Object lessons - 5 minute devotionals to give - Pork Rinds and BBQ Potato Chips

           The other day in the office, Anna excitedly came into the office carrying 2 bags, one in each hand.

 She said," Dr. Guerra has always been giving me a hard time about how nasty pork rinds are and how bad they are for you. I just happened to buy some BBQ potato chips and look at the back -

pork rinds 90 calories      BBQ chips 150
pork rinds  6 g fat            BBQ chips 10
pork rinds   1 carb           BBQchips 15
pork rinds  0 g sugar        BBQ chips 2
pork rinds  8g protein       BBQ chips 2
pork rinds Vit.A 2%         BBQ chips 0%
I can't believe he gives me such a hard time!"
                 Well that night we went to Sam's and what would I see but

As only Sam's can do it, mega pork rinds! After my encounter with Anna I put this in my cart because pork rinds are good for you! Then it hit me - I had bought into the lie. When we want something to look good, we compare it to something that looks worse.We do this in our spiritual lives.Paul says in 2Cor 10:12,18 (NLT) 

But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them.

                  Non- Christians and Christians alike are guilty of this. I once shared with a guy and he said, "Jim, if I am going to hell it is going to be packed because I'm the best person I know." What was he doing - he was comparing his righteousness to those around him and he came out looking pretty good. The problem is that the standard we are compared to is not fellow sinful humans(BBQ chips), it is the perfection of God. God is perfect, Heaven is sinless, and we can't approach that glory in our sinful states. That is why "God made Him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Jesus we might become righteous." (2Cor5:21) He took all our sins and took them on Him on the cross(1Pet.2:24) because the "soul that sins - it shall die"(Ezek.18:20) , the penalty for sin is death(Rom. 6:23), and "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins."(Heb.9:22)

                    Like I said, Christians aren't off the hook as to this wrong thinking. When Jesus met with his disciples and ate fish with them after His resurrection, he told Peter about Peter's great but painful future and Peter responded to this by pointing at John and saying,"what about him?" We often live a comfortable and safe, and non-sacrificial, not completely sold out nor obedient,non- radical Christian life because we compare ourselves to everyone else in the body and think we are doing really well. The problem is that God has a plan for my life that is different from everyone else's and I will answer to him for what I've done with what He has given me not what He has given someone else and how I did compared to them. (Matt 25:15-23)

                    So let's stop comparing ourselves to others and compare ourselves to Christ. Not only is He the ultimate standard and example, but He puts His very life inside of those who have received Him to help them grow into this impossible task of living up to perfection.

The RRReasons For Marriage

 ²¹ Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
 ²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
 ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸ In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body. ³¹ “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”³² This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.  Eph. 5:21-33

     The longest passage on marriage in the Bible gives us some interesting insights on "why marriage?". Although this is in no way an exhaustive treatise on marriage, let me give you the 3 R's of marriage. The points may blend together a little but hopefully this will make sense.

      #1 Reflect Christ
                  This is our individual goal in life but marriage aids in this endeavor.

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. 2Cor. 3:18

             Marriage is all about Christ. Look at the passage in Ephesians above. I've highlighted in yellow the parts that say it isn't about us - it's all about Christ. I've posted this before but I love this video; when everything was as it should be in the garden before sin,all the mirrors were aligned - creation, marriage, everything pointed to God and His glory. Like the video, when the mirrors were aligned, the glory in the room was great. However, man chose to turn his mirror toward himself, away from God, and the glory dissipated. Our lives should be all about turning that mirror back on God and the good news is our spouses can help.
          
                   ⁹ Two are better than one,
   because they have a good return for their labor:
¹⁰ If either of them falls down,
   one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
   and has no one to help them up.
¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
   But how can one keep warm alone?
¹² Though one may be overpowered,
   two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecc. 4:9-12

                Our spouses can help us redirect that mirror. They are "helpmeets". They can give us the strength to do it by encouraging us, and they can point out the blind spots we don't see when we think we are focused on God. Not only that, but in a proper marriage, our mirrors should double in size, and if we raise a Godly family the glory can be blinding.

   #2. Refine us

        I would never have known the depth of my depravity had I not gotten married. Marriage exposed selfishness I didn't know existed. All marriage problems are sin problems and marriage is intended to drive us to Christ for grace. I've highlighted in green this part of the text in Ephesians. We as husbands are to present our wives someday to Christ as holy, pure, unadulterated. When we fight in marriage, and we all do, we need to use those as if a sculptor would be chiseling off what doesn't belong to reveal the person inside the stone that God intends to come out. Fights are painful, but seen in the right light should be useful to point out the "smudged" areas on our mirrors so we can clean them and better reflect Christ.

    #3. Represent Christ and the Church

     All through the Old Testament God uses people, instances, feasts, etc. to represent future fulfillments. Two examples are seen in 1Cor. 10:2-4 and John 3:14-15 to name a few. Marriage is no exception. From the beginning, God designed it to represent the future dispensation of Christ and His bride or body - the Church. I've highlighted in orange these passages in Ephesians. God is in effect telling a lost world, "You want to see how much Christ loves you, look at how much husbands love their wives.You want to see how He sacrificed for you, how much He treasures you, how He cares for you, look at marriage." Husbands, this is why we can't afford to have crummy marriages. This is why we can't desert our wives, divorce our wives, ignore our wives, or even live together without marrying because that is not what Christ does with the church. Not only are we misrepresenting Him to the world but we are also treating as unholy something God has esteemed as holy. As Uzzah profaned the Holy ark by touching it with his common hand or Moses defamed Christ our spiritual rock by striking it twice, so our marriages, treated as dirt offends a Holy, Righteous God.
       And wives, when you don't follow your husbands you are saying that the church deems Christ as being unworthy of following. When you commit adultry you are saying "Christ isn't satisfying , I need something else." If you don't respect him you are saying "Christ isn't worthy of the church's respect." If you live seperate lives - seperate friends, vacations, bank accounts - you are saying "Christ is a part of my life not my whole life."
       Isn't it time to start seeing marriage in a different light? It is serious business. As the disciples said to Jesus "If this is the situation...it's better not to marry." Without the Holy Spirit, maybe; but with the Holy Spirit, as it says in Genesis, "It's not good for a man to be alone". And God created woman and "it was good."

I Can't Get No - Satisfaction

2011 Christian Album Reviews (ongoing)

Here is going to be my grading scale.
1 - worst album of the year
2 - regretted listening to it once
3 - worth one listen
4 - one good song
5 - two to three good songs
6 - four good songs
7 - five good songs
    ( 8-10 are worth buying)
8 - six good songs
9 - seven good songs
10 - instant classic
 Just remember, music is all personal taste. My 1 could be your 10 so don't get bent out of shape!

4.6

a couple of good songs but mainly songs that didn't make the cut for Rehab

6

Not a bad worship album. Still, most of the good songs I've heard before, either on Passion CDs or EPs. Not in the Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Hillsongs category, but then again who is?

4

British? Australian? worship album with a few good songs like Love Divine and Jubilee

4.7

Great words with good, mature spiritual insight but the songs and melodies and passion is lacking. Very disappointing as I was expecting so much more.

1.5

Scream-o Christian rock. Yech!

NPS

This album is the cure for insomnia. Being a Dr. I realize how valuable a non-medicinal cure is. However this album is NPS (non-prescription strength). Seriously though, I was thinking about this album again and if you have young children this would be a good CD to play for them at night when they go to sleep. (I had to add Rebecca St.James to Darlene's review. Exact same record)

3

I'm probably too white to review this gospel album and give it justice but I didn't care for it.

3.7

This year's Neworldson. Take my advice, download "Innocent" and don't buy the album

1

Christian Screamo. Calling an album the worst of the year in February takes guts, but I don't see anyone topping this

5.2

Not a bad Australian/Brit worship band featuring a guest appearance from Martin from Delerious

5.5

Like Kutless only not as good or Christian

4.3

Some screamo but some good songs intermixed

7

Expanded 23 song version

I liked 7 songs on this CD so technically I should have given it a 9. However, with 23 songs that means I didn't like16. Plus, the ones I didn't like were really bad so it's hard to recommend an album when you dislike over 2/3. Thank goodness for itunes where you can download the songs you like, which I did.

4.4

Maybe it's me, but I just don't think a worship album should sound depressing

4.6

Ho hum another Matthew West, Brandon Heath, Jaden Ladvik, etc. etc

6.1

Best worship album of the year (until 3/8)

5

Live worship from the people that brought you Revelation Song

3.3

Stryper returns! If you like early 80s Petra and 80's,... well - Stryper, you are in luck. Me personally, I don't believe in luck.

1.6

Oh how the mighty have fallen. His last album

6.9

My first pleasant surprise of the year. Still not great but some songs worth buying. 2nd best album of the year so far.

4

Once again, not a genre I'm interested in or well versed in but I didn't care for it. With all her hype I thought it would be better.

4.9

Sounds a lot like sixpence none the richer. If you like artsy, hipster, melancholic, veiled lyrical, coffee shop music (which critics seem to) this is for you. Probably would grow on me with more listens but I'm not willing to pay that price.

4.5

A lot like Luminate which I reviewed earlier. One great song "Come Undone" which in my view is secular but could be sung on American Idol tonight.

1.1

Christian screamo - yech!! Fortunately only has 9 songs. I think I could make one of these myself.

3.8

The title reminds me of Carole King, the album cover reminds me of Jennifer Knapp, and the songs remind me she won't be a starr.

6.8

Sorry, Charlie (Hall). The songs left off were better than the ones put on. Too much inviting Jesus to come  and the Holy Spirit when they are already here just rubs me the wrong way. Maybe I'm off on that but I just don't like it. However on 2nd and 3rd listen I'm liking it better.

3.6

Poorly produced, poor song writing (2 heart/start rhymes on the same album) I expected more. The critics will like it because they love this guy, though. I just don't see it.

3.9

Abandon Kansas? Should be Abandon Songwriting. Seriously this band has skills but the 1st album should include all the best songs you've written over years waiting to get signed. I fear their sophomore slump.

6.5

Audio Adrenaline returns with some friends and redo 3 songs and do 7 new ones. Very soft/mellow but some good song writing.

1.3

The 5th screamo band of the year and it is only March. You know how bad movies come out January thru March; I hope it is the same with Christian music.

4.4

A flashback to very early worship music. I guess that is why it is from Maranatha

6.2

Good Shawn has been missing in action for some time now. He's back. (I didn't say great Shawn)

4.0

The last song is good. BTW, are those man-boobs? Get a diiferent cover,please.

4.8

Artistic, creative, just not all that good. Does every song start with a "she" or "he"?

5

No Stomp or  Say you want a Revolution woo woo or TobyMac collaborations here.

1.5

Screamo with talent

4.5

It woke up near the end

5.3

3 out of 5 ain't bad

5.4

Emery, if you cant tell by the cover, is the best screamo band ever. Still that isnt saying much.

4.1

Disappointing

2.5

Seriously, when you are a Christian you shouldn't put out a depressing album

7.1

We have a winner. The album Mary, Mary - Kirk Franklin, Francesca, Holly Starr meant to put out. Finally Hawk Nelson has met it's match.

4

Songwriting, songwriting, songwriting!

3.9

May have to change the name of my office

7.2

Sorry, Mandisa; your reign lasted 1 week

.273

Thats what your brother Matt is hitting; not very good

4.5

This replaces Brandon Heath as my biggest disappointment of the year

4

Rule #1 Never buy an album where the artist is in bare feet

4.1

Winner of American Idol 1986

5.3

Screamo meets Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Good Christmas present for all your gothic friends.

3.7

Female Kirk Franklin wannabe falling way short

2

I think kids can appreciate the music of TobyMac without this horrific remake

7

Good songwriting. Christian AC radio will love this.

3.5

Sitting on the fence has got to hurt, Playdough, pick a side

6

Not bad. There haven't been many rock albums without screamo this year (this, Red,Stryper, and Abandon Kansas) and this is the best so far

7.3

Yay; the boy bands are back! Lots of good songs here, nothing great though. Still nothing worth buying this year. Nothing you could give to a non christian to show them how great Christian music is. They will be coming later this year (Switchfoot, Needtobreathe)

5

When my parents want to rock (which is actually never) they put Newsong in their cassette player

4

The Disney Channel and Christian music have a baby

3

Props for being unique. Cussed in one song

6.7

A pleasant surprise.