Fasting- are you up for it?

It seems that God is directing us toward an extended fast. As I have been praying, I hear God saying "21 days". That is a rather extended time of fasting. I am hoping that you will join with me in the fast. I anticipate the first 21 days of 2009 will be the timing of the event. Can you join with me? If you need to think through it keep reading.

When is fasting valuable?
(1) Fasting may be beneficial in times of mourning. David and his men mourned and fasted upon hearing of the death of Saul (2 Samuel 1:12), and Nehemiah did also when he was informed of Jerusalem’s poor condition (Nehemiah 1:4). Fasting and prayer is fitting when a loved one is critically ill (2 Samuel 12:16).

(2) Fasting frequently accompanied repentance as an outward and genuine sign of sorrow for rebellion (1 Samuel 7:6). Even the pagan people of Nineveh proclaimed a fast when face with their sins (Jonah 3:5).

(3) Fasting was practiced in connection with great and important spiritual moments. Moses fasted during that period when he was receiving the Law (Exodus 34:28). Christ fasted prior to his encounter with Satan in the wilderness (Matthew 4:2). The church fasted before sending Barnabas and Saul on that perilous first missionary campaign (Acts 13:2-3). Fasting was certainly a component in the dynamic ministry of Paul (2 Corinthians 6:5; 11:27). It is seemingly preparatory

Fasting can, however, be abused. It is never a replacement for personal godly living. Isaiah rebukes very strongly those who fasted improperly(Isaiah 58). Fsating cannot be an occasion for being proud. The Pharisees were guilty of 'wearing their fast' (Matthew 6:16-18).

Consider these thoughts as you fast;

(1) The Scriptures teach that God honors fasting when performed as a token of deep and sincere dedication.

(2) Doctors tell us that moderate fasting can be a benefit to health, having the effect of allowing our systems to occasionally cleanse themselves.

(3) The mind is more accutely aware during periods of fasting.

(4) Fasting trains us to be self-disciplined.

(5) Fasting also teaches us to be thankful for what we have.

national sins

If we are to begin a time of prayer and repentance for our country (per Joel 2.15) then we must list the sins of our nation.

1. Adultery and fornication: It has been reported that fifty to sixty percent of married couples admit to adultery. The rapid spread of Sexually Transmitted diseases is astonishing and terrifying!(5% of Americans have an STD and 63% are younger than 25)

2. Rape: A Harris poll sets the figure at 380,000 rapes or sexual assaults that took place back in 1993. The Justice Department says that eight percent of all American women will be victims of rape or attempted rape in their lifetime.

3. Pornography: Every second - $3,075.64 is being spent on pornography

4. Abortion: Fifty-two percent of U.S. women obtaining abortions are younger than 25: Women aged 20-24 obtain 33 percent of all abortions, and teenagers obtain 19 percent. 1.29 million abortions were performed last year.

5. Theft: It is estimated theft costs the country $500 billion each year.

6. Greed: Focus on the Family revealed that Americans now visit casinos more often than they attend professional sporting events. Collectively, they lose in excess of $50 billion each year to lotteries, horse and dog tracks, casinos, and the various other gambling venues.

7. Rebellion: against authority- irrespective of its source.

8. Murder: 16,500 murders in 2006 in the US

9. Gluttony: One billion people in the world do not have access to clean water, while the average American uses four hundred to six hundred liters of water a day.
Every seven seconds, somewhere in the world a child under age five dies of hunger, while Americans throw away 14 percent of the food we purchase. Americans spend more annually on trash bags than nearly half of the world does on all goods


10: Drunkenness: Billions are spent on the societal effects of misuse of alcohol.

11. Hypocrisy: The Barna Research Group found that sixty-two percent of Americans profess to be Christians, while the book, The Day America Told the Truth said that ninety-one percent lie regularly.

That is a start anyway!

Prayer for the President Elect

Gracious Father, we thank you for the priviledge to have a voice in the selection of our leaders in this country. We a re truly blessed with freedom. We are confident that, as the Scripture teaches (Rom 13.1-7), you are in the process of "establishing" this government. Teach your church to submit and support to the governing authorities in our land. May we choose your way over and against the ways of this world.

We pray for the transition of President Obama. We pray that you will protect him and his family. We pray that the office of the President of this United States will be graced with dignity and propriety and that you will strengthen the back of our president to handle the weight of the office.

We pray that you will forgive this nation for aborting its young; for cheapening life's value and for sacrificing the next generation on the altar of convenience. We pray that poor will be remembered and that, more than a hand out they will be given opportunities to work and find the dignity again of employment. We pray for our troops, may they be protected and helped in their duties of protecting and establishing democracy.

This prayer is the first of many that we will pray for our new president and the cabinet he chooses; for the congress and the leadership of this state. Give these men and women YOUR divine guidance- interrupt their sleep with your divine voice; speak to the hearts of our leadership- change those hearts as a water course. We recognize that evil doesn't sleep- and is already stirring against your purposes- make us diligent to pray continually.

We ask that the gospel will go forth without threat and will reach many in these coming years. We humbly pray that you will bless this nation with greatness, and your church with the continued favor from heaven. Amen.

Ask the Pastor- Other Preachers?

Someone recently asked...

Question: Is it wrong to listen to other preacher podcasts? TV shows? Attend services that are available during the week?

On the one hand I would say that it is definitely not wrong (ie., sinful) to listen to other preachers via podcasts, radio, TV or other media. There is some good teaching available to us. It is truly one of the blessings of this technical age! This is certainly helpful to those who are working or driving and cannot attend church in the midweek. Also, there are folks that are sick and bedridden or stuck in their house and cannot make it to a service- what a great blessing for them.

On the other hand, discernment is called for in our choice of media. There will always be doctrinal differences between various factions of the church, some of these have caused great confusion in the minds of young believers in the past. I have had puzzled christians come to me to ask about confusing teaching that varied with what Scripture says on issues of spiritual gifts, on the security of the believer, on ehaling and prosperity, etc. The list goes on and on.

Another danger is that often we choose to be entertained by preaching of the Word rather than reading the Word and praying it into our own lives. Listening to a sermon is never a substitute for personal time with God. The podcast of a service was designed for that particular church... and while it may have much that is universally applicable there are some specifics that are divinely inspired for that particular moment. Some ministries are driven to ask for funds and the discerning believer needs to assure himself that the millions that are often spent broadcasting are in line with the believers own sense of propriety.

Midweek services are often the times for discipleship and kids clubs. Often a tired parent would rather sit in his own home and listen to the radio occassionally. As parents we need to be mindful of the strengthed faith for our whole family that comes when we attend midweek services together. Here at CLC Youth and Children have opportunities to worship with their own age levels and receive important and practical teaching in the Word. This is develpmental in the life of a child. I often encourages a parent to attend rather than substitue a real life experience in Church with a podcast.

Spirit Filled Worship

What is Spirit filled worship? I mean I think I have my own definition of what it means to worship in a spirit filled church but... what does it mean to you? what does it mean scripturally?

I have enjoyed the moving of the Spirit of God in uptempo songs and celebratory dances at times. But I have also seen the Spirit of God move with candles and responsive reading. There have been moments of dramatic silence in our worship that seem to be spirit driven; and moments where silence was the sign of death.

I know that the song service (yuk - hate that term!) has to be participatory. I remember I was at an E. Free church on vacation one year and they sang a song that we do at CLC- but there was little participation by the congregation- AND it seemed like it was tolerated, not enjoyed.

If your reading this, I'd be interested in hearing your take on the question of what spirit filled worship is- or maybe a story of how it ministered to you at one time.

Too Sour to be a Saint?

Every one of us wants to have joy. In 25 years of ministry I haven't run into a person who desires to be joy-less. Such a grouch would be too sour to be a saint!
"That's easy for you to say, Pastor, 'cause everything is so perfect in your life!"

Well, I am blessed. But blessing is a spiritual thing- not a physical thing. In other words, just because I am "blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus..." (Eph 1.3) doesn't mean that my boat doesn't get rocked by the waves of life. In fact, the mere fact that I have those spiritual blessings is cause for demonic attack! My adversary doesn't want me to translate the spiritual blessing into trust , contentment, and joy.

James 1.2 tells me to think of my trials and temptations as causes of celebratory joy. The only way I can think of doing that is by focusing my mind on the eternal strengths that I am gaining during this difficult time of temptation and trial. He guarantees in the following verses that perseverance, maturity, and wisdom are developing in me during the tough times. Shouldn't we be acting out our joy?

I recall a person signing on for a position as an usher in the church. When I refused his service in this capacity he came to me quite angry. I explained to him that the ushers face is the first that most people see in the church and that I hadn't seen a smile on his face for many months. "Really? he asked," ... I guess your right." Once I pointed out to him that his lack of a smile was a sign that he had no inner joy he was brought to the point of repentance. Yes, repentance. When we allow our joy to be stolen by the adversary of our souls we have ignored the counsel of scripture (rejoice, again I say...) and have determined to live in our own way.

I am glad to report his service was "with a smile" for many years after that. So how about you... are you too sour to be a saint? Have you learned to experience joy inspite of the many obstacles to it? Have you lifted up your countenance by lifting up your eyes and fixing them on the joys of salvation? Or is your joy dependant upon earthly circumstances?

Shotgun - sighting in the the Beast

NOTES FROM THE FIELD:

Okay so I bought a new scope. I want to site this bad boy in but the task is daunting. The idea of shooting a dozen or so shots throught that 870 Remington 12 gauge while trying to find the paper makes me want to cry. I bore sighted the beast. (I call it that because it kicks like a horse- pushing out those 1 1/4 ounce slugs!) Still couldn't get it on paper at 50 yards. It took me 25 shots to hit the 10 on the target. Tonight my shoulder is hurting pretty badly.

I think of the spiritual lesson here. We often put off doing the necessary thing because it will blow back on us and bring us personal pain. Our integrity has to drive us to the point of obedience- facing the confrontation, taking the hit, making the hard decision. There is a demand to follow through with our prayers of devotion.

Colin, Colin, Colin- what were you thinking?

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell announced Sunday that he will break with his party and vote for Sen. Barack Obama. "He has both style and substance. I think he is a transformational figure," Powell said on NBC's Meet the Press.

"I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities -- and you have to take that into account -- as well as his substance -- he has both style and substance," Powell said. "He has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president."
So let's take a look at the specifics that Powell mentions.
1) Transformational Figure- Of course, Sen Obama is a fabulous speaker. Frontline has done a wonderful job of showing the 12 year planned ascent of Sen Obama. His lack of a voting record specifically crafted to give him almost no voting record to run against- that certainly isn't transformational. Did he transform the community he organized? No- by all accounts the specific programs he ran were less than transformational- some have called them abject failures.

2) The Inclusive Nature- Really? When has Sen Obama reached across the aisle to build bridges to bring a government together. There is little evidence that he is more conclusive than say, the Bush administration- which put women and blacks and hispanics in the cabinet. In fact, Gen Powell is important because of his connection to the Bush administration!

3) Met the Standard- Hmmm, in what way? He raised money? The Obama campaign sites his running of the campaign. Is that like running a successful small business? Or governing a state? Get real.

4) Colin Powell also cited the "narrowing of the party" - I assume that this means that he dislikes the parties stance on abortion.

These reasons stink! I am left to think that Powell has made this decision for some other emotional reason.(perhaps his distain for the Bush White House that he might feel embarrassed him).

What a massive disappointment! Gen Powell - How can you vote against the unborn? How can you disregard the future appointments of the Supreme Court? How can you ignore the direct ties to socialism? How can you disregard distain for the military? How can you put all your hope in an untested and untried politician? How can you embrace a tax war on success and the redistribution of wealth?

I just need to say that there are so many unanswered questions- that Powell is completely a disappointment.

Whoever you vote for- at least have the decency to have a reason that will stand some scutiny. Do your homework- and go vote!

Which are the important moments?

NOTES FROM THE FIELD:

People often misjudge hunting. What is often celebrated is the few moments of the kill. When you watch those hunting shows they show you these "highlights". We are a society of people who like to relish these kinds of moments- the successful hunt; the catch of a lifetime; the victory of the kill. What many of us fail to recognize is that life is really much more about the obscured moments that never make it to the highlight reel.

For every moment of successfully harvesting a deer, there are hours of studying maps, looking for funnels, walking through the woods before the season looking for sign and trails, much time invested in trying to understand what would provoke this or that kind of behavior from the quarry; the physical work of selecting a place and installing a stand; the missed shots and blown opportunities that presented themselves. If you are successful you will recount those stories of the moment that the buck walked in and you perfectly placed your shot and shot your prey. But the stories of the failures and learning times, the work and the study all are left out.

Life is like that. We may be known for a moments success but it is really what we have done in the obscured times that determine the measure of that success. Spiritually speaking, we can never rise above the level of our prayer life- those hidden moments that create depth. The obscure times are the private prayer times that build the foundations for the successes in our ministry and life. Few recount these moments out of the spot light when reflecting on their life's work. I think of Jesus who "often withdrew to the lonely places and prayed". If not for this short verse we would be left to think that Jesus lived in the moment of the miraculous. But greatness often has its hidden points. The large oak tree in front of me is more than meets the eye, it has a complex 'unseen' root system that holds the 'seen' in place. So too, my life must have a complexity in its hidden and obscure moments to give me the success that I need.

GOOD HUNTING!

Why Christians need to vote

I happen to be a sort of political junkie. But I am surprised by the number of chrisitans who are frustrated with empty promises of the candidates this year and are planning on staying home from the polls.

The way I read the scripture- Christians really are required to vote. It is a part of their stewardship of the earth. Of course, we don't just pull a partisan lever. We are supposed to be engaged and informed and base our vote upon the Scriptures.
Since the governments job is to bring justice and protection (Rom 13) we ought to try to elect those that will do that kind of a job AND dump those that aren't doing that before they do more damage.

I think it is a bad idea to vote for somebody just because they are a christian too. Politicians can be pretty flippant with religion at the time of election. Martin Luther famously said he would rather be ruled by a competent Turk—that is, a Muslim—than an incompetent Christian.

God has his own agenda. It includes the poor and the unborn but it also is concerned with the excesses of greed and corruption. Our national security is crucial to the missionary efforts- Paul told us to pray that we might live in peace with all men so that the gospel woudl go forth. obviously, we are more than automotons that are programed to vote a certain way. I think that there are moral issues at stake in this election and they need to be weighed against the other issues. Good christians will disagree on who to vote for but we need to be the city set on the hill. President Reagan quoted that regarding the US- but it is the church that must have the influence and preservative affects on our government. We must be "salt" and "light" if we are to fulfill the call of God for us.

When your deciding who to vote for- ask yourself who this man or woman serves? Are they bought and paid for by special interest groups, or are they seeking the best for all americans? Are they spouting rhetoric or are their plans practical? Will they enable a strong nation? Will they enable the nation to rebuild it's economy so that we have a strong nation? What role do they feel that government has- are they the fixers or the facilitaters?

Whoever wins- you will be required to pray for for the next 4 years. The scripture asks that men everywhere lift up holy hands and pray for those in authority. So make your choice well. But make a choice.

Excellence in Earnestness

If there is anything that this call from 2 Cor 8.7 means it is a call to total and complete frankness. As a Christian we should be absolutely "WYSIWYG" as they say in web design. What you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) is the removal of hidden agendas and hypocrisies. This, of course, does not mean that follower of Jesus is perfect in any way- only that he is a person of integrity. Saying what he means, and not denying what is obvious to others. This sense of integrity or "wholeness" is the recognition that the standards and commands of Christ that we know we are not INTENTIONALLY ignoring.

As God communicates divine truth to us we immediately begin to digest that truth (be it revealed in scripture or through a friend, etc.) The goal of that digesting process is to so internalize that word that we adapt all of our actions to its demands. Though the process is an arduous and difficult one- it has the highest value in that it forms us into the character of God. The shaping and formative character of our response to the Word is often ignored by people in the church who expect that God is going to change them by some mysterious and miraculous feat. We seek in all earnestness, to shape our hearts after the God who revealed himself in scripture and in the cross.

When the church becomes absolutely earnest and puts away its phony and self protecting walls then the rest of the world will look upon us with respect. While not all will come to Christ- many in this world hunger for a real and integral spirituality. What do you think?

Excellence in Knowledge

There is a God given responsibility for all of us with an ounce of sense. We are required to invest in the development of our mind. Mark Noll, Harvard Professor, wrote several years back that "the scandal of the evangelical mind is that there isn't much of an evangelical mind." By this he means that there is an undercurrent within the church that is prejudiced against the intellect. Certainly, we in charismatic/pentecostal circles see the evidence of the subjective over the objective; the spiritual over the intellectual; and the preference to take things by faith rather than trust science. But God calls us to develp our minds. If we are to be excellent in knowledge then shouldn't there be some ways to insure our grwoth toward excellence. Here are some suggestions.

Find out why. Too many of us shrug our shoulders content to let some other guy tell us what to do. Even if that guy (or gal) is a spiritually lead pastor- there should be an innate hunger to understand better. Frankly, in my days in the past I sued to love to discuss (not argue) the whys about certain questions. People use to ask me about things much more than they do now. I think it is an intellectual laziness.

Read a minimum of one good book that stimulates your mind every 8 weeks. This may mean that you have to read secular books that come highly recommended; or Christian books outside your normal scope of reference. In my early years of ministry I read on psychology (a topic that I was largely ignorant of) every thursday to insure that I would grow in my knowledge of the subject.

Discuss what you are learning with others. This will stimulate them and forces you to have enough complete knowledge of the subject to explain it to another. Watch out for the tendency to show off that you are now an intellectual! Better to always be a student than to presume yoruself ready to teach prematurely.

Develop a steady routine of studying the Word. Nothing compares to the scripture. I have over 4000 titles in my library and the ancient text is the greatest and best stimulation to my mind (and soul!).

Take a class. It puts you in contact with fellow learners and people with whom you can share your insights (incase they bore your spouse!)

There is something powerful in having a ready answer for those questions stimulated by your lifestyle of faith. As we develop ourselves, we become more and more effective in making a forceful case for Christ in the lives of others. And winning the hearts of men often starts in the mind.

Sarah Palin and the Assemblies of God

All You Need to Know About the Assemblies of God
A primer for Palin watchers and others.
Rich Tatum | posted (Christianity today)9/16/2008 02:14PM

"She is a longtime member of the Assemblies of God. That's all you need to know."

That's how political blogger Andrew Sullivan recently summarized Governor Sarah Palin's faith background.

But entertain the crazy thought that some people might want to know more. What would we learn from the media about the Assemblies of God?

It's "the evangelical experience on steroids," "where sitting is an option but clapping is not," where beliefs "stray a bit from the mainstream" and which "mainstream Christians don't understand." There's the usual report of tongues, faith-healing, and "end times" — threateningly caricaturized as "a violent upheaval that … will deliver Jesus Christ's second coming." Combine "holy laughter, divine dancing, silver tooth fillings turning into gold, [and] the regeneration of a large intestine," and you see why Palin's childhood faith has been "deemed irrelevant by the liberal intelligentsia because it is regarded as fundamentalist and … irrational."

Then again, news accounts of "rational faith" have been rather scarce.

About one in four Christian believers worldwide are Pentecostal or charismatic, and the percentage is increasing daily. The World Christian Database says 8.7 percent of the world's population is part of this "renewalist" group. The AG is one of the most prominent Pentecostal groups, it's only a part of the movement. An AG study from 2006 found 60 million adherents in more than 300,000 churches worldwide. About 2.8 million of these are in the U.S.

The renewalist movement in the U.S. is often divided into three historical "waves." The first wave began in 1901, resulting in the "classical" Pentecostal denominations, including the Assemblies of God. The second ("charismatic") wave began around 1960, and the third ("neocharismatic") wave around 1980. While there are doctrinal and practical differences between the various Pentecostal and charismatic believers, what is common to all is the conviction that the Holy Spirit is personally active, immanent, and works through believers by giving gifts (charisms) for ministry, evangelism, and holiness.

While some scholars have traced a thread of Pentecostal and charismatic expressions throughout church history, the modern renewal began with the "touch felt around the world" on January 1, 1901, when students of Charles Fox Parham were "baptized in the Spirit" and spoke in tongues after studying the Bible to prove or deny the validity of such an experience. The fledgling movement found its tipping point at the Azusa Street Revival, led by a former student of Parham's, William Joseph Seymour. This California revival, from 1906 to 1909, is widely considered the true genesis of Pentecostalism and has been called " America 's most successful spiritual export."

The first Pentecostal denomination to form (in 1907) was the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), led by Charles H. Mason. The body that became the AG formed in 1914.

What do they believe?

Today, the Assemblies of God is generally considered orthodox with beliefs common to many denominations — excepting mainstream cessationist groups. George Barna reports that among the 12 largest denominations, Assemblies of God adherents tend to have the highest "overall purity of … biblical perspectives." They are more likely to be born again, to be "absolutely committed" to faith, to hold a high view of Scripture, to believe in a literal heaven and hell, to believe that Jesus was sinless, to believe that God created the universe, are more likely to pray, and are more likely to share the gospel with unbelievers.

Assemblies of God adherents are evangelical, believing in the need for personal salvation and the call to evangelize. They have a high view of biblical authority and believe in the literal death and resurrection of Jesus. They are Arminian, believing that God-given free will is compatible with divine sovereignty. They believe that salvation is by grace and unmerited but is conditional on faith and on accepting the sacrifice and lordship of Jesus — and therefore, one can willfully fall from grace. They are thoroughly Trinitarian, rejecting the modalism as expressed in the Oneness or "Jesus' Name"-only Pentecostal movement (e.g., the United Pentecostal Church).

Their essential doctrines are expressed in creedal form in their "Sixteen Fundamental Truths," and expanded on in a variety of position papers available online. Their four core doctrines are a belief in salvation, divine healing, Jesus' imminent "second coming" (along with the rapture, tribulation, and the millennial reign of Christ), and that the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" is a divine gift freely available to all believers.

This baptism is the core "distinctive doctrine" of the Assemblies of God, defined as a work of grace and an experience subsequent to and distinct from conversion (and not required for salvation), accompanied by the "initial physical evidence" of speaking in other tongues. This experience empowers believers for Christian witness, service, and holiness. Distinct from water-immersion baptism, Pentecostals see Spirit baptism as an immersion in the power, person, and experience of the Holy Spirit, and locate it biblically as promised in Joel 2:28-29, Mark 1:8, and John 16:5-16; made normative in Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:4-5; modeled in Acts 2:1-4; and universally extended as a gift to all believers in Acts 2:38-39.

Not just TV preachers

In addition to media-whipped anomalies such as Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, and Benny Hinn (all former Assemblies of God ministers), other AG churchgoers have gained national attention, including singer-songwriter Sara Groves, former U.S. Representatives Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.) and Linda Smith (R-Wash.), and former Attorney General John Ashcroft.

And, of course, Sarah Palin.

But while Palin may well have been "a longtime member of the Assemblies of God," she has not regularly attended an AG church since 2002. And a lot can change in six years.

Rich Tatum is a freelance writer who attends an AG church and blogs at TatumWeb.com/blog/.

See article in entirety

Excellence: In Speech

What makes a believers speech excellent? Certainly, there is a need for Christians to honor God with their speech. That is, not just clean words (Read Eph 4) but words that reflect the heart of God. I don't think that there is a purpose in swearing from the pulpit, certainly there is a decorum that is demanded in public speech. But I have to be honest and tell you that from the time my boys were little we spoke very frankly about our bodies and bodily functions in what, for those little boys, was "bathroom talk". I always made sure that they understood that we were allowed to speak frankly in private. For some reason, christians feel free to say 'crap' but shrink from saying "Sh**". I am not really sure what the difference is- except that decorum demands that we avoid the use of them.

But surely our words must be more than clean. They must be reflective of the faith that resides in our hearts and the love that we have for our Father God. This is more than saying "Praise God" all the time. What seems most important is what we talk about with freinds and strangers. Are we moving people with our speech toward our God? Maybe we should demand some sense of kindness and gentleness in our words as well.

Finally, exaggeration and half truths have no place in our lives. We must be straight talkers and deal in truth. If we endeavor to honor God with our speaking truth, we have the assurance of the Spirit of Truth walking with us.

The Planet vs. the Poor

by chuck colson

To drill or not to drill may be the hottest issue in Congress this month and this fall’s political campaign. Drilling supporters argue it will lower gas prices. Opponents claim it poses too many environmental risks—and besides, they say, paying $4 per gallon for gas is good for us because it will force us to develop alternative energy sources.

So what’s the answer?

Christians need to weigh the arguments—and find a balanced approach. Of course, we care for the creation; we are stewards, as the Bible commands. But our highest priority should be looking out, not for the planet, but for people, and especially the poor.

Nobody feels the pain of high gas prices more than working-class and poor Americans. High gas prices are also driving higher food prices, which really pinch poor families. America’s environmentally correct elites may be able to afford $4 a gallon for gas and $4.50 per gallon for milk—the poor and working folks cannot.

Sure, we must conserve, and develop alternatives to oil. But in the meantime, the costly “lessons” the elites want to teach us are being borne on the backs of the poor, and are shaking the world’s economy. All the while we have ample oil reserves offshore and in Alaska which would enable us not to be held hostage by Middle East tyrants.

Why do radical environmentalists seem so indifferent to the poor? It is a matter of worldview. If you deify nature instead of God, if you believe humans are just another species of animal with no greater moral status than a kangaroo rat—well, you don’t have to worry much about the poor or marginalized. But if you believe God created humans in His image, and gave each one of us a unique and privileged place within His creation, then your concern for the poor far outweighs concerns for nature—especially speculative concerns like global warming.

If you are a Christian, you also see humans as producers and stewards, not as consumers and polluters. And while secular environmentalists fear that too much economic freedom will damage the Earth, the reality is the opposite: Countries with the greatest economic freedom eliminate pollution much more quickly than less free countries. That’s because economic freedom lifts people out of poverty, and once out of poverty, they begin taking better care of their surroundings.

Whether we drill need not be an either/or choice between people and the planet: In an excellent book titled Environmental Stewardship in the Judeo-Christian Tradition, published by the Acton Institute, 25 Jewish, Protestant, and Catholic thinkers argue that sound environmental stewardship “must attend both to the demands of human well-being and to a divine call for human beings to exercise caring dominion over the earth.” But we are to be good stewards of the environment first and foremost because it is good for human flourishing—not as an end in itself. Human well-being and the integrity of creation, they write, “are not only compatible but also dynamically interdependent realities.”

Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly condemned His people, not for despoiling the pristine wilderness, but for forsaking the poor and needy. Is this not His same message to us today?

Excellence: In Faith

In 2 Cor 8.7 the Apostle to the Gentiles asks his Corinthian audience to excel in a number of things. The first in the list of areas that the dutiful follower of Jesus is supposed to excel in is faith. Of course, this is because everything in the Christian life is by faith. Faith is the currency of the Kingdom of God. It is what God responds to. We see this in the life of Jesus- he is rarely amazed or astounded by things- except faith, or the lack of faith in his disciples. He is amazed and encouraged when he finds it in the Centurion, and the Syrophonecian woman; and he is equally disturbed when the disciples cannot seem to find enough of their own to cast out demons, heal the sick , comprehend deep spiritual truths, or go and preach the gospel.

Faith is, of course, so important to God that we followers are known as "beleivers". We trust in the saving work of Jesus on the cross, we trust that the presence of Christ is with us, and we trust God to work out his plan in our lives for the amazing future that he promises to us. When faith is lacking or deficient, we are out of communication with God.

Promises come to us by faith- the scripture tells us that faithful adherence to the "faith' passed on to us (ie., those corporate teachings of the Apostles who walked literally with Jesus), is guarranteed to bring salvation to us. That faith is a collection of understandings formed out of the teachings of Scripture that create a faith world view. Real followers of the Lord must learn what he says about the various teachings. (One of the tragic circumstances that exists today is that we have 'born again' believers who are ignorant of what the teaching of the Word is on important subjects- an in the vacuum of that knowledge they live spiritually weak, duplicitous, even sinful lifestyles. This shames the King and his Cross.

The life of faith is not soley preoccupied with dogma and doctrine. It is optimistic in that it sees the "God quotient" in every equation. It demonstrates the existence of faith by refusing to limit its vision to the mundane circumstances or even the hostile climate that it exists in. The Christian ought to see the future positively. Not out of some form of weak inability to handle the true curcumstances, but out of an inner strength that refuses to see the glass half empty. Think for a moment about your outlook. do you approach life with a tragic and scarred psyche that is afraid to believe God for the best today? God says... excel in faith!

And, of course, the world view of the people of faith is defined by the God of their faith. That is why the closer we get to Jesus- the more infectious our faith. We can say to the lost "God has better than this for you"; and to the hurting "God will heal you"; and to the lonely " God will comfort you". What will make the church more effective? Better preaching? More programs? Slicker Media ads? No- What the world needs to see is exactly what they lack- an infectious faith in the living God.

Saving Our Daughters from the Hook up Culture

I am increasingly concerned about our college aged young people. On one hand they are increasingly more astute, savy, and mature with regard to many issues. Yet they may still be more likely to sleep in til 11 after a night of hard gaming. They are a mixed bag. Purposefully more mature in some areas and resistant to stepping into the responsibilities of adulthood as quickly as their parents. And they will live longer so they can put off child rearing and building a family and getting serious about living. What they aren't doing en masse is abstaining from adult sexuality. In fact the articles about the hook up culture are frightening for those of us who are serious about the teachings of Jesus on sexuality. This can be blamed partly on those services that are supposed to help them make those decisions. Dr. Miriam Grossman recentl wrote in an article of her expereince as a Campus physician.

She writes, " I was a campus physician for years, and know firsthand how students suffer from the toxic Sex in the City lifestyle on our campuses. College health and counseling services are packed with casualties of the anything-goes sexual mentality; many are girls who practiced “safer sex.” They did as they were told and used “protection,” but still paid a hefty price: genital warts and blisters, pre-cancerous conditions, worries about slipped condoms and HIV—to say nothing of chaotic, empty relationships and broken hearts.

These young women had been misled, and had a false sense of security. They were led to believe—not only by Hollywood, but by the nation’s leading sex ed organizations and popular health education sites like Columbia University’s GoAskAlice.com—that they are just like men, that sex is easily separated from emotions and procreation, and that with “protection,” casual liaisons can be a natural, positive part of growing up.

That philosophy is a result of social activists of the last century: Alfred Kinsey, Hugh Hefner, Gloria Steinem—figures that Bristol’s generation study in history class. Even the HIV-era notion of “safer sex” was developed years before they were born. While you’d hardly know it from the advice these kids get from sex educators or Columbia’s Alice, the world has changed. In this century, we’re fighting a horde of bugs, and the bugs are winning.

Canonized by the sex ed industry and considered transparent truths, “safer sex” guidelines are out of date. In 2008, it’s not enough to communicate with “partners,” get tested for STI’s, and use condoms. These days, young people—especially girls—who wish to avoid sexually transmitted infections need a different plan.

If we are serious about protecting our daughters, we must spell out a clear, no-nonsense message: the ideal is to delay sexual activity, and eventually commit to someone who also waited. The closer she can get to that, the better. Then provide her with some critical facts she’s unlikely to hear elsewhere:

A young woman has unique biological sensitivities that increase her vulnerability to the consequences of sexual activity. For example, intimacy releases oxytocin, a primarily female hormone that fuels feelings of attachment and trust. This chemical turns red lights green. It alters brain chemistry, so she’s more likely to overlook a guy’s faults, and to take risks she otherwise wouldn’t. A girl surely doesn’t want her brain drenched with oxytocin when making critical decisions like: What do I think of him? How far do I want this to go? This might explain the recent unpublished data from Princeton University indicating that for 80 percent of female students on that campus, hook-ups were followed by regret.
A young cervix has a delicate area only one cell thick, placing teens at risk for HPV. This is the case even if she’s been vaccinated. With time, the cervix grows a thicker, tougher surface, making infection less likely. A guy’s genital system doesn’t have a vulnerable area like that.
Most guys who have an STI don’t know it, even after they’ve been tested. While it’s easiest to share viruses when warts or sores are present, transmission can also occur at other times, when everything looks OK. So a woman could get an incurable genital infection from someone who doesn’t know he has it. Condoms reduce the risk by only 60 to 70 percent.
Other activities, such as oral or anal sex, can also be hazardous. Having more than five oral sex “partners” has been associated with throat cancer. As for anal penetration, the Food and Drug Administration—the agency responsible for promoting and protecting the public health—puts it well: “Condoms provide some protection, but anal intercourse is simply too dangerous to practice.”
As millions of American parents send their daughters off to college this week, many have a silent prayer on their lips. For good reason: sexual behavior is a serious matter, and a single encounter can have life-long consequences, especially for a woman.
Listen up, Planned Parenthood, SIECUS, and Columbia University: That’s not sexist—it’s biology. And ignorance or denial of this fact only increases a girl’s vulnerability.

We need to remind girls that the characters on Grey’s Anatomy are not real. In real life, Meredith would have herpes or warts. In real life, she’d be paying a price for her choices. Young women must know that now more than ever, it’s wise to follow the lesson of hard science: be very, very careful about who you allow close to you."

hmmm- perhaps the wisdom of Scripture isn't that strange and foriegn to healthy sexuality. Maybe the Father really does know best ;-)

If there is no God

by Dennis Prager

We are constantly reminded about the destructive consequences of religion -- intolerance, hatred, division, inquisitions, persecutions of "heretics," holy wars. Though far from the whole story, they are, nevertheless, true. There have been many awful consequences of religion.

What one almost never hears described are the deleterious consequences of secularism -- the terrible developments that have accompanied the breakdown of traditional religion and belief in God. For every thousand students who learn about the Spanish Inquisition and the Salem Witch Trials, maybe two learn to associate Gulag, Auschwitz, The Cultural Revolution and the Cambodian genocide with secular regimes and ideologies.

For all the problems associated with belief in God, the death of God leads to far more of them.

So, while it is not possible to prove (or disprove) God's existence, what is provable is what happens when people stop believing in God.

1. Without God there is no good and evil; there are only subjective opinions that we then label "good" and "evil." This does not mean that an atheist cannot be a good person. Nor does it mean that all those who believe in God are good; there are good atheists and there are bad believers in God. It simply means that unless there is a moral authority that transcends humans from which emanates an objective right and wrong, "right" and "wrong" no more objectively exist than do "beautiful" and "ugly."

2. Without God, there is no objective meaning to life. We are all merely random creations of natural selection whose existence has no more intrinsic purpose or meaning than that of a pebble equally randomly produced.

3. Life is ultimately a tragic fare if there is no God. We live, we suffer, we die -- some horrifically, many prematurely -- and there is only oblivion afterward.

4. Human beings need instruction manuals. This is as true for acting morally and wisely as it is for properly flying an airplane. One's heart is often no better a guide to what is right and wrong than it is to the right and wrong way to fly an airplane. The post-religious secular world claims to need no manual; the heart and reason are sufficient guides to leading a good life and to making a good world.

5. If there is no God, the kindest and most innocent victims of torture and murder have no better a fate after death than do the most cruel torturers and mass murderers. Only if there is a good God do Mother Teresa and Adolf Hitler have different fates.

6. With the death of Judeo-Christian values in the West, many Westerners believe in little. That is why secular Western Europe has been unwilling and therefore unable to confront evil, whether it was Communism during the Cold War or Islamic totalitarians in its midst today.

7. Without God, people in the West often become less, not more, rational. It was largely the secular, not the religious, who believed in the utterly irrational doctrine of Marxism. It was largely the secular, not the religious, who believed that men's and women's natures are basically the same, that perceived differences between the sexes are all socially induced. Religious people in Judeo-Christian countries largely confine their irrational beliefs to religious beliefs (theology), while the secular, without religion to enable the non-rational to express itself, end up applying their irrational beliefs to society, where such irrationalities do immense harm.

8. If there is no God, the human being has no free will. He is a robot, whose every action is dictated by genes and environment. Only if one posits human creation by a Creator that transcends genes and environment who implanted the ability to transcend genes and environment can humans have free will.

9. If there is no God, humans and "other" animals are of equal value. Only if one posits that humans, not animals, are created in the image of God do humans have any greater intrinsic sanctity than baboons. This explains the movement among the secularized elite to equate humans and animals.

10. Without God, there is little to inspire people to create inspiring art. That is why contemporary art galleries and museums are filled with "art" that celebrates the scatological, the ugly and the shocking. Compare this art to Michelangelo's art in the Sistine chapel. The latter elevates the viewer -- because Michelangelo believed in something higher than himself and higher than all men.

11. Without God nothing is holy. This is definitional. Holiness emanates from a belief in the holy. This explains, for example, the far more widespread acceptance of public cursing in secular society than in religious society. To the religious, there is holy speech and profane speech. In much of secular society the very notion of profane speech is mocked.

12. Without God, humanist hubris is almost inevitable. If there is nothing higher than man, no Supreme Being, man becomes the supreme being.

13. Without God, there are no inalienable human rights. Evolution confers no rights. Molecules confer no rights. Energy has no moral concerns. That is why America's Founders wrote in the Declaration of Independence that we are endowed "by our Creator" with certain inalienable rights. Rights depend upon a moral source, a rights giver.

14. "Without God," Dostoevsky famously wrote, "all is permitted." There has been plenty of evil committed by believers in God, but the widespread cruelties and the sheer number of innocents murdered by secular regimes -- specifically Nazi, Fascist and Communist regimes -- dwarfs the evil done in the name of religion.

As noted at the beginning, none of this proves, or even necessarily argues for, God's existence. It makes the case for the necessity, not the existence, of God. "Which God?" the secularist will ask. The God of Israel, the God of America's founders, "the Holy God who is made holy by justice" (Isaiah), the God of the Ten Commandments, the God who demands love of neighbor, the God who endows all human beings with certain inalienable rights, the God who is cited on the Liberty Bell because he is the author of liberty. That is the God being referred to here, without whom we will be vanquished by those who believe in less noble gods, both secular and divine.

The Challenge of Change

I don't like change- unless you are the one changing! Change produces anxiety, uncertainty, frustration, and even sadness and depression. Yet we want people to promise us change. Don't believe me? When was the last time you heard a politician say " Vote for me- I'll keep things status quo". Not exactly bumper sticker stuff. If the truth be told, we like it when things are a little stirred up so that it defeats the boredom of life with no change. Irrespective of whether you love change or hate change- it comes.

At my house, change is coming. My youngest is taking off to college. I am excited that he has some things figured out and is looking forward to his future. But it is going to throw my house off. Who will slam the door beneath my bedroom at 2 am? What voices will my wife and I hear in the house except each others? (and the ones in our heads!) Thousands of dollars will go out the door to that collegiate institution (that's no chump change!) And I am going to have to lift all that heavy stuff that I used to ask him to lift for me. That will be a change!

But with God, change is a promise of a different future. And as much as I am comfortable in my present- blessed, happy, productive, and settled- I am going to have to accept the changes. When everything is different, and all things seem unsettled and in the process of flux; when all the world is talking at the same time, and the rug under my proverbial feet is being tugged by change- then it is incumbant upon me to really know God. He says in the scripture- "I am the Lord and I change not". I guess that is because he is God and perfect and any change for him would be a step backwards away from perfection. So for me- change is working something better- Something truly good; not comfortable, not beautiful, not even acceptable- just good. You see, I am not good enough.

So it is with my hand in the hand of the unchanging one that I reluctantly accept change. His steady hand guides me through the stormy seas and uncertain times.

Oh, Unchanging One, perfection -moral and otherwise, grant me the firm faith to face the challenge of change; let there not be a retreat to fear but only an increased and confirmed belief that change is your way of bettering me. I yield to your disruptive grace. Amen.

What to do with the Chinese Olympics

Well are you going to watch them? Some aren't because China has such a record of human rights abuses and persecution of Christians. As China has approached the games they have increased the persecution of our brothers in faith. The chinese government leads persecuting countries in executions. Of course, they have given lip service for decades to religious freedom, but history has shown these words to be hollow. Life for members of the chinese church is not easy(see article). Recently the New York Times told the story of a brave chinese christian woman. "She never broke when she was tortured with beatings and electrical shocks, and even when she was close to death she refused to disclose the names of members of her congregation or sign a statement renouncing her Christian faith.

But now, months later, Ma Yuqin abruptly chokes and her eyes well with tears as she recounts her worst memory: As she was being battered in one room, her son was tortured in the next so that each could hear the other's screams, as encouragement to betray their church.

''They wanted me to hear his cries,'' she said, sobbing. ''It broke my heart.''

Ms. Ma, a steel-willed woman of 54, was brave enough to tell her story of the persecution that Christians sometimes still face in China. Dozens of members of her church are still imprisoned, and those free are under tight scrutiny, but several church members dared to meet me for a tense interview after we all sneaked one by one into an unwatched farmhouse near Zhongxiang, a city in central China, 650 miles south of Beijing."

The dilemma of conscience for me has to be decided before the 8th. I will not knowingly buy Chinese goods, especially Olympic goods. I certainly question the wisdom of our President in going to China for the Olympics. Didn't we learn this lesson in Berlin under Hitler? Are we giving China a stage to legitimize it's brutal regime? What do you think?

Biblical Balance

I don't really know where everybody is going so quickly- but it is scary how fast we move in an indiscriminant direction. I was driving the other day and some guy passed me going about 80-85 mph. He was young, and had his whole life ahead of him. I suspect that in spite of all that weaving in and out of traffic, he made it to where he was going. But he probably was still late!

I got to thinking that we are sure in a hurry. I have just gotten back from a vacation. So the pace of life, meetings, services, prep time, family time, a date with the wife, a lunch with a parishoner, a gathering with a family in the church, etc. really overwhelmed me. We move fast- at least some of us do. I guess we are trying to accomplish something. And we may even be doing it for the Kingdom of God!But if we don't learn to balance out the extremes of overwork and excessive leisure we will not find ourselves in Biblical Balance.

Biblical balance is the state that we Christians strive for. it is a progressive march and growth toward maturity. It is the striking the perfect chord- a three part harmony with the Lord. This is an idyllic state that we strive for. I keep trying to balance things out. Working a 60 hour week and finding time for myself; reading, studying, and preparing and leaning on the Lord's improptu; hard work and resting in him.

Leisure is important. The ancients called it re-creation because the soul's energy was recreated in that moment. Learning to gather strenth is as important as learning to expend the energy one has. To lean on work without leisure or rest is like commiting to only exhaling. Without intake there is not exhaling. The truth is that rest makes us work harder.

Certainly the author of Hebrews is correct (chpater 4)that there remains a rest for the people of God. We need to work hard to find that rest (smile)!

Cessationism; An undefendable tenet

Did the gifts of the Holy Spirit cease after the completion of Holy Scripture? That is the belief of many Christians. D. Matthew Allen is one such pastor. His ardent defense of the doctrine of cessationism is found easily on the web. His points are clear. I will engage them individually to show that the "doctrine of cessationism" is not only undefendable but contradicted by the very Bible that these precious folks pretend to defend.
Mr. Allen develops the the following points as his reasons why the revelatory gifts have ceased.
(1) Jesus is the cornerstone of the church and the foundation upon which the church is laid (Eph. 2:20; 1 Cor. 3:11). Jesus is also the culmination and completion of God’s revelation to man (Heb. 1:1-2).I suppose that Mr Allen feels that the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit is a threat to the doctrine of Christ. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit would testify of Christ and his teaching (John 14.26)and that the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev 19.10). The purpose of the revelatory gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 clearly is to glorify God by the working of the Holy Spirit (v11). Clearly the Apostle Paul, who privately practiced the revelatory gifts(tongues 1 Cor 14.18), did not see his practice of these gifts as contrary to the work of Christ or any threat to the foundation of the church. And while the revelation of God in Christ is certainly complete in Jesus (as Allen references in Hebrews1.1-2) the author of the Hebrews makes clear that the gospel was attended by signs, wonders, and gifts of Holy Spirit as a confirmation of that great work of Christ (Heb 2.4). I suggest that to set the gifts and the revelation of Jesus over and against each other is foreign to the scriptures and the product of an anti-supernatural bias. Let me be blunt- no where in Scripture are the revelatory gifts contrary to the teaching of Jesus or a threat to the finished work of the cross. The gifts of the Holy Spirit attend the preaching of that glorious truth with personal revelation.

(2) Apostles and prophets were raised up in the 1st century as New Testament witnesses to Christ, ap-pointed by Him to bear authentic witness to his resurrection and redemption of man (Acts 1:2, 8, 21-26; 1 Cor. 9:1, 16; 15:1-4, 8-11; Gal. 1:1, 15-16). Compared to Jesus, apostles were the foundation of the church only in a secon-dary and inferior sense. (Eph. 2:20). To limit the ministry of the NT prophet and apostle to bearing authentic witness is another extra-biblical idea. In fact, Acts 1.8 makes clear that the entire group in the upper room (120 not just the 12 apostles) were to be empowered to bear witness by the miraculous presence of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. And while Allen may feel less threatened theologically by calling these NT apostles and prophets inferior, it was Jesus himself who promised that they would do GREATER miracles than he did (John 14.11-14). Certainly, these miracles (and the context is miracles!) are more than salvation. Mark 16.20 tells us of the accompanying signs and wonders that "worked with" all who believe (not just apostles) as they preached the Word.

(3) Apostles were directly commissioned by Jesus for a unique missionary work (Mark 3:14-15; Acts 1:21-26; Rom. 1:1; 2 Cor. 11:5; 12:11-12; Gal. 1:1). As a unique office and gift, apostleship ended in the first century A.D. (Cf. Matt. 19:28; Acts 12:2). This, of course, is a half truth. Miracles were routinely done in the book of acts by people other than the 12 Apostles. Acts 8 tells of the great revival of miracles and wonders done by Philip- a deacon. The next chapter tells of Ananias laying his hands on Saul and a dramatic healing. In Acts 13 prophets and teacher (not apostles) are used to call out the Apostle Paul and Barnabus to their work. This happens by the gift of the Spirit.

Apostles beyond the 12 unique Apostles of the Lamb not only were selected and sent out during the first century (Andronicus and Junias, Barnabas,etc are called apostles) and they continue to this day. Certainly there is nothing in Eph 4.11ff that would lead us to believe that some of those gifts were temporary. They are all gifts to the church to lead the church to maturity "...to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." Unless Allen is willing to say that the church has achieved the lofty goals set out in Eph 4 he must acknowledge that the terms and purpose of the apostolic gifts continue to this very day. And while there may be some differences between the 12 Apostles of the Lamb and those called out to be apostles today there is much work to be done.


(4) In the 1st century, the gift of prophecy was closely related to the gift of apostleship (2 Cor. 12:12). The purpose of prophesy in the New Testament was to edify and strengthen the early church (1 Cor. 14:3-4; 14:22).
This assertion seems to link the two giftings together- another assumption from outside the Scripture. These two giftings, while working together on many occassions are never conflated together. They function differently and and not be be confused, as any cursory reading of Eph 4 would lead one.

(5) In essence, then, prophesy served the church as a specific witness to Jesus Christ at a time when it lacked the written revelation of Jesus Christ in the form of the New Testament. As Gaffin has stated, “With this foundational revelation completed, and so too their foundational role as witnesses, the apostles and, along with them, the prophets and other associated revelatory word gifts, pass from the life of the church.” Another half truth that places artificial and unbiblical limits upon the gift of prophecy. In fact, the Apostle Paul urged that all prophetic utterances be judged by those hearing the word of prophecy (1 Cor 14.29). How would those utterances be judged? Because apostolic doctrine was daily preached in the NT church (Acts 2.42-44) and the prophetic utterances would not violate the tenets of said doctrine. Paul knew that prophecy would always be subjective in nature and as such needed to bow before the objective truth of the apostolic teaching. To invert that is circular reasoning and confuses the purpose of the gift with the effect of the gift.

(6) Several Scriptural passages make this point:
a. Jude 3 says, “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” The word “faith” re-fers to the body of truths taught by the apostles or the “things believed.” (See also Gal. 1:23; 1 Tim. 4:1). It is a reference to the propositional truth of the gospel -- a truth now found only in the written pages of Scripture. The word “entrusted” (paradidonai) is the word used for handing down authorized tradition in Israel. (Cf. 1 Cor. 15:1-3; 2 Thes. 3:6). Moreover, the phrase “once for all” (hapax) indicates that the faith -- the objective content of Chris-tianity -- was entrusted to the saints one time, conclusively. Once this process was completed, there was no further need for additional revelation beyond the apostolic age.

In this final sentence of this point, Allen betrays the weakness of his argument. The revelatory gifts come to minister to the body of Christ. In 1 Cor 12 the church was certainly saved but still needed both the ministry of the gifts and the opportunity to be used in the gifts. The once and for all entrusted faith is not linked to the scriptures- the NT scriptures are not anywhere in view in the writing of Jude. How could they be, they were still being written!? (Jude!) Certainly, the Word preached and received is what is in view for the author of Jude.

b. Jesus promised his disciples that, after His departure, the Holy Spirit would give them “all truth” (Jn 14:26; 16:12-13). 2 Peter 1:21 amplifies the method by which the Holy Spirit would give the apostles truth; Scripture is the result of the Holy Spirit’s carrying the authors along as they wrote. This is an inexcusable interpretation. To say that Peter is commenting on the methodology that John had in mind while recording the words of Jesus?! The Sriptures are inspired and are used as a plumb line with which to judge prophetic words and revelatory ministry gifts. And certainly truth comes in the objective and propositionally authoritative writings of the Apostles, but the very meaning of the words in John 14 and 16 is that the Spirit would bring subjectively to the remembrance of the individual disciples the teachings of Jesus. This Holy Spirit is not just given to the church authorities- it is the Holy Spirit given to all who believe!

c. The apostle John said that anyone who adds to the words of the book of Revelation would be cursed (Rev. 22:18). While his words apply specifically to the revelation given to him as recorded in the last book of the New Testament, inferentially, they equally apply to the canon of Scripture as a whole.

Here again, a leap that even Allen must acknowledge. That the curse of Rev 22.18 is applied to those who prophesy after the close of scriptures canon is ludicris. The canon wasn't fully selected and defined for hundreds of years. The councils worked diligently and fought political pressures et al to preserve holy writ. Are we to think that after the writing of REvelation in 95 AD there was no prophetic ministry that was valid and not under a curse? The Didache, a gathering of teachings regarding church behavior from around 95 AD, clearly teaches otherwise. It acknowledges the itinerate ministries of evangelists and prophets and apostles.


In sum, because prophecy and other “revelatory” gifts have fulfilled their purpose and are no longer neces-sary to provide a witness to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, they have thereby ceased to exist; it is Scripture that now takes their place as God’s special revelation regarding salvation. It is now the written Word of God that is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, in short for life, to equip man for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16). The view that God directly speaks to man today through the continuation of revelatory gifts seriously undermines this principle.


Clearly, the NT expects the Spirit to be empowering the believers to do ministry. I am a Pentecostal because that expectation is CLEARLY delineated in Scripture. It is not always neat; it is not always without problems or issues. But it is the result of the study of the Word of God. Cessationism cannot be defended. It is certainly not the result of the reading of the Scriptures. And it is definitely frought with bias and based upon personal experience rather than solid exegesis (bible interpretation) . I encourage you to read the NT for yourself. Ask yourself what the expectation of Jesus and the Apostles was for his church. Was it to be an authoritarian circle of dogmatic doctrine keepers or an empowered lot of believers changing their world?YOU be the Judge!

Cash or credit

Intercessory Prayer

Looking at the lives of most christians you would define their prayer theology as one that is very passive. By that I mean, that if you were a fly on the wall in most Christian's homes prayer would be an extraordinarily small part of their lives. The theology behind this is insidious. It is a belief that God always gets his way (He doesn't) and that if you don't participate God will find someone else to carry your slack (He won't necessarily). This leaves Christians with an apathetic view of prayer. It is a good and fine thing to do unless... you ahve soemthing else to do.

Scripture, however, defines prayer as very important. It is those who ask who recieve , and those who seek who find, and those who knock who have doors opened. The Greek tenses in these verbs are continual tenses. Ask and keep asking, knock and keep knocking, .. in other words pray and don't give up. This is crucial for the christian and imperative for the prayer warrior. Little happens that is not provoked by prayer. Especially, in the life of those who are estranged from God. If you are praying for an lost friend or loved one- you may be the ONLY link between them and God. This would explain the Enemy's intensity in fighting your prayer life. But don't give up under pressure- instead press on to defeat the enemy and bring men and women into deeper intimacy with Jesus.

Alice Smith is the US Prayer Track coordinator of 2000 AD and she writes the following tips for prayer

When the pressure is on to give up, don't! As believers, we are not to live according to our feelings but according to our spiritual position in Christ. Satan is no match for an intercessor living securely in the following positional truths:

1. YOU ARE AN OVERCOMER. There is no defeat for those who have confidence in the Spirit of God to give them overcoming life. Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13).

2. YOU ARE COMPLETE IN CHRIST. There is no lack for those of us who are in Christ (see Col. 2:8-10). But if we view ourselves as lacking, we have defined our experience. Look at yourself from God's point of view, not man's.

3. YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN AUTHORITY. We have been given the keys of the kingdom. Is it any wonder then that Satan attempts to provoke us to apathy, discouragement and depression? He simply can't afford to ignore a believer who is exercising her authority in Christ through prayer (see Matt. 16:19; Luke 10:19).

4. YOU HAVE SPIRITUAL WEAPONS. Christ, the Mighty Warrior, has given us not only defensive armor but also offensive weapons (see Eph. 6:11-17; 2 Cor. 10:4). These weapons are spiritual, not earthly, and they have but one purpose: winning spiritual wars!

Yet even the most powerful gun is harmless until someone pulls the trigger. We must be willing to pray until the target is in sight. Then we must continue to pray until the target is destroyed!

It is time for believers to pray. Perhaps like never before! Step up to the high calling.

Larry Norman

Back in the 70's I heard the Father of Christian Rock sing at a small coffee house in Oaklawn. He passed away this year. Larry Norman was quite a voice for the Jesus Movement! Here is one of my favorite songs by Larry.

THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL


i was born and raised an orphan
in a land that once was free
in a land that poured its love out on the moon
and i grew up in the shadows
of your silos filled with grain
but you never helped to fill my empty spoon

and when i was ten you murdered law
with courtroom politics
and you learned to make a lie sound just like truth
but i know you better now
and i don't fall for all your tricks
and you've lost the one advantage of my youth

you kill a black man at midnight
just for talking to your daughter
then you make his wife your mistress
and you leave her without water
and the sheet you wear upon your face
is the sheet your children sleep on
at every meal you say a prayer
you don't believe but still you keep on

and your money says in God we trust
but it's against the law to pray in school
you say we beat the russians to the moon
and i say you starved your children to do it

you are far across the ocean
but the war is not your own
and while you're winning theirs
you're gonna lose the one at home
do you really think the only way
to bring about the peace
is to sacrifice your children
and kill all your enemies

the politicians all make speeches
while the news men all take note
and they exagerate the issues
as they shove them down our throats
is it really up to them
whether this country sinks or floats
well i wonder who would lead us
if none of us would vote

well my phone is tapped and my lips are chapped
from whispering through the fence
you know every move i make
or is that just coincidence
well you try to make my way of life
a little less like jail
if i promise to make tapes and slides
and send them through the mail

and your money says in God we trust
but it's against the law to pray in school
you say we beat the russians to the moon
and i say you starved your children to do it
you say all men are equal all men are brothers
then why are the rich more equal than others
don't ask me for the answer i've only got one
that a man leaves his darkness when he follows the Son


see him perform it live http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTlr-73DQq8

Thanks Larry for the blessings.

Coloring in the Lines

We are taught that in kindergarten and preschool. Lines keep the colors in their places. Lines give the picture distinction. Lines help communicate the vision of the artist. Makes sense to me.

So the Proverbs(22.28) say "Do not move the ancient boundary Which your fathers have set."

Rules are lines. The problem I am addressing today is people's inability to follow rules. Is it just rebellion? People seem to see two classes of people -those that need the rules and then the other class of people- the exceptions (themselves). The height of arogance and pride- that your situation is special. You see see it everywhere. The jerk that endangers the entire highway by driving down the emergency lane 100 miles an hour. The guy who always double parks. The one guy who thinks he alone is trustworthy to eat and drink in the facility. The person in the theater who has the "special privilege" to speak aloud to his neighbor. the lists go on and on.

But rules are to keep peopel safe. Rules are to help communicate priorities. Rules are so that everyone is treated the same. If you are a special case- the rest of us apologize to you! But we need some predictability! WE need to know that we can live together, work together, and YES worship together without someone getting hurt. So we have rules.

Then there are the assumptions that there are perfect rules. You know the ones that fit every situation. But of course, there are no such rules. Rules are general principles that help us live together. They really don't fit every situation but we need you - yes, even you- to abide by them so that we can do those things that we do without danger to others.

Now I hate stupid rules. Berwyn has a tax on pets. Can you believe it? What cost does a dog incure to society? That is a stupid rule. It provokes the rebellious side of me. Is God using the crazy rules of our society to test my ability to deal with my rebellion?

I don't have all the answers- I just know that there needs to be a healthy respect for rules. God help me to honor the lines. What do you think?

oprah's cult (from fox news)

Oprah Winfrey may have gone too far in exploiting and distributing the teachings of a questionable New Age writer.

On Monday night, Winfrey conducted her weekly Web "event" seminar with New Age writer Eckhart Tolle. His message: "Life is the dancer and you are the dance."

Got that?

The seminar was No. 7 in a series of 10. On the first 90-minute Webcast with Tolle, Oprah extolled the author’s virtues, calling his best-selling "New Earth" book "one of the most important books of our time," the seminars one of "the most exciting things I’ve ever done."

Imagine that Winfrey considers her conversations with Tolle, a man with a shady and un-checkable background, more important than her schools in Africa and Mississippi for underprivileged children, more important than her Angel Charity network or her zillion-dollar syndicated TV show. Tolle must be something else!

But it’s not like Winfrey is endorsing Maya Angelou or Toni Morrison, serious, educated artists with portfolios. Tolle is more like Kilgore Trout, Kurt Vonnegut’s science-fiction crackpot alter-ego.

And what’s different about the Tolle connection for Winfrey is that for the first time in her much-applauded Book Club’s history, she’s gone into business with the author. And the author is not one of a novel, memoir or cookbook; he’s the mysterious creator of a philosophy that Winfrey endorses and suggests her readers live their lives by.

But is Eckhart Tolle an appropriate spiritual leader? He told an interviewer that he stopped going to school at age 13 and didn’t resume any education for at least a decade. In the same interview he says he graduated "with the highest mark at the London University."

The press rep at the University of London says there’s simply no way to verify that. "You might as well say you graduated from here," joked the person I spoke to. Clever.

He says in interviews that he had a personal epiphany in 1977 at age 29 after a life of suffering from suicidal depression. For the next 15 years, no one knows much about what happened to him, and he’s not saying. He says he spent time wandering and sitting in London’s parks, with "no relationships, no job, no home, no socially defined identity," but a sense of "intense joy."

In seminar 1, Oprah’s new guru tells her: "I was living in England, and I had this strong impulse one morning … I had to move to the West Coast of North America without knowing why … So I moved to Vancouver and then I took a Greyhound bus to California, knew only one or two people, and I said, 'Why am I here?'"

"Three weeks passed, somebody put me up in a room near San Francisco, and suddenly this came. I bought a notepad and suddenly the strong stream came through and I wrote, 'What Is Enlightenment?' The beginning of 'The Power of Now.' The moment I wrote that, I knew this is the book that wants to be born. So rather than me wanting to write a book, there was a book that wanted to be written."

And so on.

Oprah’s response to this: "It’s like Michelangelo says the angel’s in the marble and he just cuts away the marble."

Well, not quite.

His books, "The Power of Now" and "A New Earth," are the same gobbledygook as most New Age stuff. They’re all about self-empowering and how to find out who we are. "Awakening" is Tolle’s key word. Tolle is very busy enforcing moments of silence and showing his readers how to find their "pain-body."

Nothing new there. And nothing new for Oprah, who’s now so wildly wealthy that she’s exceeded literally any famous person she might interview. Parade magazine puts her 2007 income at $260 million, the most of any celebrity and $150 million more than Steven Spielberg, the most successful filmmaker of all time. So what can she do besides anoint presidential candidates or start a religion?

Indeed, Winfrey already has flirted with several cult-like New Age deals. She’s enthusiastically embraced the Scientology celebrities like Tom Cruise and John Travolta. She’s even gone into business with Kirstie Alley, whom she’s planning to give a forum in her own talk show.

She’s also promoted televangelist Marianne Williamson’s kooky "Course of Miracles" and a book of New Age clichés by Australian Rhonda Byrne called "The Secret." (There’s a good piece on the latter at salon.com.)

Winfrey is nothing if not gifted at recognizing what’s already popular in the culture and exploiting it. But her association with Tolle is way over the top. It involves sponsorships with General Motors (Chevy), 3M Corp. (Post-Its) and Skype Internet phone service. In one broad stroke, she’s managed to accomplish what Scientology never has achieved: bringing corporate America’s implicit approval into religion.

What’s interesting is not so much Tolle, with his German accent and blank stare, proselytizing his nonsense. He talks a lot, literally, about looking at flowers and trees in a new way, much like Chauncey Gardner in "Being There."

It’s more about Oprah herself, free associating, selling out her own world as she gushes over those flowers and trees. For example, in seminar 1, she socks it to Hollywood, the source of 50 percent of her guests. This is the same Oprah who does a live special the day after the Oscars and often plugs the worst films just to get ratings.

In that segment, Oprah seems to forget who she is to score points with Tolle, or rationalize why she’s involved in this beyond the corporate money being reaped:

"Everyone complains about the media and the movies. I mean, if you just look at the Academy Awards this year, and the kinds of movies that were made this year, and it’s all a reflection of who we are. You say in the book," Winfrey says to Tolle, "that we’re the species that will go and watch people be maimed and killed and murdered for our entertainment."

We can assume she wasn’t talking about "Juno," "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," "The Savages," "Enchanted," "Atonement," "La Vie En Rose," "Michael Clayton," "Elizabeth: The Golden Age," "Into the Wild," "Away from Her" or "Charlie Wilson’s War" — all films that had nominations. Just three films featured overt violence this year — "No Country for Old Men," "There Will Be Blood" and "Sweeney Todd."

But it’s the zealous excitement in Winfrey’s eyes when she says it that makes the difference. Those three films are now the whole Academy Awards, and therefore "the media." You can already feel hearts pounding! She’s right! Hollywood had better look at flowers and trees in a new way.

What makes Oprah’s seminars even more creepy are the "study groups" she has lined up for Tolle at bookstores and other locations around the world. They’re all hooked up to the seminars through Skype, and the members can ask questions. They all have that same glazed-over look as people giving testimonials on late-night infomercials.

"I consider this to be a sacred moment when we can all come together … and share in this work," Winfrey says at the start of seminar 6. And why not? You’ll notice that she, not Tolle, has the sole copyright on the broadcasts. Ka ching!

But don’t worry about Eckhart Tolle. His "power of now" is all about his store. All roads lead to his merchandise, which is prominently featured on his Web site and accessed from Oprah’s.

His is a costly philosophy. Books, tapes, DVDs — all of it becomes quite expensive when added up, making Tolle no different than Scientology, Kabbalah or any other shiny new religion. Tolle even sells teaching tools "for professionals" — "A Guide for the Spiritual Teacher and Health Practitioner" — even though it’s unclear what is the basis of his own educational background.

Are we supposed to take this seriously? As Tolle, himself, says to Oprah, "It’s better to laugh at madness."

Thoughtful Conversion

Most people don't think. Okay, that may be a bit harsh. We DO ponder things like what we will have for dinner, what movies we might watch, what political candidate we most likely agree with. But we DON'T think about the things that we believe. When you are speaking to a friend about the change that Christ has made in your life you are likely not using Jesus' name very frequently. You hem and haw around the subject. You speak of how things have changed "since you started going to church' or now that you have found "faith". But many people have faith in some crazy stuff! And there are lots of churches to attend. So in a way you are distracting your own argument. What you need to be saying is, "Hey, Bob, the craziest thing happened to me. I went to church and really felt something! It seemed like God was calling out to me. Did you ever have that?" Suddenly, Bob- your unchurched friend- is asked for his opinion and confronted with the possibility that God might actually be speaking to both you and HIM! That is important because Bob never thinks about God. And he certainly never questions why he is so unfulfilled in his present faith relationship that he never attends church. He, in fact, in scared of God and is really afraid of surrendering to his will. (He might end up a missionary in Africa!)

Real conversion begins with the thoughtful processing about what we believe and why. This world view assessment is crucial for repentance. God spent much time trying to get Israel to examine their deeds and lifestyle choices. He even brought judgment for the purpose of turning back the hearts of his children to prayer. The thinking process isn't an easy one. I demands of a person the ability to say I have been wrong up until now. This rarely happens in older people. They are afraid to admit that they have made mistakes walking the wrong way in this life. Sad really. That our faith is trapped behind the formidable doorway of our pride. For the believer, God has permission to crush your pride, in the interest of your soul. But for the unbeliever our evangelistic job is to prod them with questions and thoughts that the Holy Spirit can use to get them to think.

After thinking that there just might be a God who is trying to get my attention I am open for an expereince with that God. If he turns out to be a loving, caring and benificent God then I am more likely to fall in love with him.

Someone asked me the other day if I get defensive regarding the gospel. Well the truth is I know it is TRUE. And since that is my mental stance, I find myself less threatened by the bloviation of the "other side". See, I was on the other side when God reached down to me. So how about you, are you sure you are walking in the truth?

Why Go?

So you think I am crazy! Every year I take my boys fishing with their uncle and cousin and we "enjoy" the arduous workout of paddling a canoe for some 20-30 miles to camp on some mosquito infested island. It is hard work. This years trip was more arduous than most. We traveled between 45-50 miles round trip. We went through bogs that were deeper than our waistes, we climbed hills (Heart attack Hill!)for what seemed like hours, we portaged an 80 pound canoe over a mile on one portage, we descended down slopes that scared me without a pack on my back, and we got cold, wet, and rained on. The mosquitoes are worse than in the Costa Rican rainforest. The black flies were flying into our eyes and mouths all day long. Fun, eh!

At 50, I am personally challenged by the outdoors. It stands challenging me to persevere, to overcome, and to rise to the occassion.In that way, it is like life. Life has significant challenges that cause many to shrink back in fear. I have friends that turned back in fear at various moments of their lives- failed to pursue the goal of meeting the challenges. To me, to turn back in fear or to fail to meet the challenges is like dying. If life is a challenge- death is failing to meet it. And I ain't dead yet!

True enough, I am more tired when I return from those kinds of vacations. It takes a little recuperating time. But if you notice there is a smile on my face. It is satisfying to face the obstacles and come out on top. Tired yes- but more alive than ever before... Inspite of the fact that I have to eat my own cooking!

Big Name, Big Bucks; Big Problem?

"Yes, Pastor we would love to come and speak at your church," the email read," our customary fee for (Big Name Speaker) is $7500 for 4 one hour sessions..." My jaw dropped. Now I am not the best at math, but I think that $2000 an hour to speak a warmed over message on marriages is a bit crazy. Please realize that housing said speaker, flying them in, and feeding them would (of course!) be in addition to the fee.

What is going on here? When did the minister start charging $2000 per hour? Now don't get me wrong - this guy has some good material. I have read his book. But I can't imagine this price!!! Who knows if he practices what he preaches? Too bad because we desperately need his message!

So in addition to the book royalties that he is recieving, he is making $400,000 per year? Not bad work if you can get it. Not only will I not have him in, I won't recommend his books anymore either. This is a Big Problem.

What these guys need to remember is that there will be a judgment on those who merchandise the anointing in such a manner. Church- there is a big problem here. And the time has come for judgment to begin in the house of God. So I am asking God to deal with it officially in this blog.

God, you have a renegade in your house. As you would expect me to do to a pompous little teenager in my house, I am asking you to do to this brother. I rebuke the greedy materialistic spirit that he is operating in right now. Please- bring humility, balance, and compassion for real people with real problems to him. In the Biggest Name of all. Amen.