A wise women once told me, "Brian, if you want to lose all of your friends start talking about religion or politics." Well, I most certainly don't want to lose all my friends, but there are certain issues in our society that just cannot be swept under the rug, and I believe the escalating tension in Syria is most certainly one of those issues. I hope that we as Christians and those who may be seeking can learn and grow together in our understanding of some very difficult/complex issues that a lot of us must go through. Let me be clear before we dive into this post, I'm not looking to solve the Syrian crisis or state which way or another that US troops should or shouldn't go. I'm looking to offer some perspective on the issue through a Christian point of view. Here are just a few things that come to mind when looking at Syria.
1) This is a crisis that involves human beings.
When we are detached from a situation it can become very easy to lose the personal effect of the situation. We are blessed to live in the United States of America, and the situation that is going on in Syria right now is very foreign to us. Very few if any of us can even imagine the horror of losing 100,000 due to war in the span of 2 years. I hope that as we continue to see how events unfold in Syria we become committed to praying for the Syrian church, people, leadership, and leaders all over the world as they continue to look at this very pressing issue which is affecting the entire country of Syria. Please remember it is very easy to point fingers, name names, and be part of the problem in the discussion, my encouragement would be to be part of the solution and vow today to continue to pray for the Syrian church.
2) God is still in control
If anytime people doubt the control and power of God it would be a situation that is similar to what's going on Syria. What we're seeing Syria right now is absolute chaos. Bombings, deaths of children, fire, disease, and the sad part is this has been going on for far too long. I want to be clear: God cares deeply about the thousands of innocent lives and people who have been lost in Syria. God has not lost any power or control with the current situation in Syria, while as a limited human being I cannot fully explain how God still maintains control in this current situation, but one thing is certain that God hasn't lost power or goodness with what's going on in Syria. The Syrian civil war is a MAJOR test of faith of for many people, and I hope we can continue to be faithful in the midst of the storm.
3) These people need Jesus
Religion is often blamed for starting many wars and conflicts throughout our world. I must say that it religion certainly is blameworthy in sadly quite a few instances of violence in human history. But, these people in Syria, in the Middle East, across the world don't need religion. Religion doesn't save people, only Jesus can save people, heal people, and be the fulfillment that all people that all people desperately seek. Let me be clear here, most people believe in Jesus. They believe that he is a historical, real person. But, where a lot of people disagree is about Jesus' divinity. Most people in all different religions will claim that Jesus existed, they won't say that Jesus can save you from your sins. So, the challenge is to communicate the saving message of Jesus to those who don't believe. It's never easy, but we as Christians need to take the words of Jesus seriously, be in prayer constantly, live a moral/righteous life, and we need to seek to be the church wherever we go.
I hope we continue in prayer for the ongoing crisis in Syria.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
On Lee Daniels' The Butler
It's already getting Oscar buzz, hype, creating conversation, and it is pegged by several critics of the must see movie of the summer. No, I'm not talking about Planes. The movie is Lee Daniels' The Butler. This movie walks the viewer through the life of butler, Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), who served as a butler to the President of the United States beginning with Dwight Eisenhower and ending with Ronald Regan. The movie also captured a lot of the of the prevailing social issues that dominated life for African Americans during their fight for civil rights during the 1950's and 1960's.
The movie begins by showing scenes from Gaines' childhood growing up in the deep south. Tragedy, hardship, and a stroke of luck land Gaines a job working at an upscale hotel in the deep south, where he is befriended by the hotel's butler. Together the two of them faithfully serve the hotel and its guests day in and day out. It was working at this hotel that the opportunity of a lifetime falls in Cecil Gaines' lap. He gets a job opportunity to work at a prestigious hotel in Washington D.C. Gaines' readily accepts the job, and his hard work, dedication, and charming personality land him an even bigger job in 1957: a job serving one of the most powerful men in the world, President Eisenhower. Thus begins Gaines' career serving the most powerful people in the world. It is a remarkable film with a stellar cast and in-depth glimpse of life in the Oval Office, but even greater than that the film shows the struggle by African Americans for full acceptance in American society. The film also shows poignant moments from Gaines' personal life, and it really give the viewer an personal feel to the film. You will walk out of the theater thinking that you know Cecil Gaines.
In terms of family friendliness The Butler falls about on the middle of the spectrum. There is little sexual scenes or innuendos in the film. But, the film does have moments of strong language, violence, and scary images. I would rate it 2.5 out of five stars in terms of family friendliness. In terms of overall quality the film shines at some moments and not at others. Whitaker and Winfrey are absolutely stellar in terms of acting, but the script leaves characters undeveloped, tries to do too much in the time frame allotted, and feel forced at times. I would bet it will see lots of attention come Oscar season, but for this reviewer it only gets 2.8 out of five stars.
The movie begins by showing scenes from Gaines' childhood growing up in the deep south. Tragedy, hardship, and a stroke of luck land Gaines a job working at an upscale hotel in the deep south, where he is befriended by the hotel's butler. Together the two of them faithfully serve the hotel and its guests day in and day out. It was working at this hotel that the opportunity of a lifetime falls in Cecil Gaines' lap. He gets a job opportunity to work at a prestigious hotel in Washington D.C. Gaines' readily accepts the job, and his hard work, dedication, and charming personality land him an even bigger job in 1957: a job serving one of the most powerful men in the world, President Eisenhower. Thus begins Gaines' career serving the most powerful people in the world. It is a remarkable film with a stellar cast and in-depth glimpse of life in the Oval Office, but even greater than that the film shows the struggle by African Americans for full acceptance in American society. The film also shows poignant moments from Gaines' personal life, and it really give the viewer an personal feel to the film. You will walk out of the theater thinking that you know Cecil Gaines.
In terms of family friendliness The Butler falls about on the middle of the spectrum. There is little sexual scenes or innuendos in the film. But, the film does have moments of strong language, violence, and scary images. I would rate it 2.5 out of five stars in terms of family friendliness. In terms of overall quality the film shines at some moments and not at others. Whitaker and Winfrey are absolutely stellar in terms of acting, but the script leaves characters undeveloped, tries to do too much in the time frame allotted, and feel forced at times. I would bet it will see lots of attention come Oscar season, but for this reviewer it only gets 2.8 out of five stars.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
On Honesty
This post strikes deep for me. I must say this is one of the toughest posts for me to write. Because, the temptation to be dishonest runs deep within our society. It is easy to cheat on your taxes, lie when the cashier gives you too much change, take an extra sick day at work, lie to your family, be dishonest with your friends, etc. The list can go on and on and on. But, the question remains are we really committed to live out our faith? If the answer is yes, then being an honest person/person of integrity has to be a MAJOR priority in our lives. Proverbs 24:26 states,"An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips." John 9:24 states, "Give glory to God by telling the truth."
I hope through all of us learn not that we should be honest. I'm hoping by now through lessons from our parents, grandparents, Sunday school teachers, etc. That we all know we should be honest. What this post is designed to communicate is that honesty doesn't need to be something we follow when it's convenient, honesty needs to be something that our lives revolve around. We need to be intentional about holding each other accountable in moments of deception and untruth. Being honest is one of the greatest witnesses and testimonies that we as Christians can have to an unbelieving world.
In our current post modern world, where truth is under attack, where absolute truths are being debated/redefined/rewritten, we as the people of God need to stand up for what is right and true. I want you to understand that two truths need to be communicated and lived out in this generation. First, being that God loves sinners and has come to save them. We need to look past just having a church that appeals and welcomes people who look they have it all together. We need to reach out to the lost and broken, those who don't have a clue, the destitute, distraught, ashamed, sinful people, because that's exactly who Jesus reached out to in the Gospels and continues to reach out to today. Secondly, that we are called to be transformed in our walk with the Lord. The Bible isn't designed to give humans every single answer. It doesn't answer issues such as identity theft, cyber bulling, etc. The Bible's purpose isn't even for you to worship it, rather the purpose it serves is to transform you to look and act more like Jesus every single day. We as Christians need to understand that Christianity cannot be something we just do on Sunday morning. This is every part of our existence. One of the main ways we live out our faith is being honest and truthful all the time.
I hope through all of us learn not that we should be honest. I'm hoping by now through lessons from our parents, grandparents, Sunday school teachers, etc. That we all know we should be honest. What this post is designed to communicate is that honesty doesn't need to be something we follow when it's convenient, honesty needs to be something that our lives revolve around. We need to be intentional about holding each other accountable in moments of deception and untruth. Being honest is one of the greatest witnesses and testimonies that we as Christians can have to an unbelieving world.
In our current post modern world, where truth is under attack, where absolute truths are being debated/redefined/rewritten, we as the people of God need to stand up for what is right and true. I want you to understand that two truths need to be communicated and lived out in this generation. First, being that God loves sinners and has come to save them. We need to look past just having a church that appeals and welcomes people who look they have it all together. We need to reach out to the lost and broken, those who don't have a clue, the destitute, distraught, ashamed, sinful people, because that's exactly who Jesus reached out to in the Gospels and continues to reach out to today. Secondly, that we are called to be transformed in our walk with the Lord. The Bible isn't designed to give humans every single answer. It doesn't answer issues such as identity theft, cyber bulling, etc. The Bible's purpose isn't even for you to worship it, rather the purpose it serves is to transform you to look and act more like Jesus every single day. We as Christians need to understand that Christianity cannot be something we just do on Sunday morning. This is every part of our existence. One of the main ways we live out our faith is being honest and truthful all the time.
Monday, August 19, 2013
On the Cuckoo's Calling :)
Robert Gailbrath, aka J. K. Rowling, came out with her latest novel Cuckoo's Calling a few months back. Before I dive into a review on the book, let me start out by saying: it's nothing like Harry Potter. But, needless it is written a very thrilling, captivating way. One of the things I'm very intentional about in these reviews is telling you a synopsis, Christian perspective, but I don't want to ruin the plot or the ending for you. So, without further adieu, let's dive in!!!!
The Cuckoo's Calling is JK Rowling's second novel written for adults, the first novel being a Casual Vacancy. This novel centers around the mysterious death of supermodel Lula Landry as she fell out of her second story apartment window to her death on a cold January night. The police rule Lula's unfortunate death as a suicide, and the case is quickly dropped from there. However, that doesn't sit well with Lula's half-brother John Bristow. He believes that Lula was pushed, and that her death was in fact no accident. John Bristow is convinced that Lula was murdered. So, he sets out to hire a private detective Cormoran Strike. Strike a detective down on his luck and feeling a major financial pinch, reluctantly agrees to take the case. He even accidentally hires a secretary from a temp agency, Robin, even though he really can't afford to pay her much of anything. Strike and Robin set out to try and prove Bristow's assumption and as he begins to look at the major suspects: the troubled boyfriend, the angry film producer, the rapper who moved below her who had trouble with the law, and the jealous friend, Strike finds a case that is truly twisted, surprising, and down right dangerous. What they find will make your jaw drop!
That is a brief overview of the book. I will say I was glad I read it, but I don't know if I would read it again. The character development is good, but I don't know if I would say great. JK Rowling brings in some characters really quickly, and it leaves the reader asking where did they come from? She also could develop more characters which she mentions but doesn't give much time in the story such as Robin's fiancee, Strike's ex-lover, and even John Bristow's brother Charlie. But, overall I would say the quality of writing and the story is very good. It's a great page-turner, easy read, and I love hearing British terms for things such as a cell phone is called a mobile. The highlight is the end of the story, a truly great surprise ending:). Which won't be revealed here:) I would give it 3.5 stars out of five.
In terms of a Christian world view, I would say the book had some major areas that Christians need to be aware of and take a look at. Surprisingly, the book was not very sexually explicit at all. It did mention a few cases of unmarried people living together, which in our day and time can be a very gray area for folks. My folks raised me to be against it, but that is not me saying if you live or have lived with a boyfriend/girlfriend or whomever you're a bad Christian. There are many things to consider if you are, but please note that the Bible is very clear about the dangers of sex outside of marriage. One of the main struggles I had with the book though was the language. There was a lot of profanity in the book, and that did bother me. I would say that is probably the main reason why I won't read it again. All of the profanity is unnecessary, and it goes against directly what Paul is telling us in Philippians 4 saying that we as Christians need to look for and cling to things that are pure, noble, trustworthy, true, holy, etc. If profanity bothers you in a book then this is not the book for you. I give it 2 out of 5 stars for my Christian/family friendly book.
The Cuckoo's Calling is JK Rowling's second novel written for adults, the first novel being a Casual Vacancy. This novel centers around the mysterious death of supermodel Lula Landry as she fell out of her second story apartment window to her death on a cold January night. The police rule Lula's unfortunate death as a suicide, and the case is quickly dropped from there. However, that doesn't sit well with Lula's half-brother John Bristow. He believes that Lula was pushed, and that her death was in fact no accident. John Bristow is convinced that Lula was murdered. So, he sets out to hire a private detective Cormoran Strike. Strike a detective down on his luck and feeling a major financial pinch, reluctantly agrees to take the case. He even accidentally hires a secretary from a temp agency, Robin, even though he really can't afford to pay her much of anything. Strike and Robin set out to try and prove Bristow's assumption and as he begins to look at the major suspects: the troubled boyfriend, the angry film producer, the rapper who moved below her who had trouble with the law, and the jealous friend, Strike finds a case that is truly twisted, surprising, and down right dangerous. What they find will make your jaw drop!
That is a brief overview of the book. I will say I was glad I read it, but I don't know if I would read it again. The character development is good, but I don't know if I would say great. JK Rowling brings in some characters really quickly, and it leaves the reader asking where did they come from? She also could develop more characters which she mentions but doesn't give much time in the story such as Robin's fiancee, Strike's ex-lover, and even John Bristow's brother Charlie. But, overall I would say the quality of writing and the story is very good. It's a great page-turner, easy read, and I love hearing British terms for things such as a cell phone is called a mobile. The highlight is the end of the story, a truly great surprise ending:). Which won't be revealed here:) I would give it 3.5 stars out of five.
In terms of a Christian world view, I would say the book had some major areas that Christians need to be aware of and take a look at. Surprisingly, the book was not very sexually explicit at all. It did mention a few cases of unmarried people living together, which in our day and time can be a very gray area for folks. My folks raised me to be against it, but that is not me saying if you live or have lived with a boyfriend/girlfriend or whomever you're a bad Christian. There are many things to consider if you are, but please note that the Bible is very clear about the dangers of sex outside of marriage. One of the main struggles I had with the book though was the language. There was a lot of profanity in the book, and that did bother me. I would say that is probably the main reason why I won't read it again. All of the profanity is unnecessary, and it goes against directly what Paul is telling us in Philippians 4 saying that we as Christians need to look for and cling to things that are pure, noble, trustworthy, true, holy, etc. If profanity bothers you in a book then this is not the book for you. I give it 2 out of 5 stars for my Christian/family friendly book.
Monday, August 12, 2013
The Sufficiency of the Gospel
This is a post that I am absolutely stoked to be writing. I know for a fact that this post needs to be written. Because in our modern day and times I see a lot of the church trying to do things to paraphrase Frank Sinatra, "Their way." There is a constant push to change the image of God to being someone who is your buddy, pal, jokester, and even at times wing-man. There is a push that tries to eliminate the wrath and judgement of God from our theology, conversation, and beliefs. To illustrate that point more clearly the leaders of a new hymnal committee for a mainline denomination church chose not to include the favorite hymn "In Christ Alone," because it included a line about the wrath of God. It worries me greatly that we as the church in the 21st century believe the gospel needs our help. I cringe a little when I see people trying to adapt the gospel and make it fit into popular culture by watering it down, tweaking what they don't like, or just ignoring things that make them uncomfortable. I say all of this to stress to you my readers: the gospel is absolutely fine on it's own. The good, saving message found in scripture doesn't need our help, our addition, our wisdom, to accomplish it's purpose. It just needs us to be faithful to it's original message and faithful in telling everyone about it.
Paul has many great things to say about the gospel, unfortunately unless I wrote a 70 page blog post we wouldn't be able to do justice to all of the great things he has to say. However, here are a few things Paul does say about the gospel found in Romans 1:15-17, "15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
Three things that I want to pull from these three verses. First, is found in vs. 15, Paul talks about how eager he is to preach the gospel. At the heart of our existence as Christians I hope our mindset becomes or is similar to that of Paul. We are eager and excited to tell people about the incredible saving news that God chose to save us by his grace and love rather than give us what our sins deserved. I can't think of any better, more exciting, or more amazing news than that. So, the question remains if the news is so great, if our God is so loving, and if our future is set, why are there so many SAD, SAD Christians?! I'm firmly convinced that living a life filled with the joy of the Lord is one of the most powerful witnesses and testimonies you can give. So, I just want to challenge you to take a good hard look at your life and understand the truth that your life preaches and tells a message. The way you act, how you speak, and how you live speaks volumes about who you are and what you believe.
Second thing to consider is found in vs. 16. I want to draw your attention to who Paul says has the power. The gospel's power is not found in our words, our charismatic presentation, our abilities, or anything to do with us. What makes the gospel so powerful and far reaching is that it's power is found in God and God alone. As you present the gospel please remember that the word of God is eternal, and the word of humans are only temporal. Be faithful in it's presentation. The reason why I say that is because it works. For over 2,000 years people have come to know the incredible truth that Jesus Christ saves sinners through his blood on the Cross. It saves old people, young people, rich people, and poor people. The Cross saves people of all different educations, backgrounds, races, and languages. It's the incredible universal message of truth, and I think we as the church don't need to change, tweak, or add to the message. We have to find creative, compelling ways to share this great message of truth!
Finally, the gospel must be accepted by faith. One of my modern heroes is Pastor Louie Giglio, states that the mystery is that if we can add it all up then there is no room for God. If you have all the answers in your life, then the truth is that God has no place. I've been alive for about 27 years, and I've seen a lot of people and come across a lot of stories and one of the biggest mistakes I've seen people make over the years is try and find every single answer to all of life's questions. The sad reality is that you'll never be able to do it, because you're not God. But, here is one answer which I hope you will understand and relish in all of your days: God is good and God does love you. If either of those statements were false the Cross would have never happened. Please know that the gospel and good news is sufficient to save people. It has done that very effectively for a very, very long period of time and will continue to do so in the future.
Paul has many great things to say about the gospel, unfortunately unless I wrote a 70 page blog post we wouldn't be able to do justice to all of the great things he has to say. However, here are a few things Paul does say about the gospel found in Romans 1:15-17, "15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[a] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith." (This is taken from Biblegateway)
Second thing to consider is found in vs. 16. I want to draw your attention to who Paul says has the power. The gospel's power is not found in our words, our charismatic presentation, our abilities, or anything to do with us. What makes the gospel so powerful and far reaching is that it's power is found in God and God alone. As you present the gospel please remember that the word of God is eternal, and the word of humans are only temporal. Be faithful in it's presentation. The reason why I say that is because it works. For over 2,000 years people have come to know the incredible truth that Jesus Christ saves sinners through his blood on the Cross. It saves old people, young people, rich people, and poor people. The Cross saves people of all different educations, backgrounds, races, and languages. It's the incredible universal message of truth, and I think we as the church don't need to change, tweak, or add to the message. We have to find creative, compelling ways to share this great message of truth!
Finally, the gospel must be accepted by faith. One of my modern heroes is Pastor Louie Giglio, states that the mystery is that if we can add it all up then there is no room for God. If you have all the answers in your life, then the truth is that God has no place. I've been alive for about 27 years, and I've seen a lot of people and come across a lot of stories and one of the biggest mistakes I've seen people make over the years is try and find every single answer to all of life's questions. The sad reality is that you'll never be able to do it, because you're not God. But, here is one answer which I hope you will understand and relish in all of your days: God is good and God does love you. If either of those statements were false the Cross would have never happened. Please know that the gospel and good news is sufficient to save people. It has done that very effectively for a very, very long period of time and will continue to do so in the future.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
On Despicable Me 2
I love writing movie reviews. I think movies are very powerful tools that communicate ideas, thoughts, and morality to a wide range of people. Movies are some of life's great joys, but I do believe that movies need to be viewed and understood for what message they are trying to communicate. With all of that being said I think we need to encourage movies that support Christian values and be very cautious of those that don't.
One of the more enjoyable movies I've seen recently has been Despicable Me 2. This is the sequel movie from the 2010 smash hit, Despicable Me. In this film we are centered around the story of Gru, former master criminal who turns good guy once he adopts three orphan girls: Agnes, Edith, and Margo. The story centers around the AVL, Anti-Villain League, recruiting Gru to work at a local mall and discover who in the mall has a syrum that can create a pack of ruthless killers. (The movie is a cartoon) Well Gru is assigned to work at Bake My Day, the local bakery, and he is partnered with Lucy an agent with the AVL. The movie follows the hilarious hijinks of Gru and Lucy as they attempt to find who has the serum. The viewer gets to see some of the craziness of Gru's minions, the little green guys who speak in a funny language. We are also treated to Gru's adorable girls as they are more grown up in this film, and his oldest, Margo, is even interested in a boy!!! But, the race is on between Gru and Lucy and the conniving villain who is using the deadly serum on his minions! You'll have to watch the movie to see who it is, and if they're able to catch him or her in time!!!!
But Despicable Me 2 does stay true to its form. If you like the first movie, I guarantee you will like the sequel. It stays true to the first movie with lots of cute lines from all three girls, lots of big cartoonish explosive, exciting super hero and villain scenes and weapons, and the minions are absolutely hilarious. I don't know if they are speaking Gibberish or Pig Latin, but they are really, really funny. In terms of family and moral values the movie is rated PG. It does have a somewhat scary scene that might scare really little ones. There are moments when light crude humor is displayed (they use a fart gun, laugh at someone's butt), but other than that the movie is very clean and a very enjoyable flick for the whole family. Despicable Me 2 does show the importance of one's family and sticking together no matter what, standing up for what's right, and it shows us very clearly that we need to let the people we care about know how we feel. I give it 4 out of 5 stars on family friendliness and 5 out of 5 stars overall. I really liked the movie, and I would highly recommend it if you liked Despicable Me.
One of the more enjoyable movies I've seen recently has been Despicable Me 2. This is the sequel movie from the 2010 smash hit, Despicable Me. In this film we are centered around the story of Gru, former master criminal who turns good guy once he adopts three orphan girls: Agnes, Edith, and Margo. The story centers around the AVL, Anti-Villain League, recruiting Gru to work at a local mall and discover who in the mall has a syrum that can create a pack of ruthless killers. (The movie is a cartoon) Well Gru is assigned to work at Bake My Day, the local bakery, and he is partnered with Lucy an agent with the AVL. The movie follows the hilarious hijinks of Gru and Lucy as they attempt to find who has the serum. The viewer gets to see some of the craziness of Gru's minions, the little green guys who speak in a funny language. We are also treated to Gru's adorable girls as they are more grown up in this film, and his oldest, Margo, is even interested in a boy!!! But, the race is on between Gru and Lucy and the conniving villain who is using the deadly serum on his minions! You'll have to watch the movie to see who it is, and if they're able to catch him or her in time!!!!
But Despicable Me 2 does stay true to its form. If you like the first movie, I guarantee you will like the sequel. It stays true to the first movie with lots of cute lines from all three girls, lots of big cartoonish explosive, exciting super hero and villain scenes and weapons, and the minions are absolutely hilarious. I don't know if they are speaking Gibberish or Pig Latin, but they are really, really funny. In terms of family and moral values the movie is rated PG. It does have a somewhat scary scene that might scare really little ones. There are moments when light crude humor is displayed (they use a fart gun, laugh at someone's butt), but other than that the movie is very clean and a very enjoyable flick for the whole family. Despicable Me 2 does show the importance of one's family and sticking together no matter what, standing up for what's right, and it shows us very clearly that we need to let the people we care about know how we feel. I give it 4 out of 5 stars on family friendliness and 5 out of 5 stars overall. I really liked the movie, and I would highly recommend it if you liked Despicable Me.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
On Purity
The verse we're looking at for this particular post is one of the Beattitudes found in Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God." Such a simple verse, but if lived out this verse has seriously powerful implications. What this is essentially telling us is that God is absolutely, 100% pure. What we're talking about when we say purity is something or someone that is 100% clean. There is no defilement, blemish, or anything wrong with them. In the Old Testament when someone made a sacrifice to God their sacrifice had to be pure/perfect containing no blemish or defect.
Of course we know of the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice made for us is Jesus' death on the Cross. Jesus is the embodiment of purity. He is in no way affected or tainted with sin. His love is perfect. God forgives perfectly, and God cannot or will not be able to have a relationship/fellowship with those who are sinful. This verse is absolutely 100% HUGE. It's the problem in one verse: sin is separating you from God. But, the incredible news of the Gospel, is that separation can be removed, but it cannot be removed by your own doing. Jesus makes you pure. All your trying, effort, education, etc. is good but it won't fully ever do the job. Your purity comes by the grace of Jesus Christ. So, the question remains: now what? Well, there are many aspects and thoughts about purity. There is no way we can wrap it all up in one blog post, but we will hopefully start the conversation. Here are three things that come to mind when I think about purity.
First, purity is very hard to maintain but very easy to lose. I would use the metaphor that purity is very similar to a house of cards. One must use a lot of concentration, focus, and determination to build a house of cards. I've tried it, it's not easy. But, as soon as someone sneezes, bumps the table, or anything happens that house of cards comes tumbling down. Well, purity works in a very similar way. In our ever increasing technologically advanced society, where we can see anything or anyone at the push of a button people now have access to information, resources, opportunities, and temptations they've never had in the past. I'm saying all of this to say that with more opportunity for temptation, access to ideas, information, sinful opportunities, one's purity can be compromised very easily. For some of you this thought rings very true, purity takes a long, long time to build up and master, but can be lost in an instant. So, I want to encourage you to guard your heart, be very careful about the friends you associate with, the movies you watch, what you look at on the Internet, etc. Because, once impure thoughts enter your head it's very difficult not to act on them, so be very, very careful.
Second thought is purity is something that God cares a lot about. In the Garden of Eden we are told that God was able to walk and fellowship with Adam and Eve and they enjoyed a closeness and intimacy with God that we will experience in Heaven. But, then disaster struck as the evil one took on the form of a serpent, deceived Adam and Eve, and their eyes were opened to good and evil. Their purity was forever taken, God banished them from the garden, and the relationship would never be the same. As we all know that decision to listen to the evil one and eat the forbidden fruit had absolutely disastrous consequences for all of us throughout human history. But, one thing it did do was it forever made the purity God requires unattainable on our own. But, the good news of the gospel is that Jesus attains that for us. But, if we are people who claim to be in love with Jesus, care for and desire what Jesus desires, then it is very easy to draw the conclusion we would want to be pure in everything we do.
Third, purity should be something we strive for together. It's not just an individual thing. One of the biggest mistakes I think the church makes is that we see our purity and our sanctification as a private thing. We don't want to get involved in other's lives. We don't want to share what's going on in our lives for fear someone might not approve. Well, I'm writing today to suggest that if we want to see a radical new desire to be pure, to be holy, and to see a revival in our land and in this generation it can't happen by individual people trying their best. It's a thing the entire community needs to get excited about and then with the power of the Holy Spirit we will be a nation that shines brightly the light of Jesus Christ.
We're beginning something really, really cool soon, so stay tuned.
Of course we know of the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice made for us is Jesus' death on the Cross. Jesus is the embodiment of purity. He is in no way affected or tainted with sin. His love is perfect. God forgives perfectly, and God cannot or will not be able to have a relationship/fellowship with those who are sinful. This verse is absolutely 100% HUGE. It's the problem in one verse: sin is separating you from God. But, the incredible news of the Gospel, is that separation can be removed, but it cannot be removed by your own doing. Jesus makes you pure. All your trying, effort, education, etc. is good but it won't fully ever do the job. Your purity comes by the grace of Jesus Christ. So, the question remains: now what? Well, there are many aspects and thoughts about purity. There is no way we can wrap it all up in one blog post, but we will hopefully start the conversation. Here are three things that come to mind when I think about purity.
First, purity is very hard to maintain but very easy to lose. I would use the metaphor that purity is very similar to a house of cards. One must use a lot of concentration, focus, and determination to build a house of cards. I've tried it, it's not easy. But, as soon as someone sneezes, bumps the table, or anything happens that house of cards comes tumbling down. Well, purity works in a very similar way. In our ever increasing technologically advanced society, where we can see anything or anyone at the push of a button people now have access to information, resources, opportunities, and temptations they've never had in the past. I'm saying all of this to say that with more opportunity for temptation, access to ideas, information, sinful opportunities, one's purity can be compromised very easily. For some of you this thought rings very true, purity takes a long, long time to build up and master, but can be lost in an instant. So, I want to encourage you to guard your heart, be very careful about the friends you associate with, the movies you watch, what you look at on the Internet, etc. Because, once impure thoughts enter your head it's very difficult not to act on them, so be very, very careful.
Second thought is purity is something that God cares a lot about. In the Garden of Eden we are told that God was able to walk and fellowship with Adam and Eve and they enjoyed a closeness and intimacy with God that we will experience in Heaven. But, then disaster struck as the evil one took on the form of a serpent, deceived Adam and Eve, and their eyes were opened to good and evil. Their purity was forever taken, God banished them from the garden, and the relationship would never be the same. As we all know that decision to listen to the evil one and eat the forbidden fruit had absolutely disastrous consequences for all of us throughout human history. But, one thing it did do was it forever made the purity God requires unattainable on our own. But, the good news of the gospel is that Jesus attains that for us. But, if we are people who claim to be in love with Jesus, care for and desire what Jesus desires, then it is very easy to draw the conclusion we would want to be pure in everything we do.
Third, purity should be something we strive for together. It's not just an individual thing. One of the biggest mistakes I think the church makes is that we see our purity and our sanctification as a private thing. We don't want to get involved in other's lives. We don't want to share what's going on in our lives for fear someone might not approve. Well, I'm writing today to suggest that if we want to see a radical new desire to be pure, to be holy, and to see a revival in our land and in this generation it can't happen by individual people trying their best. It's a thing the entire community needs to get excited about and then with the power of the Holy Spirit we will be a nation that shines brightly the light of Jesus Christ.
We're beginning something really, really cool soon, so stay tuned.
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