How To Engage Online or In Person

 The internet and social media combination has to be one of the best and worst inventions. We’re roadkill on the information superhighway.

When you get hit by a truck, the fact-checkers will say it was a car. Or they will gaslight you when they say it didn’t happen. 

How can we keep up? We have to fact-check the fact-checkers, who admitted their fact-checks were opinions in a court case. 

https://nypost.com/2021/12/13/facebook-bizarrely-claims-its-misquote-is-opinion/

Jesus told us to be as shrewd as serpents, yet innocent as doves. He didn’t trust people because he knew what was in their hearts.

I turned to Proverbs for wisdom and proof-texts to push my point of view. Lady Wisdom punched me in the face. 

Right off the bat, I’m told not to be impressed with my own wisdom (3:7). Why does God have to call me out like that?

Proverbs 18:13 says posting or commenting online before listening to the facts is shameful and foolish. 

Unless your goal is to say whatever to start a fight, everyone commenting or posting thinks they’re right to some degree. The Lord examines and knows our motives. 

We have to keep a grip on our common sense and judgment. They keep us safe and steady (3:21-23). 

Intelligent people are always ready to learn, ears prepared for more knowledge. They don’t say, “I already know that.” Their cup is empty. 

Only simpletons believe everything they’re told. That’s the NLT version, by the way. The prudent carefully consider their steps. The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence (14:15-16). 

Am I saying we do or say nothing?

No. Proverbs 10:10 says those who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof is necessary. 

God detests double standards of every kind (20:10). 

An open rebuke is better than hidden love; wounds from a sincere friend are better than the kiss of a foe (27:5-6).

Love is not a friend who affirms and agrees with you all the time. Those are called sycophants—a yes-man and a reason celebrities self-destruct. 

A real friend tells you when you’re wrong. They don’t support your self-destruction. But, in the end, they appreciate honest criticism over flattery, hopefully before they lose everything. 

Suppose you have a married friend who confides in you that they’re talking to someone other than their spouse, and it’s getting serious. What do you say?

“I can’t judge.”

Wrong. 

You can’t condemn, but you can point out the wrong before it goes too far. You may even have to tell the spouse if they don’t listen. 

What are our rules of engagement?

If you read my last post, you know the targets are ideas, worldviews, and spiritual darkness. Evil will be called evil. 

For starters, we don’t pick a fight without reason when no one has done us harm. Skittles over M&Ms? That’s a preference. If it’s an opinion that doesn’t affect you, then there’s no reason to argue. 

Proverbs has some unkind things to say about people like that. Like babbling fools invite disaster (10:14). So please don’t waste your breath on them (23:9). 

Avoiding a fight over nothing is a mark of honor (20:3). So who cares if they think pineapple belongs on pizza. It’s an abomination, but that’s beside the point. 

Kidding. I actually haven’t tried it. 

Remember, in court, the first to speak sounds right—until the cross-examination begins (18:17). That’s why diverse thoughts are needed. We’re seeing it with the COVID pandemic on the medical front. 

Cross-examine every thought in culture. And honestly, some are so bad you shouldn’t go one-on-one with them without an audience. I’ll get back to that.

Proverbs 26:4 says don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you’ll become as silly as they are. 

Paradoxically, the next verse says to be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they’ll become wise in their estimation.

Say something loud enough and long enough without opposition, and it becomes “truth.” Unfortunately, that’s an issue with the echo chamber of your favorite news source. 

Gauge your intellectual sparring partner. Are they or the audience receptive? If yes, engage civilly. See Tactics by Greg Koukl. 

If not, don’t throw your pearls before swine. 

Now, to get off our high horse with some questions. 

1: Were you more intelligent or wiser ten years ago compared to today? 

2: Are you the exact same person? 

3: What makes you think you can’t learn anything or change now? 

Stay humble, my friends.

Fight Back?

 It’s all going to pot. The world is utterly looney-toons. Can we delay the inevitable? What should we do?

What’s God planning?

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.” Ephesians 1:3-14

We win. We’ve won. So what can we do? I can’t sit on the sidelines. 

What would God have us do?

“God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Ephesians 3:10-11

Notice who He’s showing off to? Not humans, but spiritual beings. “Have you considered my servant, Job…”

How to be worthy of showing off?

“We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” Ephesians 4:14-15

Speaking the truth in love…what does that look like? 

The motivation, the actual reason, and not the rationalization we lie to ourselves about to justify it. 

I know because I do it.

“So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:25-32

This is a hard one. Especially when scrolling through Twitter or listening to current event podcasts. I used to be an outraged person, and I can’t let it control me.

There are things to be angry about; but keep it under control. 

“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.” Ephesians 5:1-2

“Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.” Ephesians 5:10-11

Did I read that right? *rubs palms together*

Oh…there’s that speaking truth in love thing. And this question I came up with to ask myself. For social media: what’s my motivation for consuming or sharing an opinion on this?

Because I take particular joy in pointing out hypocrisy, and nothing comes of it.

“Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.” Ephesians 5:16-17

I’ve often hovered over the retweet or keyboard and had that inner voice say…” Nope.”

Yes, Lord…

Now we’re at the Armor of God passage. It’s time to suit up. I’ll personalize and paraphrase it.

I’m strong in the Lord and His mighty power. I have His armor, and I’m not fighting people. I’m fighting the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen realm, the strong powers in this dark world, and the evil spirits in the heavenly places. 

I stand my ground with God’s truth and righteousness with the peace of the good news that Jesus is King and Savior. I have faith/trust as a shield, and salvation protects my mind. 

My weapon is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. So I’m to always pray in the Spirit.

We have armor. That means we’re in a war. Remember C.S Lewis’ analogy from my post in January?

How do we fight? How do we push back the darkness?

2 Corinthians 10: 3-6 tells us we’re human, yet we don’t wage war as humans do. Put your Glock down.

We use God’s mighty weapons—prayer, proclaiming the word of God, and the authority to drive away spiritual darkness—rather than worldly weapons to knock down strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 

We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps them from knowing God. Before you bring the heat—a reminder to me, just as much as to you—Jesus did it with questions. 

Make them question their thoughts and beliefs. You’ll learn what they think and have to understand what you think.

The battle isn’t against people. It’s the darkness in the spiritual realm and its ideas that are being whispered into ears.

We can attack ideas, but only motivated by love and not controlled by anger. Likewise, we can be angry but not controlled by it.

Gird your loins.

You’re More Powerful Than You Know

 At the end of last year, I had a thought that stopped me in my tracks. I cannot be killed until it’s my time.

In the chaos of the 2020+ horror show, that’s an empowering thought. But it’s not a license to act foolishly. In most cases, we won’t know what it is that will get us, and it just might be whatever current TikTok challenge that’s going on.

Psalm 139:16 says all our days are ordained before they came to be. Ephesians 2:10 tells us we’re God’s handiwork, created to do the good works that God has prepared in advance for us to do.

We got stuff to do before it’s time. 

I saw a meme on Facebook that reminded me of the 23rd Psalm. It said, “If your path demands you to walk through hell, walk like you own the place.”

The Psalm says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.“

They want to get at you, and you can peacefully eat your dinner. Why? God is there. Yahweh.

When He spoke, reality banged into being. 

We can do anything as long as it’s in His will. 

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 

It’s crazy now, and the thing is that it isn’t just people we face. 

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

There is a spiritual evil behind the madness. The goal?

Sow as much chaos as possible.

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” 1 Peter 5:8-9

What can we do?

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power…Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:10, 13-18

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” 2 Corinthian 10:4

“Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:11-12

“Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” 1 Peter 3:13-16

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

 

 

2020: The Trilogy

 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” James 1:2-3

Within seven days in January, my wife’s wallet was stolen and her car died. So I called the start of 2022, 2020: The Trilogy.

Casey had stopped at the store and dropped her wallet. When she realized it, she went back to look for it. The security cameras caught a homeless guy picking it up and walking off. 

She got her license back. Unfortunately, cash, credit card, and insurance are gone forever. 

I canceled the card before a charge was made and reordered a new one.

Days later, she was driving home. It was a cold, windy, and rainy Saturday. Potholes were appearing like bomb craters and rising water hid them.

Oncoming cars prevented her from dodging the water, and she hit a deep puddle. The car died, coasting to a stop.

It wouldn’t start. It was cold.

Casey lit the Bat-Signal, and I rolled up with Baby Batgirl and Robin the Toddler Wonder. 

I couldn’t get it to jump off. 

An older gentleman noticed our problem and said we can leave the car in his yard. After soaking myself and hooking the chain up, he pulled it into the yard until I could get the tow truck there. 

I wonder if God had something planned in that meeting. A divine appointment.

We were now a one-car family, and my wife had to work the next day. So because I needed to get the car, that means I woke up at 5:00 am, and me and the kids took her to work. 

After dropping her off, we went home, and I wondered if I should go to an earlier church service or our normal one. We hadn’t been in the building the last two Sundays.

The first weekend we were out of town. Precautionary quarantine kept us out the second weekend. We did watch online, though. 

It’s not the same.

I decided on Second Service so I could get the car towed ASAP. It would be an hour and a half wait, so I had time to go home and let the kids stretch and eat. 

Then it was back in the car seats for the fourth time. 

I chatted with the guy while we waited on the truck. He refused my offer of money for helping us. 

We got home again about a half-hour before we would leave again to get Casey from work. Sam let me know what he thought about yet another car ride. I’m pretty sure I was cussed out in toddler. 

When we finally got home for the day, I began working on the car. First, I switched batteries and got it started. Then I pulled a battery cable off to see if the alternator was working. 

After charging the battery, I turned it off and checked to see if it would start again. It did. 

The Check Engine light glared at me, though.

I’d get that checked the next day. I had to be at work at 11 pm that night to cover a shift. 

Monday greeted me, and I got in the car, cranked it, and noticed the radio/trip computer didn’t come on. So I put it in reverse, backed out, went into gear, hit the gas, and…nothing.

The engine just idled. There was no throttle response. 

Monday had greeted me with a middle finger. 

I started working through possibilities, all of which were beyond my capability. I called the tow truck again, the destination dealership.

They found blown fuses to the throttle body and radio when they started looking at it. So I asked them to check the battery as well. 

It broke bad.

Our emergency savings were exhausted with the tow truck costs (and he cut me a deal), the repairs, and an upcoming root canal for my wife. 

That’s what they are there for. The repairs could have been worse had it been mechanical rather than electrical. 

The next day I got a call. The person calling was worshiping and felt led by God to give us a certain amount of money.

That amount covers all the above costs. 

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7

Won’t He do it.

Theology Lessons from Parenting

 Having my first kid taught me a bit about God as Father. My second kid is teaching me about God’s protectiveness. With Sam as a toddler now, I’m learning about discipline and righteous anger.

While I am protective of Sam, I’m very protective of my daughter Faith. The Dad Voice thunders only if Sam hurts her by smacking her or climbing on top of her. 

I’ve warned him that his aunt is four years younger than me, and she left scars from our childhood battles. However, there is a little over a year difference between them, so she will be fighting in his weight class. 

I tell Faith of her inherent worth and value, and if no one recognizes that, then drop them. I tell her not to let people use her, either. 

If a boy doesn’t take “no” for an answer, then throat punch and leave. Sorry, not sorry. 

A friend recently had her first girl, and she mentioned her husband turned into a papa bear. I replied, “Little girls do that.”

Speaking of boundaries, moving into the new house let us childproof from the ground up. As a result, Sam has plenty of free reign to explore and play. There are even a couple of kitchen cabinets he can get into. 

We put a hedge of protection around him, yet he can do what he likes within those boundaries. It’s a lot like God’s commands; they’re in place for a reason.

Gentle Jesus?

 When you think of Jesus, what comes to your mind?

A lightly tanned man with a sculpted beard and long flowing locks of hair that would make Fabio jealous? Bright piercing blue eyes that see your soul? Is he holding a lamb or gazing at the sky?

https://adam4d.com/which-jesus/

We tend to think of Jesus as sweet or meek and mild. In Your God Is Too Small, author J.B Phillips says this about a meek and mild god:

“This word “mild” is apparently deliberately used to describe a man who did not hesitate to challenge and expose the hypocrisies of the religious people of His day: a man who had such “personality” that He walked unscathed through a murderous crowd; a man so far from being a nonentity that He was regarded by the authorities as a public danger; a man who could be moved to violent anger by shameless exploitation or smug complacent orthodoxy; a man of such courage that He deliberately walked to what He knew would mean death, despite the earnest please of well meaning friends.

“Jesus Christ might well be called “meek,” in the sense of being selfless and humble and utterly devoted to what He considered right, whatever the personal cost; but “mild,” never!” 

PG 27

“He taught men not to sit in judgment upon one another, but He never suggested that they should turn a blind eye to evil or pretend other people were faultless. He Himself indulged no roseate visions of human nature: He “knew what was in man,” as St. John tersely puts it.”

“To speak the truth was obviously more important than to make His hearers comfortable: though, equally obviously, His genuine love for men gave Him tact, wisdom and sympathy. He was Love in action, but He was not meek and mild.”

PG 29-30

I want you to look at the Old Testament, and every time you see “the angel of the LORD,” put Jesus’ name there. That’s pre-incarnate Jesus. 

He saved Hagar and Ishmael, told Abraham not to sacrifice Isaac, and spoke to Moses from the burning bush. 

Jesus met Balaam with a sword in his hand. The donkey had the sense to stop. 

Jesus blessed Jael for driving a spike through an enemy’s head. 

As Commander of Yahweh’s army, he met Joshua and told him he was not on the side of Israel when Joshua asked whose side he was on. Jesus said he’s all about the Kingdom of God. 

Jesus spoke to young Samuel before he became the mighty prophet and judge that anointed Saul and David. 

In 1st Kings, he brought Elijah food and told him to prophesy against Ahab.

Later, the Assyrians had Jerusalem surrounded, and it looked like Jesus killed 185,000 soldiers one night, as chronicled in 2nd Kings. 

Zechariah had Heaven’s riders reporting to Jesus, who prayed for mercy on Israel, rebuked Satan, and restored the current High Priest. 

That’s the Old Covenant, you may think. But, Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.“

There is an important thing to remember: Jesus is God of the Son. Therefore, he can administer justice in ways we cannot, like with 185,000 soldiers. 

I looked at Jesus in the book of Luke. What kind of man was he emotionally, relationally, spiritually, and self-identity? 

Emotionally

Jesus’ forty-day fast in the desert while facing down Satan shows his resilience and self-control. We get hangry if we miss more than one meal. 

Jesus boldly and consistently confronted spiritual evil. One time he stared down 1,000 demons at one time. 

Yet he’s also gentle with the broken and humble. In the Gospel of John, he cried at his friend’s tomb. Then he shouted at him to stop being dead and come out. 

When people are being foolish, Jesus will be firm (Luke 9). He yelled at a synagogue leader who told people not to come to be healed on the Sabbath. That’s like Jesus yelling at your pastor. 

When King Herod Antipas wanted to kill Jesus, messengers came to tell him. Jesus told them to say to him it’s not his time to die. 

Yet, Jesus laments over Jerusalem’s hard-heartedness. He gives second chances to people, even those considered society’s dregs. 

Jesus mourns unrepentance. 

We see his self-control when he’s arrested. Jesus is holding back. He could have stopped it with ease. Instead, Heaven’s army is at his beck and call, if he doesn’t handle them like the 185,000. 

Then at the trial, he kept his composure and forgave personal offenses. 

Jesus was self-assured, self-controlled, and in touch with his emotional side. But he wasn’t driven by it. 

Relationally

Jesus helps those who ask for help and those who don’t. If some interrupted him while he was in a hurry, he’d help them too. He prioritized people and elevated women. 

When culture saw kids as an inconvenience, he loved and blessed them, rebuking his disciples who saw them as a bother. 

Jesus didn’t show partiality. 

When verbally challenged, he’d respond with questions, his responses deliberate and cunning, turning the tables on his adversaries. 

Jesus would entertain questions if the crowd could learn from them but would call out his questioners for what they were (Luke 20). He used teaching moments but also raised his voice in correcting moments. But not always. At times, he corrected with an analogy. 

Jesus raised his voice with a group of self-righteous Pharisees. Still, at dinner with an arrogant, ungracious member of the group, he quietly put him on blast. 

Jesus knew he was divisive. He offended the righteous moralists by eating with the bad and was honest with the sinners about them being sinners. 

Jesus would raise his voice, warn people, and call people out as bad examples when explaining things. 

Once, he was invited to dinner. While there, he healed a man, then told everyone how they could be better, humble themselves, and invite those who couldn’t return the favor. 

Jesus was upfront and transparent about the cost of following him. He wouldn’t stay where he wasn’t welcome. 

Could we get away with this? Yelling at people, calling it like it is—that sounds fun. 

Let’s look at the spiritual side of Jesus and see part of the reason he could do that.

Spiritually

Jesus understood the whole of Scripture and its application of it. He used quotes from it as counterattacks when tempted. He also prayed before big decisions and made time to rest and spend time with God. 

He gave glory to God, not seeking it for himself. Because of this, God glorified him. 

Jesus knew who he was, whose he was, and put it out there. He set boundaries and wouldn’t compromise the mission. Jesus drew a line in the sand, saying you’re either with him or against him (Luke 11). 

Then he gave his life to save us, giving everyone a lifetime of chances to come to him as savior and King. Jesus died for friends and enemies alike. 

Three days later, he got up and walked out of the tomb. He was done being dead. 

I don’t know about you, but I’ll stay on his side. As we’ve seen, when I stray, he has no issue with correcting me before restoring me.