Okay, here's a shameless plug. Your are welcome to submit your own plugs, too!
Want to study the book of Acts with me? I am taking a look at how the disciples LIVED out the Kingship of Christ in Acts. This was the first example of New Testament Believers and Biblical Worldview. Click here to go to my blog.
End of shameless plug!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
No Cussing!
Now this is an example of how to make an impact on culture! This is not a Christian website but this is definitely an example of ways that Christians need to stand up for our Biblical Worldview and make people think!!
A 14 year old boy, McKay Hatch in California got sick and tired of all the foul language his friends were using on a daily basis. He challenged them to stop cussing and they actually took the challenge. This started the No Cussing Club which is a source of inspiration and support to keep the members from using profanity. McKay says on his website: "Through the No Cussing Challenge I realized that I could use POSITIVE PEER PRESSURE on my friends. If my friends could say no to cussing, how much easier will it be for them to say no to drugs, violence, and pornography."
This teen inspired me in that God explicitly says in Proverbs 4:24: Put away perversity from your mouth, keep corrupt talk from your lips." If we are living a Biblical Worldview and obeying God's commands, cussing should not be part of our language. How does it affect our witness when we use languge that is offensive? Also, how much does it anger God when our speech is not glorifying to Him.
I didn't mean to get into a soapbox on perverse speech. I did, however, want to bring to light this example of how one boy impacted alot of people-He was on the Dr. Phil show for crying out loud. If one boy could make a difference in an area of life like this, how much more of a difference can we as Christians change the culture around us to reflect more of God's Kingdom!
check out the No Cussing Club Website: www.nocussing.com
Just some food for thought...
sarah
A 14 year old boy, McKay Hatch in California got sick and tired of all the foul language his friends were using on a daily basis. He challenged them to stop cussing and they actually took the challenge. This started the No Cussing Club which is a source of inspiration and support to keep the members from using profanity. McKay says on his website: "Through the No Cussing Challenge I realized that I could use POSITIVE PEER PRESSURE on my friends. If my friends could say no to cussing, how much easier will it be for them to say no to drugs, violence, and pornography."
This teen inspired me in that God explicitly says in Proverbs 4:24: Put away perversity from your mouth, keep corrupt talk from your lips." If we are living a Biblical Worldview and obeying God's commands, cussing should not be part of our language. How does it affect our witness when we use languge that is offensive? Also, how much does it anger God when our speech is not glorifying to Him.
I didn't mean to get into a soapbox on perverse speech. I did, however, want to bring to light this example of how one boy impacted alot of people-He was on the Dr. Phil show for crying out loud. If one boy could make a difference in an area of life like this, how much more of a difference can we as Christians change the culture around us to reflect more of God's Kingdom!
check out the No Cussing Club Website: www.nocussing.com
Just some food for thought...
sarah
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Thinking is a Lost Art in the Age of Relativism
"Socrates sought to guide his student into authentic knowledge. He did it via a method of discreet, guided questioning. He engaged his student in dialogue (forcing) the student to think his way to a sound conclusion. Socrates wanted to teach his student to think. The goal of thinking is truth. With this method, knowledge is supported by understanding and the student goes beneath the surface to penetrate the truth of the matter." R. C. Sproul
When a society, as a whole, adopts relativism as it's default philosophical underpinning, that society stops thinking. Since there is no such thing as truth, all is relative, after that what is left? The default setting for such a society becomes the way they feel in any given situation.
I was watching television on Saturday morning with my twelve year old daughter. She began watching the show "Amanda." I have only watched this show one time, therefore, I do not know if it is always like this, but the entire show were sets of different parodies on the idiotic way that teenagers think in our culture. I asked Rebekah if she knew what a parody was, and she said, "oh Mama, it is just supposed to be funny and stupid." I took from that that she knew what the definition of a parody was! It was one of the most refreshing shows I have watched in a long time. It was actually trying to bring thought back into the culture, or in my idealistic point of view, it was getting kids to think of the stupid ways that they think. It really floated my boat. Maybe, that is how Jonathan Swift felt when he wrote Gulliver's Travels.
One of the scenes was of a girl named Moody who was only guided by her feelings; thus the name Moody. She decided not to go to her own Birthday party because she was sad about something "vague." Her friends try to pull out of her what she is sad about, and she tells them the story of when she was a little girl. Her mother had to go visit her sick aunt in Chicago. She could not book a flight on any of the airlines, so she chose to go in a hot air balloon. What brought on all of this sadness, is that Moody's boy friend gave her a balloon for her birthday, thus that was what precipitated the low "mood." It gave her flash backs from days gone by. She spills her guts to her friends about her mother, and tells them that when her mother left in the balloon she never came back, and she is up there still. Keep in mind this is all tongue in cheek, exaggerated, and really funny. The friends listen and sympathize and then say, "ok, now lets go party." It could have been an Oprah Winfrey show about the victims in our society who have lost their mothers to hot air balloon accidents!
This has given me a great deal to ponder on. Is this an indication that this current generation is seeing through some of the ridiculous antics that have been going on in their parents generation? Does it give us hope that their are some young people out there that have gone down the road of "feeling" and found it wanting? I believe it does. "Let the little children lead them." May we as adults, not give into the subjective culture around us. Let us help to change the thinking of the young people that God has caused us to influence. May we think, and change our thinking, in order to be able to lead and guide this coming generation and our children's children's generation into changing the way in which they think.
Awaiting the Bridegroom......Lynn Cross
"Therefore, brothers, in view of God's mercy, I urge you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test what God's will is-His good, pleasing, and perfect will."
Romans 12:1-2
Monday, March 10, 2008
Transformation
Living a Biblical worldview… What does this mean? Do many Christians truly understand this vague but important concept? The best definition of Biblical worldview that I have learned is: Practicing the Kingship of Jesus Christ in every part of life. Wow! How often do we think of Jesus as King during our daily routine? This poses an interesting element to our Christian walk and the only way to live this out is through a transformation of our lives.
In the New Testament, three versus cover the concept of transformation. The first verse is Philippians 3:21 which says, “ who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body!” This word for transformation in the Greek means to change the outward form or appearance of something. By this definition, we are encouraged to go through an outward transformation of our bodies by the power of Jesus Christ in our lives. So, in living a Biblical worldview and practicing the kingship of Jesus, what are some ways that we can make changes to our outward body, life and actions that is glorifying to God? What are some ways in which we can live, or not live, that the world around us will know that something is different about us?
The next verse about transformation suggests a slightly different means of transformation. Second Corinthians 3:18 says, “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” Interestingly, this Greek word for transformation is slightly different than the word in Philippians. The word Metamorphoo denotes a change in condition and often refers to a spiritual transformation; an inward change in our life. As Christians, once we are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, we are commanded to change our mind and our thoughts to those that glorify God. There are so many things in our secular world today that infiltrate our minds and steer us far away from Jesus. I think of it as that old cliché of “garbage in, garbage out.” If we are filling our mind with junk, our thoughts might turn into words and actions that are not valuable to the kingdom of Jesus. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” I challenge you to consider what you spend your time watching, listening, or reading and rethink if those things help you to transform your mind toward things that lift up the kingdom of Christ.
The question is, how do we go about transforming ourselves outwardly and inwardly? If we are truly renewing ourselves from the inside out, we will then bring glory to our Father. Both of the verses in Philippians and 2 Corinthians mention the word glory. In fact, 2 Corinthians says that we will reflect the Lord’s glory through our transformation! I would like you to recall two different stories in the Bible where the glory of the Lord was reflected upon Moses and Jesus. Moses spent forty days with God as the Lord gave him the Ten Commandments. When he came back to the Israelites, they could not even look at him because Moses reflected the glory of the Lord so brightly. (See Exodus 34:29) Now think about the Transfiguration of Jesus, He reflected God’s glory as he “shone like the sun”(see Matthew 17:2). What is the common denominator with both of these examples of reflecting God’s glory? Both Moses and Jesus had just spent extensive and intense time with the Lord, so much so that they reflected God’s light so brightly that those around them could barely look at their face! We too can reflect the Lord’s glory by simply spending regular time with God in prayer and meditation of His word. God truly wants us to be His light to the world He created. We can only reflect His light and character by coming to know Him and who He is. Start with just spending a few minutes in Bible study every day, you will soon find that you crave His presence more and more as you come to a closer relationship with Him. Before you know it, you will “shine like stars in the universe” (Phil. 2:15) and be the hope and light in this lost world.
Living a Biblical worldview is not an easy task. It is difficult to be transformed and different from the world. But, remember that our purpose as children of God is to love, serve and glorify Him. It is only through living out the kingship of Jesus that we can truly find fulfillment of our purpose as we set out to glorify our King. Let’s find our true joy by being transformed inwardly and outwardly not by the things of the world, but by the Word of God and the power of Jesus Christ.
In the New Testament, three versus cover the concept of transformation. The first verse is Philippians 3:21 which says, “ who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body!” This word for transformation in the Greek means to change the outward form or appearance of something. By this definition, we are encouraged to go through an outward transformation of our bodies by the power of Jesus Christ in our lives. So, in living a Biblical worldview and practicing the kingship of Jesus, what are some ways that we can make changes to our outward body, life and actions that is glorifying to God? What are some ways in which we can live, or not live, that the world around us will know that something is different about us?
The next verse about transformation suggests a slightly different means of transformation. Second Corinthians 3:18 says, “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” Interestingly, this Greek word for transformation is slightly different than the word in Philippians. The word Metamorphoo denotes a change in condition and often refers to a spiritual transformation; an inward change in our life. As Christians, once we are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, we are commanded to change our mind and our thoughts to those that glorify God. There are so many things in our secular world today that infiltrate our minds and steer us far away from Jesus. I think of it as that old cliché of “garbage in, garbage out.” If we are filling our mind with junk, our thoughts might turn into words and actions that are not valuable to the kingdom of Jesus. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” I challenge you to consider what you spend your time watching, listening, or reading and rethink if those things help you to transform your mind toward things that lift up the kingdom of Christ.
The question is, how do we go about transforming ourselves outwardly and inwardly? If we are truly renewing ourselves from the inside out, we will then bring glory to our Father. Both of the verses in Philippians and 2 Corinthians mention the word glory. In fact, 2 Corinthians says that we will reflect the Lord’s glory through our transformation! I would like you to recall two different stories in the Bible where the glory of the Lord was reflected upon Moses and Jesus. Moses spent forty days with God as the Lord gave him the Ten Commandments. When he came back to the Israelites, they could not even look at him because Moses reflected the glory of the Lord so brightly. (See Exodus 34:29) Now think about the Transfiguration of Jesus, He reflected God’s glory as he “shone like the sun”(see Matthew 17:2). What is the common denominator with both of these examples of reflecting God’s glory? Both Moses and Jesus had just spent extensive and intense time with the Lord, so much so that they reflected God’s light so brightly that those around them could barely look at their face! We too can reflect the Lord’s glory by simply spending regular time with God in prayer and meditation of His word. God truly wants us to be His light to the world He created. We can only reflect His light and character by coming to know Him and who He is. Start with just spending a few minutes in Bible study every day, you will soon find that you crave His presence more and more as you come to a closer relationship with Him. Before you know it, you will “shine like stars in the universe” (Phil. 2:15) and be the hope and light in this lost world.
Living a Biblical worldview is not an easy task. It is difficult to be transformed and different from the world. But, remember that our purpose as children of God is to love, serve and glorify Him. It is only through living out the kingship of Jesus that we can truly find fulfillment of our purpose as we set out to glorify our King. Let’s find our true joy by being transformed inwardly and outwardly not by the things of the world, but by the Word of God and the power of Jesus Christ.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)