Love Is Not "Given Away", It Is "Shared"

Love has the unusual quality of “growing” when it is given away.  This truth, however, reveals to us the fact that love is never, really, “given away”…actually, it is shared.  And when it is shared it is multiplied. Our world could use an exponential increase in love, so, we encourage followers of Christ to share love honestly, courageously and generously.

Audio Message: "Jesus Dies"

Click here for audio message.

Why Is "Secularism" A Problem? Read "Saving Leonardo" and Learn

“Saving Leonardo” has just become one of the most underlined and highlighted books I own!

Okay, I only own 5 books, but still…

My experience with Nancy Pearcey’s writing is primarily based on her previous book, “Total Truth”—which is outstanding.  I find her, once again, to be insightful, intellectually challenging, very interesting, and a brilliant analyst of culture—both historical culture and contemporary culture.

In “Saving Leonardo”, Pearcey describes, in compelling ways, why the increasing “secularism” in our world is a serious problem.  She makes the point that secularism is even a problem for those who do not consider themselves to be religious.  She writes, “Because the word ‘secular’ is the opposite of ‘religious’, many people assume that secularism is a problem for religious groups only.  Not so.  When politics loses its moral dimension, we all lose.  When political discourse is debased, the entire society suffers.  The reason Christians should be concerned is not to protect their own subculture, but to protect the democratic process for all people.”

Pearcey expands in helpful ways on the concept of the “fact/value split” about which she wrote in “Total Truth”.  She identifies the fact/value split as the “core of modern secularism”.  Read the book for her able defense of that contention. 

In Part 2 of “Saving Leonardo”, she addresses two paths to secularism—“originating in the clash between the Enlightenment and the Romantic movement”—in which she traces the “historical rise of secularism”. 

To demonstrate the effects of secularism on Western culture, Pearcey provides many examples of specific works of art ranging from literature, to painting, to music, to sculpture, to film, and more, explaining how they have contributed to secularism or how they display, knowingly or un-knowingly, the results of secularism’s steadily increasing influence. 

I found her thoughts on “Artists as Thinkers” to be interesting.  She writes, “The truth is that artists interact deeply with the thought of their day, translating worldviews into stories and images.”  Pearcey correctly identifies “art”—in its many manifestations—as a field of significant influence.  And perhaps it is more influential than many Christians realize or acknowledge.

Since I have not studied art in any serious, comprehensive way, there were a number of things I learned in Part 2 of the book.  Actually, now that I think of it, it would be more accurate to say that EVERYTHING in Part 2 of the book involved new learning for me…except the page numbering.  I was pretty familiar with that concept from the other 5 books I own.

I highly recommend “Saving Leonardo”.  Nancy Pearcey is brilliant.

Mary's Testimony Is A Blessing To Me

Check out Mary's testimony.

The Best Thing Is To KNOW Christ

The Apostle Paul said that he considered everything else “rubbish” compared to knowing Christ.  Above everything else in his life, he wanted to KNOW CHRIST. [See Phil.3:7-11]  Is a passionate and consuming desire to “know Christ” the truth for you? This is vitally important. Whatever else we do in this life, let’s make sure that FIRST OF ALL, we know the Lord Jesus Christ.

It's Liberating To Let God Be God

I’ve got some great news: you and I are not the center of the universe. Now, if we will be very honest with ourselves, sometimes this can be a hard truth for us to admit. Here’s why this is good news, though: since you and I are not the center of the universe, the vast, vast majority of what happens in the universe is not our responsibility. Isn’t that great? What a liberating thing it is to let God be God.

My Mini Epiphany At Anderson University

We dropped off Taylor at Anderson University this weekend—this is the university where I went to school, although it was called Anderson “College” then and instead of computers and cell phones, the students had quill pens and an elaborate system of tin cans and strings.  (Yep, our technology and sophistication had progressed far beyond smoke signals.)

While Taylor was setting up his room as a learning environment designed for maximum academic achievement [“cough”…“cough”] I went walking around the campus, taking in the sights and sounds; feeling waves of memory roll over me.  I was stunned to find that one of the buildings even “smelled” exactly the same as it did when I was a student.  (Or, maybe it was that barefoot guy, it’s hard to say.)

Many of the students are back on campus after summer break, so as I walked around I would nod a greeting and smile.  I think I only frightened 3 or 4 of them.  (I’m basing that on the amount of pepper spray.)

I saw joggers.  I saw a couple holding hands and walking through the valley.  I saw a few small groups of students sitting around talking.  I saw people wandering aimlessly staring like dorks at everyone else…oh, wait a minute, that was me.

At one point, a group of girls walked past me and I recognized them.  They were the same girls who were on the campus back when I was a student 30-something years ago.  Well, that’s not exactly true, they were different girls.  But in a way, they were the same girls.  And then, very suddenly, as I looked around, I realized that all of the same students were there on the campus.

Before you call the authorities to have me turned in—which has already been tried twice—let me explain.  What I mean is that, in a general sense, there are “types” of people.  I don’t mean that we’re not all original, one-of-a-kind creations of God.  Of course we are.  It’s not my intention to be demeaning to anyone.  But it is still true that there is a sense in which there are certain types of people, who tend to “look” a certain way and who tend to “do” certain types of things.  I’m suggesting that as I walked my old campus, I saw all of those “types” from my college days, once again, as I looked at the current students.  I really did.  It was an odd and faintly amusing feeling.

I found myself chuckling as I looked around and this reality was confirmed to me more and more.

So much has changed since my time on campus, but you know, in a way, it is very much the same.  And all of the same people—come on, you know what I mean, by now—in a way, all of the same people are still there.

My walking experience, along with my realization that all of the same people are still there on campus, was sort of like a mini-epiphany for me.  (Can a person have a “MINI” epiphany?  I don’t know, but I’m claiming to have had one, so there!)  In fact, I was so taken with my new insight that upon returning to the room, I immediately shared it with Taylor and I could tell that he found the whole concept fascinating because of the distinctive sound and tonal quality of his snoring while I rambled on and on with this extraordinary theory.

Anyhow…did I mention how the room is set up for maximum academic achievement?  Okay, just checking.

The Truth IS What It IS

If I determine that I really WANT something to be true, that doesn’t matter in the sense that it does not establish my desire as truth. The truth has this interesting quality of being WHAT IT IS regardless of my opinion on the matter. I believe Jesus was fully aware of that reality when he made this comment: “I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.”

Taking Taylor To Anderson University Today

We're taking Taylor to AU today to begin sophomore year.  [His, not mine.] I have a father’s bias, of course, but I see him becoming an outstanding young man and I’m proud of him. A time of preparation and learning is important and valuable.  I pray that God will guide him and help him to prepare wisely for a life in which he is used by God significantly wherever life takes him.

God's Holiness Is Unlike Anything Else We Know

“God’s holiness is not simply the best we know infinitely better. We know nothing like the divine holiness. It stands apart, unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible and unattainable.” A.W. Tozer.  It’s amazing that this incredible person, this being beyond our imagination, actually reaches out a hand of friendship to us.  Almighty God wants to relate with you and me!  Wow. Cool!

Being Renewed, Day By Day

In the midst of sadness at the recent loss of a friend, the Holy Spirit directed me to these verses:  “Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2Cor.4:16&17.

Being Careful Not To Miss The Point

Jesus told some of the religious leaders of his day that they missed the point when they carefully and legalistically observed a religious ritual like tithing, but neglected—these are His words—“more important” things like justice and loving God.  Religious actions that are mechanically performed without a heart that truly loves God are empty of true significance and meaning and potency.