(Blog at Stand to Reason)
Greg Koukl is a Christian apologetics guy over at www.STR.org. His latest blog really sums up one of my biggest frustrations of being a Christian. The whole blog post is this:
Faith is not what we fall back to when reason isn't available. It's the conviction of what we have reason to believe.
Spiritual things have become so trivial to the everyday life that no one seems to have a problem with the concept of blind faith being just that: blind.
In a sense, there is that. Let it be understood, though, that Christian faith is NOT that. The only "blind" in Christian faith is that God is not standing before us in a body. We can not see him now. That's where the blindness ends...
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Narcolepsy - an open ended reflection...
I posted on twitter last Saturday that I had a no-narco-nap day. It was pretty nice, I have to say. When you have narcolepsy, not being tired is a great thing. It's like what you've heard about the blind, how their hearing and other senses get more acute, stronger. For me, I get tired quite often. It's not all the time, but often enough that when I'm fully awake I can get the feeling like I'm switched on. Being awake is that much more vibrant.
Alas, it's often like a pendulum. I will say this much, though: embracing the naps has been a success. When I start to get tired I lay down and rest. Sometimes 20 minutes, sometimes an hour. I think I'm done trying to ignore the fact that I have narcolepsy. I just hope this is the only place where it becomes a defining factor in my life. I will admit I like that no one really cares, or at least no one cares to comment about it. It's a forgettable trait in me and I'm okay with that.
As for the moodiness, if you ask me it's pretty much history. We'll check that against the panel of judges (my wife)...
Alas, it's often like a pendulum. I will say this much, though: embracing the naps has been a success. When I start to get tired I lay down and rest. Sometimes 20 minutes, sometimes an hour. I think I'm done trying to ignore the fact that I have narcolepsy. I just hope this is the only place where it becomes a defining factor in my life. I will admit I like that no one really cares, or at least no one cares to comment about it. It's a forgettable trait in me and I'm okay with that.
As for the moodiness, if you ask me it's pretty much history. We'll check that against the panel of judges (my wife)...
Thursday, June 25, 2009
What Timothy gave up for Christ's sake
Somewhere around the end of Acts chapter 15 and the beginning of Acts chapter 16 the apostle Paul meets Timothy for the first time. This would be the same Timothy for whom the 2 books later in the Bible would be named.
I was listening to a podcast that read through that particular passage when something struck me as funny (not funny - haha, but funny - huh?). These two meet each other and Paul decides he'd like to bring Timothy along on his journeys. The fact is stated that Timothy is Greek on his father's side. A later verse said Paul had Timothy circumcised, since the locals new that his father was Greek.
Some brief context of that day and age:
- Jews got circumcised as a requirement of their laws passed down from God. Greeks did not.
- Jews did not fraternize w/ non-Jews (aka gentiles) since they were considered spiritually unclean. It was in their laws.
- In order for a Gentile to fully convert to Judaism and be accepted as company among Jews (you guessed it), they had to be circumcised.
So here's the setup and question:
Everyone involved knew Timothy to be a gentile. In order for him to be accepted among Jews, Paul felt he had to have him circumcised. Does this assume that no one would take their word for it? Would he be CHECKED?
"You were circumcised, eh? Well, you best flip up that toga and give a look-see!"
Crazy, I know.
Admittedly, that comment presumes one might fake the circumcision. Why put a guy's business under the knife if you can get away with lying about it?
Further postulation led me to think they were way too devout to lie about it. We ARE talking about one of the greatest apostles and most devout Jews of their day, after all. The apostle Paul would never lie about such things. He probably wouldn't lie about anything. He was a Jew among Jews (..thou shalt not bear false witness) and one of the most prominent apostles of Christ. Besides that, Jewish law demanded 3 testimonies to consider an assertion like that. That would necessitate bringing in a third accomplice. What's worse than telling a lie? Making someone else tell the lie for you. So lying is out.
Seriously, though.
"Hey Tim, I want you to join me on my apostolic missions. Um... how to put this... you're gonna need to lose that foreskin."
"Huh? Um, can we talk about this? You've become like a father to me and all, but... really? Can't we fa-"
"No, no way. No faking it. We'll need witnesses, too. It's that or flash the evidence whenever someone questions you. That kind of thing doesn't go over well among the Jews, either. Just read up on Noah's sons."
"Well, the Lord gives and the Lord takes away, right? If it's for Christ's sake."
"It's for Christ's sake."
I was listening to a podcast that read through that particular passage when something struck me as funny (not funny - haha, but funny - huh?). These two meet each other and Paul decides he'd like to bring Timothy along on his journeys. The fact is stated that Timothy is Greek on his father's side. A later verse said Paul had Timothy circumcised, since the locals new that his father was Greek.
Some brief context of that day and age:
- Jews got circumcised as a requirement of their laws passed down from God. Greeks did not.
- Jews did not fraternize w/ non-Jews (aka gentiles) since they were considered spiritually unclean. It was in their laws.
- In order for a Gentile to fully convert to Judaism and be accepted as company among Jews (you guessed it), they had to be circumcised.
So here's the setup and question:
Everyone involved knew Timothy to be a gentile. In order for him to be accepted among Jews, Paul felt he had to have him circumcised. Does this assume that no one would take their word for it? Would he be CHECKED?
"You were circumcised, eh? Well, you best flip up that toga and give a look-see!"
Crazy, I know.
Admittedly, that comment presumes one might fake the circumcision. Why put a guy's business under the knife if you can get away with lying about it?
Further postulation led me to think they were way too devout to lie about it. We ARE talking about one of the greatest apostles and most devout Jews of their day, after all. The apostle Paul would never lie about such things. He probably wouldn't lie about anything. He was a Jew among Jews (..thou shalt not bear false witness) and one of the most prominent apostles of Christ. Besides that, Jewish law demanded 3 testimonies to consider an assertion like that. That would necessitate bringing in a third accomplice. What's worse than telling a lie? Making someone else tell the lie for you. So lying is out.
Seriously, though.
"Hey Tim, I want you to join me on my apostolic missions. Um... how to put this... you're gonna need to lose that foreskin."
"Huh? Um, can we talk about this? You've become like a father to me and all, but... really? Can't we fa-"
"No, no way. No faking it. We'll need witnesses, too. It's that or flash the evidence whenever someone questions you. That kind of thing doesn't go over well among the Jews, either. Just read up on Noah's sons."
"Well, the Lord gives and the Lord takes away, right? If it's for Christ's sake."
"It's for Christ's sake."
Saturday, June 20, 2009
The Wisdom of Gamaliel
I always pronounced it guh-MAY-lee-ul, but apparently it's pronounced GAMMA-lyle. So who is he and who cares, right?
From theBible:
Acts chapter 5, v33-39
5:33 Now when they heard this, they became furious and wanted to execute them. 5:34 But a Pharisee whose name was Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the council and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time. 5:35 Then he said to the council, “Men of Israel, pay close attention to what you are about to do to these men. 5:36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and nothing came of it. 5:37 After him Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the census, and incited people to follow him in revolt. He too was killed, and all who followed him were scattered. So in this case I say to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone, because if this plan or this undertaking originates with people, it will come to nothing, 5:39 but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them, or you may even be found fighting against God.”
So Jesus has died, risen and ascended into heaven at this point in the historical narrative. The apostles have gone into and out beyond Jerusalem to spread the news about Jesus being the savior. This upset the Jewish leaders. Ticked them off. They were ready to kill Jesus's followers, especially the apostles and Peter the most. Did you catch what Gamaliel said? This has happened before and it came to nothing. If it's from people, it'll die off. If it is from God, you can't stop them; what's worse, you may even be found fighting against God.
So where do you fit into the equation? You can't dismiss the question base upon personal beliefs, either. You might take the time here to look up Pascal's Wager. The risk is too great and the evidence is stacked against you. Think of it in the context of Gamaliel: He expected the apostles' movement to die off quickly. That was nearly 2000 years ago, and their movement lives on all across the earth. I'm betting that it was from God.
Oh, and his Son.
From theBible:
Acts chapter 5, v33-39
5:33 Now when they heard this, they became furious and wanted to execute them. 5:34 But a Pharisee whose name was Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the council and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time. 5:35 Then he said to the council, “Men of Israel, pay close attention to what you are about to do to these men. 5:36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and nothing came of it. 5:37 After him Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the census, and incited people to follow him in revolt. He too was killed, and all who followed him were scattered. So in this case I say to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone, because if this plan or this undertaking originates with people, it will come to nothing, 5:39 but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them, or you may even be found fighting against God.”
So Jesus has died, risen and ascended into heaven at this point in the historical narrative. The apostles have gone into and out beyond Jerusalem to spread the news about Jesus being the savior. This upset the Jewish leaders. Ticked them off. They were ready to kill Jesus's followers, especially the apostles and Peter the most. Did you catch what Gamaliel said? This has happened before and it came to nothing. If it's from people, it'll die off. If it is from God, you can't stop them; what's worse, you may even be found fighting against God.
So where do you fit into the equation? You can't dismiss the question base upon personal beliefs, either. You might take the time here to look up Pascal's Wager. The risk is too great and the evidence is stacked against you. Think of it in the context of Gamaliel: He expected the apostles' movement to die off quickly. That was nearly 2000 years ago, and their movement lives on all across the earth. I'm betting that it was from God.
Oh, and his Son.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Ever held a life in your hands?
We were swimming at the pool this evening. My 3 yr old daughter was adrift in a floaty ring and when all backs were turned, it tipped. She went under for a second or two when grammie and mom both shouted. I turned and dove in from across the pool. I came up underneath her and lifted her out. She coughed and wimpered a bit, but was fine. It was terrifying, yet (for the most part) we managed to laugh it off.
Here's a moment where the rubber really hits the road. My daughter is shaken - at bedtime she said she keeps thinking about "sinking", but, physically, she's fine. I don't want to sound melodramatic, but one gets to thinking: where is God when our children are in danger? If you ever get put in a situation like this (and I've experienced worse), this question surfaces.
When I prayed with my son before bed, we thanked God that we may have his sister still in this world. God was there tonight - at the pool and at bedtime. We were reminded that He is sovereign. If He want to call my little girl home, that's his prerogative. When you're the creator, sustainer, and redeemer, you get to make these decisions. I'm glad he does. Only He knows just how bad I'd screw things up if it were left up to me!
Here's a moment where the rubber really hits the road. My daughter is shaken - at bedtime she said she keeps thinking about "sinking", but, physically, she's fine. I don't want to sound melodramatic, but one gets to thinking: where is God when our children are in danger? If you ever get put in a situation like this (and I've experienced worse), this question surfaces.
When I prayed with my son before bed, we thanked God that we may have his sister still in this world. God was there tonight - at the pool and at bedtime. We were reminded that He is sovereign. If He want to call my little girl home, that's his prerogative. When you're the creator, sustainer, and redeemer, you get to make these decisions. I'm glad he does. Only He knows just how bad I'd screw things up if it were left up to me!
Narco-sleepy
This is what my good buddy has always called it. Narco-sleepy, and my narco-sleepy pills.
I have narcolepsy. I've started reading other blogs on this topic and I now say with confidence that mine is a low-grade narcolepsy. As I get to know these many ways of sharing information, I'll have to link them - they are quite an insight to the disorder, if you care to read about it.
So I offer some insight. I nap really really well. Seriously. When I first took my sleep test, I fell asleep at every opportunity. 3 times, spaced 2 hours apart and starting at 9 am, they had me lay down to see if I would fall asleep. The human body should take +/- 20 minutes to fall asleep from a fully awake state. You shouldn't readily fall asleep after 9 or 10 in the morning if you had a good night of sleep. Ready for this? I averaged around 7 minutes to fall asleep and hit REM sleep all 3 times. That, too, shouldn't happen in a 20 minute nap. Lets have fun with this.
I have acute awareness in my dreams. If woken during a dream, I can often go back to sleep and finish the dream. Like stepping back into a pool I just climbed out of, or backing into a cave I just emerged from. The corollary to that is that I have fallen asleep with something going on around me and that experience translated to a dream. I awoke from the dream believing what is still going on around me went like it did in my dream. That can be... awkward. Funny, too! Hopefully...
I recently switched medication. I was taking Concerta for many years. I firmly believe Concerta is evil. For some people. Okay, it's not evil - but if you're taking it and you are great at being a jerk I strongly suggest you switch meds. This is the part of the show where I take a moment to that God for blessing me with an infinitely patient wife. I'll save the stories for another day; suffice it to say, I had mood swings. I'm finding lately that I supress the need for naps too well. Think of it like this: you get a little crabby when you didn't sleep well or you're tired, right? Imagine if you're tired often, and for no reason. I would get irritable for no reason and have a medication to amplify it. It's like a joy parade, and I firebombed it. :-)
So the new medication is much nicer. It really makes for poor writing, actually. I'm reaching a crossroad, though. I'm taking a short nap before dinner more often than not lately. The natural reaction is that I should up the dosage so I stay awake through the evening and I don't have to pass on enjoying my children and wife. I'm considering embracing the naps, though. Sometimes they're 20 minutes, sometimes 45. Occasionally, after 10 minutes I'm right as rain. I'm considering embrcing the naps.
Hi. My name is Chris, and I need a nap. Thanks for listening.
I have narcolepsy. I've started reading other blogs on this topic and I now say with confidence that mine is a low-grade narcolepsy. As I get to know these many ways of sharing information, I'll have to link them - they are quite an insight to the disorder, if you care to read about it.
So I offer some insight. I nap really really well. Seriously. When I first took my sleep test, I fell asleep at every opportunity. 3 times, spaced 2 hours apart and starting at 9 am, they had me lay down to see if I would fall asleep. The human body should take +/- 20 minutes to fall asleep from a fully awake state. You shouldn't readily fall asleep after 9 or 10 in the morning if you had a good night of sleep. Ready for this? I averaged around 7 minutes to fall asleep and hit REM sleep all 3 times. That, too, shouldn't happen in a 20 minute nap. Lets have fun with this.
I have acute awareness in my dreams. If woken during a dream, I can often go back to sleep and finish the dream. Like stepping back into a pool I just climbed out of, or backing into a cave I just emerged from. The corollary to that is that I have fallen asleep with something going on around me and that experience translated to a dream. I awoke from the dream believing what is still going on around me went like it did in my dream. That can be... awkward. Funny, too! Hopefully...
I recently switched medication. I was taking Concerta for many years. I firmly believe Concerta is evil. For some people. Okay, it's not evil - but if you're taking it and you are great at being a jerk I strongly suggest you switch meds. This is the part of the show where I take a moment to that God for blessing me with an infinitely patient wife. I'll save the stories for another day; suffice it to say, I had mood swings. I'm finding lately that I supress the need for naps too well. Think of it like this: you get a little crabby when you didn't sleep well or you're tired, right? Imagine if you're tired often, and for no reason. I would get irritable for no reason and have a medication to amplify it. It's like a joy parade, and I firebombed it. :-)
So the new medication is much nicer. It really makes for poor writing, actually. I'm reaching a crossroad, though. I'm taking a short nap before dinner more often than not lately. The natural reaction is that I should up the dosage so I stay awake through the evening and I don't have to pass on enjoying my children and wife. I'm considering embracing the naps, though. Sometimes they're 20 minutes, sometimes 45. Occasionally, after 10 minutes I'm right as rain. I'm considering embrcing the naps.
Hi. My name is Chris, and I need a nap. Thanks for listening.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
The chair analogy
I heard this analogy last week. It originates from John MacArthur and my paraphrase of the analogy goes like this:
The question is about putting your faith in Jesus. What does it mean, what is it like? This question seems simple to the average christian, even to non-believers who know a thing or three about Christianity. Lets look at Jesus like we do a chair, for a minute. (Here, John MacArthur is up at the pulpit with a guest staring at a chair).
Is it a chair? Yes. Are you sure? Yes.
Will that chair support you if you sit in it? After a bit of inspection, our participant declares with confidence "Yes". Are you certain? Will you declare it to the audience? Absolutely. This chair will support me.
So, here's the deal. Putting your faith in the Christ is the analogy for putting your trust in the chair. You can believe it's a chair. You can believe it will support you - you can even declare it aloud. That does not mean you have put your trust in the chair.
Here, the bible speaks loudly and clearly: "You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that – and tremble with fear." James 2:19
The analogy is complete once you sit down in the chair. You can trust the chair and not put your trust in the chair. You can have faith in Jesus but not put your faith in Jesus.
So the necessary conclusion is would be to explain what that looks like. My suggestion is to read. Read the book of James. Read the Gospel of Matthew. Good sermon, blog and study sources are at www.desiringgod.org (the ministry of John Piper), www.Ligonier.org (the ministry of R.C. Sproul), and the afore-mentioned John MacArthur at www.gty.org. Before you do any of that, pray. Petition God himself! Ask him - I've been willing to beg him - for the insight and wisdom only He can inpart.
Help (me) to know You, Lord. You say Demons declare your power and station - I don't want to be lost with the demons. Help me to know what it means to put my faith IN YOU. You have called for such a thing, help me to achieve it!
Know that he will answer that prayer. Philippians 1:6 says this: "I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." I can say with confidence that if you really desire to know the real God, that work has really begun.
The question is about putting your faith in Jesus. What does it mean, what is it like? This question seems simple to the average christian, even to non-believers who know a thing or three about Christianity. Lets look at Jesus like we do a chair, for a minute. (Here, John MacArthur is up at the pulpit with a guest staring at a chair).
Is it a chair? Yes. Are you sure? Yes.
Will that chair support you if you sit in it? After a bit of inspection, our participant declares with confidence "Yes". Are you certain? Will you declare it to the audience? Absolutely. This chair will support me.
So, here's the deal. Putting your faith in the Christ is the analogy for putting your trust in the chair. You can believe it's a chair. You can believe it will support you - you can even declare it aloud. That does not mean you have put your trust in the chair.
Here, the bible speaks loudly and clearly: "You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that – and tremble with fear." James 2:19
The analogy is complete once you sit down in the chair. You can trust the chair and not put your trust in the chair. You can have faith in Jesus but not put your faith in Jesus.
So the necessary conclusion is would be to explain what that looks like. My suggestion is to read. Read the book of James. Read the Gospel of Matthew. Good sermon, blog and study sources are at www.desiringgod.org (the ministry of John Piper), www.Ligonier.org (the ministry of R.C. Sproul), and the afore-mentioned John MacArthur at www.gty.org. Before you do any of that, pray. Petition God himself! Ask him - I've been willing to beg him - for the insight and wisdom only He can inpart.
Help (me) to know You, Lord. You say Demons declare your power and station - I don't want to be lost with the demons. Help me to know what it means to put my faith IN YOU. You have called for such a thing, help me to achieve it!
Know that he will answer that prayer. Philippians 1:6 says this: "I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." I can say with confidence that if you really desire to know the real God, that work has really begun.
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