It's a Girl!

Kristina and I found out that we are going to be having a baby girl...Hailee Marie Deter.

Sheep Among Wolves

On Sunday, I led a study through Matthew Chapter 10. In Matthew 10, Jesus tells his disciples, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves..." What an interesting illustration that Jesus leaves us with here. The thought of sending out innocent defenseless sheep to go be among a pack of (I can only imagine) hungry wolves. What a dangerous place to be, but this is the life Jesus is calling his disciples to live. To his disciples, Jesus commanded them in the previous verses to go from town to town, preaching the good news, healing the sick, casting out demons, and ultimately they are called to extend the ministry of Jesus himself throughout the nation of Israel.

What then does this mean for those of us today who live our lives under the Lordship of Jesus Christ? For us then, we need to embrace the dangers that come with the life of a disciple. A disciple of Christ is not called to live a sheltered life that is hidden form any and all dangers. No the disciple is to live a life of an innocent sheep, who is blameless before all men, but is still in danger of being attacked by those whom they live in the middle of. Throughout Scripture the picture of a sheep would commonly be used to refer to the chosen ones of God as well as maintaining close parallels to the sacrifices found in the Old Testament.

If we focus on the latter reference we can note that a sacrifice that is meaningful to God is one that blameless. When a disciple lives in the company of wolves they must also be blameless (not perfect) in the eyes of their peers. So why then is it so dangerous? Jesus later in chapter 10 tells his disciples that the message they are preaching will be so polarizing that it will tear even families apart. But if we can live in such a way that we are being lights in a dark world, as Jesus says earlier in Matthew, maybe by some small chance we point a few towards the teachings of Jesus.

Evangelicals against Torture

Evangelicals for Human Rights has put out a document speaking against the use of torture. They claim that every one is entitled to their rights. Take a few moments and read through the document. They make a strong and powerful case against the use of torture. Here is the link
An Evangelical Declaration against Torture

War in Iraq

I have been struggling recently about where I should stand on the war in Iraq. My studies over the last few years are leading me to believe that we as believers in Christ should be proponents for peace not supporters of war. However, as I look at the situation in Iraq I start to wonder what would happen if American troops are pulled out of Iraq. Would we be causing a bigger mess than we started or would we be doing the right thing? My fear is that if troops are pulled out because of we are now realizing it is a "bad" war to be in, will we be doing a bigger injustice to the people of Iraq? I am left wondering what is the right thing to do and which side I should stand on.
If being asked whether or not Americans should be there I would support peace over war on any day. But on the other side if mistakes are made someone needs to take responsibility for those mistakes and do what is ultimately right. Maybe it is time for someone to own up to possible mistakes that have been made and make a stand for doing what is right for everyone. If more Iraqis than US soldiers lose their lives because of an ensuing civil war that could be a result of our departure then we would have caused more harm then good by pulling troops out. If there are more US soldiers that lose their lives than Iraqis then troops should be pulled out.
My opinion is that as a country, responsibility needs to be taken for having the best interest of everyone in mind. If as a country (right or wrong) we have gone to war with Iraq to make "improvements" then we need to what is best for everyone. I leave the decision to which side would lose more lives to others who have better access to information than do I...then again that is what got is here.

Reflections from Amos

I have recently spent a considerable amount of time studying the book of Amos for a paper I was righting. Those who have studied Amos would be familiar with the way Amos rebukes the rich in Israel for their exploitation and oppression of the poor. This exploitation of the poor and the weak continues in our world today. In California where I live, my peers and I have little to no hope of owning a piece of property without risking overextending ourselves. Gas prices continue to skyrocket, but oil companies are taking in record profits. Increasing health care costs makes you wonder where all the money goes, as pharmaceutical companies and medical device companies continue to thrive. AIDS continues to become more of an epidemic in Africa; coffee workers in South America are exploited. The injustice that Amos talks about still exists today. But I ask my question where do I start. How do I speak up fo the weak and exploited? Will my voice make a difference? Whatever I end up doing, I know that I will struggle with what to do until I find it. My heart is changing for the better; every day I better understand that I must take responsibility for what I see going on in this world.