Musings on the Halloween debate

Recently, someone asked me what my opinion is regarding Halloween.  Do I participate in the holiday, or do I even like the holiday?  This question inspired me to do some research.  By saying this, I’m not insinuating that I didn’t have an opinion one way or the other with Halloween, because I did and I still do.  I just thought I'd get some more information.  My research showed me that this is a hotly debated topic, with people on both sides of the argument very adamant about their viewpoint. 

The problem that I saw with those on either side of the Halloween debate was that it could easily be described as a verbal war.  Each group saw anyone who differed from their beliefs as being an enemy who deserved scorn, ridicule, and condemnation.  This is the wrong attitude. 

The fact of the matter is, Halloween falls under the category of what the Apostle Paul calls a “disputable matter” (Romans 14:1).  In other words, an area where you can go one way or the other.  All of Romans 14 is particularly helpful when considering this Halloween debate, I would recommend that you read the entire chapter.  Consider verse 5: “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike.  Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.”

Let me be clear on an important point: please understand that not everything is a “disputable matter.”  The Bible gives us some hills that are worthy of dying on.  For example, Jesus being born of a virgin, or that Jesus died a sacrificial, atoning death on the cross for you and me.  Or there’s the fact that Jesus literally and bodily resurrected from the grave.  Here’s one that’s not politically correct: Jesus and Jesus alone is our only ticket to Heaven (John 14:6).  Furthermore, entrance to Heaven is by God's grace through faith alone; that is to say, none of our works aid us in any way to be granted access to Heaven.  All of these are not “disputable matters.”  They are the fundamental truths of the Christian faith that aren’t to be tampered with. 

Halloween is different, however; it’s more up to individual preference.  Of course, whether a "disputable matter" or a fundamental tenet of Christianity, it's never right to mercilessly attack, denigrate, scorn, belittle, and insult someone with another viewpoint.  Romans 14:13 says, “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another.”  My own personal decision, as I explained to the person who asked me, is to not participate in Halloween.  However, I don’t look down on others who decide that they want to celebrate the holiday.  That's their choice.

Kevin

"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification" - Romans 14:19 

Some more pictures

Today I wanted to share my final photo assignment with you from my CCU photography class.  I was to present three to five strong photos that had a common theme.  I began with that Chris Tomlin quote (from his book “The Way I Was Made”) that I cited in the last blog, where he says, “we were created to shine the spotlight on God.”  I went on to add that in the following photos, I was attempting to “shine the spotlight on God.”  Incidentally, all of the pictures are shots that I had taken here in Colorado, just in these last five weeks.  Enjoy!

I concluded by saying that the bottom line is “the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1).

Kevin

A shining star

Well, Tebow did it again.  No, I'm not talking about leading the Broncos to a come from behind victory yesterday.  As exciting as that was from a football standpoint, I'm actually referring to the fact that after the game, Tim was being interviewed by Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots.  The first thing out of Tim's mouth was, "first of all, I want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."  Tim's NFL career can't rightly be defined as a star yet, but in his life off the field, he is a shining star.  A shining star for God.

Chris Tomlin in his book "The Way I was Made" writes, "We were created to shine the spotlight on God."  I love that word picture!  How many in our culture today shine the spotlight on themselves, boasting of how great they are, and they don't even give a second thought to God?  This is pride and it's offensive to the Lord.  In the midst of a culture that screams "look how great I am," it's wonderful to see people like Tim Tebow "shining the spotlight on God."

Kevin

"Be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" - 1 Peter 5:5-6

Kindness: "Don't leave home without it"

A while back, I purchased a book called "How Did You Do It, Truett?" by Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A.  I bought this book primarily to aid me in a final paper I was writing for a CCU assignment.

I wanted to share a brief excerpt from the book.  He writes, "The theme for our annual business seminar for Chick-fil-A franchise Operators one year was, "Courtesy is cheap, but it pays great dividends."

Think about that statement.  "Courtesy is cheap, but it pays great dividends."  I submit that this quotation is accurate whether you are in the food service industry or not.  I looked at synonyms for the word "courtesy" in my Thesaurus and I discovered that the very first one is the word kindness.  That's really no surprise; the Bible endorses kindness.  For instance, Ephesians 4:31-32 says, "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice, and be kind to one another."

Years ago, American Express had this slogan: "Don't leave home without it."  As you may have seen, I've borrowed that slogan in my title today for the trait of kindness.  We really should have kindness with us every day.  I really think that we underestimate just how powerful kindness or courtesy really is.  The fact is, you and I can make someone's day if we simply do what the Bible says and "be kind to one another."
 
Kevin

"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, [and] longsuffering" - Colossians 3:12

A picture is worth a thousand words

This week’s photo assignment in my photography class called for a picture that expressed my faith.  So this is the picture that I presented.

These three crosses can be found at my church (Foothills Bible Church in Littleton, Colorado).  This image represents my belief in the substitutionary atonement.  That is, that Jesus Christ died on the cross in my place, as a payment for the sins that I’ve committed.  1 John 4:10 says, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”  1 Peter 3:18 emphatically declares, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”

Not only is the cross included in my picture, but notice also the sun on the left side of the shot.  I took this photograph at a time when the sun was beginning to set over the crosses, but symbolically it depicts my belief in the resurrection of Jesus, that the Son of God arose from the grave.  Yes, Jesus died on the cross for us, but he didn’t stay dead; He’s alive! 

I must admit that I enjoy a good murder mystery show.  The TV show “Monk” turned me on to this genre.  In each episode, Detective Adrian Monk has to figure out who the murderer is.  One of the great tools in any detective’s arsenal is eyewitness accounts.  If someone witnessed the event, that’s testimony that is hard to dispute!  In 1 Corinthians 15:6 Paul says that Jesus was seen by as many as five hundred people.  He adds, “most of whom are still living.”  Paul is saying, “You want proof?  Here are your eyewitnesses.  Most of the folks that Jesus appeared to after His resurrection are still alive.  They’ll confirm that Jesus really is alive!"

Kevin

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” – 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

The number one trait of a hero

What makes a hero?  The fact of the matter is there are many accurate descriptions of a hero's characteristics.  For me to name them all here wouldn’t be prudent.  However, in my opinion, there is one attribute that every hero must possess: selflessness.  The dictionary defines the word "selfless" this way: “Having or showing devotion to others welfare.”  Every hero has the ability to put the well-being of others ahead of themselves.

For example, Peter Parker (alias Spider-Man) frequently desires to turn away from his life as Spider-Man and concentrate exclusively on living a normal life as Peter Parker.  But in the end, he never shirks his responsibilities.  He continues to fight the villain, and save the citizens of New York.  Why?  Because he learned early in his life - to quote his famous line - “with great power comes great responsibility.”  He would prefer to stop being Spider-Man altogether, but he always chooses to put the well-being of the residents of the city ahead of himself.  Because of his decision to consistently do this, Spider-Man is one of my favorite superheroes.

The reason I think selflessness is such a vital ingredient in a hero is because it can be manifested both in the extraordinary and in the ordinary times of life.  For example, ten years ago, the passengers and crew of Flight 93 showed that they were heroes because they put the well-being of others first and sacrificed their very lives.  Thank God for such incredible heroism.  But there are less dramatic examples as well.

For instance, consider the husband who returns from a long day at work, exhausted from his day.  He discovers that the dishes have piled up, the garbage disposal is broken, and the trash is overflowing.  Although tired, he puts the well-being of his wife and family before himself.  Therefore, he takes care of all these chores.  I submit that this husband is showing himself to be a hero.

Kevin

“Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being” - 1 Corinthians 10:24 (NKJV)

My take on the Orton/Tebow saga

I know some of you are not football fans, and I know this is not my usual style, but a big story in the NFL right now is the quarterback controversy in Denver.  Many are waiting for John Fox's decision on who will be the starting quarterback in two weeks against Miami.  Kyle Orton or Tim Tebow.

As most of you already know, the San Diego Chargers held on to win in Denver yesterday despite an exciting comeback attempt by Tim Tebow.  In the second half, Tebow relieved the ineffective Kyle Orton (Orton was just 6 of 13 for 34 yards and an interception).  Tim seemed to put the team on his shoulders and nearly willed them from behind to victory (they fell just short 29-24 after trailing 23-10 at halftime). 

It seems as if everyone is submitting their opinion on who the quarterback should be and why.  Actually, this isn't new.  This Orton/Tebow saga has been going on since Tebow arrived last year.  I should know; I'm a Tim Tebow fan, first and foremost, because he is a strong Christian man. 
 
I won't hold you in suspense: I think it's finally time to let Tebow be the starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos.  I say this because Denver is now 1 and 4, so it's not like they are in a tight division race.  At this point, the Broncos don't have anything to lose by putting Tebow in.

Tim Tebow is a passionate, inspirational leader, who clearly raises the level of play of those around him.  While, of course, no one knows for sure what kind of NFL career Tebow will have, he has been a winner everywhere he goes.  Furthermore, he has made a habit of proving his detractors wrong.

A brief word about Kyle Orton.  I think Bronco fans owe a debt of gratitude to Kyle.  Yes, this year has been forgettable for him, but last year, he had a very good year.  No one seemed to ever talk about him because the team ended up 4-12 thanks largely to an atrocious defense.  Orton has been a good quarterback for us, but it's time to make the switch and let Tebow be the starter.

Kevin

Honor your pastor

Just in case you didn’t know, I thought I’d inform you that October is Minister Appreciation month.  I want to encourage you to do something this month to honor your pastor.  Get him a thank you card, or an appreciation card, or perhaps even a tangible gift.  Hebrews 13:7 says, “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you.  Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” 

In that vein, I want to highlight my pastor, Bill Oudemolen.  Here’s a picture of him and his wife, Jan.

When I think of the man who “speaks the word of God to me” and when I “consider the outcome of his way of life” I find myself so thankful for Pastor Bill.  I thank God for directing my path to a pastor who refuses to compromise or water down the Word of God, both in his messages and in his daily life. 

In Romans 4:3, Paul asks this question: “what does the Scripture say?”  Pastor Alistar Begg once said something like, “Paul’s question here is a great question to ask in every area of life.”  This is also a question that Pastor Bill asks and answers in his preaching week after week.  He may not use those words, but that's always his intent.  He always brings our attention to what the Word says.

In his everyday life (once again, I'm attempting to “consider the outcome of their way of life”), Bill embodies a statement from Rick Ferguson in his book “The Servant Principle." he writes, "True servants do not draw attention to themselves.  In fact, they will try to divert the attention away from themselves, pointing instead to Christ and others."  That’s Bill, right there!  

I'm quite sure that Pastor Bill would prefer that I direct the attention to God today instead of focusing on him.  But the Bible says, "Respect those...who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.  Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).  That's what this whole blog is about today.  I'm attempting to convey the respect, and the high regard I have for my pastor. 

Kevin  

God's handiwork

I'm currently in a photography class at Colorado Christian University.  This is an elective course.  I chose to take it because my dad is always taking photos with his digital camera; he inspired me to learn more about this world.  I haven't taken too many photos in my day, but I'm learning more and more as the class progresses.

I wanted to share one photo that I took this week.  As you might have guessed from the name of the college I attend, I live in the state of Colorado.  We Coloradoans have the glorious opportunity to see some beautiful mountains.  Here's a picture I took that has a shot of those mountains, as well as some trees and clouds, too (be kind in your assessment as you peruse my photo, remember I'm still an amateur).  I would encourage you all to click on the actual photograph to get an expanded view of the shot.

Kevin

("The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork" - Psalm 19:1)