Humility and Knowing Truth

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                               

"The most important component of . . . critical thinking that is lacking in our society today is humility.  It is a simple yet profound notion: if we realize we don't know everything, we can learn.  If we think we know everything, learning is impossible.  Somehow, our educational system and our reliance on the Internet has led to a generation of kids who don't know what they don't know.  If we can accept that truth, we can educate the American mind, restore civility, and disarm the plethora of weaponized lies threatening our world.  It is the only way democracy can prosper."  (my emphasis)

                                       --  Weaponized Lies: How to Think Critically in the Post-Truth Era,
                                                                        by Daniel J. Levitin (2016), pp. xviii-xix

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Yemen

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

The continuing war in Yemen (mostly, but not entirely, between the Saudi-backed president-in-exile and Houthi rebels linked to al-Qaida) has resulted in "...a humanitarian crisis with an estimated 18 million of the country's 27 million people in need of some sort of assistance. The country faces chronic water shortages, and people in the worst affected areas can spend hours a day waiting in line for water. The economy, the health care system, the education system have all broken down."  --  http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/03/03/518146483/u-s-ramps-up-its-fight-against-al-qaida-in-yemen

The U.N. recently named Yemen the world's worst humanitarian disaster: which is saying a lot, from what we all know is happening to the people of Syria and South Sudan.

The U.S. has responded to Yemen's crisis with increased bombing. 

Donald Trump also met with a Saudi prince this week to announce he will resume weapons-shipments to Saudi Arabia.  The Obama administration had suspended shipments, concerned at increased Yemeni civilian casualties from Saudis' use of American technology.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Congressman Hypocrisy

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Roger Marshall is the U.S. Representative for Kansas' "Big First" District: basically, the 3/4 of the state west of Topeka.  Last year he upset the incumbent Tea Party Congressman in that district, who was a hard-core obstructionist in Congress, hated even by his party's leadership. Marshall is a doctor: and recently proclaimed he is against any healthcare bill:

 

“Just like Jesus said, ‘The poor will always be with us.' There is a group of people that just don’t want health care and aren’t going to take care of themselves.”
 

Here's Jesus' sentence that Marshall partially quoted: 

"For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me."  (Mark 14:7, my emphasis)

 Here's what Jesus was quoting:

"There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land."  (Deut. 15:11)

Even for the political faction that deceives voters (and possibly itself) with its claims to be "Christian," Representative Roger Marshall stands out for blatant hypocrisy.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Repent

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

The one word God has put in my heart, that I'd like to proclaim to everyone who claims to be a Christian:

 If your politics teaches you to follow lies and love unrighteousness, your politics are evil.

You need to repent of your politics.


                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Woebetudes

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

We love the Beatitudes of Matthew 5.  They teach a reality that is upside-down, but positive.  We can all put ourselves in the place of the poor in spirit and those who mourn, and be encouraged by Jesus' promise of blessing.

We seldom consider the parallel version of Jesus' words in Luke 6, which include what someone has called the "Woebetudes:"

"But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way."  (Luke 6:24-6)

Maybe, if we examine ourselves honestly, we can also put ourselves in the place of the comfortable and the reputable, and be fearful of Jesus' words.

There's no escaping the fact that Jesus' gospel was bad news for some; for those who grow rich by impoverishing others, or profit from others' bondage.  Bad news, perhaps, for people such as we may be.

Jesus wasn't killed for the good news He brought to men . . .
 

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
 

Pray...and Don't Pray

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”            I Timothy 2:1-2

Did God mean the Christians who received this letter should pray for Nero, their evil ruler ?  Yes.

Did He intend that Russian Christians pray for Josef Stalin ?  Yes.

That German Christians should pray for Adolf Hitler ?  Yes.

Did God intend that Christians pray for the success of those rulers’ evil deeds ?  Of course not.

We should obey God, and pray for our current president.

But it is an offense to God, as some teach, that Christians should pray that God reverse His Own moral Law, and make the lies and unrighteousness of our current president "succeed."

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Blessing

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

A few years ago I was praying, and asking God to bless various people who were sick, or lost their jobs, bless our church activities, etc.

God said, "You're praying all wrong."

So I waited to hear what He was going to say.

He said, "You pray for blessings like they were a pile of poker-chips I push across the table to people."

When I considered what He'd said, I had to admit, yes, that really was how I was thinking of blessings.

"No." He said.  "Blessing is My Presence."

That's been my definition ever since of what "blessing" is.

Blessing to all who read here.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Sin is Stupidity, and Stupidity Sin

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Sin is absolute stupidity.  And stupidity is absolutely sin. 

There's all kinds of ways to work that through: but here's a biggie.

Doing self-destructive things is laughable...and fatally stupid.  We're all familiar with the Darwin Awards.

Sin is self-destructive.  Going against God's commands is ASSURED self-destruction.  That's real stupid.

But wisdom keeps us from being stupid.  And God offers WISDOM to anyone who asks Him in faith (James 1:5-6).

Maybe some haven't heard His promise, and don't know to ask.

But the profoundly stupid are those who know God's promise, and choose instead to "turn to his own way" (Isaiah 53:6)

God says that choice is sin.  God says that choice assures self-destruction.  That choice is stupid.

The good news is that although we've all been stupid ("all have sinned..."), we don't have to stay stupid.  God offers us the chance to change our minds: the Bible's word for that is "repent."

That starts by admitting you were stupid, and asking God for His wisdom to keep you from continuing in stupidity.

Father, open the eyes of CHRISTIANS in this country to repent this destructive political foolishness.  Father, please forgive us for so sorely OFFENDING you all these years.  God, Father, forgive us !!

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Now Recruiting

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
  

Everybody wants to believe they're on "God's side."

But quoting Bible verses on facebook is no proof. The way we know if we're on "God's side" is if we love Him.

The way we know we love God is if we OBEY Him.

God commands us to love mercy and peace. He commands us to hate lies and unrighteousness.

Recruiters for "God's side" and the "other side" are standing by right now on facebook.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Capitalism, Really ?

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

I'm amazed how many of my Christian facebook "friends" post stuff about how righteous capitalism is.  Usually that alleged righteousness is by comparison with some very evil economic theory . . . usually socialism.

It's true Jesus had plenty to say about righteous economic relations.  But it seems questionable that any human economic theories really embody what He taught.

Capitalism certainly doesn't.  Capitalism is a materialistic philosophy.

Should Christians champion materialism ?