Blog Archives - IRONSTRIKES

Are You a Backslider?

9/30/2018

Are you a backslider?

The question is not untimely nor impertinent. Do not dismiss it readily. You may be backslidden in heart and not know it. Many are. You know that something is not right, but you never suspect that the trouble is with yourself.

You think that the preachers you hear and the papers you read are not as they used to be. The way things look to us often depends upon our own eyesight. Perhaps the difficulty may be, in part at least, with yourself. It may be that Divine truths do not affect you as they once did, because you have lost your interest in Divine things. The failure of sermons to touch you may be owing to your own hardness of heart. It is possible that even you have lost your first love. It will do no harm to look into the matter.

Roberts, B.T. Pungent Truths (Kindle Locations 1456-1462). Unknown. Kindle Edition.

A Ready Friend

9/29/2018

Dr J Wilbur Chapman told this story of one of his friends who was a boyhood companion of Robert Lincoln. He entered the Civil War and went to the front. When Robert Lincoln found that he was a private soldier, he said to a friend, "Write and tell him to write me, and I will intercede with father and get him something better."

The young soldier said, "I never took advantage of the offer, but you do know what a comfort it was to me. Often after a weary march, I would throw myself on the ground and say, 'If it become beyond human endurance, I can write to Bob Lincoln and get relief, and I would rather have his intercession than that of the cabinet, because he is a son.'"

Every true Christian knows that he has the best friend possible at the court of Heaven in the Son of God, who "ever liveth to make intercession for us."

written by L.A. Banks, page 34 in One Thousand Evangelistic Illustrations, edited by Webb, A. (1924). New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers

Overcoming Evil

9/28/2018

The apostle Paul writes to the Romans:

"Bless your persecutors; never curse them, bless them. ... Never pay back evil with evil. ... Never try to get revenge. ... If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if thirsty, something to drink. ... Do not be mastered by evil, but master evil with good" (Romans 12:14-21).

These words cut to the heart of the spiritual life. They make it clear what it means to choose life, not death, to choose blessings not curses. But what is asked of us here goes against the grain of our human nature. We will only be able to act according to Paul's words by knowing with our whole beings that what we are asked to do for others is what God has done for us.

For further reflection...

Let no-one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself cannot be tempted by anyone. - James 1: 13 (NIV)

This devotional was written by Henri Nouwen. You can find his website here: henrinouwen.org

Honest Scales

9/27/2018

A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but an accurate weight is His delight.
Proverbs 11:1

Observation:

The people who sold goods in the market had their own weights with them. They were used on the scales to balance the amount of an item being sold to someone. However, to make more money, sometimes those salespersons made sure that their weights were not quite the total weight. In this way they could sell less for a higher cost. They were cheating the consumer. God saw this as an abomination. They were to deal justly and fairly with the customers, and when doing so, God would see this and delight.

Application:

Isn’t it fascinating that God would delight in an accurate weight? I think it says a great deal about God and a sense of justice. We can just imagine that the salesmen in the market with two sets of weights, one for his friends, and another set for the customers whom he was choosing to rip off. Although, there may even have been times that he ripped off his friends too! The point being, that the salesman made a choice as to when to take advantage of someone, and this, always for his own gain.

Have we ever thought about the ways in which we put the weight onto the scale? We can create a weight of expectation and when someone doesn’t measure up to that weight, they are not given a chance. But what if that weight has impossible expectations, given the life of that individual? I believe there are times that we have intentionally placed weights of expectation on the scales just to make sure that certain people didn’t have opportunity. God sees this false balance as an abomination.

Little do we know that our own cultural bias may be a weight on the scale. Think about the ways in which we may judge someone who doesn’t speak our language (but they may speak six others!). Or what about the person who may not have our same level of education? What about an immigrant who doesn’t know when to laugh at our jokes and we make assumptions about their intelligence. The problem is the weight on the scale, not the individual.

An accurate weight, is a fair weight. We all want one! I have recently been convinced that my bathroom scale must not be correct :) You see, I want a very accurate weight (or at least I think I do) so that, if I’m losing weight, it will show me the truth. If we are going to love our neighbor, we use an accurate weight, providing open doors and opportunities based upon fairness and without bias. This is a delight to the Lord.

The accurate weight is a reminder that we must be intentionally fair when dealing with family, friends and strangers. It’s easy to judge people from what we see on the outside, and sometimes it’s hard to not use a false balance. We put a particular person on the scale as the balance and expect all others to measure up. As followers of Christ it is our responsibility to live out the justice of God by intentionally using accurate weights which extend grace and delight the Lord.

Prayer:

Lord, I realize that there are probably more times than not that I’m tempted to put a false balance on the scale. May a vision of you help me to keep the balance fair . Amen.

This post was written by Rev Carla Sunberg. You can find her original post here: reflectingtheimage.blogspot.com/search?q=honest+scales

The Lust, the Flesh, the Eyes & the Pride of Life

9/26/2018

Well, I feel
Like I have to feel
Something good all of the time
With most of life I cannot deal
But a good feeling I can feel
Even though it may not be real
And if a person, place or thing can deliver
I will quiver with delight
But will it last me for all my life
Or just one more lonely night

The lust, the flesh
The eyes
And the pride of life
Drain the life
Right out of me

Well, I see something and I want it
Bam! Right now!
No questions asked
Don't worry how much it costs me now or later
I want it and I want it fast
I'll go to any length
Sacrifice all that I already have
And all that I might get
Just to get
Something more that I don't need
And Lord, please don't ask me what for

The lust, the flesh
The eyes
And the pride of life
Drain the life
Right out of me

And I love when folks
Look right at me
And what I'm doing
Or have done
And lay it on about
How groovy I am
And that I'm looking grand
And every single word
Makes me think I'll live forever
Never knowing that they probably
Won't remember what they said tomorrow
Tomorrow I could be dead

The lust, the flesh
The eyes
And the pride of life
Drain the life
Right out of me

To hear this song by the the awesome band, the 77s, go to: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBk3oPaq4IA

Moral Outrage Alleviates Guilt

9/25/2018

Abstract -
Why do people express moral outrage? While this sentiment often stems from a perceived violation of
some moral principle, we test the counter-intuitive possibility that moral outrage at third-party transgressions is sometimes a means of reducing guilt over one’s own moral failings and restoring a moral identity.

We tested this guilt-driven account of outrage in five studies examining outrage at corporate labor exploitation and environmental destruction.

Study 1 showed that personal guilt uniquely predicted moral outrage at corporate harm-doing and support for retributive punishment. Ingroup (vs. outgroup) wrong-doing elicited outrage at corporations through increased guilt, while the opportunity to express outrage reduced guilt (Study 2) and restored perceived personal morality
(Study 3). Study 4 tested whether effects were due merely to downward social comparison and Study 5 showed that guilt-driven outrage was attenuated by an affirmation of moral identity in an unrelated context.

Rothschild, Z. K., & Keefer, L. A. (2017). A cleansing fire: Moral outrage alleviates guilt and buffers threats to one's moral identity. Motivation and Emotion, 41(2), 209-229.

Religion/Spirituality May Protect Children's Mental Health

9/24/2018

Abstract -
In the present study, we prospectively examined the associations of religious involvement in adolescence (including religious service attendance and prayer or meditation) with a wide array of psychological well-being, mental health, health behavior, physical health, and character strength outcomes in young adulthood. Longitudinal data from the Growing Up Today Study were analyzed using generalized estimating equations. Sample sizes ranged from 5,681 to 7,458, depending on outcome; the mean baseline age was 14.74 years, and there were 8–14 years of follow-up (1999 to either 2007, 2010, or 2013). Bonferroni correction was used to correct for multiple testing. All models were controlled for sociodemographic characteristics, maternal health, and prior values of the outcome variables whenever data were available.

Compared with no attendance, at least weekly attendance of religious services was associated with greater life satisfaction and positive affect, a number of character strengths, lower probabilities of marijuana use and early sexual initiation, and fewer lifetime sexual partners. Analyses of prayer or meditation yielded similar results. Although decisions about religion are not shaped principally by health, encouraging service attendance and private practices in adolescents who already hold religious beliefs may be meaningful avenues of development and support, possibly leading to better health and well-being.

Associations of Religious Upbringing With Subsequent Health and Well-Being From Adolescence to Young Adulthood: An Outcome-Wide Analysis

American Journal of Epidemiology, Sept 10, 2018

Efforts for Awakening

9/23/2018

Unless the whole community is converted, a preacher ought not to be satisfied with preaching only, or mainly, to his own members. Where this is the case, there is something wrong with the preacher. If there is no interest, he should awaken an interest. But alas! Probably none needs awakening more than himself. A man can not be deeply interested in anything without, if he tries, exciting an interest in others. This is doubly true in the great matter of salvation. A lack of interest in the congregation-much more, the lack of a congregation-proves that the preacher is spiritually dead. "Let Zion's watchmen all awake And take the alarm they give."

If you can not get the people to come to you, then go to them. Visit them at their homes. Show an interest in them, a sympathy for them. If you are in town, hold a meeting in the street, just before the time for meeting in the church. Form a procession and march, with singing in the Spirit, to the church. This never fails to draw a congregation. Keep up an interest in the meeting. Long, dull, prosy prayers and exhortations drive the people away. Get others to take a part in the meeting. Begin in the Spirit, and go on in the Spirit to the close.

Roberts, B.T. Pungent Truths (Kindle Locations 1437-1447). Unknown. Kindle Edition.

How Christ Draws

9/22/2018

A gentleman who was being urged to accept Christ, said to the preacher, "There are some things in the Bible that seem to be highly contradictory. Christ must have overestimated Himself. Once He declared that He would draw all men unto Him, and yet He hasn't done it. I know that you will remind me that He hasn't yet been lifted up before all men, but even that does not alter the case. Men go to church and listen to you; then even read the Bible, then go away and live worldly lives. They devote themselves to money-making and sensuality, and are not drawn to your Christ--at least, not more than one of them in a hundred is."

"Do you believe that there is such a thing as gravitation?" the preacher asked.

"Certainly, I do."

"Well, what is it?"

"I believe philosophers define it as being an invisible force by which all matter is drawn to the center of the earth."

The preacher stepped to the window. "Come here," he said. "Do you see those gilt balls?" pointing to the pawnbroker's sign across the street.

"Yes."

"How about the power of gravitation now? You say that it draws all matter to the center of the earth, and yet those balls have been hanging there for three years."

"Oh, well!" said the young man, his face flushing, "they are fastened to that iron rod."

"Yes," replied the preacher, "and it is so with the men of whom you speak. One is bound fast by the lusts of the flesh; and still another find his business an iron rod that holds him fast."

Christ draws all men where He is lifted up to their view, but they can resist Him if they will.

written by Mattie M Boteler, page 33 in One Thousand Evangelistic Illustrations, edited by Webb, A. (1924). New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers

Rising Above the Noise

9/21/2018

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand”
(John 10:27-28, NIV).

We live in a noisy world. It is not uncommon for me to go to a coffee shop or a café to try to get work done. Oftentimes, just when I get settled into what I think will be a quiet spot, the noise intrudes.

Even as I write this, I’m at a coffee shop where all around me is noise—men and women alike discuss relationships, future career goals, the choices that their children are making. The conversations are endless. I hear these conversations not because I am intentionally listening, but because these voices and others work their way in from all directions, combining to create a suddenly very noisy and crowded environment.

This coffee shop noise is a good reminder of how quickly and easily chaos can flood into our lives.

A quiet morning can turn into a hectic afternoon filled with meetings, appointments, and busy schedules. A peaceful bedtime can, a few hours later, become a whirlwind of morning fires to put out. Peace is often replaced with noise in the world in which we live.

As we try to stay focused among this noise, we should remember John 10:27-28, where Jesus anticipates how quickly and easily we can become distracted by the noise that tries to compete with the still, small voice of God’s Spirit. The good news is that our Shepherd can cut through and speak clearly to us in the middle of the noise, leading us into holiness, for He is fully aware that we live in a world filled with distractions.

Join me in praying for all those conversations we hear—for the relationships, future career goals, and families. Pray that all of us would allow the voice of Jesus—the Good Shepherd of His people—to rise above the distraction and the noise and lead us into His life-giving ways.

Prayer:
O Spirit of God, warm our hearts with the love of God and of Christ that we might be awakened to our opportunity to give our best to worship and serve you today and every day. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. (John Wesley)

This post was written by Charles W. Christian the managing editor of Holiness Today. You can find the original post here: holinesstoday.org/above-the-noise