Unwindings.org

Have you ever considered the life of Daniel in the Bible? On Sunday as my family was reading and talking about his early life we discussed a couple of verses that are refreshingly simply yet profound. Earlier in Daniel’s life as a captive in Babylon while serving in King Nebuchadnezzar’s court he was faced with a troublesome dilemma. The king had a particularly bad dream and awoke demanding that one of his astrologers or magicians interpret his dream. Quick to be the praised by the king the only thing these court tricksters seemed to do well was stall and equivocate while the king grew more and more impatient. Finally, in a fit of rage Nebuchadnezzar promised to have every astrologer and magician dismembered and their houses burned down if they did not interpret the dream. But even then not one them could deliver an interpretation. Hearing the news that he along with Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and all of the court astrologers were about to executed, Daniel requested to speak to the king. Boldly Daniel told the king that he could interpret the dream but needed some extra time to do so. It was later during the night that God revealed the meaning of the dream to Daniel thus saving many men from a gruesome death.

The wonderful illuminating truth is that Daniel did not first consult God about the dream. He did not go before Father and request the dream be revealed. He did not question or fret about the king’s demands. He simply responded in complete trust that God would deliver. In Daniel 2:14-16 we find Daniel requesting for more time to interpret the dream but he was able to fully trust that God would deliver because God said so in the previous chapter, verse 17. In other words, Daniel did not question God but instead believed Him wholeheartedly. But such a belief was proved openly in Daniel’s unwavering courage despite the adverse circumstances.

All too often as Christians we spend so much time trying to find out what God’s Will is for our life. We go before God and ask Him to show us His will. We do, do, do things for Him thinking that in some way that might fit into His plan. Yet, God laid all this out for us plainly in Romans 12. If we simply present our lives as a living breathing sacrifices to God He will then live out His life in us proving to us what His plan is for our life. We never have to try but only trust. By continually questioning Him we are really saying “sorry God, I just don’t believe you”. Certainly that may not be the our intent but none the less it demonstrates our unwillingness to fully trust in what He has already promised. Proverbs 3:5,6 says to trust in God with all of our heart – don’t trust in our own understanding. In every way acknowledge Him and He absolutely will direct our paths. What a great promise. Now ask yourself, is there proof of it?

I make no apologies that I am a conservative Christan man especially living at a time in history when such a position is viewed by many as old fashioned, regressive, short-sighted and even status quo. Old fashioned? Possibly if that means holding onto truths that have proven to be sound and stable. The Bible is full of truths that are sound and stable and completely relevant in today’s modern society yet were written centuries ago. Old fashioned? Sure.

A liberal and even progressive trend occurring in America that is particularly troublesome for the Christian is that of depending on our government to meet our needs as citizens. Many Americans expect to be taken care of by the government and in fact demand it yet this is not at all what God intended for us. Referencing back to Genesis 2, God clearly established that He wanted all of mankind starting with Adam to depend upon Him for everything. He provided everything for man but in Genesis 3 man saw things differently. It was when Adam and Eve chose to depend on their own reasoning that independence from God was established.

We will hear in this modern age how much we need our politicians to make decisions for us. We will hear how much more qualified they are to fix our national and even global problems than we are. We will be called on to listen to them, trust them, depend on them as they help us and ensure that all have equal rights. But the Christian should begin by asking “where should my dependence be”? When a person receives Christ’s Life he is in turn accepted as a citizen into God’s family. The promise of provision and loving care from God is once again made available if we will then just trust and depend on God. In this dependence He will begin to shift our focus away from what the government can do for us. In responding to Him we will begin to hear who He wants us to elect into office instead what candidate will accomplish the most for the country or what candidate will get me more of what I want. God has proven time and time again for thousands of years that He can be trusted. He knows exactly what America needs and how to take care of our problems. Old fashioned? Absolutely and thankful for it.

As we close out this decade I am reminded of the amazing advancements in technology that have changed the way we live. Do you realize what technology was like 10 years ago?

• No iPhones or smart phones – just the analog featureless ”bricks”
• No Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube or Wikipedia
• No “texting” each other
• No iPods or other MP3 players
• No USB flash drives
• No High-speed Internet at home
• No flatscreen TVs
• AOL was the most popular Internet search engine
• Google, Inc. moved from a garage into an actual office
• And, we recorded our favorite TV shows on VHS tapes

Isn’t it amazing how much we have grown dependent on technology in just 10 years? In 1997, I transitioned from active duty in the Marine Corps to civilian life. At the time I had no cell phone and managed just fine without one for the following 3 years. But in 2000 my son was born and both my wife and I began carrying cell phones for emergency purposes. Now today it is an emergency when I can’t find my phone. How did I come so dependent on a small piece of technology? It just seems to happen without any notice. I have watched son and now my daughter grow into little personalities oblivious to the fact that there was a day when there were no Wii’s or OnDemand or 1,951 channels on the TV.

I now have the time-saving convenience of adding more money to my child’s school lunch account electronically. I can block home TV channels and websites from my office at work. I can now give my child a special kid-safe cell phone that only calls me and has built-in GPS tracking so I can tell where they are geographically. On the surface, such technological developments of this past decade are gladly welcomed and embraced but I am just wondering… have these amazing technologies paved way for us as parents to stop parenting on a personal, intimate basis? Instead of just adding more money to their school lunch account do I take the time to teach them Christ-centered financial stewardship of money God has trusted us with? Instead of just blocking a website, do I take the time to teach my son or daughter what websites God doesn’t want them to visit? Have I begun to place more faith in technology and what I can do with it while overlooking God’s provisions and protection? Likely, I am in some way guilty of allowing technology diminish my role as a Daddy. As we enter this new year, may we take time to reflect on all that God has already done for us and still wants to do in us. May we trust God more than ever before and walk in the ways He has designed for us. Have a Happy New Year celebration!!!

This problem is one that has plagued the Christian for thousands of years but for us alive right now it feels like a new problem. In every society there are leaders elected to public office that propose legislation, tweak public policy and may even pass laws that are contrary to Christian principles. So what does the Christian do – despise this authority, rise up and overthrow it or just internalize the anger and do nothing? The answer involves none of these. Below are a few simple steps that will change everything.

Step 1 – think about what God has done and is doing right now. Colossians 3:1-3, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Step 2 – don’t look at tomorrow, simply trust God today. Matt.6:33,34, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Step 3 – don’t be anxious but instead say thanks for the authority. Phil.4:6,7, “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.”

Step 4 – pray for those you do not like. Matt.5:44, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”

Step 5 – God knows earthly authority better than you or me so let God work His ways. Prov.21:1, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.”

Step 6 – trust that God will work everything for good – regardless of how it appears. Rom.8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

For those of you struggling to know when the Christian should obey God instead of a given earthly authority, keep this in mind – It should never be a struggle but instead will always be clearly revealed to you from the Holy Spirit and will come in the form of an opportunity to proclaim God’s truth and grace. If the protest is anything outside of the Hope in Christ then BEWARE – it is NOT of God. As you proclaim God’s truth in resistance to an opposing authority don’t lose sight of these 6 Steps.

I was reading the news this morning and see the escalating tension at the United Nation’s Climate conference regarding global warming. For several years now the general public has listened to Al Gore, groups of scientists and university professors as well as scores of Hollywood actors tell us of the impending doom coming to our fragile planet due to our increased usage of fossil fuels. We have been challenged and rebuked in movies like ‘An Inconveninet Truth’: the “Oscar® winning documentary that made global warming the number one topic of conversation.” Mr. Gore while speaking at the climate summit, claimed his latest research showed that the Arctic could be completely ice-free in five years. Yet, once again the general public has come to know that his information was fabricated after being taken and manipulated from scientist Dr. Wieslav Maslowski’s research. Yet, millions of dollars continue to be spent supporting these false claims.

This is not the first time we have seen this type of behavior – the evolutionary theory taught as fact has filled countless textbooks and bank accounts alike.

The analysis is actually surprisingly simple. Mankind left to define how he/she should live is precisely what God has called ‘death’. Proverbs 14:12 says “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” God never intended for us to figure out or fix our problems or even define how we should live… He has provided a way for us to live in freedom while simply depending on Him for everything. Instead of living in panic and fear why not take God at His word. So simple… yet overlooked by millions of people everyday.

This is undeniably a hot debate today from the government all the way to the individual. The debate can be very complicated and hard to digest leaving many Christians gridlocked as to what to do… so they do nothing. Let’s unwind it a bit.

Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it“. This is self-explanitory. Everything is the Lord’s… that means all resources to include wealth of nations, the wind and sun and yes, even the oil beneath the ground. Psalms 50:10-12 says “every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it“.  Part of the curse for all of humanity is to work to earn a living but in Luke 12:15-20 we are reminded that “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions“. Why? Because earthly possessions and resources are God’s that He has allowed us to manage.

What wonderful resources we have in wind, solar, water,  magnetism, and yes, even oil. All provided by Him but with a responsibility to live and depend on Him as we manage these resources. Certainly we could make a case that we have mismanaged fossil fuels but that is not corrected by rejecting it altogether. Instead, as with everything within the scope of what God has created, we are made to depend upon Him for guidance and usage of all that He has provided to us. Wow! How uncomplicated!

I find this debate among Christian an interesting one in that it seems both sides become bogged down with the complexities without considering the principle of the matter. On one side you have those that reject recycling because it is too closely associated with the “green” movement which is advocated by many fringe groups. One the other side you have those trying their darnedest to save the planet. Throughout Scripture we have many examples the recycling of materials and goods born out of necessity to preserve hard to acquire resources. Today we live with so many resource available to us that we tend not to fully consider the cost of material and goods; hence, the reason for such great waste.

In 1 Cor. 6 we see Paul talk about our bodies which Jesus bought with his blood. Now as users of these bodies we have been given the opportunity to care for them in a responsible manner. This principle of stewardship appears many time throughout the Bible and encompasses many other area in the Christian’s life such as money, possessions, eating, drinking, family, etc. There is no hard-and-fast rule in the Bible that says “YOU MUST RECYCLE… OR ELSE” but neither is there Scripture to support our irresponsibilities in neglecting those things God has given us to use… such as the beautiful earth.  Talk to God about your recycling efforts and demonstrate your thankfulness for all the resources he has made available for your use. Happy recycling!