Out of respect for the Pastor this article is about, I won't mention a name. This isn't being written in an angry or vengeful spirit, but rather as a reminder to myself to not be arrogant and unteachable.
I was watching television late last night, and a well respected Christian Pastor came on the television. This is a man that I have always respected and thought well of.
The show was done in an interview format, and the leader went into attack mode when asked about his thoughts on Charismatics. He stated that all the church's problems in America today stem from the Charismatic movement, because it allowed bad theology to go mainstream. He then stated that if God still moved today in the same way he did in the early Church, that God would only move through people with sound theology. The tone of the conversation lead me to believe that those people would be, of course, folks like him. Really, Pastor?
The issue here isn't one of Cessationism vs. Continuationism. That argument is largely dead (much to the chagrin of the Pastor I'm referring to). The issue here is one of spiritual pride. This Pastor honestly doesn't see how his words parallel the words of the Pharisees of Christ's day! By making a claim that God would only move through people with good theology he is essentially saying that God would only move in a way that he understands and approves of, and that unclean spiritual lepers are unusable.
As I watched this man speak, I thought of the wonderful books of his that I've read, the lives this man's ministry has impacted, and the great works he has done for the Kingdom of God. I then realized that were the Kingdom about man, it would be a kingdom made in vain.
Lord, we each have flaws and in each of us their is a vanity and an arrogance. Help us!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
A Little Fiber In the Morning Helps
About a year ago, I googled something along the lines of "Does Fiber Help you feel fuller?" I've found that when I eat fiber in the morning with my breakfast, I seem to stay much fuller for the rest of the day.
I know, I know - "Duh. Everyone knows that." Many people know it, but it impacted me enough that I felt it was worth repeating.
In my research, I found that besides giving one a feeling of satiation and helping to digest food properly that dietary fiber also helps your body release nutrients more evenly from the digestive system, keeping you more even keeled throughout the morning.
I know, I know - "Duh. Everyone knows that." Many people know it, but it impacted me enough that I felt it was worth repeating.
In my research, I found that besides giving one a feeling of satiation and helping to digest food properly that dietary fiber also helps your body release nutrients more evenly from the digestive system, keeping you more even keeled throughout the morning.
When You Leave, I Miss You
Sarah is in Nashville for the next two days. I can't remember exactly when she moved to Memphis so I won't lie and throw a date out, but it's been over six months. We've been engaged since late December, and have enjoyed seeing each other nearly every day. She often travels past my apartment on the way too and from her various appointment and she teaches private lessons at a school near my office.
A two day interruption is thus a major change to the status quot, and I find myself already missing her.
I woke up very early this morning. 5:30 AM early. Sarah had planned to wake up at 4:00 AM and I was surprised she hadn't called me like she normally does. A frustrated nervousness immediately crept into me, and I couldn't help but worry that she had forgotten to plug her phone in and hadn't been woken up due to a dead battery.
So, I called her, and her phone went straight to voicemail! Ruh-roh. Several phone calls yielded the same result. At that point, it became clear to me that I had a duty as a man to drive to her apartment and wake her up. I grabbed the dog, ran to my car, and drove to her apartment. No car. She called me back as I was leaving her apartment complex, informed me that she had gotten my voice mail, and was driving through an area with bad cell coverage.
She then told me that she turned her phone off because she knew that in areas with bad coverage cell batteries were drained more quickly (due to them trying to find a cell tower). It then hit me: She listens to what I say! I told her that a few years ago and she remembered! And that feels really good. So thank you, sweetheart, for making my morning.
A two day interruption is thus a major change to the status quot, and I find myself already missing her.
I woke up very early this morning. 5:30 AM early. Sarah had planned to wake up at 4:00 AM and I was surprised she hadn't called me like she normally does. A frustrated nervousness immediately crept into me, and I couldn't help but worry that she had forgotten to plug her phone in and hadn't been woken up due to a dead battery.
So, I called her, and her phone went straight to voicemail! Ruh-roh. Several phone calls yielded the same result. At that point, it became clear to me that I had a duty as a man to drive to her apartment and wake her up. I grabbed the dog, ran to my car, and drove to her apartment. No car. She called me back as I was leaving her apartment complex, informed me that she had gotten my voice mail, and was driving through an area with bad cell coverage.
She then told me that she turned her phone off because she knew that in areas with bad coverage cell batteries were drained more quickly (due to them trying to find a cell tower). It then hit me: She listens to what I say! I told her that a few years ago and she remembered! And that feels really good. So thank you, sweetheart, for making my morning.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
My Thoughts and Prayers Are With Japan
The devastating situation in Japan has been weighing on my heart since I received news of the earthquake and Tsunami. I did relief work in St. Bernard Parish (New Oreleans) after Katrina, and could not fathom the scale of the damage before I arrived in the area. My mind's eye imagines that Japan makes the Katrina Aftermath look like a walk in the park.
There are several troubling things about the global response to the crisis in Japan (and I won't address them all). The most troubling thing to me is the fact that a relatively minor incident with a nuclear power plant is receiving most of the attention. I said relatively minor on purpose. My reasoning is simple? There is a confirmed death toll of around 3500 from the earthquake and subsequent Tsunami that will easily top 10,000 and billions (if not hundreds of billions - or trillions) of dollars in property damage from the same event.
And, as of yet, there has been one confirmed death from the nuclear power plant incident in Fukushima - from the explosion, not radiation.
The truth of the matter is that we don't need to be focusing on the nuclear situation in the country. Instead, we need to be focused on supporting established relief organizations do what they exist for: help these people. Japan doesn't need an influx of people, they need an influx of relief supplies. I recommend giving through Convoy of Hope which is one of the most cost efficient charities in the world.
Rather than focus on fears of a nuclear disaster that is being overhyped, let's focus on helping Japan rebuild.
There are several troubling things about the global response to the crisis in Japan (and I won't address them all). The most troubling thing to me is the fact that a relatively minor incident with a nuclear power plant is receiving most of the attention. I said relatively minor on purpose. My reasoning is simple? There is a confirmed death toll of around 3500 from the earthquake and subsequent Tsunami that will easily top 10,000 and billions (if not hundreds of billions - or trillions) of dollars in property damage from the same event.
And, as of yet, there has been one confirmed death from the nuclear power plant incident in Fukushima - from the explosion, not radiation.
The truth of the matter is that we don't need to be focusing on the nuclear situation in the country. Instead, we need to be focused on supporting established relief organizations do what they exist for: help these people. Japan doesn't need an influx of people, they need an influx of relief supplies. I recommend giving through Convoy of Hope which is one of the most cost efficient charities in the world.
Rather than focus on fears of a nuclear disaster that is being overhyped, let's focus on helping Japan rebuild.
Friday, March 04, 2011
My Calendar Doesn't Say When Spring Is... But I Know It's Close!
I was surprised yesterday afternoon when I looked at my calendar to see when spring started this year. No mention of it - though St. Patrick's Day made the cut.
Looking on Wikipedia yielded no easy results either. I found out that the answer to the question "When does spring start in 2011" is March 20.
Where has the year gone? Having officially never had a sense of time or date until recently, I've not been one to ask that question until now. The year is going very quickly! So quickly, in fact, that I'll have to leave this blog as it is, lame, and get read to head to the office.
Looking on Wikipedia yielded no easy results either. I found out that the answer to the question "When does spring start in 2011" is March 20.
Where has the year gone? Having officially never had a sense of time or date until recently, I've not been one to ask that question until now. The year is going very quickly! So quickly, in fact, that I'll have to leave this blog as it is, lame, and get read to head to the office.
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