Us living in a place of anger is a very bad thing.  When those endorphins are being released into our brain and our temperature is rising because we are upset, we are prone to make hasty decisions (such as tweeting things we will later regret).  You are not in your right mind when you are acting out of provoked emotion.

When something makes you angry, your thoughts go to bad places.  You want to get revenge.  You become consumed with making the person or group you’re mad at look bad or trying to prove them wrong.  You start spending more and more of your time looking for dirt on those who are the source of your anger. You even begin to blame them for feeling the way you do.

This is a dark place where many people have become stuck.  They walk around in constant resentment toward a parent.  They are always angry at their boss and looking to take cheap shots at him whenever the opportunity arises.  They are always on the edge about politics and any word that rhymes with ‘economy’ will get everyone around them an ear-full of their opinions.  Again, they’re stuck.  They’ve been taken captive and their emotions and peace has been sacrificed just so someone they don’t even know can have their money or their vote.

It’s better just to remove yourself from the show, song, or person that makes you so angry.  I’ve had to do this.  There are a couple pastors whose podcasts I no longer download because all they were doing was using their sermons to rile people and stir emotions.  I now avoid certain news programs because I know they will cause me to get angry and want to say and do bad things to others as a result of a half-told story.

We’ve got to remove ourselves from these sources.  Then we will be able to think clearly, seek to be released from that anger and pray our way out of that bad place of extreme emotions.

Anger is a horrible motivator.  Well, horrible in a moral sense.  As far as producing results it’s a great motivator.  Because it works.  At least for a while.

Motivating people with anger works for a while, and then it wears off.  Then the person, group, company, church, network or boss who was using anger as a motivator has to step it up and use even more anger or strike up fear again in you to re-motivate.  They have to provoke you even more to make you even angrier, even more shocked, more fearful, and even more outraged.

It’s a cheap trick.  And in doing it sometimes the truth gets bent.

So we hear a story, a stat or a threat and it makes us upset and we are ready to move into action!

Then things calm down and go back to normal.  So those who are trying to motivate us with fear have to find an even worse story or a more appalling stat.  This happens over and over as we go through cycles of being provoked to anger again and again.  Eventually the things others are using to provoke our anger are not even the complete truth.  These bosses, preachers, parents, or media outlets realize that by putting a slight bend to the information or leaving certain parts out, the information presented has more ‘zing’ to it and will cause the general public to become angry and rush into action for the cause of those giving the information.  By not telling the whole truth they make a better case for what they want, and they count on you being too angry to rationally challenge the information you are receiving.

I feel like this happens quite often in homes, churches, politics, businesses, and through media.  Our society tries to tap into our extreme emotions in order to utilize our efforts for their cause.

Feeling these emotions on a regular basis is not healthy.  I caught myself feeling this way on a repeated basis and had to examine several of the sources I felt was causing this.  As a result there are some news networks I no longer allow myself to watch because of how angry they were making me.  There are preachers I no longer listen to because their continual use of shock effect was wearing on me.

All churches, politicians and businesses are biased.  So the temptation to tell the story with a bend toward their position is always a lure for those with power or influence.  Sometimes doing this gets a positive response so the process is repeated.  This is how we got to the place where we have church members, news-watchers, and employees who use extreme words like “burdened,” “passionate,” or “disgusted” to describe how they feel as a reaction to the information they are constantly being fed, all the while that information is only partially correct.

Churches, bosses, politicians, and television programs that do this are not actually concerned with presenting the full truth as much as they are with getting you on their side.  They want you to agree with them, vote for them, work for them, donate to them, etc.  Being a part of these groups or environments tend to cause us to live at a constant state of excitement.  It causes us to have the urge to riot on a more than occasional basis.

Again, having these emotions stirred within us on a regular basis is not healthy.  I have been learning to judge the outside influences I am allowing into my life and determine whether they are healthy or not.  I encourage you to do the same.

The idea of the tract got me thinking.  Are we really attracting people to the gospel if our lead message is that it’s easy?  I understand we live in an age where simplicity sells, but being simple and being easy are two different things.  And when you look into it deeper, the gospel is neither.

In a way, we are disrespecting our beliefs as well as the intelligence of others in trying to persuade them to Christianity ‘because it’s easy.’  Should a person’s choice of religion not be more meaningful, personal, and thought-out than to think they are just going to choose whichever one is easiest?  I don’t hear anyone say “I’m a Republican/Democrat because it’s easier.”  When you ask someone what their job is, I doubt they tell you and then explain, “Because it was easier than anything else.”  So why would people be drawn to a religion that claims to be easy, and in doing so make itself appear shallow?

I did not come to this conclusion uninformed or as an attempt to justify my own lifestyle.  I have never been a partier or a regular weekend drunk.  As a matter of fact I actually did my research on this topic because it was designated to me by my professor in a preaching workshop class during college.  At the time I was on staff at a Baptist church where drinking alcohol would have got me fired.  At that time I had never had a drop of alcohol.  Sufficient to say, I studied the subject of alcohol with absolutely no bias.

I don’t think the same can be said for most people who argue a position of complete abstinence.  Most of them are emotionally tied to the issue and are or know someone who had an addiction or abuse problem in the past.  They have tear-jerking stories about a loved one who ran themselves into poverty and destroyed their family as a result of alcoholism.  These stories are sad and are great evidence as to why the Bible condemns drunkenness.  But this reasoning is built more on emotional appeal than actual, Biblical truth.  People in these situations are no more able to be impartial than someone who knew a hunting accident victim is on the subject of gun control.  To them the subject is personal and because of that they are no longer able to discuss it logically.

This is a case where experience is a horrible source for opinion.  Because one person had a bad experience with alcohol is not just cause to condemn everyone who uses it in an appropriate way.

Can alcohol be used for wrong?  Absolutely!

The same can be done with our words, our music, computers, guns, etc.  Many of the Bible passages that condemn drunkenness also condemn gluttony, but no one’s arguing that food is sinful.  We cannot condemn everything that has the potential to be used for bad – especially when it is something the Bible does not condemn.  Doing so is legalism and leads to self-righteous churches that condemn watching television and protest funerals.

Your conscious may not allow you to drink alcohol with a clean conscience.  This may be the result of your past, your personality, or your upbringing.  But enforcing that self-imposed standard on others is wrong.  (Just as insisting everyone should drink would be wrong).

Drunkenness is sin.  Demanding everyone completely abstain from alcohol is legalism.  Both are condemned in the Bible.

Alcohol, like many things in life that can be abused, are to be partaken of with moderation.

Let’s start with the Biblical words.  The word wine in the Bible carries both literal and figurative meaning.  In the Old Testament it was basically understood to be fermented grape juice.  It was most likely naturally fermented, but alcoholic non-the-less, as evident by Noah getting drunk from it in Genesis 9.

In the New Testament the most common word translated as wine is the Greek word oinos, which means fermented grape juice.  The fact that this word implies fermentation is accepted even by sources that oppose social drinking.  It is also the word used for Jesus’ first miracle in John 2, again evident by the mention of wedding guests becoming drunk.  There is also the Greek word sikera which is usually translated strong drink.  A Bible dictionary defines sikera as intoxicating liquor, usually made of grain, fruit, and honey.  Both oinos and sikera are used in Luke 1:15 where an angel predicted the birth of John the Baptist and commanded he abstain from all forms of alcoholic drinks.

A lot of misunderstanding and wrong teaching comes from confusion of these Biblical words.  Most who hold the teetotaler position claim these words were not referring to actual wine, the drinks were not fermented, and these words were only used because there was no suitable words to describe the drink that was actually closer to modern day grape juice.  This argument is simply inaccurate.

Why would there be a commonly used beverage with no word to describe it?  And actually, there is a Greek word for unfermented grape juice.  It’s the word truz and is used rarely in the New Testament but is not the word in any of the passages listed above.  So, if there was a word for unfermented grape juice, and the “wine” used in the Bible was not actually wine, then why was the word truz not used?  Common sense tells us this is because the wine and strong drink referred to in the Bible was actually a fermented, alcoholic drink.

That being said, how can passages such as Proverbs 31:4-6 and I Timothy 5:23, which encourage wine to be used for enjoyment and medicine, be so misunderstood?  Claiming the Bible teaches alcoholic abstinence is poor Biblical hermeneutics.

The Bible clearly condemns drunkenness in passages such as Proverbs 23:29-35 and Ephesians 5:18.  Alcoholism is even used a punishment in the books of Jeremiah and Revelations as others are “given over to” this sickness.  But a moderate use of alcohol was considered normal and even encouraged for everyday Christians in Bible times.  In Matthew 11:18-19 Jesus was even accused of being a drunkard.  Because we know Jesus was sinless and the Bible condemns drunkenness, we can believe that Jesus was never actually drunk.  It is unlikely though that Jesus’ enemies would have ever thought to accuse him of being a drunkard, or that anyone would listen to their accusation, had Jesus not at least been known to drink in moderation.

Any passages used to teach a complete avoidance of alcohol (mostly in Proverbs) are in the context of teaching for a drunkard who needs to avoid the temptation to relapse.  Other passages that give warning about alcoholism also teach about partaking of too much food, a portion of the principle left out by most who teach alcohol is sin.

Based of this information, as well as deeper personal study I have done on this issue, I have to conclude that the Bible does not condemn social drinking for those whose conscience allow them to do so.  Like our words and music, alcohol can be abused in a way that makes it wrong, but in and of itself is nothing to be condemned.  For whatever reason though, some denominations within Christianity have drifted from the Biblical position on this issue and use their new, legalistic view as a source of condemnation for others who do not abstain.  For more on this I would encourage you to read this article by Thomas Kidd that tracks the history of alcohol in relation to evangelicals and asks where this disconnect began.  And as always, please feel free to share your thoughts, whether in agreement or opposition to the position I have laid out.

A Mirror-holder is someone who’s willing to always be honest with you, show you what you are doing wrong, and reflect back to you how you are coming off to others.

 A Hand-holder is someone who will be there in tough times, not to condemn us for what we’ve done but to love and support us as we deal with our difficulties.

Usually we cannot have one person be both of these for us.  Most of the people whose personalities cause them to be great in one of these roles will not allow them to be the other.

We need that honest person who will say the hard things, has been through tough times themselves and can share their story in warning as they see danger in our lives.  We also need that compassionate person who will give us a hug and always take our side.  Such relationships help us stand and make us stronger.  Putting people in these places in our lives can be valuable at all times and essential in times of struggle or sin.  These relationships are not simply people to be used by us, but to be support for us.

I think accountability is crucial for pure living and a mirror-holder and hand-holder are just the kind of relationships you we seek.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”   Job 28:28

When it comes to education, many Christian parents may consider putting their children in Christian schools. But what are the actual benefits of a Christian education?

A Christian education…

1. Puts Christ at the center. The most important part of a Christian education is that Christ is at the center of everything the students learn. The educational theory, methods, and practice in a Christian school are all built upon Christ’s teachings. All subjects are taught under the framework of Biblical authority.

2. Addresses the entire being: body, mind, and spirit. Students at a Christian school will not just learn reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also how to think with Biblical reasoning and how to develop a relationship with Christ. A Christian education teaches students skills that will not just get them through college, but also through life.

3. Uses the Bible as a foundational and integral text. The Bible is God’s Word and speaks the truth about our world. While it is not used as a textbook in every class, it serves as the handbook for students and an educational standard for teachers.

4. Helps children develop as disciples of Christ. Christ is the greatest teacher. Before he left earth, he told his followers to make disciples of all nations. In a Christian school, students are ultimately learning how to be disciples of Christ. In order to think and act biblically, a student must fear the Lord and have faith in Him.

5. Teaches critical thinking from a Biblical perspective. One of the most important skills that children can learn is how to evaluate for themselves what is good. They must learn to reason in terms of biblical truths and develop a strong and consistent Biblical worldview in order to stand against the evils of this world and know the truth.

6. Values community. Students learn to appreciate the talents of others and the value in working together. Christian education emphasizes brotherly love and kindness and teaches students how to encourage each other, which goes far beyond toleration.

7. Gives students positive role models. Students learn from teachers who model Christian values and behaviors. Members of a teaching staff bond through striving for a common purpose and provide a strong support system for the students. Students will also have Christian friends and fellowship and will not face the negative peer pressures of a non-Christian environment.

8. Teaches service and stewardship. While many schools involve students in service and conservation projects, a Christian school shows students that these activities are an integral part of God’s Kingdom. Caring for the earth and everything in it represents good stewardship of God’s creation. Service follows in the footsteps of Christ by loving one’s neighbors who are disadvantaged.

9. Develops discipline and character. Christian schools tend to have higher academic and behavioral standards than most schools, as well as strict dress codes. Students in a Christian school will learn the value of self-discipline and develop strong characters that will set them on the right course for life.

3. Fox News, Jon Stewart, And The Poor – I try my best to write about intelligent, spiritually deep things, yet my highest ratings come anytime I mention politics.  This is my first video posts which includes a six and a half minute clip from Jon Stewart addressing income inequality in our country and showing clips from Fox News I happen to disagree with.  This post was simply to introduce the subject as a spiritual issue.

2. Jesus, The Poor And Me – This was my follow-up post to the one above in which I gave my opinion about the poor in this country.  Though many disagreed with me, I see this as more of a moral issue than a political one.  I would love your thoughts on this post.

1. Who’s Got A Hot Wife? – By far my most popular post of the year, this blog addresses something I find unhealthy that many contemporary pastors do.  I end the post by admitting I may be nit-picking but I apparently hit a nerve as I got a lot of feedback about this post, plenty of which came from small church pastors.  I would love your thoughts on this topic.

The reason for Christmas is not Jesus.

It’s us; humanity.

Me.

You.

The addict.

The criminal.

We messed up.  We sinned.  We strayed from the life God created for us.  If not for us God would not have had to have sent Jesus.  Humanity is the reason for the season.

So remember that next time you want to judge or condemn someone else.  The reason we have Christmas is that person.  We celebrate that Jesus was born, but going back further than that, He had to come because of you.  Because of me.  He came because of the person you’re jealous of.  Because of the person who won’t talk to you.

Christmas is a reminder that we’re all sinners and in that way we’re all equal.  You’re grandma who gives you fruitcake every year.  You’re cousin who avoids your family.  The jerk at work who ruins your office party.  The homeless person who stands on the corner and begs for Christmas change.

Because of them, Jesus was born.

Why is that?  Why do we immediately feel guilt when we discuss the health of our relationship with God?  When were we trained to believe it’s more spiritual or humble to say things like, “It could always be better” when asked the question above?

Would you think someone ungodly if you asked them how their relationship with God was and they simply replied, “Good?”  Would something strike you wrong about their answer?  Would you assume they were lying or think them arrogant?  Why is that?

There’s nothing wrong with saying that things are good between you and God!

I sensed God tell me this one night during my devotional time.  I was peering over my journal, pressuring myself to pray the right things, apologizing to God for not being as close to him as I thought I should be.  There was a feeling within me that said, You’re good.  It’s ok.  Stop beating yourself up.  You are active in church, you are seeking Me regularly, and you are going to the Bible with your struggles.  You’re doing well.  It’s ok to believe that.

It was like my eyes were opened to a way of thinking I had never been aware of before.  I grew up thinking it was holy to belittle yourself and arrogant to suggest you were anything more than a sinner who can’t keep all the rules.  This is a form of thinking I believe God is constantly trying to reset in my life.

Don’t lie to yourself.  Don’t say things are fine if they are not.  Don’t use my words to overlook a habitual sin God wants you to deal with.  But chances are, if you’re regularly seeking and worshipping God, He’s happy with you!  He wants you to be happy too.  He gets more glory out of you enjoying your relationship with Him than He does when you’re beating yourself up for everything that’s not a part of your spiritual walk.

It’s ok.  You don’t have to fake humility.

So let me ask you again, how is your relationship with God?