Light-work

An "Unusual" Ultimatum?

I read about a curious conversation from the life of King David. To appreciate what caught my ear, ponder the art of the ultimatum. Presidents and Kings need to be masters of the art when declaring a final demand, one whose rejection will end negotiations and be followed by a resort to force. There are lots of ways to mess up.

• The Petulant: Provoke a fight that's not worth fighting.
• The Pacifist: Fail to issue an ultimatum when vital interests are threatened.
• QuickDraw McGraw: Issue an ultimatum when there are viable alternatives still on the table.
• Johnny-Come-Lately: Issue an ultimatum after a "point of no return" has already been passed.
• Mr. Hollow Threat: Draw an appropriate line in the sand, but attach it to a threat you have no intention of using.
• The Cream-Puff: Make a reasonable demand, but attach it to a threat of insufficient force.

The above possibilities are enough (there are plenty more) to illustrate how easy it is to get it wrong and singularly daunting it is to get it right. David understood this art well. While Saul was still alive and seeking David's death, a group from the tribe of Benjamin came to his stronghold. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin, so David had good reason to be suspicious of the intentions of these new recruits. He delivered a "choose-whom-you-will-serve" ultimatum: Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David. David went out to meet them, and said to them, “If you come peacefully to me to help me, my heart shall be united with you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look on it and decide” (1 Chron. 12:16-17).

What kind of ultimatum is this? The first half makes perfect sense: Help me and we will become a great team. But in the second half, David's "threat" would strike a "modern man of enlightenment" as the words of the cream-puff: Mess with me and you'll have to deal with God. In a day when life is defined with God factored out of the equation, a threat has no "teeth" when it invokes God.

To get an appreciation for the modern irony of David's ultimatum, imagine saying this to a robber who has you at gun point: "Walk away. If you don't, you will answer to God for whatever you have done to me." How many thieves would find this compelling? How many would flee in terror for their fear of God?

David's ultimatum is a window into a value system profoundly different from modernity. David knew how to wield a big stick, but the verdict of heaven's opinion was of far greater consequence. The worst possible outcome, from David's perspective, was for a man to be on God's bad side. The poverty of modern "threat making" stands in such stark contrast. Where there is no respect for God, men are left to issue ultimatums that depend entirely upon their own efforts. Such ultimatums only carry as much force as the stick one is able and willing to wield.

Do we believe that men will answer to God for their actions? Is this the worst that could happen to those who act on their intentions against us? Is this what leaks out when we utter a threat? If not, our value system may fit the times but not the heart of David, a "man after God's own heart."

Out With The Bad, In With The Good

In a recent sermon, I stated that fearing God (used in a positive sense) is synonymous with "fearing God's disapproval."  JP has a question: "You say we should fear God's displeasure, but is that the only way we should fear Him?" GREAT QUESTION! Let me answer by first laying some groundwork.

Our English word, "fear," is most often used to denote panic, terror, and dread, so it seems decidedly ill-suited to describe a positive response to the God whom we are also encouraged to "love." How does one love God AND fear Him? It seems like it should be one or the other. Indeed, the Apostle John seems to say that fear and love are polar opposites: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love (1 John 4:18).

The Greek word phobos (used by John and elsewhere by almost every other New Testament writer) has a broader range of meaning than the English word "fear." In some contexts, phobos is a positive virtue that is translated by words like "awe," "respect," and "reverence." In others, phobos is something to be avoided. Compare these two passages: "On some have mercy with fear" (Jude 23); "And all the people . . . asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear" (Luke 8:37). In Jude, "fear" assists one to show mercy - this phobos is good; In Luke, "fear" drives a people to put distance between themselves and Jesus - this phobos is bad. Notice another thing about this passage in Luke. The "bad fear" of the people in Luke 8:37 is fear OF the Lord! Here are a people who really "fear the Lord" but this fear produces a disaster: They compel Him to leave the scene!

For Paul, the fear of the Lord is a powerful and positive motivator (2 Cor. 5:11). But for the residents of Gerasene country, their fear of the Lord motivated an aversion to Him. Think about what they had witnessed. Prior to Jesus' arrival, a man had become the unrestrained terror of the neighborhood through demonic power. Yet, at the man's first meeting with Jesus, the Lord merely used words to accomplish what neither chains nor posse's had here-to-for been able. Again through mere words, Jesus provoked a local shortage of ham and bacon when the demonic horde was promptly dispatched to a herd of swine. Obviously, everything about "life as normal" was subject to change with Jesus around.

Jesus was the enemy of the status quo and the Gerasenes liked their status quo. They had their own agenda, their own plan for what their lives should look like. So when Jesus flashed some muscle, it threatened their comfortable little existence. To see how even the demons were subject to Him made it hard to assert that they themselves were not. When men who resent the Lord are confronted by His power and faced with their accountability, their fear is about consequences. They fear the Lord, not because they love Him, but because they despise Him, despise His power and authority, despise His right to call them to account for their opposition, despise Him for administering punishment. This is fear borne by hate.

1 John 4:18 tells us what happens when this kind of fear has a close encounter with God's love. If a man's eyes are opened and he grasps what actually happened when Jesus died for him on the cross, he sees that the one he has hated loves him with a perfect love. How can he not love Him back? As he does, the fear borne by hate evaporates in the face of His perfect love. This is John's point in 1 John 4:18.

But there is more to the story. The awareness of accountability to God is transformed by love from being a penalty to a privilege. It is an honor to live in a way that pleases the God who loves us with perfect love. This is fear borne by love. An image that helps to capture what this kind of love looks like is discerned in the newlyweds' first meal. By love, the bride has prepared her table. But as "the first bite" approaches, she is anxious and apprehensive. She longs to see her beloved's face beam with pleasure and his approving gaze turn toward her. Here is fear borne by love.

Yes, JP, there are other ways to fear God. But this is the best way.

Some Perspective on Journalistic Objectivity

Fox News has become the brunt of censure from the White House with President Obama weighing in today. Alas, the president said nothing to counter the broadsides lobbed at Fox. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has announced that Fox News is  “not a news organization so much as it has a perspective.” David Axelrod went on ABC's "This Week" and called for a proper shunning of Fox by the "good" news organizations.

Is anyone in doubt about what is REALLY going on here? The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like dew on the grass (Prov. 19:12). The President and his administration define a respectable news organization as one that aids and agrees with them. An illegitimate one hinders and questions. The former will receive praise and benefits, the latter will hear the lion roar. President Nixon had his "enemies list" and Lamar Alexander (see clip above) sees the beginnings of something similarly unproductive in this dustup.

Journalistic objectivity, the notion that news can be reported from some value-free neutrality, is a fiction. The optimist and the pessimist report the same fact about their glass of water. But declaring it "half full" or "half empty" ascribes to this fact meaning that comports with their decidedly different outlooks. All news organizations attempt to give meaning to the facts they report; they use them to tell a story drawn from what is seen and heard. Their selection of what video clips to show (and which to reject), how it should be edited, and which sound bites to play will reflect their sense of what is important.

So I find it more than a little ridiculous for Fox to be impugned for offering "perspective," when every news organization does no less. In fact, I appreciate Fox for regularly bringing together proponents of opposing views, a practice rarely seen on the "good" news networks. Which is worse, the news organization that is clear about its "perspective," or one which peddles "perspective" no less while pretending it doesn't?

I am not objective. I am unashamed, even proud, to view my world through the lens of the Bible. Where someone might celebrate the latest victory for a "woman's right to choose," I will weep for the innocents. The goal is not to jettison perspective, but to adopt the right perspective, which, from my perspective, will be God's.

The Art of Asking, Part 3 of 3

In a previous post, we acknowledged that Jesus repeatedly affirmed this simple formula. If we will ask, the Father will do. Don't confuse its simplicity with its "degree of difficulty," however. There is something inside us that will put forth a plethora of reasons NOT to ask. Here are three:

1. Asking Implies Accountability – When we ask God for something, our actions are an acknowledgment that He is in charge. By asking, the "asker" is admitting that he is not the master of his own destiny. Who doesn't feel the pull of saying, "I can do it myself?" To ask God is to pitch this self-delusion and declare, "God is the One upon whom I depend - I need what only He can give."
2. Asking Invites Refusal - When we pose a question to God - "Will You do this?" - it is a question that allows for at least two possibilities: "Yes" or "no!" Who likes being told "no?" So when we ask God for something that we really, REALLY want, we are allowing for the possibility that God could say, "not now," or "not ever." That risk can keep us from asking. But consider this: If God says "no," is that a bad thing? Not at all, if you understand God's love, wisdom, and power. God is committed to our best (love), knows what would serve our best interests (wisdom), and is perfectly capable of accomplishing it (all-powerful). So when God says "no," knowing His love, wisdom, and power allows me to respond by saying, "Thanks for your 'no.' You have refused this request, because love wouldn't grant such a thing. Thanks for watching out for me."
3. Asking Requires Waiting - When we ask, we have to wait for an answer. That's a challenge, especially in America where we want it NOW! So rather than ask and wait, we are tempted to rush after it on our own. Asking is a declaration of a profound preference: "I want what God chooses to give me, regardless of how long it takes, rather than what I can seize for myself right now."

The mere act of asking is by itself the first and foremost element of the art of asking. It is a form of worship wherein a man (or woman) declares his dependence on God, his trust in God for an answer that will be the product of love and wisdom, and his willingness to respect God's discernment of the right timing. Simply, to ask is to worship God.

But several of the qualifying phrases referenced by Jesus in our master chart add to our understanding of the art of asking. In Matthew 21:22, the asking is qualified by the phrase, "in prayer, believing." It will not do to make a request of God while entertaining doubt and uncertainty about God's ability to do what is asked. We may ask God for the impossible, but such prayers will be ineffective unless they arise from a confidence that nothing is impossible with God.

Several times, Jesus speaks of asking "in My name." This is often the basis for adding a formula at the end of a prayer, "In Jesus Name, Amen," sort of a magic charm that makes a prayer more powerful. (There is nothing intrinsically wrong with closing a prayer with these words, but this is not Jesus' point.) There are two principles captured by this phrase. In a passage like John 16:23-24, praying in Jesus' name means making requests on His authority. To pray in Jesus' name means to come before the Father and declare, "I am making this request of You because Jesus has given me the authority to do so." It's a bold and gutsy move, but one for which the death of Jesus has qualified us. Amazing!

The second idea behind "asking in Jesus' name" is given a more expansive treatment in John 15:7: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.” Note two things: (1) The one who understands the art of asking is an abiding disciple. He maintains his vital connection with Jesus. (2) When Jesus' words abide in a disciple, his thoughts and actions are informed by and reflect Jesus' teachings; he is "in tune" with Jesus' desires. His requests are the kind of which Jesus would say, "Now that's exactly what I would ask for. Good request!"

The obvious implication is that growing in our skill to ask well will be accompanied by growth in our ability to use "Word-driven prayers." Before making a prayer request of God, locate Bible verses that speak to the issues. Figure out what Jesus would ask for if He was to bring the situation before God. Pray for that and you are praying "in Jesus' name."

One more element to the art of asking is addressed in Matthew 18:19. The clause, "if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask," underscores the importance of agreement. When two disciples are praying for opposite outcomes, their prayers are probably a prelude to disappointment, at least for one party. But when they agree, the prayer power meter jumps. To increase your effectiveness in prayer, work with one or two others to discern what Jesus would pray for. Then start praying with one voice. Then step back and see God work!

The Art of Asking, Part 1 of 3

Here is a remarkable incident from the earthly ministry of Jesus:

As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he called out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Luke 18:35-41).

Can you imagine having Jesus, the only One capable of accomplishing the impossible, asking you the same question? What if, today, Jesus personally stood before you and queried, "What do you want Me to do for you?" What answer would you give that is worthy of such a question?

This is not an isolated incident in the life and ministry of Jesus. The Gospels are rich with accounts in which Jesus seeks, listens to, and responds to requests. He also clearly and repeatedly taught the principle that is captured in John 14:14: "If you ask me anything in My name, I will do it."

There are twelve different places in the Gospels where Jesus teaches to this principle. In every instance, the term, "ask," is the pole around which His teaching orbits. In three cases, "ask" is a command. In three instances, "ask" is the first half of a conditional statement. In the remaining six, "ask" is at the center of a statement of fact. Here are all twelve with "ask" highlighted:

Commands

• “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).
• “And I say to you, ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you” (Luke 11:9).
• "Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full” (John 16:24).

Conditional Statements

• “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14).
• “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7).
• Truly, truly, I say to you, if you shall ask the Father for anything, He will give it to you in My name (John 16:23).

Statements of Fact

• “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11).
• “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 18:19).
• “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive” (Matthew 21:22).
• “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you” (Mark 11:24).
• “And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).
• “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you” (John 15:16).

If Jesus revisited a topic a dozen times, and repeatedly affirmed what He taught by His example, you would justifiably conclude, "This matters!" There is no room here for doubt or confusion: Jesus desires to receive and respond to our requests. He wants us to ASK!

What Gets You Outraged?

Yesterday, we noted that Joe the Shouter was about to get his comeuppance. The House did not disappoint. Their most common punishments for members are expulsion, censure, reprimand or fine. But they decided to use a lesser measure, a "resolution of disapproval." Wilson's conduct was cited as a "breach of decorum and degraded the proceedings of the joint session, to the discredit of the House." The vote was, understandably, divided along party lines. I'm not sure if the Democrats have exhausted their outrage, yet. Presumably, they are now ready to get back to business as usual.

Here is an irony. Fox News has been showing a series of video-taped interchanges between Acorn staff members and a filmmaker and associate posing as a pimp and prostitute. Click here to watch one. A fourth videotape was shown last night and another is promised for today. The one from last night was outrageous! I have no doubt there will be an ample supply of spin and dissembling from those associated with Acorn. I am confident  that the film-makers and their work will be scorned and discredited.

But how can you watch these interviews and not marvel at Acorn staff members' nonchalance, even enthusiasm, while their clients outline a scheme that reeks of  debauchery? Where is the shock, where is the outrage? Where is the staff member who warns, "What you are doing is terribly wrong. You need to get your life headed in the right direction."

What a contrast between Acorn staff's casual response to gross immorality and the passionate ado of The House over a two-word breech of decorum. Mind you, I am not making little of House Democrats. Let them enjoy their diversion. But the quickness and intensity of their disapproval serves to highlight its absence at Acorn.

What a sad commentary on our society that many view immoral behavior with casual acceptance, even with a tinge of pride in their enlightened tolerance. The Apostle Paul dealt with something similar in what was the "sin city" of his time, Corinth. A young man was having a brazen affair with his step mom, and those who knew the parties involved were celebrating their enlightenment in accepting this as normal. Paul declared, "It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst" (1 Cor. 5:1-2).

One of the litmus tests of the health of our society, and our churches, is our ability to lament sin. If the response of Acorn staffers is a window into the heart of our culture, heaven help us. When Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4), He was talking about being broken-hearted by the things that break God's heart. My heart is broken by what these Acorn interviews say about who we are becoming. God forgive us.

A Better Brand of Stimulus

In the previous post, I observed that government prefers the word "stimulus" as a euphemism for "control." It sounds great when the politician declares, "We are stimulating the economy back to robust health." It's far less inspiring when someone admits, "I promise to return a fraction of the money I will be taking from you for the rest of your life IF you trash your perfectly serviceable car that is paid for and instead make several years of payments on the kind of vehicle I think you SHOULD be driving." Yep, that last sentence doesn't sound quite as positive as the first one.

The way "stimulus" is being bandied about today, it can give the concept a bad name. It deserves better! The Bible has good things to say about it. In Hebrews, we are instructed, "And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near" (Heb. 10:24-25). When believers get together, they ought to bring out the best in one another. Encouragement is a primary means by which to do so, and it is all the more needed with each passing day. According to these verses, a desire for healthy stimulus asks, "What can I say to a brother or sister that will put fuel in their tank to love God and others?"

Encouragement is the currency that funds the brand of stimulus God endorses! He uses it Himself! According to Romans 15:5, God is "the God who gives encouragement." The Apostle Paul teaches that any "stimulus" which is coercion in disguise is decidedly out of step with God's preferred method of doing business: "Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7).

Men rely on force to get others to do what they deem best. God uses grace. His loving-kindness gives a man every reason to do the right thing while respecting his ability to make his own choice. I like God's way way better.

Love With A Will

In the letter to the church in Ephesus recorded in Revelation 2:1-8, Jesus affirms this congregation on several counts: They are hard working, persevering, devoted to the truth, and intolerant of false teachers. There is one warning sign: “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Rev. 2:4). The terms of Jesus' condemnation make it clear that the Ephesians' love has been trending in the wrong direction. They formerly possessed a "first love," but have lost it. Where you would expect someone to love the Lord more with the passage of time, the Ephesians actually love the Lord LESS. This is abnormal and definitely a sign of something serious!

Their sister church, Thyatira, demonstrated what should have been: “I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first” (Rev. 2:19). The "deeds" of the Thyatiran believers are specified in the four terms, love, faith, service, and perseverance. In all four categories, this church has made progress. For example, their love has grown stronger with the passage of time. They mark a bold contrast with Ephesus where love has waned.

What, exactly, happened in Ephesus? And how would one who has "lost his first love" go about reclaiming it? Answering these question has been rendered more difficult for our culture's preoccupation with a type of "love" that is nothing of the sort. D. G. Myers has a fine post on his "commonplace blog" exploring the literary expressions of this pre-occupation. He elucidates, "All the literary world loves a lover, especially if passion overwhelms his commitments and will." Our Western culture is awash in glorious depictions of love as this powerful and external force prevailing over good sense, honor, and restraint. 

So, when contemporary Western Christians think of a "first love," they are quick to associate this phrase with the onset of an external force, something like the landfall of a hurricane. To "recover" a first love seems as attainable as conjuring the hurricane. How do you "recover" something that is not under your control, something that, in point of fact, controls you?

The problem, here, is created by a case of mistaken identity. The irresistible hurricane of passion is not love. It might be called as much by some, but it is diametrically opposed to what Jesus calls "love." In Jesus' dictionary, love is synonymous with unconditional commitment. This true form of love resists the hurricane; it boldly declares, "I will love you as a matter of choice. Despite whatever winds oppose that commitment, I will remain true to you."

Myers cites a McClatchy Newpapers post that provides a poignant illustration of the contrast between love that is commitment and "love" that destroys commitment. South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford has shown the latter by his adulterous relationship with an Argentine television journalist. The former shines forth in a statement by his wife, Jenny Sanford. Here is a key excerpt: "I believe enduring love is primarily a commitment and an act of will, and for a marriage to be successful, that commitment must be reciprocal. . . . I remain willing to forgive Mark completely for his indiscretions and to welcome him back, in time, if he continues to work toward reconciliation with a true spirit of humility and repentance."

Only when we understand that the "first love" of which Jesus speaks is commitment love can we understand His appeal to recover it. He is asking the Ephesian believers to renew their commitment to Himself. He is asking them, as a matter of the will, to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30). When this commitment of heart is increasingly evident in a person's life, he is moving in the right direction. When it becomes less and less evident, he is courting danger and vulnerable to the hurricane.

Easy There, Big Fella!

On a recent trip to Atlanta, I went to the Fernbank Museum of Natural History for a chance to see Argentinosaurus. Named after the country where his bones were discovered, let's just call the big fella "the Argentine." Because staff from Fernbank had a part in his discovery, a complete set of skeletal casts was released to the museum. (His bones have remained in his native country. How thoughtful!)

This guy is BIG! At one hundred twenty three fit long, even with a wide angle lens, I couldn't get a single picture to do him justice. (If you look at the top left picture, can't you imagine him saying, "Is this a good angle for me? I'm not sure the light shows off my complexion. Can you get the people off the third story balcony, it kind of detracts!)

Check out this second shot to get a proper sense of scale. The "little guy" on the right is a Giganotosaurus, the largest meat eater, but even he is dwarfed by the Argentine. No photoshop magic has been applied to this picture - the people really are that small. Can you imagine a walk through the forest when a few of these are munching on conifers? Now I know how ants feel.

The exhibit is definitely compromised by all the evolutionary blather. Allow me to put the Argentine in proper perspective. This plant-eating giant was the product of marvelous intelligence, namely that of our Creator God. Here I was in a building dedicated to "understanding" the world with God factored out of the equation. Yet, in all of his gigantic glory, the Argentine was declaring the majesty of my God.

I recalled the words God spoke when He was reminding Job who's in charge: “Behold, Behemoth, which I made as I made you; he eats grass like an ox. Behold, his strength in his loins, and his power in the muscles of his belly. He makes his tail stiff like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are knit together. His bones are tubes of bronze, his limbs like bars of iron” (Job 40:15-18).

It is doubtful that the Argentine is the specific "Behemoth" mentioned in Job. But he definitely has a HUGE amount in common with Behemoth. God told job to look at Behemoth and remember, "I made him as I made you." So followed Job's lead, gazed in awe at the Argentine, and marveled at the greatness of my God who made him as He made me.

Holy Hatred!

"Hate Crimes Legislation" attempts to make murder more egregious when it is motivated by hate. You might get the impression that hatred always makes things worse. No so, according to the Bible. In Revelation 2:6, Jesus commends an ancient church by saying, "Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." Jesus considers it an earmark of a healthy church when they have a holy hatred for the same thing He hates.

If hating what God hates is a good thing, it's worth asking, “Are there other things that God hates?” Twenty are specifically mentioned in the Bible: The Lord hates the sacrifice of children to false gods (Deuteronomy 12:31); sacred pillars (Deuteronomy 16:22); those who do iniquity (Psalm 5:5); the one who loves violence (Psalm 11:5); hypocritical or heartless worship (Isaiah 1:14); robbery in the burnt offering (Isaiah 61:8); idolatry (Jeremiah 44:4); those who do wickedness (Hosea 9:15); impure worship (Amos 5:21); evil schemes against others and perjury (Zechariah 8:17); divorce and wrong-doing (Malachi 2:16). In Proverbs 6:16-19, we have a complete laundry list of the Lord’s “top seven” hatreds.

   

There are six things which the Lord hates,
    Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
    Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
    And hands that shed innocent blood,
    A heart that devises wicked plans,
    Feet that run rapidly to evil,
    A false witness who utters lies,
    And one who spreads strife among brothers.

This list orbits around two poles: False worship and mistreatment of others. The Lord loves it when we love God and love our neighbors. Here’s the hard-edged flip side: He HATES it when we do otherwise. The Lord finds false worship and false dealings with others absolutely distasteful. So when we can’t stand worship that is fake and compromised, when we are disgusted by injustice and mistreatment of others, that’s when Jesus says, “I can’t stand that either – it’s nice to meet a kindred spirit.”

In these oh-so-tolerant times, it is decidedly out of fashion to break from the homogenized spirituality that has become the norm. Oh, we might get our groove on for some praise singing, maybe even give the preacher an "Amen" now and then, but heaven forbid we develop the kind of fierce passion for God that gets worked up over the things He despises. Where are the lovers of God who share His hatred for what is unholy?

Could a Terminator Reinvent Idolatry?

The fourth installment of the Terminator movie series is scheduled for release this May. Although the storyline of each movie reflects slightly different time-lines, a computer with artificial intelligence that realizes self awareness is central to each plot. This is not the first time men have spun tales about "when good inventions go bad." Frankenstein fits the profile, as does HAL in Space Odyssey, and a host of lesser lights from sci-fi movies screened during the cold war. But the Terminator series (and a TV spin-off, The Sarah Conner Chronicles) has made the possibility of men creating sentient beings seem believable.

Should the believable become real, a key stumbling block to idolatry would be removed. In yesterday's post, Idols are Dumb, we observed that the attraction of idolatry (which is self-worship) is compromised by the fact that an idol can't speak. So, when a man build's an idol to sing his praises, it bites that said idol has nothing to say!

What if a man could construct an image that speaks? And what if that image could declare the praises of his creator? And what if that image could come up with other witty things to say based upon its superior intelligence? An idol that speaks and is smart - what would men do if they beheld and heard such a thing? I am confident that virtually everyone would be totally smitten by the thing.

Idols are Dumb!

In the book of Revelation, we are introduced to a future form of idolatry. Some of the predictions in John's apocalyptic vision make sense to the modern mind. But idol worship? Surely thoughtful men with an appreciation for science are beyond the appeal of idolatry. Idols are for superstitious souls who imagine misfortune as a sign the gods are angry. How is it that idolatry could make a big comeback in man's future?

Let's be clear about two things. First, the spirit of idolatry is found in self-worship. Isaiah got to the heart of the matter:

    Their land has also been filled with idols;
    They worship the work of their hands,
    That which their fingers have made (Isa. 2:8).

All idolatry is a form of self admiration in which one praises himself by praising his work. A man's accomplishment could be as simple as a stone image or something vastly more sophisticated. But regardless of an idol's form, idol worship is always self-worship.

Second, all idols have a down-side. They can't talk! The OT prophet Habakkuk found the fact that idols are dumb more than a little amusing:

"What profit is the idol when its maker has carved it, or an image, a teacher of falsehood? For its maker trusts in his own handiwork when he fashions speechless idols. Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’ To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’ And that is your teacher? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all inside it. But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him” (Hab. 2:18-20).

Men should be quiet and listen when God talks! But idols don't, so men have to do all the talking. This is definitely the downside to idolatry - a man ends up muttering to himself. The appeal of idolatry (self-praise) would surely go up if idols weren't mute. This is precisely what makes the "new idolatry" of Revelation an amazing innovation. Get ready for "idolatry reinvented." More tomorrow!

Shock and Awe for Gog and Magog

A prophecy against Gog and Magog is recorded in Ezekiel 38 and 39. It was written by the prophet Ezekiel while in exile in Babylon during the 6^th century BC. He described a bold invasion of Israel that ends in the complete annihilation of the invaders at the hands of God.  What can we learn from Ezekiel's prophecy about this invasion?

First, let's check out the roster. Gog seems to be a king, and Magog his home turf. Gog is also the "rosh prince," or chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. We cannot rule out the possibility that there is a Russian connection to Gog and Magog. Their attack on Israel does come from "the remote parts of the north" (Ezek 38:7). The coalition Gog cobbles together will include nations from all four sides of Israel: Iran (Persia) to the east, Sudan and northern Ethiopia (Cush) to the south, Libya (Put) to the West, and Turkey (Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, and Beth Togarmah) to the North.

What is the sequence of events? Gog has a deep seated antagonism toward God and will be drawn toward a final showdown in Israel. The invasion will be motivated by a desire for "plunder," specifically for the precious metals of gold and silver and basic commodities that include cattle and "goods" (38:13). Gog will perceive that conditions are favorable to his success based on two strategic advantages. (1) Israel has negligible defensive assets. They are at peace with their neighbors and live securely (38:8, 11, 14). Israel dwells "at rest" in unwalled villages and without rudimentary defensive systems like bars and gates. Gog considers Israel easy pickin's. (2) He has also assembled a massive army capable of quick mobilization (38:9, 15). He believes he and his innumerable allies can bring a whole new meaning to the phrase, "shock and awe."

Gog, however, will make one fatal error of judgment. In his planning for war, He will factor God out of his calculations. Big mistake! God will take "shock and awe" to a level beyond Gog's comprehension. Some of the weapons at God's disposal will include a devastating earth-quake, pestilence, torrential rain, hail, fire, and brimstone (38:19, 22). God will lay down a dense blanket of the fog of war and create confusion in which Gog's invaders turn on themselves (38:21).

Gog will discover himself wholly unprepared for God's counter-attack. His invasion will become his Waterloo, Israel's miraculous deliverance, and the complete end of Gog's entire army. Israel will seize spoil from the fallen invaders and destroy their war materiel by fire (39:9-10). A massive valley in Israel (perhaps the one pictured above) will become the location for the burial of Gog's entire invasion force (39:11). The task of burying the dead will take seven months to complete (39:12)!

There are two statements that capture the final outcome of this crowning moment in Israel's future: "And the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God from that day onward" (39:22); "I will not hide My face from them any longer, for I will have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel" (39:29).

No event in history comes close to matching the details of this account, so it hasn't happened yet. The only time marker we are provided in Ezekiel 38-39 is that the invasion will occur "after many days" and "in the latter years" (38:8). Based on what we know from the rest of the Bible about future events, can we pinpoint "Gog's invasion" within this biblical framework?

Begone, Oh Chubbies!

I always thought successful companies employed a simple strategy: "Figure out what people want and sell it to them." Silly me! Here's an article from the LA Times that outlines how the Obama administration is leaning in their latest efforts to "help" the ailing auto industry: Stop giving the people what they want. Only offer them what Uncle Sam has decided they should want. Give them Renault Dauphines instead of evil F-150's and Corvettes.

What a great idea! We could use this approach in all kinds of areas. For example, we have an obesity problem in America, right? And most clothiers are struggling in the economic downturn, right? So why should the government waste a perfectly good crisis? Why can't Uncle Sam fight obesity while "helping" the garment industry just like he is helping Detroit? If he required all garment makers to produce only small and medium sized clothes, it would force the chubs to change their ways! The obese would be shamed (literally) or constrained into eating responsibly.

I wonder if a black market might develop. Imagine catching a voice from the shadows, "Hey, buddy. I've got large and (he pauses for effect) extra-large T shirts. (He lowers his voice to a whisper.) I've also got jeans in waste sizes of 36 and above. You ever worn clothes that fit? You're not gonna believe how good it feels. Wanna try 'em on?" Watch human ingenuity kick in when men are coerced into doing the right thing.

What would our world look like if God "helped" us using the Obama method? Forcing men to do "the right thing" by denying them all choices to do otherwise is not beyond His ability. But God has a better idea! Use grace to accomplish what force cannot. Give men a perfectly good reason to choose the right thing. The cross is that perfectly good reason. Grace respects me enough to allow me to make my own choice, but gives me sufficient reason to make the right choice. That idea suits me better than jeans that fit.

Maybe Moses Could Assist Obama?

On Tuesday night I watched the President's Press Conference in its entirety. The Washington Post has a complete transcript available. In light of what we said previously, let's see if President Obama would have been helped had he included the Moses Initiative in his first 15 days.

Quote One: I'm as angry as anybody about those bonuses that went to some of the very same individuals who brought our financial system to its knees, partly because it's yet another symptom of the culture that led us to this point.

When payment of a "bonus" represents a contractual obligation between two parties, is such anger justified? Isn't that outrage  dangerously close to what Moses prohibited: “You shall not covet . . . anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17)?

President Obama explained how the expansion of government could create an agency like the FDIC for other companies. Quote Two: Well, keep in mind that it is precisely because of the lack of this authority that the AIG situation has gotten worse. Now, understand that AIG is not a bank. It's an insurance company. If it were a bank and it had effectively collapsed, then the FDIC could step in, as it does with a whole host of banks, as it did with IndyMac, and in a structured way renegotiate contracts, get rid of bad assets, strengthen capital requirements, resell it on the private marketplace. And the reason is, is because we have not obtained this authority.

President Obama is seeking this authority. The government would provide "insurance" for the AIGs of the world which would allow the government to "step in" (translation: "take over") companies in trouble. Does this sound like a form of stealing? The government will claim ownership of a company whenever that company is in a weakened condition. How is this not a violation of "You shall not steal" (Exodus 20:15)? Some might protest that I am over-reacting; the government would be providing insurance in return for the right to "step in." My response is simple: Would you buy an "insurance" policy for your home that allows the insurance company to take ownership of your home when you encounter a crisis?

Quote Three: What we have said is that, for embryos that are typically -- about to be discarded, for us to be able to use those in order to find cures for Parkinson's or for Alzheimer's or, you know, all sorts of other debilitating diseases, juvenile diabetes, that -- that it is the right thing to do.

Moses declares, "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13). He would tell us this is most definitely NOT the right thing to do. Wrapping embryonic stem cell research in the mantle of noble motives does not change the fact that the destruction of an embryo constitutes the murder of persons least capable of defending themselves. President Obama was criticized for deflecting the question of when life begins by declaring "that's above my pay grade." I think there is truth in his statement. God is the only one up to the job of defining right and wrong. I am grateful He has made his definition available to us. No one, including a President, does the right thing when he defies what God says is right.

A Curious Case of Numb Worship

Last Monday, I did my usual morning routine at the gym. On the way home, some mild tingling in my arm became general numbness in my entire right side from the neck down. I went to the Collierville ER where I was disappointed that no one shouted "stat" or whisked me away on a careening gurney accompanied by a posse of alarmed staff. Alas, my experience would have made for pretty boring TV - two days of waiting occasionally punctuated by close encounters with machines. But I am grateful for the verdict - good heart, good arteries, good brain - good stuff.

I was awed as I watched the video monitor while they used ultrasound waves to examine my heart. Each valve spoke steadily in its own unique voice. The muscles surrounding the chambers of my heart flexed on cue without pomp and fanfare. Here was a window into something that happens over 85,000 times EVERY DAY and without the slightest conscious thought on my part. My heart rhythmically squeezes and relaxes and, in so doing, supplies the rest of my body with the essentials of LIFE. I could barely take in this symphony in motion without singing along with the Psalmist: I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well (Ps. 139:14). Very well, indeed!

Instead of Boring People With The Truth

J Budziszewski (representing "professor theophilus") has written an engaging book for the collegiate who wants to secure a bachelors degree without losing his commitment to Christ. Ask Me Anything 2 is an account of "the conversational adventures of Professor M. E. Theophilus, holder of the PMS (Pre-Modern Studies) Chair in the School of Antinomianism at Post Everything University."

Anyone using the time tested "fly on the wall" learning strategy will find himself profitably listening-in on the Professor. For example, how often does Lactantius come up for discussion among YOUR circle of friends? He is the early Christian apologist who said this:

Religion cannot be imposed by force. The matter must be carried on by words rather than blows, that the will may be affected. Let them unsheath the weapon of their intellect; if their system is true, let it be asserted. For we do not entice, as they say; but we teach, we prove, we show.  ...For nothing is so much a matter of free-will as religion; in which, if the mind of the worshipper is disinclined to it, religion is at once taken away, and ceases to exist.

This book is a little quirky in its approach. But I like it! The fact that something is the truth does not justify using it to bore people. Ask me Anything 2 is a gurgling mountain stream of conversation laced with glimmering nuggets of truth. It is both interesting and will do you good.

Thank God for Presidential Audacity

On October 3rd, 1863, President Lincoln issued a proclamation that included these words:

The year that is drawing towards its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.

A lot has changed in 145 years, including the choice by public leaders to use expressions like "dealing with us in anger for our sins," and "gracious gifts of the Most High God." The sentiments in this proclamation may be rarely expressed, but still ring true. Perhaps you would like to read Lincoln's proclamation before you enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner. Here's a link to the complete text.

By the way, there are some elements to President Lincoln's proclamation which have been overshadowed by "the big feast."

And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

President Lincoln proposed that we celebrate Thanksgiving by humbly confessing our failures, both personal and national, by requesting God's care for those facing the recent loss of loved ones, and by imploring God to show favor to our nation. What an audacious proposal by an American President - but a perfectly sensible one to those who know God.

Getting Mad at the Wrong Guy

Here's a handy prescription for those who want to conquer anger. When you find yourself getting steamed, ask yourself, "Is my anger directed at the wrong guy?" Proverbs 19:3 describes a condition that can lead to anger: The foolishness of man ruins his way, and his heart rages against the Lord (Prov. 19:3). This Proverb has two phrases, the first describes a situation, the second outlines what follows.

Here's the situation. A man has made a foolish choice with serious consequences. It could have been an unwise business decision, an inappropriate relationship, a knee-jerk response, or a course involving moral compromise. Whatever he did, it was fueled by foolishness and, not surprisingly, has turned out badly. The second phrase describes the result and it is ironic. Instead of admitting, "I did something foolish," he gets mad at God. What's God got to do with it? God doesn't resort to "bailouts" for foolishness. As a good parent, He allows us to experience the consequences of our poor choices. God is not responsible for the ruin a man reaps when he sows foolishness.

So when you feel yourself getting angry, do a quick diagnostic. Try to identify ways in which the outcome that is prompting you to anger is the result of your own actions. Make a list of ways you could have done things differently to reap a different outcome. If you come up with just one item on your list, then you're getting mad at the wrong person. Go look in a mirror and counsel the person you see to use all that energy to make some changes. Repeat as necessary.

Lest We Forget the Prodigal's Brother

The Prodigal Son is the celebrity sinner, the poster child for stories of failure and forgiveness. For parents of wayward teens, his tale gives them reason to hope. For those who have wandered far from God, the prodigal's return is a prototype for making a fresh start with God. I am not trying to take anything away from his "great comeback" story, but the prodigal is a secondary player in the parable that is named after him.

Parables are intended to make a point, and clues as to the nature of that point will often be found in context, in this case Luke 15. The entire chapter consists of three linked parables, "The Lost Sheep," "The Lost Coin" and "The Prodigal Son," that all answer to the need identified in verses 1-3:

Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So He told them this parable, saying . . . (Luke 15:1-3).

Jesus' three stories are intended to turn the tables on His critics. The religious big-wigs are grousing because Jesus is ministering to riffraff. Instead of celebrating that losers are flocking to the One person who can help them, they're grumbling that Jesus doesn't dust them away like so much shoulder lint.

So Jesus recounts a trio of parables that swell in a crescendo of celebration. First he talks about the recovery of a lost sheep. Yes, this sheep was only 1% of the flock, but surely it's recovery would be reason for joy. Then he talks about finding lost wealth. Even though it was only 10% of someone's life savings, who wouldn't host a party to celebrate its recovery? Finally he talks of a lost son. If you celebrate when one sheep (out of a hundred) is found, or one coin (out of ten) is found, then what kind of celebration would attend the return of a lost son?

Right as Jesus' audience is catching the party vibe, a new character shows up, the prodigal's whining brother. He is the one in the harsh spotlight crashing the party, the party-pooper with an attitude, and the embarrassing spokesman for Jesus' complaining critics. I draw your attention to the prodigal's brother because he is the punch line in Luke 15. THE PRODIGAL'S BROTHER is the one Jesus wants us to examine and understand.

I confess that I see in myself much that reminds me of the prodigal's brother. I have not lived a life of rebellion or moral abandon. I came to Jesus at an early age, began living for Him in earnest as a teen, and have sought to stay true to Him to this day. (Don't misunderstand me. I am just as much a sinner as the most profligate prodigal - no difference. And my steady pursuit of Christ has not kept me from presenting a pitiful picture of what it means to be His follower on occasions without number.) Despite my failures, flaws, and growing pains along the way, however, I am a fair example of the classic "good kid."

So when I observe the prodigal's descent into the depths of loose living, I can't identify. But when I hear his brother protesting, “Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours” (Luke 15:29), I hear in his words the voice of my own dissenting heart. I have expressed words like his, words of disappointment in God for His seeming lack of appreciation.

There are prodigals and there are prodigal's brothers. The prodigal's obstacle is his sense of unworthiness to lay claim to the heart of his father. The obstacle of the prodigal's brother is his sense of entitlement, an insistence upon God's approval for his faithfulness. In its advanced stages, "Prodigal's Brother Disease" (PBD) can rob a man of his joy. He can become a spiritual scrooge who mutters "Bah, humbug" on occasions when even angels are pulling out all the stops.

The religious leaders called out by Jesus have a pronounced case of PBD. It has achieved a level of spiritual toxicity that is acute, perhaps from which there is no recovery. But for anyone who seeks to be faithful (at risk) and who is willing to learn (teachable) from their sad story, there is hope in timely self-screening (self-examination) and treatment (repentance).

Are you a prodigal? Come home to a Father whose grace is greater than your sin. Are you a prodigal's brother? Then serve without strings before it robs you of joy. Stay faithful to God without getting sucked into thinking that God owes you recognition. Your faithfulness matters. Never forget what Jesus says to the prodigal's brother, “And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours’” (Luke 15:31). Staying true to God WILL BE WORTH IT. That is no less true for the fact that we party strong when a prodigal comes home.

Is God the Linchpin of our Message?

Lisa Miller raises questions about the ministry of Joel and Victoria Osteen in "What's God Got to Do With It?", a "Belief Watch" piece in the Oct. 20 issue of Newsweek. Ms. Miller is struck by the irony of the Osteen's considerable popularity compared to their lack of spiritual stature. She views them as spiritual midgets with a thin theology offering platitudes of inane comfort.

On the eve of Victoria Osteen's book release, I find the question - "What's God Got to Do With it? - more than a little provocative. Victoria told Newsweek that religion "is about appreciating what God's given us. He's given us this life, and he wants us to live it to the fullest." If I boil this mantra down to it's core, it would be little more than "live it up!" Lisa Miller rightly questions how essential God is to such a message? Is what we preach a message that falls apart without God? If not, it is unworthy of Him and a dubious candidate for men's allegiance.

Here is good news that robustly depends upon God: Man has a problem (sin) that he cannot fix. God alone has provided the solution (shed blood of His Son) but one He will not force upon any man. So God invites each one to claim for himself the saving grace that is offered in Jesus. Factor God out of such an equation and man is left striving for what doesn't exist. Put God back in the picture and you have the miraculous answer to an otherwise impossible problem. God is in the center of such an accomplishment and His success is occasion for all-out praise and worship.

"Live your life to the fullest" seems like much ado about me. God is little more than a bit player in such a production - so who do you think will get the applause? Hooray for me! To Lisa Miller's question I would answer,"God is not honored by a message that is, at it's core, a celebration of me."

Batten Down the Hatches

I watched the 2nd Presidential debate at Belmont University on Tuesday night. I am still processing the absence of anything new to process! What a boring blame-fest. And stop leading me in circles repeating "I know how to fix this" as your proof that "I know how to fix this." The "report card" for Obama and John, according to Time, is B+ and B, respectively. Time is being too kind! On the economy (the main topic for the night), I give them both a failing grade. They don't get it.

We are in an economic meltdown. McCain and Obama are each trying to convince us that they have what it takes to fix the problem. So what was their strategy to prove it?  Pin the tail on the donkey (or elephant). They were blame-casting, "My opponent can't fix it, because he caused it. I, the blameless one, am your only hope."

I am sorry to be the harbinger of more bad news - but their resort to this tactic (both of them) gives me 100% assurance that NEITHER of them can fix the problem. In the matter of the current economic crisis, it doesn't matter who gets elected. Both of them will succeed in making matters worse.

How do I know this? Simple - you cannot solve a problem when you refuse to admit your own contribution. If you helped get us into a pickle, but cannot admit it, then you will never fix it. Your efforts will be focused on blaming someone else and exonerating yourself. Fixing the blame is not the same as fixing the problem!

The current crisis was brought about by various misdeeds and miscalculations of Republicans AND Democrats. (To be fair, it wasn't just them. Wall Street, Main Street, Central Banks, local banks, the Fed, the Treasury, consumers, borrowers, and a host of others all played a role.) The President who will solve the crisis (if such a thing is possible) will be one who has enough guts to say, "Here's where I blew it. Here's where my party blew it. Here's where others have blown it." If his analysis gives a fair representation of the causes, including ones that reflect poorly on himself, we might have found someone who can look past himself to intelligently and even-handedly address the crisis.

If either candidate had taken such an approach, I might be inclined to sit up and listen. Alas, didn't happen! Batten down the hatches - stormy economic weather is ahead. How bad will things have to get before our next President will acknowledge, "I made things worse than they already are?"

Please don't misconstrue my economic vexation to be voter fatigue. I will march smartly to the polls and vote for McCain/Palin without hesitation. McCain is clear and unflinching in his position against abortion. This is THE defining issue. On this stand, he gets an A from me that matters more than all the rest.  Alas, what a disappointment to vote for a candidate who cannot match that A with a passing grade in economics.

All Over The Map

Light-work is a low budget operation. We take advantage of all the freebies we can find. One of those free services is accessed using the clustrmap widget in the far right column. This handy tool is like a "Where's Waldo" spotters guide for L-W visitors. Last week, Light-work was chosen as a "user of the month" and given a free upgrade for the next two years to clustrmap "plus" service (translation - the kind of service you have to pay for).

Here's what it means for you. When you open the full size map of the world to see where L-W is being accessed, you now have additional options and ad free viewing. Click on any continent to see a more detailed map - see sample above. From this detail of a continent, you can go to the navigation line (immediately above the map) and click on [map with smaller clusters] to get an even more detailed view.

This will probably not change your life in any dramatic way - but it is interesting. And it helps me appreciate God all the more - every one of those dots represents a person, sometimes more than one. Father knows and loves each one. He knows whether their arrival at L-W is part of a larger quest for truth, for answers, for Him. He also knows who came simply because they googled "worklight." Want to have some fun? Pick a dot and pray for that person. You might not know them, but Father does. And He understands exactly what they most need. Maybe God will answer your prayer for someone to come to Christ. Wouldn't it be great to meet each other in heaven? Mere dot indeed!

Real Ultimate Taxpayer Protection

Two previous posts raised seemingly disparate ideas. Dumb Requests and Good Prayers posed this question: What is the best personal request you would make of God? In Ultimate Taxpayer Protection, I quoted and considered Henry Paulsen's testimony before the Senate Banking Committee. Both of these posts orbit around a single pole.

Last week, I was talking with someone from the East Coast who was exploring what God is doing in Memphis. As we were about to part, she asked, "How can I pray for you?" I said something at the time but kept rolling this poignant question over in my mind for days afterwords: What would I MOST WANT people to be praying for on my behalf? And is my answer to that question one of which God WOULD APPROVE?

Now about a week later, here is how I would answer the "how-can-I-pray-for-you" question: "Please ask God to help me become a man who is full of faith." Faith is simply believing what God has said. As faith is exercised, it changes the course of a man's life, it works. I want to become a man who is able to believe what God says when "what God says" is hard to grasp; I want to believe what God says when our culture disagrees; I want to believe what God says even when it requires a dramatic course correction.

So what does this have to do with the current economic situation? When people don't trust the other guy, they are unwilling to do business with him. A "crisis of confidence" is threatening to freeze the market. Freddie, Fannie, Lehman Bro's, and AIG (and countless others?) have really blown it. Congress, the Fed, and the Treasury have made it worse. They have all let us down, they have all given us reason to question whether they have our best interests at heart. But NOT OUR GOD - He can be trusted 100%.

If your security rests on the state of the economy, you're in for a bumpy ride. But if your trust is placed in God, it couldn't be better placed. I am convinced that Jesus wants me (and you?) to have a strong faith and that this is a request that He would be pleased to hear. I am convinced that the "current economic crisis" is a good reminder of why having an ever greater faith in God is the only true protection plan.

The Price of Stuff

James Turk recently wrote A Four Month Review comparing the gains and losses in various markets. I was struck by the clarity of his simple chart as an explanation of what is happening to the price of stuff. The CRB Index (third column) is used to track the price of basic commodities, including cattle, copper, cotton, crude oil, soybeans, sugar, and wheat. These are the basics we use to live. (Click to see a complete list of the markets and comodities used for the CRB Index.) The chart shows that in the last month, the price of the CRB has risen 3.8%. In the first four months of 2008, the price has gone up 12.6%. Since May 1, 2007, the price has increased 32.9%.

Someone might say that the price of these basics is going up because the value of the dollar is going down. True, the dollar has lost value, 11% since May, 2007. But that 11% loss of purchasing power doesn't come close to matching the 33% increase in the cost of commodities. My point? This chart shows what we all know when we go to the grocery store or the gas pump. The cost of living is going up. Significantly! And it is going up regardless of what currency you use. (Even for those using euros, the differential between the CRB and the increased purchasing power of the euro is 18.9%. This means that the price of stuff has gone up almost 20% in Europe.)

How come these numbers are so disconnected from what the government reports on the rate of inflation? According to a recent article, Numbers Racket, by Kevin Phillips, the numbers being reported are for a "make believe economy," not the real world in which we live. Here is a key excerpt that is definitely worth reading. If your wallet seems to be emptying much faster than it did last year, it is not your imagination. Both Democratic and Republican administrations are reporting fiction.

I watch this unfolding and I appreciate God all the more. God is not trying to make us think things are fine when they're not. He is not interested in make believe. He deals with us straight up, giving us the unvarnished and sober truth about ourselves. He offers us hope that is in touch with reality. You can trust what He says all the way to the bank.