I've seen the debates that seem to now be intensifying between those in Christendom who want to back off of the perceived view of "us vs. them", but, I think they're cutting off their nose to spite their face. They want to be reasoned and I can respect that, when it comes to civility, but that is where the argument is turned on its head. This hasn't been an "us vs. them" campaign, it really has been a tongue in cheek, kind of humorous, argument to make, that is anything but a challenge to a homosexuals right to be. I've never heard of any alternative lifestyle person getting the boot from a Chick-fil-A.
There are those who are more militant in their views on both sides of the argument. The case could be made against either side, could it not? There has been, I would say, a plethora of information that inundates us on a daily basis about the gay lifestyle, this coming from an estimated 2% of the population. I'm encouraged to see something done, in the public view, that makes the case for a traditional marriage and if you think that the only way to do this is through respectful dialogue and mutual understanding, then your fighting the wrong argument in this case. To me I see the Enemy stepping on his own toes and making a fool of himself.
But, here is the rub, how do we respectfully disagree in today's society? Can we not say, "show up here on this certain day" and people show up for a specific purpose, could it be softball game, a dance recital, church. Shouldn't the purpose for showing up at any of them be God's glory?
Going to CFA isn't really the issue, it is, what am I doing with any of the homosexual persons in my path? I have two. One of the commentators on a blog post thanked the author for "reigning in" our militant march to CFA, really? Well, Jesus would most likely take a homosexual to CFA and buy them a chicken sandwich. :)
Do I want it to detract from the truth of the Gospel as displayed in Christ? No. I think that is a straw man argument, one that in itself, because it assumes that those who are going to CFA are only going because they're against homosexuals, is fallacious. What if some are going to support Dan Cathy? What if they're going because they want to "do good" to a brother - Gal. 6:10? So, I guess I won't stomp to CFA, but, I'll go, a little earlier than normal, its normally my Thursday night thing. :)
Boasting in the gospel,
Tim
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Psalm 2:4
Can you or I take confidence when God laughs? according to the Word of God the answer is YES! Ps. 37:13 and Ps. 59:8 imply the same thing but you have to know him.
A couple of weeks ago I was watching a baseball game when a very, very loud clap of thunder boomed across the stadium. The catcher and batter immediately ran off the field, in opposite directions, toward their own dugouts. I would have done the same thing, maybe even a little faster! But it did make me laugh out loud, you know, those moments when you laugh at someone else from the safe confines of your home? Even the guy on first base goes down on all fours, it was a classic "panic" moment that elicits laughs and mostly out of nervous reactions, here's the video.
Now, by showing this, I'm not implying that God laughs at all those in the stadium because they're "held in derision" by God. It just makes me wonder what the reaction will be of those who stand on something other than what God doesn't laugh at, namely His Son, Jesus Christ. You know the one who, when asked about heaven, will say, "I'm a good person, I haven't killed anyone, I haven't physically cheated on my wife..." and when asked about God or his Person refer to him as, "the Man upstairs". So, how can someone who I've described above get confidence in a God who might laugh at them one day? you know when the "kings of the earth set themselves...against the Lord and against his Anointed."
Well, I can tell you this, confidence cannot come from earthly confidence in good works or puffing myself up with knowledge. I mean, think about it, one loud CLAP of thunder and grown men are running! But that is nothing compared to having God laugh at you on the day of judgment, its a laughter that will be 10,000x louder than any thunder that you've heard.
You might say, "well I've never set myself - 'against the Lord or his Anointed'", but what have you done with Jesus Christ? There is my confidence, there is my hope and assurance on the day I stand before God, I'll be laughing with Him, not like the guy sitting there laughing because he doesn't get the joke! I desire you to be with me on that day, laughing with Him - do you know him?
The Gospel is this - Jesus Christ came to save sinners who are desperately lost. He died on the cross, an act of grace beyond comparison, to ransom us that we might go from enemy to friend of God. Do you believe that? 1) I'm a sinner beyond any repair that my good works could never make any better, 2) Christ died for my sin and according to the scriptures I'm given grace in place of judgment, and, 3) by confessing with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, repenting of my sin and walking in grace I can have new life and laugh in a new way.
If you truly have repented of your sin and forsaken your sin to walk in a relationship with Jesus Christ, would you reach out to me? Three ways, twitter: @gospeldiet, leave a comment or tlinkletter at gmail dot com.
God bless you and my the Gospel spread throughout the world that all may know a God who is for us in Christ!
Take care,
Tim
A couple of weeks ago I was watching a baseball game when a very, very loud clap of thunder boomed across the stadium. The catcher and batter immediately ran off the field, in opposite directions, toward their own dugouts. I would have done the same thing, maybe even a little faster! But it did make me laugh out loud, you know, those moments when you laugh at someone else from the safe confines of your home? Even the guy on first base goes down on all fours, it was a classic "panic" moment that elicits laughs and mostly out of nervous reactions, here's the video.
Now, by showing this, I'm not implying that God laughs at all those in the stadium because they're "held in derision" by God. It just makes me wonder what the reaction will be of those who stand on something other than what God doesn't laugh at, namely His Son, Jesus Christ. You know the one who, when asked about heaven, will say, "I'm a good person, I haven't killed anyone, I haven't physically cheated on my wife..." and when asked about God or his Person refer to him as, "the Man upstairs". So, how can someone who I've described above get confidence in a God who might laugh at them one day? you know when the "kings of the earth set themselves...against the Lord and against his Anointed."
Well, I can tell you this, confidence cannot come from earthly confidence in good works or puffing myself up with knowledge. I mean, think about it, one loud CLAP of thunder and grown men are running! But that is nothing compared to having God laugh at you on the day of judgment, its a laughter that will be 10,000x louder than any thunder that you've heard.
You might say, "well I've never set myself - 'against the Lord or his Anointed'", but what have you done with Jesus Christ? There is my confidence, there is my hope and assurance on the day I stand before God, I'll be laughing with Him, not like the guy sitting there laughing because he doesn't get the joke! I desire you to be with me on that day, laughing with Him - do you know him?
The Gospel is this - Jesus Christ came to save sinners who are desperately lost. He died on the cross, an act of grace beyond comparison, to ransom us that we might go from enemy to friend of God. Do you believe that? 1) I'm a sinner beyond any repair that my good works could never make any better, 2) Christ died for my sin and according to the scriptures I'm given grace in place of judgment, and, 3) by confessing with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, repenting of my sin and walking in grace I can have new life and laugh in a new way.
If you truly have repented of your sin and forsaken your sin to walk in a relationship with Jesus Christ, would you reach out to me? Three ways, twitter: @gospeldiet, leave a comment or tlinkletter at gmail dot com.
God bless you and my the Gospel spread throughout the world that all may know a God who is for us in Christ!
Take care,
Tim
Monday, July 23, 2012
Psalm 1:3
Reading through the Psalms - don't you love the Psalms? BTW, love the devotional by Sam Storms, Psalms, it is encouraging and I think nails a lot of the themes and nuances perfectly.
So, I was meditating on Psalm 1:3 and the particular phrase, "in its season", what do you think of when you hear that phrase? For me my thoughts went to eating fruit that was "out of season", you know what I mean? You take a big bite, hoping for the best and all it does is crumble in your mouth and it takes 1,000 chews to get it down unless you just give up and wash your mouth out with water. Of course what do you do with the rest of it, toss it! Why? Because it isn't worth eating, there isn't satisfaction or sweetness when you bite into it, it's disgusting.
What do you think of when it is fruit that is "in season"? has your mouth started to water? Juices flowing, it is as if you're biting into sweet that you never thought possible.
Where are you in your "season"? I know that normally I want to be "in season" always but the Psalmists expresses the agricultural norm that we aren't used to waiting for, tree, by water, will eventually yield its fruit. Think of Jesus going to up to the fig tree with the disciples in Matt. 21:18-22, why did he curse it? It didn't have its fruit that it should have - now, that is another story in itself that we can learn from but is beyond the scope of this post. So we know that we should have fruit, in season, because that is how it should be, it is how God made the trees - that bear fruit and it is how God made our lives under His covenant.
But the Psalmist seems to insinuate at least that there is a process of maturing that brings the fruit that will come for God's covenant people. So, there is a season but you say, "I cannot accept this season" but it seems that is the very contrast that he is drawing out - enter the "Wicked". The wicked desire their fruit now and demand the desire for their designs outside of God's covenant, well what does that look like? he mentions "chaff" which, according to my ESV study notes, is the "husks and straw removed before threshing and is lighter than the edible kernels..." Maturity carries more weight, takes longer and produces the fruit that is intended - immaturity is light, desires instant fruit and produces "chaff".
Which fruit does yours look like? What about the promotion that Bryan got that might have been deserved but you desired that position? Or what about that family at church that just shared about getting their needs met but you still are in need? I'm not saying that, true mature fruit is going to celebrate because one day I'm gonna "get mine". What if the water you're planted by and the season that you're in requires of you a celebration of God's work in anothers life? When we can bite into that fruit and taste the sweetness of God's grace in someone elses fruitfulness, our maturing is coming "in season". Do you get me?
I've been at my job now for 6 years, I've doubled the time that I've been at any other place. Its a long season and over and over I've found myself at the tree and testing the fruit - "is it ready?" I say to myself. How do you know when it ripens? What "season" are you in? Should you be out there making strides or are you trying to make strides but God is just not allowing it. Have you thought that "more ripening" needs to happen? What do you say? Am I completely off on this?
Tim
So, I was meditating on Psalm 1:3 and the particular phrase, "in its season", what do you think of when you hear that phrase? For me my thoughts went to eating fruit that was "out of season", you know what I mean? You take a big bite, hoping for the best and all it does is crumble in your mouth and it takes 1,000 chews to get it down unless you just give up and wash your mouth out with water. Of course what do you do with the rest of it, toss it! Why? Because it isn't worth eating, there isn't satisfaction or sweetness when you bite into it, it's disgusting.
What do you think of when it is fruit that is "in season"? has your mouth started to water? Juices flowing, it is as if you're biting into sweet that you never thought possible.
Where are you in your "season"? I know that normally I want to be "in season" always but the Psalmists expresses the agricultural norm that we aren't used to waiting for, tree, by water, will eventually yield its fruit. Think of Jesus going to up to the fig tree with the disciples in Matt. 21:18-22, why did he curse it? It didn't have its fruit that it should have - now, that is another story in itself that we can learn from but is beyond the scope of this post. So we know that we should have fruit, in season, because that is how it should be, it is how God made the trees - that bear fruit and it is how God made our lives under His covenant.
But the Psalmist seems to insinuate at least that there is a process of maturing that brings the fruit that will come for God's covenant people. So, there is a season but you say, "I cannot accept this season" but it seems that is the very contrast that he is drawing out - enter the "Wicked". The wicked desire their fruit now and demand the desire for their designs outside of God's covenant, well what does that look like? he mentions "chaff" which, according to my ESV study notes, is the "husks and straw removed before threshing and is lighter than the edible kernels..." Maturity carries more weight, takes longer and produces the fruit that is intended - immaturity is light, desires instant fruit and produces "chaff".
Which fruit does yours look like? What about the promotion that Bryan got that might have been deserved but you desired that position? Or what about that family at church that just shared about getting their needs met but you still are in need? I'm not saying that, true mature fruit is going to celebrate because one day I'm gonna "get mine". What if the water you're planted by and the season that you're in requires of you a celebration of God's work in anothers life? When we can bite into that fruit and taste the sweetness of God's grace in someone elses fruitfulness, our maturing is coming "in season". Do you get me?
I've been at my job now for 6 years, I've doubled the time that I've been at any other place. Its a long season and over and over I've found myself at the tree and testing the fruit - "is it ready?" I say to myself. How do you know when it ripens? What "season" are you in? Should you be out there making strides or are you trying to make strides but God is just not allowing it. Have you thought that "more ripening" needs to happen? What do you say? Am I completely off on this?
Tim
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