War as a Sign of Impotence

From The Roots of Reconstruction:

War is a sign of impotence. A system or philosophy of life which has no power to convert becomes imperialistic. For the zeal and faith of peaceful missionary work it substitutes brutal terror. A failing faith resorts to war, because it lacks the contagion of faith and conviction and can only force men into its own system. War is the resort of those who lack true power and are declining.

Prayer and decision making

In our anxious times people devote themselves to statistics, experts, methods, and untold data as they make important decisions.  Despite all this devotion, the decisions that are eventually made frequently are done so without any real assurance that the decision was the right one or that it will bring any effective result.

Could it be that in our pursuit of all the right data and expertise that we’ve forgotten about prayer?  In earlier ages, where there was a whole lot less information available, people didn’t seem to have the anxiety about their decisions that we have today.   Maybe in the absence of all the info that we think we must have, they devoted themselves to prayer instead, with the result being a whole lot more confident decision making.

The gateway not taken

Sad but true.  We are generally unwilling to face the short-term pain necessary to set us free from enduring problems. . .

Whether we are considering a toothache, a tumor, a relational bind, a technical problem, crime, or the economy, most individuals and most social systems, irrespective of their culture, gender, or ethnic background, will “naturally” choose or revert to chronic conditions of bearable pain rather than face the temporarily more intense anguish of acute conditions that are the gateway to becoming free.  But what is also universally true is that over time, chronic conditions, precisely because they are more bearable, also tend to be more withering.

A Failure of Nerve:  Leadership in the Age of Quick Fix

~ Edwin Friedman

Link for radio program

The link for the hour on Straight Talk with Jerry Hughes from yesterday is now available.

The interview went well, and Jerry does an excellent job framing questions and keeping the program moving along.

I’m looking forward to being Jerry’s guest again in the near future.

Radio opportunity

I’ll be on Straight Talk with Jerry Hughes this afternoon from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.  I believe we’ll be discussing current political and economic issues from a Christian perspective.

You can listen live if you are in the Lakeland area at 1330 AM.  Those outside of the area can hear the program online via the Accent Radio Network.  The show should also be available later as an mp3 archive file.

Back online

I haven’t posted anything on the blog for a while as I’ve been a little busy.  Last month my family and I — after many years in Michigan — moved to Lakeland, Florida to plant Christ Church of Lakeland.

We’re adjusting to the change, enjoying the weather, and getting the new church underway.  New blog posts should be forthcoming. . .

The burden of guilt

God’s design for every human being is that they would use their gifts and abilities to develop this world for His glory. Unfortunately, people often find themselves so weighed down by burdens that they themselves are incapable of doing the good they know they should.

Of all the burdens that people carry – ranging from health to finances to relationships and more – I’m convinced that the most oppressive burden of all is guilt.

Guilt has a way of infiltrating every aspect of your being and hindering you from doing what the Lord would have you do. This, of course, is why Satan delights in accusing people of their wrong, because it keeps them from fully contributing to God’s world.

A good example of the crippling effects of guilt can be seen in the story of Joseph and his brothers.

After Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, he eventually became the prime minister of Egypt. While in this position, a great famine came on the land, and his brothers were compelled to come before Joseph in Egypt for food (Gen.42).

As the story unfolds, it’s apparent that the brothers of Joseph were burdened by guilt years after they mistreated him.

Not only did guilt immobilize them from going down to Egypt in the first place, but it made them very fearful once they got there. Also, because of their bad conscience, they were incapable of receiving the good that Joseph extended to them, and they were inclined to behave in foolish and illogical ways.

Guilt still has the same effects today.

Shame

There are many ways that God has made Himself known to us. He has revealed Himself in creation, in His Word, and even within the conscience of every human being.

Another way that it is clear that God is in our midst is through the presence of shame among mankind. This may seem a little surprising, until you give it some thought.

Shame is an experience shared by people in all cultures. Even by those that are not particularly religious. Why is this? It’s because all mankind is made in God’s image, and this fact cannot be escaped.

When we turn to the Bible we find that shame is an important theme.

The Bible tells us that when the first man and woman were created they were naked and unashamed. They had nothing to hide. But when they failed to trust God and disobeyed Him, their shame led them to do what they could to cover themselves.

Throughout the rest of the Bible the theme of shame continues.

God’s Answer

At a time when so many are looking and praying for answers to their needs and concerns, it’s fitting for us to remember that God has already given us THE answer in His Son, Jesus Christ.

When we face problems, it’s easy to look at the surface and hope a quick solution can be found. But we must look deeper, to see where we have gone astray and what we must do to recover our way.

God has already taken that deeper look and provided what we need. God knows we have strayed from Him in the pursuit of our own desires, but He has not left us without hope. He sent His Son into this world so that we would be forgiven and restored to life in Him.

The Bible tells us that God’s Son would be named Jesus, because it is He who would save His people from their sins (Mt.1:21). So, Jesus’ very name (meaning Savior) points to our most fundamental need: deliverance from sin which separates us from God.

The deliverance Jesus brings from sin first comes to us in the form of forgiveness. This basic need has been communicated well in a familiar poem called “God Sent Us a Savior.”

“If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.”

Forgiveness is foundational because it enables us to stand before God, knowing we are accepted by Him. Once our guilt it taken care of, we are ready to move forward.

But the deliverance Jesus brings also comes in the form of power to live in keeping with His way. God did not send His Son so we would be merely forgiven and remain as we are, but that we would become what He intends us to be.

When Jesus’ birth was foretold to His mother, Mary, she exclaimed, “My soul exalts the Lord” (Lk.1:46). With this declaration, Mary does not make the Lord great, but recognizes His greatness over our lives. And as the One who possesses this greatness, we are to submit ourselves to Him as Lord, knowing that in Him all things are made new.

Jesus not only humbled Himself by taking on human flesh, but was also exalted to reign above every name, and at His name every knee should bow (Phil.2:9-11). As the day will surely come when all will bow, it is wise for us to yield to Him today. In fact, this is God’s answer for us in our troubled times.

In the midst of the darkness, God has sent forth light. God has given His Son Jesus Christ, and in Him we have the hope of forgiveness and new life as we follow Him as Savior and Lord.

More Resources

I should have mentioned in the previous post that another excellent source of theological training material is Covenant Media Foundation.