Time to start with a disclaimer. (Unfortunately, this is needed because folks are way to thin-skinned, emotional, and easily offended.) Disclaimer: the following is not an attempt to attack, criticize, or make light of Tiger Woods, Elin Nordegren, their marriage/divorce, or family. It is however, an observation and a commentary, ending with a prayer.
The divorce of Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren was finalized Monday in Bay County (Fla.) Circuit Court, lawyers for the former couple announced.
"We are sad that our marriage is over and we wish each other the very best for the future," they said in a statement released by Nordegren's Washington DC-based law firm of McGuire Woods. "While we are no longer married, we are the parents of two wonderful children and their happiness has been, and will always be, of paramount importance to both of us."
The statement, which does not divulge settlement terms, says, "Once we came to the decision that our marriage was at an end, the primary focus of our amicable discussions has been to ensure their future well-being. The weeks and months ahead will not be easy for them as we adjust to a new family situation, which is why our privacy must be a principal concern."
That's pretty a clear statement, isn't it? However it reflects several of the problems with how our post-modern American culture views love, marriage, family, and divorce.
Here's more from Ms. Nordegren's interview in People magazine: People magazine claims its reporters spent 19 hours interviewing Nordegren for the cover story which comes out Friday. Her intention, she told the magazine, is to set the record straight and to never speak publicly about it again.
She said she felt foolish that she had no idea her husband was carrying on multiple affairs throughout their marriage.
"Absolute shock and disbelief,” was her reaction to the unveiling of his secret life. “I felt stupid as more things were revealed — how could I not have known anything? The word betrayal isn't strong enough. I'm so embarrassed that I never suspected — not a one.
“For the past 3-1/2 years, when all this was going on, I was home a lot more with pregnancies, then the children and my school."
Nordegren also made it clear that she did not attack her husband last Thanksgiving with a golf club, as he has maintained since the incident.
"There was never any violence inside or outside our home. The speculation that I would have used a golf club to hit him is just truly ridiculous,” she told the magazine.
“Tiger left the house that night, and after a while when he didn't return, I got worried and decided to go look for him. That's when I found him in the car. I did everything I could to get him out of the locked car.”
She added that she hoped one day to forgive Woods.
"Forgiveness takes time,” she said. “It is the last step of the grieving process. I am going to be completely honest and tell you that I am working on it. I know I will have to come to forgiveness and acceptance of what has happened for me to go on and be happy in the future. And I know I will get there eventually."
Whew. That is a lot. However, according to God's word marriage, divorce, family, forgiveness, or life itself is not to be governed by human will or opinion. This situation is just another proof that man, in and of himself, is not equipped to be able to make right judgments about the weighty matters of our lives. In addition to all this, we are also lacking in the strength to carry out the sound actions needed to carry out wise judgment.
Jesus said that God allowed for divorce because of the hardness of our hearts, but that His will was that marriage be a lifetime covenant between one man and one woman, moreover forgiving your spouse is not an option, but a command. To forgive someone who has hurt and/or disappointed you deeply, benefits you, perhaps even more than the offending party. Truly forgiving someone is an act of the will, working in conjunction with the power of God's grace. This opens the doorway to true healing, restoration, and reconciliation in both husband and wife's lives.
In our post-modern culture, however, norms for thoughts and actions are governed by emotion and opinion, as opposed to submission to divine will and authority.
Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray that you would move in the hearts of this broken family. Tiger, Elin, Sam, and Charlie need you like never before. I pray that salvation and intimate fellowship with you through Jesus be their gift that they all freely receive. Lord, when this happens, I know that true forgiveness, understanding, healing, and restoration, will begin. Most of all, Lord, I pray that your will for their lives be done, Amen.
SONmind Stew
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Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
The Question Is...
Man is by his very nature an inquisitive being. From the time we are able to speak, we are full of questions (even if we don't always ask them out loud), driving some of our parents crazy! I think it is safe to say, however, that there is no area of curiosity greater than when it comes to our existence, purpose, and its relation to our universe.
Burning question #1 used to be: is there a GOD? Wrong question. Why? "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard." (Psalm 19:1-3 NASB, see also Romans 1:18-20) Burning question #2 used to be: does HE love me? Another wrong one. Why you ask? "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8 NASB, see also Ephesians 2:1-10). In light of all this love that has been demonstrated toward us, what should be our response? "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Love your neighbor, even as you love yourself."
What does He require? Faith, love, and obedience. None of these are possible in our own strength, but He has provided the means where we can make the impossible, possible. What makes it possible? God's grace. His grace empowers us to abide in Christ, and live lives of faith that are pleasing to Him, causing Him to be glorified.
The correct question instead: is GOD pleased with me? If we don't ask the right questions, we are always going to come up with wrong answers.
Burning question #1 used to be: is there a GOD? Wrong question. Why? "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard." (Psalm 19:1-3 NASB, see also Romans 1:18-20) Burning question #2 used to be: does HE love me? Another wrong one. Why you ask? "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8 NASB, see also Ephesians 2:1-10). In light of all this love that has been demonstrated toward us, what should be our response? "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Love your neighbor, even as you love yourself."
What does He require? Faith, love, and obedience. None of these are possible in our own strength, but He has provided the means where we can make the impossible, possible. What makes it possible? God's grace. His grace empowers us to abide in Christ, and live lives of faith that are pleasing to Him, causing Him to be glorified.
The correct question instead: is GOD pleased with me? If we don't ask the right questions, we are always going to come up with wrong answers.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The Forgotten GOD...The Missing Element
I am extremely grateful and thankful to the LORD for how HE is sovereignly moving in my life, during this critical hour. I read things that are being written about Him, and listen to statements being made about Him by many who profess to know Him, and come away scratching my head in disbelief. In this age of unprecedented amounts of information, there is an increase in ignorance of who God is, his movements, and how he deals with mankind. Please don’t misunderstand; I fully realize that some of what we are facing as believers is simply symptoms, “signs of the times”.
But, I digress, back to the subject at hand. With all the scholarship, debate, etc., going on in the name of the Lord, why is there so much misinformation about Him, not to mention a lack of visible Christian fruit on display? While the word of God has spoken how we should be able to recognize the times and the seasons in which we live; I see an important issue that goes largely unmentioned in our discussions. While our GOD is one, He can only be accurately seen in the light of Him being Father, Son, & Spirit. Now some will begin to scream because they will say, “Trinity is not a word found in scripture”; for me that is not even the issue anymore.
Now, in this hour, the issue is one of fruitfulness, not superior debating skills. God has a people to be reached, saved, transformed, and matured to His glory. His church (especially here in post-modern America) no longer has the luxury of wasting time, for His return is more imminent than ever. The Spirit has proceeded forth from the Father and the Son, and He is the one with whom man (lost or saved) must deal with in order to access God. Not in the terms of the wild excesses of neo-Pentecostalism/Charismatic-mania/Word of Faith, but with balanced, biblical Spirit-led, Spirit-taught, Spirit-empowered preaching, teaching, and writing.
The excesses are not just confined to one side of the “fence”, in the Church, however. In a great deal of Evangelical and ‘seeker-sensitive’ circles, the excess is of dead (or nearly dead) academia, joke-telling, social structures, or ‘feel good’ messages. We are sometimes so caught up in maintaining a certain “way” of doing things, that there is no room for a reproof, rebuke, or correction from the Spirit. We are so unfamiliar with a real genuine move of His Spirit, that if it were to come, we might even see it as a work of the flesh, or even of satanic origin. My prayer is that those of us who profess to be born-again disciples of the Lord would honestly begin to seek His face with fasting, prayer, study, worship, and praise.
We need to repent of our idols (both secular and religious), and ask for him to revive us again, and show us the course He has for us as churches, families, and individuals. The intent of this writing was not to be critical or harsh, I’m just a little weary of different ‘camps’ throwing stones at each other, instead of dealing with things biblically. We must always remember that our Lord is manifested ‘full of grace and truth’ equally. Without the truth balancing grace we slip into looseness, lack of accountability, and rampant sin. Without grace balancing truth we become harsh, judgmental, and legalistic. Neither one of these is acceptable to our Lord, nor brings Him glory or pleasure. The forgotten, missing element is His Spirit. He is the only who can teach us and lead us into balance.
But, I digress, back to the subject at hand. With all the scholarship, debate, etc., going on in the name of the Lord, why is there so much misinformation about Him, not to mention a lack of visible Christian fruit on display? While the word of God has spoken how we should be able to recognize the times and the seasons in which we live; I see an important issue that goes largely unmentioned in our discussions. While our GOD is one, He can only be accurately seen in the light of Him being Father, Son, & Spirit. Now some will begin to scream because they will say, “Trinity is not a word found in scripture”; for me that is not even the issue anymore.
Now, in this hour, the issue is one of fruitfulness, not superior debating skills. God has a people to be reached, saved, transformed, and matured to His glory. His church (especially here in post-modern America) no longer has the luxury of wasting time, for His return is more imminent than ever. The Spirit has proceeded forth from the Father and the Son, and He is the one with whom man (lost or saved) must deal with in order to access God. Not in the terms of the wild excesses of neo-Pentecostalism/Charismatic-mania/Word of Faith, but with balanced, biblical Spirit-led, Spirit-taught, Spirit-empowered preaching, teaching, and writing.
The excesses are not just confined to one side of the “fence”, in the Church, however. In a great deal of Evangelical and ‘seeker-sensitive’ circles, the excess is of dead (or nearly dead) academia, joke-telling, social structures, or ‘feel good’ messages. We are sometimes so caught up in maintaining a certain “way” of doing things, that there is no room for a reproof, rebuke, or correction from the Spirit. We are so unfamiliar with a real genuine move of His Spirit, that if it were to come, we might even see it as a work of the flesh, or even of satanic origin. My prayer is that those of us who profess to be born-again disciples of the Lord would honestly begin to seek His face with fasting, prayer, study, worship, and praise.
We need to repent of our idols (both secular and religious), and ask for him to revive us again, and show us the course He has for us as churches, families, and individuals. The intent of this writing was not to be critical or harsh, I’m just a little weary of different ‘camps’ throwing stones at each other, instead of dealing with things biblically. We must always remember that our Lord is manifested ‘full of grace and truth’ equally. Without the truth balancing grace we slip into looseness, lack of accountability, and rampant sin. Without grace balancing truth we become harsh, judgmental, and legalistic. Neither one of these is acceptable to our Lord, nor brings Him glory or pleasure. The forgotten, missing element is His Spirit. He is the only who can teach us and lead us into balance.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
The Fragrance of Eternal Life
In the economy of God’s Kingdom, he has ordained that HIS people would reflect the glory of HIS SON, in this present world, at this time. There is much debate among believers and non-believers about just what this means. One of the problems is that Christians have become extremists in our beliefs, practices, and thoughts. We can be legalistic, cold, and cruel, or we may be loose, with no sense of boundaries, responsibility, or accountability. Neither of these reflect the Father, the Son, or the Spirit’s person or nature.
We tend to paint a portrait of God that is either overly simplistic, or overly complex. Doctrine, Theology, Church history, and command of Biblical language is needful, however, all these are a means to an end and not the goal itself. The purpose of the Lord is that we individually and collectively should be His literal representation in the Earth, especially to those who do not know Him. We can only do this by knowing the one true God, and Jesus Christ that He has sent. (See John 17:3) He desires that we live fruitful lives that display his invisible attributes: love, joy, peace, patience (long-suffering), kindness, goodness, faithfulness (faith), gentleness (meekness), and self-control (temperance).
Please read: Exodus 30:34-37; 2 Corinthians 2:14-17; 4:7-12; Ephesians 5:2
The victory that Christ has won one is two-fold: He is victorious over Satan and all that has opposed His Father, and as a result has purchased a victory for believing mankind that enables us to overcome all sin, fear, and human weakness, in this life. It is an insult to God that we have not allowed His victory to become evident to those who don’t Him (and those incorrect or weak in their knowledge) by the lives we live.
Its self-examination time once again. The question is: what aroma do I carry?
Father, in the name of Jesus, we acknowledge Your holiness, love, power, patience, glory, and beauty. We repent and ask you to forgive, cleanse, and remove all our sin, iniquity, and unrighteousness. Lord, we desire to be just who and what you have ordained us to be. Let your life be lived out in us and through us from this moment forward. Allow us, O, God to spread the fragrance of the life of your Son, in whatever we do, say, or think. Let your fruit be evident in us, that your invisible attributes may be displayed to all men and know that you are God, and there is none to be compared to you. Be glorified in us, your people, Father, Amen.
We tend to paint a portrait of God that is either overly simplistic, or overly complex. Doctrine, Theology, Church history, and command of Biblical language is needful, however, all these are a means to an end and not the goal itself. The purpose of the Lord is that we individually and collectively should be His literal representation in the Earth, especially to those who do not know Him. We can only do this by knowing the one true God, and Jesus Christ that He has sent. (See John 17:3) He desires that we live fruitful lives that display his invisible attributes: love, joy, peace, patience (long-suffering), kindness, goodness, faithfulness (faith), gentleness (meekness), and self-control (temperance).
Please read: Exodus 30:34-37; 2 Corinthians 2:14-17; 4:7-12; Ephesians 5:2
The victory that Christ has won one is two-fold: He is victorious over Satan and all that has opposed His Father, and as a result has purchased a victory for believing mankind that enables us to overcome all sin, fear, and human weakness, in this life. It is an insult to God that we have not allowed His victory to become evident to those who don’t Him (and those incorrect or weak in their knowledge) by the lives we live.
Its self-examination time once again. The question is: what aroma do I carry?
Father, in the name of Jesus, we acknowledge Your holiness, love, power, patience, glory, and beauty. We repent and ask you to forgive, cleanse, and remove all our sin, iniquity, and unrighteousness. Lord, we desire to be just who and what you have ordained us to be. Let your life be lived out in us and through us from this moment forward. Allow us, O, God to spread the fragrance of the life of your Son, in whatever we do, say, or think. Let your fruit be evident in us, that your invisible attributes may be displayed to all men and know that you are God, and there is none to be compared to you. Be glorified in us, your people, Father, Amen.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The Table of The LORD...
Recently, I was asked by my Pastor to share on Communion.
The who, what, when, where, and how of it. Is it just something we
do out of religious tradition, or does it have a deep rich meaning that
makes a necessity in the life of a believer? After some study, prayer, and
meditation, the LORD really met me and impressed one thought that
will change how I view it forever: "Harold, it's all about fellowship."
Fellowship. This has to be one of the most important, and yet misunderstood
terms (and concepts) of our faith. By the grace of GOD through faith Christ,
we have union with HIM. The fruit of this union is communion which=fellowship.
In the most comprehensive passage on the table of the LORD (I Corin. 11:17-34),
the Teacher (Holy Spirit) through Paul shows us that when we have the wrong
heart and a lack of understanding, that what should produce
union/communion/fellowship, will produce division instead!
Just look at what was going on in Corinth: the communion meal was being
used as a time for people to get drunk, people were eating when they felt like it
with no sense of order, the poor among them who were short of food were neglected
by those who had an abundance, etc. The final result was both dangerous for all, and
had already produced tragic fruit for some, all as a result of receiving the cup in an
unworthy manner and not rightly recognizing the LORD's body. If I am not able to
understand my connection with my brothers & sisters in the Church, how will I be able
to grasp the deeper truths regarding my spritual position with regard to Jesus' blood and
body?
The who, what, when, where, and how of it. Is it just something we
do out of religious tradition, or does it have a deep rich meaning that
makes a necessity in the life of a believer? After some study, prayer, and
meditation, the LORD really met me and impressed one thought that
will change how I view it forever: "Harold, it's all about fellowship."
Fellowship. This has to be one of the most important, and yet misunderstood
terms (and concepts) of our faith. By the grace of GOD through faith Christ,
we have union with HIM. The fruit of this union is communion which=fellowship.
In the most comprehensive passage on the table of the LORD (I Corin. 11:17-34),
the Teacher (Holy Spirit) through Paul shows us that when we have the wrong
heart and a lack of understanding, that what should produce
union/communion/fellowship, will produce division instead!
Just look at what was going on in Corinth: the communion meal was being
used as a time for people to get drunk, people were eating when they felt like it
with no sense of order, the poor among them who were short of food were neglected
by those who had an abundance, etc. The final result was both dangerous for all, and
had already produced tragic fruit for some, all as a result of receiving the cup in an
unworthy manner and not rightly recognizing the LORD's body. If I am not able to
understand my connection with my brothers & sisters in the Church, how will I be able
to grasp the deeper truths regarding my spritual position with regard to Jesus' blood and
body?
The lessons to be learned here are many, I pray that we will begin to realize that the LORD is watching our motives and conduct with one another in HIS body. It is impossible to enjoy true communion with him, while neglecting proper fellowship with each other.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
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