Chilling (The scary kind)

Have you seen this?  This confrontation between truth and error made me shiver all over more than any place else. Watch this video, and then you can also click the jump and read a follow up to this situation written by Pastor Scott Rodriguez, the man in the video.




DID YOU CATCH THAT?  The moment he mentioned Christ he was SHUT DOWN.  I mean she slammed that door hard!  And that, right there, ladies and gentlemen, should be our first clue that something is rotten in Denmark...and in this woman's ministry(?).  Run, don't walk, from people like this.  Absolutely chilling.  And did you notice the crowd's reaction?  He was heckled, hissed, booed and accosted for bringing up Christ's atonement and the True Gospel. Hmmmmmm....

Here's the jump to Pastor Scott's story of these events.

What Really Hurts

There are few things that keep me from tending to writing and sharing on this space.  One of those things happened this week.  On Sunday, July 1st, my youngest son (8) began having mild asthma symptoms, most likely due to being around fireworks and all of that acrid, metal-heavy smoke.  By Monday evening we had him in a local ER.  By midnight, he had been admitted to that hospital.  Within just a few hours he was being life-flighted via helicopter to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.  I left by car and arrived 20 minutes before he did and was able to meet him as the flight medics brought him to his room.  Mommy, via a separate ride from the other hospital, arrived soon after.  Time: 5:00 AM, Tuesday morning.

(In the PICU I marvel that even a few short decades ago, our son probably wouldn't have survived this asthma.  In fact, he wouldn't have even survived his first few weeks of life due to his ARPKD.)

It's now Saturday afternoon, July 7th, and my son is still in the hospital. However, it looks as if he'll be coming home tomorrow.  This past week has been a blur, and even while we watched our boy make progress toward health everyday, we could not escape the nagging discomfort of seeing that child in pain and distress.  Children should not be sick.  I hate it.  Like, a lot.

But with all my heart I believe my son is learning things through this illness (and the complications of ARPKD) that I will never understand, but through which the Lord will enrich his life.  I really believe that.  I know and can see already that the Lord speaks to this ornery little boy in ways that are unique to him.  I can't stand that he suffers, but what I'm sure of is that there is a sure, sovereign Hand involved in his life, and in just a little bit of time, these tents we're living in will be fixed up for good.

Sturdy Shoes, et al.

I found a really good and helpful description (with pictures!) of what Paul probably had in mind when he was urging the people in Ephesus to put on the full armor of God.

This. Is Wrong.

"If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing.

...men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain."  1 Timothy 6:3, 5

Same Ol' Same Ol'

You know the old saw: what goes around, comes around.  Or, more Biblically stated: There is nothing new under the sun.  For all of mankind's advances over the centuries and the exponential growth of tech in the last two or three decades, we're not that much better off in terms of the typical human personal difficulties.  Wait - I don't mean difficulties, I mean sinful behavior. 

Our advances have made living on earth better (depending on who you ask), but they haven't made us better.  And this is why the Gospel is always relevant, and always needed, and should always be a priority. In Children Of The Living God, Sinclair Ferguson puts it like this:

"One of the reasons we continue to find the teaching of the New Testament so contemporary is becasue in every age people distort the teaching of the gospel in similar ways."

There you have it.  Scripture is always relevant because men have been and always will be the same. The answer to humanity's problem isn't technological advancement, even though "everything is amazing". The answer is the transforming, life-giving power of the true Gospel.

This Right Here Is Absolutely Wonderful

I may be mistaken - and believe me that's entirely possible - but I think that Michael Gungor's creativity is not widely enough known. The beautiful musical romp below is the perfect vessel for conveying Gungor's lyrical cargo. (Thanks to Chris for bringing this to my attention!)

 

In Which I Quote Something Fantastic

Churches emphasize all kinds of things these days: collecting canned goods, contemporary worship, sending kids to camp, blessing animals (?!?), Sunday School attendance, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the power of positive thinking - the list is long and varied, and the items range from indispensable to indefensible.  The thing is, if the Cross of Christ is not central and foundational to any activity in which a local church engages or to any priority it pursues, and particularly if the Cross of Christ is incompatible with any activity (how about that animal blessing thing?) or priority, then that activity is worthless.

Dan Phillips puts it this way in The World Tilting Gospel:

"Christ and His cross are. . .central to the church of God as well.  Given that God pivots everything on the person and work of Christ, the church of Christ should do the same in its preaching, thinking, worship, and practice.

"To put it bluntly: If we think we have something better to offer, then we think we know something God doesn't know.

"Which. . .dude. Seriously. Whoa.  Think about that."

It's wisdom like that which is helping me to define the work that I do in my own local church, and even my day to day life.