Misdirection

It’s like a minefield being a Christian sometimes. You have to find your way through some pretty difficult terrain. I get asked a lot of questions about the Bible and sometimes it’s a difficult discussion because the person I’m talking to has a great deal of knowledge about “religion” and thinks they know it all. I talked to someone not too long ago who said there are texts written during and after Jesus' time that were left out of the Bible because they would give people real knowledge about the things that happened back then, and the church didn’t want anyone asking questions because then the Bible would be proved to be false.

Hmm, so you believe the email that’s been going around about Bill Gates giving everyone money if you forward the email. I mean, it was written by a lawyer who said it’s a legal document and Bill would get sued if he didn’t pay you, right?

Or maybe you believe the one about little Timmy who desperately needs some kind of operation and would you please help?

Oh, or maybe the one about some guy who went to a party and woke up in a tub of ice with a scar on his belly because they drugged him and then removed one of his kidneys to sell on the black market. Luckily they were nice and wanted him to live and they were also very skilled surgeons. Whew!

And then there’s my favorite, the bazillionaire family in some foreign country that is under siege and the only way to save their fortune is to deposit a few million dollars in your bank account and then get it later, so if you send them your bank account number you can keep half of it for your trouble!

Sheesh.

The fact is that Jesus’ time is no different than our time. There were people back then just like there are people now who make up stuff and try to pass it off as factual. The old writings that are being passed off as real are called Pseudepigrapha. They’re fakes, made to seem real to do what idiots today do, mislead you.

Putting together and translating the Bible was originally done by the smartest, most conscientious people of their time. They went through great pains to ensure the Bible was translated perfectly and the books in it were real and important.

They used processes like Form Criticism, Textual Criticism and Higher Criticism to look at all of the writings of the time. They knew that what they were doing was important and they were almost militant about getting it right. They came up with criteria that made sure the right books were published and they prayed and studied and prayed and studied. Their processes were brilliant and God-led.

So the next time someone tries to convince you that there was a big conspiracy to leave out certain texts, do some real research and find out why. And also ask yourself why you’re so quick to believe anyone who would say the Bible isn’t real, perhaps it’s just because it’s the easiest way to ignore the truths in it.

"Father, the enemy is smart and has been working hard to mislead people. Help us as we try to show them the truth, so their eyes might be opened to the wonderful life of your Word."

Hope

“God, it was 6 years ago today that the lives of everyone in America, and most of the world changed right before our eyes. I pray for those who lost loved ones that day, give them strength and solace. I pray for our leaders, that you will guide them in the decisions they make as we continue to fight for the safety and freedom of this country. And I pray for those who think that killing innocent people is doing their god’s work, that you will move in their lives and show them what being a child of a loving God can be like. Amen.”

How I Wasted My Life

I was talking with someone a while back who asked me, “What if you spend your whole life going to church and everything, and then die only to find out that there really isn’t a God. How are you going to feel knowing that you wasted your whole life?”

The answer was simple, “Ok, let’s say I’m on my death-bed and my life flashes before my eyes. What I’ll see is a man who lived his life helping the poor, the sick and the infirmed; who gave money to organizations (including the church), who used it for programs that among other things, fed and clothed the homeless, and supported missionaries who spent their lives helping people in other countries who had less than nothing. I didn’t lie, cheat, steal, kill, treat others badly, backstab, backbite or harm others. I took time to participate in programs to help the homeless, the abused and the orphaned. I fought injustice and untruths. I voted for people who I believe had good moral standing and hopefully a relationship with Christ. I stood tall in what I believed and because of the presence of His Holy Spirit in my life, whether real or perceived, I was happy every day. I didn’t go through life with a scowl on my face and a disgruntled attitude, I didn’t sweat the small things and I found good in everything.“

“How exactly did I waste my life?”

The fact is the Bible doesn’t teach us to be religious. The Bible is a roadmap of how to live a good life. A life of spreading love and doing good things for those around us. If you strip out the parts of the Bible that pertain to God and Christ, what you have left are the basics of living a good life. You also have the very laws that we live by: don’t kill, don’t steal, etc.

So if I live my life according to the Bible, how could I go wrong? And the bonus is that I also found salvation and when this life is over, there’s going to be an even better, eternal one waiting for me.

“God, I know that you’re real. I see you every day in everything around me. Please continue to give me opportunities to show others of your existence and give me the wisdom to introduce you in a way that will be undeniable to them. Thanks.”

Baby Got Bible

I never thought I'd post videos on this blog, but this is the bestest, funniest Christian video I've ever seen!


For more go to godtube.com

The Way We Are

At church this past Sunday our Senior Pastor talked about men and women working together with the common goal of serving God. He said each couple should have a purpose statement to help define where the family was going. Good idea.

He also talked about the roles each gender has. It’s always an interesting subject because trying to tell a strong, independent woman in 2007 that she has to be the man’s “helper” is like trying to pick up a turd by the clean end.

The Pastor said that the man is responsible for the spiritual well being of his family, which I believe. He said that even though it was Eve who ate the apple first, it was Adam who bore the mantle of responsibility in the end.

My wife and I talked about the sermon later that night; she liked the part where the man is ultimately responsible for everything. My response was “well then stop making me look bad in front of God”. That kept her laughing long enough for me to come up with a real answer.

It’s not rocket science, really. Men and women are different. We act differently; we think differently, we view life differently. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. The world wouldn’t go ‘round any other way.

“God, thanks for making men and women so different. Bless us as we continue to try and figure each other out! Amen”