Culture

The DOMA Dilemma

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On Wednesday, June 26, the Supreme Court made two rulings on marriage that will profoundly impact our culture. First, they dismissed Proposition 8 for lack of legal standing and sent it back to the State of California for further review. Second, they reversed the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and now offer full federal benefits to same sex couples.

Writing the Majority Opinion for United States v. Windsor, Justice Kennedy said DOMA “demeans” same sex couples and “humiliates tens of thousands of children now being raised by same sex couples.” He implies that any opposition to same-sex marriage is rooted in animus or hatred.

This poses a real problem for Christians. We are not out to “hate” or “humiliate” anyone. Yet the Bible stipulates that marriage is created by God as a permanent union between one man and one woman:

Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

(See also Gen. 1:27; Ps. 128:3-4; Mt. 19:4-9; Heb. 13:4)

Furthermore, the Bible says that even the slightest drift away from God’s law is “sin”:

James 4:17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.

Thus, any departure from God’s holy standard of monogamous, heterosexual marriage is sin. This includes fornication, adultery, homosexuality, bisexuality, incest, polygamy, polyamory, bestiality, etc.

So here’s the dilemma. In striking down DOMA, the Supreme Court has declared same sex marriage to be a moral virtue and a constitutional right. Yet our conscience and convictions, informed by Scripture, dictate that same sex marriage is a moral evil and dishonoring to God. How should we respond?

When forced to choose between the two, we must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). Written by God, the Bible holds the trump card, and is the final arbiter of good and evil, right and wrong. When civil authorities declare something wrong to be right, we respectfully disagree and reserve our highest allegiance for God. Unlike human governments, His laws are always good, and His laws will never change.

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether
Psalm 19:9

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Shepherding

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

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“Let not your hearts be troubled. 
Believe in God. Believe also in me.”
 

Jesus spoke these words to His disciples just hours before His death. And in dark times, we need to hear them again.

Like those first disciples, perhaps you feel panicked or discouraged today. Let Jesus calm your turbulent heart with this promise: “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am, you may be also” (John 14:3).

If your health fails, don’t let your heart be troubled!

If your job is at risk, don’t let your heart be troubled!

If you feel alone, don’t let your heart be troubled!

Even if our nation redefines marriage, don’t let your heart be troubled!

God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.

He is still seated upon His throne and offers peace to all who trust in Him. God holds us like a loving father and says, “Don’t worry. I’m right here. Everything’s going to be OK.”

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photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net
Shepherding

You’re Invited

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Imagine reaching into your mailbox and finding a fancy invitation. The worn envelop suggests the letter has traveled a long way. There’s no return address, but your full name is written on the front. Curious, you rip it open and discover a perfectly handwritten note with gold-embossed lining. Then, you glance to the bottom and realize it is signed by … God himself! Essentially, that’s what God does in Isaiah 55. He sends you a personal invitation.

The chapter begins with an offer that sounds just too good to be true:

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price!” 

What? Food for free? Wine and milk at no price? What kind of supermarket is this? In these verses, the prophet Isaiah is using a figure of speech. He says that people in this world are thirsty for joy. They are hungry for happiness. But only God can satisfy, and His love is absolutely free.

Then in verse 2 God asks,

“Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?”

 People are always chasing after something new, looking for something – or someone – that will make us happy. Maybe it’s a different job, or a bigger TV, or a newer smart phone. Others turn to alcohol, or sex, or drugs to numb the pain and experience just a few minutes of escape. But none of these fill the emptiness in our souls. To borrow the words of Mick Jagger, “I can’t get no satisfaction.”

So what is the answer to our quest for joy? Is this just another fairy tale, like the lost city of El Dorado? Not at all. God knows only He can satisfy our deepest needs and desires. And in verses 6-7, he invites you to turn to Jesus with a humble heart:

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”

Have you trusted in Christ while He may be found? Isaiah 55 invites you to experience that joy today.

This article first appeared in today’s edition of our local newspaper, The Hi Desert Star

Photo credit: nuchylee
Books

Book Review: California’s Best Trips

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If ever a state was made for road trips, it’s California.

With its moderate climate, scenic coasts, urban culture, snow-capped peaks, sprawling farmlands, and quirky deserts, every corner of California is ripe and ready to be explored. And California’s Best Trips is a great guide to plan your next family vacation in the Golden State.

There are two basic ways to plan a trip:

  1. Region. Choose a specific attraction or region you want to travel to, then pick one of the road trips in that area. The book is divided into three main sections: Northern California (pp. 31-148), Central California (pp. 149-168), and Southern California (pp. 269-363). Each section offers an overview map as well as specific itineraries, attractions, driving instructions, and local dining and hotel options. 
  2. Theme. What really sets this book apart is that if you don’t already have a destination in mind, you can build your itinerary around a theme. Choose from seven Classic Road Trips (pp. 8-11), five Scenic Routes (p. 15) or four Historical Routes (p. 22). Explore some of California’s Major Cities (pp. 26-29) or slow down in one of the Best Small Towns (p. 17). You can even choose a road trip geared toward children (p. 23) or the great outdoors at one of the national or state parks (p. 23).

A word of caution: make sure you budget ample time and travel expenses to get to the start point and return from the end point of your trip. Most of these are one-way trips from point A to B, and will take significantly longer when you factor in travel time from your home. For example, Road Trip #11 “Trinity Scenic Byway” is 235 miles long and covers some beautiful territory in Northern California. But someone living in San Diego would have to drive 724 miles (11 hours) just to arrive at the base of Mount Shasta and begin the road trip. You’ll definitely want to factor that in.

California’s Best Trips is a fun and unique tour guide to California. My family can’t wait to jump in the minivan and start our next trip! But remember, it’s not just about the destination, but the journey to get there.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy of this book as part of the Amazon Vine Program and was not influenced in any way by the publisher.

Shepherding

Pastor’s Update

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Here’s a church update I shared at last Sunday’s quarterly business meeting…

“Keep Up the Good Work!” These are words every worker wants to hear. Or, as Paul told the Thessalonians, “You have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing…But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more” (1 Thess. 4:9-10). So let me encourage you, First Southern Baptist, to keep excelling in ministry. Keep excelling in your love, in your growth, in your service, in your discernment, in your joy, in your attention to the Word, and in your evangelism.

Ryan Hodson and I had the privilege of attending The 40thannual Shepherd’s Conference in Sun Valley on March 7-9, 2013. Together with 4,000 other pastors and elders, we sang, listened to the preaching of the Word, and enjoyed great times of fellowship. During our time, we were amazed at the glory of Christ and humbled at our duty to serve Him. Thank you for making this trip possible so we can come back refreshed and better equipped to minister to all of you.
Our church leaders have recently been discussing our Sunday School or “Life Groups” ministry. Currently, our attendance is hovering around 25 each week with few or no children. But we believe this ministry has great potential and could become a key component of our long-term discipleship strategy at First Southern.  With many of you traveling up to forty minutes one way to attend church, we know our weekly time together is limited. So we are looking for ways to make Life Groups a vibrant ministry that you will want to take part in. 
Details are still coming together, but we are talking and praying about moving to the “Gospel Project” curriculum produced by Lifeway. Some of the benefits of this program are its cross-centered approach to the Scriptures, excellent teacher resources, and a comprehensive, three-year lesson plan for children, youth, and adults. Stay tuned for more details in the months ahead!

Thoughts on Life and Leadership