JournEzine - Innocence is a Choice:

Innocence is a Choice

When most people think of the word “innocent,” they often associate it with words like “naive” and “young,” and thus its connotations are hardly desirable. Who wants to be called naive? I know I don’t. And in the world we live in, we really can’t go through this life and remain innocent. Our culture bombards us with messages and information about dark and dirty things that we would never want to know, and we try to cover our children’s ears, but we can’t shelter them forever. Everyone eventually has to enter the sinful world we live in.

I see so many situations and hear countless stories of girls (and guys, too) who found themselves in a bad situation and had their “innocence,” if you will, taken from them. They did not willingly give up their innocence; they became a victim of our sinful world. I have not heard a single story from my friends or acquaintances where they did something bad because they sought it out. The first time is always because someone else introduced it to them, and in their innocence, they engaged in it. But the real tragedy often comes afterwards: they often allow that moment to define them. They believe that, because their innocence was taken from them, they are no longer innocent. They begin to live that lifestyle because their either believe it was their fault, or they believe that’s who they are now. It’s heartbreaking to watch; I’ve seen it happen before. But I’d like to contend that innocence is not a state of being: it’s a choice. And I believe that’s a critically important distinction.

One way or another, I’m sure we’ve all seen, heard, or done things we never wanted to. We’ve essentially had pieces of our “innocence” or “naivety” taken from us. We were introduced to it by someone who already engaged in it. Now we know; we can’t “un-know” it. I’ve felt that way before. This evil world will try its very hardest to steal our innocence from us at every turn, and then turn around and blame it on us. We often then perpetuate this mistake thinking it defines us. So in a way, none of us are truly naive. This is important, and I want to pass this on. I want to make the distinction in this way: just because you get the joke doesn’t mean you have to laugh at it. And just because you get it doesn’t mean you’re a bad or dirty person. Innocence happens when you get the joke but choose not to laugh. And just because you’ve gone there doesn’t mean you have to go back. In a world where you can barely go a day without being “corrupted” by something, this is the definition of innocence. This is critical: it lies at the heart of the Christian message of redemption, and it is one I wish desperately I could make my generation understand.

I live in an evil culture. There are lots of things I know and I’ve seen that I wish I hadn’t, but I don’t have control over that. I am not “innocent”: I know a lot of what goes on in the world. I can no longer see the world through the eyes of a child who sees only the best in it. But the essence of the Christian message is this: I am now in a white robe, and that darkness cannot influence me or invade my heart. I can live as though that never happened; we are all innocent because of Christ. But this innocence is not a state of being, for we have all sinned. It’s a choice. And I’ve decided I want to be innocent. I might get the joke, but I won’t laugh. I won’t talk about those things. I won’t think about them. I won’t allow the world to invade those areas I can control: my speech, my heart, and my actions. And I want to encourage you that, whatever the world has taken from you (it has taken from ALL of us; there are no exceptions), you don’t have to surrender to it. You ARE innocent. It’s a daily choice. You are free. You are whole; you have not lost anything. Jesus gave it all back to you when he saved you and dressed you in a white robe of purity. Your innocence was given back to you at the cross; embrace it. I want to stand up to the world and tell it that it can try to take it from me, but I will daily choose innocence. I will lay my sins and regrets and Jesus’s feet and take his freedom and become like a child again. Innocence cannot be taken from you. Innocence is a choice.

Christie Weakly, 18, is a sophomore majoring in Computer Science with the addition of a Masters of Business. She was homeschooled all the way through and thoroughly enjoyed her education experience. She holds her second degree black belt in Taekwondo, having practiced the sport for seven years. She loves working out, reading, pondering ideas and discussing ideals, learning, writing, drinking coffee and tea, and trying new things.

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JournEzine - Public Life Begins in Private:

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Public Life Begins in Private

August 23, 2012 by Lynda Schultz  
Filed under Daily Manna, Going Global, Monthly Articles

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The writer of Chronicles takes three chapters to describe the reign of Rehoboam,
who succeeded Solomon as king.
 
He starts out badly. We might think it was a rookie mistake, something a young man without experience might do. But Rehoboam was forty-one when he became king (12:13) so he was no kid when he chose to listen to his buddies instead of the wiseer, older heads who had advised him to be nice to his people if he expected them to serve him.
Rehoboam also ended badly, leading his people into idolatry. Though he humbled himself before the Lord and avoided total destruction, his reign was described this way: “He did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the Lord” (12:14, NIV).
In the middle of the story there is a bright spot, no doubt a part to which the writer refers when he says: “Indeed, there was some good in Judah” in 2 Chronicles 12:12 (NIV). It seems that things in the northern kingdom of Israel were even worse. Priests who had sworn loyalty to God flocked to Samaria and Jeroboam to practice pagan rituals and drag the people down into evil. But those who wanted to follow God “Those from every tribe of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their ancestors” (11:16, NIV).
Unhappily, this only lasted three years (11:17) before darkness closed in again in the southern kingdom.
Why didn’t this burst of dedication to God last? Chapter 12:1 holds the clue: “After Rehoboam’s position as king was established and he became strong, he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the Lord.” The human tendency is to follow the strongest alpha male, the leader, even if he is going in the wrong direction.
Which is why Paul wrote to a young pastor by the name of Timothy and instructed, “…set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity…devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching…Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth…Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction…keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry” — 1 Timothy 4:12, 13; 2 Timothy 2:15, 4:2, 5, NIV.
Paul was a realist. He knew very well that not everyone would take heed to the young preacher, but he also knew that quite apart from the responsibility Timothy had personally to follow the Lord, he also carried as a leader, the responsibility before the Lord to set a good example.
Rehoboam had a chance to make a difference. But because he made a conscious decision and did not set his heart on seeking the Lord personally, he failed both personally and publicly. The spark of goodness that lasted for three years fizzled out largely due to leadership that didn’t nourish it.
When we pray for our leaders, we need to begin with a prayer for their own personal spiritual journey, for hearts that will set their focus on truly seeking the Lord. It is out of that personal encounter with God that good example will come.

Lynda is a missionary, speaker, educator, writer, editor, and cat lover. She was born and raised in Timmins, the heart of gold mining country in northeastern Ontario, Canada. Lynda has served with Fellowship International for more than thirty years, first in Colombia, a brief stint on home staff in Toronto, Ontario and, more recently in Venezuela. She is currently on staff at First Baptist Church in Timmins, Ontario where her primary focus is spiritual formation. The author of Divine Design for Daily Living, a 365 day devotional journey through the entire Bible (published in Spanish and English),  Lynda blogs Lynda’s Grain of Sand, maintains her own website Northern Breezes , and has been seconded by Fellowship International to serve on the Communications team of The Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada.

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Tiny Packages - JournEzine:

 

Tiny Packages

August 20, 2012 by Jan Ross  
Filed under Monthly Articles, Today's Devotion

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You can’t judge the importance of something by its size. In other words, just because something is small doesn’t mean it’s not valuable. In fact, some of the most significant things in life come in tiny packages. Consider the size of a box containing a diamond ring representing a lifetime covenant commitment between a man and a woman. Or, consider a tiny computer chip that holds hundreds (if not thousands) of pictures and videos and essential data. I think about a newborn baby—tiny and frail yet filled with eternal purpose that could literally change the course of history. Yes, sometimes big things come in tiny packages!
“God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 KJV)
This well-known verse contains one of the least understood phrases. God’s love surpasses anything our minds can comprehend. His love is limitless, His love is complete, His love is perfect.
When we look down our noses at people who are less than “acceptable”, God so loves! We fail to understand how God could love someone who has committed a heinous crime, and yet God so loves! We are repulsed by someone who has walked all their lives through the dirt and dust, but yet God so loves. We might look into the eyes of someone who has never brushed their teeth, combed their hair, or taken a bath but we can be assured that God so loves!
“So”…the biggest little word in the Bible all wrapped up in a tiny package. How does God love us? He “so” loves us! Included in the little word “so” are all the agonies of the cross—nothing withheld, the greatest sacrifice, all captured in the word “so”.
God is not just loving, He is love! Everything there is to know about God is wrapped up in the word “love”. Agape, a Greek word for “love”, is love with no expectation of return; loving because it’s one’s nature to love. That’s the kind of love God has for His creation…overwhelming, mind-boggling, supernatural, immense, total, complete, and lacking nothing! God not only loves, He so loves!
As we strive to know Him more and more each day, our understanding of the vastness of His love will increase. He longs for an intimate, loving relationship with us which will grow as we fix our gaze upon Him, set our affection upon Him, and have an undivided heart toward Him. He “so” loves us with limitless, boundless love.
“So” reminds us that sometimes big things are wrapped up in tiny packages. Two letters capture the immenseness of God’s love—He gave the best He had to give to show He so loves us.
Father, the depth of Your love toward me is overwhelming. My mind can hardly comprehend a love such as Yours toward a people who are so undeserving! Lord, I long to grow closer to You, closer than ever before, closer than yesterday yet not as close as tomorrow! Father, without Your love, I am nothing, nothing at all! How can I ever thank You for such a gift so freely given? Thank You for “so” loving me! In Jesus’ name, amen!
© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

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A Trip Back to the Cross

August 12, 2012 by Lynda Schultz  
Filed under Daily Manna, Going Global, Monthly Articles

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Seasonal consumers of religion.
At the risk of sounding harsh, a lot of those of us who call ourselves followers of Jesus who are exactly that—seasonal consumers of religion. We come and go when it’s convenient and when something piques our interest in the program of the church. We turn up when we can’t find anything better to do. We blame the pace of the rest of our lives on our lack of attention to what needs to be THE priority of life. We are religious but we are not very spiritual. We treat Grace cheaply.*
It’s a good thing God doesn’t operate that way.
I was struck this morning by David’s response to God as we see it in 1 Chronicles 21. He did a “no-no” (21:6, 7) and God gave him a choice of punishments—that in itself is significant and shows us the high regard God had for David in spite of his sin. David chose to submit to God’s hand as the instrument of punishment (21:13) rather than subject himself to the punishment men would bring on him.
When David begged for mercy, the Lord granted his request (21:17). In gratitude for that mercy, David went out to build an altar at the spot where the angel of the Lord had been withdrawn from his deadly task. The land belonged to Araunah, a man who was more than willing to give the king the land on which David wanted to build the altar. David’s words are significant: “But King David replied, ‘No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing’” (21:24, NIV).
David recognized just how merciful God had been and the depth of his gratitude would not permit him to give back cheap thanks to God.
Perhaps we don’t understand just what God did for us in sending His Son to take our judgment upon Himself. Perhaps we don’t appreciate our salvation and perhaps that lack of appreciate has caused us to offer cheap thanks, gratitude that costs us nothing.
Perhaps we need a trip back to the cross.

** For more on abusing grace, read Abusing Grace.

Lynda is a missionary, speaker, educator, writer, editor, and cat lover. She was born and raised in Timmins, the heart of gold mining country in northeastern Ontario, Canada. Lynda has served with Fellowship International for more than thirty years, first in Colombia, a brief stint on home staff in Toronto, Ontario and, more recently in Venezuela. She is currently on staff at First Baptist Church in Timmins, Ontario where her primary focus is spiritual formation. The author of Divine Design for Daily Living, a 365 day devotional journey through the entire Bible (published in Spanish and English),  Lynda blogs Lynda’s Grain of Sand, maintains her own website Northern Breezes , and has been seconded by Fellowship International to serve on the Communications team of The Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada.

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Publisher Drops David Barton’s Book ‘The Jefferson Lies’ Over Factual Errors

 August 10, 2012 by News Wire  

Filed under Monthly Articles, World News

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From Tennessean.com
Nashville-based Thomas Nelson Publishers has canceled a controversial bestseller by David Barton, an influential evangelical leader, because the book contains historical errors.
Barton’s book, “The Jefferson Lies,’’ claims to expose liberal myths about Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and the nation’s third president.
But a group of conservative scholars says Barton’s take on Jefferson is factually untrue. And a group of ministers from Cincinnati called on Nelson to cancel the book.
Casey Francis Harrell, director of corporate communications for Thomas Nelson, said that the publisher had gotten a number of complaints about the book. The publisher reviewed those complaints and found enough errors to cancel it.
“Because of these deficiencies, we decided that it was in the best interest of our readers to cease its publication and distribution,” said Harrell.
Barton stands by his book and said that Thomas Nelson never mentioned any concerns about the book, which was published in April and made the New York Times bestseller list.
“All I got was an email saying it was canceled,” he said. “It was a complete surprise.”
The book is still available for sale on Amazon.com and other retailers. But Harrell said that Thomas Nelson has stopped any new shipments of the books from their warehouses and is recalling the book from retailers. She also said that online retailers have been asked to stop selling the e-book version.
The publisher hasn’t decided what to do with the recalled books.
Barton is president of Wallbuilders, an Aledo, Texas-based conservative group that says it wants to reclaim America’s forgotten Christian history.
An early press release for the book, put out by Thomas Nelson in May, potrayed Barton as battling revisionist history to tell the true story of Jefferson.
“History books routinely teach that Jefferson was an anti-Christian secularist, rewriting the Bible to his liking, fathering a child with one of his slaves, and little more than another racist, bigoted colonist — but none of those claims are actually true,” the press released claimed.
But Warren Throckmorton, a psychology professor at Grove City College in Grove City, Pa., said it’s Barton who actually twisted the facts.
Throckmorton is co-author of “Getting Jefferson Right,” a book that criticizes Barton. It was released as an ebook back in May and then later in paperback.
He was glad to hear that Thomas Nelson book was canceled.
“Wow, I think they did the right thing,” he said.
Throckmorton said he’d been concerned about Barton’s version of American history for several years. He and his co-author looked at all of Barton’s sources to see if he was being accurate or not.
“We checked all the footnotes and we found they didn’t support what he wrote,” he said.
Barton and his critics disagree about the details of Jefferson’s life.
For example, Throckmorton said Barton claims Jefferson was an investor in an early American printing of the Bible, when it turned out that Jefferson only bought one copy.
He also claimed that Barton downplayed Jefferson’s views on slavery.
Throckmorton said that Barton wrote that Jefferson owned more than 200 slaves but said that Virginia laws banned him from freeing those slaves.
“That’s not true,” said Throckmorton. “Jefferson freed two slaves, one in 1794 and one in 1796. So you can’t say he didn’t free slaves, because he did free two slaves.”
Barton said that Throckmorton is wrong. He said he has documents to back up all the claims in his book.
For example, he said that the laws in Jefferson’s times fined any owners who freed slaves and that Jefferson would have freed his slaves if he could have.
He said Throckmorton doesn’t understand how complex the laws about freeing slaves were.
“This is one of the cases where he is just nuts,” he said.
The claim about slavery caused a group of ministers from several churches from Cincinnati to call for Thomas Nelson to drop the book.
“‘The Jefferson Lies’ glosses over Jefferson’s real record on slaveholding, and minimizes Jefferson’s racist views,” said the Rev. Damon Lynch of New Jerusalem Baptist Church, an African-American congregation in Cincinnati.
Lynch said he and other ministers from diverse backgrounds had contacted Nelson about their concerns. He said that if the book hadn’t been canceled, he would have boycotted Nelson.
“We love Thomas Nelson,” he said. “My library is filled with Thomas Nelson books and I didn’t want to stop doing business with them.”
He was pleased that the book was canceled.
“That’s great news,” he said.
Throckmorton is not Barton’s only conservative critic.
World Magazine, run by former George W. Bush advisor Marvin Olasky, recently published an online news story about conservative historians who also think Barton made errors.
One of them was Glenn Moots, professor of political science at Northwood University in Michigan. He said Barton was well-intentioned but should have been more careful to get the details right.
“It doesn’t help any of us if the story isn’t told in an accurate manner,” he said.
Barton said he met with a different group of scholars recently and they approved of his work.
“I can’t tell you how many Ph.D.’s were in the room,” he said.
But he would not give any names, saying the scholars hadn’t given their permission for him do so.
He also said that other publishers had made offers on his book and he hopes to sign a new contract soon.
The news that Barton’s book had been canceled disappointed his local fans. He was in Nashville back in March to speak to about 250 people at a meeting of the 912 Project.
Janice Johnson said she’s heard Barton speak a number of times and bought an audio book copy of “The Jefferson Lies” on CD.
She said the book wasn’t as good as some of his other previous works. She hopes the current controversy won’t undermine his credibility.
“It’s bad because it’s not typical of him,” she said. “He’s usually so rock solid on history.”



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