The BBC has posted an article on this subject here. This is the first time I can recall citing a BBC article, but the fact that one of the most liberal news media outlets on the planet is questioning the merits of global warming - well that is news.
My thoughts: whatever your politics, it seems undeniable that we are in a period of "global cooling." What that means, is up for debate. To me, I find it to be clear evidence in support of my theory: God's plan dictates global climate trends. Mans' actions may have some impact, but so rarely can man overcome the forces of nature. We may want to believe we caused a period of global warming, but I don't really believe we were a major contributing factor for the same reason I refuse to believe mankind can stop a tornado: mother nature is far more powerful than we mere mortals give her credit. God built the earth, and his enginnering skills are above par. To suggest we can change the climate is like suggesting man can stop tsunamis: both sound like science fiction to me.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
And the award ... means nothing? The death of the Nobel Prize.
Apparently the Nobel prize is no longer a noble prize. Even the Associated Press is questioning the committee's motives. Check out this article they published on Yahoo! news.
Now, I am not going to bash our president, regardless of my political views. That is not the point I am after here. My aim is to ask, like the author of that article, what has Obama done (not promised) to earn such a prestigious award?
We have all heard the promises of a new world with free healthcare, no poverty, and no war, but has the President actually accomplished, past tense, any of this? Whatever your political views, believers, none of us can claim he has delivered on those promises at this time. Will he deliver? That remains to be seen. However, as it stands, he has accomplished nothing that would place him ahead of other contenders. Even Bono (U2 lead singer) has done more, to date, to end hunger and poverty than President Obama. Comparing their efforts, Bono probably comes out ahead of most presidents to date.
I say the prize has lost its nobility, because it is being awarded for political goals - not for rewarding actual accomplishments in achieving a better world for all. What was once a prestigious award now is junk, at least in my eyes. If they gave me the award (which they shouldn't - I don't deserve it no matter what I promise), it would adorn the bottom of my waste basket rather than the top of my mantle. An award given purely for a political agenda is only truly an award to someone sharing that agenda. Otherwise, it is just junk taking up space.
But that's just me. Who knows - maybe they will resurrect it in the future by giving it out to someone based on his/her merits and achievements rather than political promises.
Be blessed.
Now, I am not going to bash our president, regardless of my political views. That is not the point I am after here. My aim is to ask, like the author of that article, what has Obama done (not promised) to earn such a prestigious award?
We have all heard the promises of a new world with free healthcare, no poverty, and no war, but has the President actually accomplished, past tense, any of this? Whatever your political views, believers, none of us can claim he has delivered on those promises at this time. Will he deliver? That remains to be seen. However, as it stands, he has accomplished nothing that would place him ahead of other contenders. Even Bono (U2 lead singer) has done more, to date, to end hunger and poverty than President Obama. Comparing their efforts, Bono probably comes out ahead of most presidents to date.
I say the prize has lost its nobility, because it is being awarded for political goals - not for rewarding actual accomplishments in achieving a better world for all. What was once a prestigious award now is junk, at least in my eyes. If they gave me the award (which they shouldn't - I don't deserve it no matter what I promise), it would adorn the bottom of my waste basket rather than the top of my mantle. An award given purely for a political agenda is only truly an award to someone sharing that agenda. Otherwise, it is just junk taking up space.
But that's just me. Who knows - maybe they will resurrect it in the future by giving it out to someone based on his/her merits and achievements rather than political promises.
Be blessed.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
God really does help those who help themselves...
I have often heard the expression, "God helps those who help themselves," and recently I heard another believer say this is not Biblical. I beg to differ.
Granted, the foregoing expression is not a Bible quote, but, depending on how you interpret that old saying, it is largely true. Just read this passage from Galatians 6 (ESV), which I am so fond of quoting:
"1Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5For each will have to bear his own load.
"6One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. 7Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."
It is true that Christ called us to share each others' burdens (verse 2), but that does not undo personal responsibility, and, ultimately, we must all be responsible to bear our own burdens (verse5). God not only will not be mocked, this passage teaches us that He cannot be mocked.
What does that mean? It means that, if we make no effort at all to carry our own load and to fulfill our own obligations (sowing good things), then God will not cause us to reap something entirely different than what we have sown (verse 7). However, if we keep doing (sowing) good, and if we do not grow weary (enduring in faith), then we reap our harvest in "due season" (God's time - not ours) (verse 9).
I read today about a set of parents who were part of the "faith healing" crowd and who, accompanied by their pastor, allegedly prayed over their sick infant for 30 hours without seeking medical attention. Click here to read the article. Now, I do believe that healing comes by faith in the Lord, and I do believe the Lord performs miracles. However, I do not believe that means the Lord wants us to ignore the wordly treatment options available to us (remember, Luke was a doctor).
Instead, I believe the Lord wants us to sow our efforts into doing all we reasonably can to resolve our own problems, trusting Him to bless our efforts. In my own life, when I have had a problem or been confronted to the obstacle, I prayed hard for God to take care of it. Sometimes, with no more sowing than a prayer, the Lord took care of the issue, but most of the time he required me to put some effort in. I call this reaping/sowing principal "no deposit; no return."
God doesn't need our pitiful efforts - He is the all-powerful creator of the universe. However, he does require our efforts, no matter how insignificant they may seem to us. God designed the universe to work a particular way, and we are mocking both that creation and the nature of our God when we expect to reap something without sowing something (but our efforts to mock will fail when we inevitably reap what we sow). That doesn't mean God cannot perform miracles, which is His right. However, we do not get to dictate to Almighty God how he performs miracles, including the miracle of healing.
I once had a large, non-malignant mass/tumor on my spine show up in x-rays. My family and friends, in a tremendous show of faith, love, and support, prayed corporately for me. By the time my MRI results came back, the mass was gone. It didn't shrink: it was gone. Some have said the x-rays were wrong - whatever. I say, and I always will, that God had other plans for my spine. Praise Him! He healed me, and I believe the faith of my family and friends made a huge difference.
But I went to the doctor...
That's right: I didn't sow nothing. I prayed (a LOT), and I went to see a doctor. I didn't sit around with excruciating, unnatural back pain for months on end begging God to heal me without taking any actions myself to pursue treatment. I prayed, I went to the doctor, and God blessed those efforts with a harvest of healing, in His time, not in mine.
"Faith healing," is something I whole-heartedly believe in, but I don't see that as an excuse to avoid sowing our efforts toward the healing for which we are petitioning the Lord. Going to the doctor is not a sign of lacking faith - it is a practical measure that the Lord can bless. We go to the doctor, and we pray to the Lord, who will decide how to heal us - through an overt display of divine power, or through the doctors hands, or via whatever other mechanism He deems wise, in His time.
If you are sick - seek medical attention, but don't stop praying. Also, don't pray that the doctors heal you. That is a sign of lacking faith. I suggest this prayer:
"Lord, I am not feeling well, and I know something is wrong. Normally I would be afraid, but I am stepping out in faith and trusting you with my future. I pray that you heal my broken body according to your Will. In the name of Jesus I pray this, amen."
Say it. Pursue it. Believe it. Receive it. Just don't skip the pursuing - it is an essential element.
Granted, the foregoing expression is not a Bible quote, but, depending on how you interpret that old saying, it is largely true. Just read this passage from Galatians 6 (ESV), which I am so fond of quoting:
"1Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5For each will have to bear his own load.
"6One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. 7Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."
It is true that Christ called us to share each others' burdens (verse 2), but that does not undo personal responsibility, and, ultimately, we must all be responsible to bear our own burdens (verse5). God not only will not be mocked, this passage teaches us that He cannot be mocked.
What does that mean? It means that, if we make no effort at all to carry our own load and to fulfill our own obligations (sowing good things), then God will not cause us to reap something entirely different than what we have sown (verse 7). However, if we keep doing (sowing) good, and if we do not grow weary (enduring in faith), then we reap our harvest in "due season" (God's time - not ours) (verse 9).
I read today about a set of parents who were part of the "faith healing" crowd and who, accompanied by their pastor, allegedly prayed over their sick infant for 30 hours without seeking medical attention. Click here to read the article. Now, I do believe that healing comes by faith in the Lord, and I do believe the Lord performs miracles. However, I do not believe that means the Lord wants us to ignore the wordly treatment options available to us (remember, Luke was a doctor).
Instead, I believe the Lord wants us to sow our efforts into doing all we reasonably can to resolve our own problems, trusting Him to bless our efforts. In my own life, when I have had a problem or been confronted to the obstacle, I prayed hard for God to take care of it. Sometimes, with no more sowing than a prayer, the Lord took care of the issue, but most of the time he required me to put some effort in. I call this reaping/sowing principal "no deposit; no return."
God doesn't need our pitiful efforts - He is the all-powerful creator of the universe. However, he does require our efforts, no matter how insignificant they may seem to us. God designed the universe to work a particular way, and we are mocking both that creation and the nature of our God when we expect to reap something without sowing something (but our efforts to mock will fail when we inevitably reap what we sow). That doesn't mean God cannot perform miracles, which is His right. However, we do not get to dictate to Almighty God how he performs miracles, including the miracle of healing.
I once had a large, non-malignant mass/tumor on my spine show up in x-rays. My family and friends, in a tremendous show of faith, love, and support, prayed corporately for me. By the time my MRI results came back, the mass was gone. It didn't shrink: it was gone. Some have said the x-rays were wrong - whatever. I say, and I always will, that God had other plans for my spine. Praise Him! He healed me, and I believe the faith of my family and friends made a huge difference.
But I went to the doctor...
That's right: I didn't sow nothing. I prayed (a LOT), and I went to see a doctor. I didn't sit around with excruciating, unnatural back pain for months on end begging God to heal me without taking any actions myself to pursue treatment. I prayed, I went to the doctor, and God blessed those efforts with a harvest of healing, in His time, not in mine.
"Faith healing," is something I whole-heartedly believe in, but I don't see that as an excuse to avoid sowing our efforts toward the healing for which we are petitioning the Lord. Going to the doctor is not a sign of lacking faith - it is a practical measure that the Lord can bless. We go to the doctor, and we pray to the Lord, who will decide how to heal us - through an overt display of divine power, or through the doctors hands, or via whatever other mechanism He deems wise, in His time.
If you are sick - seek medical attention, but don't stop praying. Also, don't pray that the doctors heal you. That is a sign of lacking faith. I suggest this prayer:
"Lord, I am not feeling well, and I know something is wrong. Normally I would be afraid, but I am stepping out in faith and trusting you with my future. I pray that you heal my broken body according to your Will. In the name of Jesus I pray this, amen."
Say it. Pursue it. Believe it. Receive it. Just don't skip the pursuing - it is an essential element.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
A wise man seeks wise counsel (no.3).
"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."
-Proverbs 15:22, NIV.
This verse came to me in my email devotional, and I find it to be one of the best verses in the Bible when it comes to decision-making and dealing with confusion. Frankly, in my own life, I have often been convicted with the reality that I cannot do everything myself.
As an example, I broke my foot last week playing tennis. Try as I might, I couldn't take care of myself, and I needed someone to nurse-maid me until I was back on my feet again. I am pleased to report that I am recovering quickly, and I am even able to walk normally for brief periods with the crutches (as opposed to using only my good foot). In a short time, I will be right as rain. In the beginning, however, my wife was a God-send. Were it not for her, I'd have had to hire a nurse or stay in the hospital until I was able to function again.
Similarly, we should not make important decisions all alone without seeking some wise counsel first. I will not waste time rehashing previous posts dealing with the question of when to seek help and from whom (you may find the first two posts in this series here and here; you may also find the post "No Man an Island" to be relevant, which you can find here). Instead, I just want to focus on the wisdom of the verse quoted at the top of this post.
My wife and I have a wonderful, happy marriage. However, we do occasionally differ, and sometimes the decision of when to seek advice is an area in which we differ. My wife is a very private person, and she would often prefer that we make important decisions alone (after consulting the Lord, of course). I, on the other hand, feel like the best decision is made only after consulting others whom I consider wise and knowledgeable. Is my wife wrong to want to keep matters private? Not at all, and some decisions really do require discretion, especially in a marriage.
All the same, the desire for privacy is often related more to one's pride than to a desire for discretion. My advice to you, believers, is to strike a good balance. Seek not only wise counselors, but discreet counselors. In my view, an advisor is not a very wise person to begin with if that person does not appreciate the value of discretion. Certainly, we know that discretion and wisdom go hand in hand (see Prov 3:21, 5:2, and 11:22).
Remember: the Bible teaches us that our plans fail for lack of counsel (lack of wise advice), but our plans often succeed if we have many advisors. Of course, we shouldn't be too quick to get or take the advice of a drunkard or fool, but when a knowledgeable person offers you advice, I suggest that you consider it as a gift rather than a burden.
How often do we hear advice from parents or other elders and disregard it as outdated or as another "lecture?" Don't be a fool: if you have wise parents or elders, then listen to their advice. It is worth more than gold. As an example, if you are experiencing marital difficulties, don't shrug off the advice of a happily married couple and tell them it is none of their business. Perhaps you are right that it is not their concern, but if that couple is genuinely trying to help you, then making your business their concern is a sign of friendship, not intrusion. The secrets to happiness in their own marriage may very well be the secret to happiness in your own. That is just an example.
Businessmen, for another example, I advise you not to hastily shirk the advice of your more successful colleagues. Successful business models are often reproduceable, and for a successful businessman to share his insight with you, well that is invaluable. Seize the opportunity! Don't let pride be your downfall.
And remember, ultimately every decision that confronts you is your right and responsibility to make, but, knowing the every decision has consequences, would you not prefer your decisions to be informed decisions? Having many advisors means understanding the facets of the situation with insights beyond/in addition to your own. Listening to advisors is no excuse to refuse the ultimate responsibility for the decision. You cannot sacrifice your judgment without making a choice to do just that. Wisdom is about listening and discerning. There is middle ground between ignoring good advice and jjust taking whatever advice comes your way. I advise you (wisely I hope) to find that balance.
Be blessed.
-Proverbs 15:22, NIV.
This verse came to me in my email devotional, and I find it to be one of the best verses in the Bible when it comes to decision-making and dealing with confusion. Frankly, in my own life, I have often been convicted with the reality that I cannot do everything myself.
As an example, I broke my foot last week playing tennis. Try as I might, I couldn't take care of myself, and I needed someone to nurse-maid me until I was back on my feet again. I am pleased to report that I am recovering quickly, and I am even able to walk normally for brief periods with the crutches (as opposed to using only my good foot). In a short time, I will be right as rain. In the beginning, however, my wife was a God-send. Were it not for her, I'd have had to hire a nurse or stay in the hospital until I was able to function again.
Similarly, we should not make important decisions all alone without seeking some wise counsel first. I will not waste time rehashing previous posts dealing with the question of when to seek help and from whom (you may find the first two posts in this series here and here; you may also find the post "No Man an Island" to be relevant, which you can find here). Instead, I just want to focus on the wisdom of the verse quoted at the top of this post.
My wife and I have a wonderful, happy marriage. However, we do occasionally differ, and sometimes the decision of when to seek advice is an area in which we differ. My wife is a very private person, and she would often prefer that we make important decisions alone (after consulting the Lord, of course). I, on the other hand, feel like the best decision is made only after consulting others whom I consider wise and knowledgeable. Is my wife wrong to want to keep matters private? Not at all, and some decisions really do require discretion, especially in a marriage.
All the same, the desire for privacy is often related more to one's pride than to a desire for discretion. My advice to you, believers, is to strike a good balance. Seek not only wise counselors, but discreet counselors. In my view, an advisor is not a very wise person to begin with if that person does not appreciate the value of discretion. Certainly, we know that discretion and wisdom go hand in hand (see Prov 3:21, 5:2, and 11:22).
Remember: the Bible teaches us that our plans fail for lack of counsel (lack of wise advice), but our plans often succeed if we have many advisors. Of course, we shouldn't be too quick to get or take the advice of a drunkard or fool, but when a knowledgeable person offers you advice, I suggest that you consider it as a gift rather than a burden.
How often do we hear advice from parents or other elders and disregard it as outdated or as another "lecture?" Don't be a fool: if you have wise parents or elders, then listen to their advice. It is worth more than gold. As an example, if you are experiencing marital difficulties, don't shrug off the advice of a happily married couple and tell them it is none of their business. Perhaps you are right that it is not their concern, but if that couple is genuinely trying to help you, then making your business their concern is a sign of friendship, not intrusion. The secrets to happiness in their own marriage may very well be the secret to happiness in your own. That is just an example.
Businessmen, for another example, I advise you not to hastily shirk the advice of your more successful colleagues. Successful business models are often reproduceable, and for a successful businessman to share his insight with you, well that is invaluable. Seize the opportunity! Don't let pride be your downfall.
And remember, ultimately every decision that confronts you is your right and responsibility to make, but, knowing the every decision has consequences, would you not prefer your decisions to be informed decisions? Having many advisors means understanding the facets of the situation with insights beyond/in addition to your own. Listening to advisors is no excuse to refuse the ultimate responsibility for the decision. You cannot sacrifice your judgment without making a choice to do just that. Wisdom is about listening and discerning. There is middle ground between ignoring good advice and jjust taking whatever advice comes your way. I advise you (wisely I hope) to find that balance.
Be blessed.
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