To Burn or Not To Burn

Jesus lived in a culture filled with idolatry, imperialism, cultism, and occultism. However, he never held a "book burning". However, in Acts 19:19 the converted Christians who had practiced sorcery DID bring their books to a public forum and burn them.

So the question, "Is it pleasing to God or offensive to God to burn the Quran?"
Is that really the right question?
Or is the better question, "In our quest to win souls to Christ and fill the earth with the fame of the name of Jesus, is the most strategic move to burn the Quran?"

What happened in Acts 19 is more like converted Muslims throwing out their Quran in the new understanding this it is not the word of God but of a false prophet. For Evangelical Christians to burn the Quran is unnecessary, offensive, counterproductive, and stupid.

Our acts of love and our gentle and clear communication of the gospel, and when necessary our unyielding, courageous stand for the truth of the Bible as God's only revelation, these are subversive acts with great power. Jesus demonstrated that LOVE always trumps HATE, and acts of kindness overcome acts of violence, and declaring truth in love are the most effective weapons against those who disagree and even those who hate us.

Overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

Don't burn books...rather burn with His love and passion for the lost!

A Few Solid Rocks

In the small Kansas church I grew up in, I was known for singing real loud. I just always was convinced that what I was singing about was real and really mattered. One of my favorites was, "On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand". 

The older I have grown, the more I have learned, the further I have traveled, the more doubts I have about many things. I am not as dogmatic about many things as I used to be. I have been asked too many questions and seen too much of life to claim certainty on several subjects that I used to be absolutely persuaded about. 

BUT a corollary reality has developed...a few of my big rocks have grown much larger and firmer than ever AND the sand has become uglier and more treacherous and deeper than I ever imagined. 

Jesus is still THE solid rock...and all other rocks gain their stability from His Word. 

A few of My Solid Rocks are...

1. Life is about eternity. (Life doesn't make sense if it's 80 and out)

2. Relationships count. (How I love really matters.)

3. Marriage is wonderful if centered in Christ. (Wrecked marriages are everywhere but a great marriage rocks)

4. Prayer really works. (It's just tried too infrequently and believed in too little)

5. All is vanity except that which God endorses (The most famous people and accomplishments are vapor)

6. The best way to live is found in the teachings of Jesus. (His words actually work!)

7. The only thing that doesn't change over time is Jesus and His Word. (It's why he's the SOLID rock.)

8. The Church, in all its imperfection, is the only organization worthy of my life's work. 

There are more solid rocks in my life....but these cover much of my reality. 

As the sinking sand around me grows, it's good to know I've got some solid rocks.