This week, President Obama kept one of his campaign promises. His administration struck down a rule that banned our tax dollars going to agency that support abortion. Now your tax dollars can (and will) be sent to others countries to help support abortion.
This is a part of Obama's public policy that upset me during the campaign and now he has proven to be a man of his word and followed through on his promises to promote an agenda that allows (and promotes) more abortions.
One thing that frustrates me about it is the lack of logic used to promote it. Obama said this is a "political wedge issue," adding that he had "no desire to continue this stale and fruitless debate." It is treated as if everyone must see it his way or else. Differing opinions than his are just for politics and fruitless.
President Obama presents himself as someone who listens to all and seeks to help people respect differing opinions. But when it comes to abortion, there is no room for debate with him. We all need to quit debating and see it his way.
If it wasn't a matter of life and death for so many innocent people, it might be simply ironic to see his completely different character on this issue.
I personally view abortion as not only murder, but also as a fundamental issue of justice. Justice for those with no voice who are being killed. The injustice that blacks in America are disproportionately targeted for abortions.
Heaven helps us to repent of our continued sins of injustice as a nation.
What are your feelings about Obama's stance on abortion?
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Psychology and "Christian counseling"
Something that I have thought about for a long time is: "What role does the science of psychology play in Christian counseling?" I am in a class in my grad program right now and reading a number of varying views on this question.
The extremes go both ways. One extreme says that all psycho or emotional problems are spiritual and should be "treated" only with the Word of God. The other extreme takes the science of psychology so seriously that the spiritual nature of many issues are not even considered. There are many different ideas in the middle. I have some thoughts on this, but I am wondering what some of you think.
How much should Christians use the knowledge gained from the study of psychology?
Can the Bible and psychology both be used to help people reach emotional and spiritual health?
The extremes go both ways. One extreme says that all psycho or emotional problems are spiritual and should be "treated" only with the Word of God. The other extreme takes the science of psychology so seriously that the spiritual nature of many issues are not even considered. There are many different ideas in the middle. I have some thoughts on this, but I am wondering what some of you think.
How much should Christians use the knowledge gained from the study of psychology?
Can the Bible and psychology both be used to help people reach emotional and spiritual health?
Monday, January 26, 2009
The power of prayer
If you believe that God works through the prayer of His people, than this is for you.
A friend of mine, Shayla Johnson, is involved in organizing a web based prayer initiative for President Barack Obama. IN PRAYER 365 asks you to sign up to pray for the president for a ten minute time period. Whether you believe in the President's public policies or not, we can all agree that praying for him is a valuable use of our political energy. So join in and sign up to pray for President Obama.
Do you believe that prayer is a powerful way to affect things on earth? Do you trust God enough to spending time communicating with Him?
A friend of mine, Shayla Johnson, is involved in organizing a web based prayer initiative for President Barack Obama. IN PRAYER 365 asks you to sign up to pray for the president for a ten minute time period. Whether you believe in the President's public policies or not, we can all agree that praying for him is a valuable use of our political energy. So join in and sign up to pray for President Obama.
Do you believe that prayer is a powerful way to affect things on earth? Do you trust God enough to spending time communicating with Him?
Friday, January 23, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Computer Humor
Jesus and Satan were having an on-going argument about who was better on the computer. They had been going at it for days, and frankly God was tired of hearing all the bickering.
Finally fed up, God said, "THAT'S IT! I have had enough. I am going to set up a test that will run for two hours, and from those results, I will judge who does the better job."
So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away.
They moused.
They faxed.
They e-mailed.
They e-mailed with attachments.
They downloaded.
They did spreadsheets!
They wrote reports.
They created labels and cards.
They created charts and graphs.
They did some genealogy reports
They did every job known to man.
Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was faster than hell.
Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the power went off …
Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word known in the underworld.
Jesus just sighed.
Finally the electricity came back on, and each of them restarted their computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming:
"It's gone! It's all GONE! I lost everything when the power went out!"
Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files from the past two hours of work…
Satan observed this and became irate.
"Wait!" he screamed. "That's not fair! He cheated! How come he has all his work and I don't have any?"
God just shrugged and said,
JESUS SAVES!
Finally fed up, God said, "THAT'S IT! I have had enough. I am going to set up a test that will run for two hours, and from those results, I will judge who does the better job."
So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away.
They moused.
They faxed.
They e-mailed.
They e-mailed with attachments.
They downloaded.
They did spreadsheets!
They wrote reports.
They created labels and cards.
They created charts and graphs.
They did some genealogy reports
They did every job known to man.
Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was faster than hell.
Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the power went off …
Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word known in the underworld.
Jesus just sighed.
Finally the electricity came back on, and each of them restarted their computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming:
"It's gone! It's all GONE! I lost everything when the power went out!"
Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files from the past two hours of work…
Satan observed this and became irate.
"Wait!" he screamed. "That's not fair! He cheated! How come he has all his work and I don't have any?"
God just shrugged and said,
JESUS SAVES!
Keeping your word
"Better to under promise and over deliver, then to over promise and under deliver"
I found this a good reminder to not write checks with what I say that my body will not be able to cover. I think we need to be cautious with what we tell people that we are going to do.
Does anyone else have concerns about over committing themselves?
I found this a good reminder to not write checks with what I say that my body will not be able to cover. I think we need to be cautious with what we tell people that we are going to do.
Does anyone else have concerns about over committing themselves?
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Why do we suffer?
Have you ever wondered why something bad has happened to you? I know that I have experienced some very difficult things in life. One response can be to get upset with God. I could tell God that he doesn't know what He is doing as if He is not all knowing and in complete control.
I have been thinking about the purpose for our suffering lately. Peter addresses this issue a lot in I Peter. Studying this book has given me a greater understanding of the purpose in suffering and also how to respond to suffering.
But the most encouraging scripture to me is in II Corinthians 1:3-7 which states:
This is powerful stuff! God is the God of all comforts!! He comforts us in our trouble so that He can use us to comfort others in their trouble.
Do you see the difficult things that you have faced in life as something that God allowed so that you could be useful to others?
How have you seen God use your trouble to be a comfort to someone else?
I have been thinking about the purpose for our suffering lately. Peter addresses this issue a lot in I Peter. Studying this book has given me a greater understanding of the purpose in suffering and also how to respond to suffering.
But the most encouraging scripture to me is in II Corinthians 1:3-7 which states:
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort."
This is powerful stuff! God is the God of all comforts!! He comforts us in our trouble so that He can use us to comfort others in their trouble.
Do you see the difficult things that you have faced in life as something that God allowed so that you could be useful to others?
How have you seen God use your trouble to be a comfort to someone else?
Friday, January 16, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Disconnected
I will admit that I am an internet addict. I appreciate the tremendous resource and speed of information. Sometimes, I waste time on the computer.
I'm sure that no one else does.
I had the privilege of spending the last two weeks of the year in Florida with my family. What a blessing. It was great to spend a lot of time with my wife and kids. The 70 degree weather every day wasn't bad either.
One bonus was that I disconnected. I was off line for about ten days. No e-mail. No facebook. No news. No sports updates. No blogs.
It was good to be away. But I am glad to be back too. Life is not meant to be lived disconnected from people.
Anyone else ever feel that they need a break from the internet?
I'm sure that no one else does.
I had the privilege of spending the last two weeks of the year in Florida with my family. What a blessing. It was great to spend a lot of time with my wife and kids. The 70 degree weather every day wasn't bad either.
One bonus was that I disconnected. I was off line for about ten days. No e-mail. No facebook. No news. No sports updates. No blogs.
It was good to be away. But I am glad to be back too. Life is not meant to be lived disconnected from people.
Anyone else ever feel that they need a break from the internet?
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