Arise and Eat

Parting Words

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:34:00 +0000

As most of you know, I am resigning from my position at BBC to take a position as the Student Ministries Director at Christ's Covenant Church in Winona Lake, IN. My last Sunday will be September 26.

Last Wednesday, I shared a lesson with the students that I thought I'd give the outline of here on the blog.

In Acts 20, Luke records the story of the apostle Paul leaving the church at Ephesus forever--and the conversation that he has with the Ephesian elders. It gives us unique perspective into how a church leader's leaving should look...You can read it for yourself in Acts 20:17-38.

In sharing this text with our students, my main point was: Relate well to a pastor when he leaves. And there are three ways that I suggested this could be done:

1. Look at his ministry and see the good in it. Paul was upholding the good parts of his ministry (tears, hard work, public and private teaching, confidence, etc.) as work that is to be respected and appreciated. I will not list what I believe to be the strengths of my ministry here on the blog, but I hope that everyone at BBC can look back and see the better aspects of my ministry over and above whatever my weaknesses there might have been (which I am humble enough to admit that there were probably several).

2. Try to understand where and why he is going. Paul shared his reasons for leaving (leading of the Spirit mainly) and his plans for the future. And he expected them to respect his obedience to the Lord in his decision. He obviously had a heart for these people--as evidenced by the tears shed when he left--so he wanted them to understand why he was leaving. The same is true of me. I love the people of BBC and hope that you can understand my reasons for moving on. If you ever have questions, please please contact me.

3. Listen to his parting advice. Paul had strong words of encouragement and challenge for the Ephesian elders. I don't have nearly as strong or profound words to share as Paul (and I can't predict the future like he was enabled to), but I hope that as we have conversations in these last days that we are able to really hear each other out. I will do my best to share my most sincere words of instruction and encouragement in these final days, and I hope that they are useful to the congregation.

I closed with the illustration of Johnny Damon--a guy who used to play for the Red Sox and then jumped ship to play for the arch-rival Yankees. People absolutely murdered him in the press and ridiculed him in the stands. I told the students that I have been grateful to have received the opposite since I resigned: love, respect, appreciation, etc. And I reminded them that I am not like Johnny Damon. I am not going to an opposing team. I will still be serving the same Savior and God that I have here at BBC. Each Sunday, I might be a state away and in a different building, but we will be serving the same Lord.

I have truly enjoyed these few years at BBC and will miss serving here. I will pray for the church as often as possible and hopefully be able to visit and stay in touch during the years to come.

Signing off this blog--perhaps to start another one in the future...

Follow hard after Christ everyone.

The Gospel Song - An Animation

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:23:00 +0000

Is the Cross More About God or Us?

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:54:00 +0000

I ran across this quote from a book called Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris that I am reading. And I thought it might be thought-provoking for others to read too. Harris is describing a sermon he heard from John Piper at a conference in Texas as a young adult:

"I'd never heard anyone speak that way about Jesus's death on the cross. I had always heard it explained in terms of my great worth. I am so valuable that God would send Jesus to die. The question Piper closed his message with deeply challenged me. 'Do you love the Cross because it makes much of you?' he asked. 'Or do you love it because it enables you to enjoy an eternity of making much of God?'
"I left Austin with an unsettling thought that has never left me. If I love the Cross only for what it does for me, I will have reduced it to a monument to myself. But the greatest glory of the Cross is what it ells me about God. A God of justice and mercy. A God who loved helpless sinners like me so much that he came to die so we could be free to know and worship him for eternity. (48)"

Thoughts?

What Demons Believe...

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 03:02:00 +0000

I'm teaching on the belief of demons tomorrow night at 620--about how we must do more than believe right facts about Jesus. We must trust Him. Reading tonight, I ran across a quote from my all-time favorite preacher, Charles Spurgeon. I've updated it to more current English:

"Do you believe? 'I believe,' says one, and he begins to repeat what they call the 'Apostle's Creed.' Hold your tongue sir! That doesn't matter; the devil believes that, perhaps more intelligently than you do; he believes and trembles. That kind of believing saves no man. You may believe the most orthodox creed in Christendom, and die. Do you trust--for that is the cream of the word 'believe'--do you trust in Jesus? Do you lean your whole weight on him?...This is the faith that saves--faith that falls back into the arms of Jesus, a faith that drops from its own hanging place into those mighty arms."

Wow....Well said!

Video on Teaching Kids About Money

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:54:00 +0000

http://vimeo.com/13618646

Love this! It's great to see parents trying to teach their children at a young age about being responsible stewards of their money.

Tips for Teaching Kids About Money

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:13:00 +0000

Here is an outline of Randy Alcorn’s article on ways that parents can help their kids learn to think biblically about money.

1. Give your children something greater than money—your time.

2. Use life’s teachable moments to train your children.

3. Take a field trip to a junkyard.

4. Teach your children to link money with labor.

5. Teach your children how to save.

6. Get your children started on the lifetime adventure of giving.

7. Provide your children with financial planning tools.

8. Teach your children how to say “No.”

9. Show your children how family finances work.

10. Never underestimate the power of your example.

Original source: Justin Taylor's blog | Link to the article here.

Teach Motivation, Not Just Morality

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:10:00 +0000

"As a rule the decay of religion works out in the second generation as moral rigidity, and in the third generation as the breakdown of all morality." -Emil Brunner

I was reading The Plight of Man and the Power of God by Marty Lloyd-Jones the other day and came across the quote above. Brunner (and Lloyd-Jones) were making a simple observation about families where parents try to teach children moral values without teaching them the proper motive behind those values (a love of God).

If Christian parents do not get to the hearts of their children and teach them why they should behave certain ways, they still might appear to succeed in morally training their children. It's true that their kids might appear to do and say godly things. But without those decisions being motivated by a genuine heart-love for Christ, all that's really happening is "moral rigidity." Kids are behaving in what appear to be Christlike manners and might even become legalistic about them, but Christ-honoring motivation is absent.

Fast-forward to when they have children.

That child-now-turned-parent has always behaved in relatively "moral" or "godly" ways, but their motivation was only to please mom or dad. Or maybe it was to impress others. Or maybe it was to try to earn some good standing with God....And they start to try to teach their own children to behave in similar ways morally. But their children see empty and groundless morality lived out in front of them week to week. They see mom and dad try to be "good," but why? And more importantly, why should they? Mom and dad never provide a reason other than "It's the right thing to do" or "It's what's best for you" or "Because I said so!" So this new generation--a generation that is not pointed to Christ or to love of God as the motivation for moral behavior--actually is where we see a "breakdown of all morality." They cast off the empty shell of morality they saw in their parents.

I've seen this take place in numerous families over my short lifespan so far, and I don't want to see it happen in our church....We can't guarantee that our children will follow in our footsteps of faith and obedience to Christ. But we can--and should--be careful to teach them why we call for them to live morally. It's not just because we said so or because it will benefit them in some way or for the good of society even. It's because there is a God and a Savior who deserves their obedience.

Teaching them that will typically lead to heart change over time. It's not fail-proof of course. But failing to teach them that will almost guarantee the "breakdown of morality" in generations to come.

Make sure you teach motivation and not just morality.

What You Learn From Being a Parent....

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Mon, 24 May 2010 19:22:00 +0000

Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple, has recently made some very public comments about why Apple bans pornography from the company's extremely popular "App Store." A frustrated customer wrote in a complaint about the banning of porn from the online store, and Jobs wrote him back himself. In his correspondence, Jobs told the customer that someday his views will probably change--the day he becomes a parent. He told the young man that his desire for "freedom" will drastically be altered when he realizes that this "freedom" could lead to all sorts of evil in his own child's life.

Dr. Mohler, the president of my seminary (Southern), wrote a commentary on this exchange between Jobs and the customer, and affirmed Jobs' stance:

"Parenthood changes everything about one’s outlook on life and its challenges. A parent lacks the luxury of believing the world is all about himself or herself as individuals. Parents necessarily and understandably begin to think of the world in terms of how their children, and by extension the children of others as well, engage the world."

I think all parents can testify to the truth of the claims these guys are making! Our lives radically change when we are entrusted with another human life--one that deserves protection from evil and from sin. We know that we can never fully insulate our children from such things, but we are far more wary and cautious about them and their morality than we typically were with our own at their age. And rightfully so!

So let's keep fighting for what's right, moral, and Christ-honoring--even when our children, their peers, or the world at large doesn't understand.

Someday, Lord willing, our children will understand--but it might not be until they become parents themselves and God opens their eyes to see reality differently!

Are We Raising Spiritual Infants?

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Thu, 20 May 2010 14:56:00 +0000

When I came across this article recently, my mind instantly jumped to spiritual things (as it often does). This young lady, Brooke Greenberg, was born 16 years ago. Yet by all appearances, she is still a baby. Doctors are baffled as to why this girl doesn't age, and they are doing all sorts of research to try to unveil the mystery that's surrounding her right now. As a father, I can barely imagine what that would be like to have a 16 year old baby! Some parents of teenagers might feel like their child acts like a baby. But these parents actually have a teenager who still is in diapers, can barely speak, and needs the constant attention of a baby. Can you imagine what that would be like?

God knows exactly what that's like. Paul knew exactly what that's like. The author of Hebrews knew exactly what that's like. Because it happens to people spiritually all the time! It happened to me when I was younger.

We hear the gospel, and God changes our hearts so that we believe it. But then, way too often, we just stagnate. We've been given new life by God, but we don't mature. If that happens, we're spiritual babies, plain and simple.

Just as the images of a 16 year old baby look odd, unnatural, and strange to us, so should the image of a teenager or adult who's been a believer for years (or even decades) but knows little more about God's Word than they did way back when and whose life shows very little progress toward godliness. That's where passages like these two come flooding into my mind:

Hebrews 5:11-14
11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
1 Cor. 3:1-2
But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, ...

So as parents, we need to not let our children--who are growing physically--stagnate and stall out in their spiritual growth. If they are genuine believers....

As they get taller, their standards for their own behavior should grow higher with them.
As they outgrow their shoes and their feet get bigger, so should their willingness to use those feet to go wherever God sends them.
As their voice gets deeper, so should their appreciation for Christ's death in their place.
As they learn about history, math, and science, their nose should be in the Bible too!
As they hone their intellectual and athletic abilities, their spiritual gifts should be being honed too!

Let's be sure that we are helping our children mature in their faith and their obedience to Christ so that when they leave our homes someday they are not physically mature but spiritually stunted. Make the spiritual health of your child a priority today.

Kids Accessing Movies Behind Your Back...

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:06:00 +0000

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/sneaking-r-rated-movies-without-leaving-home

The rise of the internet and other technologies has made monitoring of children's lives extremely difficult. This article tries to help parents realize how easy it is for children to access movies--and other material--forbidden by their parents. In prior times, they would have had to sneak out of the house, lie to your face, or sneak into a movie theater. But now, all they have to do is use BitTorrent or YouTube to watch the movies on their computer or even on their iPod.

So is it a helpless fight trying to guard our children's minds? Not at all! This article gives some helpful advice at the end (like discussing the WHY of certain media being disallowed, establishing consequences beforehand, and enforcing them when rules are broken, etc.). But one thing they don't address is trying to help your child at a HEART level understand that undermining your authority as a parent and the legal authority of our government is a sin. And as sin, it's dishonoring (and even disgusting) to God--so awful that it must be punished. Try to point them, even in what some would consider petty sinning, to the awfulness of their rebellion, to the Savior that died in their place, and to their need to honor Him in ALL they do--even in their media intake. If they don't get that, their behavior will never genuinely change.

echnology: Are We Present--but Distracted Parents?

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 02:57:00 +0000

USA Today Cover Story

Parents, particularly those of you who work at home from time to time or do so consistently, take time to read this article from USA Today. It was their lead story in today's issue. The main premise is that parents are letting their spouses and children down by how distracted we are when we work at home. Technology has made it possible to spend more time in the home, yet it's made it possible to do so without really being present. This made me want to just shut my phone and computer off when I'm at home sometimes. I want my wife and son to know that I treasure time with them and that they are priorities above texts, emails, blogs, and books.

A Letter from a Dad to His Son with a Disability

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:44:00 +0000

http://sheepdogger.blogspot.com/2010/04/birthday-letter-to-my-son.html

What a powerful letter!

familylife.com

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 13:45:00 +0000

Hey everybody, I found another site that I think could be a great resource for any married couple or parent. It's called familylife.com

It has a wealth of great resources, articles, and tips for married couples and parents who are interested in engaging their families in Christ-honoring ways. Take a look at the site, and let me know what you think!

GREAT site for Parents of Students

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 03:39:00 +0000

http://www.realworldparents.com/

Check this site out! It has a helpful/informative blog, weekly "Conversation Starters," monthly "Family Activities," a "Knowledge Base" of articles that can help you with specific topics, a daily prayer you can subscribe to and pray over your child, and a lot more!

Good Article for Parents About Following Christ's Example

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 23:33:00 +0000

http://www.shepherdpress.com/blog/parenting/christs-example-to-parents.php

Here's an excerpt:

So when you feel "stressed," Christ is your example. When you become irritable and are tempted to snap at your children's bad behavior, Christ is your example. Christ's resurrection means that you have the hope and power to be a parent who honors God. You do not have to be a slave to the sinful defense mechanisms of your flesh. Rather, through his resurrection power you can present the extraordinary power of Christ to your children.

The Hardened Can Be Softened

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:39:00 +0000

Justin Taylor, upon noticing that in two of the gospels, both the criminals being crucified are mocking Jesus, while in Luke's one is said to have then been converted:

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/04/01/when-was-the-thief-on-the-cross-converted/

So did both criminals revile and rail at Jesus—or only one?

The answer is Yes.

Both men attacked their Maker and King, but one man was changed while doing so.

God often gives preparatory grace before conversion, and I suppose (if asked) I always sort of assumed this was the case here. Both men were sinners; both were guilty of their crimes (probably robbery, perhaps insurrection). But I’ve tended to think that one was harder, one was softer. Perhaps dispositionally one was louder, one was softer. I’m not sure I would have explicitly put it this way, but I sometimes doubt the power of grace and assume that some are more likely to be saved than others.

But notice that according to Matthew and Mark, both men were mocking Jesus. Both were reviling him. Both were wagging their heads. Both used their remaining, dying energy to hurl verbal insult upon the only man who could save them.

But, in an instant, grace broke through.

As God open the one man’s eyes, he saw reality in new ways:

He saw that God is to be feared in his holiness.
He saw that he justly condemned for his sin.
He saw that Jesus was innocent.
He saw that Jesus was the king, ruling his kingdom from the cross.
He saw that his only recourse was to appeal to Jesus and his mercy to be remembered in the kingdom.

May God grant each of us to see these truths afresh—whether for the thousandth time or for the first time.

-----------------------

If your child has ever gone through--or is currently going through--a stage of unexpected rebellion and distancing of themselves from Christ, even mocking Him....Have confidence that God can change them even in the very midst of their defiance. Keep pointing them to the cross, and hopefully, just as this second criminal did, they will have their eyes opened to see Christ for who He really is.

A Song For Fathers That Broke Me Today...

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:49:00 +0000

I just bought the new CD from Sanctus Real called "Pieces of a Real Heart." And I stopped what I was doing when I heard their song called "Lead Me." What a powerful word to us as fathers to lead our wives and our children--but first to be led by our Savior!

You can watch in live on YouTube by clicking here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQWn5NGcijc

Or you can watch it here (the lyrics are below):

VERSE1
I look around and see my wonderful life,
Almost perfect from the outside.
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife,
Always smiling.
But on the inside, I can hear her saying...

CHORUS
“Lead me with strong hands.
Stand up when I can't.
Don't leave me hungry for love, chasing dreams.
What about us?

Show me you're willing to fight.
That I'm still the love of your life.
I know we call this our home,
But I still feel alone.”

VERSE 2
I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes.
They're just children from the outside.
I'm working hard. I tell myself , "They'll be fine.
They're independent."
But on the inside, I can hear them saying...

CHORUS

BRIDGE
So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I'm called to be.
Oh, Father, show me the way to lead them.
Won't You lead me?

To lead them with strong hands,
To stand up when they can't,
Don't want to leave them hungry for love,
Chasing things that I could give up.

I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life...
So we can call this our home.
Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone.

Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone.

Cyber-Bullying

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:32:00 +0000

http://www.cyberbullying.us/research.php

The site linked above provides some startling information about cyber-bullying in our country among adolescents. Look at the following graph:

So one out of five students in this school district that was sampled claim to have been cyber-bullied in their lifetime. And the numbers of those who have been mistreated through technological means in the last month is really surprising too. I would never have guessed that the numbers would have been that high.

The news stories I hear, although still somewhat rare, about kids being set on fire and beaten within inches of their lives, because of conversations started digitally, are alarming. Technology has made it so easy to fire off rude statements, to start rumors super-fast, to stir anger and hatred up in a person, and to taunt or provoke. And it's non-stop now. There's not even a break when the student goes home any longer like there has been in previous generations. The pursuit can be relentless.

So let's be aware of this and how it might be affecting our young people. Let's defend our children against such cyber-bullying as best as we can. But let's also be sure that our children aren't doing the bullying too.

Above all, let's try to help our children learn that people's perceptions of them and statements about them ultimately do not matter. Even if their name is dragged through the mud or someone incessantly is calling them names, they need to know that they are loved by the Ruler of the Universe. And they need to be taught how to "pray for their enemies" as Jesus taught. They need to be challenged to love their enemies and forgive--just as God has done for us. These experiences can be God-awful and painful for kids to go through. We should not minimize the hurt they experience at all...But they can also be highly teachable moments for those who are followers of Christ.

Prescription Medicine Abuse Among American Teens

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:02:00 +0000

http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/17/teen-prescription-drug-abuse/

Parents, I wanted you to be aware--if you were not already--of an alarming trend among America's young people. I don't want to freak you out, but a brief look at the article I linked above will help you see the extent of what's going on with American teenagers and prescription medicine abuse. A statistic that jumped out at me is that 1 in 5 teens report having abused a prescription medicine in their lifetime, and 1 in 7 report having abused a prescription medicine within the last year. This should give us pause. I know that in Christian homes we like to believe that our children are immune to such temptations and struggles, but we need to be honest with ourselves.

So maybe you could take a few minutes to talk to your child about this and get a feel for where they are. You could just ask about their classmates in general instead of launching into a discussion directly about their decisions (b/c this would cut conversation off pretty fast). And use this as an opportunity to get a feel for their personal convictions and attitudes about the issue...But mainly, I just wanted you to keep your eyes peeled and your ears open for things like: missing pills from prescription bottles, off handed comments about taking medicine in inappropriate ways, etc.

I know from talking with our students that this is a real problem in our local schools--even though none have expressed a personal struggle with the meds. I know that some of their peers do.

If your child ever does voice a struggle with abusing medications, take it very seriously. And use it as an opportunity to lovingly point them to the One who really does bring relief and comfort, and who can free them from any addiction.

Garden Talk

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:45:00 +0000

This Easter, you might take some time with your older children and help them see the differences between the Garden of Eden (where God first put Adam and sin entered our race) and the Garden of Gethsemane (where our Savior agonized over His upcoming death and was betrayed). Here's some interesting bullet points that could help you as you try to help your kids see the difference. Maybe even you could help them see how at the end of Revelation (ch. 22), the picture has come full circle and once again redeemed humanity is in God's presence, with a tree of life and all is well.

(Taken from Life2Gether)

The first Adam began life in a garden. Christ the second Adam, came at the end of his life to a garden
In Eden Adam sinned. In Gethsemane the Savior overcame sin.
In Eden Adam fell. In Gethsemane Jesus conquered.
In Eden Adam hid himself. In Gethsemane our Lord boldly presented himself.
In Eden the sword was drawn. In Gethsemane it was sheathed.

(Taken from Nancy Guthrie’s book, Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross, pg. 31-32)

Thought Provoking Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:07:00 +0000

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/03/16/why-jesus-couldnt-save-himself/

Here's the full text of the post:

D.A. Carson’s Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus is one of the most spiritually encouraging books I’ve read in quite a while. You can watch or listen to the original messages here.

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Jesus, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.

Here’s an excerpt from the book, where Carson explores what would have happened if Jesus had taken them up on the challenge and came down from the cross.

This would be a pretty remarkable and convincing display of power, and the mockers would be back-peddling pretty fast. But in the full Christian sense, would they believe in him? Of course not! To believe in Jesus in the Christian sense means not less than trusting him utterly as the One who has borne our sin in his own body on the tree, as the One whose life and death and resurrection, offered up in our place, has reconciled us to God. If Jesus had leapt off the cross, the mockers and other onlookers could not have believed in Jesus in that sense, because he would not have sacrificed himself for us, so there would be nothing to trust, except our futile and empty self-righteousness.

But then Carson explores in deeper depth the meaning of their statement, “He saved others but he can’t save himself.”

The deeper irony is that, in a way they did not understand, they were speaking the truth. If he had saved himself, he could not have saved others; the only way he could save others was precisely by not saving himself. In the irony behind the irony that the mockers intended, they spoke the truth they themselves did not see. The man who can’t save himself—saves others.

One of the reasons they were so blind is that they thought in terms of merely physical restraints. When they said “he can’t save himself,” they meant that the nails held him there, the soldiers prevented any possibility of rescue, his powerlessness and weakness guaranteed his death. For them, the words “he can’t save himself” expressed a physical impossibility. But those who know who Jesus is are fully aware that nails and soldiers cannot stand in the way of Emmanuel. The truth of the matter is that Jesus could not save himself, not because of any physical constraint, but because of a moral imperative. He came to do his Father’s will, and he would not be deflected from it. The One who cries in anguish in the garden of Gethsemane, “Not my will, but yours be done,” is under such a divine moral imperative from his heavenly Father that disobedience is finally unthinkable. It was not nails that held Jesus to that wretched cross; it was his unqualified resolution, out of love for his Father, to do his Father’s will—and, within that framework, it was his love for sinners like me. He really could not save himself.

Why Do Children Suffer If God Is Good?

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:05:00 +0000

Click here for a short answer that I agree with completely.

Or you can read the text below:

Scott Simon interviewed the Jesuit priest James Martin on NPR Saturday morning, March 6. Martin just published The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life. The last question Simon asked was this: “If there is a God, why do little children suffer?” (Harper One, 2010)

Martin answered, “That is the hardest question, and I think the answer is, we don’t know.” To his credit, Martin did go on to say that, for the Christian, Christ has entered into our suffering and gives consolation. He also asks wisely, “Can we believe in a God whose ways we don’t understand?” He answers Yes.

I am glad that Martin pointed to Christ’s sufferings. And I am glad he affirmed that we can believe in a God whose ways may be inscrutable to us. But the Bible does not want us to say “We don’t know,” when the overarching Why questions are asked about suffering and death.

It is true, we may not know for sure why any particular child suffers in this particular way. But the Bible wants us to speak what it says about death and suffering.

Why do little children suffer and die? We ask it with the awareness that it is happening this very moment by the hundreds, and we ask it through tears of personal experience and empathy. Here is one biblical answer: “Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—” (Romans 5:12).

Death came into the world through sin.

That is the fundamental biblical answer for where all suffering and death came from. Or to use the words of Romans 8:20, “The creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope.”

In other words, because of sin, God subjected the entire creation to the futility of mortality with all its suffering and death. The whole creation groans under the judgment.

If the interviewer says, “That seems a bit harsh, to bring the whole creation under the judgment of suffering and death, including little children, because of one man’s sin?” we answer,

“That is how outrageous sin against an infinitely wise and good and holy God is. We don’t measure the outrage of our suffering by how insignificant we think sin is; we measure the outrage of sin by the scope of suffering.

The really amazing thing is that you and I, as sinners, are sitting here talking, when we deserve to be in hell. God is remarkably patient. And he gave his Son to die in our place so that everyone who believes may escape from this judgment and have eternal life.”

Don't Focus on the Fence

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:18:00 +0000

An author, whose book I'm reading right now, told a story about how his parents had forbidden him from going to a local pool hall as a child. But they had never explained to him why. So, he grew up with this "fence" built without really knowing why his parents had put it up. As far as he knew, playing pool was sinful. So when he grew up and saw godly men playing pool, he was confused and thought they were sinning too. He had never really been taught by his parents about their concern for the people who were at the pool hall and how they might have influenced their son. The author offers this advice to parents, which I'd like to share with you:

"I think my parents' pool hall fence was appropriate. But there is a lesson in my experience for all parents: Don't focus on the fence. If you erect a fence for your children--for example, in regard to certain movies or television programs--be sure to focus on the real issues, not the fence. Take time to explain and re-explain the reason for the fence.

"If you decide, as my parents did, that you don't want your children going to the local pool hall, explain why. Distinguish between playing the game itself--which has neither negative nor positive moral value--and the atmosphere you are trying to protect them from."
-Jerry Bridges in Transforming Grace (page 124)

So, establish boundaries for your children. But as best as you can, teach them why you've set up those fences. They might not agree, but at least they'll understand what's behind the rule and not fall into legalism about that issue (whether it's movies, music, friends, clothes, etc.). Get to the heart of it.

Loving the Way God Loves

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:15:00 +0000

"Many Christians grew up in homes where parental acceptance was based, to a large degree, on academic, athletic, musical, or perhaps some other standard of achievement. Often, in that kind of performance environment, they never quite felt as if they measured up to expectations, regardless of how successful they were. Then they transfer that sense of inadequacy to their relationship with God. They continually wonder, Is God pleased with me? Is He smiling on me with Fatherly favor?

"The answer to that question is an unqualified yes. God is smiling on you with Fatherly favor. He is pleased with you because He sees you as holy and without blemish in Christ. Do you want to talk about performance? Then consider that Jesus could say matter-of-factly and without pretentiousness, 'I always do what pleases him [the Father]' (John 8:29). When our father looks at us, He does not see our miserable performance. Instead, He sees the perfect performance of Jesus. And because of the perfect holiness of Jesus, He sees us as holy and without blemish."

-Jerry Bridges in Transforming Grace, pg. 104

Parents, let's remember God's gracious love for us--a love that is given not because we earn it or accomplish any good thing, but simply because He chooses to. And let's remember to love our kids in the same way. Let's not put conditions on our love and acceptance of them. We are modeling God's love to them--either well, or poorly. Let's make sure we do it well.

Bible Reading For Busy Moms

noreply@blogger.com (Marc Goodwin) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:09:00 +0000

http://www.joshharris.com/2010/03/bible_reading_for_busy_moms.php

See this short post from a pastor/author I really respect:

How does a mother of young kids find time to read the Bible? My friend Ryan Kelly shares a helpful quote from Don Whitney who writes, "you may be in a situation that curtails many of your spiritual activities. You may be looking at many months or even years of such limitations. Do what you can. God does not love us more when we do more, nor less when we do less. He accepts us, not because of what we do for Him, but because of what He's done for us in Christ." I love the simplicity of that advice. Do what you can.

So busy moms--and dads--don't be discouraged by reading small amounts of Scripture, if that is legitimately all you are able to do. Help your spouse make some time to read and pray, even if it's just for a few minutes. And regardless of how much you're able to read, remember that God's love for you doesn't fluctuate based on the amount of Scripture you take in. It's helpful and important, but it's not a pre-requisite for God's approval. That was earned 100% on the cross by Christ.