Been a while...

Maybe it's the political season heating up, maybe I'm bored after Christmas...but I've been having an itch to blog of late, so I re-worked the blog a bit and plan to post more in the coming weeks and days.

Morality in us...

They're finding that babies have a moral code:

NYT article

That's strong evidence that our moral code is innately in us. The article gets into where this moral code might come from. It concludes that it is a product of our cultures and the environment we live in, thus morality is evolutionary.

I disagree.

The article quotes Richard Dawkins, who says "Be warned that if you wish, as I do, to build a society in which individuals cooperate generously and unselfishly toward a common good, you can expect little help from biological nature."

Which fits in right with how Christianity plays out as Scripture describes it. We are innate sinners saved by Grace, and Grace alone. It is only through Christ's grace may we come together to attempt to do anything for the cities, communities and world we live in...but then it's still Jesus doing the work.

Good article, but I think their conclusion is off.

Insecurity destroys relationships

It would be fair to say that intimacy and insecurity are polar enemies at play in both earthly and heavenly relationships.

Lack of trust or faith in the long-term promise of things is insecurity, which creates a host of worries and stress in the present that suck away the contentment of life-giving, joy-filling relationships.

Psalm 40 says
Blessed is the man
who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.

Many, O LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare.

One's individual purpose and identity in life is found in Christ, and Christ alone. Attempts to fill that critical bond with other earthly relationships will only end in heart ache, tears, or worse.

Psalm 40 continues:

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but my ears you have pierced
burnt offerings and sin offerings
you did not require.

Attempting to walk on eggshells before the Lord is no way to live. Do this deed or perform this action, the Lord doesn't want that quick fix mentality. We're ok with Him because of what He did. Being ok with Him isn't a matter of what I can or cannot do. Christ wants a long-term, heart-convicted mentality of His purposes, ways, and life-giving Truth. In that frame of mind, it's much easier to love Him and others when I accept it's not about me or what I can do.

iphone hysteria

Lord, forgive us that as a nation, as a people, we wait 10 hours in line to celebrate getting a new iphone, and we won't give 10 minutes to seeking out, serving, or speaking to Your children. Your children who are orphans, homeless, widows. Forgive us that we pass over these image-bearers of You so easily and so readily for things that don't last.

Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.

-Deuteronomy 15:10-11

Where are our hearts really Lord?

pride in believing

This past Sunday, the message centered on Revelation 21. The message emphasized how it is the redemptive Christ that comes to us, not us to Him. We see this in the context of the new earth to be, "I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband." (Rev 21:2)

I've been reflecting on that a bit. That's exactly how Christ works. It is His initiative that brings reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:11-21), not the other way around. Yet, so often, it's hard for us to accept this incredible gift. I get caught in a "must earn" mentality.

Christ freely left Glory, on His initiative, with us in mind to save. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't earn or know how to earn salvation. I still struggle with the concept of even accepting such an incredible offering, it's contrary to my conditioning here in this world, yet Christ compels us to, and it is my pride that keeps me from acknowledging His incredible gift.

Lord, help me let go of my earning power, let me latch on to the gift of Your salvation, that you so lovingly offered.

Isaiah 5 - meant for USA?

Reading Isaiah 5, I don't think it's coincidental how many of these things would apply to our country today.

It's a picture of a choice planted vineyard - God has given His church every great advantage, especially in offering His son Jesus so that the church, God's people, may be redeemed and saved.

Yet...

"woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine. They have harps and lyres at their banquets, tambourines and flutes and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord, no respect for the work of his hands." (5:11-12)

How often do we invest our time in personal entertainment and pleasure rather than focusing our attention on the deeds of the Lord?

"woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes, to those who say, "Let God hurry, let him hasten his work so we may see it. Let it approach, let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come, so we may know it." (5:18-19)

How often do we mellow in casual sin, that we don't think is that bad, while on the other hand we are impatient at seeing God's kingdom worked out here on earth, and want to see it happen on our own terms?

"woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight" (5:21)

Why do we always know everything and so often lack the humbleness to listen?

I like verse 5:25 quite a bit:
"Therefore the Lord's anger burns against His people; His hand is raised and he strikes them down. The mountains shake, and the dead bodies are like refuse in the streets. Yet for all this, His anger is not turned away, His hand is still upraised."

I like it that God's perseverance and love for His people is greater than our stubborness and refusal to seek His way. No matter how much we are obstinate and fight to make life our way and our own terms, God stands strong throughout the test of time, drawing hearts to Him one way or another.

Being happy

I here often in America, the phrase "I just want you to be happy." Or "I just want so and so to be happy." My mom says that to me often, as if she is stating that as the end goal for my life.

Happiness is not a bad thing, but I think the Bible teaches us that happiness isn't the end goal. Just "being happy" is a near impossibility in my mind, as we live in a disastrously fallen and broken world. I don't think we'll truly be happy until we are redeemed in the New Heavenly City, experiencing our joy and life directly from Christ.

That is where happiness comes from, real happiness I think. But that doesn't mean happiness in this life like our culture imagines. Jesus was tortured, He sacrificed the ultimate...the things Jesus did, people in our culture would not deem them as happiness-inducing actions.

Psalm 68:1-6 states:
May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.

As smoke is blown away by the wind,
may you blow them away;
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God.

But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful.

Sing to God, sing praise to his name,
extol him who rides on the clouds —
his name is the LORD—
and rejoice before him.

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.

God sets the lonely in families,
he leads forth the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

and then Psalm 68:19 states:

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.

I think it's key to remember that our happiness comes as a result of our righteousness being found in Christ. Like Psalm 68:3 states.

"But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful."

Being found in Christ is not necessarily going to bring us the good and comfortable things of our culture that we may think might bring us happiness.

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:30

May we find all our happiness locked up in the redemption we find in Christ. For it is through Him, by Him, and for Him that we live and have any of our being.