Christ

Or we could try self control . . .

~ brandon ~ 1 Comment

Therefore, the treatment for sexual addiction is a form of pseudo-redemptive window dressing in which no one, especially the addict himself, really believes. But what choices does the wife have? One potential “cure” is chemical or surgical castration—no man volunteers, not to mention the wronged wife would be deprived of sex anyway, a sort of cutting off your nose to spite your face. The second choice is to view the addiction as a time-limited condition, accept the man for who he is, and wait until his desires extinguish. Lets stop pathologizing every human behavior, like male libido.

via Every Man Is a Sex Addict – The Daily Beast.

I’ve no idea who Dr. Karasu is.  If we accept his premise, that all men are sex addicts at heart, I think there is a third option for dealing with this.

Throughout history man’s baser instincts have been controlled.  The ability to control these instincts has traditionally been developed through religion.  Religion seeks to teach the man how to control and properly express these physiological needs.  This is a benefit to society, as it promotes healthy families in which the subsequent generation is raised.

Dr. Karasu misses this–or dismisses this, perhaps.  Our options aren’t just castration or waiting it out.  A third option is simple:  confront such behavior as sin and call the sinner to repentance.

As with any other sin, sexual sins can ultimately only be healed by CHrist.  And Christ heals through our repentance.

h/t Hot Air

Media Exposure, Addiction from Barna

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

One of the latter conclusions is this: media exposure has become America’s most widespread and serious addiction.

via Media Exposure, Addiction.

Read the whole article.  It’s an interesting take on our media saturated age.  One one hand, I wonder if its simply a new age.  Before books became widespread, folks were largely illiterate.  Ever since we’ve had some folks who prefer not to read, some folks in the middle and the bookworms–people with a voracious appetite for reading.  Yet, I’ve never heard a bookworm referred to as an addict.  Of course, like media, not all forms of books are edifying–and some folks love forms of books that a Christian might label problematic (think: romance novels, erotica, etc).  So, perhaps future generations will see our modern media age as another societal transformation which enabled more folks to become more informed.

On the other hand, silence and solitude are indispensible in the spiritual life of the Christian.  Christ set this example for us, as He regularly took time to be alone.  During these times we find Christ praying.  Likewise, the Christian ought to spend time alone with Him in prayer and quiet reflection.  Not only does this help us to hear Him, prayerful reflection upon His word helps us to internalize Christ’s teaching so it becomes a part of us.  Also, that quiet time digs a deeper well of peace in the Christian soul, enabling us to face the frustrations of life with a Christlike mindset.

Why not unplug the TV, Wii and Computer for awhile, sit down with the Bible and pray, read–even discuss it with your family?

Obsession

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

So, it occurs to me that we are an obsessive people.  I mean, we obsess over everything.  We obsess over celebrities.  One look at the Supermarket checkout confirms our celebrity obsession.  Listening to talk radio or watching cable news confirms that some of us obsess over politics.  A trip to the bookstore tells us how many obsess over weight-loss.  The spread of plastic surgery and little used gym memberships illuminate an obsession with physique and looks.  We obsess over money, career, relationships, power and pleasure.  We obsess over our children–their education, their sports and even their owies.  It seems that all of us have something we obsess over.

Yet, there is one obsession we don’t have. There is one we ought obsess over, yet we pay it lip service.  That One is Christ.  “Work our your salvation with fear and trembling,” Paul wrote to the Philippians.  It seems we have Biblical warrant for a Christ-obsession.  In fact, I suggest the Christian should be more obsessed with the Lord, Jesus Christ, than with any of the other ‘obsessions’ of life.  When my weight, job, politics, money or whatever is taking up more of life and  mental energy than Christ, I think that is a problem.

Seriously, how many Christians spend more time concerned with work than with Christ?  How many spend more time worried about losing a few pounds than they do about gaining some righteousness?  How many spend more time focused upon what some celebrity is doing or wearing than they do over what Jesus did?

I wonder what it might look like if Christians rejected the obsessions of our world and embraced 1 obsession–the Kingdom of God and His righteousness?  I imagine we’d see an explosion in distinctly Christian behavior, and perhaps more outsiders would understand their need for Jesus.

Christ, Suffering & Punishment

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

As a Pastor, I’m often confronted with Christians who wonder if God is punishing them.  Sickness, or unemployment or other difficulties and tragedies make them wonder.  They often ask, “Why me?,” and wonder what God is trying to teach them.  While books are written on such subjects, I generally answer with three key points.

First, there is ‘no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,’ (Romans 8:1).  If they are a follower of Jesus Christ they need not fear that God is attacking or punishing them for some mistake they’ve made.  To illustrate, we look at 2 Corinthians 12 together.  There we read of Paul’s thorn, given by God to keep Paul dependant upon the Lord.  This wasn’t as a punishment, but as a tool to help Paul and glorify Christ.  As the Lord says, “My power is made perfect in weakness.”

So, tragedy, suffering or difficulty is not alien to the Christian life.  Like everyone else, we experience hardship.  Yet, we can safely say that these experiences are not God’s wrath against us, nor are they a cosmic punishment.

Second, we turn to Hebrews 12.  Here, we find that God, like a father, disciplines His children.  Of course someone will say, “But I though you said we aren’t punished!”  To which I would reply, “Punishment and discipline aren’t necessarily the same thing.”  Punishment is retribution, it is paying for a crime.  Discipline is training, seeking to improve the targeted person.

Now, the Hebrews 12 passage compares God’s disciplines to a father’s.  This comparison ought to give us great comfort.  This is doubly true if we’re wondering, “what did I do?” or, “what lesson am I supposed to learn?”  You see, when I discipline one of my children, I never hide what they’ve done wrong.  I also do not make them guess.  I explain very clearly what they’ve done wrong, so that they can learn and grow.

God does the same.  If He intends the circumstances of my life to teach me some lesson, then I don’t think He will let me miss it.  To do so would be like spanking a child without explanation.  The child is hurt and confused—and learns nothing.

Finally, we turn to 1 Peter 1:3-9.  Here Peter encourages Christians in persecution by reminding them that persecution refines their faith.  While persecution may not be our hardship, all suffering can produce a similar effect in us.  When faced with suffering we either turn from God or to Him.  When we turn to Him, casting our anxiety upon Him, we learn to love God more and this life less.  Over time, that develops a heart which treasures the things of God.  Romans 5:3-5 explains how enduring suffering develops character and hope.  So even when life seems endlessly frustrating, when sickness or tragedy hits, even when we cannot see why—we can know it will develop our faith.

One takeaway

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

As I wrote earlier, we cannot expect to understand every instance of suffering in our world.  Yet, with each tragedy there is one clear take away.

Luke 13:1-5

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Here Jesus deals with a similar tragedy–two in fact.  He uses both cases to make the same points.  The first point is simple:  those who experience calamity are not worse sinners than those who don’t.  To apply it to Haiti, we cannot say that Haitians are worse sinners than Dominicans, or even than us.

One point often overlooked in tragedies is our common guilt.  ‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,’ Romans 3:23 reminds.  So, not one of us is innocent in God’s eyes.  Romans 6:23 adds, ‘The wages of sin is death.’  So, everyone who sins deserves nothing but death.  Now we understand Jesus.  His audience was just as deserving of calamity as those at Siloam.

The better question for tragedy is why God would ever prevent any tragedy or suffering?  Why, if we all deserve His just condemnation, would He not dish it out upon all?  The answer, of course, is grace.  Each moment we live is a moment of grace, a moment where we are not getting what we deserve, but receiving a wonderful gift.

Jesus second point is the real take away–repent.  Never one to miss an opportunity, Jesus seems to understand the frailty of life.  One moment you are going to work, the next you’re involved in a car accident and clinging to life, or worse.

Since this life is short, and there is much more to come, we are wise to reflect upon Jesus words.  Are you repenting from the sin for which God could justly condemn you?  Are you trusting in Christ’s perfect sacrifice as the only ground for God’s forgiveness?  Are you ready, right now, to face His Holy Judgment, if calamity should befall you?

More Unseriousness

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

On the fan forum site “Avatar Forums,” a topic thread entitled “Ways to cope with the depression of the dream of Pandora being intangible,” has received more than 1,000 posts from people experiencing depression and fans trying to help them cope.

via Audiences experience Avatar blues – CNN.com.

So, now people are depressed and suicidal because the beauty and wonder of Pandora is not real.  What’s next, being upset because you’ll never spin webs like Spiderman?

Seriously, though, this underlines the fact that we are not built for this world.  We were created for more, for something far greater.  And we will find something to try and fill that void.  For these folks, an impossible fantasy is their void-filler.  Others turn to utopian ideals, and other, more pragmatic folks, turn to sensual pleasure.  But whatever your kick, you will look for something else, something greater.

Perhaps this is because we are fallen creatures.  Within us is an innate realization that we were made for more than this fallen world.  But we don’t want to accept the simplest conclusion:  we were made for God.  You see, if I accept this conclusion it means I am no longer master of my domain.  It means I am servant, creature and beholden to the God who made me.  It means He calls the shots, not I.  It means I must live according to His plan.

For many this is simply unthinkable, and so they reject the concept of God.  They turn, then, to the Creation and fellow creatures to try and find what they are looking for.  For me, I turn to God.  I figure if I was created by Him and for Him, then I can never realize the fulness of all that I was created for apart from Him.  Thus, satisfaction, peace, joy and all those desires of my heart can only be finally and fully found in Him.

So, why would I trade lesser pleasures in the Creation when I am offered the superior pleasures from the Creator?

“my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, declares the Lord,” Jeremiah 31:14 (ESV)

Naming Sin

~ brandon ~ Leave a comment

But We’re Still Gonna Kill You by Mark Steyn on National Review Online.

Whatever you think of his politics, Steyn’s argument seems to be:  if we cannot name our enemy, then we cannot win.  I think that’s a sound point we can apply to the Christian’s struggle against sin.

We live in an age where sin is an antiquated concept.  We rationalize and justify behaviors that our grandparents would be ashamed of.  We’re more worldly, better educated and able to see how those moral codes of old were arbitrary, and intended to discriminate and oppress.  Therefore, we are free to live as we see fit and no, we don’t really care what you think.

Import that thinking to the Church.  In the Church we still believe in right and wrong, good and evil and things such as sin.  We still believe in God’s judgment and a place called Hell.  Yet, we often fail to name our sin.  We, too, fall victim to the rationalizations of our culture.

Young adult partying all the time?  Well, that’s just how everyone is at their age.  Thirty-something parents foisting their kids off on day-care and schools and after school programs from pre-school on?  Hey, it’s tough to make ends meet today.

A first step toward victory over sin is naming it.  It’s asking God what He calls sin, and applying that standard to my own life.  It’s seeing where my life fails to match up to Christ’s teaching and realizing:  Jesus was nailed to a cross for this.

All are one in Christ Jesus

~ brandon ~ 1 Comment

So, I had to take the family to the doctor yesterday.  Being as I am the only healthy adult, I bundled three sick kids and one sick wife into the family car and headed off into the frozen morning.  When we arrived at the doctor’s office, my wife signed the kids in while I ushered them to the waiting room.  Sitting down, I said, ‘Hello,’ to a gentleman sitting next to me, and began the wait for to see the doc. Continue reading →

Love and Confrontation

~ brandon ~ 1 Comment

You see two sides of Jesus in the gospels.  You see the side of compassion and mercy.  He heals the sick, gives sight to the blind and so forth.  This is the side of Jesus we see preached and taught most often.  Church outreach focuses on this Jesus and meeting our neighbors needs.  We train people to become involved in other’s lives so that you can see their needs and meet them–thus winning the opportunity to share Christ.  Now, that seems like a winning strategy.  But what of the other side of Jesus?

When a rich man came looking for salvation, Jesus told him to sell everything, give it to the poor and then come follow.  Or, as Jesus puts it elsewhere, “whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me,” (Matthew 10:38, ESV).  So, Christ recognized a time to confront.

America is overflowing with abundance.  Even our poorest are wealthier than much of the world.  Especially in suburban America, the lifestyle among an average American could easily be described as ‘rich.’  Cable?  Check.  Internet?  Check.  House?  Check.  Cars?  Check.  Multiple TVs?  Check.  Air Conditioning?  Check.  On and on it goes, even in the midst of financial need most around here have enough stuff to liquidate they could survive for sometime.

So, where is the line of transition?  At what point is ‘loving’ people to Christ simply enabling a love for material possessions?  At what point odes love become confrontation?  When is it more Christlike to say, “Knock it off and follow Christ,” instead of, “How can we help you?

We're wired to believe

~ brandon ~ 2 Comments

I have not yet seen Avatar.  Probably won’t either.  I’m not into movies that imply we are the bad guys.  Also, the whole ‘natives were one with nature before Western European men came and ruined it all’ schtick isn’t my bag.  Yet, Jonah Goldberg uses the film to make a great point.  We are wired to believe.

We have within us a natural need to believe.  Some, as evidenced by this article, may see that as an evolutionary construct.  I believe it is hardwired into us by a Creator.  If we assume a Creator, then it makes sense He would create us to believe in Him.  Why would He do otherwise?  This, in turn, explains the human need to believe in something–anything.

My favorite illustration of this is Darwinistic Evolution.  Having rejected the idea of God, Evolutionists show no less faith in ‘science’ and ‘reason’ than I do in Jesus.  Point out holes in their knowledge or theory and you are likely going to hear, “We haven’t figured that out yet.”  Point out contradictions and they’ll suggest further research will answer the questions.  In other words, blind faith in what science may discover tomorrow justifies ignoring flaws today.

In fact, we see this in Global Warming.  When scientists at East Anglia cooked the books to support their Global Warming consensus, they did so like some pagan priest hiding his chicanery to maintain the faith of the masses.

Anyway, we will believe in something–God, science, ourselves, whatever.  The question isn’t whether or not we will believe, but what the object of that belief will be.  For me, I choose to place my faith in the author and perfecter of that faith, Jesus.

Avatar and the faith instinct — latimes.com.