Many of our readers already know that our youngest son is autistic. His talking is delayed and he has a few other habits that are unique to him. For example, when I ask him to do something, he wants to be able to finish what he is currently doing before moving on to the next task. We expect our boys to obey their parents and to obey right away, but we also recognize that autism causes people to look at tasks differently.
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We were recently asked how much we let our son “get away” with because he is autistic. The person was asking because he knew of parents who had children diagnosed with certain conditions and those children were allowed to behave terribly.
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My answer was that sin is never acceptable and that as a parent I had to punish sinful behavior. At the same time, I recognize that because he has autism, there will be situations where immediate obedience will be more difficult for him than it will be for his brothers. With that in mind, we try to give him advanced notice when we tell him to do something so that he has more time to follow through. In other words, we do not want to put him in a place where we are hoping he fails at obeying his parents, but we also want him to understand that obedience is not an option to be ignored.
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Ephesians 6:1 says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” (NASB) Colossians 3:20 states, “Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.” (NASB) But then the next verse says, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.” (NASB)
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As parents, we must enforce standards, but we must also realize that God has shown grace to us and we must show grace to our children. In many ways, God is like a strict parent who will not tolerate any misbehavior. In fact, He is so strict that he tells us in Romans 6:23 that the wages of sin is death. Yet God is so loving, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. That payment only benefits us if we believe on Him as we trust Christ as our savior. Once we have done that, we become children of God, but that does not mean that we can do whatever we want. God is still a strict Father. Hebrews 12:5-11 says,
“and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,“MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.” It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. ” (NASB)
God is loving and merciful, yet He still disciplines us for our sins in order to make us more like Him. That should motivate us as parents to be consistent in disciplining our children when they sin. As long as we do not do it in a way that exasperates them, they will be better off because of the discipline.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Saturday, October 17, 2015
The Powerful 350 V8 Engine
We have a Suburban with the powerful 5.7/350 motor. These motors have a reputation for both power and reliability. I love having that extra power to merge with traffic as I pull onto the interstate. As I step on the throttle, the engine roars and pulls the big SUV forward.
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Our minivan does not have the same potential, so when I utilize that V8 muscle, our boys take notice. Though they are not usually back seat divers, they occasionally scold me for speeding as they hear that “Chevy” roar. I explain is that I am not speeding and am not driving in a reckless manner. It is just that there is such a contrast in power that they take notice.
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God has even more power than the most aggressive big block motor. How often do we act like my little boys and try to hold back His power for fear that something bad will happen if His full force is released? In other words, do we really trust His power.
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Although God may chose to grant our requests as we pray, we do not have the authority nor the power to order Him around. My boys can appeal to the authority of the traffic laws as they speak to me about my driving, but God is the ultimate authority over all matters.
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When Jesus was asked about how to pray, He told His disciples to address God as our Father in heaven and to set apart His name. Then He spoke of God’s kingdom coming and told us to ask that God’s will be done. As we appeal to God in prayer, HIS will should be what we pray for. Let us not forget that He is so powerful that we cannot make Him do anything. In fact, we are reminded how powerful He is as Jesus teaches on prayer in Matthew 6:8 and says at the end of the verse, “for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” Imagine if my Suburban knew when to accelerate before I even touched the pedal and knew when that time would occur before I had even decided what road to drive on.
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God is so powerful He knows what we need before we even ask for it. Still He wants us to ask. In the next chapter of Matthew Jesus says, "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8 NASB).
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So why don’t Christians get whatever they ask for? God is powerful enough to know our needs before we even ask. That means He is also powerful enough to know what is best for us. Perhaps I want a new Suburban, but God knows that it is better that I keep my old one. Consider the very next verse in Matthew 7, “Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?” (Matthew 7:9)
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Further, if I asked for a new Suburban, it would be because I was greedy, not because I wanted God’s will to be done. James clarifies this, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” (James 4:3 NASB) My wife really likes our Suburban. Imagine if she was praying that we keep the old one and I was praying that we get a new one and we both believed our prayers would be answered and both of us were praying that we would only have one Suburban. This is not a problem, because our faith is not more powerful than God’s will. God knows what is best and we can trust whatever He decides.
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Think of it this way, if you ask for something in Jesus’ name and it is not God’s will, it is like forging His name without authority. God is far too powerful for us to always get our way instead of His. Trust His power and His will.
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Our minivan does not have the same potential, so when I utilize that V8 muscle, our boys take notice. Though they are not usually back seat divers, they occasionally scold me for speeding as they hear that “Chevy” roar. I explain is that I am not speeding and am not driving in a reckless manner. It is just that there is such a contrast in power that they take notice.
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God has even more power than the most aggressive big block motor. How often do we act like my little boys and try to hold back His power for fear that something bad will happen if His full force is released? In other words, do we really trust His power.
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Although God may chose to grant our requests as we pray, we do not have the authority nor the power to order Him around. My boys can appeal to the authority of the traffic laws as they speak to me about my driving, but God is the ultimate authority over all matters.
-
When Jesus was asked about how to pray, He told His disciples to address God as our Father in heaven and to set apart His name. Then He spoke of God’s kingdom coming and told us to ask that God’s will be done. As we appeal to God in prayer, HIS will should be what we pray for. Let us not forget that He is so powerful that we cannot make Him do anything. In fact, we are reminded how powerful He is as Jesus teaches on prayer in Matthew 6:8 and says at the end of the verse, “for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” Imagine if my Suburban knew when to accelerate before I even touched the pedal and knew when that time would occur before I had even decided what road to drive on.
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God is so powerful He knows what we need before we even ask for it. Still He wants us to ask. In the next chapter of Matthew Jesus says, "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8 NASB).
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So why don’t Christians get whatever they ask for? God is powerful enough to know our needs before we even ask. That means He is also powerful enough to know what is best for us. Perhaps I want a new Suburban, but God knows that it is better that I keep my old one. Consider the very next verse in Matthew 7, “Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?” (Matthew 7:9)
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Further, if I asked for a new Suburban, it would be because I was greedy, not because I wanted God’s will to be done. James clarifies this, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” (James 4:3 NASB) My wife really likes our Suburban. Imagine if she was praying that we keep the old one and I was praying that we get a new one and we both believed our prayers would be answered and both of us were praying that we would only have one Suburban. This is not a problem, because our faith is not more powerful than God’s will. God knows what is best and we can trust whatever He decides.
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Think of it this way, if you ask for something in Jesus’ name and it is not God’s will, it is like forging His name without authority. God is far too powerful for us to always get our way instead of His. Trust His power and His will.
Friday, October 2, 2015
Why are Shootings Happening?
Aside from casino robberies, we don’t expect to hear about much crime in southeast South Dakota. Yet, a school shooting took place in Harrisburg. Praise God there were no serious injuries. Less than a year earlier Lennox was the scene of a workplace shooting with tragic results.
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The citizens of our communities are right to be concerned. Some think the solution is fewer guns. Others recognize that it is impossible to get rid of all guns and are suggesting that more guns is the solution so that victims can protect themselves.
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The problem is that when we start talking about guns, we end up being distracted from the real issue: SIN. Neither the event in Harrisburg, nor the incident in Lenox would have occurred had it not been for sin the hearts of the shooters.
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The sin problem is actually more widespread than just these shootings. Without sin, there would be no murder or stealing. Further there would no longer be broken marriages caused by adultery. In fact, there would not even be arguments between husbands and wives caused by selfishness. There would be no lying, no cheating, no greed, no parents being dishonored by children. Without sin, people would put God first and not worship anyone or anything else. They would honor His name and not use it as a swear word. They would love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. They would also love their neighbor as themselves.
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We obviously do not live in such a world. Since Adam disobeyed God, all people have continued to sin. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23 NASB). “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--” (Romans 5:12 NASB). Eve disobeyed God before Adam did, but once Adam disobeyed as well, then all humans on the earth at that time were sinners and sin thus passed to all their offspring.
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God knew this would happen. It was serious, because God is holy and sin separates man from God. But God still loved the people He created and He provided a way to deal with sin. Before Jesus died on the cross, people offered animals for their sins, but that offering was only a temporary covering until something final could be done.
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Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death. Romans 5:12 told us that death is the consequence of sin. Because we have all sinned, we all deserve death- not just physical death which is separation of body and spirit, but eternal death which is separation from God for eternity in the lake of fire (see Matthew 25:41 & 46; Revelation 20:15).
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In order to deal with the sin problem, God sent His son to pay for our sins on the cross. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
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Jesus was able to pay for our sins, because He never sinned Himself. Sin did not pass on to Him from His father, because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, not by man. “For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:17-19 NKJV).
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Sin is the problem with our world. Jesus is the solution. Once we believe on Him as our savior, our sins are forgiven. We do not stop all sin at that point, but He does give us power to say no to sin. (see I Corinthians 10:13). Getting rid of guns is not the way to stop sin. Jesus is.
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The citizens of our communities are right to be concerned. Some think the solution is fewer guns. Others recognize that it is impossible to get rid of all guns and are suggesting that more guns is the solution so that victims can protect themselves.
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The problem is that when we start talking about guns, we end up being distracted from the real issue: SIN. Neither the event in Harrisburg, nor the incident in Lenox would have occurred had it not been for sin the hearts of the shooters.
-
The sin problem is actually more widespread than just these shootings. Without sin, there would be no murder or stealing. Further there would no longer be broken marriages caused by adultery. In fact, there would not even be arguments between husbands and wives caused by selfishness. There would be no lying, no cheating, no greed, no parents being dishonored by children. Without sin, people would put God first and not worship anyone or anything else. They would honor His name and not use it as a swear word. They would love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. They would also love their neighbor as themselves.
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We obviously do not live in such a world. Since Adam disobeyed God, all people have continued to sin. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23 NASB). “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--” (Romans 5:12 NASB). Eve disobeyed God before Adam did, but once Adam disobeyed as well, then all humans on the earth at that time were sinners and sin thus passed to all their offspring.
-
God knew this would happen. It was serious, because God is holy and sin separates man from God. But God still loved the people He created and He provided a way to deal with sin. Before Jesus died on the cross, people offered animals for their sins, but that offering was only a temporary covering until something final could be done.
-
Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death. Romans 5:12 told us that death is the consequence of sin. Because we have all sinned, we all deserve death- not just physical death which is separation of body and spirit, but eternal death which is separation from God for eternity in the lake of fire (see Matthew 25:41 & 46; Revelation 20:15).
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In order to deal with the sin problem, God sent His son to pay for our sins on the cross. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
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Jesus was able to pay for our sins, because He never sinned Himself. Sin did not pass on to Him from His father, because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, not by man. “For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:17-19 NKJV).
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Sin is the problem with our world. Jesus is the solution. Once we believe on Him as our savior, our sins are forgiven. We do not stop all sin at that point, but He does give us power to say no to sin. (see I Corinthians 10:13). Getting rid of guns is not the way to stop sin. Jesus is.
Friday, September 18, 2015
The Bible: A Reliable Source
While eating breakfast the other day, my 6 year old said, “I thought it was supposed to rain today.” I asked why he thought that and he told me that he had heard it on the radio. I told him that sometimes the radio is wrong. He looked at me with complete surprise and replied, “really?”
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The innocence if youth is refreshing, but it also reminds us that we should not believe everything we hear. As school starts, many teachers and playground supervisors are going to be drug into conflicts between students. They will have to try to figure out what the truth is as they hear two different stories about what happened. The rest of us face the same challenges as we turn on the radio or the television. Fox news and MSNBC can report and the same story, yet have different “facts” about what actually happened. If you do a quick internet search on the conflicting reporting, you will soon find that there are a number of different versions of what actually happened.
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Of course we know that the weatherman will be wrong sometimes because he is trying to guess about things that have not even happened yet. It would be nice if we could go to a place where reports of events that have already happened and predictions about the future were always accurate.
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There actually is such a place. You can even find it online. All you have to do is type in www.bible,com and hit a link to start reading the word of God. The Bible, whether in electronic or printed version is trustworthy and accurate.
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The reason that the Bible is trustworthy and accurate is not because it had great editors and fact checkers. The Bible is accurate because it came from God. “For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” (II Peter 1:21 NASB) When you watch Fox or MSNBC the reporting is filtered through humans with wills and agendas. The Bible, however came about as God moved men to write what He wanted them to write. He allowed them to use their own writing style, while still ensuring that what they wrote was completely accurate. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;” (II Timothy 3:16 NASB).
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When the Apostle Paul came to a city called Berea, he told them about Jesus Christ. The Old Testament scriptures speak of Jesus in many places. Just a few examples are Micah 5:2, Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 7:14, and Isaiah 53. The Bereans listened to Paul, but they realized that he may not be any more reliable than some biased reporter. Instead of just accepting whatever he said, they went and checked it out with the Bible. “And the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea; and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:10-11 NASB)
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Notice that these Bereans did not just look up a verse or two and then agree with what Paul had said. Instead they examined (the Greek word here actually means scrutinized) the scriptures. We know that the Bible is true and accurate, but just like a biased reporter, many people take it out of context and misuse it. Since the Bible is true, we should study it carefully. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 NASB) Men are often wrong, but God is never wrong and the Bible is God’s word.
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The innocence if youth is refreshing, but it also reminds us that we should not believe everything we hear. As school starts, many teachers and playground supervisors are going to be drug into conflicts between students. They will have to try to figure out what the truth is as they hear two different stories about what happened. The rest of us face the same challenges as we turn on the radio or the television. Fox news and MSNBC can report and the same story, yet have different “facts” about what actually happened. If you do a quick internet search on the conflicting reporting, you will soon find that there are a number of different versions of what actually happened.
-
Of course we know that the weatherman will be wrong sometimes because he is trying to guess about things that have not even happened yet. It would be nice if we could go to a place where reports of events that have already happened and predictions about the future were always accurate.
-
There actually is such a place. You can even find it online. All you have to do is type in www.bible,com and hit a link to start reading the word of God. The Bible, whether in electronic or printed version is trustworthy and accurate.
-
The reason that the Bible is trustworthy and accurate is not because it had great editors and fact checkers. The Bible is accurate because it came from God. “For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” (II Peter 1:21 NASB) When you watch Fox or MSNBC the reporting is filtered through humans with wills and agendas. The Bible, however came about as God moved men to write what He wanted them to write. He allowed them to use their own writing style, while still ensuring that what they wrote was completely accurate. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;” (II Timothy 3:16 NASB).
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When the Apostle Paul came to a city called Berea, he told them about Jesus Christ. The Old Testament scriptures speak of Jesus in many places. Just a few examples are Micah 5:2, Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 7:14, and Isaiah 53. The Bereans listened to Paul, but they realized that he may not be any more reliable than some biased reporter. Instead of just accepting whatever he said, they went and checked it out with the Bible. “And the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea; and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:10-11 NASB)
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Notice that these Bereans did not just look up a verse or two and then agree with what Paul had said. Instead they examined (the Greek word here actually means scrutinized) the scriptures. We know that the Bible is true and accurate, but just like a biased reporter, many people take it out of context and misuse it. Since the Bible is true, we should study it carefully. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 NASB) Men are often wrong, but God is never wrong and the Bible is God’s word.
Friday, September 4, 2015
God With a Capital "G"
Who is Jesus? Is he simply a great prophet sent to help the world, or is he actually God with a capital “G”? Some would suggest that he is the son of God, but not actually God. Others suggest that followers of God are sons of God in the same way that Jesus is. Though true Christians are God’s children, we are not deity (God).
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The deity (Godness) of Christ is an important doctrine to consider. John 1:3 tells us Jesus made all things. Micah 5:2 tells us that he has been going forth from everlasting (existed forever). I Corinthians 10:4 speaks of Christ being with the Israelites during the time of Moses. This was nearly 1500 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Ephesians 3:9, Colossians 1:16, and Hebrews 1:2 all show that Jesus is the creator. Consider Isaiah 44:24, “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself”. This shows that God created all things alone. Jesus is the Son of the Father. Each member of the trinity has a distinct role, yet they are all God. For example the shell of an egg is not the yoke. But the yoke, white and shell are all egg.
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In Revelation 22:8-9, the Apostle John is reprimanded for worshipping an angel who connects himself with the prophets. Jesus Christ, however, did not rebuke people for worshipping him. Remembering that Jesus is the creator, consider Revelation 4:10-11, “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
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Not only do the elders worship Jesus, but they make it clear that he is worthy to receive glory. This is significant considering that God will not share his glory with anyone else. Consider Isaiah 48:11, “For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.” See also Isaiah 42:8 “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” In John 17:22, Jesus speaks of giving glory to his followers, that the Father had given to him. There is, however, a difference between glory given to us by Christ and God sharing his full personal glory as deity.
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Jesus prayed in John 17:5, “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” Hebrews 1:3 speaks of Christ, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”. This is not just glory like Christ shares with us mere humans, but the actual glory of God in heaven. How could the Father share his personal glory with Jesus Christ, if God will not share his glory with another? The answer comes from Jesus’ own statements when he says in John 10:30, “I and my Father are one.” Also consider his response to Philip in John 14:9, “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”
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Jesus Christ is not a separate God from the Father. There is perfect unity between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three are as distinct from each other as a yoke, white, and shell are, yet as unified as a complete egg. All can claim deity- the right to be called God with a capital “G”.
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The deity (Godness) of Christ is an important doctrine to consider. John 1:3 tells us Jesus made all things. Micah 5:2 tells us that he has been going forth from everlasting (existed forever). I Corinthians 10:4 speaks of Christ being with the Israelites during the time of Moses. This was nearly 1500 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Ephesians 3:9, Colossians 1:16, and Hebrews 1:2 all show that Jesus is the creator. Consider Isaiah 44:24, “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself”. This shows that God created all things alone. Jesus is the Son of the Father. Each member of the trinity has a distinct role, yet they are all God. For example the shell of an egg is not the yoke. But the yoke, white and shell are all egg.
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In Revelation 22:8-9, the Apostle John is reprimanded for worshipping an angel who connects himself with the prophets. Jesus Christ, however, did not rebuke people for worshipping him. Remembering that Jesus is the creator, consider Revelation 4:10-11, “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
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Not only do the elders worship Jesus, but they make it clear that he is worthy to receive glory. This is significant considering that God will not share his glory with anyone else. Consider Isaiah 48:11, “For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.” See also Isaiah 42:8 “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” In John 17:22, Jesus speaks of giving glory to his followers, that the Father had given to him. There is, however, a difference between glory given to us by Christ and God sharing his full personal glory as deity.
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Jesus prayed in John 17:5, “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” Hebrews 1:3 speaks of Christ, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”. This is not just glory like Christ shares with us mere humans, but the actual glory of God in heaven. How could the Father share his personal glory with Jesus Christ, if God will not share his glory with another? The answer comes from Jesus’ own statements when he says in John 10:30, “I and my Father are one.” Also consider his response to Philip in John 14:9, “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”
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Jesus Christ is not a separate God from the Father. There is perfect unity between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three are as distinct from each other as a yoke, white, and shell are, yet as unified as a complete egg. All can claim deity- the right to be called God with a capital “G”.
Friday, August 21, 2015
How Peculiar is Autism?
My friend Brian has autism. We are about the same age and I got to know him in my early teens when I bailed straw for his dad. Before meeting Brian, I did not really understand what autism was.
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A few years later the movie “Rainman” was released. Though there were similarities between Dustin Hoffman’s character and my friend Brian, there were also differences. Each autistic person is an individual and they do not all hate K-Mart.
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As we stacked bales I discovered something that is quite common among those with autism. Many, though not all, of those with autism like to follow a standard routine. For example, as we stacked straw, every other bale was mine and the other bales were Brian’s. I decided to help him out and take two bales in a row. I soon realized that if I did that, I had to take 3, because the next one was mine, not his. I also had to learn to stack the straw better. I would sometimes switch which side I started the stack on, but Brian’s dad had taught him to start on a particular side, so that is how we did it.
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My friendship with Brian prepared me to relate to 2 of my nephews. My sister’s sons Josh and Matthew were also diagnosed with autism. Though there are similarities between these three people and even with Rainman, each of them is distinct and may not have the same characteristics as others.
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My nephew Matthew cannot count cards like Rainman, but he has memorized many roads and railroads, by observing Google Earth. His brother Josh passed away this year in a car accident at the age of 18, but before he died he was elected a student ambassador for an online home school group. Rainman did not have the best social skills, and often this is characteristic of autism, yet Josh had such good online social skills that he became a mentor to other non autistic students.
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Recently our youngest son was also diagnosed with autism. He is almost 4 and is not yet talking. Once he gets to know someone, he is quite social and he does not have to stick to a routine, yet he has other autistic characteristics.
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Some people would describe autistic individuals as somewhat peculiar. 1 Peter 2:9 describes God‘s people, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” Hundreds of years ago, peculiar meant something different than it does today. It actually meant a possession of great value. Instead of “peculiar,” the NASB says, “A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION.” The NKJV says, “His own special people.”
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My son has autism and is not yet able to talk. If peculiar means that he is of great value, then I would agree. In fact, people with autism have been of great value to the world. It is believed that Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton may have had autism.
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We are all unique, whether we have autism or not. We are of value to God. In fact He loved the world and the people in it so much that He sent His son. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
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A few years later the movie “Rainman” was released. Though there were similarities between Dustin Hoffman’s character and my friend Brian, there were also differences. Each autistic person is an individual and they do not all hate K-Mart.
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As we stacked bales I discovered something that is quite common among those with autism. Many, though not all, of those with autism like to follow a standard routine. For example, as we stacked straw, every other bale was mine and the other bales were Brian’s. I decided to help him out and take two bales in a row. I soon realized that if I did that, I had to take 3, because the next one was mine, not his. I also had to learn to stack the straw better. I would sometimes switch which side I started the stack on, but Brian’s dad had taught him to start on a particular side, so that is how we did it.
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My friendship with Brian prepared me to relate to 2 of my nephews. My sister’s sons Josh and Matthew were also diagnosed with autism. Though there are similarities between these three people and even with Rainman, each of them is distinct and may not have the same characteristics as others.
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My nephew Matthew cannot count cards like Rainman, but he has memorized many roads and railroads, by observing Google Earth. His brother Josh passed away this year in a car accident at the age of 18, but before he died he was elected a student ambassador for an online home school group. Rainman did not have the best social skills, and often this is characteristic of autism, yet Josh had such good online social skills that he became a mentor to other non autistic students.
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Recently our youngest son was also diagnosed with autism. He is almost 4 and is not yet talking. Once he gets to know someone, he is quite social and he does not have to stick to a routine, yet he has other autistic characteristics.
-
Some people would describe autistic individuals as somewhat peculiar. 1 Peter 2:9 describes God‘s people, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” Hundreds of years ago, peculiar meant something different than it does today. It actually meant a possession of great value. Instead of “peculiar,” the NASB says, “A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION.” The NKJV says, “His own special people.”
-
My son has autism and is not yet able to talk. If peculiar means that he is of great value, then I would agree. In fact, people with autism have been of great value to the world. It is believed that Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton may have had autism.
-
We are all unique, whether we have autism or not. We are of value to God. In fact He loved the world and the people in it so much that He sent His son. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Trusting God in Tragedy
About 150 years ago there lived a wealthy businessman named Horatio Spafford. He had invested in Chicago real estate, and then lost most of it in the infamous Chicago fire of 1871. A few years later, he scheduled a vacation for his family, but had to send them ahead to Europe while he took care of some last minute business, hoping to join them later. The ship that was carrying his wife and daughters sank. His wife survived but his daughters did not.
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Imagine the heartache he must have felt. Within just a couple of years, he had lost wealth and family. Would you be able to trust God if such an event had happened in your life? Horatio Spafford then got on another ship to go and comfort his grieving wife. While on that trip he wrote these words, “When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul.”
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The words were set to music and became the well known hymn, “It is Well With My Soul.” Another verse of the song poetically describes Christ shedding His blood for our sins and that not just part of our sins but all of them were taken care of on the cross. In this song, we hear of a man trusting God in the midst of heartache.
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This spring after two of my nephews were killed in a car accident, our family was sad, but we did not fall apart. Our trust in God sustained us in the midst of our sorrow. My sister and brother-in-law were a great testimony to a trust in our almighty God- so was my mother.
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Mom called me this week and told about a friend of hers who had lost her adult son. This lady was understandably devastated, yet Mom commented on how she seemed to be taking it harder than my sister did when she lost her 8 and 18 year old sons. Mom was not being critical of her friend for her devastation, but was rather showing thankfulness that our family had such a confidence in God that we were able to face a tragedy and still say that it is well with our soul.
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Mom’s phone call reminded me that not everyone- not even every Christian- has such a confidence in God. The book of Job tells about a man who lost his possessions, his family, and his health, yet refused to curse God. Throughout the book, Job and his friends try to figure what God is doing and why. They all speak some truth, but they also say a lot of things that are totally wrong. Finally at the end, God speaks and reminds Job that he was not there when God made the earth. God then goes on to explain so many things that God does, that man does not understand. The point is that God is stronger and wiser than we are, and we should therefore trust Him no matter what.
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As we realize who God is- as we understand both His justice and His mercy- as we understand His chastening and His love- it becomes easy to trust Him no matter what happens. That does not mean we always enjoy the testing that we experience, but it does mean that we trust Him when it comes.
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I cannot help but think of a couple of my Mom’s favorite Bible verses. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
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Trust God and realize that the only way to be right with Him is to have your sin paid for. Then realize that the only one who can pay for your sins is Jesus Christ. Therefore, believe on Him as your Lord and Savior.
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For more information visit www.southtownchurch.com
-
Imagine the heartache he must have felt. Within just a couple of years, he had lost wealth and family. Would you be able to trust God if such an event had happened in your life? Horatio Spafford then got on another ship to go and comfort his grieving wife. While on that trip he wrote these words, “When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul.”
-
The words were set to music and became the well known hymn, “It is Well With My Soul.” Another verse of the song poetically describes Christ shedding His blood for our sins and that not just part of our sins but all of them were taken care of on the cross. In this song, we hear of a man trusting God in the midst of heartache.
-
This spring after two of my nephews were killed in a car accident, our family was sad, but we did not fall apart. Our trust in God sustained us in the midst of our sorrow. My sister and brother-in-law were a great testimony to a trust in our almighty God- so was my mother.
-
Mom called me this week and told about a friend of hers who had lost her adult son. This lady was understandably devastated, yet Mom commented on how she seemed to be taking it harder than my sister did when she lost her 8 and 18 year old sons. Mom was not being critical of her friend for her devastation, but was rather showing thankfulness that our family had such a confidence in God that we were able to face a tragedy and still say that it is well with our soul.
-
Mom’s phone call reminded me that not everyone- not even every Christian- has such a confidence in God. The book of Job tells about a man who lost his possessions, his family, and his health, yet refused to curse God. Throughout the book, Job and his friends try to figure what God is doing and why. They all speak some truth, but they also say a lot of things that are totally wrong. Finally at the end, God speaks and reminds Job that he was not there when God made the earth. God then goes on to explain so many things that God does, that man does not understand. The point is that God is stronger and wiser than we are, and we should therefore trust Him no matter what.
-
As we realize who God is- as we understand both His justice and His mercy- as we understand His chastening and His love- it becomes easy to trust Him no matter what happens. That does not mean we always enjoy the testing that we experience, but it does mean that we trust Him when it comes.
-
I cannot help but think of a couple of my Mom’s favorite Bible verses. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
-
Trust God and realize that the only way to be right with Him is to have your sin paid for. Then realize that the only one who can pay for your sins is Jesus Christ. Therefore, believe on Him as your Lord and Savior.
-
For more information visit www.southtownchurch.com
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