My Son’s New Life in Christ

We walked into church on Sunday, hearts full of joy.  And there it was.  The white rose symbolizing our son’s new life in Christ. . .the church, celebrating together a 4 year old’s admission that he was a boy who sinned and needed Jesus’ death on a cross some 2,000 years ago to erase those sins.  What began with a question, “How do I go to heaven?” ended with a humble and sincere invitation, “Jesus, come into my heart and help me.” 

The lessons taught to me through my child have been endless lately: 

Converse with God over the simplest of things.

Give Him credit for something as seemingly mundane as helping you to eat your asparagus.

Sing a praise song to Him that you learned at church. . .but sing it to Him in the middle of the week.

Break into spontaneous prayer when your Mommy has a migraine and you want to help her.

Tell others unashamedly that you have Jesus in your heart.

Ask frequently “What’s God saying to me?”

Give in to the joy that Christ places in your heart and laugh without reservation.

As I’ve started reading through the gospel of John again this week, I came to chapter 3 this morning, as I was preparing to write this post.  Here is (not coincidently) what it said:

John 3

 ¹ There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. ² After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”

 ³ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

 ⁴ “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”

 ⁵ Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. ⁷ So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”

 ⁹ “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.

 ¹⁰ Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? ¹¹ I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. ¹² But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. ¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

 ¹⁶ “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

 ¹⁸ “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹ And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. ²⁰ All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. ²¹ But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.“ . . .

 ³¹ “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. ³² He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! ³³ Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. ³⁴ For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. ³⁵ The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. ³⁶ And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”  (NLT, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%203&version=NLT)

Ahhh, grace. . .redemption. . .love. . .relationship. . .belonging. . .family.  Isn’t God beautiful to offer this to us, and now I can say it is equally, if not more, beautiful to see it wash over and transform my son whom I love so dearly.

Valuable Information from Health Blogs and Websites

I am a research junkie.  I love learning new things and researching information that makes a positive impact on my life.  Today I took some time and found some health information that I found quite informative.  Here is that information, taken in snippets from various blogs, with sources shown.

The Natural Keys To Controlling PMS (Dr. Linda Page)

PMS is by far the most common woman’s health complaint. For some women, PMS is a minor inconvenience that lasts a few days. For others, it disrupts the whole month! A woman’s body is delicately tuned, and can become unbalanced easily, causing pain, poor function, and a disconcerting feeling of not being “together,” especially during the menstrual cycle.

Fortunately, women can take relieve PMS effectively with a simple 4 point program.

1. Use essential fatty acids to balance prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are vital hormone-type compounds that regulate body functions almost like an electrical current. Evening Primrose oil 500-1000 mg. daily shows excellent results for many women.

2. Love your liver. The liver is in charge of hormone metabolism, and helps to rebalance estrogen and progesterone levels. Try a cup of Liver Cleanse Flushing tea or dandelion tea each morning to relieve balance hormones, relieve organ congestion and detoxify the liver.

Read the rest at Dr. Linda Page’s Blog:  http://drlindapage.typepad.com/healthyhealing/2009/08/the-natural-keys-to-controlling-pms.html

 

The Ten Commandments of Preventive Medicine (Dr. Walt)

Set a Wise Balance in Your Life – The Essential of Balance

Practice Acceptance and Letting Go – The Essential of Forgiveness

Lighten Your Load – The Essential of Reducing SADness (Stress, Anxiety, and Depression)

Avoid Loneliness Like the Plague – The Essential of Healthy Relationships

Cultivate a True Spirituality – The Essential of Spiritual Well-Being

See Yourself as Your Creator Sees You – The Essential of a Positive Self-Image

Nurture Your Hopes and Dreams – The Essential of Discovering Your Destiny

Read the rest at Dr. Walt’s Blog:  http://www.drwalt.com/blog/?p=759

 

9 Hidden Toxins Lurking in Your Food (Dr. Mercola)

Your grocery store is plentifully stocked with wolves in sheep’s clothing. Here are some tips to help you steer clear of hidden toxins that masquerade as safe products.

Stay away from processed meats like bacon, hot dogs, and sausage. Sodium nitrate can also cause the formation of nitrosamines in your system, which can lead to cancer.

Crying Wolf

My heart is heavy with the way our country is dividing lately.  The issue of race is far too serious with which to be playing politics, and yet it is interjected into the cultural climate on a weekly basis.  I am not speaking of those events that clearly and without question include racial biases and prejudices.  I agree that those exist and are deplorable.  What I am disheartened by is the increase in those who “cry foul” when none exists, inevitably creating a perceived victim and a perceived villian.  It is the indefensible argument. 

This was an email I received from Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council this weekend:

“Race Card: Sign of Desperation

Yesterday, the House voted 240 to 179 to censure Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) for saying the President was lying about aspects of his health care reform plan. What was more telling than the vote was the rhetoric that surrounded it. Those pushing to publicly flog Wilson avoided the subject at hand, the health care reform plan and whether or not the President’s statements were false.

Rather, House members like Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) used the opportunity to say Wilson ’s actions were motivated by racial animus. In an interview with CNN, Johnson said “I guess we’ll probably have folks putting on white hoods and white uniforms again and riding through the countryside, intimidating people. That’s the logical conclusion if this kind of attitude is not rebuked.” On ABC’s World News, referring to Wilson’s comments, Lee said “Hate speech can turn into hate crimes.

Working out of the Left’s classic playbook, former President Jimmy Carter, interviewed on NBC Nightly News, chimed in not only on Wilson’s comments but on the public opposition to the President’s liberal plans saying, ‘I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he’s African-American.’ This is a classic move by the Left when they can’t win the policy debate; they try to marginalize their opponents by calling them racist.”

This weekend, at the Value Voter’s Summit in Washington, D.C. (which I watched through a webcast), Star Parker, conservative, columnist, and president of CURE, said, “Truth has no color.”  Amen.  What conservatives are objecting to is President Obama’s agenda and policies, not his color.  What we are objecting to are his radical associations, his radical distortions of the U.S. Constitution, and the radical consequences for our country.  What we are objecting to is his definition or interpretation of “truth” (or rather his watering it down).

Star Parker continues her thoughts from the weekend in an excellent article today from her website.  In it, she says:

“Despite claims from our Democrat administration that it wants civility, it does not. It wants control.

This nation is already torn apart ideologically. In the last four months, we’ve witnessed two cold-blooded ideologically motivated murders. An abortion doctor shot in a church and a pro-life demonstrator murdered in a drive-by shooting in front of a school.

There are fewer and fewer ’self evident truths’ about which we all agree.

The current charade to paint ideological differences with our president as racially motivated dangerously pours gasoline on the burning embers of our differences.

But this is what Democrats want. They have lost the health-care debate on substance, so they want to make it emotional. They want to intimidate. And nothing intimidates and polarizes like race.”

Strong words, but I’m inclined to believe them.  Everyone knows the story of the boy who cried wolf.  What I fear is that the “crying wolf” about racial things will only yield an even more divided nation, one in which there are two extremes. . .one side that claims racism as the motivation for absolutely everything that they do not like and the other side that denies racism even in the face of clear evidence.  Representative Joe Wilson is motivated by his passionate belief that President Obama’s health care plan is deceptive and bad for America, not by racism.  The Tea Party goers and Town Hall protesters are motivated by their passionate belief that spending our children’s future is bad for America, not by racism.  Yes, there are a few bad apples out there among them all, but by and large, this is a policy difference.  And if we cry “racism” too many times for too many things that are clearly not, we may miss the times when it really is racism.

I Created a Bucket List

The Urban Dictionary defines “bucket list” as “a list of things to do before you die; comes from the term ‘kicked the bucket’.”  A movie by the same name came out in 2007 starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.  I never saw it, but the idea has intrigued me.

I just made my bucket list.

My list is still being formed, but to date, I have 65 things that I’d like to do before I die. . .Among them:

Take a cross-country road trip and journal it all

Read all 100 books on my Reading List (which actually turned out to be 160 books once I got to writing it)

Get a book published

Start a non-profit ministry

Live by the ocean

Learn to play the piano

Swim with dolphins

Learn to watercolor

I also made a separate list of “100 Bible Verses to Memorize” and included that on my bucket list.  Some of my favorites, for those looking for encouragement today, are:

“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3)

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Psalm 139:23,24).

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:19).

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:18-21).

A website that I found very helpful in forming my list was http://www.squidoo.com/100things.  It really helps by covering a wide range of topics to get you thinking about the adventures, goals, and accomplishments you might want to add to your list. 

And if reading is a passion of yours too, well then this website will help you to formulate a must-read list as well. 

http://www.listsofbests.com/list/11632

And if Christian classics are important to you, check out these lists:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/april24/5.92.html

http://unashamedworkman.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/100-recommended-reads/

No matter what your age or your interests, I encourage you write a bucket list in some form.  I found it to motivate me, encourage me, focus me, and embolden me.  I hope it does the same for you.

“Unprecedented Power”

In this video, Congressman Mike Rogers lays out some of the concerns with President Obama’s health care reform bill. 

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Hypocrisy in the Abortion Debate

How many of us saw this headline covered on the news?  “Report: Anti-Abortion [Pro-Life] Activist Gunned Down Outside Michigan High School” (source).  How many blogs have we seen written about it?  How many networks have brought us this “breaking news”?  How many politicians have come out condemning this vicious and malicious murder?

But how many of us saw this one:  “George Tiller Killed: Abortion Doctor Shot at Church” (source)  How many saw so much coverage of this particular murder that we knew that those who didn’t see it had to be living under a rock?  How many of us saw blogs that were nothing short of hero-worship of Dr. Tiller and slanderous of pro-lifers?  Do you have any doubt in your mind that this event (yes, although tragic) was being used by the pro-abortion propagandists?

Need I go on?  There is a blatant hypocrisy out there in the media, whether it be on network television, cable television, or print journalism.  Abortion is too serious of a subject to be used for political propaganda and most pro-life activists are too civil and too passionate and heartfelt about the sanctity of human life to be treated with such disdain and to be the victims of so much hypocrisy.

Let’s not be shy to make our voices heard in the media and to our representatives and senators.  Yes, we are misrepresented and de-emphasized many days, and that may be the way it goes for a long time to come, but let’s not cower or run for cover.  Let’s keep standing up for truth, for those innocent babies, and for many of those women who are being used, deceived, and talked into something that will most likely haunt them for decades to come.

“Satan Masquerades”

“And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.  It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:11-12).

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20)

Satan loves to disguise what is corrupt and harmful as “good.”  He takes what is good and perverts it just enough that it becomes clearly destructive on the inside, but still looks to be a “good idea” by others.  It’s like a delicious looking bacon and cheese burger that ends up making you sick all night.  And as we are approaching the end times, whether it be 10 years away or a thousand, we are seeing it more and more. 

Need examples?  What about sex?  Sex is a beautiful creation by our Lord, but Satan has found a way (many ways) to pervert and distort sex to such a degree that millions are engaging in that act without the commitment of marriage first, but yet we are told in an almost-convincing way, “What can be wrong about expressing yourself through sex with someone you are in love with?”  What about the family?  The traditional family is being torn apart at the seams because what was good (a husband and wife raising a child) has now been called “old-fashioned” and discriminatory, and is being threatened by those wanting an alternative family (two men or two women raising a child) to be fully acceptable, and anyone who wants to call that a perversion is labeled “intolerant,” at the very least.  It’s slipping into our culture, our everyday life, ever so subtly. . .or not so subtly. . .but make no mistake about the destruction it is causing. 

And now I see it here in a video full of some of Hollywood’s politically active. 

Now, let me preface, I am not saying anyone in the following video is evil.  I am not saying that the liberal agenda (or Obama) is evil or of the devil.  I am not saying that supporting the president is evil.  What I am saying is that the subtle (or not so subtle) destruction of the traditional family. . .the subtle (or not so subtle) allegiance to a human being over God. . .the subtle (or not so subtle) unwelcomed and intrusive indoctrination of our young and impressionable students with godlessness. . .is the work of the Enemy, and these Hollywood-ites are some of the pawns he is using.

And notice how it (socialism, idolatry, indoctrination) is disguised as community service, commitment, humanitarianism, and environmentalism in this video.  Satan takes what is corrupt and dresses it up with just enough appearance of good so that we are fooled.  It’s the old frog-in-the-kettle story.  We don’t know we are boiling to death until it’s too late. . .because the immoral is so subtle. . .and it looks so inviting.  Take this video for example:  What could one possibly have against helping others or working towards a better you, right (they will say)? 

So view the video and see what you think.  This was shown to elementary school students in a school in Utah and caused quite a stir.  Rightly so, in my opinion. 

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Make no mistake about it.  If you show/feel/voice any opposition to this video, you faced being told that you are just against serving others or want to squelch the inspiration of others.  See here if you don’t believe me.  But that’s not what we are opposed to, is it?

Twice during the 4 minute video, I heard these statements:  “I pledge to be a servant to our president,” and  “I pledge to be of service to Barack Obama.”  Are you kidding me?!  Is it just me or would you be really uncomfortable pledging allegiance to our president, a human being?  Are we really being asked to be “a servant” of Obama?  I am not against community service–it is a big part of our life–but what I am against is giving any one man that much power, allegiance, and control over our individual life, and the spirit of this video is just that.  The true motivation for us loving others and serving others ought to be our love for God and what He has done for us, not our love and worship of Barack Obama.  Asking the country to care more about other people and lending a helping hand in unique and sacrificial ways does not have to turn into a video touting ridiculous political propaganda and hero-worship.  But did you see how that was slipped in?  Then again, what can we expect from Hollywood?

I pray for a day when those in Hollywood, so influencial in the United States (especially to our younger generations), will unashamedly stand for truth and espouse family values and a belief in God, rather than being used as pawns of the Enemy to destroy Truth by passing it off as good in whatever way possible.  And thank you to those few that already do.

Remembering September 11th

Today, we remember a very sad day in our nation’s history.  We remember what evil is capable of if allowed to run amuck in a person’s heart and mind.  We remember the innocent victims, the heroes, and their grieving families.  We remember how “one nation under God” can put aside political partisanship and come together to turn to each other and our Creator for comfort, meaning, and redemption.  May we remember– today, tomorrow, and for always.

President George W. Bush’s Address to the Nation

September 11, 2001

“Good evening.  Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts.  The victims were in airplanes, or in their offices: secretaries, businessmen and women, military and federal workers, moms and dads, friends and neighbors.  Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror. 

The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger.  These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat.  But they have failed; our country is strong.

A great people has been moved to defend a great nation.  Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America.  These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.

America was targeted for attack because we’re the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world.  And no one will keep that light from shining.

Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature.  And we responded with the best of America–with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could. . .

Tonight, I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened.  And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us, spoken [of] through the ages in Psalm 23: ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me.’

This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace.  America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time.  None of us will ever forget this day.  Yet, we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.

Thank you.  Good night, and God bless America.”

Source:  “We Will Prevail,” President George W. Bush, Edited by National Review

Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear by Max Lucado

Nobody weaves a biblical story with a life application like Max Lucado, and few use as powerful, creative, or beautiful language.  His words, through rhyme, analogy, and alliteration, seem to soothe and pierce all at the same time.  Lucado’s newest book, Fearless, is no different.  Over the course of 15 chapters, Lucado addresses just over a dozen of the most common and relevant fears in today’s world (parenting, violence, money, and death, to name a few) and he does it in such a way that I found myself feeling encouraged with Scripture and personal stories, as if I was speaking with a trusted friend, and also counseled as if by the Holy Spirit Himself. 

“The promise of Christ and the contention of this book are simple,” Lucado says, “we can fear less tomorrow than we do today.” Statements such as these soothed me. “To sin is to disregard God, ignore his teachings, deny his blessings. Sin is ‘God-less’ living, centering life on the center letter of the word sIn.” Statements such as these convicted me. Lucado’s unique style of writing draws the reader in as if reading a gripping novel, yet teaches timeless truths in an unforgettable way.

Although theologically sound, Fearless is not exceptionally theologically deep.  It may be information we have heard preached before, but it will be old information written in a beautiful and powerful way.  I recommend this book as one of Max Lucado’s better books.

You can check out the details of this book and order it at Thomas Nelson Publishers, where I am a Book Review Blogger - http://brb.thomasnelson.com/. You can also visit http://www.thefearlessbook.com/ for more information and a town hall webcast with Max Lucado.

Eyes on the Prize

This weekend, my family and I drove back from a Florida vacation.  Our 4-year old was entertained for most of the 12+ hour trip, thanks to a DVD player that our friends loaned us.  I had listened to about as many sermons and songs off of my Ipod that I could handle in one day and the view along the highway was nothing to write home about–this particular interstate was definitely more functional than scenic.  After the first 6 hours or so passed, I began to feel a bit restless.  I had just enjoyed one of the best vacations of my adult life and was filled to the rim with joy and peace, making hours of confinement in our small car feel like a sharp stick in the eye.  I was ready to get home, if I must.

Then it hit me.  The “going out there” trip was a breeze.  Really.  I can’t even recall thinking a complaint, and know I never voiced one.  On the return trip, I was as antsy as a toddler who has to use the potty.  So what was the difference? 

“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1).

What was different was my destination–”the prize.”  On the drive to Florida, I was anticipating the beach, the ocean, and a week of little responsibility, no work, and a whole lot of sun and family time.  I was “straining toward” what was ahead.  On the way back home, I was anticipating laundry, the start of a new work week, and the sometimes wearying routine of “life as usual.”  Don’t get me wrong.  I love my home, and my family and friends here in our hometown.  I even love my “life as usual” most days, but there is something magical about the excitement of a vacation and the beauty that we knew awaited us in Florida. 

Matthew Henry, in his Concise Commentary on the Bible, says,

“He who runs a race, must never stop short of the end, but press forward as fast as he can; so those who have heaven in their view, must still press forward to it, in holy desires and hopes, and constant endeavours. Eternal life is the gift of God, but it is in Christ Jesus; through his hand it must come to us, as it is procured for us by him. There is no getting to heaven as our home, but by Christ as our Way. . .Believers make Christ all in all, and set their hearts upon another world.”

It’s amazing what we can endure when our eyes are on the prize.  If Jesus is our Lord and Savior, our destination is heaven.  Plain and simple.  He has “prepared a place” for us, as it promises in John 14:1-4:  “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going.”  

So everyday can be as if we had a Florida beach vacation (times one thousand) in our sights!

Henry says, “So those who have heaven in their view, must still press forward to it”.  What would our life look like if we had “heaven in our view” every day?  What could we accomplish for Jesus?  What could we endure as part of the command to “take up your cross” (Mark 8:34)? 

I hope that I can make that Florida vacation last all year long, simply by remembering that what awaits me in heaven is exponentially better, and with heaven in my view, I can press on, keeping my eyes on the prize.