Inner Circle Youth

Back with an Attitude

2007-03-07T21:46:00.000-06:00

After a long vacation from blogging, during which I did nothing constructive with my time, I am back. And I am back with an attitude!

There has been a lot of press lately about many, many topics that I want to discuss in the coming days.

We will look at some of the evangelical "leaders" that have gotten far more air time and printers' ink devoted to them than should've been. And we will discuss why that has been the case.

I want to talk a little (if that is possible) about some of the "archaeological" finds that have surfaced. Pun intended!

And I want to give you the opportunity to chime in! Post a comment with what you want to talk about and remember that we talk about ANYTHING, but we talk about it through Scripture.

I want to leave you with this quote from Scripture tonight:

"How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments." Psalm 119:9-10

Sola Scriptura

Thermo....Which One Is It?

2006-05-16T17:48:00.000-05:00

A thermometer has one purpose and one purpose only. No matter how cute or fancy you might make one, it's sole function is to tell you the temperature. It has no control over the temperature, it just tells you what the temperature is.

A thermostat on the other hand controls the temperature. You set it and it controls the heater or air conditioner to make the temperature of the room match what it is set to.

My question to you is are you a spiritual thermometer or a spiritual thermostat? When you walk into a room or enter a conversation, do you wait to see what the predominant subject is and flow with it without regards to your beliefs or the Bible? Or when you are having a conversation and questionable material is brought up do you put the conversation brakes on and say, 'I don't think we should be talking about this.'

It's hard, I know. Everyone is talking about See No Evil and eventhough you know that you shouldn't talk about things as evil as that, let alone see the movie, you get drawn in. Or they are talking about one Code or another and you don't want to feel like a geek, so you join in.

But what does the Bible say about thermostats and thermometers? Romans 12:2, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

And 1 John 2:15 "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

My prayer for all of you is that you find the strength to be thermostats and not thermometers in your schools and at your jobs. As always, if you have any questions just zip me a note and I'll get back to you ASAP.

Sola Scriptura

A Rose by Any Other Name

2006-04-25T06:27:00.000-05:00

My background educationally speaking is in chemistry and physics, so I have no idea who to attribute the saying to, but I will quote it anyway. "A rose by any other name is still a rose."

I can run into a garden and point to the red flower with a thorny stem and say "Pharphenoogen", but that doesn't change the fact that it is a rose. I can give my wife a vase with a dozen of them in it and say, "Here honey, have a dozen coozats!", but they are still roses.

But, does that take away from the effect of the flower of love? Does it in some way belittle it? Okay, I know it sounds like a stupid question, but let get where I'm going with it first.

I was at a Scouting event last night and at the closing ceremony the Scouts all recite the following, "May the great master of all Scouts watch over us until we meet again." Now I know most of the Scout leaders in the troop and they are not only Scout leaders, but leaders in their Christian churches. I am sure (though I have not asked) that in their minds and in the minds of most of the Scouts, they equate "great master of all Scouts" with the God of the Universe.

My question is, that in an attempt to be politically correct and not offend some non-Christian Scouts, are they offending the Creator of the Universe?

I have heard people refer to Him as 'The Big Guy upstairs' or 'You-know-who' or other generic, politically correct names. There are many names for Him laid out in the Bible, but none of them are belittling or generic. They all speak of His power or His presence, and all are spoken in reverence and awe...not flippantly and off-the-cuff.

God is to be high and lifted up. He is supremely high and we are completely and utterly low. And any attempt to narrow that gap either exalts us as humans or belittles Him as our Lord, either of which is SIN.

When you speak of our Lord and Savior, call Him by name. Give Him the honor of using His name and confess Him before men. Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:32-33, "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven."

You don't want to be at the judgment seat saying, 'Yeah, when I said that, I really meant You, but in a good way...not the way it sounded...' Think about it!

Sola Scriptura

My God....

2006-04-21T06:39:00.000-05:00

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to discuss religions with a young lady who had, to say the least, some very disturbing views. To begin with she held that Buddhist and Muslims had as much authority to their religions as Christians do. What she meant by this was that these people had as much right and opportunity to reach heaven as Christians do. Because deep down they are all good people who worship "god" in their own way.

I put the brakes on the conversation, and asked, "Where do you get this?" Her answer was that 'Her God' wouldn't allow people to go to hell just for worshiping Him under another name. I pressed her further, "Where do you get this?" (See a pattern here?) Her answer about knocked me out of the chair I was sitting in.

She said, 'Oh, it's in the Bible somewhere.'

There's the rub. That's where the problem is and the problem is prevalent not only among the lost and dying, but sad to say, it is creeping further and further into main-stream evangelical churches today.

If you cannot quote chapter and verse to support your view of God, do you realize what you have done? You have created a god that is NOT in the Bible. You have created an idol and violated the first commandment. God Himself tells us in Exodus 20:4, "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water below."

Now I am not saying that you have to know every bit of Scripture before you can have an idea of Who God is. There are kids in our AWANA program that can quote more Scripture verses than I can. What I am saying is that if you cannot back up your theology with the Bible then you have a man-centered theology. You have a theology that is based on touchy-feely opinions that make you sleep better at night with your sin.

When you have questions about the nature of God and what He wants and who He is, look to His Word to get your answers. If you can't find them ask someone. Not necessarily me, but a pastor or spiritual leader in your life. But let me warn you, if they start out with 'I think...', or 'In my opinion...', be wary. If they can't back up their thoughts or opinions with Scripture, then they are just as guilty of creating an idol out of their 'god'.

Sola Scriptura

Finding the Gospel in WHAT??

2006-04-18T06:11:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite ways to kill a few hours is to browse through our local Christian bookstores. Sometimes I am in search of a specific title that I have heard about and others I am just hoping that in some supernatural way the Theology sections doubled. (I feel a soap box coming on, so let's get back on track.)

In one of my recent jaunts into 'Book-Land', I spotted book after book telling me how to find the Gospel in any manner of movie that is out today. I saw books that would point me to Christ from Harry Potter. Ways to find my Savior running around with hobbits in the Lord of the Rings. And of course the not so hidden gospel of Narnia.

Whoa! Don't close me down yet...I am not here to slam or uphold any of these movies. Where my problem comes in is that the Gospel of my Lord and Savior is not in any movie, it is in His Word. Hear me out for a sec.

We don't need any extra coating to get the Gospel out. The Gospel is finished in the form it is in. Jude put it this way, "I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints." (Jude 3b) It's done. It needs no help from us.

Think on this...If we alter the message that was handed down "once for all" in ANY way, no matter how good our intentions may be, we change what the perfect and holy God handed to us. I don't know about you, but I'm not capable of improving perfection.

Changing or sugar-coating the Gospel is nothing new. Paul faced it. In fact he wrote to the Galatian church, "If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!" (Galatians 1:9)

You don't need to seek Christ in the likes of Hollywood cinema, you need to seek Christ in the Bible.

Sola Scriptura

Lessons from the Golden Arches

2006-04-17T06:36:00.000-05:00

When I was going through college, one of the jobs that I held was a manager trainee at the local McDonald's. Believe it or not, they actually have a pretty extensive training program.

Among other workbooks and texts that a manager had to work through, I had to read Ray Kroc's book. He was the founder of the McDonald franchise system. He had a great many ideas about how to manage the restaurants so that no matter which city in which you happened to visit a McDonald's, you received the same level of service. But he also had some pretty good quips about life in general.

One of my favorites was, "As long as you're green, you're growing." What that boils down to is that as long as you are learning something, you are growing. But as soon as you think you know it all you stop growing. If you can't find something each and every day that helps you grow you begin dieing on some level.

So what did you learn this last week? Or more pointed, what did you learn during the celebration of the Passion Week? What did you study or which point in Sunday's sermon is going to change how you live this week and the rest of your life?

While He was on the cross, Jesus cried out the words to Psalm 22, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Why had God forsaken His only begotten Son at that moment? Because of OUR sin. God is "Holy, Holy, Holy" (Isaiah 6) and cannot look upon sin and at that moment Christ had all of our sin on His sinless body. So because of our sin, for that short moment in time, God the Father could not look upon His Son.

If the Son would do that for us, what are we doing for Him? It is not enough to attend a few services a week. He deserves our commitment in and OUT of church. Are you living for Him as much on Monday morning as you are on Sunday morning?

1 Peter 1:13-16, "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"

Sola Scriptura

Easter

2006-04-16T08:09:00.000-05:00

He Is Risen!

May you have a blessed Easter in which you glorify Him Who is worthy of all honor and praise.

Sola Scriptura

Questioning the Slump Test

2006-04-13T06:54:00.000-05:00

If you were to contract a new house, you can request a slump test on the concrete before your foundation is poured. This is a very accurate test to demonstrate the quality of the concrete being used in your house. If it slumps too much it is bad. If the concrete doesn't slump at all it is bad.

But let's say, hypothetically, your slump is just right and the contractors proceed with the construction of your dream house. Then a few years after you have moved in and are enjoying your house, there is a knock on your door. You answer it and find standing there one of the workers who helped build your house. He tells you with shame on his face that the contractor somehow faked the slump test. The concrete that was used to pour your foundation was inferior quality and will begin to crack and cause all sorts of problems.

Now every time you hear an odd sound in your house, you think, "Is this it? Is the house going to fall in or the walls begin to crack?" You have that doubt in your mind. You are fearful of adding on or even hanging something on the wall, because if the foundation isn't sound you could loose it all. And all of this is caused because someone you don't even know put a question in your mind.

I see this all the time in the media and in today's schools. Talking heads and academic scholars question the Word of God and those questions begin to wear on us as Christians. Over the next few weeks, I am going to handle a few of the most prevalent questions that are out there, slamming you in the face every day.

Let me leave you this morning with just this bit of encouragement from Scripture:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind."

So if God cannot lie, and all Scripture is inspired (or breathed) by God, then it stands that there is NO lie in Scripture. Those that try to tell you otherwise are just trying to get you to doubt that which no man should doubt.

Sola Scriptura

If It's Too Loud...

2006-04-11T22:27:00.000-05:00

One of my passions is music. No I can't play and by no means can I sing...in fact I sound very much like a drowning cat when I try to sing, but I am very moved by music. I grew up in the eighties listening to 'Hair Bands' (if you don't know what they are, you are truly blessed) at very high volumes.

After I was saved, I got rid of my secular music. I listen to almost 100% Christian music. I know that there are arguments (some of them very good ones) for and against the Christian music scene that is out there today. But I can say that I would rather listen to a "Christian" song that sounds like every other 'Boy Band' out there than pollute my mind with the dribble that is pawned off as modern music.

As I returned a movie tonight to the local video store, the CD was playing and it was Todd Agnew's new album. The third track was playing and it hit me like a ton of bricks. As we celebrate the Passion Week and come upon Good Friday, I was listening to these lyrics:

"Each crack of that whip was for my mistakes
Blood is on my hands
Each stumble up that hill was my step to take
Blood is on my hands
How do I say thanks for this"

Each and every day I stumble. Some days there are just those little hiccups in the road and I go on. Others are the big pot holes that I fall into and it takes a while, sometimes a long while, to get up and going again.

And it was because of those stumbles that He was stricken. It was because of MY failings that He was crucified. He was perfect. I am totally depraved, but forgiven through His sacrifice.

I didn't create this blog to talk about music, I created this to talk about Scripture. But sometimes music, like the events of our lives, drives us to Scripture.

2 Corinthians 5:21 "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."

Isaiah 53...the entire chapter, look it up. Or post a comment with your e-mail addy and I'll get it to you.

As you approach this Resurrection Sunday and Good Friday, and attend the services at your church, keep these in mind. He didn't go to the cross and suffer the shame and indignation for the faceless masses...He did it for YOU!

Sola Scriptura

The Apprentice

2006-04-11T06:48:00.000-05:00

Last night I finished a fiction novel that I had been reading for a few weeks. One of the main characters was an apprentice blacksmith. Due to circumstances, he was unable to continue in the trade but became a soldier instead.

All through his life he refers back to lessons that his blacksmithing tutor had taught him. Even as he faced death on a different continent, he recalled teachings from his beloved trainer.

I was thinking this morning, as I wait for the caffeine to kick in, about some of the Biblical models of apprenticeship that we have.

One of the first that comes to mind is that of Moses and Joshua. God had chosen Joshua to be Moses' successor in leading the nation of Israel. Joshua would receive blessings that Moses had forfeited in arrogance. But the relationship between these two is what intrigues me. What must have their conversations been like, especially as Moses' time on earth drew to a close?

Another of those relationships is Paul and Timothy. The great Apostle and the young pastor. You get a glimpse as to what Paul thought of Timothy when he writes in 1 Timothy 6:11, "But you, man of God..." This is the ONLY time Paul uses this term. And you know that Timothy encourages Paul by his statements in 2 Timothy and the other epistles.

My question for you this morning is who is your Moses? Who is your Paul? Who is your tutor in the everyday of life? Who is your spiritual tutor that you turn to?

Almost as important is who is your Joshua? Who looks to you for help and guidance as they begin their journey?

I have men in my life that are great expositors like the apostle Paul and I sit at their feet and drink in the Word. I have men in my life that are skilled leaders that take time to teach and instruct and train me. To quote one of these men whom I love, "These are the men with whom I would charge Hell with a water pistol."

Sola Scriptura

Roaster's Ramblings

2006-04-10T21:22:00.000-05:00

I really enjoy a good cup of coffee or ten. One of my favorite places to stop and think and drain a few gallons of the good stuff is Roasters here in Amarillo.

Sometimes I just enjoy sitting back and listening as the people talk back and forth across tables and sometimes across the room. A few nights ago, I overheard a conversation that made me stop and think.

One young lady was bragging to her friends that her birthday was coming up and she was going to get a tattoo for her birthday. I don't want to get into the whole tattoo-Biblical issue (we'll tackle that one later), but what really got me was that she repeatedly refered to the fact that her dad didn't want her to get the tattoo. Not only did he not want her to get one, he threatened to throw her out of the house if she got one. And she didn't care. Her comments were in the line of, "I'm almost eighteen now and he'll get over it."

Now that's my rub. She had NO respect for her father's opinion and planned on completely disregarding his wishes.

I just don't get it. Was she wrong in the fact that since she is now approaching the age of majority, she no longer needed to respect her father or heed his wishes?

Let's take a survey through the Word and see what we're told there:

Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving to you."

Ephesians 6:1-3 "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother'--which is the first commandment with a promise--'that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

In fact there was a punishment laid out in the Law for dishonoring parents that Jesus Himself refers to in Mark 7:10, "Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death." This was accomplished by stoning the offending offspring to death in the center of town so they would be an example to all the children of the city.

I need another cup, so I'll sign off for now and fill up. More later...

Sola Scriptura

Grand Opening

2006-04-10T12:04:00.000-05:00

Every day it seems that you can see a new business, whether a restaraunt or service type business, holding its "Grand Opening". They hold their grand opening in order to tell the public, "Hey, check us out...We have something to offer that the other guys don't!"

Well, here's our "Grand Opening"!

This is a blog that offers what many don't. Biblical answers to issues and situations that teens are facing every single day. There are times in life and situations that arise that teens need answers for and they are too afraid to go to their parents or too ashamed to seek the counsel of other adults. That is where we step in. Not as a replacement for parents or counselors that know the teens personally, but as a 'First Responder' in times of need.

No topic will be taboo (some may be edited for content) and all questions will be answered. They may not be answered with the answers that you want, but they will be answered Biblically and supported with Scripture. There won't be any answers from Dr. Phil or the Psychic Network...those are worldly counselors. All of the answers will be from the Bible and the Bible only. If we follow the mantra of the Reformers in Sola Scriptura, then it will be easy to do as Paul commanded us to do in Colossians 3:2, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

To keep things rolling, I will try to cover and post a news article every few days and respond to it Biblically.