Moving Pains

Just a heads up to all our subscribers : Martha and I are moving this week. Because of that, posts will not be as frequent for the next couple weeks. Be sure to keep checking, though!

Daniel

Empty

There are some things that are just sad to see empty.
Martha and I are working diligently this week to pack up the belongings of our house to move to Hardin, KY. With every item that goes into a box (or the trash) our house becomes just a little bit emptier. We’ve moved a few times already in our marriage, and we both agree on this point: There’s nothing like leaving behind an empty house.

If you’ve ever left behind an empty house, you know that no matter whether you had good times or bad times while living in it, it seems that there’s a part of your life left behind. It’s just sad to see it empty. After all, houses are made to become homes, with laughter, sounds, smells, and the warmth that comes from the love being shared under its roof. There’s just nothing like leaving an empty house.

As I reflect on this thought, my mind naturally goes to some other things that are sad sights when they are empty. A few weeks ago I was photographing a wedding at a rather large denomination’s building (which shall remain unnamed). I noticed that they had a grand baptismal pool, on its own platform to “stage-right”, and it was elevated above everything else. What does that initially make you think? This thing is important!

It ought to be, because my Bible teaches me that baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), is part of the admission into the kingdom of Heaven (John 3:5), washes away sin (Acts 22:16), is the likeness of Christ’s burial and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4), and as we can see as plain as day in 1 Peter 3:21, saves us! That’s pretty important!

But as I walked around in the balcony, I noticed that the lid on this grand pool was cracked a little. I couldn’t help but sneak a peek. Guess what. It was empty. What message is that sending? If the Ethiopian eunuch showed up there, what would he have thought (cf. Acts 8:35-39)?

There are just some things that are awful when they are empty.

A lot of people attempting to wear the name “Christian” are living their lives with an empty faith. They will sing songs on Sunday about loving God, but live the rest of the week like they hate him. Maybe that’s why many people on the outside look at Christianity as being a lot of talk, and no action. When I look around at the greater world of Christendom I can almost understand why. That’s in stark contrast to what we read in 1 Peter 1:13. I like the ESV’s rendering in this case:

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Christians are people of action. We don’t just think our faith, we set our minds on it to live it. We’re always prepared to live it, and to share it with others (1 Peter 3:15). True Christians are people of action. Their words and faith are not empty.

As a closing thought, realize that there’s no reason for a Christian’s faith to be empty. Paul writes the following in 1 Corinthians 15:14:

“And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.”

But the point is this: Christ is risen! The very foundation of our trust in God stands! Knowing this, will you find motivation to put weight to your words today? Knowing the basis of your faith is real, will you fill it up? Because the tomb was empty, your faith can be full!

Matthew 28:8 NKJV

“So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word…”

~Daniel Howell

“Essential Elements for Understanding the Scriptures–#2”

For Part 1 of “Essential Elements for Understanding the Scriptures, Click Here

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Most all acknowledge we sometimes need help to make our Bible study more productive and meaningful. In our previous article we began to observe some of the essential elements for understanding the Scriptures. The first requisite we mentioned was “a good and honest heart.” Let’s now consider some other essentials that are needed.

It is sad, but for some the statement, “I just can’t understand the Bible” has become a deep-held belief. Many really believe comprehending God’s message to mankind is beyond their capabilities. Undeniably, there are some passages that are difficult. Peter even acknowledged as much when he wrote concerning Paul, “as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures” (2 Peter 3:16). But though Peter recognized that some things are “hard to understand,” he did not say that everything is hard to understand nor did he say that any of it is “impossible” to comprehend.

And so, that brings us to the second element essential to understanding the Scriptures. We must believe that we can understand them! In support of that, let’s dig a little further into the matter.

The Bible says we can understand God’s Word. For instance, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). He also said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). It is only to the extent that we can know the truth that we can be made free. Paul wrote to Timothy saying, “and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). Peter wrote of some who had known the truth and left it saying it would have been better if they had never known it than to have known it and left it (2 Peter 2:20, 21). There are many other verses which teach that we can understand but these are sufficient to make the point.

The fact that we will be judged by the Word of God implies we can understand it. Jesus said, “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). Paul agreed with Jesus about the standard of judgment when he wrote, “But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things” (Romans 2:2). Jesus had prayed, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). Paul again affirmed it when he wrote “In the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel” (Romans 2:16). So what’s the point? To say that we will be judged by something we cannot understand is to reflect in a very negative way on the holy and just nature of God!

The figures of speech used to describe the Word of God imply we can understand it. Peter describes God’s Word as milk and new converts as babes saying, “desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:1-3). The writer of Hebrews speaks of the milk but also of the meat that belongs to the mature (Hebrews 5:12-14). To ask the question is to answer it. Would the loving Father in heaven provide His children with food they could not digest? Additionally, the word of God is described as a sword (Hebrews 4:12). It is the only offensive weapon with which we can defend ourselves against Satan and his forces (Ephesians 6:17). Would God be so cruel as to send us into battle with a weapon we could not wield? And then, the Bible is also described as a lamp illuminating the path of righteousness. The Psalmist wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). In essence, it acts as a roadmap. Again, would God give us a map so unintelligible that we could not tell where we are going?

Indeed, another of the essential elements of understanding God’s Word is a heart which believes that God’s Word can be understood.

~Mark Howell

#1–Dare to be Different

For an explanation of this series, click here.

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Jenaleigh,

There are different kinds of different.

When you go to school, you will come to understand this. Some kids will dress differently, listen to different music, and maybe even talk differently from most everyone else. These are kids who are different for the sake of being different. This is not the kind of different I’m wanting you to be, nor that God wants you to be.

Then, of course, there will be kids who do everything that they can to “fit in”, in other words, be the same. They will try to dress the same, talk the same way, go all of the same places, and do all of the same things as each other. What these kids don’t realize (yet) is how silly they are all being. Unfortunately, that silliness can lead them to some places, and to do some things they really shouldn’t be doing. Ultimately, these kids will grow into adults who live their adult lives the same sad way.

There is a different kind of different from these. People who aren’t Christians are going to tell you that there are only those two, but there is in fact a third.

This different is the kind of different that God wants you to be.

God doesn’t want to hold you back from the “fun” things in this life. You can play sports, be in band, or even run for class president if you want to. You can date boys (as long as you are back by sunset!), hang out with your friends, and have sleep overs with your girl friends. There are all kinds of things that you can do that you’ll have fun doing, even as a teenager.

BUT…

When a sport that you are playing has a game or practice during a time that we are supposed to be assembled with God’s people, dare to be different! (Hebrews 10:24-25)

When the band kids are misbehaving on a trip (whatever it may be), don’t join in with them, but dare to be different!

When you are successful as a strong leader among your peers, don’t’ forget the kind of strong Christian woman that God wants for you to be. Don’t cave to the pressures of pleasing them, when you know you shouldn’t (James 4:17).  Dare to be different!

When you discover boys (or rather, when they discover you), and one asks you out on a date, ask yourself: “Is this the kind of person I would want to be with for the rest of my life?” No matter how cute, smart, or funny he is, if he isn’t material that could become a Christian man and father, don’t waste your time (2 Corinthians 6:13-18). Remember, you are going to marry someone you date. The other side of that coin is this: you won’t marry someone you don’t date. It can save you heartache. Look for a man willing to live by this standard: 1 Timothy 3:1-7. Dare to be different.

Likewise, when you do find a guy worth dating, don’t ever think that you are better than your temptations. It may mean that you need to make decisions that seem extreme to all of those people who are the same as everyone else (Matthew 5:29-30). That’s why your mother and I have rules for your dating practices (2 Timothy 2:22). Dare to be different.

When your girl friends want to go some place and “hang out”, but you know what will be happening is not something that God would want you to do, be willing to say no to your friends. Maybe it’s watching a movie you know that God wouldn’t want you to see, maybe there will be boys… I don’t know what might happen, and you don’t either. Maybe it’s a party, prom, or a trip. Even if you aren’t participating in whatever they are doing, don’t go there.

Be prepared, because they will probably try to make you feel stupid or silly for your decision (1 Peter 3:14). They will claim that you “just think you are better” than they are. You, I and God, know this isn’t true. It will hurt. But realize that (as hard as this is at a young age) it really doesn’t matter what they think! It only matters what God thinks. Dare to be different.

I could go on and on with things not to do, but here are a few guiding principles. Use these thoughts as a basis to guide your decisions:

1. Remember: It’s not about “happiness” on this earth, but it’s about Heaven for Eternity. Keep your mind on that goal (Philippians 3:14).
   
2. Ask yourself: If I do this/go there/say this, is it showing that I love God to others, and more importantly, to God (1 John 5:3)?
   
3. Never be ashamed to do what is right. Being ashamed to make the right decision is the same as being ashamed of God (Mark 8:36-38).

As a matter of fact, if you are asked to take a stand on any sort of moral issue, always stand for the truth! dare to be different!

1 Peter 2:9 NKJV
(9)  But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

 

 

 

 

P.S. – Don’t’ by different by yourself, though. Find God’s special people – His Church!

Say “No” to Husband Bashing! | Women’s Wednesday

This is the start of something new this week – a day devoted to the ladies! I want to welcome my lovely, talented, and wonderful wife Martha Howell to The Christian Practice as our “Women’s Wednesday” writer. Ladies, I know you’ll find Martha’s thoughts insightful, thought provoking, and helpful.

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I was enjoying a lovely evening – a “girls’ night out” – when I found myself in the midst of a fiery husband bashing session. Ladies, you know what I’m talking about. It started out with one wife telling how her husband leaves his dirty underwear on the floor, then progressed to stories from the next woman about how her husband watches football for hours and never helps out around the house. After all the women at the table had finished their stories, they looked at me expectantly.

It was my turn.

That night I chose not to “bash” my husband. But it took effort and a purposed mind! It’s so easy to get pulled into the groupthink mentality that all men are helpless, worthless, and careless. However, by doing so – even if just indulging in our complaints for mere minutes – we are feeding a state of mind that diminishes our husbands as men and the role that God has put forth for them. We are taking men who we love and respect, and denigrating and belittling them.

So, when you find yourself tempted to complain about your husband think about the following:

I will not complain about my husband because…

• Bashing him is the same as letting unwholesome talk out of my mouth. This is in direct contradiction of Ephesians 4:29:

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

• Bashing him hurts his reputation and influence. As a preacher’s wife this one is especially pertinent to me. By telling friends my husband’s faults (many which may be over exaggerated in the heat of husband bashing), they may have an altered view of him, diminishing his Christian influence. In essence, I’m giving him a bad name! What a shame this is, especially if your Christian husband is trying to win souls, help other Christians grow, and preach the Word. Instead, let’s focus on helping our husbands have a good name, which is more valuable than great riches! (Proverbs 22:1)
  
• Bashing him hurts my reputation and influence. I don’t know about you, but I want my light to shine bright (Matthew 5:16)! By engaging in the practice of gossiping and husband bashing, I’m conforming myself to this world (Romans 12:2) and not letting others see how different Christians are (and are to be).
  
• Bashing him shows that I have no respect of him, which ought not to be (Ephesians 5:33b)! When you respect someone a bad word against them will never cross your lips. Remember this when talking about your husband.

Ladies, decide right this moment to never again engage in what seems like “harmless” husband bashing, no matter how tempting it may be. Realize that this ritual of picking out our spouse’s faults and complaining about them is anything BUT harmless! Instead focus your mind on your loving husband and share with your friends something great that he does in your marriage. Then, watch their mouths drop and their respect grow for both you and your husband.

~Martha Howell

Get Your Own Dirt!

Found this today while I was looking around for some illustrations...

A scientist approaches God and says to Him: "God, we don't need You anymore. Science has finally figured out a way to create life out of nothing. We can now do what You did in the beginning."

"Oh, is that so?" replies God.

"Yes," says the scientist, "We can take dirt and form it into a human likeness, and breath life into it, thus, creating man."

"Well, that's very interesting," God said. "Show Me."

So the scientist reaches down, grabs a handful of dirt, and starts to mold the soil into the shape of a man.

"No, no," interrupts God, "Get your own dirt!"

“By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” - Hebrews 11:3 NKJV

Tech Tip Tuesday–Read Articles Later with Instapaper/Instafetch

As I promised last week, this week we will begin looking at different Android apps that I have found to be useful. If you are an iPhone user, never fear, I’m sure there are similar apps out there for you! When I can, I’ll try to suggest some equivalents for those as well.

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Have you ever been sorting through blog posts in Google Reader and found one you’d like to read but simply don’t have the time right now? Maybe you stumbled across an article on a website that you’d like to read later to use as inspiration for a devotional thought. Time is of the essence, though, and you have to go to the hospital to visit someone.

How can you make sure the article won’t be lost? Enter Instapaper.

Instapaper allows you to quickly save links to web pages for reading later. There are a few interesting features, such as "text only” reading (so that you can cut down on distracting pictures, ads, etc.) and an archive function, so that you can save article links indefinitely.

Another great feature of Instapaper is the “Read Later” “bookmarklet” that you can add to your bookmarks bar. This allows you to quickly save articles to Instapaper without having to leave the page you are on. Also, if you are a Google Reader user you can use the “Send To” tab at the bottom of a feed window to send an article to Instapaper. To enable this, go to “Settings>Reader Settings>Send To” and click the Instapaper box. Other features include allowing you to send articles to your Kindle (see last week’s T3) and even creating printable versions of web pages (if you still use filing cabinets).

But wait, this article is about Android apps, right?

Enter Instafetch.

Instafetch will sync your Android phone with your Instapaper account and allow you to read articles that you saved for later. Why bother to use Instafetch? Well, have you ever tried to read very much text from a “real” website on an Android phone? It can be a little difficult, and some websites don’t load very well at all.

Instafetch solves this problem. When you view a web page in Instafetch, it automatically converts the page to a “text-only” reader view. This is much easier to handle reading on an Android phone.

Also, for users of the Google Reader Android app, you can send pages directly to Instapaper from your Android phone. When is this useful? Well, when you come across something you’d like to read, but know it will open slowly on a web page, simply send it via Instafetch to Instapaper (Menu>More>Send>”Add to Instafetch”), open up Instafetch, and read!

Think about this next time you have to rush out of the office to a place that you know you will be sitting and waiting for a little while. Instapaper/Instafetch can certainly help you make use of that time!

~Daniel Howell

The Church is not a “Kit Car!”

I have long wanted to own a Shelby Cobra. I love the way they look. I can just imagine zooming down the highway, what little hair I have on my head blowing in the wind, with the sound of the powerful V8 motor filling my ears.

The problem is, they stopped making them back in 1967. By the way, these hand built cars are very expensive. Shelby’s original Cobra was sold by Barrett Jackson auctions in 2007. It set a record for a Barrett Jackson auction sale price – $5 million.

All hope is not lost, though. I could buy what’s called a “kit car”, or a “replicar” (sounds like something from Transformers) for relatively little money. It’s not the real thing, but it looks like it. Do a little searching on the web, and you’ll find Cobra replica kits for around $20,000 (hey, I said relatively little money; compare with $5 million). These cars have to be built, but if you so chose, you could have your very own Cobra.

AC Cobras are certainly not the only cars offered as replicars. You can find a lot of “classic” cars available now in kits, ready to be assembled. Now why did I go to the trouble to mention all of this? There is a principle at work here. While they are cool, no matter what you do, buying a kit car is never the same as restoring a car.

Often the kit cars will include options that the original vehicles never had. Some parts may not be exactly the same. A restored car also has a status that no replicar will ever have; It’s the real thing!

I’m afraid that a lot of people look at the church (i.e., the Church of Christ) as simply being a “repli-church,” if I can coin that phrase. It’s as though they think the church was taken from some kind of a kit, and assembled to be what we desired. But the Church of Christ is not a “repli-church”, it is a restored church!

Note the following:

1. Replicas require builders, while originals require restorers. Jesus said that HE came to establish (build) HIS church (Matthew 16:18). There is no need for another builder when it comes to the Church of Christ. While Calvin and Knox may have established the Presbyterian Church, John Smyth is attributed the Baptist Church, and John Wesley is responsible for the Methodist Church, there is no founder (builder) for the Church of Christ other than Christ. Why? There’s no need!
   
2. Replicas are finished, but restoration is a process. When someone finishes building something from a kit, they have finished the model. However, when someone restores something, for instance, a car, effort will always be required to keep it running. This is certainly true of the church. Due diligence is needed to make sure that all the parts work in harmony (Ephesians 4:16).
   
3. Replicas are a dime a dozen, but true originals are priceless. If someone “totals” a replicar, the car can be replaced. If someone wrecks an original, it cannot be replaced. There may be many “copies,” but the Bible only mentions one true church (Ephesians 4:4). Copies or offshoots were to be avoided (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:10-13). When it comes to the church, it is one of the most priceless things in existence (cf. Acts 20:28). There is nothing like an original.
   
4. Finally, a replica is a copy, a restoration is the real thing. While some people may look at the Church of Christ as just another replica of the one true church (i.e., denomination), the idea of restoration is not compatible with that way of thinking. We do not seek to restore a replica. When Josiah restored proper worship in Judah (2 Kings 22-23) he didn’t make anything new! Instead, the people “took a stand for the covenant” (2 Kings 23:3) and restored what was amiss. This is the plea of the Church of Christ! We don’t want to be a “repli-church”, but instead, we want to take a stand for the covenant!

So the question is, are you driving a copy or the real thing?

~Daniel Howell

“Essential Elements for Understanding the Scriptures–#1”

I’m pleased to welcome Mark Howell to The Christian Practice as our Friday blogger. For the next few weeks, we’ll look at some practical tips and helps for studying our Bibles.
“I’m not a very good Bible student.”

“I have a hard time understanding the Scriptures.”

“I wish I knew how to study the Bible better.”

These are statements that are quite common—even among those who have been Christians for a long time. We all hear the admonitions to “study your Bible,” and I truly believe many, if not most children of God want to learn more of their Father’s will. The problem is, sometimes we don’t possess all the essential elements we need to come to an accurate and thorough understanding of the Scriptures. Over the course of the next few weeks we will be taking a look at some things that may help us in our studies.

Let’s begin by noting one of the most fundamental of all things necessary to understanding the Scriptures. You cannot buy it at any bookstore or at any price. You often hear those leading in prayer ask for it. Yet, it is something only the individual can control. What is it? Well the prayers often go something like this: “May the words spoken today fall on good and honest hearts.” Indeed, any time one approaches the Word of God it should be with a “good and honest heart. Jesus told the parable of the soils (Luke 8: ). In His explanation of the parable He said, “But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience (Luke 8:15). The word “noble” is translated “honest” in many translations. In Matthew’s account of the parable note how he recorded Jesus words, “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it..." (13:23). The good and honest heart led to understanding.

In another place, Jesus spoke of some who did not understand because their hearts were hardened (Mark 6:52). He said in the Sermon on the Mount that the pure in heart are blessed because it is they who will see God (Matthew 5:8). This “seeing” is not just one day be ushered into God’s presence, but also coming to know and understand Him.

And so, what is necessary to having that good and honest heart as we search the Scriptures?

• First, we must never study God’s word with a heart filled with prejudice and preconceived ideas. The Jews in Jesus’ day had studied the Old Testament which had so much to say about the coming Messiah. Yet, they rejected Jesus because He did not measure up to what they believed the Messiah was to be (cf. John 5:38-40). This prejudice and the preconceived ideas caused many of them to miss the Messiah. When you open the pages of God’s word try to approach it with a “blank” mind that says, “Lord, let me see exactly what You are saying.”


• We must never study God’s word with a heart that is trying to “prove a point.” Rather, let the Bible itself make the point! So many today have heard things they believe to be in the Bible. When they read and study, it is always with the glasses of trying to sustain what they already think it says. Don’t do that! Let God tell you what He said, not what you think or want Him to say.


• We must never study God’s Word with a heart that says, “I’ll only take some.” Unlike Jehoiakim, we must not approach God’s word with a “penknife mentality” and cut out the parts we do not like (Jeremiah 36:20-26). With God’s word it is all or nothing. We cannot be selective hearers.


• We must never study God’s Word with the heart that says, “Just anything will do.” Some honestly believe that as long as one is sincere, anything goes. If we are really honest we will have to admit that God doesn’t operate that way. Saul was sincere while doing “many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts 26:9). You don’t go to the doctor with a sore throat and say, “Doc, my throat is sore but if you sincerely want to amputate my leg go ahead.”

There are numerous other things we could say about the good and honest heart but space does not permit. Be assured though, that one essential element for understanding God’s Word is a good and honest heart!

~Mark Howell

For the next installment in this series, click here.

It’s a Girl… Uh Oh!

“I’m about 90 to 95% sure that you’re having a girl.”

Those were the words of the ultrasound technician.

I had gone into this, the second gender determination ultrasound, with the expectation of finally finding out the gender of our child. For some reason, to this point I had envisioned myself throwing a football with my son, helping him build his first birdhouse, and trying to explain to him how to be chivalrous with the ladies.

Now, it seems, it’s time to buy a shotgun.

Lest I sound as though I’m disappointed, let me say that I’m thrilled to have a daughter on the way! But when the technician said we were expecting a princess, I immediately fast forwarded in my mind to a day about 20 years from now. I could almost imagine her standing next to me, wearing a beautiful white dress, and me giving her hand to some undeserving young man. How am I ever going to give her away?

She isn’t even here yet, but I already feel like the time I’m going to have with her is so short. I know that the time I have to fulfill my God-given directive to bring her up “in the training and admonition of the Lord” is relatively short. Some day she’ll leave. I want her to.

So what am I to do with the time I have?

Over the next few weeks I want to work out a plan. I know that all plans are subject to change, but I need to be prepared. What things do I want to make sure I teach her? What does she need to know before she leaves her mother and I to cleave to her husband?

I hope to make this an interactive experience. Feel free to leave comments on any of these posts, especially if you have something helpful to say.

Until next Thursday, I leave you with this thought: Appreciate every day with your children, and by all means, help them every day to understand and appreciate their Creator a little more.

~Daniel

Tech Tip Tuesday–Kindle Tips

Here’s the address for the Kindle page:

http://kindle.amazon.com

“Emotional Pornography”

Note: I know that some people will probably misconstrue some of the things that are written below, but I hope that you will at least take the time to seriously consider the following thoughts from the Christian perspective.

It’s supposed to be a beautiful love story. Boy meets girl, but girl has to leave for the summer. Boy and girl lose touch. Girl finds someone else to “love,” but is left unfulfilled. A few years later she can’t help but think about the romance she experienced during that summer. Boy could never stop thinking about girl, either. Boy and girl “hook-up” without considering the consequences. Love with reckless abandon. Beautiful, right?

Titanic. The Notebook. Dirty Dancing. Pearl Harbor. My Best Friend’s Wedding. The list goes on…

What do all of these movies have in common? Their success comes from creating a kind of emotional high. Very often these “highs” come from cheating, pre-marital sex, and in a general sense, watching people do things that we either would never do, or dare I say, that some wish they could.

I had an article brought to my attention just a few days ago from RELEVANT Magazine which highlights a few of these issues. Even if there’s no “visual pornography” in the movie, Cole NeSmith writes about the emotions that are tied up in watching these things and so called “emotional pornography”:

As a result, we’re taught to crave the moment of romantic ecstasy or to live for the wedding day. We’re raised to think these are the real stories of love and relationship, and we’re confused when they are so few and far between [in our own lives, D.H.] that we aren’t sustained. So we turn back to that which led us to believe in this fantasy all along. And we’re left with an old woman sitting alone, in her love seat, in front of the television watching her “stories.”

I would add that often watching these movies, or even many television shows, put our minds in a place in which they can easily be manipulated to think incorrectly about some situations. For instance, how easy is it to find yourself rooting for the hero of the movie to find love? Follow that up with this. How easy is it for you to find yourself rooting for the hero of a movie to finally connect with their love interest, even if one or both of the parties is married to someone else? Be honest: have you ever found yourself cheering on a make-believe adulterous relationship? Is this consistent with what ought to be the Christian’s way of thinking (1 Corinthians 13:6), be it real or make believe?

With that being said, understand that there is nothing wrong with entertainment or feeling good (Proverbs 17:22), but there is something wrong with leading our minds, i.e., our hearts, in the wrong direction. Even if we aren’t acting on that emotional high, it certainly makes us think about those things. After all, that’s the point of these mediums of entertainment – to divert our minds away from reality! Sometimes it also can succeed in diverting our minds away from the thoughts that God wants us to be thinking

Ponder the meaning then of Romans 8:5-7:

(5)  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
(6)  For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
(7)  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

What roads are the things you are entertained by driving your mind down? Whose life are you vicariously living through the silver screen? Now I’m not trying to tell you specifically what to watch, or what not to watch – that’s up for you to decide. Think about it, though…

Proverbs 4:23 NKJV
(23)  Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

~Daniel Howell

Upside Down…

I was privileged to have the chance to work on this video for Exposure Youth Camp 2010. I thought I was just going to help. I didn’t know that my voice would end up being used. Credit Joey Sparks for the script. Hope it makes you think a little.

~Daniel Howell

Tech Tip Tuesday–Go Subscribe!

This week, I am “proud” to announce that the radio program/podcast that I am a part of, One Word, is going live on The Equip Network. Every week we choose one word (this week’s word is PRIDE) and examine what God wants us to understand and implement in our lives concerning that word. Hopefully you will find it helpful and practical!

With that being said, be sure to go check it out, to subscribe, and listen to not only One Word but all the other wonderful podcasts in the family.

To go along with this announcement, here are a couple links to follow on TEN to another podcast, Ministry Geek This Week. They will be pertinent to you subscribing to our podcast, or anyone else’s:

RSS – WHAT IS IT? HOW DO I USE IT AND WHY SHOULD I CARE? – MINISTRYGEEK THIS WEEK #32

RSS - “NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, WHAT DO I DO?“ MINISTRYGEEK THIS WEEK #33

I’m sure you’ll find both podcasts insightful, and helpful.

Also, here’s the link to the page which contains a list of all the blogs that the guys mentioned on the podcasts.

Also, be sure to go to their Facebook page and click “Like” to help them get to 1,000 fans!

Check back next week!

~Daniel Howell

Recipe for a Christian

Cooking. It strikes terror into the hearts of many who have no mastery of its necessary skills. The food they “cook” probably scares their victims, I mean, loved ones even more. That’s part of the premise of a show I was watching last night on Food Network, called Worst Cooks in America. After watching a few of those people cook, let me just say that I’m glad that my television doesn’t transmit smells. I’d still be trying to clear the burnt smell out of my house.

Where is it that these amateur chefs fail? Is it in ingredient selection? Is it the recipe? In one scene, the contestants are given a recipe to cook. Some of them still burned their food to a crisp. Did the recipe let them down? The obvious answer is no.

What caused such terror [fire] and distress [acrid smoke] in the kitchen for these people? It was in the execution of the recipes. Some people forgot to add certain ingredients. Some left food on the burner for too long. Others simply wasted their time.

One poor cook found himself on the receiving end of a jab from the professional chef teaching him. After he had overcooked his chicken, but hadn’t added the sauce, his response was, “I guess I just ran out of time.” The professional chef replied, “Well, if you had time to overcook the chicken, don’t you think you had time to add the sauce!”

May I suggest to you that this is often the problem with living the Christian life. God has given us a book full of ingredients, as well as recipes. We even have some passages that act as a table of contents for the cookbook (Galatians 5:22-23). He’s also given us ample time to make something out of it (2 Peter 3:9).

When we fail, is it a problem with the system? Is it that God simply didn’t instruct us in the way to get out of trouble? None of this is the case (see James 1:13, 1 Corinthians 10:13).

Just like with the worst cooks in America, the problem lies in the execution of the recipes. If you’ve ever taken a serious look at a recipe, you’ll notice a section which lists ingredients. This is like the raw knowledge and facts we gain from reading God’s Word. The other part of the recipe is the instruction section. This is the wisdom part of the recipe. It’s the part that tells you what to do with the ingredients. After all, if the meats and vegetables just lay on the counter, uncooked, they aren’t doing anyone any good!

This is where Solomon failed later in life (1 Kings 11:4-6). It was as if Solomon had the biggest and most exhaustive cookbook available to any man (1 Kings 4:30), yet he failed to execute. He tried to add his own flair, his own ingredients to the mix. God didn’t let him down, Solomon ignored the recipe.

As we are at the beginning of the year, don’t ignore the recipe for the Christian life. Even if you’ve failed in the past, remember, it’s not a problem with the system. The bottom line is this, you can’t be better without Christ. The Bible gives us the knowledge (Proverbs 1:1-7, Psalm 119) and Christ gives us the recipe (1 Peter 2:20-21). Start this year by:

• Gathering all the ingredients you need together (Psalm 119:11).
  
• Reading and re-reading the recipe (2 Timothy 2:15).
  
• Getting in the kitchen (Hebrews 10:24-25).
  
• Start cooking (James 1:22-25)!

Just like cooking, with practice, you’ll get better!

~Daniel Howell