Category: Religion

I’m a devout Christian but I eschew religion. Being a Christian means having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Having religion is like having indigestion … sooner or later, it goes away.

The End of Silence

Published on by wiseblooding2 Comments

When God speaks, He offers sublime clarity. Through thirty-seven chapters in The Book of Job, readers witness the multi-faceted drama. Initially, there’s a heavenly conversation taking place between Almighty God and Satan.

FROM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake
FROM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake

There’s also an ongoing earthly conversation between the suffering Job and his three comforters. Add to that the upstart monologue of Elihu as he belatedly chips in his two cents. And throughout the book, there’s Job’s handwringing challenge directed at a seemingly silent, unfeeling Creator. With his multiplicity of complaints, Job has thrown down the gauntlet, daring God to respond! Continue reading “The End of Silence” →

Listen To The Roar!

Published on by wiseblooding9 Comments

Does anyone really understand how amazing God is? I know I don’t. It seems to me our human frailty precludes an accurate understanding, because it’s naturally built into us to think God is exactly like us (i.e. fraught with human frailties) … but He’s not!

FROM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake
FROM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake

The historical figures in The Book of Job weren’t so different than 21st century men and women. Job himself understood God in a particular way; he had boxed God into a human-sized container that made sense to him. Looking at Job Chapter 37, we read a continuation (from the previous chapters) of Elihu’s monologue. Elihu eloquently explains aspects of God’s power and majesty while Job remains speechless. Continue reading “Listen To The Roar!” →

The Greatness of God

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When people are suffering the most, that’s often the time they turn to God. At the very least, suffering provokes people to ponder the big questions. No, I’m not referring to the BBC television show, but to common questions like what happens when I die? The historical Job knew suffering firsthand, but he had yet to find satisfactory answers to his questions.

FROM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake
FROM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake

As a bit of review, I’ve progressed to Job Chapter 36 in this weekly study. So far, The Book of Job has provided a bird’s eye view of what’s going on (1) in the celestial arena hidden from human view in the early chapters, (2) what happens to Job and how he responds to horrible suffering, and (3) what Job’s friends think might be the explanation for his suffering. Continue reading “The Greatness of God” →

Supreme Poetaster

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Here’s a word that doesn’t get much use these days: Poetaster. One of the memorable ways to define this word – as well as to remember its pronunciation – is to take the word Poet, marry to it the last two syllables of disaster, and you have Poetaster.poetaster-n-s

A Poetaster is simply “an inferior poet, a writer of indifferent verse.” There’s some latitude in the word I think. A Poetaster might be someone who fancies himself (or herself) a fine poet because of a perceived ability to witness flowery and inane rhetoric flowing from his or her pen. By definition, what flows from a poetaster‘s pen is insipid, even foolish. Hence, my personal mnemonic, explained in the first paragraph. Continue reading “Supreme Poetaster” →

Ultimate Authority

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When we attended church yesterday, one of the first items presented to the attendees was a statement from our elders concerning last week’s Supreme Court decision redefining marriage. This was an important and necessary statement. (I’ve captured an image of the statement below.)FBC-NWA

After the statement was read by an elder, the audience stood up and applauded … loudly and long. As with our family, people who have chosen to attend this church want to be reassured that the church stands firmly on the Word of God – no matter what the uncertainties of the culture. The applause clearly reflected the congregation’s relief that there’d be no wavering from our commitment to Scripture. Continue reading “Ultimate Authority” →

Cheeky Whippersnapper

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Social discourse can be a tricky thing, especially when a young person challenges the veracity of an elder. As a youngster, I was taught to “respect” my elders which meant even if they asserted something I knew to be untrue, the proper (respectful) behavior was to keep my lips sealed and my tongue in check.

FROM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake
FROM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake

Today’s more free-wheeling social interactions allow for a lot more give and take. Young adults can be cheeky and bold, sometimes intimating they know more than they really do. If you’ve ever witnessed a young person challenge a college professor (as I have) only to be verbally sliced and diced by said professor, the experience can be understandably awkward. Continue reading “Cheeky Whippersnapper” →

Jonah’s World

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Heavy-hearted today. Writer Marvin Olasky has posted a sobering article on the World Magazine site titled Blindsided. It’s a post that won’t show up in print until their July 11, 2015 edition. The article was posted early this morning (1 a.m.) prior to the Supreme Court announcement.World-1Olasky shares the heart-wrenching details of a San Francisco church congregation that was established in 1997. City Church began with about 30 people and a pastor whose vision it was to be salt and light in a community that has been compared to the ancient (and evil) city of Nineveh where God sent Jonah, the Old Testament prophet. Continue reading “Jonah’s World” →

Let Job Be Tried

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Gutsy Elihu, a younger man who has listened to Job and the three comforters who sit nearby, in Chapter 34 of The Book of Job continues his outspoken rebuttal of Job’s complaints against the Almighty. At the conclusion of Chapter 33, Elihu challenged Job to respond if he had anything reasonable to say, but Job remained silent so Elihu presses on. He’s not shy.

FROM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake
FROM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake

Elihu demands they – all four of the older men – listen to him. He then begins his rational argument with the example of testing food by touching it to your lips or listening to what someone says before deciding its veracity. He briefly repeats the complaints Job has made and suggests it’s time to test Job’s arguments to see if they hold weight. Continue reading “Let Job Be Tried” →

Mighty To Save

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Everyone needs compassion
A love that’s never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations

The lyrics above are the first stanza to a song written by award-winning lyricist and contemporary Christian vocalist Laura Story. The song is titled Mighty To Save.power-of-forgiveness_tListening today to the statements of family members in South Carolina addressing the young man who murdered their loved ones during a Wednesday evening Bible study, I heard these people express willing forgiveness for the murderer and a steadfast refusal to be consumed with the kind of hate the perpetrator’s deed demonstrated. Continue reading “Mighty To Save” →

Emanuel, God With Us

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To the families of my brothers and sisters who lost their lives in Charleston, SC at a Wednesday night Bible study on June 17, we grieve with you and mourn the incomprehensible loss of your loved ones. May the great mercy of our Heavenly Father bring you comfort and peace.lily-[Converted]