I can't shake the feeling that it all is basically a façade...The Oregon Senate Health Care Committee met today in public hearing to pilot their darling idea to strip all non-medical exemptions from vaccinations. They call it SB442. Their cronies, and experts had an open mike followed by timed testimonies from concerned citizens (80% opposed it) who were also filling another assembly chamber and watching via live video feed. They closed with more thoughts from supporters from various medical establishments.
I (like most of our state) only became aware of this proposed bill just yesterday. There were people there from all corners of our state to oppose this.
I believe I was the only homeschooler there...There is a bit of a false belief that this will not really affect us...But the dots are all there, think about it for a moment and connect them.
This DOES effect many homeschoolers as soon as it is law. Any services obtained thru the local school district (speech therapy to on campus classes, to public charters) will meet full vax requirements. I asked lobbyists about the possibility of addressing this and they all said it was not enough of a population segment to ever get any traction. How long do you logically think it will be before this forced vaccination program is applied to homeschoolers too??
For non-compliant vaccinators--- The other effect would be that any future endemic outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases would be 'blamed' on what will then be a largely unvaxed homeschool population. (you think the environment is tough just now with the current up-tick in measles? Just wait.)
Legally--- This is MASSIVE government overreach, this should not be possible by both the Constitution and the state constitution. From a civil rights point of view, do you really understand what we are looking at here? It will take much less effort to stop this line of thinking than to reverse it. Once adopted though, there is no end to the areas this overreach would touch. Parental rights in the health care of their children would quickly become a thing of the past. I heard well reasoned arguments from a constitutionality and civil rights stand point--This needs to continue. The Health Care board must be called on to carefully look at the legal issues at stake in this legislation.
Ethically---There is NO religious/moral/conscious opt out for vaccine derived from fetal stem cell lines. There is no opt out for Hep. B or Gardasil. No opt out of the annual flu vax.
It's all of them, on the standard CDC schedule. Period.
As for medical opt out---There is no way to say "My kids have double copies of the MTHFR gene mutation and consequently immune systems which cannot get rid of the toxins in vaccinations effectively." Their version of 'Medical Opt out" is nearly impossible short of having recent leukemia, cancer or organ transplant. There is no choosing to vaccinate on more of a UK or Japan model. (Other developed countries have LESS vaccinations and healthier people... Hummm)
This is the current, and constantly increasing, CDC model or else no access to ANY form of public education services. Public school, HeadStart, speech, occupational therapy, on campus classes, public charter, all are affected by SB442.
Back to the charade...There is a "Informative only" meeting March 9th with no public testimony. They will have "experts on both sides" available.
Both sides of WHAT? The constitution, medical ethics, vaccine safety???
Senator Hayward has her ducks in a row. She fully expects this to pass and quickly.
I stayed late and spoke to several lobbyists who predict if it makes it out of committee it will easily pass both Senate and House (out of indifference,and 'having bigger fish to fry') This could easily be law by early Summer.
We MUST flood this committee, our representatives, and our new Governor with e-mails, letters and calls daily starting NOW! Take your senator and representative to coffee. Let them know your concerns.
The thoughts which seemed to make the committee members squirm most were,
1.People who testified they would be forced to leave the state if this became law.
2.Women who testified they they would be disadvantaged economically by this because they would have to leave jobs to stay home full time to homeschool.
3. Testimonies which pointed to the potential religious conflict of vaxing using shots derived by the use of fetal stem cell lines.
Multiple lobbyists said this will not be won on expert testimony, but on parental input and fear of loss (revenue and constituents)to the state.
Of all the committee members, Shaw most seemed possibly sway-able...But we need 3 'NO' votes to kill it in committee. Obviously we should work on all, but both Steiner-Hayward and Monnes-Anderson are quite invested in supporting SB442 already.
Please don't sit on your hands and watch this unfold. The time to speak and act is NOW!
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
dis-ci-ple
"disciple" - as derived from the Greek word mathetes, means a pupil of a teacher or apprentice as to a master craftsman. In Christian understanding, we are to be disciples of the God the Son, The Great Teacher, The Master Craftsman. This is our calling, He is our ultimate model.
dis-ci-pline - is both the verb to teach or train (What Christ seeks to do in us), and a noun meaning a branch of study (Our branch of study being, learning of, and following in, Christ's ways.) It may seem a difficult thing, but it is a gift of grace given us by God, to draw us closer to Himself.
1 Timothy 4:7-8 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;
for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
Our source to discover Christ is found in the sufficient and inerrant body of scripture. This is where we are to go to seek wisdom and find the pattern for our lives.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Our life is to be about renewing our minds, bringing our thinking, will and every aspect of life into conformity and submission to God’s will.
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
We must know what the gospel is, believe it, and make our life match that belief. Do not become jaded by this world, the gospel is ever a beautiful and wonderful mystery. It is the only possible source of godliness...In this unimaginable gift!
John 3:14-17 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
sub-mis-sion - Not a popular notion in the world today to be sure, but it is plainly modeled by Christ and indeed explicitly directed too.
Philippians 2:1-11 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
When we make our lives gospel centered in word AND deed, every day choosing God's way over our own desires, submission is the natural and joyful result.
James 4:7-10 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Hebrews 12:9-11 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Luke 9:23-25 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?"
Are we being disciples? Really? Or has the world corrupted our thinking, and have the current modes of doing things altered our understanding? What teachers are we listening to? Are they pointing us to the God of scripture? Are we ever more in awe of His grace and the Gospel of Christ when we read/hear them?
God IS, He is knowable, God has given His inspired, inerrant, infallible sufficient Word. We can know and believe with boldness, confident we have His instructions for our lives. Jesus IS our teacher!
Beyond knowing... are we DOING? Doing what we see in scripture. Do our actions reflect the gospel? Are we submitting our desires to His revealed will? Let us not get caught up in what the world says we should do. Let us look to scripture for our guide...to do God's things in His ways. Let's make our actions in life be what God would have us do, and in that we will point others to our Savior!
dis-ci-pline - is both the verb to teach or train (What Christ seeks to do in us), and a noun meaning a branch of study (Our branch of study being, learning of, and following in, Christ's ways.) It may seem a difficult thing, but it is a gift of grace given us by God, to draw us closer to Himself.
1 Timothy 4:7-8 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;
for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
Our source to discover Christ is found in the sufficient and inerrant body of scripture. This is where we are to go to seek wisdom and find the pattern for our lives.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Our life is to be about renewing our minds, bringing our thinking, will and every aspect of life into conformity and submission to God’s will.
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
We must know what the gospel is, believe it, and make our life match that belief. Do not become jaded by this world, the gospel is ever a beautiful and wonderful mystery. It is the only possible source of godliness...In this unimaginable gift!
John 3:14-17 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
sub-mis-sion - Not a popular notion in the world today to be sure, but it is plainly modeled by Christ and indeed explicitly directed too.
Philippians 2:1-11 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
When we make our lives gospel centered in word AND deed, every day choosing God's way over our own desires, submission is the natural and joyful result.
James 4:7-10 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Hebrews 12:9-11 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Luke 9:23-25 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?"
Are we being disciples? Really? Or has the world corrupted our thinking, and have the current modes of doing things altered our understanding? What teachers are we listening to? Are they pointing us to the God of scripture? Are we ever more in awe of His grace and the Gospel of Christ when we read/hear them?
God IS, He is knowable, God has given His inspired, inerrant, infallible sufficient Word. We can know and believe with boldness, confident we have His instructions for our lives. Jesus IS our teacher!
Beyond knowing... are we DOING? Doing what we see in scripture. Do our actions reflect the gospel? Are we submitting our desires to His revealed will? Let us not get caught up in what the world says we should do. Let us look to scripture for our guide...to do God's things in His ways. Let's make our actions in life be what God would have us do, and in that we will point others to our Savior!
Monday, January 19, 2015
Why I am concerned, and will not gather and ask "IF"
I had heard/seen rumblings of this last year, but it had come and gone before I really took notice. It has gained a lot of steam in the past months. As so many...most perhaps, of my friends and Christian sisters jump on the IF Gathering band wagon, I have felt hesitancy...While I enjoy some of the writings of the Christian woman supporting and promoting it, and while on the surface it sounds like a wonderful concept, the 'almost, but not quite' elements stand out to me as stark flashing caution lights. After weeks of prayer and discussing this with my husband, I write you a letter today, born of love and concern
.Dear Sisters,
I am very concerned for you, and equally worried for upcoming generations. It seems lately we have lost something very important...
I see in Christian media and circles a pervasive, not so subtle, push of feminism and humanism. It comes sweetened with the name of Christ and His love, making it harder to notice and easier to swallow. Particularly, I see this in the face of the modern, restless, Christian woman with an overwhelming desire to 'do' good things, in the name of Christ, but all the while ignoring His revealed ways.
Despite the age old line about Christianity being a male centric religion, we have the witness of MANY women in scripture. We see relational models of; single women, married women, childless women, mothers, single/spiritually single moms, mothers in law, grandmothers, widows. For every possible season, we have a model. Wisdom- that virtue we are all to seek diligently, is personified as feminine! We also have the model of Christ and His relational position in the Godhead. Additionally there are many scriptures giving direct instruction to wives and mothers. While scripture's overall emphasis for womanhood is 'life-giver', it is clear that birth is not the only way to fulfill that call. Far from male centric, we have a God who desires relationship with us, and who knows (and has revealed) how best for our relationships toward others to be conducted as well.
Somehow, even among historically conservative lines of Christian thinking, we now see modeled and taught patterns of conduct and 'ministry' which are clearly outside of the models and direction God has provided.
What has happened?
Have we all managed to mature in our Christian walks to the point where we no longer need to live our lives informed by scripture? May that never be!
May we chose just ANY way to serve God?
Are all actions equally valid and glorifying to Him, so long as we say His name and are motivated to share His love? NO!
Why are 'mainline conservatives' blindly internalizing this error? Why do we not see a solid push back against this mistake in thinking?
I will write further on this, but for now I end with this...
BECAUSE
Because God IS. Psalm 46:10
Because God is knowable. Ephesians 1:17
Because Christ is our model. Ephesians 5:1-2
Because scripture provides clear instruction. 2Timothy 3:15-17
Because I am to be content in my femininity, and season of life. Psalm 37:3-4, 1Timothy 6:6-7
Because I (Joy) am tasked with daily pointing my children to God. Titus 2:5, Deuteronomy 11:19
Because there is an ABUNDANCE of ministry needed and available to me in my neighborhood and church right now. (This is also God's provision for how my children learn to minister.) Matthew 25:40, James 1:27
Because prayer is powerful, I may pray God's blessing on any pocket of the world He wishes to bless. John 14:13-14
For all these reasons I will not gather and ask "IF" on February 6th and 7th.
I will host a Bible study in my home on February 7th. We will read through Hebrews together, pray for our community, and praise our Lord for His wisdom and care in providing us models in scripture for our lives.
While I will have help available to care for little ones, this assembly is emphatically not just for those in the mommy brigade or ranks of the married! There is much wisdom and encouragement to be gained from sharing time in the Word with one another.
Please prayerfully consider joining us.
Much love,
Joy
.Dear Sisters,
I am very concerned for you, and equally worried for upcoming generations. It seems lately we have lost something very important...
I see in Christian media and circles a pervasive, not so subtle, push of feminism and humanism. It comes sweetened with the name of Christ and His love, making it harder to notice and easier to swallow. Particularly, I see this in the face of the modern, restless, Christian woman with an overwhelming desire to 'do' good things, in the name of Christ, but all the while ignoring His revealed ways.
Despite the age old line about Christianity being a male centric religion, we have the witness of MANY women in scripture. We see relational models of; single women, married women, childless women, mothers, single/spiritually single moms, mothers in law, grandmothers, widows. For every possible season, we have a model. Wisdom- that virtue we are all to seek diligently, is personified as feminine! We also have the model of Christ and His relational position in the Godhead. Additionally there are many scriptures giving direct instruction to wives and mothers. While scripture's overall emphasis for womanhood is 'life-giver', it is clear that birth is not the only way to fulfill that call. Far from male centric, we have a God who desires relationship with us, and who knows (and has revealed) how best for our relationships toward others to be conducted as well.
Somehow, even among historically conservative lines of Christian thinking, we now see modeled and taught patterns of conduct and 'ministry' which are clearly outside of the models and direction God has provided.
What has happened?
Have we all managed to mature in our Christian walks to the point where we no longer need to live our lives informed by scripture? May that never be!
May we chose just ANY way to serve God?
Are all actions equally valid and glorifying to Him, so long as we say His name and are motivated to share His love? NO!
Why are 'mainline conservatives' blindly internalizing this error? Why do we not see a solid push back against this mistake in thinking?
I will write further on this, but for now I end with this...
BECAUSE
Because God IS. Psalm 46:10
Because God is knowable. Ephesians 1:17
Because Christ is our model. Ephesians 5:1-2
Because scripture provides clear instruction. 2Timothy 3:15-17
Because I am to be content in my femininity, and season of life. Psalm 37:3-4, 1Timothy 6:6-7
Because I (Joy) am tasked with daily pointing my children to God. Titus 2:5, Deuteronomy 11:19
Because there is an ABUNDANCE of ministry needed and available to me in my neighborhood and church right now. (This is also God's provision for how my children learn to minister.) Matthew 25:40, James 1:27
Because prayer is powerful, I may pray God's blessing on any pocket of the world He wishes to bless. John 14:13-14
For all these reasons I will not gather and ask "IF" on February 6th and 7th.
I will host a Bible study in my home on February 7th. We will read through Hebrews together, pray for our community, and praise our Lord for His wisdom and care in providing us models in scripture for our lives.
While I will have help available to care for little ones, this assembly is emphatically not just for those in the mommy brigade or ranks of the married! There is much wisdom and encouragement to be gained from sharing time in the Word with one another.
Please prayerfully consider joining us.
Much love,
Joy
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
So, What's It To You?
Within the Western hemisphere, and especially in the United States, Christmas suffers from a crisis of multiple identities. It has no focused meaning. It is clearly commercial, and political. It is for children's fantasies, adults partying together, for family time, feasting, for giving, for getting, for humbugging. Among Christians there is a tendency toward a reflexive response of, "Jesus is the reason for the season." and, "Keep Christ in Christmas." We hear of offense taken at well wishes of , "Happy Holidays." or a written, "Merry X-mas." because it omits the name of Christ. While the intention may be good...We may have missed the point entirely already. We have marginalized Christ into a trite saying and an image of a cooing babe. Christmas is much more than a baby in a manger. Sweet little Jesus child, when not remembered with the whole of the gospel, is nearly as empty of meaning as the most generic of, "Seasons Greetings."
The babe born in Bethlehem...was GOD! This was cataclysmic.
*He, the Word made flesh, was there in the beginning. All things came into being thru HIM!
*Through Adam's sin, all of us were separated from God.
*We all, of our own free will, have transgressed and sinned against God.
*The just punishment for sin is Gods full wrath, and death. We can do nothing to be right, we are already fully undone. We could never attain God's standard of holiness
*God is perfect and holy, and He requires no less than a reflection of His own perfection.
*The only answer was the unthinkable... God the Father loved us so much (His desire to be in right relationship with us was so strong) that He came, in the person of God the Son, Jesus, and took on the form and life of one of His own creatures.
*He was fully God and also fully man but without sin.
*His birth was foretold to us thru the prophets of the Old Testament.
*He was born into His created world in a remarkably humble manner-not even in a home but in a stable. He lived a life very like our own. He experienced our pains, temptations and fears.
*He took on himself the weight and penalty for the sins of all who call him Lord, from the beginning of time until the end. He died as the only possible sacrifice to pay the penalty for those sins.
*He physically rose from the dead three days later, breaking the power of death to separate us from Himself.
*His physical body still bears the marks of the great price He willingly paid for all who believe.
*By His grace alone was this done. By grace alone are we quickened to come to Him. Only by His grace are we justified. Our own works could never do it.
*Only thru faith may we be justified and made right with God. That faith, gifted to us from the third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit, lays hold of the absolute righteousness of Christ, and God freely credits that rightness to those who believe.
*Only by the blood of Christ can we enter into this grace. We may be saved by the work of Christ alone, and come to God only in that way.
* The only way we can know about saving faith and how God desires us to live is revealed in His holy scriptures, the Bible.
A true and complete gospel , and a true and complete Christmas, is that which gives all glory to God alone. For all glory is due to Him.
Do you see the amazing mercy of God??? The baby in the barn was just the beginning...a very important beginning - worthy, I think, of remembrance, but none the less just the beginning. Be careful to remember not just that He was born, but WHY he was born.
What is Christmas to me?
My creator, come as creature, willingly laying aside His glory and majesty to bear the weight of His own wrath over my sin, His love for me so great, that He did the inconceivable to bring me into right relationship with Him and make me his own child.
The glorying in Him, and sense of deep humility which fall over me as I consider this is unutterable.
John 3:16-18
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
The babe born in Bethlehem...was GOD! This was cataclysmic.
*He, the Word made flesh, was there in the beginning. All things came into being thru HIM!
*Through Adam's sin, all of us were separated from God.
*We all, of our own free will, have transgressed and sinned against God.
*The just punishment for sin is Gods full wrath, and death. We can do nothing to be right, we are already fully undone. We could never attain God's standard of holiness
*God is perfect and holy, and He requires no less than a reflection of His own perfection.
*The only answer was the unthinkable... God the Father loved us so much (His desire to be in right relationship with us was so strong) that He came, in the person of God the Son, Jesus, and took on the form and life of one of His own creatures.
*He was fully God and also fully man but without sin.
*His birth was foretold to us thru the prophets of the Old Testament.
*He was born into His created world in a remarkably humble manner-not even in a home but in a stable. He lived a life very like our own. He experienced our pains, temptations and fears.
*He took on himself the weight and penalty for the sins of all who call him Lord, from the beginning of time until the end. He died as the only possible sacrifice to pay the penalty for those sins.
*He physically rose from the dead three days later, breaking the power of death to separate us from Himself.
*His physical body still bears the marks of the great price He willingly paid for all who believe.
*By His grace alone was this done. By grace alone are we quickened to come to Him. Only by His grace are we justified. Our own works could never do it.
*Only thru faith may we be justified and made right with God. That faith, gifted to us from the third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit, lays hold of the absolute righteousness of Christ, and God freely credits that rightness to those who believe.
*Only by the blood of Christ can we enter into this grace. We may be saved by the work of Christ alone, and come to God only in that way.
* The only way we can know about saving faith and how God desires us to live is revealed in His holy scriptures, the Bible.
A true and complete gospel , and a true and complete Christmas, is that which gives all glory to God alone. For all glory is due to Him.
Do you see the amazing mercy of God??? The baby in the barn was just the beginning...a very important beginning - worthy, I think, of remembrance, but none the less just the beginning. Be careful to remember not just that He was born, but WHY he was born.
What is Christmas to me?
My creator, come as creature, willingly laying aside His glory and majesty to bear the weight of His own wrath over my sin, His love for me so great, that He did the inconceivable to bring me into right relationship with Him and make me his own child.
The glorying in Him, and sense of deep humility which fall over me as I consider this is unutterable.
John 3:16-18
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
What to Do With Santa Claus??
I have a few more general thoughts to share at some point, but here it is the ninth of December. With Christmas day fast approaching, I thought it time to begin looking at the individual ideas and practices common to our cultural celebrations of Christmas.
Santa Claus...
What to do with that guy? Despite never telling my children he was real, never perpetuating the idea/myth in anyway, even despite telling them, "No, he is not real." when they asked outright...They have each and all believed (steadfastly) until they were between the ages of 4 and 7 years old. (I have 2 believers still.)
This is a sweet passage of childhood and I never saw a need to crush it, only to be 100% truthful with my children concerning it. I could not see lying to my children about a fiction, and then expecting them to believe in an equally invisible (though real) God. It seems a dangerous trick which could serve to erode trust. These children were given to us to raise. It is my goal to be able to speak truth (God) into their lives all of my days, and I could never gamble losing their trust over a fiction.
I feel it is okay for them to recognize 'Santa' but I make sure they know God better. Because for never advancing the myth, yet they still believe.
When my boys have matured to the point of out growing the belief in Santa, they have each come to me and expressed (what amounts to Biblical doctrine) as to why they stopped believing. Most recently my seven year old came to me and said, "Mom, I just realized, Santa maybe lived once, but for no more than any other man. He may have been nice and gave gifts, but he can't be for forever-because only God is forever, and he can't be everywhere in a night because only God can be everywhere. Right?" You see, their developing minds, one Christmas time, will finally filter the idea of 'Santa' into their worldview. The world view/God view we should begin instilling into their hearts and minds from their earliest moments. (This process of filtering is one they will be engaged in for the rest of their lives.) Instead of sweating the 'Santa thing' 30 days of the year, put your energies into grounding your children in a God focused world view, daily. The benefits are much greater! :)
Saint Nick?...
I do think there is benefit in remembering the lives of Christians from past ages and more current faithful saints as well. They serve to inspire us to holiness and works (exercised as a fruit of faith, not unto faith) Saint Nicholas falls into this area. To remember his life and faith is of great value. Remembering him on his saint day (or any day other than Christmas) is great. His generosity is a lovely example to us. To avoid confusion, Christmas (here at our home) is reserved for remembering the mystery and great mercy shown in the incarnation of our Lord.
I found this blogger recently and this post , of her family's take on Santa, resonated with me as well.
What are your thoughts? Do you see this more strictly or liberally? I love to hear from you.
Santa Claus...
What to do with that guy? Despite never telling my children he was real, never perpetuating the idea/myth in anyway, even despite telling them, "No, he is not real." when they asked outright...They have each and all believed (steadfastly) until they were between the ages of 4 and 7 years old. (I have 2 believers still.)
This is a sweet passage of childhood and I never saw a need to crush it, only to be 100% truthful with my children concerning it. I could not see lying to my children about a fiction, and then expecting them to believe in an equally invisible (though real) God. It seems a dangerous trick which could serve to erode trust. These children were given to us to raise. It is my goal to be able to speak truth (God) into their lives all of my days, and I could never gamble losing their trust over a fiction.
I feel it is okay for them to recognize 'Santa' but I make sure they know God better. Because for never advancing the myth, yet they still believe.
When my boys have matured to the point of out growing the belief in Santa, they have each come to me and expressed (what amounts to Biblical doctrine) as to why they stopped believing. Most recently my seven year old came to me and said, "Mom, I just realized, Santa maybe lived once, but for no more than any other man. He may have been nice and gave gifts, but he can't be for forever-because only God is forever, and he can't be everywhere in a night because only God can be everywhere. Right?" You see, their developing minds, one Christmas time, will finally filter the idea of 'Santa' into their worldview. The world view/God view we should begin instilling into their hearts and minds from their earliest moments. (This process of filtering is one they will be engaged in for the rest of their lives.) Instead of sweating the 'Santa thing' 30 days of the year, put your energies into grounding your children in a God focused world view, daily. The benefits are much greater! :)
Saint Nick?...
I do think there is benefit in remembering the lives of Christians from past ages and more current faithful saints as well. They serve to inspire us to holiness and works (exercised as a fruit of faith, not unto faith) Saint Nicholas falls into this area. To remember his life and faith is of great value. Remembering him on his saint day (or any day other than Christmas) is great. His generosity is a lovely example to us. To avoid confusion, Christmas (here at our home) is reserved for remembering the mystery and great mercy shown in the incarnation of our Lord.
I found this blogger recently and this post , of her family's take on Santa, resonated with me as well.
What are your thoughts? Do you see this more strictly or liberally? I love to hear from you.
Friday, December 5, 2014
Finally, the New Testament!
Here are the scriptures I have found pertinent to this discussion. I am just going to give links today, as there is a lot of text.
Romans 14 thru 15:2 Romans 14 and 15
1 Corinthians 8:4-13 1 Corinthians 8
1 Corinthians 10:14-21 and verse 31 1 Corinthians 10
Galatians 4:8-11 Galatians 4
Colossians 2:16-17 Colossians 2
As for discussion, I could heavily cut and paste, or just link you to a sermon. John Piper puts this more succinctly and clearly than I could, and he provides a good summation of these ideas.
Sermon, text and video here
I found nothing in the major commentaries which concluded anything other than we are free to observe or to not observe special days. We must do what we do in faith and good conscience, and we may not pass judgment on, or create a stumbling block for, those who observe otherwise. As seen through out scripture we are to give regard for the other, and especially protecting the weaker. The bottom line is...
I am to pray and move forth in faith.
You are to pray and move forth in faith.
With Christ as Lord, the Holy Spirit will guide our actions.
Glory to God alone is our aim, yet, He will get the glory PERIOD.
"Therefore, I do not say to you, “Lighten up.” Or, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” Rather I say, “Stand in awe of the risen Christ who will get his glory from the living and from the dead and from the eaters and the abstainers and from the day-keepers and the non-day-keepers. Stand in awe of Jesus Christ. And whatever you do, whether you eat or whether you drink, do all to the glory of Christ" 1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
(John Piper from the above linked sermon)
Romans 14 thru 15:2 Romans 14 and 15
1 Corinthians 8:4-13 1 Corinthians 8
1 Corinthians 10:14-21 and verse 31 1 Corinthians 10
Galatians 4:8-11 Galatians 4
Colossians 2:16-17 Colossians 2
As for discussion, I could heavily cut and paste, or just link you to a sermon. John Piper puts this more succinctly and clearly than I could, and he provides a good summation of these ideas.
Sermon, text and video here
I found nothing in the major commentaries which concluded anything other than we are free to observe or to not observe special days. We must do what we do in faith and good conscience, and we may not pass judgment on, or create a stumbling block for, those who observe otherwise. As seen through out scripture we are to give regard for the other, and especially protecting the weaker. The bottom line is...
I am to pray and move forth in faith.
You are to pray and move forth in faith.
With Christ as Lord, the Holy Spirit will guide our actions.
Glory to God alone is our aim, yet, He will get the glory PERIOD.
"Therefore, I do not say to you, “Lighten up.” Or, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” Rather I say, “Stand in awe of the risen Christ who will get his glory from the living and from the dead and from the eaters and the abstainers and from the day-keepers and the non-day-keepers. Stand in awe of Jesus Christ. And whatever you do, whether you eat or whether you drink, do all to the glory of Christ" 1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
(John Piper from the above linked sermon)
Thursday, December 4, 2014
But Is It Idolatry, Or Otherwise Worshiping Other gods?
So far in considering the Old Testament books, the major argument I see possibly leveled against the practice of Christmas is the issue of idolatry. In Christian perspective and by the witness of scripture we know we serve a jealous God. We are commanded over and over to worship Him and worship Him ONLY. In the small sampling below we see clearly this command to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our might, and to serve Him only.
Exodus 20:1-6 The first two of the Ten Commandments...
Deuteronomy 6:4-6
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart...."
Deuteronomy 11:16-17
Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them; then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain, and the land will yield no fruit, and you will perish quickly off the good land that the Lord is giving you.
Deuteronomy 30:17-18
But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess.
1 Kings 9:6-9
But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And this house will become a heap of ruins. Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore the Lord has brought all this disaster on them.’”
As the Israelites moved through the promised land laying hold of the territories God was giving them, the were explicitly told to keep nothing from those lands and cultures, but to destroy and burn the graven images, idols and alters to other gods. They were cautioned of the small ways they could possibly absorb the culture into their own and corrupt it.
Therefore, our question now becomes, "Is the practice of Christmas idol worship? Does it break Gods command to have no other god?" I believe we each and all need to exercise caution and an honest look at our selves on this point, because the practice of Christmas certainly CAN be idol worship, and can break both the first and second commandments...And the 9th and 10th too, with lying and covetousness. (Really, these are areas we need to examine ourselves in regularly, not just in this discussion of Christmas.)
I am assuming my readership is mostly those who identify as Christians, I will then also assume you are not outright venerating or worshiping your tree, candles or an image of Santa Claus during this season. For us who name Christ as Lord, it is rather more insidious than that. While Christmas-y 'stuff' may be morally neutral there is a point we all struggle with...When you are stuck on the trappings of Christmas: showy lights, Pinterest-envyable decorations, a cute family photo to let your friends marvel at your creativity, doing all the 'stuff', perfect gifts for everyone on your list, pitching a fit when the month or day does not go the way we envisioned, etc. When these things consume your thoughts it is a form of idol worship. Maybe the thing has become an idol, or maybe you have made your own ability and prideful will into an idol for yourself. This is the point of realization where I said "OUCH!" But after prayers of confession and repenting from at least 20 years where I know I have transgressed in this area. Oh there is such freedom on the other side!
Please set some time aside (If you have kiddos this will actually take some planning.) to pray about your Christmas practices and expectations, and to examine your heart in the matter.
Tomorrow I will look at the New Testament verses relating to the keeping of special days, and any which may speak to how we practice Christmas. I will share my considerations of the various individual Christmas traditions with you in coming days.
As you prepare your heart and home for Christmas I encourage you to keep these things in mind--Does this practice point (me, my family, my neighbors) to Christ? Does this cause us to glorify God and enjoy him? Are we celebrating the real thing?... That is, are we focused on the amazing incarnation of our mighty God? Do we see His volitional humility? Do I need to change things up a bit to make that so? Is this thing an idol for me? Is it my pride driving this thing I think we 'need' to do? Is there a practice we need to change or drop altogether to avoid idolatry in our celebration of Christmas?
"It is here, in the thing that happened at the first Christmas, that the profoundest and most unfathomable depths of the Christian revelation lie. 'The Word became flesh' (Jn. 1:14); God became man; the divine Son became a Jew; the Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby, unable to do more than lie and stare and wriggle and make noises, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child. ...The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets." J.I. Packer
(as quoted on pg5 of the digital booklet accompanying the 'Prepare Him Room' recording, Sovereign Grace Music)
Exodus 20:1-6 The first two of the Ten Commandments...
And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments."
Exodus 34:13-14
You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), Exodus 34:13-14
Deuteronomy 6:4-6
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart...."
Deuteronomy 11:16-17
Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them; then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain, and the land will yield no fruit, and you will perish quickly off the good land that the Lord is giving you.
Deuteronomy 30:17-18
But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess.
1 Kings 9:6-9
But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And this house will become a heap of ruins. Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore the Lord has brought all this disaster on them.’”
As the Israelites moved through the promised land laying hold of the territories God was giving them, the were explicitly told to keep nothing from those lands and cultures, but to destroy and burn the graven images, idols and alters to other gods. They were cautioned of the small ways they could possibly absorb the culture into their own and corrupt it.
Therefore, our question now becomes, "Is the practice of Christmas idol worship? Does it break Gods command to have no other god?" I believe we each and all need to exercise caution and an honest look at our selves on this point, because the practice of Christmas certainly CAN be idol worship, and can break both the first and second commandments...And the 9th and 10th too, with lying and covetousness. (Really, these are areas we need to examine ourselves in regularly, not just in this discussion of Christmas.)
I am assuming my readership is mostly those who identify as Christians, I will then also assume you are not outright venerating or worshiping your tree, candles or an image of Santa Claus during this season. For us who name Christ as Lord, it is rather more insidious than that. While Christmas-y 'stuff' may be morally neutral there is a point we all struggle with...When you are stuck on the trappings of Christmas: showy lights, Pinterest-envyable decorations, a cute family photo to let your friends marvel at your creativity, doing all the 'stuff', perfect gifts for everyone on your list, pitching a fit when the month or day does not go the way we envisioned, etc. When these things consume your thoughts it is a form of idol worship. Maybe the thing has become an idol, or maybe you have made your own ability and prideful will into an idol for yourself. This is the point of realization where I said "OUCH!" But after prayers of confession and repenting from at least 20 years where I know I have transgressed in this area. Oh there is such freedom on the other side!
Please set some time aside (If you have kiddos this will actually take some planning.) to pray about your Christmas practices and expectations, and to examine your heart in the matter.
Tomorrow I will look at the New Testament verses relating to the keeping of special days, and any which may speak to how we practice Christmas. I will share my considerations of the various individual Christmas traditions with you in coming days.
As you prepare your heart and home for Christmas I encourage you to keep these things in mind--Does this practice point (me, my family, my neighbors) to Christ? Does this cause us to glorify God and enjoy him? Are we celebrating the real thing?... That is, are we focused on the amazing incarnation of our mighty God? Do we see His volitional humility? Do I need to change things up a bit to make that so? Is this thing an idol for me? Is it my pride driving this thing I think we 'need' to do? Is there a practice we need to change or drop altogether to avoid idolatry in our celebration of Christmas?
"It is here, in the thing that happened at the first Christmas, that the profoundest and most unfathomable depths of the Christian revelation lie. 'The Word became flesh' (Jn. 1:14); God became man; the divine Son became a Jew; the Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby, unable to do more than lie and stare and wriggle and make noises, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child. ...The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets." J.I. Packer
(as quoted on pg5 of the digital booklet accompanying the 'Prepare Him Room' recording, Sovereign Grace Music)
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