We are Moving...
Ok not "we" as a family but this blog. In an attempt to condense some of my blogs into one location I am moving this blog here. I have been working on it for the last 3 weeks and still have some work to do like transferring blog list, websites, etc. So hope you enjoy it and feel free to email suggestions.
How to Think Good Thoughts: Mind Mapping Philippians 4:8
A great post by Competent Counseling website on how to think biblically through Phil 4:8 and the application there of. Find it with a pdf by clicking here.
Distinguishing Marks of a Quarrelsome Person
Keving DeYoung post a great article on the marks of a quarrelsome person. You can read the entire article here. Here is a snippet....
Quarrels don’t just happen. People make them happen. Quarrels, at least in Proverbs, are unnecessary arguments, the kind that honorable men stay away from (17:14; 20:3). These fights aren’t the product of a loving rebuke or a principled conviction. These quarrels arise because people are quarrelsome. Some Christians have a lifeline to Speedway and love to pour gasoline on every tiny spark of conflict.
Egypt's Hidden Piramid
Pyramid's have a way of hiding themselves for hundreds of years only to be discovered, dug up and restored. What we see unfolding in Egypt seems to be much more then just liberating a people over a regime that was less then favorable. It seems to be pointing toward a Islamic up rise that will inevitably lead to a destruction of any gained liberation that has been made prior to the dismissal of the Muslim Brotherhood in the mid 70's. Colonel Gamal Abdul Nasser placed this organization in the forefront of world history when he used the organization to aid him into office.But this partnership was only bitter sweet. Gamal quickly understood that they wanted full control of his regime so in order for him to stay in power and have some say in what happens he had those in leadership thrown in jail. His then successor Anwar Al Sadat was a key figure in there movement. Being more symptomatic to there cause in undoubtedly feeling the pressure to release them did just that in 1971.Unfortunately this would prove to be fatal to Anwar. Just 10 years later this same regime was responsible for the killing of Anwar on October 6th 1981. This now brings us to the last 30 years and the power struggle that Hosni Mubarak has had trying to walk both sides of the aisle. But in doing so both sides have begun to throw rocks at him. It had bought him 30 years in power in addition to aiding the American government by allowing for peaceful oil exchange and tourist security for some of the most amazing pyramids in the world. That is not to say that all has been well with Mubarak. He has had his far share of misusing his power and neglecting his duty to uphold justice.
But the one thing Egypt's recent protest as well as the ousting of the Mubarak regime is creating is the awareness of what Islamic teachings really is. The months proceeding 9/11 the approval of the Muslim religion actually went up to record levels in America leaving most liberal and conservative news stations to conclude it is a peaceful religion. That if we love the Muslim religion they will therefor love us. Almost with a self accusation that it was our fault they killed thousand of Americans due to our unlawful actions.
What the western world has failed to recognize is that there are only liberal Muslims in the west. They do not exist in the middle east. The one's that are more liberal and tolerating of other worldviews are either being deceptive or would simply never stand a chance of survival in the east. Several examples have come up over the past few weeks. One of which is CNN correspondence Anderson Cooper and his attempt to record the footage on site in Egypt. Moments into his attempted coverage he is attacked and suffers some injuries. Here is the video of that occurrence. More occurrances came even after Coopers run as Lara Logan a reporter from CBS who recently went to Egypt to report only to be sexually assaulted on the streets of Egypt.
The obvious Muslim leadership in the streets of Egypt will undoubtedly play a big roll in the rebuilding of the Egyptian government. How big is yet to be seen. The White House has seen first hand now the result and has attempted to react. President Barack Obama told Mubarak that his removal from office "Must begin now". This statement was retracted weeks later in a statement by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who said Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak might not be able to quit his post as early as being demanded by the protesters as the transition process will take some time to roll out. One has to wonder what the roll of the Muslim Brotherhood has in all this but one thing will become clear, the Islamic religion is one based on sharia law and that law cannot coincide with any other religion. By nature it demands conformity from a society to its teaching. It is a religious movement but more then that a political dominating worldview. No liberal Muslim in America will be able to come to the forefront and defend there position because it simply is not dependable from a religious perspective.
So as the water subsides in Egypt and a vacuum for leadership is left, time will tell what will come of the new forming government. Our prayers must be for the people of Egypt who truly have been seeking liberation. Let us pray for a government to come in place that will protect those rights not remove them. Let us also pray for our Christian brothers and sisters who are undoubtedly under sever pressure during this trying times. And most of all let us pray for true liberation that comes only from Jesus Christ through the preaching of the gospel.
I am always glad to hear from readers. Write me at gandcmorris@gmail.com or feel free to leave a comment below.
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Body and Soul Renewal?
"It is a physical and spiritual make-over kind of". Those are the words in the recent Grand Blanc View paper from Heidi Stoor, the Event Coordinator at Faith Lutheran Church of Grand Blanc, Michigan. Amanda Braniecki writes the article titled, "Spa day at Faith Lutheran to renew 'bodies and souls'." In an effort to "reach more people in every life stage" the Faith Lutheran Church of Grand Blanc will be pampering women and at the same time pampering the souls of those women in the community. What struck me as a bit disturbing about this article is two of the ways they will attempt to reach the women of the community is by offering Yoga classes as well as Pilates classes. These methods both once again point to a mind neutrality that simply does not exist. Dr Albert Mohlers article last year on the issue of blending these lines seems very appropriate given this subject matter. Furthermore we have all seen the issue of yoga coming up again and again as the lines of universalism are becoming more and more blurred.
I understand the concept behind this event and I appreciate Heidi Stoor for making efforts to reach her community. My biggest concern here is that as she stated in the article, "Whether you are coming for one aspect or for the whole thing, I can guarantee you will not be disappointed." One has to wonder if the gospel will be preached. Will she be able to reach the community with true spiritual renewal? My guess is no. For one Spiritual renewal is not a term in scripture. New Birth is the only true renewal and that is a gift of God. Second we know that the preaching of the cross is foolish to those who are not saved (1 Cor 1:18). So although Faith Lutheran may be reaching there community they will seem to be doing it using other means then the one given in scripture.
One has to wonder how much longer can the lines of spirituality and of Biblical Christianity stay so blended and at the same time so contrary to each other? My guess is they wont and as we have seen local Christian Schools offer Yoga classes after hours it would seem that the lines of Spirituality and Theology are becoming more and more blended at the cost of Theology every time.
I wonder how many Buddhist Temples preach the Gospel to reach Christians?
I am always glad to hear from readers. Write me at gandcmorris@gmail.com or feel free to leave a comment below.
Follow me at facebook @ facebook.com/Evidenceofgrace
Baby Bryanna Gabrielle
Our new addition arriving in at 7lbs and 12oz - 19long. The Lord has been good to us!
Who pays for your spouse’s sin? Your spouse or Christ?
Great article by Counseling Solutions for our marriages.....
Christians understand the point of the Gospel: Christ paid for our sins. The profundity of the Gospel capsulated in five words. When Adam chose to walk away from God in the garden by believing a lie, God instituted a plan to redeem Adam and his fallen race.
In order to do that there had to be a payment for sin. Sin could not go unpunished. Even the pagan world understands this. Last week there was a horrible slaughter in Arizona where six people were mercilessly murdered. President Obama made an impassioned speech and talked about how these murders would not go unpunished.
And he is right. What kind of world would it be if there were no justice? As you know, the justice in our world is inconsistent at best. Thankfully, the hope for the Christian is not in the justice of this world. We serve a God who is The Judge and He demands justice for sin. Imagine a God who did not demand justice.
God’s justice is only the beginning of the good news for us. Yes, sin demands a punishment and every sin will be punished. However, in the infinite wisdom of the Father, He decided to make a way for you and me (assuming you are a Christian) to not be punished for our sin.
Here comes the Judged
God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son and whoever believes in the Son will not receive the punishment for sin that he/she justly deserves. (John 3:16) However, for those who do not accept the Gospel, he/she will be punished for his/her sin. (John 3:36) All sin will be punished. Either Jesus Christ will be punished for you or you will be punished eternally for your sin. It’s your choice.
Who pays for your spouse’s sin?
Let’s suppose my wife, Lucia, sins and I get angry with her as a response to her sin. In such a case, which sadly is how it goes in our home from time to time, I would be punishing her for her sin. I would be acting as “God” by demanding justice, while completely missing the Gospel. Christ bore the Father’s wrath, died, and rose from the grave in order to accomplish salvation for anyone who authentically believes this story. Thankfully, Lucia was regenerated by the grace of God many years ago. Her sin, past, present, and future has been paid for because of the Gospel.
When I respond in anger to her sin, I am making her do what Christ would never do. I am punishing her.
Sacrifice or Punishment?
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word. – Ephesians 5:25-26 (ESV)
Christ did not make me pay for my sin. He sacrificed for my sin by giving His life for me. If I truly understand the Gospel in the moment of my wife’s sin, my response would be a Gospel-motivated sacrifice rather than self-centered punishment.
Therefore, rather than choosing anger (punishment) as a response to her sin, I must choose an attitude of forgiveness (sacrifice) when she sins against me. Too often I choose anger and when I do, it distorts our relationship. Rather than serving my wife, by helping her get to Christ where she can be forgiven, I convolute the situation by sinning in response to her sin.
I become the judge and, thus, feel justified to make her pay for her sin. This is an emasculation of the Gospel. It mocks Christ’s death. I am saying in essence,
I don’t care that You died for her sin. She has sinned against me and I am going to circumvent what You did on the cross by making her pay right now. Sin demands a punishment and I feel it would be better if she received my punishment rather than allowing her to experience the cleansing power of the Gospel. Yes, You were bruised for her iniquities, but right now I feel the need to bruise her for her iniquities. (Isaiah 53:6)
However, when I am practically applying the Gospel in the moment of her sin I am living out Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 5:25-26. Our relationship is not distorted by my sin, while my wife is being sanctified, cleansed, and washed by God’s Word. Rather than me forcing sanctification through fear and intimidation, she experiences the freedom, favor, and power of the Cross in her life where true cleansing happens.
My goal is for my wife to walk in holiness. However, when I punish her rather than forgiving her for her sin, I am making it harder for her to accomplish the very thing that I desire the most for her.
Do you punish your spouse?
It’s time to put your Christianity to the test: When your spouse sins against you, do you punish or sacrifice? Let’s suppose you have discovered your husband’s porn addiction. Is the Gospel real in that moment? What governs your heart when he sins: a desire to punish him or a desire to help him get to Christ where he can be forgiven and changed.
When your spouse disappoints you for the umpteenth time, what is the ruling motive of your heart? Can you rest in God the Judge, or are you compelled to be your spouse’s judge?
When you sin…again…are you tempted to punish yourself through a stringent moralism, or do you appropriate the releasing forgiveness that is found in Christ’s work on the cross?
Dear Church, if our Gospel means anything, then it must be real in the moment of our sin, whether it is yours or mine. Otherwise, there is no redemptive purpose in His sacrifice.
Christians understand the point of the Gospel: Christ paid for our sins. The profundity of the Gospel capsulated in five words. When Adam chose to walk away from God in the garden by believing a lie, God instituted a plan to redeem Adam and his fallen race.
In order to do that there had to be a payment for sin. Sin could not go unpunished. Even the pagan world understands this. Last week there was a horrible slaughter in Arizona where six people were mercilessly murdered. President Obama made an impassioned speech and talked about how these murders would not go unpunished.
And he is right. What kind of world would it be if there were no justice? As you know, the justice in our world is inconsistent at best. Thankfully, the hope for the Christian is not in the justice of this world. We serve a God who is The Judge and He demands justice for sin. Imagine a God who did not demand justice.
God’s justice is only the beginning of the good news for us. Yes, sin demands a punishment and every sin will be punished. However, in the infinite wisdom of the Father, He decided to make a way for you and me (assuming you are a Christian) to not be punished for our sin.
Here comes the Judged
God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son and whoever believes in the Son will not receive the punishment for sin that he/she justly deserves. (John 3:16) However, for those who do not accept the Gospel, he/she will be punished for his/her sin. (John 3:36) All sin will be punished. Either Jesus Christ will be punished for you or you will be punished eternally for your sin. It’s your choice.
Who pays for your spouse’s sin?
Let’s suppose my wife, Lucia, sins and I get angry with her as a response to her sin. In such a case, which sadly is how it goes in our home from time to time, I would be punishing her for her sin. I would be acting as “God” by demanding justice, while completely missing the Gospel. Christ bore the Father’s wrath, died, and rose from the grave in order to accomplish salvation for anyone who authentically believes this story. Thankfully, Lucia was regenerated by the grace of God many years ago. Her sin, past, present, and future has been paid for because of the Gospel.
When I respond in anger to her sin, I am making her do what Christ would never do. I am punishing her.
Sacrifice or Punishment?
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word. – Ephesians 5:25-26 (ESV)
Christ did not make me pay for my sin. He sacrificed for my sin by giving His life for me. If I truly understand the Gospel in the moment of my wife’s sin, my response would be a Gospel-motivated sacrifice rather than self-centered punishment.
Therefore, rather than choosing anger (punishment) as a response to her sin, I must choose an attitude of forgiveness (sacrifice) when she sins against me. Too often I choose anger and when I do, it distorts our relationship. Rather than serving my wife, by helping her get to Christ where she can be forgiven, I convolute the situation by sinning in response to her sin.
I become the judge and, thus, feel justified to make her pay for her sin. This is an emasculation of the Gospel. It mocks Christ’s death. I am saying in essence,
I don’t care that You died for her sin. She has sinned against me and I am going to circumvent what You did on the cross by making her pay right now. Sin demands a punishment and I feel it would be better if she received my punishment rather than allowing her to experience the cleansing power of the Gospel. Yes, You were bruised for her iniquities, but right now I feel the need to bruise her for her iniquities. (Isaiah 53:6)
However, when I am practically applying the Gospel in the moment of her sin I am living out Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 5:25-26. Our relationship is not distorted by my sin, while my wife is being sanctified, cleansed, and washed by God’s Word. Rather than me forcing sanctification through fear and intimidation, she experiences the freedom, favor, and power of the Cross in her life where true cleansing happens.
My goal is for my wife to walk in holiness. However, when I punish her rather than forgiving her for her sin, I am making it harder for her to accomplish the very thing that I desire the most for her.
Do you punish your spouse?
It’s time to put your Christianity to the test: When your spouse sins against you, do you punish or sacrifice? Let’s suppose you have discovered your husband’s porn addiction. Is the Gospel real in that moment? What governs your heart when he sins: a desire to punish him or a desire to help him get to Christ where he can be forgiven and changed.
When your spouse disappoints you for the umpteenth time, what is the ruling motive of your heart? Can you rest in God the Judge, or are you compelled to be your spouse’s judge?
When you sin…again…are you tempted to punish yourself through a stringent moralism, or do you appropriate the releasing forgiveness that is found in Christ’s work on the cross?
Dear Church, if our Gospel means anything, then it must be real in the moment of our sin, whether it is yours or mine. Otherwise, there is no redemptive purpose in His sacrifice.
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