Don't Ask?

Foundations are so critical in the longevity of any establishment or structure. You might get some argument on this principle from a fringe element or two but it pretty much amounts to an axiom and most people will agree. Jesus made this point very clear in Matthew 7:24-27 when he spoke about building our house on the rock. His purposeful metaphor has stood the test of time and we ignore it to our spiritual and practical peril. Today’s decision by the United States Senate to continue to chip away at the foundation of our Judeo-Christian heritage will certainly yield calamitous consequences. In the 1860s our nation suffered the cost of treating our brother and neighbor with contempt to the point of bringing shame on the name of Christ and finding ourselves in a civil conflict that resulted in over 600,000 deaths, exceeding the nation’s loss in all other wars from the Revolution through Viet Nam. Sure, other nations throughout history were guilty of the same offence without reaping such a bitter crop, but they had not the advantage of being birthed with these words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” This acknowledgement of the Creator’s special grace brought with it a higher responsibility to continue that acknowledgement in order to continue the grace. We turned our back on that obligation early in our nation’s existence and paid a dear price then got another chance.

Many argue today that eliminating civil laws that restrict sexual preference is in keeping with the spirit and intent of the equality language in our founding documents. Homosexuality is touted as a civil right. But, we are warned in Isaiah 5:20 “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” We can always find justification and rationalization for our behavior and our convictions. In fact, that’s precisely what we’ve done by superseding God’s moral law with our nation’s civil laws in the past 200+ years. We have nearly completed our segue from “freedom of religion” to “freedom from religion” to the point that our civil code, along with our personal preferences, allows us to worship what we please, misuse the name of God, disrespect our parents, abort our babies, relish in adultery and fornication, cheat on our taxes, lie when it’s convenient, and lust after everything on television. “Well,” says the cynic, would you have us imitate the Taliban?” That’s indeed the tone of comment I would expect from someone who doesn’t know the difference. Yet, we should know the difference. We ought to be able to notice those chips and chunks missing from the foundation. But since we don’t, we probably don’t notice us leaning like the Tower of Pisa either

ET, Phone Earth

Logic: Origin – Gk logikos of speech or reason. Definition: The science that investigates the principles governing correct or reliable inference.

The recent discovery in California’s Mono Lake of bacteria that can live off arsenic has given rise to the hopeful prospect that perhaps, maybe, perchance, conceivably there may exist extraterrestrial life out in the universe somewhere. The logic goes like this. “If a life form can survive and even flourish in such a toxic environment within our own previously known boundaries of life parameters, the broadening of said boundaries present a prospect of less strenuous demand for the existence of life elsewhere in the cosmos.” When applying the principles of logic this hopeful prospect could make sense. It’s like saying “if I find a penny on a gravestone in the local cemetery, the likelihood of discovering other coins in the same cemetery, or even other cemeteries, increases.” However, the community that promotes this type of research isn’t contented with logic on this trivial scale. In fact, their reason flexing often stretches to this colossal measure. “It is presumptuous and even preposterous to assume that little old earth harbors the only life in the vast universe.” Armed with absolutely zero evidence for such a proclamation beyond the argument that it is a mathematical probability the hopes and imaginings of the ET dreamers persist. Theories abound, including the notion that life emerged independently at various locations throughout the universe; the concept that speculates life spread from location to location (exogenesis) is another popular idea; and the theory that UFOs are of extraterrestrial origin is another popular belief. No less than the well respected and much praised personalities of Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking have lent their substantial talents and impressive credentials to those views supporting the acceptance of the existence of extraterrestrial life. All of this mind-power is present without the slimmest scintilla of evidence that could find the slightest connection to the principle of logic. Nevertheless, the amount of psychological, emotional and financial resources devoted to the hope of discovery of extraterrestrial life is phenomenal and illustrates the mindset of a great number of people who maintain a “don’t confuse me with the facts” attitude. The discovery of a real live ET has taken on an importance transcending science or philosophy. I once heard an evangelist mention his wonderings about extraterrestrial life. He said he asked God, “Lord, is there any life in outer space?” He said God’s reply was, “I’m here.” It’s been argued that Christians aren’t really open to the prospect of the existence of extraterrestrial life. Frankly, I believe the reverse is more to the point. What would be the possibility of emotional and psychological capitulation if ET/UFO proponents were to learn for certain that the only intelligent life in the universe (other than God) resides on the plant we call earth?

What Have You Got To Lose?

“A certain rich man” was the subject of Jesus’ lesson on greed in Luke 12:14-21. The options available, he said, were to either “eat, drink and be merry” or “get serious with God.” All the in-between stuff is simply an attempt to hope for a grading on the curve. Paul the Apostle reiterates this message in 1 Cor. 15:32. Here’s the bottom line; "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you." That’s a quote from Augustine of Hippo, circa 398 AD. Yeah, he was a smart guy but he wasn’t the first to figure this out. Solomon, the King of Israel worked out the same supposition after a life of trying to have it ‘his’ way. The endgame discovered by this wisest of all people? “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” (Eccl 1:2)
Mostly, we are under the mistaken notion that what will make us happy, satisfied and complete is making that promotion, triumph with that romantic ideal, gaining the respect of the gang, losing the weight, earning the degree, closing the deal, or winning the lottery. Though these are not intrinsically bad things, they ultimately fail to give us what we hope and expect. Why is this? It’s because of the design specification articulated by Augustine. We were made for God. All the seeking and salivating for other things that take the place that belongs to Him alone is what the Bible calls idolatry.
There’s another myth that needs to be debunked along the way. The idea that “seeking first the kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:33) means moving into a cloister, wearing sack cloth, and eating bread and water is not only incorrect it is antithetical to the command of Jesus as He gave His final instructions before his ascension. Rather than “hunker down” and “circle the wagons” our real mission is to do the exact opposite . . . “go out into the world” (Matt. 28:19) Equally, the expectation to do without that romantic hopeful or that pay raise to help meet the mortgage, is pointless. The truth is God is more aware of your needs than you are and indeed wants to meet those needs. In fact, that Matthew 6:33 verse makes it plain that all these things (our needs) are added unto to us when we put Him first.
So, what does it profit us to ask the “things” in our life to do for us what only God can do? When we exalt those things, put them on pedestals, sings songs about them, bow down to them, we make them into the idols mentioned in Ex. 20:3. Yet, when we acknowledge their presence and place them at the altar of our God seated above them, the order of design blossoms into purpose peace . . . that “peace which transcends all understanding.” (Phil 4:7) So, if you’re wondering why you have met most of your objectives, realized most of your ambitions, made as much money as you expected, and married the companion of your dreams (or not) and still are struggling with peace and contentment, try thinking about asking God to be your God and reorder your altar set up. And if you’re tentative about your prospects, check this out. God said it’s OK to test Him in this. (Mal. 3:10) What have you got to lose but your own misery and confusion?

Some Trust in Chariots

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7) Try any channel on the TV dial today and you’ll eventually hear a commercial encouraging you to make your financial investment in gold. The pitch, regardless of the pitchman, makes the case that we are in dire economic times and gold is the one sure hedge against the enemies of the nest egg. The truth is the American collective wealth has plummeted a couple of trillion dollars in the past few years and probably everyone with a 401k, IRA or some other savings or reserve fund, including equity in their home, has lost a “huge chunk” of it, if not all of it. With that weighing on peoples’ psyche, the commercial suggests that placing one’s financial trust in the safety of gold is the wisest move possible.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’” (Luke 14:28-30) How unwise it is to not prepare for the future. We are counseled to build our house on the rock lest the storm wash it away. This is not just Biblical advice; it is a good practical prescription for any endeavor. So, investing in gold, say, as opposed to the stock market, or Treasury notes, or savings bonds, etc. is likely to be a prudent practical investment strategy considering the times. Yet the Bible is loaded with examples of how the ancient Hebrews resisted the advice of the prophets to trust in God first for their welfare rather than on the arm of man. God never said not to sow and reap. He said “You shall have not other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3) He never said, ‘gold is bad . . . you should not have any.’ No. In fact, when they left Egypt He loaded them up with Egyptian gold. All He asked was ‘put Me first!’ And that’s what's missing from these gold commercials. We are encouraged to believe that if we convert our investments from other things to gold we will be secure. For those who are making this move without placing God first in their lives, they can be assured it will be insufficient. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."

The Opposite of Time

What is the opposite of time? The opposite of light is darkness and the reverse of yes is no. You can say that time “stands still” as an attempt to articulate its opposing characteristic but that doesn’t describe an opposite. That’s merely a “neutral” position. I recently asked an astronomer, “What do scientists call the area outside the boundaries of the universe?” The answer was “there is no area outside the universe because there is no boundary.” The argument is that since it cannot be observed or measured, it simply cannot be. My little pea brain has much difficulty with this reasoning. I don’t doubt it is understandable by those with an E=MC2 conceptual capacity but for me it is out of intellectual reach. The universe is space/time/matter/energy. These are physical dimensions, measurable, observable and calculable. If that is true it qualifies as the major premise of the syllogism. The minor is “everything measurable, observable and calculable has limits.” The conclusion has to be “the universe is not limitless.” Ergo, how can there be no boundary to the universe.

It seems to be an axiom that the physical universe is expanding. The only debate is whether it is slowing down or continuing to speed up. Nevertheless, if it is expanding, it stands to reason it is larger now than it was. At one point in the history of the universe, the young body was just 300,000 years old. Today the estimate is 13.7 billion years, or so. As I understand “expanding,” that information tells me the universe is much larger today than it was in its youth. So, if the universe is not expanding into or displacing a boundary entity, how can the science of measuring, observing and calculating be trusted?

I know there are those who like to imagine the universe simply self-initiated somehow. This is a convenient proposal to dodge the question of God but just cannot seem to avoid it as the argument of First Cause will always interfere. Therefore, the answer to the initial question “What is the opposite of time?” must be “eternity.” Even for those who cannot bring themselves to accept God as a possibility, the shear limits of their own science demands an uncomfortable hypothesis. Then is when they begin to apply the principle of “limits” since they will argue, using as a premise, “since it cannot be measured or observed, it cannot be reliable.” That’s like saying for centuries that since we could not measure or observe neutrinos until 1956 they did not exist until then. This is not to say that we can observe and measure God (notwithstanding 2 Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:15), but to ignore Him and His realm is not only self-imposed ignorance, it turns out to be sloppy science as well. Since the universe was spoken into existence by Him, He infused it with laws and principles that reflect His glory, there for all to observe, even to measure and calculate when the time is right.

Come Let Us Reason

COME LET US REASON

Bring a cup of irony unto myself
Statues laid out socially upon the shelf
Myriad chorus eyes a cappella sing
As Congress waltzes through the land
Keeping watch with scepter safe in hand
Fingers waving in reprimand
And citizens in the cross beam swing

From a shadow with cool abrogation
A corpse wins a ballot revocation
Carnations fall under solemn feet
Across the river sit jealous guns
Like sissy braves or shiftless Huns
While idiots cook like hot-cross-buns
And the dragons of the hill wax indiscreet

The song of legions begs to testify
To the calm perfidy of the sirens' cry
In a forum naked and thrust adrift
The harmony of aggression discordant loud
White flags amusing the piquant proud
The heart of a people doth lay in shroud
But for the prayer offered meek and swift

Come let us reason or at least not fear
And make a covenant fast reappear
Draw nigh with care and mindful price
Under brows of dauntless courage tread
With icy rags across thy forehead
Make haste to slice the nation's bread
Attentive to the heart of sacrifice

Liberation Theology

Sigh! The advocates of Liberation Theology must live in constant exasperation at those of us who seem to behave with disdain and contempt for the unfortunate and disenfranchised. Otherwise, how could we continue to resist the progressive philosophical directive to exercise compassion for them, preferably through government programs that wisely redistribute the wealth and resources of the country as the bureaucrats see fit? In a recent letter to the editor, one advocate cited the admonition of Luke 6:17-49 as authority and justification for this endeavor, referencing the Rev. Dr. Susan Brooks Thistlewaite, failing to mention her being a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. The frustrating factor for us unsympathetic conservatives is usually our interpretation of Scripture, using the hermeneutical approach that applies a coherent explanation to the text that clearly illustrates the intent to the reader as an individual. The concept of Luke’s passage, as well as all others in the Bible, nowhere even hints at a directive for governments to assume the responsibility to execute compassion on behalf of the individual. The Gospel says that whoever gives can become a disciple and reap a reward. When government self-righteously takes from individuals and reallocates those resources, that’s called despotism.

Rights

The great pass time of talking past each other has reached fever pitch on television and radio interview programs. The intense debates over illegal immigration, abortion, taxation, economic policy, the war against terrorism, environmentalism, global climate change, unemployment, and you-fill-in-the-blank simply grow more and more hostile and insensitive every day. There is more than one reason for this. I suspect the paramount reason is the need for theater, for after all the entertainment value must be considered so as to ensure the best ratings in the news-entertainment competition. Secondly, there is almost never any discussion regarding the fundamental “world view” positions of the debaters in these heated dialogues for two reasons. First, the sound-bite theater atmosphere that hosts the great portion of these arguments/interviews does not accommodate the amount of time necessary to establish such necessary philosophical landscape. Second, networks and programmers may actually have correctly discerned that viewers and listeners, by and large, are really not prepared to deal with such concrete boundaries as rational thought and principles of logic. People simply want to hear ideas and arguments that reinforce their already established points of view. I expect there must be some form of serotonin released in the brain that provides a sense of well-being when this happens and therefore the experience is sought out as a means of continued happiness or elation.

In the case of the argument over abortion, I would like to examine the two main fundamental world views brought to bear in most of these verbal contests. Both sides like to stake out the terminology of historical winners in this debate by claiming the appreciation for the “rights” of their respective client: for the abortion rights advocate it would be the rights of the mother; for the anti-abortion advocate it would be the rights of the human fetus. Yet, in the contest of rights, the world view of the anti-abortionist would insist that the most fundamental right of all, the right to life, is denied their client in the event of an abortion. However, in the world view of the abortion rights advocate, a lesser right, the right to privacy, is denied their client in the event of an abortion impediment. It would be prosperous to viewers and listeners to be able to hear a full and comprehensive debate on the value of the two views of comparable “rights” and how they are morally equivalent so as to determine a priority in competing virtues. One might argue that there are no “lesser” rights. However, Solomon’s offer to divide the child as the solution to the problem of who would receive the child was simply an execution of wisdom. He knew there was a superior way and so do we. Rights are fundamental and prioritized, and chief among these rights is the right to life. The Supreme Court may have been witness to a plethora of arguments since the abortion debate entered the courts but the viewing American electorate has not had the pleasure. Perhaps the ALCU and the ACLJ should co-produce a mini-series on the Abortion Great Debate for a national television audience.

God Will Negotiate

In Matthew 5:45, Jesus says: “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” So, in the discussion between God and Abraham, Abe’s supposition that God wouldn’t kill the righteous along with the wicked (Gen. 18:23-25) is a little off kilter as we discover later in the story. Nevertheless, God goes on to demonstrate his longsuffering while Abraham seemingly negotiates Him to a bargain of a ratio of saints-to-sinners that He believes God will tolerate. In the Las Vegas of the ancient world, Abe supposes he can find at least 10 people who would qualify as “righteous” and thereby avert a wholesale elimination of the city (Gen. 18:32).

Since I hold to a dispensationalist view of Biblical interpretation I accept that God’s dealings with the “Age of Civil Government” supposes a slightly different economy from a later, more revelatory period of understanding His will and purpose. Yet, from the beginning, certain principles are clear. Like gravity . . . if you walk off the top of a tall building you will plummet to the pavement . . . the principle of God’s patience is certain. Though it cannot be measured in the same sense as the physics of natural laws, it is nonetheless definite and even so natural. Here’s a lesson from ancient times: “One of the most famous passages in all of philosophy occurs in Plato’s ‘Meno,’ in which Socrates seems to teach a slave boy who has never studied geometry the Pythagorean theorem. The twist is he doesn’t teach him. All he does is ask a series of questions that bring out what the boy already knows. When you put the boys answers together, you have the proof.” (“Written on the Heart” J. Budziszewski, Intervarsity Press, 1997) The lesson translates to this: God has placed “doing right” in the heart of everyone and the people of Sodom had no excuse . . . nor do we. We shall plummet to the pavement if we do not “do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God” (Mic. 6:8). Yet, much like Abraham’s predilection for concession, God is willing to negotiate, evidently no matter how wicked the unrighteous become. “. . . if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2Ch 7:14)

I watch the news. I read the newspapers. I surf the news sites. I listen to the radio commentary. At times I want to scream with all the fury in me at the corruption, incompetence, prejudice and outright criminal behavior coming from our government. And yet I realize that blaming them changes nothing. Even if we were to manage to start with tabula rasa we would soon be back to the mire that trusting in the arm of man gets us. I can despise Barak Obama because of his philosophy, world view, and strategy for where he wants to take us nationally, and I do. I equally abhor his confederates in the systematic demolition of our Judeo-Christian culture . . . that includes the man driving the red 1998 Ford Ranger with the “Obama” bumper sticker on the tailgate and the Ichthus fish with legs decal on the rear bumper. But my emotional reaction to Sodom will gain me nothing more than acid reflux and a poor four-letter word vocabulary. If real change . . . on the political/cultural landscape and in my heart . . . is to come about, it will have to begin from a kneeling position. I encourage all who count themselves in the category of “My People” to humble themselves and submit to God’s prescription for a healed land.

Don't Delay

In my home fellowship and study small group we have been looking at some eschatological verses from Revelation. My wife and I have also been reading through that book lately as part of our daily devotions. Easily noticed is the description of how depraved and evil the people on earth will become during the Tribulation years. It honestly reads like an enormous fiction and I wonder how it could ever be possible for people to grow so grotesque in character and sentiment. At one point it is revealed: “Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.” (Rev. 16:10-11) Is it possible for men and women to sink to such a condition? Well, here’s a sobering thought. In a world that has beheld the influence of God’s Holy Spirit through the salt and light of His presence through the Church we were still witness to the great horrors of history to include the indescribable dreadfulness of such 20th century tragedies as Hitler’s Holocaust, Stalin’s purges and forced famines, Pol Pot’s elimination of 20% of his population. These three, although the most referred to, are not the only genocidal efforts in the last 100 years. Yet, the Tribulation promises to eclipse these experiences by exponential numbers. Who would possibly want to take a chance on risking such a prospect? Now, here’s another somber attention-getter. “They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness,” (2 Thes. 2:10-12) In other words, for those who have had the privilege of hearing God’s invitation of grace but are counting on biding their time to make their final decision when the crunch time begins, it’s already too late. Your opportunity is not then, it’s now . . . today. “For He says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:2) Also, in the parable Jesus tells about a certain rich man who thought he had plenty of time to sort out his affairs, he was admonished: “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’” (Luke 12:20) Let me encourage you if you are lukewarm . . . or even reticent about making Christ your Blessed Hope. Don’t risk waiting until the Tribulation; don’t wait for times to get better or worse; don’t rely on the wisdom of your own intellect, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Prov. 16:25) “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.” (1 Cor. 3:19) Don’t delay another day. Put your trust in Him now . . . this moment. Welcome to the Kingdom!