Blog of the Week - Desiring God

We will see how long this blog of the week thing continues to be once a week!  Here is my suggestion for this week:

I was going to post a different blog, but decided to do this one instead because of what was happening on it this week.  This week's blog is the Desiring God blog.  Desiring God is part of the ministry of John Piper.  This blog provides good book reviews, good discussion, and points out other blogs/articles that are helpful (as if I need to read anything else!).  The reason I am choosing it for this week is because of what John Piper has written this week about the stillborn birth and death of his granddaughter.  The theology of Piper at this time of family crisis and hardship is an encouragement to anyone who may be going through any type of trial.  Combine that with the Bible study I heard last night on James 1 reminding us that we are to consider it all joy, and I have been encouraged a lot this week.

Blog of the Week - Rebelution

As promised yesterday, I am going to start sharing some of the blogs that I have found that I find helpful, interesting, or just worth sharing for some reason.  

The blog for this week is from the website www.rebelution.com.  This website/blog was started by twin teenage boys, Alex and Brett Harris, when they were 16 years old.  They are the brothers of Joshua Harris, pastor of Covenant Life Church and author of "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" and "Boy Meets Girl."  These boys are trying to challenge youth to rebel against the rebellious culture that is bombarding our youth with messages that are against the church and family.  They are trying to challenge youth to become young leaders in the church during the time of adolescence when society seems to think that they do not need to take responsibility for anything.  Part of the challenge is to learn doctrine and study theology since the church isn't challenging most youth to do just that.  They challenge youth to adopt 1 Timothy 4:12 and to return to the Bible's standards for character.  I encourage everyone (and especially those who are parents of youth, youth, or youth workers -- or even those interested in encouraging youth) to not only bookmark and read the blog, but check out the website and resources portion of the website.

Something That Confused Me

I came across this today in my habitual perusing of blogs that I have bookmarked, and it made me wonder what is going on with these people.  Just the title was enough to catch my attention: An Irony Wrapped in an Enigma Inside an Oddity.  What a title!  As I read on, I had to read and re-read the content several times.  It seems that there is a couple in Sydney (Australia I presume) that was having marital problems.  The husband and the wife both started visiting chat rooms and talking with others about the marital problems.  "Sweetie" and "Prince of Joy" started talking about their spouses, complaining, talking through the marital problems, and fell in love online.  They decided to meet, and when they showed up at the date, they found out they had really been chatting and falling in love with each other online.  So now they can live happily ever after because they have worked through their problems and fallen in love again, right?  Wrong.  They file for divorce instead.  I guess that neither could get over the fact that the other had tried to have an online relationship and actually meet the person.  I am not sure.  All I know is that the story and the ending are messed up!

Fun Things I have Found

I am a blog junkie.  I have now said it.  I like to take short mental breaks and read various blogs that can be found on the Internet.  I have found some pretty cool things recently that I will be sharing soon.  I figured I could share what I have found with others.  Most of the blogs are religious in nature.  Some are just random people that I have found by pushing the next blog button at the top of the page.  Some are from news organizations and are basically opinion blogs.  I think that I am going to start sharing a blog a week (or a month), but I haven't decided yet.  Stay tuned.

Dear Jesse Jackson

Dear Jesse Jackson,

I am not a racist.  I think I have to say that up front because you seem to think that all white people are.  However, I believe that it is because of people like you that racism still exists in America.  You forget that you are the face that white America sees as a representative of African-Americans.  You try to make every issue a racial issue, leading Americans to become tired of the race card being played.  You contribute to the lack of publicity (or at least the public ignorance) of issues such as the Jena 6 because you cry wolf with the race card too often.  Please stop hurting your fellow Americans by trying to divide instead of unite.  Please stop hurting your fellow African-Americans by portraying the ethnicity as a whole in the manner that you do.

Further proof that you are doing nothing but causing division is the recent allegation that you said Barrack O'Bama acts too white (or something along those lines).  I don't know what "acting white" means although I have heard it said many times in the African-American community.  I thought you want equal treatment.  I thought you do not want for people to look at an African-American any differently than they would look at a white person, or Hispanic-American, or Asian-American, or _______________-American (and you can fill in the blank).  Yet you are expecting them to act differently?  I am not an O'Bama supporter (although I would vote for Collin Powell if he would run for president), but I do think that he is portraying African-Americans in a positive way that may contribute to the eradication of some racism.  Let him continue.  I don't think he is "acting white."  From what I can tell, he is "acting American."  Why don't we leave the labels at that?

It Creates a Problem When You Don't Have the New Testament

Well, some Jewish leaders discovered that they have a problem with Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac.  It seems that the story is causing problems for the Jews trying to interpret its fully meaning.  Take this article from the Chicago Tribune which quotes various Jewish religious leaders who try to make the interpretation relevant for today.  When I saw reference to this article in Albert Mohler's blog, my first thought was that the Jews have a problem because they do not accept the New Testament (and do not have the understanding provided by the Holy Spirit).  The author of Hebrews explains this act of Abraham and provides commentary that enables us to understand God's test and Abraham's willingness to obey.  Dr. Mohler explained that later in the article.  I think that the fact that Judaism, Islam, and Christianity share the story of Abraham and hold him in high esteem, yet interpret the significance of Abraham differently shows that without the Holy Spirit, it is impossible to understand religious things.

Yay Starbucks!

I think that I am going to start commending companies that use big words in advertisement.  Maybe it is a snob thing for me, or maybe it is just the fact that I think that brains today need to be challenged sometimes.  Maybe it is just that I like to look smart every once in a while although my smartness is definitely something that can be questioned.  Anyway, today I received an e-mail from Starbucks advertising various new products, and was pleasantly surprised to see the word "accoutrements" used to describe the syrups and coffees that Starbucks is currently promoting.  We can debate whether it is a proper use of the word (which would probably better fit the syrup than the coffee itself) at some other time.

More on Corporate Worship

A random thought has been bouncing around in my head for the past few weeks since starting this contemplation of worship.  What does it matter what is going on in public worship if I am still able to worship God individually in the midst of it?  I have heard that from some people, and have thought about it myself as I recently spent a worship service that was focused on self more than God.  In fact, I used to hear that we should just close our eyes and focus on Jesus and have a one-on-one with Him during the service.  So isn't that what I should do?

After thinking it through and not being satisfied with that answer, I went back to Ephesians and determined that it DOES matter what goes on in corporate worship, and failure to recognize that results in worship that IS NOT pleasing to God.  Ephesians is very clear on the matter of corporate worship.  It is to be God focused, scripturally based, teaching and exhorting the believers.  Corporate worship is to be a witness of the manifold wisdom of God to show the world that all of our diverse backgrounds, experiences, personalities, etc. have been united in Christ and stand before God as one body.  The focus is not on the individual and the individual's relationship to God (although that will be something that is strengthened through the practice of corporate worship).  We, as the body of Christ, as the temple of God, as children of the King, are to be a witness to not only the physical world but the spiritual world.  We should be singing songs that proclaim who God is and what He has done for us.  

God has given us instructions on how to worship Him.  It is clear in His word how He wants us to act when we come together corporately to worship Him.  Therefore, anything that deviates from what He has prescribed for worship is sin.  I think that if our leaders (the church as a whole, not just my church) truly understood that, and understood that every aspect of the service is to be a teaching moment (making them teachers, and therefore subjecting them to higher accountability), and any deviation from God's way of worship would result in leading the congregation to sin, then worship leaders might take their responsibility more seriously.  Just look at the Minor Prophets to see how displeased God is when the people do not worship Him as He has directed that He be worshipped.  (Also, look at the Minor Prophets to see that He doesn't want the framework of worship to be right without the proper heart of worship behind it.)  If we are to worship corporately, it is not pleasing to God for us to worship individually in place of corporate worship.  He does not want our sacrifice, but our obedience.

So what is the answer?  What should I do when I am sitting in "worship" services that are not worshipping in the way that God has directed?  I am still not sure yet.  I know that it breaks my heart to see the church thinking they are worshipping when they are not.  I know that it breaks my heart to see individuals who are trying to offer individual worship to God when it should be an act of corporate worship instead.  I know that I am encouraged by songs that are appropriate for corporate worship, which enable me, as a member of the body of Christ, to engage in corporate worship and be exhorted.  I know that I am encouraged by leaders who do take the worship service and planning of the worship service seriously and really do try to make it biblical.  I think that there may be a time and place to confront leaders on the choices made for worship, but I know that I am not prepared to do it because I haven't really prepared a defense using scripture that can be given in love.  I know that I need to pray for the leaders in my church and especially to pray that the Holy Spirit will teach them and guide them to understand corporate worship and what God desires because it is only clear when the Holy Spirit makes it clear.  True change happens only when the Holy Spirit makes it happen.  Please join with me in praying for the leaders of your church, wherever you may attend, as they lead the body of Christ in corporate worship.  

The final thing that I feel needs to be mentioned is that there is not going to be a perfect worship service here on this earth.  However, we can strive for perfection (just as we are to strive for God's perfection in our individual lives).  Noticing the imperfection helps us look forward to a day when our worship will be perfect.  Oh how we should long for the day when the complete body of Christ will stand before the throne and worship with a pure, genuine, true worship forever!

Dress Code

I have seen two news stories now about women that are complaining because Southwest Airlines expects them to address appropriately for a family airline.  These women think it is their right to wear whatever they want on the airline and that there is no room for the airline to tell them not to wear skirts that are too short.  I am glad that there is a company that is willing to take a stand for modesty!  I know that I have seen plastered all over the news what one of the women was wearing, and that skirt, especially once she sat in the airline seat, would have revealed too much.  It is bad enough that we have to see it on TV, in newspapers, on the internet, etc.  Too often I wish that Walmart had the same high standards regarding dress because there are definitely women there that do not need to be wearing the outfits that they are wearing in public.  In fact, I wish that all companies had a high standard for how people dress when they entered because I do not want my eyes subjected to that much flesh, and definitely do no want any children or teenagers to also view that much flesh.

It is a privilege to be able to fly on any airline instead of a right.  Now I do think that there is a right not to be discriminated against on the basis of things like race, disability, etc.  However, Southwest gave them the opportunity to obtain a refund (I think), go home and change to make a later flight, or cover up.  Southwest prides itself on being family friendly, and from the flights I have been on, families support them because of it.  I bet that there is a disclaimer on the Southwest website that talks about appropriate dress for flights (although I have not checked).  I mean the airlines and the government regulate a lot of things on flights, so I am sure there is a warning about clothing as well.  Looking at the skirt of the first woman coming forward, it didn't look like it would pass dress code for any of the schools that I have attended or am familiar with, so it is not appropriate for a family flight.  I applaud Southwest for trying to protect my eyes from viewing more flesh than I desire to see.  I just hope that this increases their desire to enforce a standard of dress instead of causing them to stop enforcing the standard because of the press.

New Precept

It has been a while since I wrote anything.  It is strange how I go through periods of not being able to write enough, then periods of not having much to say.  I think that part of that comes with how busy I am at work, at home, how much time I have to read, etc.

I have started a new Precept course.  This time we are doing 2 Timothy.  I am so thankful that God has gifted me with the desire to study His word in such an indepth way.  Too often I am tempted to be lazy and just see what others have to say about the Bible, or too busy to really take a portion of Scripture and contemplate its place in God's word as a whole.  Another temptation is to skip the putting Scripture into context, and just jump to the application.  However, you can't have correct application without studying the context, which I believe is best accomplished by studying inductively (meaning observation, interpretation, then application).  What is so convicting so far about 2 Timothy is that we are to learn Scripture not just for personal edification, but so that we can teach.  I think that we tend to skip this step in our churches.  What I mean by that is that we talk too much about application without really teaching someone how to teach by our style of teaching.  I know that I am tempted to do that (and do it quite often unfortunately).  When someone can tell that we have observed a passage so that we know the basic who, what, where, when, and why, and can tell that we have interpretted the passage by using Scripture to interpret Scripture, then they can trust our application.  Also, they can learn by our example how to study the Bible for themselves and how to teach.  The goal of Bible study should not just be about personal edification or relationships (although both are important), but it should be to glorify God by equipping the Saints to be prepared to give a defense in season and out of season.  This means that the gospel should be central to all that we teach because we need to equip the Saints to share the gospel and there may be someone there that needs to hear the gospel.  

I think I kind of changed subjects there near the end.  Here are my personal goals for 2 Timothy:

(1)  Learn the book so well that it is etched on my mind and heart.  This tends to happen with the book Precept studies.  There are certain words and phrases that should become a part of my Christian vocabulary as a result of this study (i.e., The righteous man shall live by faith from Romans, Contend for the faith from Jude, Be prepared to meet your God from Amos).

(2) Be prepared to teach the book.  I like to teach.  I always have the desire to teach.  However, I have to prepare before I teach, and part of that preparation should be studying a book indepth before I teach it.  I think that this is the step that too many teachers in our churches skip, in part because too often we do not give them enough time to prepare to teach.  You can't ask someone to teach a month before the study starts and expect them to be prepared to teach properly.  You also can't just give them a packet of literature and expect them to teach properly (in part because too much of our literature is focused on application instead of observation and interpretation, but that is the subject of a future blog when I have fully thought through how to approach that subject -- stay tuned!).  I am not saying that God isn't able to use teachers who are dependent on literature or anything like that.  What I am saying is that we could be more effective at equipping the Saints for good works if we taught in the way that Paul tells us to teach in 2 Timothy (and his other books such as Ephesians).  That having been said, I hope that I will be ready to teach 2 Timothy at the end of this study if I am called upon to teach it at some point in the future.

I have to confess that this blog may be a little unorganized and seem to ramble at points, but I really don't feel like going back and editing it or making it flow better.

Amen!

Everyone (by now) probably knows that I want a jazz funeral when I die, and I have even given other instructions.  Given the uncertainty of this life, it is never too early to start contemplating whether you are ready for death.  I came across this quote spoken by D. James Kennedy,  who died earlier this week.  I love what he said anticipating his own death (although I don't know when he said this), and it is the way that we should feel because of our hope in Christ:

"Now, I know that someday I am going to come to what some people will say is the end of this life.  They will probably put me in a box and roll me right down here in front of the church, and some people will gather around, and a few people will cry.  But I have told them not to do that because I don't want them to cry.  I want them to begin the service with the Doxology and end with the Hallelujah chorus, because I am not going to be there, and I am not going to be dead.  I will be more alive than I have ever been in my life, and I will be looking down upon you poor people who are still in the land of dying and have not yet joined me in the land of the living.  And I will be alive forevermore, in greater health and vitality and joy than ever, ever, I or anyone has known before."