Homosexuality and Christianity. Can these two words go together? This issue is a hot-button topic. As Christians, we are being bombarded as to how we are to receive homosexuality as an acceptable choice for people to make. We are told that we should not speak against it. We are made to feel that if we disagree with this view that we are the ones who are weird and from another world. I have preached a sermon on this topic and shared my views on this subject. I will probably do another one in the near future. For now, I want to offer a great read from Al Mohler in the Wall Street Journal about this topic.
Al Mohler Article in the Wall Street Journal
I would love for you to comment here your thoughts on the article and this subject. Please be respectable in your comments, showing Christlike character, regardless of what side of this issue you land on.
Showing posts with label world events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label world events. Show all posts
Friday, July 1, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Treasuring the Word of God
I watched this video yesterday and it ROCKED MY WORLD. You do not have to watch the entire thing to walk away changed, just watch the first 5 minutes of it. Notice the enthusiasm these people have as they anticipate receiving the Bible in their language. Listen to the prayer the elder man prays around the 3 minute mark as they receive the Bibles. Watch how grown men weep as their people receive God's Word for the first time in their community.
Question: do we treasure the Word of God in this way? In what ways does this make you grateful for having God's Word and how will it move you to engage it more?
Question: do we treasure the Word of God in this way? In what ways does this make you grateful for having God's Word and how will it move you to engage it more?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
The Fallout from Missing Integrity
Integrity still matters a great deal, even in a culture that seems to be saying it does not.
Yesterday the news stations and internet sites (ESPN, CNN) all rushed to report the news of the firing of Jim Tressel, the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. I know not all of you are football fans, or sports fans for that matter, but this was a story that made mainstream news because of the gravity of it. Jim Tressel has been one of college football's most winning coaches in his time at OSU. He has dominated his conference and won a National Championship. The reason for Tressel's resignation/firing was because of his lying to his university and NCAA investigators about his knowledge of recent scandals and infractions involving his players. His players had been violating NCAA rules by selling their memorabilia from games and awards. The OSU players were also receiving illegal benefits from businesses and school donors. Tressel was aware of all of this, and had been for some time, but lied about it. He lied to his athletic director, the school president, and NCAA investigators. For months now the facts have been surfacing and Tressel's reputation has been declining. Yesterday it all came to an end and Tressel resigned. The great run of this coach over, his legacy tarnished.
Rather than getting into the details and facts of NCAA rules and the rights of players to collect benefits for their services, I want to ask a simple questions: what did Tressel's lack of integrity cost him?
We know for a fact that his lack of integrity cost him his job. We know for a fact that his lack of integrity cost him a lot of money. These things are evident. But here is a question for you:
What did Tressel's lack of integrity cost him as a father? grandfather? husband? son? role-model? friend?
The fallout from missing integrity goes far beyond what ESPN, CNN, and others will ever report. Eventually the story will die down, but there is still fallout that will take place. Rather than using these opportunities to tear down people, coaches, athletics, or things like these, we should use these opportunities to evaluate our own lives. We may not operate under the bright lights that Tressel lived under, but integrity is no less important.
If you are a father or mother, husband or wife, your integrity matters a great deal because there are people watching and learning from you. If you are a Christian, integrity matters a great deal, because non-believers look at your life and measure it to your words.
I am challenged by the Jim Tressel story to not overlook what takes place when nobody is looking. These moments in secret will eventually be made public. Our integrity is about making sure that what people see on the outside is true of what is going on inside. Our integrity is about making sure that what is seen in public matches what takes place in private. We must be people of integrity.
Why do you believe integrity is so important? What are the biggest struggles you have as a Christian with integrity?
Yesterday the news stations and internet sites (ESPN, CNN) all rushed to report the news of the firing of Jim Tressel, the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. I know not all of you are football fans, or sports fans for that matter, but this was a story that made mainstream news because of the gravity of it. Jim Tressel has been one of college football's most winning coaches in his time at OSU. He has dominated his conference and won a National Championship. The reason for Tressel's resignation/firing was because of his lying to his university and NCAA investigators about his knowledge of recent scandals and infractions involving his players. His players had been violating NCAA rules by selling their memorabilia from games and awards. The OSU players were also receiving illegal benefits from businesses and school donors. Tressel was aware of all of this, and had been for some time, but lied about it. He lied to his athletic director, the school president, and NCAA investigators. For months now the facts have been surfacing and Tressel's reputation has been declining. Yesterday it all came to an end and Tressel resigned. The great run of this coach over, his legacy tarnished.
Rather than getting into the details and facts of NCAA rules and the rights of players to collect benefits for their services, I want to ask a simple questions: what did Tressel's lack of integrity cost him?
We know for a fact that his lack of integrity cost him his job. We know for a fact that his lack of integrity cost him a lot of money. These things are evident. But here is a question for you:
What did Tressel's lack of integrity cost him as a father? grandfather? husband? son? role-model? friend?
The fallout from missing integrity goes far beyond what ESPN, CNN, and others will ever report. Eventually the story will die down, but there is still fallout that will take place. Rather than using these opportunities to tear down people, coaches, athletics, or things like these, we should use these opportunities to evaluate our own lives. We may not operate under the bright lights that Tressel lived under, but integrity is no less important.
If you are a father or mother, husband or wife, your integrity matters a great deal because there are people watching and learning from you. If you are a Christian, integrity matters a great deal, because non-believers look at your life and measure it to your words.
I am challenged by the Jim Tressel story to not overlook what takes place when nobody is looking. These moments in secret will eventually be made public. Our integrity is about making sure that what people see on the outside is true of what is going on inside. Our integrity is about making sure that what is seen in public matches what takes place in private. We must be people of integrity.
Why do you believe integrity is so important? What are the biggest struggles you have as a Christian with integrity?
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