Welcome To Heartbreak

Posted on by metroupe

One of the things I have been trying to do lately is to pay closer attention to the culture around me so that I can understand what people actually believe and eventually find the “cracks in the armor” that may present an opportunity to share the truth of Christ. I love it when I can allow other people, especially people who don’t even confess faith in Jesus, to make a point for me. These are the lyrics to the rap song “welcome to heartbreak” by Kanye West. I think this is a candid admission of the emptiness of life apart from the grace of God, and things like this may help to provide an open door with people that would otherwise be closed.

Welcome To Heartbreak lyrics

My friend showed me pictures of his kids
And all I could show him was pictures of my cribs
He said his daughter got a brand new report card
And all I got was a brand new sports car, oh

And my head keeps spinning
Can’t stop having these visions, I gotta get with it
And my head keeps spinning
I can’t stop having these visions, I gotta get with it

Dad cracked a joke, all the kids laughed
But I couldn’t hear him all the way in first class
Chased the good life my whole life long
Look back on my life and my life gone
Where did I go wrong?

And my head keeps spinning
Can’t stop having these visions, I gotta get with it
And my head keeps spinning
I can’t stop having these visions, I gotta get with it

I’ve seen it, I’ve seen it before
I’ve seen it, I’ve seen it before
I’ve seen it, I’ve seen it before
I’ve seen it, I’ve seen it before

Oh my God, sister getting married by the lake
But I couldn’t figure out who I’d wanna take
Bad enough that I showed up late
I had to leave before they even cut the cake
Welcome to heartbreak

And my head keeps spinning
Can’t stop having these visions, I gotta get with it
And my head keeps spinning
I can’t stop having these visions, I gotta get with it

And I and I can’t stop
No, no, I can’t stop
No, no, no, no, I can’t stop
No, no, no, no, I can’t stop

Can’t stop, I can’t stop, I can’t stop
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
No, no, no, no
No, no, I can’t stop

I can’t stop having these visions
I gotta get with it

Lock the Church!

Posted on by metroupe

Get equipped, and then get out of the church and into the world!

“Despite his insistence on the primacy of the church, Calvin knew the church had its limits. John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress illustrates these limits well. In his classic allegory, Bunyan calls the church “the house built by the Lord of the HIll for the safety and rest of pilgrims.” Bunyan has his main character, Christian, enter this house, the church; he has him “fed,” his allegory for the sermon and for the Lord’s Supper; and he has him led into the armory, where he is equipped. Then Bunyan has the keepers of the house send him away, out into the world. Calvin did the same for his parishioners by locking the church doors after the service. Christians, having been fed and equipped, refreshed and nourished, are to be in the world, according to Calvin…Calvin locked the church doors so the church could be in the world…Calvin locked the church doors after the service because he wanted the church to be salt and light in the world that God made and entrusted to us.”

Stephen Nichols, The Reformation, Crossway Books: 2007, pg. 79-82.

10 (or more) Reasons I love My Mom

Posted on by metroupe

I decided to sit down and come up with at least 10 things I could say to honor my mom and show her how much I love her. This is a great exercise to show our cranky hearts how thankful we should be, and a wonderful way to honor the one who brought you into the world.

10 (or more) Reasons I love my Mom

1. Mom thanks for coming to all my games when I was a kid. I was constantly playing football, baseball, and basketball and you were always there to support me, and even embarrass me with your Kazoo. Thanks for driving me back and forth to so many activities while I was growing up.
2. Mom I love you because you taught me how to iron my own clothes when I was little. This is a small thing, but I think altogether you showed me how to care about my appearance.
3. Mom, I love you because I have a memory of being very small and you holding me close. I can remember having my head up against your chest and remembering how comforting your voice sounded to me. Thanks for being such a tender mom. I was born in 1973, the year that Roe V. Wade was passed. I know I came along “unexpected.” Thanks for keeping me.
4. Mom, thank you for always making a big deal out of the little successes in my life. You always encouraged me when I got good grades or had some kind of achievement, big or little. That has helped me to learn how to be a better dad. Thanks, also for continuing to be proud of me as an adult when I succeed and do well. I love you for that!
5. Mom, I love you because you always let us have dogs when we were growing up. Thanks for letting me have the dog in the house, and even letting her sleep on my bed when I was younger.
6. Mom, I love you because you are a generous person. I can always remember you giving things to people out of kindness. Sometimes you gave gifts, sometimes you gave extra things to customers at our family restaurant. When I was growing up you always showered me with kindness and good presents. Thanks for teaching me to be generous.
7. Mom, thank you for disciplining me when I was a child, and never abusing me. I am sure I deserved much more than I got. You were always patient with me. Thanks!
8. Mom, I Iove you because you have stayed with Dad your whole life. I am thankful that even though you disagreed sometimes, I don’t ever remember a real “fight” while I was growing up. Your commitment to one another is a blessing that I am sure I still do not fully appreciate.
9. Mom, thanks for loving my wife. I think that you were supportive and kind to her from the time we first met. She has been a wonderful wife, and you have always showed your acceptance and approval of her. You have always made her feel welcome in our family. I love you for that!
10. Mom, thanks for taking me camping so often when we were kids. Thanks for letting me be in the boy scouts and do dangerous things without freaking out all the time. Thanks for not freaking out when I crashed the car, 2 times in high school.
11. Mom, I love you for teaching me not to use drugs, and giving me so many positive memories and blessing so that I never really felt pressured to go down that path.

You’re Kidding Right? The Ridiculous Truth About the Prosperity Gospel

Posted on by metroupe

I saw a link to the “Victory Church” in Oklahoma, and I was checking out their statement of faith. I have found myself stuck between laughing so hard that I am crying, and shaking my head in disbelief. Is this for real? or is this a joke? If I wanted to mock the prosperity gospel I don’t think I could come up with a better parody myself. On the other hand, I feel that my faith is so weak…. that I never thought to pray for “Rebates and Returns.” It says:

“OFFERING OF THANKS
As we bring our tithes and offerings unto the Lord, we are believing for:

Jobs & Better Jobs
Raises & Bonuses
Benefits
Sales & Commissions
Growth in Business
Settlements
Estates & Inheritances
Interest & Income
Rebates & Returns
Checks in the Mail
Gifts & Surprises
Finding Money
Bills Paid Off
Bills Decreased
Blessings & Increase

Thank you Lord for meeting all of my financial needs, that I may have more than enough to give into the Kingdom of God and promote the gospel of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!”

This seems a far cry from Paul’s words I Tim 6:6-11:

“Godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. 11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.”

 

Judgment is Not Enough

Posted on by metroupe

When I took microbiology I learned that in order to sterilize our equipment and culture media (the agar, the gel stuff that is used to grow bacteria) every single bacteria and spore had to be destroyed. If even just one survived, then in the space of several days it could reproduce at an exponential rate producing millions more. In order to do this, we used an autoclave. From time to time we would use disinfectants to clean our work areas, and this was helpful, but it did not assure that every germ was destroyed. Additionally, in an attempt to grow bacteria on a Petri dish we would perform a special procedure (called “streaking for isolation”) in order to test a colony of bacteria that grew from a single bacterium.

I thought of this while reading Genesis 7 this morning. The Lord puts Noah and his family on the ark, and floods the world. Human evil was so bad that God wiped out the world with a flood, like a bunch of disinfectant. But Noah—a righteous man—and his sons survive to provide a fresh start. It is not long after the floodwaters recede that we find that not only has Noah’s family survived, but so has the problem of sin and corruption. In Genesis 9:20-28 we see that this lone family experiences serious “dysfunction” through alcohol abuse and sexual sin. The problem of evil had survived because it was located in the fallen hearts of people.

We read in other places how people respond to God’s discipline and judgment with anger and hatred. In Rev 16:9 we read, “and men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.” It would appear once again that judgment is not enough to remove sin. It is like a disinfectant that can sometimes restrain it. The inevitable question confronts us: is there any hope at all for the elimination of evil?

Hebrews 12:23 speaks of those who are, “registered in heaven,” where we find “the spirits of just men made perfect.” This will be the payment in full of the plan of the gospel to redeem fallen men through Jesus. Romans 8:29-31 tells us that the final destination of those who believe in Jesus is to be “glorified,” and to be made into the “image of His son.” The bad news of judgment alone is not sufficient to remove sin, it takes the good news of grace to do that. This is why Peter tells us “gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (I Peter 1:13) The return of Jesus is a day of expectation for believers even though it is a day of judgment. It is a day of expectation because it will be a day of grace, and we are to look in hope towards that future day in order to have strength to live in the present.

A Question that You Must Answer!

Posted on by metroupe

“Is there any meaning in my life that the inevitable death awaiting me does not destroy?”
from Leo Tolstoy, “A Confession”

Example of A Baby Born Alive in an Abortion, and Left to Die

Posted on by metroupe

It really happens…..

http://www.buffalonews.com/260/story/570428.html

Fight the Freedom of Choice Act

Posted on by metroupe

Here is a website that documents the attempts of the Obama administration and others to remove any restrictions on abortion via the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). It attempts to make abortion on demand a national right by doing the following:

  • FOCA will do away with state laws on parental involvement, on partial birth abortion, and on all other protections.
  • FOCA will compel taxpayer funding of abortions.
  • FOCA will force faith-based hospitals and healthcare facilities to perform abortions.

Check out this website for videos, information and a petition: http://www.fightfoca.com/

Perceptive Thoughts on Obama’s Inaugeration Speech

Posted on by metroupe

Cal Thomas, a Christian journalist who is syndicated and shows up in print all over the place writes perceptively about President Obama’s Speech. Here is a quote:

“The media coverage of the inauguration gave a preview of how they might cover the Second Coming. It was total worship. No doubts were expressed; no questions about his ability to do anything — from healing the economy to bringing peace to the Middle East. “

I didn’t think of this at first, but since reading this, I have to say that I don’t think I heard anyone challenge or be critical of his speech and agenda. That is a little scary.

Photographing the President

Posted on by metroupe

Here is a link to a great 5 minute video that records some of the experiences of 2 photographers that followed George W. Bush for 8 years. It includes some great photos and a narration from these men with commentary on their perception of the president.