Cartoon: Out of Nothing Comes Nothing?

Can All Religions be True? Alvin Plantinga Illuminates

Craig on Dawkins' Ontological Argument

The Free Will Defense - Plantinga

The Decline of Christian Europe

INTRODUCTION

            The influence of Christianity in Europe is hard to deny. With its beautiful monasteries, cathedrals and religious history European culture is surrounded by memories of a past lifetime and pious society. Yet things have changed in the last generation or so rapidly towards a post-Christian Europe. But what has caused this dramatic shift away from veneration, reverence and adoration for God?

            In this essay I intend to explore four causes that have lent themselves to the decline of Christianity in Europe. First we will look into the influence of the Enlightenment, particularly at the work of David Hume and Immanuel Kant. Next we shall delve into the idea of syncretism and how this has shaped the religious milieu of the continent. Next we will survey the changing social and family structure particularly the size of families and the role of inheritance in strategic powers of Europe chiefly Germany. Finally we will briefly cover the influences of the “New Atheist” and how this is shaping the landscape of European morality and life.

The Influx of Reason[1]

            Christianity in the eighteenth century began to face some new challenges that would rock the landscape of European thought. Beginning in the late seventeenth century the rationalist, those whose attitudes could be typified by an interest in the world and conviction in the strength of reason, began to influence the way people in Europe thought and how they came to an epistemic stance.[2] However following the initial rationalist incursion came a bright skeptic of the rationalist position.

David Hume employed his own method of experience and knowledge that shaped the thoughts of his day. Truth, as Hume saw it, is not that we see an apple, rather that we perceive its attributes such as size, color, flavor and so on.[3] Hume also struck at the core of Christian belief by asserting that belief in God, most notably the Christian God, is not something that comes from a pure love of the truth but rather out of an anxiety, a desire for joy, pleasure or a fear of death.[4] Naturally this sort of “experience skepticism” could have a profound impact on any who would read his work, and at this time with the aid of the printing press, was easier to access than ever.

Following Hume came, considered by many one the most notable philosophers of all time, Immanuel Kant. Kant, who had been awakened from his “dogmatic slumber” by reviewing the work of Hume, expounded upon this idea of reasonable knowledge in his work Critique of Pure Reason.[5] Kant makes a distinction in this work between phenomenon that are spatiotemporal objects, and noumena which are neither spatial nor temporal, thus these two worlds are separate.[6] God falls into the realm of noumena that Kant claims we cannot have intuition nor experience of. This means we can’t even begin to have knowledge of God let alone be able to describe his attributes.

Though claims made by Kant and Hume are not certain facts, what is certain is that their thoughts still impact an ever increasingly secular Europe. This impact thus requires a response from philosophers and theologians in the defense of knowledge and God to help turn the cultural tides back in the favor of theism.

Syncretism: The Harmful Ecumenical Movement

            When a culture that is largely dominated by one religion, as was the case in Europe’s past, encounters other religious traditions or sees an influx of foreign people to their lands change is inevitable. In this instance, the change we are speaking of is that of syncretism. Syncretism is the idea that as new influences on society are introduced, most principally religious views of immigrating peoples, they begin to borrow and adapt traits from one another until you have a religion that is not what the founders would have intended it. For example, if you have a stream of Hindus in England you may find the Anglican Church laity adapting the same respect of cows as do the Hindus and thus a blending of cultures would have taken place.

            Certainly there are good things that can come from blending of cultures such as the sharing of spices or the advancement of technologies not seen in the existing population. However, when you begin to allow other cultures, particularly religious cultures, into a society dominated by one sect it is likely things will shift and a decline of the dominant faith can be expected. Nonetheless, the case in Europe is a bit more troubling for Christians. It has been recognized that cultures and religions, particularly Islam, who had no defined historical heritage in Europe are now being integrated into the continent with a certain degree of success.[7] This success is at the expense of Christianity and the reaction to regain the landscape in Europe for Christians has been ineffective.

A Cultural Identity and the Shrinking Family

            Another of the main issues in the decline of Christian Europe is the changing social structure of religion. In times past the religion of the home, in this case Christianity, was passed on from father to son and so on. This in no way ensured the salvation of the son, however the cultural trait of sharing the family’s faith was a major part of the development of the church as a whole. If your parents were Christian there was a greater probability that you too would hold this same religious affiliation. According to Hans Joas, there is a decline in the practice of handing down faith within families, although he notes the effectiveness of highly religious families to succeed in this practices, nonetheless the actual population of such highly religious groups is also shrinking.[8]

            In addition to the lessening impact of family religious heritage in Christian Europe, there is also another trend that may be affecting this transmission of faith. The average size of European families are shrinking and most notably since the turn of the millennium. The birth rate in Germany for example has been in sharp decline since 2000 and though it has recovered somewhat in 2010 and 2011 the recovery is still far short of the birthrate a decade previous.[9]  What all of this is telling us is when you combine a falling birth rate with a declining tendency towards families to pass on their Christian heritage the end result is a decline in the overall cultural impact and population of Christian believers.

            A last point on the culture of Christians in decline, it may appear that some numbers do not actually show the results of Christianity declining, however this may be explained when you look at the cultural identity of Europeans. It has been a joke for sometime that atheists in Northern Ireland are identified with Christianity; they are either Catholic or Protestant Atheist.[10] This cultural tag allows some to be lulled into thinking Christianity is alive and well in Europe but the post-modern culture screams otherwise.

The New Atheists

            Since 9-11 and the rise of Islamaphobia in the West there has been a revival of atheism. However this is not the atheism of yesteryear, that of Bertrand Russell and even Antony Flew (the author is aware that Flew has recently accepted theism). This type of atheist, lead by the four horsemen Richard Dawkins, the late Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennett and Sam Harris, are a more belligerent type of atheist one who is bent on attacking Christianity in the private sphere. Their arguments are typically recycled rhetoric from the past and they dismiss many claims from professional Christian philosophers with an uniformed bravado. However their audience, who are less concerned with scholarship and more concerned with one living their own life of cultural and moral relativity, have latched on to such elementary arguments in support of their position.

            In order to gain a respectable footing Dawkins for instance espouses his own form of a moral ethic. In his work The God Delusion he declares that compassion and generosity are “noble emotions.”[11] He rails against the doctrine of original sin claiming it to be “morally obnoxious” and Dawkins even goes so far as to declare his own Ten Commandments.[12]

All of these efforts to show that one does not have to hold to theism, particularly Christian theism, in order to live a fulfilled and morally ethical life. This type of atheism is becoming more and more attractive to a culture that has fallen asleep at the wheel in reference to the piety of their past. This is yet another reason for the decline of Christendom in the once robust European social structure.

CONCLUSION

            From the various influences on the culture in Europe the trend towards a decline in Christianity is unmistaken. The Enlightenment thinkers who placed doubt on experience and knowledge rocked the very core of thought for centuries to come. As thoughts were beginning to grow so to was the culture of syncretism in Europe which helped to drown out the Christian culture. Contributing to the cultural changes were the downslide in birth rates and the influence of families on their children to carry the torch of Christianity to the next generation. Lastly the New Atheist with their rhetoric and attempt at ethical living in the face of a relativist milieu has gained quite more than just a cult following. The thoughts, habits and traditions of Europe are shifting farther and farther from the heritage that was once steeped in piety. As the secularization of Europe continues one cannot help but ponder when the final sun will go down on Christianity in the continent that saw its largest growth.

  

Bibliography

Allievi, Stefano. Reactive Identities and Islamophobia: Muslim minorities and the challenge of religious pluralism in Europe. Philosophy & Social Criticism 38, No. 4-5 (2012): 379-87. http://ps.sagepub.com/content/38/4-5/379 (accessed July 9, 2012).

Craig, William Lane. “Richard Dawkins on Arguments for God.” In God is Great, God is Good: Why Belief in God is Reasonable and Responsible, edited by William Lane Craig & Chad Meister 13-31. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2009.

Demerath, N.J. III. The Rise of “Cultural Religion” in European Christianity: Learning from Poland, Northern Ireland and Sweden. Social Compass 2000 47, No. 1 (March 2000): 127-39. http://scp.sagepub.com/content/47/1/127 (accessed July 12, 2012).

Gonzalez, Justo L. “The Story of Christianity Vol. 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation.” (New York: Harper One, 2010).

Joas, Hans. The Future of Christianity. The Hedgehog Review 13, No. 1 (Spring 2011): 75-82. Academic OneFile. Web (accessed July 9, 2012).

Mundi, Index. “German Birth Rate 2000 to 2011.” http://www.indexmundi.com/g/g.aspx?c=gm&v=25 (accessed July 14, 2012).

Plantinga, Alvin. “Warranted Christian Belief.” New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.

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[1] The title of this section is not to imply that Christianity is devoid of reason but rather to point to the historical time in which the foundation of reason was challenged and took center stage

[2] Justo L. Gonzalez, “The Story of Christianity Vol. 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation” (New York: Harper One, 2010), 238.

[3] Ibid., 244.

[4] Alvin Plantinga, “Warranted Christian Belief” (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000), 143.

[5] Gonzalez, 246.

[6] Plantinga, 11.

[7] Stefano Allievi, Reactive Identities and Islamophobia: Muslim Minorities and the Challenge of Religious Pluralism in Europe, Philosophy & Social Criticism 38, No. 4-5 (2012): 380, http://ps.sagepub.com/content/38/4-5/379 (accessed July 9, 2012).

[8] Hans Joas, The Future of Christianity, The Hedgehog Review 13, No. 1 (Spring 2011): 76, (accessed July 9, 2012).

[9] In Germany a birth rate of 9.35 (births/1,000 population) in 2000 was in sharp decline to 8.18 in 2009. This is a reduction of 12.5% in just nine years. Index Mundi, “German Birth Rate 2000 to 2011,” http://www.indexmundi.com/g/g.aspx?c=gm&v=25 (accessed July 14, 2012).

[10] N.J. Demerath III, The Rise of “Cultural Religion” in European Christianity: Learning from Poland, Northern Ireland and Sweden, Social Compass 2000 47, No. 1 (March 2000): 131, http://scp.sagepub.com/content/47/1/127 (accessed July 12, 2012).

[11] William Lane Craig, “Richard Dawkins on Arguments for God,” in God is Great, God is Good: Why Belief in God is Reasonable and Responsible, ed. William Lane Craig & Chad Meister (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2009), 19.

[12] Ibid.

Surviorman Wisdom...

I was watching an old episode of Surviorman with survival expert Les Stroud the other night. He was backpacking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and he had to survive for seven days. The weather was holding up well for him considering it was late spring. However on the third day into the survival challenge, rain came upon him quickly. It was at this point that Stroud utilized his experience and knowledge to get him through a tough spell. Stroud had learned that in order to stay warm, naturally you would need a fire and in a place like the Sierra Nevada's the temperature can change quite dramatically at night and get below freezing. To prevent the storm from drowning out the fire you have to make a big enough flame to withstand the downpour.

Then it hit me...

What an amazing principle for us Christ-followers. Right now you may be experiencing a particularly great season of weather in your life. However, storms, trials and tribulations can come at any time and most unexpectedly. The question is, how big is your flame right now? Could it hold off the storm? Will your flame be put out by the rain?

What you do with the great weather in your life will determine if you make it through the rain. If your fire is kindled hot for God during the good times that same fire will withstand the storm when it comes, and it is sure to come. However, if you ignore your spiritual fire during the sunny times when the rain comes your flame will be easily extinguished and then you will be unable to withstand the storm.

If you are in the midst of a sunny season take this opportunity to read God's word everyday, pray and devote your heart and joy to him. Build in those great habits and practices that draw you every closer to the source of your fire and when the storm comes, which as I said before it will, then your fire will stay lit. Don't get caught with a small fire.

If you are in the midst of the storm right now (as I am) it is never too late to rekindle your fire. Find a great friend to pray with you, spend some time working on your relationship with your creator, read a great devotional book, rekindled your fire and your faith will be stoked and your hope returned. Just as the storm came, it will too come to pass, you must expect this to happen because our God promises these things for us! Have confidence in Him to deliver you from the storm and the next time a trial comes your way your flame will stay lit!

God bless you all and I will be praying for your fire!

Psalm 123 - A Lesson in Patient Petition

Have you ever wondered if praying to God over and over again for the same thing was a bad idea? Maybe you have felt that he heard my first request so I don't need to repeat it, right? The answer may surprise you.

The great 123rd Psalm details an ideal picture of how to approach God and those issues you are dealing with.

In verse 1 the psalmist points us to look heavenward to the great God who finds his dwelling place there. This sign of recognition of God's heavenly place lets us in on His awesome power and ruling position. He is Lord over all things.

Verse 2 has two parts. First, it helps us understand the type of gaze we should apply to the throne in heaven, as one who looks to his masters hand to direct them to do their work. Secondly, as one who focuses on his masters hand, the patient aspect of faith and trust in God is brought to light. Here the psalmist says,

"so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he shows us his mercy." (v.2)

That is the key, we must continually look to the Lord, keep our focus on him, until he shows us mercy. That mercy is likely present the moment we ask, I dare say has already been there just awaiting a request, however, when we ask we don't always clearly see the result of our petition so we must stay patient and wait on this request.

Well now we will see whether or not it is ok to persist in our identical request.

The first part of verse 3 gives us our much needed answer. The psalmist repeats his first line,

"Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us..." (v.3) 

But you may be asking why the repetition? It is typically used for emphasis and that is what was being done here.When we pray we lift up our eyes and voices to heaven giving our praise and petitioning the glorious one with the things we are concerned with our that we believe need his greatest attention. By viewing the emphasis here we can see a pattern of prayer.

1. Look to the Lord alone

2. Recognize and honor his heavenly dominion

3. Be patient and wait for his deliverance

4. Petition him until your have been rescued or your prayers have been fulfilled

This pattern is evident in the 123rd Psalm and should echo in your life. Never quit on your prayers even if it seems that neighbor will never accept your invitation to church, or your boss will not cease his demeaning tone towards you or your teenage daughter will not relent in her pursuit of independence and a "life of the party" mentality. 

Never give up...you have to go on, even when the whole world crashes in on your heart...your help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth!

Comfort one another with these words!

But We Do Know The Ending!

I love the movie A Few Good Men starting a whole host of Hollywood elite including Demi Moore, Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson and Kevin Bacon. It was on TV yesterday and as my little daughter napped I was able to catch some of the best parts. Midway through the movie Tom Cruise (Lt. Kaffe) comments to Demi Moore (Lt. Cdr. Galloway) in regards to the case that, "We are gonna lose Jo, and lose big." I thought to myself, "Oh Tom if you only knew the ending of the movie, how your mind and statement would be swayed." After I said this I realized the potential hypocritical moment for myself.

As a Christian, I have access to Scriptures which speak about the way things are to be in the end. I know that in the end the Lord vanquishes evil and those who called on his name and followed him faithfully will reign with him forever. Yet how often do I truly live as a victorious person? How often am I overcome by doubt in this world? Why do I allow the enemy to overwhelm me at times as if I did not know my God was strong enough to protect me?

As Christians we know the end of the story yet for the most part we live as defeated people. Satan himself has such knowledge to know the way things will end, yet he lives victoriously in the face of this fate. Why would we allow our knowledge of God's ultimate triumph to be diminished when Satan attempts to overwhelm our lives?

We must live as champions in this life because Jesus has defeated the grave and showed us the final act. So the next time you feel overwhelmed, discouraged or defeated, pick up your Bible and read how Jesus conquered the grave and is coming back to set up His Kingdom on earth forever!

I pray this invigorates your day, Happy Resurrection Day!

A Response to McCloskey

              Is the existence of God tenable? Do the so-called arguments for the existence of God have any truth-value? Can an atheist live a more fulfilled and ultimately more comfortable life? H.J. McCloskey attempts to answer these questions and more in his treatise On Being an Atheist. McCloskey claims that atheism, not theism is a better explanation for the world we observe. In this paper I shall tackle some objections McCloskey makes about the “proofs” of God, namely the Cosmological and Teleological Arguments. I will then focus on answering his objections to a morally perfect God who would allow evil to exist in a world he created. Lastly I will look at McCloskey’s claim that life, as an atheist, is more comfortable than a life based on the belief in a supreme being.

            Within the first few paragraphs of his paper McCloskey consistently refers to the arguments for God’s existence as proofs. What does he mean by proofs? Is he placing an all to heavy burden on these arguments, burdens that need not be applied? McCloskey goes too far in suggesting that we need to prove the existence of God conclusively. What things are known with absolute certainty outside of particular branches of mathematics like geometry? What should be said rather is that upon examining and evaluating the arguments for God one could draw the conclusion from the premises in these arguments that they represent the most probable answer to the questions raised about design in the universe, the cause of the universe and the existence of moral values and duties. As theists, we are not trying to present any one argument as the sole case for God, rather we are attempting to build a coat of chain mail in which each link adds to the overall strength of the armor, or in this case sum total for the validity of belief in God. This is a cumulative approach to reasoning the existence of a necessary, all-powerful, immutable, immaterial, incorporeal being, and we call this being God. We need not prove God exists we merely need to give evidence that he is the best explanation for the universe and life we observe.

J.P. Moreland - Has Science Made Belief in God Unreasonable?

Sit back with some popcorn or a cup of tea and allow Philosopher J.P. Moreland to pique your interest in the question of Science and Belief in God, is it obsolete? 

Decide for yourself!

Use Your Own Initiative

Reflecting this morning on a pending major-life decision I came across a few illustrations in the Gospels that reflected the sort of attitude we should take towards making a directional change in life.

On multiple occasions during his life of ministry Jesus healed a diverse following of people. He healed blind, paralytics, lame and so on. I want to draw on these examples to elucidate my point.

Whenever Christ healed someone he granted them this opportunity but he left the option open to the person receiving the healing. For example in Luke 5 Jesus heals a paralytic man who was lowered through the roof by his faithful friends (vv. 19-20). The Pharisees in an uproar ridiculed Christ for saying he can forgive the man's sins (v. 21) yet Jesus carried on his work and beckoned the man to stand up (v. 24).

This last verse is the key to my point, Christ did not lift the man up, he commanded the man to stand. It is at this very crossing point in the decision making process that will determine the result of the working of our Lord. If the man did not heed Christ's call what would the result have been? Though Scripture does not answer this hypothetical question I think we can draw on similar hypothetical questions in Scripture to demonstrate my point.

When Jonah received his instructions for the people of Ninevah, God was allowing a counterfactual to occur. If the people of Ninevah did not repent they would be destroyed. Seems a pretty direct statement. But if they did repent the city would be spared. Thus we have a clear example of a counterfactual in Scripture, so lets use this to play out the scenario of the paralytic.

If the paralytic responds to Jesus' call to stand and take his bed with him (v. 24) then the man will be healed (v. 25). However, if the man does not stand he will remain paralyzed. What we see is indeed a counterfactual situation unfolding. If the man doubts Christ can do this then he will lack the faith necessary to receive the healing offered to him (I know this last statement can be used to attempt to show that God can heal you if you have enough faith but that is not the intended use here). If he does respond his faith will be put into action and the miracle will be witnessed by all.

This is the initiative we must take to test our faith and to see if God is with us. If you are facing a tough decision in life, if you are in need of a cure and you feel God summoning you to a particular decision or cure then take the initiative and give it a try. If God is in it He will make it abundantly clear whether through circumstances, a word of a friend or a complete shutting of the opportunity before you could pursue it. The key point here is again that God requires us to take the step in faith. We cannot expect God to direct a parked car, yet when we put the car in drive and ease away from the curb onto the street then we can expect God's direction if we have sought it.

Remember, take the initiative because He is faithful!

In Weakness we are Made Strong

"For to be sure, He was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in Him, yet by God's power we will live with Him to serve you."

-2 Corinthians 13:4-

This message from Paul is a powerful reminder that our God is mighty. However this show of God's force is not when we are impregnable rather when we are feeble. God's perfect power, his love cannot be given the gravity it deserves under the guise of human pride and arrogance. God's power does not work in such cluttered environments as man's egotism.

This is a repeated theme throughout Paul's second letter to the Corinthians. When we are made low, humbled and fraile then God's mighty strength can be seen in its true glory. Working through the broken-hearted, the downtrodden and those with no hope, God's ultimate love can be shown for his concern and care for us when we are in our greatest need. Surely a heart that is boastful has no room to invite the sustainer of the cosmos in, and why should that person, after all, they believe they have the world in their hands, they can do no wrong. Such hubris is not the proper breeding ground for life changing work to be done.

Are you looking for God to transform your life? What areas of pride and dignity must you lay low in order to allow God to work his perfect power in you? Examine yourselves and see what is in need of a Godly adjustment and surrender that to him so he may transform you!

"'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

-2 Corinthians 12:9-10- 

Be Equipped so you can Equip Others

How can one successfully open themselves up to spreading the Word of God or helping to nurture another along in the faith if they themselves are not properly prepared?

Better still how can husband or wife be effective in their work for the Kingdom if they have not ensured their spouse is equipped to pursue a deep and enriching spiritual life with God?

A husband and wife, as Paul properly notes, become concerned with their families and put themselves first over serving the needs of the Gospel beyond their house (1 Cor. 7:32-35). Yet this is certainly to be expected and the married reading this would all likely agree that they are concerned with pleasing and caring for their marriage partner. However, as aptly stated, the rest of the work of God is divided in your heart for you love your God and your spouse and deciding between the two brings conflict to the flesh.

In 2 Corinthians Paul addresses this issue in a manner that may be helpful to the married and for the purpose of spreading the Word to distant lands. Paul points out in the context of the Corinthian church that he desires that they continue to grow in their faith (2 Cor. 10:15-16) so that, like a spouse or parent would see it, he can have confidence that his own were prepared to handle themselves so he could leave them alone and pursue other matters. This is where our equipping our spouse can result in greater opportunity to serve the needs of the Church beyond our home.

Should we be concerned with the spiritual state of our spouse? Certainly. Should we encourage their growth in a positive manner? Absolutely. However, once they are secure and pursuing the expansion of their faith in Christ then we can widen our work beyond our shores. Husbands and wives be encouraged to fortify one another so that your furnishing might result in the amplification of your mission field.

Serve God and His needs will become yours, at home and abroad.

Have a great Sunday friends!

Bodily Health & Spiritual Health

Reading this morning in the 2nd letter to the Corinthians I was inspired by what the apostle Paul wrote. Could this simple command I just read really be a key to unlocking the best health for your spirit and body?

Lets first examine the verse in question:

"Since we have these promises (2 Cor. 6:18), dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence to God.

-2 Corinthians 7:1 emphasis mine-

A surface reading of this seems to imply health and wellness by a process of removing those things which contaminate us. You may be thinking, "I have already done this, and I am still miserable." Let me encourage you to delve deeper.

What sorts of things contaminate the body?

Seems like a simple question to answer. You may be thinking that excess smog, eating too much sugar, consuming drugs and alcohol may warrant the tag of bad for your bodily health. While this is certainly true, are their other things that constitute a pollutant for the body?

I want to suggest there certainly are but only when we consider these in light of the second part of Paul's command, the spirit.

In the relationship between the mind and the body we can observe some simple things. When we take a medication for back pain we are also alerted to the potential side effects of the drug. Among these are a list of physical symptoms such as dry mouth, itchy throat, or perhaps stomach discomfort. Yet there are another category of symptoms quite their own. You may feel confused, have hallucinations or acquire a general feeling of malaise. Some of the symptoms of medication are so extreme as to cause suicidal ideology and actions. Though these symptoms can be brought about by a physical substance, namely a medication, the results can cause symptoms of the mind to occur altering the mind state. Notice I did not infer some brain-chemical change, however this may be involved. Rather I am referring to what happens to a person's inner man, his spirit, when he ingests something not prescribed for his consumption.

This last sentence was not intended to make you think any longer about ingesting medication as it was more aimed at your willful imbibing of physical stimuli. When we listen to music some are said to experience any range of emotions from euphoria, passionate frenzy, a sense of tranquility, anger, skepticism towards life and violent brooding. How can a physical stimuli like sound waves produce a mind state that causes these range of emotions?

It seems Paul was on to something more than just sour milk and a lack of exercise. Paul was referring to the unique relationship between mind (spirit) and body. No doubt we have all watched a movie and then become inspired by the tale heroism and self-sacrificial service that it motivated us to do something for someone else. But what caused this physical reaction? The very delicate relationship between mind and body can be the explanation. 

What can we do about it?

If what we ingest, either physically, visually or audibly causes a change in our mood, should we not be more aware of what kinds of things we are subjecting to our consumption? I say we should be.

I have recently been removing any television programming that contains messages that cause me to speak abruptly to my wife, treat women as objects of lust and show gratuitous sexual situations. Though this is only one part the result of this action will reverberate into the other areas of my life. By removing these sense stimuli my spirit is refreshed, uplifted and encouraged to carry on the fight against the tendency to relent to temptations of all sorts. 

This sort of effect can be the same for you. If you are down, listen to uplifting music or watch a funny movie, if you need encouragement open up your Scripture and read or talk with a good friend who will pray with you. Also remember that bodily exercise can help the spirit by increasing the flow of endorphins in your body which will uplift your mood. 

Lastly, choosing the right foods also can have a positive effect on your spirit. First it will allow your body to properly process the energy and remove the wastes. Have you ever felt anxious after you ate a big meal or how about the way you feel mentally when you have food poisoning? The opposite is also true, intake the right fuel and your mind will thank you. Second, your brain will be stimulated with the right fuel to ensure your stress levels stay low and your joy is more complete. Lastly, by exercising more frequently you can enchance your self esteem by viewing your body in a more positive light. Many of us have desired to feel better about our bodies and some have a low sense of bodily image. With proper nutrition and exercise you will feel better overall about who you are.

With this new sense of mind and body health you can more completely serve the kingdom of God. This perfecting of holiness then can be seen as a worshipful act towards our heavenly creator who has created our bodies to function at their best. Yes we will still suffer setbacks, emotional and physical trials but by watching our intake of all sorts of stimuli that has a negative impact on us we will be more equiped to handle the trials when they come.

I hope this was encouraging to you. May you find God's best health for you this day!

Philosophy Friday - Reasonable Faith

"It is sometime claimed that faith and reason are hostile to each other, and whatever is of reason cannot be of faith. But this represents misunderstanding of the biblical concept of faith. The biblical notion of faith emphasizes personal trust (fiducia) or belief in God and the data/content of his revelation (noticia). But belief in rests on belief that. One is called to trust in what he or she has reason to give intellectual assent (assensus) to. In Scripture, faith involves placing trust in what you have reason to believe is true. Faith is not a blind, irrational leap into the dark. So faith and reason cooperate on a biblical view of faith. They are not intrinsically hostile."


J.P. Moreland, "Philosophy." in Opening the American Mind, ed. W. David Beck, (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1991), 47-66.

The Story of Cyrus - God the Rehab Addict

Here is a copy of a message I gave a while back at church, enjoy!

            Well if you have been with us this summer you know we are moving along here in our study of the book of Isaiah and this Sunday our journey brings us to chapters 44 and 45. So far we have been discovering how God is truly a Rehab Addict and these chapter contain yet another one of God’s rehab attributes.
            
            Have you ever had an old shirt that you just loved to wear on Saturdays while lounging around the house, or that shirt that you just had to wear as you mowed the lawn every week? Somehow, no matter how much of the logo or decoration of the shirt wore off, or the mustard or spaghetti stains that plastered nearly every inch of fabric, every Saturday you put on that old shirt and did your thing. People used to tell you to, “get rid of that shirt, no one could use that anymore, its too old and worn out.” You refused too stubborn to believe the blatant lie your friends were telling you. One day while away for a while your partner snuck into your drawer, grabbed that shirt, and gave it away. You came home to learn of the demise of your lucky old shirt and you are devastated, thinking you will never see it again, or so you thought. A few weeks later you were out for a run and you happened to see somebody mowing his or her lawn in your shirt. You shout, “See somebody can use that old shirt!” meanwhile the cars driving by think you have lost your marbles. You continue on your run with a sense of vindication and a new pep in your step.  

             That picture is the similar type of vindication God might feel when someone says to you, “you can’t make a difference in this world you’re just one person” and you step up, you prove them wrong, you change a community or a life for Christ. In God’s Rehab tool belt there are many different tools used to reshape lives and make things useful again. This morning we are going to see how God used a tool to shape a life of a Gentile King before he was even born.