"A man's riches may ransom his life,
but a poor man hears no threat."
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
About The Mike Lyons Show
Okay, so I recognize that my web site features that which may appear to be a contradiction. So, here's what iBelieve about The Mike Lyons Show.
The iBelieve portion of the web site features random slices of my religious beliefs. As the main page says, it's largely sermon notes and crap like that. It also clearly states that I don't actually expect anyone to read it.
What about the Quote of the Day? There's all sorts of inappropriateness there, isn't there? Well, maybe. First off, you should know that many of those quotes are carefully selected so as to remove any and all context, casting the original meaning into the abyss of the unknown, leaving only the precious original quote which, for whatever reason, entertains me. You should also know that the vast majority of the quotes don't come from me, and come from a variety of sources that I run across every day. Finally, I think it's okay to repeat what someone has said. I think it is wrong to misquote someone, but if they said it, it must be okay to put it in print. I'm a fan of truthiness.
Privately, I receive a little bit of protest for the attitude reflected in The Not Celebrity Not Fit Club. The general theme of these complaints are along these lines: You shouldn't judge people by their appearance. You should love people for who they are. Blah blah blah.
Look. I never said that you shouldn't love people because they are a fat tub of lard. My belief, however, is that your body is the temple of God, and therefore one should take reasonable steps to maintain it. And it's not that I think everyone needs to be fit and healthy, either. I just see our self-abuse as one of the prominent sins of our culture. We're quick to tell people that they shouldn't smoke, they shouldn't drink, they shouldn't do drugs. But how is eating a roasted chicken for breakfast any less destructive than drinking a few shots of vodka? Gluttony, you may recall, is one of the seven deadly sins.
Again, I am a fan of truthiness. If someone is unattractive, they are unattractive. It is what it is. It doesn't make that person less valuable as a human being, even if it might make them less appealing to me in my humanness.
Finally, the main blog, or as I sometimes call it, my big bucket of ridiculousness. If I ever say anything inappropriate, feel free to call me out on it! For the most part, it's just what I'm thinking about whatever is going on out there. Jesus prayed that his followers be "in this world but not of it." I'm afraid of the Christians who are of absolutely no earthly good because they are so caught up in their religious nuttery. My faith doesn't stop me from being opinionated. I'm not saying that I'm right about any of it. Yes I am. I'm right, iBelieve.
All that to say that if you can't tolerate my ridiculousness, please disrespect my unreligious nuttery in the same way that I disrespect your religious nuttery--quietly on your own blog.
The iBelieve portion of the web site features random slices of my religious beliefs. As the main page says, it's largely sermon notes and crap like that. It also clearly states that I don't actually expect anyone to read it.
What about the Quote of the Day? There's all sorts of inappropriateness there, isn't there? Well, maybe. First off, you should know that many of those quotes are carefully selected so as to remove any and all context, casting the original meaning into the abyss of the unknown, leaving only the precious original quote which, for whatever reason, entertains me. You should also know that the vast majority of the quotes don't come from me, and come from a variety of sources that I run across every day. Finally, I think it's okay to repeat what someone has said. I think it is wrong to misquote someone, but if they said it, it must be okay to put it in print. I'm a fan of truthiness.
Privately, I receive a little bit of protest for the attitude reflected in The Not Celebrity Not Fit Club. The general theme of these complaints are along these lines: You shouldn't judge people by their appearance. You should love people for who they are. Blah blah blah.
Look. I never said that you shouldn't love people because they are a fat tub of lard. My belief, however, is that your body is the temple of God, and therefore one should take reasonable steps to maintain it. And it's not that I think everyone needs to be fit and healthy, either. I just see our self-abuse as one of the prominent sins of our culture. We're quick to tell people that they shouldn't smoke, they shouldn't drink, they shouldn't do drugs. But how is eating a roasted chicken for breakfast any less destructive than drinking a few shots of vodka? Gluttony, you may recall, is one of the seven deadly sins.
Again, I am a fan of truthiness. If someone is unattractive, they are unattractive. It is what it is. It doesn't make that person less valuable as a human being, even if it might make them less appealing to me in my humanness.
Finally, the main blog, or as I sometimes call it, my big bucket of ridiculousness. If I ever say anything inappropriate, feel free to call me out on it! For the most part, it's just what I'm thinking about whatever is going on out there. Jesus prayed that his followers be "in this world but not of it." I'm afraid of the Christians who are of absolutely no earthly good because they are so caught up in their religious nuttery. My faith doesn't stop me from being opinionated. I'm not saying that I'm right about any of it. Yes I am. I'm right, iBelieve.
All that to say that if you can't tolerate my ridiculousness, please disrespect my unreligious nuttery in the same way that I disrespect your religious nuttery--quietly on your own blog.
Success
Poorly written notes = poorly written blog. Deal with it.
Four Ingredients of Success
Four Ingredients of Success
- Consecration. To devote to a purpose with deep dedication.
- We must be disciplined. All Christians are called to discipline.
- We must come into the presence of God.
- Romans 11:29 "...God's gifts and God's call are irrevocable."
- Psalms 55:21 "His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords."
It's not good enough to know the Sunday School answers. We must have changed hearts and changed lives.
- We must be disciplined. All Christians are called to discipline.
- Character Formed by God.
- Spirit of Conquest.
Whatever you do not conquer conquers you. - Never Get Used to Mediocrity.
We can't ever accept things the way they were. I hate to quote RFK, but "There are those who look at things the way they are and ask why... I dream of things that never were and ask why not?" That kind of thinking will lead to all sorts of crazy stuff like praying for the people that you think are going to hell instead of shaking your head at them. What? I'm just sayin...
"After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel." Judges 2:10
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Praying a Little Late
Question
God is not bound by the constraints of time. That being said, if we pray about something after it has already happened, can God go back and change it? Or, could God act knowing that the prayers will be made in the future?
Answer
Of course, God can do whatever He wants. That's one of the perks of being God, after all. However, let's analyze this.
An incident occurs, leading to a believer praying that the incident not occur or that the incident occurs differently. God chooses to respond to the prayer, and He "goes back in time" (for a lack of better terminology) and creates a new time line, changing the initial incident to a more favorable outcome. The believer in the new time line then, taking this favorable outcome for granted, does not pray regarding the incident. Since the change to the time line was due to God responding to prayer, and that prayer has not occurred, God then chooses not to intervene regarding the incident, recreating the first time line. All things being the same as before, the believer will again pray that God intervene. This time, however, God looks at the vicious circle and says, "this is stupid" and chooses not to act.
Alternatively, God does this all the time. Before an incident even occurs, God knows how its outcome will affect us. Being a loving, gracious, and merciful God, He chooses to intervene on our behalf without anyone praying a single word about it--He just does it because it is who He is. Of course, being reactionary creatures as we are, when God spares us pain in our lives that we didn't even know was coming, we fail to recognize and appreciate this fact, depriving God of the praise He is due.
Recommendation
"Pray continually" - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
God is not bound by the constraints of time. That being said, if we pray about something after it has already happened, can God go back and change it? Or, could God act knowing that the prayers will be made in the future?
Answer
Of course, God can do whatever He wants. That's one of the perks of being God, after all. However, let's analyze this.
An incident occurs, leading to a believer praying that the incident not occur or that the incident occurs differently. God chooses to respond to the prayer, and He "goes back in time" (for a lack of better terminology) and creates a new time line, changing the initial incident to a more favorable outcome. The believer in the new time line then, taking this favorable outcome for granted, does not pray regarding the incident. Since the change to the time line was due to God responding to prayer, and that prayer has not occurred, God then chooses not to intervene regarding the incident, recreating the first time line. All things being the same as before, the believer will again pray that God intervene. This time, however, God looks at the vicious circle and says, "this is stupid" and chooses not to act.
Alternatively, God does this all the time. Before an incident even occurs, God knows how its outcome will affect us. Being a loving, gracious, and merciful God, He chooses to intervene on our behalf without anyone praying a single word about it--He just does it because it is who He is. Of course, being reactionary creatures as we are, when God spares us pain in our lives that we didn't even know was coming, we fail to recognize and appreciate this fact, depriving God of the praise He is due.
Recommendation
"Pray continually" - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Who am I?
And now for an entire blog without a single original thought:
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:4-5)
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Galatians 3:26-27)
"So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir." (Galatians 4:7)
"You, my brothers, were called to be free." (Galatians 5:13)
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6:14)
"He (Christ) was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 4:25-5:5)
I am not what I ought to be,"If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" (Galatians 2:17-21)
not what I want to be,
not what I am going to be,
But thankful that I am not what I used to be.
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:4-5)
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Galatians 3:26-27)
"So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir." (Galatians 4:7)
"You, my brothers, were called to be free." (Galatians 5:13)
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6:14)
"He (Christ) was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 4:25-5:5)
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Who is this Jesus?
Who is this Jesus? Jesus told us exactly who he is.
"I am the bread of life." (John 6:35)
"I have come down from heaven." (John 6:38) When Jesus said this, he had just finished feeding the five thousand. But the deeper truth he refers to is when God provided the Israelites with manna and quail in the desert, telling Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you." (Exodus 16:4) Meaning? "I am the only one who can provide for all your needs."
"I am the light of the world." (John 8:12)
Then he heals a man born blind. (John 9:1-13) The Pharisees he was speaking to must have been aware of God's statement to Moses: "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" (Exodus 4:11) Meaning? "I am your creator."
"Before Abraham was born, I am!" (John 8:58)
For the Jewish audience Jesus was speaking to, this was a clear reference go God's statement to Moses: "I AM WHO I AM." (Exodus 3:14) Meaning? "I am the eternal God."
"I am the gate." (John 10:9)
"Whoever enters through me will be saved. (Another way to translate it is, "will be kept safe.") He will come in and go out and find pasture." Jesus is using a shepherding analogy. In those days, the sheep pen had no gate--the shepherd himself was the gate. The fence surrounded the sheep, except for the opening, and this is where the shepherd slept. Anything that wanted in or out had to go through him first. It's very reminiscent of David's statement, "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer." (2 Samuel 22:2) Meaning? "I am your protector."
"I am the good shepherd." (John 10:11, 14)
"The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." As the gate, the shepherd must face whatever predators attack, whether they be animals or thieves. Although the shepherd's life is more valuable than that of the flock, he will not allow the sheep to be harmed so long as it is within his power to stop it. In the Old Testament, God required a lamb without blemish to be sacrificed as a punishment for sin. That is why Jesus is called "The Lamb of God"--he accepted the punishments for our sins, once and for all, saving us from the eternal consequences of our own behavior. Meaning? "I am your savior."
"I am the resurrection and the life." (John 11:25)
And he's not just talking here; he then proceeds to raise Lazarus from the dead! The meaning here is both physical and spiritual. On the physical side, we look to Genesis 2. Adam was not a living being until God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life." (verse 7) Spiritually, we can look to Romans 8:10: "But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness." Meaning? "I am the one who gives you life, and life to the fullest."
"I am the way, the truth and the life." (John 14:6)
"No one comes to the Father, except through me." In the Old Testament, the Priests served as mediators between the people and God. The Priests would present the sacrifices of people, obtaining God's mercy and grace. Jesus becomes our "great high priest," (Hebrews 4:14-16) mediating on our behalf before the Father. Meaning? "I am the way to God's grace."
"I am the true vine." (John 15:1, 5)
"If a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing." The pattern of the Old Testament is as follows: The Israelites follow God, and he blesses them; they depart from God, and tragedy follows. Here, Jesus reminds us that without God, we are nothing and have nothing, but with him all things are possible. Meaning? "I am your strength."
"I am the bread of life." (John 6:35)
"I have come down from heaven." (John 6:38) When Jesus said this, he had just finished feeding the five thousand. But the deeper truth he refers to is when God provided the Israelites with manna and quail in the desert, telling Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you." (Exodus 16:4) Meaning? "I am the only one who can provide for all your needs."
"I am the light of the world." (John 8:12)
Then he heals a man born blind. (John 9:1-13) The Pharisees he was speaking to must have been aware of God's statement to Moses: "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" (Exodus 4:11) Meaning? "I am your creator."
"Before Abraham was born, I am!" (John 8:58)
For the Jewish audience Jesus was speaking to, this was a clear reference go God's statement to Moses: "I AM WHO I AM." (Exodus 3:14) Meaning? "I am the eternal God."
"I am the gate." (John 10:9)
"Whoever enters through me will be saved. (Another way to translate it is, "will be kept safe.") He will come in and go out and find pasture." Jesus is using a shepherding analogy. In those days, the sheep pen had no gate--the shepherd himself was the gate. The fence surrounded the sheep, except for the opening, and this is where the shepherd slept. Anything that wanted in or out had to go through him first. It's very reminiscent of David's statement, "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer." (2 Samuel 22:2) Meaning? "I am your protector."
"I am the good shepherd." (John 10:11, 14)
"The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." As the gate, the shepherd must face whatever predators attack, whether they be animals or thieves. Although the shepherd's life is more valuable than that of the flock, he will not allow the sheep to be harmed so long as it is within his power to stop it. In the Old Testament, God required a lamb without blemish to be sacrificed as a punishment for sin. That is why Jesus is called "The Lamb of God"--he accepted the punishments for our sins, once and for all, saving us from the eternal consequences of our own behavior. Meaning? "I am your savior."
"I am the resurrection and the life." (John 11:25)
And he's not just talking here; he then proceeds to raise Lazarus from the dead! The meaning here is both physical and spiritual. On the physical side, we look to Genesis 2. Adam was not a living being until God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life." (verse 7) Spiritually, we can look to Romans 8:10: "But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness." Meaning? "I am the one who gives you life, and life to the fullest."
"I am the way, the truth and the life." (John 14:6)
"No one comes to the Father, except through me." In the Old Testament, the Priests served as mediators between the people and God. The Priests would present the sacrifices of people, obtaining God's mercy and grace. Jesus becomes our "great high priest," (Hebrews 4:14-16) mediating on our behalf before the Father. Meaning? "I am the way to God's grace."
"I am the true vine." (John 15:1, 5)
"If a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing." The pattern of the Old Testament is as follows: The Israelites follow God, and he blesses them; they depart from God, and tragedy follows. Here, Jesus reminds us that without God, we are nothing and have nothing, but with him all things are possible. Meaning? "I am your strength."
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Nobody Said You'd Like It
Everybody knows the story of Jonah and the big fish. God tells Jonah to go to the people of Nineveh. Jonah did not want to obey God, so he fled. Of course, God is in control as always, and Jonah ended up doing it anyway.
But this is the part that I love. Jonah goes, God moves in a powerful way, and the people of Nineveh repent. Jonah was thrilled to see God use him like that. Wait--no he wasn't. "But Jonah was greatly displeased (emphasis mine) and became angry. He prayed to the Lord, 'O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.'" (Jonah 4:1-3) Jonah didn't want to see the people of Nineveh saved. He wanted to see God's wrath come down on them. Apparently, they weren't his pals.
Nowhere does the Bible ever say that Jonah saw the light on this one. The last words we have recorded of Jonah speaking are, "I am angry enough to die." (Jonah 4:9) Too bad. God requires obedience whether we like it or not.
But this is the part that I love. Jonah goes, God moves in a powerful way, and the people of Nineveh repent. Jonah was thrilled to see God use him like that. Wait--no he wasn't. "But Jonah was greatly displeased (emphasis mine) and became angry. He prayed to the Lord, 'O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.'" (Jonah 4:1-3) Jonah didn't want to see the people of Nineveh saved. He wanted to see God's wrath come down on them. Apparently, they weren't his pals.
Nowhere does the Bible ever say that Jonah saw the light on this one. The last words we have recorded of Jonah speaking are, "I am angry enough to die." (Jonah 4:9) Too bad. God requires obedience whether we like it or not.
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