Author Archives: Steve

Does Religion always cause Wars?

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If you read some bloggers and their comments, you might begin to think that religions are the sole cause of war. Miec Pearse, in The Gods of War addresses this issue thoroughly and intelligently. I don’t know that I’ve ever read one more acquainted with world history than Pearse.  He begins chapter three with these words:

Although much of the history of Christian churches is disgraceful in that their creeds have been stained by bloodshed and spread by violence, the churches did not begin that way. For the first three centuries of its life, the faith of the Prince of Peace was spread entirely by pacific means, usually in the face of violent persecution.
~Meic Pearse in The Gods of War, Intervarsity Press, 2007. p. 58.

Get the book and take a read. You’ll find it refreshingly enlightening — especially if you’ve spent any time reading some of the anti-religious web sites or watching some of the pop-corn cable news.

Power Corrupts…

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Charles Colson said…

Power is like saltwater; the more you drink, the thirstier you get. The lure of power can separate the most resolute of Christians from the true nature of Christian leadership, which is service to others. It’s difficult to stand on a pedestal and wash the feet of those below. — Charles Colson in Kingdoms in Conflict, p. 274.

True.

Ever feel like God’s ignoring you?

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Ever felt like God wasn’t paying any attention when you were praying?

My friend, Tom, can see things I cannot see. When we go hunting bunnies – he always sees them. Hunting groundhogs – Tom spots them, I don’t. Hunting deer – I see trees where he sees Bambi. I am that way with cars. As I drive my car, I will say to Laurel, “Do you hear that?”And although she hears nothing, there’s a wheel-bearing or a tire with a defect making a noise. Laurel doesn’t hear it. I do. Laurel has come to the place that if I tell her the car is making a strange noise, she trusts me and we get it repaired. And I am the same with Tom – if he says to stop when we are hunting together, I stop. I look. I listen. I trust him.

Do you know people like that? They are just plain good at seeing things. Maybe they see things when hunting. They have hunters’ eyes. Maybe they hear something in an automobile that is out of place. They have mechanic’s ears. Maybe they see things in the Bible that you might miss. They have spiritual eyes. You need spiritual eyes to see what’s happening in our passage today. If you don’t look carefully, you’ll walk right by them.

Learning to see with spiritual eyes can help us see compassion when it’s otherwise hidden. It can help us understand how to remain faithful when God seems to be ignoring us.

Enjoy the podcast, and learn to see God’s compassion, when it’s hard to find.

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