Prayer and Social Media

Leave a reply

Paul said, as the NIV paraphrases, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18a). I have recently been convicted by how little importance I really put in prayer. In addition to making prayer for those around me, the church, especially the churches I am involved with, and the needs, I have realized how little I do all of my activities in this sense.

A prayer I often pray does relate to a verse I memorized growing up: “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31 NIV). So in thinking about what it means to pray in even the most menial of things, I have reflected how this reflects my Internet usage. In my free time, I often go to the Internet. Perhaps more than I should, but I believe the Internet is a good resource.

I use it to learn, as my high number of Wikipedia page views would quickly suggest. More than anything though, I use it to communicate. I use a mixture of social networks that allow me to keep in contact with people I know and with believers on the Internet… and sometimes for political conversations. This ranges from posts on Christian subreddits on Reddit to the time on the Puritanboard to Facebook.

Recently, I have even decided to spend some time on this blog again, so that I can collect my thoughts and have interactions with people in new ways, although I know at the same time that I am scarcely very consistent in how I use a blog. I can try to quantify the good that I derive from this social media networks. I can share how I have evangelized over Facebook and Skype. I can say that I have been edified by discussions with godly people on forums. I have grown in knowledge. These are good things! At the same time, I realize how often I am rash to make posts in response. How easy it is to be argumentative. How easy it is for pride and boasting to come out.

In an effort to help stop this own attitude in my life and to glorify God even through the time I spend on the Internet (which I would be the first to admit can be too much), I am feeling led to pray over every post. Every time I post a short comment on a Facebook status. Every time that I post a comment in response. Every time I press the share button in the Youversion app on my tablet. And for this post itself. I would encourage Christians to drench their times in social media in prayer so that we can use the Internet to build each other up and to be a shining light in the midst of darkness.

Maybe just a simple prayer will make us reconsider what we say… for in the Internet we have much more time to consider in real life, giving us a control that we don’t have over our tongue!

Bible verses to consider

“So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” -Romans 14:19 (ESV)
“but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” -James 3:8 (ESV)

The Papacy

Leave a reply

Luther’s depiction of the Pope

Mr. Ratzinger’s resignation has been making the news all over. It is certainly of big discussion for Catholics, but Christians and non-Christians alike are beginning to wonder about who will be the next Pope. In fact, there will even be a month period in which there is no pope at all where the Romans try to discern just who God’s infallible leader on Earth is!

Many people have been quoting that this is the first Pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415, even though many are missing the full picture. As the New York Times noted, Gregory did not even resign under normal circumstances, but to reduce the problem of having multiple infallible leaders of the church on earth. The article went on to show how the resignation really was quite unique, what “will essentially be a retirement at the age of 85.”

While now may be the time for the Catholics to be left to sinlessness without a central authority, just like the Presbyterians as Catholic comedian Stephen Colbert noted, it really does raise question anew for Protestants. Increasingly, the evil of the Catholic church is not realized. Maybe it would be better to have a central authority. Maybe the unity of the church needs a church whose name claims right off the bat that it is universal. This is the same rhetoric that has influenced many important theologians, including Dr. J. I. Packer, who I much respect.

However, Christians need to continue to acknowledge that Christ is the only true head of the church! The Scriptures consistently proclaim this!

“Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.” (Ephesians 5:23 ESV)
“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” (Colossians 1:18 KJV)
“Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20 KJV)

The Protestant view is well-outlined in many historic confessions, including the original Westminster Confession of Faith (25:6)

“There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ: nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ, and all that is called God.”

Ultimately, Christians should join together for Mr. Ratzinger to repent and to continue to pray for reformation in the Roman Catholic Church. May the next Pope be a non-existent one!

Postal Service

Leave a reply

The postal service was one of the first things established by our country. Even in an age where the government was incredibly small, even before the Articles of Confederation were established, the Post Office was, headed by Dr. Franklin himself. Granted, it wasn’t the exact same institution that there exists today, but the mail service was certainly considered important to our founders that it was even written into our Constitution! In Article I, Section 8, Clause 7, Congress is given power “To establish Post Offices and post Roads.”

It would have been nice if the list of government services could have remained so low, but the government is well-beyond that point. Now, practically the only government service that the early government tried to provide is now beginning to get cut. The postal service announced that it will be cutting Saturday delivery. This is not being decided by Congress, as the linked article from the Wall Street journal mentioned, this is “an unusual act of independence” which “sets up a potential confrontation with Congress.”

The establishment of the postal service does make sense. It makes sense to be a government-run organization, in the lack of private sector alternatives. However, the fact that the post office is now having to work against Congress to raise a profit raises some interesting questions.

An opinion piece that comes from the economic left helps to illustrate some of the benefits of having the postal service continue to be run by the government. It shows some compelling reasons… the benefit for American citizens continues to be great, for example. It provides a relatively cheap way to consistently send mail from “sea to shining sea.” At the same time, there have been some concerning practices pushed through by Congress. Johnson notes for example: “The Postal Service has to pay now for employees who are not even born yet.”

Certainly there are bad decisions being made for it. Much of the fault that the Postal Service is in, as Johnson points out, comes to bad decisions by Congress. Surely few are happy about losing mail service on Saturdays, but this is a move that is helping to solve its financial problems. Maybe some less strict regulation from Congress would be a good thing… simply define bounds of practical service to the democracy so that a post office can be established for the people consistently, and then let the service decide what wages and benefits work best to get the best profit margins.

If the organization can’t provide the service, it’s not like physical mail delivery will disappear. DHL and UPS and the like can pick up the slack.

Bartimeus and Coming to God

Leave a reply

Thus thousands nowadays object to evangelical preachers, saying, “Why do you bid us come to and believe on Jesus Christ, when you tell us it is impossible of ourselves to turn to God, or to do good works; and that no one can come unto him, unless the Father draw him? Is not this like the people’s calling upon Barthimeus, to arise and come to Jesus, when he could not possibly see his way before him?” True, it is so and would to God that all who make this objection would imitate Bartimeus, and put forth the strength they have! What if we do call you to come and to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, that you may be saved? Does this imply that you have a power in yourselves to do so? No, in nowise, no more than Jesus saying unto Lazarus’ dead and stinking carcass “come forth” implied that Lazarus had a power to raise himself from the grave. We call to you, being commanded to preach the gospel to every creature, hoping and praying that Christ’s power may accompany the Word and make it effectual to the quickening and raising of your dead souls. We also call to you to believe, upon the same account as Jesus said unto the lawyer, “Do this, and thou shalt live,” that you, seeing your utter inability to come, might thereby be convinced of your unbelief and be led to ask for faith of him whose gift it is, and who is therefore in the Scripture emphatically styled the Author, as well the Finisher, of our faith.

-George Whitefield, from Blind Bartimeus

An Early Church Father on Beards

Leave a reply

I guess there is a reason I have decided to keep a beard… I found these quotes from a user on Puritanboard by Clement of Alexandria.

“How womanly it is for one who is a man to comb himself and shave himself with a razor, for the sake of fine effect, and to arrange his hair at the mirror, shave his cheeks, pluck hairs out of them, and smooth them!…For God wished women to be smooth and to rejoice in their locks alone growing spontaneously, as a horse in his mane. But He adorned man like the lions, with a beard, and endowed him as an attribute of manhood, with a hairy chest–a sign of strength and rule.” 2.275

“This, then, is the mark of the man, the beard. By this, he is seen to be a man. It is older than Eve. It is the token of the superior nature….It is therefore unholy to desecrate the symbol of manhood, hairiness.” 2.276

“It is not lawful to pluck out the beard, man’s natural and noble adornment.” 2.277

Community

Leave a reply

James knows that so much of our relationship with God will be shown by our relationships with other people. As a Christian, my primary obligation in this life is not to myself. It is to God and to the body of Christ. You and I must realize that our selfishness hurts others, and that God will judge us for it. Really, we are to use ourselves for others. We must learn to cherish the opportunity of living in peace through valuing each other.

~From James: Faith that Works, The Message of the New Testament, by Mark Dever.

Homosexuality and the Struggle of Sin

Leave a reply

Beginning in Romans 1:18, Paul begins to show the effects of sin and the fall in making us unable to come unto God on our own will.

He begins by describing how God is made plain in creation, but through the effects of the fall, it is unable to be immediately seen: “they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (v 21). This radical depravity, the effects of sin, go deep. It means that “they exchanged the truth about God for a lie” (v 25). However, what does this result in? This is the because of the sentence: “God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves” (v 24).

So God gave them up to it! Thus who are living in sin are greatly affected. This extends to relationships outside of God’s design for relationships. However, we must remember that this was happening from the beginning, after sin entered into the world. For while between Adam and Eve is described a relationship that where “a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Soon after, in Genesis 4:19, we see that “Lamech took two wives.” Sin was soon having its effect.

Paul continues showing how far this sin goes and how it can affect. In the midst of weaving this account of the effects of sin and how God gave people over to their lusts, we find this passage so often quoted with regards to homosexuality.

“For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consummated with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.” (Romans 1:26-27)

Sin did not just stop there. Homosexuality was a consequence of this sin, this worship of the creature rather than the creator, and the fullness of the effects of sin that were caused; something that was very rooted in human nature found in the sin of Adam. But at the same time, don’t forget what other sins God gave men over to:

“They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.” (Romans 1:29-31)

Indeed, it goes beyond just those who do such things, but those who “give approval to those who practice them” (v 32). Obviously, the sin at stake is pretty great in God’s eyes.

It is easy to point at homosexuality as a special sin. After all, in the Old Testament law, it is grouped with the evils of pedophilia, bestiality, and polygamy. But ultimately, all of these sins refer to coming short of what God wants. Homosexuality is something “contrary to nature,” yes. But in the same way that God gave people over to these sins, he also gives them over to a host of other sins.. everything from murdering to gossiping to disobeying parents.

Even after the forgiveness and redemption that comes through salvation, many still struggle with sins. The list of my own sins in the past hour is much greater than I would care to reflect upon. And ultimately, it is the effect of being radically depraved. Without God, when we are left in the flesh, we are left powerless. Keep reading in Romans through about chapter 3 and you will be constantly reminded of this. Ultimately, we are told that “None is righteous, no not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God” (Romans 3:11).

We may continue with sin throughout life. Those who struggle with the sin of homosexuality may need to take drastic measures. If that means following Jesus’ advice to those having trouble with adultery that “it is better not to marry” (Matthew 19:10), then so be it. Others who are struggling with lust in general may have to take their right eye and “tear it out and throw it away” (Matthew 5:29), if that is what it takes to avoid sin.

Yet ultimately, as believers, we have the hope of ultimate glorification in Heaven, where no matter what Earthly sins we still fall prey to, no matter what problems we face, we will be in a state where we can no longer sin. For we have been brought from a fallen state, where all we do is sin, to where we can please God, but so often fall into the flesh, until finally we are glorified.

Let us look at this great promise God gives:

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified, he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30).

The Church and the Word

Leave a reply

I come from a chiefly evangelical background. I can complain about the faults I have seen in the churches I have been in and visited, such as pragmatism in methods which leads to a focus on church growth, the fallacy of the sinner’s prayer, or problems of theological emphasis, but in general, evangelical churches have remained steadfast to the basics of Christian confession in the midst of change. Jesus Christ is still the Triune God and the only way to salvation, as told in the infallible Word. And ultimately, I believe that with this foundation of the Bible as Truth that a church will ultimately not stray too far away; if all doctrine is being compared back with God’s Word and being compared and it is being discussed, for it is the source of truth.

Nonetheless, I have felt more comfortable in Reformed circles greatly because of a higher emphasis on Scripture. For I have felt very often that even with a high respect of the Word that certain clearly stated doctrines are ignored, often not because of exegetical interpretation, but a lack there of. This is, for example, why I can highly respect men like John MacArthur, who coming as fundamentals from the evangelical church were able to change in key doctrines (in his case, the Reformed view of salvation) because of study of the Word. He may not be in accordance with everything I believe the Bible teaches yet, but he is a great teacher and one that treats the Word highly. And throughout my time in my local Baptist church, and visiting other Baptist, Pentecostal, Christian & Missionary Alliance, non-denominational, conservative Methodist, and other churches that are broadly within this tradition, I have met many people who are very passionate about the Gospel and a Gospel whose foundation is Biblically focused.

Some may accuse this view of too Biblically-focused, at the expense of all glory being to God. However, I am quite comfortable with this when we see how highly treated the Word is throughout the Bible. Scripture is breathed out by God (2 Timothy 3:16); there is even a large section of the Psalm dedicated to to meditations and prayers on the Law of God (Psalm 119). I am quite confident in that God reveals Truth to the Church through the Word, the very “implanted Word” (James 1:21).

God has a high view of His Word, and he uses it in great ways. Maybe I am slightly biased because Scripture was the instrument that the Holy Spirit used to open my heart, but nonetheless, Scripture itself sets a high standard for this Word. And ultimately, I believe that throughout Christendom, where there is this view of Scripture above all, where Scripture is studied, and where Scripture is lived out, that all else follows. The Gospel is explained, the full of counsel of God is available. Maybe we cannot easily understand everything, but the Holy Spirit is always there to help reveal.

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.” –I Corinthians 2:12-13 (NASB)

It is ultimately through the Word and the Spirit’s faithfulness in teaching us of what it says that we are to have true doctrine. Certainly preaches are important; certainly they are a very important ministry in the Church. But ultimately, we have Scripture. “you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.” (I John 2:28 NASB).

I am thankful for the faithfulness to Scripture among parts of the visible church because of this great emphasis. From this, we get the confessions, we get other truth. But it has to start with an absolute source, which God has passed down through the ages in the form of the Bible.

How to get iOS 5 features on Android

Leave a reply

Recently, PC Magazine has published a comparison of multiple mobile OS´s to see which have many of the new features of iOS 5. I have the chart contained reproduced below for ease:

Obviously, as the features are new to iOS 5, it appears that iOS 5 has the most. However, as an avid user of Android for months now, I have been using nearly ever category since the week I got my phone, most of them without any non-Google software. That is, I am experiencing these iOS 5 features right now. For those interested in making this chart all in the green for their phone, here are some hints!

Phone-to-Phone Messaging

Many Blackberry users herald Blackberry Messenger as the best feature of their phone. It is a seamless way to message other people with blackberries, instant message style. Several cross-platform alternatives have been made then work on multiple mobile platforms, most notably Kik. However, Google has taken their own idea with this one… every Android phone when it is setup is required to be linked to a Google account, so generally you have a g-mail account ready to access. Every Android phone I have seen, likewise, includes Google Talk. I assume because it is not technically part of the default Android install, PC Magazine sees it as not included. However, if you happen to have one of the very few offbrand phones that does not have the basic Google apps available, you can easily get it from the market.

Google Talk not only allows instant communications between any Android device, it can also be accessed from computers through an official and various third party clients, online through Google services like G-mail and iGoogle, and anywhere an XMPP client can run. I think this is a step above just being able to talk instantly to other phones.

Newspaper/Magazine Subscriptions

There is no official application for this yet on Android, but there are a plethora of third party options available. My favorite is NOOK, as it synchronizes my subscriptions and where I am reading them with my actual NOOK device.

Advanced Reminder System

I will give PC Magazine the cake here.. I definitely did not have this on my Android device. The check mark apparently means iOS has this in a different way than the others, even though we realize and say that the others have it as well:

All four mobile platforms allow users to set basic reminders, but no one can touch the iOS Reminders tool on account of its geo-fencing location-based notifications

I am not sure what this feature is, so I guess we will see what Apple delievers!

System-Wide Twitter Integration

The default Android applications and the common Google applications included on nearly all Android devices have a great share button which allows one to send a file or something else to any application that supports it, including Twitter! Most third party applications where it makes sense have it too. For example, the Gallery app (a quick market install if it is lost on your phone) has the share feature, as shown below, as well as the Bible app, where it makes sense to have it, the developers have it implemented. Most apps I can think of wanting to share in Twitter have it already!

Quick-Camera Access

The article doesn´t consider having to unlock the home screen and then press a button a quick camera option, but on devices I have had in the past where this is not a necessary step, I must say: Apple had better have a good way to prevent pocket-fumbling photos. My unlock screen and pressing a hardware button is plenty quick enough to grab a picture at any time, and easier to do without looking for a certain tiny button (possibly). Some ROMs, such as CM, do offer this option, as well as third-party lockscreen customizers, if it something you really want.

Tabbed Browsing

iOS 5 has tabs on the stock browser on the iPad. Android has tabs on the stock browser on the version available for tablets, although this is not Gingerbread. Luckily, the default browser´s windows function a lot like tabs, unlike Mobile Safari: pages continue to load in the background and can be switched between with ease. If you really want tabbed browsing, plenty of the numerous browsers on the market offer the feature. My favorite, Dolpin HD, is shown below, as well as the default browser for Android for tablets. Unfortunately, there are virtually no alternative browsers in the App Store currently, due to restrictions.

Reader View

Bookmark the Readability bookmarklet in your mobile browser, and you can get the same basic feature! This bookmarklet lets you customize a view of webpages that focuses on content. It´s easy to do and has great results. However, the text blocking features of the stock browser make it mostly unnecessary.. as you zoom in with the zoom buttons in the bottom right corner, the stock browser automatically flows the text to make it easy to read. I find this easier than dealing with any extras buttons.

Rich Text Email

The default mail client that is not the Gmail application allows this. There is nothing to see here, moving on.

Wi-Fi Sync

Default Android does not allow Wi-Fi sync, because for most data, you don´t even sync directly to a PC. Google apps sync to the Google cloud.. including Music recently, contacts, e-mails, calendar, and so on. However, if you do need to specifically sync something like Music to a computer instead of to the Internet, several third party applications make this easy, such as WinAmp.

Online Gaming Community

Android does not have an option built in, but many third party solutions exist, such as Papaya, which is probably already built in to your favorite games!

It is great to see what all Apple is doing to stay alive in the ever-changing mobile operating system world! There are a lot of exciting new features in iOS 5, and I am especially happy about the new notifications system, which was always my biggest pet peeve when using an iPod Touch. More features means more users get to have great phones, and Apple can package features a great way. For me, I have found my love in Android, where I have never not found something I can do with my phone, whether it be from Google, the hacker community, or other third party developer´s work; for that, I am thankful.

La Belleza de Las Poemas

Leave a reply

For most language learners, the goal of learning a language is more or less to be able to go to a native country and be able to get along without problems. Speaking and understanding the language and reading when necessary. This is part of what I want from Spanish–a big part–but I think it is important to enjoy all that a language has to offer. This starts to go with the culture. For a language includes a lot of culture that is published, be it movies and music or the many facets of literature. And one of those facets I have recently discovered in Spanish.

Poetry is quite beautiful, but something I often failed to appreciate in English class. Nonetheless, I have discovered that Spanish poetry can be quite a great experience. Poetry, both classical and modern, tends to employ a lot of words and sentence structures that are not often found in day-to-day speech. For a non-native speaker, this makes reading more difficult, but that is not to say that it can´t be enjoyed.

I probably wouldn´t suggest making too many vocabulary lists or example sentences from poetry, but that does not mean one can´t enjoy it. Here is one poem I recently found that I really enjoyed.. but I did have to look up a few more words than I normally do when reading:

Me dirás, tú, mar inmenso.
¿Dónde está mi bella tierra,
que desde esta lejanía divisar
quiero con afán marinera?

¡Oh!, ¿quién desvelar pudiera,
esta nube que me anubla;
que a mi tierra cubre blanca,
oscura, porosa y muda?

El veloz viento no sopla.
El sol ocultado está.
El cielo su rostro encubre.
Muge rotunda la mar.

¡Tierra mía, tierra mía!
¡Qué lejos estás de mí!
¡Mis ojos, suaves, anhelan
fieles tu verde verdín!

Los pájaros ya no cantan.
Ya no se oye su clarín.
¡Tierra mía, tierra mía!
¡Qué lejos estás de mí!

This poem is called Nostalgia de mi tierra and it is by Cristino Bueriberi Bokesa. I found it in this literature collection from Guinea Ecuatorial.

I suggest trying to find some poems in Spanish and work on deciphering their meaning and maybe even memorizing a few. Any kind of practice cannot be a bad thing, and such diverse practice helps to make one more well-rounded as a language learner.