Month: January 2013

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Happy 40th Anniversary, Baby?

georgepwood

Yesterday, January 22, was the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision which invented a Constitutional right to have an abortion, striking down many state laws in the process. In celebration of that anniversary, the folks at the Center for Reproductive Rights commissioned this incredibly creepy video with Mehcad Brooks. Abortion is often linked to women’s rights, though early feminists thought it was a degradation of womanhood. (See Serrin M. Foster’s speech, “The Feminist Case Against Abortion,” beginning on p. 28 of this PDF). Ironically, this ad–to my mind, at any rate–shows the link of legalized abortion … Continue reading Happy 40th Anniversary, Baby?

1 John, The Daily Word1 Comment

The Multigenerational Church (1 John 2:12-14)

georgepwood

The church is (and ought to be) a multigenerational community. Unfortunately, powerful forces in our society tend to pull the generations apart. But the gospel has a unique power to bring them back together again. What are some of the powerful social forces that pull the generations apart? The first is space. Many people don’t live near their extended families. They are cut off from day-to-day relationships with their grandparents, parents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews. Instead, they live in suburban neighborhoods where most of the people are strangers who occupy the same demographic niche as they do. The … Continue reading The Multigenerational Church (1 John 2:12-14)

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Review of KHOMO Kindle Fire HD 7″ case and detachable keyboard

georgepwood

I received my KHOMO product this morning and immediately tried it out. It’s well-constructed and nice to look at. It fits my Kindle Fire HD 7″ very well, giving unimpeded access to all buttons and ports, and not blocking the speakers. At $32.99 + shipping on Amazon, it’s very affordable. In fact, it was cheaper than the rubberized Amazon cover that I bought from Best Buy, which doesn’t come with a keyboard. I pulled it out of the box and immediately paired it with my Kindle, following the simple instructions included with the cover. It paired easily. The instructions say … Continue reading Review of KHOMO Kindle Fire HD 7″ case and detachable keyboard

1 John, The Daily Word3 Comments

Are Christians Haters? (1 John 2:9-11)

georgepwood

I once had a conversation with a Christian man about interracial marriage. He strongly opposed such marriages and argued that our church should not publicly condone them. (As part of a series on marriage, we had photographed couples in the church and showed their pictures during a worship service. Several of the couples were interracial.) I replied that there was no room in the church for bigotry because God created us all equally and offers salvation to all freely. Which one of us was right? The man offered a laundry list of arguments about the evils of interracial marriage. (They … Continue reading Are Christians Haters? (1 John 2:9-11)

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The Old New Command (1 John 2:7-8)

georgepwood

When I was in fifth grade, my best friend Darren Norris gave me J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings for my birthday. In the fall season, when the rain begins to pour, you can find me in an easy chair, re-reading the pages of my second favorite book. Every time, I find something new to ponder in this old, familiar story. There is an older, more familiar story that is my favorite. It is the gospel, the good news about Jesus. In 1 John 2:7-8, John writes about this story, which despite its age, always seems fresh, … Continue reading The Old New Command (1 John 2:7-8)

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Behavior, the Test of Belief (1 John 2:3-6)

georgepwood

One of the most common complaints about us Christians is that we are hypocrites. We believe one way but behave another. Unfortunately, this complaint is often true. In 2005, Ron Sider published The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience, which sifted through numerous studies on the belief-behavior gap of American Christians. Here’s his conclusion: Whether the issue is divorce, materialism, sexual promiscuity, racism, physical abuse in marriage, or neglect of a biblical worldview, the polling data point to widespread, blatant disobedience of clear biblical demands on the part of people who allegedly are evangelical, born-again Christians. What are the causes of … Continue reading Behavior, the Test of Belief (1 John 2:3-6)

1 John, The Daily Word1 Comment

Liberator, Defender, Sacrifice (1 John 2:1-2)

georgepwood

Sin has a powerful grip on us humans, which we do not have the power to break free of. Only God has that kind of power. So how does he break the grip of sin on our lives? Answer: through the death of Jesus Christ. We find a brief description of how God overcomes sin through Christ in 1 John 2:1-2: My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice … Continue reading Liberator, Defender, Sacrifice (1 John 2:1-2)