You think you're all that, but you're not!

Ezekiel is a very interesting prophetical book if you take the time to read it. For several chapters God tells Israel & Judah that he will use the surrounding nations to punish them for their unfaithfulness. The surrounding nations couldn't have done it if it wasn't God's plan. Then God turns to those nations & tells them that he will destroy them for what they will do to Israel. The nations will think they destroyed Jerusalem on their own, but God will make it clear that he is Sovereign.

Does this seem unfair that God would use a nation as his sword to punish sin, & then punish that nation for being his sword? Or is he punishing them for taking the credit instead of giving him the glory? Think about this, but be careful that you do not limit God to human standards.

Tolerance

In my studies to become a librarian I was made aware of many secular issues that I was not exposed to before. Without losing my biblical worldview, I think it was beneficial for me to be able to see things from a more worldly perspective. I'll never be able to reach anyone from the world if I do not respect them as people, and that includes respecting their worldviews, even if I do not agree with them--and I must know why I don't agree with them!

The Bible is my authority, not necessarily everything I've always been taught. It is important for me to think about and understand whether what I've always been taught is true, and to be able to defend it if it is true.

I learned a new acronym as I was studying library science: GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender). One argument that comes up between conservatives and liberals regarding these people is whether it is a personal choice or if they are born that way. First of all, Scripture clearly teaches that this lifestyle is unacceptable and sinful (read Romans 1:24-32 and Leviticus 18:22-23).

Coming from a conservative Christian mindset myself, I was always of the understanding that since it is sinful, it must be a choice--no one could be just born that way. However, I believe there is some objective evidence to support that individuals who live the GLBT lifestyle often have something physically different about them.

I would like to propose that the important question is not, "Is this lifestyle a choice ,or does it come naturally?"
Rather, a better question would be, "If a person is born that way, is it a sin?" The truth is, every human is born a sinner, with a sin nature or a bent toward sin. Therefore, just because a person is born with a leaning toward homosexuality does not make it acceptable to live that way. (Click here for several passages on the human sin nature.) Jesus Christ died on the Cross and rose again to pay for all sin, including homosexuality, and if you trust Him alone for your salvation, His Holy Spirit will enable you to overcome any sin.

It is also important to remember that all sin is equal before God, who is Holy. Yes, homosexuality is sin because the Bible says so, but it is not any more or less a sin than heterosexual relations outside of marriage, lusting, or telling a lie. No matter who you are, you are just as bad as everyone else, because all have sinned.

Everyone's in such a hurry!

I have been reading A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court on my lunch break lately. One thing I noticed about the story is that the protagonist is living in the 6th century for years, and doesn't seem to think anything of it. He never gives a thought about returning to his own time, but makes plans as if he expects to live there for the rest of his life, so he might as well make the most of it. In a way this reminds me of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, where Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy remain in Narnia as kings as queens for many years before returning to their own world.

I think in the past people had the mindset that, if you were to have any sort of an adventure, it would have to take a long time. People just don't think that way anymore. For one thing, everyone expects things to happen immediately, and we do everything in our power to make them happen as quickly as possible. Also, if you find yourself in the predicament of being somewhere you did not choose to be, the only thing on your mind is to get back to where you came from (e.g. Back to the Future). What happened to the attitude of : "Well, here you are; you might as well enjoy it"?

"I'm a Good Man, But..."

I'm a Good Man, But... is a devotional published by Regal Books in 1969 and edited by Fritz Ridenour. Each chapter focuses on a different life issue with biblical references from the Living Bible, illustrations from various sources, and open-ended scenarios to give the reader opportunity to think about it. Included in the illustrations are Peanuts comics used by permission.

Even though it is an older work, the content is quite applicable for today. (A reference to IBM cards reminds the reader how old it is.)

I would recommend this book, especially for young adults.

LC 75-96702
SBN 8307-0049-8

Review by David Dunkerton

The Oath by Frank Peretti

The Oath by Frank Peretti is a great story on its own, and it also has an excellent spiritual application. There is a dragon that is real in the story, but which is also a metaphor for the sin nature. The suspenseful writing makes it a thrill to read--quite a few characters do get eaten by the dragon, and that's always fun! The main character is not a Christian throughout most of the book, so he is not initially convicted for his sin, but the story shows the consequences of sin. True, most people who commit adultery are not eaten by a dragon, but remember that the dragon--while it is real in the book--is a metaphor for us.

Steve learns that not everything can be explained scientifically, but that does not make the intangible any less real. I would recommend this book to anyone. It's a great read whether you learn anything from it or not--but you just might learn something!

Review by David Dunkerton

"Weird Al" Yankovic - White & Nerdy

Someone else's perspective

As a Christian, and especially as a summer missionary with Child Evangelism Fellowship, I have always thought a lot about the unsaved person praying to receive Jesus Christ as his/her personal Savior. We usually call it a "profession of faith" because the prayer itself doesn't save you--you must first understand that you are a sinner and the Jesus died to take the punishment for your sin, and that He came alive again. Personally, my mom led me in the "sinner's prayer" when I was almost 5 years old, but I don't actually remember that day. Does that mean I wasn't really saved then or that it wasn't meaningful to me? No! It means most little boys don't remember what happened when they were 4 when they are 10 or older. I know I am saved and going to Heaven because of what Jesus did for me, and I accept it. I know the Holy Spirit is within me because I see how He works in my life.

I have been reading Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist 1 by Michael J. Fox. It is a very interesting read, and I feel that I have much more understanding and respect for stem cell research. Part Three of the book is titled "Faith," and I was very interested in what the actor who played Marty McFly had to say about his personal views. He is a faithful husband and loving father who seems to be generally moral, and he believes in a higher power who is looking out for him, but he apparently never saw the need to accept Jesus as his Savior from sin. Growing up he had a friend named Russ who came from a Christian family. Here is an excerpt from the book:

"He reminded me that during a New Year's party, 1972 into 1973, in our friend Rusty's basement, I had accepted Christ as my personal savior. Myself, I was a little fuzzy on those details. I remembered that I had a deep and spiritual interest in Rusty's rapidly developing big sister Karen, a born-again herself and a major player in the crusade to win eighth-grade souls for Christ. Anyway, it seemed to have had more of on impression on Russ over the years than it did on me."

It made me kind of sad to read that, but everyone has to make a personal decision. Maybe Michael will come around, but being a relatively good person doesn't cut it--salvation comes through Christ alone!

1 Fox, Michael J. Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist. New York: Hyperion, 2009.