Clarity on Homosexuality

Kevin DeYoung has written an excellent summary (and refutation) of sophisticated-sounding arguments in favor of the acceptance of homosexuality by the church and by Christians.  It is titled, "Not that Kind of Homosexuality" (click on the link to read it).
As this is ever more present in our culture; and as Christians are called to preach Christ to all (notice, we are nowhere called to "change" homosexuals, or push them back onto the closet, or any such thing; but to point them to Christ, who alone can redeem them and reconcile them to God); it seems to me that clarity is an essential part of our thinking about this.
DeYoung shows that to give moral affirmation to homosexuality is to say that biblical teaching is wrong; and that many (non-Christian) pro-homosexual writers agree. That is an important point.
Of course, there are a lot of people who, by their behavior, show that they think the Bible is wrong. Christians, myself included, all too often show by our sinful actions that we think, at least in the moment of disobeying it, that the Bible is wrong.  When I burst out in sinful anger, or covet what I don't have, to give only two examples, I am saying, "God says that if I do not do these things, I will be better off.  I differ with God on that point at this moment; I think I am better off for coveting, exploding in anger, etc."
Still, clarity on that point with regard to homosexual behavior is an important thing.  We do not (or ought not) despise another for disagreeing with God about something. For we know the only remedy is a work of God's Spirit in the human heart that comes through the gospel (Romans 10:9-17 comes to mind).
So the next time someone tries to tell you that the Bible really does not condemn homosexuality as practiced today, plead for clarity.  And plead for clarity in love (see 1 Peter 3:15-17), and take your licks for being "intolerant" with grace.  It's not about you; it is about the gospel.

What Can We Do about Events in Ferguson, MO?

This morning I received something from Ken Sande's blog.  (Ken Sande is the author of The Peacemaker, and is now focusing on the connection between the gospel and emotional intelligence)  This week he wrote a post on Ferguson, MO, the place where racial tensions have again escalated following the grand jury's decision not to press charges against the white police officer who shot an 18-year-old black youth in a police action.  I encourage you to read it.
Now I have prayed about this privately, but I did not pray about it in the pastoral prayer on Sunday.  As I read a letter Sande quotes from a 35-year-old black woman, I am convicted.  In my life I think I am fairly isolated from racial tensions; but then again, perhaps they are all around me, and I am just oblivious.  If you find the same is true for you, read Sande's blog post.  Even if you aren't isolated from that--read his blog post.  And let me know what else you have seen that addresses these matters well.

What Led You to Become an Atheist? Some Surprises...

Here is a blog page that you will be interested in reading.  It is David Murray summarizing an article in The Atlantic.  i am tempted to cut and paste it below, but don't know if that is proper, so I'll just give you the link and you can see it for yourself:

http://headhearthand.org/blog/2014/10/28/what-led-you-to-become-an-atheist-some-surprising-answers

Christian Arbitration Positively Portrayed on CBS' "The Good Wife"

Here is something different: on a recent episode of "The Good Wife" there was a very positive portrayal of two Christian neighbors resolving a conflict outside the courtroom, through the church.  You can see the full episode here, Hat tip: Ken Sande's blog, where he also adds his remarks, under the heading, "Befuddled Lawyers and Sensible Christians."  It really is true in that episode that the lawyers are portrayed as befuddled, while the process by which two men come to agree on a resolution for their conflict is very sensible.  (Warning: this is prime time network television, so in the beginning there are short flashbacks to adulterous scenes)

Prayer

I hasten toward an hour when earthly pursuits and possessions will appear vain,
    when it will be indifferent whether I have been rich or poor,
    successful or disappointed,
    admired or despised.
But it will be of eternal moment that I have mourned for sin,
    hungered and thirsted after righteousness,
    loved the Lord Jesus in sincerity,
    gloried in his cross.
May these objects engross my chief solicitude!

Sobering Words from Psalm 49

Psalm 49:16-20:
Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,
     when the glory of his house increases.
For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
     his glory will not go down after him.
For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed
     —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
his soul will go to the generation of his fathers,
     who will never again see light.
Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

Cultural Divide on Parenting

There is a recent Pew survey taken on parenting, specifically what parents desire most to impart to their children. Here is a report on the BBC's web site that summarizes it.  It is something to prayerfully consider as we think about how the gospel works in our society and culture.  It also helps us to think about this: What does the gospel lead us most to desire to pass along to our children?

Gospel Song--with a Twist

Emotional Intelligence, Relational Wisdom, and the Gospel

Are you familiar with the concept of "emotional intelligence?" Emotional intelligence (as opposed to "intellectual quotient, " IQ) has to do with emotional awareness--the ability to identify and deal with your own emotions, and EI overflows in empathy and understanding in working with the emotions of others.
It turns out that Ken Sande, author of The Peacemaker, has turned his attention to combining emotional intelligence with the gospel, to create "Relational Wisdom."  And it is a very helpful combination.  You can learn more about it at this web site: www.rw360.org.

Is it worth the fight? Worth clinging to?

As far as governments--federal and state--are concerned, it looks like "gay marriage" is here to stay.  Like it or not.  For my part, even when the state sanctions it--and even though there are some good reasons the state should do so, which might be a surprise--I insist the church should not.  Ever.
What reminded me of that is this excellent article titled, "Why so many Christians won't back down on gay marriage."  You can read it here.

How Shall We Live in Light of John 15:18ff?

John 15:18ff. (which was the sermon text at Covenant Church on Sunday) is a challenge: Jesus promises that just as the world hated him, the world will hate his disciples.  How do we live in light of that--especially in the public sphere?  What analogy or picture describes the life of a Christian in the world--in the world that rejected Christ?  And at the same time the world into which Christ came--not to condemn the world, but to save the world (John 3:17)?  How do we love the world, even as we love God more?
Here is an article from the journal First Things, written by Carl Trueman, who is a church history professor at Westminster Seminary, and a pastor of Cornerstone OPC in Ambler, PA.  And an all-around brilliant overachiever, if I may say so.  The analogy from Scripture that Trueman uses to describe our present situation is the Babylonian exile--where Jeremiah (ch. 29) urged those in exile to plant gardens and eat the produce, to seek the welfare of the cities they were in, even as they believed in God's promises for redemption (fulfilled in Christ--a redemption that was not geo-political, but spiritual).  Happy reading!

Think Your Educational Options Are Limited?

Try living as a Christian in China, trying to bring your children up in the 'nurture and admonition of the Lord," while your only educational option is a public school system that runs six days a week, twelve hours a day, and is openly committed to atheism!  Interestingly, and not surprisingly, churches and parents are searching for alternatives.  World magazine recently ran an article about that, and you can read it here. Read it prayerfully!

Prayer for the Day

This morning the Valley of Vision prayer I prayed ended with this good thought:
          "If my life should end this day, let this be my best day."
How very appropriate, when we face every day a myriad of temptations, and need daily such grace to love God.  Let this be the day in which Christ in me conquers sin.

Praying for Fruit in the Lives of Others

Over the last few weeks as I have preached in John's Gospel Jesus' promise for prayer has struck me several times.  Several times Jesus says: whatever you ask for in my name, I (or the Father) will do it.
The pattern in John goes from Jesus to his disciples; because Jesus receives whatever he asks from the Father, the disciples (who abide in him) have the same privilege.  So in John 11:22, when Jesus comes to Bethany after Lazarus' death, Martha affirms that for Jesus, "whatever you ask from God,. God will give you."  And Jesus, in John 14:16, will ask the Father for the Spirit, and the Father will give him to the disciples.
Along with that, and flowing from that (again, because of the disciples being "in Christ"), comes the promise of John 14:13-14, and 15:7, 16, repeated again in 16:23-24.
One thing we may certainly ask for, and know that God will grant it, is for good fruit in our own lives, and in the lives of other believers.  So here is one place where we can apply this: praying for our brothers and sisters in our own church.
So try this: Take your church directory, and pray for one column of families in church every day.  That is about five or six families a day.  Pray for their children, and adult children.  Pray for the fruit of the gospel in their lives.
For me, I also have a list of college students and young adults.  I pray for them a few a day.  Then I have a list of all the children in our church, broken down by ages.  I pray for them grouped by age.  In addition to praying for them, it helps be to stay on top of how old the children of the church are.
Now I confess, I mostly am a YOLF ("Ye Of Little Faith"); that is, I am not always convinced that much comes of these prayers.  I confess I pray with little expectation.  But that is something of which I must repent; for Jesus assures me that these prayers, said in his name, God hears, and God will grant fruit in the lives of others in response to my prayers.  Stand in awe!  How much else do we do in a day that has that much of a promise behind it?

The Sound of Silence...

You may remember that as the title of a Simon and Garfunkel song.  It is a sound that is rarely heard anymore by many of us.  One of the reasons is that we are surrounded by electronic noise.  It used to be that I would encounter "dead space" in life--down time, where there was nothing pressing on me, and I had a moment or two to look around, enjoy the flowers and grass, or look out the window and think, or just "chill."
One of the reasons there is less of that is technology that is always there.  So instead of looking out the window and chilling, I take my phone in my hand, check my email, see how the Phillies did last night, see what the stock market is doing, look at the weather....
Now someone has written a book called The End of Absence. It has a nice review in the Wall Street Journal that you can see here.  Pity no one has time to read books anymore.  But you can read the review on your phone--and if you do have some down time, you can probably find the book on an e-reader near you...

God in the Whirlwind, by David Wells

I have just about finished this book (you see it on the bar on the right).  Today I saw that Carl Trueman has a review of it.  It's theme is God's holy-love (hyphenated to emphasize that holiness and love go together in God).  This presents a challenge to us--we tend to emphasize God's love (for the most part) or his holiness (less common, but still we do it), often in isolation from each other.  To emphasize God's love makes him out to be a Santa Claus-like figure, always pleasing us but never making demands of us. To emphasize God's holiness leads to legalism or Pharisaism, usually combined with condemnation for those who do not measure up as we do.
God's love is holy, and his holiness is loving.  That is why both his holiness and his love compel and change us.  In Christ his love satisfies his holiness for our justification; by the same love, he transforms us in Christ toward greater holiness, what we call sanctification.  Both pieces go together.  There is that--and much more--in Wells' book.

"Dispatches from the Front"

Recently the Westminster Bookstore has promoted a set of DVD's and a book titled Dispatches from the Front.  It is a collection of stories, a kind of travelogue, from different places in the world where the gospel is radically changing lives--that is to say, some very hard and dark places where the gospel is at work.  Here is the blurb on one of the DVDs:
In our world of comfort and convenience it is often startling to realize that poverty, slavery, and persecution grip much of the globe.  Yet it is also thrilling to realize that the work of the gospel transforms, empowers, and equips us to make a lasting difference there on the frontier of human need.
So far I have watched most of the first video, mainly about southeast Asia (the nations around the super-modern city state of Singapore).  It is well worth watching, though it is disturbing--very much so.  And it puts our lives--and our discomforts, such as they are--into perspective.  At the same time, it does highlight how Christ changes lives, and brings hope to truly hopeless pats of the world.  Stay tuned for more about this, or check out their web site.

Sudanese Woman goes to Italy

Here is a report from the BBC web site that gives an update on the previous post.  The Sudanese woman (a Christian whose father--though an absentee father--is Muslin) was freed last month, and released into the custody of the US Embassy in Khartoum.  It appears that Italian diplomats have assisted her in leaving Sudan, and that she is now in Italy.  There she met with the Pope.  Nothing states whether she is Roman Catholic or not; perhaps she is.  Whatever it may be, it is an answer to prayer.

Sudanese Woman Re-arrested

A few weeks ago we prayed for a Sudanese woman who is married to a Christian, and who was under a death sentence in a Sudanese jail for converting to Christianity.  The BBC reports that she was released last week, but has been re-arrested, along with her husband and family (she had given birth in jail) as they were leaving Sudan.  Please continue to pray for her (Hebrews 13:3). You can read the BBC report here.

Medal of Honor Recipient

Here is a link to the interview I will mention in Sunday's sermon:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/medal-honor-recipient-shielded-fellow-marine-grenade/

Politics in Light of Heavenly Citizenship

I would not dare to try to cover that (politics in light of our heavenly citizenship) myself--but I find someone recently has.  Follow this link to an excellent article written by a professor of political science at Covenant College that does.  How do we think about politics and government in light of Scripture, which is primarily a record of God's redemption of his people, unfolding throughout history?  Read it, and let me know what you think.

World Vision and Mozilla

There was an interesting combination of things that happened around the same time related to gay marriage; one at Mozilla, and one at World Vision.  Click this link for a good observation on it by Carl Trueman.

Truth That Hits Home

This morning I read Psalm 130 (an excellent psalm--it's short, you have time to read it now), followed by this prayer from Valley of Vision (a collection of prayers from Puritan writers):

O Changeless God,

Under the conviction of thy Spirit I learn that

            the more I do, the worse I am,

            the more I know, the less I know,

            the more holiness I have, the more sinful I am,

            the more I love, the more there is to love.

                        O wretched man that I am!

O Lord,

            I have a wild heart,

                        and cannot stand before thee;

I am like a bird before a man.

How little I love thy truth and ways!

I neglect prayer,

            by thinking I have prayed enough and earnestly,

            by knowing thou hast saved my soul.

Of all hypocrites, grant that I may not be an evangelical hypocrite,

            who sins more safely because grace abounds,

            who tells his lusts that Christ’s blood cleanseth them,

            who reasons that God cannot cast him into hell, for he is saved,

            who loves evangelical preaching, churches, Christians, but lives

                        unholily.

My mind is a bucket without a bottom,

            with no spiritual understanding,

            no desire for the Lord’s Day,

            ever learning by never reaching the truth,

            always at the gospel-well but never holding water.

My conscience is without conviction or contrition,

            with nothing to repent of.

My will is without power of decision or resolution.

            My heart is without affection, and full of leaks.

My memory has no retention,

            so I forget easily the lessons learned,

            and thy truth seep away.

Give me a broken heart that yet carries home the water of grace.

Want to Go See "Noah?" Read This First

Whenever Hollywood makes a movie that has anything to do with the Bible, many Christians go bananas for joy.  The movie "Noah" is no exception.  But let's face it: Hollywood doesn't do the Bible well; it always serves an agenda other than the Bible--and the Bible's God.
"Noah" is no exception.  Here is an interesting evaluation of the movie that is worth reading.
Does that mean Christians shouldn't go see it?  No.  It may be good entertainment, and all that.  Or maybe you want to see it because it is good art, good cinematography, or because it is a good story (even if it is not the Bible's story).  That's fine. Just don't be confused.  If you want to know the story of Noah, stick to the text of the Bible.  If you want to see a good story that has a character named Noah, and even an ark, go ahead--just don't think you are seeing the Bible's story.

John 7:53-8:11: Is It Part of John’s Original Gospel?

John 7:53-8:11 is the well-known story of the woman caught in adultery who is brought to Jesus.  It is a story that even people who do not know the Bible well know about.  Its message fits well with the New Testament’s emphasis that we come to Christ as wretched sinners, and in him receive mercy and pardon for sin; and that in him we receive the grace of repentance, which includes a change of heart, so that we can, as the story ends, “Go and sin no more.” Still, the evidence is that this story does not belong in John’s Gospel, but is a later addition. 

   Now it may be disconcerting, if you have been reading the Bible all your life, to find out that there is a story in the Bible that may not belong there.  It leads you to ask: what else does not belong there?  And why?  How do we know?

    So let me here give a brief summary of how we got the New Testament, as it relates to the New Testament text. 

    The New Testament is the God-breathed Word of God, without error (inerrant) in what it teaches.  With this caveat: the original writings (called autographs) are without error.  That is, John, the Gospel writer, wrote God’s Word when he wrote his original Gospel. 

    But we do not have a copy of John’s original autograph.  Which raises the question: what is the original?  And how do we determine that?

    For the first 1500 years of its existence, until the invention of the printing press, the New Testament documents were hand-copied.  The copies are only as faithful as copies that were made.  1500 years of a document surviving by hand copy.  That seems daunting.

    There is good news, however: there are over 5800 manuscripts in Greek for the New Testament that date between the 2^nd and 15^th centuries.  And, for 97% of the New Testament, there is clear agreement on what the original is, based on those manuscripts.  Moreover, in the 3% that is not entirely clear, no major Bible teaching is affected. That’s pretty impressive.

    John 7:53-8:11 falls into the other 3%.  No major Bible teaching is affected by this passage.  But if you look at the manuscripts, you see that the earliest manuscripts leave this story out.  Many of those manuscripts were discovered after the King James Version of the Bible was published (the KJV includes this story without footnotes).  In addition to that, other manuscripts have the same story at other places in John’s Gospel, or in Luke’s Gospel.  So that does make you wonder.

    Moreover, if you read John 7-8, John 8:12 follows very nicely after John 7:52.  John 7:52 concludes the discussion that followed Jesus’ saying in 7:37-38: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink…”  John 8:11 begins, “Again Jesus said…,” which, follows nicely.

    Now, we have no idea where this story came from.  We only have manuscripts—the scribes did not leave commentary on their manuscripts. 

    So—should you and I be concerned about what is in the Bible?  How do we know?  Well, most Bible translations have footnotes that tell us when a word or a phrase is not entirely clear based on the manuscripts we have.  Bible translators not only study carefully how to express meaning in another language; they also study carefully which variations on the Greek text are most likely.  That is the field called “text criticism.”  These translators do us a huge service—and they do a good job.  We should be thankful for them.  And we can follow their lead as they desire to produce for us something that is as close to the original autographs as possible. 

    So again: there is some question about 3% of the New Testament text, based on the manuscripts we have.  No major Bible teaching is affected by that 3%.  Bible translator note for us, through footnotes, if there is doubt about a word or a passage.  We can trust, therefore, the Bible we have, with full confidence that it is as close to the original as possible—and close enough to give us an excellent text.

Something from Chinese Church Voices

ccv2012 posted: "The Gospel Times recently re-posted a piece from a blogger, titled "Why I Am a Christian." In it the blogger gives ten reasons for being a Christian. The structure is one commonly used in Chinese writing -- asking a question multiple times, then answering" New post on Chinese Church Voices Ten Reasons I am a Christian by ccv2012 The Gospel Times recently re-posted a piece from a blogger, titled "Why I Am a Christian." In it the blogger gives ten reasons for being a Christian. The structure is one commonly used in Chinese writing -- asking a question multiple times, then answering it multiple times. Like most Chinese people, I was born into a family with no Christian background. Up until now, we still live in a society that is quite unfriendly to Christianity. Our culture also has absolutely no connection with the Christian religion. However, like millions of Chinese young people of my generation, I have become a devout Christian. Why am I a Christian? I’d like to share a simple explanation, including my personal experiences and some objective facts of Christianity. 1. Christ chose me Why am I a Christian? When we say we are Christians, this doesn’t mean we’ve entered some type of religious group, take part in some religious activities, or have been enlightened. Actually, I believe that Christ is my personal savior, and I’ve experienced His salvation, been born again, and have a relationship with Him. I may be imperfect in my personality and my actions, but I’m working hard to live according to God’s requirements, to become a person after His own heart. Why am I a Christian? First, I believe that this was God’s choice. The Bible says that before the creation of the world, He had already chosen me. The Bible says it is not we who chose God, but God who chose us. His call and His election cannot be cast off (see Job 15:16-19, 2 Thes. 2:13). I didn’t know God before, and probably would not have proactively taken interest in a foreign religion. But looking back, in the process of becoming a believer, not one experience happened by accident. It was all according to God’s own perfect plan and will. 2, I want to believe in truth Why am I a Christian? I believe this is not only because God proactively chose me, it was also my rational and conscious response. My rational side cannot deny the fact that He created the human race and redeemed us, a fact that has been confirmed not only by the highest level scientists and our spiritual forefathers. Besides, my conscience – my God-given ability to discern truth – makes it impossible for me to refuse the One who created me, the Savior who died for me. I am unable to refuse the truth I already know.   Why am I a Christian? Why would I trust in Jesus? Because He is the Truth. This is not just because Jesus said He is the Truth. The founders of Buddhism and many other religions have never claimed to be the Truth. It’s also that I have personally experienced God’s own absolute truth and unchanging love. I believe it is this type of actual experience that provides the deepest basis for faith. 3. I want to believe in a God who loves me Why am I a Christian? If I had to choose a religion, I would definitely choose a God who is loving and personal, and one who feels. I wouldn't choose to believe in someone who was fickle, lustful and tyrannical, who didn't care whether people lived or died. That would be like the Greek Zeus, or the powerless polytheistic religions with all their capricious gods. Furthermore, this God loves me. Only through His love and my faith can I have a relationship with Him.    The Bible says God is love; in Him there is no darkness at all. God is the Father God who not only exists, but also has a relationship with us, and we can experience his loving kindness and guidance. We not only need God, but God also wants to be needed.  I believe a man created in the image and form of his Creator will experience that Creator's character in his spirit. Therefore, I can know Him through my conscience, reason, and experience, but especially through His own revelation. 4, I want to believe in a God who is holy and just Why am I a Christian? If I believe in a God, I can't believe one who is self-centered, who fulfills his own selfish desires, and who makes unpredictable changes in his requirements. I must believe in a God who is holy and just, carries out justice, has compassion on all, judges evil, and bestows blessing and benevolence. Only if God is just can he have principles. Only if a man has principles to obey can he have direction; only if a man has direction can he depend on truth. The Bible says that our God is holy and just. The Bible mentions God's holiness and righteousness more than 300 times. I believe that if God created man to be His children, it is as the Bible says. So, the depths of our hearts have the cognition to reflect God's character, which means we have a resonance with the truth, goodness, and beauty of God.  We thirst for holiness and righteousness. This shows that this God also loves holiness and righteousness; He Himself is the holy righteous savior. Since He gave us universal values, He will abide according to His own demands. Therefore, through yearning for holiness, righteousness, and love, I can better know a holy, righteous, loving God. 5, I want to believe in a God who can redeem us Why am I a Christian? Because I am deeply acquainted with my own sinfulness. Relying on myself, I could never become a good person. Just like an apostle said: the resolve to do good comes from me; but actually doing it is beyond me. I need to be redeemed. Only if we are redeemed will we have hope in our lives. Only if my life has been redeemed can I have the restraint to overcome my sinfulness and feelings of gloom, in order to glorify God in my life and live a good life. I can't believe in a god who can't overcome my sinful spirit and actions. It is God who gave me life and breath, so He is able to save my life. It is God who sustains me every day, so He is able to save my life.  The God of Christians is the Creator and Redeemer. The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Why am I a Christian? Because this trustworthy God is the Savior who can save me. It is He whose presence my heart knows intuitively. 6, I want to believe in a God who never changes Why am I a Christian? If I believe in a master, he can't be a tyrant, who does whatever he wants, changing unpredictably according to His fleshly desires. God's character cannot change. He puts up with and understands that my nature is capricious and liable to fall. He cannot change, so I can follow and abide by His will. He cannot change; He won't discard me because of a temporary sinful weakness or impulse. After that period of weakness, I can still return to that salvation. Our God is the God never changes. The Bible says, “can a woman forget her nursing child?” Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!  (Is. 49:15) It's true! I have been disappointed in myself time and again, but God has never been disappointed in me. Because of His unchanging nature, it becomes possible for weak sinners to repent. 7. I want to believe in a God who gives me strength and hope Why am I a Christian? If I will trust a master, he must be able to give me strength and hope, not a God who intimidates me daily, deepening my fears and increasing my burdens. He must have personality, an independent will, an unchanging nature, and emotion, and He must love, teach, and forgive me. He must let me get close to Him, love Him, and fear Him. He must give me strength, hope, direction and a sense of responsibility. If the object of our faith was a negative force, it would be evil, and why would I believe in one who was evil? So I want believe in the master who gives people strength and hope.   The Bible says, “the Lord is my strength and my song, and he is become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him; my father's God, and I will exalt him.” (Ex. 15:2). II Samuel 22:19 says “the Lord is my support.” Psalm 14:6 says “the LORD is my refuge.” Psalm 16:5 says “the LORD is my inheritance and my cup of blessing.  He guards all that is mine.” Psalm 18:2 says “the LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.” He is my shield, my horn of salvation and my high tower.” Psalm 118:14 says the LORD is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation....... 8. I want to believe in a God proven to produce "good fruit" throughout history Why am I a Christian? If I choose to believe in a master, He cannot be one who needs advertisements to promote himself; He must be a God proven to produce good fruit. I want to see whether He has brought the world is redemption or disaster. Looking at the history of man and the modern world, you will see that it is the Christian faith that has brought the world civilization and hope. You will see that Christian countries and cultures that have been profoundly influenced by Christianity are wealthier and freer, with greater equality and democracy. The world's earliest constitutional states were born out of the Christian faith. Early capitalism came from the Christian faith. From equality for women, to college education, to modern technology, to the modern health care and welfare systems, all these came from the Christian faith. Why are the governmental systems of Christian countries so good? Because they have the Christian faith. The historian Toynbee said, “Religion is the essence of culture, while culture is the expression of religion.” As we can see, whatever religion you have, you have that kind of culture; whatever culture you have, you have that kind of system, and will produce that kind of society. Political systems under the influence of the Christian faith are generally more open, while their societies are more humane, and relationships between people more harmonious. Why do so many people want to immigrate to countries influenced by Christianity and be educated there? Psalm 33:12 says, “what joy for the nation whose God is the LORD, whose people He has chosen as His inheritance!” 9. I want to believe in a God who can take me to be with Him Why am I a Christian? If I trust in a god, He must be understandable, and be able to understand me. He cannot be lofty, or exist in nothingness. He entered into human life, to understand people, to help people, to solve their problems, to bring them truth, direction, and the wisdom of practical truth. He is a God who could come close, who could receive love, and express love.  The Bible says that God's name is Emmanuel - He is God with us, who lives amongst man. He is a God who observed and even experienced human suffering. Hebrews 4:15 says that “He is not a high priest who can not understand with our weaknesses.” He faced all of the same tempations we do, yet He did not sin. 10, I want to believe in an Almighty God Why am I a Christian? If I choose to believe in someone, He must be Almighty. If the object of my faith cannot fend for Himself, but needs human bribes, or thrives on intimidating or threatening others, He is not worth trusting. The One I believe in must be omnipotent. He must be unique and true, not overwhelmed by problems, but the God who can solve all problems. If He was not omnipotent, that would mean that in the face of difficulties, the difficulties may be bigger than him, so I would not be able to believe in him, which would mean there was no god.  -  .The One I believe in must be unique. In Genesis 35:11 it says, "God said to him, 'I am God Almighty.'"  "Almighty" appears 62 times, all to describe the great power of God. The first sentence of the Apostles' Creed says, "I believe in God the Father Almighty!" This means that God is Father - He loves us and wants to help us. He is Almighty - he has the ability to help us. This is the true and living faith of Christians. Christ is everything listed here, and so much more. He is the only God who could cover such a religion as this. Why would I not believe in Him? As one brother said, there are many reasons not to believe in God, but believing in God doesn't need any reasons. Because God is God, He is the Redeemer we must believe in.  Why am I a Christian? I believe that my faith comes from God's choosing; it is my rational and conscious response. Finally, I would like to quote a sentence from a youth group: "Believing in everything equals believing in nothing!" It's true! The Truth is profound; He does not cease to exist just because man refuses Him. Truth exists independently - it is not dependent on the preferences of man. Truth is unique, so, of course, unique things are exclusive. 2+2 = 4, but we cannot, due to an attitude of acceptance, believe that it equals 6, 7, or 8. 2+2 equals 4, and that is the only true answer. Regarding religion as a form of culture, Christians need to be tolerant of and learn from all. But as a religion, you must and accept and submit to this one and only Truth. Original Article: Why I am a Christian ccv2012 | March 24, 2014 at 8:54 am | Tags: belief, Christianity, God | Categories: Christian Life | URL: http://wp.me/p1Utwl-gG Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from Chinese Church Voices. Change your email settings at Manage Subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://chinesechurchvoices.com/2014/03/24/ten-reasons-i-am-a-christian/ Thanks for flying with WordPress.com

Very Cool Ride

A few years ago out family took a motor home across the country to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.  That was as adventure for us--but nothing like what these two people did.  Imagine taking a motorcycle through all of the provinces of China, in all kinds of weather, and bringing back video of the whole thing.  Oh, to be young again!  But honestly, even when I was young, I was not that adventurous.  You can check out a 5-minute synopsis of it at this web site.

Missing "Chinese" Food--in China?

Here is an interesting idea.
As you may know, Chinese food served in Chinese restaurants in America has little in common with Chinese food served in China.  Americans who have lived in China--and had authentic Chinese food--often miss that when they come back.  That is doubly true for Chinese who lice in America!
But the "missing" goes the other way around.  What if you really loved American-style Chinese food, and went to China, and found it wasn't to be had?  What to do?
Well, two smart entrepreneurs have created an American-Chinese restaurant in China.  Now, at least in Shanghai, Americans who crave the "Chinese" food they enjoyed in their own country can have it.  It even includes fortune cookies (which do not exist in China).  Read about it here.

Why What You Read Matters

A few months ago (maybe longer!) I pointed to a book by Rosario Butterfield--former university English professor and LGBT activist, become devoted follower of Christ.  Today I came upon an article she wrote on the Gospel Coalition blog.  It is quite a compelling article, especially given her history.
To prime you for this--in case you haven't noticed, "social conservatives" are losing the "culture wars." On just about all fronts (the big ones are abortion and gay marriage) the culture is moving away from biblical teaching.  How should we respond?
One way to respond is to--read the right stuff!  That is what Butterfield proposes in her article.  Fill your head and heart with the gospel and the Scripture, and with writers from other times who are not caught up in the present vortex.  You can read it by clicking here.  I recommend you do!

The "Big Sins" in Job's Day

In my annual Bible reading, I am once again reading through Job.  Job 31 is especially intriguing.  It is Job's "final defense" before his four friends.  Up to now three of his friends have kept up a drumbeat of: "Job, your suffering means that you are guilty.  Admit it, confess, and you will be well again."  Job is not so sure--he insist on his "integrity" (a word you read a lot in Job's speeches).
So in Job 31 he elaborates--in summary.  Here are the "big sins" of Job's day--and Job insists he is not guilty of these, at least not flagrantly.  But what are those "big sins"?  Here are some of them:
1. Sexual sin (vv. 1, 9)
2. Deceit, especially in business dealings (vv. 5-6)
3. Mistreating servants (vv. 13-15)
4. Refusing to help the poor, fatherless, widow, sojourner (vv. 16-23; 32)
5. Trust in wealth, or other idols (sun and moon, etc.) (vv. 24-28)
6. Rejoicing at the ruin of enemies (vv. 29-31)
7. Fear of man--not speaking out for fear of what others would think of him (vv. 33-34)

Remember, Job's story took place before the giving of the Ten Commandments at Sinai.  Here is the "law written on the heart" (Rom. 2:15).  God give each one grace to hear and reflect, and repent.