DG Conference blog

I just saw today that the Desiring God 2006 National Conference has started a blog. The topic of the conference is The Supremacy of Christ in a Post-Modern World, so I imagine that will be the general idea of most of those posts.

Check it out.

-JRO

The value of memory

I've been thinking some lately about the value of remembering certain things in life and how key that is. Now, thankfully (at least for me), I don't think that includes stuff like where I left my keys, why I went into a room, and things like that- if it did, I'd be in trouble.

But, what I mean is making an effort to remember things like where I find my hope and security, who God is, what God has done throughout the course of history and what He's done in my life. It seems like when we lose sight of some of this, it's so much easier to fall into self-pity, resentment, discouragement and things like that.

I think Psalm 42 does a pretty good job of hitting at this. The psalmist at one point (verse 5) is essentially preaching to his own soul. He's reminding himself of who God is and what He's done. Too often I find that I allow bad or sinful thoughts to dwell in my head rather than clinging to Scripture to remind myself of what is true. For example, a lot of times when something seemingly bad happens, I'll end up thinking about how bad things are in my life and how much I'd rather things be different, as opposed to being thankful for all the good that's in my life and how God might be using this situation to teach me or grow me up. Or, just today, I noticed myself being kind of joyful about being secure financially and I had to immediately fight that by reminding myself of where my real security comes from (God) and how fleeting things like CD's and IRA's are.

Sometime back I was encouraged by a Christian brother to keep a journal of what God is teaching me. That has proven to be a good discipline (when I actually do it)- it helps me to look back at sometime in the past and see how God did something cool in my life or even how He brought me through a difficult time. So, I'll continue to try to discipline myself to memorize Scripture and keep a journal... 2 big keys that have benefited me greatly.

-JRO

Could have fooled me

Here's one to tuck away in the interesting information category: take a wild guess as to which city is rated the #18 in the country in terms of number of single people. Well, your guess probably wouldn't be any closer to right than mine. It's Greenville (yes, Greenville, NC).

Check it out at Money Magazine.

Kind of frustrating if you ask me. One of my excuses for the generally poor condition of my love life has always been there aren't that many single people here. Guess I can't use that one anymore. Maybe I'll clarify it by saying there aren't that many single, Christian, intelligent, not crazy women in Greenville who want to date me. Maybe that'll work better.

Interestingly enough, we don't do so hot on some other categories: average salary, crime, job growth, etc. But apparently we have a lot of single people (and good air quality).

-JRO

"Christian" Books

I enjoy going to Barnes & Noble to look at books, check out what's new, or just hang out. It seems like I can't escape any B&N without visiting the Christian book section to see what they have and especially which titles by some of my favorite authors they have. Lately it seems I'm discouraged when I look through the selection of some of the more popular books.

Of course, the most prominent books are the latest thing. With the exception of CS Lewis, good luck finding many books written by dead authors. For that matter, even some older books by current authors. I suppose people want the latest thing, so they're only responding to customer demand; it's hard to fault them for that.

It's also irritating to see books that really aren't Christian at all passed off as such and offered in the Christian book section. There is of course the latest heresy of the daVinci Code and things like that. Perhaps more disturbing are things like the emerging church movement, which seems to deny absolute truth and certainty in faith, the liberal church movement (again, losing sight of absolute truth, refusing to deal with sin or discipline).

Then, we get into the world of books written by those considered to be evangelicals and what do we find? One popular book that is basically promoting the prosperity gospel written by a pastor of a very large, influential church. Another author who is very popular and prolific doesn't believe in the Trinity. I could probably think of some more examples if I tried, but I think you get the point. Even those who we label as evangelicals seem to be slipping away from the truth of Scripture.

Of course, heresy has always been around. Interestingly enough, a lot of the same false teaching around today has been around since Biblical times; just read some of the NT letters to get a feel for that. But what does seem to be getting worse as of late is those who seem willing to distort or overlook the truth of Scripture in order to make people feel better, to be more welcoming, etc. Truth is truth and we have a responsibility to embrace, practice and teach it. Jesus told us that the Gospel would divide people. Now, I don't think that's an excuse to not try to reach people and love people regardless of where they are, but it does show us that watering down the Bible for the sake of bringing people in doesn't work. That's not how God intended it.

How nice would it be to have a bookstore with lots of Christ-centered books grounded solidly in Scripture by wise saints! I guess I'll have to deal with what I can get for now.

-JRO

#8- The Christian & Giving

OK, time for a slightly more controversial post ;-)

If you walk into the sanctuary at about any American church, when it comes time for the offering, what do you hear? You hear the pastor mention something about the giving of tithes. We're essentially taught that we are to give God 10% of our earnings- that's the way a lot of churches teach giving. However, it's my conviction that this is not the proper model for Christians to use in giving. Let me attempt to explain this and also what the proper model for giving is.

The tithe originated during the Old Covenant era. The tithe was one of several giving requirments imposed on Israelites by God. God promised to bless them if they would bring their tithes and offerings to Him (Malachi 3). But, we as Christians, are no longer under the Old Covenant. We are under the New Covenant brought about by Christ. So, instead of looking to OT law, we should look to the teaching of the NT to establish a model for Christian giving. That's not to say that the OT isn't relevant for us in Christian living. But, we need to understand that OT law was the conditions of the covenant between God and Israel, not the covenant between God and His new covenant church. Therefore, things like tithing and other parts of the OT law, which applied to Israel, don't apply to Christians. For more on

That's why God gave us 2 Corinthians 8 & 9. This establishes the model of sowing generously- we decide in our hearts before God what to give and give joyfully. For some this may be 10%, but I would dare say for most all American believers it needs to be higher. We live in a society so much more prosperous than ancient Israel, so I think 10% is inadequate. But, that's ultimately up to you and God as you pray about what your specific amount of giving should be.

Check out 2 Corinthians 8 & 9, pray over that and let me know what you think.

-JRO

Another blog!

For anyone interested in topics in the IT/computer world, I've started a second blog. I won't be updating that much until the fall semester starts, but my plan is to put up topics relevant to the stuff I'm covering in class. I may also require my students to comment as a way to get them some experience in the world of blogging. So, check it out if you'd like:

http://orr2223.blogspot.com

-JRO

Back from the beach

For those of you who know what I've been up to lately (or are stalking me), you probably know that I was at the beach last week. We actually stayed in Wilmington, about 5-10 minutes away from the beach near one of the richer neighborhoods in Wilmington. I decided to run through that neighborhood a couple of mornings while I was there. It seemed like about 1 in 3 cars was either a BMW or Mercedes and the houses were pretty much gigantic. Whenever I'm around conspicuous consumption like this, it makes me feel kind of bad. For one thing, I know that a lot of these people are probably chasing the big house, nice car, things like that in hopes of finding some type of happiness in life or dulling the pain of life. I've tried chasing after material things with the same goal in mind, but to no avail. As Solomon discovered a long time ago, wealth and pleasures are meaningless.

It also makes me wonder how much less poverty there would be in the world if those of us who have much would give much, instead of storing it all up for ourselves. I use "us" here because I know I'm guilty of this, even if it is to a lesser degree. I am in fairly good shape financially and enjoy nice things... often times too much I think. It's challenging to me to try to use what I've been given to make an eternal impact and not just bring myself some short-lived happiness or pleasure. I don't think I have it all together... in fact I think I have a long ways to go. But I'm trying to let this not just be an idea in my head, but actually something I follow through with. I don't want to become one of these Christians who lives (and consumes) just like the world without making a major impact for the cause of Christ in the world and being generous to those in need.

-JRO

A little bit of perspective

Well, it seems judging from blogs and conversations, some of my friends haven't had the best week. I haven't either for that matter. But, I thought it may help some of you who aren't having the greatest week to see a little perspective on how good our bad weeks really are.

A Christian brother of ours, Nasir, was severely beaten in India for drinking from a water cup. Extremist Muslims accused him of polluting the water and beat him to the point that he was unconscious, had a dislocated shoulder and a collarbone broken in two places. Please join me in praying for Nasir and the countless other Christians who face daily persecution simply for believing in Jesus Christ.

I think we tend to take certain things for granted here. I know I don't usually think about how thankful I am to have my basic needs met, be able to worship freely, have a loving family and good friends, etc. It's a lot easier to think about what I don't have or how things could be better. But, God calls us to have a thankful attitude, regardless of circumstances. So, hopefully this may serve as an encouragement and perspective check to someone out there.

-JRO

#7- Childlike Faith

OK, back to the series for at least another post. Incidentally, I don't really know how much longer I plan to do this one. So, if you love it or hate it and want to let me know, feel free.

But in this post, I'm going to look at Matthew 18:3 - "And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

Some take this to mean that as Christians, we don't need to worry about learning theology or doctrine and we should be simple-minded. I think this is a misunderstanding of what this passage means. We see elsewhere in the Bible people being condemned for being infants in the faith and told to love the Lord with all our mind (in addition to heart, soul and strength). Now I don't think we should become so into theology (or a certain doctrine) so that we neglect more important things. For example, we shouldn't be more interested in debating pre-destination than we are sharing the gospel. Certainly discussing pre-destination among believers can be a fun and beneficial experience, but sharing the gospel is a more important endeavor.

I think the point of this passage is to tell us to have a childlike trust in God, not to be childish in our understanding. Think of how a small child crosses the street- he holds hands with his dad and looks to his dad to help him get across. He doesn't assume that he can make it across by himself, but puts his faith and trust in his dad. Likewise, we should put our full faith and trust in God, not trying to do things on our own and not pretending like we don't need God.

So, theology does matter. We will be held accountable for what we believe- not what our pastor believes, not what our parents believe, etc. It is up to us to search the Scriptures and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to reach our own conclusions about doctrinal issues.

-JRO

Fighting the good fight until the end

One section of Scripture that has always challenged and inspired me is 2 Timothy 4:6-8:

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Death is an inevitable part of life that we all must face. My desire is that at the end of my life, whether that is tomorrow, or in another 60 years, I'll be able to look back and see how I served God to the end, throughout all of the seasons of life. I (and many others in Greenville over the last few years) have had theprivilegee of seeing a man live in this way: Keith LeClair. For those who don't know of him, Coach LeClair came to ECU and helped to take our baseball program to a position of national prominence. He was also a strong Christian with a wife and two kids. In the midst of his successful career, he was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and had to step down from his coaching job and quickly was confined to a wheelchair, respirator and feeding tube.

It would have been easy and tempting to get mad at God over something like this- after all, it doesn't fit with our human understanding of fairness. We like to think that if we seek God and live obediently, then He'll make sure we're healthy and comfortable. But, God doesn't work this way; sometimes things like suffering and death bring God more glory. That's tough and I really hope that if God chooses to do something like this in my life, that He'll grant me the grace and strength to act as Coach LeClair did. From what I understand, He spent much of his time writing (using a special computer operated by using his eyes) and continuing to glorify God in his life even in the midst of this. He is a real hero in the midst of a world that glorifies things like selfishness and irresponsibility.

One quote he had in an interview a few years ago was: "We don't know the answers, and we never will until we have that day of judgment. I don't ask, 'Why me?' That's irrelevant. I'm just grateful to have today."

Coach LeClair went home to be with the Lord this morning. Through his life, so many people have been touched by the gospel and seen the power of God manifested. He seemed to do as Paul did: fight the good fight until the end. I hope and pray that I too, by God's power, will continue to live for Christ and seek to make Him known until the end, regardless of what He brings about (or allows) in my life.

-JRO

Christians & the Environment

I was reading an interesting article in the paper over the weekend that got me thinking, so I thought I'd post that on here. One issue that has apparently been coming up some lately is that of what is our duty as Christians with regard to the environment.

On the one hand, there are those who put a lot of emphasis on this issue and elevate it above others. They see our calling to be a good steward of the environment to mean that it's our duty to do all that we can to protect the environment, even when it's at a cost to some other priorities and could have a hurtful effect on the economy. Alternatively, there are those who really don't give a flip about the environment- the view that since the world is passing away, what we do to it doesn't matter anyway. So, from that viewpoint, doing things to protect the environment really aren't big priority issues.

I guess I'd fall in the middle on this issue. If the Bible tells us to be good stewards of the environment, I think we need to do what we can to be obedient. There are a lot of things that we can be doing on a regular basis that won't really cause a whole lot of hardship that can be ways of obeying this command. However, I have a problem with elevating this issue (or most others for that matter) above a concern for evangelism. Yes, we are called to protect the environment, but if we are putting so much effort into these efforts that we lose sight of our greater calling, then I think we're missing the point. People without Christ are dead and without hope; it's our responsibility to share with them the hope that has changed us. I don't think environmental policy, prayer in schools, gay marriage, etc. are worth forsaking our personal ministry for. I also have a problem with the more extreme approaches to protecting the environment which end up hurting the economy. Perhaps we need to make some adjustments in the way we do things to protect the economy, but I think going to the extreme where we are causing major hardships to business is taking a bit too far.

-JRO

This isn't very pleasant

The Bible tells us that discipline is for our good, even though it seems to never be a very pleasant or enjoyable experience. Well, it seems as if God has been trying to show me one of those lessons you really don't want to learn: that I've been holding onto some pride and letting that come out in some words and actions lately.

Earlier in life I seemed to have problems with self-confidence and in some ways tried to cover that up by taking pride in things I did do well or had going for me, like money, success in school, etc. It seems as if some of these prideful attitudes have been creeping back up. God has blessed me so richly with the opportunity to read and be taught by some godly people with a great perspective on the Word. More importantly, He has taught me so much in my own study in the last few years. But, I've started to notice that Satan has been trying to get me to become "spiritually prideful." It seems as if sometimes when discussing theology, I end up being motivated by wanting to be right or show others how smart and spiritual I am. What a screwed-up attitude! I know that others who have been walking with God a lot longer have reached different conclusions; I shouldn't be trying to prove them wrong, but rather seeking to discover the truth together and speak the truth in love.

Now, I think there are certainly times where we need to agree to disagree on certain issues. However, I do think it's important that we all study the Word and reach our own convictions about theology- God will hold us responsible for what we believe, so theology does matter!

A bit more humbly yours tonight,

-JRO

Beaufort Pics Up

I just posted some photos from the Beaufort race yesterday. Despite a not-so-well organized race and some award mishaps, it was a fun race. Plus, I suppose it's hard to complain about any race where you set a new PR and walk away with a $50 gift card!

Check out the photos if you'd like: www.jamesrorr.com/photos/beaufort06/

-JRO

#6- The Fleece

OK, time to get back on track with my series on commonly misunderstood and misinterpreted Biblical passages. I was reminded of one by something I heard earlier today. In Judges 6:36-40, Gideon twice asks God to give him a supernatural sign to confirm what He has told him to do (might help to read Judges 6 to see what's going on). Some people take this example to teach that we should do a similar thing today- ask God for a supernatural sign or some type of specific guidance, usually when making a decision. However, I think this is not the right conclusion to draw from these verses and doesn't present a proper model for decision making.

Look at what Gideon is doing here: he's basically doubting God and exhibiting unbelief. God had already revealed His will to Gideon; he is asking God to confirm what He already told him (and already gave him another sign). Hardly the example that I want to follow. Jesus condemns people for asking for a sign and commands us to live by faith. It doesn't seem to me that asking God to give a sign like this is faith; it seems more like treating God as a fortune teller.

This viewpoint also often leads to interpreting open & closed doors as signs from God. It goes something like this: I didn't know which job to pick, so when I got an offer of one job, I took that as a sign that it was God's will. That doesn't really add up either. Now, I think that open & closed doors can be one factor in making a decision- obviously we need to be aware of which opportunities are available to use at any given time. However, to take every open and closed door as a sign from God and basing a decision on that doesn't make sense. In the Bible, we see how Paul took advantage of one open door and did not take advantage of another open door (1 Cor 16:8-9, 2 Cor 2:12-13). So, an open door or closed door doesn't necessarily show us the will of God: we must look at each opportunity in light of Scripture to make a wise, God-honoring decision.

-JRO

Some food for thought

As many of my readers know, I'm going to be in and out of town for the next 10 days or so, which means I won't be updating as frequently as I normally do. However, I will try to get a few posts up in that time- after all, I do make sure to pick hotels with Internet in the room if possible (yes, I realize I'm a nerd).

Yesterday, I went to the cell phone place to add text messaging. I've gotten hooked on sending them back and forth and was basically having to pay 15 cents per outgoing message, so I decided to upgrade my plan. That got me thinking- I pay a decent chunk of money each month on communication- cell phone, landline, Internet, etc. and really enjoy talking to/hearing from others. Certainly that's not a bad thing. But, what I was really challenged by is comparing the amount of time I devote to things like IM and the phone with the amount of time I spend in prayer. If God really is my refuge and treasure, shouldn't that really be reflected by spending more than 15 minutes or so a day praying to Him? The Bible tells us to pray continually, be thankful in all circumstances and that it is a privilege to be able to approach God. Sometimes though, I find myself having to make a point of prayer as opposed to really longing for that communion with God.

Now, I'm not suggesting we withdraw from society to only talk to God. But, I know I have been trying to make some strides towards making prayer more of a priority and realizing what a privilege it truly is. After all, the God who created and maintains the world, who can with one breath cause planets to cease to exist, actually made a way for us to know Him and actually desires that we spend time with Him. And, He is always there for us, will never turn a deaf ear to us, is for us, calls us His friends, etc. Wow, how amazing!

So, that's what's on my mind today; now I'm off to the Outer Banks. I'd love to hear your thoughts and will look forward to checking back in tomorrow night.

-JRO

Politics & Religion

Apparently it's taboo to talk about politics and religion. Well, I guess I'll be going against the cultural etiquette today since I'm going to be talking about both and specifically where they intersect.

In case you missed it, there was a survey done last week that measured voters' opinions of possible presidential candidates based on their religions. Among other things, it found that 37% said that they would not vote for a Mormon and 21% said they could not vote for an evangelical Christian. Cal Thomas also had an interesting perspective on this issue in his column this week as well (check it out here).

This got me thinking about the possible candidates on the Republican side for the 2008 presidential election. If you believe what you hear, John McCain, Rudi Guiliani and Mitt Romney seem to be some of the big names being tossed around. Something about McCain has always appealed to me- he seems above the partisan politics that plague so many in Washington these days and he seems to have no fear about saying what he thinks, even to his own peril at times. He also seems to be pretty solid on some key conservative positions: he is pro-life, supports intelligent design in schools, etc. Guiliani seems to be the biggest name out of the crowd, but in my opinion is awfully liberal to be calling himself a Republican (pro-choice, supports gay marriage, etc). Romney is the unknown of the crowd, but does fall in line with traditional conservative ideology.

So, back to the point of this blog. What impact should a candidate's religion have on opinions of them? McCain is apparently affiliated with the Episcopal church, but doesn't show any indication of Biblical Christian faith. Guiliani is apparently a Catholic but has some policy positions and beliefs that don't mesh with the teachings of the Catholic church. Romney is a Mormon. This makes me wonder how much this really matters. I don't believe that America is a Christian country (there actually isn't such a thing, but that's for another entry). So, should it matter if our president is a Christian?

Personally, I think I would feel more comfortable with a leader who shows evidence of being a genuine believer in Christ. However, when the Republican primary rolls around, I'm going to cast my vote for the person who seems to have beliefs and positions that I think will be best for this country- even if that means voting for a Mormon or other nonChristian. I think a nonChristian can do an effective job of leading the country and make decisions in the best interest of the country. After all, the Bible tells us that all authority is God-given anyway. So, whether someone is aware of it or not, He is sovereign over their leadership.

What do you think? How much impact does a candidate's religion factor into your choosing him or her?

-JRO

#5- The promise from Peter's sermon

In preparing for tonight's discussion on baptism, I came across another verse that I think is often misunderstood. It is Acts 2:39, which says:

The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off —for all whom the Lord our God will call.

In the preceding couple of verses, Peter (who is speaking) commands for all to repent and be baptized and receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. This verse is commonly misunderstood to support the practice of infant baptism. However, that is not doing credit to the context of this verse. If you only look at the first part of this verse, you could come up with that conclusion. But, look at the 2nd part: "all whom the Lord our God will call." This restricts the promise of the Holy Spirit to those whom God will call (referring to the inner call to faith given to the elect, not the broad gospel proclamation to all people). The previous verses also link this promise to faith. Peter simply understood that in order for someone to receive the Spirit, he or she had to be a believer. And, following faith was the symbolic act of baptism. I don't think he at all intended for this to extend the covenant sign to infants who are incapable of exercising faith.

These verses suggest that those who receive the covenantial sign of baptism are those whom God calls and who exercise faith (the ever confusing dual truth of God's sovereignty in election and man's responsibility to believe). It also makes it clear that all believers do receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in the post-Pentecost world.

-JRO

#4- God will give us all things

For the fourth entry in this series, I'm going to pull out what is actually a favorite verse of mine- Romans 8:32, which says:

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Now, I am not necessarily just dealing with this verse in this entry but more an attitude that you could get from this verse and some others like it in Scripture. I heard someone say at a Sunday school class something along the lines of: We as God's children should expect to receive all of the same material blessings as the non-believers we see around us. Or, the "name it & claim it" movement out there- that God will bless us with everything we want if we only have the faith to believe God for it.

Unfortunately, this interpretation doesn't at all add up with Scripture and especially the New Testament. First off, Romans 8 doesn't deal with physical stuff at all; it talks about spiritual things and our relationship with Christ. Think also about who wrote Romans- it was Paul who talks about being content in all circumstances, being persecuted and considering worldly things rubbish compared to knowing Christ. So surely he didn't mean that God will give us everything we want materially or physically.

We can see so many of God's people who lived in a way that would be considered foolish to today's American. Jesus, Paul, the apostles, etc. weren't concerned with things like money or material possessions, but instead realized how much they had in Christ and how God giving us all things means all that we have in Christ, not material things. We are promised that God will meet all of our needs- not give us everything that we want when we want it (materially or otherwise).

I have lately been convicted more and more about how to simplify my life- free myself from things that would distract or even take away time and effort from serving God. For example, I just last year sold a boat that I really wasn't using and replaced it with one that was a lot cheaper and much easier to maintain. I am also pretty sure that I'll be consolidating down to one car, just because of how unnecessary a 2nd one is and how much trouble that goes along with it.

So, in closing, God has promised to meet our needs. And, sometimes, He sees fit to bless us beyond our needs so that we may then bless others and show His love to them. He doesn't promise to give us all that we need and those who aren't rich in the world's eyes aren't lacking in faith or aren't second-class Christians. It's God who determines how to gift and bless individual people and He does so according to His perfect plan.

-JRO

#3- Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord

To celebrate Independence Day on my blog, I thought I would continue in my current series with a relevant verse. The verse I’ll be writing about is Psalm 33:12, which says:

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.

A common (and I would venture to say incorrect) way of looking at this is to say that if we as a country (USA) were to return to our “Christian” roots, then we would receive blessings from God. I think this is incorrect for a couple of different reasons. First, we need to consider the context of this verse. It was written during the Old Covenant when God’s chosen people were the nation of Israel, a physical nation. So, this verse would make perfect sense to them: they would be blessed above other nations because God specifically chose them to be His people. But, this isn’t how God works in the New Covenant era. His chosen people now are the Church, not any one physical nation. So, I think it’s incorrect to say that we can apply this verse written in a specific context to say that a nation with supposed Christian roots can expect blessings from God.

The other problem with this viewpoint is that it can result in a works mentality. Suppose that all of a sudden, the government were totally led by godly people and all of our laws reflected Biblical teaching (far-fetched, I know). Now, let’s say that God allowed another horrible 9-11 type tragedy to happen even after that. What would people say? I suspect a lot would be waving their finger at God and calling Him unfair. Why? Because they would argue that since they did their part, they felt like God should do His, or- they feel like their own (or their country’s) acts of obedience obligate God to then bless them. Something we all tend to think from time to time, but something not in line with the God of the Bible. God may be more glorified by something in the life of me (or the USA) that hurts and stings than something that is comfortable and feels good.

Thinking of this stuff makes me wonder how much more progress we’d be making in spreading the gospel if we focused on winning hearts, not court battles.

-JRO