As a man thinks in his heart?

“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he”, states the Bible in Proverbs 23:7. Sermons have been preached and doctrines taught on the concept that we become what we think in our heart. Even the Buddhist philosophy admonishes “right thinking” as one component of the eight-fold path. However, other translations of this portion of Proverbs convey a different meaning: “for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost” (NLT 2007, NIV 1984, ESV 2001). In fact, this translation seems to fit more accurately with the context of the passage. Reading the verses immediately preceding and following 23:7 indicates the writer is cautioning the reader when associating with a selfish person:
“Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, or desire his delicacies; for as he thinks within himself, so he is (for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost). He says to you, ‘Eat and drink!’ But his heart is not with you. You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten, and waste your compliments.”
This hardly seems like positive encouragement for us to become what we think in our heart.

This passage advises us to be careful when with certain types of people because they are not what they appear to be on the surface. The clause “as he thinks within himself, so he is” warns that this man’s inner thoughts are different from the deceptive false front he presents. These verses do not teach the power of positive thinking. In fact, the deceptive man mentioned in this verse acts differently from his inner thoughts.

But, is the concept still accurate and is it supported in other passages of the Bible? Actually, there is less Biblical support than one might think. In fact, several biblical passages that mention thinking lead to different outcomes. For example, Jesus said, “whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him” (Luke 8:18). The thoughts of this person obviously did not lead to action. Paul similarly mentioned positive cognitions that failed to benefit this person: “For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself” (Galatians 6:3). Again, here is a person who thinks he is something he is not, in contradiction to the common meaning attributed to Proverbs 23:7.

But wait, doesn’t the Bible state that we speak what the heart believes? Yes, there is some biblical support for that; for example, Jesus connects the heart with speech (Matthew 12:34, 15:18). So, what is in the heart (mind) will at some time leak out of the mouth. And, we know from experience that belief can determine behavior. But, that is not always sufficient - as James points out, we show belief by actions (James 2:17-18). So, thoughts and beliefs do not automatically lead to the behaviors we desire. Thinking – and even believing – must be followed by conscious decisions to put them into practice in reality.

On the other hand, psychology does seem to support the concept that thoughts can lead to behaviors. Much of the basic theory of cognitive psychology is derived from the notion that thoughts determine the interpretation of events, which lead to feelings, which can then determine behavior. Aaron Beck, the father of cognitive psychology wrote: “In cognitive therapy it is generally maintained that beliefs have a profound impact on feelings and behaviors.” [1] Though, psychologists will often employ behavioral techniques enabling clients to follow accurate thinking with appropriate action.

The bottom line here is the importance of considering the context and proper translation of biblical passages, especially when basing an entire doctrine on one or two verses of dubious clarity. Mistakes have been made in other areas similar to this (e.g., baptism for the dead and faith of God). Furthermore, we should not take for granted what we have been taught; rather, “examine everything carefully, hold fast to that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:21).

[1] Aaron T. Beck, Fred D. Wright, Cory F. Newman, and Bruce S. Liese, Cognitive Therapy of Substance Abuse (NY, NY: The Guilford Press, 1993), 169.

praying to a painting

La Basilica in the town of Higuey, Dominican Republic, contains a painting of Jesus’ mother Mary, entitled La Virgen de la Altagracia, patron saint of Republica Dominicana, made by a 15th century Spanish painter. As my wife and I visited while celebrating our anniversary, the tour guide stated many people – including his own mother - pray to this painting, hoping for Mary to make intercession. Thousands visit annually on January 21st to celebrate Our Lady of Altagracia Day, when the beautiful architecture of La Basilica is illuminated after dark.

Some of the most spectacular paintings and edifices in the world are religious. Fortunately, it is not necessary to pray to a saint or visit a building to communicate with God. In fact, all believers are saints: “to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:2). And, we are all priests: “He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father” (Revelation 1:6). All believers have one great high priest (Hebrews 8:1) and no need for any other. Each of us has the indescribable privilege of communicating directly with God, as Jesus said, “you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you” (John 16:26-27). James encourages believers to “draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). And, we do not need to visit a building to meet God: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you” (1 Corinthians 3:16).

The veil of the temple was torn (Matthew 27:51), providing access to God for all who believe in Jesus Christ. In the words Bob Hartman, leader of the greatest rock band ever:
He paid the ransom due and tore the temple veil in two
and opened up the way for me and you.
It is finished.

Aliens and oaths

“At any given time, there are around 1,500 aliens on the planet”, said Tommy Lee Jones to Will Smith in Men in Black. Many aliens live in the United States today – some legally and others not – though most are not from the Alpha Centauri system or the Crab Nebula. Immigration is a political hot button topic these days. Of course, all residents of this nation were aliens at one time, even American Indians who likely traveled across Asia and the Bering Strait thousands of years ago. As Tommy Lee goes on to say, “Most of them are decent enough; they’re just trying to make a living.” That is true today – many undocumented visitors in the USA are simply trying to make a better life for their families, while others have decidedly more malevolent intentions. The general public may never know how many potential terrorist attacks have been stopped by analysts, agents and concerned citizens.

The 9/11 hijackers were living as enemies within the borders of this nation. However, it is interesting to note that these devoted followers of their god partook of the sins of Western civilization which they vociferously denounced. For example, in the days prior to the attacks, United Airlines hijacker Marwan Al-Shehhi purchased at least $435 worth of porn videos and toys from the Video Outlet in Deerfield Beach, Florida (from FBI timeline). Mohammad Atta downed $48 in vodka at Shuckums Oyster Bar and Restaurant in Hollywood, Florida, telling the bartender, “Of course I can pay the bill, I’m an airline pilot”. [1] According to the USA Today, “The night before terrorists struck New York and Washington, three men spewed anti-American sentiments in a bar and talked of impending bloodshed at a strip club known as the Pink Pony and Red Eyed Jack's Sports Bar in Daytona Beach. "They were talking about what a bad place America is. They said 'Wait 'til tomorrow. America is going to see bloodshed’”, stated the manager to the FBI. [2]

For those immigrants who truly want to become productive citizens of the USA and assimilate into American life, there are several requirements. Once those are met and the application is filed, the last step to citizenship is for the individual to swear the oath of allegiance. The oath begins with this phrase:
“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen…” [3]
When an individual has renounced all other allegiances and sworn loyalty to the United States, he or she then becomes a citizen.

The Bible instructs believers to live as aliens and strangers in this world. Christians should not assimilate into society, engaging in the same behaviors as unbelievers. Peter tells us: “I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.” (2 Peter 2:11) In the next verse, he continues, “keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles”. Are we living up to that admonition? It is easy to feel at home, especially in Western societies wherein life is generally good. Do we sometimes love the world and the things of the world as John commands us not to do (1 John 2:15-17). While living as aliens, we do not seek to destroy society through terrorism; rather, we seek to change people from the inside out. To do that, we cannot live as those who have no hope. We need to renounce prior allegiances. And, like an immigrant to the United States who changes allegiance, the Apostle Paul informs that we also have switched: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household” (Ephesians 2:19). How then should we live?

[1] Ian Ball, Telegraph online, “FBI tracks down the Florida lair of flying school terrorists”, 14 Sept 2001,
< http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1340519/FBI-tracks-down-the-Florida-lair-of-flying-school-terrorists.html >
[2] USA Today newspaper, “Manager: Men spewed anti-American sentiments”, 14 Sept 2001, < http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2001/09/14/miami-club.htm >
[3] U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website, “Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America”, updated 8 Mar 2010, accessed 25 May 2010, < www.uscis.gov >

Four "E"s of the Resurrection

The most significant event in human history is celebrated on Easter: The resurrection of Jesus Christ, of which Paul said, “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain” (1 Corinthians 15:14). If He was not raised, we may just eat, drink, and do whatever we wish because all of us will die with no hope. Fortunately, not only was He raised, but the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the best-attested event in ancient history. Here we will list four easy lines of evidence for the reliability of the gospel accounts, particularly of the resurrection.

1. Eyewitnesses: John, Peter, Matthew, and James personally observed the life of Jesus. Luke and Mark wrote their accounts based on the testimony of eyewitnesses. Peter stated, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16). John wrote, “The Word became flesh and lived among us. We have seen His glory” (John 1:14). Luke as an investigative reporter, indicated, “I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you…so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught” (Luke 1:3-4). Luke traveled with Paul (Col. 4:14, Philemon 24) and wrote his account prior to A.D. 62, so many eyewitnesses were alive to interview. Mark was an associate of Peter (1 Peter 5:13) and wrote his account based on that information, a fact mentioned by early church father Papias. Furthermore, when most of the books in the New Testament were being written, hundreds of additional witnesses were alive to corroborate these accounts, as Paul wrote: “He (Jesus) appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living” (1 Corinthians 15:6).

2. Early: I Corinthians was written around 55 AD by Paul and contained a creed in Chapter 15 that dated to within only a few years of the resurrection. Historical non-Biblical records show that Paul died around 62 AD, during the reign of Emperor Nero, so all of his writings were complete before that time. Relating that to the modern era, suppose sometime in the 1980s, a person became well-known for performing miracles, was arrested, killed, then seen alive again afterward. Would an eyewitness of those events still remember three decades later? Absolutely. Much of the Bible was written while dispassionate, as well as hostile, witnesses were still alive to dispute the accounts.

3. Embarrassing: If many of us had been with Jesus and decided to write our memoirs, would we have included embarrassing details of seeming insignificance? For example, between the crucifixion and resurrection, the brave disciples were hiding (John 20:19). Furthermore, in this patriarchal society, the first courageous ones to visit the tomb were women (Matthew 28:1). If the valiant disciples were making up this story, they would surely have mentioned something about boldly marching down to the tomb, kicking some Roman guard hindquarters, and rescuing their Savior. Then, there was the verbal exchange in which Jesus called Peter “Satan” (Mark 8:33). If Peter was making up the story, do you think he might have said to Mark, “Don’t include that part about Jesus calling me Satan”? Various other mentions of the unbelief and intellectual deficiency of the disciples in the gospels would surely have been deleted if they were only stories. The fact that embarrassing details are recorded lends credibility to the accounts.

4. Empty Tomb: John records, “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!’" (John 20:1-2) Did they go to the wrong tomb? It was a very traumatic time, the burial was made hastily, and it was dark, so perhaps they did. However, the Jewish leaders would have been very motivated to quickly locate the correct tomb - with help from Roman guards - prove Jesus was still dead, and put an end to this resurrection foolishness. Well then, maybe the disciples stole the body and invented the story? One problem with that theory is that it would have been impossible to get past the Roman guard. Two, if the disciples did steal the body, then they clearly knew he was dead. And if so, they were the stupidest people in history to willingly die for a false story they knew was false. Some may be willing to die for a lie they think is true, but all of the disciples (except Judas) were willing to die for their belief.

These are four, simple yet convincing, reasons to believe the Biblical resurrection accounts.
(A more detailed account of these lines of evidence may be found in the book "I don’t have enough faith to be an atheist” by Frank Turek and Norman Geisler.)

simple little lumps and pale blue dots

Scientific advances in very recent history indicate that even simple, single-cellular organisms are incredibly complex, raising serious challenges to undirected origins of life and naturalistic, Darwinian evolution. Darwin’s ideas were ingenious, but at the time he wrote, microscopes were not sufficiently advanced to distinguish the inner workings of a living cell. Ernst Haeckel, a great admirer of Darwin and popularizer of his theory, believed a cell is a “simple little lump of albuminous combination of carbon”. [1] He couldn’t have been more wrong. A "simple" cell has been described as functioning with the complexity of a small city. The probability of even one protein forming by chance is astronomical, to say nothing of all the other necessary components of a single cell. In fact, this one aspect of cellular development has been addressed by chemists Charles Thaxton, Walter Bradley, and Roger Olsen. [2] They determined that, in the absence of any chemical competition with non-amino acids and nonbiologically relevant amino acids – in other words, an ideal situation – the probability of aligning the correct amino acid in a specific position in a protein molecule is 1.25%. Calculating from there the probability of correctly aligning at least one hundred amino acids necessary to form even one simple protein, is roughly one chance in 10,191. This does not begin to address the numerous other requirements for the formation of even one single cell, such as: nucleic acids (RNA and DNA), homochirality of amino acids, cellular membrane, transport mechanisms, lipids, and so on. Scientific evidence is solidly in the court of intelligent design, leaving the burden of proof on those who advocate undirected, naturalistic origins.

Evidence for intentional design is not only greatly bolstered by technological developments on the microscopic level, but also on the astronomic scale. Carl Sagan believed that Earth is an ordinary planet circling an ordinary star in an ordinary galaxy. He proposed the idea that, if there is life on Earth, then many other planets probably also have life. Is that true? People have worked for years on the SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) Program to find signs of life on other planets. However, when we begin to examine the narrow parameters necessary for life to exist, it is abundantly evident that this planet is anything but an ordinary pale blue dot in the vast universe. Astrophysicist Hugh Ross, has listed 93 parameters necessary for life as we know it to exist on a planet. [3] The list is obviously much too lengthy to quote here, but suffice to say, Earth is significantly more unique that previously thought. To give one example, too few gamma-ray burst events in the galaxy would lead to insufficient production of copper, scandium, titanium, and zinc necessary for complex life to exist. Too many gamma-ray bursts would result in too many mass extinction events on earth. Only 92 more until life is possible.

Astronomical parameters, combined with microscopic biological observations, present very strong arguments for intentional design and, therefore, an intelligent designer. As tourists recognize the purposeful design in the painting of the Sistine Chapel, study of the universe, and the exponentially higher level of design, leads one to agree with Paul: “since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made” (Romans 1:20).

[1] Farley, J., The Spontaneous Generation Controversy from Descartes to Oparin, (Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1979), 73.
[2] Charles Thaxton, Walter Bradley, and Roger Olsen, The Mystery of Life’s Origin: Reassessing Current Theories (Dallas, TX: Lewis and Stanley, 1984), 113-166.
[3] Hugh Ross, Fine Tuning for Life on Earth, at: www.reasons.org, 2006,
< http://www.reasons.org/fine-tuning-life-universe-aug-2006 >

true hero

College life is usually full of good times and many fond memories. It was no different for students on the women’s campus of a university in Islamabad, Pakistan on October 20, 2009. The young ladies were enjoying lunch in the cafeteria, while working outside was a janitor, Pervaiz Masih, who had been on the job there less than a week. Masih was a Christian, which is not much of a resume-builder in Muslim Pakistan (no disrespect toward janitors). A strange thing happened this day Masih was working when someone walked to the building dressed in a burka from head to foot. Even in this Islamic nation, the outfit was a little over the top. When a security guard suspected something was amiss, the man under the burka shot the guard. As the attacker began moving toward the cafeteria where an estimated 300 to 400 students were gathered, Masih blocked his path and refused to let him enter. It was reported there was a confrontation and a large explosion. The attacker and Masih were killed, as were three students, but most of the ball bearings used as shrapnel exploded into the parking lot rather than the cafeteria, most likely saving many lives. Pockmarks in the walkway are a reminder of the event.

Afterward, one of the students stated, “If he didn't stop the suicide attacker, there could have been great, great destruction.” Another student, 20-year-old Sumaya Ahsan said, "He's now a legend to us, because he saved our lives, our friends' lives." Professor Fateh Muhammad Malik remarked, “Despite being a Christian, he sacrificed his life to save the Muslim girls." Video coverage of this story by CNN is worth viewing. [1]

Who do many people think of when the term “hero” is mentioned? Spiderman, Barack Obama, Drew Brees? Perhaps Captain Sullenberger, who landed a plane in the Hudson River or Richard Phillips, whose boat was hijacked by Somali pirates? Many fawn over celebrities, musicians and athletes, but those truly deserving of recognition are ordinary people who do extraordinary things during unanticipated situations.

The account of Pervaiz Masih may remind us of another hero who once said, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” And, like those students in the cafeteria, most of whom probably do not know the true God: “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

[1] CNN edition, “Christian janitor died saving Muslim students”, posted 11 Nov 2009,
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/11/11/pakistan/hero/

Why does God permit natural disasters?

On January 12, 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the nation of Haiti. As of this writing, the confirmed death toll is over 100,000 and may approach 200,000 when the debris is cleared. It is encouraging to see money and aid pouring in from many nations, Christian organizations, and others. George Clooney and many famous celebrities have used their status and money to assist. A telethon held January 22nd raised more than $57 million and counting. Even Tiger Woods sent a $3 million check from an undisclosed location and Brangelina, in the midst of another alleged breakup, have donated $1 million.

Months from now, when the headlines have subsided, it will be important to not forget about Haiti. A number of excellent Christian relief organizations have been working in this impoverished nation for many years, including Samaritan’s Purse. Assistance will be needed to rebuild Haiti, where 80% of the population lived below the poverty line [1] and the average annual salary was around $450 before the disaster [2]. Most Americans spend more for a television. A number of Haitians work six month stints at resorts in Punta Cana, which is about 200 miles on the other side of the island. And, even those wages would cause North Americans to turn up their noses.

So, why did God let this happen? Tragedies raise questions about God, which appear to leave three possibilities: God does not exist, He is not good, or He is not all powerful. If these were true, He would have protected the victims, right? First, the response by Christians is not to distribute trite answers, it is to help those in need (James 2:14-16) and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). For those who truly are searching for an answer, let’s ask how God would act. He works through people, His physical hands and feet in this world (1 Corinthians 12:27 and Romans 12:4-5) designed to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). Jesus commanded us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and give drink to the thirsty (Matthew 25:35-36). Tragedy is a call for God’s people to step up and demonstrate His love.

Next, God has given humans the intellectual capability to prevent much of the human suffering and devastation from natural disasters. For example, tornado warning systems have been designed to advise nearby residents to find safe shelter. Building codes in earthquake zones such as Japan and San Francisco require that new structures are constructed to resist earthquake damage. We daily use many devices that protect from serious harm or death: seat belts, carbon monoxide detectors, smoke detectors, side air bags, and many others. While these are no comfort to those who have lost loved ones, they demonstrate that humans have the capability to develop technology to greatly reduce harm from accidents and natural disasters. Rather than saving us supernaturally, in many ways, God has placed this ability in our hands. James Roberts, research fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Center for International Trade and Economics, served in the State Department for 25 years and worked at the embassy in Haiti. He stated corruption has been a major problem in that nation, accounting for the lack of economic development and even contributing to inferior building designs through lack of standards enforcement or cheating by contractors [3]. Humans have the ability to implement changes making Haiti safer.

Earthquakes are a function of geological forces that are necessary for life on Earth. As a rotating wire coil inside a set of magnets generates an electrical current, Earth’s rotating liquid iron core produces the magnetosphere which protects our atmosphere from solar wind particles and low energy cosmic radiation harmful to life. The rotating core causes movement of the crustal plates, which maintain the carbon cycle necessary to life. Plate tectonics are also crucial to creation and continuation of land masses which would be eroded over time, turning Earth into a water world inhospitable to life, including Kevin Costner. And, this water would be frozen without the molten core which causes movement of the continents [4].

Finally, we must remember that God originally placed humans in this world in a protected status designed to live forever (Genesis 2:8 and Genesis 2:15-16). After rejecting God’s instruction, the first humans were unceremoniously ejected from Eden. Throughout history, humans have collectively wanted God out of our lives (Romans 3:11-12) and each of us has done this individually. So, to some degree, God did get out of our lives. We call on Him in times of trouble, but since the Garden of Eden, we have decided to reject His instructions, have our own way, so we get our wish. If God was punishing the Haitian citizens, we would all be in trouble (Luke 13:4-5). Each of us are now living in a fallen world and are susceptible to difficulties: Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned (Romans 5:12). None are exempt from problems (Psalm 34:19); however, we have many great promises that God will deliver us from trouble (John 16:33, Psalm 34:17). One day, He will permanently deliver all who trust Him (1 Corinthians 15:52) and the greatest tragedy would be to miss that.

[1] Central Intelligence Agency, updated 27 Nov 2009,
< https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ha.html>.
[2] World Vision, “Frequently asked questions about the Haiti earthquake”, accessed 24 Jan 2010,
< http://www.worldvision.org/content.nsf/sponsor/sponsor-haiti>.
[3] Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, interview by Craig Smith, January 23, 2010, p. A7.
[4] Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay Richards, The Privileged Planet (Washington, DC: Regnery Publishing, 2004), 55-58.