Comments for The Gospel According to Matt

Comment on Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas? by Darren

Darren — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:45:29 +0000

In addition to the Christmas time, I also here many Christians complain about ‘prayer’ and ‘God’ being taken out of public schools. First of all, not sure its possible to ‘remove’ God. But anyways, instead of complaining I would encourage all Christians to be active in public schools. Encourage kids to pray at lunch, they are allowed to bring their Bible to school and read it when they have time. The constitution actually defends this. Want it doesn’t protect is enfocring your beliefs on others. Students can also meet before/after school. You’d be surprised how many teachers and staff would be willing to help, if you talked to them. Just something I think should be more proactive about.

Comment on Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas? by brendaschwartz

brendaschwartz — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 01:43:06 +0000

Very true, I just don’t see the big fuss… or see why anyone would be offended. I’m glad it’s mainly blown out of proportion, but even then I see those Facebook posts as well and think… who cares!? I even wrote on my wall saying the same thing, I don’t care, what form you put it in, I take it in that they wished me well, and to me, that is what counts…. not the formation they used in doing so. Its the thought that counts, and if someone wants to get snotty about it, I would suggest rethinking the friendship there.

Comment on Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas? by Darren

Darren — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 16:26:33 +0000

I agree that the media likes to blow this out of proportion. Being a public school teacher, our calendar says ‘winter break’. Never had a parent/student complain about that. Though I refer to it as Christmas break to all my students as do many other teachers. We all wish each other Merry Christmas (among other Holidays) and parents wish us a Merry Christmas (usually). Being a teacher who has history, reading, writing, as part of his curriculum I’m able to talk about Christ and read about him anytime of the year, likewise students can do the same. Say Merry Christmas and Feliz Navidad to all and to all a good night…or whatever time of day it is!

Comment on Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas? by brendaschwartz

brendaschwartz — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:58:26 +0000

As an atheist, I get many glares. People just assume I am against saying ‘God’ in school or even the whole Christmas thing. Christmas has been the adopted religious holiday since….well- long before I was even born, and I must say it doesn’t bother me a bit if someone says Merry Christmas, vs Happy Holidays…..I take the thought of somebody wishing me well into heart and don’t get disgruntled about it. However I know that there are others like me out there who do….. We all have our beliefs, right? Who am I to stomp in and say anyone is wrong? So with that being said…..Merry Christmas to you too!!

Comment on Challening Quote from Jim Cymbala: by John

John — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:44:46 +0000

Sadly Jim Cymbala shows this in the theology of his church. He constantly hits the same key which claims that theological training is useless.

“Jesus called fishermen, not graduates of rabbinical schools. The main requirement was to be natural and sincere.”
― Jim Cymbala, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire

This is the anti-intellectual spirit that permeates his church and his preaching. But it is becuase he read the NT through fautly lenses. He forgets that God did not call the fishermen because he say availablility in them. He called them because he is Sovereign. Granged they did not graduate from Yeshiva Seminary. But they sat day and night, under the feet of the beat Rabbi that ever lived. Is Jim Cymbala really that comfortable dismissing the fact that the discipels were Seminary trained; and that at the feet of Jesus? Why did he train them for 3 1/2 years? He told them that all he taught them would be revealed by the Spirit when he came. So to make a ridiculous statement as

“Jesus called fishermen, not graduates of rabbinical schools. The main requirement was to be natural and sincere.”
― Jim Cymbala, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire

Is simply, well, ridiculous. As sincere and well meaning as Jim is he misses it by a longshot. He promotes all the craziness we see in churches today that bypass dead doctrine to get to the Spirit and the result: Charismania.

It would be great to hear instead, that just because you know doctrine does not mean you know Jesus, but to dis doctrine as Jim Cymbala does is very sad.

Comment on Solomon on Ambition by Darren

Darren — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:54:39 +0000

This reminds me of a few things.
1. One strategy to help learn math is take the answer and work backwards.
2. I do my taxes the same way, I figure out how much money I want back and work backwards (Matt- does anyone from the IRS read your blog?)
3. In education one of the current ‘best-practices’ is to start with what you want your students to learn and then go backwards from that point and find the best way to get them to that point.

With the exception of maybe #2, all 3 are valid and helpful strategies. Thus it is tempting to think that if we want something ‘good’ we can throw caution to the wind when it comes to examining the process and/or motivation. The cliche’: “The ends justifies the means”, is often proven false when little or no ‘spiritual’ concern is given to the process.

Your article does an excellent job of pointing out that if we leave God out of any part of our ‘life process’ we as human beings can easily go astray, whether we intended to or not.

Comment on A Christian Response to Michael Jackson’s Death by gina uccelatore

gina uccelatore — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 09:37:06 +0000

all right I take it back, you are not ALL sick
it’s reassuring there are sensible people around too
in some internet sites, you even have charlatans (calling themselves christians) who claimed they had visions of Michaël in hell (with a lot of horryfying details)
probably to make themselves sound interesting

I would rather trust that little 12 year old girl who painted visions of Heaven and apologized for not using the right colours because there are colours there we don’t even have here and I think that’s where Michaël is
he left us messages of love, not hatred
of course he was not perfect (who is? certainly not me)
come on it’s Michaël, not Jesus ! but I think they’re close friends

Comment on Are you a Pagan? by Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 23 May 2011 06:24:31 +0000

I don’t get it. To a huge extent remodeling (especially if one’s going green) is an investment and LEGAL hobbie, minimally. there are people out there doing all kinds of evil, hurtful illegal stuff to others (sadly I know personally…) is it I need to just read more on this subject? I do know that there is an abuse of EVERY “Good Thing”.

Comment on When God Doesn’t Listen by mattsummers

mattsummers — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:51:18 +0000

No, I’m not saying that. I’m pointing out that that there are any number of reasons prayers might go unanswered, not the least of which could be continued, unaddressed sin in our lives. Perhaps the belief that our goodness entitles us to answered prayers is just as problematic. God is not obliged to give us what we ask for, no matter how impassioned we plea, no matter how holy we are, no matter what we declare in Jesus name. God is going to do what He deems best regardless of our “knee-burning” prayers. Still, I pray that He answers yours for there is no better blessing on this earth than children. Perhaps, He may answer your prayers through adoption or foster care. Lord, knows that there are millions of children who would love to be in safe, healthy homes.

Comment on When God Doesn’t Listen by Gary Staves

Gary Staves — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 01:19:03 +0000

So you’re saying that God will not answer the knee-burning prayers of my wife and I to become pregnant because “sin is provoking him to remain silent”? Hmmm. I’ve been married 8 years to a wonderful woman. We’re Christian. We’ve both examined our hearts and each others for ‘wickedness’ and can’t find it. We’re sinners saved by the Grace of Our Son Jesus. Can you explain your statement please?
Sincerely,
In Him