Posted by John L. Rothra on April 25, 2007 under Devotional/Teaching | 
Inspirational stories permeate our society. One speaker on public television, Wayne Dyer, has made a living teaching about inspiration. The other day, while working at LifeWay, a gentleman came in asking for this particular author’s latest book on inspiration. I told him we didn’t carry Dyer’s books nor would we. He seemed shocked and asked why, since this man talks about being inspired from the inside. I had to tell the customer that Dyer was not teaching Christian, Scriptural theology, but a form of new age, Eastern mysticism. Therefore, LifeWay will not be carrying his books. The only way I knew what Dyer taught was by listening to his teachings. Despite his non-Biblical teachings, Dyer’s emphasis on inspiration motivates many.
In the search for inspiration, Christians can be easily fooled by non-Christian doctrines when they don’t know God’s word. Two of the more popular sections in LifeWay are the ‘Christian Living’ and ‘Devotional’ sections. Why do people flock to these areas? It is because these are where inspirational and self-help books are located. It would not be surprising if the equivalent sections in other Christian bookstores are the more popular areas.
People long to be inspired. On a regular basis, I receive emails with inspirational stories intended to draw me closer to God. Many of these stories and many of the Christian living and devotional books are about God, Jesus, and the Bible. Some quote Scripture or use the Bible as the basis of their teachings. However, they are not the Bible. These are not God’s word, but are merely about God’s word.
One of the more recent devotional/inspirational works is Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life. Churches, study groups, and people around the world bought this book by the case, resulting in millions of copies being sold around the world. Warren should be credited for developing a Bible-based devotional work. However, the critical problem is that many people open Rick Warren’s book instead of the Bible in order to find their inspiration and theology.
It saddens me to see how popular this and other devotional works are in the church. People flock to the Christian living, prayer, and devotional sections of LifeWay and other Christian bookstores. While churches give Bibles as gifts, many recipients then leave, put the Bible down, and buy the latest devotional book for inspiration. We are inspired by stories of modern miracles, selflessness, and the hungry children on television ads. It is my desire that more people would put down the latest devotional/inspirational books by Max Lucado, Anne Graham Lotz, Rick Warren, Stormie Omartian and others and, instead, open their Bibles. People should read the messages of the prophets, the miracles done by Christ, and the theology taught by Paul. Our greatest inspiration should come from Scripture, not from the latest Bible-based author.
The most recent booming success I’ve seen has been Joel Osteen’s work, “Your Best Life Now.” In this book, Osteen explains the steps he believes are necessary to attain the best life possible and to have it now. However, the best life is not achievable outside of Christ. We cannot obtain our best life now on our own or apart from God’s grace. Instead, we can have the best life possible only through Christ. How do we learn about God’s plan for our lives? It is not in Osteen’s book, Warren’s book, nor any other modern author. The place where we learn about God, Jesus, and how to have the best life possible is in the Bible.
Some may argue that these books are based on the Bible. While this may be true, they are not the Bible. These books are not God’s revelation to man. Christ is God’s living revelation; Scripture is God’s written revelation that points us to Christ. If you want to know God more, read the source: the Bible. Study the Scriptures.
If we want to learn good theology, read the Bible. If we want to draw closer to God, read the Bible. If we want to know the plans and purposes God reveals to us, read the Bible. If you want to know about what Christ did for you, read the Bible. If you want to know God, read the Bible.
Many people depend on pop-culture works, fiction novels, and other extra- or non-Biblical sources to learn about God. However, God gave us his word and we should seek it to learn more about God. Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1 teach us that we are to meditate on the word of God and we will be blessed. This means studying it.
While the stories of children suffering, of people helping others, and of people dying and going to heaven or hell are inspiring, how much more inspiring it would be to spend time reading the Bible! How much more inspiring it is to study the Word itself, not just books about the word! How much more blessed it is to let the Holy Spirit illuminate us, teach us, embolden us, inspire us, empower us, and draw us closer to our Lord by reading the Bible!
Posted by John L. Rothra on April 23, 2007 under Site Updates |
You may have noticed some changes on the website. Colors were added to the right column of the main site, the font size of the blog text increased, and the Digg buttons are larger. It is my desire to make the site both usable, accessible, and visibly pleasing.
Would you like to see other features or do you have ideas to improve the site? Are you skilled with CSS, PHP, and WordPress technologies? Would you like to assist in maintaining the site and help this ministry? Send an email and share your ideas and skills.
Posted by John L. Rothra on April 21, 2007 under Devotional/Teaching, Site Updates |
Three new paper are now available to be read. Two are research works and the third is a book review. You can view them and all the articles on the page for articles, research, and exegetical works.
The specific papers newly published online include:
It is my prayer that these works help you understand and appreciate your faith in Christ. If you have not yet placed your faith in Christ, let me encourage you do to do so today. If you’re not sure what’s required, read here about how you can be saved today.
Posted by John L. Rothra on April 18, 2007 under Devotional/Teaching |
The Supreme Court today ruled that the federal ban on partial birth abortions is constitutional. Various states passed state bans in recent years, with appellate courts declaring the bans unconstitutional. The federal ban was the subject of debate before the Supreme Court and the court upheld the ban.
While this ban will not impact most abortions, pro-life organizations have something to celebrate. Human life is valuable and a gift from God. The destruction of human life in the name of convenience or to reduce the risk of possible health problems is murder. Partial-birth abortion is a process where a fully viable, fully developed unborn baby is brought partially through the birth canal, then the skull is crushed in order to kill the child. I would ask, if the child is viable and can be born, why not simply give birth to the child. If the child’s presence poses a risk to the mother’s life or health, give birth to the baby so that both have the chance to live.
For more on my view, read my article on the Scriptural view of abortion.
Partial-birth abortion devalues life. When people place less value on human life, it becomes easier to destroy life. Those who treasure life and place great value on life want to do everything possible to preserve it. Those who devalue life are willing to take a life and commit murder.
Why do people weep when a madman slaughters thirty-two innocent people at Virginia Tech, but turn around and support the wanton slaughter of thousands of innocent unborn babies. We should weep for the loss of life at Virginia Tech. We should also weep when a person destroys the life of an unborn, innocent child, even if it is in the name of medicine. Why, then, do many have no problem with abortions? Because man renamed the unborn baby so that it’s no longer an unborn child or unborn baby. Instead, it’s an embryo and fetus. Embryos and fetuses are easier to kill than a child. How often do we rename humans so that its easier to kill them? What names did we give to Germans, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese soldiers? We didn’t kill people, we killed whatever non-human name was chosen.
I believe this ruling is a good one. For it holds that partial-birth abortions are simply justified murder. There are other options available and those other options should be sought out. If we live in a country that allows the murder of innocent people, whether born or unborn, it should not surprise anyone when a madman walks in and slaughters innocent people.
It is my prayer that the abortion rate drops further. There are some things we must realize.
- If you don’t want to have a child, don’t have sex! When you have sex, children are likely. However, man today wants to enjoy the physical pleasure and not deal with the consequences, so we kill the innocent child. If you don’t have enough self control to resist, then find someone to help you resist. However, people can resist the temptation, but simply choose not to resist.
- If you do get pregnant and don’t want the child, give it up for adoption. Some will say, “the stress of giving birth is too great” or “it’s too hard to give up a child.” Then, again, don’t have sex. However, there are many loving families who are willing and wanting to adopt. Don’t murder the child for your convenience.
- Pregnancy, by nature, is a health risk. Every pregnancy involves some sort of health risk to the mother. That is why much care is given to explain how to reduce the risks of problems. Many health risks are avoidable because they are caused by smoking, drinking alcohol, or other unhealthy living styles. However, much of the time, doctors want to abort the child not because the mother absolutely will have problems, but simply because the odds of a possible problem are increased. In a world where scientific certainty is the mantra, doctors and parents kill children based on odds, not certainties. Odds are not a reason to kill.
There are choices we all face. There are consequences for our choices. In a way, I can say that I’m pro-choice. However, that choice is whether or not to have sex. Those who choose to have sex and get pregnant must live with the consequences. Those who murder the innocent children will be held accountable for their choices. Also, I’m pro-life, in that I believe the child’s life is valuable and should be protected. Life is not something to throw away like an empty soda bottle. Life is to be treasured.
Posted by John L. Rothra on April 16, 2007 under General |
I cannot imagine the severity of pain felt by those whose friends and family members were murdered on the campus of Virginia Tech University on April 16, 2007. The only thing I do know and understand is that it hurts deeply. Questions will be asked regarding why the person killed thirty-two people. Because the man killed himself afterward, the answer to this question will likely never be known. Why does anyone kill another in cold blood? Why does a person walk onto a campus and commit such violent destruction of human life?
I call on all believers to seek God to send servants to this mission field. Furthermore, all believers are to ask God to draw the families and friends of the victims closer to himself. Peace, hope, and love are greatly needed in this time of chaos, anguish, and pain. If you know someone there and are able to visit them, I encourage you to share with them the love of God. Only God’s love, grace, and work can ultimately bring hope out of the hopelessness. Only the work of the Holy Spirit in individual lives brings change.
This is a call to prayer for God to act in the lives of those who are suffering. May God send his servants to this field; may those he calls respond and go. May the love of Christ reach those to whom his servants minister and save some. I pray that grace abounds in this time of sorrow. I pray that new lives in Christ are born out of this tragic ending of human life.
I say again, to all believers who read this: Pray!
