Ecclesiastes 12:10

    I noticed over the last few years people like to be shocked when worldly people behave worldly. Now don’t misunderstand me, some things happening in our modern world that make me shake my head. We have seen a decline in morality and basic decency in the public forum on a rapid level. A growing disdain for traditional values and established norms. Christians it seems are the only group acceptable to mock.  Yet I wonder if we should be so quick to gasp and decry.  Since the Bibles say we are not supposed to be so shocked. 1 st John 3:13   “ Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you .” 2 nd Timothy 3:12   “ Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted .” 1 st Peter 4:12   “ Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you ;” 1 st  Peter 4:4   “ In all this, they are surprised that you do ...

  It was written by a native Ohioan song-and-dance man named Dan D. Emmett while setting in his New York hotel room.  It was first performed on April 4 th , 1859 in New York Mechanic’s Hall. It was one of Abraham Lincoln’s favorite tunes. He even asked for it to be played as he left the White House stage his after his announced Lee had surrendered to Grant.  What was the famous tune? Dixie.   It’s ironic that the tune that became the anthem of the states below the Mason Dixon line was born from a staunch Union sympathizer. He late remarked, “If I’d know to what use they were going to put my song, I’d never written it”!   It funny how things can be attached to causes, ideologies or movement even when they don’t necessarily belong there.  Words become toxic even when their true meaning is benign.  People that should be disdained are made to be heroes because of a side they stand on.  Principles once exhorted are manipulated into vices ...

  In the book of 2 nd Kings 2, we have one of the most unusual, violent and curious passages in scripture. It involves the prophet Elisha siccing a couple of bears on some kids that were mocking his bald head.    As a guy that is a little light on top that has been around some surly kids, I can feel for the guy. But seriously a bear attack? On kids? What is going on? ….young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, "Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!"  When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number. 2 nd Kings 2:23-25  It might help to explore the passage a bit more. The baldhead statement: This was an identifying mark of the prophet as opposed to Elijah who was hairy (1st Kings 1:8) a jab to say you are not him. The taunt to go up: Elijah has just been taken into heaven by the Lord a sight seen by ...

  For generations, it was a battleground not only between the classes but also between religion and culture. When it first was introduced, the clergy condemned its use outright, arguing it went against the creation and God’s providence. Hundreds of years later, a noblewoman was rebuked for her ‘ excessive sign of refinement’ for using it and when she later died of the plague, clergymen preached her death was divine punishment for her using it and a warning to all not to follow in her example. Men that used it were labeled as finicky and effeminate. Women that used it were labeled ‘ Beyond Belief’ ! For many, it reeked of privilege and class distinction. [1]     What could be so divisive and controversial? Of all things, it was the fork.   It isn’t just our ancestors that find some interesting ways to stretch the spiritual into the everyday. It amazes me how many folks will pull faith into arguments from politics, to legal matters, to customs, to food, e...

 Empathy is the ability to feel for others. It is what makes us care about each other as people. It forms the roots of compassion and love. In a world that struggles with bullying, anger, and coldness, you could imagine why people want to know how to build it.   Richard Koestner, a psychologist at McGill University was attempting to do just that. He looked and found a study that had been conducted at back at study at Yale University in the 1950s. It involved 75 men and women who had been part of a study when they were children.   When Koestner and his colleagues examined all the factors in the children's lives that might have affected how empathetic they became as adults, one factor dwarfed all others—how much time their fathers spent with them. They were expecting other factors such as how affectionate parents were with their children would be the key factor. In reality, it made no difference.   Just spending time with Dad did.   Fathers pl...

 There has been a backlash in recent times against those that offer prayers during a tragedy. To some, the phrase has come to be an empty gesture, which acknowledges an issue but refuses to do anything about it. I’m sure that some of this is because of a growing atheistic mindset in our culture, but I also think some of it comes from the mistaken idea that prayer and action don’t go hand in hand.   There is no greater example of this one who meshed prayer and action than that of Nehemiah. When he heard of the tragedy that had befallen his hometown, he prayed and looked for an opportunity to use his position to help. When he turned the negative into a positive when we had confronted by the king of his sadness, before he spoke of his request to the king, he prayed (Nehemiah 2:2-5). When threatened by the naysayers of his work, he “ prayed to our God and… set up a guard” (Nehemiah 4:9). He did not act without praying and did not pray without acting.   What made ...

  In recent years, there has been a shift into a postmodern mindset that disallows any absolute truth.  Everything is relative and what is ‘right’ for one person may not be ‘right’ for others.  Feeling have as much substance as facts.   You may have also noticed how now it seems everything must be argued about. Any statement, any choice is subject to scrutiny to the nth degree. One would think that a more ‘flexible’ world that accepts all points of view equally would be much more tolerant.   However, real life doesn’t work that way.  Since no one can hold to facts, the currency of debate is about who cares the most. To be on top one must be fully committed to an insane emotional degree.  It might not make much sense what you believe but if you believe it enough, it is ‘right’.  So the worst thing you can do is to give over to the temptation to even listen to someone else's point of view.  Opposition is to be crushed, lest it li...

  You may have seen the recent commercial by the Ad Council  that tells us love has no limits.  It shows people behind an x-ray screen embracing only showing their skeletal outlines.  The people emerge from the behind to reveal they are a same sex couple, to a cheering crowd.  The scene is redone with people of different races, religions and ages.  Each one is accompanied by the lines; love has no gender, love has no race, love has no disability, love has no religion, love has no labels.  The ad campaign claims to combat what is seen as bias in our world today.   It got me to thinking about how the world is trying to redefine love. We hear the argument in our world to today; How a person can be against two people who love one another? To try to put limits on love is wrong.   But how does the Bible label love? Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbe...

  I’ve noticed over the last several years that world has started placing a great emphasis when celebrities die.  A famous person passes away and it seems the media and the internet go into mourning.  It is treated as breaking news. Then the tributes, the reflections, the stories about them flood the airwaves for the next few days.  It is treated as a national tragedy.      But why?   Don’t get me wrong, I might have like their music, enjoy the films they stared in or appreciated the talent that they had, but it not as my daily life will be changed now this celeb is gone.  People die every day.  Why is it so important that the person was famous?  We have no real connection to the person, but we mourn as if it were a close personal friend or relative.   I think it has everything to do with the new “god” of our time, fame.  While previous generations might have worshiped money or power, this current one seems ...

    OK, here I go….     I think essential oils sound like a lot of hokum.  I enjoy it when the St. Louis Cardinals get beat.  I stand by my statement that Led Zeppelin is overrated.  I never understood why people waste so much money on their pets.  I think professional wrestling is a lame male equivalent of a soap opera.  I wish we had a better national anthem.  In my opinion, Pepsi Cola is taste abomination.  I’m not for gun control but I am really glad some people can’t have them.  I’m convinced paying anything more than a quarter for a cup of coffee is ludicrous.  I don’t believe Macs are better, in fact I think they are inferior computers.     Do you hate me yet?   All these things are just MY opinion.  I could be wrong.  I may be right.  Or maybe there isn’t a right or wrong in them.  They might just be opinions.   I know however there are some reading this rig...

   Ok, I’ll admit even I am enamored by irritainment.  What is irritainment you ask?  It is the television that insults your intelligence, makes little to no sense, and has no redeeming factors, yet you still watch it to see how bad it is.  It is the person who boils your blood with the things they post online, yet you read every one of them.  It is the celebrity you despise but know every fact about.  Irritainment is the entertainment and media spectacles that are both annoying and compulsively watchable.   And the saddest part is I know I’m not the only one!  There just too much of this today for all of us not to be a little bit taken by it.  But why?  We don’t like to be annoyed, so why then do we choose to do it?   I think it goes back to the logical fallacy stuck in all our brains that if we just find something we are superior to then that somehow elevates us. We watch because we can look down on it from our per...

 Even though it is a long way away, many folks are talking about the upcoming presidential elections. Candidates are been considered for many different factors, their platform, their experience, their personality. However, one trait that many don't consider seems to have an effect of a candidate chances to win: their height.   Some political observers have noted that taller candidates have won 58 percent of US presidential elections between 1789 and 2008 . Now are we so shallow we think size matter in presidential success? Probably not consciously, but human have a way of making quick judgements based on physical features. We are not supposed to judge a book by its cover but publisher know that people do just that.  We don't have time to read the whole book so we glance at the surface hoping to gain some quick insight.   But does it work?   Let’s consider three rulers found in the books of Samuel: 1 st Samuel 9:2 ...

    Over the last few weeks I heard many folks exclaim about how the world can accept something that the Bible so clearly condemns. That started me thinking about some other clear commands the scriptures teach that we might be quick to forget, ignore or just down right defy. Here are a few I came up with… Complaining: James 5:9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. Angry Derogatory Outburst: Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Being Idle and Undisciplined: 2 Thessalonians 3:11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Meddling: 1 Peter 4:15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; Gossiping Proverbs 20:19 He who goes about as ...

    It seems the judging bandwagon always has plenty of seats.  It’s ironic since we never had a culture that emphasizes tolerance more, yet it seems more than ever we are quick to pronounce judgment on the target of the moment.  Now some of these targets are pretty easy ones.  The hypocrisy, the lies, the foolishness are so evident it is hard not to condemn.  More and more I see that everyone, including Christians, are all too willing to jump on the condemnation bandwagon of those that are looked upon as wrong in our eyes.  However let’s consider an example from scripture; Jude 1:9 But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"     Here Michael, the chief prince of Israel (Daniel 10:13;21), the being that casted down Satan (Revelation 12:17), the one that will give the call at the ret...

   In the late 1930’s as Europe moved closer to war, The United States was desperately attempting to remain neutral.  Between 1936 and 1937, Congress passed the Neutrality Acts measure design to keep America out of the upcoming forgiven wars.  These acts set restrictions such as, keeping Americans from sailing on ships flying the flag of a belligerent nation or trading arms with warring nations.  Such activities had played a role in American entrance into World War I, and the nation didn't want to be brought into another war.    As the Second World War broke out not only in Europe but in China and Japan, American still wanted to remain out of the war.  They began to involve themselves more with passing of the Lend Lease Act of 1941, which allowed the United States to sell and lend weapons to the Allied efforts. The President warned Americans, “… the Axis not merely admits but proclaims that there can be no ultimate peace between their philos...

            Over the past few months the sports world has been filled with stories of scandal and outrage.  An owners racist comments leaked out to the world.  A hidden video showing a player assaulting his girlfriend.  The indictment of a star for abusing his children.  Student athletes accused of several crimes that are seemingly swept under the rug.  These stories are not only dominating the sports section but also front page as well.           The stories, in what is typical for our modern news have been viewed and reviewed ad nauseam.  In all that reporting however I noticed one angle that never seems to be discussed much.  The owner whose racist statements were leaked by his mistress, no one made much of an issue of him having a relationship with a woman that was not his wife.  No one mentions that the couple living together outside of wedlock had been dri...

  Technology makes life easier. I can do more with my smart phone today than I could have done with my computer, cell phone, PDA, and camera combined from just a few years back. Things get done easier, faster and with less thought with the help of technology. Technology informs us, teaches us, entertains us, and helps keep us informed with friends and the world . I couldn't calculate all the time and energy technology frees up.  It certainly makes thing easier, even sin.     Those things we love about technology, the ease to get information and entertainment, the things we can share, the knowledge we can gain, can have a dark side. Because it wrapped up in a new style we might not recognize for what it is. It’s when Facebook makes us busybodies, Twitter is our place to boast,  and Instagram a means to show our vanity. Our blog is our way to murmur and complain, our email to spread lies, the comment section is a place  to ...

    A web comic called Basic Instructions by Scott Myer once had a comic that talked about dealing with the all too familiar phenomena of what to call the romantically involved couple that lives together but is unmarried.  The title of the comic was “ How To Refer To Someone’s Not Spouse ”.  While I wouldn’t agree with everything in that comic, the term Not Spouse (Not Husband or Not Wife) is one that I think is probably right.  They may live like they are married but they are not.      This “act married but not” state is becoming all too familiar within modern culture.  It is no longer considered wrong or taboo.  The concept of “married relationship” with someone you are not married to is accepted and even encouraged. If someone wants to have a married relationship outside of marriage, why should anyone else care?    The Bible clearly doesn’t think that this practice is acceptable.  Hebrews 13:4 says...

   I’m a bit worried we have gotten a little too obsessed with how bad the world is.  I hear so many discussions about how bad things are getting, so many posts about warning about this wicked new twist, so much indignation over a famous person’s wicked behavior.  It seems that some Christians spend most of their time watching the world so they can report on it's behavior.  It has become an almost voyeuristic pastime to look at the world and comment on how wicked it is. Of course its wicked, it is the world. Do we really need to be told that?    I understand we get concerned about these kinds of things because we want our country to be better and are worried about the future for our children.  But we need to remember the world has always been the home turf of the devil (1 st John 5:19) and will always be.  Wickedness will be around us no matter how hard we try to avoid it.   Consider what we read in 1st Corinthians 5:9-1...

    I was recently reading a sermon of Steve Minor’s where he talked about how it seems today we seem to regard busyness a sign of social status. The more things we have to do, more activities and sports we have our children in, the more groups and good works we are in, somehow make us some sort of “all-star family”. Being busy has become a status symbol - almost as if a hectic life is equivalent to worldly success.  He quoted an article by Barbara Stanny where she described the phenomena as ATBS – Addicted To Busyness Syndrome.  The comparison was made that busyness is a drug for some. That over scheduling give us a sense of purpose and meaning; we are busy so it must be important.  We don’t have to focus on problems because we are too busy to think about that. The rush to get all done becomes addictive. To some their world and self-image would shatter it they were not trying to do it all .   This kind of lifestyle has been around for...