I completed reading the Bible through this past week. Always amazing at how much I learn each time I read the Bible on a regular schedule. The final book I read was Esther. This is how the book of Esther closes: "King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores. 2. And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai to which the king had raised him, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Media and Persia? 3. Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews" (Esther 10:1-3).
That last phrase of verse 3 really grabbed my attention when I read it the other morning. Perhaps it took on new meaning in the light of the political debacle we are witnessing in Washington right now. Mordecai was help in high esteem because he worked for the good of his people. Mordecai did not look out for his own political ambitions. Mordecai did not focus upon what the polls were saying about his administration of Jewish affairs. Mordecai did not concern himself with how he could better his own position. No, the text states clearly that Mordecai worked for the good of his people.
Friends, that is a focus that is glaringly missing today. Our elected officials often call themselves the "servants of the people." I wonder if many of them truly understand what that term means. A servant, by definition, does not look out for his own concerns. A servant, by definition, does not act on the basis of what is best for himself. No, a servant, by definition, acts on behalf of those he serves. Their best interests and welfare are what drive him in his service. It seems to me that many elected officials today are only interested in how they can keep their jobs. Many are "party people" rather than "servants of the people." Many have lost touch with the realities of their constituents. Many have been in office for so long that there is a disconnect with people back home. And so we have political gridlock as these supposed "servants of the people" ask themselves, "If I make decision A, what ramifications will it have for me when the next election comes?"
Somehow I don't envision Mordecai being a poll-watcher. I don't imagine that Mordecai spent much time thinking about how he could keep his position within the Xerxes administration. No, Mordecai "worked for the good of his people." He had a servant's heart. How we need people in government today who have the true heart of a servant. Men and women who are willing to take a stand for what is "good for his/her people" back home. We need men and women who truly understand that it is not about them...it is about what is best for the people of the United States.
I reminded our staff yesterday, as I shared this verse with them, that our role as leaders in the local church is to be that of servants. We are not to seek our own welfare. We are not to seek our own job security. We are to be so in touch with the people in our congregation that we know and understand their needs and so "work for the good of our people." We need to remember that it is not about us...it is about Him who is the head of the Church.
Mordecai is one of those people whose story is told within the Scriptures that I want to spend some time with in heaven. Mordecai was an effective leader because Mordecai was first a humble servant. Lord, help me to remember that one who leads others well is first one who serves others well.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
A Romans 1 Kind of World
Just when you thought that you had heard it all, that the bizarre could never become the normal, there comes this article from the Daily Mail in Britain, dated September 24. The headlines read, "An adult at 18? Not any more: Adolescence now ends at 25 to prevent young people getting an inferiority complex." That headline grabbed my attention. The article reads in part, "Adolescence no longer ends when people hit 18, according to updated guidelines being given to child psychologists. The new directive is designed to extend the age range that child psychologists can work with from 18 years old up to 25. It is hoped the initiative will stop children being 'rushed' through their childhood and feeling pressured to achieve key milestones quickly, reports the BBC. 'We are becoming much more aware and appreciating development beyond [the age of 18] and I think it's a really good initiative,' child psychologist Laverne Antrobus from London's Tavistock Clinic told the BBC. There are now three stages of adolescence, according to the BBC report: early adolescence that ranges from 12 to 14 years, middle adolescence from 15 to 17 years and 18 and over is classed as late adolescence."
Now I realize that every person develops physically, emotionally, and intellectually at different speeds. Often the physical development far outpaces that of the emotional and intellectual. The question is when do we reach that age when we make adult decisions. How long should childhood last? The Apostle Paul formed the thought this way: "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me" (1 Corinthians 13:11). We have a family in our church with a family of all boys. A couple years ago they had a "coming of age" experience for their oldest son. It was one of those unforgettable moments. I had the privilege of walking a mile or so with their son, just sharing thoughts on how he could experience and know the will of God for his life. In a few weeks, the second son will turn 13 and I have been invited, along with several other men, to share in another "coming of age" experience. At 13 will this young man become an adult? Absolutely not! But his family wants him to know that it is time for him to begin casting off the childish ways and childish thinking that had been part of his life.
Perhaps, instead of lengthening the time of adolescence, we should focus instead on helping our young people understand the realities of life and perhaps provide a "coming of age" experience for each of them. I am not sure we need to prolong childhood, but we do need to prepare our young people for adulthood, and that is something we have not done well over the years.
A second article, this one from the October 4 issue of "The Washington Examiner," reported that "the 60,000-strong Thomson Reuters media empire, in an effort to determine its diversity success, is asking its staff of reporters, researchers, marketers and others to pick their sex from nine choices, including 'genderqueer', a category for identities other than man or woman. According to the company's annual employee survey, choosing a sexual identity doesn't have to be based on a worker's actual sex, but instead 'a person's innate, deeply felt psychological identification.'" Now I know you want to know what the nine choices were. Here is the question as posed in the survey, along with the nine choices: "Please choose the category that best describes your gender identity. (Gender identity, as defined by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), refers to a person's innate, deeply felt psychological identification as male or female, which may or may not correspond to the person's body or designated sex at birth. The categories the HRC uses are listed below):
1. Male 6. Transsexual
2. Female 7. FTM (female-to-male)
3. Transgender 8. MTF (male-to-female)
4. Genderqueer/Androgynous 9. Prefer not to say
5. Intersex
Friends, I can assure you that this list of choices did NOT come from the Word of God. If I remember reading Genesis 1, God made them "male and female." Okay, that must mean that there are only two choices: I am either a male, or I am a female. And, furthermore, you know that choice when you are born. So, why are there 9 choices today? I believe it is because we have abandoned those principles that God shared with us from His Word. We have willfully negated the truth and have believed the lie. And I believe the impact of this lie will continue to grow until it is finally destroyed when Christ comes to claim His throne and Satan is cast into the bottomless pit for one thousand years.
I have the privilege of leading an early Tuesday morning Bible study this fall and we have begun to go through the Book of Romans verse-by-verse. We have been in chapter 1 for several weeks. And the above article really speaks to the scene described in Romans 1:18-32. How close are we to "being given up" by God? I don't know, friends. But I do know that the longer we persist in our giving approval to those who are flaunting sexual perversity, the nearer we get to God's giving us over to the depravity of our sexual expressions and the depravity of our minds. Psalm 2, which was our focus last week, and Romans 1 are key passages that help us to understand where we are today. And, friends, the picture is not a pleasant one. Romans 1:18 states plainly, "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness." To experience the wrath of God will not be a pleasant experience. Just ask the people of Jerusalem following the destruction of their city by, first the Babylonians, and then the Romans. Read Revelation 16 where the description is horrific when the wrath of God is poured out upon the earth during the final days of our age.
It is time for believers to awaken from our slumber. It is time to put on the whole armor of God. It is time to take up the shield of faith. It is time to sharpen the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. It is time to conduct boot-camps where we are trained to ward off the influence of the Evil One. There still is time, although darkness will soon be upon us when no one can work. The work load is great. Let's begin to make our lives count for Christ.
Now I realize that every person develops physically, emotionally, and intellectually at different speeds. Often the physical development far outpaces that of the emotional and intellectual. The question is when do we reach that age when we make adult decisions. How long should childhood last? The Apostle Paul formed the thought this way: "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me" (1 Corinthians 13:11). We have a family in our church with a family of all boys. A couple years ago they had a "coming of age" experience for their oldest son. It was one of those unforgettable moments. I had the privilege of walking a mile or so with their son, just sharing thoughts on how he could experience and know the will of God for his life. In a few weeks, the second son will turn 13 and I have been invited, along with several other men, to share in another "coming of age" experience. At 13 will this young man become an adult? Absolutely not! But his family wants him to know that it is time for him to begin casting off the childish ways and childish thinking that had been part of his life.
Perhaps, instead of lengthening the time of adolescence, we should focus instead on helping our young people understand the realities of life and perhaps provide a "coming of age" experience for each of them. I am not sure we need to prolong childhood, but we do need to prepare our young people for adulthood, and that is something we have not done well over the years.
A second article, this one from the October 4 issue of "The Washington Examiner," reported that "the 60,000-strong Thomson Reuters media empire, in an effort to determine its diversity success, is asking its staff of reporters, researchers, marketers and others to pick their sex from nine choices, including 'genderqueer', a category for identities other than man or woman. According to the company's annual employee survey, choosing a sexual identity doesn't have to be based on a worker's actual sex, but instead 'a person's innate, deeply felt psychological identification.'" Now I know you want to know what the nine choices were. Here is the question as posed in the survey, along with the nine choices: "Please choose the category that best describes your gender identity. (Gender identity, as defined by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), refers to a person's innate, deeply felt psychological identification as male or female, which may or may not correspond to the person's body or designated sex at birth. The categories the HRC uses are listed below):
1. Male 6. Transsexual
2. Female 7. FTM (female-to-male)
3. Transgender 8. MTF (male-to-female)
4. Genderqueer/Androgynous 9. Prefer not to say
5. Intersex
Friends, I can assure you that this list of choices did NOT come from the Word of God. If I remember reading Genesis 1, God made them "male and female." Okay, that must mean that there are only two choices: I am either a male, or I am a female. And, furthermore, you know that choice when you are born. So, why are there 9 choices today? I believe it is because we have abandoned those principles that God shared with us from His Word. We have willfully negated the truth and have believed the lie. And I believe the impact of this lie will continue to grow until it is finally destroyed when Christ comes to claim His throne and Satan is cast into the bottomless pit for one thousand years.
I have the privilege of leading an early Tuesday morning Bible study this fall and we have begun to go through the Book of Romans verse-by-verse. We have been in chapter 1 for several weeks. And the above article really speaks to the scene described in Romans 1:18-32. How close are we to "being given up" by God? I don't know, friends. But I do know that the longer we persist in our giving approval to those who are flaunting sexual perversity, the nearer we get to God's giving us over to the depravity of our sexual expressions and the depravity of our minds. Psalm 2, which was our focus last week, and Romans 1 are key passages that help us to understand where we are today. And, friends, the picture is not a pleasant one. Romans 1:18 states plainly, "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness." To experience the wrath of God will not be a pleasant experience. Just ask the people of Jerusalem following the destruction of their city by, first the Babylonians, and then the Romans. Read Revelation 16 where the description is horrific when the wrath of God is poured out upon the earth during the final days of our age.
It is time for believers to awaken from our slumber. It is time to put on the whole armor of God. It is time to take up the shield of faith. It is time to sharpen the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. It is time to conduct boot-camps where we are trained to ward off the influence of the Evil One. There still is time, although darkness will soon be upon us when no one can work. The work load is great. Let's begin to make our lives count for Christ.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Psalm 2 Speaks to Us Today
Well, how are you doing on this second day of government "shut down," or, as they were saying on the Fox News network yesterday, the government "slim down?" I am certain that for many who are employed by the Federal Government, these are scary days. How long will I be out of work? How am I going to pay my bills? I understand the anxiety that is occurring right now in many homes across our nation. And I pray for a speedy resolution.
But people losing their jobs occurs every day. Merck Pharmaceuticals has announced that it is laying off several thousand of its employees. Wells Fargo is laying off several thousand employees in its mortgage banking area. Other businesses, both big and small, terminate employees almost daily somewhere in our great land. Many of those laid off find some relieve through the unemployment benefits, but it is not the same as having a job.
Why do corporations like Merck and Wells Fargo lay off employees? It is to maintain a good fiscal posture. If business income drops, one of the first steps to remain fiscally responsible is to lay off employees. I know of no business person who takes delight in laying off someone in his or her business. They know the difficulties that will entail for that family and they attempt to ease those difficulties with severance packages. Yet the viability of the business itself is inherently important. Our Federal Government has grown out of control. I just read that our government consumes over 40% of the annual Gross Domestic Product, or to put it in laymen's terms, our government spends over $40 for every $100 that is produced in this country. And still our government wants more of the money we work so hard to generate, both as individuals and as corporations. Perhaps it is time for government to do what businesses and families do when finances become critical: for a business, you lay someone off; for a family, you cut your spending. Government has a difficult time doing either; in fact, it seems to do just the opposite. But the problem is that it cannot be sustained indefinitely. Perhaps we are approaching that time.
We know that during the Tribulation all finances will be controlled by the government. According to Revelation 13, we know that unless a person has the mark of the beast he cannot purchase anything or sell anything. There we read: "He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name" (Revelation 13:16-17). Sounds to me as if the government controls the access to all funds. You cannot sell anything without the government's permission, nor can you purchase anything without that same government's permission. It makes no difference how much money you have (the rich) or how meager the resources you have (the poor), the government is in control. Sort of sounds like 100% control of the GDP to me. When that time comes, where will you place your confidence? (I am praying that the Lord will return before that time arrives, but the Bible is not absolutely clear on that fact). What will you do? Will you panic and say, "I have to survive," and thus take the mark of the beast so you will live for the moment? Or will you be like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and say, "Our confidence is in the Lord?" The time for thinking through such a response is now, not when the time arrives.
And don't forget the Iranian situation. We might be mesmerized by the talk of the new Iranian President Rohanni, but, from his speech yesterday before the United Nations General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has not been mesmerized. He trumpeted clearly that Israel still sees a nuclear Iran as being trouble in the Middle East. And, although the Prime Minister did not come out and say that Israel would launch a strike against Iran to shut down its nuclear program, he did not say that Israel would not launch such a strike. I will be in Israel in two weeks and I want to find out how the Israelis think of the Iranian situation. Should the West lessen its economic sanctions against Iran in the hopes of a promise to negotiate some kind of nuclear compromise? Would the Israeli people be willing to go it alone against Iran? I am looking forward to some interesting dialogues.
When you hear what is happening, aren't you glad that you know who is in control? I re-read Psalm 2 the other morning with a group of men. I want to close with a few verses from this great psalm. "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? (Notice: God already says that anything the nations plan to do will fail, it is futile). The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. (We know this Anointed One as Jesus Christ). 'Let us break their chains,' they say, 'and throw off their fetters.' (This has been Satan's primary purpose since the Garden, to overthrow the government of God, to free himself from the tyranny of God, as he sees it. And this purpose has been handed down to governments and peoples controlled by Satan. Yes, let's get rid of God!) The One enthroned in heaven laughs (one of the few times in the Bible where we read of God's laughter, and to what do we attribute this laughter - the foolish plans of the nations). The Lord scoffs at them (sort of "makes fun" of them). Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath..." As I shared with that group of men, I believe we are well past God's laughter and even His scoffing. And, I am fearful that we have surpassed His rebuke - He has warned us again and again of the sinful manner of life we have adopted - and are heading toward God's wrath. I am grateful for the peace that comes from knowing that God is in control. And so I put my trust and rest upon Him. Yet, even as I do that, I am aware that I do have a responsibility to be salt and light before this dark work, telling them of God's love.
These are very interesting days, don't you think?
But people losing their jobs occurs every day. Merck Pharmaceuticals has announced that it is laying off several thousand of its employees. Wells Fargo is laying off several thousand employees in its mortgage banking area. Other businesses, both big and small, terminate employees almost daily somewhere in our great land. Many of those laid off find some relieve through the unemployment benefits, but it is not the same as having a job.
Why do corporations like Merck and Wells Fargo lay off employees? It is to maintain a good fiscal posture. If business income drops, one of the first steps to remain fiscally responsible is to lay off employees. I know of no business person who takes delight in laying off someone in his or her business. They know the difficulties that will entail for that family and they attempt to ease those difficulties with severance packages. Yet the viability of the business itself is inherently important. Our Federal Government has grown out of control. I just read that our government consumes over 40% of the annual Gross Domestic Product, or to put it in laymen's terms, our government spends over $40 for every $100 that is produced in this country. And still our government wants more of the money we work so hard to generate, both as individuals and as corporations. Perhaps it is time for government to do what businesses and families do when finances become critical: for a business, you lay someone off; for a family, you cut your spending. Government has a difficult time doing either; in fact, it seems to do just the opposite. But the problem is that it cannot be sustained indefinitely. Perhaps we are approaching that time.
We know that during the Tribulation all finances will be controlled by the government. According to Revelation 13, we know that unless a person has the mark of the beast he cannot purchase anything or sell anything. There we read: "He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name" (Revelation 13:16-17). Sounds to me as if the government controls the access to all funds. You cannot sell anything without the government's permission, nor can you purchase anything without that same government's permission. It makes no difference how much money you have (the rich) or how meager the resources you have (the poor), the government is in control. Sort of sounds like 100% control of the GDP to me. When that time comes, where will you place your confidence? (I am praying that the Lord will return before that time arrives, but the Bible is not absolutely clear on that fact). What will you do? Will you panic and say, "I have to survive," and thus take the mark of the beast so you will live for the moment? Or will you be like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and say, "Our confidence is in the Lord?" The time for thinking through such a response is now, not when the time arrives.
And don't forget the Iranian situation. We might be mesmerized by the talk of the new Iranian President Rohanni, but, from his speech yesterday before the United Nations General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has not been mesmerized. He trumpeted clearly that Israel still sees a nuclear Iran as being trouble in the Middle East. And, although the Prime Minister did not come out and say that Israel would launch a strike against Iran to shut down its nuclear program, he did not say that Israel would not launch such a strike. I will be in Israel in two weeks and I want to find out how the Israelis think of the Iranian situation. Should the West lessen its economic sanctions against Iran in the hopes of a promise to negotiate some kind of nuclear compromise? Would the Israeli people be willing to go it alone against Iran? I am looking forward to some interesting dialogues.
When you hear what is happening, aren't you glad that you know who is in control? I re-read Psalm 2 the other morning with a group of men. I want to close with a few verses from this great psalm. "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? (Notice: God already says that anything the nations plan to do will fail, it is futile). The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. (We know this Anointed One as Jesus Christ). 'Let us break their chains,' they say, 'and throw off their fetters.' (This has been Satan's primary purpose since the Garden, to overthrow the government of God, to free himself from the tyranny of God, as he sees it. And this purpose has been handed down to governments and peoples controlled by Satan. Yes, let's get rid of God!) The One enthroned in heaven laughs (one of the few times in the Bible where we read of God's laughter, and to what do we attribute this laughter - the foolish plans of the nations). The Lord scoffs at them (sort of "makes fun" of them). Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath..." As I shared with that group of men, I believe we are well past God's laughter and even His scoffing. And, I am fearful that we have surpassed His rebuke - He has warned us again and again of the sinful manner of life we have adopted - and are heading toward God's wrath. I am grateful for the peace that comes from knowing that God is in control. And so I put my trust and rest upon Him. Yet, even as I do that, I am aware that I do have a responsibility to be salt and light before this dark work, telling them of God's love.
These are very interesting days, don't you think?
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
More in Our Troubling Day
An article appeared in Sunday's "Variety" section of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The article was entitled "beyond gender." I think the substance of this article represents the decadence of current American culture. Let me quote from the article:
"Gender is a fixed fact of life for most people, from the moment the doctor says, 'It's a boy' or 'It's a girl.' But a small yet increasingly visible segment of the GLBT community is challenging the idea that every person must live as one gender or the other. Instead they're choosing to live openly - personally and professionally - as both, or somewhere in the middle.
"People who experience a blending or alternation of gender states are recognized by the American Psychological Association as a subset under the umbrella term of transgender. But unlike some transgender individuals, such as recent Wikileaks newsmaker Bradley-turned-Chelsea Manning, who seek to transition to the gender that reflects their inner gender identity, some people prefer not to be confined by 'binary' gender at all.
"'We live in a culture that's pretty gender-binary,' said Katie Spencer, a psychologist and coordinator of the transgender health services program at the University of Minnesota Medical School. 'There is a lot of pressure on people to pick a box. Lots of practical things - like restrooms and pronouns - push people to pick one.
"Pronouns get complicated when 'he' and 'she' aren't options. Some genderfluid people prefer 'they.' Others advocate new neutral pronouns, such as 'ze.'"
The article is filled with illustrations from individuals who are men one moment and women another moment. Men and women who vacillate between genders, depending upon the situation. Now, I don't know about you, but I would find this confusing: Do I dress today as a male or as a female? Do I display my feminine side today or my masculine side? Am I a Jim or a Julie? And how confused would be those colleagues at work: one day you are Jim, the next day you might be Julie.
Friends, as I read the above article last Sunday afternoon, my thoughts drifted back to that very first chapter in the Bible. There we read, "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.' So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:26-27). Did you see what the text clearly states? God made only two types of people: male and female. And God so created the sexes that each was clearly distinct from the other. A look in the mirror told whether one was male or female. The concept of genderfluid individuals is foreign to Scriptural teachings.
For centuries the distinction between the sexes was clearly defined. Little girls grew up playing with dolls and playing house. Little boys grew up playing with trucks and playing backyard football. Both were making discoveries of what was expected because of their sexuality. Along came World War II, and with the men off to war in two theatres, work at home became the responsibility of wives and mothers. And, following the war, many of those wives and mothers found some satisfaction within the workplace and decided to remain. More and more women entered the work force. Some even began doing jobs that had previously only been associated with men. Then came the clarion call for equality between the sexes. And the confusion of the roles between the sexes continued to be muddied.
Now, not only are the gender roles confused, but there is a confusion regarding gender itself. On some application forms you can check whether you are a male, a female, or other. Now, friends, I truly do not know what an "other" is. I don't believe I have ever met an "other." I have met many males and females, however.
This article hits home as I am presently meeting with 28 men on Tuesday mornings (6-7:30 a.m.) for a verse-by-verse study in Romans. Those closing verses of Romans 1 are the subject for next week's lesson. There the Apostle Paul speaks much of gender confusion. And he clearly states, in fact he states it three times, that "God gave people over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity, to shameful lusts, and to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done" (Romans 1:24, 26, 28).
There is confusion today because we have abandoned truth found in the Word of God. Yes, we are to love these people even as Jesus does. But let us not give acceptance to their gender confusion. Let's point them to Jesus who can truly set them free to become what God desires them to be.
Just another sign pointing in the direction of the soon coming of Jesus. I don't know about you, but I can hardly wait.
"Gender is a fixed fact of life for most people, from the moment the doctor says, 'It's a boy' or 'It's a girl.' But a small yet increasingly visible segment of the GLBT community is challenging the idea that every person must live as one gender or the other. Instead they're choosing to live openly - personally and professionally - as both, or somewhere in the middle.
"People who experience a blending or alternation of gender states are recognized by the American Psychological Association as a subset under the umbrella term of transgender. But unlike some transgender individuals, such as recent Wikileaks newsmaker Bradley-turned-Chelsea Manning, who seek to transition to the gender that reflects their inner gender identity, some people prefer not to be confined by 'binary' gender at all.
"'We live in a culture that's pretty gender-binary,' said Katie Spencer, a psychologist and coordinator of the transgender health services program at the University of Minnesota Medical School. 'There is a lot of pressure on people to pick a box. Lots of practical things - like restrooms and pronouns - push people to pick one.
"Pronouns get complicated when 'he' and 'she' aren't options. Some genderfluid people prefer 'they.' Others advocate new neutral pronouns, such as 'ze.'"
The article is filled with illustrations from individuals who are men one moment and women another moment. Men and women who vacillate between genders, depending upon the situation. Now, I don't know about you, but I would find this confusing: Do I dress today as a male or as a female? Do I display my feminine side today or my masculine side? Am I a Jim or a Julie? And how confused would be those colleagues at work: one day you are Jim, the next day you might be Julie.
Friends, as I read the above article last Sunday afternoon, my thoughts drifted back to that very first chapter in the Bible. There we read, "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.' So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:26-27). Did you see what the text clearly states? God made only two types of people: male and female. And God so created the sexes that each was clearly distinct from the other. A look in the mirror told whether one was male or female. The concept of genderfluid individuals is foreign to Scriptural teachings.
For centuries the distinction between the sexes was clearly defined. Little girls grew up playing with dolls and playing house. Little boys grew up playing with trucks and playing backyard football. Both were making discoveries of what was expected because of their sexuality. Along came World War II, and with the men off to war in two theatres, work at home became the responsibility of wives and mothers. And, following the war, many of those wives and mothers found some satisfaction within the workplace and decided to remain. More and more women entered the work force. Some even began doing jobs that had previously only been associated with men. Then came the clarion call for equality between the sexes. And the confusion of the roles between the sexes continued to be muddied.
Now, not only are the gender roles confused, but there is a confusion regarding gender itself. On some application forms you can check whether you are a male, a female, or other. Now, friends, I truly do not know what an "other" is. I don't believe I have ever met an "other." I have met many males and females, however.
This article hits home as I am presently meeting with 28 men on Tuesday mornings (6-7:30 a.m.) for a verse-by-verse study in Romans. Those closing verses of Romans 1 are the subject for next week's lesson. There the Apostle Paul speaks much of gender confusion. And he clearly states, in fact he states it three times, that "God gave people over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity, to shameful lusts, and to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done" (Romans 1:24, 26, 28).
There is confusion today because we have abandoned truth found in the Word of God. Yes, we are to love these people even as Jesus does. But let us not give acceptance to their gender confusion. Let's point them to Jesus who can truly set them free to become what God desires them to be.
Just another sign pointing in the direction of the soon coming of Jesus. I don't know about you, but I can hardly wait.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
An Interesting Poll
Last week a new poll, conducted by the Barna Group, was released. It had been commissioned by Jim Fitzgerald, author of "The 9/11 Prophecy." One of the featured questions on the poll was: "Do you, personally, believe that the world is currently living in the 'end times' as described by prophecies in the Bible, or not?"
41% of Americans agreed that the end times are here. Fitzgerald said that he was surprised by the results: "I thought the numbers could possibly be as low as 10 percent for the overall population and maybe 30 percent for Christians in general, or less. I had no way to know before the survey. But the response of the overall population was higher than what I expected from Christians, and the evangelicals' response was nearly twice what I thought."
The poll found that among Protestant responders, one in two believe the end times have arrived. Among Catholic responders, nearly three out of four said that we were not living in the end times. Another interesting statistic from the poll was that 54% of the blacks said yes, as did 48% of Hispanics. Whites were at about 39%. (Taken from an article at www.wnd.com/2013/09/shocking-number-say-end-times-have-arrived).
So, what does this poll mean, if anything? First, I am excited to believe that nearly half of Americans are waking up to the thought that the world is going out of whack. That what we are experiencing today is really not normal - at least as measured against the past. Second, I am thrilled that many are beginning to see the events of the world as having some purpose beyond just the here-and-now. Perhaps authors such as Jonathan Khan, with his book "The Harbinger," and Joel Rosenberg, with this most recent thriller, "The Damascus Countdown," are causing people to see world events through a different set of lenses - through prophetic and biblical lenses.
Let me just enumerate a few things that help bring things into perspective:
1. Syria: Russia's involvement in Syria should not have surprised us. Syria has been an ally of Russia since the days of Assad's father. Russia has built a warm water port along the shores of northern Syria. Syria is a key to Russia's keeping their hands on what is going on in the Middle East.
2. Iran: Wasn't it interesting that in the same week that Russian President Putin was declaring to the world that he would go into Syria to destroy their chemical weapons, that he entered into an agreement with Tehran to help them build a new nuclear reactor? Didn't hear that one? Thought so...sort of just snuck in there, forgotten by the media in their Syria frenzy. But remember the words of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu that the real problem in the Middle East is Iran and its rush toward becoming a nuclear power.
3. Weather: What a wacky year it has been. From record heat waves in Alaska this summer to historic floods in Colorado to destructive wildfires in California and other western states to drought once again in the nation's midsection. Climate change? I just read where the Arctic ice cap grew by 6 million square miles this year. Hardly sounds like it is getting too warm. As someone said recently, "the only thing we can depend upon in the weather department is that it will happen."
4. Papal statements: Like so many others I am trying to figure out Pope Francis. I love his passion for the poor and his more simple way of living. But he has made a few statements that make me wonder just what his theology is. Can atheists enter into heaven? According to Pope Francis, yes they can if they have not violated their conscience. But my Bible, and I think the Catholic Bible says the same thing, at least the version I have on my study shelf, says that the only way to enter into heaven is by believing on the Son of God, Jesus, and that necessarily means believing in God. I read the Pope's statement and came to believe that we are rushing down the pathway toward universalism.
Friends, I, too, believe that we are living in the early days of the end times. I believe the world will get worse. I believe persecution of Christians will increase, not just in Syria and Egypt (the stories coming out of those two war-torn nations are gut-wrenching) but here in America as well. Not looking forward to it, but believe it will definitely happen in my lifetime.
Many are beginning to be awakened. That is very good. But there are many more who simply prefer to sleep and be awakened when it is all over. How we need to just keep proclaiming the message of God's love, but also of His coming judgment.
41% of Americans agreed that the end times are here. Fitzgerald said that he was surprised by the results: "I thought the numbers could possibly be as low as 10 percent for the overall population and maybe 30 percent for Christians in general, or less. I had no way to know before the survey. But the response of the overall population was higher than what I expected from Christians, and the evangelicals' response was nearly twice what I thought."
The poll found that among Protestant responders, one in two believe the end times have arrived. Among Catholic responders, nearly three out of four said that we were not living in the end times. Another interesting statistic from the poll was that 54% of the blacks said yes, as did 48% of Hispanics. Whites were at about 39%. (Taken from an article at www.wnd.com/2013/09/shocking-number-say-end-times-have-arrived).
So, what does this poll mean, if anything? First, I am excited to believe that nearly half of Americans are waking up to the thought that the world is going out of whack. That what we are experiencing today is really not normal - at least as measured against the past. Second, I am thrilled that many are beginning to see the events of the world as having some purpose beyond just the here-and-now. Perhaps authors such as Jonathan Khan, with his book "The Harbinger," and Joel Rosenberg, with this most recent thriller, "The Damascus Countdown," are causing people to see world events through a different set of lenses - through prophetic and biblical lenses.
Let me just enumerate a few things that help bring things into perspective:
1. Syria: Russia's involvement in Syria should not have surprised us. Syria has been an ally of Russia since the days of Assad's father. Russia has built a warm water port along the shores of northern Syria. Syria is a key to Russia's keeping their hands on what is going on in the Middle East.
2. Iran: Wasn't it interesting that in the same week that Russian President Putin was declaring to the world that he would go into Syria to destroy their chemical weapons, that he entered into an agreement with Tehran to help them build a new nuclear reactor? Didn't hear that one? Thought so...sort of just snuck in there, forgotten by the media in their Syria frenzy. But remember the words of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu that the real problem in the Middle East is Iran and its rush toward becoming a nuclear power.
3. Weather: What a wacky year it has been. From record heat waves in Alaska this summer to historic floods in Colorado to destructive wildfires in California and other western states to drought once again in the nation's midsection. Climate change? I just read where the Arctic ice cap grew by 6 million square miles this year. Hardly sounds like it is getting too warm. As someone said recently, "the only thing we can depend upon in the weather department is that it will happen."
4. Papal statements: Like so many others I am trying to figure out Pope Francis. I love his passion for the poor and his more simple way of living. But he has made a few statements that make me wonder just what his theology is. Can atheists enter into heaven? According to Pope Francis, yes they can if they have not violated their conscience. But my Bible, and I think the Catholic Bible says the same thing, at least the version I have on my study shelf, says that the only way to enter into heaven is by believing on the Son of God, Jesus, and that necessarily means believing in God. I read the Pope's statement and came to believe that we are rushing down the pathway toward universalism.
Friends, I, too, believe that we are living in the early days of the end times. I believe the world will get worse. I believe persecution of Christians will increase, not just in Syria and Egypt (the stories coming out of those two war-torn nations are gut-wrenching) but here in America as well. Not looking forward to it, but believe it will definitely happen in my lifetime.
Many are beginning to be awakened. That is very good. But there are many more who simply prefer to sleep and be awakened when it is all over. How we need to just keep proclaiming the message of God's love, but also of His coming judgment.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Is America A Lost Tribe?
It is tempting to continue talking about the situation in Syria, but let's give it some time. Perhaps the plan put forth by the Russians to avert another international war will work. We should know the answer to that question within the next few weeks, if not sooner.
I read an article that was posted on the WND website on August 30, titled, "Glenn Beck: U.S. Identified in the Bible." You can find it at www.wnd.com/2013/08/glenn-beck-u-s-is-lost-tribe-of-Israel. As reported by Joe Kovacs, a reporter for the World News Daily network, Glenn Beck has come to believe that Great Britain and the United States are the lost tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. This teaching is known as "British-Israelism" or "Anglo-Israelism." The basic premise is based upon the historical and biblical fact that, following the death of King Solomon, the nation of Israel was divided into two separate nations. The Northern Kingdom, known in the Bible as both Israel and Samaria (so named after its capitol city), and the Southern Kingdom, known in the Bible as both Judah and Jerusalem (again named after its capitol city), were created because of the sins of Solomon. The books of 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles detail the stories of these two kingdoms. The Northern Kingdom has 19 different kings throughout its 209 year history (931-722 BC) and the Bible indicates that each of those kings followed in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, the Northern Kingdom's first king. Those sins included the worship of two golden calves - one set up in the northern part of the Kingdom at Dan, the second set up in the southern part of the Kingdom at Bethel. Although warned by many prophets, including Elijah and Elisha, the nation continued on its bent in sinning. Finally, in the year 722 BC, God allowed the Assyrians to capture Samaria and the people of the Northern Kingdom were taken into captivity into Assyria.
Meanwhile, the Southern Kingdom continued its existence until 586 BC when, because of its continual bent in sinning, God allowed it to be taken captive into Babylon. The focus of the remaining historical books in the Old Testament - Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther - focus upon that Judean remnant and their eventual return from Babylon.
Of course many will exclaim, "But what happened to those from the ten northern tribes who were in captivity in Assyria? Did they ever return to the Promised Land?" Beck and others say, "No, they did not. They fled from Assyria and crossed the Caucuses Mountains into Europe, thus deriving the name Caucasian."
Friends, this idea that the British and the United States are the lost tribes of Israel is not a new one. It formed the backbone of the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong and his Worldwide Church of God. I want to share a rather lengthy quote from his book titled, "The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy."
"The House of Israel is the covenant people. The Hebrew word for covenant is 'beriyth' or 'berith.' The Hebrew word for man is 'iysh' or 'ish.' In the original Hebrew language, vowels were never given in the spellings, so omitting the vowel 'e' from 'berith,' but retaining the 'i' in its Anglicized form to preserve the 'y' sound, and you have the Anglicized Hebrew word for covenant, 'brith.' The Hebrews, however, never pronounced their h's. The Jews, even today, in pronouncing the name Shem will call it Sem. Incidentally, this ancient Hebrew trait is also a modern British trait, so the Hebrew word for covenant would be pronounced, in its Anglicized form as Brit. And the word for covenant man or covenant people would therefore be Brit-ish. So the true covenant people today are called the British. And they reside in the British Isles."
Friends, this is very bad biblical interpretation. You cannot play with words to proof a point. You cannot make Hebrew into English. Hebrew is Hebrew. Furthermore, the Hebrew word for covenant is 'berith' and it is pronounced that way. So, the case for British-Israelism falls on linguistic evidence.
But it also falls on biblical evidence which is more important. The prophets are emphatic that both the Northern Kingdom as well as the Southern Kingdom would return from the Babylonian Captivity. We read these words in Jeremiah 50:4 and 5 - "in those days, at that time," declares the LORD, "the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the LORD their God. They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten." This passage speaks of the captivity in Babylon and the desire on the part of the people to return to Zion or Jerusalem. And notice Jeremiah includes the people of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and the people of Judah (the Southern Kingdom). Then there is the passage from Ezekiel 37:18-28 wherein the prophet is told to take two sticks, labeling one of them the stick of Joseph and the other the stick of Judah, and bind them together as one. The prophet then is instructed to relate, "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms."
I have respected Glenn Beck in the past for his stand on some of the great moral issues of our day. But his belief that America is part of the family of Israel and will inherit the blessings of God because of that fact, is blatantly unscriptural.
If you are interested in learning more about British-Israelism, I would encourage you to read that section of Walter R. Martin's book "The Kingdom of the Cults" that focuses upon that teaching.
Meanwhile, stay in the Word of God during these tumultuous days. Don't be swayed by popular teachings, but incline your heart solely to the Word and be in tune with the Holy Spirit. Let's sit at the feet of Jesus, not Glenn Beck.
I read an article that was posted on the WND website on August 30, titled, "Glenn Beck: U.S. Identified in the Bible." You can find it at www.wnd.com/2013/08/glenn-beck-u-s-is-lost-tribe-of-Israel. As reported by Joe Kovacs, a reporter for the World News Daily network, Glenn Beck has come to believe that Great Britain and the United States are the lost tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. This teaching is known as "British-Israelism" or "Anglo-Israelism." The basic premise is based upon the historical and biblical fact that, following the death of King Solomon, the nation of Israel was divided into two separate nations. The Northern Kingdom, known in the Bible as both Israel and Samaria (so named after its capitol city), and the Southern Kingdom, known in the Bible as both Judah and Jerusalem (again named after its capitol city), were created because of the sins of Solomon. The books of 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles detail the stories of these two kingdoms. The Northern Kingdom has 19 different kings throughout its 209 year history (931-722 BC) and the Bible indicates that each of those kings followed in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, the Northern Kingdom's first king. Those sins included the worship of two golden calves - one set up in the northern part of the Kingdom at Dan, the second set up in the southern part of the Kingdom at Bethel. Although warned by many prophets, including Elijah and Elisha, the nation continued on its bent in sinning. Finally, in the year 722 BC, God allowed the Assyrians to capture Samaria and the people of the Northern Kingdom were taken into captivity into Assyria.
Meanwhile, the Southern Kingdom continued its existence until 586 BC when, because of its continual bent in sinning, God allowed it to be taken captive into Babylon. The focus of the remaining historical books in the Old Testament - Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther - focus upon that Judean remnant and their eventual return from Babylon.
Of course many will exclaim, "But what happened to those from the ten northern tribes who were in captivity in Assyria? Did they ever return to the Promised Land?" Beck and others say, "No, they did not. They fled from Assyria and crossed the Caucuses Mountains into Europe, thus deriving the name Caucasian."
Friends, this idea that the British and the United States are the lost tribes of Israel is not a new one. It formed the backbone of the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong and his Worldwide Church of God. I want to share a rather lengthy quote from his book titled, "The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy."
"The House of Israel is the covenant people. The Hebrew word for covenant is 'beriyth' or 'berith.' The Hebrew word for man is 'iysh' or 'ish.' In the original Hebrew language, vowels were never given in the spellings, so omitting the vowel 'e' from 'berith,' but retaining the 'i' in its Anglicized form to preserve the 'y' sound, and you have the Anglicized Hebrew word for covenant, 'brith.' The Hebrews, however, never pronounced their h's. The Jews, even today, in pronouncing the name Shem will call it Sem. Incidentally, this ancient Hebrew trait is also a modern British trait, so the Hebrew word for covenant would be pronounced, in its Anglicized form as Brit. And the word for covenant man or covenant people would therefore be Brit-ish. So the true covenant people today are called the British. And they reside in the British Isles."
Friends, this is very bad biblical interpretation. You cannot play with words to proof a point. You cannot make Hebrew into English. Hebrew is Hebrew. Furthermore, the Hebrew word for covenant is 'berith' and it is pronounced that way. So, the case for British-Israelism falls on linguistic evidence.
But it also falls on biblical evidence which is more important. The prophets are emphatic that both the Northern Kingdom as well as the Southern Kingdom would return from the Babylonian Captivity. We read these words in Jeremiah 50:4 and 5 - "in those days, at that time," declares the LORD, "the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the LORD their God. They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten." This passage speaks of the captivity in Babylon and the desire on the part of the people to return to Zion or Jerusalem. And notice Jeremiah includes the people of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and the people of Judah (the Southern Kingdom). Then there is the passage from Ezekiel 37:18-28 wherein the prophet is told to take two sticks, labeling one of them the stick of Joseph and the other the stick of Judah, and bind them together as one. The prophet then is instructed to relate, "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms."
I have respected Glenn Beck in the past for his stand on some of the great moral issues of our day. But his belief that America is part of the family of Israel and will inherit the blessings of God because of that fact, is blatantly unscriptural.
If you are interested in learning more about British-Israelism, I would encourage you to read that section of Walter R. Martin's book "The Kingdom of the Cults" that focuses upon that teaching.
Meanwhile, stay in the Word of God during these tumultuous days. Don't be swayed by popular teachings, but incline your heart solely to the Word and be in tune with the Holy Spirit. Let's sit at the feet of Jesus, not Glenn Beck.
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