This is not a time to be non-sectarian

For food in a world where many walk in hunger; for faith in a world where many walk in fear; for my family in a world where many walk alone--we give thanks, O Lord.

My wife and I have finished watching a television series set in a dystopian future where freedoms were lost and a caste system was imposed.  Sadly, the architects of the totalitarian government in this series based their constitution on a twisted interpretation of Scripture, setting up a Theocracy built upon shaky theology.

In the final episode, a group of children is gathered by a clandestine band of underground organizers, to be placed on a cargo plane and flown to a different country.  One of the children, a young girl of 10, asks the protagonist what freedom is like.  The heroine describes a time in which one could wear what she chose, and go where she chose, and read what she chose, and love who she chose.  The girl is then offered some food, and she recites the non-sectarian prayer written in italics above.

After so much despair, so much repression, so much bloodshed in the name of a false god, hearing a child repeat a simple prayer was uplifting.  In the context of the soft horror series we had been watching, it gave us hope.  It actually brought a tear to our eyes.

In the real world, however, we should guard against non-sectarianism.  Yes, many do walk in hunger, and we are grateful for food, but that is not enough.  Better to go hungry than to eat poison.  Yes, faith is an antidote to fear, and we are thankful for a perfect faith that casts out fear; but it is not enough.  Misplaced faith can lead to hell.  Yes, we are grateful for family, and loneliness can cause heartache, but what if your family is abusive?  Better to be alone than to be stuck with an abuser.

In the real world today, there is a health crisis that is fomenting an economic crisis.  Democratically elected governments are turning dictatorial, mandating that non-essential gatherings such as sporting events and concerts be cancelled.  Apparently education and religion are viewed as non-essential as well, because schools and churches are being closed.  Restaurants have been asked to close their dining rooms, and only offer food service via drive-through or delivery.  Supermarkets that are still open are experiencing shortages of essential items such as bread and bathroom tissue.

It sounds pretty dystopian to me.

In a world where choices are limited, people will settle for less.  I have a favorite brand and variety of bread that I like, and when there is abundance, I can easily purchase it.  However, when the bread aisle is bare, any shipment of off-brand plain white day-old bread is seen as a godsend.

It is the same with religion.  In America, we have built a non-sectarian society, implying that it doesn't matter who or what you have faith in.  As long as there is freedom, then a wide variety of religions and denominations can complete for your attention and devotion.  However, when freedoms are restricted, people will cast about for anything they can find to give them hope. They will eat poison rather than go hungry.  They will place their faith in a false gospel.  They will, like sheep, follow false doctrine to their detriment, not realizing that it is abusive and destructive, leading to separation from God for eternity.

We need to make sure that when the church goes underground its message remains pure and undefiled.  Interestingly, those religious leaders who claim a healing gift from God are being silent now.  Ironically, many gatherings for prayer and healing have been cancelled because of the pandemic.  We cannot continue to preach health, wealth and prosperity when people in our churches and our communities are losing their jobs or getting sick.  We cannot continue to preach unity, as if community can save us, because unity is idolatry.  Jesus said, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.  I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.  And a person's enemies will be those of his own household." (Matthew 10:34-36).

We need to ground ourselves in truth.  It is only by the grace of God we are not consumed (see Lamentations 3:22, AMP, KJV, NKJV).  It is only through faith that we can reach out to God--not faith plus works, or faith plus words, or faith plus good luck. (See Ephesians 2:8-9).  It is only Christ that can save us, not your pastor or Pope, not Mohammad or Buddha or Krishna, not Karma or Wicca or Mother Earth.  "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)  It is only in Scripture that we find truth--not Scripture plus church tradition, or Scripture plus personal revelation. "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book." (Revelation 22:18).  Finally, the Gospel is not about us--it is only for the glory of God. (See 1 Corinthians 10:31).

History Repeating Itself

The difference between the Old and New Testament is the difference between a man who said, "There is nothing new under the sun" and a God who says, "Behold, I make all things new."  --Ronald Knox

Have you ever seen a movie remake?  If you had seen the original, were you disappointed in the newer version?  Sometimes it seems like Hollywood has not had an original idea for 50 years, but copying successful media stories goes back even further than that. 

On October 30, 1938, Orson Welles wrote and directed a radio broadcast of HG Wells 1898 novel "War of the Worlds."  It caused quite a stir, because the story was not introduced a work of fiction.  Most Americans got their news from the radio, and Welles' direction was so realistic that many thought that the alien invasion was real.  It was not until the end of the broadcast at 9 p.m. Eastern Time that the audience breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that this had been, in fact, a radio drama.  For a few terrified listeners, however, the broadcast was so believable that they ran outside to witness the terrible carnage.  Some even grabbed their guns, intent on defending their way of life.

However, English theologian and author Ronald Knox had broadcast a very similar story in January, 1926. Knox broadcast a simulated live report of revolution sweeping across London, entitled Broadcasting from the Barricades. In addition to live reports of several people, including a government minister being lynched, his broadcast mixed supposed band music from the Savoy Hotel with the hotel's purported destruction by trench mortars. The Houses of Parliament and the Clock Tower were also said to have been flattened. Because the broadcast occurred on a snowy weekend, much of the United Kingdom was unable to get the newspapers until days later. The lack of newspapers caused a minor panic, as it was believed that the events in London caused this. Four months later there was considerable public disorder during the General Strike, so real was the possibility of a revolution at the time.

Disinformation creates discord, vagueness leads to violence, and what was meant to be entertaining became, for some, a terrifying reality.  As we can see, there really is nothing new under the sun.

One hundred years before I was born, the United States had just begun the Civil War.  For a child born today, one hundred years before he or she was born was the beginning of Prohibition.  The year I was born President John F. Kennedy was sending military aid and personnel to Viet Nam, and America was thrust into a war for which Congress never made a formal declaration.

Today, President Trump is criticized for selling arms to Saudi Arabia without congressional approval; he is also lambasted for sending additional troops to the Middle East without Congress ever declaring war.  Because of the failed impeachment attempt, liberals on the Coasts are pitted against conservatives in the South and Midwest.  If Trump is re-elected in November, there is a real possibility that this nation could take up arms again, and that the United States could be thrust into a second Civil War.

Over the past 50 years, America has thrown off prohibitions against abortion, Sodomy, and gay marriage.  Just like Prohibition being reversed in 1933, people have always chafed against rules designed to make them do the right thing.  The justification for reversing these morally based laws is that people do them anyway.  People in the 1920s made and consumed their own liquor, despite laws against the manufacture and sale of alcohol.  Women have always tried to find ways to end unwanted pregnancies, despite laws against medically assisted abortions.  Therefore, the argument goes, if so much effort is placed on breaking moral laws, let's just repeal the moral laws on grounds of "freedom".

Just as sin is a constant throughout history, so is God's grace.  "Noah found grace (unmerited favor) in the eyes of the Lord." (Genesis 6:8).  I love the KJV reading of Lamentations 3:22-23: "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness."

Different people respond to grace differently.  Some will continue in their sin, because there is no consequence.  The Apostle Paul warned against that: "What shall we say then?  Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?  By no means!  How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (Romans 6:1-2)  The Bible exhorts us to respond to grace by laying aside "every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shae and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)

You see, there will come a Judgment, either in this life or the next.  God's Judgment will not nullify His grace, but will merely "separate the sheep from the goats", the ones who respond to His grace by setting aside their will and putting on His nature, versus the ones who continue in sin because grace is so abundant.  Child of God, keep on being renewed by His presence and His power, and do not rely on yourself.

Foreign influence in elections

And He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, having reduced them to ashes, having set an example of what is coming on the ungodly.  --2 Peter 2:6 (Berean Literal Bible)

I don't normally delve into politics in this forum, but this week I cannot help myself.  While most of the United States was distracted by the Senate impeachment trial, voters in Iowa were kicking off the primary season by elevating a dark horse candidate.  Statistically, since 1972 more than half of the Iowa caucus winners went on to win their party's nomination.

This year, the Democratic candidate with the most delegates from the Iowa caucuses is Peter Paul Montgomery Buttigieg, also known as "Mayor Pete."  He is a Democrat (obviously), appealing to voters tired of a divisive Republican President (Trump).  He is a centrist, who appeals not only to Democrats that are not ready for far left socialists in their party, but also could put an end to the tug-of-war between Democrats electing a more and more liberal candidate followed by Republicans choosing a more and more conservative one.  He is a combat veteran (like Bush) and a Rhodes Scholar (like Clinton).

He is also gay.

He married his partner Chasten Buttigieg in 2018 and took Chasten's last name.  If he won the Presidency, the first First Gentleman in the White House could, on occasion, wear a dress.  As a conservative Christian, I have a problem with that.

Now some of you may instantly label me as bigoted, prejudiced, or homophobic, but before you do, please read on.  I believe Christ died for all people, even Mayor Pete.  I believe people innately crave human contact, and once they find it, they call it "love" even if it is destructive, immoral, or unnatural.  I believe Jesus loves all people, but I also believe that He condemns sin, and wants to free us from the bondage of sin so that we can find God.  I believe that elevating a culture based on the way they have sex is putting the emphasis on sin rather than grace or redemption.

I do not go to parades and carry signs that say, "Proud to be a pornography user."  I don't know of anyone who would grab a megaphone and start a demonstration in favor of adultery.  If we are Bible believers, then we must recognize that these lifestyles are sinful.

In the Old Testament, Leviticus 18:22 says, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination."  Likewise, Leviticus 20:13 says, "If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them."  Now there are some who would discount the Old Testament laws, because we do not execute adulterers, homosexuals, or witches (mediums) in our culture.  They believe in a hyper-Grace that they infuse into New Testament teachings, like "God is Love" and "Jesus never condemned homosexuality."  These half-truths forget that Jesus preached on hell more than He spoke about heaven.  Did Jesus love the money-changers in the Temple?  Of course He did, but that did not keep him from overturning their tables, and using a hand-made whip (a weapon) to drive out the sacrificial sheep they were selling.

The New Testament does speak to this.  Paul said this about the human condition:

They are without excuse.  For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man....Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions.  For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.  --Romans 1:20(b) - 25

We must agree that homosexuality is sin.  I do not believe it is the unforgivable sin, but if the sin is celebrated instead of repented from, then those people have chosen their sinful identity over God, and they are surely bound for hell. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."  Yes, God gives grace, but He cannot be in the presence of sin.  It is only by the blood of Jesus that we are washed clean, and can repent from sin and turn toward God.

In my lifetime, America has gone from listing homosexuality as a mental illness, to looking the other way while it was closeted, to people coming out but still looked at with some amount of disgust (anybody remember the sitcom Seinfeld, where the characters adamantly deny being gay, followed by "Not that there's anything wrong with that!"  If there was nothing wrong with it, why would they so adamantly deny it?).  Today it is no longer closeted but celebrated, to the point where we have a viable candidate for President who is in a homosexual marriage.

Instead of having a four month long trial and spending 45 million dollars trying to prove Ukrainian interference in the 2020 Presidential election, we should turn our attention to a more spiritual influence.  We have given ourselves over to a Satanic influence of our culture, to the point where the next President of the United States could be gay.  That is the foreign influence we should be most on guard against.

Spoiler Alert

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  --Matthew 10:39

My wife and I watched a 2016 Mel Gibson directed war movie this week called Hacksaw Ridge.  I liked it so much I watched it twice.  I did not see it in theaters when it came out three and a half years ago, because I don't generally watch war movies.  When I do see them, it's on cable, which was the case here.

If you've seen the film, you know it's based on the true story of Desmond Doss, the first Conscientious Objector to win the Medal of Honor.  Doss, an Army medic, is credited with saving the lives of 75 men after three Allied battalions had been driven back from a horrific battlefield in Okinawa, Japan.  It is a story of faith, and of faithfulness to an ideal.  It centers on a man's religion, but I could see so much of Christ in the story because of the biblical themes portrayed, whether intentional or not.

The story literally brought tears to our eyes, from beginning to end.

Doss was raised in the Seventh Day Adventist Church.  Through a series of events, he made a vow to God that he would never again touch a gun.  Then the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.  Doss watched as many of his friends and neighbors, even young men from his church, volunteered to serve in the Army.  Unlike a typical pacifist, Doss decided to join the Army as well, but he told his recruiter that he would only serve in a non-combat position such as a medic.

Even medics are required to go through Basic Training, and some of the disciplines taught are rifle training and marksmanship.  Normally, a recruit is not allowed to pass Basic or given the rank of Private First Class until they have qualified on the rifle range.  Conflict arose in the barracks as well as in the chain of command when Doss refused to even touch a rifle.

I've seen a lot of movies where the main character is hazed or beaten for not conforming to the group.  However, when I saw the scene where Doss was attacked in the barracks, my mind immediately went to Isaiah 53:7.  "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth."  This verse is, of course, prophetic in nature, foreseeing the fact that Jesus would be beaten mercilessly without Him saying a word, even though He had authority to damn them to hell; He could have called a legion of angels to come and rescue Him.

At one point in the story, Doss is arrested and a trial is set for his Court Martial.  He is given the choice of pleading guilty of disobeying direct orders from his Commanding Officer, and accepting a Dishonorable Discharge from the Army, or pleading not guilty and then being tried and convicted, then being held in the military prison at Leavenworth, Kansas.  Neither outcome is acceptable to him, and no other outcome can be imagined.  Yet through the intercession of his father, he is found not guilty and allowed to go to war with his Company.

How many times have I been in a situation where the outcome seems pre-determined, or where there are no good choices in the given circumstances, only to have the situation resolve in such a way that only God Himself could have intervened?  Jesus taught us to rely on God as a Father, One who has equipped us for every good work.

Once Doss's Division reaches the target island, they are thrust into a battle they could not have imagined beforehand, even in Boot Camp.  Those who have been in combat situations have rightfully said, "War is hell."  Director Mel Gibson has been criticized for his portrayal of gratuitous violence; one critic even called the portrayal of violence in his movies "pornographic".  Yet we know that combat with the enemy at close range is bloody, and loud, and scary.  People are wounded, and some die.  This is the nature of war.  We who have not served in wartime, or who have lived most of our lives in peace, cannot fathom the physical, emotional, and psychological wounds from a battle situation, or the scars that are carried by the survivors.  It makes one wonder why anyone would volunteer for military service.

In a similar way, I think of Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, who in Spirit form was present at Creation, volunteering to take on flesh and be human like the rest of us.  Like us, but set apart from us, for we are a fallen race, prone to sinfulness while Jesus, as God Himself, cannot sin.  Yet here He came, experiencing pain and suffering and discrimination and bullying and persecution and death--all things that are the result of man's Fall, and are not even thought of in Heaven.  Into this daily battle with Sin, this human hell, Jesus volunteered to come.

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 the cross.  --Philippians 2:5-8

There are other images in the film that remind me of biblical themes, of Jesus Christ Himself.  When Doss lowers the wounded down by rope without gloves, the images of his bloody palms is reminiscent of Jesus and the nail-prints in His hands.  When Doss is finished rescuing others and is himself rescued and before he is treated for his wounds, there is a short scene of him below a bucket, where the water washes the blood from his head and hands.  The coloring of the shot makes it appear that he is literally being washed in blood, reminding me of our being washed in the blood of Jesus.

There were parts of Doss's story that were intentionally left out.  Doss had been involved in two major battles prior to Hacksaw Ridge, and was awarded commendations for bravery in both of them.  Obviously, the inclusion of all of those battles would have make the film too long, or might have caused the love story to be edited out.  In the same way, those people who do not read the Bible for themselves, and only rely on the stories or criticisms of others (who may or may not have read the text themselves) really miss out on the entire story of Jesus.  For example, those who believe Jesus only preached love forget that he violently cleared the Temple, using force to overturn the tables of the moneychangers and to drive out the livestock they were selling.

The rescue scene in the movie shows Doss on a stretcher being lowered from the cliff down to the Army hospital.  In actuality, Doss gave up his stretcher for another wounded soldier.  Then he was shot by a sniper, who shattered his arm.  Diving for cover, Doss crawled over 300 yards and hid out for over five hours before his actual rescue.  Director Gibson is quoted as saying he intentionally left this part out of the story because he thought nobody would believe it.  Truth is stranger than fiction.

If you have been fed a fiction about Jesus, I would encourage you to read the Bible for yourself.  The truth will not only blow your mind, it will set you free.  The quote in the image at the beginning of this essay is from Doss's captain, who said, "You don't win wars by giving up your life."  Jesus proved this wrong, because He gave up His life to win the war over sin.

Name Above All Names

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.  --Revelation 2:17

I have a very uncommon name.  It cannot be found in any baby book that I have ever seen. I have searched high and low and although a few other people (both men and women) share the name, I cannot for the life of me find its meaning.

When I introduce myself, especially on the phone, I am often asked to repeat or spell my given name.  I often try to laugh it off--"It's a strange family name, I come from a strange family."  Often people respond that they have never heard my name before, or that they like it because it is different.  Some will say that they understand, because their name is uncommon as well.

Last week, however, I heard a response that I have never heard before.  You see, I work for an international company, and one of the ladies in my office is an immigrant from Africa.  When she heard me struggle to communicate my identifier to a person on the phone, she said, "Oh, it means 'Apple Of My Eye'."

Hold. The. Phone.

Wait, what?

She said yes, in Ethiopia, the word that is pronounced blin literally means "apple of my eye."  I asked her what language that would be, because I wanted to look it up.  She replied that in Ethiopia, there are two major languages, but that in both of them the word means the same thing.  I have been unable to confirm this independently, both because I do not know any other people who have been to Ethiopia, and my American Google search is limited to English and other European languages.  However, I believe this was a special word sent to me from the Lord this week.

About five years ago I wrote about Psalm 17:8, where God says we are the apple of His eye--maybe you can link to it here:
https://blynnstewart.blogspot.com/2014/12/you-are-apple-of-his-eye.html

However, the Lord led me to read Revelation 2:17 in connection with this blessing.  Commentators have several theories about what this verse means, but the one that makes the most sense to me is this (from Barnes' Notes) 

(1) A white stone was regarded as a token of favor, prosperity, or success everywhere - whether considered as a vote, or as given to a victor, etc. As such, it would denote that the Christian to whom it is said to be given would meet with the favor of the Redeemer, and would have a token of his approval.
(2) the name written on this stone would be designed also as a token or pledge of his favor - as a name engraved on a signet or seal would be a pledge to him who received it of friendship. It would be not merely a white stone - emblematic of favor and approval - but it would be so marked as to indicate its origin, with the name of the giver on it. This would appropriately denote, when explained, that the victor Christian would receive a token of the Redeemer's favor, as if his name were engraven on a stone, and given to him as a pledge of his friendship; that is, that he would be as certain of his favor as if he had such a stone. In other words, the victor would be assured from the Redeemer, who distributes rewards, that his welfare would be secure.
(3) this would be to him as if he should receive a stone so marked that its letters were invisible to all others, but apparent to him who received it. It is not needful to suppose that in the Olympic games, or in the prizes distributed by Roman emperors, or in any other custom, such a case had actually occurred, but it is conceivable that a name might be so engraved - with characters so small, or in letters so unknown to all others or with marks so unintelligible to others - that no other one into whose hands it might fall would understand it. The meaning then probably is, that to the true Christian - the victor over sin - there is given some pledge of the divine favor which has to him all the effect of assurance, and which others do not perceive or understand. This consists of favors shown directly to the soul - the evidence of pardoned sin; joy in the Holy Spirit; peace with God; clear views of the Saviour; the possession of a spirit which is properly that of Christ, and which is the gift of God to the soul. The true Christian understands this; the world perceives it not. The Christian receives it as a pledge of the divine favor, and as an evidence that he will be saved; to the world, that on which he relies seems to be enthusiasm, fanaticism, or delusion. The Christian bears it about with him as he would a precious stone given to him by his Redeemer, and on which the name of his Redeemer is engraved, as a pledge that he is accepted of God, and that the rewards of heaven shall be his; the world does not understand it, or attaches no value to it.
And in the stone a new name written - A name indicating a new relation, new hopes and triumphs. Probably the name here referred to is the name of the Redeemer, or the name Christian, or some such appellation. It would be some name which he would understand and appreciate, and which would be a pledge of acceptance.
Which no man knoweth, ... - That is, no one would understand its import, as no one but the Christian estimates the value of that on which he relies as the pledge of his Redeemer's love.

I remember a scene in the iconic movie Ben Hur.  The character Quintus Arrius is a Roman warship commander whom Judah ben Hur had saved from drowning,  After they are rescued, Arrius is informed that his fleet had won the battle, and he is lauded for his victory.  Arrius subsequently adopts Judah as his son, making him a freed man, a Roman citizen, and Arrius's heir. 

In the scene, Arrius stands before a large assembly of guests and beckons young Judah to stand by his side.  "I know him as one who stands in the place of the son I lost," he says.  "I have the love and pride of a son's achievements, which I though I should never have again.  Nothing could make stronger the bond between us, but tonight I wish to share it with you all.

"The formalities of adoption have been completed."  He looks to Judah, and goes on.  "Young Arrius is now the legal bearer of my name, and the heir to my property.  This ring of my ancestors would have gone to my son, so now it is yours."  He hands the signet ring to Judah, to the smiles and applause of the crowd below them.

In Roman times, a ring bore the seal of authority; it would be stamped on wax to seal a document of great importance, so that the image of the seal was visible to all.  However, any inscription within the ring could be seen and known only to the wearer and the one who gave it to him.

It is the same with me.  I was a slave to sin and destined for damnation until Jesus adopted me and gave me a new name.  In time I will get a token from His own hand that will bear a new name known only to Him.  I will no longer be called Blynn, a name that I have become accustomed to but that I do not like very much.  From that point forward I will be called the Apple of His Eye.

To the one who conquers... If I confess my sin and repent of it, the Lord will give me victory.

...I will give some of the hidden manna...  In the Old Testament, manna was literally food from heaven, sent to feed God's people. The word "manna" literally means "what is it?" in Hebrew.  It's origin and makeup are unknown, but it is given by God to nourish and satisfy His chosen ones.  Exodus 16.33 says, "Take a jar and fill it with an omer of manna, then place it before the Lord to be preserved for the generations to come."  The blessing of what was known yet unknown was to be preserved through time so that you and I could partake of it.

...and I will give him a white stone...  Many times God told Moses and the people to gather twelve stones as a memorial to make an altar for sacrifice.  Isaiah 56:5 says, "I will give them, in my house and within my walls, a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters.  I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off."

...with a new name written on the stone...  Your name is your legacy; it carries with it your accomplishments and your failures.  Isaiah 65:15 says, "You will leave behind your name as a curse for My chosen ones, and the Lord God will slay you, but to His servants he will give another name."

...that no one knows except the one who receives it.  We can set aside our old self, the personification of unrighteousness, and take on a new life in Christ, who imparts within us His righteousness.  Isaiah 62:2 says, "Nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory.  You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow."  Those who do not hear His voice, however, will not get the message, nor will they know His blessing.

We all have been given the family name Christian, because we are adopted into God's family through the blood of Christ.  Individually, though, we have each been given a name, an identity or purpose that only we as individuals can know and appreciate.  Yet we can claim that new identity, that new purpose, because it was bestowed by the One whose Name is above all names, who is mighty to save.  Hallelujah!

I'm a sports fan, but this is ridiculous

When I was in college I had a part time job at a pizza parlor.  We had a big screen TV in the dining room.  A few months into my employment there it was time for the Winter Olympics.  They were being held in Lake Placid, New York.  (That shows you how old I am).  The television was always tuned to the Games.  Any time the doors to the restaurant were open, the TV was tuned to ABC, the network that hosted that year.

One night a rather obnoxious customer came in and complained loudly that the television was tuned to "sports."  She could not imagine why anyone should be interested in who could swoosh down a mountain faster than anyone else, or why it mattered who could speed skate around in circles more quickly.  She all but demanded that we change the channel to some prime time drama (as if that were way more important.)

I wanted to argue with her.  I am a sports fan to begin with, but I tried to appeal to the customer's patriotism.  It's not just about the sporting event, I reasoned, but about American pride.  

She wasn't impressed.

Today I learned of a sport that even I think is a waste of time.  It is called shin-kicking, and it has apparently been played in England since 1612.  The sport requires that two opponents kick each other in the shins until one of them falls to the ground.  The aim is to weaken an opponent by kicking his or her shins; once the legs have been weakened, a competitor may throw an opponent to the ground off balance over a leg, provided that the grasp of the shoulders is kept.  A successful throw involves unbalancing the opponent in the course of a kick.  It does not involve kicking an opponent to the ground, nor pushing the opponent to the ground.

Contestants must wear long trousers or tracksuits and may cushion their shins by using straw, which is provided at the venue.  They will be provided with white coats, representing the traditional shepherd's smock.  Footwear may be sneakers, shoes, or soft toed (i.e. non reinforced) boots.  Wearing any steel-toed will get you disqualified from the match, and barred from any future events.

One more thing:  The umpire or referee is called the "stickler".  If the stickler deems that the kicker has made an intentional trip, the throw goes to the opponent.  The stickler's decision is final.

Have you ever heard of a more useless game?

It reminds me of the testimony of Paul in Acts 26.  He described himself as a man on a mission--a man with the power of the state, the purpose of his convictions, and people behind him who believed in him.  Yet God met him where he was and stopped him in his tracks.  The Lord overpowered him with light, knocking him to the ground.  From his prostrate position, Paul heard the voice of God question his core beliefs.  "Why are you persecuting me?" God asked.  "It's hard for you to kick against the goads."

How would you like to hear God Himself tell you that you are wasting your time, even though you think you are doing the Lord's work?  God's message to Paul was that his mission was not only useless, but counter-productive.  Paul was not hurting God by kicking against the goads, but he was hurting himself.  

The word that Paul uses for "goad" or "prick" is also used in the New Testament to mean "sting".  1 Corinthians 15:55 says "The sting of death is sin."  Here Paul uses the same word for sting as Luke used for goad in Acts 26.  The sting of a bee or scorpion is used as a deadly weapon.  An iron goad is also used as a weapon, but is effective only if you propel yourself against it.  Kicking against the goad is a figure of speech meaning to offer vain and perilous or ruinous resistance.

Would you enter into a shin-kicking contest?  Not if you're smart.  In the same way, let's not make it our purpose to oppose God.  No matter how hard you work or how good you get at it, opposing God's plan and purpose in your life is not only a waste of time, but also detrimental to your health and well-being.

Also, the role of Stickler reminds me of the Pharisees that Jesus warned against.  They were sticklers for the rules and regulations of the Law of Moses.  Jesus didn't go along with their interpretation of Scripture, and definitely did not think that they practiced what they preached.  He called them hypocrites.  Please don't be a Stickler.

In Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" you may recall the description of the Man with the Muck Rake, the man who could look no way but downward, with the muck rake in his hand; who was offered a celestial crown for his muck rake, but who would neither look up nor regard the crown he was offered, but continued to rake to himself the filth of the floor. In "Pilgrim's Progress" the Man with the Muck Rake is set forth as the example of him whose vision is fixed on carnal instead of spiritual things. Yet he also typifies the man who in this life consistently refuses to see aught that is lofty, and fixes his eyes with solemn intentness only on that which is vile and debasing.

Imagine being the Stickler in a Shin-Kicking contest, always looking down, pointing out when the "contestants" do something wrong.  He can do nothing else.  Don't be a Stickler.  Look up.  Be encouraging.  Engage with people.  It's what Jesus did.