Saturday, March 29, 2008
The Bible vs. The Book of Mormon
This is a great video that compares and contrasts The Bible with The Book of Mormon. It covers the historical, archaeological, geographical, and anthropological evidence of the books. If you have about an hour to watch it, it will be well worth your time. I highly recommend it!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
High Noon tribute
I have always had a deep appreciation for black and white movies since I was a kid, particularly the old westerns. Arguably the greatest old western ever made is called "High Noon" starring Gary Cooper, Lloyd Bridges, and Grace Kelly (1952). The theme of the movie is set against a retiring town Sheriff who sacrificed his whole life protecting the community in which he lived, only to be abandoned by that same community during his hour of most need. Against all odds, he alone goes on to defend that community against a gang of revenge seeking criminals.
One of the best scenes is a speech given by Gary Cooper's long time friend and mentor. Cooper goes to him for help and advice. Against the advice that Gary Cooper expects to hear, he is given the following description of a lawman's life:
"It's a great life. You risk your skin catchin' killers and the juries turn 'em loose so they can come back and shoot at you again. If you're honest, you're poor your whole life, and in the end you wind up dying all alone on some dirty street. For what? For nothin'...for a tin star. People gotta talk themselves into law and order before they do anything about it. Maybe because down deep they don't care...they just don't care. It's all for nothin' Will...it's all for nothin'."
It is truly an amazing movie about a man who refuses to give up his principles and sacrifice his character in the face of conventional wisdom, even when it may cost him his own life.
If you like old westerns, I'm sure you'll love this one. And if you haven't already seen it, I would encourage you to watch it sometime. It is the greatest showdown in the history of cinema!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The greatest in their kingdom...
Have you ever wondered how others view you? Do they see the same person that you see of yourself?
I often wonder how my children view me as their father. If I looked at myself through their eyes...would I see the same man? Would I understand myself, as the man who stands before them? Do I really fulfill their expectations about how strong I really am...or am I just a shell of what they believe me to be? Would I end up failing them if they saw me for who I truly was? I wonder if we as parents need to worry more about fulfilling our children's expectations of who we are, instead of worrying about whether or not they are going to fulfill our expectations about who they will become.
You see, the disciples once came to Jesus and asked him about who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:1). They had become so self absorbed in what they could potentially become in the eyes of other men, that they had lost sight of what was truly important. They too, had become a shell in the eyes of others. The outside looked great and it appeared that they had it all together; but inside they had become empty and filled with what the world was telling them about what it took to be great.
Jesus had recognized this and responded in such a profound and unusual manner, that it had shocked their very core. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3) The Greek word used for change (strepho) means in a moral sense to essentially alter or adopt another course...to turn around or even repent.
What does this mean? Sometimes we are living double lives. What our children see is a shell of whom they believe us to be. But inside, we are someone else. Does the phrase, "Do as I say, not as I do." sound familiar? More often than not, it is those secrets lurking in our hearts that can, at anytime, expose us for who we really are and the results can be destructive. Ask yourself, "If I saw myself through my child's eyes, what would I really think? Would I be proud of whom I really am...or would I be hurt by what I saw?"
The point is that unless we change the way we think and look through the eyes of our children, we will always be a shell to those we love. If you have not experienced the damage that can be caused by the emptiness inside, then now is the time to change before it happens. If you have been effected by this experience, it is not too late for change.
Listen to what the hearts of your children have to say. Look through your child's eyes to see your life for what it really is. Right now they cry out to you! Your children are what is most important, and only by becoming like one in your heart will you be made complete and whole. Only then will you will never disappoint or hurt them. Jesus said, "Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom..." (Matthew 18:4)
May you be great in the eyes of your children. May you come to see that the hardest expectation to fulfill is from your own child. May you learn to change your course and look through the eyes of your baby to see yourself as everything they believe you to be. And finally, may you truly come to be...the greatest in their kingdom.
Monday, March 10, 2008
When All Is Said and Done--Tyrone Wells
When all is said and done
And I'm looking back upon this race I've run
And when my heart gives in.
I know you will be beside me precious friend
It's just the same from the beginning to the end
When all is said and done.
If I lose my way
And I wander down this open road for days
And if the sun should fall
And the dancing we once did becomes a crawl
Let the memories move like shadows on the wall
If I lose my way.
When I'm coming home
And I walk across the bridge of death alone
I will fix my eyes
On the One who's waiting on the other side
It's my old friend with countless others there beside
When I'm coming home
Friday, March 7, 2008
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
"This promise is for you."
On the very first occasion when someone stood up in public to tell people about Jesus, he made it very clear: this message is for everyone.
It was a great day--sometimes called the birthday of the church. The great wind of God's spirit had swept through Jesus' followers and filled them with a new joy and a sense of God's presence and power. Their leader, Peter, who only a few weeks before had been crying like a baby because he'd lied and cursed and denied even knowing Jesus, found himself on his feet explaining to a huge crowd that something had happened which had changed the world forever. What God had done for him, Peter, he was beginning to do for the whole world: new life, forgiveness, new hope and power were opening up like spring flowers after a long winter. A new age had begun in which the living God was going to do new things in the world--beginning then and there with the individuals who were listeing to him. "This promise is for you," he said, "and for your children, and for everyone who is far away" (Acts 2:9).
There were two times in my life when I had been filled with "a new joy" as described above. The first was when I had truely accepted Jesus into my life. As a child, I grew up blindly accepting the possibility that Jesus was God incarnate, but I never truly understood why. It was not until after I was an adult, after I had suffered from addictions, pain, loneliness, and experienced miracles and happiness in my own life, that I began to search for a deeper truth in life. I began really reading the bible for the first time, seeking answers to questions regarding its authority, reliability, and truthfulness. Afterall, the last thing I wanted to do was get involved in some wacky religion and defend something I knew nothing about. I had many questions and concerns. I had a hard time accepting anything at face value. The more I read scripture, the more I researched it. I read books and articles that supported scripture and also books and articles that attempted to disprove scripture. I researched other religions in an effort to find God there, or to see if he was "everywhere." The more I researched however (between theology, philosophy, archeology, science, and history) I found scripture to be more and more reliable. I found the world to be more and more deceptive.
And so the day that I had truly accepted Christ into my life, I began to experience a whole new joy, a sense of peace that I never new existed. I began to look at the world differently...for the first time in my life I began to look at the world through the eyes of God. I saw the world completely different. It was a breath of fresh air and a time when I was filled with a new joy and a sense of God's presence and power. Like Peter, it was not long before when I struggled in my own search and journey. After all, it is hard in today's world to find God when there are so many distractions and various (sometimes crazy) things being thrown at you from all directions.
When I did find out who God truly is, it was an amazing trasformation. I too found myself on my feet wanting to explain to everyone that something had happened to me, which had changed my world forever. What God had done for Peter, he was beginning to do for me: new life, forgiveness, new hope and power were opening up in me like spring flowers after a long winter.
The second time was after approximately 13 years of searching and growing in faith, I was finally baptized as a believer last month. It was amazing. It was though I had put on a new self...I will never be the same. A new age in my life has begun in which the living God is continuing to do new things in my life. I thank God everyday for being fortunate enough to have found Him, and that He has an active role in my life. I could not imagine going through my entire life without ever have known Him. Since accepting Christ into my life, it has been a life of change and freedom...of new promise. But it is not just for me, "this promise is for you." What God has done for me, He can do for you. What God has done for us, He can do for the whole world.
If you are not a Christian and have questions, or want to know how to have a personal relationship with God, let me know, I would love to answer any questions or respond to any comments. May God's grace and peace be with you.
It was a great day--sometimes called the birthday of the church. The great wind of God's spirit had swept through Jesus' followers and filled them with a new joy and a sense of God's presence and power. Their leader, Peter, who only a few weeks before had been crying like a baby because he'd lied and cursed and denied even knowing Jesus, found himself on his feet explaining to a huge crowd that something had happened which had changed the world forever. What God had done for him, Peter, he was beginning to do for the whole world: new life, forgiveness, new hope and power were opening up like spring flowers after a long winter. A new age had begun in which the living God was going to do new things in the world--beginning then and there with the individuals who were listeing to him. "This promise is for you," he said, "and for your children, and for everyone who is far away" (Acts 2:9).
There were two times in my life when I had been filled with "a new joy" as described above. The first was when I had truely accepted Jesus into my life. As a child, I grew up blindly accepting the possibility that Jesus was God incarnate, but I never truly understood why. It was not until after I was an adult, after I had suffered from addictions, pain, loneliness, and experienced miracles and happiness in my own life, that I began to search for a deeper truth in life. I began really reading the bible for the first time, seeking answers to questions regarding its authority, reliability, and truthfulness. Afterall, the last thing I wanted to do was get involved in some wacky religion and defend something I knew nothing about. I had many questions and concerns. I had a hard time accepting anything at face value. The more I read scripture, the more I researched it. I read books and articles that supported scripture and also books and articles that attempted to disprove scripture. I researched other religions in an effort to find God there, or to see if he was "everywhere." The more I researched however (between theology, philosophy, archeology, science, and history) I found scripture to be more and more reliable. I found the world to be more and more deceptive.
And so the day that I had truly accepted Christ into my life, I began to experience a whole new joy, a sense of peace that I never new existed. I began to look at the world differently...for the first time in my life I began to look at the world through the eyes of God. I saw the world completely different. It was a breath of fresh air and a time when I was filled with a new joy and a sense of God's presence and power. Like Peter, it was not long before when I struggled in my own search and journey. After all, it is hard in today's world to find God when there are so many distractions and various (sometimes crazy) things being thrown at you from all directions.
When I did find out who God truly is, it was an amazing trasformation. I too found myself on my feet wanting to explain to everyone that something had happened to me, which had changed my world forever. What God had done for Peter, he was beginning to do for me: new life, forgiveness, new hope and power were opening up in me like spring flowers after a long winter.
The second time was after approximately 13 years of searching and growing in faith, I was finally baptized as a believer last month. It was amazing. It was though I had put on a new self...I will never be the same. A new age in my life has begun in which the living God is continuing to do new things in my life. I thank God everyday for being fortunate enough to have found Him, and that He has an active role in my life. I could not imagine going through my entire life without ever have known Him. Since accepting Christ into my life, it has been a life of change and freedom...of new promise. But it is not just for me, "this promise is for you." What God has done for me, He can do for you. What God has done for us, He can do for the whole world.
If you are not a Christian and have questions, or want to know how to have a personal relationship with God, let me know, I would love to answer any questions or respond to any comments. May God's grace and peace be with you.
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