Family
-
It Does Hurt Others
“What I do in my private life is my business.” “I’m not hurting anyone.” “Even if I hurt myself, I’m not bothering anyone else.” If you stand for morality, you have no doubt heard phrases like these. In fact, if you are honest, you have probably said (or thought) them yourself, because we all struggle with sin, but we try to keep it private. When we open our minds, though, we realize that our sin–even private sin–does hurt other people. It may be in ways that are subtle, but sin does not just hurt or harm the one committing it. Of course, the clearest example of this in Scripture is…
-
An Open Letter to the United States Supreme Court
Your Honors, I may not be a person of great influence, but I understand that, if I do not use what influence I have, I am squandering a great gift. So, though I wonder if you will ever see this letter, I am going to write it anyway in the hopes that it comes across your screen or desk in some way. In just a few days, you will most likely hear arguments that pertain to the future of marriage in our nation. I was born in the United States of America and I am proud to call this nation my home. As a Christian, I realize that my…
-
Praying Over and Over and Over…
Last Wednesday, I gave a short devotional at Lebanon Road about praying to God for the same thing over and over again. We have all done it before, but sometimes, I think we feel as if we are annoying God or that it is useless to just keep expressing the same things, even if they are burdening our heart. As is often the case, though, my children helped me out on this one. Mary Carol showed me something in her room over the weekend that was so precious. It was a little chart that she got, I’m guessing from her Bible class. It had the names of the seven days…
-
The Calm Assurance
Yesterday, it happened again. It was the second time in the last month, and the–well, I’ve lost count–time since coming to Lebanon Road. I was at the hospital when a family welcomed a new baby into the world. Sometimes, I have been in the waiting room when the child was brought into the world. At other times, I got there just a few hours later and was one of the first to see and (sometimes) hold the child. As a preacher, it’s one of the best perks of the job! The couple yesterday was welcoming their first child. She is a big baby (8 pounds, 13 ounces), and is as…
-
How Sinful Entertainment Influences Us
Often, I mention entertainment in sermons. I love to be entertained, and there are several outlets I enjoy to unwind, get a laugh, or even shed a (very manly) tear. But I am very concerned with how Christians so often, very mindlessly, allow themselves to watch anything in the name of entertainment. Shows that, just a handful of years ago would not have even been allowed on television, are now common fodder for Christian consumption. Songs that are filled with the most vile words and concepts fill the iPods of countless Christians. Movies that are built openly sinful characters and themes are favorites of so many who then sing “Take…
-
Children Need to Fail
It starts when they are little, and we cover every possible surface with rubber or foam, so that the little tyke won’t scrape his knee. It continues when we show up at pre-Kindergarten with a list of demands for the teacher of our four-year-old, and how he struggles with “this” or “that.” As the child ages, every “bad” grade (which, to some, is anything below an A-) is the teacher’s fault, and the instructor gets an accusatory letter or even a visit. In middle school, it’s daddy “helping” Johnny with his science project…in other words, daddy does it so that little Johnny doesn’t get a B. In high school, it’s…
-
Will the NFL Cease to Exist?
In an interview this week, Baltimore Ravens safety Bernard Pollard made a very provocative statement. Pollard, who is known for very hard hits, stated that, in his opinion, the NFL would cease to exist within 30 years. I have to say that I have seen plenty of coverage of this story that failed to mention the part of his quote where he stated that this was just his opinion. Still, the reason he said this is more important. He basically said that there are too many rules being changed that have taken away the physicality of the sport and that fans would eventually get tired of watching it. So why…
-
President Obama’s Forgotten “S”
Yesterday, with all the usual pomp, Barak Obama was ceremonially sworn in for his second term as President of the United States. I say “ceremonially” because he was officially sworn in on Sunday, per the Constitutional provision that a President must be sworn in before noon on January 20. His speech was quite brief, not even reaching 20 minutes in length. However, it made headlines around the world for several things that were said. None hit me so hard, though, as his three “s’s” of civil rights. He stated, We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths — that all of us are created equal — is…
-
Stop the Conscience Triangle from Turning
Some Native American groups had a very interesting way of instilling their young people with the idea of what we call the conscience. They stated that there was a triangle within one’s chest. When he/she did something that was wrong, the triangle would turn once, cutting the heart. When that person did something else wrong, it would turn again, and the point of the triangle would cut the heart again. However, they also taught that, over time, one could do so many things that were wrong that the triangle could turn and turn, but it would no longer hurt the heart, because it was now calloused. What a wonderful way…
-
Planned Parenthood and Our Tax Request
In 2012, the organization Planned Parenthood received a record-high amount of federal money, provided from tax payers. The amount, which was over $500,000,000, was the most the organization had ever received from the federal government, and was an 11% increase over 2011. Of course, this group is most well-known for being quite ironically named. In reality, the group should be called “Planned Unparenthood,” since they provide more abortions than any other organization in our nation. Our family vehemently disagrees with the money we are managing for God being used to fund such actions. So, on our 2012 tax return, we are going to say something. Now, we fully intend to…
