Senator Van Hollen and Secretary Rubio
Senator Van Hollen recently spoke before a committee where he confronted Secretary Rubio and said that he regretted having voted for him for Secretary of State. His comments were insulting, but, at the same time, they reveal the underlying problem that serves as the source for the tension that exists in our society today.
The problem is the way in which you define truth.
If you see yourself as the gauge by which all things are measured, then truth is whatever it is you want to believe in that moment. Should someone disagree with you, they’re not speaking the “truth,” so they can then be logically labeled a “liar.”
If they’re a “liar,” then they’re not merely mistaken, they’re immoral. If that person is a politician, they’re not a leader, they’re a tyrant. And those that support a tyrant aren’t voters, they’re Nazis.
This is the source of all the tension that exists in our society today. It’s not about USAID or Illegal Immigration or the Oval Office. Those are topics, but the tension is the way in which you define truth.
If you are you own bottom line, then you can dismiss the evidence that conclusively proves you to be wrong simply by declaring it to be irrelevant. Not because it’s anything less than conclusive, but simply because it makes you feel uncomfortable.
You have that power because you’ve authorized yourself to replace principles with preferences and reduced every incontrovertible fact to a situation where someone is forcing their beliefs on you.
You don’t want people to be fair, you want people to be quiet. You have to talk over your opponent because you don’t want the audience to hear what you can’t dispute. The great thing about the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is that it can be verified. Your corrupted version can only be allowed.
In this clip, Senator Van Hollen begins by declaring himself a victim. He’s disappointed and feels betrayed. By positioning yourself as someone who’s wounded, you’re able to get people to feel sorry for you which helps distract from the fact that you’re never going to get people to agree with you.
When Secretary Rubio referenced gang members being deported to El Salvador, Van Hollen did his best to talk over the Secretary insisting that what was being said was “unsubstantiated.” This goes back to the way in which you define truth. If you’re determined to force the world to function according to the way you feel as opposed to what is real, you will refer to anything you don’t want to hear as a lie, or, in this case, “unsubstantiated.”
Same sex marriage, Socialism, Abortion, Illegal Immigration…
These are not controversial issues. The “controversy” is embedded in the way you define you define truth.
To read more about the legal bottom lines that characterize the deportation of Albrego Garcia, click here.
My Imaginary Conversation with Oprah
Oprah has been quoted as having said that her view of God was changed after hearing her pastor refer to God as “jealous.” This is an imaginary conversation between Oprah and myself where I suggest that “jealousy,” when processed from a perspective that accommodates the Hebrew language, isn’t a reason to doubt the Character of God, rather it’s another reason to appreciate the Love of God.
Bruce: Oprah! How are you doing? Man, it’s a treat to be talking with you.
Oprah: Bruce, I’m doing great! What’s on your mind?
Bruce: I wanted to ask you about something I saw on the internet where you were apparently put off a little bit by your pastor referring to God as a “jealous” God. Here’s what I heard:
Years ago I went faithfully, 8 o’clock service, 12 o’clock service. I was a tither. I was making 227 dollars a week, and I tithed 22 dollars and 70 cents every week. But after Jim Jones led the mass suicide in Guyana, I started to feel differently. The church I went to had a really charismatic pastor—you had to show up early to get a seat—and I remember sitting there one Sunday while he was preaching about how “the Lord thy God is a jealous God, the Lord thy God will punish you for your sins.” I looked around and thought, “Why would God be jealous? What does that even mean?” And I’m looking at the people in the church, and everybody’s up, shouting. And I started wondering how many of these people—including myself—would be led to do whatever this preacher said. That’s when I started exploring taking God out of the box, out of the pew. And eventually I got to where I was able to see God in other people and in all things—in graciousness and kindness and generosity and the spirit of things1. Read more
Why Can’t I Share My Opinion?
On occasion, I’ll see a question posted in Quora and I’ll feel compelled to respond, just because the comments and responses are often devoid of any real attempt to push back against what amounts to a bogus conclusion.
Here’s an example…
Why can’t I share my opinion as a Christian about your sin when it is what I believe?
That was the question. Here’s one of the answers that got a number of positive “upvotes…”
No one is stopping you. Now lets talk about your sin. Yup we can do that.
Your problem is that you believe as a Christian you get to lecture other people and no one can respond in kind. Sorry it doesn’t work that way.
I would add sin is a religious concept, I don’t believe in religious concepts and I sure as heck am not required to follow your faiths views.
My response…
This, right here…
“I would add sin is a religious concept, I don’t believe in religious concepts and I sure as heck am not required to follow your faiths views.”
And what makes you think that I need to dismiss every historical reference to Christ, God, Providence, and the Supreme Judge of the Universe just because you want to be your own bottom line and you’re offended by the prospect of being accountable to something greater than yourself?
Anytime you hear someone say, “You can’t force your beliefs on me…” you’re hearing someone who wants to pretend that the world is nothing more than a collection of personal preferences and truth is whatever it is you want to believe.
Is the tomb empty?
If it isn’t, than it doesn’t matter. But if it is…
Then nothing else matters.
All your whinin’ about Christians being hypocrites – they didn’t die for your sins.
And stop looking at distortions of Christianity and labeling them expressions of Christ when you know that they’re not.
And drop that garbage about all religions being the same. They’re not. Every religion gives you the ability to earn your “salvation,” however you want to define it. Christianity says you’re a spiritual corpse and the only thing you contribute to your salvation is the sin that makes it necessary.
And stop thinking you’re making your point by being vulgar or sarcastic. Look, however the Resurrection resonates with you, you need to remember that when you sneer at it, you’re not just rolling your eyes at the church down the street or some posts you saw on social media. You’re spitting on the single greatest act of compassion in human history – God loving you so much that they actually invented a word to capture the physical, emotional, and psychological agony of the cross – excruciating (literally “of the cross”).
That’s what He did for you.
If you want to believe yourself to be a lucky accident just so you make up your own rules and insist that you’re a victim of a totalitarian system anytime someone points to the Bible or the Declaration of Independence or the motto on the back of our currency – that’s your baggage.
You’re not looking for the Truth, you’re looking for an excuse. And remember this: Anytime you say something stupid like, “What’s true for you isn’t true for me,” if that’s the case, according to your own logic, I can call you a liar and not be wrong.
Bottom line: In your mind, truth is what you want to believe, no one can force their beliefs on you, and you don’t want people to be fair, you want them to be quiet.
But…
That’s not the way the universe works, that’s not the testimony of history, and you don’t have a point, you have a problem.
Pack. Don’t Predict.
Did He Say That?
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said. (Matt 14:25-29)
Take a minute and try to think of all the reasons why Peter might’ve hesitated in leaving the boat.
- Did Jesus just tell me it was OK to leave the boat?
- Did He actually say that, or am I just hearing what I want Him to say?
- Do I want to walk on the water because I want to please Him, or am I being prideful?
- Is He aware that there’s a storm happening right now?
There are always reasons to doubt and that’s why, regardless of the decision you’re getting ready to make, to some extent, you’re going to have to trust in Him.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Heb 11:6)
And while decisions are pretty easy to make, other decisions represent life altering consequences. But regardless of what’s at stake, the principle is always the same: If you’re going to walk on water, you’ve got to trust in Him.
You’re Never Going to Know
Some want to be able to take an inventory of their motives and ensure their intentions are pure…
The heart is deceitful above all thing and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jer 17:9 [see also Ps 51:5])
Some don’t want to move forward without being able to know all of what’s getting ready to happen…
Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life…Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 7:27, 34)
Some want to be able to have complete confidence in discerning God’s direction for their lives…
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Rom 7:21-25)
Neither your intellect nor your intentions are immune to the influence of sin. That’s why faith is so important because it’s only His Voice and His Strength that’s going to prove be both dependable and accurate.
You have God’s “Word” that He will guide your thoughts and your actions…
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. (Ps 143:8)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Prov 3:5-6)
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. (Rom 8:6)
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Rom 12:1-2)
Pack, Don’t Predict
Imagine you’re getting ready to go to the beach for a long weekend. You’re going to pack based on the amount of time you’re going to be there and the things you plan to do.
If you try to anticipate everything that might happen, not only do you wind up with an outrageous amount of luggage, but there’s a chance you may never leave your house because of your inability to predict all that may occur while you’re gone.
God asks us to pack (Prov 11:14). He never asks us to predict.
He’s always willing to give us direction (Jas 1:5), but He rarely gives us a full description of all that we can expect. He didn’t tell Abraham where he was headed, He didn’t tell Moses how the Red Sea was going to part, He didn’t tell Gideon how he was going to defeat the Midianites, and He didn’t tell Joseph that this son would be born in a stable.
He just told them to pack.
You Always Have a Reason
As long as you’re a part of the human race, you will have both the capacity and the inclination to doubt. You’re never going to be able to remove every question mark. As certain as you may be, or as obvious as the situation may appear, there will always be something to justify a reason to stop, wait, hesitate, or doubt.
Even a burning bush wasn’t enough to convince Moses that he would succeed (Ex 4:13). Paul had seen Christ alive, but was still able to feel completely overwhelmed by circumstance that appeared hopeless (2 For 1:8-10).
And Peter had heard Jesus say it was alright to step out of the boat. But the moment he was able to take a logical inventory of his surroundings, he found all kinds of reasons to second guess his decision.
You will always have a reason to doubt, but, more importantly, you will always, have a reason to trust in Him.
It’s wise to confirm God’s Direction in your life (1 Jn 4:1). But if you’re ever going to walk on water – if you’re going to be obedient and realize God’s Purpose for whatever lies on the other side the decision you need to make – that first step is going to require some faith.
Too often we get distracted by the default uncertainty that accompanies our attempts to answer the question “How do I know?”
Perhaps the question you need to be asking yourself is, “Why do I doubt?”
Pack.
Don’t Predict.
Saturday, August 23rd
Muscular Christianity Workout
- Date: Saturday, August 23rd
- Time: 7:00 am- 8:00 am
- Place: C Building, Thompsons Station Church |2604 Thompson’s Station Road East | Thompson’s Station, Tennessee 37179
No charge, no commitment!
This is a workout featuring military grade calisthenics as they’re typically at Parris Island, South Carolina.
Headed up by a nine year veteran of the USMC and a Certified Group Fitness Instructor, this is a great workout that will last for about 45 minutes and conclude with a short Bible study taken from the “Muscular Christianity: 90 Day Workout Plan.”
Text Bruce Gust at 615.618.2059 to confirm your seat!
See you then!
Click here for more information about the “Muscular Christianity” Bible Study being offered at TSC!
Jesus Was a Liberal…?
There was a question posed on Quora that asked, “Jesus is coming back and He hates what liberals are doing. Do you think liberals will be able to stand against Jesus?”
Most of the responses insisted that Christ was a Liberal and anyone who disagrees with the Liberal platform opposes Christ and the gospel.
Here’s my response…
Here’s the problem…
Truth.
You want to believe that unless a Christian is giving money or giving in, they’re either a hypocrite or cruel and hateful.
That’s not how it works.
Any virtue deployed in the absence of Truth is nothing more than a vice disguised as a courtesy. Charity is a subsidy, diversity is contamination, justice is favoritism, and love is pure selfishness.
That’s a hard pill to swallow for someone who’s been conditioned to see themselves as their own absolute, especially if they like to perceive themselves as sophisticated and compassionate.
And you can do that when you are the gauge by which all things are measured. There are no Principles, only Preferences, which is why anytime you try to push back against their narrative they feel completely justified in saying, “You can’t force your beliefs on me.”
Jesus was very vocal in talking about how you are to take care of the orphans and widows (Jas 1:27). He talks about when you feed the hungry and give the thirsty something to drink, you’re doing that as unto Him (Matt 25:35–40).
But He also talks about the wise and the foolish builders (Matt 7:24–27), as well as the importance of hard work (Matt 25: 14–30). He also talks about shooting yourself in the foot and then trying to blame your pain on the person or principle that told you not to pull the trigger to begin with (Gal 6:7).
Liberals applaud people who drive on the wrong side of the road because of the way it allows them to ignore the flow of traffic themselves. Any notion of being accountable to Someone greater than themselves is demonized as legalistic and narrow minded. Their image of Christ is Someone Who smiles at what put Him on the cross and what puts people in hell.
Again, that’s not the way it works (Matt 7:23; Rom 6:23).
The question isn’t whether or not God loves you. Rather, it’s whether or not you love God (Jn 14:21). And just like there’s a difference between loving your enemy and enabling them, there’s also a distinction between Christian charity and destructive subsidies.
And what is that difference?
Truth (Prov 1:7; 2 Thess 2:10–12).
