It’s All About The Heart

Yesterday, I was running mindlessly in circles at our local gym. There are fourteen laps to the mile.  Every other week I go for a long run.  I am trying to work up to ten miles.  I am currently running a little over eight.  That means yesterday I ran 117 laps. 

It gets a little tiring.

And a little boring. 

As I was running in circles I again reminded myself that it was for my heart.  There is a history of heart disease in my family and I would like to live to a ripe old age, should Jesus tarry.  So I diet, and exercise and run.

As I was running I thought again about how much difference “heart” makes in an athlete.  I had watched the last two games of the football season and it was obvious that the men playing those games had a lot of heart. 

I also thought about how God is concerned about our hearts.  He knows everything about us, and still loves us.  He wants to heal the broken-hearted.  He sees our hearts, and if we turn to Him in repentance and faith, he will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  Indeed, He will even send His Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts, through our faith in Jesus. 

Thats more important than exercise, or a game.

Logic, Reason, and Rhetoric

I am starting to think that everyone should take a course in logic.  This is not just because I teach logic, but because I am amazed at how commonly fallacious arguments, and weak arguments, are used to convince people to accept certain positions.   

People like to think that they have  good reasons to hold their positions.   They have listened, maybe, to what others have had to say, and are persuaded to believe in something that sounded good, or right,  to them.

Rhetoric, as I am using the term, means using persuasive language or techniques to get people to agree with your position.  Effective rhetoric may use logical reasoning, but it often involves fallacious reasoning, and emotive language.  People are persuaded to believe that something is true, using manipulative tactics.  Sometimes this is unintentional, and sometimes, the individual employing the tactics knows exactly what they are doing. 

If people were trained to recognize good arguments they would be less likely to be persuaded by manipulative tactics, and we would have more rational debates, less shouting matches,  and maybe come to better decisions.

I’m not going to hold my breathe.  I suspect that many people won’t even read this article, after they look at the title.

Sigh…

Spiritual Diet

You do not lose weight by indulging the appetite!

This is the thought that occurred to me recently.  My wife and I are both dieting.  We were checking out at a gas station and there were some really good-looking sweet rolls on the counter.  I have a weakness for sweets.  I really wanted one, but the line mentioned above came to me and I was able to resist because I do want to lose weight.

I sometimes think that some Christians are on a spiritual diet.

In order to grow as believers in Christ there are three basic components.  They are good helpings of scripture, prayer and fellowship.  Now these things are available in individual servings, but they are best enjoyed family style… that means in church, in case you are missing my point.  Yet many Christians place church attendance very low in their set of priorities.  I have personally attended services every time the doors were open since I was a teenager.  I greatly value my time at church, and that was true for years before I became a pastor.  I firmly believe that it contributes greatly to spiritual growth, and also helps in the smooth operations of daily life.

Some Christians seem to be on a starvation diet.

How often have you attended church in the last month?

Are you losing the wrong type of weight?

Soul Value

Last night in ethics class we discussed John Stewart Mills utilitarian approach to ethics.  His view is labeled eudaimonistic because he defines pleasure as other than simple sensory stimulation.  Human beings are capable of pleasures that are different in kind from what mere animals are capable of experiencing. 

He goes a little further in stating that among humans, there are varying degrees of capacity for appreciating the good in life.  This leaves me with the sense that he places a higher value on those people who are capable of the highest pleasure.  “Oh, I am sorry, you are not able to appreciate the opera.”  ”Some people just can’t appreciate the finer things in life.”

Some people are snobs.

God does not look at people in that way.  Our value to Him is not based on our intellect, our abilities, our cash value, our looks, our contributions to society, our potential, our past, or any other thing. 

We are all loved by God.  Our value as a soul; a human being, to Him is equal in His sight.  God loves us all equally.     

I take comfort in that thought.

“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Bad Judgement

What were they thinking???

A group of ten people from Central Valley Baptist Church in Idaho have been arrested in Haiti and charged with child trafficking.  They arrived in Haiti, gathered a group of children,supposedly orphans,  loaded them on a bus, and headed back out.  They never intended to try proper channels.  

They thought the end justified the means.

They were wrong.

The goal of providing good homes for orphans is a wonderful goal.  That doesn’t mean that you can just go grab a few children off the streets and make a run for the border.  They should have gone through the proper channels and done things legally.  Yes, it takes longer, and costs more money, but it should be done the right way. Of course, now that they are sitting in a jail, they probably realize that they should have done things differently.  I do not believe that they were going to harm the children.  I believe that they have good hearts…just really, really, really, bad judgement.

A Firm Foundation

“I think, therefore I am.”  This statement of Rene Descartes is a wonderful starting point for building a philosophy.  However, it leaves us in the egocentric predicament of focusing only upon our own thoughts, feelings, and sensations.  For most people they will decide to accept as real something that is beyond themselves, or outside of themselves, if you prefer. 

I choose to accept as real, the existence of God, as revealed in the Christian Bible.  This provides the foundation upon which I build my philosophy of life.  It is a firm foundation, and allows the pieces of the puzzle of this life to come together in a way that makes sense.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”  (Proverbs 9:10)

” My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”  (Proverbs 2:1-5)

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.  (Mathew 7:24-27)

The Christian faith provides a firm foundation for life.

1st Date

Twenty four years ago today, Gloria and I had our first date.  Here’s my side of the story.

Gloria worked at the deli at NCBC.  I had returned to the college for the spring semester after serving four years in the Marine Corps.  I was home on terminal leave, which means that I had saved leave that I was using at the end of my enlistment.  This allowed me to be at North Central for the start of the spring semester even though technically I was still in the service.  The first couple of days, I wore my dress uniform to attend classes.  I wanted people to know that I was a Marine.

I would stop in at the deli for a coffee between classes.  Gloria was a beautiful young lady with light blue eyes, a wonderful smile, and happy, easy-going way about her.  I would watch her interact with the customers, between sips of my coffee and I was impressed, and attracted.

On the morning of the 28th, which was my official end of active service (EAS), I concocted a plan.  I would mention to Gloria, while I was buying my coffee that it was my last day in the Marine Corps.  I figured that a natural response would be to ask what I was doing to celebrate, and that then I could ask her out to celebrate my EAS.

It went exactly according to plan… except that I lost my nerve.  I told her that it was my last day, she asked me what I was doing to celebrate, I said that I wasn’t doing anything.

I drank my coffee and left.

I went upstairs where I gave myself, first a chewing out, and then a pep talk,  “What if she’s the one?”  “You coward, get down there and ask her out!” and so on…

I finally worked up the nerve and calmly went downstairs.  She was surprised to see me again, (I usually only bought coffee once a morning).  I said something like “I was thinking about it, and you’re right, I should do something to celebrate.  Since I really don’t know many people here yet, since I am newly back to school, perhaps you would go out with me?”

She was so surprised that I would ask her out, that she replied yes without thinking too much about it.  After all, it was her idea.  Her friends later reminded her that she had agreed to a date with a man she barely new, except that he was a student, and a sergeant in the Marines.  The student part, sure, but the Marine?  It gave her something to think about through the afternoon.

The date went well, and the rest is history.  We often laugh about our relationship starting with manipulation, but it’s worked out well.

Revelation, Reason, Faith & Feelings

The Christian Bible is God’s revelation to us.  It is a history of God interacting with humanity throughout thousands of years.  It was written by men, but inspired by God.  It should be understood as a single work composed of individual parts that fit together as a whole entity. It provides the information that we need to be in a right relationship with God, both in this life, and in eternity.

The Bible is written using human language and can be understood using human reasoning…to a degree.  It is necessary for the Holy Spirit to grant us the insight to comprehend those portions that would perplex unaided human reasoning.  This insight is not contrary to reason, but rather supplements reason.

Faith allows us to accept that which we cannot see.  Faith is a response of our inner-most being to the Word, and to the Spirit of God, that works together to produce the character of God in our lives. 

As God does His work within us, wonderful feelings of love, joy, peace, and more are stirred up within our souls.  Sometimes people focus on the feelings, rather than the Word, and can be led astray. Our feelings should not guide us.  Be careful to remain guided by the Word,  which is the revelation of God; using reason, which is guided by the Spirit; which works in our lives, through our faith; all of which, is a gift from God.

Haiti:Judgement and Grace

Is the devastation in Haiti an act of judgement?

Yes… and no.

Yes, it is an act of judgement in two ways.  First, since the expulsion from the Garden of Eden, humanity and the world, have lived with the consequences of sin.  There are many things that take place in this world that would not, and will not happen, in Paradise.   Secondly, even a cursory glimpse at either the Old or the New Testament reveal that God is displeased, even angry, about sin.  The reality of harsh judgement against sin is demonstrated in the flood, the deliverance from Egypt, the conquest of the promised land, the exile of Israel, and the description of a coming ‘lake of fire’.  So, the earthquake can be seen as a  foreshadow of judgement against the sin in the world,  a reminder of what is to come.

And…No, it is not a specific judgement against the people of Haiti.  They are not worse sinners that other places in the world.  If it were not for the grace of God we would all likewise perish.

The grace of God is also seen in the outpouring of support for the people of Haiti.  Many are motivated by their love for God, expressed in their love for humanity.    Help flows to Haiti from people around the world.  People of many faiths working together to provide aid to the suffering.

God’s grace is also seen in that He is willing to forgive us our sins.   We are promised deliverance from the coming judgement of sin,  through our faith in Jesus.  That deliverance may, or may not, take place in this world, but is promised in the life to come.

Raising Hopes and Crushing Dreams

I was a Vikings fan in the sixties, seventies, eighties and into the early nineties.  Then I moved into a new area where they were not broadcast every week and I no longer followed their seasons with any real interest.  Actually, I had become increasingly frustrated because year after year they would show wonderful promise and potential, but were never able to win the BIG GAME.  Each year started out with wonderful potential, many years would show promise, but each year ended with a loss.

This year was no different.

Once again the Minnesota Vikings fans had their hopes raised… and their dreams crushed. 

The funny part is that I was drawn into it. I do not consider myself a Vikings fan.  I hadn’t watched a game all year, but last night I went over to a friend’s to watch the game.  ( He is a devout Dallas fan, and was rooting for the Saints.)  It was, for the most part, an enjoyable game.  The only problem was… I found myself wanting the Viking to win, hoping they would win, even daring to believe that they might win.

They didn’t.

Turnovers.

Sigh….

Congratulations Saints, good luck in the Super Bowl.  Vikings, thanks for  a great season for your fans, and an exciting conclusion.

Maybe next year?