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Stephen McAlpine: Jesus, Food and Sex

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Stephen McAlpine writes:

In the incessant push by the culture to justify most (not all, yet) types of sexual behaviour in society, one of the primary methods employed has been to show the poverty of thought behind the orthodox Christian view of sex.

One common method (if the recurring Facebook memes, blogs and articles in liberal journals are any indication) is to show the inconsistency of Christians when it comes to observation of the Old Testament laws in books such as Leviticus

“You’re all over the sex prohibitions like a, er, rash!” claim the articles, blogs, memes and letters to the editor, “But what about those crazy food laws?  Christians don’t seem to keep them.”  The charge of hypocrisy/stupidity/wilful hatred is then trotted out, and Christians who don’t know any better are left with a feeling of dis-ease.  Yes, what about those food laws? And what if those sex laws are no different?”

Even today I saw another round of the aforementioned “List of things the Bible also prohibits” in the Huffington Post, published, of course, to give good well-oiled, well-heeled liberals something to chuckle about around the dinner table. You know the type, they don’t have any orthodox Christian friends, but their sister once dated one called Stanley.

The argument is a crock of course, and it shouldn’t take the Christian very long to debunk it.  I say “shouldn’t” because a surprising number of Christians who hold an orthodox position on sexuality don’t know how to reject that response, and a depressing number of Christians who no longer wish to hold an orthodox position on sexuality, don’t wish to reject it.

If you are in either of those camps, then listen up. The problem you have is not simply that you do not know the Bible. By that I don’t mean you don’t necessarily know chapter and verse for things (the Huff Post article writer seems to know Leviticus pretty well after all). I mean that you do not know how the Bible is put together, how it leads in a certain direction, and most importantly, how it is fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus.

Having a clear understanding of Biblical Theology will provide you with a convincing argument against the culture’s current push, and it will debunk the memes and articles so slavishly written and read. (Of course at this point if you don’t wish to be convinced, look away now).

The answer to the vexing “all food is ok, but some sex isn’t”conundrum is answered by Jesus himself in Mark chapter 7.  And here’s the brilliance of it:  Not only does Jesus show how and why the food law are redundant in the new age of the Holy Spirit which he inaugurates, but he uses that very redundancy to demonstrate that the sex laws still do apply, in fact they apply all the more!  Brilliant eh?  Brilliant just like Jesus.

Read the rest here

The Daily Battle

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battle

We live in a battle, a war for our souls, that continues right through our life on earth.

Many christians misunderstand the nature of the battle or the purpose of their lives for that matter. Being hoodwinked by an easy gospel (“Just say this prayer to get into heaven”) robs them of the ability to follow Jesus day to day.

Jesus’ command to all his disciples is this: Follow me.

The invitation starts now, not in the next life. From the moment when we say “Yes” to Jesus we find ourselves embroiled in a war that never seems to ease. It feels like we are being torn apart by God on one side and the devil teaming with our own fallen nature on the other side.

Why does God allow satan such authority in our lives as to be speaking a constant stream of lies, enticements and suggestions?

That is because we are being trained for eternity. The goal of God’s great project that has run over several millennia is to raise up a race of men and women who have faced every testing imaginable and come through with undiluted devotion  to walking in the ways of purity and holiness.

In this daily warfare that we call life, every time we say “No” to temptation is a victory, a step forward. Every battle won, no matter how small, is a strengthening of resolve, an advance in holiness.

Even our defeats are not defeats at all when seen this way. I failed this test, this temptation, but now I  look again to  my Lord and Redeemer, and I see another weakness that will be made strong in His grace.

The trouble is that in our defeats we believe the lies of the evil one. We believe that we are not good enough, that we are broken and beyond salvation, or that this sin will for ever define us.

Don’t believe the lies. Look to the Lord. See His never-failing love, even as He welds new plates on to your armour.

Step by step, battle by battle, small victory added to victory, we become holy, more and more like Jesus, transformed from glory to glory.

 

Reflection on Luke 3:7-18

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advent1

Scripture

John answered them, “I baptise you with water, but one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptise you with Holy Spirit and with fire.”

Observation

John’s message of repentance was very strong, but it was necessary to break through religious self-righteousness The people are to produce fruits of repentance in changed lives. It is no longer enough to claim to be children of Abraham.

People ask what they are to do. Those with spare clothes should give to those who have none. Tax collectors are to take only what is due to them. Soldiers must be content with their pay.

The Messiah is coming and He will baptise with Holy Spirit and with fire. Judgement is coming, and they need to get ready.

Application

We don’t like thinking about sin and judgement, but both are real.

We need to be realistic about our relationship with the Lord.

Everyone sins and so everyone is at the risk of judgement. We need to be saved from the harvest of our own wrong doing.

Like a man thrown overboard in the middle of the ocean, we cannot save ourselves.

But Jesus reaches down and brings the promise of forgiveness, if only we will accept the gift. Then our lives are changed and our salvation assured.

Prayer

Thank you Father for the gift of salvation. I could not rescue myself, but in Jesus you reached down and rescued me. Amen.

Reflection on Philippians 1:1-11

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advent1

Scripture

I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion on the day of Jesus Christ.

Observation

Paul says that he thanks God for the church in Philippi with joy in all of his prayers for them. He is confident that the Lord, having begun a good work in them, will bring it to completion.

Paul longs for all of them with the compassion of Christ. His prayer is that they overflow with love, together with knowledge and insight. Then they will produce a harvest of righteousness through Christ for the glory and praise of God,

Application

Paul’s affection for the christians at Philippi is evident here. He clearly rejoices in their faith in Christ,

I feel like Paul in respect to my own church. When I pray for the people n my church it is always with great joy.

For some people praying can be a chore or a duty. But when we are praying for people we love, it is a joy, a pleasure.

One of the mysteries of prayer is that when we pray for people our love for them increases. At first we may do this out of a sense of duty, but as we consistently lay them before the Lord our love increases and it becomes a joy to pray.

Prayer

Lord please help me to be faithful in prayer. Give me joy in praying for the people I know. Amen.

Reflection on Micah 3:1-6

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advent1

Scripture

Then the offering of Judah and Israel will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Observation

The Lord will send His messenger to prepare the way and then He, the Lord, will appear in His temple. The messenger of the covenant is coming, and he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold.

Then the offering of Israel and Judah will be pleasing to the Lord.

The Lord will come to judge sorcerers, adulterers, those who swear falsely and those who oppress the workers, widows and orphans. The Lord does not change and that is why He has protected the children of Israel.

Application

There seems to be a mixed message here, but t is actually two threads of the one message. On the one hand it is good news that the Lord is coming and He will restore His people. But on the other hand, He will judge all who live in sinful, oppressive or deceitful ways.

God does not change. His agenda has always been to raise up a people who will walk in humble fellowship and obedience to Him. God wants people to be holy, both as a sign of His presence with us and also because a life of righteous dedication to the Lord is the most fruitful and rewarding life possible.

As we prepare to celebrate the coming of the Lord Jesus, we need to search our hearts and allow the Holy Spirit to clean out everything that is unclean.

Prayer

Lord come and dwell in my heart. I ask you to remove everything that displeases you so that I may be holy in every part of my being. Amen.

The Start of a Revolution

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Every now and again I see a report that makes me think, “This is a radical breakthrough.” This I think could be the start of a huge technological revolution, as big as the digital revolution of last century.

From the ABC:

Cyber plants: Scientists create analogue, digital electronic circuits inside living flowers

Updated about 3 hours ago

An illustration of the electronically-augmented rosePHOTO: An illustration of the electronically-augmented rose.(Supplied: Linoping University)
MAP: Sweden

Scientists have created the world’s first electronically augmented plant, building analogue and digital circuits inside living flowers using semi-conductive polymers.

The team of researchers at Linkoping University in Sweden added the polymers to water, which were dissolved and absorbed through a rose’s natural vascular system where they formed electrical components that resembled wires.

The wires were able to spread evenly through the plant, forming conductive structures up to 10 centimetres long without restricting its ability to carry water and nutrients.

Everything occurs naturally, and we use the plants’ own very advanced, unique systems.

Professor Magnus Berggren

From there scientists were able to create simple transistors, switching the current through the wires on and off, and also used vacuum infiltration to send another polymer into the rose leaf, creating a basic display with pixels partitioned by veins.

The rudimentary display allowed the research group, under the leadership of Professor Magnus Berggren, to change the colour of the leaf to different shades of green.

“Now we can really start talking about ‘power plants’ — we can place sensors in plants and use the energy formed in the chlorophyll, produce green antennas or produce new materials,” Professor Berggren said.

“Everything occurs naturally, and we use the plants’ own very advanced, unique systems.

“As far as we know, there are no previously published research results regarding electronics produced in plants. No one’s done this before.”

The research, published in Science Advances, “paves the way for new technologies and tools based on the amalgamation of organic electronics and plants in general”, the report read.

“Distributed conducting wires and electrodes along the stems and roots and in the leaves are preludes to electrochemical fuel cells, charge transport, and storage systems that convert sugar produced from photosynthesis into electricity, in vivo.”