27 November 2022
Two-Minute Features | 04 December 2022 | 20 November 2022

Intro to An American History of Christmastime (TMF:SE15)

Friday, December 02, 2022
Peace to Live By: Intro to An American History of Christmastime (TMF:SE15) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       One of my favorite paintings of all time is the famous one of ‘Washington Crossing the Delaware.’ And, as most of us know, this crossing of the Delaware took place on Christmas Day Eve of 1776. Indeed, the year of 1776, while it was the year of the Declaration of Independence, had proved to be a tuff and troublesome year for the Continental Army in the fighting of the War of Independence. So, Washington needed something big—he needed a substantial victory against the British. Washington’s tactic in attacking Trenton was, of course, the element of surprise. Christmas is all about the element of surprise, as it was in this review of American history and as we are reminded of every year. Sometimes people need a morale boast, just like the Continental soldiers needed, and so we give our gifts to others hoping they will make them happy. We want Christmas to be a joyful time, a time of celebration, a time when we are with family, and perhaps even friends, celebrating the goodness of life and all that God has done for us. We are thankful for how kind he has been to us throughout the year. And we want to bless others by giving to them out the abundance that God has given to us.

Living in Freedom vs. Enslavement, Part 2 (TMF:1994)

Thursday, December 01, 2022
Peace to Live By: Living in Freedom vs. Enslavement, Part 2 (TMF:1994) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       God calls that which enslaves ‘sin.’ So, really, what we could do for better understanding is just do a “Replace All” in our Bibles of the word sin, and make it the word “Enslavements.” That actually sounds better, doesn’t it? Regardless, recognizing the fact that we are to be judged under the Law of Liberty, James then, at the beginning of the sentence, told us to speak and act in a corresponding way to this fact. So, I wouldn’t be speaking or acting from the Law of Guilt. If I am responding from guilt, it is because I am full of fear, anxiety. Guilt is tied to fear. We are guilty because we are afraid God isn’t pleased with us, or one of our fellow humans isn’t happy about something. So many things can be done out of guilt. People can help another move out of guilt, or give them a ride to the airport, or give them money, or not watch a football game, or not buy something, or pretty much whatever you can think of. Guilt can cause us to act weird.

Living in Freedom vs. Enslavement, Part 1 (TMF:1993)

Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Peace to Live By: Living in Freedom vs. Enslavement, Part 1 (TMF:1993) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       Our next verse is, “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty” (ESV). First and foremost, notice that we are to be judged under the Law of Liberty. James doesn’t say, “You will be judged under all the commandments.” Or, “You will be judged under the Laws of Right and Wrong, of Do’s and Don’ts.” The Word of God described as the Law of Liberty shows us that God wants us to live in freedom. Living in sin, or living in continual guilt, isn’t freedom. That’s enslavement. Isn’t true freedom, though, being able to choose to do whatever we want to do, whether God sees that as sin or not? Well, yes, of course. That was the original freedom he gave to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. That is the freedom we have as a new creations. God calls that which enslaves ‘sin.’ So, really, what we could do for better understanding is just do a “Replace All” in our Bibles of the word sin, and make it the word “Enslavements.”

Feeling Guilty Too Much, Part 4 (TMF:1992)

Tuesday, November 29, 2022
Peace to Live By: Feeling Guilty Too Much, Part 4 (TMF:1992) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       The only way regret can disappear is when we face whatever thought, or really series of thoughts, are tied to it. We do that by Giving Up Control like I talked about in week two of our study here. God didn’t create us to feel continually guilty. Guilt is foreign. Because of the belief that one is totally depraved, there is often this feeling of helplessness in overcoming one’s issues. What about the new creation? What about all things becoming new? Ah, we’ve deliberately forgot about that so we can hold on the guilt! It is so pointless. Have you ever noticed that some of the most trustworthy people are often full of guilt. It is spilling over the edges. So, this shows us then that there is no correlation between one’s external behaviors and how guilty they feel. Some of the best behaved people are full of guilt, and some of the worst behaved have no guilt at all. This is why strictness with children doesn’t work. It is a false belief that guilt produces good behavior.

Feeling Guilty Too Much, Part 3 (TMF:1991)

Monday, November 28, 2022
Peace to Live By: Feeling Guilty Too Much, Part 3 (TMF:1991) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       I was thinking about this, and I had the thought, “You know, out of twenty different things I have guilty thoughts over, all but one of them is really authentic.” That is, the vast majority of times we believe we should feel guilty about something, we shouldn’t. There is only a one in twenty chance that we really are guilty, and even then, we need to recognize it, surrender to it, and thus give it up. That’s the way it works. What is regret? Regret is an unresolved issue in the mind. It is guilt over something that one perceives he or she should have done better. So regret present in our minds means that we haven’t let the situation go. We haven’t faced it head on, but have been pushing it down inside ourselves over and over again. The only way regret can disappear is when we face whatever thought, or really series of thoughts, are tied to it.