Tuesday, November 30, 2010

A Q/A for the Soul?

What are you doing, in obedience to the Word of God, that positions you for either God or total collapse?

God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:5

“The Comforter gives a sweet and plentiful evidence and persuasion of the love of God to us, such as the soul is taken, delighted, satiated withal. This is his work, and he doth it effectually. To give a poor sinful soul a comfortable persuasion, affecting it throughout, in all its faculties and affections, that God in Jesus Christ loves him, delights in him, is well pleased with him, hath thoughts of tenderness and kindness towards him; to give, I say, a soul an overflowing sense hereof, is an inexpressible mercy.”

John Owen, Works (Edinburgh, 1980), II:240.

I ask you, do you know this truth as reality?
Is the "love of God" as real to you as say the ground under you?
Is God's care towards you a delight in your soul?

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Happy is the rock we stumble over?

What kind of happiness do you seek? why are we bad at choosing those things that make us happy? Dan Gilbert has an answer?



Dan Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness, challenges the modern notion that people are miserable if they don’t get what they want. Our "psychological immune system" lets us feel truly happy even when things don’t go as planned.
The function, he biologically, locates in the frontal lobe is what for hundreds of years ethicist and philosophers have called "moral consciousness." It has two aspects critical conscience and imaginative consciences. Critical is the function of the “frontal lobe” that allows you to look at yourself objectively (to a degree). Imaginative is the ability he speaks of as the way we can project possible outcomes or do mental experiments in our heads. The first is just a base comparison with our slandered of judgment (the absolute of our faith) and the second functions is more complex. It depends our personal beliefs and ideas about the world, people, ect, to generate scenarios we then draw conclusions from.

Dan a psychology professor at Harvard clams our beliefs about what will make us happy are often wrong -- a premise he supports with intriguing research. Mr Gilbert current research is on the question is our common assumptions about what will make us happy are often wrong -- is supported with clinical research drawn from psychology and neuroscience.

why believe in others

Viktor Frankl's own profound experience as a holocaust survivor created a deeper need to search for meaning. When one has lived a generally balanced life with the usual struggles to succeed and survive there isn't 'such' a great need for deep, meaning and 'life' enquiry unless you are inclined that way. Commonly, It's when people are faced with something terrifying and possibly life damaging or threatening that they have to contemplate their own fate and for many, the meaning of their existence regardles of their age.

The degree of 'need for meaning' depends on how profoundly people are affected by their experiences. In 1972 post hippiedom was a sponge still absorbing the shock of WW2, Vietnam, terrorism and nuclear threats, creating much existential enquiry. Materialism and the sheer volume of other distracting factors since the 80's has desensitized people who are in general, in the absence of direct, personal threat, or educational requirements, more focused on just getting on with their lives. Here is a little clip by Viktor Frankl on Religion and Ultimate Meaning 1990

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

What is not the christain worldview..

In Genesis 1, we have the foundation for what is often called the biblical worldview. It gives us a picture of reality. The mater of fact way it shows reality stands diametrically opposed to various human philosophies. In regard to these popular human theories the believer takes his stand not on the shifting sand of human opinion but on the bedrock of the Bible.

1. In Opposition to Atheism  "In the beginning God"

2. In Opposition to Polytheism "In the beginning God"

3. In Opposition to Pantheism "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." The separateness of God and matter.

4. In Opposition to Materialism "Let us make man in our image" Man is like God, possessed of a spiritual nature.

5. In Opposition to Evolution "After his kind" The expression occurs twelve times. It locks each "kind" into its own category.

6. In Opposition to Naturalism "In the beginning God created" Matter is not eternal, nor is man a machine.

7. In Opposition to Nihilism "And God created... and God said... and God blessed" Man is more than a machine, determined or capricious, operating in a meaningless closed system.

8. In Opposition to Existentialism "And God said" (ten times), "and God saw" (seven times), "the evening and the morning were" (six times). "And it was so" (1:30). There is a historical basis for faith. The Bible does deal with concrete facts.

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Interpersonal Conflicts, logic and wisdom

Logic and conflict are not considered terms that are used together. Most personal conflicts lack logic. But conflict is not without logic. Conflict as a universal concept is logical.

Syllogism is a type of logical argument. One proposition, the conclusion is inferred from two other propositions or premises proven to be true. Aristotle, a smart but old and dead Greek thinker, defines syllogism as "a discourse in which, certain things having been supposed, something different from the things supposed results of necessity because these things are so." Everyone known, two wrongs don’t make a right – Aristotle clams two rights can’t be wrong. They can tell us some new, a truth hidden in the truths. This is helpful in understanding why peopled seem to have a hard time getting along.

1. Humans are relational creatures

2. Humans are selfish creatures

3. Humans will have relationship comfits.

I once heard of two sisters not talking for 10 years over how to cook collard greens. I have also heard of families ripped apart because of deeply hurtful behavior from all members and I have personally seen the destruction rout by careless words and selfish actions. When conflict becomes a war of roses is it possible to rise above? I think so but it take determination driven by love. In this age, we may have to live with the inevitability of conflict but we can learn how to overcome it? Here are some principles that guide our action in conflict:

1. Accept whatever means God may use to make me more humble and therefore more dependent on Him, no matter how damaging to my reputation or ambition.

“Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10)

2. Be quick to repent of known sin in your life, and sincerely express the desire for repentance to those who are concerned, even if there is blame on the other side.

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.” (Revelation 3:19)

3. Painful accurately in the words about yourself, even if it embarrasses or condemns you and at the same time don’t be intentionally and unnecessarily hurtful or demeaning to others.

“Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.” (Proverbs 12:22)

4. Seek to genuine passion for God and others a goal of life. Authentic Affection for God and others should be our greatest ambition no matter how deeply I have been hurt.

“Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)

5. Remember anxiety is an insipid enemy. It is an internal sign to prompt me to pray and to build up my faith by seeking God’s perspective found in reading the Bible carefully and constantly.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:8)

6. Leave all vengeance to God, who sees and evaluates with perfect clarity and judgment.

“Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. . . . If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:17-21)

7. Forgive from the heart any time asked to forgive, without analyzing whether the offending person is worthy, or has perfect motives, or is adequately repentant.

“Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’” (Matthew 18:21-22)

8. Life is about gratitude so be thankful in everything, and rejoice in the Lord always.

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.” (Philippians 3:1)

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (2 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

9. Don’t let the devil get his jollies at the expanse of your relationships.

“. . . so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Romans 16:20)

10. Grace is found at the bottle -

“God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:5-7).