1) Tell the Truth
When word got out that (now former) Congressman Anthony Weiner had sent naked pictures of himself to some woman, it was a scandal. However, this issue has been drawn out over the course of several weeks now because of Weiner’s unwillingness to tell the truth. When inappropriate pictures appeared from his twitter account, he first said, “I didn’t put it up there” and proceeded to dodge the question of whether the pictures where of him.

From that time today, he has been the butt of any number of jokes and jabs, even getting heckled at his resignation speech. Some have argued that his career might have weathered this scandal, had he simply told the truth from the beginning. While it’s sad that our elected officials could get caught doing such things and continue to serve, it may be true. The fact is that the American people tend to be very forgiving, but they want to be told the truth. We have harsher condemnation for those who sin and lie about it than those who confess.

To hit a spiritual angle here: The Bible clearly teaches that we are to tell the truth, not lie. When we’re in a tough spot, sometimes it may seem easier to lie, but the truth is always best. In fact, the Bible teaches that God does not lie (Num 23:19), but that the Devil does (Jn 8:44), so when we lie we act like the Devil instead of like God.

2) Don’t send naked pictures
This should be a no-brainer, but the reason for the whole scandal was the fact that Weiner was sending naked pictures of himself to a woman (not his wife). For one thing, there’s a problem with sending people naked pictures of yourself. I imagine that Weiner rationalized that he was not cheating on his wife since there was no actual sex, though I also doubt his wife would agree. Newsflash: sexting other people is infidelity to your spouse. Each of us who takes those marriage vows promises to be faithful to our spouse (“…forsaking all others cleave only to thee…”). It’s good that Mr. Weiner is getting some time away with his wife. I hope they will be able to find some healing.

Here’s another point about sending explicit pictures: don’t. Ever. Even if you decide to send pictures to your spouse, you need to remember that there’s a network that those pictures go through. They will be stored on some server somewhere, and I can pretty much guarantee that someone else will see them at some time. Each of us must remember that nothing we put online or send via our electronic devices is ever 100% private. Keep the secrets of your bedroom between only you and your spouse. So, my recommendation on sending explicit pictures is this: just don’t.

Any other lessons from the Anthony Weiner disaster?

Author/pastor/blogger Tim Challies does a great job at highlighting some of the new issues and realities that confront us as users of technology today. This is a topic that needs to be discussed, and Challies may be one of the first to take this issue on and discuss it in depth.

The book in divided into two parts: the first reveals the new realities that surround us in the technological world in which we live. Challies reminds us that we now live in an era, “after the digital explosion,” i.e. the information age brought about through the advent of the internet. He challenges us to be discerning as we allow new technologies and gadgets into our homes and into our lives. He suggests that we ask questions of our technology, such as:
“Why were you created?”

“What is the problem to which you are the solution, and whose problem is it?”

“What new problems will you bring?”

“What are you doing to my heart?”

These questions will better help us determine whether a new technology is helpful to us, whether we need it, or whether it could actually be harmful to us. In asking these questions (and others) we begin to look critically at the technology that we allow into our lives and the impact it will have upon us. Too often we fail to ask questions and our lives can become driven and complicated by our technology instead of being enriched or simplified by it.

The second part of the book deals with some specific issues that our technological era raises and new challenges we must confront. These are issues like the growth of communication, along with the new possibilities and dangers that come with our increased capability to communicate (being “plugged in” and “tuned in” 24/7). He discusses mediated communication (i.e. communicating through some device as opposed to im-mediate, in-person communication). New forms of communication bring new possibilities and pitfalls of which we must be aware. We’re reminded that although new forms of communication may promise anonymity, we are still responsible for our words and actions.

One of the issues that he tackles was that of the distraction our multi-media society has fostered. I found this especially applicable in my own life. It’s helpful to recognize that our society and our technology offer us a continuous stream of stimuli, all of which seem to demand our attention at once. This has led to a kind of attention-deficit society. Challies offers some ideas for confronting this, and shares from his personal experience how he has dealt with this problem.

He also talks about the proliferation of information and how the “glut” of information can obscure what is truly important. He discusses the issue of authority in a wikipedia culture, where anyone and everyone can have a say, and consensus determines truth. Finally, he discusses our increased visibility and diminished privacy in this new era; reminding us that we all leave a digital data-trail wherever we go – both online and off.

Even as one whom Challies calls a “digital native” (I grew up in a world with the internet and cell phones), I learned quite a bit and have been greatly challenged to look more critically at technology. Perhaps one of the biggest points made in the book is that we can honor God with our use of technology, or we can dishonor Him. Technology may be a-moral, but we must make a conscious decision about how to use it and be aware that as we do so, we are changed by it.

Once again, I highly recommend this book and believe it will greatly aid anyone who is interested in leading a Christian life in today’s society.

I received a copy of this book from Zondervan, and agreed to review it. I was not required to write a positive review.

A big part of my job involves interacting with people from my community, and one thing I do a lot is listen to what they have to say. Talking comes easy for me – listening, not so much. Even though I’ve had training to be an effective listener, it still can be hard.

The other day at work, a lady was talking with me, but I found it hard to be a good listener. You see, I kept wanting to interrupt and give my opinion while she was talking. Not only would this have been impolite, but I realized that (honestly) the things I wanted to say weren’t really that important anyway. It was more important for me to listen to her than to talk.

Reflecting on this and other similar situations, I realized that sometimes I talk as though I’m my own favorite speaker. Maybe you can relate. Sometimes we can talk just to fill the silence or maybe to hear the sound of our own voice. Nobody wants to be characterized that way: “they love the sound of their own voice.” What’s worse, nobody wants to listen to these “super talkers” – trust me, I’ve been around a few. It leaves me praying, “please God don’t let me be like that.”

Proverbs 18:2 says, “A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.” Wise people listen, but fools only talk. I don’t know about you, but I want to be wise. There’s also the matter of pride. The proud person believes that what they have to say really matters, but nothing you have to say could be important.

Have you ever been around someone who talks and never listens?
Have you ever been that kind of talker?
What did you learn from that situation?

Sharing from his own personal journey from cubicle-dwelling-advertising wannabe to bestselling author,blogger, and communicator, he the reveals lessons he learned. These lessons helped him and will help us make the transition from doing what pays the bills, to doing what we love.

The book moves from discussing the desire to quit to:
- the reasons to keep your day job (for now)
- discovering what your dream might be (hint: it’s probably something you already enjoy, not something you’ve never heard of)
- learning how to work on your dream while holding down a day job
- using your day job as a launching pad to your dream

Throughout the whole book there are lots of fresh insights, mixed with a good dose of humor, and it’s all very real and relatable. As a reader I can relate to the things he says, because I’ve thought (or done) some of the same things.

If you have a dream and want to pursue it, I highly recommend getting this book.

You can get it from Amazon or DaveRamsey.com (note: if you buy it from Dave Ramsey, you’ll need to pay with a debit card – he’s consistent that way).
Check out the book trailer:

What’s your dream job?

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, To Timothy, my true child in the faith:Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” 1 Tim 1:1-2

Paul was a mentor to Timothy. He was like a father in the faith. All of us need spiritual mothers and fathers – mentors. Paul may not have led Timothy to faith in Christ (it may have been Timothy’s mother and grandmother – cf. 2 Tim 1:5).

Just this week I was encouraged by spending time with several other ministers. I had a great time with my contemporaries and some dear friends, but I also got to connect with some elder ministers. I am always glad when I get to glean wisdom from older ministers and men of faith. These are men who have walked with God for many years and have gained wisdom and experience that can be of great value to me.

This is something that I believe should change the way we train up young ministers. I am thankful for my seminary education, but I believe that it is critical for young ministers to have mentors. Every young Timothy needs a Paul, a more experienced minister who can help them learn what it means to be a pastor and help them gain practical experience. We need mentors to encourage us, teach us, and pray for us.

We are in an economy that is still fairly unfriendly to a lot of young, inexperienced pastors (not to mention other fields and callings). Unfortunately, whereas many other vocations use an apprenticeship or residency model (i.e., doctors and many trade professions), too often pastors pass up opportunities to mentor young ministers and leaders. There is a way of thinking that says, “I had to learn through the ‘school of hard knocks’, so you just have to pay your dues.”

Still other pastors who may want to invest in younger men may feel like they don’t have the time. Being a pastor can be a very busy and demanding job. I would suggest, though, senior ministers cannot afford not to invest in younger ministers. Who will continue the work that they are currently doing?

Don’t get me wrong, I do believe that God will raise up ministers to shepherd His flocks, but each Timothy can learn from a Paul how to be a more effective pastor. Mistakes and heartaches can be avoided if younger men will seek mentors, and older men will be those mentors.

None of us can go it alone. We all need mentors, and when this relationship of mentor and protégé takes place, both gain from the relationship.

Have you ever been part of a mentoring relationship? What was the best part about it?

Having confessed to getting swept up in the obsession with the Royal Wedding, I have to say that I was impressed by a number of things.

First, it was good to see how excited people still get about a wedding. As a Christian and a minister, I believe marriage is important, and promote the institution of marriage (as opposed to any number of other marriage-like lifestyles).

The Heritage Foundation’s Foundry Blog had a great piece yesterday entitled “Marriage is an Ideal, Not a Fairy Tale”. I heartily agree with this sentiment, and highly recommend the piece.

A second thing that I truly appreciated about the Royal Wedding was the traditional ceremony. There was an exchange of vows, where William and Kate promised to love, honor, and cherish one another; to live together in holy matrimony; to forsake all others and cleave only to one another for as long as they both should live. These are big, and very important promises.

In a world that eschews marriage vows in favor of disposable relationships (and make no mistake, if there’s no ring, no promise – the relationship is disposable), we witnessed two people promise themselves to one another before men and before God. As Jennifer Marshall’s piece (which I just promoted) says so well:

“Marriage is a promise. Not just between one man and one woman but to the community at large, to generations past and to those yet to be born. Wedding vows set apart this lifelong, life-giving relationship from all others.”

The third thing I liked was the seriousness of the ceremony. This not to say that weddings cannot or should not be fun, but I was glad to see that the clergy administering the service emphasized the importance and gravity of the union that is marriage. They emphasized that marriage is a good thing, and that it is from God, and that it is a part of God’s plan for us.

I believe that far too often today, our society fails to take marriage seriously. All around me, I see people my age (in their 20′s and 30′s) entering into, and leaving marriage relationships with frightening ease and speed. I know of a number of couples who even now are discussing divorce for any number of different reasons.

As my wife and I discussed these situations, we agreed that for us divorce is not really a consideration. When we made our vows to one another and to God, we took (and continue to take) them seriously. As the late Jerry Falwell said (somewhat tongue-in-cheek), “My wife and I have been married for 50 years, and in that time we have never once considered divorce – sometimes murder, but not divorce.”

The fact is that, marriage is an important institution, not only for those of us who are married, but also for our societies and our children. As we see the institution of marriage falling apart, we also see our values, our culture, and ultimately our societies, wealth and power all deteriorate.

So, in the midst of all of that, it was exciting to see the world praise and rejoice in the marriage of two young people, and witnessing their union before God and men. I hope that this will encourage others to marry and to regard with honor the institution of marriage.

Did you watch the Royal Wedding? What did you think of it? Did anything in particular stick out to you?

photo © 2008 bixentro | more info (via: Wylio)

Earlier this year, I read a great post by Chris Brogan about distractions. What struck me about this post is how true it rang in my life. If you’re like me, you’re really as “busy” as you feel.

Often when I feel like I’m really busy, or overwhelmed, it’s not because I really have too many important things to do. Instead, it’s because I’ve got so many distractions — little things that I’m doing that take time and energy away from doing the really important things. Maybe you’ve encountered the same thing in your life. Or it could be that it’s just me.

For me, this quote is the core of Brogan’s post.
Here’s the except:

“You are not as successful as you want to be because you’re looking at little numbers and wanting to pop them like digital bubble wrap, instead of working on the tasks that have no numbers beside them, but are worth so much more than the number to the right of these words.”

Check out the whole thing.

Maybe it’s your email that distracts you. You spend hours checking your email, looking for new messages, or it could be twitter, or maybe your favorite blog (or even waiting for people to comment on your latest blog post). Whatever it is, we’ve got to recognize that focusing on these little numbers is killing our productivity. Once we recognize that, maybe we can take the necessary steps to stay focused.

In Majestie, author David Teems seamlessly blends quality historical research with superb readability. Who knew King James I of England could be such an interesting character? Teems introduces us to the King, giving great background and juicy details, and making his subject accessible to today’s readers. There are helpful footnotes, but the main text is insightful, yet not too dry, and quite colorful.

Beginning with stories such as how James was almost aborted in his mother’s womb, Teems gives great background that pulls back the curtain on the royal Stuart family, revealing the good, the bad, and the ugly in all their majestic glory. From the beginning, I was hooked and this biography read like a novel – full of intrigue, plotting, love affairs, and even the Bible.

While James is certainly the star of the book, other characters like his mother Mary Queen of Scots, John Knox, Elizabeth, Shakespeare, and many others move in and out of the spotlight from time to time. Of all the other subjects, it is the King James Bible (or Authorized Version) which takes center stage by the end of the book. As has been noted, the KJB is the bestselling book in history, and the most read.

Teems explores the process of translating the Bible into English, as well as looking at the men who played crucial roles in accomplishing this monumental task. Yet through it all, at the center remains James.

I highly recommend this book for those who are interested in a primer on the King James Bible, or for anyone who loves history. I especially enjoyed the Kindle version because of the ease of looking through footnotes and looking up other 17th Century figures, items, and ideas.

Have you read this one? What did you think? What are you reading these days?

You will probably get the most out of this book if you have already read The Traveler’s Gift or are at least familiar with the story of David Ponder and the seven decisions. The Final Summit once again follows David Ponder who, though now much older, once again is taken on a supernatural journey to meet with leaders from throughout history.

This time, there is a summit or meeting, where Ponder has the opportunity to speak with a number of prominent figures from by-gone eras. They are brought together to answer a critical question, and the fate of all humanity hangs in the balance. How’s that for suspense?

I won’t give away the question or the answer here, but I will share my thoughts on the story.

First off, I had to get past any minor hang-ups I might have had about the story. The story takes place in (although it’s not stated) heaven or a heavenly place. I had to set aside questions of “is this or that person really in heaven?” or “does this or that detail fit with my Christian worldview?” So if you’re like me, you’ll have to just go with it. Recognize that here, as with the author’s other books, the story is primarily a vehicle for him to deliver wisdom. So, any qualms I may have with the story were completely worth the content Andy Andrews delivers.

Secondly, this thing was packed with historical details about figures, at least one of whom I am certain you’ve never heard.
Also, Andrews is not blatant about his Christian faith in this book. What I mean is this: there’s no explicit “plan of salvation” and God and Jesus do not make appearances in the book. This might make the book more accessible (or palatable) to those who are not Christians; and I’m fine with that. Still, the book clearly shows a Christian worldview.

All in all, this was a great read. It’s quick, easy, and informative. Once again, Andy Andrews delivers the goods! I do recommend this one for anyone who wants to be wise or successful.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

We live in uncertain times, don’t we?

Maybe like me, you look around you and recognize you have no control over some of the things that are going on around you. We turn on the news and see bad things happening. It could be that you’re out of work, and can’t seem to find a job. Or it could be that you feel stuck in a job that isn’t your dream job. There could be any number of things going on in your life that might make you feel small, weak, powerless.

We don’t want to feel small, or powerless, or weak. We want to be big and strong and powerful. Maybe it’s just me…

One of my heroes of the faith, a man who wrote half of the New Testament, was the apostle Paul. This is a guy who had influence, was used by God, and God did some amazing things through him. He said that God gave him what he called a “thorn in the flesh” to make him humble. Many scholars believe this “thorn” was a physical condition that caused him to lose his eyesight. Whatever it was, Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 that he pleaded with God three times to take it away. Here’s the answer he says he got from God:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

God refused Paul’s request to remove his affliction, instead telling him that God would reveal His power through Paul’s weakness. Paul’s response was:

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

What a hard lesson. As you and I face hardships and tough, trying, or depressing times, we’ve got to learn to look beyond ourselves to the God who desires to do something in us and through us.

Recently, as I’ve had a tendency to get down and wonder what God’s plan might be for me, I’ve been reminded again and again of Isaiah 40. We often hear the last two verses thrown around, and see them-accompanied by pictures of eagles-on motivational everything. But I want to point us toward the verses before that (I highly recommend the whole chapter for some great reading on the power and love of God).

Here’s Isaiah 40:28-31:

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

I take great comfort in the fact that the LORD is everlasting, that He created all and knows all. I love how it says He does not grow faint or weary – he’s got an endless well of both power and wisdom. He never gets tired or runs into a question He doesn’t know the answer to.
What’s even better is that this God, who is everlasting and all powerful gives strength to the weary and power to the faint.

Even when we feel the most weary or faint; when we feel like things are at their worst or that we can’t go on, God is there. He offers us a power greater than our own strongest strength. This is why Paul rejoiced in weakness. Because it’s only when we recognize our own weakness that we turn to God and we allow Him to fill us and use us.

My prayer is that today you and I would recognize our own weakness and humbly bow ourselves before God, so that He might fill us and use us for His purposes. I pray that you would know His power, His presence, and His peace today.