How do you develop a healthy, balanced life style and manage the stressors of life well? Let’s look at three different aspects of your life: emotions, relationships, and spirituality. First of all, let’s examine each aspect of your life as a wheel with a hub and spokes. The Emotional Wheel: The Emotional Hub = Trust in your God-given mind and emotions. God created us with the ability to think and feel. When we’re more in touch with ourselves, we can see the “red light” going off on the dashboard that says things like, “Danger, get out of this relationship,” or “Draw a boundary here.” Vertical Spokes = Stimulation and Quiet… When you think about stimulation, think about how busy you are and try to judge your level of peace like Goldilocks, when she described the porridge, if it’s “too hot,” “too cold,” or “just right.” And when you think about quiet, think about times to relax and to be silent. “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm. 46:10. Horizontal Spokes = Learning and Work… Learning =mental activity to help to protect you from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Engage in activities such as reading, education, classes in a church, crossword puzzles, reading or Sudoku. Work = proper amount of work and also satisfaction… If you are working over 50 hours per week, generally that’s where you see a slow decline of health. If you’re retired, you need a hobby, volunteer work, and social activity.] The Relational Wheel: The Relational Hub = Trust in People and Relationships… Don’t be like the gun-shy fellow that defined a friend in the following manner: “A friend is just an enemy you haven’t upset yet.” Vertical Spokes = Parents, Children, and Spouse. Regarding parents: We need connection + flexibility. The same principle applies to foster parents, adoptive parents, or grandparents. Regarding marriage… Rate your marital satisfaction from 1 to 4… And if you’re cohabiting with someone – not married – from a health standpoint, you generally can’t go higher than a 2, as research shows that the health benefits for married couples aren’t the same for those who live together. Horizontal Spokes = Extended Family, Friends, and Support Groups… Utilize the same criteria of connection and flexibility. Friends : People who don’t have others to confide in and who feel that no one cares for them are 3-5 times as likely to suffer premature death or disease. And by the same token, having friends who are harmful or negative is just as unhealthy as having no friends. The Spiritual Wheel: Hub = Trust in God Vertical Spokes = Prayer and Meditation are essential. Talking to God at a set time… or even throughout the day is indispensable to a balanced spiritual life. Meditation involves listening to God, which includes meditating on God’s Word. Horizontal Spokes = Fellowship in a Faith Community and Faith Sharing Faith community includes friends in from church, or fellowship groups. They can provide accountability, encouragement and a fresh perspective. “There’s no neutral place inside of us to go.” Going it alone in our faith is usually a formula for stagnation and decline. Faith sharing implies it is important to have relationships outside of our faith community, and to share our faith either through our example, our testimony, or both – as God leads. “A drop in, a drop out.” Now, connect the dots with curved lines and see how round your wheels look. “It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all extremes (or will practice them both).” Ecclesiastes 7:18

We have established that there are abundant references to instrumental music in the Old Testament, specifically in the Psalms and under the Davidic tradition of worship, but what about the New Testament? Some denominations claim that there are no references to worship with instruments in the New Testament, and since we are under the New Covenant, we should not use instruments in Christian worship, but is this really true? Let’s look closer, by examining two familiar New Testament worship passages, which are pillar three in the Biblical foundations of instrumental music in worship. “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;” (Ephesians 5:19) “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16) Notice that both of these passages encourage the use of psalms in worship, and what have we learned in pillar one about the use of the Psalms? Many of them are associated with the use of musical instruments, either through the psalm headings or direct references in the text. The most notable one is Psalm 150, with its reference to all four families of instruments. Through this link to the Psalms, we see that both these passages contain an implied reference to the use of instruments in worship. As we look a little closer at the latter half of Ephesians 5:19, we discover an even more direct reference to using instruments in worship. The apostle Paul, who wrote both Ephesians and Colossians, says that we should sing and “make melody” with our heart to the Lord. The Greek word, translated “make melody” in the NASB, is psallo. The original meaning of this word is “to pluck the strings of an instrument.” In fact, one of the most respected commentators on the book of Ephesians, Markus Barth, translates this verse, “Talk to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and play to the Lord from your heart.” This is more than just an implied reference to instrumental music; it almost sounds like a direct command to praise God with instruments! Finally, let us examine the context of the verse in Colossians, by looking at the verse that follows it, Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” Whatever you do, including playing an instrument, can and should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, with a thankful heart.

Dear Roger, Does the phrase, “Amen”, said at the end of a prayer, relate at all to the Israelite’s captivity in Egypt and the Egyptian god Amen as in the Amenhoteps? Sincerely, Amanda Dear Amanda, My initial response is that, no, the words sound alike by chance and are certainly not related. After all, the Egyptian, Hebrew and Greek languages are from three different language trees-so, no connection. However, upon further review, I believe that there is a connection in the meaning of the words. The Egyptian god you mentioned was named “Amun.” In the pantheon of Egyptian gods, Amun was tops! All of the other gods were viewed as extensions of Amun. He eventually evolved, during the short reign of a dynasty of kings known as the Amenhoteps (which you mentioned) into being the one and only god. This is monotheism–one god–as opposed to polytheism-many gods. According to the Egyptian theology of the time, amun was self-created and was worshipped as a transcendent deity. When the line of the Amenhoteps died out, the Egyptionas returned quickly to their polytheistic pantheon. While it is impossible to pinpoint the exact time of the 400-year Israelite slavery sojourn in Egypt, some think that the Amenhoteps were ruling for at least a portion of that time. (Remember, “There arose a pharaoh who knew not Joseph.”) Hence, there may well be a monotheistic connection in both Israeli and Egyptian theology. The above is significant because during their years of slavery, the Israelites lived side-by-side with the Egyptians. The Egyptians, Hebrews and Greeks all had a word for “contentment”. The word for “contentment” is “amum” in Egyptian, “sea’pook” in Hebrew and “autarkeia” in Greek. What gets interesting is when we compare the Egyptian word “amun” with the Greek word, “amen” (which is the word we often use to conclude our prayers). While the Egyptian word, “amun” means “contentment,” the Greek word, “amen,” means “truly”, “surely”, or “let it be.” When you ponder this thought, when we conclude our prayers with the word “amen,” we are affirming our faith in the God to Whom we are praying. In essence, we are content that our prayers will surely be heard and answered by God. Few things speak more to contentment than the words, “let it be.” Without sounding trite, one of the most influential Beatles songs was entitled “Let it Be.” This song had a powerful impact that calmed down an entire generation of rebellious young people in the late 1960’s and 1970’s. The Beatles sand “Let it Be” and all was quiet–for awhile! Thank you Amanda, for such a penetrating question. I hope my answer is helpful to you. Ask me another soon. Love, Roger

There’s an important page in your Bible that, if you are like most people, goes completely unread. Chances are, you are like most Christians who rip past this page without a moment’s thought. In fact, in this page of the Bible might be described by some as the most irrelevant, unnecessary, useless page between its soft leather covers. Virtually no one earmarks it, thumbnails it, highlights it, or contemplates what it represents in God’s grand scheme. Yet I’ve found this page to be one of the most important reminders to me that God in His sovereignty is always at work, performing His Will in the world and in my life. Before I tell you where to find this page in your Bible, allow me to share a story. Bob was an up and coming political star, somewhat controversial, but completely dedicated to his mission. He passionately wanted to represent righteousness in the political system but often found himself frustrated. We were on the phone one day, discussing his latest machinations with his political party and race for power when he pulled a big question out of his hat that was probably the most important question he’d ever asked me. “Tom, why don’t I hear God speak?” “What do you mean, Bob?” I asked. “When I go to church I hear about God speaking to so-and-so, or impressing someone with something. It’s like it’s normal for God to speak to someone. But to be honest, I’ve never heard God speak to me. I want him to speak to me. But he doesn’t and I don’t know why.” Very quickly I silently prayed for wisdom then decided to answer Bob’s question with a question of my own. “How much time to you spend reading the scriptures?” Bob hesitated for a moment. It was the kind of hesitation that was an answer in itself. “Uh, well, things are so busy I haven’t really had a lot of time to read the Bible. There’s just so much to do.” “Bob,” I said, “If you’re not listening to what God has already said in His Word, why would He have anything else to say to you?” There was a long moment of silence on the other end followed by, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Since that conversation so many years ago Bob poured himself into God’s Word, making himself a student of its precious pages. The more he paid attention to what God said, the more God had to say to him. There are times in our lives when God is virtually silent. In my experience, God is usually silent for two reasons. First, God is silent because we aren’t giving attention to His Word. We often fill our time with daily tasks, entertainment, and socializing, but we relegate God’s Word to a corner bookshelf. This is nothing less than a form of idolatry. Like God’s rebuke of Jerusalem in Jeremiah 6:10 we “cannot listen,” because when it comes to the scriptures we “take no pleasure in it.” When we keep God on the bookshelf rather than at the table we find that even what we may already know from the scriptures can illude us. To my friend Bob, God seemed far away. But once he began to apply himself to the scriptures, things changed. Not only did he become a student of the Bible, God began giving him influence with his party and peers that he had never before enjoyed. The second reason for God’s silence comes when God is at work. There are times when we are listening to the Lord, keeping Christ at the table instead of the bookshelf, and yet it seems that God is not speaking to us. The heavens seem shut and God is silent. We wonder if we’ve done something wrong, if God has rejected us, or if there is unconfessed sin in our lives. Israel faced a time like this when God was silent. It was a period of 400 years represented by that single empty page in your Bible between the Old and New Testaments. During this silent period of Israeli history no prophet walked the land. But remarkable things happened that prepared the way for Christ. The Roman Empire was being built. Instead of abandoning God for idolatry once again, responded by deepening its religious commitment. A group of dedicated Jews formed the Pharisaical order, dedicating themselves to God’s law (the Pharisees didn’t start out as bad guys). Israel finally abandoned the idol worship that had plagued them from Moses to the Exile. The temple of God was being restored. And the family line of David quietly lived their lives, passing on their dedication to God until it finally reach a young virgin willing to carry the Christ. God was silent during that 400 year period, but he was at work, laying the foundations of kingdoms and roads that would carry Christ to the ends of the earth. He would finally speak again through his Son. So why is God silent with you? Is it because your ears are tuned elsewhere or because He is quietly at work, preparing you and those around you for the next horizon where He will take you? When you spend time giving attention to God’s written Word, take a little extra time with that empty page between the Testaments. Contemplate the history it represents and what God was doing to prepare the world for the coming of Jesus. Let God’s silence speak to you.

I was thinking recently about an article I wrote about Buddhism and morality nearly two years ago. In that article, Void or Victory: The Higher Nature of Christianity Over Buddhism, I quoted the Encyclopedia of Cults and New Religions as saying, “In Christianity absolute morality is the central theme, in Buddhism absolute morality is nonexistent.” Today I ran across a quote from theologian John M. Frame that provided me with insight into why philosophies like Buddhism cannot offer anything concrete like moral standards that reflect things which are always right or always wrong. In an article for Free Inquiry magazine, Frame wrote, “An absolute standard, one without exception, one that binds everybody, must be based on loyalty to a person great enough to deserve such respect. Only God meets that description” (Emphasis mine).[1] How true this is. Moral values can only find their expression in terms of relationship to others, and specifically, relationship to God. Buddhism cannot offer concrete absolutes because it is a system which denies the existence of God, the Lawgiver. Thus its system of morals, if it can be called that, cannot be absolute. Buddhism’s system of morals can be notoriously flexible. Remove any sense of offense and the sin does not exist. This is especially true about Buddhism since it is a system that also encourages detachment. Think about the moral imperatives you learned through life. What moral imperative is there that isn’t predicated upon relationships? Use the Ten Commandments as an example. Stealing, adultery, lying, even coveting are all expressed through relationship. Someone else is always hurt by these actions. The first four commandments are expressions of sin in relationship to God. Even the commandment, “You shall remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy,” is an expression of relationship to God. When we violate a moral imperative we offend God even if we do not offend our peers. God himself is the final expression of all that is right and true. Imagine for a moment that we commit a sin against someone but they are not offended or do not feel hurt. Say you stole something from someone but it was something they really didn’t care that much about. They let it go. Or you hide covetousness in your heart against your neighbor, but they don’t know about it so they receive no hurt. Do these things nullify the idea that a break in moral standards has been committed? Not at all! Ultimately the person we always offend with every sin is God, the Lawgiver. One of the great treasures of biblical truth that is being lost in our postmodern culture is the idea of absolute truth—or absolute morality. In postmodernism, as in Buddhism, morality is a function of perception (or as the Buddhist might say, illusion). But in the scriptures morality is a function of God’s eternal nature. As Christians we look to God’s character for what is right. He, in his person as expressed to us through his word, is the final standard for all that is true and right. We have a sure and certain guide in God’s character and in his word so that we may know, absolutely, what is right and what is wrong. Without a relationship with Christ, we cannot know anything about character and truth with certainty. We can only speculate. And speculation is not the way to find assurance about our nature or eternal destiny. [1] John M. Frame, “Do We Need God To Be Moral?” Free Inquiry, Spring 1996, page 4-7.

How well do you know God? Has it ever occurred to you why we are able to know the depths of God’s character? We all have people we know better than others. We know them better because we spend more time with them, interface with them more than others, and feel a closeness to them. In the case of our Lord Jesus, the more time we spend in communication with him, the more meaningful time in his word and contemplating his truth, the better we get to know him. But I submit that our knowledge of God’s goodness and character would be severely limited if not for one terrible thing. Sin. Allow this to roll around in your head for a while. Had it not been for sin we would know and understand far less about God’s character than we do right now. When I say “know,” I’m referring to knowing God experientially. It’s one thing to know God theoretically or intellectually, but experience is a different matter altogether. Without sin we would not know about God’s forgiveness. Without sin there would be no need to express forgiveness to anyone. Forgiveness, both giving it and receiving it is a wonderful experience. Without sin we would not know about God’s grace and mercy. If we had been without sin, to whom would he demonstrate these traits of his character? Without sin we would not know God’s justice. We say that God is just and all his judgments are true. But we would not comprehend the scale of God’s justice if there were no sin. Without sin we would not know God’s long-suffering (patience). God does not orchestrate the immediate damnation of the sinner. Rather, he takes time for the sinner to come to conviction. He puts up with the sin of all mankind, for his own purposes. Without sin we would not know God’s wrath. Honestly, that’s something I can do without. Thankfully, those who know Christ will never experience the fullness of God’s wrath. But we can know something of God’s character by recognizing his wrath toward those who reject his son and remain in their sin. Knowing his wrath helps us to understand his justness, grace, mercy, and forgiveness. I’d also like to submit that without sin we would not know the full expression of God’s love. It’s one thing to love when things are good and relationships are close. But it’s another thing to love when offended or rejected or persecuted. The sinner who comes to know Christ comes to realize how much God’s loves him or her because of the love expressed through the cross of Christ. How much deeper is our understanding of God’s love because Jesus suffered horribly for the sake of our redemption. The full expression of God’s love could never be fully experienced if not demonstrated through his suffering for us. Can there even be a full expression of love without suffering or sacrificing for another? If Christ is our model for loving expression, then I think not. I hate sin. I long for the day when my sin nature will forever be removed from me. But I’m also in awe that God’s ordination of sin’s existence enables me—enables all of us—to experience God’s character in ways that would not be possible without sin. Truly, our knowledge of God, our understanding of his character, of who he is, would be greatly limited if not for the expressions of God’s character demonstrated because of sin. How deep and profound it is to understand God’s character because of our flaws. It reminds me of one of my favorite passages: “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). All things, even sin that separates us from God is used by God to enable the Christian to know him, to really know him in ways not possible without the existence of sin. What other ways do we know God better because of sin?

1. Gold and Honey – Psalm 19:10 Here, the psalmist declares that the Word of God is more desirable than the finest gold and sweeter than honey. I believe that he is speaking of both the value of the Word of God and the experience of interacting with the Word of God. Its wisdom is incomparable. We can know God’s plan for how to live and prosper – what an unbelievably valuable gift! Also, the experience of God’s Word can be so rewarding. We find encouragement, peace, and hope from the heart of God. It is the place where I run when I am hurting or lonely. It is an unfailing source of peace. Knowing God more deeply through His Word is sweeter than could ever be described with words. 2. Sword – Hebrews 4:12-13 The sword must be absolutely sharp to be effective. The Bible is the absolute standard of righteousness. It is in its absoluteness that it receives its sharpness. The truth is separated from untruth by this standard of righteousness. The sharpness of the sword is painful. Sometimes our sin becomes so much a part of who we are that it hurts desperately to remove. I think that this is the reason that we sometimes choose to live knowingly with sin – the pain of removing it is so great. We may have a fear of the sword. However difficult it may be, I am so thankful that God has given us a standard for righteousness and a sword for removing impurities. He knows what is best for us and what will make us into His image, even if it is painful. 3. Lamp – Psalm 119:105 The Word of God is a lamp by which we can see where to go and what to do. Sin has made the world so dark – confusion and pain reign everywhere. The Word of God is truth. By truth, we can judge how to handle reality. The Word of God brings clarity and focus, guiding us in the way that God has set out in His will. I have experienced the “lamp” metaphor recently. When I have tough decisions to make, and I just feel like I can’t make sense of all of the factors in front of me, I always find comfort and guidance in Scripture. 4. Water – Psalm 1:3 In this verse, the man who is grounded in the Word of God is like a tree, nourished by flowing waters. The Word of God and its teachings are often compared to water. I think that this is the case for two specific reasons. First, water is absolutely necessary for life. Man cannot survive for more than a few days without water. In fact, most civilizations spring up around sources of water. The Scripture is the same way. It is essential to the Christian life, and we must settle in it, drawing on it every single day. Also, water is refreshing, bringing cleanliness and purity, and is a source of strength. Over and over, water is an image used in the Psalms especially, as a reference to Scripture. In the Word of God, we can be cleansed of impurity and our souls are restored.

Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the king in the Persian winter palace in Susa. The king of Persia had previously stopped the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, possibly perceiving that the Jewish people could become a threat as they returned from exile in Babylon. He even made a statement of authority by having part of the initial work torn down. Until he gave the approval for the building to continue, the walls would remain in tatters, and the people of Jerusalem would be vulnerable to predators. Hanani, Nehemiah’s brother, brought Nehemiah a bad report of the state of affairs in Jerusalem. He explained the condition of the city, emphasizing its vulnerability to attack. Upon hearing of Jerusalem, Nehemiah immediately wept, fasted, and prayed to God about the news that burdened him. We can apply his example to our own lives by asking ourselves what our response is when we hear of distressing news. Do we turn to God in prayer or try to manipulate and fix it with our own passion and strength? The Prayer Nehemiah immediately associated the negative report regarding Jerusalem with the sins of the people. His reaction was more than a response of sorrow; it was a plea to God. God placed a burden on Nehemiah’s heart, and Nehemiah prayed and wept in response. Nehemiah was sensitive to God’s call. He prayed day and night. His prayer was a prayer of confession on behalf of his people. He recalls the favor of God and then prays to God to grant him favor in the presence of King Artaxerxes. His prayer was continuous—one source suggests that the prayer continued for nearly four months before Nehemiah had an opportunity to share his concerns and plans with the king. How often do we rush things and hope that they happen in our own timing? We must exercise the same patience of Nehemiah and respect those whom God has placed in authority over us.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” Paul refers to the Creator of the universe as “the God of all comfort.” He carefully defines the source from which all comfort comes. How wonderful that God did not create us and then disappear! He is not a Deist; He is “our Father.” He is the perfect Father, “the Father of compassion.” He loves us and wants to be in a relationship with us. As a result, He has set Himself up as the source of our comfort. He knew that the product of the fall would be much pain and suffering, and He did not abandon us when we deserved it. He pursued us by sending his only Son to die for our sins, reconciling us to Him. And He continues to be there for us. The Holy Spirit indwells each and every believer. He is the Comforter. No matter what we go through, He is with us, supernaturally coming alongside, bringing comfort and hope. However God’s comfort does not stop there. As a result of God’s work of comfort in our lives, He has orchestrated all of His creation in order to place people around us that are going through the same experiences we have struggled or are struggling through. He has placed around us people that need the comfort that we have received from the Holy Spirit.

I stopped off at a local bookstore with my daughter yesterday and picked up two seasonally published magazines about the Bible. One was published by U.S. News and World Report . The other was published by the American Bible Society in partnership with Time . Reading one was maddening. Reading the other was insightful. I’m not big on pop-culture presentations of Bible truth. But as it happens, every year as we approach the anniversary of Jesus’ resurrection publications and news events bring special focus to the veracity and claims of Scripture. As each publisher brings to the magazine stand its own prejudices about the Bible one thing becomes clear. You can’t be neutral about the Bible. When it comes to the Bible you can either take it or leave it. You can love it or hate it. You can see it as ancient literature or divine revelation. You can be indifferent about its content or let its content move you. But there’s not a lot of room in between. Why does the Bible inspire such reactions of devotion or derision? Why is it so seemingly rare that someone approaches the Bible neutrally to allow it to speak on its own? These questions arose as I read Secrets of the Bible published by U.S. News and World Report. From its first pages the magazine echoes the revisionist position on Holy Writ, but going even farther (to give just one example) to claim that the Apostle Peter called the Apostle Paul’s writings, “potentially misleading.”[1] Secrets of the Bible exposes itself as an approach from a preconceived view of the Bible literature only, not divine revelation. Thus its approach permits it to make claims about the text that the Bible simply does not make—like the aforementioned assertion of Peter that Paul’s writings were “potentially misleading.” In fact what Peter actually said was that Paul’s writings were scripture in which “some things [are] hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort.”[2] The second magazine, Bible Prophecies: Faith, History & Hope approaches the Bible with the retentionist view that Scripture is a divinely inspired, historical record of God’s interaction with man. It’s 127 pages examine the nature, breadth, and history of Bible prophecy as one evidence for the Bible’s divine authorship. After all, you can’t know the future unless you’ve been there. Only God can “call into being that which does not exist.”[3] Bible Prophecies profiles dozens of passages written about events still in the writers’ future, which we can now look back through history for fulfillment. From detailed descriptions of the rise and fall of kingdoms, to the birth and life of Jesus, to days still on our horizon, the magazine pulls no punches. Who else can reveal the future in such error-free detail as God? Unlike Secrets of the Bible, which at times seems to set out a deliberate fiction, Bible Prophecies encourages the reader. “Prophecy can inspire and inform us to live each day with confident anticipation as God’s revelations unfold. Lives can change when people trust that God’s plan is in place and that they have been empowered to be enjoined to God’s mission in carrying out that plan. In the end, that is the central redeeming message behind the prophecies of the Bible.”[4] So why is it that so many people often approach the Bible with a set of prejudices against its testimony? That’s a hard one to answer. We could say that such things are the result of the sin nature which clouds the mind. But that’s a Bible view often prejudiced. We might say that we can’t simply assume the Bible to be true. I might have said the same thing 25 years ago, but that’s not the usual approach today. Today’s approach is more often than not that the Biblecan’t be true. Some attitudes are even affected to the point that the Bible must not be true, as in, mustn’t let it be true. The Scriptures are not out of understanding’s reach. Some say the scripture is “veiled” from the unbeliever so they can’t understand anything it says. But I think such a view of the veiled Gospel is a misapplication of II Corinthians 3:12-4:3. Certainly anyone can read the Bible and understand what it plainly says. What is so confusing about, “Christ died for the ungodly?”[5] Just this: Our preconceived worldview is the veil over our understanding. I can understand Paul’s words, “Christ died for the ungodly.” But my worldview may not allow me to internally recognize that “I” am the ungodly he is referring to. My worldview redefines ungodly so that it doesn’t have to include me. What about you? You can’t be neutral about the Bible. I suspect it’s because the Bible is not neutral about us. We want to deflect its clearly stated admonitions and pejoratives and refashion them into duller forms that cannot hold us accountable. But when we hold onto such prejudices against the Bible we lose the very thing we claim to have: objectivity. Thus the insight the Bible can provide becomes lost and irrelevant to us. Perhaps the answer for the one who wants to claim neutrality is to simply entertain the idea of what is possible. Look at the text and instead of saying it can’t be true, ask the question, “Is it possible?” That’s about as neutral as anyone can be. “The First Missionary,” Garry Wills, page 59, Secrets of the Bible. II Peter 3:16 Romans 4:17 “The Bible and Prophecy,” page 15, Bible Prophecies. Romans 5:6

What happens to you when you read the scriptures or go through a Bible study? Many people take their time with the Word as a perfunctory ritual to assuage a guilty conscience. I am guilty of that sometimes. Other Christians avoid time in the Word, not wanting to be confronted with some transformational truth that will challenge their complacent lifestyle. I’ve done that more times than I want to admit. One of the difficulties for many Christians when it comes to spending time in the Scriptures is not that they don’t understand what they are reading, or don’t want to learn, it’s that the Scriptures do more than unfold principles about Christian living. The Scriptures unavoidably and unmistakably point us, in all things, to the person of Jesus Christ. In my own spiritual journey I’m beginning a recognize a new development. As I go into the Word or go through a study or book that emphasizes scripture strongly, I feel a compelling, absolute need to share it with others, write about it, teach it—specifically how it relates to the person of Jesus. I’ve felt such strong feelings before, but not approaching this level. Has that ever happened to you? Recently I’ve visited several churches in the states. In one church in particular, I invited friends and we settled in for the service as the auditorium began filling up. We noticed how people entered the church with joy, even expectation. The worship was exuberant and thankful. When the pastor arose to speak I noticed he had his notes prepared and laid out before him. He spoke passionately and with conviction. He told Bible stories. I’d say that at least half of his message was stories from the Bible. It was impressive. I can’t think of a sermon I’ve ever heard in the States that had so many stories. But there was one thing missing. The Bible. Some pastors, even though they are quite familiar with the scriptures, do not bring the Bible to the pulpit. They tell stories from the Bible, but only abbreviated or summarized in their own words. Often pastors will not read from the Scripture, or have almost no referencing to the Scripture itself, and fail to lead the congregants through the text of the living Word of God. It has been heart-breaking to see this trend because listeners I have observed in many congregations furiously scribble notes, eager to learn from their shepherd. The hunger for spiritual truth in the room is often intense! Imagine the level of transformation that could come if the Bible didn’t go missing. In thinking about these recent experiences I was reminded of a passage from the book, God is the Gospel, by John Piper. In it Piper asks: “The critical question for our generation—and for every generation is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ were not there?” He then provides what should be the answer for us: “Christ did not die to forgive sinners who go on treasuring anything above seeing and savoring God. And people who would be happy in heaven if Christ were not there, will not be there. The gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to get people to God. If we don’t want God above all things we have not been converted by the gospel.” This is not to say that anyone who does not have Christ as his or her supreme affection, at this moment, will not go to heaven. Rather, the transformation wrought by the Gospel through our spiritual growth should have the affect of making Christ our supreme affection. And can we be on such a path if the Scriptures do not become to us as breath and blood? Too often, way too often, the Bible has been missing from my life. I remember it, remind myself of its commands and stories and attempt to live by its precepts. But that’s not the same as giving myself over to the living word of God. Because when I open the pages and consume what is before me it is incredibly different than the occasional mental reminder. It is much deeper than that. It becomes absolutely compelling and the desire to let it transform me and come out of me becomes overwhelming. James admonishes us in James 1:22, “Prove yourselves to be doers of the word.” That little Greek word for “doers,” is powerful. In virtually all other Greek literature of the period it was used to mean, “maker” or “producer,” as in someone who produces a stage play, or someone who creates something with inborn talent. Let that sink in. “Prove yourselves to be makers and producers of the Word.” That only happens when the Word of God populates our being so fully we cannot help but naturally and normally live lives with the intention of being the living, walking embodiment of what that word says. For Christ to become our supreme affection we must have “Christ formed in [us]” (Galatians 4:19). That happens when we give God’s Word primacy in our lives, because, “The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edge sword, piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

recently read an interesting quote about Buddhism’s impact on real world problems. Check this out. “Christmas Humpreys, an influential Western Buddhist, admits…’It may be asked, what contribution Buddhism is making to world problems, national problems, social problems, appearing among every group of men. The answer is clear as it is perhaps unique. Comparatively speaking, none.”[1] I’ve long wondered why Christianity seems to be able to so successfully generate an enormous number of mercy-oriented ministries, organizations, and movements that serve both man and beast. Why did Christianity produce so many educational institutions, hospitals, prison ministries, anti-poverty movements, and more while competing worldviews like Buddhism seem unable or unwilling to do so? It’s not that they don’t make the attempt, it’s that they are just so darn infrequent and invisible. If Buddhism was truly a mercy-oriented system, why hasn’t it generated such things at a level competitive with Christianity? It turns out that the answer is also provided by Humpreys, “The reason is clear. One man at peace within lives happily.”[2] In other words, when your system of philosophy is “self” centered the motivation for such mercy-oriented movements is, to echo Humpreys’ words, comparatively, none. In contrast to the “self” centeredness of buddhist movitations, apologists John Ankerberg and John Weldon note that, “We never ask, ‘Why is there so much good in the world?’ It is always, ‘Why is there so much evil in the world?’ We know that evil is an abberation in a universe whose Ruler is good and righteous.”[3] Ankerberg and Weldon are correct. We instinctively know that something is wrong with the world (sin, and the suffering caused by sin), but it should be good because we have a good Creator. Creation is supposed to reflect the goodness of the Creator. In many ways it does. But in the case of man our behavior often reflects that which is not good, and thus not from a good Creator. As Christians we recognize that something must be done about this inequity since we are motivated by God’s goodness, just as the scripture says, “Be holy for I am holy.”[4] We want to bring order, and justice, and good to the world because God’s character reflects these good things. The Apostle Peter notes our motivation. After quoting the “be holy” passage from Leviticus he says, “You have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart”[5] (emphasis mine). I’ll never forget the story my daughter’s told me about an experience they had in Mongolia. They were walking home with friends one evening in the freezing sub-zero temperatures of Ulaanbaatar when they came across a teenager who had been beaten to a pulp. He was on the sidewalk bleeding profusely, unable to stand, with hundreds of people strolling by him. The kids tried to get the attention of a police officer to help the young man, but he simply laughed at them. Everyone walking by steered clear. Not a single person would stop to help. It was a scene reminiscent of the Good Samaritan. Then a buddhist monk happened by, but he too walked right passed them, electing not to stop. There was no mercy. In true Good Samaritan form these Christian teenagers did all they could to try to help the young man, with one of the girls even removing her coat and putting it on the bleeding, freezing teen. She walked home, freezing. Every religious system inculcates in its followers a model that is to be emulated. For Buddhism the model is Siddhartha Gautama. But for Christians the model is supremely different—Jesus Christ. He wrapped himself inside humanity and suffered as one of us while at the same time rising above us in ethics and glory. Just as those teenagers tried to save the life of a stranger and gave sacrificially to try to revive him, so too Christ did what was necessary to save us by giving of himself through the ultimate sacrifice and suffering. Where are the Buddhist mercy-oriented movements? I’m sure there are a small number out there. But the model necessary to motivate such things isn’t found in Buddhism’s core. So as Humpreys’ notes it is comparatively, none. Thank God we have a model in the Savior, Jesus Christ who motivates those who love him truly, differently. 1. In F.L. Woodward, Trans., Some Sayings of the Buddha (New York: Oxford University Press 1973), p. X.X.I.I. 2. Ibid 3. Encyclopedia of Cults and New Religions, John Ankerberg and John Weldon, “Buddhism and Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism,” page 62. 4. Leviticus 11:44 5. I Peter 1:22