More than I ask or imagine. . .

The Injustice, The Scandal, and Lamentations: Making Sense of Penn State in Prayer

 

 

   Living in Central PA now, there is one story that everyone is talking about the Penn State  scandal.  In preaching the book of Lamentations, I am seeing this whole scandal in a new light.  Lamentations details the destruction of the city Jerusalem and the punishment that was brought on by their injustice and sin.  While the destruction is terrible, the reason that is has happened is detailed in Lam 3:

34      To crush underfoot
         all prisoners in the land,

35      to deny a man his rights
         before the Most High,

36      to deprive a man of justice—
         would not the Lord see such things?

The answer of course, is "Yes He will see and He will act."  Therefore, when justice happens God has seen and acted.

My sermon last week was on praying prayer of vengence, known as the imprectory psalms.  Praying that God would bring justice is so vital to those who do not have a leading voice.  God hears those prayers and brings justice. I used the example for someone who has been abused. Tolerence or sentimental notions of God being only a tolerate God will not give hope.  God will bring judgment to those who oppress and victimize. He will make things right again. Only God who loves deeply and passionately will see and act in response to the prayers of the victimized and abused.

The Penn State story broke Saturday up here but no one knew the details until Monday or late Sunday.  I have seen friends go through the whole process of greif. They see JoePa fired and the end of everything for the program that dominated sports life here. They see the program they love turn to something diabolical.  Those abused children have cried out and God has heard their prayer.  Finally the abuser will be brought to justice and the whole system needs to be disrupted.

Below is a video of Matt Millen, a former Penn State football player reacting to the scandal.  As he processes what has happened he breaks down around minute 4:00 of the clip.  He says, "When we can no longer protect our children, then we as a society are pathetic".  This scandal is not just about one man's violent abuse or one university's inaction. This has far reaching implications in our whole society, from our obessions with sports to our families breaking down allowing for children to be preyed upon.  We are sick, and we are pathetic as a society. This is an opportunity for us to repent to examine our lives and call out that God would change our hearts and the hearts of others.  We should also pray that God would end such victimization of our children and bring justice to those who have no justice.  Only before the throne of God can we begin to let this change us. We also give honor to the victims by allowing it to change us. Let justice come as Jesus makes all the wrongs right.

O God, would you fogive us as a people and individually in ways that we have contriubuted to this culture where the most vulnerable are the most violated.  Have mercy, Lord, and may Jesus' victory triumph in this whole event and in our world's history.

 

New Ministry: Partnership between Harvest USA and New Life Dresher

Harvest USA and New Life have a new opportunity for College-Age women. This is a excerpt from the New Life Website.

Journeyers in Grace

Today, Casey O’Neal writes a guest blog on our new small group for College Age Women called Journeyers in Grace. This group will start September 29th, at 7pm at New Life Dresher.  For more information and sign up, please contact Ellen Dykas, Harvest USA’s Women’s Ministry Coordinator at ellen@harvestusa.org.

“How far is too far when we’re dating?”

“Why do I keep falling into the same temptation again and again?”

“How do I help my friends in their relationships?

“Is God just trying to take away all my fun? Why does he have so many rules?”

“Can God ever forgive me for what I’ve done?”

“Does the Bible really say anything about this stuff…hooking up?

Masturbation?  Homosexuality? Emotional Dependency?

“Could I ever walk in the light? I’ve kept my sexual sin in the dark for my WHOLE life…..”

“What if I don’t even want to change?”

“Why do I want what I want? I don’t even understand my desires…how could I ever tell anyone?”

Ever asked these questions?  The lie is that you’re alone. We’re all asking these questions.  Let’s ask together…with Jesus.

This fall, Harvest USA and New Life Dresher are partnering to equip and disciple women, ages 18-24, in topics relating to God’s design for relationships and sexuality.  We will learn how struggles in these areas can be changed and healed through the love and truth of Jesus.  It is our vision that the church would be a safe, grace-filled place to understand these issues!

Lust Losing Its Luster, Part 4: Statistics You Need to Know

Picking up on a former trend on this blog.  I recently saw this on Coveant Eyes Blog, and below are the sobering statistics based on two years of polling of college students. Everyone working with College students should be aware of these trends.

 

Chuck Baldwin on Romans 13: Christians and the Civil Government

 

Before I head off for 2 weeks of vacation, I wanted to post on Chuck Baldwin.  I thought about voting for him for President but he was not on the Ballot up here in Pennsylvania.  Baldwin was an outspoken critic of George W. Bush from the conservative side.  In the article below, he defends blind obedience to the Civil Magistrate that many Christians do with a view to Romans 13.  Granted, I, as a WCF guy, would probably do the whole Lex Rex thing and say if the government is not following God's law then there is cause for civil disobedience.   Let me know what you think about his stances.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

It seems that every time someone such as myself attempts to encourage our Christian brothers and sisters to resist an unconstitutional or otherwise reprehensible government policy, we hear the retort, "What about Romans Chapter 13? We Christians must submit to government. Any government. Read your Bible, and leave me alone." Or words to that effect.

No doubt, some who use this argument are sincere. They are only repeating what they have heard their pastor and other religious leaders say. On the other hand, let's be honest enough to admit that some who use this argument are just plain lazy, apathetic, and indifferent. And Romans 13 is their escape from responsibility. I suspect this is the much larger group, by the way.

Unfounded Swine Slaughtered at Christians Expense

Image via Wikipedia

With all the hysteria from the Swine Flu,Egypt has taken a step in the wrong direction.  The country has unilaterally slaughtered pigs, mostly livlihood for Christians, because Muslims believe that pigs are unclean. The article finishes with this:

The World Health Organisation has repeatedly said, however, that the newly mutated H1N1 virus is not found in pigs - although the animals can be the vessels for the "genetic reassortment" that produces new strains - and that pork meat is safe to eat.

Joseph Domenech, chief veterinary office with the UN Food and Agriculture Officer in Rome, said the Egyptian order was "a real mistake".

"There is no reason to do that. It’s not a swine influenza, it’s a human influenza,” he said.

I guess that Ron Paul was right below, how governments can use crisises to move unilaterally with greater power.  This story is something that is blantant tyranny but will there be out cry?  I don't think so, because more people are concerned with not getting sick.

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