Religious Onions?

Christian “Science Class” 101: Our Topic Today: Onions and Faith*

“OK class, here we have an onion. I’m going to start cutting and let’s see what happens.

“Slice, slice, slice, slice, slice. (Pause, wiping tears from eyes.) Slice, slice, slice. (Pause, wiping tears from eyes.) Great, I think that’s enough.

“So what have we learned?

Lesson 1: “Yes, that’s right, slicing onions can make you cry, for the eyes become irritated.

“So what happened scientifically?

“Well, as onions are sliced or eaten, they generate sulfenic acids. The sulfenic acids diffuse through the air and eventually reaches the eye, where it activates sensory neurons, creating a stinging sensation.

“Have any of you had this happen to you?

“So, so how can we eliminate this eye irritation?

Lesson 2: “By supplying ample water to the reaction while peeling onions prevents the gas from reaching the eyes. Eye irritation can, therefore, be avoided by cutting onions under running water or while they’re submerged in a basin of water.

“So how does this apply to us spiritually?

“As a believer and follower of JESUS, I began to ask myself how much I’m like the onion. Am I an irritant (more than a seasoning) in the lives of others? I would have to answer, ‘Yes.’

“Raise your hands if your spiritual life has been an irritant to others? Can you think of a time when you didn’t live out your faith in a winsome way?

“Thanks for being honest!

“What can we do to change this?

“I believe in learning a lesson from the onion, we need to add Water—not just any water, but LIVING WATER!
“JESUS tells us that HE is the LIVING WATER. See John 4:13-14 http://read.ly/John4.14.ASV

“If we will add the LIVING WATER of JESUS to our lives, we will become a useful seasoning instead of simply an irritant.

Christian Science Experiment 1: “What in my life could be an irritant?

• “Believing in Grace, but not extending it to others
• “Believing the Christian life is more about the gifts than the GIVER
• “Believing in a GOD of truth, but living a false life
• “Believing in a GOD of strength, but worrying constantly ( http://swerve.lifechurch.tv/2010/04/20/a-peek-inside-the-christian-atheist/ )
• “What are some of your own irritants? Post them in the comments section above.

Christian Science Experiment 2: “How can I add the LIVING WATER to my life?

• “Receive Jesus as my Savior ( www.KINGorliar.com )
• “Start each day in Prayer, asking JESUS to live in and through me
• “Studying The BIBLE  to see how JESUS interacted with others
• “Learning daily through a daily devotional, how I can be a blessing (http://www.ourdailyjourney.org/2009/09/22/perfect-suffering/ )
• “What are some other ways of adding LIVING WATER to your life? Post them in the comment section above.

“Awesome!

{{{{{{{{{{Bell Rings}}}}}}}}}}

“Great job class. Have a great week!”

Disclaimer:  *I’m in no way qualified as a science teacher or a scientist. If you want the real science behind this, you can go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onion. But as a passionate Christian that loves a little humor, I thought this might be a fun way of explaining a lesson I learned about onions and faith.

Special thanks to my friend and editor, Tom Felten (His blog: http://www.ourdailyjourney.org/author/tfelten/ ).

How would Daniel handle the Freedom From Religion Foundation?

How would Daniel handle the Freedom From Religion Foundation?

 

Check out Daniel 6:6-11 ( http://read.ly/Dan6.6.NIV )  

 

What is his situation?  Men have attacked his freedom to pray to GOD.

What doesn’t he do?  Get a petition started or go before King Darius.  

What does he do?  He prays to GOD, for the answer is in HIS hands, not man’s.  

So what happened after he prayed?  GOD changed the hearts of those in the law. 

 

Lesson learned: HIS ways are not our ways. 

 

So, what am I going to do?

1. I’m going to pray to GOD.
2. I’m going to ask GOD to show them how Awesome HE truly is.
3. I’m going to pray that each of them come to know HIM as personal Savior. 

Think of it, one day one or all of these board members might be able to say, “I was lost, but now I am found!”

 

So what’s the question for you?  “Will you pray for them?”

-Answer simply by putting your thoughts in the comments section above!

 

Below is the list of the Board for the Freedom From Religion Foundation that we can pray for:

• Ron Reagan
• Richard Dawkins
• Christopher Hitchens
• Julia Sweeney
• Daniel C. Dennett
• Katha Pollitt
• Steven Pinker
• Oliver Sacks
• Jennifer Michael Hecht
• Edward Sorel
• Mike Newdow
• Robert Sapolsky
• Ernie Harburg
• Susan Jacoby

By HIS Saving Grace,

Matthew

Dear Freedom From Religion Foundation, thank you!

Dear Freedom From Religion Foundation,

Thank you for reminding me that this Country was founded on the freedom of religion and that freedom includes your freedom from religion.

Thank you for reminding me that the greatest blessings come when I pray in private, cells, lions dens and in upper rooms.

Thank you for reminding me that man does not inherently choose God, but that God chose to know us first.

Thank you for reminding me that the God you exclude, is the same God who includes you in His plan of salvation.

Thank you for the permission to pray in private 365 days a year, so that I don’t have to deal with the scrutiny of praying in public one day a year.

Thank you for reminding me that while I was praying for material wealth, I should have been praying for you to have spiritual wealth.

Thank you for reminding me that great men and women like Billy Graham, Bill & Vonette Bright and Ronald Reagan, stood for our faith and that new generations must carry the banner going forward.

Thank you for reminding me that through persecution, I the student, am no greater than the Teacher, Jesus.

Thank you for reminding me that the God I pray to, is the God who can change a Saul to a Paul.

My prayers and love are with you, by myself, every day of the year!

In Christ,

Matthew

This letter is in response to the celebration by the Freedom From Religion Foundation for their successful defeat of the National Day Of Prayer (http://www.ffrf.org/news/releases/judge-rules-in-favor-of-ffrf-in-suit-against-national-day-of-prayer/).

This letter is a call to action, that we need to be living lives of prayer even more than we need to have a day to celebrate it.  I would encourage you to post your comments and share with the world how much prayer means to each of you.

Is JESUS a liar?

In today’s world JESUS is often talked about.

We say He is well liked.  Kind of a nice guy in sandals.

We say He was about peace.  That’s cool.

We say He was religious.  Good for Him.

But, when you look at what JESUS said about Himself, HE did not leave an option for us to say that HE was just a great teacher, hippy or philosopher:

He says HE is Sinless.  Not a monk, not a pretty good guy, but Sinless.  That means perfect.  No errors. (Reference: John 8:46)

He says HE is the ONLY way to GOD.  He did not say, he was one of the ways.  HE says, HE is the ONLY Way. (Reference: John 14:6)

He says HE can forgive sins.  He says HE has the only magic sin eraser. (Reference: Luke 7:48-49)

He says HE has Eternal Life.  He does not talk about the possibilities of eternal life, He says HE has Eternal Life and the ability to give it.  (Reference: John 10:28-30)

He asks each of us, “But who do you say that I am?”  (Reference Mark 8:29)

Knowing what JESUS said, we must come to a key question:

Is HE KING or a liar?

Make your voice heard and answer the question at http://www.kingorliar.com/KINGorliar/JESUS_Test.html