The Shepherd Press Blog

Sin - Empty Promise, Bitter Fruit

      When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also  desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Genesis 3:6
     So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. Ephesians 4:17-19

Dan raised an interesting question in his comment about the posts on lying. He asked, “How do we understand the "lies of sin," and how do we help our children see they have been lied to?” Dan, thank you for this insightful question. I want to take at least two posts to answer this.

We are all familiar with Adam and Eve and the Fall. What drove Eve to taste the fruit is the same temptation that drives your children to see sin as a good option. As Dan states, sin at its core is deceptive.

This deception takes at least two forms.

The first is that a particular sin will be satisfying and will do no harm. Sin, however, is never satisfying, as Ephesians 4 teaches. And as Eve painfully realized, sin does great harm.

The second form is that we believe that sin offers a shortcut to getting what we want. Translated, this means that we think we know better than God what is good for us.

Your child’s struggles with sin are tightly connected to these two points. And—as I am sure that many of you are also concluding—so are your own sins. Give this some thought. Think about the biblical narratives and find some examples of the deceptiveness of sin. We will delve more deeply into this topic in the next post. Dan, thanks again!

Olympic Thoughts

Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD."

7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

The Olympics are winding down this weekend. There have been many successes and many disappointments. Michael Phelps grabbed the attention of the world by winning 8 gold medals and setting 7 world records. Usain Bolt was equally impressive, setting three world records by winning the 100 and 200 meter dashes and the 4x100 men’s relay. The U.S. Volleyball teams are playing for gold after a tragic start to the games. But there are heartaches as well. The images of those who lost are as haunting as those of the winners are jubilant. The U.S.4x100 relay team efforts were forever defined by the video footage of a dropped baton rolling aimlessly across the lanes of the track.

Mini-Post: July 4th & Your Children

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. I Timothy 2:1-4

The Fourth of July is a combination many things – cookouts, fireworks, concerts, memorials to fallen heroes and to the birth of a nation. Tonight fireworks and explosions will mark celebrations all across the country. We can and should be thankful for the many blessings that God has bestowed upon the United States for the last 232 years. However, it is more important to remember why our country and indeed all countries exist. Our country exists by the sustaining power of Jesus Christ, to the end that God, his Father, will bring salvation to all those whom he has called. America does not exist for her own heritage, nor does she survive by her own will. America exists  and continues to survive because it pleases God for her to do so. We owe our collective breath as Americans to the purposes and pleasures of God. We will not survive one minute longer or shorter than what God sees as fitting. This may rankle the notions of the politically correct, but it is true nonetheless. (Act 17:24-28; Col. 1:15-20; Romans 13)

In the passage above, Paul shows us how to pray for our nation. We are to pray that our leaders will lead in such a way that we, the people of God, may be about the business of bringing honor to the name of Jesus Christ. Paul sent these words to Timothy while living under the tyrannical and decadent rule of the Caesars. Paul was not telling Timothy to lead a populist revolt against unjust leaders. Instead, Paul urged prayers of thanksgiving and intercession be made for them. Why? Because he wanted God’s people to be about God’s work. God’s work was not about saving the Roman empire, any more than God’s work today is about saving the United States.  Paul was a faithful and good Roman citizen who used that citizenship for God’s purposes, just as American Christians should today. But Paul’s focus was on his heavenly citizenship and adding others to the heavenly nation.America has eerily mimicked aspects of the Roman culture of Timothy’s day. As in the Roman world, spiritualism is on the rise. Sexual perversion has become normal and legal. Preaching the Constitution will not turn aside these pagan tides. Preaching the Gospel will.

On this election year Independence Day, don’t get caught up in the fear that each political party has of the other party’s presidential candidate. Teach your children why America really exists as a nation. In this moment of history, those of us who live in the United States have the mandate to declare the glory and message of Jesus Christ to a fallen and lost world.

 

Perspective – Talking to Your Children about the Midwest Floods

Your path led through the sea,
  your way through the mighty waters,
  though your footprints were not seen. Psalm 77:19

Last month I did a series of posts about the Asian floods and earthquakes and how the news media reported these events. Because these events happened on the other side of the world, they may not have seemed to be of immediate concern. It’s too bad, but life goes on. But now floods have come to the Midwest, the heartland of America. Many readers of this blog live in that area. Here is a quick survey of this morning’s headlines:

Flood Waters Keep Rising

Floods hit food prices

Cities of Sorrow

Another Levee Breaks in Western Illinois, threatening residents and farmland

 

It’s Not Fair – part one

So the last will be first, and the first will be last. Matthew 20:16

In a recent post I identified fairness as a Goliath of humanism. The Goliath metaphor represents an idea or a practice so culturally accepted that it becomes a champion of conventional wisdom, even while standing in opposition to the truth of Scripture. So this metaphor represents concepts that are seemingly unchallengeable. There are several such modern day champions which challenge biblical truth. Humanism is the modern source of these champions, though the issues they represent are as old as sin. In the days ahead we will look at several of these humanist champions, these modern-day Goliaths. Let’s begin with fairness.

Humanism – Today’s Goliath

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. —2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Young David was undeterred by the huge champion Goliath. Unlike his fellow Israelites, he did not compare Goliath’s size and strength with his own. He compared the strength of Goliath with his God. This comparison gave David the courage to fight for the reputation of God.

The world of biblical parenting is full of modern day Goliaths. The 21^st century thinks it has little need of God. Many attempt to redefine Christianity. Oprah Winfrey recently stated that she has come to see her Christian faith as a faith of feeling rather than believing. Experience and feeling are to be trusted; belief and objective truth are to be abandoned.

Raising Davids

Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? I Samuel 17:26

Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." I Samuel 17:36-37

It is possible that after these last few posts some of you may be thinking that I have a problem with the news media. Actually, my purpose is to encourage families to recognize God for who he is and raise their children accordingly. Christians must care deeply about the reputation of God—the glory of God—and how we add or detract from that reputation in our daily lives. (See Ezek. 36:16-36.) On the one hand, God is certainly not in need of our recognition. On the other hand, you and your children were designed by God to live for his glory and bring honor to his name. That is what it means to have a Godward orientation (chapter 3 of Shepherding a Child’s Heart). So my focus is not primarily on the news media, but upon parents giving their children a vision for adding to the reputation of God.

God, Cyclones, Earthquakes and the News

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:16-17

In the latest mini-post I referenced the death and destruction that have occurred in Burma and China in the last few days. As of this date the AP reports that in Myanmar as many as 128,000 have died and over 2 ½ million have been severely impacted by the cyclone which devastated that region on May 3^rd of this year. In China, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck the  central part of that country this past Monday. The death toll is now estimated by the Chinese government to reach as high as 50,000. Fox News reports a Chinese government official as stating that over 4 million homes have been shattered in the region of the quake.

 

Mini-Post - Death & Destruction

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
       and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea...     Psalm 46:2

You have, no doubt, read or heard of the devastation in Burma and now in China. Tens of thousands are dead and many more are homeless. What do you think of these events? Why did they happen?

Your children are asking these questions. God wants you to give answers that will bring honor to him.

If you have questions about these events, please share them with us. The next post will look at what God has to say regarding what he has brought about.

Response to Kyle

Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel
       who alone does marvelous deeds. Psalm 72:18

No offense intended to the author of this blog entry, or for the one who asked the initial question, but, if Christians are so dead set against bullying, harassment, etc., then why do you constantly promote it towards GLBT kids? If you are so dead set against bullying, harassment, etc., against people per se, then why don't you come out against those who are doing the bullying, etc..., instead of joining in? The National Day of Silence is helping to promote peace between people who otherwise couldn't or wouldn't agree on anything. If Christians want respect, then they need to show it first. Thank you, Kyle - 19, Pennsylania

We received an interesting response to the post regarding the National Day of Silence. His comment and question appear above.

Thank you, Kyle, for commenting. First of all, I want to re-emphasize what was said in my post regarding violence and unkind treatment of others.  It is wrong to be hateful, to mock and hurt others, regardless of their sexual persuasions. Such behavior is simply not an option for Christians who represent Christ.