There was a very disturbing broadcast on several news stations last week about a turn of events at a middle school in Portland, Maine. City health officials proposed a healthcare program at the school which would include contraceptives for its students; the proposal was passed 5 - 2. Now, there are so many things wrong with this picture I don't even know where to begin.
This school system wants to provide birth control to 6th through 8th graders. These students are children, and the school administration wants to give them the capability to practice 'safe' sex. Such an action puts these kids at risk of STD's and a full range of emotional problems, not to mention completely skewing their view of sexuality and morality. It's like giving a child a loaded gun or a box of matches; the school's action promotes sexual activity and promiscuity in children, either directly or indirectly. Moreover, young girls will be more at risk for cancer from hormone-based contraceptives.
At first the health care program offered was all-or-nothing; parents could choose either to make available to their children the full scope of services or none of it. Apparently the school commitee either didn't think to or had decided not to allow families to 'opt out' of providing contraceptives to pre-teen children. On Monday a school commitee member proposed parental ability to block their childrens' access to prescription contraceptives and to limit contraceptives to students who are at least 14 years old. The school still holds to its policy that the students must get written parental permission to receive health services, but under state law any and all treatment - including the distribution of contraceptives - is confidential, even from the student's parents.
The change in policy was a step in the right direction, but 14-year olds are still children. Their motives may be good, but the perspective and course of action is all wrong. Rather than providing contraceptives to prevent the results of sexual activity of adolescents, the school system should be counseling these kids to abstain from sex altogether until they reach adulthood. It's not just my personal opinion, it's a matter of simple human decency. For the sake of our children's generation, we cannot - we must not - give them the capability of adult sexuality when they are still so young.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Sunday, September 2, 2007
A Christian's crisis of faith
I have a bit of a confession to make. I feel as though I’ve been going through a bit of a dry spell in my faith. I feel spiritually drained and weary, I find it difficult to pray, and it’s been hard for me to stay focused on tasks that could further the cause of Christ.
I know in my heart that God is real and that He is always present. I can’t and won’t believe that countless billions of people - maybe more - throughout recorded history that have believed in God and in Jesus Christ could be following a lie. There is simply too much around us and in us that presents testament of God’s existence. I feel the presence of my Lord through the uplifting spirit of Christian music; the singers are acting as the channel through which God touches the hearts of the listeners. I feel the presence of Christ when I am together with my fellow believers; Jesus tells us through the Scriptures that “Wherever two or three come together my name, there I am with them.” (Matt. 18:20)
Still, I feel weighted down by my past. I know that by the grace of God I have been forgiven of my sins and have a future eternity with Him waiting for me. But I guess I’m still feeling the repercussions of the irresponsibility and poor choices of my early adulthood. As a grown and (usually) mature adult, I know the direction I need to go, but with the struggles I’ve brought on myself, I’m realizing more and more that there fewer days ahead of me than there are behind, and the time I have to do what I need to do here on earth is dwindling faster all the time.
Against what I know in my heart about my God, I sometimes feel like God has turned His face away, and that I’m walking alone. I don’t know if this is true, or if it is a lie of the enemy of God and His people to make some Christians let go of their faith. Maybe this dry spell is a reminder to me from God that I really can’t do life without Him. The thought has gone through my mind that there might just be something wrong with me or that I’m alone in my struggles, an ant standing among believers with the faith of spiritual giants.
A week ago Vatican City reported that letters written by Mother Teresa revealed that she had been suffering a crisis of faith for the last 40 years of her life. Even while she ministered to the sick and poor in Calcutta, she felt spiritually empty and alone, and even had doubts about the presence or even the existence of God. Although she continued to pray and to do the work she was so well-known for, the feelings of emptiness and loneliness continued as well, likely to the end of her days.
If such a godly woman who lived her life serving God by serving others so selflessly could find herself in a spiritual desert, maybe there are other Christians besides myself in this world that God has made that deal with times of doubt. Maybe the thing I need to do is just to, as has been said many times by the pastor of my church, “Lean into it”, and continue to pray through the dry times and keep up with the work that I believe God wants me to do. I suppose if I continue to try and God is pleased, He will let me know by drawing near to me again; on the other hand, if I continue to believe that He is even remotely present and my course needs correcting, He will let me know that, too.
If I have any readers at all of this blog and any of those few readers have had similar feelings or experiences of spiritual dry spells, I would be honored to receive the feedback. After all, isn’t encouraging one another and building one another up part of what being members of the body of Christ is all about?
May the Lord our God grace you with the sunshine and showers of His presence. God bless.
I know in my heart that God is real and that He is always present. I can’t and won’t believe that countless billions of people - maybe more - throughout recorded history that have believed in God and in Jesus Christ could be following a lie. There is simply too much around us and in us that presents testament of God’s existence. I feel the presence of my Lord through the uplifting spirit of Christian music; the singers are acting as the channel through which God touches the hearts of the listeners. I feel the presence of Christ when I am together with my fellow believers; Jesus tells us through the Scriptures that “Wherever two or three come together my name, there I am with them.” (Matt. 18:20)
Still, I feel weighted down by my past. I know that by the grace of God I have been forgiven of my sins and have a future eternity with Him waiting for me. But I guess I’m still feeling the repercussions of the irresponsibility and poor choices of my early adulthood. As a grown and (usually) mature adult, I know the direction I need to go, but with the struggles I’ve brought on myself, I’m realizing more and more that there fewer days ahead of me than there are behind, and the time I have to do what I need to do here on earth is dwindling faster all the time.
Against what I know in my heart about my God, I sometimes feel like God has turned His face away, and that I’m walking alone. I don’t know if this is true, or if it is a lie of the enemy of God and His people to make some Christians let go of their faith. Maybe this dry spell is a reminder to me from God that I really can’t do life without Him. The thought has gone through my mind that there might just be something wrong with me or that I’m alone in my struggles, an ant standing among believers with the faith of spiritual giants.
A week ago Vatican City reported that letters written by Mother Teresa revealed that she had been suffering a crisis of faith for the last 40 years of her life. Even while she ministered to the sick and poor in Calcutta, she felt spiritually empty and alone, and even had doubts about the presence or even the existence of God. Although she continued to pray and to do the work she was so well-known for, the feelings of emptiness and loneliness continued as well, likely to the end of her days.
If such a godly woman who lived her life serving God by serving others so selflessly could find herself in a spiritual desert, maybe there are other Christians besides myself in this world that God has made that deal with times of doubt. Maybe the thing I need to do is just to, as has been said many times by the pastor of my church, “Lean into it”, and continue to pray through the dry times and keep up with the work that I believe God wants me to do. I suppose if I continue to try and God is pleased, He will let me know by drawing near to me again; on the other hand, if I continue to believe that He is even remotely present and my course needs correcting, He will let me know that, too.
If I have any readers at all of this blog and any of those few readers have had similar feelings or experiences of spiritual dry spells, I would be honored to receive the feedback. After all, isn’t encouraging one another and building one another up part of what being members of the body of Christ is all about?
May the Lord our God grace you with the sunshine and showers of His presence. God bless.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Microchip technology in humans - a preview of the mark of the beast?
Hopefully by now, wary Christians have heard the news that microchip technology is now being implanted into humans. In a story in my local newspaper this past weekend, there is a company that provides surveillance equipment which implanted microchips into two of its employees who volunteered to receive them.
Certainly, there are practical applications for this technology. The scannable microchips can be used for increased security at facilities of all kinds, for law enforcement, and for a wide variety of areas in the medical field.
However, the potential for abuse even in the present day, both by hi-tech criminals and even by our own government, far outweighs any benefits. It would be relatively simple for a thief with the equipment and the know-how to steal sensitive data from people through the chips, and electronic stalking is almost inevitable. There is great potential for encroachment on the privacy and civil rights of average people by overzealous government entities.
Also, our nation is on its way to becoming a cashless society, a reality that is a stepping stone toward biblical End Times events. By replacing tangible currency with electronic currency, a day is coming when rather than paying cash or writing a check or whatever for, say groceries or other physical necessities, payment for goods would instead involve scanning the implanted microchip. Those without the chip would be unable to make purchases or do any other kind of business needed to survive.
Does it sound far-fetched? Read Revelation 13:16-17. "He (an agent of the coming anti-christ) causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name, or the number of his name." The technology for the anti-christ, the earthly chief agent of Satan, to control humankind, is already here; all that is required for that kind of control to be implemented is for the anti-christ to begin stepping into power.
This microchip technology we're presently beginning to see put to use is not the mark of the beast (personally, I still wouldn't let one of these things be placed in me, and I would still advise against anyone else taking one either). Scripturally speaking, the pre-Tribulation view of the rapture of Christ's church in End Times events is the most logical, and the rapture will occur before the anti-christ begins applying his symbol to the people left on earth. Present-day Christians have no reason to be afraid of accidentally taking the mark of Satan; when the time comes, it will be a conscious and active choice between loyalty to God and loyalty to Satan & the anti-christ.
I guess the whole point of this posting is to make both Christians and pre- or non-Christians aware that this technology is a preview of prophetic Scripture that will become reality. We don't know when, so it is so important that we who believe in Christ share the gospel and the spirit of Christ with our friends, family, co-workers, and anyone else we might meet who doesn't know Jesus yet. This is simply a word of warning: a future generation will face terrible trials and a choice that will determine eternal destiny in either salvation or damnation. We need to equip our children and their children and as much of the rest of the world as we can to make the right choice when the time comes.
Certainly, there are practical applications for this technology. The scannable microchips can be used for increased security at facilities of all kinds, for law enforcement, and for a wide variety of areas in the medical field.
However, the potential for abuse even in the present day, both by hi-tech criminals and even by our own government, far outweighs any benefits. It would be relatively simple for a thief with the equipment and the know-how to steal sensitive data from people through the chips, and electronic stalking is almost inevitable. There is great potential for encroachment on the privacy and civil rights of average people by overzealous government entities.
Also, our nation is on its way to becoming a cashless society, a reality that is a stepping stone toward biblical End Times events. By replacing tangible currency with electronic currency, a day is coming when rather than paying cash or writing a check or whatever for, say groceries or other physical necessities, payment for goods would instead involve scanning the implanted microchip. Those without the chip would be unable to make purchases or do any other kind of business needed to survive.
Does it sound far-fetched? Read Revelation 13:16-17. "He (an agent of the coming anti-christ) causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name, or the number of his name." The technology for the anti-christ, the earthly chief agent of Satan, to control humankind, is already here; all that is required for that kind of control to be implemented is for the anti-christ to begin stepping into power.
This microchip technology we're presently beginning to see put to use is not the mark of the beast (personally, I still wouldn't let one of these things be placed in me, and I would still advise against anyone else taking one either). Scripturally speaking, the pre-Tribulation view of the rapture of Christ's church in End Times events is the most logical, and the rapture will occur before the anti-christ begins applying his symbol to the people left on earth. Present-day Christians have no reason to be afraid of accidentally taking the mark of Satan; when the time comes, it will be a conscious and active choice between loyalty to God and loyalty to Satan & the anti-christ.
I guess the whole point of this posting is to make both Christians and pre- or non-Christians aware that this technology is a preview of prophetic Scripture that will become reality. We don't know when, so it is so important that we who believe in Christ share the gospel and the spirit of Christ with our friends, family, co-workers, and anyone else we might meet who doesn't know Jesus yet. This is simply a word of warning: a future generation will face terrible trials and a choice that will determine eternal destiny in either salvation or damnation. We need to equip our children and their children and as much of the rest of the world as we can to make the right choice when the time comes.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Seeing myself in the parable of the sower
Hello, everyone. I’ve been taking a brief hiatus after I finished my final class for school, and in that time I’ve been keeping busy with some writing projects and looking for job openings in the ministry field. Here I am again, and if there’s anyone out there that reads what I have to write, I hope that God will bless my words so that they can make a difference to someone in some way or other. Anyway . . .
During the time I was taking ‘off’ from my online writing, I found myself thinking about and meditating a lot on the parable of the soils in the New Testament (Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23, NKJV). For anyone who might not be familiar with it, the parable reads like this:
“Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among the thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Jesus’ explanation of the parable follows:
“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who receive seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
I guess ever since I started to grow up in my faith and would hear that passage, I felt like I could identify with parts of it. I think I’ve always had a fair understanding of Scripture, so the enemy hasn’t been able to take the spirit of the Scriptures from me before I got a grasp of it. However, I have felt the other two part of the parable speaking to me and about me. Especially in the beginning of my walk with Christ, I felt like I would receive the message from God’s word with great joy and zeal, but admittedly troubles in life would drag me down and any hope I felt I had at effectively living and sharing God’s word became difficult to hold onto. More recently, I have felt like the third part of the parable sounded like me. Having finished school and earned my degree in ministry, I have been hoping that I would be able to concentrate more on strengthening my relationship with God and being productive for Him. Unfortunately, it seemed that inability (so far) to find a job in ministry and thereby to make enough money to make paying for my schooling less of a stretch, was going to steal any joy I could find in hearing God’s voice. The parable speaks of the ‘deceitfulness of riches’; I don’t really care about becoming rich, but then I suppose the story doesn’t necessarily have to mean excessive wealth. Just the concern for worldly finances can be a stumbling block for faith and fruitfulness for God, and I’ve been lacking in faith in God’s promise to provide.
Last week, I felt drawn to open the Book of Psalms, and from there I was drawn to the 63rd Psalm. The words reminded me of how important God is to me, and I felt the joy of my walk with Christ returning. For a time it felt like the enemy of God was setting me up for trouble and discouragement, but in reality, he can take away my joy for a little while, but he can’t keep God from filling me up again.
Maybe I will get the dream career I’m looking for, maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll land some deals to get my writing projects published, and maybe I won’t. I don’t want to work until I either retire or can’t work anymore in a mediocre job I’m not crazy about, but whatever happens, I want to spend the rest of my life rejoicing in being a child of God and praising Him. Bearing fruit for God’s kingdom is hard work, there’s certainly no doubt about that, but I commit to using what I have been given to do the best I can.
If there is anyone who reads this and maybe has felt some of the things I’ve expressed here, by all means leave a comment or two. I like getting feedback, and the struggles in a person’s Christian walk become less and less when believers connect with one another for strength and support. Take care, and God bless.
During the time I was taking ‘off’ from my online writing, I found myself thinking about and meditating a lot on the parable of the soils in the New Testament (Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23, NKJV). For anyone who might not be familiar with it, the parable reads like this:
“Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among the thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Jesus’ explanation of the parable follows:
“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who receive seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
I guess ever since I started to grow up in my faith and would hear that passage, I felt like I could identify with parts of it. I think I’ve always had a fair understanding of Scripture, so the enemy hasn’t been able to take the spirit of the Scriptures from me before I got a grasp of it. However, I have felt the other two part of the parable speaking to me and about me. Especially in the beginning of my walk with Christ, I felt like I would receive the message from God’s word with great joy and zeal, but admittedly troubles in life would drag me down and any hope I felt I had at effectively living and sharing God’s word became difficult to hold onto. More recently, I have felt like the third part of the parable sounded like me. Having finished school and earned my degree in ministry, I have been hoping that I would be able to concentrate more on strengthening my relationship with God and being productive for Him. Unfortunately, it seemed that inability (so far) to find a job in ministry and thereby to make enough money to make paying for my schooling less of a stretch, was going to steal any joy I could find in hearing God’s voice. The parable speaks of the ‘deceitfulness of riches’; I don’t really care about becoming rich, but then I suppose the story doesn’t necessarily have to mean excessive wealth. Just the concern for worldly finances can be a stumbling block for faith and fruitfulness for God, and I’ve been lacking in faith in God’s promise to provide.
Last week, I felt drawn to open the Book of Psalms, and from there I was drawn to the 63rd Psalm. The words reminded me of how important God is to me, and I felt the joy of my walk with Christ returning. For a time it felt like the enemy of God was setting me up for trouble and discouragement, but in reality, he can take away my joy for a little while, but he can’t keep God from filling me up again.
Maybe I will get the dream career I’m looking for, maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll land some deals to get my writing projects published, and maybe I won’t. I don’t want to work until I either retire or can’t work anymore in a mediocre job I’m not crazy about, but whatever happens, I want to spend the rest of my life rejoicing in being a child of God and praising Him. Bearing fruit for God’s kingdom is hard work, there’s certainly no doubt about that, but I commit to using what I have been given to do the best I can.
If there is anyone who reads this and maybe has felt some of the things I’ve expressed here, by all means leave a comment or two. I like getting feedback, and the struggles in a person’s Christian walk become less and less when believers connect with one another for strength and support. Take care, and God bless.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Is the Shrine to the Lady of Guadalupe acceptable to God?
Over the centuries since the ascension of Christ, there have been many visions of an apparition calling herself the Virgin Mary, the mother of our Lord. One of the most famous of these occurrences is the appearance of the Lady of Guadalupe, near Mexico City, in 1531. Although many devout Catholics believe this spirit calling herself Mary to be who she said she is, I believe this creature was not Mary at all but rather a deceiving spirit. I will make my point shortly; in the meantime, the story of the apparition of ‘Our Lady of Guadalupe’can be found at www.michaeljournal.org/guadalupe. There are several reasons to believe that the vision that Juan Diego saw in 1531 was not Mary at all but a demon with the purpose of taking the focus of a devout Catholic believer away from God and redirecting it to itself. That, of course, is a strategy of the enemy of God, to use any means available to distract our attention and devotion away from the living God and place it anywhere but on the Father and the Son.
1. The Lady called herself ‘the ever-virgin Holy Mary of Guadalupe’. The name ‘Guadalupe’ is a Spanish translation from the Aztec Nahuatl word “coatlaxopeuh”. In English, this translates to “crushes the serpent”. The apparition used this claim to describe herself; in reality, it is not Mary who will crush the serpent (Satan), but Jesus (Genesis 3:15). This was just one way the spirit sought to deceive the unwary and usurp the role of our Savior.
2. Her appearance to Juan Diego was one of grandeur and dazzling beauty, as might rival Christ Himself on His return to earth.
3. She allowed Diego to bow before her, something any spirit or person devoted to the One God would never ever permit (Rev. 19:10).
4. She expressed her wish to have a temple to her built for the inhabitants of Mexico.
5. She insisted on the construction of her temple at least three different times to Juan Diego, sending him in her name to the bishop.
6. She referred to herself as the “Mother of God”, a theological impossibility, since God is the beginning of all things and can have no mother. While it is true that Jesus was God in the flesh, Mary gave birth to the physical body of Jesus, not His spiritual identity.
7. Juan Diego assumed the apparition was the mother of Christ, but she neither affirmed or denied his assumption, instead allowing his devotion to her to continue.
8. She told Diego that he was under her protection, and she spontaneously cured his sick and dying uncle.
9. She performed other ‘signs and wonders’ as well. According to the story, she caused a variety of rose bushes to appear to Juan Diego and bloom out of season. As proof of her ‘divine’ status for Diego to take to the bishop, she directed her servant to cut an arrangement of the flowers, which would then appear as ‘real’ only to himself and the bishop, and as a one-dimensional picture on his cloak to everyone else. Upon gaining audience with the bishop, Diego poured the roses out onto the floor. Moreover, the very cloak used to perform this miracle allegedly bears the image of the Marian apparition and is said to be kept today in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, remaining unchanged after more than 450 years.
10. At no time in the story of the encounters between Juan Diego and this spirit did the vision of ‘Mary’ give any glory or show any kind of devotion to God or to Jesus Christ. The real Mary was a devoted follower of Jesus, worshipping Him alongside the other apostles (Acts 1:13-14).
In spite of all these points that should be red flags to all Christians, Marian apparitions still hold a great number of followers who visit shrines to her all over the world. Administrators of these shrines would deny that Mary is worshipped, per se, but visitors to the shrines kneel before images of her and offer prayers to her as an intercessor between man and Christ. Jesus stands side by side with the Holy Spirit as our intercessor before God, not Mary.
The views of one man cannot change so many centuries of Catholic tradition and belief, but God has gifted my heart and mind with the ability to discern between spirits. The existence and use of shrines and temples devoted solely to Mary, or to any other saints, just feels wrong, and I cannot in good conscience stand idly by and know that people who God created for His glory are giving their devotion to anything other than Him, and still not let my concerns be heard.
This entry is certainly not an attack against any part of the Catholic church or its tradition. Rather, it is my prayer that my words will be read and taken to heart by all Christians, and that any who have expressed such devotion to Mary in her shrine or offered prayers to her will turn fully and completely to God and Christ Jesus. Mary stands among the saints, on even ground with believers in Christ past and present, not on a pedestal. To consider Mary or any other saint as anything more than a fellow believer, is to tread on potentially dangerous spiritual ground, and the risk of stepping into idolatry is simply too great. Christ alone is our Savior, and all our prayer, worship and devotion is for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and no other. Amen.
1. The Lady called herself ‘the ever-virgin Holy Mary of Guadalupe’. The name ‘Guadalupe’ is a Spanish translation from the Aztec Nahuatl word “coatlaxopeuh”. In English, this translates to “crushes the serpent”. The apparition used this claim to describe herself; in reality, it is not Mary who will crush the serpent (Satan), but Jesus (Genesis 3:15). This was just one way the spirit sought to deceive the unwary and usurp the role of our Savior.
2. Her appearance to Juan Diego was one of grandeur and dazzling beauty, as might rival Christ Himself on His return to earth.
3. She allowed Diego to bow before her, something any spirit or person devoted to the One God would never ever permit (Rev. 19:10).
4. She expressed her wish to have a temple to her built for the inhabitants of Mexico.
5. She insisted on the construction of her temple at least three different times to Juan Diego, sending him in her name to the bishop.
6. She referred to herself as the “Mother of God”, a theological impossibility, since God is the beginning of all things and can have no mother. While it is true that Jesus was God in the flesh, Mary gave birth to the physical body of Jesus, not His spiritual identity.
7. Juan Diego assumed the apparition was the mother of Christ, but she neither affirmed or denied his assumption, instead allowing his devotion to her to continue.
8. She told Diego that he was under her protection, and she spontaneously cured his sick and dying uncle.
9. She performed other ‘signs and wonders’ as well. According to the story, she caused a variety of rose bushes to appear to Juan Diego and bloom out of season. As proof of her ‘divine’ status for Diego to take to the bishop, she directed her servant to cut an arrangement of the flowers, which would then appear as ‘real’ only to himself and the bishop, and as a one-dimensional picture on his cloak to everyone else. Upon gaining audience with the bishop, Diego poured the roses out onto the floor. Moreover, the very cloak used to perform this miracle allegedly bears the image of the Marian apparition and is said to be kept today in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, remaining unchanged after more than 450 years.
10. At no time in the story of the encounters between Juan Diego and this spirit did the vision of ‘Mary’ give any glory or show any kind of devotion to God or to Jesus Christ. The real Mary was a devoted follower of Jesus, worshipping Him alongside the other apostles (Acts 1:13-14).
In spite of all these points that should be red flags to all Christians, Marian apparitions still hold a great number of followers who visit shrines to her all over the world. Administrators of these shrines would deny that Mary is worshipped, per se, but visitors to the shrines kneel before images of her and offer prayers to her as an intercessor between man and Christ. Jesus stands side by side with the Holy Spirit as our intercessor before God, not Mary.
The views of one man cannot change so many centuries of Catholic tradition and belief, but God has gifted my heart and mind with the ability to discern between spirits. The existence and use of shrines and temples devoted solely to Mary, or to any other saints, just feels wrong, and I cannot in good conscience stand idly by and know that people who God created for His glory are giving their devotion to anything other than Him, and still not let my concerns be heard.
This entry is certainly not an attack against any part of the Catholic church or its tradition. Rather, it is my prayer that my words will be read and taken to heart by all Christians, and that any who have expressed such devotion to Mary in her shrine or offered prayers to her will turn fully and completely to God and Christ Jesus. Mary stands among the saints, on even ground with believers in Christ past and present, not on a pedestal. To consider Mary or any other saint as anything more than a fellow believer, is to tread on potentially dangerous spiritual ground, and the risk of stepping into idolatry is simply too great. Christ alone is our Savior, and all our prayer, worship and devotion is for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and no other. Amen.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Can we learn from the Virginia Tech tragedy?
In the aftermath of the shootings at Virginia Tech on Monday, details of the history of Cho Seung-Hui are coming to light.
I can’t help but feel pity for Cho, as well as for the victims and their families. Please don’t mistake me - the murder of 32 people is certainly unjustifiable. But the investigation of Cho’s history has shown that he suffered harassment from his high school classmates and a measure of neglect and insensitivity from his teachers. A story from the newspapers yesterday, April 20, report that as a shy and quiet boy, he had been teased and pushed around by his classmates, starting as early as middle school.
Treatment like this by a person’s peers has been given a name - it’s called hazing. It tends to happen to people, especially young people, who aren’t like the whole of a group, whether they’re shy or just different. Often the quiet ones tend to take abuse and harassment and bottle it up for a time, not talking about it or dealing with it outwardly. Picture a bottle, then. It can only take so much being poured into it before it fills up and spills out over everything surrounding it. A human being, a human heart, is exactly the same way - for good or bad, a person can only hold in so much input from those around them, and once that person’s spirit is full, whatever has been poured into it will spill over. I think it’s a good but sometimes difficult lesson for all of us to have to learn and relearn.
Especially when such treatment from a person’s peers is negative, without someone to step in, the harassment can have explosive results. In reading the story in the paper yesterday, that’s why I felt sorry for Cho. Once upon a time, many years ago, he could have been me; by God’s grace, nothing serious ever happened, but it could have. In my experiences (only two that come to mind at the moment) from middle school and high school, a person gets picked on for so long or pushed so far, and then suddenly, they can be blinded by rage. The explosions of anger resulted in fistfights, but in either incident, I don’t remember taking a swing, just the beginning and the end. I’ve grown so much since then, and I’m very thankful that those incidents didn’t turn out as badly as they could have.
Imagine someone who takes neglect, harassment, and abuse nearly every day and continues to hold it in. Maybe they have a higher breaking point than others, or maybe they just keep trying to hold it in, to swallow what they’re given. That treatment can lodge in their hearts and over time begin to fester, to eat at their spirits like a cancer. How many times have we seen the results? Virginia Tech and Columbine come to mind, and there have been others. Some make the news, many don’t.
Again, I’m absolutely not justifying what can happen, by any means. Rather, I pray that these words can be a message to a lot of people. These words are meant for those people of any age that feel like they’re victims of the group - PLEASE find someone you trust and talk to them, let your feelings out before they eat you up. They’re meant for the people of any age that see the weird, quiet person that doesn’t talk much and nobody talks to - that person is as human as you are, and they have a heart that can either be built up or broken down, so even if you don’t talk to them, PLEASE be respectful, and who knows, they could be a friend if you give them a chance. These words are for teachers, counselors and administrators - if there’s a student or two in your class that doesn’t seem to feel comfortable in open participation, or if you see that they are often alone (or worse, are picked on by their peers), PLEASE extend a hand of kindness and compassion to help them; it may or may not be in your job description, but a little compassion can make a world of difference to someone who feels like an outsider.
I pray for God’s blessing and His healing hands to be on the victims of the Virginia Tech shooting and their families. I pray that those people may eventually find forgiveness for Cho. I pray that students and staff at schools everywhere may gain wisdom for the future, for potential disaster may be replaced with kindness and hope. In the name and power of Christ Jesus, amen.
God bless you.
I can’t help but feel pity for Cho, as well as for the victims and their families. Please don’t mistake me - the murder of 32 people is certainly unjustifiable. But the investigation of Cho’s history has shown that he suffered harassment from his high school classmates and a measure of neglect and insensitivity from his teachers. A story from the newspapers yesterday, April 20, report that as a shy and quiet boy, he had been teased and pushed around by his classmates, starting as early as middle school.
Treatment like this by a person’s peers has been given a name - it’s called hazing. It tends to happen to people, especially young people, who aren’t like the whole of a group, whether they’re shy or just different. Often the quiet ones tend to take abuse and harassment and bottle it up for a time, not talking about it or dealing with it outwardly. Picture a bottle, then. It can only take so much being poured into it before it fills up and spills out over everything surrounding it. A human being, a human heart, is exactly the same way - for good or bad, a person can only hold in so much input from those around them, and once that person’s spirit is full, whatever has been poured into it will spill over. I think it’s a good but sometimes difficult lesson for all of us to have to learn and relearn.
Especially when such treatment from a person’s peers is negative, without someone to step in, the harassment can have explosive results. In reading the story in the paper yesterday, that’s why I felt sorry for Cho. Once upon a time, many years ago, he could have been me; by God’s grace, nothing serious ever happened, but it could have. In my experiences (only two that come to mind at the moment) from middle school and high school, a person gets picked on for so long or pushed so far, and then suddenly, they can be blinded by rage. The explosions of anger resulted in fistfights, but in either incident, I don’t remember taking a swing, just the beginning and the end. I’ve grown so much since then, and I’m very thankful that those incidents didn’t turn out as badly as they could have.
Imagine someone who takes neglect, harassment, and abuse nearly every day and continues to hold it in. Maybe they have a higher breaking point than others, or maybe they just keep trying to hold it in, to swallow what they’re given. That treatment can lodge in their hearts and over time begin to fester, to eat at their spirits like a cancer. How many times have we seen the results? Virginia Tech and Columbine come to mind, and there have been others. Some make the news, many don’t.
Again, I’m absolutely not justifying what can happen, by any means. Rather, I pray that these words can be a message to a lot of people. These words are meant for those people of any age that feel like they’re victims of the group - PLEASE find someone you trust and talk to them, let your feelings out before they eat you up. They’re meant for the people of any age that see the weird, quiet person that doesn’t talk much and nobody talks to - that person is as human as you are, and they have a heart that can either be built up or broken down, so even if you don’t talk to them, PLEASE be respectful, and who knows, they could be a friend if you give them a chance. These words are for teachers, counselors and administrators - if there’s a student or two in your class that doesn’t seem to feel comfortable in open participation, or if you see that they are often alone (or worse, are picked on by their peers), PLEASE extend a hand of kindness and compassion to help them; it may or may not be in your job description, but a little compassion can make a world of difference to someone who feels like an outsider.
I pray for God’s blessing and His healing hands to be on the victims of the Virginia Tech shooting and their families. I pray that those people may eventually find forgiveness for Cho. I pray that students and staff at schools everywhere may gain wisdom for the future, for potential disaster may be replaced with kindness and hope. In the name and power of Christ Jesus, amen.
God bless you.
Monday, March 26, 2007
The Poison of Atheism
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, based out of Madison, Wisconsin, has been making a public stand against God for almost 30 years, and most recently they’ve been attacking President Bush’s Faith-based Initiative.
I’ve been following the activities of the FFRF for some time, and their philosophy and their goals speak volumes to the world. I suppose the effect of what they have to say depends on the heart of the listener.
From a worldview that is even remotely Christian, the teaching of these people is spiritually dangerous. The call themselves atheists and ‘non-theists’. Their stated purpose is to work for the separation of church and state, but the underlying message they’re giving is that not only do people not need God, but that faith in God is bad, something to be ridiculed and rejected. They have taken God’s Word, the Bible, and twisted the meaning of what it says to us. They have Scripture out of cultural and historical context, and they have denied the divinity and authority of Jesus Christ outright. They debate their non-belief with adults, and worse, they target children with books that teach them that God is a myth. Their words are poison, and taking what these people are giving will lead to absolute, permanent spiritual death.
One of the core members of the FFRF was an evangelical minister for 19 years but turned his back on God and Christianity in 1983. I do not judge anyone; because I am so far from perfect myself, I know that I have no right to judge others. I just simply cannot fathom what could cause someone who knew God, knew the Scriptures, and knew the path to eternal life with God, to decide that he either doesn’t need God, or that God doesn’t exist at all.
As I mentioned above, the Foundation takes Scripture out of context. Some parts of the Bible are specific to culture and/or historical eras. However, there are parts of Scripture that are timeless and applicable to our world today or our future. The Bible teaches us that Christ will return to earth one day to establish His kingdom here, which will be, well, simply put, an extension of Heaven on earth. Some Christians may recognize that the moral and spiritual decline of much of human society is in fact a sign that the day of the Second Coming is approaching. For the purposes of the human race at large, the period of time just before Christ’s return is called the End Times, or the Last Days. In this particular light, a passage from 1 John is appropriate as a warning to the world about what the FFRF and other atheist organizations are doing. The passage reads, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” (1 John 2:18-19).
The antichrist as a single individual will be a future personality who will publicly deny the authority of Christ and try to assume the role of God on earth; he will have great power and as the son of Satan be the evil (and inferior) counterpart of Jesus Christ. I believe the atheist organizations in this country who have been making a name for themselves are little antichrists; they may make some noise on the political scene, but their power is small. Make no mistake about it, though, they are precursors to a greater force of evil that will make his appearance in the world one day.
As a Christian, I feel a measure of both anger and sadness when the FFRF makes its public stand against Christianity and Christian values. I’m angry because they’re attacking something good. I’m sad because they are blind to the damage they do to themselves and others, and that the “good” they think they’re doing for America is really not. Some of Jesus’ last words from the cross were for these as much as for all of us: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke23:34)
This goes out to Christians and pre- or non-Christians alike: Be wary of the words of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and any other atheist groups you may hear of; their teaching is hostile to God, and their philosophy is spiritual poison. Faith in Christ is the only way to eternal life in heaven, and anything or anyone that does not acknowledge Jesus as God and Savior absolutely will lead to eternal physical and spiritual death. Christian brothers and sisters, by the grace of our God, hold fast to what you know in your heart and always be prepared to stand up for Christ. God bless you and keep you.
I’ve been following the activities of the FFRF for some time, and their philosophy and their goals speak volumes to the world. I suppose the effect of what they have to say depends on the heart of the listener.
From a worldview that is even remotely Christian, the teaching of these people is spiritually dangerous. The call themselves atheists and ‘non-theists’. Their stated purpose is to work for the separation of church and state, but the underlying message they’re giving is that not only do people not need God, but that faith in God is bad, something to be ridiculed and rejected. They have taken God’s Word, the Bible, and twisted the meaning of what it says to us. They have Scripture out of cultural and historical context, and they have denied the divinity and authority of Jesus Christ outright. They debate their non-belief with adults, and worse, they target children with books that teach them that God is a myth. Their words are poison, and taking what these people are giving will lead to absolute, permanent spiritual death.
One of the core members of the FFRF was an evangelical minister for 19 years but turned his back on God and Christianity in 1983. I do not judge anyone; because I am so far from perfect myself, I know that I have no right to judge others. I just simply cannot fathom what could cause someone who knew God, knew the Scriptures, and knew the path to eternal life with God, to decide that he either doesn’t need God, or that God doesn’t exist at all.
As I mentioned above, the Foundation takes Scripture out of context. Some parts of the Bible are specific to culture and/or historical eras. However, there are parts of Scripture that are timeless and applicable to our world today or our future. The Bible teaches us that Christ will return to earth one day to establish His kingdom here, which will be, well, simply put, an extension of Heaven on earth. Some Christians may recognize that the moral and spiritual decline of much of human society is in fact a sign that the day of the Second Coming is approaching. For the purposes of the human race at large, the period of time just before Christ’s return is called the End Times, or the Last Days. In this particular light, a passage from 1 John is appropriate as a warning to the world about what the FFRF and other atheist organizations are doing. The passage reads, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” (1 John 2:18-19).
The antichrist as a single individual will be a future personality who will publicly deny the authority of Christ and try to assume the role of God on earth; he will have great power and as the son of Satan be the evil (and inferior) counterpart of Jesus Christ. I believe the atheist organizations in this country who have been making a name for themselves are little antichrists; they may make some noise on the political scene, but their power is small. Make no mistake about it, though, they are precursors to a greater force of evil that will make his appearance in the world one day.
As a Christian, I feel a measure of both anger and sadness when the FFRF makes its public stand against Christianity and Christian values. I’m angry because they’re attacking something good. I’m sad because they are blind to the damage they do to themselves and others, and that the “good” they think they’re doing for America is really not. Some of Jesus’ last words from the cross were for these as much as for all of us: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke23:34)
This goes out to Christians and pre- or non-Christians alike: Be wary of the words of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and any other atheist groups you may hear of; their teaching is hostile to God, and their philosophy is spiritual poison. Faith in Christ is the only way to eternal life in heaven, and anything or anyone that does not acknowledge Jesus as God and Savior absolutely will lead to eternal physical and spiritual death. Christian brothers and sisters, by the grace of our God, hold fast to what you know in your heart and always be prepared to stand up for Christ. God bless you and keep you.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
The meaning of Christian faith and the cost of discipleship
This particular entry is dedicated to the body of believers that has been Cornerstone Community Church, both past and present. I pray that these words go from my heart to yours.
I've been a Christian for just over seven years and a part of my church for almost ten. My life in that time has been, and still is, a process that is taking me toward spiritual maturity. In fact I think I've finally just recently really begun to realize the significance and meaning of the mission statement of Cornerstone Community Church: To enable unchurched people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Once upon a time, I was one of those unchurched people, knowing that something was missing from my life but not knowing what. One day I was beckoned to begin coming closer to God, to begin a relationship with Him, through what was then the newborn body of Cornerstone Community Church. Upon being readily accepted into the body of the church I knew I had found the path to faith in Christ and a family to share the road with. What I have come to see with my own eyes is a family of believers to spend much of my life side by side with in worshipping God and growing old with.
However, being a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ has begun to take on the deeper spiritual meaning that I believe God intended. I am nearing the end of an educational endeavor to earn a degree in ministry. That means more than ever that it's time for me to direct my vocational efforts toward fulfilling the purposes of God rather than a worldly employer with vision focused only on what you can see and feel here and now to make a profit.
God has opened my eyes with focus on the future for the purposes that He has in mind for me. Will He call me to devote more time and energy to ministry through writing? Am I destined for ministry involving direct or indirect spiritual warfare? Some kind of spiritual counseling? Perhaps the mission field? I've even sensed the possibility of one day stepping into more of a leadership role (a concept that, if I had less faith, would scare the daylights out of me). He has told me that I and my family need to be open to relocating in order to serve in the capacity He has for me. At one time, the thought of picking up and moving away from the church family I have grown into and grown to love dearly would have broken my heart; even now it's kind of scary to think about, but at the same time, as a Christian, my life needs to be one of obedience. While I haven't had a strong sense of God specifically calling us away, if He says it's time to go, then that's what we will do and trust Him to continue to take care of us along the way.
In light of the mission statement of Cornerstone, I see now that especially for those who want to actively pursue a path of positive spiritual growth, the C-Stone church building is not just a place for its people to gather for worship. Rather, it is a training center that teaches believers to do the will of our holy God, to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to follow daily the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As Christians and members of Cornerstone Community Church, we can make Cornerstone our home church, but we must be willing to obediently go where God wants us to go. That's why Jesus told His disciples then and now to "Therefore go, and make disciples of all nations . . ." (Matt. 28:19).
A last thought from my heart and that of my family to the body of Cornerstone, both past and present: although I have not known some in the church as well as others, so many of you have touched our lives and become our family in every sense of the word. I have enjoyed much laughter and shared a few tears with you, and whatever God calls us to, you will always be a cherished part of my life that I will hold in my heart forever. I take great comfort in knowing and looking forward to the reality that our futures will come together someday in eternity. I love you more deeply in my heart than I thought was possible until our God showed me how. May He bless you and keep you, day and night, until we are home with Him.
I've been a Christian for just over seven years and a part of my church for almost ten. My life in that time has been, and still is, a process that is taking me toward spiritual maturity. In fact I think I've finally just recently really begun to realize the significance and meaning of the mission statement of Cornerstone Community Church: To enable unchurched people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Once upon a time, I was one of those unchurched people, knowing that something was missing from my life but not knowing what. One day I was beckoned to begin coming closer to God, to begin a relationship with Him, through what was then the newborn body of Cornerstone Community Church. Upon being readily accepted into the body of the church I knew I had found the path to faith in Christ and a family to share the road with. What I have come to see with my own eyes is a family of believers to spend much of my life side by side with in worshipping God and growing old with.
However, being a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ has begun to take on the deeper spiritual meaning that I believe God intended. I am nearing the end of an educational endeavor to earn a degree in ministry. That means more than ever that it's time for me to direct my vocational efforts toward fulfilling the purposes of God rather than a worldly employer with vision focused only on what you can see and feel here and now to make a profit.
God has opened my eyes with focus on the future for the purposes that He has in mind for me. Will He call me to devote more time and energy to ministry through writing? Am I destined for ministry involving direct or indirect spiritual warfare? Some kind of spiritual counseling? Perhaps the mission field? I've even sensed the possibility of one day stepping into more of a leadership role (a concept that, if I had less faith, would scare the daylights out of me). He has told me that I and my family need to be open to relocating in order to serve in the capacity He has for me. At one time, the thought of picking up and moving away from the church family I have grown into and grown to love dearly would have broken my heart; even now it's kind of scary to think about, but at the same time, as a Christian, my life needs to be one of obedience. While I haven't had a strong sense of God specifically calling us away, if He says it's time to go, then that's what we will do and trust Him to continue to take care of us along the way.
In light of the mission statement of Cornerstone, I see now that especially for those who want to actively pursue a path of positive spiritual growth, the C-Stone church building is not just a place for its people to gather for worship. Rather, it is a training center that teaches believers to do the will of our holy God, to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to follow daily the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As Christians and members of Cornerstone Community Church, we can make Cornerstone our home church, but we must be willing to obediently go where God wants us to go. That's why Jesus told His disciples then and now to "Therefore go, and make disciples of all nations . . ." (Matt. 28:19).
A last thought from my heart and that of my family to the body of Cornerstone, both past and present: although I have not known some in the church as well as others, so many of you have touched our lives and become our family in every sense of the word. I have enjoyed much laughter and shared a few tears with you, and whatever God calls us to, you will always be a cherished part of my life that I will hold in my heart forever. I take great comfort in knowing and looking forward to the reality that our futures will come together someday in eternity. I love you more deeply in my heart than I thought was possible until our God showed me how. May He bless you and keep you, day and night, until we are home with Him.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Spiritual 20/20 Hindsight
Lately I've been trying to look back over the course of my life and where I'm going, not through my own eyes, but through God's eyes. It's almost like looking through the eyes of my Creator I can get a feel for why events and choices in my life worked out the way they did, but at the same time my own human-ness looks back on that life with much regret.
God has blessed me and protected me for my whole life, even when I've made bad choices and squandered so much of the time He has given me, especially in my youth. He has given me the gifts of spiritual insight and of pouring out the contents of my heart and mind into writing, and I believe He has given me these special gifts for His purpose and glory. I've only begun using my gift of discernment in recent years, but I've always loved to write. With that in mind, I can't help wondering what might have been or what I might have been able to do with those gifts had I presented them to God for His use through me. Now, when I'm at the age that I am and feel more of a sense of purpose, I also feel that I don't have nearly as much time as I wish I did to use my gifts for the greatest good. It is unfortunately easy to take for granted the time we're given, and I've been reminded more than once that once that time is gone, there is no getting it back.
However, God can use any experience, whether it is success, failure, or something in between, for His purpose. If nothing else, I hope I can still use my own life experience to present to readers the tools to live a life that can be useful to God and the world at large. These words are for everyone who reads them, though I think they may be most useful to the young. My advice, then, is this: Think about what it is you most like to do, what gives you the greatest feeling of fulfillment. When you have a good idea of what your interests and passions are, then find out what your spiritual gifts are that God has created you with - there are lots of Biblically sound sources for spiritual gifts assessment. Finally, once you know what you love to do and how God has created you to be, there has to be some way that you can use everything that He has given you to serve the Kingdom in some capacity or other. Find out what it is that God wants you to do with your life - some people call it a 'God goal' - and pursue it with everything you have. God will honor that and take care of you along the way. After all, God created us the way we are, to use what we have been given, to glorify Him.
God has blessed me and protected me for my whole life, even when I've made bad choices and squandered so much of the time He has given me, especially in my youth. He has given me the gifts of spiritual insight and of pouring out the contents of my heart and mind into writing, and I believe He has given me these special gifts for His purpose and glory. I've only begun using my gift of discernment in recent years, but I've always loved to write. With that in mind, I can't help wondering what might have been or what I might have been able to do with those gifts had I presented them to God for His use through me. Now, when I'm at the age that I am and feel more of a sense of purpose, I also feel that I don't have nearly as much time as I wish I did to use my gifts for the greatest good. It is unfortunately easy to take for granted the time we're given, and I've been reminded more than once that once that time is gone, there is no getting it back.
However, God can use any experience, whether it is success, failure, or something in between, for His purpose. If nothing else, I hope I can still use my own life experience to present to readers the tools to live a life that can be useful to God and the world at large. These words are for everyone who reads them, though I think they may be most useful to the young. My advice, then, is this: Think about what it is you most like to do, what gives you the greatest feeling of fulfillment. When you have a good idea of what your interests and passions are, then find out what your spiritual gifts are that God has created you with - there are lots of Biblically sound sources for spiritual gifts assessment. Finally, once you know what you love to do and how God has created you to be, there has to be some way that you can use everything that He has given you to serve the Kingdom in some capacity or other. Find out what it is that God wants you to do with your life - some people call it a 'God goal' - and pursue it with everything you have. God will honor that and take care of you along the way. After all, God created us the way we are, to use what we have been given, to glorify Him.
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