I feel so blessed to be a part of this ministry. I enjoy writing for the American Decency Association and here’s one of the main reasons why: Regardless of whether I’m writing a bulletin insert, a newsletter article, an email alert, or even a short Decency Minute, I’m encouraged to shine the light of Christ upon the topic. What could be better? I’m encouraging myself as I encourage others! Even in our newest venture of podcasting, we are sharing how God’s love and holiness works itself out in the individual lives of those who Bill Johnson interviews.
We’ve covered a vast array of topics and have attempted, to the best of our ability, to shine the light of Scripture upon them. I know that not everyone who reads, watches, or listens to our work appreciates or agrees with it. That’s okay; God’s light is being shone upon that topic, to His glory. There are those who have respectfully (and some not so respectfully) responded with a correction or another point of view – that has given us something to consider as well – ALWAYS GOING BACK TO GOD’S WORD. We, like David, consider God’s “testimonies [our] delight and [our] counsellors.” (Ps. 119:24)
In speaking of “shinning light from above,” it reminded me of a very short article I recently read in an August 21, 1912 church magazine. I hope it will encourage our readers:
“Not so long ago I visited a beautiful building. There was one strange thing about it: some of the rooms had no windows. Perhaps you have already guessed what building it is – an Art Museum. Why are there no windows in these fine rooms? One reason is that the wall space is all wanted for pictures. But the chief reason is that paintings must be lighted from above to bring out their beauty. The windows are, therefore, in the roof, and the light comes through the ceiling. Sometimes the paintings are lighted by electricity. The lights are then put on the top of the frame, never at the side. You see, this world of ours is lighted from above, and the artists try to show things as they are. If we will see their work truly, we must light it from above.
“Your life is like a painting. If you will see it truly, it must be lighted from above. Perhaps it seems to you just the same old round of study and play, work and sleep, with nothing grand or beautiful in it. In some of the greatest paintings, the artists have shown us the beauty hidden in just such everyday scenes. Splendor and beauty are all about us, if we can only see them. We shall not find them, if we have only earthly side lights.
“That is why it is so important to begin each day with prayer, and to open the book of God and let the light from Jesus shine on our path. Then shall we see truth, honor, kindness and love in every common day. Nothing can be more beautiful than these. They make the beauty of heaven. Open the windows of your soul to heaven and let the light from above fall upon your life.”
During this long weekend, I trust that you’ll look at situations and the various image bearers of God with “light from above.”
This week as we celebrate Labor Day, we’ve lost sight not only of the meaning of the day, but also the principle behind it. Today it’s seen as nothing more than the unofficial end of summer, rather than a day to honor the workers who contribute to this nation and to recognize the dignity of work.
The explosion of the welfare state, which disincentivizes able-bodied Americans from working, reveals how our nation is losing the American work ethic and has drifted from a Biblical worldview.
God created mankind to work – to build, plow, tend homes and families. God’s Word condemns laziness and honors labor. Work is not a part of the curse, it’s a creation mandate and leads to human flourishing.
As Christians, we’re also called to work to build God’s Kingdom. True worshippers are workers. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
In Huxley’s Brave New World, all children were incubated in artificial wombs and women were forbidden to get pregnant.
That still sounds absurd. Yet, China is on the verge of creating a humanoid bot with an artificial womb, receiving nutrients through an abdominal hose. By next year, such “pregnancy robots” will be able to carry a fetus for 10 months, before giving birth.
With increasing infertility rates in China and around the world, that could be a real game-changer, especially considering the cost. Hiring a “pregnancy robot” to carry one’s baby will cost about $14,000, compared to U.S. human surrogates, costing between $100,000 to $200,000.
Moral and ethical questions abound: How will being incubated inside a robot affect the child once its born? What of the natural bond formed between mother and child during gestation? At what point will we stop playing god?
School is back in session! School buses hit the road; public, Christian, and home schoolers alike hit the books; and we, as Christians, ought to be hitting our knees in prayer.
There are common prayer needs among all schools:
Pray that God would rule and overrule in the minds of superintendents, school board members, and teachers who may be neutral or antagonistic to righteousness.
Pray for the safety of teachers and students, in school and out.
Pray for the souls of students. Regardless of what is taught in any school, and no matter what the student’s current spiritual state, these children are surrounded by a sin-filled world with its harmful entertainment and media. Satan desires to draw them into his eternally lost grip.
Let’s be about the serious business of fervent, effectual, intercessory prayer; such prayer will change our communities, our states, and our nation.
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