I stopped by to see one of my FCA friends today. He is Korean and owns a business. He told me this saying, "The darkest place is right under the lamp."
We are to let our light shine. We are called the light of the world. The first place where light is helpful and impactful is where the light's rays illuminate. However there is a place underneath the lamp where it is really dark. "What" is there and "who" is there that's right underneath your life?
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Take a look underneath your lamp and see who needs you and make a difference for them. This praises our Father in heaven.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
corresponding complimentary creed
My last blog briefly talks about the axis of one's life. Everyone has a center upon which everything of their lives revolves around. The bottomline is that only one axis actually endures because it comes from One who is eternal. This One is before and after. From Him, and through Him, and for Him are all things whether in heaven or on earth. He is before all things. The absolutes that come forth from Him are things like love, life, light, truth, righteousness. These stand at the axis with God because they are aspects of Him.
The Declaration of the United States of America states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness..."
To hold this statement in belief and practice will result in the proclamation and promotion of it. Unalienable means: impossible to take away: not able to be transferred or taken away, e.g. because of being protected by law. Everyone has the unalienable right to life. No one can take this right away. To be a law abiding citizen, no matter what your economic status, social status, political status, whatever the status, everyone has the right to life.
I am one who holds God as my ultimate, my axis. I stand for love, life, light, truth, righteousness and so much more. I will promote and proclaim those who stand for the unalienable right to life for everyone, including the aged, the handicapped, the unborn. I stand against those who deny this right.
The Declaration of the United States of America states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness..."
To hold this statement in belief and practice will result in the proclamation and promotion of it. Unalienable means: impossible to take away: not able to be transferred or taken away, e.g. because of being protected by law. Everyone has the unalienable right to life. No one can take this right away. To be a law abiding citizen, no matter what your economic status, social status, political status, whatever the status, everyone has the right to life.
I am one who holds God as my ultimate, my axis. I stand for love, life, light, truth, righteousness and so much more. I will promote and proclaim those who stand for the unalienable right to life for everyone, including the aged, the handicapped, the unborn. I stand against those who deny this right.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
christian or secular?
Remember when you first learned to ride a bicycle? Someone had to run alongside of you and hold you up. Once you began to figure out you could balance the bike and ride like the wind, you didn't need help anymore. The premise of riding a bike is that the wheels are round and there is an axle right in the center. Imagine the ride if these were not like this.
Actually all of our lives (living, activity, movement, being) revolves around an axis. We choose it. No one is without one. It is very obvious when a parent chooses their child's happiness as the axis. Everything is about the child, everything is for the child, and the evaluator of success is the child's happiness. Happy=success; unhappy=failure. Choosing fame, power, wealth, prestigue, self-righteousness, religion, anything, this gets put at the center and from that everything revolves.
What is at the center is that which drives our lives. We set it up as our ultimate. From that choice we determine best practices that will help us get to that ultimate. We form and shape our beliefs from it, about us, and everything else based on that axis (ultimate). We determine what is true or what is truth based on that ultimate. We even determine theories based on this choosen ultimate. We evaluate our lives based on it.
For several decades there has been the thought that everything can be classified or labled by either a Christian or Secular position. This position is a choice of an ultimate. This position has seemily given people a foundation upon which to build all of life. It became a worldview. For many it became the measurement of what was acceptable (good/true) and of what was to be rejected (evil/false).
When we take a closer look at this it has holes. One important observation is that good and evil don't need additional classifiers. Something is either good or evil. Good doesn't need an adjective to make it good. Good stands on its own feet. Something doesn't become evil because it doesn't fit into a Christian platform. Evil stands on its own. Anything that is against God and his desires is evil. That means lots of things Christians do can be classified as evil. That is why scripture teaches us to not be overcome by evil but overcome the evil with good - Romans 12:21.
Another observation has to do with the implication of truth. Some have talked about truth and its validity because it is Christian truth. If it can't be classified as Christian truth then it was to be rejected. Truth doesn't need anything to defend it. No matter what is said or done, truth stands.
Have you heard of the Law of Contradiction? The law of contradiction means that two antithetical propositions cannot both be true at the same time and in the same sense. X cannot be non-X. A thing cannot be and not be simultaneously. And nothing that is true can be self-contradictory or inconsistent with any other truth. This must be applied to our view of truth. No lie is of the truth - I John 2:21.
The axis or ultimate that stands the test of time, one that when taken to its logical conclusion, stands firm and unmoved, is God. It is the God of all creation, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Creator of everything that lives and moves and has its being, who is the true ultimate. He is God who stands outside of time and space. When he is at the axis, everything revolves around him. The best practices will move us to his desires and to the destiny prepared for us. We will know we have succeeded when his plans have been accomplished in and through us.
Actually all of our lives (living, activity, movement, being) revolves around an axis. We choose it. No one is without one. It is very obvious when a parent chooses their child's happiness as the axis. Everything is about the child, everything is for the child, and the evaluator of success is the child's happiness. Happy=success; unhappy=failure. Choosing fame, power, wealth, prestigue, self-righteousness, religion, anything, this gets put at the center and from that everything revolves.
What is at the center is that which drives our lives. We set it up as our ultimate. From that choice we determine best practices that will help us get to that ultimate. We form and shape our beliefs from it, about us, and everything else based on that axis (ultimate). We determine what is true or what is truth based on that ultimate. We even determine theories based on this choosen ultimate. We evaluate our lives based on it.
For several decades there has been the thought that everything can be classified or labled by either a Christian or Secular position. This position is a choice of an ultimate. This position has seemily given people a foundation upon which to build all of life. It became a worldview. For many it became the measurement of what was acceptable (good/true) and of what was to be rejected (evil/false).
When we take a closer look at this it has holes. One important observation is that good and evil don't need additional classifiers. Something is either good or evil. Good doesn't need an adjective to make it good. Good stands on its own feet. Something doesn't become evil because it doesn't fit into a Christian platform. Evil stands on its own. Anything that is against God and his desires is evil. That means lots of things Christians do can be classified as evil. That is why scripture teaches us to not be overcome by evil but overcome the evil with good - Romans 12:21.
Another observation has to do with the implication of truth. Some have talked about truth and its validity because it is Christian truth. If it can't be classified as Christian truth then it was to be rejected. Truth doesn't need anything to defend it. No matter what is said or done, truth stands.
Have you heard of the Law of Contradiction? The law of contradiction means that two antithetical propositions cannot both be true at the same time and in the same sense. X cannot be non-X. A thing cannot be and not be simultaneously. And nothing that is true can be self-contradictory or inconsistent with any other truth. This must be applied to our view of truth. No lie is of the truth - I John 2:21.
The axis or ultimate that stands the test of time, one that when taken to its logical conclusion, stands firm and unmoved, is God. It is the God of all creation, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Creator of everything that lives and moves and has its being, who is the true ultimate. He is God who stands outside of time and space. When he is at the axis, everything revolves around him. The best practices will move us to his desires and to the destiny prepared for us. We will know we have succeeded when his plans have been accomplished in and through us.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Compelling...Convicting...Commanding
Jesus came to earth to rescue, redeem, recreate and restore us to live the best kind of life God made for us to live. His (Jesus) simple but compelling words were, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." This statement isn't about capturing people, nor a competition to receive a trophy or award, nor a mundane duty. It is exactly about the same lifestyle and life commitment as Jesus demonstrated - rescue, redeem, recreate, restore. Following Jesus leads you first to your own rescue, redemption, being recreated and being restored. From this position we follow Jesus' example as he did when he asked guys like Peter, James and John to follow him. They went immediately to those in bondage, poverty, sickness, outcasts, marginalized individuals and met their needs, including the message of rescue, redemption, recreation, restoration.
When we come face to face with Jesus, it is a very convicting thing. There is either the turning and yielding to him or turning away and rejecting him. When we begin to grasp the magnitude of his love and kindness toward us, we are convicted (not conviction to act because of fear or duty) to move toward people. Sadly many who have received such a great love and kindness from God get blinded by their own self-centeredness and miss the greatest kind of life to live.
Jesus came to seek and to save those who are lost. He invites us to join him in going and doing the same. He was the light that came into the world. He tells us we are the light of the world. Let your light shine so that people will see your good deeds and turn and praise God.
When we come face to face with Jesus, it is a very convicting thing. There is either the turning and yielding to him or turning away and rejecting him. When we begin to grasp the magnitude of his love and kindness toward us, we are convicted (not conviction to act because of fear or duty) to move toward people. Sadly many who have received such a great love and kindness from God get blinded by their own self-centeredness and miss the greatest kind of life to live.
Jesus came to seek and to save those who are lost. He invites us to join him in going and doing the same. He was the light that came into the world. He tells us we are the light of the world. Let your light shine so that people will see your good deeds and turn and praise God.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Contemporary Heros
Yesterday I attended the Willow Creek Leadership Summit. The Summit is designed by Bill Hybels and the team. It always brings forward a few contemporary leaders, both men and women, who have made a difference in society, who emulate strong qualities of leadership. A few of the session speakers were Gary Haugen of International Justice Mission (awesome organization); Wendy Copp of Teach for America (also an awesome organization); Catherine Rohr of Prison Entrepreneurship Program (yes, great organization); and Chuck Colson of Prison Fellowship Ministries. These few individuals are true leaders that move forward the redemptive plan and work of God.
Chuck Colson is one of our heros of the day. He has also founded the Wilberforce Forum. Many in this generation do not know how vital this man has been to society and how his life has brought true redemption to thousands of prisoners and their families. His work has brought stability and hope to so many. He spoke about the Law of Non-Contradiction (you should read up on this one). He said that we typically reduce things down rather than create something larger, greater, something significant. Lastly, he has written a book called "The Faith, Given Once for All." This is a must read.
It is men and women like these who are heros of our day. I want to be a person who lives my life as a leader that moves forward the redemptive plan and work of God. How about you?
Chuck Colson is one of our heros of the day. He has also founded the Wilberforce Forum. Many in this generation do not know how vital this man has been to society and how his life has brought true redemption to thousands of prisoners and their families. His work has brought stability and hope to so many. He spoke about the Law of Non-Contradiction (you should read up on this one). He said that we typically reduce things down rather than create something larger, greater, something significant. Lastly, he has written a book called "The Faith, Given Once for All." This is a must read.
It is men and women like these who are heros of our day. I want to be a person who lives my life as a leader that moves forward the redemptive plan and work of God. How about you?
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Speak for the little ones
We are seeing good movement from many who speak up against injustices. There is also the strong movement of assistance and help to large numbers of people in many places in the world. Imagine the feeling of relief and the comfort when help arrives. Yet injustice continues to exist and in several places it is increasing. It is sad to hear about it and see it on news media.
Many may not know that I served on a board of directors of a crisis pregnancy center in Michigan. I was and still am very concerned about this injustice that occurs right here in our country. There have been almost 49 million babies that did not have a chance nor did they have a voice to speak in their own defense. This is one of the worst injustices and it seems like few really care. And it's one of the easiest to remedy.
The Scripture tells us that God is very close to those who have no voice and are defenseless. He tells us that we must speak for and defend them. I hope and pray that many more will speak and defend these little ones.
Many may not know that I served on a board of directors of a crisis pregnancy center in Michigan. I was and still am very concerned about this injustice that occurs right here in our country. There have been almost 49 million babies that did not have a chance nor did they have a voice to speak in their own defense. This is one of the worst injustices and it seems like few really care. And it's one of the easiest to remedy.
The Scripture tells us that God is very close to those who have no voice and are defenseless. He tells us that we must speak for and defend them. I hope and pray that many more will speak and defend these little ones.
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