Tuesday, December 10, 2019

WE are the reason!

WE are the reason for the season. It was rescue mission!

"When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners...God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us..."

--Romans 5.6, 8 NLT

Christmas is joyous because God's love never fails.
Shalom L'Chaim, through Jesus Messiah; let it be.

Liveitwell!

Monday, December 9, 2019

My Christmas Wish List

You may be familiar with the list of 7 Modern Sins--or not; the conditions it describes are infamously familiar to us all: 
  • Wealth without work.
  • Industry without morality.
  • Worship without sacrifice.
  • Politics without principles.
  • Science without humanity.
  • Knowledge without character.
  • Pleasure without conscience...
This, then, is my Christmas wish list for America in 2019: Work, morality, sacrifice, principles, humanity, character and conscience. 

My prayer for  2020 and beyond:

Father-in-heaven create in us a hunger for what is righteous and just. Help us to understand that...
  • ...Wealth driven by lust for money is evil and work is an honorable endeavor that gives us meaning and purpose. 
  • ...Industry must produce access to opportunity for all.
  • ...Worship demands a values-centered life and requires sacrifice.
  • ...Politics is the business "of the people" and is a noble and self-sacrificing life-call.
  • ...Science should create in us a deeper spiritual hunger. 
  • ...Knowledge is a path to humility. 
  • ...Pleasure is the by-product of good character.
May we be given clarity to "Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God" (Micah 6.8)  through Jesus Messiah, let it be. 

Liveitwell!

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Physics and Truth.


Truth is to living what physics is to life.

We can't "see, smell or hear" the laws of physics, but without them, nothing works; that which we do see, smell and hear is the result of these laws being applied with purpose or spontaneously.

In the same way truth is the rail living rides on. Ethics, the rule of law, cultural norms, relationships, parenting, good government, freedom--to name but a few aspects of living--all work based on a set of core values, derived from the common grace of God, who wired humankind with an intrinsic sense of what truth is and an understanding of what's "right."

Truth, like physics, does not function in a deterministic way. I can ignore Newton's Law of Gravity and embrace a belief that I can float, then step of top of a tall building. Newton's Law does not override my choice. But my choice to embrace and believe I can float will not prevent a very bad outcome.

One can choose to believe that truth is relative, subject to change, given to multiple definitions or simply an outdated cultural moray. People, and cultures, can choose to ignore the truth, or worse, be deceived and believe a lie--at great peril. The result/reality of these choices is sobering. Living spirals out of control. Chaos trumps the rule of law, justice becomes a myth, bondage becomes the norm and brokeness the face of a nation.

Life does not work without physics. Living does not work without truth.

"...And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”   John 8.32

Liveitwell!