Category: Personal

“If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it (for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow).  – Job 31:16-18. 
Just a few days ago I watch a video that presented in a convincing way the direct correlation between the neglect of fathers in their priestly duties in the home and the loss of children to the church in adulthood.  It was sobering.  Currently 1 in 5 children will remain in church beyond college age. This trend did not exist before we as parents began to hand the raising of our children to Youth Groups, Schools, and Television. My plea, as this is Family Life Month, is to the families – redouble your efforts against the attacks of Satan that would have you believe that there is anything on the face of this earth that is more important than your constant influence on the lives of your children. Those who have no children in your home remember that, in the US, 41% of births today are to an unmarried parent.  You can make a difference in that child’s life if you choose to

Why is it that movies that are no more religious in content than any other family movie on the market are considered faith-based. This is a new Hollywood trend. There was a time when there was a glimmer of hope in the movies that were coming out. Movies like; Fireproof, Blindside, Letters to God, Amish Grace, Amazing Love, etc. But recently Hollywood has taken up this idea that as long as they have christian whispers then they can be called faith based.
Recent examples of this is the movie Man of Steel that had very little Christian basis for the big push for churches to advertise this movie. As well as the most recent example of The Butler. As a Christian community we need to expect more from these types of movies, we should get more out of a faith based movies more than just a Bible on the nightstand or a crucifix over the bed, we need to get more than just hints of Christianity but clear desirable Christian beliefs that are expressed in the script, in the acting, and the portrayals that we see on the screen.
It is not cheap to go to the movies today. Why not use the power that you have in purchasing a ticket and make it speak to what you expect to see in the movie theaters.  Think about it – every time you make a purchase you also give the go-ahead for these Hollywood producers to put out a weak seemingly-Christian movies. So that the next time they are that much more resolved to sell us short. Expect more from your movie.

“Faith Marketing Brings Huge Support From Blacks in $25M Debut for ‘The Butler'” http://feedly.com/k/1avhF9K

Bradley Manning charged with multiple offenses totaling over 90 years in prison, could get parole in 8 years, with good behavior. During his stay his legal team are going to be fighting to have Manning receive hormone replacement therapy, on the taxpayers dime. This does not sound like punishment to me, that does not sound like paying your debt to society. It sounds more like increasing your debt to society.

http://m.christianpost.com/news/bradley-manning-woman-revelation-convicted-army-private-wants-to-be-female-named-chelsea-manning–102806/cpt

God bestows upon all members of His church in every age spiritual gifts which each member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church and of humanity. Given by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who apportions to each member as He wills, the gifts provide all abilities and ministries needed by the church to fulfill its divinely ordained functions… When members employ these spiritual gifts as faithful stewards of God’s varied grace, the church is protected from the destructive influence of false doctrine, grows with a growth that is from God, and is built up in faith and love.  – Excerpt from the Seventh-day Adventist Fundamental Belief #17

“We don’t create great services to make money, we make money to create great services.” – , founder of Facebook.

What if we were to take the same idea and put it to work in the church? The idea to put all the resources (time, talent, treasure) that we have to use in the local church to work in whatever God leads us to do to save souls.  I believe that the results would be world changing. One of the church founders – Ellen White – made it more than a suggestion.  She put it this way…

“Those who barricade the soul, refuse the invitation to the gospel feast; those who hoard up their talents to rust, unemployed, unimproved, must not think that such action in any way relieves them from responsibility; for God holds us responsible for the good we might do if we took up the yoke with Christ, lifting his burdens, learning more of his meekness and lowliness of heart day by day. The interest continues to accumulate on buried talents; and instead of decreasing our responsibility, the burying of our talent only increases and intensifies it. Let the human agent consider the solemn fact that the day of reckoning is just before us, and that we are daily deciding what our eternal destiny shall be.” – Review & Herald April 21, 1896.

Consider this year how you (individually & corporately) are going to use the talents given to you in the service of the Lord, and then do it!