This weekend Hurricane Earl is visiting the East Coast. While a direct hit on the coast does not appear likely, Earl will no doubt cause widespread damage in areas not typically affected by hurricanes. It intriguing that this intense low pressure center is given a human name. Low pressure is a common meteorological occurrence and is frequently associated with stormy weather. On any given day a weather map will show both low and high pressure systems moving across the continent. However, no one attempts to name or even number these systems. They simply come and go. But several times each year, a low pressure system that forms in the warm waters of the tropics will grow to such a large size and intensity that meteorologists give the storm a name. These names used to be exclusively female, but to be fair to men everywhere, both male and female names are now used. Hence, Earl is bearing down on the East Coast. Naming the storms does tend to make them more personal. It is easier to express anger toward a storm named Earl rather than toward a low pressure center. People often write on the protective boards they put up something like “Earl – Stay away!” This does sound more personal than writing “Intense Low Pressure Center – Stay away!”

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Stress. Anxiety. Pressure. These triplets are part and parcel of life in Western culture. If you would like to conduct an informal survey to support this statement, observe the themes of prime-time television commercials. Stress is produced by everything from having the wrong shampoo to having an untidy toilet bowl. Anxiety is said to be cured by taking the right pill or by calling a credit relief agency.  Pressure results from not having the right stock broker, the right shoes, driving the right car, to having gray hair. And of course, with the mid-term elections right around the corner, pressure, stress and anxiety will certainly result from supporting any political candidate other than the one making the commercial.

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Two children plus one favorite toy on equals trouble.  No, this is not the beginning of new math word problem. But it is a scenario that leads to disruptions in families every day. Two children each want the same toy.  In this case, this toy was a recent gift from Grandma. On this particular morning, Andrew is the first one to claim possession.  Lydia knows this means that she will not be able to play with this toy for at least several hundred years. So Lydia, with tears welling up in her eyes, goes off to find Mom to inform her of this great injustice.

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Shepherd Press is pleased to announce that we will be partnering withCovenant Eyes. Covenant Eyes provides a unique resource for addressing internet pornography. Their creative approach not only deals with stopping this particular sin, but it also has the potential to build relationships between teenagers and their parents. It is this feature of the Covenant Eyes program that is particularly attractive to Shepherd Press.  I have asked Luke Gilkerson of Covenant Eyes to write a post which will introduce their approach to our readers.  We are looking forward to working with Covenant Eyes.  More information about our partnership will be available shortly. Here is Luke’s post.

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Elements of America’s judiciary have chosen to rebuild the Tower of Babel. But this time, words, not brick and mortar, are the construction materials.  The Tower of Babel defied the mandate of the living God. God commanded that man should occupy the earth  and have dominion over it (Genesis 1:26-28). However, some of Noah’s descendants decided they didn’t like the idea that they should spread out over all the earth at God’s command.  Rather, they wanted to make a name for themselves, thus rejecting the Name of their Creator. Their thinking was that if they banded together and built a city with a tower that would reach to the heavens, they could avoid being dispersed and build a center of power for themselves. (See Genesis 11:1-9.) So the reason for building the city and its great tower was to defy God. Put another way, these folks were saying, if we don’t build this tower, we will be forced to obey God.

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The teen years are challenging. This statement isn’t startling to you, is it? (If it is, just by any teenager and/or their parents.) For example, if an unexplained mishap occurs in the home and  teenagers are present, which of the following three individuals would be the most likely to suspect as the culprit: a – the teenager; b – the teenager; or c- the teenager?

In all seriousness, being a teenager in a Christian home can be difficult.

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Your eight-year-old hears things. Your son hears wild stories. Your daughter sees the constant allure of commercials.  He hears the taunts of the schoolyard. She feels an inner dread growing out of her many fears. How do you help your eight-year-old child with such difficult issues? What is needed most is the news of the gospel; specifically, the good news of the grace of God.  The word gospel means “good news.”  Matthew speaks of the Jesus proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom. That is, the good news of the kingdom where Jesus is King. This good news means that people can be rescued from darkness. Your eight-year-old already knows something of this darkness.  He knows the darkness personally from the fears and brokenness caused by his own sin. He also knows of the darkness from the ugliness of the world around him. Perhaps he has experienced the death of someone close to him. Or perhaps she has heard the cruel taunts of other children. He may have experienced the vicious devastation of a “natural” disaster or the ravages of war.  Whatever the source, he has seen and experienced the attacks of the kingdom of darkness. He was born a slave to this darkness. The good news is that Jesus is able to rescue him from darkness. The gospel matters.

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For most, the statement that the gospel matters for toddlers lacks a sense of immediacy. This seems more suitable for older children and adults.  However, this perspective reveals a common underlying problem. The problem is that information transfer is seen as the primary method of bringing people to Christ. In other words, you tell someone about Christ and hope they will respond. The person to whom you are speaking is the one who holds the cards.  Your role is ultimately passive.

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Whatever, it doesn’t matter.

You have heard these words before. Perhaps, you have heard them from your own lips.  These words are not words of encouragement or optimism. These are words of discouragement and disappointment. They are said when we feel let down, betrayed. The irony is that often when these words are spoken they really mean that something matters very much.

The gospel matters. There is only one Person who will not disappoint you – his name is Jesus.

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