Concluding thoughts on 2013

As 2013 is drawing to a close, I’m feeling reflective. I’m thinking about how there have been episodes of acute pain in my life this year. This is undeniable. But, thankfully, at the same time, there have also been moments of delightful bliss as well.

One of my blessings in 2013 is all of you, my beloved readers. I’m so blessed and humbled that you would choose to invite me into your house, in a way. It’s a tremendous gift to me, and I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for that. I don’t know what 2014 holds, but I do know that I’m going to continue to write installments in this blog.

I’ll conclude with a Bible verse. 1 Timothy 1:17 says, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (NASB). Yes, amen! All the glory, honor, and praise goes to the spectacular God of the universe.

Talk to you all in 2014!

Kevin

My Christmas blog

“But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:8-11)

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." (John 3:16-18)

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)

“When I saw him [Jesus], I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever!” (Revelation 1:17)

Merry Christmas to all!

Kevin

Where is your hope?

One of the definitions that dictionary.com gives for the word hope is “a person or thing in which expectations are centered.” If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that you can inadvertently put your hope in the wrong thing. I think this is a common occurrence; it is certainly something that I struggle with from time to time in my life.

Let me give an example: I’ve gotten so swept up in the success that the Denver Broncos are having that I’ve had visions of Denver going all the way to the Super Bowl and winning. But what happens if they don’t? What happens if the defense is not strong enough to win a championship (particularly now that Von Miller is out for the rest of the year)? It’s easy for fans to put their hope in success for an NFL team, but that is much too unpredictable a source.

At this time of year, I think it’s easy to put your hope in the fact that you will get the perfect Christmas gift. But it may result in disappointment. You’ve asked for the hottest new trend or gadget, but instead you may get something that is a complete disappointment and it will ruin your Christmas, that is, if you have put your hope in that. Christmas gifts are great, but this is not where one should put their hope, either. They should only be the cherry on top, as it were.

As a single man, I naturally gravitate toward putting all my hope in the fact that one day I will get married. So I have another Christmas without a wife this year, what does that do to me emotionally? It does a lot if I’ve inadvertently put my hope exclusively in having a spouse. To be sure, a husband or a wife is a gift from God, but a finite human being cannot be your source of hope. The reason for this is because a spouse, no matter how wonderful, is not perfect and will let you down from time to time.

So where, then, should we put our hope? Most of you can see where I’m going with this, can’t you? The Bible gives us the answer in Psalm 42. The Psalmist is pouring out his angst to God. Perhaps he too put his hope where it shouldn’t be. But then in verse 5, we read, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Where should we put our hope? We should put our hope in the God of the universe. Anyone or anything else is completely inadequate.

Kevin

Most Valuable Player

Congratulations to Peyton Manning on breaking the record for most passing touchdowns in a season this afternoon against the Houston Texans. Manning threw four touchdown passes today giving him 51 on the season, breaking the old record set by Tom Brady with 50 back in 2007.

I loved hearing CBS commentators Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts interviewing Manning after the game. Peyton displayed genuine humility, not taking the credit for himself, but deflecting the praise to everyone from his receivers to his coaching staff. He even made a joke that Tom Brady would probably break his record next year.

I’ve been a Peyton Manning fan for many years now, and so it is very gratifying to see Manning have such tremendous success this year (and it doesn’t hurt that he is playing for my hometown team the Denver Broncos). It is a pleasure to watch Peyton play the game.

Manning himself would probably spend more time focusing on the outcome of today's game itself. How Denver won the game, the fact that it was a complete team victory (37-13 Broncos), and how the Broncos are in the driver’s seat to have the number one seed in the AFC.

Kevin

The clutter of Christmas

When I look at all the activity this time of year, I have to admit that I’m concerned that a person can get caught up in what I’m calling the clutter of Christmas.  By this I mean that a person can become so enamored with cooking Christmas meals for the family, attending Christmas parties, decorating the house with lights, finding the perfect Christmas gifts, and singing songs about Santa Claus that they effectively miss the real reason for this season. There’s nothing wrong with all the activities I’ve just mentioned, but far too many will neglect celebrating Jesus Christ in any way whatsoever.

The fact of the matter is God had a plan. He said through the prophet Isaiah that one day a child would be born who would be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). That’s Jesus, of course. But this same prophet, Isaiah, also predicted that there would come a day when Jesus would die a substitutionary death. Isaiah 53:5: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

Mel Gibson’s film “The Passion of the Christ” is, in my opinion, a masterpiece. It’s hard to watch. It’s brutal. It’s intense. But it’s a realistic cinematic depiction of Jesus’ suffering. At the very beginning of this film, the verse I just quoted – Isaiah 53:5 – is cited. This gives the viewer an important context. It explains that the suffering, bloodshed, and violence against Jesus wasn’t random or accidental; it had a clear purpose: it was for your sin and my sin.

Jesus was the only one qualified to pay the sin of the entire world. He paid our “sin debt” as Charles Stanley often puts it. The opportunity is now available, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, to have a right relationship with God. John 3:36 says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life.” A person just has to put their faith and trust in Jesus. Incidentally, if you haven’t done this, I urge you to do so today. He will forgive you and cleanse you of your sins. He will make you a child of God. John 1:12 tells us, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

This Christmas enjoy the gifts, the food, the parties, the family get-togethers, the Christmas lights on the houses, the mistletoe, and so on, but don’t let the clutter of Christmas distract you. Make a concerted effort to celebrate Jesus Christ. Celebrate that He was born from the womb of a virgin, and that He died a terrible death out of pure love for you. Celebrate also that Jesus’ tomb was not the end; Jesus arose from the dead. He is alive!

Kevin

Some thoughts on the Superman sequel

I’ve been keeping an eye on the developments to the sequel to the “Man of Steel” (due out in 2015). For one thing, Batman will be in it! It will not be Christian Bale, unfortunately; it is actually Ben Affleck who will be the Caped Crusader.

When I first heard this news, I had serious doubts that Affleck was a good choice for Batman/Bruce Wayne. But the more I think about it, the more I think Ben has the potential to do a good job. I’ll give him a chance. Furthermore, last week, I heard that an actress named Gal Gadot was cast to play another superhero in this movie named Wonder Woman. I actually had never heard of Gadot until I heard her name for this particular casting decision.

As I think about all these new developments, I have to say that I personally think it is too soon to unveil these characters on the big screen. The Superman franchise was dead for so long and they finally were able to resurrect a new franchise with the thrilling “Man of Steel” movie. I’ve heard that one of the keys to a long running movie franchise is the quality and strength of the sequel. So why jeopardize it by having the sequel feature a new Batman, a new Wonder Woman, and whoever else they will ultimately showcase?

For example, consider if the film "Iron Man 2" had introduced Captain America and Incredible Hulk in the same movie. That would have been interesting, but it would have made the movie feel too full; plus, it would have been difficult to fully establish these new characters; finally, it would have ultimately distracted from Iron Man himself. That’s not how it was done. The filmmakers chose to give these heroes standalone movies.

In my opinion, they should have given Superman one more movie to fight evil alone, before introducing us to other heroes that he will share the spotlight with. My hope is that the gamble to introduce so many new characters won’t backfire and put the Superman franchise back on life support. Time will tell.

Kevin

NFL news

I was saddened to discover that Gary Kubiak was fired from his job as head coach of the Houston Texans yesterday. It's not really all that shocking when you see that the Texans have lost a whopping 11 in a row! They currently sit at a record of 2-11.

This season has been surprising as the Texans were thought to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders at the beginning of the year; instead they have endured a very disappointing season. I’m pulling for them to get it turned around and have a great season next year.

Kevin

Why is the virgin birth so important?

Have you ever wondered why the virgin birth of Jesus is so important? This really is an essential doctrine of Christianity that sadly is not taught too often in churches today. The virgin birth is so vital that it has been endlessly argued, mocked, criticized, and laughed at by scoffers over all these centuries. But, once again, the question remains: why exactly is it so important? Let me attempt to explain it today.

In the book of Genesis, Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden and they lived in complete and utter bliss with God. But that all changed one day when they disobeyed the one prohibition God had given: He said not to eat fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and yet they chose to do just that (Genesis 2:16-17; Genesis 3:6). Ever since that event, all human beings are born with what is called a sin nature. You may be asking, "What is a sin nature?" In simple terms, this means that humanity is born totally selfish and with its back completely turned against God. It means that human beings have a natural inclination to run away from God and toward their own self-gratification.

The Bible teaches us that even after a person becomes a Christian, they retain their inborn sin nature (Romans 7:15-19). At the same time, the Christian also has the Holy Spirit indwelling them (1 Corinthians 3:16). This sets up an internal battle. In Galatians 5, we read, “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want” (verse 17; italics mine). I say an enthusiastic amen to that! In my own life, even after being a Christian for decades, there are episodes where I have chosen sin over God. I wish this wasn’t the case; I want to live with spot or blemish, but sinfulness is still an undeniable reality in my life. Once again, this is due to my sin nature.

There was one person, however, who didn’t have to deal with a sin nature and that is Jesus Christ. Isaiah 7:14 reads, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.” You've likely heard that important verse before, but fascinatingly, in the very next verse, Isaiah 7:15, we read that this baby born of a virgin will “reject the wrong and choose the right.”

Stop for a second and think about this question with me: who can honestly say that they always “reject the wrong and choose the right”? The obvious answer is no one. No one except for Jesus, that is. Because of the virgin birth, Jesus did not obtain the sin nature that is intrinsic to every other human. Jesus was able to live on Earth without being tainted by its sin because He was born from a virgin’s womb.  Because of this, Jesus was the only one qualified to provide the “atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).

Kevin

PS:

There’s one more very important point to keep in mind. Jesus “rejected the wrong and chose the right” because He was (and is) God. This will hurt your brain if you think about it too long, but Jesus’ life did not begin when He was born in a manger. Jesus existed before His time on Earth. In John 8, Jesus said He existed before Abraham. John chapter 1 says that Jesus existed with God in the very beginning, before the universe was created! Make no mistake: Jesus was and is fully God, and He took on human flesh when Mary gave birth to Him.

To be clear: there are not multiple God’s in Christianity; there is only one God (1 Corinthians 8:6); but there are three distinct persons in the Godhead, God the Father (Philippians 1:2), Jesus the Son (Colossians 2:9), and the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4). No human being will ever fully understand the concept of the Trinity, but I take it by faith, as it is what the Bible teaches. In short, Jesus was the only one qualified to be our sin-bearer because He was God incarnate (or in human flesh).

The miracles of Jesus

I once heard a preacher comment that Jesus was born like any other man and He left this Earth through death like any other man. I vehemently disagree with this comment.

To begin, Jesus’ birth was unlike any other in human history. Jesus was born of a virgin. Stop and think about that a moment. Mary gave birth to Jesus, but she didn’t get pregnant through sexual relations. How is this possible? Because with God the things that look impossible, humanly speaking, are very much possible. No one else can honestly claim that they were born of a virgin. But Jesus can make such a claim because His miraculous birth from a virgin’s womb is factual and true.

Jesus also didn’t leave this Earth through the avenue of death. It is true that Jesus died a bloody, torturous death on a cross. He died a death that was one of most violent deaths imaginable in that day (and it ranks high on the list in our day as well).  But Jesus didn’t stay dead; Jesus literally and bodily rose from the dead.

Over the centuries, so many people have tried to explain away Jesus' resurrection.  Some have claimed that Jesus somehow survived the crucifixion, but they don’t understand the brutality of a crucifixion. They don’t understand that the Romans would not be so careless with their victim. To the contrary, they would be thorough. They would be absolutely sure that their victim was dead and gone. The truth is, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is an undeniable miracle that has never been disproved by anyone.

Pastor David Jeremiah once stated that Jesus’ Earthly life was bookended by two miracles: Jesus was miraculously born from the womb of a virgin; and Jesus was miraculously resurrected from the dead. So in conclusion, this pastor that I mentioned at the beginning was wrong: Jesus wasn’t born like any other man, and He didn’t leave this Earth through death like any other man. Jesus is unique.

Kevin

The God of the impossible

In the gospel of Luke, chapter 1, we read that an angel named Gabriel (verse 26) announces to Mary, “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus” (verse 31). The angel goes on to speak of how Jesus will be called the Son of the Most High (verse 32). God will give Him the throne of David and He will rule in a never-ending kingdom (verse 33). But Mary’s mind can’t think that far ahead. She’s still stuck on a question that she finally vocalizes. “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin” (Luke 1:34)?

At this point, Mary was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, but clearly they were not sexually active to this point. Mary says, “Wait a minute! Time out! A pregnancy is the result of sexual reproduction, and my fiancé and I haven’t done that. So how is it even possible that I’m going to be pregnant in the first place?” Gabriel answers that the Holy Spirit will “overshadow” her (verse 35). He adds this in verse 37, “For nothing is impossible with God.”  What a great verse!  Mary responds with exemplary faith in God: “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said” (verse 38). Mary replies, “You say that God has a plan, and that I have a part to play; count me in.”

Some people read this account and they come away with skepticism. They ask: “How can a virgin supposedly give birth to a child?” The answer is simple: because the God of the Bible is the God of the impossible (Luke 1:37). I’m going to be saying more about this in later blogs, but I wholeheartedly believe in the notion a literal virgin named Mary giving birth to Jesus. Why? Because the God I worship and serve is an amazing God who can perform miracles that are humanly impossible. The Bible indicates that the Virgin Birth was a supernatural miracle from God.

Once again, I love Mary’s response: “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). She could have said, “Before you go, I have a few more questions: first, what exactly do you mean that the Holy Spirit will “overshadow” me? What am I supposed to tell my parents, or Joseph?” She could have asked for a detailed explanation, but she chose to put her faith and trust in God and His plan. I want to be like Mary. I want to trust in God, even though I still have lingering questions.

Kevin

The 2013 Thanksgiving blog

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of Lords: His love endures forever.

To him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever” (Psalm 136:1-4)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kevin

Thanking God even when life hurts

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to take a few minutes to tell you that while I have a lot to be thankful for, I am most thankful for my friendship and fellowship with the God of the Bible! As I've described in this blog before, when I was a boy I became a Christian. It was the best decision I ever made, and my relationship with God all these years since then has only become sweeter and more fulfilling.

When I talk like this, I would imagine that it makes some of you wince. You may think I’m just walking around with rose-colored glasses on.  You think that my perception is tinted to see only the good and somehow magically block out all the bad. Nothing could be further from the truth. I know that life is extremely challenging. For example, as I look back over this year in my own life, I see the trials that have come in and blindsided me like a linebacker blindsides an unsuspecting quarterback. Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trouble” (John 16:33), and He was so right.

But, even in the midst of the turmoil, my faith and trust in God is the thing that sustains me and keeps me going. Even in the midst of the chaos, I have hope, certainty, and gratitude to God that He alone is in full control. Ephesians 1:11 tells us that God “works out everything in conformity to the purpose of his will.” Certainly that doesn’t mean that we will always understand why God allows specific things to happen. God said in the book of Isaiah that His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). But, even though this is true, God’s will, plan, and purpose is superior, and it will ultimately prevail.

Kevin

Remembering C.S. Lewis

It was on this day, 50 years ago, that Christian author C.S. Lewis died. Lewis’ writings have had an influence on me personally as well as countless others. To try to narrow his legacy down to one book is near impossible. I love his “Chronicles of Narnia”; a book entitled “The Screwtape Letters” is another of his gems.  But probably my favorite book from him is his classic “Mere Christianity”. Do yourself a favor and pick this up great book in your local Christian bookstore.

In an effort to honor Lewis’ memory, I thought I would highlight three things from C.S. Lewis’ book "Mere Christianity."  Rest assured this is just a very small sampling. One could certainly mine many different gold nuggets of truth in his book. In fact, I once wrote an academic paper on this book, and I felt like I just scratched the surface in that paper, too!

1) Sexual purity

Lewis was a bachelor for most of his life, and so I can relate to him there, as I am in that arena of life right now. Lewis writes this in a chapter called "Sexual Morality": “Chastity is the most unpopular of the Christian virtues. There is no getting away from it; the Christian rule is, ‘Either marriage, with complete faithfulness to your partner, or else total abstinence.’” It’s true. I’m reminded of Hebrews 13:4, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer, and all the sexually immoral.”

2) Forgiveness

Another chapter in “Mere Christianity” discusses forgiveness. I’ve used this sentence from Lewis many times since I first read it: “Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.” In other words, you can go around saying how great forgiveness is, but it isn’t until someone actually hurts you, when you see how natural it would be to inwardly desire revenge, and begin to harbor a grudge. The rubber meets the road, however, when you choose instead to extend forgiveness.

3) Humility

At one point in a chapter on pride entitled “The Great Sin”, Lewis speaks of the person who is humble. He says that the humble person “will not be thinking about humility, he will not be thinking about himself at all.” I think what Lewis means here is that there is a certain joy that comes in choosing to selflessly serve others and subsequently fading into the background.

To sum up, C.S. Lewis left an enduring legacy for the truth of Biblical Christianity. May the same thing be said of all of us one day.

Kevin

"Give thanks to the Lord"

Colossians 3:15-17 reads, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Comprised in these verses, we are told to be thankful (or some variation of it) three times.

With Thanksgiving approaching, I wanted to remind us all that being thankful is a Biblical idea. I’ve mentioned Colossians 3, but consider these other Biblical passages as well:

Psalm 100:4: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Psalm 136:1: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.” Here’s a Bible verse that is hard for me to practice: “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

It was interesting for me to be reminded that the Bible tells us not only to be thankful, but to express our thankfulness to the One who is responsible for the gifts and blessings we enjoy. In James we read, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting sands” (James 1:17). God is a benevolent and generous God. He is ultimately the One that has provided us with the gifts that we can easily take for granted.

For instance, when was the last time you thanked God for the oxygen that you breathe every day? I must confess that I’m guilty of taking this gift for granted. How about sleep? Certainly some of us may not get as much sleep as we could (or should) but the Bible says that God “gives sleep to those he loves” (Psalm 127:2).  By the way, God’s love is not limited to a select few. God loves everyone in the world (John 3:16).

As I’ve alluded to several times, this idea of daily gratitude to God for His benefits is something that I struggle with. The truth is, I find it much easier to focus on what I don’t have than on the fundamental everyday blessings I already possess. This is not as it should be. I want to express my thanks to God daily, not just every late November!

Kevin

Six things I love about Spider-Man 3 (part 2)

To recap, last time I stated that the movie Spider-Man 3 is underrated. It has clear flaws, to be sure, but it’s better than the unfavorable reputation it has. I mentioned the first three things I like about this movie in part 1. Today I’ll give the final three.

#4: Tobey Maguire’s performance

Maguire had to do more than just be our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in this movie. At times, he had to stray far from what he did in the first two Spider-Man movies. Primarily because Peter was under the influence of the black suit, Tobey had to express considerable arrogance, as well as display episodes of intense anger, and uncompromising vengeance. He did it all very well. His portrayal is spectacular. Maguire will always be Spider-Man to me, and this was the final time we got to see him in the role. He hit a home run with his last performance as Peter/Spider-Man.

#5: The final battle

In my last blog installment, I described how Eddie Brock bonded with the black suit to become Venom. What follows after that is Venom tracks down Sandman and talks him into teaming up in an effort to destroy Spider-Man. I really enjoy the entire final battle between Spider-Man versus Venom and Sandman. I do want to acknowledge that my biggest complaint with Venom in this movie was the filmmaker’s bad decision to almost always have Venom peel back his mask to reveal Eddie Brock. The viewer rarely got to see Venom instead it was usually just Eddie’s face. But, that annoyance notwithstanding, the final battle is thoroughly entertaining.

I have to give kudos to Harry Osborn. Even with everything he has been through, ultimately, he fights by Peter’s side. Let me back up and give some context. The “bad” Peter’s most deplorable act in the movie, in my opinion, is when he tossed one of Harry’s own Goblin bombs in Harry’s face as it exploded. This resulted in grotesque scars all over Harry’s face. Despite this, after hearing from his butler how his father, Norman, didn’t die at the hand of Spider-Man as he had thought, Harry chooses to help Peter fight Sandman and Venom. He actually saves Peter’s life twice in the final battle. The second occurrence proved fatal, as Harry literally gave his life for his friend. Once again, seeing all this unfold leaves me at a loss as to why this movie isn't more appreciated, despite its blunders.

#6: The overall message of the film

The main point of the film is that nursing a grudge, harboring unforgiveness, and inwardly desiring revenge has a high price tag; it is a much better course of action to choose forgiveness. I can tell you from firsthand experience that forgiveness is powerful. That’s why I love the ending of Spider-Man 3 so much.
The power of forgiveness is shown in scene after scene as the movie nears its conclusion.

Forgiveness is what enabled Harry to fight by Peter’s side; forgiveness is what enabled Mary Jane and Peter to be reconciled in the last scene of the movie. Peter, after hearing a contrite and remorseful Flint Marko, tells Marko he forgives him for killing his uncle. Upon Peter’s declaration of forgiveness, you can practically see Marko released from his inner shackles of guilt.  Aunt May even counsels Peter to forgive himself, this is something he clearly does to return to his life of heroism.  Forgiveness is incredibly powerful.

In conclusion, I hope I’ve clearly articulated why I think Spider-Man 3 is better than what most give it credit for. There are more favorable things that I could say than just these six points I’ve cited, (for instance, I love all the fight scenes between Spider-Man and Sandman in this film) but you get the point. I’ve also tried to make it clear that I’m not unaware of the fact that this movie has its obvious missteps. But I think that this movie has more appeal than its critics have led you to believe.

Kevin

Six things I love about Spider-Man 3

There seems to be a passionate hatred of the film Spider-Man 3 across the board. I think this conclusion is unfair because the movie is better than many people realize and I want to spend some time relaying why.

Before I do, let me state clearly, for the record, that I’m not blind to the obvious flaws in this movie. I could easily write a blog entitled "Six things I loathe about Spider-Man 3" as well.  For example, why is Peter, under the influence of the black suit, so enamored with dancing? In one scene, he dances while simply walking down the street alone. The black suit makes Peter more violent and angry, not a “Dancing with the Stars” reject.  So I’m not suggesting that this movie doesn’t have any issues. But I also think it is underrated, and I want to give some reasons as to why.

#1: The “birth” of Sandman scene

In the early stages of the film, Flint Marko is running from the cops. As he does so, he apparently doesn’t read or notice the sign that warns, “Particle physics test facility: keep out”. Marko falls into a pit of sand. The employees at the test facility run the test, not realizing a human being is inside the test site. So the result is that sand around Marko merged into his body, turning him into the Sandman.

We are then treated to a great scene of Sandman taking shape. He starts with a few grains of sand, and he tries to keep his new body together, only to have it fall apart. He continues to struggle; eventually he sees a locket of his daughter, so he fights harder to maintain control of his new form. He summons his new sand existence to form a hand, so he can grab the locket, only to have it break apart, but he persists and is finally able to grab the prized possession. Next, he morphs sand into legs so he can walk. Like a baby’s first step, he struggles to walk at first, but is eventually able to do so. It’s a visually stunning scene. I tried my best to articulate it in word form, but a picture is worth a thousand words on this one. Check out this scene, if you can.

#2: The wisdom of Aunt May

Every scene that includes Aunt May is an absolute gem. In one scene, Peter wants to propose to Mary Jane, and he goes to May’s house for her blessing. Aunt May is pleased at this news (and she even gives Peter the engagement ring that she wore when she was engaged to Ben Parker, Peter’s uncle). But she cautions Peter with these words: “A man has to be understanding and put his wife before himself.” This is so true, and it is not usually mentioned in a Hollywood movie.

Another memorable scene is after Spider-Man – while under the control of an alien symbiote that makes Peter darker and more violent – has attempted to kill Sandman (alias Flint Marko). He did this after finding out that Flint Marko was the one who murdered his Uncle Ben. Sandman isn’t dead, but Peter thinks he killed him. He goes to May to report (more like gloat) that Spider-Man killed Sandman. Aunt May is surprised that Spider-Man would kill anyone. Peter says, “But, Aunt May, he killed Uncle Ben.” “Uncle Ben meant the world to us,” May replies. “But he wouldn’t want us living one second with revenge in our hearts. It’s like a poison. It can take you over. Before you know it, it turns us into something ugly.” She is spot on. Unfortunately, Peter doesn’t have ears to hear her message at this point.

#3: The bell tower scene

Let me set the context of this scene: Peter has finally come to his senses. He sees how the black alien suit has altered his personality. Humbled, he runs outside into the rain. Then he hears a bell ringing at a church. He decides to go to this church. Peter goes into the bell tower. The bell starts to chime again, and the black alien suit Peter is wearing literally reacts to the loud noise by shrieking. Thus Peter learns that loud noise is a weakness of the symbiotic suit; this is his chance of freedom from the suit that he craves. He fights and fights to get the suit off, but the symbiote wants to remain with Peter because it craves the power that he has. Peter gradually begins to tears the symbiote off of him in pieces. Ultimately he is liberated.

Meanwhile, Eddie Brock, Peter’s rival at the Daily Bugle, is at the same church. He selfishly prays for God to kill Peter Parker for costing him his job at the Bugle. Brock notices Peter struggling to get the black suit off. In a dazzling scene, the symbiote, feeling Brock’s hatred for Peter – the one who just rejected the suit – begins to envelop Eddie. At first Eddie is frightened, but he quickly embraces it; he smiles a sinister grin. The suit completely bonds with Eddie, and a new villain is born by uttering a terrifying scream into the camera. Spider-Man’s greatest villain has emerged: Venom. What a great scene! Once again, it’s better to see all this rather than to have me describe it in word form. But I hope I’ve at least whetted your appetite.

To be continued!

Kevin

An important announcement

I want to encourage everyone to check out the next TV special from Billy Graham entitled “my hope America with Billy Graham.” Go to “watchbillygraham.com” for more information.

Mr. Graham has been a powerful voice for God (incidentally, this was the man God used to help me see the truth of the gospel when I was a boy). He is going to speak to America one more time starting this Thursday, November 7th. Once again, check your local listing on the website for the specifics.

I want to implore you – with all the earnestness and passion I can muster – to make it a point to watch “my hope America with Billy Graham.” Tell your friends and family. And most importantly, begin to pray that God would use this very important TV special to draw men, women, boys, and girls to Jesus.

Kevin

The "belt of truth"

Today I listened to a sermon on Ephesians 6, specifically the beginning of verse 14, which reads, “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.” God, by His Spirit, oiled this pastor’s words by illuminating this analogy of wearing a “belt of truth” in a venue He knew I would understand.

He reminded me that Batman, without exception, takes his utility belt with him when he goes out to battle criminals. The belt is just a part of his uniform. This belt cited in Ephesians 6 is just an analogy; the main point is that the Christian is to be armed with truth every single day. In practical terms, what does this mean? Once again, God’s Spirit correlated this to the world of Batman for me.

Recently, the video game “Batman: Arkham Origins” came out. I haven’t personally played it because I don’t have the game system to do so, but I have been able to watch other gamers play it on you tube. By the way, this is just a side note, but I thoroughly enjoyed this new Batman game from start to finish. I’m going to sound like an older guy for saying this, but video games today are so amazing compared to when I was growing up. It really felt like I was watching a movie (and a really good one at that).

In one scene, Batman is drugged and he begins to hallucinate.  He sees an image of Alfred telling him what a disappointment he is.  He has visions of others who all tell him that he’s not a hero, and that Gotham would be better if he just left town and didn’t bother anymore. The first time I watched this scene, I actually said out loud to myself that he is being fed countless lies. In actuality, Batman is a hero. Gotham does need him. Batman eventually is able to take an antidote, freeing his mind from the horrible images. I personally believe that Batman reminded himself of the truth, and in doing so, he was able to keep on fighting until he was able to avail himself of the antidote.

Similarly, a Christian must use the truth to counteract the lies. The Bible says God’s enemy, the devil, is “the father of lies” (John 8:44). I don’t know about you, but I often feel bombarded with lies from the devil. I need the truth. I need the belt of truth to counteract the lies. In John 8:32 Jesus says “the truth will set you free.” Where exactly does this truth come from? Jesus said it comes from the Word of God, the Bible. Christ said in His prayer in John 17: “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (verse 17).

Kevin

"Without Me you can do nothing"

In John 15:5, Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” I’ve been thinking about this verse in relation to my schoolwork at Colorado Christian University. I have just finished my final class at CCU! It’s the end of a six year journey. I give all the honor, glory, and praise to God. Without Him I could not have reached the finish line.

Let me give an example as to why I say this. I can’t tell you the number of times that I would look at the guidelines for what I was expected to do for an assignment, and be faced with the reality of a blank computer screen! I would be completely lost as to what to write, but then without warning, God would send an idea to me. I’m not saying this was the pattern for every assignment, certainly some of the assignments were easier for me than others, but still this happened more than once.

Someone might argue that what I’m talking about wasn’t actually from God, but it was due to my own ingenuity and creativity. Even if I thought completing all my homework assignments were due to my own cleverness and skill (which you know I’m not saying), I would still propose that ultimately God deserves all the credit. Why? Because God was the one who created my brain in the first place. God was the one who protected me as I travelled to and from CCU during my in-seat classes. God was the one who kept my heart beating. God was the one who gave me breath to sustain me to face all those class projects.

Let me give you some Scripture verses.  Isaiah 42:5 reads, "This is what God the Lord says - he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk in it."  Job 12:9-10: "Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this, in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind" (NKJV)? What a great verse!  "Don't you realize," Job asks, "that it is God Himself who holds the life and the breath of every living thing?"   Psalm 4:8: "I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me."

The main point I’m trying to make here is this: Jesus was right when He said, "Without Me, you can do nothing" (John 15:5). Once again, I want to publicly give God all the honor, glory, and praise for helping me to finish all that work at CCU.

Kevin

Reflections on the Broncos-Colts game

I’ve often told you that I am fan of the entire National Football League, not just the local team, the Denver Broncos. This was evidenced again last night when I watched the Sunday Night Football between the Broncos and the Colts.

Honestly, I was a bit torn. First and foremost, I certainly wanted to see the Broncos win, but at the same time, I am a Colts fan as well. I am disappointed for Denver, but also very happy to see that the Colts are having the success that they are this year (they are 5-2 now, and they have defeated several very good teams). I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Broncos and Colts play each other again in the playoffs.

One of the highlights for me was seeing the tribute that the Colts fans gave Peyton Manning before the game. This was a nice gesture because Manning was the leader of the Colts for so many years. In my opinion, the Colts would not have had enjoyed as much success as they did all those years if someone other than Manning was their quarterback. I know Colts fan appreciate what Peyton did for them, and that was evidenced last night.

As for the actual game, the Colts won the game 39-33. Furthermore, I feel the Broncos didn't deserve to win. Manning tried to will his team to a come from behind victory, but Denver made too many mistakes. Three turnovers (very costly ones I might add) are difficult enough to overcome, but couple that with the numerous senseless penalties that Denver committed, and you have a recipe for a loss.

Kevin

Musings on marriage

October 18th is a very special day for two of my friends. I’m not going to directly mention any names because I don’t want to embarrass anyone (you know who you are!), but it is their wedding day! I’m so happy that this day has finally arrived. I hope that they not only enjoy their wedding today, but also that they enjoy married life together.

It’s interesting to contemplate that the very concept of marriage is God’s idea. Way back in the Garden of Eden, before sin was even introduced into the world, God saw that the very first man, Adam, was lonely (Genesis 2:18). God, in response to this, makes the very first woman, Eve, and He brings her to Adam (Genesis 2:22).

At this point, I try to imagine Adam’s response upon seeing Eve for the first time. I can picture him absolutely mesmerized by Eve and her beauty. I imagine him not being able to take his eyes off of her; finally he gently takes her hands in his. What a scene it must have been!

I’ve heard it said that God Himself performed the very first wedding ceremony. I agree. This makes sense particularly when we read these words soon after Adam meets Eve: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). That last phrase of becoming “one flesh” doesn’t just mean becoming one sexually. It means becoming one emotionally, spiritually, and yes, physically. It means a joining of two separate lives that are now merged together into one.

It saddens me to hear how some spouses talk about each other after several years of marriage. For example, I hate it when a husband calls his wife “my old lady.” I don’t feel the love and respect in that designation. I want to encourage all of you married couples to view your spouse as a gift from the hand of Almighty God (James 1:17). Honor, treasure, and value your spouse; he/she is a gift to you.

Kevin

"Honor those you should honor"

Romans 13:7, in the Common English Bible (CEB), reads, “So pay everyone what you owe them. Pay the taxes you owe, pay the duties you are charged, give respect to those you should respect, and honor those you should honor.” In the spirit of this verse, today I want to speak of my pastor, Bill Oudemolen. I do this because October is pastor appreciation month, but more so, because I believe that Bill is worthy of respect and honor.

I want to mention three honorable things about Bill today. Number one: Bill is a man who week after week points people to God, not himself. I would submit that perhaps the number one trait in Bill’s life is his humility. Too many today parade themselves and boast of how great they are. Not Bill; he is humble. I’m reminded of what John the Baptist said in John 3. He said, “He [Jesus] must increase, I must decrease” (John 3:30; NKJV).

Number two: Bill is a man who submits to God’s plan for his life. It is God’s plan for Bill to be a pastor, and he willingly submits to that plan. Is this easy? Not necessarily. As laypeople we tend to think that the life of a pastor is all fun and games, but this is not always the case. Nevertheless, I’m encouraged and fortified in my own life to see him live in the role God has called him to, even though it’s not always easy.

Number three: Bill has an obvious love for the truth of the Word of God, and proclaims it with passion. Furthermore, he practices what he preaches. God, in his kindness, has blessed me with a friendship with Bill (and his wonderful wife, Jan) when he is not behind the pulpit. I’ve seen firsthand that Bill practices what he preaches. Don’t get me wrong: he is not perfect and sinless (no one is), but he is striving to live as the Bible instructs, just as he encourages others to do.

I could go on and on. I could speak, for instance, of how he deeply loves, values, and treasures his wife, Jan. I could speak of his generosity, or how servant-hearted he is. But you get the point: my pastor is worthy of the respect, honor, and appreciation that I give him.

Kevin

Chivalry is not dead

One of the creeds that I live by is this short phrase: ladies first. I make it my habit to open the door for ladies, let them walk ahead of me, and offer to help them if they are carrying a heavy object. Chivalry isn’t quite dead yet!

By the way, I have to say this: when I open the door for women or carry something heavy for them, I’m not in any way implying that they are incapable of doing these activities on their own. Women are more than capable.   I once heard the story of how a youth pastor was chivalrous with his wife, only to be berated for it by an onlooker.  This youth pastor explained to this person that when he opens the door for his wife, he is not doing so because he believes she is unable to open a simple door; he does so to honor her. I agree. I also am attempting to honor women, not demean them.

A part of the reason I’m bringing this up today is because, not too long ago, I saw a segment on chivalry on “The Steve Harvey Show.” He was attempting to train a group of young men to be gentlemen. At one point, he mentioned something that I had never previously considered. He said always open the car door for a woman and let her enter the vehicle first, only then you should enter your side of the car.

I knew that much, but Steve explained that doing this is a way of protecting a woman. He continued by asking, what if you are in the car, with your seatbelt on, and someone runs up and attacks your wife or girlfriend? What are you going to do, unbuckle your seatbelt, get out, and then go help her? It would be much better to let her get in the car first. That way, she is protected and safe in the car if anything dangerous happens. Great thought, Mr. Harvey, thanks.

I’m trying to imagine an extreme reaction I might get from a female reader. They might be thinking something like, “If someone came up to me, I don’t need my husband/boyfriend to help me. I’ll just spin and transform into Wonder Woman, like Lynda Carter did, and take care of it myself.” (Some of you may not have caught the reference: Lynda Carter is the actress who played Wonder Woman in the 70’s.) Of course you could handle the situation. Once again, I’m not advocating that women can’t take care of themselves; I know that they can. But understand my heart on this: as a man, I want to protect the women in my life, and I’m not going to apologize for that.

Kevin

Wave the white flag to God

One of the radio stations that I listen to has recently started playing a new song by the Christian group Unspoken called “Lift My Life Up.” This is a song about surrendering to God. It is such a fantastic song! Every time I hear it, the message resonates with me. Every time I hear it, I offer a deep, heartfelt cry of surrender to God.

The dictionary defines the word surrender as “to give up possession of; yield to another on compulsion; to give up or abandon; to give oneself up, esp. as a prisoner.” Chris Tomlin actually has a song about surrender entitled “White Flag” and I think that’s a good picture for us. It’s a voluntary yielding of your life to God.

The last few years, God has been teaching me firsthand about the subject of surrender. The big lesson that God has been bringing home to me lately is this: surrendering to God is not a one-time thing. You don’t just sing a great song like “Life My Life Up” or “White Flag” or “I Surrender All” and then never surrender again. I’ve found that surrender is a recurring event. I’ve learned that surrender is a daily choice.

Kevin

My September 11th blog post

Today is obviously September 11th, a day now forever associated with the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001. A part of me doesn’t want to bring up that painful day, but it’s on a lot of people’s minds today anyway, so here I am.

I think everyone will remember where they were on 9/11. I certainly remember where I was. As I have mentally put myself back to the events of that day, I have to say that I vividly remember all the various emotions that I felt.

Sometime in the days that followed 9/11, I wrote “September 11th, 2001” next to a passage in the book of Psalms.  Specifically that passage was Psalm 27:1-3, which reads, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked come against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and my foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident.”

As comforting as those words from the Bible were for me back then, they are equally as comforting to me today. There is a lot in the world today that can cause our hearts to become troubled and afraid. Just watch the news and you’ll get an endless barrage of things to become fearful and anxious over. There is also a lot in our personal world’s that can cause anxiety and trepidation. You can fill in the blank on this one. Sickness, an unexpected death in the family, job loss, on and on I could go.

I know in my own life I struggle with trying circumstances that can cause my heart to fear. But even in the midst of it all, there’s a refuge that I run to that is faithful and true; a refuge that never lets me down. I’m referring, of course, to God Himself. Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Kevin

The unconditional love of God

I once heard Rebecca St. James state this liberating truth in a concert: “There is nothing you can do to make God love you more, and there’s nothing you can do to make God love you less.” This is a profound statement. Too often we are tempted to think, “If I just perform well enough for God. If I tithe to the church, or read the Bible; if I do all the things that a good Christian is supposed to do, then God will love me more.” We also reason, “If I’m selfish, if I’m proud and arrogant, if I snap in anger at my spouse, if I indulge in sin, then God will love me less.” This isn’t true.

I’m making a “T” signal with my hands to signal a time-out, as football teams do (by the way, good first game, Broncos! Keep it up.). We need to take a time-out. I have to give a very important clarification. Based on what I’ve said thus far, some may presume that I’m suggesting that it is acceptable to sin until your heart’s content, because God’s love will remain constant and unchanging anyway. Please understand: I am not at all advocating this. It is wrong to assume that we should go out and do any self-centered thing we want to do just because God’s love will always endure.

The reality is if we choose to live an unrighteous and unholy life, God will actually begin to discipline and correct us, as the Bible tells us in Hebrews 12. He does this out of love for His children because the precepts He has laid out in His Word are actually for our protection, not our deprivation. I hope it’s crystal clear that I’m not suggesting that we can just go out and live any way we want. Having said all this, the Bible says in 1 John chapter 1 that there’s not a person on this planet that lives a perfect and sinless life. We all make mistakes. In those episodes of making sinful mistakes, God’s love for us doesn’t diminish.

Furthermore, as we flip the coin over, it is great to go to church; it's great to give God your tithes and offerings. It's great to pray and read the Bible, etc. However, it's easy for this to become a legalistic ritual. We can begin to think that if we do these things we somehow magically earn Heavenly merit badges before God. God doesn't say, "Make sure you do this and this. Make sure you check off all the boxes, and I'll love you more than I did before." No, nothing could be further from the truth. God doesn't expect us to perform for Him in a legalistic way. We do these things because we want to, not because we have to. Additionally, a Christian is in right standing with God because of Jesus and Jesus alone, not because of any works.

Here’s the point that I want you to hold onto: (and I’m saying the same thing to myself too) God’s love is not conditional or based on what we do; God’s love for you and me is unconditional.

Kevin

Leaving a legacy

I’ve been thinking about the subject of legacy. This is not a new exercise for me; I do think about leaving a legacy periodically, but it came to my mind again this week for several reasons. The first reason is because, my pastor, Bill Oudemolen, spoke of the topic in his sermon this past Sunday. The sermon was actually titled “Lasting Legacy”. It was the conclusion of a sermon series on the life of Aaron, the brother of Moses.

Another reason that I have been thinking of legacy is because, this week, I stumbled upon some you tube videos from the ministry of Rick Ferguson serving in his role as pastor of Riverside Baptist Church. I was a member of this church, and I, like the rest of the congregation, was plunged into grief when Rick died unexpectedly in 2002 at the age of 46. His ministry had a profound impact on my parents and me. It was good to walk down memory lane in these videos.

I think it’s healthy to consider about what kind of legacy we want to leave. Everyone will leave a legacy, whether we want to or not. Everyone will leave an enduring memory or impression on others. Some may not give any thought to a legacy at all, but we will leave one, nevertheless.

When I think about my own legacy, I think about 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Glorifying God is the motivation of my life. It’s what I want my legacy to be all about.

How about your legacy?

Kevin

A "life-changing" moment?

The other day I was driving somewhere and I happened to be listening to a sports station. Generally, I listen to Christian music in the car, but I decided to listen to a segment of sports talk. During a commercial break, this particular station promoted the fact that the listener could also hear this sports station online. What struck me as baffling is the reason that they cited for the listener to keep up with the station online. It wasn’t to remain informed on the state of the local teams. No, they claimed that one should listen to their station, “so you won’t miss a life-changing moment.”

I sat there in stunned disbelief. Did they seriously just claim that their station, or sports as a whole, is “life-changing”? I think this is a good reminder for us as the NFL’s regular season is about to commence: sports are anything but life- changing. Yes, I would certainly grant you that sports can be life-changing for the individuals actually playing the sport, but I’m talking about the spectator here, not the athlete. For the fan, any sport (be it football, baseball, etc.) is just inconsequential entertainment.

Let me be clear so I’m not misunderstood: you are not hearing me say that it is wrong to watch sports. There is nothing morally unsuitable about spending a Sunday afternoon watching your favorite football team play a game. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing how all the teams in the NFL will do this year, not just the Denver Broncos. I’m a fan of the entire league, and I have been since I was a very little boy. I’m simply saying that when you get right down to it, a football game is not a life-changing event. Sports are wonderful. Sports are exciting. Sports are unpredictable and enthralling. But sports are not life-changing.

Kevin

Habakkuk's amazing declaration

Habakkuk 3:17-18 reads, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”

This is such a fantastic statement. I paraphrase this passage as follows: “Even if there’s no money in the bank, even if friends choose to abandon me, even if health fails and intense trials overtake me, even if everything in my world is falling apart, I still trust in the Lord and His will."

I just recently completed a homework assignment where I gave an outline for the entire book of Habakkuk. This book is relevant for our lives today. I’m not going to take the time to rehash everything I wrote in my assignment here, but I had to relay Habakkuk’s beautiful statement of faith and trust in God.

I have a T-shirt that has a cross in the middle of it, and the inscription “In God I trust.” Along with that, there’s a citation of Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” Recently, I’ve been going through several trials in my life. I don’t see the point in sharing all the details, but I’ve had to draw on Habakkuk’s words of faith and echo them back to God for myself. I’ve had to quote Proverbs 3:5 to myself, and I’ve said to God countless times, “Come what may, Lord God, I trust You.”

Why am I telling you this? Am I proclaiming how great I am? No, a thousand times no! Please get this: I am not great; the God that I worship is great. Furthermore, this God is worthy of our trust. We may not understand why God is doing what He is doing (incidentally, that’s where Habakkuk found himself for most of his book), but His will and His plan is always superior to ours. If I didn’t believe this, the direction of my life would look very different. But I do believe, with every fiber of my being, that God’s plan is better than my plan.

Kevin

My life is not my own

I think I’ve previously told you that I wear a gold ring on the third finger of my right hand that says “true love waits” on it. It’s an outward symbol of my inner conviction to remain sexually pure until married life. Incidentally, sexual abstinence isn’t my main point today, but I do want to say that this subject matter is something that the culture finds archaic, outdated, and inhumane. But that doesn’t matter; sexual purity until marriage (and sexual fidelity within marriage) is something the Bible teaches. Therefore, it is something that the Christian should live out, by God’s grace and power, even if it is laughed at and mocked today. Once again, that’s a subject for another day.

I love the animated movie “Green Lantern: Emerald Knights” for many reasons, but high on the list is that it has a line in it that I just love.  A seasoned Green Lantern is mentoring a new recruit. In the fictitious world where they reside, there are thousands of Green Lanterns that patrol all the sectors of the galaxy. In one scene of the film, this new wise Green Lantern says to the trainee, “Once you put on the ring [that is to say, when you become a Green Lantern] the life you live stops being your own.”

Ever since I first saw this movie all those months ago, I have often looked at the purity ring that I mentioned that I wear, and I will hear that Green Lantern’s words in my head: “Once you put on the ring, the life you live stops being your own.” This line is applicable to everyone who is a Christian. I suppose I could paraphrase that Green Lantern’s words in this way: “Whenever anyone puts their faith and trust in Jesus for salvation, the life they live stops being their own.”

Why do I say this? Well, the Bible says, “You are not your own; you were bought with a price, therefore glorify God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; NIV). Romans 12:1 puts it this way: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.”

To be clear: this is about more than just being sexually pure. That’s certainly one practical application, but it encompasses more than just that one subject. It means choosing to live for God, not ourselves. It means living a life dedicated to honoring and glorifying God. 2 Corinthians 5:15 reads: “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” In his book “The Way I Was Made” Chris Tomlin writes, "We were created to shine the spotlight on God."

It is the goal of my life to live in this way. I want to “shine the spotlight on God.” I want to honor and glorify God, not myself. I want to live for God’s pleasure and delight. This certainly doesn’t mean that I’m perfect and sinless, because I am not. I make sinful mistakes like everyone else, but it’s still my heart’s desire to live for God. And I want to encourage you to do the same, because you’ll never regret it.

Kevin

"Ancient words ever true"

In my spare time, I’ve been watching you tube videos of someone playing the video game “Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.” I haven’t seen the entirety of the game yet, but at least so far anyway, I submit that it’s one of the better installments in the Zelda series. In the game, Link (the hero of the story), Zelda (the heroine and longtime friend of Link), and many others live on an island suspended midair above the clouds called Skyloft. They’ve all grown up on this island. In Skyloft, the notion of a world below the clouds is relegated to legends and fables.

However, Zelda soon discovers that a world really does exist under the clouds when she is swept into this world because of a tornado. Link resolves to find her. With the help of a mysterious new friend and travelling companion known as Fi, Link is able to travel through a rift in the clouds to get to the land below. I thought this was an interesting premise to a video game.

I was fascinated by a particular scene: the first time Link descends to the surface, he is soon met by a character named Gorko. He regales Link with how he has read “ancient texts” about people who “actually live on this sky island…the residents…live in a perfect society, totally free of conflict or unhappiness! Not only that, but…their civilization is way, way more advanced than ours down here.” He goes on to mention that the island is “filled with wonders we do not have here. Their buildings are made of gold.” He then speaks of a stream of water in Skyloft that makes you live forever, and trees that have fruit that cures you from all diseases.

What he is describing sounds fantastic. Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is, Gorko is completely wrong about Skyloft. It is not a utopia. There isn’t an absence of conflict or unhappiness; the buildings aren’t made of gold; there isn’t water that makes you live forever, and so on. It’s not that Skyloft is an unpleasant place to live by any means, it’s just not a utopian sort of place. Link grew up there. He could have said, “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but what you are describing just isn’t accurate.”  But he chose not to burst his bubble.

As I contemplated this scene, it occurred to me that one could say that Gorko was reading the wrong “ancient text.” His text was erroneous; conversely, the Bible is filled with “ancient words ever true” (as the song “Ancient Words” puts it). It speaks of the wonders of a utopia which is awaiting those of us who have a right relationship with God, through Jesus Christ.

Revelation 21 tells us that there will come a day when “the dwelling of God [will be] with men, and he will live with them…He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4). This is a promise from the Word of God. Someone might claim that this sounds too good to be true. I love this quote from Dwight L. Moody; he said, “God never made a promise that was too good to be true.”

Kevin

A good lesson for us all

On August 5th, Sesame Street uploaded a you tube video of Cookie Monster that I wanted to briefly talk about today.

Believe it or not, Cookie Monster comes upon a plate of hot, fresh, cookies. Rather than devour them immediately, as would be expected, he starts singing about how he wants to eat the cookies, but “self-control is something me must do” and he resolves to declare over and over in a catchy song: “Me want it, but me wait.”

I was very impressed with Sesame Street’s moral, wholesome (and Biblical) message to choose to wait and exercise self-control rather than indulge in immediate gratification. I applaud them for teaching children this very important lesson.

You know as well as I do, however, that it’s easy to say “I’m going to wait” but it’s another thing entirely to practice it and live it out on a daily basis. Especially if the thing that you have been waiting for turns from hours, to days, days turn to years, and in some cases, years perhaps even turns to decades. In short, it’s not easy to wait. But I’ve always been encouraged by Isaiah 64:4: “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him” (NIV, italics mine for emphasis).

If you are interested, that Cookie Monster song I’ve mentioned today can be found at you tube.com, just type in “Me Want It (But Me Wait).” It’s a good song. Every time I hear it, the song sticks in my head. And considering the great message associated with it, I’d say that’s a good thing.

Kevin

We have a choice

I’ve been watching the show “The Spectacular Spider-Man” on DVD lately.  It stars Josh Keaton as the web slinger.  This show is spectacular indeed!  In fact, I would submit to you that this is the greatest Spider-Man cartoon series that exists to date.  This show does a great job of capturing the chaotic life of Peter Parker/Spider-Man.  It portrays the enemies that he faces, the hilarious (and corny) one-liners he gives, and the fact that he is still trying to live his normal life as Peter Parker, even in the midst of his responsibilities as Spider-Man.

In one episode, Spider-Man finally meets the man who murdered his Uncle Ben; in this incarnation it was a cat burglar named Walter Hardy.  Interestingly, Hardy actually chooses to help Spider-Man escape from prison (note: he is in prison because a villain named Green Goblin had managed to trap Spider-Man in jail with all the inmates he had helped put away).  Spider-Man’s reaction for this selfless act caught my attention.  When Hardy told Spider-Man his plan to help him break out, Spider-Man replied, “This doesn’t make us even.  You are not forgiven!”

We all can understand why Spider-Man would have this attitude toward the man who killed his uncle.  Peter was deeply hurt by what happened to his Uncle Ben, and he blames the man responsible for it.  In a similar way, we all have been emotionally hurt by someone else; this is just an inescapable reality of life.  The key is what we will do with that hurt.  It’s easy to nurse a grudge, and harbor anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness. 

I know all about this.  I’ve been there.  I know how effortless it is to inwardly seethe and to desire revenge for what the other person did.  But, thankfully, I also know from personal experience the glorious liberating power of forgiveness.  I know that forgiveness releases you; it lets you move on with your life.  It grants you emotional and spiritual freedom. 

Aunt May made in a great statement in the movie Spider-Man 3; she said, “Revenge is like a poison. It can take you over.  Before you know it, it turns us into something ugly.”  In that film, Peter also dealt with unforgiveness toward the man who murdered his uncle (in this version it was Flint Marko).  At the end of the movie, Peter finally decided to extend forgiveness.  This is quite a contrast to Spider-Man bellowing, "You are not forgiven," to Hardy in "The Spectacular Spider-Man" episode that I described.  

I titled this blog, “We have a choice” because we each make the daily choice to walk in forgiveness or unforgiveness.  It’s easy to choose unforgiveness, but I want to live the rest of my life choosing forgiveness.  I hope you choose the same.

Kevin

Genuine heroes

I use the word hero very, very carefully.  It is a special word to me.  For instance, someone at work called me a “superhero” the other day, and I found it tremendously encouraging.  My point is I don’t just throw the word out thoughtlessly.  If I use the designation of hero, I am paying the person a very high compliment. 

For instance, last Father’s Day I got my father a t-shirt with a caption that read, “Dad, not all heroes wear capes.”  I proceeded to tell him what I’m telling you now, that I don’t just use the word hero for anyone and everyone.  They must be worthy of the title. 

Therefore, based on everything I’ve just written, let me just say that obviously today is Memorial Day, 2013.  And the brave individuals who gave their lives in service of their country are genuine heroes, in every sense of the word!  I’m humbled and grateful to contemplate the incredible men and women who gave their lives in defense of the freedoms that I enjoy as an American citizen.

It’s great to spend time hanging out with family and friends on this holiday, but don’t let the day go by without thinking about the brave, heroic individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice for the United States of America.

Kevin

"Teach us to number our days"

Have you noticed how there seems to be a major focus today on trying to extend our lives?  Just do an Internet search on this idea and you’ll find countless articles.  For example, I saw one website that said if you simply laugh more often you will live longer.  The reason I’ve been thinking about this is because I recently saw a TV commercial advertising that if you simply take their pill you will allegedly prolong your life. 

My reaction to all this is that it is absolute baloney that you can extend your life.  Some of you may disagree with me and that’s fine.  But I think the Bible is clear on this topic.  Psalm 139:16 says, “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”  God has ordained and predetermined the exact number days I’m going to live. 

To be clear: I certainly believe I can do things to affect the quality of my life, just not the quantity.  I’m not at all suggesting that we shouldn’t eat right, exercise, or take medicine.  Furthermore, I love to laugh; I think it’s highly therapeutic to laugh early and often.  All of this stuff has an important place; I’m simply stating that none of this will actually make your life on this Earth a day longer than what God ordained.  The length of our days on Earth is up to God, not a pill advertised on TV.

Even if this idea of prolonging life is true, this still does not taking into account how fragile and delicate life is.  There are countless examples that could be given here; the horrific bombing at the Boston Marathon comes to mind.  But I think we can look no further than driving from point A to point B every day.  I think about my own time behind the wheel.  Every day I travel on an interstate to go to my job.  The speed limit on that interstate is 55 miles an hour.  I think we take for granted just how fast that is.  Think about it.  At that speed, one wrong move and there can easily be a fatal accident (even if one doesn’t choose to exceed the posted speed limit).   Or consider driving in snow.  This is something that people who live in Colorado as I do contend with regularly.  The chance for fatalities in snowy weather is great. 

James says, “Now, listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on in business, and make money.”  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.  What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that” (verses 13-15). 

Kevin

“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” – Psalm 90:12

Remembering a special day

As my regular readers know, it was on this day, back in 1982, that God healed me from seizures!  On that April day, I was in the hospital, and for some reason, I flat-lined.  Three minutes later, God intervened, and breathed life into me.  After all this, the seizures stopped and, after all these decades, they have not returned.  Praise the Lord! 

Some may respond to what I’ve said by saying, “People flat-line all the time and return to the land of the living.  Why do you credit this to God?”  Because the Bible says that it is God who gives life and breath to the inhabitants of the Earth (Isaiah 42:5).  The Bible teaches us that life itself is a gift from the benevolent hand of God.  I just wanted to take a moment to record (as I do every year), my thanks and praise to God for what He did for me.

But as grateful as I am for my healing as a baby, I’m even more grateful that Jesus Christ died on the cross for me (and for all of humanity).  I’m grateful that, at age 6, I was able to accept the simple message that every man and woman is a sinner in need of a Savior.  We cannot atone for our sin; but Jesus – fully God and fully man – atoned for the sin of mankind on the cross.  Through faith and trust in Him alone, we can actually have a personal relationship with the God of the universe.  I became a Christian that day and it is the best decision that I’ve ever made. 

One of my favorite verses is 2 Corinthians 5:15: “And he [Jesus] died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”  I want to live the rest of my life for God, not just because He spared my life as a baby, but primarily because He died on the cross for my vile, repugnant sin.

Kevin

The broken vase

Recently, I purchased the video game “Super Paper Mario” for a good price.  I have to say it: this is a fantastic game.  In one level, Mario accidentally breaks an expensive vase in a mysterious castle.  He is forced to remain there and work as a slave until he has accumulated enough currency to pay the owner back.  I had never seen Mario in such a predicament before.  But don’t worry: Mario is able to escape the clutches of his debt by the end of the level.

It struck me that this is what many people try to do with God.  The Bible says that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  I think many people can see the undeniable reality of their sin, and so they try to build up a credit of good works and hope that this will be enough to earn forgiveness from God.  In the game, Mario converses with other people who were also forced to work in the castle.  One person expresses a sentiment of hopelessness to Mario.  He states that he will never see his girlfriend again.  Indicating that he can never work long enough or hard enough to pay off the massive amount of debt he owes.

This speaks to the absolute futility of trying to pay God off with good works.  To put it bluntly: it’s not going to happen.  The book of Isaiah tells us that our good works are as filthy rags in God’s sight.  Please don’t misunderstand me: I’m not for a moment suggesting that good works are not important.  Adrian Rogers once stated that we aren’t saved by good works but for good works.  Doing good works are quite important; but the reality is, no one can ever do enough good works, no one can ever earn enough spiritual brownie points to procure salvation and forgiveness from our sins.

This is where the good news of the gospel comes in.  Like Mario, we all have broken the expensive vase.  We are all, in a sense, in debt to God because of our sin.  But out of His great love, God sent Jesus Christ to us.  Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty and the price for all of humanity’s sin.  I once heard the late D. James Kennedy say that all the world religions say “do” to get rid of sin; but only Christianity says “done.”  Christ has already done the work on the cross.  Acts 10:43 says, “Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”  All one has to do is simply believe in Jesus; that is, choose to put their faith, reliance, and trust in Jesus alone to save them. 

Kevin

Easter musings

I’ve been thinking about John 20:24-29 a lot lately.  To set up what has been happening in context, Jesus has literally and bodily risen from the grave (hallelujah!).  He has been appearing to people in His sphere of influence showing them that He is truly alive.  He appeared to Mary Magdalene (John 20:10-18), and then He appeared to His disciples (verses 19-23).  In verse 24, the text states that Thomas was not with the disciples when Jesus showed Himself to be alive.  Thomas essentially says, “I won’t believe what you are telling me about this resurrection stuff unless I see it with my own eyes.”  The text says that a week passes (verse 26) and the disciples and Thomas were together again in a house.  Jesus enters and quickly singles out Thomas.  He says, “Put your finger here; see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it in my side.  Stop doubting and believe” (verse 27).

I want to underscore that last sentence because I think it applies to some who will read these words. You don’t believe that Jesus literally arose from the grave.  You think it’s all a hoax or a myth.  Jesus said to Thomas, “Stop doubting and believe.”  Dear reader, with love I repeat the same thing to you: stop doubting and believe.  By all means, don’t take my word for it.  Do your homework on this.  May I recommend a wonderful book by Lee Strobel?  It’s entitled “The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus.”  Part three of the book is “Researching the Resurrection.”  This is a fabulous book that I hope you’ll check out.

Back to the text in John 20, Thomas sees that Jesus still bears the marks of the nails from the crucifixion.  Seeing with his eyes, he believes.  He declares, “My Lord and my God” (verse 28).  Incidentally, it’s interesting to me that at this point Jesus doesn’t say to Thomas, “Thomas, you’re a little mixed up.  I’m not God.  I’m just a man like you.”  Jesus doesn’t say that, of course, because that’s not the truth.  Jesus is both fully God and He is fully man.  This is something that Jesus made clear in His Earthly ministry.

In John 20:29, Jesus says to Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”  You can put me in that verse, I have not seen Jesus with my physical eyes, and yet I believe.

But what about you?  I haven’t heard the phrase as much lately, but I used to constantly hear the phrase, ‘Seeing is believing.’  It always used to bother me a little bit because, in some cases, we don’t have the opportunity to see something in order to believe it.  In this matter that is certainly the case.  We don’t get the opportunity to see Jesus with our physical eyes before believing in Him.  For us, the phrase is the other way around: not ‘seeing is believing,’ but rather ‘believing is seeing.’  Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”  Does that describe you?

Kevin

The last chapter

By way of review, I have been sharing sections of an allegory that I recently wrote for a school assignment.  The instructions for the allegory stated that the student needed to compose an ideal ending to their spiritual journey.  So this is how I concluded my allegory.

“Decades and decades passed.  Believer had fought many battles with many foes, victorious only because of the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:16-17).  It came time for Believer to live in “a better country – a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:16).  Upon arriving, Believer could hardly take in the incredible beauty of this new country in contrast with his old one.

“Welcome, Believer” said a familiar voice.  It was the Faithful and True One (Revelation 19:11), Jesus Christ, the Lord.  “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).  Believer’s eyes filled with tears, “I have waited my whole life to hear you say those words.  The Almighty One smiled, put his arm around Believer and said, “Come, there is much to show you.”

 

He went on to take Believer to the hundreds of people that he had influenced while he was in the previous country.  Several said that they would never even be in this country had it not been for Believer.  “I had absolutely no idea,” Believer responded.  “I’m grateful that my life made such a difference for the Lord, but the truth is I’m not the hero of this story; our Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6) is.  I give all the honor, credit, glory, and praise to Him alone.”

   

Before moving on to something else in this blog, I wanted to present a few final thoughts about the allegory that I’ve been sharing with you.

First of all, remember that in chapter 2 of my allegory, Unbeliever’s name was changed to Believer when he embraced the Christian faith.  I wanted to remind you of this because at the end of the allegory, Believer goes to Heaven.  He does so only because of the grace and mercy of God.  There’s a popular erroneous notion that ultimately everyone will go to Heaven when they die.  This is not something that the Bible teaches anywhere.

In that same section of the allegory, Believer asked the man what his name was; his response: “For today, call me the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”  That is, of course, a citation of John 14:6.  The verse in its entirety reads, “Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me” (NKJV).  If you want to go to Heaven, you have to choose to put your faith, confidence, and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Secondly, note that I stated that many people came up to Believer and said that they never would have been in the new country, or Heaven, if it hadn’t been for Believer.  Once again, the guidelines specified that this was to be my ideal ending.  I would love it if my life had an eternal impact on others.  I love the idea of their being other people in Heaven who are there because I shared the gospel with them.  Ultimately, only God saves, through the conviction and illumination of the Holy Spirit, but what a privilege to be used by God to be the human instrument to lead someone else to becoming a Christian.  

Thirdly, in the end, Believer directed any praise and glory back to God.  I decided to end it this way because #1: I thought this only fitting because, if you look back, you’ll see that Believer isn’t really the main character; God is.  #2: I really believe that this is the right way to convey the Christian life.  I love this quote from Max Lucado in his fabulous book “It’s Not About Me.”  He said, “God does not exist to make a big deal out of us.  We exist to make a big deal out of him.”

Kevin