A common practice amongst government departments is that of lobbying. Lobbyists put pressure on individuals in government to persuade them to do something. We are also familiar with terms like group pressure, peer pressure and social pressure. The idea is to influence someone to conform to those who are doing the pressuring. This can, of course, be positive or negative. Scripture warns us to be wary of group think. “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil” (Exodus 23:2). It is rare in … [Read more...] about Following the Crowd
Tools
Conquering Doubt with Discernment
The internet is a strange place. Filled with all sorts of information, it's possible to get lost for days in the vast chasm of witty memes, Instagram food photos, and stark news articles proclaiming the fall of western civilization. In this chaotic landscape of data all is not what it seems, and we can easily grow dubious. “Is that really an epically muscular guy picking up a car?” “Did she actually cook a meal using nothing but a matchstick, a cotton swab, and a tin can?” We all know … [Read more...] about Conquering Doubt with Discernment
Semper Fi
One of the central themes found in the bible is that of faithfulness. There is a Latin term that has been adopted by many groups and entities to convey the importance of faithfulness. The term is Semper Fidelis, which means “always faithful” or “always loyal.” A shortened version has been adopted by the United States Marine Corp as its motto, simply - Semper Fi. However, there is not a group that this term applies to more than the Church of God. The following three observations will keep … [Read more...] about Semper Fi
America’s Internet Surrender
The United States Department of Commerce (DoC) dropped a bombshell when it said they would be relinquishing control over the administration of the Internet, handing over responsibility to some yet-to-be-defined global entity. Immediately political leaders and commentators began talking about the serious ramifications of such a move. To understand what is at stake, it is important to know something about the history of the Internet. Developed nearly 50 years ago, the Internet is generally … [Read more...] about America’s Internet Surrender
Developing a True Perspective
Perspective is a remarkable thing. It defines what an artist does when giving proper height, width, depth and position to various objects or scenes when viewed from a particular vantage point. The viewer sees the objects and scenes as if they would appear in nature - no distortions. What really makes perspective interesting, however, is that it has an obvious spiritual application as well. In a sense, it makes an artist of each of us. We each draw conclusions in our minds' eye regarding … [Read more...] about Developing a True Perspective
How Do We Use Authority?
When we consider biblical authority and how we should use authority, do we consider it from man’s perspective or God's perspective? The disciples came to Christ and asked Him a basic question, who would have the preeminent position – to sit at his right and left hand (Matthew 20:21-27). Sitting at the King’s right and left hand by its very definition implies position, power and the ability to exercise authority – which in human terms implies the ability to control others. Christ’s response to … [Read more...] about How Do We Use Authority?