The new Dr. Phil?

I'm a sucker for points. Sure, I'll take that survey if you'll give me 1000 points. I have no idea what I'm going to do with the points, but I'll figure that out later. Just give them to me now!

A recent survey I took online required me to watch a 6 minute video of an upcoming show on TLC. I forget the name of the guy, but it was basically a show about helping people. The host is a psychiatrist. He looked and talked like a young Dr. Phil.

I'm not sure what the obsession with these self help guys is, but they act like they are God's gift to mankind. Give me a T.V. show and I'll help everyone get better. Contrary to popular belief (and to what this guy says), the issues people deal with are rooted in sin not in our past. The solution offered is always to dig into the past and see what made you think, act, and feel like you do today. Once this occurs, everything will be better.

The truth is that digging into the past like this will only create more angst and grief if it isn't realized that we are all filthy from sin. The issue in marriages and all other relationships is that we view ourselves as deserving, important, and any other catch phrase that brings glory to ourselves. The truth is that we are worthless sinners saved by Grace, and all the glory is due to our creator.

So, give me a T.V. show and I'll help people see the real problem. Look into a mirror, and see the filth. Until we see how dirty we are, we'll never attack the root problem, and we CANNOT attack the root problem until we repent of our filth (sin).

Macy's Memorial Day Sale

Went to buy a suit yesterday. Deacon duty in the parking lot at church during the hot month of july almost requires I have a second suit. I didn't end up getting a suit, but I did have an interesting discussion with the sales associate.

He was a nice guy with bad theology. That seems to be the standard for our day. Unfortunately, as I got deeper into the conversation, this man gave signs that he is not trusting in Christ for salvation. Bad theology is expected when living in darkness, but once God has turned on the lights, we can and should expect more.

As this man said, God is definately a loving and forgiving God, but he didn't seem to understand that God says He will by no means acquit the guilty (Exodus 23). This conversation included discussion regarding this man and his ex-wife. Apparently, he had tried to "do the right thing", but the ex-wife made it difficult. We always see our actions as good and others as bad. Seems like God says something about a plank in our own eye...

Anyway, I left this man with the assurance that God wants us to be 100% sure we have eternal life (I John 5), and I hope this causes him to dig deeper since he said he wasn't 100% sure, but definately does not fear death. If you aren't sure of eternal life, you definately should fear death. Hopefully, he'll lean on Christ soon.

And for you, the reader. If you claim the title "Christian", please be careful in sharing your doctrine with others. If you don't regularly read and study scripture, please be careful when telling people what you know about God beyond the truth that Christ died to take the punishment for our sins.

No moral absolutes?

Does this sound familiar? Everywhere people commune, problems arise; therefore, we have rules and laws. If everyone makes their own rules or laws based on their own feelings and desires at that time, anarchy exists. Why is this so difficult for some to understand?