St. Augustine wrote in Augustine Confessions:

"Thus they hate the truth for the sake of that other thing which they love because they take it for truth. They love truth when it enlightens them, they hate truth when it accuses them. Because they do not wish to be deceived and do wish to deceive, they love truth when it reveals itself, and hate it when it reveals them."

Visit us at First Cause!

History is full of examples of tyrannical nations who rained pain and perfected tormenting as part of their methodology in defeating their enemies. Does this mean that God is helpless, an uncaring bystander, or celebrant of evil?

Visit us at First Cause.

The antidote to discrimination and racism is Jesus Christ. Pastor E.V. Hill once shared his response to Black Panthers threatening his life for preaching about “that white Jesus.”

I don’t know anything about a white Christ—I know about Christ, a Savior named Jesus. I don’t know what color He is. He was born in brown Asia, He fled to black Africa, and He was in heaven before the gospel got to white Europe . . . I do know one thing: if you bow at the altar with color on your mind, and get up with color on your mind, go back again and keep going back until you no longer look at His color, but at his greatness and His power—His power to save![1]

[1] https://www.mysoulpurpose.org/e-v-hill-and-the-black-panthers

Visit us at First Cause!

When was the last time you sat beside a fire, alone, and able to think and meditate? The previous home owners left me a gift of numerous piles of dead branches all over the property. I guess they didn’t have time to burn anything but I still would label their actions a gift because they gave me plenty of reason to clear away brush piles and, in the process, burn.  There is something mesmerizing (and therapeutic) about sitting next to a fire and watching it reduce large masses to smoldering ashes. No branch escapes. All that feel the hot fury of flame are engulfed and reduced to residue.

Visit us at First Cause.

Ralph went to the National Training Center (NTC) in California serving as the Fire Support Officer (FSO) for an infantry battalion scheduled to be evaluated. Ralph looked at the terrain model as the battalion staff discussed what tactics they should choose on their upcoming day of battle.  He realized that it was very similar to terrain he had trained on with a Cavalry unit.  As the leaders selected their preferred course of action he disagreed and felt they were heading into a trap.

Visit us at First Cause !

One would think that with the uncertainties of life and certainty of death, people would be intrigued, perhaps even obsessed, with knowing if there is a Creator and, if He in fact, has a plan for His creation. It amazes me how many people I meet who seem uninterested in what happens to them when they die. Yet, this is THE MOST IMPORTANT question everyone should want to know the answer to because one second after death will be too late to decide.  For this reason, among many, I value theology.

Visit us at First Cause.

On my wall is a painting of the Old Testament prophet Daniel standing on a cement floor calmly looking out a window as seven lions to his right seemingly gaze with him.  His image of courage and peace in a room meant for his consumption, inspires me.  Of all the saints in the Old Testament, Daniel seems the most Christlike to me.

Visit us at First Cause.

Jim Van Yperen wrote a terrific book on resolving conflict entitled Making Peace: A Guide to Overcoming Church Conflict.  One of the topics Yperen tackles is individualism.  He notes specifically that western individualism actually works against spiritual vitality and fellowship because it breeds autonomy at the cost of biblical community. Individualism results in consumerism.

Visit us at First Cause!

Proverbs 19:11—A person’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.

Visit us at First Cause! 

Proverbs 26:20—Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down.

Visit us at First Cause.