Good Logic from Huckabee On Gay “Marriage”

Here’s a great video of former Governor and Presidential Candidate from Arkansas Mike Huckabee answering some questions from a student at Union College concerning “Gay Marriage”. His reasoning is pretty overwhelming. I’ve listen to the governor address this topic in detail many times and have learned a lot from the way he goes about it, both from his logic and from his compassion and humility. This is not an easy issue to take a stand on in our culture and especially in the political realm, but Huckabee has stood firm….and for good reasons.

I think more people need to hear this. If you’ll notice, even though he’s a Christian, his response here is on a level that is not explicitly based on some Scripture that he believes (though in my opinion, he could easily appeal to the Bible or God’s authority and he probably would in a church or some other setting.) We must ultimately look to what God says and obey the Scriptures, but Huckabee has thought hard on explaining the dangers of ”gay marriage” even for people that will reject what the Bible is saying. I think we all, Christians and non-Christians alike, can learn a lot from listening to Gov. Huckabee.

 

 

 

 

 

Eagerly Anticipating

Today I was continuing my trek through Matthew and I came to 25:19 and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was the parable of the servants who were given 5 talents, 2 talents and 1 talent. Verse 19 says that after a long time the master came to settle the accounts. I know that verse is just a subpoint to the whole of the text, but I was forced to stop and meditate on it.

What a terrible and joyful Day that will be when the Lord returns to settle accounts. I pray that the wicked will repent but praise God that the wrong will be made right. The blood of the martyrs will have its hearing in God’s courtroom and their oppressors will be judged and judged rightly. Atheists who claim to be so smart will see clearly that they knew nothing and will face their pride and judgment with the Almighty. What a terrible Day for them.

O but think of the joy for God’s church! I don’t know exactly what the new heavens and new earth will be, but let’s just say that the new earth is just like this one except sin is banished. In our present world, the cause of all sorrow is sin. Imagine a life without sorrow and death. Imagine a life without the restraints of lust and pride. Imagine a life without the restraints of lust and pride of others. How can we not long for this?

I’m not sure what the new heavens will be either, but it has to be an upgrade. Surely there will be powers that will be given to us that we might not have even thought of. Maybe we’ll be able to fly and perhaps we can walk through walls, but what about the things that God hasn’t revealed to any of us yet. Perhaps a 5th or 6th dimension that our brains can’t comprehend right now.

Whatever the case I’m sure that the Great Day of the Lord will not leave His children disappointed. He’s been too good to us thus far.

NN

Well, No More Dollar Menu For Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vdzfwN9ThU

 

JB

A rant about counseling

There is so much wrong with secular counseling in our country. I know that I am no expert on the situation and that I really can’t offer many solutions, but here are a few thoughts that you might want to know.

1. First off, let’s start with an unbiblical approach. Anyone in the counseling profession has heard statements like “we don’t have bad people, we have good people with bad problems”. Really? Good? I’m surprised at how many Christian counselors will try at tell you the same thing despite the Bible saying that there is none that is righteous. I’ve heard a Christian counselor tell me (and others say the same thing) that when God looked on man, He saw that everything was good. Therefore, man is born good. Okay, maybe if a man was born to Adam and woman before the fall, then that child would be born good. But we have no record of such child. All we have are children born after the fall and therefore children are born sinners, not born good.

Think about this. Cain was born into a world that was the least affected by sin and was born to parents who were the least affected by sin, and he still became a murderer. He wasn’t a good guy with bad problems, he was a born monster of iniquity just like everyone since then save One. Because of this foundation that counseling is so falsely set upon, all that counseling does is encourage, encourage, encourage.

According to secular counselors the biggest sin that you can commit is to hurt a person’s self-image. If you put doubt in their confidence then you might as well offer them a gun for suicide.

This is ANTI-GOSPEL. If you tell a guy that he’s all good, then what does he need Christ for to enter heaven. He’s a good person who has an alcohol problem. He’s a good person who has difficulty in avoiding temptation to abuse his children. He’s a good person who happens to also be a registered sex offender. No, you aren’t a good person, you are a person that has known nothing but sin. You don’t even know what a good person looks like and if you keep listening to the secular counselors, you’ll never find Him.

2. I did a little research tonight and found out that America spends about $25 Billion on mental health services if I read this information correctly. (http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/databases/databases_exe.asp?D1=&Type=PC&Myassign=list) I know that it’s up for debate at what a success is in the counseling world, but let’s just say that their are 250,000 people that have successful counseling and have their mental health problems under control. 25,000,000,000 dollars on 250,000 people = $100,000 per success. Hmm. I don’t really know what to do with this information, I just thought it was interesting. Maybe coupling it with the next point might do something for you.

3. If counselors were doing their jobs then they would run out of clients, so I think that sometimes they don’t try as hard to fix their clients. I know that’s a harsh statement, but let me explain. If I had a client and I really enjoy meeting with him, then I will continue to meet with him if he needs assistance or not. It’s easy money. I get to sit down with a man who no longer needs counseling and talk with him for an hour and get paid (usually by the government) to do it.

Most jobs in America are based on performance. If I work at as a dishwasher, I get paid to successfully wash dishes. If I don’t, I get fired. If I work for a help desk, I get paid to successfully handle questions. I could go on and on with jobs like this. But a counselor does not get paid to successfully handle problems, he gets paid to meet with clients. If he doesn’t meet with clients, he doesn’t get paid.

No counselor would ever admit this even to themselves, but if my paycheck depends on whether or not I’m meeting with a client and I’m running low on clients, I’m not urgently trying to help with their problems and lose my client. From my very limited experience I know of several occasions where clients were dropped and kept not because of their performance, but on the basis of the counselor’s client number. I know of clients who were dropped because their government funding ran out.

Like I said, I don’t have any solutions, but maybe you do, I’d like to read them.

NN

 

Stats and Information on Myanmar

I think most of the people in the United States had no clue that the Country of Myanmar (also known by some as Burma) even existed until Cyclone Nargis hit last week. I must confess, I knew it was there but knew little about it other than the fact it was the country that Adoniram Judson, the famous missionary, labored in.

So, I started to do a little more research and was quickly convicted about having not prayed for this country up until now.  I think after you study it a little bit, you’ll feel the same way.

Here’s a little paragraph from Wikipedia (I don’t take Wikipedia as “gospel truth”…..ever ). …but it has some really good information and links on Myanmar/Burma.

“Several human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science have reported on human rights abuses by the military government.^[58][59] They have claimed that there is no independent judiciary in Burma. The military government restricts Internet access through software-based censorship that limits the material citizens can access on-line.^[60][61] Forced labour, human trafficking, and child labour are common.^[62] The military is also notorious for rampant use of sexual violence as an instrument of control, including systematic rapes and taking of sex slaves as porters for the military. A strong women’s pro-democracy movement has formed in exile, largely along the Thai border and in Chiang Mai. There is a growing international movement to defend women’s human rights issues.”

…And believe me, there’s more where that came from. …This country, which is a little smaller than Texas, definitely needs our prayers concerning the disaster of Hurricane Nargis (which has claimed tens of thousands of lives already and possibly by the end of this many more thousands).

But I also know God will also use this to open the eyes of many Christians across the world to the atrocities going on there and hopefully people will grow more and more in compassion for these people and in outrage at the evils against man and God that are being perpetrated there. ….Let us pray that God will open doors and that things will change in this country for the good of the people and for the glory of God.

Here’s a link to Operation World that will give you some quick stats on Myanmar.

http://www.operationworld.org/country/myan/owtext.html

JB

Good Christian Rap…..Real Good

Trip Lee is about to release his sophmore album called 20/20. If you don’t know who this kid is, you should.

There’s a big movement of deeply theological and thoroughly bibilical rap music out there today. (As opposed to most of the mainstream Christian rap music today that cheesy, shallow, and ultimately dissappointing 97% of the time….yes, 97!….those are the official cheese stats……. It’s that bad)

Two good websites to check out these artists if you are unfamiliar with what “good rap music” is:

www.crossmovementrecords.com

….and here’s the other one (reachrecords.com) which will take you to a promo for Trip Lee’s new album out May 20th (Also, if you’ll wait through the promo you can hear more of the songs or just procede to the media section where you can find the clips)…. Be blessed!

http://www.reachrecords.com/homeecard/trip2020/index.html

 

…And Here’s a personal promo from Trip Lee. (Worth Watching!)

Tim Tebow

Here’s a very encouraging look at Tim Tebow over at ESPN.

Even though I’m not a Florida fan, it’s hard to not be a Tebow fan if you’re a Christian. I have no idea about some of his doctrinal stances and judging by this piece, there would be some differences on other things (If you want to know ask), but there are some things that this guy just gets! He is definitely one of those rare Christians that actually gets into the mainstream for the world to see (A dangerous but possibly fruitful blessing). There’s no way to tell what will happen in the future, but you can tell this kid has a far better grip on reality and truth than your average bear…..or American. It seems like he’s really met the King. Read and see what I’m talking about…

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=schlabach_mark&id=3381810

JB

 

How do we love and hate unbelievers? Psalm 31:6

Remember when you were a young Christian feeding on the milk of the Word and everything fit together so nicely. Everyone reminded you of the basics of Christianity and told you of the importance of love to neighbors and things like that. But then you ran across a verse like Psalm 31:6 where David says “I hate those who regard vain idols.” You have no clue what it means.

You wish you knew how to explain it because love and hate are such opposites that it can’t really mean hate. You wish you knew the Hebrew, you wish you knew the context, you think that perhaps this is before David was a Christian, and all sorts of these ideas come to your head and you try and “defend Christianity” from this contradiction that you’ve found.

Perhaps you’ve never really sat down and hashed it out in your mind. You might have a way to explain it to others, but let’s be honest, you’re not sure that you really buy your answer. I’m not going to say that I have this figured out completely, but as I was praying through this Psalm this week, I feel like the Lord gave me some illumination in this area and perhaps it will benefit you.

I think that praying through the Psalms has truly done wonders in my anticipation of heaven. I feel like I’ve become much more heavenly-minded in the last few months. I say this to communicate that I’ve felt a sincere distaste for the things of this world. I have been longing to see Christ, I long to be without the restraints of sin and I long to live among a people who are not given over to sin.

When I think of heaven, I hate the things of earth. I hate greed, I hate pornography, I hate abortion, I hate deceit, I hate all aspects of sin. And to go farther than that, I hate the people who love these things. I hate politicians who run others down to get a position. I hate people that produce pornography and the devastating effects of it. I hate abortion doctors who deceitfully hide the facts from promiscuous mothers who will regret their decision.

But then I remember that I was just like them. I hate what I used to be. I hate what I am now when I sin. For all of these people I mentioned, they deserve hell, just like I do. But the Lord loved me and pitied me when He should have destroyed me.

Because of that, I pity all of those that were mentioned earlier. Though I hate them and everything about them, I love them through Christ in hopes that they will repent and join me in hating their former self.

NN

Christianity in the Real World

Today, I met a well-intended enemy. He was a very intelligent, middle-aged, black man. We were in a large group together and it was clear that this man was one of the most respected in the room by the way he carried himself and showed respect to others. I thought he was a great guy…until he started talking religion.

He said that he was a former minister but now does evangelistic work. We spoke together and Al Mohler was brought up. I said that I was glad that he seems to be the new voice of evangelical thought and that there was something definitive that was being said from a Christian perspective. He didn’t agree.

I think he was trying to impart wisdom to me and tell me that he used to be all zealous and tried to win people to his side, but he realized it wasn’t up to him. He gave that up because he realized that he might worship God, but you might believe there is no god and others might believe in Allah and that’s okay too. He then said that it wasn’t his job to go around and impose his beliefs on others but instead his job was to love people like Jesus loved people.

Love like Jesus huh? Well that’s a great idea…until the other person dies. Then it is ridiculous. If you are a Christian, there is no place for other belief systems. Can a Muslim be saved? YES…through Christ alone. Can a Mormon be saved? YES…through Christ alone. Can an atheist be saved? YES…through Christ alone. If the Bible is true, there is only one Way and only one Door.

I wouldn’t expect someone of the Islamic faith to tell me that I could go to heaven on the basis of my faith in Christ. He’s got his own book and his own belief system. When he and I talk, it should not be a conversation where we deny our own beliefs to save our relationship but a conversation where we try to talk out our differences. Any two people that are truly affected by their religion will do this. There’s obviously a good way to handle it but to ignore differences and encourage their misunderstandings is anti-Gospel.

I know that people don’t respond well to pushing the Gospel down another’s throat, but that’s not what these well-intended people like my friend are saying. They’re not looking for open doors to share the Gospel, they are saying that whatever belief system you use will get you to heaven. Like I said, it sounds great and everybody gets along for the next 80 years until this generation dies out and we meet the Judge of all the Earth.

Though I don’t have much respect for the Catholic belief system, good job to the Pope for being clear. I’m so thankful that he doesn’t muddy the waters more than they already are. He makes it clear that there are big differences between Catholics and Protestants. Amen. I don’t think his belief system is right, but hats off to him for standing for something. Let’s face it, if he’s right, then my soul is in danger. I can appreciate a guy like that.

I’ll leave you with a thought:

Within a 130 years, everyone on this planet will be dead. How relative will hell be then?

The Glory of God in Tornadoes: A Glimpse of a Good Pastor

My deepest sympathies go out to the families of those who were lost this week in the deadly tornadoes that ravaged parts of my home state of Arkansas. One of the towns hardest hit was the town of Damascus, where I formerly served as a youth pastor. I have been in discussion with friends from back home and have heard some amazing stories of kindness, generosity, and compassion. I have heard stories of what I believe to be the providence of God in saving the lives of many.

One of these great stories is of Sheila Massey, her daughter Kristen (who is married to the youth pastor Carter), and their three children, one of whom (Ethan) is only two weeks old. When the tornado came through, these five all jumped in the bathtub and piled cushions up over themselves. The tornado ripped the house apart, leaving only the chimney and you guess it, the bathroom walls. The walls actually folded together to make a little tee-pee over the five of them. When rescuers arrived on the scene, the house was demolished, not one shingle of the roof was anywhere to be found, and the family’s freezer was (and still is) missing. Yet, no one was hurt. In fact, Ethan (the baby) slept through the whole thing. As my pastor said to me tonight, (that’s definitely an illustration of God’s peace).

I am thankful to God that my friends the Masseys and the Pierces were spared any loss of life. They will no doubt rebuild their house. And knowing how the church is, the Masseys will have whatever help they need.

Indeed, numerous illustrations can be drawn from what God has done through these tornadoes. Only he knows all of the reasons they occurred. The Lord works in mysterious ways. However, in hindsight we are able, I believe, to have some illumination at times. I think I would be supported by Scripture to say that sometimes God uses tragedies to get out attention.  God uses these tragedies to make his glory known to men and shine the light of the gospel of Christ upon the World.

Of course, not everyone sees this. They’re eyes are blinded. But for those who are looking, they will no doubt see the work of the Lord. One of these works of God can be seen in this video in the person of my former pastor and good friend Daniel Williams. Now, I know all of these adults in the video and think very very highly of them. (I can’t tell you what a joy it is to shake Sam Massey’s hand on a Sunday morning and get to look into the eyes of a husband and father who takes what God has given him seriously).

But I want to point out a contrast to you. All over the news right now is the pastor of Barak Obama. His name is Jeremiah Wright. I encourage you to research him and to watch some videos. My point is not to condemn Pastor Wright,(though he has caused great pain in the lives of many people lately due to some pride and arrogance I think). All over the news the biggest political/religious story lately has been about this “bad” pastor.

And my point is to submit Daniel Williams to you as an example of a good pastor. A pastor who has been transformed by Christ. A pastor who is not perfect, but loves his people, so much so that at a moment’s notice, he will rush in tornado-like weather to the house of a brother or sister or family to do what he can for them; no questions asked. He does not seek the spotlight. He may want it, because he is sinful in his flesh. But he does not grasp for it as others might. He knows he has a greater hope than the fame of this world. His concern isn’t the limelight, like a Jeremiah Wright’s has been, but to care for and feed the sheep of Jesus’ flock.

Sometimes the world wants to feed all of us its version of God, of Christianity, of Jesus, of truth. But we should keep a look out so as not to be deceive. God might just give us a glimpse of something much closer to the truth. The world may show us a Jeremiah Wright so as to drive us away from God or to paint its own picture of the servant of God. God may be showing us a small church pastor from Damascus, Arkansas. The world may tell us that there is no hope, but God may show us a family who can giggle after losing everything they own because they know their real home isn’t here anyway and that as followers of Jesus, one day all things will be made right.

JB

 

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4780053