Abominations

Recently someone posted an image on Facebook that was entirely inaccurate, in more than one way. The image claimed firstly that the Old Testament of the Bible is in Greek originally (it is not, it is in Hebrew!) and secondly claimed that the verse in Leviticus where it says “man shall not lie with man as he does with woman” uses the word for “little boy” as the second instance of man. The two words are different words in Hebrew, but the second word is used to mean male. That means any male. The poster was trying to argue that homosexuality was acceptable in the Bible and that there was nothing against it. What our conversation finally came down to was the fact that this person did not like that someone thought their actions (and the actions of those they loved) were sinful and worthy of punishment. Let me state here that all sin separates us from God, in His eyes there is no sin that causes more or less separation from Him than another; however, there are some sins which God will punish more harshly than another. Only He knows what will happen on the day when we die and go to meet Him.

 

During the course of our conversation, this article was shared. It was appalling and inaccurate, so I determined to set the record straight. I spent more than an hour researching and trying to do justice to the questions the woman had posed. I did not thoroughly read the article (mostly because it started with insults and lacked journalistic integrity), but I skipped to the verses they took issue with and found the answers o the questions they had. Below is my response. I did not quite every passage or give the reference, you will have to see the articles to find the references specifically.

 

http://www.pensitoreview.com/2007/02/07/abominations-you-could-be-committing-one-now/comment-page-2/#comment-1263465

 

This article is incorrect. The things that are listed as an abomination are things like rape, adultery, homosexuality, the creation of idols, dishonest business practices, cross dressing, divination, etc. (Most of those should at least make sense…) The verse in Deuteronomy 14 about what animals you should eat does not say that the pig is an abomination, it says it is unclean, which is an entirely different Hebrew word than the one translated as abomination.
The verse about not eating shellfish is again a separate word from “abomination”, This word is only used in relation to foods that they were not to eat. It is also translated as “detestable” or “unclean.”

 

Please realize that there are particular portions of instruction that were meant for the time of the Israelite’s wilderness wanderings and not later. Even after Jesus’ arrival and the declaration that the old law (and much of the food laws) had been done away with, many Jews still chose to practice the traditions. They also tried to force the Gentile believers to follow these laws, even though Gentiles were not required to follow them (according to the New Testament).

 

The Exodus verse about being put to death for working on the Sabbath has nothing to do with “abominations”. In this case, God had granted the people a day to rest and this day was to be holy and consecrated to the Lord (as holy as any other thing that was devoted to the Lord). Violating that holiness was essentially like spitting in God’s face. The reason why we stopped putting sabbathbreakers to death I can’t tell you, but it seems to be generally agreed upon that people who break the Sabbath by working on it will be judged in the next life. Not all consequences or punishment are immediate. Another general principle people seem to disregard is the intent of the command and the intent of the law. The Sabbath was made for man, as a day of rest; man was not made for the Sabbath. It was the Pharisees and religious leaders who added all of the extra “rules” about the Sabbath, which Jesus broke (to an extent). He told a man to pick up his mat (something the Jews considered work) and at another time his disciples picked individual grains to eat. The command for rest on the sabbath does not mean that we cannot do anything, but that we should not be laboring on the Sabbath. This is why picking up your food or serving a meal on the sabbath would have been acceptable, but gathering the wheat and threshing it etc. would not have been.

 

The Isaiah verse is out of context, it is not the incense itself that is abominable, it is the double standard of those who practice wickedness yet come to offer God incense as a ritual, with hearts that are far from him. When we read to understand something we must also read to understand the culture, the linguistic connotations, and the context of the passage.

 

Finally, the Revelation verse. The Greek word that is here translated as “abomination” is only used 6 times in the New Testament (as compared to the 120+ times the OT word was used). The outline of BIblical usage seems to refer mainly to idolatry. Two verses refer to “the abomination of desolation” (thought to refer to a person or force that would destroy Jerusalem). In Luke it states that “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.” Revelation talks of a “cup full of abominations” and a woman who is the “mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.” What exactly these last two mean is uncertain to me, perhaps it is a metaphor for being filled with detestable things that you propagate.  The final verse of Revelation, 21:27, is often not quoted to the end: “nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Nobody who has committed abominable acts will enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless the blood of Christ has been applied to cover the debt for their sin. That means that anyone who has accepted Christ’s gift of salvation is clean. If the worst person in the world were to ask Jesus for forgiveness on their deathbed He would be forgiven and enter Heaven right alongside the sweetest saints.

 

My initial concern was with the inaccuracy of the image, but it seems that your main argument is either personal, trying to justify the actions of others that the Bible considers wrong, or mislead, thinking that Christians don’t know that they have sinned. We all do bad stuff, I am just as guilty of sin as anybody else, from Hitler to Mother Theresa. Jesus died for that sin; yours, mine, and everyone’s, because any sin at all would keep us from His presence and from enjoying heaven.

 

Read Full Post »

Why I Hate Feminism (and do not call myself a feminist) – Part 1

Part 1 – The redefinition of words to create something else to control and be offended by.

Feminist. You probably have strong feelings when you hear/read this word. What image comes to mind when you think about a feminist? Chances are, this word conjures up either the image of a social justice warrior, fighting to defend the rights of the oppressed women of America, or a fat and ugly free-bleeder who eats men for breakfast. Whatever your opinion in this, I want you to know two things:

1. I support women’s rights to equality (not that women are the same as men, but should have equal opportunities.)
2. I do not call myself a feminist.

The Redefining of Words

There are many reasons why I do not call myself a feminist, but one that has been on my mind recently (and is fairly easy to address) is that modern feminism relies strongly on the redefining of words and manipulation to encourage young women to view all their problems as a result of oppression and misogyny and not due to any other factors.

Some words that have been modified recently:

• Friendzoned – I do not know who decided that this word was somehow an attack on women, but it is not. The word itself simply describes when a person (typically a man) has invested time/money/emotion into a girl and has discovered that the girl is only interested in friendship. It is my personal opinion that women tend to invest more in relationships with men that they do not intend to become romantic (“just friends”) than men tend to. A girl might simply think that the guy who stays up late texting her, goes to the mall with her, listens to her cry, and buys her snacks, is just doing what any other friend would do. In my experience, guys do not tend to do things like this for a girl unless they are at least mildly interested in her, and if they start out that way, they will at some time be interested in a relationship, even if he never admits it. Girls, on the other hand, tend to like to talk and can be very comfortable investing time and energy into a friendship with a boy they have no intention of having a romantic relationship with. There is nothing wrong with these tendencies. Girls should try to be more considerate and realize that they may, in fact, be unintentionally signaling to a guy that they are interested when thay are not.

  Somehow, modern feminists have come to the conclusion that a guy saying he was “freindzoned” means that somehow the woman owes him something. What? No. Just no. The concept of wooing a woman may be foreign to Americans, but the idea is that you spend time with someone and do nice things for them in an attempt to get them to like you, not to say that they owe you anything! If you are reading this and thinking “Well, I had this one guy who was like, you need to sleep with me because I was there for you when you were sad!” etc. then that speaks VOLUMES to the type of man that YOU choose to spend time with. I have placed several interested men in the friend category (some without realizing they were interested) and not once have I had someone act as though they owed me anything. Could it be that they were upstanding and respectable guys? No! Never! Men are pigs! But really, if this happens to you, it might be that you lead them on (perhaps unintentionally) or that you make terrible friendship choices.

• Slut – I saw this one described the other day as “attacking a woman for her right to say yes.” *blinkblink* Just because you have a right to say yes does not mean you aren’t a terrible person for saying yes to every guy who asks. Generally the term is used to describe women (and sometimes men) who are easy (as in, have had sexual interactions with multiple non-serious partners, willing to kiss any guy, etc.) OR who dress to show off far more skin on a regular basis than is generally considered socially acceptable. We live in a society where telling someone that they are wrong is taboo, and heaven forbid a young person ever have to feel shame for their actions.

  It’s like that Kaepernick guy; he has a right to sit for the anthem, but I also have a right to say he’s a dingbat for doing so.

• Bossy – There is actually a campaign to ban the word bossy. Really. The website for this campaign says “When a little boy asserts himself, he’s called a “leader.” Yet when a little girl does the same, she risks being branded “bossy.” Words like bossy send a message: don’t raise your hand or speak up. By middle school, girls are less interested in leading than boys—a trend that continues into adulthood. Together we can encourage girls to lead.” Bull. Crap. I taught middle school and I have not experienced this phenomenon, it is quite the opposite, in reality. When leaving notes to substitutes, or appointing leaders in my classroom, I usually have to make sure that I have at least one boy on the list, because there is an abundance of girls who are able and willing to lead. I can think of maybe 7 or 8 boys (our of 180 students) who would volunteer to lead or do something. Usually only one in each class.

 The word bossy is defined as: “inclined to domineer (dictatorial), liking to order people around.” A LEADER does not simply tell people what to do; a leader leads by example, encourages and inspires those around them to follow their example, and generally takes the initiative to do something about a problem. A bossy person simply tells people what they should do, “We should play THIS game!” or “No, no, no! When I make my doll say this, you’re supposed to say…” or “Give me some of your candy.” Now, I know that this word is most often applied to girls and I am not entirely sure why, but here are some similar words boys get called: insolent, pushy, arrogant, domineering, aggressive, controlling, cocky, cocksure, high-and-mighty, patronizing, pretentious, pompous, and pig-headed. The connotation of the word bossy indicates that the person thinks they are smarter or they know better than others, and want everyone to do as they say. For a boy, in a world where girls tend to outshine them in the classroom from an early age, putting forth the effort to speak up and risk embarrassment takes a lot of courage. A student who leads and says, “I think this would be a good way to do X” is using their skills and trying to do the best they can, whereas a kid saying “No, we have to do it this way!” is bossy. There is a distinction. Banning the word “bossy” is not going to help a little girl’s self-esteem.

Do you know what would help women boost their self-esteem? If girls’ magazines were not strictly geared to looks, getting boyfriends, and being sexy/sexual. Instead, why not fill magazines with things like: how to be a good friend, how to dress in ways that flatter your body type, how to succeed in male-dominated careers (or tips on careers that might be difficult for women due to physical limitations), health care tips, what colors complement your skin tone, manners, easy and healthy recipes, tips on job interviews, crafts, tips for young mothers, how to be a good wife, how to spot a man who might not be good for you, quick/easy household organization tips, etc. As a youngun, I LOVED the American Girl magazine. It was great! There were stories, crafts, paper dolls, tips on manners and advice on how to handle tough situations. It was a wonderful resource; they also published tip books, stories about courageous girls (Felicity was my favorite), and had dolls for sale. Unfortunately, few magazines these days are like this.

Instead of redefining words, why not redefine our culture? How about we teach women to respect themselves; that they don’t have to wear five pounds of makeup, have sex, or show off their bodies to be beautiful. Or that it’s ok to say NO to a guy who is interested, and that not having a boyfriend at age 13 does not mean that there is something wrong with you. Or that just because you are waiting for marriage to have sex it does not make you a prude. Maybe we should honor those women who choose to be a stay-at-home-mom or housewife as much as we honor and respect those who choose to pursue a career. Perhaps we should stop insulting women who actually enjoy domestic activities like cooking, and at the same time encourage/empower those who are not great at those domestic activities so that they know they don’t have to be, and know that they have help if they want to learn.

When I was in middle school I was bullied badly. I was chubby, I was (and am) a Christian and did not do some of the things other kids did, I liked reading and nerdy things like Star Trek, and I did not dress like everyone else (partly because I could not afford it, partly because I was modest and not so interested in what was fashionable). I was made fun of for not having a boyfriend; kids would tease me and try to ask me who I liked, or who I would go out with. If my response was “I don’t know him” I was told “You get to know him, that’s what having a boyfriend is for.” I was called fat and ugly, and lost “friends” because I didn’t dress popularly. I even lost friends because I chose not to lie to my parents: I went to a friend’s house and she wanted to watch the movie Stigmata, something I knew I would not have been allowed to watch, but I also did not want to watch it anyway (still don’t). “Your parents won’t know” was the only response my friend gave to my objections. Our friendship pretty much ended that day. In college I was occasionally called a prude, mostly by guys who I was friends with where there was mutual interest, but not the compatibility necessary to justify starting a relationship. Just because two people are attracted to each other does not mean you MUST date, or that you would be good long-term, or that you need to make out. In the long run, I think I have gained respect because I did not have dozens of boyfriends (went on a few dates, though only one lead to a relationship), did not dress immodestly, and held to my standards. Have I made mistakes? You betcha. Many things I wish that I had not done, or had done differently. Did I sometimes compromise? A few times, and I regret it completely.

Changing the mindset of Americans will do far more for young girls than it will to change the words that we use to describe the mindset. The Bible definitely got it right: Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Changing the words we use will not change the hearts of the people that use them.

Check out this article on 8 Ways Fascist Feminists are Ruining America’s Women.

Read Full Post »

“Lyin’ Ted” or “Lion Ted”?

While I may not necessarily agree with everything any political candidate believes, I think we can all agree that Donald Trump crosses the line when he makes up nicknames for opponents that are not true (and Trump is not entirely honest himself). I agree with this image in that I think that Ted Cruz has defended his beliefs and stood up for his convictions with tenacity, and that is something that is laudable. When he says he wants to do something, it’s not just “an opening bid” or up for negotiation with the highest bidder, he truly believes what he stands for. I have not yet decided who I will cast my vote for in the upcoming election, but a man who is honest and defends what he believes in (despite the opposition) gets far more points in my mind than someone who defends their beliefs by tearing their opponents down.

 

Read Full Post »

Nurture them while you may

Men are the stronger sex; they work, build, and provide for their families. They don’t cry. They don’t get overrun by “feelings” like women do. Men are tough; they are not sensitive and do not get emotionally hurt easily.

Or do they?

Something that I have observed over the years is that there is a little boy inside every grown man. I see it in my husband, I see it in my father, and I see it in many of my friends. The same things that delighted them as a boy, the same things that made them sad, still affect them on the inside, thought they may not show it. My husband delights in fixing things, taking things apart and seeing how they work and then putting them back together (he recently built a computer). From the stories I’ve heard of his childhood, this is something that he has always enjoyed. My father has always loved story-telling: the adventure, the struggle between good and evil, the hero persevering, etc. This shows even now in the things that he writes, and the stories that touch him.

My little brother (now a teenager) was always a very sensitive little boy. He would cry when characters on TV got hurt, and he didn’t like scary movies. He never tortured earthworms, or pulled the wings off of flies, or any of that. He was always considerate of other people and animal’s feelings. One year when he was 8, I had a bad birthday and I cried because no one in my family cared (it was a special birthday too), and I was going to have to make my own cake etc. all by myself. My brother made a card in the shape of an alien (complete with antennae) and wrote inside “greetings earthling, our leader wishes you a happy birthday” and stuck a dollar inside. That card was so very precious to me. I still have it, and the dollar he gave me, as a reminder of the sweet sensitivity of my eight-year-old brother.

The little boys I teach piano to also exhibit some sensitive traits. Very often, if they have a choice between Thomas the Tank engine and Littlest Petshop stickers, they’ll choose the pets! Between Buzz Lightyear and animals, they’ll go with the animals most of the time. Even when they pick the Toy Story stickers they want Ham or Rex or Bullseye more than the others. The sad thing is that many older men (and women) will tell these boys: don’t you want the rocket ship? Or will reprimand them for crying, or for enjoying something that might be a little “girly”.

This is important: the sensitivity of the little boy that you raise will dictate the kindness and courteousness of the man he will become.  That gentle little boy that you treat to respect others, to value life (even the life of a worm), to love his family, and to cry when he sees injustice and suffering will grow into a man who respects everyone, who fights to protect life, and will not stand for injustice. That little boy needs to be loved and nurtured so that he can grow into the type of man our society needs today. There is still a little boy inside of every man. If you look carefully, you may see him. But be careful not to frighten him away.

Here is what the Bible says about living peaceful lives:

1 Corinthians 13:11 – “Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

1 Thesselonians 5:12-18 – “But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. ^See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.Rejoice always;pray without ceasing;in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Proverbs 15:1 – “A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.”

For more on this concept read John Eldredge’s “Wild at Heart”.

Read Full Post »

Overcome

In the past few years I have gained a new perspective, a new life, and a new me. I am always undergoing changes, and by the grace of God I am making improvements slowly but surely. I feel that I have overcome many obstacles in my path; trials that are natural to mankind, frustrations brought upon by my sin nature, and difficulties inflicted on me by family failings. I am overcoming them all.

The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about poverty, and namely how to avoid it. A proverb is a wise and trusted saying, so the Christian book of Proverbs is a veritable gold mine of wisdom (which it reminds us to seek). Among the sayings about poverty we are reminded that someone who neglects discipline will surely come to poverty and shame (Pvbs 13:18). There is profit in all labor, but those who simply talk will come to poverty (14:23). The glutton, drunkard, and drowsy person (someone who is lazy/sleeps a lot) will come to poverty. (23:21). And I particularly like the imagery of Proverbs 6:10-11:

“A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to ^[a]rest”—
¹¹ Your poverty will come in like a ^[b]vagabond
And your need like ^[c]an armed man.

(See this page for more references.)

My family has always been poor, and as a child I looked upon it as something that was put upon us, an unfair disadvantage brought about by adverse circumstances (such as family health problems) and through no fault of our own. As I grew up and expanded my mind beyond what I knew I came to realize that most of our problems in my family could have been fixed by one thing: diligence. This can apply in any area of our lives. Diligence in discipline (train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it), diligence in maintaining healthy behaviors, and diligence in working at home and on the job. All this is to say that I hope and pray that I can be diligent in the future and keep my children from the issues that I have had to face.

Things that I have overcome or am overcoming:

Poverty: I work hard at several part-time jobs (subbing, lessons at 2 studios, instrumental coaching), and I keep my spending to a minimum. (Some tips on that later.) If it’s not needed and not justifiable, I don’t get it.

Housework: Rather than leave the work for someone else to do (my husband), I just get up and do it! Rather than putting it off until tomorrow, I just get up and do it! My household is thus far clean and fairly well-organized, though not perfect by any means.

Weight: My family has always struggled with weight. Part of it was due to lack of self-control in eating habits, but also because cheap food is usually not health food (white bread, anyone?). I am down from the obese 180 that I was in high school, to a healthy 128. I know the properties of the food I eat, how many calories I consume, and choose when to have those special treats. I avoid getting food on the go and my waistline thanks me. I also work out when I can. I feel great!

Anger/Impulsiveness: One of the consequences of the lack of diligence and self-control that Iw as exposed to during childhood caused me to be rather angry. Sometimes there was hypocrisy, which didn’t help matters. Being intelligent and angry, and well-read, often caused me to say harmful things before thinking about them. I was a miserable child: fat, unpopular, awkward, poor, smart, and to top it all off, a Christian (values and standards were frowned upon). Not many people liked me. I was angry. Depressed. I feel that if someone had helped guide me through the torrent of emotions of my teenage years I might have been better for it. This is something I have made great progress in, and the majority of my battles are now internal, but something I am still working on.

Some wonderful new changes in my life, thanks to the goodness of God: I have a wonderful husband, and we live in our own little apartment. I have a job at a new lesson studio, with Christian proprietors, and am looking into another job. I have new and better friends than some of the people who I was hanging around with at work and college, and have been developing these friendships. I am less stressed/angry than I was in high school, have lost weight, and I feel more confident about myself. And I have a new outlook on life, renewed faith in God, and a renewed determination to seek Him out and to gain knowledge of theology, etc. Life is good!

I want you to know that you can overcome anything! With patience, diligence, self-discipline, and by leaning on God and his grace, you can have the abundant and joy-filled life God has called you to have.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22)

Read Full Post »

Divided

Divided, my loyalties lie,

Twisted, astray, gone awry.

Hindered by feelings, desire and lust,

All that I valued, now turned to dust.

 

Those that would love me,

Those that would care,

Harass and they bug me,

Why do they dare?

They say that I’m foolish,

That this is no good,

I said “it’s my life!”

And I’d do what I would.

 

Divided, my loyalties lie,

Twisted, astray, gone awry.

Hindered by feelings, desire and lust,

All that I valued, now turned to dust.

 

All of my friends,

They’re on my side.

They’ve stood beside me

Each time that I’ve lied.

Said “you’re a grown up!

It’s your life to choose!”

And with their convictions,

I’ve nothing to lose.

 

Divided, my loyalties lie,

Twisted, astray, gone awry.

Hindered by feelings, desire and lust,

All that I valued, now turned to dust.

 

The man I called savior,

The one who gave all,

He’ll do me a favor,

He won’t let me fall.

My life is my own,

I am my god,

My choices and values

You should applaud!

 

Divided, my loyalties lie,

Twisted, astray, gone awry.

Hindered by feelings, desire and lust,

All that I valued, now turned to dust.

 

Hindered by feelings, desire and lust,

All that I valued, now turned to dust.

 

All that I valued, now turned to dust.

Read Full Post »

Twisted

How to describe how I feel right now? The most eloquent sentences that I can string together don’t encompass the depth of the feelings I feel and the way my heart is saddened within me. One word might suffice.
Twisted.
My insides feel all twisted up in knots. My sister “ACE” is making exceptionally unwise choices, going places that no self-professing Christian should ever go, doing things that one should never do. She is dating someone with views opposite her own, and who is much older than she — a friend of mine, who I know well enough to know he is not a good person for her to date. ACE is easily influenced, doing things because “they’re fun”, “I want to”, “it feels good”, “I’m young”, “it’s not THAT bad” etc. and is likely to run into a world of trouble if she keeps on the path she’s going down. Last week she went to a club that caters to goths and has overall a theme of vampiric bondage and sexuality, etc.  One person testified that at this club “nothing is taboo.” When ACE went there was a man in attendance who was only wearing a condom! I am so worried about her right now I am to the point of distraction. She doesn’t care that she’s causing her family pain, she doesn’t care that she is deliberately disobeying what God has commanded.

“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” Hebrews 10:26-29

There is a part of me that almost wants to let her screw up her life, to see her fail,  fall flat on her face so we can say “I told you so!” And there’s another part of me that wants to snatch her up and protect her from harm. I know sometimes I make mistakes, and I say things to her that I probably shouldn’t, and for that I apologize to her and to anyone else necessary. But at the same time, no, I won’t apologize. She owes her family an apology for worrying them, for giving the family a poor reputation, and Christ an apology for deliberately trampling on His sacrifice.

In regards to the club she went to, she told me that she wanted to go, but at the same time her boyfriend claims that he respects her beliefs and he won’t do anything to hurt her. I asked her, “if it ever got to the point where you wanted to have sex with him would he say no, even if you wanted to?” She replied “That’s different, I wanted to go to the club because it was halloween and fun stuff.” -.- He doesn’t love her enough to protect her from herself. I am distracted over this to the point of tears. I found out through other people that she had gone to this club, and not from her. And apparently her last boyfriend took her to clubs that were WORSE than this one! I am distraught!

At one point in her last relationship I asked her why it would be good for her to keep going to church (she sometimes does) and she replied “So I don’t ‘go astray’.” With quotations, as if it wasn’t a possibility! She thinks she hasn’t changed at all, but she has. She’s become more devious, lying to family members and to her own boyfriend (at the time), and she doesn’t even know that she’s changed! What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!

Lord Jesus, help me to know what to do! I feel so twisted inside! I pray that she will find wisdom and maturity and that I will have peace and be able to say the right things. Amen.

Read Full Post »

Scandalized

I am really quite irritated at the state of the literature directed at youth these days. I was reading a book entitled Graceling, by Kristin Cashore, and thoroughly enjoying it. My sister “Ace” had recommended it to me, and I was glad to be able to share in something that she enjoyed and to talk with her about it. I often recommend books to her, and it was nice that she was excited about a book, like she hasn’t been in a long while.

In this story some of the characters have what are referred to as “graces”; a grace is a special skill that the person has which manifests itself in childhood, and a graced child is indicated by having eyes that differ in color from each other. Sometimes it makes itself known when the child is a few months old, sometimes older, but no one can tell what the grace is until the child discovers their special skill. Some are skilled with numbers, or cooking, others with fighting or sometimes something fairly useless like climbing trees; these skills are developed over time and require a person to learn to master them. Some of the main characters in this story are graced, and the story follows the path of the heroine, Katsa, as she struggles to form her identity and figure out who she is and how her grace defines her life (she is graced with fighting). The struggle to control her anger, to trust, to be independent, and to find herself, all are enthralling and something that youth can identify with these days. The female lead is a strong character, far more so than the male cast, and sometimes I fear that the men in the story may be too ideal, too soft to be real. (This is how the world is becoming, strong women, weak men…)

I was reading along, enjoying the story when it happened: BAM! sex scene. For much of that chapter, Katsa deals with the newness of feelings for this character, struggles to reconcile what life would be like as a wife bound to one man who had her abilities and disposition (she had vowed never to marry or have children). He says something to her to the effect of “I’ll give myself to you in whatever way you’ll take me”, meaning: even if you don’t want to marry me, I would still be your lover. She grapples with what it would mean to commit to a marriage relationship when her future is so uncertain; marriage is forever. How would she feel if she were to be tethered to a man, as she had been to the king? (Of course I’d say love is it’s own beautiful tether and not true bondage…) All this she reasons through, and then one day while sparring together they get a little too physical and  end up having sex. The book is not too graphic (comparatively) but it does talk about them making out, necking, taking off each others’ clothing…it talks about how it hurt her, and how she bled, and even refers to his speed and him contemplating whether he should slow down or not.

I have several issues with this:

1. What the heck is a sex scene doing in a children’s book?!?! Do little girls need to envision the wonder of sex and the pain and exhilaration of it at age 10 or 12? Should a little girl be exposed to these things that will cause her to burn with the desire to know and be known? Do little boys barely through puberty need to start down the path toward lust? I’m sure they’ll both get there in their own time, but does it need to be encouraged?  In a world where sex is cheap, women are valuable only for their bodies, and men are allowed to satisfy their urges however they choose, I would say no. The book continues to make sexual references: “If places other than my toes are cold would you warm them too?”, and other comments about him touching her inappropriately.

2. Do we really want our children to start reasoning that commitment is bad because we don’t know the future? Using that reasoning we could get out of anything…work, school, marriage, and then we will be morally and emotionally bankrupt because we cannot have the patience or the discipline to stick with a decision that might be long-term. Sometimes we have to take a step of faith with a person: “No, I don’t know the future, but I know you, and I trust you. I feel safe committing to you, even if the future is uncertain.”

3. The character gave in way too easily, and now this scene has colored the entire remainder of the book and the characters themselves. It makes love look cheap, and patience no longer a virtue. It glorifies giving in to one’s primal desires for mere pleasure and because they felt compelled to do it. (She also eats a “morning after” type of plant.) When she was struggling with the new concept of being in love, of whether she wanted children, of whether she wanted to be “bound” to one man, did she ever consider the emotional ties that would be created? The scandal of if he (who is a noble) ever married? What would happen if she did get pregnant? Completely selfish.
All this is to say, a perfectly good book was practically ruined for me.

Read Full Post »

Knowing God’s Will

“The Man Who Said ‘NO’”

Knowing God’s Will for Your Life, Part 1

• Introduction: Have you discovered God’s will for your life?
• Proposition: in Jonah 1:1-3 we will examine two facts concerning God’s will.

The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.”  But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.”

Jonah 1:1-3

• Thoughts to consider:
  • Have I ever run away from or ignored God’s will for my life?

 

1. We must DISCOVER it.

Discover: transitive verb

a : to make known or visible : expose b archaic : display

2 a : to obtain sight or knowledge of for the first time : find <discover the solution>4

• We must actively seek to know his will.

1. His will is revealed through His WORD.

• The Bible is our instruction manual, we must read it to discover His will.
  • 2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”
    • Some translations say “study to show thyself approved”, this means that we are to discern what behavior God approves of.
    • Psalm 119:105 – “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Read all of Psalm 119 for further information!) His Word will lead us in the right direction.
    • Eph 4:14 – “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.” (Read chapter for context)
    • If we only talk to God and don’t read His word we are like a broken radio circuit, always transmitting but never receiving.
    • James 1:22 – “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
    • General commands:The Word of God gives us principles that all Christians are to follow; these are the commands that all who claim to follow Him must obey and are not only for an individual. These are things that we do not have to pray about to find God’s will, it is clearly written for us to know.
      • Love God and love Man:
        •  “²⁸ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating… he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” ²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^{[c] 30} Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^{[d] 31} The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[e] There is no commandment greater than these.”” Mark 12:28-31
        • Gracious speech:
          • “Let no ^[b]unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification ^[c]according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:28
        • Forgive as you have been forgiven:
          •  ^“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven ^[x]you.” Ephesians 4:32
        • Be Holy, as He is Holy:
          •  “¹³ Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵ But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶ for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”^[a] Peter 1:13-16
        •  Get rid of your old sins:
          • ”Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.^{[b] 7} You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. ⁸ But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. ⁹ Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”  Colossians 3:5-10
    • Concept: His will is not revealed through circumstances; you can be acting completely out of God’s will and still have positive circumstances.
      • When someone runs from God, Satan is more than happy to provide transportation and accommodation.
      • Example: Jonah just happened to find a ship bound for Tarshish; he could have believed it to be a sign from God that he should take that ship, when he clearly knew what God had commanded.
      • Sometimes that “peace” you feel about a decision can be false.
    • Thoughts to consider: How much of the Bible do you know is God’s will for your life?

1. We all have a COMMISSION.

• “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ^19 [e]Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you ^[f]always, even to the end of the age.””Matthew 28:18-20
  • This should read “as you are going, make disciples.” It’s a given that people will be going about their daily business. As we do this we should be making disciples. Start in your Jerusalem, in your home town, the places that you go daily.
  • It starts at home: make disciples and be witness to those around you.
    •  “ So we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. ⁹ Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. ¹⁰ You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. ¹¹ For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, ¹² encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.” 1 Thessalonians 2:8-12
      • By sharing your life and living according to God’s commands, you are a witness to those around you.
      • “Be prepared to kindly give an answer for the hope that is in you. But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” 1 Peter 3:15-16
      • Romans 1:16 –  ^“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…”

1. We must OBEYit.
   1. Even when it is DIFFICULT.

• It is often difficult to obey when the task is unpleasant:
  • Paul was beaten for preaching the Gospel. Acts 16:22, 2 Corinthians 6:3-10
  • Jonah was commanded to take a message to Nineveh, telling them that the wrath of God would come upon them if they did not repent (Jonah 3). Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian empire, enemies of the Jews; Jonah did not want them to be saved, he wanted them to suffer and be destroyed. This would be as if a Jewish American were told during World War II that he needed to go to Nazi Germany to take a message to the Nazis so that they could repent and be saved.
  • Other difficult tasks: love your neighbor, ask forgiveness, give forgiveness, be holy.
    • Sometimes there are things we need to do that are difficult, like turn off that television show we shouldn’t watch (Psalm 101:3 “I will not look with approval on anything that is vile.”) or reach out to that person in need (James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”)
    • Role-specific commands.
      • God also has specific commands in the Bible that apply only to certain people. There are commands for husbands and wives, children, parents, unmarried women, leaders, pastors, etc. and there are general commands that all Christians must follow. (See the books of Ephesians, Colossians, 1 Timothy, 1 Corinthians, 1 Peter, Tutus 2,  and Proverbs 31 for some specific instructions regarding your station in life. )
      • Thought to consider: what is my specific role in life right now? Are there any specific commands for me in the Bible? Am I keeping them?

1. Following instead of FLEEING.

• Jonah went completely the opposite direction of what God told him to do.
  • Even if you do not run from His commands, inaction is still disobedience.
  • Circumstances seemed right for Jonah to do his will, instead of God’s.
  • It is best to be in God’s will now, to bring Him glory and follow His commands. God promises to bless those who follow His precepts. Psalm 103:17-18 “But from everlasting to everlasting
    the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.”
    • Noah’s family was spared – Genesis 6
    • Abraham was blessed – Genesis 18:17-19
    • Lot was saved – Genesis 19
    • God’s will does not go away if you ignore it, and whether you like the command does not change it.
      • There was a story of a woman who would throw sticks in the air every time she came to a fork in the road to determine which way to go. Upon observing her repeatedly throwing a large number of sticks in the air one day, a man asked her why she threw so many. She replied “I throw them until they land in the way I want to go!”
      • Thought to consider: Am I guilty of trying to conform God’s will to my desires?
    • The Lord will discipline those who are disobedient, as a father disciplines his child.
      • Jonah was swallowed by a great fish. Jonah 1:17
      • Solomon’s Kingdom was taken from him. 1 Kings 11:10-11
      • King David’s son died, other men slept with his wives, and his household was filled with calamity and violence. 2 Samuel 12:7-14
      • Moses was not allowed to enter the promised land. Deuteronomy.
      • Israelites forced to wander for 40 years.

• Conclusion: Mold me and make me after THYwill.
  • Pray for God to show you His will for your life, and earnestly ask Him to change your heart and shape you according to his will.
  • In summary, 3 ways to know God’s will: 1. Read the Bible. 2. Pray. 3. Seek Godly counsel from mature believers.

Read Full Post »

Pa. teacher strikes nerve with ‘lazy whiners’ blog – Yahoo! News

Pa. teacher strikes nerve with ‘lazy whiners’ blog – Yahoo! News.

I thought this was an interesting article; a teacher called students out on her blog by calling them “lazy whiners” and saying other similar things: “students want everything handed to them” and such similar things. While she did use some profanity (I did not see this portion of the blog), calling students things like that is completely acceptable. Students are really lazy and should be help accountable, but in this age they are not, and teachers who try to keep them in their place are threatened with loss of their job. Tell me what you think about this article.

Read Full Post »