End of a Journey

I started this Blog exactly four years ago when I was a different person with a different purpose. Then I was a guy with an opinion, seeking to celebrate a journey. Now, I'm a guy with an opinion, but no longer convinced this medium is adequate for sharing, interacting and growing.

I'm still celebrating my journey from the foot of the cross, but the process of expressing that and sharing that will be different going forward.

In Christ,
Mark

Somewhere
Beyond these reasons and feelings
Somewhere
Beyond the passion and fatigue
I know You're there
And that Your Spirit is leading me
Somewhere
Beyond all this

The Reality of Christ

Please watch this video to see evidence of the Reality of Christ.



(HT: Between Two Worlds)

Fewer Abortions

President Obama says he'll remove protections for pro-life medical professionals - rescinding the Conscience Clause - and force physicians and nurses to participate in abortion procedures (see FOCA).

All this from the guy who says he wants fewer abortions.

That is kind of like someone who says he wants fewer incidents of under age drinking and then promotes legislation to force liquor store owners to sell liquor to anyone buying, regardless if they feel otherwise.

Mr. President, I have a humble suggestion for you. If you are honest when you say you want fewer abortions, then make it illegal.

But here is a more important question: Why does he want fewer abortions? If there is nothing morally suspect about abortion, why reduce them? Why not increase them?

As you see on STR and LTI, the answer to this question ultimately lies in the answer to another: What is the unborn?

If the unborn is not a human person, then no justification for abortion is necessary.

If the unborn is a human person, then no justification for abortion is adequate.

“Dumb” Preaching

Matt Chandler, in this video, captures one of the main visions I have for being a pastor. Note how he focuses on Christ... (HT: Extreme Theology)

Faith. Yeah Faith.

After a blogging dry season (call it complete overload in all other areas of life), I'm trying to return. I'm starting back slowly, trying to catch a wind, per se...“just look cute and cuddly boys, cute and cuddly...”

FAITH. Yeah, faith. What in the world is faith anyway? How does it work? What does it look like?

Right now, I'm in a place where much faith is needed. My future as I draw it seems so simple, and yet when I look at the reality of things beginning to crack and crumble around me I'm wondering what the future holds. I'm reminded that my understanding of what should happen may be in stark contrast to what my Master has in mind for me.

So I have FAITH. How does that work?

The writer of Hebrews says it like this: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). Being sure of what we hope for? Well, now that involves something more than a blind jump now doesn't it? This implies more. Being certain of what we do not see? This calls for something quite different than what the world claims faith to be.

G.K. Chesterton once wrote: “A man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about the truth; this has been exactly reversed.”

Isn't this the case? We think if we can just get our minds wrapped around things we can figure it all out. That is certainly how I am. But, oh boy, the world doesn't fit to our understanding, does it?

But you know the writer of Hebrews didn't just toss us that verse and say, “This is your plan for conquering life. Enjoy!” Uhh, no.

Instead, the author proceeds to then give us a myriad of examples. Real people doing real things, having real problems, dealing with real emotions, being broken in a very real way. And, in every case believing what they had been told. Not doing something, believing something. Not trying something, believing something.

“Faith is believing what you know to be true and trustworthy.” These people had encountered the living God. They knew His nature, His purpose and in many cases His plan. But at some point, they had to believe Him. They had to trust Him.

I'm in that place. Needing to trust Him. I know He is true, and I know that He is trustworthy. I know His nature. I know His purpose. I don't know His exact plan, but I know His overarching plan.

I need to believe what I already know to be true. In so many ways we all have knowledge of things, of people. But in the end, we don't trust what we know. We don't hang onto the true reality of the situation, and instead try to create our own.

I need to believe what I know to be true. Only He can help me to do that. I believe that He can, and I trust that He will.

Now here is the ultimate irony! In Hebrews 11, after the author provides a bulleted list of the faithful, he reminds us of this critical fact: “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39-40).

There is a greater purpose for us to trust in...a greater purpose that is bigger than us individuals, bigger than us as a group. It is His plan for His kingdom.

Amen. Come Lord Jesus.

Listen To Your Life

HT: BW3

An Open Letter to President-Elect Obama

Mr. Obama,

Congratulations on your historic victory. I do agree with you that this election is evidence of the fact that the opportunity to be president of our land is not restricted in the same ways it used to be. I join in the celebration of millions about what your victory represents for so many people in America who have been discriminated against because of some sort of quality about their person: their color, their ethnicity, their appearance, their background or their age.

And, it is precisely because of this celebration that I am sad. In our society, there is still one people group that is being discriminated against based upon a quality about their person: those who are not yet old enough to have escaped their mother's womb. With utter irony, the primary defense of those who choose to kill those precious children is that they are not yet persons.

Did you catch that Mr. President-Elect? Do you see the irony of that, especially in light of the historic nature of your victory? People think that those children, simply because of their age, that they are not persons.

In your victory speech from Chicago last night, you said that you would listen most carefully to those who disagree with you. Well, on the subject of the unborn, I'm seeking your ear. I ask you to consider this simple logic (which was coined by Greg Koukl of str.org):

If abortion IS NOT the ending of a human person's life, then no justification for abortion is necessary.

If abortion IS the ending of a human person's life, then no justification for abortion is adequate.

Please be honorable and do what you said in your speech. Let's dialog about this matter as a country. Listen to those who disagree with you. I understand that my side needs to listen too, and that we need to make concessions too. But, you said last night we can work together. I'm taking you at your word.

If you really want to unite this country, then don't play party politics with the unborn. Let's sit down and talk about this. Is someone who has more melanin in their skin really not a person? Is one baby that is six weeks younger than another baby really not a person? THESE TWO QUESTIONS ARE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME, MR. PRESIDENT-ELECT.

I didn't vote for you because your record has been clear: you think a younger baby is not a person. If you were truthful in your speech last night, then I look forward to an opportunity for the American people to discuss this issue together.

If you were not truthful, then you will be tarnishing the history you have made in your amazing victory.

Respectfully,
Mark Hunsaker