Sorry for this sobering message on this day of “Thanksgiving”

But, I know all too well what it is like to be enjoying a Thanksgiving weekend celebration with family – to then have it shattered by a phone call with the news that drinking and driving has led to a horrible accident and incarceration. It will change the course of the lives of everyone involved.

Destructive Behavior Taken to Another Level

Our culture universally condemns the destructive behavior called “Drinking and Driving”. There are harsh laws and severe penalties for being caught. Would anyone argue that this isn’t a bad thing? Yet, I know people who do this, justifying in their minds that they are masters over alcohol. It’s only a few drinks. But, they are willing to subject everyone they encounter on the road to the dangers of their impaired driving. They don’t believe they are “drunk” but make no mistake they are impaired.

Taking it to another level of thoughtless selfishness, some parents after partying with family and friends and enjoying more than just a drink or two of alcohol, will responsibly strap their young kids into their safety seats and then climb behind the wheel to drive home, subjecting their own family to very real danger.

Frankly, it makes me sick and angry. While stewing in my anger over this behavior, a phrase popped into my mind,

“Parents – You Drink, You Drive . . . You Suck Eggs”

My initial impulse was to blush for using this kind of harsh language. As a Christian I am compelled to exercise self-control over angry impulses. I offer my apology if you find this too offensive. After meditating on it, though, I wondered if it was something Jesus might say? Did he? Would he? I concluded – quite possibly.

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With all that Mud, what do we really KNOW? Part III

Continued from the Blog Post of 9/26/2018 & 10/19/2018. In this post we further explore the question – “What do each one of us really know about God? What is it I really know of Jesus?”

On this day we thank and pray God’s blessings upon our military service men and women – active and veteran for their sacrifice and protection. We can only wonder where this country would be without them?

Thank You!

However, with all deference and respect to our military, I often find that within the Christian community we mis-characterize our Christianity by prioritizing Christians as soldiers. Our salvation being for the purpose of marching out to capture others for Christ so that they can march out and gather more Christians.

In spite of the lyrics to some classic hymns, as far as I can tell, I don’t see anywhere in the New Testament that earthly followers of Jesus are referred to as soldiers or as His army. Revelation 19:19 refers to: Him who sat on the horse and . . . His army. But, that army seems to be a spiritual army different from human followers on earth. Still, it is clear that we fight a spiritual battle and a good fight. (1 Timothy 6:12 & 2 Timothy 4:7) often referencing the personal spiritual battles we face.

In Lord of the Rings there are warrior monsters known as Orcs. Orcs are the species that form the loyal army of the dark lord Sauron, They use their ability to spawn rapidly to overwhelm their enemies. In the movie you see them raise up out of the slimy MUD. They have no mind of their own and have no relationship to the Dark Lord. Their only purpose is to be ordered to march into battle.

We, as Christians, are not Orcs. Yes, we are created in Christ Jesus for good works but the key is that we are being shaped/transformed by our relationship with Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:10). We too often skip over the purpose of salvation to bring each individual of God’s creation into a right relationship with God – for His pleasure and for ours. It is then that this saving relationship is extended out to the world. It is when we have experienced or KNOW something of the relationship that our knowledge can be spilled out and most powerfully shared with others.

What do we really know?

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