All tagged Stimmung

390 Jesus said. . . That?! (7) I Never Knew You

When I was in junior high and I would hear or read Matthew 7:23, "On that day I will say to you, 'I never knew you'", I would be terrified! I just knew I could never be perfect enough, or do enough good deeds, or perform a miracle so as to dodge Jesus' wrath. In this episode I peel back several layers of the onion: a) the Old Testament context for what Jesus says, b) the rabbinic background to what Jesus says, c) the literary context, and d) the theological avenues that are both at hand and not at hand with this profound warning. I also offer four contemporary applications of what Jesus was saying via his stern admonition. At the show's beginning I reflect on why it is that Christians, living inside their Christianity, have children, and value children. Conversely, why are millions (billions?) around the world forsaking the bearing of children? Let's look at life through the lens of Christ Jesus, God in the flesh.

242 Reading Cars and Evil Societal Patterns

During my four years of high school I worked for a gas station-car wash. Across those years I learned to recognize the shapes, designs, and colors of every car manufacturer. Seeing only a tail-light I could tell you the brand. Life itself is comprised of patterns and shapes such that when we see even one element of a form we know what the larger pattern is. What does that mean for reading today's devolving culture? What does our current Gestalt tell us about the rampant evils at work in society?

153 Damaging the Frequency of Freedom

Life is a matter of frequency, of attunement, of stimmung (in German). How we attune ourselves, how we tune our frequency, greatly determines the quality of our lives. What kinds of things have entered the American frequency that have cloyed both a biblical and an American understanding of freedom? What Beatles song do I sing to make my point? Come think and laugh with me.

049 Why Does Prayer Matter?

If God knows everything what is the point of praying? Won't he just make things happen regardless? But, what if God built the universe such that prayer is an integral tool for us? After all, God is a being who loves to share. What if prayer is less about work and more about sharing? Me? I believe prayer is part of our God-given toolbox to complete both the cultural mandate (Gen. 1) and the Gospel (Mt. 28:19). Even more? Prayer is just good for your soul!