Fatal Desensitization

A short time ago, I came across a passage in a book that drew a very clear parallel between "Babylon" as found in Revelation and modern day US of A. As much as I hate to see that parallel, there were certain similarities that I couldn't dismiss. As I read the chapter on the destruction of Sodom in Patriarchs and Prophets, I was even more disturbed.

Anymore I find that watching the news is seriously depressing. Between the economy, increasing natural disasters, and escalating violence it can be hard to focus on the positive. In fact, if I wasn't a Christian who firmly believed in the imminent second coming of Christ, I would probably sink into a deep depression over how bad things have gotten.

However, the words "as in the days of Sodom..." continue to ring through my head. Ellen White says, "While angels drew near on their mission of destruction, men were dreaming of prosperity and pleasure." (PP, 157).

We only know the actions of the inhabitants of Sodom on that last night, but it's easy to imagine their depravity that would lead to utter destruction. Of course, each of us has a different idea of depravity, so we're all probably thinking different specifics.

"That last night was marked by no greater sins than many others before it; but mercy, so long slighted, had at last ceased its pleading." (PP, 159).

There are so many distractions in our society today, and I say this as one who is often tempted and distracted. Most of us Christians can say no to the obvious distractions - those that are blatantly "evil." But the problems we face are the not so obvious distractions, the ones that slowly but surely desensitize us.

Even Lot, who had lived with Abraham, worshiped with him, and learned of his faith first hand could not fully withstand the effect of Sodom. "Living in that wicked city, in the midst of unbelief, his faith had grown dim." (PP, 161).

For the Sodomites, the result was worse. So desensitized had they become that they saw "no evidence of danger. Everything was just as it had been." (PP, 160).

"There is cause for alarm in the condition of the world today." (PP, 166). This statement reminds me of the words from a Casting Crowns song:

United States of America
Looks like another silent night
As we're sung to sleep by philosophies
That save the trees and kill the children
And while we're lying in the dark
There's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky
For the Bridegroom has returned
And has carried His bride away in the night


America, what will we miss while we are sleeping
Will Jesus come again
And leave us slumbering where we lay
America, will we go down in history
As a nation with no room for its King
Will we be sleeping...


Through the story of Sodom and Gomorrah "we are taught the fearful and solemn lesson that while God's mercy bears long with the transgressor, there is a limit beyond which men may not go on in sin." (PP, 164).

Despite how harsh we might view the punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah, "It will be more tolerable in the day of judgment for the cities of the plain than for those who have known the love of Christ, and yet have turned away to choose the pleasures of a world of sin." (PP, 165).

As we look at the decaying state of the world around us, it is even more important to evaluate our own lives in light of Scripture. We can no longer afford to put God off until tomorrow. For "God will not always be mocked; He will not long be trifled with." (PP, 167).

The time to decide is now. Will you escape as Lot did, or will you be left to destruction? "The world is fast becoming ripe for destruction. Soon the judgments of God are to be poured out, and sin and sinners are to be consumed." (PP, 166).

The pleasures of the world may last for today, but are you willing to pay the price?

Faith in Light of Despair

Life sucks. Pardon my colloquialism, but I couldn't seem to find any other word that expressed my feelings quite so succinctly. You see, six weeks ago, we received the devastating news that my six month old nephew died in Africa from complications of malaria. Now, every single person in my family is dealing with the grief in their own way and I'm trying to be supportive, but I've found that my patience is waning with those who insist on arguing the safety of babies over following the call of God (my brother is a missionary doctor in Tchad). That's not to say that some of their arguments aren't valid, but I guess I just see the call of God in a different light.

As I was rereading Ellen White's take on Abraham's final test of faith, I was deeply reminded of my brother and the loss that he suffered.

Abraham was by no means a perfect man, yet he is acknowledged as a righteous and faithful man. Abraham passed and failed tests of faith just like the rest of us, and so it was that "God reserved His last, most trying test for Abraham until the burden of years was heavy upon him, and he longed for rest from anxiety and toil." (PP pg. 147). At 120 years of age, with the promised son barely an adult, God came to Abraham and told him to sacrifice Isaac.

The Bible doesn't give us many details, but Ellen White tells us that Satan took advantage of this moment to tempt Abraham away from God's will. Tempted as he was, Abraham turned to God in prayer, yet received to answer. So instead of succumbing to Satan's temptation, Abraham began his journey to Mt. Moriah, praying the whole time that God would see fit to ease his suffering and call off the terrible order. Yet, throughout this entire ordeal and the silence of God, Abraham "did not murmur against God, but strengthened his soul by dwelling upon the evidences of the Lord's goodness and faithfulness." (PP pg. 151).

Most of us are familiar with the ending of the story: Isaac willingly submits to the will of God, and as Abraham is posed over the body of his son, knife raised to kill, the hand of an angel (God?) stays his action. God intervenes, praises Abraham for his faith, and provides a ram for the sacrifice.

"Abraham did not seek to excuse himself from the will of God...He knew that God is just and righteous in all His requirements, and he obeyed the command to the very letter." (PP pg. 153).

"There are many who fail to understand the relation of faith and works...But genuine faith will be manifest in obedience." (PP pg. 154).

For most of us, the call of God is both fulfilling and daunting. We seek to do His will, but when things go wrong, we tend to wonder if we're really following God's will, because wouldn't He protect us so long as we are doing what He has called us to do? This question has hit home for my family as we deal with the grief of losing such a precious child. And yet, I find that my belief in my brother's call and the guiding hand of God is not shaken. I cannot begin to claim understanding in this matter, and someday (soon) hope to receive the answers to my many questions. However, the words of Ellen White ring in my head:

"It was to impress Abraham's mind with the reality of the gospel, as well as to test his faith, that God commanded him to slay his son. the agony which he endured during the dark days of that fearful trial was permitted that he might understand from his own experience something of the greatness of the sacrifice made by the infinite God for man's redemption...There was no voice to cry, 'It is enough.'" (PP pg 154).

God has made no specific promise of life versus death during our time here on Earth. There is no guarantee that we will be safe from pain, sorrow, or suffering. He has, however, promised to be with us, and that one day all of the suffering here on Earth will be gone, and we WILL be reunited with those who have gone before. God is just and righteous in all His requirements...and our faith will be manifest in obedience.

God is rarely early, but He is never late.

World Peace

In a day and age where war and strife seem to be the norm, even Christians who haven't forgotten that their leader was/is a pacifist, shrug their shoulders and claim that there is nothing that can possibly be done to change this "hawk" attitude.

In all fairness, I never used to be as much of a pacifist as I am now - granted, I'm still not a "hippie" radical, but I am beginning to see the "light". Over the years I've gone from defending specific wars, to being against wars but supporting our troops, to finally sitting back and saying "Really? We really think that this is going to make things better?"

I think that the movie The Kingdom makes my point for me. An FBI team goes into Saudi Arabia in order to find those responsible for bombing an American "settlement" and killing one of their own. When they first find out the news, the team leader whispers something to only woman on the team, which instantly calms her down. At the end of the movie, they get the person they're after, but just before he dies, he whispers something to his grandson. In the closing sequence the scenes flip back and forth between the FBI team and the grandson with his mother. The FBI team leader is asked by one of the other team members what he whispered and the mother asks her son what his grandfather whispered. The FBI team leader says "We're gonna kill them all." And the young boy responds to his mother, "Don't fear, my child. We're going to kill them all."

Isn't that what's happening around the world right now? Isn't that why the US is fighting in the Middle East?

Chapter 12 in Patriarchs and Prophets talks about Abraham's time in Canaan, including his relationship with Lot. When Abraham decides it's time for the two to go their separate ways in order to maintain peace, Ellen White says:

"Here the noble, unselfish spirit of Abraham was displayed. How many under similar circumstances would, at all hazards, cling to their individual rights and preferences! How many households have thus been rent asunder! How many churches have been divided, making the cause of truth a byword and a reproach among the wicked!...The children of God the world over are one family and the same spirit of love and conciliation should govern them. 'Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another' (Romans 12:10), is the teaching of our Savior. The cultivation of a uniform courtesy, a willingness to do to others as we would wish them to do to us, would annihilate half the ills of life." (pg. 132)

If my time here in Asia has taught me nothing else, it's taught me that the greatest flaw humanity can have is a character that is self-seeking and proud. Living among many cultures that are family oriented makes me look at my own culture and wonder if life would be better if we had a similar orientation, rather than teaching our children how to rely only on themselves and to think only of themselves and how they can get ahead.

The world is going to hell in a hand basket and our constant need for revenge, our quick tempers, and our tongues quick to blame others for our actions is only making the situation worse. Abraham is to be our example, to show us that life with an unselfish spirit is not only possible, but beneficial.

I can hear it now, somebody reading this is scoffing and saying "wuss" or "wimp" or "coward" or some other such word. But before you jump to that conclusion too speedily, lets jump ahead in Abraham's story...

Abraham gets news that lot has been captured as a prisoner of war. Calling upon his allies (Canaanites who respected him for his beliefs and character) he heads off to save his nephew. Ellen White calls Abraham a man of peace, shunning any disagreement or conflict as much as possible (pg. 136). But also says that "It was seen that righteousness is not cowardice, and that Abraham's religion made him courageous in maintaining the right and defending the oppressed." (pg. 135).

Abraham had earned the respect of his pagan neighbors not through fighting them or others, but through living a godly life and showing through his words and actions that he was a good man. In a world such as ours, it truly takes courage to look someone in the face and refuse to fight them, to turn the other cheek and "be the bigger man."

If you want my opinion...picking fights, flinging insults and returning punches is truly the coward's way out.

Humanity: The Lost Moral Being Pt. 2

I’m neither an animal rights activist nor an extreme environmentalist – but I do know people who could be labeled as such. Many times I’ve found myself biting my tongue while listening to these people go on and on about how much smarter the animals are than humans, or that animals were God’s favorite creation and we were simply created as caretakers. Of course, the reason I bit my tongue was because arguing with these people is both infuriating and a waste of time.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love animals, but I take a slightly different view of them. Animals are not moral beings; they don’t understand the difference between right and wrong. Although an important part of creation, humanity was the crowning glory of God’s creation here on Earth. In a sense, they are smarter than us because they fully trusted God and weren’t led astray by temptation – albeit that was mostly because they’re not moral beings – but they have never forgotten their Creator.

Of course, that doesn’t give us the right to abuse, mistreat, or hunt the animals simply for sport. For anyone who has been an Adventist for even a short while, the term “stewardship” should be familiar. Unfortunately, most churches focus on the money aspect of stewardship and forget the rest of it.

“God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.’ Then God said, ‘I now give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the entire earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” (Gen 1:28-29, NET)

After the creation was complete, God gave the earth to Adam and Eve to govern, care for, and protect and my personal belief is that that role of protector and care-taker – although changed – was not revoked at the fall. Part of our stewardship toward God is to continue to care for the world and creatures around us.

And why do I believe this, you might be asking. Because it’s our fault that the earth is as it is. Because humanity is the only moral being here on Earth, EVERYTHING changed and became sinful because of our choices, not because of their own choices.


"Everything is under fixed laws, which cannot be disregarded. But while everything in nature is governed by natural laws, man alone, of all that inhabits the earth, is amenable to moral law. (PP 52) ...So long as Adam remained loyal to Heaven, all nature was in subjection to him. But when he rebelled against the divine law, the inferior creatures were in rebellion against his rule." (PP 59).


It is our fault that plants and animals die and struggle to survive. It is our fault that the earth is facing global warming. EVERYTHING is our fault. Not only did we subject this planet and all its inhabitants to sin, but we have forgotten our God-given duty to care for all life - flora, fauna, human - that resides upon this planet.

Humanity: The Lost Moral Being Pt. 1

Excuse me for a moment as I rant...

What is society become? What is it leading to? We live in a society that, rather than growing, is digressing! We are not only repeating the same stupid mistakes of our forefathers, but we're repeating the same stupid mistakes that our first parents made!

"Everything is under fixed laws, which cannot be disregarded. But while everything in nature is governed by natural laws, man alone, of all that inhabits the earth, is amenable to moral law. To man, the crowning work of creation, God has given power to understand His requirements, to comprehend the justice and beneficence of His law, and its sacred claims upon him; and of man unswerving obedience is required." (PP 52)

So there there they are in Eden - our first parents - living in a true utopia with the ability to understand God's moral and natural laws, not to mention the warnings of both God and the angels, and they screw it up! They believe the lies of a snake - literally and figuratively - and fail to withstand his temptation. But that's not even the worst of it! Oh no...Adam and Eve have the audacity to not only blame each other and the snake, but they blame God!

"It was the woman that You gave me..."

"It was the snake that You created..."

Here we have the only two inhabitants of the planet earth that are supposed morally conscious, and they FAIL!

And are we any different? Not usually. "He made me do it!" "She made me so angry!" "God let it happen!"

We blame everyone but ourselves, it's never our fault, we're just victims of our circumstance. Come on people, wake up and smell the deception!

Ellen White says that "Though he [Satan] had found sin to result in infinite loss, he concealed his own misery in order to draw others into the same position." (PP 55)

You know that old phrase "misery loves company"? Well it's true, and Satan is utilizing it. Every time that we fall into temptation, and then lay the blame at someone else's feet, we are playing directly into his hands.

Now to be fair, as soon as Adam and Eve yielded to temptation, their nature became "so depraved that in themselves they would have no power and no disposition to resist Satan." (PP 53) So yes, it's difficult for us to withstand temptation, but for crying out loud at least own up! Take responsibility for yourself!

"In the judgment men will not be condemned because they conscientiously believed a lie, but because they did not believe the truth, because they neglected the opportunity of learning what is truth....All the lessons which God has caused to be placed on record in His word are for our warning and instruction. They are given to save us from deception. Their neglect will result in ruin to ourselves. Whatever contradicts God's word, we may be sure proceeds from Satan." (PP 55)

So wake up! Start being aware of your everyday choices! Start making conscious decisions. And for Pete's sake STOP blaming everyone but yourself!

Earning Your Handouts

I don't know if it's just a handful across generations, the entire younger generation(s), or if it's America as a whole, but this attitude of entitlement and "how little can I get away with" is very disturbing.

I'm neither an economist nor a business person, but it seems to me that at the heart of the bad economy lie people who build up debt beyond what they could ever pay back. The idea that it is our right to have everything our hearts desire whether we can afford it or not is growing and morphing rapidly.

But I digress...many people look at work as something to dislike and to do as little of as possible and with all the distractions of today, it is certainly easy to do a lot of nothing. However, both the Bible and Ellen White are clear that work was not a result of sin, as much as we'd sometimes like to believe it.

"Their occupation was not wearisome, but pleasant and invigorating. God appointed labor as a blessing to man, to occupy his mind, to strengthen his body, and to develop his faculties....And when, as a result of his disobedience, he was driven from his beautiful home, and forced to struggle with a stubborn soil to gain his daily bread, that very labor, although widely different from his pleasant occupation in the garden, was a safeguard against temptation and a source of happiness. Those who regard work as a curse, attended though it be with weariness and pain, are cherishing an error." (PP pg. 50)

Now, I'll admit that I don't always want to do housework, and I often don't want to do homework, but when I'm getting paid to do a job, I generally try to give it my best. I do, however, sometimes find myself to be easily distracted at times. But I see an increasing number of people - young and old - who not only get distracted, but they avoid work like the plague. Surrounded by a culture of laziness I can't help but wonder: in light of God's design for work, is distraction from work less of a temptation than anything else?

(Re)Creating the Sabbath

I suppose it comes from being borderline GenX (not rule oriented) and millennial generation, but growing up in the Adventist church I was familiar, but never comfortable, with the "Sabbath laws." I know all the dos and don'ts regarding the hours between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday.

As I grew up and gained greater understanding of the gospels I couldn't help but make a comparison between the way the Pharisees kept the Sabbath and the way Adventists did (do?). Christ's words once again ring true: "The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27, NLT). How is it at all helpful to spend what is supposed to be a day of rest, focused on a list of rules?

As a teenager I found it difficult to reconcile my own beliefs with the rules that the church tried to impose on me, leading me to spend many Sabbaths in college as just another day, if I didn't sleep it away. It hasn't been until the last few years that I've managed to find a balance between the two extremes.

While reading "Patriarchs and Prophets" this week, I came across an interesting section in chapter two:

"After resting upon the seventh day, God sanctified it, or set it apart, as a day of rest for man. Following the example of the Creator, man was to rest upon this sacred day, that as he should look upon the heavens and the earth, he might reflect upon God's great work of creation; and that as he should behold the evidences of God's wisdom and goodness, his heart might be filled with love and reverence for his maker. (pg. 47) ...There was nothing in it shadowy or of restricted application to any people. God saw that a Sabbath was essential for man, even in Paradise. He needed to lay aside his own interests and pursuits for one day of the seven, that he might more fully comprehend the works of God and meditate upon his power and goodness. He needed a Sabbath to remind him more vividly of God and to awaken gratitude because all that he enjoyed and possessed came from the beneficent hand of the Creator." (pg. 48)

Now I may be wrong, but it seems to me that God intended the Sabbath to be a weekly reminder of Him as our Creator and Sustainer and that - especially after the fall - nature is as close as we can come to His presence. Along those lines, having a list of things we can/can't do does nothing more than hinder our connection to God.

Pardon my inner teacher, but I'm reminded of the education psychology theory of multiple intelligences, which claims that we all learn differently. Just as some students learn better through music or physical activity, so too do we meet God in different ways.

If we could just accept that God communicates individually and that no two people are alike in their spirituality.

In the Big Inning, God...

Having spent the better part of the last 18 months in the Philippines, I have had the blessed relief of not being in the middle of the latest church controversies. Sadly, not even the Pacific ocean can shield me from the current battle waging in the United States. Before I continue, I want to make a few things abundantly clear:

• I do NOT know the intricate details of the debate between La Sierra University and the General Conference.
• I DO believe in six literal creation days (check out my book, "From Light to Darkness")
• I am NOT a theologian
• I do NOT believe that this debate is a salvation issue.

Now that we're clear on all that, let me explain. Contrary to what most Christians believe, salvation is not based on what we believe or what we do, but rather how that belief changes our lives. When it comes right down to it, which is worse? Believing that the six days were/are symbolic (like many mentions of "days") or the controversy that is raging through the church?

Like I said earlier, I'm not a theologian, but for all those Ellen White supporters out there, I'd like to take a look at chapter two of "Patriarchs and Prophets":

"God created man in His image....There is no ground for the supposition that man was evolved by slow degrees of development from the lower forms of animal or vegetable life. Such teaching lowers the great work of the Creator to the level of man's narrow, earthly conceptions (pg. 45). ...He had created all the wonders of the land and of the sea. In six days the great work of creation had been accomplished. And God 'rested on the seventh day...'" (pg. 47).

Before either side goes and twists what I just quoted, I want to make an observation (or two): In a chapter dedicated to the creation, Mrs. White writes several pages before mentioning the "six days" of creation and then only as a lead in to a discussion on the Sabbath (which we'll discuss in detail next time). So here's my point: yes, she mentions the six days, but she neither specifies six literal days nor emphasizes its importance. In fact, her emphasis lies with the importance of humanity's creation and humans taking one day out of seven - specifically the seventh - to remember their Creator. So why has this become an issue? Why are we wasting precious time and energy fighting over something that shouldn't be an issue?

I do want to point out one last thing: as a Bible teacher myself - and one who has had to counteract the slightly off teachings of a predecessor - it is not the job of the teacher to use the classroom as their own personal platform. If you believe something, support it. It is our job as academics to be trustworthy in what we give to our students, and spouting off opinion as anything more is far from trustworthy.

Some might criticize me for not choosing a side in this debate, but I believe it is the choosing of sides that is fueling the debate and could lead to disastrous results for our church.

One final thought: we are all entitled to our own nuances in faith and belief - faith is as unique as our characters - but to pastors and teachers is given a greater burden of proof. "Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly." (James 3:1, NLT)

America: The (Non)Christian Nation

"Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor." (Ezekiel 28:17a, NLT)

As an American by birth, I'm familiar with the history and the claims of being a Christian nation. Although I've questioned that claim for a long time it wasn't until I lived abroad for the better part of the last 18 months that I began to realize how truly inaccurate is the claim of religiosity.

Probably the most striking difference between Eastern and Western cultures is the dedication to family. Living among people from nearly every Asian and several African countries, the dedication to and responsibility for family is key. Especially coming from a culture that values independence and self-sufficiency. And here we come to the crux of the issue: the heart of the war in heaven was pride, independence, and self-exaltation.

If one were to look through both Biblical and secular history, one would find that Satan's arguments in heaven keep repeating throughout history. According to chapter one in "Patriarchs and Prophets" the rebellion in heaven happened for two reasons: (1) Satan's pride would not allow him to accept the divinity and sovereignty of Christ, and (2) he was convinced that, in His unfairness, God would not return him to his former glory if he repented whole-heartedly.

Christ's Divinity and Sovereignty
God made it abundantly clear to the angels that Christ was equally divine, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and eternal. But Satan's pride and delusions of grandeur made it impossible to yield. how many of us - be we Adventist, protestant Christian, or anything else - are any different? We are self-sufficient, the "self made man" is applauded for his/her achievements, and anyone who "yields" to another power is weak - weak-willed, weak-minded - and will never amount to anything. We, like Lucifer in heaven, refuse to acknowledge the sovereignty of Christ in all aspects of our lives. What is CHRISTianity without Christ?

Repentance and Restoration
The lies of Satan ring in our minds, "If you repent of your 'self' attitude and submit to Christ, you'll be stripped of everything you've gained, everything you've accomplished. You'll never succeed in anything if you give yourself to Him."

What we don't understand, what we can't seem to grasp, is that the only way to true and lasting happiness is to let go of the rat race and embrace a life with Christ, not against Him. "'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'" (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT). Humanity's only hope for a future is to give up our love of self, wealth, and power and turn to the Author of our hearts' desires.

Why?

As a multi-generational Adventist and a student/teacher of religion I am very familiar with Ellen White - her story, her ministry, and her works - but as such, and a member of the millennial generation, I've been bombarded with the "Sister White says..." montage of many from the older generations. Because of this prevailing attitude, many in the X, Y, and Z generations - myself included - have taken the opposite extreme and use Mrs. White as little as possible.

Having recently undertaken the writing of the Great Controversy and Biblical history in story format - "From Light to Darkness" - I've found Mrs. White's "Conflict of the Ages" series to be a tremendous resource and so have begun reading through "Patriarchs and Prophets" as part of my daily devotion. What I've discovered could revolutionize the church and bring the "lost" generations back into attendance.

I challenge you to drop all baggage and preconceptions - that goes for ALL generations - and read through Ellen White with me.