Everyone Needs Jesus

"Jesus came and told His disciples, 'I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age'" (Matthew 28:18-20, NLT).

Achieving Low Self-Esteem

This is a story from The Reason for God by Tim Keller (pages 167-168):

"Andrew Delbanco is a humanities professor at Columbia University. Some years ago he was doing research on Alcoholics Anonymous and was attending AA meetings around the country. One Saturday morning in a New York City church basement he was listening to a 'crisply dressed young man' who was talking about his problems. In his narrative he was absolutely faultless. All his mistakes were due to the injustice and betrayals of others. He spoke of how he was going to avenge himself on all who had wronged him. 'His every gesture gave the impression of grievously wounded pride,' Delbanco wrote. It was clear that the young man was trapped in his need to justify himself, and that things could only get worse and worse in his life until he recognized this. While he was speaking, a black man in his forties, in dreadlocks and dark shades, leaned over to Delbanco and said, 'I used to feel that way too, before I achieved low self-esteem.'

"...By 'low self-esteem' the man in the dreadlocks did not mean the young man should come to hate himself. He meant that the well-dressed young man was 'lost in himself' until he could admit he was a very flawed human being, a sinner. He would never be liberated to see his own flaws in their true light, or forgive those who had wronged him, or to humbly seek and receive forgiveness from others."

Something Special in Memphis

I witnessed something special while on vacation in Memphis, Tennessee, this week.

The National Civil Rights Museum had nothing to do with it. The musicians of Beale Street were not involved. Neither the panda bears nor the Komodo dragons at the Memphis Zoo had anything to do with it.

Instead, it involved a small family eating lunch together at the Incredible Pizza Company.

When I first caught a glimpse of the husband, he didn't appear to be anything special. He looked a little overweight and unkempt as he picked up a tray and a couple of plates to fill with pizza. Nobody special, I assumed.

However, he began to seem quite a bit more special as he approached the table where his wife and young son were sitting. They were waiting patiently as the husband and father brought their meals to them.

As the man left the table in order to get his own pizza, I noticed his wife for the first time. She looked like a normal young woman in her twenties, but something about the manner in which her head jerked and her hands trembled indicated a problem with her motor skills. Upon a closer look, I realized that she was sitting in a wheelchair.

Had the young woman experienced a stroke or suffered a severe brain injury during an accident in the couple of years since her son's birth? I didn't know. But I knew that I had just witnessed something special: a man who was serious about loving his wife and providing his son with a good example.

This man had not merely remained with his wife following her debilitating injury. He had not merely met her basic physical needs. This man went out of his way to serve his wife.

He made sure that his wife would be present for both the meal and the games that their son would play afterwards in the restaurant's arcade. She would not be able to fully participate, but her husband made certain that she would at least be there.

It was simple, but thoughtful. It was something special in Memphis.

"Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman..." (1 Peter 3:7).

Favorite Posts

I've added a new feature to my blog: Favorite Posts. You may find it on the right side of this blog. It's a short collection of some of my favorite (but not necessarily most popular) posts. You will find a variety of topics from my personal experiences to issues with which I have wrestled over the years.

Denominational Loyalty

I've been thinking about denominational loyalty lately.

A few weeks ago, I was talking to one of my customers on my mail route. She was excited about her daughter's upcoming wedding. As my customer discussed her daughter's plans, she mentioned one regret. The daughter was marrying a young man from a different denomination, and the daughter had followed her future husband in joining his denomination. My customer sighed, "I don't know what is with kids these days. I would have never left the church of my parents. It would have broken their hearts. I wish they would stay with my church, but at least they are a great Christian couple."

This conversation prompted me to think about my son and his future choices. Would he someday leave the network of churches in which he has been raised?

As I thought more about it, I wondered about myself. Would I someday leave the churches (the Churches of Christ) with which I have been affiliated for decades?

I had to admit to myself that it was a legitimate possibility. I have seen trends among some of the leading preachers which concern me. Some of the most popular speakers among us have been teaching that the Bible cannot be fully trusted because of errors within it. Some have been teaching that a sinner does not necessarily need to place his faith in Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Some have been teaching that God is not truly all-knowing since he cannot know the future.

In contrast, I believe in the doctrine of biblical inerrancy, the necessity of faith in Christ, and the omniscience of God. We are on different trajectories. Eventually, if the popular trends in teaching become the normative doctrine among my fellowship, I may not be able to stay. It would not be because I would want to go, but it would be because denominational loyalty (for lack of a better term) would be of lesser value to me than the desire to cooperate with other believers who hold to the central truths of the Scriptures and to the Savior revealed within those Scriptures.

I hope it never comes to that scenario, but I need to admit to myself that the possibility certainly exists. If it becomes necessary to choose, I hope that my family and I would make a conscientious choice to remain loyal to Christ despite the pain involved in the decision.

"But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1).

Over-Interpreting the Bible

Justin Taylor has posted a good parody of over-interpreting the Bible at the link below.

A Parody of Over-Interpreting the Bible

Conservative, Liberal or Christian?

Evangelical Christian author Randy Alcorn says,

"I get tired of being told I have to choose between conservatism’s emphasis on truth and liberalism’s emphasis on compassion. Why can’t we oppose injustice to minorities and to the unborn? Why can’t we embrace biblical stewardship of creation and the primacy of human beings over the rest of creation? Why can’t we oppose the greedy destruction of the environment by some businesses and the anti-industry excesses of New Age environmentalism?

"Why can’t we affirm the biblical right to the ownership of property (along with the command “thou shalt not steal”) and emphasize God’s call to his people to voluntarily and sacrificially share their wealth with the truly needy?

"Why can’t we uphold the truth of God’s condemnation of sexual immorality—including homosexual practices—and reach out in love and compassion to those imprisoned in this degrading lifestyle, as well as those dying from AIDS?"

Please read his thoughtful article on this topic at the link below:

Conservative, Liberal or Christian? - Resources - Eternal Perspective Ministries