Driving over a Cliff

All this talk about the ‘fiscal cliff’ brings to mind a story I used to use in counseling.

A wealthy man interviews 3 men for the position of limousine driver, taking each to a high mountain road, posing the question: “How close do you think you can drive to the edge of this road without going over the cliff?” The first one says,“Oh, I could get within 2 feet of the edge of the road without going over.” The second one says, “Oh, I think I could get within a foot of the edge.” But the third one responds, “Are you kidding, I wouldn’t go anywhere near the edge of this cliff!” To which, the wealthy man replies, “You’re hired!”

The “Driving over a Cliff” threat is bringing out the machismo in Wash. D.C.—a political game of Chicken. How close each party is willing to go to the edge is yet to be determined. Of course there is a loaded spiritual analogy too. The second we start thinking about how close we can get to temptation without actually sinning, we're already over the cliff. Listen to the wisdom of Solomon: “Don't follow the path of evildoers. Don’t even think about it; don't go that way. Turn away and keep moving” (Proverbs 4:14-15).

The “Half-Man” finds Wholeness

19-year old Angus T. Jones, the “Half Man” part of “Two and a Half Men,” has found God and no longer wants to be on the show: “Please stop watching it; please stop filling your head with filth,” he says. Angus stands to lose a lot for taking this stand (at $300,000 an episode, he is the highest paid child actor in TV history).

Angus now sees the show as evil: “A lot of people don't like to think about how deceptive the enemy is. He's been doing this a lot longer than any of us have been around. So we can't play around. There's no playing around when it comes to eternity. The name of the game is compromise. According to the Bible, when that happens, we're no longer standing for anything. We're no longer on the side of the truth.”

Knowing how Hollywood treats conservative Christians, Angus is in for a rough ride, and it will take a real man to stand his ground against the wave of criticism. Ironically, having been the “half-man” on a show co-starring 2 childish men, Angus is the one now acting like a “whole man.” (see 1 Cor. 6:13)

A Life without Twinkies, Ding Dong’s and Ho Ho’s

A declining consumer market and a bakers strike may result in the demise of ‘Hostess Brands, Inc.’ which makes cream-filled cupcakes, fruit pies, Wonder Bread, Ho Ho’s, Ding Dongs and Twinkies.

The Twinkie is not just a snack food; it is a cultural icon. Some of you may not remember when, in the early 80’s, Dan White was acquitted of the murder of SF Mayor George Moscone. The defense attorney was able to persuade 12 intelligent adults that too much sugar had made him temporarily insane—to this day, infamously known as the “Twinkie Defense.”

I cannot help but see the Twinkie as a symbol for our nutritionally-deprived culture—both physically and spiritually. Having grown accustomed to a diet of empty earthly values, metaphorically speaking, most Americans seek a sugar high instead of higher things. The brouhaha over Hostess’ collapse is sufficient evidence that our 21st century idols are as empty as white bread or as fleeting as a caffeine rush. How sad that people, like survivors on a stranded island, cling to such things. If you’re feeling depressed about the loss of Twinkies, perhaps you should reflect on the Apostle John’s words, “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).

“Life of Pi”—Faith is a House with Many Rooms

Knowing nothing more about it than what we saw on the trailers (and its PG rating), Altha and I saw the movie “Life of Pi” this weekend. It turned out to be a vehicle for postmodern theology. As the title character battles to survive on a life raft from India to Mexico, he also struggles to believe in God in the midst of his suffering.

The story begins in India where Pi develops a zeal for religion. Declaring that “faith is a house with many rooms,” Pi integrates Allah and the Christ easily into his Hindu faith, even thanking Krishna and Vishnu for bringing Christ into his life.  When he cries out to God in desperation, “I give myself to you,” it is not clear to which god he is praying. To most god seekers in our universalistic culture, it wont matter. Whom you have faith in is less important than that you have ‘it’.

Ironically, Pi's atheistic father captures the error of this thinking when he tells the young Pi that believing in everything is “the same thing as not believing anything at all.” And that statement may be the only ‘truth’ you’ll find in the “Life of Pi.”

Is the Afterlife Just an Afterthought?

Thanksgiving is over; Christmas will be here and gone before we know it. Life moves on; time flies…

The Bible tells us that our days on earth are short: "We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace" (1 Chron 29:15 NLT).

Paul says we all will give an account for our time on earth—whether we were storing up things ‘in time,’ or saving up ‘eternal’ treasures. The measure of our worth will not be our cleverness, charisma or competence, but our character.

Paul compares building a character to building a house (1 Cor 3). Either we’re building a house of eternal worth or a house that will perish with time. Someone has said the Lord inspects our house by walking through it and throwing matches. Will the house you are building survive the test of holy fire? Sadly, too many believers live as though life on this earth is all there is. And the afterlife is just an afterthought.

Gratitude without God?

When Congress passed legislation making Thanksgiving an official holiday, was it an attempt to codify feelings, i.e., ‘you must be thankful?’ No. Congress was only affirming thankfulness as a national core value, an expression of America’s Judeo-Christian heritage.

Does that mean non-Christians can’t be thankful? Well, of course not. But last century’s paradigm shift from a God-centered worldview to a man-centered one has secularized Thanksgiving far beyond a Pilgrim’s paradigm. The Pilgrims who celebrated that first Thanksgiving believed everything they had came from God, a gratitude built on a foundation of belief in God's Providence.

Of course the ungodly can be thankful. But unlike them, hopefully, you and I are like the original pilgrims who knew they were on a journey to something/someplace far greater than the things of this world. Thus, while our gratitude is rooted in the eternal, the natural man knows only situation and luck. Jonathon Edwards says “true gratitude or thankfulness … arises from a foundation of love to God whereas a natural gratitude has no such antecedent foundation.” Let us be thankful for what we have. But let us be more grateful for what awaits us.

The Rejection Test

With the advent of the Holiday season, family gatherings will produce warm feelings and memories for many.  But for some others, they will arouse unpleasant feelings, often of rejection.

As disciples of Jesus, we are students who never stop learning. And one of God’s methods for showing us what we’ve learned is to give us tests (sometimes pop quizzes). These tests show us what is in our hearts.

One of the most important tests that you will ever take is the “rejection” test. If you look at the patriarchs and prophets, you will see that every one of them was rejected. And of Jesus, Isaiah said, “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised...” (53:3).

So, the rejection test is mandatory if we are going to identify with Jesus. Through the greatest injustice ever known to man Jesus endured and overcame. And through the worst wrongs committed against us, our character will be proven (Rom. 3:5).  But, God will not give us the 'rejection' test until He knows we are ready for it.  And passing it is a mark of true maturity.

Israel/Hamas War: Is Armageddon near?

In 1967, when I was a college freshman, the Arab-Israeli War, aka, the 'Six-Day War' made us think Armageddon was near. Since then, increased wars in the region have decreased our attention—until now. With the escalation of war between Israel and Hamas now accompanied by the support of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, weapons from Iran, and the instability in Syria, one wonders. Is Armageddon close?

But before we start heading for our underground bunkers, let’s put this in perspective. The Bible says the last days will see paradigm shifts that eradicate a biblical worldview. First, mankind will change from lovers of God to lovers of self (2 Tim. 3:1-4). Second, the Church will experience a great falling away (2 Tim. 4:3-4). And third, Society will see a moral devolution like the days of Noah (Luke 17:26).

Though the events of the Middle East do intensify end-time assertions, we should remember that “wars and rumors of wars” are only a small part of 'last days' prophecy. More important is the bigger picture—not another war in the Middle East. Keep your eyes on the paradigm shifts that will prepare the way for the Antichrist and a new world order. Armageddon will follow.

He Can’t Stop Thinking about You

“O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar… How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. How vast is the sum of them. If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain” (Psalm 139: 2-3, 17-18).

I read a commentary on this verse that struck me. If you live to be 75 years old, you will live 2.3 billion seconds. And since there are trillions upon trillions of grains of sand, that means there will never be a moment in time when you are not on His mind! In other words, He can’t stop thinking about you.

And not only that, His thoughts are perpetually positive. The New Kings James version translates Jeremiah 29:11 this way: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Hard Changes Ahead

Some of the pundits are saying that Barak Obama won the election because people are afraid of change. Did the President convince 52% of the electorate that they should not “trade horses in midstream’? That phrase was Abraham Lincoln's slogan in the 1864 presidential campaign! Three decades later, the phrase “Let Well Enough Alone” got President William McKinley elected for a second term. And, considering how Democrats demonized Romney, perhaps their slogan should have been: “Better to trust the devil you know than the devil you don’t.”

Given a choice, people more often choose the status quo, preferring a known path to an uncertain one. Someone called it the “tyranny of the familiar.” In the discipline of psychology, there is a word for this phenomenon: “resistance.” Thus, no counselor is ever surprised by his patient’s resistance to changing even the worst behaviors.

The question a serious disciple will ask is ‘how do I overcome my resistance?’ The short answer: by the power of the Word and the Holy Spirit—“renewing of the mind” (Rom 12:2). If you are facing a hard change in your life, be assured the Holy Spirit will facilitate it. Hannah Whitall Smith says, “He turns hard things into easy... not that He puts easy things in the place of the hard, but He actually changes the hard thing into an easy one.” Think about it. The path of least resistance is a straight one. “In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Prov. 3:6).

Was Petraeus Poisoned by Power?

General Petraeus joins the list of proud, powerful men who thought they were entitled to anything and invulnerable to its consequences, e.g., Bill Clinton, John Edwards, Elliot Spitzer.  Of course it doesn't always lead to adultery. Currently, three other 4-star generals are under investigation for taking government resources for personal use. Nor is it limited to government leaders. Anyone in a position of authority—policemen, doctors, teachers, clergymen—can abuse it.

As a student of human behavior, it appears to me that a culture that values self-esteem as ours does is a breeding ground for such entitlement—even in Christian leaders. Remember the warning by Paul that in the latter days, men would be lovers of self (2 Tim 3:2)? When God gave the Promised Land to the Israelites, He knew they would be vulnerable to the pride of success.

Thus He warned: “Beware that in your plenty you do not forget your God… For when you have become prosperous and have built fine homes to live in… be careful! Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you... and did it all so you would never say to yourself, 'I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy’… Remember the Lord is the one who gives you power to be successful” (Deut. 8:11-17, edited).

Are You Ready for the Rapture?

Yesterday I compared “disaster preparedness” to “rapture readiness.” And then today, the lead story in USA Today reads, “For 'preppers,' every day could be doomsday.” Preppers (or survivalists) are those who are actively preparing for emergencies as well as possible disruptions in social or political order, stockpiling food and water and medical supplies in order to be self-sufficient.  Many 'preppers' build safe houses in remote places or underground.

A retired deputy sheriff from Virginia says his Christian faith drives him to be prepared and to encourage others to do the same. Although he is not certain the end is near, he says "we watch and pray," convinced that being prepared is being responsibile. But concern for apocalyptic destruction is not just for passionate ‘preppers.’ Nine out of 10 Americans expect a world disaster to occur in the next 25 years. Even so, 56% of them say they're not prepared.

While I find the “Survivalist Movement” interesting, I am not convinced that current conditions warrant moving to the mountains of Idaho to grow corn and raise chickens. The Bible says planet earth is doomed for destruction. But it also says Jesus will return before then. And all that really matters is that I am ready for Him.  Being prepared is being responsible!

Where are the Watchmen of our times?

Did you know 2010 was the worst year for natural disasters in 100 years: heat waves, floods, volcanoes, typhoons, blizzards, landslides, droughts, and earthquakes (remember Haiti? 250,000 killed). Then the year 2011 was the worst for tornadoes in 100 years (remember Joplin, Mo.). And Japan suffered the worst earthquake/tsunami in its recorded history. And 2012 will be known as the year of droughts, floods and fires, and Sandy, who finished off the hurricane season with an unparalleled wallop on the North Atlantic.

These natural disasters are often referred to by the media as the fury of “Mother Nature.” Insurance companies, who are a bit more sophisticated, label them ‘Acts of God.’ Yet, no intelligent earthling would actually see them as divine events. Should we? Is God trying to get our attention?

Because of modern technology, FEMA can warn people to get ready (except earthquakes).  Is God warning us to get ready for end times? Are our church leaders warning us to get ready? Ezekiel spoke of watchman who saw the sword coming, but did not blow the trumpet so that the people would be warned, and the sword came and took them away (33:6). Where are the watchmen of our times? “You must keep watch, and be on the alert, for you do not know the day or hour of My return” (Matt 25:13).

Forgiveness: Pay it Forward

Is there anything harder than having to forgive someone who does not apologize, or even admit that what they did hurt us? Or, isn’t it aggravating when the offender begins his or her apology with the word “IF”—if I have offended you”—signaling that they are less sorry about what they did than having to apologize.

Unilateral forgiveness is hard. But since we are awash in God's love and acceptance, we have more than enough of His love to extend to another. Hence, we forgive people whether they are sorry or not, whether they apologize or not.  Forgiveness is the ‘currency’ of God’s economy of love. As God spent His love on us, so can we on others, paying it forward. Thus the offending person’s actions or reactions become, objectively, irrelevant.

And lest some very hurt person should read this and sink into despair, be encouraged: forgiveness is not a feeling; it’s a choice and an act of faith. Yes, it may be the hardest thing you ever do, but when your faith is tested in this way, you will become perfectly secure in God’s love and acceptance.

No Time for Slouching!

The election is over. Most of us took a stand on issues. The outcome of the election has not changed our posture. We’re still ‘standing firm’ (Eph. 6:11-14). Up ahead, it may get a lot harder to stand against a cultural of moral indifference and tolerance.

People will say, 'But isn't your God tolerant?' No. He specifically says “I will not tolerate… sin, idolatry, bribery, evil...” In fact, under Jewish law, the punishment for tolerating false gods was death (Deut. 13:10). Aren’t you glad not to be living in 1500 BC? Indeed, we are privileged to be living in the age of grace. But forbearance and forgiveness have not  given way to God's Holy posture. 

There has never been a more important time to maintain good posture, “standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together... in no way alarmed by our opponents, which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for us” (Phil. 1:27-28).  There's no time for slouching.

Winning is everything—or is it?

Depending on your political persuasion you are either rejoicing or lamenting over President Obama's ‘win’ yesterday. The world says “Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing.” As the end of his life neared, Vince Lombardi said, “I wished I'd never said that; I sure didn't mean for people to crush human values and morality.” But this ‘winning at all costs’ philosophy was palpable in the campaign of 2012.

At one point in the campaign Governor Romney said, “It’s not so much winning and losing… it's about something bigger…” I wonder if he was aware of the profundity of his words.

Would it surprise you that the word “winner” is not in the Bible? Can you imagine Jesus saying to Peter: “Now, go out there and win one for the Gipper!” Jesus redefined life. It was not about winning, but doing the will of His Father (Matt 12:50; Heb 10:9).

To those with an eternal perspective, it’s only and always about God’s plans. And though they are not always clear to us, we can be sure He has them. “For I know the plans I have for you. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer. 29:11).

A House Built on the Sand

An old hymn declares “On Christ the Solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand”—this being a reference to Jesus’ parable of those who build their houses on the sands of human effort and short-sightedness, rather than on the eternal rock, Jesus Christ.

Though I wouldn't want to diminish the pain of anyone whose waterfront property was destroyed by Sandy, it’s impossible not to see a spiritual analogy, as you hear the words “We have lost everything.”  Earthlings are embedded in a world that is passing away, personally and corporately: the flimsy foundation underlying the integrity of the U.S. economy will be severely tested by Sandy's damage.

The Bible refers to God as a Rock (strong and reliable), and to Jesus as the Cornerstone the builders rejected (1 Pet 2:7). In the beginning, our nation was built on a solid foundation of Judeo Christian principles. That foundation is gradually being rejected, and replaced by the shifting sands of peoples' opinions, resulting in a spiritual 'housing collapse.'

The Day After the Election

This is one of the most important elections in the history of our nation. The next president and congress will not only face monumental conflicts at home and abroad, but 55 days after the election, unless there is a break in the partisan gridlock, prior tax cuts will expire, effecting a $500 billion tax increase, and the first installment of a $4 trillion reduction in spending will kick in.  A perfect storm (one that will make Sandy look like a breezy day at the beach) is brewing.

At such times I am reminded of David's words: “I do not involve myself in great matters or in things too difficult for me” (Psalm 131:1). 

So, like you, I’ll vote my conscience, trying to discern God's will, resting assured that no matter what happens on November 6, God will still be in control on November 7—because, in the end, I am neither Democrat nor Republican, but a monarchist waiting for the coming of my King.

Don’t’ “Fall Back”

Tomorrow, most of you in the U.S. will be turning your clocks back one hour: it is the end of Day Light Savings. (In March, we set our clocks ahead one hour.) Thus the expression, “Spring forward; Fall back.” This clever phrase brings to mind a practical spiritual principle: whenever we are in a season of hard growth (making progress) we will be tempted to turn back to something familiar (regress).

Upon ‘discovering’ this principle, Sigmund Freud ‘coined’ the term “regression” as the  psychological tendency to “revert to an earlier stage of development rather than handling unacceptable impulses in a more adult manner.”

Centuries before Freud, Paul spoke of regression. He called it "turning" or "shrinking back."  Its opposite is “endurance.” In other words, at any given time, we are either enduring (which results in progress) or regressing. Then Paul declares: “But we are not of those who shrink back… but we are those who … endure” (Hebrews 10:39, 36). In other words, by God's grace, we won’t “fall back.”

Moving Mountains

The writer of Psalm 73 was bothered that he was having so many troubles while the ungodly were enjoying an easy life. Feeling abandoned by God, he was ready to give up. It seemed like all of his diligence, obedience, prayers, and Bible reading were in vain—he was running out of patience.

We've all been there. At such times, it seems like there is a mountain between us and the place we want to be—and we just don’t have the strength to get over it. Jesus said, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible” (Matt. 17:20).

Jesus said our faith is like a seed, when planted in fertile soil, morphs into a plant or tree. He is saying that when we put even a little faith (that may be all we have!) into action, it will grow strong enough to empower us to move a mountain.

What is the mountain in your life? Loneliness, loss of a job, sickness, wounded relationship? Be encouraged. “Faith comes by hearing…the Word of God” (Ro. 10:17). And that Word will speak to your impossibilities. And nothing is impossible for God!

The Paranormalization of America

Halloween may be over, but not America’s obsession with the paranormal. Last month, two animated films about the paranormal were released: Hotel Transylvania about monster/human relations; and Frankenweenie, where dead animals are brought back to life. In the last decade, blockbuster films about witches, warlocks, and vampires became common fodder for our children and teenagers.

In the last half century, the increased fascination with aliens, global invasions, and genetic alterations has been startling. Without a doubt, paranormalization has reduced fear and skepticism of the weird and sensational! ‘So what?’ you say.

Some Bible scholars think the end times, “like the days of Noah,” may include the reintroduction of what-were-possibly fallen angels (Nephilim) on the earth. Whether this forebodes a demonic manifestation in end times is not clear. But if that were to happen, paranormalization could result in naive acceptance. And even if that doesn't happen, paranormalization is still a serious concern. Many Christians have been numbed to the reality and severity of spiritual warfare.