THE Big Story

It's the end of the year. This is the time of year when American media tell stories about their stories over the preceding year. It's a good time to remind ourselves about the foundational story of everything: the Book of Genesis. Over the next week, I will publish some thoughts on Genesis, creation, and God. I will begin with what I believe regarding this all-important message from - and about - God.

• I believe the Book of Genesis. I believe it literally. I used the word “story” in my intro, which to some people means fiction. I do not accept anything in this book to be fictional. I accept is as being a revealing to me about how this world was created. I don’t necessarily understand all the processes that are in play in terms of science – or whether God even used anything that we would relate to as scientific. I know that it says God created the heavens and the earth and I believe that to be totally true.  
•  I am a creationist; a young earth creationist, at that. That means that I do not believe in the theory of evolution. I do not believe that man rose up out of some primordial ooze as a single-celled organism and evolved into what he is today. I do not accept, as is the general understanding that earth is millions or billions of years old.
  
• I don't need to engage scientific theories, or even theological theories.  I do not believe that it is necessary for Bible-believers to explain away, or harmonize God’s Word with the current scientific theories. That’s not my job. I may study science, because true science is simply understanding the universe that God has created. But, I'm more interested in what God says, not about what pagan scientists claim.  
• I believe that this book is foundational to understanding the rest of the Bible - and God's world. The importance of this book is that it answers the fundamental questions of human existence. 1. How did we get here? Where did we come from? 2. Why are we here? What is our purpose here? Where does sin come from? 3. What happens at death? Is there life after death? Genesis is the foundation for the rest of Scripture in which these questions are answered.   

Happy New Year. More on this topic next year.

A Gift for You

Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour 

Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour, All for love's sake becamest poor;
Thrones for a manger didst surrender, Sapphire-paved courts for stable floor.
Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour,
All for love's sake becomes poor.

Thou who art God beyond all praising, All for love's sake becamest man;
Stooping so low, but sinners raising Heavenwards by thine eternal plan.
 Thou who art God beyond all praising, All for love's sake becamest man.
Thou who art love beyond all telling, Saviour and King, we worship thee.

Emmanuel, within us dwelling,
Make us what thou wouldst have us be.
Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Saviour and King, we worship thee.

- Frank Houghton (1894-1972)

Today's the Day; The End

If you are reading this post the world probably did not end as many believed would happen today as a result of the Mayan calendar ending. Or, it's possible that may yet happen, but you're reading this early in the day. 

In case you are one of that dozen or so folks who've never heard about this, here's a brief story about the (non?)- event.

The world will end! This existence; history; will not go on forever. We don't need any wacky Mayans to give us fantastic stories and predictions. There are books and websites galore which "explain" the time, the place, the details. Many of these books are written by earnest, but misguided Christians.

The problem with all these predictions is that they fly in the face of what the Bible actually says. Jesus Himself stated that  "no one knows" when the last day will be.  (Matthew 24:36).  

Do we know anything about the final events of history? Sure we do. What we may know is explained in several places in Scripture, like Acts 1: 10-11, 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17; 2 Peter 3:10; Jude 14,15; and 1 John 2:28. These all give us an inkling, but no details; certainly no time frame. What do we know for sure?

• Jesus is coming back (in the same manner in which he left (Acts 1:10-11).
• There will be a judgment (see John 12:48 for some important news on this).
• Those who belong to Jesus will reign with Him forever. 

There are a few other details, but these are the most important in my estimation. Theologians and theologian-wannabes will continue to argue about this until it actually happens. What's really important is preparation. Once again, I can assure you that you can read many exhortations regarding how to get ready. But, again, the Bible tells us what's important. In 2 Peter 3:10-18, we get good advice from the Apostle Peter. He tells us, the end is coming and you DO NOT know when that will be. So be prepared. How? 

1. Be diligent to be found by Him without spot of blemish and at peace. (verse 14)
2. (T)ake care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. (verse 17)
3. But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (verse 18)

Don't forget to tell others about Him, either.

Now, the last major end of world catastrophe that was widely anticipated (not counting the various predictions of Harold Camping) was Y2K. That year-end was supposed to bring devastation to the world because computers could not handle (it was believed) the numeric switchover to a new century. Planes were going to fall out of the sky. Computer-related medical instruments would fail. People would die all over the place.

Being the skeptics and party animals that we are, Sandra and I hosted a series of ten parties at the end of 1999 and into 2000. We had fun and nobody died. I suggest a similar course of action for what's left of today. Have a party. If the world ends - and you are in Christ - you go to heaven. If the world doesn't end that day, you had a party.

The world as we know it could end that day. If it does it won't be because some Mayan stone cutter ran out of rock. It will be because the Creator of the world has said, "That's enough."  For, ...with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." He's patient. But, the day will come. In His time.


 

The Christmas - Carp?

Christmas traditions, of course, vary from country to country; even from region to region. These variations include what we eat on the occasion of Christmas Day (or Eve, depending upon the local practice). In many English-speaking lands, turkey and ham are now traditional meals on Christmas Day, although there are certainly pockets of those who enjoy such traditional meals as lasagna. In many nations roast pork is favored. Germany features a variety of wurst (sausages) and France - well the French have a little bit of many wonderful French specialities.

Chicken, turkey, goose, and duck seems to be the most-oft consumed main course.
The cakes and pies also vary. The one constant is that they are plentiful.

Here in the Czech Republic, the traditional meal, served on Christmas Eve, consists of fish soup, fried carp, and potato salad. It's a relatively new tradition (19th century) although carp have been an economic staple here for centuries. You can read more about this here.

Carp tanks and cuttings boards

The carp are purchased on street corners (at least in the city of Prague) where large tubs boiling with fish are set up. People wait in line for the opportunity to purchase their Christmas Eve dinner. One chooses his or her carp and then can opt to have it butchered on the spot or to take it home live. Often the carp will inhabit a home's bathtub for a day or two before becoming part of the festive repast.

In my very unscientific survey over the past two Christmas holidays, I have never found a Czech who enjoys the carp. Yet, most still indulge in the traditional meal. As Tevye said (in Fiddler on the Roof) "Traditions, traditions. Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as... as... as a fiddler on the roof."

Three Theories of Everything

So, one day in October we got a visit from an old friend we hadn’t seen in nearly 35 years. It was Ellis Potter, who was coming to Prague to lecture at the Anglo-American University. Ellis was the strange former Zen Buddhist monk, who arrived at L’Abri in Switzerland a bit before we did, in 1976. By the time we arrived he was already a “former” monk. He had become a Christian. We stayed in Switzerland for two years. Ellis still lives there. 

Ellis, to whom I refer as “the Ellis,” is still strange. It’s a good strange, though. We enjoyed his all-too-brief visit and hope to see more of him in the coming years (if we aren’t all doomed by the Mayan calendar. More on that in a few days). 

Ellis wrote a book. It’s titled Three Theories of Everything.  It’s a book about worldview (shudder!). These days, we read and hear a lot about worldview. There are worldview camps and worldview books, and worldview seminars, and worldview ministries, and worldview websites. Just what is a worldview? 

• The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world. 
• A collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group. 

John Calvin explained once that there are two things of which we must have understanding if we are to have an authentic, comprehensive world view: 
“First, of the mode in which God is duly worshipped; and, secondly, the source from which salvation is to be obtained.” (Selected Works of John Calvin, p. 126). 

This is what The Ellis is attempting to explain to us. He’s done so admirably. Readers seem to agree. In fact, he commented to me that, “Reviews have come in from two 13 year olds and one truck driver, so I guess the book is for everyone.” 

Now, remember, The Ellis is different. This book is different, too. I’ve read numerous books on this thing called “worldview.” Few describe the situation like this: “In terms of world views, there is one-ism, two-ism, and three-ism.” (page 3).  He does explain, along the way, that many folks refer to these categories of thought as Monism, Dualism, and Trinitarianism. 

In essence, what The Ellis is trying to do is help us to answer some old and universal questions, “What is Truth?” and “Are There Absolutes?” His contribution to the discussion reflects an interesting and refreshing combination of Ellis’s own experience and study with the teaching of his mentor, Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer. In a speech given at Notre Dame University in 1981, Dr. Schaeffer stated this: 

Christianity is not a series of truths in the plural, but rather truth spelled with a capital “T.” Truth about total reality, not just about religious things. Biblical Christianity is Truth concerning total reality – and the intellectual holding of that total truth and then living in the light of that Truth. 

The Ellis has been faithful to this teaching. After explaining that the world is in a mess - and needy (much as the Apostle Paul does in the first chapters of the Epistle to the Romans) - he states that 

The solution is that the Creator Himself enters into the creation and becomes one of us, a human being, made of flesh and blood.... Then being in the creation, and being the Creator, in time and in eternity, natural and supernatural, human and God , immanent and transcendent, He does one thing: He empties Himself. Literally. He sacrifices His life, allowing His body to be nailed to a wooden cross, so that His blood can be drained for others. Jesus gave Himself, emptied Himself, not for Himself, but for others. It was, and remains, the ultimate, most astonishing other-centered act in all of history. (page 67).

The Ellis gets it. And he’s sharing it with us in this unique look at reality. Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). This is a very good question these days, when everything is viewed as “relative.” Competing religions and belief systems call out to us like hawkers at a carnival: “Hey, you, look over here. I’ve got the best truth.” Others tell us that everybody has the truth – until somebody steps up and says they’re a Christian. Then we get a sort of “selective relativism.” 

How can we know what’s true? How can we sort out the charlatans from the purveyors of truth? Related questions include: “What does it matter what’s true? Do we really need to know?” If Christianity is true, then sin has invaded the world and men need salvation from the consequences of that sinfulness. If I cannot know that this is true, I will be lost – and suffer whatever those consequences are. If there is no God, as many modern teachers claim, then it really doesn’t matter what’s true. 

The last section of this book is particularly valuable (which is not to compare the other portions of the book in an unfavorable light). Titled simply, “45 Questions,” this segment of the whole deals with representative questions The Ellis has heard over the years. Of course, he also provides answers. He wrote to me “Answering a lot of questions in this book was supposed to save time, but it has actually gotten worse.” But he recognizes the necessity of continuing to ask questions, for he also states “Of the asking of questions there is, thankfully, no end. It is part of what keeps us alive and human.” 

It’s a little book. It’s full of Ellis-isms. It is at the same time simple and profound. I liked it. Buy several.

Preparing for Worship

Worship is obviously of interest to me. I co-wrote a book titled Children in Church: Nurturing Hearts of Worship. Nearly every day I tweet quotes regarding the proper worship of our holy God. So, I offer a few thoughts here on a much-ignored topic. How can I prepare myself to worship with a congregation on Sunday, the Lord's Day?

Our gatherings for corporate worship on Sunday are the most important assembly of the week. These meetings of the saints should be filled with joy, celebration, and learning. Throughout the course of the week we should be preparing for worship on Sunday.

Here are just a few suggestions. 

• Prepare for worship by spending time in prayer for the services. Throughout the week, it would benefit everyone to take extra time in prayer.   Pray especially for the preaching of the Word, the people who will be there, and for your heart to be prepared for the receiving of God’s Word. 
• Study the text that will be preached.  In many churches, a schedule of the sermon texts can be found at the congregation's website.If not, ask the pastor (or his secretary, if he should have one).
• Arrive prepared to listen attentively—with your eyes, ears, and heart. With your eyes, you should be focused on the central theme of the worship service. With your ears, you should be carefully listening to the message, prayers, and songs. Finally, the heart should be focused on growing in the Lord and self examination. 
• Come equipped to listen. A Christian should bring his/her Bible to worship services – and a pen or pencil, or electronic instrument which can serve as both Bible and note-taking device. Outlines are often provided for Sunday morning sermons.
• Be ready to fellowship. The purpose of the corporate gathering is not only to hear the preaching of God’s Word, partake in prayer and the breaking of bread, but also to fellowship with one another. Be quick to encourage other members of the body in the Lord and to greet visitors. 
• If at all possible, come rested. I know that this isn’t always possible, especially for families with young children. But you DO have control over your Saturday night schedule.

Being prepared for worship will enhance the experience. But remember that worship is not about us. It's about God. John 4:24 doesn't say anything about enjoying ourselves (although it certainly doesn't ban enjoyment). Worship is not intended to be a spectator sport or an entertainment spectacular. We are to worship in spirit and in truth. Preparation and prayer will enhance our ability to do so.

Who Is This Guy? The Apostle Paul

I've spent a lot of time recently reading and studying the Epistle to the Romans. It's a fascinating book. Over the next few months I'll be sharing some of my thoughts (occasionally) on the epistle and it's human author.

John Calvin a trained humanist lawyer, as methodical and organized as humans get, wrote this in his commentary on Romans, his first commentary,

The whole Epistle is so methodical, that even its very beginning is framed according to the rules of art. As contrivance appears in many parts, which shall be noticed as we proceed, so also especially in the way in which the main argument is deduced: for having begun with the proof of his Apostleship, he then comes to the Gospel with the view of recommending it; and as this necessarily draws with it the subject of faith, he glides into that, being led by the chain of words as by the hand: and thus he enters on the main subject of the whole Epistle justification by faith; in treating which he is engaged to the end of the fifth chapter.
The subject then of these chapters may be stated thus, — man’s only righteousness is through the mercy of God in Christ, which being offered by the Gospel is apprehended by faith.

So, who was this guy whose writing Calvin referred to as "methodical"? Paul was a very interesting man. A Pharisee, who persecuted the first generation of Christians, Paul was converted dramatically as he traveled to the city of Damascus to further abuse and oppress the faithful. See Acts 9:1-19.

This letter is not about Paul, nor is it about the saints at Rome. It is about God, whose Gospel is being declared. Let’s look at the introduction of Paul.
 
Who is Paul? Read Romans 1:1. We know that at this point, Paul had never been to Rome. Yet, he’s not writing to a totally unknown group. There are people there that he knows. There are people there who had been in Jerusalem when the HS appeared at Pentecost. Here in the very 1st verse Paul describes himself using three terms:
    

• Servant. δουλοσ.  “a slave, bondman, man of servile condition  1a) a slave  1b) one who gives himself up to anothers will; those whose service is used by Christ in extending and  advancing his cause among men  1c) devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests  2) a servant, attendant.” Paul was a willing servant to God. We know that he was called by grace; but he didn’t have to be a willing servant…
• Apostle. Αποστολοσ. A delegate; messenger; one sent forth with orders. Might seem at odds with the “willingness” of the "servant" description above, but Paul was “called” to this role. By whom? Look at 1 Corinthians 1:1.
• Set Apart.  ἀφωρισμένος. Marked off. Like yellow tape at a crime scene. He’s roped off so that he can perform his one function of apostolic work without interference (although certainly men TRIED to interfere).

So, Paul was "sent" to further our understanding. He was "set apart," to do this job. It wasn't exactly an easy job.

Look at Acts 13:1-3. Once again we see Paul (still known as Saul; along with Barnabus) was "set apart."  The work begins at verse 4 (now read the rest of the chapter: Acts 13:4-52). This is what happened after the ceremony in which people laid hands on them and prayed for them. For the next two years Barnabas and Saul traveled (as we read in the next two chapters of the Book of Acts) from Antioch to Seleucia to Salmis & Paphos (on Cyprus); then to Perga, Psidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe, then back to Lystra, Iconium, Psidian Antioch, Perga and on to Attalia and eventually returning to Antioch in Syria.

They traveled over 1,000 miles, averaging – on good days – 16 miles. This was over rough terrain; crossing the Mediterranean Sea several times in small, leaky boats. They had no furlough; no email; no phone.

Along the way they faced:

• Opposition from a sorcerer (Acts 13:8)
• Abuse and persecution (Acts 14:45, 50)
• Threats to their physical well-being (Acts 14:5)
• Stoning (Acts 14:19,20)

And this was only the first two years – the first missionary journey!  

So, that's Paul. He's the guy God chose to set forth this great doctrine of justification. What has God set YOU apart for?
 


 

Who Are You Following?

A Guest Blog by J. Mark Fox
 
           If you have a Twitter account, you know that on your main page there are two categories: Following and Followers. Following: Those are the people or groups who have a Twitter account that you are following. Every time they tweet something, it comes to your Twitter feed. Followers: Those are the people or groups who are following you. Every time you tweet something, it goes into their Twitter feeds. I am following John Piper and CJ Mahaney, for example. They, on the other hand, are not following me. Then there’s Facebook, where you don’t have followers; instead, you have friends. Everything you post on Facebook can go into your friend’s accounts. Unless they have blocked your posts and you are a friend in name only. That would mean they count you but they don’t follow you. Let’s not even talk about LinkedIn or Google Plus or Pinterest, all of which have ways for you to follow people or be followed by people. The social media world knows all about followers. But, do they really? Do they know about following in the same way the Bible speaks of following?

   When I was 15, I lost the person who best represented to me what a follower of Jesus Christ looked like. My greatgrandmother died that year. My first memory of Grandma Hauser was when I was probably 4 or 5 years old. I was at her house and eating a Lifesaver. I swallowed it whole and it got stuck in my windpipe. I started turning blue and Grandma Hauser put all of her 98 pounds into a blow to my back. The Lifesaver came out and the breath came back in. My lasting memory of Grandma Hauser was also of her hands, not hitting me in the back but folded in prayer. She loved Jesus with all her heart and talked to him every single day. I would sneak down the hallway sometimes just to take a peek at her kneeling by the bed with her hands folded, praying. Grandma Hauser never even dreamed of Twitter or Facebook, but I was one of her followers. That’s for sure.

   Then there was my pastor, Burke Holland. When I was in my late teens, he was the one God used most to teach me the Bible. I loved his preaching and I respected his life because what he talked about in the pulpit on Sunday, he walked out in the community all week. You could say I followed his teaching, his conduct and his aim in life literally, because it was under his ministry that I promised the Lord I would be a pastor. Burke is past 80 now and is a follower of this column, getting them as an email once a week. But he is one whom God used to shape me.
   The Bible has much to say about following. Jesus called 12 disciples to a radical new life with the words, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Paul commended Timothy for following Paul’s lifestyle, character, and even Paul’s willingness to be persecuted for his faith in Jesus Christ. He even told the church at Corinth, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”

   I’m not concerned too much with whom I follow on Twitter, or who is following me. But I am so thankful for the men and women whose walk with the Lord I can follow. I also am humbled by the knowledge that some follow my walk with the Lord, just as they do yours. May God help us!

 J. Mark Fox is the author of “A Faithful Man,” his latest book, and the pastor of Antioch Community Church on Power Line Road in Elon. You can tweet him at @jmarkfox. You can find all of Mark’s books on Amazon or other online sellers.Email Mark at markfox@antiochchurch.cc  

Language Acquisition, Oh My!

We have a friend here in the Czech Republic who speaks 8 or 9 languages. Actually that’s only a bit unusual around here. Everybody speaks Czech, of course, but many also speak German, Russian, English, and one or two others. But, this friend is an American! That’s what makes it somewhat remarkable.

Sandra and I have been attempting to learn the local language, which is, not surprisingly, Czech. It’s not easy. On the 5-pointscale of the Foreign Language Institute of the American Foreign Service Institute, Czech is ranked in the 4^th tier. That’s the next-to-hardest for Americans category. 

Add to that the fact that we are both a few decades beyond the optimal age for the introduction of a foreign language. While some “experts” dispute this, the general understanding about this is capsulized this way

The earlier children begin learning a foreign language, the greater the foreign language skill set they obtain. Children that begin learning at an earlier age, and then continue the foreign language study in years to come, have a better chance of developing the secondary language at a higher level of proficiency.

To see more on this topic go here.
So, undaunted, Sandra and I have taken on this task. We want to be able to, at least, have simple conversations with our neighbors and shopkeepers. After all, I get upset when in America and I am surrounded by people who have lived in the country for years and still don’t (or won’t) speak English.
We both started having some success in commerce-related Czech before we began the lessons, of course. Just going to the grocery store encourages a little bravery in speaking the local tongue.

But, it really is a somewhat difficult language. Some examples:

• I used the word zmrzlina in a FB post recently. Nobody asked the meaning. I assume some folks looked it up.
• Are you hladovy? (hungry)
• Checking in? Tell them, reservoval jsem pokoj.

And be careful about the accents. We learned (the hard way, of course), the difference between paliva and pálivá. One (unaccented) simply means “fuel.” While the other (especially when applied to papriky) means “whoa, hot.”

Then there are the famous tongue-twisters, such as:

• Třistatřiatřicet stříbrných křepelek přeletělo přes třistatřiatřicet stříbrných střech. 
• Pštros s pštrosicí a malými pštrosáčaty.
• Strč prst skrz krk 

Go here to hear the pronunciations and see the translations.

So, friends, if you have any compassion, please pray for us as continue to work at the task. And děkujeme.

Heathcare Reform - European Style

Healthcare, or ObamaCare, has been at the forefront of the news in the USA for several years. The USA, however, is not the only country with such issues. Here in the Czech Republic, and other countries in the region, doctors have been abandoning the country over their issues.

According to a report in the Prague Post this week,

Doctors in the region have long opposed the health policies of their respective countries, especially in the Czech Republic, where the "Thank You, We Are Leaving" (Děkujeme, odcházime) campaign, launched in the summer of 2010, saw more than 4,000 doctors hand in their post-dated resignations to hospitals, making their frustration over unsatisfactory pay rates and working conditions known.

That’s nothing, in Romania, it is reported that, “Between 2007 and 2012, more than 10,000 doctors left Romania, according to the country's College of Physicians (CRM).”

So, pointing to the wonderful healthcare of Europe as some sort of vindication of ObamaCare is, perhaps, not the best advertising for advocates. Maybe they need to go back and resurrect Michael Moore’s movie Sicko and compare the US healthcare system (unfavorably, of course) with that of Cuba.

I'm pretty sure that I will NOT be heading to Cuba for my healthcare any time soon. I'm just as sure that socialized medicine, wherever it is practiced, is a "fail."

Protecting the Secular State

Wenceslas Square during the Velvet Revolution, 1989

Christianity in the Czech Republic has a long and, at times, arduous history. The first mentions of Christianity in these lands go back to the ninth century. Not long after its introduction to Christianity, missionaries Cyril and Methodius came onto the scene. Cyril is most noted for giving the Slavonic languages an alphabet, now known as Cyrillic.

Over the centuries, various princes, kings, and empires have ruled what has become the Czech Republic. Likewise, religious belief and leadership had a certain ebb and flow. Primarily an historic Catholic state, the Republic has had it’s Protestant moments. This is, after all the land of Jan Hus and the Prague Defenestration.

Communism came to the Czech Republic in 1945 and all religions were victims of persecution. Churches and church lands were confiscated, priests and pastors imprisoned or executed. Although various religious leaders took part in the movement to bring down the Communist regime in 1989’s Velvet Revolution, Christianity did not experience a revival. In fact, religious belief was kicked to the curb by the Czech population. Czechs like their “secular state.”

Today’s “...Czech Republic ...is one of the most atheistic countries in the world,” according to Czech political scientist Ondrej Slectha. And he likes it that way.

Now, a bill is working it’s way through the channels of government in Prague which would restore church properties confiscated by the Communists, or compensate the church for their loss. The bill also includes ratification of a treaty with the Vatican. This really worries secularists such as Slectha. If President Vaclav Klaus does not veto this bill, states Slectha, “The status quo on which the secular tradition of Czech statehood has been built up will be broken.”

The reputation of the Czech Republic as an atheistic state may or may not be true, depending upon one’s definitions. Czechs are not necessarily against the concept of a God. They most certainly are not against the understanding that a spiritual realm exists, as an article in the UK’s Guardian illustrates. Magic, New Age practices, and Eastern Mysticism are well-accepted here.

My experience here has been that while they hold their skepticism and their secularity dear, the Czechs are, at worst, tolerant of Christians, and at best, open to hearing about the real Gospel. Just don’t talk to them about “Church.” The fields here are “white unto harvest.” But, don’t call yourself a “missionary.” Czechs don’t like that either.

On the Giving of Thanks

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It's Thanksgiving time in the United States. It's a time when Americans focus their thoughts on several things: Christmas shopping, family, football, turkey, parades, time off, etc. Many believers will focus their time and attention upon giving thanks for the blessings the Lord has bestowed upon them. In light of this, I would like to take a brief look at some of the principles we can glean from God's Word about thanksgiving.

First, giving thanks to God simply for Him being God is an important principle. The Greek verb εὐχαριστέω (eucharisteo) is used 39 times in the New Testament. All but one of these Scriptures has to do with giving thanks to God. In Romans 1:21, Paul states that there are those who reject God and that, "although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him." This verse expresses two things; mankind has failed to glorify God for being God, and they were not thankful to Him for being God. Being thankful, then, is described as an expression of gratitude to God for being God.

Second, this same Greek verb conveys the understanding that the giving of thanks is a response to the grace of the Lord. We give thanks in response to His grace, which is first ministered to us. Eὐχαριστέω embodies the same understanding as that applied to "love" in 1 John 4:19, "We ourselves love Him, because He Himself first loved us." (Literal Translation.) God loves and gives grace first, then we respond in love and thanksgiving. In addition, we know that the more we are exposed to God's love, the more we love Him in return. This is also true of being exposed to God's grace; the more we are exposed to His grace upon us, the more we give thanks in return.

The third principle is that our response of giving thanks to the Lord is based upon experiencing the sufficiency of His grace. We see the sufficiency of God's grace being poured out upon Paul when the apostle says that he prayed three times to have his thorn in the flesh removed. The Lord answers, as recorded in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you." We see from this example, that God knows what we need (considerably better than we do, ourselves) and He supplies ALL that we need.

God's grace enables us to give thanks in spite of our circumstances because in every situation God, with all of His attributes, in the full glory of His nature, is ministering His all-sufficient grace to us. In response, we love Him and give thanks from a grateful heart. The more we experience all that God is, His sufficiency, His provision for us in Jesus Christ, the more our love for Him grows; the more giving thanks becomes a natural part of our expression back to Him. 

"In everything be giving thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (Literal Translation).

What is a "Sabbath"?

I've been thinking a lot about the term "sabbath" lately. It's really a deep concept. It means so much more than "Sunday go to meeting" day or day off.

The origin of the Hebrew sabbat is uncertain, but it seems to have derived from the verb sabat, meaning to stop, to cease, or to keep. Its theological meaning is rooted in God's rest following the six days of creation (Genesis 2:2-3). The meaning of the Sabbath can be found in several places. Exodus 20:8-11 makes a clear connection between the Sabbath day and the seventh day on which God the Creator rested. Sabbath observance therefore involves the affirmation that God is Creator and Sustainer of the world. (In the NT, believers found it appropriate to use the day of Resurrection as the day of Sabbath rest and worship. See Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2).

To “remember the Sabbath” meant that the Jew identified the seven-day-a-week rhythm of life as belonging to the Creator. If the Creator stopped his creative activity on the seventh day, then those who share in his creative work must do the same. Sabbath contravenes any pride that may accompany human mastery and manipulation of God's creation. In ceasing from labor we are reminded of our true status as dependent beings, of the God who cares for and sustains all his creatures, and of the world as a reality belonging ultimately to God.    

• The Sabbath is a sign of the Covenant. God says (Exodus 31:13), “This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy.” He is holy, therefore only He can make us holy. We employ certain signs and symbols in the church. Baptism symbolizes our dying in Him and becoming a new creation. The LORD’s Supper indicates that He shed His blood that we might have communion with Him.

• The keeping of a Sabbath is not suggested. It is required. Exodus 20:8-11 makes it clear that the reason we must keep the Sabbath is because God did. Why would God make this a command, instead of a helpful suggestion? Because people don’t generally respond to suggestions. Good intentions abound, but actions don’t necessarily follow the intent. “Nothing less than a command has the power to intervene in the vicious, accelerating, self-perpetuating cycle of faithless and graceless busyness, the only part of which we are conscious being our good intentions.” (Eugene Peterson).

• The Sabbath is not intended to be a burden. The spirit of the Sabbath is joy, refreshment and mercy, arising from remembrance of God’s goodness as Creator and as the Deliverer from bondage. The Sabbath was a perpetual sign and covenant, and the holiness of the day is connected with the holiness of the people (Exodus 31:12-17; Ezekiel 20:12). Joy was the key-note of their service. Nehemiah commanded the people, on a day holy to Jehovah “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:9-13). The Sabbath is named as a day of special worship in the sanctuary (Leviticus 19:30; 26:2). It was proclaimed as a holy convocation. (Leviticus 23:3). The observance of a Sabbath is not merely the taking of a day out of the week. It is a sign of recognition that God is God. It’s an indication of our trust in a sovereign God who can take care of things quite nicely even if we take a day off.

• Eternal Sabbath. Hebrews anticipates an eschatological "sabbath rest" (sabbatismos) that remains for the people of God (see Hebrews 4:1-11). The term sabbatismos appears nowhere else in the New Testament, and may be the writer's own creation to indicate the superiority of the coming rest to that of the seventh day. Though a superior quality of rest, it is still marked chiefly by the cessation of labor patterned after God's rest on the seventh day. This final rest is only for Christians. (See Revelation 14:12-13). This final, eternal, rest will not be a complete stoppage of all activity. It will be like an active retirement. (See Revelation 7:9-17).

So, the idea is that you work during your lifetime, but don’t allow yourself to become a slave as Israel did when they worked 400 years without a vacation (Deuteronomy 5:15) and were, therefore counted as slaves. 

Always be looking forward to the time when you are no longer a slave to schedule but will have the opportunity to worship God as your full time activity.

Election Reflection

By Carlo Schneider in Tageblatt, Luxembourg's largest daily

I waited a few days to write this as I sorted out the various viewpoints on what happened in America on November 6.

Immediately, as is usually the case, the blame game began. Conservatives blamed the Republicans. Whites blamed anybody who isn’t. Christians blamed one another. Donald Trump labelled the election a travesty and called for a march on Washington.

An interesting Christian-demographic breakdown has been provided by author and blogger Joel Rosenberg. He leads with this statistic: “25 million self-described evangelicals voted for Obama.” That’s just devastating.

The European press, almost unanimously cheerleading for Obama’s re-election, has had some interesting responses. Presseurop a news aggregator of European media, led its 8 November editorial with the headline: “‘Obama 2.0’ Urged Not to Disappoint.” The lead editorial is titled “Obama, a Lackluster Ally,” stating that “it is a known fact that Barack Obama symbolises a turning point in an America that no longer has affinities with the Old Continent.”

Yet, not unlike their American counterparts, the European media did at least give two cheers at the election result. Again, they were wary, however. As presseurop stated it, “Reflecting a public opinion largely favourable to Barack Obama, the European press heaves a sigh of relief after his re-election. But the illusions of 2008 about his commitment to Europe have vanished.”

Here in the Czech Republic, although Obama was certainly favored over candidate Romney, it seems as though the love affair is over. The response of President Vaclav Klaus was lukewarm, at best. Although  recognizing that at least there would be continuity in the relations between Czech Republic and the U.S., Klaus stated, "Though it is known that my heart is beating on the right side rather than the left, I would like to congratulate President Obama.”

Maybe the Europeans are beginning to understand some things that the American electorate missed. Obama has not kept his promises to anybody. Maybe it would be good if Obama read some of the European press instead of the press release bureaus that pass for journalism in America these days. It might be sobering reading. It might help.







 

Scorn the Scourge

In recent weeks, I have posted on two pieces regarding a pining for the “good old days” of Communism here in Europe. One was a European Union poster depicting the “hammer and sickle” along with a number of religious symbols. The other was a link to a news story regarding Communists making gains in the recent regional elections here in the Czech Republic. The nostalgia is neither limited nor isolated, as evidenced by essays such as this. What short memories have these human beings.

There are those, however, who “get it.” There are those who remember the death and repression associated with that evil period in the history of this region. 

Sandra and I visited the statues depicted here recently. They are easy to find in a section of the city well-traveled by tourists and residents alike. In fact, they are hard to miss.

It should also be hard to miss the meaning and import of the statues. It is explained well in English and Czech in the plaque shown below. There is also a bronze ribbon which runs up the steps toward the statues indicating the numbers of people killed, and deported, and imprisoned under the communist regime which held this land captive from 1945 to 1989. 

The stats run like this:
205,486 arrested
170,938 forced into exile
4,500 died in prison
327 shot trying to escape
248 executed.
Remember, this is only in Czechoslovakia.

Yet, “The Czechs´ relationship to their totalitarian past is a pretty complicated affair,"  writes Terje B. Englund, a Norwegian journalist living in Prague. To see the rest of this very interesting article by Englund click here.
 
Complications aside, the message portrayed by these statues, is plain. As the figures recede, so does their humanity. Their personhood is deconstructed piece by piece, as they fade into nothingness. Communism, in its various forms was (and still is) a crime against humanity. It is estimated that more that 100,000,000 (yes, there are THAT many zeroes in this number) civilians have died under the tyranny always associated with communist rule. We cannot possibly calculate, however, the destruction of the human spirit directed by the communist overlords who repressed religion, art, literature - and especially - family life.

Many Czechs are disappointed; some furious; at the way their government is functioning today. That's fair enough. Negative reaction to government waste, fraud, and inefficiency is normal and expected. Let’s remember, however, the difference between today and yesteryear. Today, the masses go out regularly and hold protest rallies and marches on Wenceslas Square - without fear of being shot. Cabinet members have been jailed for fraud (after real trials not the "show trials" of the Communist regimes). People have a voice.

A return to Communism would be a return to the dark ages of repression, incarceration, and murder. This scourge of humanity; this blight on humankind must not be remembered fondly or returned to power. It must not be allowed to gain foothold in those societies which have not yet experienced it. Communism must be banished to the dustbin of history, where it belongs.

It's THAT Holiday Time!

Here in the Czech Republic, shoppers don’t have to wait for “Black Friday” (the day after Thanksgiving) to begin their Christmas shopping. In fact, the shops are already displaying all sorts of items for that holiday, including candies, Advent calendars, ribbons and wrapping papers, sales on toys, and other things. The lines at the Pošta (Post Office) are already long.

But, wait. There is still one holiday in the way. Yes, it’s Halloween! It’s not just American anymore. They’ve been celebrating it here for around a decade. They have advertising for costume shops; a “Monster Ball,” and all the trappings of a properly ghoulish affair. So, I thought I’d trot out the essay I have published numerous times in varied places regarding this celebration of evil.

Why I Won’t Be Celebrating Halloween
 
I’ve always been uncomfortable about a holiday that makes light of witches, goblins, and death. The holiday which is celebrated by many in this country at the end of October is viewed as nothing but a little fun, but there are other ways to have fun.

In God’s Word we are told, “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Any one who does these things is detestable to the LORD….” (Deut. 18:10-12a). That’s quite a catalog of dabbling on the dark side. While we do not claim that those who dress up as witches are joining them in their detestable practices, we must still ask the question, “why emulate these things which God detests?”

This is why I recommend, instead of the prevailing holiday, a commemoration of the beginnings of the Reformation. On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door of the University Church in Wittenburg, Germany. This set off the chain of events we today know as the Reformation. 

Many heroes of the faith stood up against a corrupt church and tainted governments during the sixteenth century. They brought the church back to believing in Christ as the Head of the Church and the Bible as His Word. They also were responsible for the acceptance of the Bible being printed in the languages of the people. The Reformation has spawned many remarkable movements, including free education and modern governmental systems.

As with every historical movement, the Reformation had its excesses. Wars were fought, brothers offended, exiled and excommunicated. The Reformation, however, was a movement of saintly men and women being moved by the Holy Spirit of God.

I propose that this be the holiday we all celebrate at the end of the month. If you’re invited to a costume party, why not go as a sixteenth century character. Do some research; be able to tell people about your character. Even better, why not throw a Reformation Party. Sixteenth century snacks (no knives and forks), clothing, maybe even games could be a part of your party. This seems a finer way to honor God and His people than that other alternative.