National Independence, Personal Dependence

Happy Independence Day to all my fellow citizens!!

This breaking away from Great Britain has worked out really well for us. Think of all the perks... We don't have to drive on the left side of the road... We discovered dental hygiene... And we're not stuck with the embarrassment of that royal family. Those things alone make July 4 a day to celebrate!

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One problem though: In America, we've taken the idea of independence a little too far. It has become one of our most treasured personality traits. I agree that national independence is a good thing, but I disagree that personal independence is always a good thing.

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The reality is that we need other people. Humans are not independent creatures. Think on 1 Corinthians 11:11-12 this July 4: "Woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God." Paul is arguing that husbands are dependent on their wives and wives are dependent on their husbands. Radical thoughts in our society of independence! You won't find the modern American proverbs "be your own man" and "never depend on a man" in God's Word. Instead, God created us and commands us to be dependent!

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Notice the end of 1 Co. 11:12 -"And all things are from God." Men and women are dependent upon each other; churches and pastors are dependent upon each other; employers and employees are dependent upon each other. And all of us are dependent upon God! See that? God created us to depend on Him. The trouble came in Genesis 3, where we bought the lie of personal independence. Satan told Adam & Eve, "If you'll eat this fruit, you'll be like God... you'll no longer have to depend on Him for everything!" And so foolishly believing that they would gain personal independence, they ate.

The lesson? There is no such thing as personal independence! Adam & Eve were created to depend on God, yet they opted to depend on Satan. You & I are born naturally dependent on Satan (original sin), but we can opt to start depending on God... totally relying upon Jesus Christ to forgive our sins and give us eternal life.

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So on the day when we rightly celebrate our nation's independence, can you celebrate your personal dependence on Christ, the Son of God?

Get Behind Me, Pastors!

I can't believe I'm about to come to the defense of these guys, but here it goes...

John McCain has recently rejected the endorsement of two pastors, John Hagee & Rod Parsley due to some of their comments which are deemed 'politically incorrect.' The interesting part of this is that McCain actively sought the endorsement of both these men earlier this year when trying to convince evangelicals to back him. Yet, as soon as the media launched its attack on the pastors, McCain (seeing Obama's pastor trouble) dumped them. A few thoughts...

Their comments expressed common Evangelical beliefs. Let me be clear... I don't normally agree with Hagee & Parsley. In fact, I have numerous problems with both of their theologies, and I even consider some of Hagee's views heretical. However, the comments under question are in perfect keeping with a Protestant, Evangelical position.

Hagee harshly criticized and denounced the Catholic church. That's historically common among Protestants! If you think what he said was bad you should read Martin Luther or the English Puritans.
Hagee also said that Hitler was under God's sovereignty during the holocaust. That is absolutely true. God is sovereign over all things... even evil things. It may be hard to understand, but it is a fundamental Christian doctrine. And for the media to paint Hagee as anti-Semitic is just laughable. No pastor supports Israel & the Jews more than he. In fact, he founded CUFI, a political action committee solely devoted to supporting Israel.

Parsley criticized Islam as an 'anti-Christ' religion. Well, they certainly aren't pro-Christ, are they? To consider Islam (and all other religions) to be false is a biblically accurate statement and another fundamental Christian belief.

McCain (like most Republicans) uses Evangelicals. The DNC uses the black community and the RNC uses the evangelical community. In 2000, McCain called Jerry Falwell an 'agent of intolerance,' but in more recent years (leading up to election '08) he recanted and actually spoke at Liberty University. Now we see him begging for the endorsements of these pastors and just a few months later denouncing them as extremists. Thank God my hope doesn't rest in fickle politicians or in the ever-shifting sands of public policy!

Pastors & Politics don't mix. The Bible is a politically incorrect book. Jesus has some very unpopular commands. Thus, the pulpit and politics just don't jive... at least not these days. Our un-Christian nation doesn't understand a biblical worldview. And that's fine. This just gives us an opportunity to talk about biblical principles. But let's do it through conversation, not Congress. Let's win our neighbors' hearts by preaching, not PACs. Let's change our nation by our love, not our lobbying.

America needs to change. But Christians shouldn't look to Obama or McCain to get that job done. We need to look at ourselves, at our churches. We hold the tool to change America, for only we hold the Gospel.

A Savior for the Suffering & Suicidal

A new invention in Germany allows people to kill themselves with the push of a button. Since assisted suicide is so hotly debated, the inventor of this machine offers a way around the problem... go back to the old-fashioned way where you actually do the deed yourself but use the modern technology of assisted suicide. This machine injects potassium chloride into its user (the same demise of many Death Row inmates), killing them within seconds.

As I read the article on this, a chill ran up my spine. Death, even suicide, are casually discussed as easy ways to end suffering. The fact is that millions of people around the world are suffering tremendously from terminal diseases. The pains they endure are agonizing. The family members who care for them weep over their loved ones' pain. Many of these people feel that death would be better than the miseries they are living through. Nearly 700 people have traveled to Switzerland to be legally assisted in killing themselves.

How should we, as Christians, respond to all of this?

First, suffering is part of the curse of sin. Genesis 3 tells us that the results of Adam and Eve's disobedience to God are pain, difficulty, and eventual death for us all. This life will not be easy because this world is marred by sin. Diseases, handicaps, suffering, even the desire for suicide itself are all due to the fact that we live in and are active participants in a fallen world. It is so important for us to understand that God is not behind suffering. Satan is. Sin is.

Secondly, God has a purpose and plan for suffering. The Bible clearly communicates this truth. In Genesis 50:20, Joseph, a man who suffered immensely in his life was able to say, "God meant it for good." Romans 8:35 says, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ... No!" The classic example, of course, is Job who lost everything he owned including his health. Yet Job was able to confess, "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

How could Joseph and Job say that? How could people who suffered immense pain say that it was actually a good thing? How could Scripture teach to "count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds" (James 1:2)? Because Christians know that God has a purpose for suffering. There is no such thing as needless, pointless suffering. Every ache, every grief, every throb, every breath-taking pain serves a purpose!

1. Your suffering can make you holier. (James 1:3-4) God can use the heartaches and body aches that we go through to make us more like Him. Only through suffering, can we learn that the sins that give us cheap thrills here and now really have no lasting value. Only through suffering can the impurities of our lives be removed, making us holier and happier people.

2. Your suffering can make you ready for heaven. (Revelation 21:3-4) For a Christian, every pain experienced reminds us that a day is coming when sin & sorrow will be no more. Only through suffering can our hearts learn to long for God's presence. Only through earthly pain can our souls beg for heavenly rest.

3. Your suffering can bring you to Christ. (Philippians 3:8-10) There are times when the Lord uses trials to humble us to the point where we can honestly say, "Knowing Christ is more important than anything else... more important than money, job, family, health, even life itself." When your health is deteriorating, you see that the things you once held so dear aren't going to last, and you get a glimpse of the eternal value of Christ.

4. Your suffering can bring God glory. (John 9:1-3) Giving God glory, making Him famous is the most important work we can do. Suffering provides an unique opportunity to do that. You can respond to suffering in such a way that honors God and lets those around you know that God truly is all you need. I think of Dianna's grandmother and how she responded to her terminal cancer. Even on her death bed, she was praising God for her life and thanking Him for soon taking her to meet her Savior. She knew that this painful death was her way to draw closer to Christ, and she embraced it as such.

The Christian answer is that pain and suffering, though a result of the Fall, can and are used by God for wonderful purposes. These poor souls considering assisted suicide are desperately seeking relief and rest from their tremendous pain and immense suffering. Surely, we can understand that desire. But surely we will tell them that the grave does not relieve suffering. In fact, for those without Christ, death is only the beginning of the greatest suffering ever known.

Only Jesus can ease your pain. Only Jesus can give purpose to your suffering. Only Jesus can lead you through the valley of the shadow of death. Flee to Him now. Make Him your refuge in this time of trouble.

"Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden,

and I will give you rest."

- Jesus (Matt. 11:28)

Contraceptives for Children

King Middle School in Portland, Maine is now offering a full range of contraceptives to their students, including birth control pills and patches. This move is in response to the fact that over the past four years, Portland's three Middle Schools have reported 17 pregnancies. King Middle has 134 students, five of whom admitted to having had sexual intercourse. Let me remind you that the average middle schooler is between 11-13 years old.

What we have in Portland, Maine is worldly wisdom desperately struggling to find a way to prevent children from having children. But notice a few flaws of the worldly wise:

1) Parents can't raise their children; the trained professionals must do it for them. Rather than contacting, educating, and working with the students' parents, the school system bypassed them in making this decision. Why would they do this? Because the educated elite know better than parents.

This worldly wisdom is prevalent in our modern society. Parents have bought into the lie that they aren't equipped to raise their kids. In fact, one school board member in Portland who has a daughter at King Middle said, "I know I've done my job as a parent, but there may be a day when she doesn't feel comfortable coming to me." Granted, teenagers are notoriously hard to communicate with, but there are things we can do as parents to keep our kids talking. Parents are the single greatest influence in their child's life.

2) Sex isn't the problem; pregnancy is. The school board (rightly) trembles at the thought that 12 year olds are pregnant, but they seem unconcerned with the equally chilling fact that 12 year olds are sexually active. Is the goal just to keep our kids from having babies or is the goal to keep our kids from destructive sexual behavior? The wisdom of this world doesn't view sex outside of marriage as a problem. It's natural. It's neutral. The only down side to sex is the side effects (pregnancy...STDs).

But the sexual union itself is destructive for these kids... in so many ways. Why doesn't the school board find ways to deter children from having sex instead of finding ways to protect the children while they have sex?

3) Contraceptives are the only hope. The wisdom of this world stands utterly incapable of changing the situation in Portland, Maine (and everywhere else in America). In fact, they are so blinded that they cannot see their worldly wisdom (i.e. the sexual revolution, etc.) is what lead to all of this in the first place. They turn to condoms and birth control because, sadly, it's all they have. What they desperately need and furiously fight against is wisdom from above (James 3:17).

The life-transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the ultimate answer for King Middle School. Only Christ's righteousness can overcome our unrighteousness. Only the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit can replace our indwelling perverse desires.

"For the foolishness of God is wiser than men,

and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

1 Corinthians 1:25

Kidless Nation

"Where are all the kids?"

That's the question survey groups are asking Americans these days. Gallup reports that under 50% of Americans think 1 or 2 children is the ideal number for a family. These statistics have dropped from 66% in 1986. That's a decrease of nearly 20 percent in 20 years!

When it comes to defining the purpose of marriage, only 1 in 3 of us think of "bearing and raising children." The other 2/3 claim the sole purpose of marriage is "mutual happiness and fulfillment."

Beyond America, the United Nations Population Division estimates that by 2050 the total population of children will be 35 million fewer than today, while the population of those older than 60 will increase by 1.2 billion.

That explains where all the kids have gone. But why? Why are Americans content with such small families? Why aren't we having more children?

Because we hate children.

I realize that's a bold statement (though killing nearly 4,000 unborn children each day should be ample evidence), but think about it. Have you listened to parents talk about their children lately? As a new father, the advice I hear leaves me feeling like children are life's biggest inconvenience, and our family's recent addition marks the end of all joy in life! Kids require things of us. They cost us. And we'd rather not tie ourselves down. Instead, we want bigger houses, newer cars, and cooler gadgets. I mean, how is a guy supposed to pay for his iPhone when he's having to dish out money to pay for his daughter's braces?

We hate children because we love ourselves. We embrace a "do for yourself" mentality and despise a "sacrifice for others" message. So our advice for young couples is, "have fewer kids in order to have more stuff." That's why American couples have prolonged the amount of time between getting married and having their first child. Anything you read on the issue points back to finances... money... stuff!

I agree that marriage isn't simply for the purpose of procreating. I agree that having and raising children is hard work that requires a lifetime of sacrifices. But God tells us in Ps. 127:3-5 that "children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward... Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!". The sleepless nights, the financial obligations, the absence of peace and quiet, the heartaches of teenage years are all worth it! Children are not a burden; They're a blessing.

This is a truth that we must regain... and it starts with Christian men and women. When God says, "be fruitful and multiply," we cringe! When a couple with 6 children joins our church, we make them feel like freaks. When we plan to have children, we have to make sure they fit in the budget first. Our beliefs about kids are just like the sinful society in which we live!

Please understand... I'm not advocating being irresponsible. I'm not saying that waiting to have kids makes you a horrible person. I'm simply calling on all of us to examine our hearts on this subject. We honestly have an unbiblical view of children. And if that unbiblical view is keeping us from having kids, then we should repent immediately.

Today, we look around our great nation and wonder where all the kids are. In years to come, our kids will look at a globe and wonder where the United States was.

A kidless nation is an endangered nation.

Is Hillary Man Enough?

I’m quite interested in the current debate between the wife of John Edwards and the husband of Hillary Clinton. Elizabeth Edwards is attacking Hillary for not being strong enough on women’s rights. In her remarks, she suggested that Mrs. Clinton might be staying away from women’s issues in order to “behave as a man.”

Mr. Clinton, a.k.a. the 42nd president, defended his wife, saying that Hillary “isn’t trying to be a man.” “I defy you,” he continued, “to find anybody who has run for office in recent history whose got a longer history of working for women.”

Of course, this is all just a political play (a good one I might add). John Edwards needs women’s votes, so he’s sending his wife out to get them. Pretty simple. But this brings up a good question in relation to feminism.

Does feminism encourage women to embrace femininity or does it encourage women to become more masculine?

The goal of the feminist movement has been for women to “break the glass ceiling” of every male-dominated career path. I’d say they’ve done well at this mission, so well, in fact, that we have a serious female contender among the 2008 presidential candidates.

But how do the feminists achieve their goal? What are the means to their end? What will Hillary do to break through that final glass ceiling?

Act like a man.

Elizabeth Edwards is right. In order to get elected, Mrs. Clinton has to exert every ounce of testosterone in her body. For instance, when’s the last time you saw her wearing a dress (she’s the pantsuit princess!)? Have you noticed her hair getting shorter? Don’t you think her speeches seem unnaturally aggressive?

Do you see any common feminine qualities (gentle, compassionate, caring, etc.) in Hillary Clinton? No! She comes across as hard-lined, tough, and completely unfriendly. (Political Note: Bob Dole came across that way in ’96. It didn’t work.)

Feminism deceives women into believing that the way to find worth in the world is to be as masculine as possible. Even highly intelligent women, like Mrs. Clinton, have fallen prey to this awful lie. Modern women have been “liberated” only to find themselves behind the bars of guilt and confusion. God’s Word, our sole basis for truth, affirms femininity as valuable and honorable.

My prayer is that today’s women would know this truth, and that the truth would set them free from the oppressive chains of feminism!

Who's To Blame?

I have been thinking through some things in light of the Virginia Tech tragedy. It seems to me that horrible events like these reveal the true nature of America. 9/11 certainly did. The War on Terror certainly has. These sorts of things open us up and show us what we're made of. As the dust from the VT massacre begins to settle, the campus community, the politicians, and the media are all asking, "Why?" -- and rightly so. But our answer to this question reveals much about who were are, and I'm afraid our resounding answers are weak & pathetic.

The day the shooting occurred, the media was immediately answering the question "Why?" by blaming it on the school officials and the police officers. "They should have responded sooner." "They should have sent an email sooner."

After blaming the authorities, the media used this as a way to blame the firearm business. Why did the VT tragedy happen? Because people can own guns in our nation. Does that make any sense? I totally support tough gun ownership restrictions, but how could a person look at what happened in Blacksburg, VA and think, "It's the gun's fault"?

One of the most disturbing and revealing answers to the "why" question was the therapeutic answer. We're told that Cho Seung-hui was 'mentally ill' and 'had issues' and was 'troubled.' We're told that this goes back to him being picked on as a child. Essentially, Cho was just another poor victim...like the the 32 people he murdered. Do you see how utterly disturbing that is? Yet that is exactly what the academic, psychological elites are telling us. (By the way, this is precisely the lie that the Mary Winkler jury believed and let her off with a charge of manslaughter.)

So why did this really happen? Who is really to blame? Cho Seung-hui. He planned this out. He thought this through. He purchased the weapons. He pulled the trigger. This was a young man who had fostered an attitude of resentment and hate for others and, ultimately, for God. Murder always reveals hatred toward God. Cho hated God for putting these people in his life. He hated God for not silencing the people who picked on him. He hated God for making him different than the other students. He held on to this hatred and self-pity for many years, turning it into a vicious idol... one that was certainly influenced by demons. This sin in the heart of Cho manifest itself on April 16, 2007. Cho is to blame, and his wicked, sinful nature is the reason.

You will never, never, never hear a psychologist or a news anchor or a politician say what I just said. They won't say it because our culture of blame and tolerance and therapy will not allow them to say it. We educated Americans have answers now that don't need God. Our answers are too smart to blame sin or Satan. Those things are unevolved and unenlightened. So we make up these other answers... these weak & pathetic answers. And we do it because it enables us to get off the hook when we are in trouble.

This is a very personal, daily thing. "I yelled at you because I am under a lot of stress." "I was rude to everyone at work because I'm having a bad day." We say these things! And we really believe that these answers excuse our sinful behaviors. Read this carefully: There is no excuse for sin. You & I are responsible. Even when we are picked on and treated unfairly and are having a bad day, we are still responsible for the way we treat other people. But we love to blame something else, someone else. Much to their disdain, the answers of the evolved, enlightened academic elites are proving that Genesis 3 is true. After falling into sin, Adam blames Eve and Eve blames the serpent. But who does God hold responsible? All of us.

Learn the lesson that God is showing us: Cho is to blame for his sin. You & I are to blame for our sin. But there is a way to dodge the blame...

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21
"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:24

Pass the blame of your sin to the only one who can take it... Blessed Jesus.

DayCare vs. MomCare

A recent study has reported that children who spend large amounts of time in daycare tend to have more behavioral problems than those who are not in daycare. When asked why this might be, Margaret Burchinal, co-author of the study, had this to say:

There’s been a move to make child-care programs more academic. Kids are supposed to start school knowing numbers and letters before kindergarten, and this process gives them less free time and forces them to do a lot more large-group activities and worksheets. It’s really hard for a 3- or 4-year old to sit and listen to the teacher talk for extended lengths of time. This may lead to more acting out. Another hypothesis is that child-care centers tend to not pay their staffs very well and there’s a lot of turnover. It’s very hard to keep well-trained staff members, and teaching good behavior to a group of kids requires a lot of training.

You’ve gotta be kidding me. Academic pressures and a high turn-over rate are the reasons for bad behavior?! Dr. Burchinal is a psychologist at the University of North Carolina. How can smart people be so dumb? I don’t mean that to be rude; it just amazes me how she doesn’t even consider the possibility that the absence of parents might be the reason for the bad behavior. Isn’t that the obvious result of this study? Children need more time with their parents and less time with daycare employees.

The study is one piece of evidence that the world’s method of childcare isn’t working. The Bible never paints a picture of “childcare.” It teaches us about parenting (dad and mom caring for and instructing their children). Caring for children isn’t something we can out-source. Sure, you can get others to do it for you, but the results will not be pretty. Children should be with their parents the majority of the time. But they aren’t.
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Why?
Mom is at work. Mothers are so busy devoting their lives to the office that they have no time to devote to their kids. Isn’t this the way it’s always been? Not until recently. I bet your grandma didn’t go to daycare. I bet your great-grandma took care of her. In American history, this move of women from the homes to the workplace occurred after the 1960s feminist movement. I realize that what I’m saying might sound alien and that I’m in risk of being considered a male chauvinist. But mothers should stay at home with their kids… at least until they are school age.

Let’s think biblically here. Titus 2:4 instructs young women to stay at home and care for their children. First Timothy 5:14 tells young widows to “remarry, bear children, [and] manage their homes.” A woman’s primary calling is to her home and with her children. Yet most moms are at work.

Why?
Financial reasons. That’s the usual answer. Kids cost money. I can testify to this and my child hasn’t even been born yet! But as American Christians, we have to be careful in this area. Does mom have to work in order to make ends meet or does mom have to work in order to pay for all the luxuries the family desires? This calls for some tough honesty on the part of parents. Most of us are just working for the extras, not for the necessities… just be honest about it. We want a big house, two nice cars, great vacations, tons of toys for the kids, etc. Is there anything wrong with those things? Maybe not. But when we place these things before God’s commands (to train our children & for moms to stay home), they become our gods.
Idolatry is the chief reason for daycare. We are sacrificing our children on the altars of the gods of consumerism. And we will pay a price for this wicked sacrifice.

Parents…especially Christian parents… need to think about this issue. Don’t just accept or reject my opinion. Examine God’s Word and then “be doers of the word and not hearers only” (James 1:22).

Followers of Christ…Superstars?

As I scrolled through the news a few days ago, I ran across an article on American Idol. One of the contestants in the Birmingham auditions was Chris Sligh. I noticed he looked familiar, so I began to look into it. Come to find out, I went to North Greenville University with him! NGU producing an American Idol… I was pretty excited. I couldn't wait to cast a vote for a fellow believer and NGU Mountie (I know the mascot has changed, but I'll always be a Mountie!)

Since then, I’ve given some thought to the question, “Can Christians be rock stars?” Let me begin this discussion by saying that I do not take an ‘Independent, Fundamental’ position on rock & roll. I love classic rock. CCR and The Band are two of my top favorites. The Rolling Stones have a long history of great music. And I would choose that music over Michael W. Smith any day! Having said that, I do have reservations about Christians assuming the role of ‘rock star.’ I’ll explain.

On Chris Sligh’s blog, he writes, “I’m first and foremost a Christ-follower.” That's great. I'm really glad to see a Christian involved with American Idol. He continues, “I am also a rock star. I don't feel the two are diametrically opposed. If you do...I feel bad for you." At risk of having Mr. Sligh feel bad for me, I have to wonder if Christianity and stardom are diametrically opposed. I had my initial opinions and I'm sure you do as well, but let's try to set those aside and examine this biblically.
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In Matthew 10:22, Jesus says, "You will be hated by all for my name's sake." 2 Timothy 3:12 says, "All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." The running theme throughout the New Testament is that the world is not going to applaud us. This persecution is stronger in some areas than it is in others. But the truth is the same: The world will not like us. Why? Because we are called to tell them that the things they love so dearly (sin) are the things God hates! We are called to tell them that God is willing to pardon them through His Son Jesus. But the world hates this message because it demands that they leave their sin and begin loving Jesus.

Now, how does this apply to being a rock star? If your life's message is Christ and Him crucified (which is should be for all Christians), how will this sell albums? Yeah, Christians might buy them, but we're talking about America at large. The world will not buy music that confronts them in their sin and exalts Christ as Savior! Some may cite the success of artists like P.O.D. and Switchfoot, but can you show me one song in which these bands give a clear presentation of the Gospel? In most I've heard, you have to be a Christian to read between the lines of their lyrics and realize, "Oh, they might be referencing Jesus." If a Christian rock star wants to sell his music, he has to make sure it's watered down enough for the world to like it. And there's the problem. The goal for the rock star is to be liked and well-received among the culture. Is that an appropriate goal for a Christian?

I'm sure many people think, "This is a great way for a Christian to share Christ with the culture." But has God called us to sing the Gospel? No. Has God called us to entertain with the Gospel? Certainly not. He has called us to the hard task of preaching the Gospel. In 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 & 4 Paul writes, "I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified... and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." He's saying that the goal of his message wasn't to impress them or to entertain them. His goal was to preach in such a way that they would trust only in Christ and not in a man. My point here is that the goal of our preaching is to point sinners to Christ and not to ourselves. The very nature of being a rock star is to point people to you, isn't it? How else will you sell records? Why else do we have American Idol? As Christians, we can't have it both ways. "My glory I will not share with another (Is. 48:11)."

I hope Chris Sligh does well. He seems to be a great guy, and he's very talented. But after thinking through it biblically, I can't vote for him because Christianity and stardom do seem "diametrically opposed."

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PS- Happy Birthday (tomorrow) to my excellent wife! And Happy Groundhog Day to everyone else.

The Prominence of Promiscuity

A new study released by the Guttmacher Institute, a liberal think tank dedicated to promoting promiscuity and abortions, says that 95% of Americans have engaged in premarital sex... that's more than nine out of ten! These numbers are strangely high in my opinion, and we certainly have reason to doubt the veracity of such a radical left-wing research group. However, I do believe that the number of men and women in America who are engaging in premarital sex is shockingly high...even in our churches.
There are many reasons: we live in a sex-saturated culture, poor parenting, many colleges have coed dorms (the dumbest thing I've ever heard), the silence of churches on the issue, etc.

But I would like to suggest a reason that perhaps might surprise you: Delayed Marriage.
The average age for a woman to marry now is anywhere between 26-30. In years past the average age was 18-20. That large jump is due, in part, to the American education fixation. One is pushed to finish his or her education (which could last until he or she is 30!) before entertaining the idea of marriage. The message? Family comes second to "bettering" oneself in America. And Christians just buy into this practice, never questioning its intentions or examining its effects. We have embraced the world's philosophy that it is best to wait to marry. But is that a biblical idea? Let's look.
Proverbs 5:18 - ...rejoice in the wife of your youth.
Malachi 2:15 - ...let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.
1 Corinthians 7:2 - But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.
Titus 2:4 - ...train the young women to love their husbands and children.
The first two passages, along with the last one, show that marriage is meant for young people. The passage from 1 Corinthians teaches us that the common result of a bunch of unwed people is sexual immorality. Thus, we read in the news today that 95% of Americans have had sex before marriage. The numbers are staggering. The solution is simple. Get married.

Prolonged singleness is the playground of promiscuity.

I'm curious to hear what you think.

How Wal-Mart Stole Christmas

Last night, Dianna and I watched “Dr Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas.” Though this movie had been out for a few years, I had never watched it (I know… I really need to get out more). I was impressed with the movie’s message…

Consumerism isn’t the meaning of Christmas.

What a refreshing message in the midst of what has become the most materialistic holiday celebrated in America!
As Christians, we all know the real reason we celebrate Christmas is Christ’s birth, but what is the message we’re sending to our kids? Ask your children what their favorite part of Christmas is and you’ll probably hear nothing about spending time with family, going to church, or reading the story of Jesus’ birth. The kids will most likely tell you their favorite part is getting the gifts. Granted, that is a great part of Christmas. But our kids have been programmed (by us) to think of “getting” when they think of Christmas. We actually cater to their selfishness during this season! Whatever little Johnny wants, we get. No matter the cost for little Susie, we buy it.
I know that we do this out of love. We want little Johnny and Susie to be happy. But as believers in Jesus Christ, we – more than anyone – should understand that earthly treasures do not bring lasting happiness. Sure, the kids will be elated on Christmas morning, but what happens when the toys get old? I remember playing a video game for about a month and then never touching it again. What a waste!
The Grinch made a good point when he told the materialistic Whos of Whoville that all their expensive gifts eventually made their way to his cave via the garbage shoot. The Nintendo, He-man toys, and bike that Santa brought me just 15 years ago are all in a junkyard somewhere. That PlayStation3, Dora doll, and new T.V. that you’re shopping for will all be garbage in less than 20 years. That is the reality of stuff. Jesus said it this way, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth & rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:19-20).This Christmas, give gifts. That’s all fine. But put it in perspective. Don’t forget that the things you purchase will not bring your children any lasting value. Teach them to store up treasures in heaven. Teach them about God’s gift to us – the only gift that will bring us eternal happiness – the Savior who is Christ the Lord.