A Christian's Hope

Someone asked me a few days ago what passage I would use to encourage someone who is facing 3 or 4 different cancers. Several passages came to mind, but then I discovered that the sick person may not be a Christian. I began to wonder. Is there any encouragement for someone who isn't a believer? Is there any hope for the one who doesn't follow God? 

Christians often forget the big picture. But when you're facing someone on the death bed, or when you've lost all that you have in a hurricane, we quickly turn our hearts, minds, and hope to eternal things. Deep down inside, we know that this world is not all we have. There is a better place, a lasting place. 

Perhaps a healthy practice would be to continuously ponder the eternal things. Perhaps we'd be far more content in light of the eternal promises, more secure in light of the eternal inheritance, more eager to witness in light of the eternal hell, more thankful in light of God's eternal grace. Perhaps the deathbed isn't the only place to see suffering working out for our good. Perhaps it isn't even the first place. 

I'm thankful that even though I missed two classes today because my car bumper was bashed in, I was reminded that God always has a plan. He really keeps things exciting and always reminds me that I don't know what's going to happen next. I'm just glad that I know He still loves me. Because of God, every day is a pretty good day. 

The Path of Fleeting Pleasure

There are two ways, two paths, two roads

One foolish and one wise

Both seek to build a fruitful house

Both hope to win the prize

An easy path, the foolish takes

He does not see the end

The path seems good, great joy it brings

But to his death will send

Even a laughing heart may ache

The end of joy be grief

If without thought the simple takes

The path of great relief 

In his folly, he breaks his house

And with his hands destroys

The path which seemed so good to him

Brought quickly fleeting joys

The wise man moves more carefully

Off sinful paths he goes

Although they promise laughter

He sees impending woes

He erects his house in wisdom

While folly tears hers down

The difference is not aims or goals, 

But the path on which their bound

[Inspired by Proverbs 14:1, 11-16]

Are Tattoos Biblical?

To begin, I don't think the Bible explicitly addresses the issue of tattoos. With that said, here are some issues that the Bible does address that may be relevant in considering a tattoo.

1. Honor your parents. Take serious consideration on their opinion/reaction to you getting a tattoo. Responses from parents will range from approval to disowning you as their child. Evaluate your parents position (positive, negative, neutral) and how strong it is. Make sure getting a tattoo is worth the dishonor it may bring to your parents. I know this will be more difficult for some than others. I just encourage you to consider it and give it the weight that God gives it in His Word. 

• In Ex. 21, God gives the death penalty for 4 crimes. (1) First degree murder, (2) stealing and selling other people, (3) striking your parents,  and (4) cursing your parents. 
• It's one of the ten commandments.
• Paul makes special note in Ephesians 6:2 that it is the first commandment with a promise. 
• We only have 7 recorded things that Jesus said on the cross. One of these is Jesus taking special pains to ensure that John will take care of His mother. 

2. Biblical stewardship. You're looking at a minimum of $40-$50 for a tattoo. As Christians, we believe our money is not our own and spending it should be for God's glory and kingdom. It's important to have justifiable reasons for what you spend. 

3. Christian testimony. What I'm referring to is not what the tattoo means to you, but to everyone else. How will your Christian brothers and sisters view your decision? Will it impact your ministry? Will it aid your ministry? What if your future spouse is opposed to tattoos? This category of 'Christian testimony' could potentially be a reason for or against getting a tattoo. 

The main thing is to check your motives. God looks past the outward reasons you give for your decisions and He sees your heart. I believe there can be good or bad motives for getting a tattoo. 

Faith to Fight the Devil

The enemy is cunning, 
The devil is so wise
For years he's practiced breathing
His death provoking lies

He makes your fight look easy
He makes you feel so strong
And keeps your eyes from seeing
The deadly road you're on

For if you knew the peril
The mortal doom you face
Then you would turn your heart to God
And run the faithful race

But he keeps you from thinking
There's danger in your sin
And that is why a heart at ease
Is satan's closest kin

He keeps the mind distracted
On every little thing
For if we don't see past the world
We're his eternally

He tells you to do lots of things
He keeps you busy working
So you won't have the time to see
That danger's closely lurking

The people of this nation
I wish that they could see
The danger in their virtue
Of productivity

It makes you feel so righteous
Or takes your mind off pain
But if you make it everything
You'll find you're just like Cain

It's not the work of your own hands
That makes your gift God's pleasure
It's faith that sees beyond the world
That makes your gift a treasure

Be free from Cain; have faith like Abel
For this is victory
The devil says your gift is good, 
But God sees underneath

He sees right past the gift you give
Into your very heart
By faith we overcome the world
For God has Satan barred

"By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts." - Hebrews 11:4

Easy Yoke; Hard Life

You say Your yoke is easy
You call Your burden light
So why is life so difficult?
Why is it such a fight?

The world keeps on attacking
Temptation makes its plight
The Darkness overwhelms us
But you still call it Light*

What makes Your law no burden?
How can our love be true?
My God, my God has conquered
From death to life we move

Because you overcame the world
The victory is sure
And when we place our faith in You
You help us to endure

You say Your yoke is easy
You call Your burden light
Perhaps it's not the struggle,
But Your promise through the fight

"His commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith." - 1 John 5:3-4

A Creature's Decision

Life would be easier if we had the complete wisdom and counsel of God in order to make the perfect decisions. It would also be nice if we had the sovereign power of God to keep our plans from failing. However, that is not our place as finite creatures. Because of our limits, the Christian life in regard to decision-making is much more difficult than most people think. This is because we often lack the foreknowledge and understanding necessary for making wise decisions. 

However, with a right understanding of our own weakness and an acceptance of our finite creaturliness, we are set free. We are free from the weighty obligation of having to possess the perfect understanding of our decisions. We are free from the burden of knowing exactly where our decisions will lead and in-errantly anticipating every result. In short, we are free from the obligation of trying to function as God in our own lives. We are free to be creatures when God is God. In this state, we don't have the burden of discovering knowledge or possessing full wisdom. Rather we are free to ask for and to receive the wisdom that we need from God's own hand and not ours. 

Thus, only as beggars are we filled and made complete. God is extremely gracious in giving us the wisdom that we need in the moment that we need it. Take comfort in knowing that God understands your path even when you don't. Don't spend all your time worrying about whether you made the right decision or not, God is in control and the decision is already made. Lose the reigns and let God take over. Surrender the lead to God and enjoy the dance. 

Decision making is a huge burden for the creature trying to replace God, but is a pleasure and an honor for the creature that acknowledges their own weakness, looks up to God with empty hands, and with child-like faith simply says, "please."

Trading Innocence

There was a time of honest innocence
Where life was fine, my God was near
But then I got this wicked notion
To trade my innocence and lose my ignorance

I could not accept who God had made me
It's often difficult to be a creature
So I reached out and took from that tree
The fruit of knowledge, oh curiosity!

Here I stand in a garden full of trees
I hold in my hand, the only fruit not for me
Oh dear God, when will I see?
True strength embraces innocence; that's humility