Something to Think About
Something To Think About began as a radio ministry on WIQO here in
Below are some of sample STTAs, some recent and some that I just happen to
like.
If you want to subscribe to STTA, scroll to the bottom, fill out the form, and
click “submit.”
Something to Think About,
May 13,
2008
Just
out of curiosity I typed heaven into mapquest, an
online service that tells you how to get to places. Ten options came up--from West Coast to East,
bookstore, to pizza, to carpet-cleaning.
It wasn't what I had in mind.
Recently,
a gentleman asked me how to get to a place, here in our little city.
"Do
you know where anything is?"
"Yes."
He replied and named a restaurant.
"Okay,"
I said. "Go there and keep on
going."
It is
clear in the Bible that those who go to heaven when they die aren't going to be
shocked to be there. They are people who
already have a relationship with God. In
a sense, the directions to heaven are meet God, and keep on going.
I know
that's not enough, but if you'll get in touch, I'll give you some more. Maybe we'll have some heavenly coffee--It's
STTA.
May 12,
2008
The
pictures of devastation that come from
It is
nothing short of tragic, and horribly wrong.
It is a
syndrome that repeats itself many times and in many places—where and when ever
we allow personal interest to blind us to the needs of others.
Lord,
help me to actually do good, not just pose for the camera.
It’s Something to Think About.
April 29, 2008
I'm not
here today to either condemn or defend Jeremiah Wright, but to use the
wall-to-wall press coverage about him as an opportunity to think about
something we all need to remember.
Solomon
wisely observed, "When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable,
But he who restrains his lips is wise." (Pr
10:19, NASB95) That has to be balanced
with the many statements in scripture that command God's people, and,
especially, those of us who lead the church, to speak--to share the Good News,
to defend those who need to be defended.
To be salt and light.
The
other night at CBC we looked at Isaiah 42.
In the beautiful picture-language for which the prophet is known, Isaiah
predicts the ministry of Jesus Christ.
It is a ministry of self-effacement, meekness, and kindness.
Before
we speak with boldness we need to be sure that we are bold for the Lord, and we
need to remember, that, though Jesus was aggressively forceful at times, the
overriding characteristic of His ministry was gentleness.
It's
STTA from the CBC.
STTA, 4/10/08
In
this day in which almost everything that anyone of importance says is recorded,
and with the ease with which one can find statements on virtually any subject
from just-about any speaker or writer, a political candidate's record has never
been more important. Whatever the office-seeker says today will be
rigorously compared to past positions and statements.
In a sense that is good. It makes people accountable. But the way
this wealth of information is often handled is unfortunate.
I believe in change. I preach about it all the time. In my 35 years
of ministry I have seen people who were wrong become right. I have also
seen people pretend to change for their own advantage.
Is a person saying the right thing?
How long have they said it?
If it represents a change is there evidence that the change took place for good
and sincere reasons?
Perhaps more important than all other questions: Is there a record of right
actions that reinforce what the candidate says he/she has always believed or is
there sufficient evidence to indicate that the switch to the "right"
position is sincere?
The game of political "Gotcha!" probably isn't very profitable.
The practice of honestly examining what people said,
are saying and what they do, certainly is.
As
Jesus said, "By their fruits you shall know them."
It's STTA.
Something to Think About,
April 8, 2008
So much for symbolism: The Tibetan protests have interrupted the
procession of the Olympian torch on its way to
Supposedly the torch is lighted at
Those plans were thwarted by protesters in
Along with hundreds of millions of others, I
carry a torch that was ignited just outside
Jesus Christ lived a perfect life, died as our
substitute, and arose from the grave.
He sent his followers out with the light of the
Good News. Some of you are fellow runners
in the relay. It is essential that the
light of the Good News about Jesus Christ not be extinguished.
If you are a by-stander, we encourage you to
join us.
It’s STTA.
Something to
Think About, March 14, 2008
The news reports
on a recent statement that came from the
In 2 Timothy
3:17 Paul makes known that the Bible has what we need to equip us for every
good work. [On the complete sufficiency
of the Bible, the RC church & I do not see eye-to-eye.]
One can’t find
computers, automobiles, or ballistic missiles in the Bible, yet scripture tells
us how to properly deal with these modern marvels in a godly way.
God’s word
contains specific “Thou shalt nots
. . .” but more it is filled with principles that guide us into making right
decisions on matters that hadn’t even been thought of by the Bible’s human
authors. While Moses, Peter, or John had
no idea about the world in which you and I live, the Holy Spirit, Who directed
their writing, knew, and knows, exactly what I face today. He saw to it that what I need to live the way
I should is there for my guidance.
Get in the
book!
It’s STTA.
Something to Think About,
February 27, 2008
A Refreshing Response:
I watched a few snatches of the recent congressional inquiry into Major
League Baseball and steroid use. It was
a bothersome spectacle for a number of reasons.
One thing is clear: Somebody's
lying!
In contrast how encouraging it is to read about Daniel Naulty. Though not one of the big names who made the news, Naulty is in the Mitchell report as an athlete who used
banned substances. Notice I put
that in the past tense. Years before
congress hauled high-profile players before the committee and the news cameras,
this former closer for the Twins and World Champion Yankees saw the wrong of
what he had been doing. It wasn't a
congressman or an earthly judge who confronted Naulty. His team had just won the world
series, when he asked, "Is this all there is to life?" Like David, 3000 years ago, Naulty came to see that his sin had not only hurt him, and
many others as well, but chiefly--to use the Psalm-writers words--the modern
athlete realized that it was "against [God] and [God] alone that he had
sinned." (Psalm 51)
Wisely, David's son Solomon later said.
"He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses
and renounces them finds mercy." (Pr 28:13, NIV)
Just ask Daniel Naulty. (Click here to read more of his story.)
It's STTA
One of the features of modern life is
the inter-relatedness of people all around the globe. As Thomas Friedman
says, The World is Flat. We travel to the store
in an automobile made of parts from around the world, powered by gas that
likely came from the Middle-East, and purchase products from Asia, produce from
South America, and who knows what and where else.
For
those of us who are active in the church it is nothing new. Two-thousand
years ago the followers of Christ were sent into the world with the good news
of Jesus Christ. Many of us grew up singing about "all the people of
the world," and how Jesus loves them.
Some
mistakenly think that Christianity is a Western, White religion. No, not
only is the world flat, but everywhere in the world there is the need to erect
not Golden Arches, but the cross of Christ.
It's
STTA.
Listening to political speeches, I often think that one should be
careful to not promise what he, or she, cannot deliver. Perhaps a more
relevant reminder is I need to be committed to not believe promises that the
politician can't keep. I haven't heard it yet, but any day now I expect
to hear a candidate promise to bring us better weather, if elected.
The word "politics" come from the word for people. Politics
involves giving the people what they want or what they think they want, or even
making them think that they are going to get what they think they want.
What is discouraging is that this works so often. Political promises have
a very short shelf-life, but that is OK. They only need to last until the
election.
Having said that I don't want you to get the idea that what candidates say is
unimportant. Since we are choosing future leaders all we
can go on is present promises, sometimes combined with past performance.
When politicians promise things that are not within their power to deliver we
need to call them on that. If I know that a guy only has fifty cents and
he promises me five dollars, don't I have some responsibility to ask where the
$4.50 is coming from?
I'm Howard Merrell.
I promise it won't rain tomorrow.
It's STTA.
Beyond
the Superbowl or Super-Tuesday:
After
the Superbowl there is Super-Tuesday--today. If you're like me it seems pretty
ordinary. In case you have been taking a
Rip-van-Winkle-type nap, let me remind you that nearly half the states in the
Those
of us who trust the supreme ruler, the God of the universe, need to maintain a
balance.
Earthly
leaders are important. History is in
many ways a record of the good they have done and damage they have
inflicted. But, we dare not make the
mistake of thinking that they are the ultimate solution. The golden-age of universal blessing will not
be ushered in as the result of an election, but by the return of the King of
kings, and Lord of lords.
We
have a responsibility to vote and exercise our political rights properly, but
far beyond that we have the privilege of praying and living out a transformed
life, before a watching world.
So
what is that? Super-duper,
and it's not just on Tuesday.
It's
STTA.
I
have never tried to literally get ducks in a row, but I figure, unless you're a
momma duck, it must be hard. I know that lining up proverbial ducks is
nigh to impossible, yet life demands that we constantly try. One problem
that we have with quacker regimentation is deciding
where to start. We need to make sure that we line up the most
important ducks first. The Bible gives an orientation as to what is most
important and what can go by the wayside. Too many of us have well
lubricated fishing reels, nicely polished golf-clubs, or well-tuned bicycles,
yet our private lives, and families are in disarray. The Bible
gives guidance as to priorities. It helps us know where to
start getting our ducks in a row.
A
while back I received an email ad. Like
you, I get about a million a day, but this one caught my eye. "Give your opinion on gay-marriage and
closeout on digital cameras." it said.
Obviously, the piece had some grammatical problems. I don't think the ad-writer intended to link
those two the way she/he did. I'm
totally in favor of closeouts on digital cameras; if the sale is good enough, I
might register my approval by a purchase.
"Gay marriage" on the other hand is an oxymoron on the same
level as "hot cool things," or "dry water."
Beyond
the lack of skills on the part of the ad writer, though, I was struck with how
that which was, until quite recently, unthinkable has become so common, so
completely everyday. (The same can be
said about various heterosexual aberrations as well.) Our society is such that communications about
issues that affect not only life, but our entire culture, are placed on the
same level as those of merchants hawking their wares.
There
is something out of whack here.
It's
STTA.
Years
ago I visited in an absolutely lovely home, built by a fairly well-to-do and
very industrious and clever gentleman.
The house was situated so that you could look out large windows and see
a lovely mountain stream flowing near the house. My friend had actually considered
constructing the house so that the brook would go through the building. It would have been absolutely gorgeous almost
all the time. Every once in a while it
would have been devastating. He was wise
enough to not defy nature.
In
looking at the pictures of
The
Lord’s story was about lives, not houses.
It’s
STTA.
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