Welcome to Every Thought Captive. I’m Phil Steiger.
Hope is a neglected virtue. When is the last time you reflected on hope or took steps to build the virtue of hope in your life? We hear a lot about faith and love, but not much about hope.
As a virtue, it is an interesting character trait in that we need it the most when it seems the most unreasonable to have it. It is easy to be hopeful when all is good and the future is bright, but hope is built into our hearts and minds when times are tough and the future is uncertain. The English author G.K. Chesterton once said, “For practical purposes it is at the hopeless moment that we require the hopeful man, and the virtue either does not exist at all, or it begins to exist at that moment. Exactly at the instant hope ceases to be reasonable it begins to be useful.” Ask God for the blessing of hope today, no matter your circumstances.
This has been Every Thought Captive a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Paying Attention
Welcome to Every Thought Captive, I’m Phil Steiger.
The things I give my attention to have a bearing on the shape of my soul. Paul tells us as much in Philippians 4:8 when he says we should think about the things that are true, honorable, just, excellent, praiseworthy, and so on.
Contrast Paul’s list with your typical night on TV. The kinds of images and ideas presented there sell to a broad and bored audience-very little of it is honorable, praiseworthy, or even true. Much of it is contrived to appeal to the lowest instincts in our natures so we don’t have to stretch ourselves. Dwelling on these things does not do much good for our souls. But Paul’s list does. When I focus myself on Paul’s list I shape my mind and heart to the kinds of things that come from the heart and mind of God.
Either I can sink to a lowest common denominator, or I can turn myself toward the things in this world that reflect God.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
The things I give my attention to have a bearing on the shape of my soul. Paul tells us as much in Philippians 4:8 when he says we should think about the things that are true, honorable, just, excellent, praiseworthy, and so on.
Contrast Paul’s list with your typical night on TV. The kinds of images and ideas presented there sell to a broad and bored audience-very little of it is honorable, praiseworthy, or even true. Much of it is contrived to appeal to the lowest instincts in our natures so we don’t have to stretch ourselves. Dwelling on these things does not do much good for our souls. But Paul’s list does. When I focus myself on Paul’s list I shape my mind and heart to the kinds of things that come from the heart and mind of God.
Either I can sink to a lowest common denominator, or I can turn myself toward the things in this world that reflect God.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
Embryos To Order-Loss of Virtue
Welcome to Every Thought Captive, I’m Phil Steiger.
The Abraham Center of Life, an embryo bank in Texas, is on the cutting edge of both medical technology and cultural change. The Center not only allows parents to adopt spare embryos, but it allows them to custom order children as well. Think of the possibilities. A parent could imagine the best life for their child and then pick the smartest, tallest, strongest, and fastest genes to create their new child.
There are dangers lurking in the darkness, however. This kind of consumerism will corrode our virtue. Take love, for instance. Unconditional love, the kind God shows you, is often expressed in moments of failure and disappointment. We love the best when we love the imperfect. If we begin to custom order our children, we will train ourselves to love children the way we like our hamburgers-they are good only when we have them our way. In stark contrast to this kind of selfishness is the love God shows me-a broken but sincere child of God.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
The Abraham Center of Life, an embryo bank in Texas, is on the cutting edge of both medical technology and cultural change. The Center not only allows parents to adopt spare embryos, but it allows them to custom order children as well. Think of the possibilities. A parent could imagine the best life for their child and then pick the smartest, tallest, strongest, and fastest genes to create their new child.
There are dangers lurking in the darkness, however. This kind of consumerism will corrode our virtue. Take love, for instance. Unconditional love, the kind God shows you, is often expressed in moments of failure and disappointment. We love the best when we love the imperfect. If we begin to custom order our children, we will train ourselves to love children the way we like our hamburgers-they are good only when we have them our way. In stark contrast to this kind of selfishness is the love God shows me-a broken but sincere child of God.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
Designer Embryos
Welcome to Every Thought Captive, I’m Phil Steiger.
In Texas there is a human embryo bank, the Abraham Center of Life, where prospective parents not only can adopt embryos, but in the future will be able to custom order them as well. According to Wesley J. Smith, a fellow at the Discovery Institute, the Center will allow potential parents to file through their list of donor parents, pick the ones that fit their ideal profile, and pay for their genetic material.
Something is wrong when we start treating our children the way we treat our fast food. After all, who decides what “better” traits are? How tall do you want your child? Is that different for boys and girls? What level of intelligence is right? What skin color would you choose? When we custom design embryos we force ourselves onto our children and begin to chose their futures for them long before they are born. Our culture needs to be careful and reflect before we turn our children into commodities.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
In Texas there is a human embryo bank, the Abraham Center of Life, where prospective parents not only can adopt embryos, but in the future will be able to custom order them as well. According to Wesley J. Smith, a fellow at the Discovery Institute, the Center will allow potential parents to file through their list of donor parents, pick the ones that fit their ideal profile, and pay for their genetic material.
Something is wrong when we start treating our children the way we treat our fast food. After all, who decides what “better” traits are? How tall do you want your child? Is that different for boys and girls? What level of intelligence is right? What skin color would you choose? When we custom design embryos we force ourselves onto our children and begin to chose their futures for them long before they are born. Our culture needs to be careful and reflect before we turn our children into commodities.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
Twentysomethings and Church
Welcome to Every Thought Captive, I’m Phil Steiger.
One of the more disturbing trends in the American church is how we lose the majority of young adults between their high school graduation and their early thirties. According to Barna, as many as 52% of them simply leave the church. Several pastors and authors explain this loss in terms of disillusionment-they argue that twentysomethings are disillusioned with the failed promises of the church.
One angle that can’t be ignored is the fact that every year adolescence lasts longer into people’s twenties. In other words, what sociologist label adolescence-a teenaged mentality and maturity level-is apparent in older adults all the time. Young adults are in general immature longer than they used to be.
Could it be that we are too used to having things exactly the way we want it? It is possible that we all need to learn that church will never be perfect, and that believers need to be a part of it as a matter of faithfulness and maturity no matter its flaws.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information please visit quaillake.org.
One of the more disturbing trends in the American church is how we lose the majority of young adults between their high school graduation and their early thirties. According to Barna, as many as 52% of them simply leave the church. Several pastors and authors explain this loss in terms of disillusionment-they argue that twentysomethings are disillusioned with the failed promises of the church.
One angle that can’t be ignored is the fact that every year adolescence lasts longer into people’s twenties. In other words, what sociologist label adolescence-a teenaged mentality and maturity level-is apparent in older adults all the time. Young adults are in general immature longer than they used to be.
Could it be that we are too used to having things exactly the way we want it? It is possible that we all need to learn that church will never be perfect, and that believers need to be a part of it as a matter of faithfulness and maturity no matter its flaws.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information please visit quaillake.org.
Jeremiah 33-The Lord Is My Righteousness
Welcome to Every Thought Captive, I’m Phil Steiger.
Near the end of Jeremiah 33, God declares to his people that when the Messiah comes all his promises will be fulfilled. This Messiah will be a legitimate and righteous king ruling with justice. And after God’s work is done in his people, their city will now be named, “The Lord is our righteousness.”
This name change is significant. Up to this point Judah has been famous for its creativity in rebellion and copious ability to sin. But when God is through with them, they will be known for His character instead of theirs. The Lord is our righteousness. Something very similar happens in my life as I give it over to Christ. Before becoming a Christian, I was a slave to my flesh. But after Christ completes his work, I can be known for his character and not my own. As a follower of Christ, I am not after my own improvement or goodness, but the life of Christ. Christ is my righteousness.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information please visit quaillake.org.
Near the end of Jeremiah 33, God declares to his people that when the Messiah comes all his promises will be fulfilled. This Messiah will be a legitimate and righteous king ruling with justice. And after God’s work is done in his people, their city will now be named, “The Lord is our righteousness.”
This name change is significant. Up to this point Judah has been famous for its creativity in rebellion and copious ability to sin. But when God is through with them, they will be known for His character instead of theirs. The Lord is our righteousness. Something very similar happens in my life as I give it over to Christ. Before becoming a Christian, I was a slave to my flesh. But after Christ completes his work, I can be known for his character and not my own. As a follower of Christ, I am not after my own improvement or goodness, but the life of Christ. Christ is my righteousness.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information please visit quaillake.org.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
New Bumper
Welcome to Every Thought Captive, I’m Phil Steiger.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
This has been Every Thought Captive, a Christian worldview minute sponsored by Quail Lake Community Church. For more information, please visit quaillake.org.
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