Recently, my wife was informed that a family member's son was either diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, or the parent believes the child has it. From what we know of the child, he does not have autism or anything organic like that.
What then is going on here? HE'S A KID, AND ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE ENERGETIC!!! Such labels are mostly an excuse to not take the initiative to parent as God commands, which takes work. It's much easier to give out comatose pills or write off bad behavior as ADD or ADHD, but that's not what the Lord desires us to do as parents.
It is true that bad disciplinary habits, which includes too much multi-media like tv and videogames, fuels a childs inability to act with restraint. However, a child has an enormous amount of energy. What a child usually needs is structure in his or her life and some time to run around outside or expend energy in some other physical way if at all possible.
Therefore, reduce activities that hinder imagination and increase activities that encourage the senses to act instead of merely absorb vegetatively. Take responsibility for your child's upbringing instead of allowing the tv to raise your child into a mind-numbing sedentary lifestyle.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Economic Class Warfare: A Biblical Response
A prevailing influx of marxist ideals has flooded American economics. Socialism has been present for over a century, but it is far more open today than ever before. At the root of this is class warfare, which states that one group should have its wealth redistributed to another less wealthy group. It is the philosophy that everyone should have the same amount of wealth. How do we think about this as Christians?
We are commanded to give freely and cheerfully to those in difficult impoverished situations and to the ministry of the Word. However, should the government force one to do this? It works like this. The government elite establishes a tax system takes from a wealthier group and then redistrubutes this property to whomever it wishes.
Besides the problem of determining how much should be taken and redistributed, the very heart of this system is an abolition of the 10th Commandment of Thou Shalt Not Covet. If my neighbor earns more money than I do, I should not covet and demand that he redistribute part of his hard earned wealth to me.
Nothing in Scripture demands that my neighbor nor I be compelled by the government to redistribute our property. Ultimately, this system stifles economic growth because it disincentivises people to work hard. Why work hard when I have to give half of it to my lazy neighbor? Even before the Fall, man was commanded to work by keeping the garden, and Adam would have gained the fruit of his labor. The difference now is that labor is arduous and not always as pleasant as we'd like it to be.
Therefore, be content with your wages as Christ commanded, and do not covet your neighbor's property, for that is evil and wicked in the eyes of the Lord! Rather, rejoice when others are blessed financially in diligence of their labor! To Him be the glory! Amen!
We are commanded to give freely and cheerfully to those in difficult impoverished situations and to the ministry of the Word. However, should the government force one to do this? It works like this. The government elite establishes a tax system takes from a wealthier group and then redistrubutes this property to whomever it wishes.
Besides the problem of determining how much should be taken and redistributed, the very heart of this system is an abolition of the 10th Commandment of Thou Shalt Not Covet. If my neighbor earns more money than I do, I should not covet and demand that he redistribute part of his hard earned wealth to me.
Nothing in Scripture demands that my neighbor nor I be compelled by the government to redistribute our property. Ultimately, this system stifles economic growth because it disincentivises people to work hard. Why work hard when I have to give half of it to my lazy neighbor? Even before the Fall, man was commanded to work by keeping the garden, and Adam would have gained the fruit of his labor. The difference now is that labor is arduous and not always as pleasant as we'd like it to be.
Therefore, be content with your wages as Christ commanded, and do not covet your neighbor's property, for that is evil and wicked in the eyes of the Lord! Rather, rejoice when others are blessed financially in diligence of their labor! To Him be the glory! Amen!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Continued Loss of Moral Authority
As a former active duty military officer, I cringed when I read about the of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Besides the uncomfortableness of close quarters in barracks and showering with openly gay service members, the decline of moral authority ought to be our primary concern as we think about this Biblically.
The major enemy that we fight today is set within an Islamic context. This repeal gives muslims one more reason why they have the moral authority in this war and why we are losing it. Male soldiers parading around in lipstick and dresses (many gay men and women are cross dressers) will definitely not give America credibility in the Islamic world but only worsen our image as the show piece of immorality.
Though I abhor Islam, Sharia Law, and Islam's various idolatries, I find myself agreeing with them on several moral issues like abortion, pornography, and of course the detestation of homosexual sin. However, if we are fighting a war because we believe we have the moral authority to do so, that proves difficult as we become more debauched.
Piece by piece we are rapidly losing our moral authority to wage war against our enemies. Did not Israel of old face the same dilemma? Once they lost moral authority and became worse than their enemies, exile was close at hand. For this reason, our economic class warfare woes that are usually on the front page are only a tip of our moral depravity.
Might we repent before we are ravaged by an enemy who is slowing gaining in moral authority as we turn to the Baals and the Ashteroths in our desire for liberty to worship any god except the One True God.
The major enemy that we fight today is set within an Islamic context. This repeal gives muslims one more reason why they have the moral authority in this war and why we are losing it. Male soldiers parading around in lipstick and dresses (many gay men and women are cross dressers) will definitely not give America credibility in the Islamic world but only worsen our image as the show piece of immorality.
Though I abhor Islam, Sharia Law, and Islam's various idolatries, I find myself agreeing with them on several moral issues like abortion, pornography, and of course the detestation of homosexual sin. However, if we are fighting a war because we believe we have the moral authority to do so, that proves difficult as we become more debauched.
Piece by piece we are rapidly losing our moral authority to wage war against our enemies. Did not Israel of old face the same dilemma? Once they lost moral authority and became worse than their enemies, exile was close at hand. For this reason, our economic class warfare woes that are usually on the front page are only a tip of our moral depravity.
Might we repent before we are ravaged by an enemy who is slowing gaining in moral authority as we turn to the Baals and the Ashteroths in our desire for liberty to worship any god except the One True God.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
2010: A Great Year
2010 held an incredible amount of ministry opportunities both inside and outside of the home. We settled into our new home (at least new to us) and spent countless hours with family and friends in our 'Casa Fiesta'. We love to host folks and look forward to that again in 2011.
With the arrival of Shiphrah in mid-August, we were all maxed out on the energy scale, so I had to take some time off from everything going on with the Nepalese, which was a difficult but critical family decision.
Nevertheless, the Nepali work over 2010 went exceptionally well. We were introduced to several new families, and I was able to spent a tremendous amount of time in their homes on a regular basis, which is something I was not able to much of 2009.
I was also able to squeeze in an Apologetic Conference out in Dallas and a small one for a home school co-op here in Atlanta.
Though much of my focus has been at home for the past four months, I have not bee idle in my studies. On the contrary, I have been able to spend an incredible amount of time in Hebrew and Greek. I continue developing my linguistic skills in order to understand the Bible at a deeper level and to use these skills for future language work. Linguistics are a lot like mastering an instrument; it takes regular time over a number of years. It can seem like you are treading water with grammar and vocab forever, but the light at the end of the tunnel starts to appear as
words and concepts start to cement in your mind. Before you know it, the text begins to leap off of the page like never before!
We continue to pray about the focus of the The Jeramy Anderson Evangelistic Association this next year, and much of that will be dictated by my work schedule which may or may not change in a few months. In time, I hope to be able to put more time into this exciting ministry, so please pray for a change of schedule that will better accomodate this.
To Him be the glory! Amen!
With the arrival of Shiphrah in mid-August, we were all maxed out on the energy scale, so I had to take some time off from everything going on with the Nepalese, which was a difficult but critical family decision.
Nevertheless, the Nepali work over 2010 went exceptionally well. We were introduced to several new families, and I was able to spent a tremendous amount of time in their homes on a regular basis, which is something I was not able to much of 2009.
I was also able to squeeze in an Apologetic Conference out in Dallas and a small one for a home school co-op here in Atlanta.
Though much of my focus has been at home for the past four months, I have not bee idle in my studies. On the contrary, I have been able to spend an incredible amount of time in Hebrew and Greek. I continue developing my linguistic skills in order to understand the Bible at a deeper level and to use these skills for future language work. Linguistics are a lot like mastering an instrument; it takes regular time over a number of years. It can seem like you are treading water with grammar and vocab forever, but the light at the end of the tunnel starts to appear as
words and concepts start to cement in your mind. Before you know it, the text begins to leap off of the page like never before!
We continue to pray about the focus of the The Jeramy Anderson Evangelistic Association this next year, and much of that will be dictated by my work schedule which may or may not change in a few months. In time, I hope to be able to put more time into this exciting ministry, so please pray for a change of schedule that will better accomodate this.
To Him be the glory! Amen!
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