Two Books

The hottest world record seems to be the knuckle pushup record. Lately there has been a string of videos documenting the competition of achieving this record, the latest being just this week as Al Waselenchuk attempts to break the record by performing 91 in a minute.

Not all kinds of record books are about achieving a feat or breaking a record. Record books can record any listing of acts or deeds. As I think about this Easter, I am reminded that there are two record books mentioned in the Bible. The first is not a pleasant one. It records every sin and every offense against God. It is a very thick book. Psalm 130:3-4 says that if God should mark every iniquity, who could stand? This is the book I am held to account for when I stand before God in judgment. This book is a ledger book.

The second book is the Book of Life. This book contains not a record of my action, but a record of those who are redeemed by God. It is almost like a receipt or an admission ticket. When I go sign in to trade shows, I want my name to be on the registered list because it means that I am able to attend. Someone had to pay the price for my name to be on the list. There is only one relevant action to be in that book and that is the complete payment of sins by Jesus Christ. We want our name in that book and not in the ledger book.

In Ezekiel and Revelation, the ledger book is described as sweet to the taste and bitter to the stomach. God's wrath should be bitter - it carries a high cost in judgment, one way or the other. On Good Friday, the realization that Christ was bearing the complete wrath of God in full payment should be nauseatingly bitter. It also should be bitter to the realization that those who are relying on their own ledger book will receive the full weight of the judgment of God. On Easter Sunday, it is sweet to the soul as we are in complete relationship with God. Psalm 130:4 describes the transition from the ledger book to the book of life this way - "As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit, and that's why You are worshiped." (MSG)

The Impact of Black Mass

I watched the movie Black Mass on Friday night. I knew what I was getting myself into. I read IMDB's "Parent Reviews" not for my children (they are grown), but for myself. I am careful of what comes through my eye gate. IMDB documented 254 uses of the "f-bomb" (I wonder who gets that job counting these words). I also knew there was extreme violence. More than violence - it was personal violence. War violence doesn't shake me as much maybe because it is not personal. I don't knock Hollywood for making Jim, "Whitey" Bulger who he was. He was a really bad dude and from what I can tell, Johnny Depp did an incredible job playing him. It would be really tough to soften such a character. However, about three quarters of the way through the movie, I looked at my hand and it was shaking.

There is a physical and emotional toll associated with ingesting this into the mind. And it gets worse. What used to be an "X" rated movie is now comfortably an "R" rated movie and what used to be an "R" rated movie now goes into the "PG-13" category. A movie like "Fifty Shades of Grey" will never be on my watchlist. Why? Not because I feel obligated, but because I know that something that comes into my mind leaves an imprint and certain imprints I don't want to have.

I think it is really hard for a young person growing up today. Internet pornography is prevalent. A friend of mine who is a youth pastor told me that 90+% of male students in middle and high school cite a pornography problem. It is almost impossible to will yourself away from this. What is necessary is the principle of replacement. Paul says to fill your mind with the word of Christ, and with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God (Col 1:16). He says in Romans to be transformed by the renewing of your mind (12:2). I can't have a relationship with the creator God if what I am ingesting is drawing me away from Him. On the contrary, what I fill my mind with can draw me closer to Him and it also strengthens me to resist what I might otherwise fill my mind with.

I wanted to watch the movie because it was a biography and I was interested in the character. However, I don't think I can do it very often or I might risk becoming desensitized to it.

Falsely Accused

I have received now several of these voice mail messages on my phone.


U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Magistrate, Grand Jury oh my!  Sure sounds scary even if it is being left by Steve Martin (isn't he a comedian?). When you get messages like this, it sure makes your heart skip a beat. It is almost as if you have to remind yourself that this accusation is not legitimate. This scam is intended to scare you into calling the number and coughing up dollars to settle some claim.

I am reminded that Satan is the ultimate false accuser. Satan rips at the heart of your worries and fears. He wants to tear you down and render you completely useless. But God says the complete opposite; you are valuable and you are loved. Your reaction should be the same as with this voice mail message and to call it for what it is. James says to "Submit yourselves to God; resist the devil and he will flee from you." (4:7). The trick is to nip the false accusation in the bud as soon as it comes in. Don't let it sink in and fester.

Doing Life Together

Just finished a refreshing weekend with close friends of over 20 years. I describe these friends as those who we have done "life with". We started out as a community group through Parkside Church. Our kids were about the same age and we spent the formative family years together. A number of us now are part of Christ Community Chapel and two have even moved away. But even though our kids have grown, we drew back together. Life now involves parents passing into eternity, illnesses such as cancer, job changes, financial insecurities, and more.

So here we were, 18 of us gathering at Maumee Park Resort eating (and more eating), playing walleyball, pictionary, and some dice game I think called "left, right, center" (I never heard of it). The picture above is at this pizza joint called Blackberry's Cafe. I am so grateful for this group. My tendency like a lot of men is to fight the battle of life alone. But that is not God's plan. We were not meant to go through life alone. We need each other, warts and all. In our closing worship this morning, we were reminded of Paul's words in Colossians 3:12-17.

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. 

As we reflected, it is amazing to see God's providence in bringing our group together. The only common trait we all have is a love of Jesus Christ and faith in Him. We all need to be part of an extended family. God never intends to go through the trials of life alone.