Christianity 101

Know Who You’re Talking To?

How frequently I forget The Jesus Option in my long-running woes and spur-of-the-moment desperations!

How easily I pray a bit and quit!

How often I petition God earnestly…while suspecting He doesn’t have in mind to satisfy my need!

Now, reading this a few minutes ago, I don’t know what to make of it:

If you and I knew who Jesus was—really, really knew—would we pray differently? […]

He commended people who gave Him no rest in these concerns.

Two blind men gave Him no rest. They cried out to Jesus, and not only did He ignore them, He walked into someone’s house. They had to barge in after Him before they got satisfaction Matthew 9:27-31.

The Syrophoenician woman gave Him no rest. She begged to the point of harassment, and Jesus gave her no encouragement. But she would not be put off until she got satisfaction Mark 7:24-30.

Maybe Jesus was waiting to see how badly they wanted what they wanted, and how strongly they believed He was both merciful and able.

What is it that you wished for today that you kept to yourself and didn’t even think to pray for because you didn’t believe God would be willing to grant it?

Once again, many thanks, Andreé Seu (‘If you knew’).

My Self-Professing Is Better Than Yours?!

In my circles, branding someone a “self-professing” anything generally doesn’t rise to the level of a compliment.

I find that odd.

I profess to be a Christian.

Does that make me a self-professing Christian?

I believe so.

You got a problem with that?

Maybe you think I’m suspect as a Christian because I profess to be one?

Really, though, it’s weird to read or hear one self-professing Christian use self-professing to speak of another self-professing Christian.

I just read another instance of that in Issue 100 of the newsletter from Faith builders. In an otherwise excellent article (The Anabaptist Advantage Among Muslims) by self-professing Christian TDW, this:

Then in 2001 the self-professing “born-again” President George Bush called for another round of violence against the Muslims when he said…

OK.

Like I said, TDW’s article is excellent. I hope to secure permission to republish it on one or more of my sites. I truly do expect them to grant me permission, even though I plan to chide them for the above reference to the President.

After all, how can I possibly believe that my self-profession is more accurate than anyone else’s?

And, still, I use self-professing on others, though less and less intentionally so.

And when I do, it’s less easy to overlook the importance — the urgent necessity — of making sure that my own self-profession is under-girded and made believable by the evidence blooming fragrantly from my own life.

PS: I understand that we adjective-ize someone with self-professing when we have reason to question the sincerity and depth of his commitment to Christ. But still…

Death to Osama Bin Laden!

(Yes, I know he’s already dead.)

Osama Bin Laden deserved to die.

So do I. And you. (God handed down those verdicts, not Mark Roth.)

Now, who shall rejoice in your death or mine?

Osama’s death was justice finally served.

True enough, I’m sure.

Now, how soon shall my fully-deserved justice be served on me? And who shall rejoice at it?

As I asked late last night, I ask again to Christ’s disciples: Dare a disciple of Jesus rejoice in the death of an unbeliever?

Let me put it to you another way: A man goes to hell and those with the Redeemer-given “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18) rejoice?

If that’s the case, those who ought to be “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20) have grown dreadfully and dangerously out-of-sync with God’s heart.

Yes, but what about David?

I don’t understand fully all the God-instructed slaughter carried out by some of His people in the Old Testament.

But I refer you again to Jesus’ statements in places such as Matthew 5:43-45: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies….”

Why are we more committed to something less than that?

I know David waged his wars and wrote his psalms against his enemies.

If I wish to live by that dimension of David’s life, it seems I should also live others such as these:

  • Animal sacrifices for sin
  • Strict Sabbath observances

Well, I really must get to work. I have more to say on this subject, but it will have to wait.

Oh, hang on a bit.

For the record, this isn’t about politics and nationalism. It isn’t about faulting or justifying the United States for taking out Osama Bin Laden.

This is about Christians. And about God’s ways for His people.

Dead: Osama Bin Laden

I wrote this evening to our congregational email list:

I learned this evening that US forces finally succeeded in a years-long mission.

I’m curious how Christians respond.

So far, what I’ve seen isn’t encouraging.

Dare a disciple of Jesus rejoice in the death of an unbeliever?

Can we muster any grief at the thought of what Osama Bin Laden likely learned after his death?

Are we so unable to connect the dots between his death and Christ’s?

So another man for whom Christ died enters eternity, almost certainly Christ-less.

And Christians rejoice and celebrate and cheer?!

How the Father must grieve!

Osama Bin Laden was an enemy of the cross of Christ, of that I am sure.

But was he too great an enemy for Matthew 5:43-45 to apply?

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”

I have more to say.

But that’s enough for now.

USA v. Timothy David Miller

Is Timo Miller on the right side?

What’s the deal with Timothy David Miller’s alleged involvement in Lisa Miller‘s alleged international parental kidnapping of her own biological daughter (a minor of whom she had legal custody)?

I don’t know, even though I’ve read plenty of news accounts and other online commentary.

Is Timo guilty as accused?

I don’t know that either. After reading a document purporting to be the official Read it all

Above all, love God!
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