Easter/Passover Season. It is my absolute favorite holiday time of the year.
Passover was a foreshadowing of what God had in store for His creation. We just needed to wait for His perfect timing.
Back in January 2012, humorist Ricky Gervais presented his arguments (there's a link to this in the piece below) for atheism and why he thought he was a better "Christian" than many Christians. In this follow-up essay, writer attorney, former atheist and Christian apologist Lee Strobel offers his defense of Easter (author of "The Case for Christ" and "The Case for Easter") and how this season and holiday changed his life forever.
Continue reading by clicking on the link below from the Wall Street Journal.
via blogs.wsj.com
The Jew, be it nation, culture or people, are an amazing phenomena. By all "earthly" measuring, they shouldn't be, yet they are.
Too many times throughout the millenia various men and women have tried to eradicate the Jew whether as individuals or as a people group or nation. But for some reason, it can never happen. They seem to have a supernatural hedge around them. They may be paired down, but they are always gloriously and amazingly restored.
As a Christian, I love the Jew. My Jewish friends are special to me. When their holidays arrive, I do my best to remember and wish them a "Happy Hannukah" or Purim or Rosh Hashanah, or whatever the day. They are special people. Out of all the people groups known throughout the ages, God specifically chose this line.
They were chosen to bring restoration and blessing to the world. We gentiles should honor them and love them. We also need to direct them to their Messiah who died for them as well. They are temporarily blinded.
Continue reading "Mark Twain: All Things Are Mortal But The Jew" »
The Christmas story is or was not a one time event. It is a tale of epic proportions, written over centuries. It is a story as old as time itself that continues through to today.
The Christmas story is not just about a young couple, a baby, shepherds and some angels with a smattering of kings. The Christmas story is ages in the making and writing and experiencing. The story began in the opening chapters of Genesis and will never end. It is an ongoing saga.
Let's put aside the popular niceties and festivities of the season and experience instead the Story that God lays out as His gift to all of mankind. The Bible brilliantly and powerfully speaks for itself. I make no apologies for sounding so serious, but when it comes to God's working in our lives, it is a matter of eternal life and joy or eternal damnation and suffering.
In life we often miss the "light" side of things because we're wrapped - or sometimes trapped - in darkness.
Darkness is confining. It's oftentimes stifling. Darkness stifles our spirits, our attitudes; it's usually harmful. Many bad things happen under cover of darkness. But there is a "good" side to darkness. First of all, when do we sleep? If you're not a third shifter, then you typically sleep at night, when it's dark. We allow darkness to cover us and the commotion of the day so that we can let our bodies, minds and emotions rest.
Secondly, darkness provides the best background for experiencing the liberating power of light. Sparkling diamonds look best against black velvet; they seem to shine brighter. And so it is with the facets of life. God uses darkness to vividly demonstrate His Light.
In Part 1, we looked at the "darker" side of Christmas. In particular, we looked at Herod the Great's reaction to the visit of the Magi to Jerusalem as they sought out the new born King of the Jews. Against that darkness, there is Glorious Light. Let's experience it, rejoice in it and understand that Light is better and more powerful.
Continue reading "The Dark & Light Sides of Christmas, Part 2" »
For the Christian or for the religious person, Christmas is a joyous time. A time of "Light" in an otherwise dark world.
One of the most interesting or most intriguing things about the Bible is that as God has spoken to mankind over the millenia, He puts His Glory, Majesty and Holiness on display (never mind His Plan) by contrasting those against our sinfulness, commonness and depravity.
Even in the Christmas accounts found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, we find the Glory of God being displayed in the Virgin Birth, the announcement by the Heavenly chorus of angels. We see God's plan being played out. We witness the Holiness and Purity of God displayed again in the Virgin Birth and you could also say, through the lives of Mary and Joseph as they humbled themselves to the authority and love of God.
God's Majesty is displayed not only through the angels and the celebration of the Birth itself, but also through the adoration of the Magi. And it's that chapter of the Christmas story that we'll look at. Hopefully, we'll all come away with a new appreciation for God's exacting Hand in History.
When you read the Christmas accounts without reading or knowing the rest of the Bible, it's a good story. But when you have read the entire Bible and come to the Christmas story, you gain a new perspective and appreciation of God's Sovereignty as He redeems His creation.
Continue reading "The Dark & Light Sides of Christmas, Part 1" »
Out of all the religions and belief systems that exist, Christianity is the only one with a proven promise.
We can go and visit grave sites and monuments to martyrs and philosophers or even "prophets", but there isn't one for Jesus.
Christianity, true Christianity, doesn't have that. The grave is empty. And has been for about 2000 years.
We rejoice and agree with the angels that first Resurrection morning who said to the women visiting the tomb, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay." Matthew 28:5, 6.
Contrary to the idea that those women went to the wrong tomb, you can be sure that they were at the right one. They were most likely there when Jesus was buried, and it was probably the only tomb with angels visibly posted nearby waiting for the disciples.
In his book "The Case for Easter," Lee Strobel takes the reader through many proofs for Jesus death and resurrection.
Continue reading "The Trinity & The Passion: Conclusion...?" »
Easter Weekend, the time from Good Friday through Easter or Resurrection Sunday, is the Central Point of History.
Not only that, it is the Pivot Point upon which man's relationship to God is forever changed. Without the passion, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the world, we would still be enemies of God (Romans 5:10, Philippians 3:18, Colossians 1:21).
We look at the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday followed by Holy Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday as "busy" times of Jesus' earthly ministry. There is a constant "buzz" around Jesus. There is a palpable excitement or anxiety in the air that something "supernatural" is about to occur. You could feel it. And you would be right.
Then there's Maundy Thursday and the Last Supper. The Passion in the Garden of Gethsemane leads to the unlawful arrest and trial by the Jewish Sanhedrin of Jesus with the subsequent trial in front of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Finally, there is the cruel Crucifixion on the hill of Golgotha and the death of Jesus.
It is Jesus who is beaten and mocked. It is Jesus whose head is pierced with a crown of thorns. It is Jesus' back that receives the lashes of the Roman whip - called a "flagrum" or "flagellum" it was embedded with pieces of bone and debris or lead balls - and was purposefully designed to inflict great physical damage and excruciating pain.
Continue reading "The Trinity & The Passion: an Introduction" »
Christmas time has arrived. The Jesus child. The spreading of love and peace. A time for family, friends and good cheer.
All of that is well and good, and I'm not about to put a damper on the festivities during this Marvelous time.
If you're not religious, it's Santa Claus and Frosty. It's about family and traditions and time off from school and work. The memories of years gone by as well as those to be made are marvelous. This is my first Christmas as a grandfather and I wish my grandson - as well as our daughter and son in law - was here with us. Those would make some great memories. But...
It's the smell of the freshly cut Christmas tree. The smell of ginger bread and sugar cookies. Special family recipes that are only prepared at this time of year. Drop ins of friends and family. The drive home from work is made more fun as you view the varieties of Christmas decorations and lights. You smile as you see so many homes, offices and parks shouting the Joy of this season.
There's the hustle and bustle of the shopping malls. The musical concerts at churches and schools and community centers. The lines of excited (maybe exasperated) parents and children waiting to sit with Santa Claus for those brief moments (my wife and I still treasure those pictures of our children and now our grandson).
So yesterday, we said "good bye" to our daughter and her family as they packed up and got ready to move to the West Coast.
Even though it wasn't as teary-eyed as I thought it would be, it was still the "end of an era" if you will. Although they were about a five-ish hour drive away, you know that you could get in the car and visit. Not so simple anymore.
But our last few hours were fun and memorable. After a fun hibachi dinner out, we returned to their apartment and played for a bit. Then I got to do what I love to do: put my child to bed. Ever since my daughter was this age, those last few minutes of child in my arms, bottle in the mouth gently sucking (the baby, not me), darkened room, quiet breathing, this has always been a special time. I've taken it as a gentle reminder from God that as lousy as it seems in the rest of the world, He is in control of all and I am to rest in Him.
