Why does everyone want to paint the view as Faith Versus Science? Why is it necessary to divide up into two different camps and suggest that it is either all or nothing?
Why can't we have faith WITH science?
I mean to me, science only deepens my wonder and awe of God's awesomeness! (Is that a word yet, because it should be?)
Faith in God + DNA = An Amazingly intelligent Creator that could make such a blueprint or code that we are just now beginning to understand. Blueprints aren't written on accident (Ask any architect).
Faith in God + Modern Medical understanding = An Amazingly wonderful creation of man that mankind's brain is so complex we haven't dreamed up anything to match.
Faith in God + Physics = An Amazing universe that doesn't appear to be random at all but is ordered by laws such as gravity, thermodynamics, etc. Its not random chaos, it's ordered brilliance!
Faith in God + Microbiology = An Amazingly complex system in places beyond the human eye in factories called cells.
Why does it have to be Faith VERSUS Science?
I say faith is aided and wonder of the Creator is aided by the findings of science of how ordered, intelligently designed, and complex the universe has been proven to be.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Battle in the Mind
If one is seeking to reform their thought life, where does one begin? How does one do it?
If there are thought patterns that make me cringe when Im looking into the eyes of my Creator, when I look upon His holiness and His righteousness in His Word, then what can I do about it?
How can I defame God by thinking of things that are so worthless and unholy in His sight and then think about Him?
Are we destined to accept failure? Is it acceptable to chalk it up to: "its just human nature; there is nothing I can do about it?"
Or should we choose to think more about God?
What do I mean by think more about God? Like a greater quantity or a greater quality? Both.
First of all, we could work on quality. Pick up a copy of Tozer's Knowledge of the Holy. Then, think about the characteristics of Who God is (His Attributes). Or Pick up a Basic Theology book like: The Faith Once for All by Jack Cottrell. I know this ones a big book, but spend time on just reading and reflecting on God's attributes.
When you start contemplating things like eternity, like infinite love, infinite mercy, infinite holiness, unlimited power, the ability to be everywhere all the time, perfect justice, goodness, and grace, it is inevitable that the thought-life improve. Not to mention the prayer-life. After all, how we think about God matters.
After you exhaust some of God's attributes, you could study some of His primary works: Creation, Providence, and Redemption.
You could spend time studying God's providential work in every person's life all the time throughout history and forever and the wonder of it all.
Or you could spend time studying creation and how God created things out of nothing, that before anything was, God was. That God is totally immaterial and not even on the same plane as angels or other immaterial spirits.
Or you could spend time studying the God-Man Jesus Christ Himself and redemption. Equally human and equally divine. Able to sin and yet not ever choosing it. Sinless perfection choosing the Cross to infinitely cover the infinite punishment which sin calls for. Being God in the flesh only He could infinitely suffer to cover over all sin by one act of sacrifice.
Look, the better the quality one's thoughts of God are, the better the alternative of things to think about someone has. Unless our thoughts attempt to reach as far as our finite minds can reach when approaching God, we are probably not really thinking about God. Think about it, God is infinite and we are finite. By very definition of terms we are incapable of fully grasping something that is infinite by using a finite brain. But this very act gives us something truly worthy to contemplate that can help us not think about things which are truly not worthy.
If we wish to take away or change old thought patterns, you better have something better to fill it with. God is better.
Secondly, quantity matters. Regularity matters. You can't starve yourself of worthy contemplation or you will find something else to contemplate. If we aren't centered on God, we will center somewhere else.
It seems that if the quality of thoughts improves, the quantity won't be far behind. If the quality is better, watch out, you will find yourself enjoying entering into contemplation of God (Which is a form of prayer).
If there are thought patterns that make me cringe when Im looking into the eyes of my Creator, when I look upon His holiness and His righteousness in His Word, then what can I do about it?
How can I defame God by thinking of things that are so worthless and unholy in His sight and then think about Him?
Are we destined to accept failure? Is it acceptable to chalk it up to: "its just human nature; there is nothing I can do about it?"
Or should we choose to think more about God?
What do I mean by think more about God? Like a greater quantity or a greater quality? Both.
First of all, we could work on quality. Pick up a copy of Tozer's Knowledge of the Holy. Then, think about the characteristics of Who God is (His Attributes). Or Pick up a Basic Theology book like: The Faith Once for All by Jack Cottrell. I know this ones a big book, but spend time on just reading and reflecting on God's attributes.
When you start contemplating things like eternity, like infinite love, infinite mercy, infinite holiness, unlimited power, the ability to be everywhere all the time, perfect justice, goodness, and grace, it is inevitable that the thought-life improve. Not to mention the prayer-life. After all, how we think about God matters.
After you exhaust some of God's attributes, you could study some of His primary works: Creation, Providence, and Redemption.
You could spend time studying God's providential work in every person's life all the time throughout history and forever and the wonder of it all.
Or you could spend time studying creation and how God created things out of nothing, that before anything was, God was. That God is totally immaterial and not even on the same plane as angels or other immaterial spirits.
Or you could spend time studying the God-Man Jesus Christ Himself and redemption. Equally human and equally divine. Able to sin and yet not ever choosing it. Sinless perfection choosing the Cross to infinitely cover the infinite punishment which sin calls for. Being God in the flesh only He could infinitely suffer to cover over all sin by one act of sacrifice.
Look, the better the quality one's thoughts of God are, the better the alternative of things to think about someone has. Unless our thoughts attempt to reach as far as our finite minds can reach when approaching God, we are probably not really thinking about God. Think about it, God is infinite and we are finite. By very definition of terms we are incapable of fully grasping something that is infinite by using a finite brain. But this very act gives us something truly worthy to contemplate that can help us not think about things which are truly not worthy.
If we wish to take away or change old thought patterns, you better have something better to fill it with. God is better.
Secondly, quantity matters. Regularity matters. You can't starve yourself of worthy contemplation or you will find something else to contemplate. If we aren't centered on God, we will center somewhere else.
It seems that if the quality of thoughts improves, the quantity won't be far behind. If the quality is better, watch out, you will find yourself enjoying entering into contemplation of God (Which is a form of prayer).
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Fill me with your Spirit
Fill me with your Spirit
Fill me with your Spirit
Oh Lord our God
Oh Lord our God
Take away the man
I used to be
Take away my pride
that was in my heart
Take away my lust
that was in my mind
And take my old words
I used to say
And fill my mouth with song
Of your victory
And fill me with your Spirit
Fill me with your Spirit
Oh Lord our God
Oh Lord our God
Fill me with your Spirit
Oh Lord our God
Oh Lord our God
Take away the man
I used to be
Take away my pride
that was in my heart
Take away my lust
that was in my mind
And take my old words
I used to say
And fill my mouth with song
Of your victory
And fill me with your Spirit
Fill me with your Spirit
Oh Lord our God
Oh Lord our God
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Why don't we teach Wisdom anymore?
Why is it that public education emphasizes teaching information and not wisdom?
Many cultures still value wisdom, America does not seem to be one of them. Children are taught dates, events, facts, names, numbers, and words.
What happened to teaching right and wrong?
What happened to good and evil?
What happened to how to live well?
What happened to virtue? Why shouldn't a child learn about honesty, justice, chastity, wisdom, prudence, compassion, benevolence, forgiveness, goodness?
If you look up virtue here's what you find in an American Encyclopedia, virtue: extinct when it was discovered there are no exclusive truths to base good upon.
In our society, due to our inability to recognize anything as true, we have paralyzed our ability to be wise as a nation. Our children learn vices rather than virtues. They are taught sloth, lust, gluttony, jealousy, and greed. They sit and watch media that promote such vices and have no exposure to virtue with which to combat.
How is it that we have agreed as a society to promote vices, but we find ourselves unable to teach virtues because there is no standard, no truth upon which to base such a teaching about virtues? I mean, who's virtues would you use? You can't use the Christians virtues because of the Muslims. You can't use the Muslim's virtues because of the Christians. And oh don't forget the Buddhists. Then, how can we agree to promote vices through the popular media? Who made that call and I find it offensive because they have chosen a worldview and standard that idealizes vices :) Obviously, someone has determined a standard, which is no standard and no virtues, only vices are acceptable curriculum?
Why don't we teach Wisdom anymore?
We wonder at the state of America when we flip on Jerry Springer, Montel, People's Court, Cops, or Bridezilla's and why in the world there are so many people that do not seem to have any noticeable wisdom. We chalk it up to the shows paying people to act like they are idiots and putting a show on, but I hate to burst your bubble I don't think its an act.
Why don't we teach Wisdom anymore?
I think people were wiser when they didn't have television. I think people were wiser when they lived off the land, looked at the stars at night, and made a life in their community. Sure, they didn't know all the information we do today, but what good does information do if you have no truth, if you loose mankind? Mankind has a history available to draw out virtues, to draw out truth. Mankind is not mankind if he does not exercise his mind to decipher what is good. For those who deny what is good, they rob man of his soul.
Many cultures still value wisdom, America does not seem to be one of them. Children are taught dates, events, facts, names, numbers, and words.
What happened to teaching right and wrong?
What happened to good and evil?
What happened to how to live well?
What happened to virtue? Why shouldn't a child learn about honesty, justice, chastity, wisdom, prudence, compassion, benevolence, forgiveness, goodness?
If you look up virtue here's what you find in an American Encyclopedia, virtue: extinct when it was discovered there are no exclusive truths to base good upon.
In our society, due to our inability to recognize anything as true, we have paralyzed our ability to be wise as a nation. Our children learn vices rather than virtues. They are taught sloth, lust, gluttony, jealousy, and greed. They sit and watch media that promote such vices and have no exposure to virtue with which to combat.
How is it that we have agreed as a society to promote vices, but we find ourselves unable to teach virtues because there is no standard, no truth upon which to base such a teaching about virtues? I mean, who's virtues would you use? You can't use the Christians virtues because of the Muslims. You can't use the Muslim's virtues because of the Christians. And oh don't forget the Buddhists. Then, how can we agree to promote vices through the popular media? Who made that call and I find it offensive because they have chosen a worldview and standard that idealizes vices :) Obviously, someone has determined a standard, which is no standard and no virtues, only vices are acceptable curriculum?
Why don't we teach Wisdom anymore?
We wonder at the state of America when we flip on Jerry Springer, Montel, People's Court, Cops, or Bridezilla's and why in the world there are so many people that do not seem to have any noticeable wisdom. We chalk it up to the shows paying people to act like they are idiots and putting a show on, but I hate to burst your bubble I don't think its an act.
Why don't we teach Wisdom anymore?
I think people were wiser when they didn't have television. I think people were wiser when they lived off the land, looked at the stars at night, and made a life in their community. Sure, they didn't know all the information we do today, but what good does information do if you have no truth, if you loose mankind? Mankind has a history available to draw out virtues, to draw out truth. Mankind is not mankind if he does not exercise his mind to decipher what is good. For those who deny what is good, they rob man of his soul.
The Cross in All
What's the secret to a happy marriage? The Cross
What's the secret to a deep, life-changing conversation? The Cross
What's the secret to serving others? The Cross
What's the secret to holiness? The Cross
What's the secret to deep friendships? The Cross
What's the secret to positive working relationships? The Cross
What's the secret to listening? The Cross
You might say, "You simply apply the Cross as your answer to everything, how can this be?" "You assert the Cross as some mindless blanket statement for everything."
I would answer, "It simply is."
Think about it.
For a successful marriage relationship, one must die to self and look out for the interest of the other in God.
For a successful conversation where someone is listened to, one must remove self-interest from the conversation and allow the other person to express what needs to come off their heart. Meanwhile, the listener searches for guidance by the Holy Spirit.
For deep friendships, its about them, not us.
For progress in the spiritual life, its about God, not us.
The Cross can be seen as the ever-present reality of successful living.
The Cross, everywhere I look, I see the Cross.
What's the secret to a deep, life-changing conversation? The Cross
What's the secret to serving others? The Cross
What's the secret to holiness? The Cross
What's the secret to deep friendships? The Cross
What's the secret to positive working relationships? The Cross
What's the secret to listening? The Cross
You might say, "You simply apply the Cross as your answer to everything, how can this be?" "You assert the Cross as some mindless blanket statement for everything."
I would answer, "It simply is."
Think about it.
For a successful marriage relationship, one must die to self and look out for the interest of the other in God.
For a successful conversation where someone is listened to, one must remove self-interest from the conversation and allow the other person to express what needs to come off their heart. Meanwhile, the listener searches for guidance by the Holy Spirit.
For deep friendships, its about them, not us.
For progress in the spiritual life, its about God, not us.
The Cross can be seen as the ever-present reality of successful living.
The Cross, everywhere I look, I see the Cross.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Tending to the physically sick
Healing takes place in the midst of intention and community.
Intention in that you purposefully withdraw your own desires and needs for a conversation and allow a person to open up and share their feelings and fears. We should recognize this tendency to be "selfish" in our conversations with others. Rather than truly listening, we are jumping ahead to what we want to share.
Those in pain are the ones who need to share and we should be intentional with "dying to self" or "withdrawing our own needs" from a conversation.
Community in that you walk through the pain with them. You need not offer answers or attempt to make false promises. When in the valley of the shadow, one needs to walk through it. Disguising the vally does not make it go disappear.
They need to know we are there, we love them, and we will walk with them through this ordeal.
(Thanks to Henri Nouwen for many insights from, The Wounded Healer)
Intention in that you purposefully withdraw your own desires and needs for a conversation and allow a person to open up and share their feelings and fears. We should recognize this tendency to be "selfish" in our conversations with others. Rather than truly listening, we are jumping ahead to what we want to share.
Those in pain are the ones who need to share and we should be intentional with "dying to self" or "withdrawing our own needs" from a conversation.
Community in that you walk through the pain with them. You need not offer answers or attempt to make false promises. When in the valley of the shadow, one needs to walk through it. Disguising the vally does not make it go disappear.
They need to know we are there, we love them, and we will walk with them through this ordeal.
(Thanks to Henri Nouwen for many insights from, The Wounded Healer)
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