I have thought a great deal on the topic of hope this year.
I entered this year knowing I had no hope, life as far as I was aware was over for me and cursed with a bum leg would never be able to take that walk to Argentina to even escape myself much less this environment. But, even dying on the road in Oregon is far better than the continued abuse I am taking (especially if I count in being completely ignored as even a human being!).
No hope, as I said ...
Except, for the hope that God fills me with - that I will be avenged, I will be justified, I will be used by Him, for His purposes. And no, I do not understand the connection between His purpose and what all goes on around me. It is one of those wait and see kind of things. I do know my solution to all, but I have to be assured of His solution, if His perfection is to be attained.
Then my friend lost their hope. Life had turned on them. It was over. And I understood all too well. And I have thought months on this, the question of hope, faith and miracle quietly clicking away behind my regular stream of thought ...
I have to turn the clock back to 1974 and the birth of my first understanding of hope and faith. I was reading in Judges 6 and 7, about Gideon and how he pared down his army from 32,000 to only 300 - to stand against the Midianites. Of course, like any thinking man, he turned to God and set a "fleece" before the Lord to confirm that what God told him was true, real, and not a bad pizza the night before. Judges 6:36 begins the tale of the fleece.
Gideon set two fleeces and both were miraculously answered.
And I thought on this. I tried it, fleeces worked. I shared this my College Study group and they were amazed someone had done this! (I mean really, do people just read the Bible and not think, "Hmmm, I ought to try that ..." ?)
Dutchman and Swede were having a bitter fight over Sister Becka. Each wanted her for themselves, and I only incurred both their wrath's because I told them she was not a piece of meat up for ownership! Yeah even as a teen I was a feminist supporter, it was how I was raised in European schools and by my ancient great-uncle ... So, one Sunday, Swede is driving from Tacoma, where I went to school, to church up in Kent. He gets to telling me that he can hardly wait to get to church because he had laid a fleece that Becka was to be his unless Dutchman wore an orange shirt, green pants and a green dotted tie to Sunday School!
I burst out laughing.
I had to explain to him that Dutchman did not own any clothing like that at all! So, the fleece never could occur. Swede commented that he believed in miracles and God could make it happen. So, I had to ask him if he thought that God allows for free will or not? Of course He does and that was what was wrong with this fleece, it made no allowance for Dutchman to be anything other than a robot before God, in order for Swede to have an answer to his fleece.
Swede slammed on the brakes and ordered me out of his car. I was still about six miles from the church and would now miss Sunday School. Swede stomped on the gas and was gone in a haze of blue smoke.
So, I am walking along the freeway to reach the next exit and a car immediately pulls up and stops behind me - it was one of the women in the college group! She gave me a ride all the time howling at the story I told her. We even passed the slow moving Swede! And I learned an important lesson from her that morning:
Fleeces do not allow for faith in our walk before the Lord, they allow for superstition ...
Yeah, made more than just a little sense. I could see how even I had become a little superstitious across the year and I had a girlfriend to prove it. She made no sense in my life, but I asked God for ten - four leaf clovers to confirm that her advances on me were of Him, and I did find them, but I had no real peace. Yeah, I kept the girlfriend just in case. And like most women, they find out what a nerd I really am and poof!, they are gone.
Of course, Dutchman wore his usual brown tweed suit, as he ALWAYS did to church. Swede jumped up and bolted from the room! I never told anyone why other than the lady whom gave me a ride.
Yeah, occasionally I still use a fleece, small ones when I am struggling and I can not depend upon my mind to interpret what is going on around me. More on that later.
So, just shy of forty years ago, I walked away from fleeces and trying to observe faith - that whole faith unto faith leading. Where you start out with just the faith you have at conversion and God gives you a little more to meet the issue at hand and your faith grows. God continues to feed your faith until one day, hopefully, you know that you will be able to move mountains! Yeah, well that is sort of the goal I guess - the hope in what can not be seen or can be logically known.
Hope? How hard to understand! Faith, without no emotion, I could slightly get. God promises a bunch of stuff. I used fleeces as my crutch to know what was of Him or in the plans for me - until I hit the Becka fight and a verse about there being "a wicked and vile generation which seeks after signs". Oh, the self condemnation over that one!
And I struggled with hope. I had no hope, other than my only hope is in Jesus to cover my sin from God's eyes, I honestly today believe that hope is not even possible without emotion. I could hope for a bunch of things but logically I knew that statistically they were impossibilities.
Then today, it dawned on me, faith and hope are interconnected! I can Hope for say something unattainable and if it is in God's Will, it will come to pass and I have to be able to stay the course in Faith! God's will, will be accomplished with or without my faith - it is His will not mine. But, if I knew, if I had reason to suspect, then I would need hope and faith to make it to the goal - to His prize, whatever it might be.
So, this is just an introduction to the idea. Tomorrow the entire idea of helping others to have hope ...
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Friday, April 4, 2014
Life or Death
You know, when you wake up in the morning you pretty much have no idea where life is going to take you, what opportunities God will provide, or what path through the day you will travel. But, if you are willing and able, you could be led almost anywhere - even where you least expect to be found ...
Last week was simply awful.
I had a friend hurting and there seemed to be nothing I could do right in reaching out to them - throughout the whole of the week! It ended with my being unfriended on Thursday. I was devastated and posted my open position on Friday for a new best friend. Perhaps it was a bit tongue in cheek, I was hurting and in a cruel joke on me - it was humorous to think anyone could ever consider being my friend. This was the last active friend in my life. It was only with the greatest of prayer I agreed to meet with my recently lost best friend on Saturday morning. I had prayed bunches before hand, I thought I knew what to say, but Saturday was not much better than Thursday had been ...
Well, it did not go as planned and I ended up driving home in tears for my friend. I could not understand, everything was upside down and backwards. Nothing got through. I had no clue what they were going to do, what God was going to do with them, I was without a clue - this was so far from what I am familiar with. And friendless, I went home in a state of shock.
Many hours later I got a call from them and they were hysterical. I had received such a call like that once, in 1975, from two of my high schoolers. Confused, at the end of themselves, unable to even articulate a complete sentence. I thought they were drunk, it was graduation night and 2:00 AM. Their bodies were found the next morning. And I was utterly devastated and completely clueless. But, that phone call has remained in my active memory through all of these years.
And here again, the exact same words, the exact same confusion, the exact same desperation being confessed. Getting an address, after numerous tries, I flew to my old friend! No, not because I had anything to offer or gain, they had already rejected everything me - but because they were a part of my life and even if not still a friend, their life is far too important to be trifled with!
No, I was not their first choice to call.
No, I was not even their second choice.
They ran out of anyone they could think of they needed to call.
No, I am not the perfect one for such a task.
Just the only one to rush to their side.
And I prayed the entire way there that God could kill all traces of the old me and let only the new creation communicate whatever was needed. I know the old me to be too cold, when friendship, honesty and sincerity were going to be needed. No memory of the recent past could exist between us.
It took many hours to stabilize my friend emotionally, then mentally and finally spiritually. From desiring death to showing them there is hope, there is a reason to live, their life was not over - only Satan's hold over them was and the need to always remain so.
No, no more details than that are needed. Enough to just share that God used me in a big way on Saturday and helping to rebuild my friend ever since - step by tiny step. They are doing well, full of questions, full of fears, full of tears, but handling each day and letting me know instantly a prayer concern or question. God is so awesome when you can see Him in action! I am humbled.
And so, you would think Kris would now be a hero - at least amongst those whom knew what was going on, on Saturday. Nope. My children whom I had praying through this, were interestingly disinterested to learn all was well. Really? The people of my church's prayer chain just asked if intervention had been successful and commented that, that one could now be scratched off the list. Really? Gaelic Girl was in full war regalia from Saturday through today. And I got dumped on Wednesday night by her. On the one hand I am evil and on the other, oh yeah, I am still evil and how come God keeps using me without permission. Really? And of course, I had to hear from GG's therapist, whom wondered at how I could seem to "know" how to help people and yet be so completely clueless concerning GG. Really?
Is human life, any human life, so without value that there can not be a celebration of joy when one is rescued? Really?
Is there some inane characteristic within the Christian body that must correlate unrelated events to prove you evil, or themselves not evil? Really?
Is there some misunderstanding that when a person its bottom that there is a long term critical need for prayer? Really?
For my friend: prayer in all aspects of life as they are slowly returned back to where they need to be, an involved church found (and in Seattle? But it has to exist!), a good Bible Study found, prayer warriors are needed to run interference for them as they grow in strength and faith. Think back to your own struggles as a new Christian - and just imagine that your birth was at the point literally of death - that is how much prayer is needed by you for them! And, Satan is not done with the attack, I have no doubts that even now he is formulating how to call them back over to his side ... it will be tempting, it must appear to be what is desired, it must appear to be an answer from God, but it will be a lie and will predate whom they are today. Yeah, lots of prayer because the fight is not over.
Thank you.
Perhaps we truly are living in the very last days when the hearts of the many, have turned cold and love - even compassion - is no longer a commodity shared between humans ...
Last week was simply awful.
I had a friend hurting and there seemed to be nothing I could do right in reaching out to them - throughout the whole of the week! It ended with my being unfriended on Thursday. I was devastated and posted my open position on Friday for a new best friend. Perhaps it was a bit tongue in cheek, I was hurting and in a cruel joke on me - it was humorous to think anyone could ever consider being my friend. This was the last active friend in my life. It was only with the greatest of prayer I agreed to meet with my recently lost best friend on Saturday morning. I had prayed bunches before hand, I thought I knew what to say, but Saturday was not much better than Thursday had been ...
Well, it did not go as planned and I ended up driving home in tears for my friend. I could not understand, everything was upside down and backwards. Nothing got through. I had no clue what they were going to do, what God was going to do with them, I was without a clue - this was so far from what I am familiar with. And friendless, I went home in a state of shock.
Many hours later I got a call from them and they were hysterical. I had received such a call like that once, in 1975, from two of my high schoolers. Confused, at the end of themselves, unable to even articulate a complete sentence. I thought they were drunk, it was graduation night and 2:00 AM. Their bodies were found the next morning. And I was utterly devastated and completely clueless. But, that phone call has remained in my active memory through all of these years.
And here again, the exact same words, the exact same confusion, the exact same desperation being confessed. Getting an address, after numerous tries, I flew to my old friend! No, not because I had anything to offer or gain, they had already rejected everything me - but because they were a part of my life and even if not still a friend, their life is far too important to be trifled with!
No, I was not their first choice to call.
No, I was not even their second choice.
They ran out of anyone they could think of they needed to call.
No, I am not the perfect one for such a task.
Just the only one to rush to their side.
And I prayed the entire way there that God could kill all traces of the old me and let only the new creation communicate whatever was needed. I know the old me to be too cold, when friendship, honesty and sincerity were going to be needed. No memory of the recent past could exist between us.
It took many hours to stabilize my friend emotionally, then mentally and finally spiritually. From desiring death to showing them there is hope, there is a reason to live, their life was not over - only Satan's hold over them was and the need to always remain so.
No, no more details than that are needed. Enough to just share that God used me in a big way on Saturday and helping to rebuild my friend ever since - step by tiny step. They are doing well, full of questions, full of fears, full of tears, but handling each day and letting me know instantly a prayer concern or question. God is so awesome when you can see Him in action! I am humbled.
And so, you would think Kris would now be a hero - at least amongst those whom knew what was going on, on Saturday. Nope. My children whom I had praying through this, were interestingly disinterested to learn all was well. Really? The people of my church's prayer chain just asked if intervention had been successful and commented that, that one could now be scratched off the list. Really? Gaelic Girl was in full war regalia from Saturday through today. And I got dumped on Wednesday night by her. On the one hand I am evil and on the other, oh yeah, I am still evil and how come God keeps using me without permission. Really? And of course, I had to hear from GG's therapist, whom wondered at how I could seem to "know" how to help people and yet be so completely clueless concerning GG. Really?
Is human life, any human life, so without value that there can not be a celebration of joy when one is rescued? Really?
Is there some inane characteristic within the Christian body that must correlate unrelated events to prove you evil, or themselves not evil? Really?
Is there some misunderstanding that when a person its bottom that there is a long term critical need for prayer? Really?
For my friend: prayer in all aspects of life as they are slowly returned back to where they need to be, an involved church found (and in Seattle? But it has to exist!), a good Bible Study found, prayer warriors are needed to run interference for them as they grow in strength and faith. Think back to your own struggles as a new Christian - and just imagine that your birth was at the point literally of death - that is how much prayer is needed by you for them! And, Satan is not done with the attack, I have no doubts that even now he is formulating how to call them back over to his side ... it will be tempting, it must appear to be what is desired, it must appear to be an answer from God, but it will be a lie and will predate whom they are today. Yeah, lots of prayer because the fight is not over.
Thank you.
Perhaps we truly are living in the very last days when the hearts of the many, have turned cold and love - even compassion - is no longer a commodity shared between humans ...
Monday, March 24, 2014
In The Last Days
Back to reading in 2 Timothy today, 2 Timothy 3:1 - 9
But understand this ... in the last days ...
All of the new testament writers believed there were in the last days!
Some pointed to Jesus' birth as the start of them.
Others to his resurrection!
Thus as a believer in these last days:
EXPECT Misdirected Love
Replacing love will be Self, Money, Pleasures, Sex, no love for God
Problems of the heart
Idolatry, where anything and everything takes the place of God in your life
Our culture is all about "Me" and "Mine"
Love has been turned upside down to be physical and not relational
We are to love:
Think on Hosea and Gomer.
A man married to a woman whom could not come home
The picture from God of Himself and an unfaithful nation of His people
Continually reaching out, continually being rejected, continually running away.
And God continues to reach out in love, but love is no longer understood.
EXPECT Gutted Godliness
"Having the appearance of Godliness but denying its power"
EXPECT Tainted Truth
Charlatans will creep in with stealth
Capturing the attention of vulnerable women (be watchful ladies!)
Compared to the sorcerers whom opposed Moses, through counterfeit miracles
All pronouncing the biggest lie:
They will be exposed
The world will come to an end
And God wins!
Now, let also include John 15:10!
If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love.
This one is a bit hard. Look at your life and evaluate where you are in keeping what Jesus has said he expects of you. Did you have to justify your life?
Welcome to the Last Days ...
It is time to get real with your faith.
But understand this ... in the last days ...
All of the new testament writers believed there were in the last days!
Some pointed to Jesus' birth as the start of them.
Others to his resurrection!
Thus as a believer in these last days:
EXPECT Misdirected Love
Replacing love will be Self, Money, Pleasures, Sex, no love for God
Problems of the heart
Idolatry, where anything and everything takes the place of God in your life
Our culture is all about "Me" and "Mine"
Love has been turned upside down to be physical and not relational
We are to love:
- The Lord God
- Neighbor as yourself
Think on Hosea and Gomer.
A man married to a woman whom could not come home
The picture from God of Himself and an unfaithful nation of His people
Continually reaching out, continually being rejected, continually running away.
And God continues to reach out in love, but love is no longer understood.
EXPECT Gutted Godliness
"Having the appearance of Godliness but denying its power"
- We must avoid pretenders
- They go through the motions
- They want mountain top experiences
- They want the good experiences
- They want the protection wealth provides
- Then they want to die like Lazarus and be comforted in luxury by God!
EXPECT Tainted Truth
Charlatans will creep in with stealth
Capturing the attention of vulnerable women (be watchful ladies!)
Compared to the sorcerers whom opposed Moses, through counterfeit miracles
All pronouncing the biggest lie:
- East Drink and Merry for tomorrow you may die (with no hereafter!)
They will be exposed
The world will come to an end
And God wins!
Now, let also include John 15:10!
If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love.
This one is a bit hard. Look at your life and evaluate where you are in keeping what Jesus has said he expects of you. Did you have to justify your life?
Welcome to the Last Days ...
It is time to get real with your faith.
Monday, February 17, 2014
What is Emotion
What is emotion, but a veil of tears behind which life is viewed through?
How can man succeed when all life is impacted by this thing called emotion?
Why should man ever been given something which only hinders all life, all desire, all success?
Driven to serve a God of standard.
Hindered by how created.
Guaranteed failure.
Then how can man stand judged?
How can man ever endure?
How can man ever have a defense?
Stripped of defense.
Condemned we stand.
Sentenced we are vanquished.
And the problem.
We are born sentenced.
Our only hope in God's mercy.
As I have been in prayer this week, I have come to understand things I only vaguely grasped before. Slowly I learn and understand. What I thought was sharp in my mind, I now understand was only dim and fuzzy. Things I wrote even in January were not sharply defined, though I thought they were. I understood long ago the beginnings and endings of much, the path less determined. But, in pain, I have watched the endings become more viable.
Yeah, I know, you have no clue what I am talking about or if you do, know you are wrong.
My mind dwells on this creation and this problem I opened with. James death last Friday only focused my mind more sharply. Death is at the end of the trail for each of us. Does not even matter how you get there, you are going to die - as almost all have through time. Save for those after God's own heart (Enoch and Elijah being the exception).
How does one do that, be after God's own heart?
The answer must lie within the depths of emotion, the essence of man - desire, love, commitment - to an un-seeable God.
It must lie within the depths of discipleship - to not only follow but actually strive to be like our Savior, to do as He did.
Can anyone make it? Well, I guess we each get to find that out on the other-side, but only if you tried in the first place ...
And so I return the concept I mentioned in passing on Saturday, that Germanic longing inexpressibly embedded within me - Sehnsucht, a place, a state, a set of mind, what is longed for and yet so unattainable. I long for my home, I long for my peace, I long for my destiny, I long for my Creator. This not an expression of ego or vanity, we each should desire this, yet we allow the world to cloud our minds.
The unattainable, will never be reachable in this lifetime. So, abandoning - so, frustrating - so, humbling!
Maybe I am waking up ...
How can man succeed when all life is impacted by this thing called emotion?
Why should man ever been given something which only hinders all life, all desire, all success?
Driven to serve a God of standard.
Hindered by how created.
Guaranteed failure.
Then how can man stand judged?
How can man ever endure?
How can man ever have a defense?
Stripped of defense.
Condemned we stand.
Sentenced we are vanquished.
And the problem.
We are born sentenced.
Our only hope in God's mercy.
As I have been in prayer this week, I have come to understand things I only vaguely grasped before. Slowly I learn and understand. What I thought was sharp in my mind, I now understand was only dim and fuzzy. Things I wrote even in January were not sharply defined, though I thought they were. I understood long ago the beginnings and endings of much, the path less determined. But, in pain, I have watched the endings become more viable.
Yeah, I know, you have no clue what I am talking about or if you do, know you are wrong.
My mind dwells on this creation and this problem I opened with. James death last Friday only focused my mind more sharply. Death is at the end of the trail for each of us. Does not even matter how you get there, you are going to die - as almost all have through time. Save for those after God's own heart (Enoch and Elijah being the exception).
How does one do that, be after God's own heart?
The answer must lie within the depths of emotion, the essence of man - desire, love, commitment - to an un-seeable God.
It must lie within the depths of discipleship - to not only follow but actually strive to be like our Savior, to do as He did.
Can anyone make it? Well, I guess we each get to find that out on the other-side, but only if you tried in the first place ...
And so I return the concept I mentioned in passing on Saturday, that Germanic longing inexpressibly embedded within me - Sehnsucht, a place, a state, a set of mind, what is longed for and yet so unattainable. I long for my home, I long for my peace, I long for my destiny, I long for my Creator. This not an expression of ego or vanity, we each should desire this, yet we allow the world to cloud our minds.
The unattainable, will never be reachable in this lifetime. So, abandoning - so, frustrating - so, humbling!
Maybe I am waking up ...
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Come Together
It seems to be the now prevalent Western mindset that, "I am man/woman", (thump chest loudly), "I need no one ... " In many ways this has been the Hollywood take on what it took for a person to overcome the wild American frontier, the hearty individualist whom driven by manifest destiny strove forward and conquered a new land! Thank you Hollywood for that spin on history ...
In all of my reading of diaries of the pioneers, frontiersmen, explorers, etc - there was one (1!), only one, like that! Without exception most of the fur traders, explorers, etc started out as missionaries using fur to finance their finding, living and witnessing to the American Indian.
Wait a minute! No they were loners, they ate anything that moved and often each other! They took what they wanted. They killed all whom opposed. Yeah, right.
These "individualists" traveled in groups, died in groups, were wholly dependent upon one another for survival, companionship - every aspect of life. There was no "me first" or "only me" mentality, that is Hollywood's effect on culture, not real life. And I mentioned the exception, yeah he did not fare too well - the other trappers hung him at the first fur trade rendezvous ... You want to do your own thing, don't expect others to be supportive of the idea in real life.
So aside from this sickness throughout Western Culture now, we were born with an engrained desire, need, requirement for others - to just survive the day to day struggles in life.
And Timothy, dependent upon Paul, now faces his church quite alone. He is not like them, his background is different, his age is below expectation, and he is supposed to do this single handed? No, he still needs help to survive. Luckily as Christians we have the expectation and requirement to be there for one another, in all aspects of life - and particularly in prayer.
2 Timothy 1:15 - 18
Acknowledgement
The Roman Provence of Asia was failing.
The Christian Church of Ephesus was failing.
Paul is facing his own death.
Paul feels his loved ones have deserted him.
Paul feels betrayed, abandoned, discouraged.
So, acknowledge the awful in your life!
Then prepare to move on from it.
Turn to Praise
Look at what Paul does in this section, he praises Onesiphourus!
Find the good around you and praise God for that!
Be thankful today, in all things.
Life can be very bleak at times, especially so when our eyes are on ourselves and our failed desires.
I remember laughing so hard one day when life sucked so bad for me in my early Christian days and the one working with me said, "You know when life sucks and you don't want to pray? That is when you need to pray the most." I was laughing because all I would have done is pray! And, maybe that is what I should have been doing ... instead of concentrating on the negative impact of what it was taking to drag me out of the world and into real life as a Christian!
Become a Blessing
Everyone around you, including you needs encouragement!
Be that encourager to others!
When you see a need think on how to help fill it!
Fund what you can, find resources for what you can not!
Help others to succeed with your help!
And be willing to accept encouragement and help as well!
The Rest of the Story
So how did Timothy do? History becomes silent because people do not connect the dots. Paul dies around 60 AD, his head lobbed off after teaching his last class, at their request he baptizes his Roman guards, whose heads are then removed as well. Then probably around 69 AD John suddenly appears in Ephesus, if he came when James was murdered by the Rabbis in Jerusalem. He may have come later as well but we know that Mary lived and was buried outside of Ephesus, so in 69 AD she would have already been close to 90! Ancient for anyone in that day and age! Timothy's church was given the last living apostle for maybe the next thirty or so years!
Today the Ephesus church lies in ruins. The Christian believers all fell into apostate beliefs throughout Asia - the lure of the Gnostic belief system was too strong a pull for something as simple as Christianity to stand against. The Gnostics might have even survived to this day - if a major earthquake had not flattened all of the Provence of Asia. In the end, God silenced the Gnostics and their "mysteries" of the Christian faith. Their churches flattened, their books buried until the 1950's, their leaders more than likely dead as well.
Today the Western Church lies in ruins. It drank the Kool-Aid of Hollywood and the ascended man. It forgot there was a basis for truth and accepted every lie which became convenient. And man, left with no standard for belief, much less life, was left to his own resources to become the "individual" and chart a course through life of their own choosing - and in the end blaming God for all of their mistakes along the way ...
Throw away the falsehood in your life! Find/pray to find, those whom can join with you in truth and encourage one another to make a difference in each other's lives as well your own and ultimately the world around you - after-all, that is why you are here.
In all of my reading of diaries of the pioneers, frontiersmen, explorers, etc - there was one (1!), only one, like that! Without exception most of the fur traders, explorers, etc started out as missionaries using fur to finance their finding, living and witnessing to the American Indian.
Wait a minute! No they were loners, they ate anything that moved and often each other! They took what they wanted. They killed all whom opposed. Yeah, right.
These "individualists" traveled in groups, died in groups, were wholly dependent upon one another for survival, companionship - every aspect of life. There was no "me first" or "only me" mentality, that is Hollywood's effect on culture, not real life. And I mentioned the exception, yeah he did not fare too well - the other trappers hung him at the first fur trade rendezvous ... You want to do your own thing, don't expect others to be supportive of the idea in real life.
So aside from this sickness throughout Western Culture now, we were born with an engrained desire, need, requirement for others - to just survive the day to day struggles in life.
And Timothy, dependent upon Paul, now faces his church quite alone. He is not like them, his background is different, his age is below expectation, and he is supposed to do this single handed? No, he still needs help to survive. Luckily as Christians we have the expectation and requirement to be there for one another, in all aspects of life - and particularly in prayer.
2 Timothy 1:15 - 18
Acknowledgement
The Roman Provence of Asia was failing.
The Christian Church of Ephesus was failing.
Paul is facing his own death.
Paul feels his loved ones have deserted him.
Paul feels betrayed, abandoned, discouraged.
So, acknowledge the awful in your life!
Then prepare to move on from it.
Turn to Praise
Look at what Paul does in this section, he praises Onesiphourus!
Find the good around you and praise God for that!
Be thankful today, in all things.
Life can be very bleak at times, especially so when our eyes are on ourselves and our failed desires.
I remember laughing so hard one day when life sucked so bad for me in my early Christian days and the one working with me said, "You know when life sucks and you don't want to pray? That is when you need to pray the most." I was laughing because all I would have done is pray! And, maybe that is what I should have been doing ... instead of concentrating on the negative impact of what it was taking to drag me out of the world and into real life as a Christian!
Become a Blessing
Everyone around you, including you needs encouragement!
Be that encourager to others!
When you see a need think on how to help fill it!
Fund what you can, find resources for what you can not!
Help others to succeed with your help!
And be willing to accept encouragement and help as well!
The Rest of the Story
So how did Timothy do? History becomes silent because people do not connect the dots. Paul dies around 60 AD, his head lobbed off after teaching his last class, at their request he baptizes his Roman guards, whose heads are then removed as well. Then probably around 69 AD John suddenly appears in Ephesus, if he came when James was murdered by the Rabbis in Jerusalem. He may have come later as well but we know that Mary lived and was buried outside of Ephesus, so in 69 AD she would have already been close to 90! Ancient for anyone in that day and age! Timothy's church was given the last living apostle for maybe the next thirty or so years!
Today the Ephesus church lies in ruins. The Christian believers all fell into apostate beliefs throughout Asia - the lure of the Gnostic belief system was too strong a pull for something as simple as Christianity to stand against. The Gnostics might have even survived to this day - if a major earthquake had not flattened all of the Provence of Asia. In the end, God silenced the Gnostics and their "mysteries" of the Christian faith. Their churches flattened, their books buried until the 1950's, their leaders more than likely dead as well.
Today the Western Church lies in ruins. It drank the Kool-Aid of Hollywood and the ascended man. It forgot there was a basis for truth and accepted every lie which became convenient. And man, left with no standard for belief, much less life, was left to his own resources to become the "individual" and chart a course through life of their own choosing - and in the end blaming God for all of their mistakes along the way ...
Throw away the falsehood in your life! Find/pray to find, those whom can join with you in truth and encourage one another to make a difference in each other's lives as well your own and ultimately the world around you - after-all, that is why you are here.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Getting Past Your Past
I had come to Seattle for spinal surgery in 1997, the world's inventor of the kind of neurosurgery I needed worked out of Swedish Hospital. My doctors only gave me a 5% chance of surviving surgery and then as a paraplegic at that. Hence why one would travel to the best of the best. So, in early 1998 I was allowed to take those first faltering steps and I went to church that week at a place near where I was staying. Everyone was friendly, everyone introduced themselves, but when this
attractive redhead said her name was "Louise" - in my mind I instantly
thought "Vonnie". Do not ask me, I often think I am crazy until proven
right even to myself later on.
Decades later, I was in Seattle and popped into that church for services and Sunday School. During the course of the class there was something said sort of inappropriately and "Louise" jumped in with both feet, swords drawn and leaving a trail of gutted men in her path. I was horrified by what she shared, no one should have suffered so. No one should continue to define themselves as the broken person they had been as a child ...
A decade later and I am back for my final cancer screening and Sunday, at that church, back in sunday school, and there is "Louise" and she had brought her mother as a visitor. Her mother was introduced and I just had to blurt out, "Louise, I know you! But your name was not Louise, nor was your hair red!" Everyone howled with laughter. So she said, "How would you know?"
"Vonnie" was a childhood friend whom I lost touch of in 1964 when my family moved to France. I liked her but lets face it a normal nine year old really does not care that much about females, especially if they are younger. However, Vonnie's mother was a teacher's assistant in my classroom in second through fourth grade! And I am sitting there seeing an ancient version of my TA! Why bring this up?
Well, Vonnie aka Louise defined herself as that 11 year old girl whom had been raped by her father for several years. She could not get past it, to her, it was all she was - a piece of meat incapable of ever trusting a man ever again, only being used. Lunch that day lost its savor, not because of what happened to her forty years earlier (which angered me) but because of whom she had become because of it.
Paul claimed he was the greatest of all sinners. Personally, I know he was a braggart, because I am the king of sinners. However, neither he nor I define ourselves by that sin life. If you are to be defined by your past, do not blame God - He came to put that past to death! It is the past - not the present and certainly holds no power over your future!
1 Timothy 1:3 - 12
Look Up!
Our hope is in God for our salvation.
Our hope is in Heaven for our future.
Jesus changes people!
Just think of Saul on the road to Damascus.
God gets the glory, God does it all!
Confess!
Admit all of the junk in your life!
The past, then the present.
Every weakness, every failure, every blasphemy against God.
(see Acts 26:9 - 11)
Trade His Mercy for Your Mess!
We are not "owed" mercy because we are ignorant.
God gives mercy to cover our messes.
Though in reality we are ignorant of the true consequences for what we do!
We receive mercy, but not because we deserve it.
God's Grace Flows Around You!
Grace is undeserved blessings.
Your past is past.
Put it at Jesus feet, turn around and walk away ...
Decades later, I was in Seattle and popped into that church for services and Sunday School. During the course of the class there was something said sort of inappropriately and "Louise" jumped in with both feet, swords drawn and leaving a trail of gutted men in her path. I was horrified by what she shared, no one should have suffered so. No one should continue to define themselves as the broken person they had been as a child ...
A decade later and I am back for my final cancer screening and Sunday, at that church, back in sunday school, and there is "Louise" and she had brought her mother as a visitor. Her mother was introduced and I just had to blurt out, "Louise, I know you! But your name was not Louise, nor was your hair red!" Everyone howled with laughter. So she said, "How would you know?"
"Vonnie" was a childhood friend whom I lost touch of in 1964 when my family moved to France. I liked her but lets face it a normal nine year old really does not care that much about females, especially if they are younger. However, Vonnie's mother was a teacher's assistant in my classroom in second through fourth grade! And I am sitting there seeing an ancient version of my TA! Why bring this up?
Well, Vonnie aka Louise defined herself as that 11 year old girl whom had been raped by her father for several years. She could not get past it, to her, it was all she was - a piece of meat incapable of ever trusting a man ever again, only being used. Lunch that day lost its savor, not because of what happened to her forty years earlier (which angered me) but because of whom she had become because of it.
Paul claimed he was the greatest of all sinners. Personally, I know he was a braggart, because I am the king of sinners. However, neither he nor I define ourselves by that sin life. If you are to be defined by your past, do not blame God - He came to put that past to death! It is the past - not the present and certainly holds no power over your future!
1 Timothy 1:3 - 12
Look Up!
Our hope is in God for our salvation.
Our hope is in Heaven for our future.
Jesus changes people!
Just think of Saul on the road to Damascus.
God gets the glory, God does it all!
Confess!
Admit all of the junk in your life!
The past, then the present.
Every weakness, every failure, every blasphemy against God.
(see Acts 26:9 - 11)
Trade His Mercy for Your Mess!
We are not "owed" mercy because we are ignorant.
God gives mercy to cover our messes.
Though in reality we are ignorant of the true consequences for what we do!
We receive mercy, but not because we deserve it.
God's Grace Flows Around You!
Grace is undeserved blessings.
Your past is past.
Put it at Jesus feet, turn around and walk away ...
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Live Without Fear
We have all of these gradient words for Christians: born again, convert, believer, follower, disciple, apostle - probably more exist, my mind is tired today.
So, we could argue that this is a growing through steps or stages kind of thing, but honestly I think that is a cop out to make excuses for all of the failures and lack of commitment we witness in the "christian" church of today. Nowhere are you called to be born again, a convert or a believer and oh, by the way, that is end for the requirement of God on you. And yet most inside this western modern "christianity" believe is to be true! God expects oh so much more ...
You are in fact to be a disciple of Jesus. You are to be someone whom not only follows Jesus, hence a follower, but you are to do as He did. This does not come naturally nor easily, but then God never said He would ever give easy assignments. He has to make a disciple out of your willingness to so. You get to learn.
As Christians, we are called to live in this world and yet not become a part of this world. What is that supposed to mean?!?!? No house, no car, no 401k, no stocks, no bonds, no marriage, no family, no anything?!?!?!?!? You would be mostly wrong - we are expected to pay our way in this world, pay for your housing, food, expenses, etc. But we are not supposed to be anything more than living in this world, not vested in it.
Of course, this means that we will have a greater requirement for dependence upon God in our daily lives. And that does not come easily - God will test you, bit by bit, it will be painful - you will question your faith - you will discover fear. And you are not to have a spirit of fear.
2 Timothy 1:8 - 14
1. We are not supposed to be ashamed!
In Jesus
In the gospel
Of the Church
Of the messenger
2. I am willing to suffer!
For God
For Jesus
For His Gospel
You are called to suffer
You are called to do God's Will
You may or may not suffer ~ that is God's plan/will/lesson for you
Suffering is a blessing.
3. I will follow!
Christianity is not a list of do's and don'ts
Christianity is history
Christianity changed the world once, it can do it again!
Know what you BELIEVE!
4. I will guard!
God will guard what we give Him
We are to guard the message of the gospel God has entrusted to us.
Today, we find ourselves caught in the perfect storm!
We live a post-Christian world because of the failure of the Christian generations before us!
Our church no longer actually believes in God's reality!
Our church no long actually believes in the power of the Holy Spirit!
Our church questions if there really was a Jesus as the Bible describes!
Our seminaries crank out non-Christians as pastors!
Our seminaries no longer teach truth of the Gospel!
Our seminaries teach man's popular doctrines of the day!
Our seminaries have abandoned Christianity.
Our pastors are beset by immorality.
Our pastors are beset by the secularness of their congregations!
Our pastors are called upon to do all WE should be doing!
So how are you going to start to make a difference in taking the world back? The answer is to end the fear reigning in your life. But you have to begin to withdraw from the world system you have been sold out to.
So, we could argue that this is a growing through steps or stages kind of thing, but honestly I think that is a cop out to make excuses for all of the failures and lack of commitment we witness in the "christian" church of today. Nowhere are you called to be born again, a convert or a believer and oh, by the way, that is end for the requirement of God on you. And yet most inside this western modern "christianity" believe is to be true! God expects oh so much more ...
You are in fact to be a disciple of Jesus. You are to be someone whom not only follows Jesus, hence a follower, but you are to do as He did. This does not come naturally nor easily, but then God never said He would ever give easy assignments. He has to make a disciple out of your willingness to so. You get to learn.
As Christians, we are called to live in this world and yet not become a part of this world. What is that supposed to mean?!?!? No house, no car, no 401k, no stocks, no bonds, no marriage, no family, no anything?!?!?!?!? You would be mostly wrong - we are expected to pay our way in this world, pay for your housing, food, expenses, etc. But we are not supposed to be anything more than living in this world, not vested in it.
Of course, this means that we will have a greater requirement for dependence upon God in our daily lives. And that does not come easily - God will test you, bit by bit, it will be painful - you will question your faith - you will discover fear. And you are not to have a spirit of fear.
2 Timothy 1:8 - 14
1. We are not supposed to be ashamed!
In Jesus
In the gospel
Of the Church
Of the messenger
2. I am willing to suffer!
For God
For Jesus
For His Gospel
You are called to suffer
You are called to do God's Will
You may or may not suffer ~ that is God's plan/will/lesson for you
Suffering is a blessing.
3. I will follow!
Christianity is not a list of do's and don'ts
Christianity is history
Christianity changed the world once, it can do it again!
Know what you BELIEVE!
4. I will guard!
God will guard what we give Him
We are to guard the message of the gospel God has entrusted to us.
Today, we find ourselves caught in the perfect storm!
We live a post-Christian world because of the failure of the Christian generations before us!
Our church no longer actually believes in God's reality!
Our church no long actually believes in the power of the Holy Spirit!
Our church questions if there really was a Jesus as the Bible describes!
Our seminaries crank out non-Christians as pastors!
Our seminaries no longer teach truth of the Gospel!
Our seminaries teach man's popular doctrines of the day!
Our seminaries have abandoned Christianity.
Our pastors are beset by immorality.
Our pastors are beset by the secularness of their congregations!
Our pastors are called upon to do all WE should be doing!
So how are you going to start to make a difference in taking the world back? The answer is to end the fear reigning in your life. But you have to begin to withdraw from the world system you have been sold out to.
(naturally, there are many specific examples of wonderful Godly men in the pastorate and a few solid seminaries as well - but I am addressing the 90%, not the 10% of what exists)
Thursday, January 2, 2014
To Stand in Faith
Satan had a hay day with me on the first, a very hard day.
It was klutz day from beginning to end.
I was upset for my in my spirit, I guessed at something I would have no way to know.
I was injured because this weighed upon me and distracted me.
Car after car I touched, died.
Finally, I almost had one ready again for the road - when the screws and then the screwdriver - simply disappeared. And I do mean disappeared, "poof"!
I stopped. I realized Satan was beating on me again - we had left the realm of reality ...
He had hit me last night and though it hurt, I could try and shrug it off.
And each hour of the first got harder and harder.
Finally, I could no longer shrug off the elephant in my brain, spirit and emotions.
And I caught myself.
I realized that under my old nature, faith was quite simple - God will do what God will do - I will follow.
Under my new nature of last year, faith is not so simple. God will do what God will do - I will bleed and/or follow.
I stopped and put down my flashlight - it was no use in finding my lost screwdriver - it was gone.
I realized that I can be the natural man and go with what I "know".
Or I can stand in faith upon what is not obvious at all, but what I have been "told" in direct opposition to all knowledge and common sense.
God never called me to stand where it is convenient or safe.
He never promised anything to me.
He did however call me to be and to do what He commands.
No matter how illogical it all appears.
No matter how badly my new nature is damaged.
No matter whatever the fallout.
I can cut and run.
I can stand and burn.
Sorry Satan, I choose to stand.
And yes, I do fully understand that cost.
I only worry that others may be scorched, whom lack all understanding.
It was klutz day from beginning to end.
I was upset for my in my spirit, I guessed at something I would have no way to know.
I was injured because this weighed upon me and distracted me.
Car after car I touched, died.
Finally, I almost had one ready again for the road - when the screws and then the screwdriver - simply disappeared. And I do mean disappeared, "poof"!
I stopped. I realized Satan was beating on me again - we had left the realm of reality ...
He had hit me last night and though it hurt, I could try and shrug it off.
And each hour of the first got harder and harder.
Finally, I could no longer shrug off the elephant in my brain, spirit and emotions.
And I caught myself.
I realized that under my old nature, faith was quite simple - God will do what God will do - I will follow.
Under my new nature of last year, faith is not so simple. God will do what God will do - I will bleed and/or follow.
I stopped and put down my flashlight - it was no use in finding my lost screwdriver - it was gone.
I realized that I can be the natural man and go with what I "know".
Or I can stand in faith upon what is not obvious at all, but what I have been "told" in direct opposition to all knowledge and common sense.
God never called me to stand where it is convenient or safe.
He never promised anything to me.
He did however call me to be and to do what He commands.
No matter how illogical it all appears.
No matter how badly my new nature is damaged.
No matter whatever the fallout.
I can cut and run.
I can stand and burn.
Sorry Satan, I choose to stand.
And yes, I do fully understand that cost.
I only worry that others may be scorched, whom lack all understanding.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Wounded and Thinking
I have to admit that I am at best not in a writing mood today. Last night was ugly. I am not saddened by what was said, how it was said or why it was said. I knew long ago this was coming. The rational on the part of Gaelic Girl could just as easily have been "your nose is on crooked", thus excusing her for giving me both barrels of her venom. Instead I am apparently a lying oaf, wrong at every turn. Does not matter what the truth was, does not matter my youngest daughter could backup every defense I had - GG was right and I am always wrong. Again. I fear that her mental health has again slipped into the realm of make believe. And it saddens me greatly because she has been a friend for most of my life and I do care.
So, as I lay in bed last night, I thought on how haphazard life is. When things should have been going well, everything is turned upside down. When all things in are in God's hands - why would evil reign so supremely in my life? What is left of my physical heart is in no condition to handle this level of stress (nitro is my best friend) and my emotional heart is still too young to try and understand what is going on. Yet, all is what it is ...
So, as I lay in bed last night, I thought on how haphazard life is. When things should have been going well, everything is turned upside down. When all things in are in God's hands - why would evil reign so supremely in my life? What is left of my physical heart is in no condition to handle this level of stress (nitro is my best friend) and my emotional heart is still too young to try and understand what is going on. Yet, all is what it is ...
1 Timothy 6:17-21
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge,
which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.
Grace be with you all.
As I sat here this morning looking blankly at my computer screen, I have tried to think what to write. And I thought on what I wrote above, then thought on the ending to the book of 1 Timothy. Paul was wrapping up an instruction filled letter to Timothy. All was not well in Timothy's life nor ministry, and Paul was encouraging him. Then I started seeing how my life at this time mirrors what Paul is saying:
A person, during the first century AD, would have been considered rich if they had a change of clothes and knew where their next meal was coming from. Times where hard but if you had those two things, you were doing okay.
And Paul says to acknowledge what God has given you. We are those rich people. God has given me much. For now a roof over my head, food and clothing to stay warm with. He has also given me four children and three grandchildren whom rule my time and heart. And I do have a friend I can trust. I enjoy these gifts of His.
Yes, enjoyment. Paul even says to enjoy what God has given you - however what is lost in our culture is verse 18: to share what God has given you. We are very good at using up wastefully what God has given, but actually sharing and helping someone else? No, we do not do very well. It is the left overs we can no longer use we want to share!
I remember in my last church that we had a problem with people donating frozen, used tea bags to be sent to our missionaries in the field. Yeah, used tea bags. Honestly, how pathetic is that as a statement of the bounty of God in our lives? The best for me, the rest for God's use ...
Going with the idea of sharing what we have, comes the idea that we are to be responsible with the resources we have been given. EVERYTHING, is the understanding as to what is God's in our lives - EVERYTHING! Cash, cars, things, happiness - EVERYTHING - but there is also our time and our friendships and our relationships. EVERYTHING is a tool, to be used as a witness for God in another's life.
We are to guard what has been given to us ... (I think I have not done well in this area in my earlier years, sigh!) Escaping from the obvious thought of things, I want to think on this in terms as God's testimony, the testimony of the Saints and even my own testimony. All of these are given to us and needed to be guarded as well - in deed and in with our mouths!
Further, we are given Faith, it is what allowed us to see and understand God's leading and what brought us to salvation. It is what has allowed us to learn and to grow, to help us ferret out truth when we are confused. It is the evidence of the Holy Spirit in our life. And we totally and completely have the ability to not only strangle it but to outright kill it in our lives. How?
Believe it or not, through the acquisition of knowledge. Now there is nothing wrong with knowledge but it does lead away from Faith.
So many I have known through the years lost their faith in Bible School or Seminary, that I finally had to come up with the idea that most people are educated beyond their abilities. Why would where you should expect to find truth and learning, that you need to strengthen your faith, you would instead lose your faith?
Because of conflicting ideas, so many conflicting ideas that you are eventually forced to throw up your hands and say, "Enough! It is all a faery tale! And I now have proof!" Well, no you don't, but you just discovered how Satan has thrown so much dust up in the air that your Faith has ended and you join the ranks of lost humanity no longer looking for nor believing in that awesome all powerful God.
And yeah, guarding your mouth, I have not done too well with that either. Often I think out loud and it has repercussions on me and those around me. I might wonder at something and people take that statement as being real - it was just me trying to work out something - trying to figure out how does God get from point A to point B. I like knowing, I like observing, I like being surprised by Him and I marvel at how He always finds a way I never could have seen coming! I love it, but it damages people around me it seems. A lesson I learned this year.
Last week, I was worried because I could see that God was going to move in my life. Saturday I knew that whatever it was, God would make it all work out and He gave me peace. Last night was pretty ugly. Today, typing this, that peace has returned. Yeah, I expected to be homeless back in spring but things settled down with that last major heart attack and now all is out of control again.
It will be amazing to see how God brings me through this into the next year ... So much more I would be tempted to say, at my wonderment as to what God is doing but as I just stated above, perhaps it is best to not wonder out loud. Sigh .,.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Nature of Friendship
Having lost most of my friends last year and most of my acquaintances as well, because I was willing to risk all to do what God told me - and would do so again - I have contemplated the nature of friendship this year.
In years past, friend or no friend, all was meaningless to me - but God had to change me from what I knew to this unknown I slosh through. But, it had to all happen at once, my nature to be changed, my friends to desert me - the timing perfect. And yet ...
God knew and God provided - a friend, a teacher, an equal. When I sat stunned and betrayed, part of me was still trying to work through the mystery of this. Do not ask me, God's ways and timing are not my own. I still marvel and wonder where ultimately all will be found ...
He gave me what He knew I would need and it caused me pause to contemplate much about life, being a human being, about me and about God. In there is the concept of friendship in all of its manifestations.
Proverbs 17:17 - a friend hurts when your hurt.
It takes God's LOVE at all times to be able to be a friend when times are hard. Hard times show you whom your true friends really are. And I contemplated that as i saw a slow parade through my room in ER's CCU during the wait for surgery and then the recovery. Those whom were not my friends evaporated and were not to be found. And yet, I know, because I do know, though some think themselves enemies of me, they will figure it out and return to find my friendship will not have changed.
Consider Job 6:14, a friend should be there for you - even if you decide to abandon God! That is commitment and love being spelled out.
Proverbs 27:6 -A real friend will say what needs to be said, even when it hurts you. They will confront you with the truth. Everybody needs a real friend - flesh and blood - someone whom will have faith in you, even when we have lost faith in ourselves.
Proverbs 22:24 - avoid the angry man, his ways will rub off on you!
A real friend will bring out the best in you. They will encourage you, they will stand, when others fall away.
Whom you choose as friends is extremely important, pick the wrong ones and you will become like them and waste years until you wake up and realize how you have been played.
Pick the correct ones and you will be encouraged into becoming the best that you can be - and perhaps - even more!
So across this past weekend, a time of reflection and thanksgiving, I am saddened that those whom I counted as friends for decades - were not. I rejoice for those whom have been so during that same time period and as I have been tried by fire, stood there with me, and suffered as well, then encouraged me to be what I could still be. Then I rejoice for the new friend, I never could have foreseen, never could have understood and can only marvel at God and wonder, "What is He still up to?"
In years past, friend or no friend, all was meaningless to me - but God had to change me from what I knew to this unknown I slosh through. But, it had to all happen at once, my nature to be changed, my friends to desert me - the timing perfect. And yet ...
God knew and God provided - a friend, a teacher, an equal. When I sat stunned and betrayed, part of me was still trying to work through the mystery of this. Do not ask me, God's ways and timing are not my own. I still marvel and wonder where ultimately all will be found ...
He gave me what He knew I would need and it caused me pause to contemplate much about life, being a human being, about me and about God. In there is the concept of friendship in all of its manifestations.
Proverbs 17:17 - a friend hurts when your hurt.
It takes God's LOVE at all times to be able to be a friend when times are hard. Hard times show you whom your true friends really are. And I contemplated that as i saw a slow parade through my room in ER's CCU during the wait for surgery and then the recovery. Those whom were not my friends evaporated and were not to be found. And yet, I know, because I do know, though some think themselves enemies of me, they will figure it out and return to find my friendship will not have changed.
Consider Job 6:14, a friend should be there for you - even if you decide to abandon God! That is commitment and love being spelled out.
Proverbs 27:6 -A real friend will say what needs to be said, even when it hurts you. They will confront you with the truth. Everybody needs a real friend - flesh and blood - someone whom will have faith in you, even when we have lost faith in ourselves.
Proverbs 22:24 - avoid the angry man, his ways will rub off on you!
A real friend will bring out the best in you. They will encourage you, they will stand, when others fall away.
Whom you choose as friends is extremely important, pick the wrong ones and you will become like them and waste years until you wake up and realize how you have been played.
Pick the correct ones and you will be encouraged into becoming the best that you can be - and perhaps - even more!
So across this past weekend, a time of reflection and thanksgiving, I am saddened that those whom I counted as friends for decades - were not. I rejoice for those whom have been so during that same time period and as I have been tried by fire, stood there with me, and suffered as well, then encouraged me to be what I could still be. Then I rejoice for the new friend, I never could have foreseen, never could have understood and can only marvel at God and wonder, "What is He still up to?"
Friday, October 25, 2013
Before God
Timothy is in Ephesus, a Church under attack from the start by Satan.
Paul is writing to his convert, whom he is giving the pastorate of the Church to.
So, I want to pick up with 1 Timothy 5:17 - 6:2.
Elders
By nature non of us are ones to submit, we lack respect for others, relationships are a problem. Yet we have to choose wisely our elders because they have to be willing to submit, to hold in respect others, to maintain relationships. Their responsibility is directly the care of the widows, orphans and other leaders in the Church. I have yet to see a church outside of third world nations where the Church actually does their duties towards widows and orphans in the Church!
If you feel no condemnation here - then your Church is a rare exception or you need to study yesterday's post again.
Pay Properly
Really? Paul writes to Timothy to tell the church to pay him what he is worth? Really?
I guess even 2,000 years ago, people were cheapskates and not wanting to pay their ministers. Admittedly, it was not a new concept in Ephesus, given that it was a pagan ritual site with plenty of taxes and gifts required to support the temples and bathes. So, what was the point?
Perhaps a challenge for the congregation of Ephesus to make a choice with their drachmas? Give to the Church or support the pagan shrines. Make a choice but do not straddle the fence and claim to be a Christian while starving out your pastor. Could be, heaven knows, I have seen more than one youth pastor starved out of the ministry - and even a few pastors as well!
Chose Carefully
1 Timothy 3:6, 10
The Church must choose carefully - their future reputation is on the line here.
The leadership must not include new converts. Even I was to learn the value of that one, the year I became a Christian and my church talked me into being a Youth Pastor. I told them it was a bad idea, but they did not care. I thought it was because I was special (but it was because they were beyond cheap!).
Candidates must be trusted. That same church a year later was to see its Eldership, almost to the man, go to prison and jail for everything from embezzlement to securities fraud. It was a marvel to witness - and to then understand that God does hold those whom would represent Him, responsible.
Witness Well
Your mission on this earth, one a Christian, is to bring glory to God. And the only thing that brings glory to God is our lives, lived for him, and not ourselves.
We are all equal before God.
Just as a side note, having said that we are all equate is to also say that we are not all equal. If we have not made our peace with our Creator and accepted Jesus' payment for our rebellion against God - then we are all equal before God - we are all toast.
On the other hand, if we are Christians and have made that choice to place our hope in Jesus' payment, then we are all equal before God - except God will see His Son, not our sinning faces, when we come up for judgement!
And just as someone, through a long line of witnesses throughout history, lead to our conversion, so it becomes our responsibility to do the same for others in reach them for God as well.
Paul is writing to his convert, whom he is giving the pastorate of the Church to.
So, I want to pick up with 1 Timothy 5:17 - 6:2.
Elders
By nature non of us are ones to submit, we lack respect for others, relationships are a problem. Yet we have to choose wisely our elders because they have to be willing to submit, to hold in respect others, to maintain relationships. Their responsibility is directly the care of the widows, orphans and other leaders in the Church. I have yet to see a church outside of third world nations where the Church actually does their duties towards widows and orphans in the Church!
If you feel no condemnation here - then your Church is a rare exception or you need to study yesterday's post again.
Pay Properly
Really? Paul writes to Timothy to tell the church to pay him what he is worth? Really?
I guess even 2,000 years ago, people were cheapskates and not wanting to pay their ministers. Admittedly, it was not a new concept in Ephesus, given that it was a pagan ritual site with plenty of taxes and gifts required to support the temples and bathes. So, what was the point?
Perhaps a challenge for the congregation of Ephesus to make a choice with their drachmas? Give to the Church or support the pagan shrines. Make a choice but do not straddle the fence and claim to be a Christian while starving out your pastor. Could be, heaven knows, I have seen more than one youth pastor starved out of the ministry - and even a few pastors as well!
Chose Carefully
1 Timothy 3:6, 10
The Church must choose carefully - their future reputation is on the line here.
The leadership must not include new converts. Even I was to learn the value of that one, the year I became a Christian and my church talked me into being a Youth Pastor. I told them it was a bad idea, but they did not care. I thought it was because I was special (but it was because they were beyond cheap!).
Candidates must be trusted. That same church a year later was to see its Eldership, almost to the man, go to prison and jail for everything from embezzlement to securities fraud. It was a marvel to witness - and to then understand that God does hold those whom would represent Him, responsible.
Witness Well
Your mission on this earth, one a Christian, is to bring glory to God. And the only thing that brings glory to God is our lives, lived for him, and not ourselves.
We are all equal before God.
Just as a side note, having said that we are all equate is to also say that we are not all equal. If we have not made our peace with our Creator and accepted Jesus' payment for our rebellion against God - then we are all equal before God - we are all toast.
On the other hand, if we are Christians and have made that choice to place our hope in Jesus' payment, then we are all equal before God - except God will see His Son, not our sinning faces, when we come up for judgement!
And just as someone, through a long line of witnesses throughout history, lead to our conversion, so it becomes our responsibility to do the same for others in reach them for God as well.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Greed By Any Other Name
I commented recently about Dutchman and his insecurity over wealth. Yeah, the most charitable man I know and yet starved to acquire wealth! Not a judgment call on my part, just an observation. I am glad he can acquire wealth, I am just concerned over what is behind this ...
And on Sunday I was thinking on 1 Timothy 6:9-10 and remembering my comments about my friend the other day.
You would sell your soul to your company, work the long hours, for only the promise of reward or hope for it.
You become a target for temptation.
You will be driven by impulse.
You will fall into the trap of debt, credit cards, chasing after materialism.
You acquire and desire senseless things of no real value to you now or ever.
You will chase after money, power, sex, things to reflect position or wealth to others.
You will lose your sensitivity to God, money and things are neutral but how you use them can distance you from God.
You will regret chasing materialism...
This is all 100% preventable.
Think of the big Lottery winners, virtually none of them were able to retain even a percentage of the wealth they acquired!
Only God is capable of ruling your life without ruining or destroying you!
When you consider that you will be leaving this life with nothing you can take with you, save for those deposits you have made in Heaven, then it should behoove us to look to those things we can do that do have eternal meaning.
Your investment in others is the only thing of any value to you eternally.
Your relationships, witnessing, care, concern, prayers, physical helps for others, etc. I am sure you can add many more items to a list of things we can of eternal value, to invest in others.
However, we must remember the rich young ruler - someone whom was capable of having done it all right. He had kept the law - as hard as that is to have imagined!
Yet, Jesus knew that his heart was not right with God - because his hope was in his wealth and possessions. If he could just walk away, his place would have been with Jesus. And he did walk away, but not from things, he walked away from Jesus and the life He could be given, not earn.
And so I thought on Dutchman and his benevolent life compared with his quest for riches. I now realized that he had bought into the lie - "I will be rewarded with greater riches based upon how generous I am to others". And I was stunned to have finally realized that even the basis for his generosity was the desire for greater wealth! Crestfallen, I have thought on this, this week and decided perhaps there is a lesson in here for each of us. Hence, why I wrote this.
Why do you help others? Is it because you believe God will return the blessing back to you (Hinduism), because they in turn will bless another because of what you did for them (Buddhism), is it because they are family and you must (Judaism and Islam), or is it because you were told to be like Jesus and take compassion upon even the least of all ... ? (and the least, in Biblical terms, refers to the widows and orphans because they have no advocate - except for you.)
Something to think about.
And on Sunday I was thinking on 1 Timothy 6:9-10 and remembering my comments about my friend the other day.
You would sell your soul to your company, work the long hours, for only the promise of reward or hope for it.
You become a target for temptation.
You will be driven by impulse.
You will fall into the trap of debt, credit cards, chasing after materialism.
You acquire and desire senseless things of no real value to you now or ever.
You will chase after money, power, sex, things to reflect position or wealth to others.
You will lose your sensitivity to God, money and things are neutral but how you use them can distance you from God.
You will regret chasing materialism...
This is all 100% preventable.
Think of the big Lottery winners, virtually none of them were able to retain even a percentage of the wealth they acquired!
Only God is capable of ruling your life without ruining or destroying you!
When you consider that you will be leaving this life with nothing you can take with you, save for those deposits you have made in Heaven, then it should behoove us to look to those things we can do that do have eternal meaning.
Your investment in others is the only thing of any value to you eternally.
Your relationships, witnessing, care, concern, prayers, physical helps for others, etc. I am sure you can add many more items to a list of things we can of eternal value, to invest in others.
However, we must remember the rich young ruler - someone whom was capable of having done it all right. He had kept the law - as hard as that is to have imagined!
Yet, Jesus knew that his heart was not right with God - because his hope was in his wealth and possessions. If he could just walk away, his place would have been with Jesus. And he did walk away, but not from things, he walked away from Jesus and the life He could be given, not earn.
And so I thought on Dutchman and his benevolent life compared with his quest for riches. I now realized that he had bought into the lie - "I will be rewarded with greater riches based upon how generous I am to others". And I was stunned to have finally realized that even the basis for his generosity was the desire for greater wealth! Crestfallen, I have thought on this, this week and decided perhaps there is a lesson in here for each of us. Hence, why I wrote this.
Why do you help others? Is it because you believe God will return the blessing back to you (Hinduism), because they in turn will bless another because of what you did for them (Buddhism), is it because they are family and you must (Judaism and Islam), or is it because you were told to be like Jesus and take compassion upon even the least of all ... ? (and the least, in Biblical terms, refers to the widows and orphans because they have no advocate - except for you.)
Something to think about.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Setting The Heart Right
I read a great deal, always have. I excelled with computers because I was willing to actually sit down with the IBM manuals and read them (at my high speed of 32 words a minute, cough, cough) - did not always understanding what I read at the time, but eventually it all came together.
Amongst my readings have been old diaries of people whom journeyed through the American wilderness in the 1840 to 1870 period. The pioneers, their travails, their thoughts, their pain at the randomness of life. Then my readings into the old literature of the Vikings, the Romans, the Greeks, the Egyptians. It showed me at an early age that people are the same today, as they were yesterday, as they were 100 - 200- 300 or even X,000 of years ago. We all still have the same basic thoughts, desires and needs - and the curse of the inability to learn our lessons from prior generations.
Today is a bit different in some countries, we have advanced over yesterday in a number of areas. Women being allowed to own land, stock or other possessions was a radical change! Prior to this a woman's only security was through her husband - and that is not exactly the best approach to security, especially when women are seen as a possession and treated accordingly. So, you have to marry and marry well or your future will be toast. Never mind that you would probably be dead by 24 from childbirth in any event.
The second area of change was the application of a standardized pricing approach to products. Prior to this it was haggling over everything's cost. A bargain for one, not so much for another less astute shopper! Of course, the barter system was driven primarily by the greed of the merchant wishing to maximize his profit and the purchasers desire to minimize his expense! Both are forms of greed, both are forms of not understanding that this world is not our final destination and we can not take it with us.
Yeah, nothing we possess on this Earth has ANY eternal value, it is completely wasted effort - unless we can use it for God's purposes! And no, that does not mean you own a mansion and it is okay with God because one room is dedicated to visiting missionaries! Really?!?!? And I hear this approach from all over the world, in every culture, greed is a universal problem and yeah if you are a missionary you probably will end up in someone's basement.
In the 1980's a new item popped up on my radar: people working the church membership for financial gain. AMWAY, AVON, the church membership roles being plied by realtors. I knew one guy whom belonged to seven churches so that he had the largest database of clients for his realty business. He was extremely successful financially, spiritually? Not so much. Really, anyone was surprised by this? The Church - is the place where you can find financial enrichment? That is why it was created? Carry that idea forward to a disaster in the Seattle area in the early 1980's - Delta Finance. Invest you money with this uninsured Christian financial investment firm and you will be guaranteed a financial reward and know that your money is protected by God. Really? When they went down, it wiped out most of those I knew in the Seattle area. It gave all Christians black-eyes. They gambled God's reputation and all of the sheep lost.
Well meaning Christians, came up with an idea on how to provide for their financial success by guaranteeing the success of others USING God as their alibi, safety - contentment for all! But, that is the exact opposite of what God asks of you!
At about the same time we had the wolves appear amongst the flock, looking for whom they may fleece. And fleece the Church they did! To the tune of millions! Some would go to prison but the majority went unpunished for their crimes against the Church, against God, against their siblings in Jesus. But, this was nothing newsworthy, it has been happening since the beginnings of the faith. And yeah, as unfair as it seems, God will level the playing field in the end - they will be brought to account for what they have done. Not very satisfying, huh?
Read 1 Timothy 6:3-6
Selling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God's and His alone. He gives, sharing His spirit with whom He will, how He will, when He will. We can not buy nor sell the gifts of the Spirit, nor the fruit of the Spirit. There is no power we control nor possess we can pass amongst ourselves or sell to others. We can not even give it away - it is not ours!
We can not make the message of the Gospel about us. It is about Jesus, from beginning to end. The split second we insert our personality and point to ourselves, we have left the truth of the Gospel behind and should no longer be followed or listened to. I honestly hurt for the Western Church. Yes, I criticize them and poke fun at them from time to time, but when the chips are down - I pray for God to break this evil bondage which has possessed His Church and is poisoning the world with a corrupt Gospel of health, wealth and materialism. Honestly, we need REVIVAL!
Further, we have to see to it that in our Body, the Church, we are not separating over the rather minor differences in our interpretation of Scripture. That very act of separation is the activity of Demons in our midst. I will pick on just one none doctrine as an example: "King James Only Bible". One of "my boys" fell into this slot many years ago and has been one of its pastors, pushing this ideology for two decades now. But, which KJV? His mentors all chirp 1611, however, they all use the 1769 - they do not even know their own chosen Bible's history! It is not convenient to show that there have been 100,000's of changes to the KJV just to get something fairly accurate for its time. But, with the revelations of archaeology, anthropology and linguists in the past 100 years - it could use more work to more accurately reflect truth and less Roman Catholicism.
No, the version of your Bible is not a concern to God. But He does care whether or not you can accept His tenants of the faith: one God/Creator, one payment for your sin/separation from Him, the virgin birth, the death, the resurrection of Jesus, the teachings of the Apostles. Yeah, if you can swallow those you can chew on other stuff like all of the minor items denominations are created over.
The goal of any of this is PEACE.
Christians can be:
But you will never have peace in your life or your relationship with God until you have satisfaction with what you have. That means no requirement for any more of anything!
We are told that contentment is found in Jesus, with things of eternal value which can not slip away from us. Going back then that that bullet list above, that means you can have wealth, power, freedom, satisfaction and be content - just as easily as not being content at all. Conversely you can have nothing, be powerless, be a slave (as 2/3 of the world was in Paul's day), be satisfied with your portion and have contentment - just as easily as not being content at all!
WOW!
That is because contentment is the state of your HEART, it has nothing to do with any of these other attributes, it has to do with your relationship with Jesus. Given that relationship, it no longer matters what your state, your heart will be content with what you have been given by Him. Unfortunately, contentment is not the usual human condition and we actually have to seek and strive for that contentment. More on this tomorrow!
Amongst my readings have been old diaries of people whom journeyed through the American wilderness in the 1840 to 1870 period. The pioneers, their travails, their thoughts, their pain at the randomness of life. Then my readings into the old literature of the Vikings, the Romans, the Greeks, the Egyptians. It showed me at an early age that people are the same today, as they were yesterday, as they were 100 - 200- 300 or even X,000 of years ago. We all still have the same basic thoughts, desires and needs - and the curse of the inability to learn our lessons from prior generations.
Today is a bit different in some countries, we have advanced over yesterday in a number of areas. Women being allowed to own land, stock or other possessions was a radical change! Prior to this a woman's only security was through her husband - and that is not exactly the best approach to security, especially when women are seen as a possession and treated accordingly. So, you have to marry and marry well or your future will be toast. Never mind that you would probably be dead by 24 from childbirth in any event.
The second area of change was the application of a standardized pricing approach to products. Prior to this it was haggling over everything's cost. A bargain for one, not so much for another less astute shopper! Of course, the barter system was driven primarily by the greed of the merchant wishing to maximize his profit and the purchasers desire to minimize his expense! Both are forms of greed, both are forms of not understanding that this world is not our final destination and we can not take it with us.
Yeah, nothing we possess on this Earth has ANY eternal value, it is completely wasted effort - unless we can use it for God's purposes! And no, that does not mean you own a mansion and it is okay with God because one room is dedicated to visiting missionaries! Really?!?!? And I hear this approach from all over the world, in every culture, greed is a universal problem and yeah if you are a missionary you probably will end up in someone's basement.
In the 1980's a new item popped up on my radar: people working the church membership for financial gain. AMWAY, AVON, the church membership roles being plied by realtors. I knew one guy whom belonged to seven churches so that he had the largest database of clients for his realty business. He was extremely successful financially, spiritually? Not so much. Really, anyone was surprised by this? The Church - is the place where you can find financial enrichment? That is why it was created? Carry that idea forward to a disaster in the Seattle area in the early 1980's - Delta Finance. Invest you money with this uninsured Christian financial investment firm and you will be guaranteed a financial reward and know that your money is protected by God. Really? When they went down, it wiped out most of those I knew in the Seattle area. It gave all Christians black-eyes. They gambled God's reputation and all of the sheep lost.
Well meaning Christians, came up with an idea on how to provide for their financial success by guaranteeing the success of others USING God as their alibi, safety - contentment for all! But, that is the exact opposite of what God asks of you!
At about the same time we had the wolves appear amongst the flock, looking for whom they may fleece. And fleece the Church they did! To the tune of millions! Some would go to prison but the majority went unpunished for their crimes against the Church, against God, against their siblings in Jesus. But, this was nothing newsworthy, it has been happening since the beginnings of the faith. And yeah, as unfair as it seems, God will level the playing field in the end - they will be brought to account for what they have done. Not very satisfying, huh?
Read 1 Timothy 6:3-6
Selling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God's and His alone. He gives, sharing His spirit with whom He will, how He will, when He will. We can not buy nor sell the gifts of the Spirit, nor the fruit of the Spirit. There is no power we control nor possess we can pass amongst ourselves or sell to others. We can not even give it away - it is not ours!
We can not make the message of the Gospel about us. It is about Jesus, from beginning to end. The split second we insert our personality and point to ourselves, we have left the truth of the Gospel behind and should no longer be followed or listened to. I honestly hurt for the Western Church. Yes, I criticize them and poke fun at them from time to time, but when the chips are down - I pray for God to break this evil bondage which has possessed His Church and is poisoning the world with a corrupt Gospel of health, wealth and materialism. Honestly, we need REVIVAL!
Further, we have to see to it that in our Body, the Church, we are not separating over the rather minor differences in our interpretation of Scripture. That very act of separation is the activity of Demons in our midst. I will pick on just one none doctrine as an example: "King James Only Bible". One of "my boys" fell into this slot many years ago and has been one of its pastors, pushing this ideology for two decades now. But, which KJV? His mentors all chirp 1611, however, they all use the 1769 - they do not even know their own chosen Bible's history! It is not convenient to show that there have been 100,000's of changes to the KJV just to get something fairly accurate for its time. But, with the revelations of archaeology, anthropology and linguists in the past 100 years - it could use more work to more accurately reflect truth and less Roman Catholicism.
No, the version of your Bible is not a concern to God. But He does care whether or not you can accept His tenants of the faith: one God/Creator, one payment for your sin/separation from Him, the virgin birth, the death, the resurrection of Jesus, the teachings of the Apostles. Yeah, if you can swallow those you can chew on other stuff like all of the minor items denominations are created over.
The goal of any of this is PEACE.
Christians can be:
- wealthy (properly controlled) or in poverty (actually easier to be Christian when you have nothing!)
- Powerful or powerless
- Free or slave
- Content or in pain
- Satisfied or unsatisfied
But you will never have peace in your life or your relationship with God until you have satisfaction with what you have. That means no requirement for any more of anything!
We are told that contentment is found in Jesus, with things of eternal value which can not slip away from us. Going back then that that bullet list above, that means you can have wealth, power, freedom, satisfaction and be content - just as easily as not being content at all. Conversely you can have nothing, be powerless, be a slave (as 2/3 of the world was in Paul's day), be satisfied with your portion and have contentment - just as easily as not being content at all!
WOW!
That is because contentment is the state of your HEART, it has nothing to do with any of these other attributes, it has to do with your relationship with Jesus. Given that relationship, it no longer matters what your state, your heart will be content with what you have been given by Him. Unfortunately, contentment is not the usual human condition and we actually have to seek and strive for that contentment. More on this tomorrow!
Friday, October 4, 2013
Propriety
Propriety is one of those words without much meaning outside of certain churches any longer. My guess would be that certain of those churches are responsible for the loss of value of that word today. Those churches whom stressed elaborate lists of do's and don'ts, willing disfellowshipping those whom do not agree and those whom transgressed some part of the THEIR law ... yeah, you drove an entire culture away from the church, their children from God and any awareness of sin or salvation. Congratulations, you did good (and you get to be judged for that in the here after...).
However, propriety is a valid issue within the Christian body today, does need to be expressed and adhered to - however, adherence is the question of the individual's heart and maturity - not disfellowshipping, judging and condemnation by the pious. Yeah, as you can tell I do have some strong feelings on this hypocritical standard within the church.
Basically we have two camps within the "church", (within quotes as I do not believe most churches are actually Christian in nature,) however we have to use something to speak from and against. One the one side we have the Charismatic, Pentecostal, Anglican, Episcopalian and Lutheran movements and style of churches, where basically anything goes these days. Contrast this against only a hand full of the Four Square's, most of the Baptists, Memmonite, Quaker, Amish and even my beloved Hutterite brothers and sisters - whom have no difficulty at all in calling you out for what they believe to be a forest in your eyes - completely ignoring their own logs in their eyes. So, very opposite opinions and few willing to say, "Hey, I disagree with you and would you consider contrasting your behavior against these Bible verses?" Instead, it is more like, "The Bible says, hence you are out of here..." Rarely does the Bible match what they think it says.
So, what does the Bible say?
1 Timothy 2:8-15
8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
Paul calls upon the men of the church to be in prayer, at peace with all mankind. Some people like me not longer can lift up their arms (back injury) but you can pray on your knees, sitting, standing, laying down, driving a car!, it does not matter - it is the posture of your heart that Paul is referring to, it is important, you are yielded to God in true humility. You are supposed to be a spiritual leader, you expected to be one, by God! Are you? Probably not, so you can already see that propriety within the church context is not even possible, from those whom it matters most - because of you and your heart. I say that to my own condemnation as well.
Paul calls upon women of the church to watch how you present yourselves. You are supposed to not dress suggestively, yeah you have breasts, guys are visual creatures, perhaps not displaying them is a good idea? I smack my head every summer when even in my fairly conservative church, girls grandly parade themselves - and not oblivious to the attention of the males! And they never figure the disconnect out! The males are riveted 12" below their eye level. And disasters happen all of the time in that church - whether it is some unused room during a service, in the parking lot, etc. Everyone complains, everyone points fingers, no one confronts the parents. In fact, often the mothers are just as bad or worse than their daughters! Sickening!
Continuing, since I side tracked myself - women are not to dress fancy and not to put on "airs"! How unlike the churches my mother went to while I was in high school! You would have thought it a fashion show the way the women dressed and paraded themselves. Even as a non-Christian it made me want to vomit - the hypocrisy levels were so high. I hated God because He must be blind and unable to see past a nice dress or outfit, to the blackness of the heart within. Yeah, I might not have known God but I knew from others what many of them were up to my own little town! Grrrrrrr! And as for guys, I might mention that ought to be true for you as well! Many years ago I was approached at the end of the service by a woman whom told me that some of her husband's old suits would fit me and be more respective of God than what I was wearing. Really? I told her my soul wore a tuxedo and God does not see our clothing. Yeah, she was offended.
And probably the most important aspect for women is their ability to SUPPORT the leadership within the church. Of course we are discussing Godly support, of Godly men, involved in Godly pursuits for the church! Three big qualifications there and the insinuation that there are some mighty powerful Gifts of the Holy Spirit in those women to be used in working with each other in the support of the leadership. Just pointing out the obvious that no one really pays much attention too.... Yes, the Holy Spirit IS IN women as well, if you don't think so, read you Bible and stop listening to others.
And now we hit some of the hardest verses to discuss within the modern church: 1 Timothy 2:11 - 15.
My mother went to seminary, mostly just to embarrass the Baptist Church over this problem. I never thought she actually had a desire to be a pastor, and could do so in most of the denominations even back in the 1970's but she wanted to take down the Southern Baptists - and she was successful in court over this issue.
If you want to argue, as my mother does, that Paul was a male chauvinistic pig whom hated women and a reasonable person would not even listen to him, well what were his other problems if you want to kill off more of his writings?
If you want to argue that this was only cultural and applied to just the church of Ephesus because of their female problems in that society, well what other parts of the Bible are also either regional or cultural and therefore can be explained away to fit your view of God and the Bible or to negotiate around your sin nature?
When was the last time you were in a church and had your feet washed or shoes shined for that matter?
When was the last time the women of your church covered their heads when speaking or praying publicly?
When was the last time you prostrated yourself in church?
Just asking, after-all, if the Bible is only cultural, then it is no big deal for you not to do any of these!
And you are told to by the Bible instead.
It is a slippery slope when we want to argue that the Bible is only cultural, then do what we believe is right in our own mind and eyes. That would be a violation of two of those "Ten Commandments"
But, Paul does not appear to be arguing culturally but from a viewpoint of Creation. So, it is God's viewpoint we are called to consider, not our own, not history, not culture - just God's view. Make no mistake that is a rough one because it takes maturity plus humility, to see with the eye's of God.
Of course, every time there is a call to take the Bible literally, there are jokes made by bringing up the Jewish laws, which the Church was NEVER under. You can take the New Testament literally without much problem, when placed in a first century context - just to kill the stupid arguments.....
Something for you think about, especially if you are seeing problems in your church body.
However, propriety is a valid issue within the Christian body today, does need to be expressed and adhered to - however, adherence is the question of the individual's heart and maturity - not disfellowshipping, judging and condemnation by the pious. Yeah, as you can tell I do have some strong feelings on this hypocritical standard within the church.
Basically we have two camps within the "church", (within quotes as I do not believe most churches are actually Christian in nature,) however we have to use something to speak from and against. One the one side we have the Charismatic, Pentecostal, Anglican, Episcopalian and Lutheran movements and style of churches, where basically anything goes these days. Contrast this against only a hand full of the Four Square's, most of the Baptists, Memmonite, Quaker, Amish and even my beloved Hutterite brothers and sisters - whom have no difficulty at all in calling you out for what they believe to be a forest in your eyes - completely ignoring their own logs in their eyes. So, very opposite opinions and few willing to say, "Hey, I disagree with you and would you consider contrasting your behavior against these Bible verses?" Instead, it is more like, "The Bible says, hence you are out of here..." Rarely does the Bible match what they think it says.
So, what does the Bible say?
1 Timothy 2:8-15
8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
Paul calls upon the men of the church to be in prayer, at peace with all mankind. Some people like me not longer can lift up their arms (back injury) but you can pray on your knees, sitting, standing, laying down, driving a car!, it does not matter - it is the posture of your heart that Paul is referring to, it is important, you are yielded to God in true humility. You are supposed to be a spiritual leader, you expected to be one, by God! Are you? Probably not, so you can already see that propriety within the church context is not even possible, from those whom it matters most - because of you and your heart. I say that to my own condemnation as well.
Paul calls upon women of the church to watch how you present yourselves. You are supposed to not dress suggestively, yeah you have breasts, guys are visual creatures, perhaps not displaying them is a good idea? I smack my head every summer when even in my fairly conservative church, girls grandly parade themselves - and not oblivious to the attention of the males! And they never figure the disconnect out! The males are riveted 12" below their eye level. And disasters happen all of the time in that church - whether it is some unused room during a service, in the parking lot, etc. Everyone complains, everyone points fingers, no one confronts the parents. In fact, often the mothers are just as bad or worse than their daughters! Sickening!
Continuing, since I side tracked myself - women are not to dress fancy and not to put on "airs"! How unlike the churches my mother went to while I was in high school! You would have thought it a fashion show the way the women dressed and paraded themselves. Even as a non-Christian it made me want to vomit - the hypocrisy levels were so high. I hated God because He must be blind and unable to see past a nice dress or outfit, to the blackness of the heart within. Yeah, I might not have known God but I knew from others what many of them were up to my own little town! Grrrrrrr! And as for guys, I might mention that ought to be true for you as well! Many years ago I was approached at the end of the service by a woman whom told me that some of her husband's old suits would fit me and be more respective of God than what I was wearing. Really? I told her my soul wore a tuxedo and God does not see our clothing. Yeah, she was offended.
And probably the most important aspect for women is their ability to SUPPORT the leadership within the church. Of course we are discussing Godly support, of Godly men, involved in Godly pursuits for the church! Three big qualifications there and the insinuation that there are some mighty powerful Gifts of the Holy Spirit in those women to be used in working with each other in the support of the leadership. Just pointing out the obvious that no one really pays much attention too.... Yes, the Holy Spirit IS IN women as well, if you don't think so, read you Bible and stop listening to others.
And now we hit some of the hardest verses to discuss within the modern church: 1 Timothy 2:11 - 15.
My mother went to seminary, mostly just to embarrass the Baptist Church over this problem. I never thought she actually had a desire to be a pastor, and could do so in most of the denominations even back in the 1970's but she wanted to take down the Southern Baptists - and she was successful in court over this issue.
If you want to argue, as my mother does, that Paul was a male chauvinistic pig whom hated women and a reasonable person would not even listen to him, well what were his other problems if you want to kill off more of his writings?
If you want to argue that this was only cultural and applied to just the church of Ephesus because of their female problems in that society, well what other parts of the Bible are also either regional or cultural and therefore can be explained away to fit your view of God and the Bible or to negotiate around your sin nature?
When was the last time you were in a church and had your feet washed or shoes shined for that matter?
When was the last time the women of your church covered their heads when speaking or praying publicly?
When was the last time you prostrated yourself in church?
Just asking, after-all, if the Bible is only cultural, then it is no big deal for you not to do any of these!
And you are told to by the Bible instead.
It is a slippery slope when we want to argue that the Bible is only cultural, then do what we believe is right in our own mind and eyes. That would be a violation of two of those "Ten Commandments"
But, Paul does not appear to be arguing culturally but from a viewpoint of Creation. So, it is God's viewpoint we are called to consider, not our own, not history, not culture - just God's view. Make no mistake that is a rough one because it takes maturity plus humility, to see with the eye's of God.
Of course, every time there is a call to take the Bible literally, there are jokes made by bringing up the Jewish laws, which the Church was NEVER under. You can take the New Testament literally without much problem, when placed in a first century context - just to kill the stupid arguments.....
Something for you think about, especially if you are seeing problems in your church body.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Now is the Time
1 Timothy 4:1-5
Now is the time!
There is no better time for you to come to your peace with your maker!
Nor is there a better time for you, as a Christian, to be witnessing to those around you!
We live in an age and culture where "truth" has become relative - or people have been lead to think by those whom argue there are no absolutes. Yet, a lie is still a lie, even when people desire to call it "truth"!
This is a serious problem for man has been led astray by the doctrines of demons, even those weak in the faith succumb to the fanciful lies of those listened to. Lies, presented as "truth", or deeper "truth", or meant to have an impact upon those within a certain age group or cultural setting. Tailor made death, to block the listener from actually finding release from what this culture teaches.
It always boils down to: "Whom do you say, Jesus, is?" (as well as how much do you add to the Gospel?)
These false witnesses in our midst, as Paul calls them, Snakes, no longer have an active conscious - they are dead to their sin and no longer suffer any conviction for their deeds. They sleep quite well facing their pending judgment.
The Christian message of LOVE has been mutilated by a culture to which innocence has been lost. Instead of the freedom God gives us, man has created a step ladder of do's and don'ts, never intended by God. Legalism, without compassion, judgement without trial nor defense, you will lose - you have already lost. Wake up!
But, we can still reach the world, it is hard, you will be judged, you will be misunderstood, the worse will be thought of you, but it can be done:
So, as you go forth today: Pray, Praise, live your life for Him - if you can't, then change your life ... and clean up all of those spots ...
A fitting tune for this moment in my life:
Now is the time!
There is no better time for you to come to your peace with your maker!
Nor is there a better time for you, as a Christian, to be witnessing to those around you!
We live in an age and culture where "truth" has become relative - or people have been lead to think by those whom argue there are no absolutes. Yet, a lie is still a lie, even when people desire to call it "truth"!
This is a serious problem for man has been led astray by the doctrines of demons, even those weak in the faith succumb to the fanciful lies of those listened to. Lies, presented as "truth", or deeper "truth", or meant to have an impact upon those within a certain age group or cultural setting. Tailor made death, to block the listener from actually finding release from what this culture teaches.
It always boils down to: "Whom do you say, Jesus, is?" (as well as how much do you add to the Gospel?)
These false witnesses in our midst, as Paul calls them, Snakes, no longer have an active conscious - they are dead to their sin and no longer suffer any conviction for their deeds. They sleep quite well facing their pending judgment.
The Christian message of LOVE has been mutilated by a culture to which innocence has been lost. Instead of the freedom God gives us, man has created a step ladder of do's and don'ts, never intended by God. Legalism, without compassion, judgement without trial nor defense, you will lose - you have already lost. Wake up!
But, we can still reach the world, it is hard, you will be judged, you will be misunderstood, the worse will be thought of you, but it can be done:
- Deal with the sin in your life, give Satan as few of doors as possible to whack you from behind
- Show holiness in your life, not empty piety, the real thing - how you should be living your life
- Prayer is your telephone line to God, use it and use it frequently
- Pray for your leaders, religious and civil
- Pray for your friends and family
- Pray for special needs, not the never ending shopping list
- Pray to thank and praise God for whom He is
- Remove from your life those things which hamper your success as a Christian.
So, as you go forth today: Pray, Praise, live your life for Him - if you can't, then change your life ... and clean up all of those spots ...
A fitting tune for this moment in my life:
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
I Need To Be Like That
Many argue that 1 Timothy 3:1-2 is either cultural, or is only applicable to leadership, within the church. However, we each are to all be leaders of some sort! This passage only lays out some of what you must strive for in your life!
Give me a desire to serve.
We each need to aspire to desire, this is not an ambition because there is no reward in this for the here and now!
We should want to serve.
IT is our job, not someone esle's...
Work in God's service at His leading and direction.
Any reward, is in Heaven not on Earth - so do not look for blessings by the dollar full!
Only with God's help will my walk match your talk!
We are to be blameless in the present, the past is past, confessed and forgiven!
We will never be faultless - hey, you and I are will fail! But it is not a continual state of failure.
May I live with integrity.
Marital fidelity is a must!
We are to be respectable within the day and culture in which we live.
Live with in the cultural constraint of Biblical behavior!
Give me a desire to serve.
We each need to aspire to desire, this is not an ambition because there is no reward in this for the here and now!
We should want to serve.
IT is our job, not someone esle's...
Work in God's service at His leading and direction.
Any reward, is in Heaven not on Earth - so do not look for blessings by the dollar full!
Only with God's help will my walk match your talk!
We are to be blameless in the present, the past is past, confessed and forgiven!
We will never be faultless - hey, you and I are will fail! But it is not a continual state of failure.
May I live with integrity.
Marital fidelity is a must!
We are to be respectable within the day and culture in which we live.
Live with in the cultural constraint of Biblical behavior!
Friday, September 13, 2013
To Serve Man
As discussed last time God uses imperfect people. Want a bad example? Think Judas Iscariot! Yes, God did use him, albeit to his own destruction.
Want to think of less horrible examples of imperfect people?
1 Timothy 3:8-13
Here we can read the qualities which should be in the believers lives. Yes, the legalist is going to say, "But this is for deacons only ... "
I do not think so, I think we are seeing what each of us is to aspire to in our personal lives. Albeit, not all circumstances are within our control - when we live in a liberal culture where vulgarism is appreciated and Godliness is not. And just in case you did not know this, God is not a legalist - He is the judge of your heart and deeds. Yeah, He has the right to decide right or wrong for you, and still be Right.
And less you ladies think this does not apply to you - check out the Book of Acts concerning the creation of Deaconesses, particularly Dorcas, aka Tabitha (my favorite name for a cat!).
We are to serve.
Deacons were meant to be a servant of all, to the point of being a servants - servant! In Timothy's day that meant you were a slave to the slave! Let us get this straight: you were either a freeman, hence Roman, or you were a slave. Only two classes of people back then and 2/3's of the world was under slavery to Rome! Now that slave status could be the result of some financial obligation you were trying to earn your way out of (a bond servant) but until that debt was cleared - you were a slave.
So, you want to serve God, then realize you could well be the servant of the lowliest in you culture - and willing to do so. And you are to aspire to be that servant, it is you ultimate calling ...
Yeah think on that.
We hype people going to where ever, Freedonia, to share the Gospel and told this what real Christians are to aspire to and yet, Paul is more of a mind that a real Christian is a servant - at home, where he lives, to the people around him everyday of the week, wholly sold out to God. So, sorry, no 9 to 5 in the mission field with a fat pension in some bank account when you "retire" and go back "home". (In fact that is about a close to an abomination as you could define as a missionary scenario in God's eyes!)
Women
And then, Paul moves straight on to women. Whose women? Which women? Well, some think this is to be the wives of the deacons or deaconesses but Paul could have said that, if that is what he intended. It only says women. So this must be ALL women!
So, if the argument here is that men should be living lives which are to be of service to others within the church, then all women should be living lives which will not bring slander to them or others, or gossips, or spreaders of either!
Well, I do not know about you but in my current church that eliminates just about all of the women! Yeah, we have a telephone gossip based slander chain that amazes me! I know in my own life I am not willing to slander or gossip about those whom wrong me (because I know God is not done with them and when He is, they will vindicate me), and yet, the women in my church have no problems doing the same about people they do not even know. (And in my personal instance, not a one of them has ever approached me or asked what really happened!, in over a year of this going on. But, outside of the church, people from other churches have no problem calling me up, stopping me on the street, sitting down as I am eating lunch and wanting to know the story! Think on the Godliness of those in my church ... yeah.)
And we begin to boil these verses down:
I am not afraid to live what I believe.
Even to point of losing my closest friends. I am answerable to God, not them. If God told me a task to perform, I will do it - He will reward me appropriately and probably not in such a way that anyone but me will know it. My greatest sorrow is my disappeared daughter, I did as I was told to. Yeah, she is gone but God rewarded me with another to reach out to, and then another, and I fully expect in the future yet another. The greatest blessing in my life is seeing freedom gained by these people from the bondage they have found themselves, sharing in their victories, and sharing in their sorrows. Mind you, to me, this is a rich reward, no one around me understands that, save for my lone friend. And if I died now of starvation, I would be the richest man I have ever heard of! For real.
I am not afraid to be tested.
Mind you I hate being tested and I wonder everyday if I am being so now! For me, the testing seems to be fumbling my way through life and trying to be very-very-very careful not to slip up from what God has called or given me. Not very easy and how I wish I had someone to give me wisdom at times - but God does not seem to want that to happen, for I am quite alone and therefore quite the coward at times - not only in doing right but also in failure! Yet, He seems to have given me a role and a series of tasks - and I have no idea where they lead and seem to contradict all that I expect in life. So, I tread water and moment by moment try not to screw things up (too badly!).
In the end, we see that what God wants is servants, whether you are male or female. He wants you to be above reproach and to model Him in your life for all those around you to see.
You can argue fine points of theology, you can argue that you do not like something about God or about His people or what He tells you to do, but that does not change His expectations of you. Somewhat tongue in cheek, due to my Sci-Fi background, but you are to serve man(kind) ...
Want to think of less horrible examples of imperfect people?
- Adam
- Noah
- Moses
- Abraham
- David
- Elijah
- Elisha
- Moses
- Amos
- John
- Peter
- Paul
- every "saint" whom as ever lived
1 Timothy 3:8-13
Here we can read the qualities which should be in the believers lives. Yes, the legalist is going to say, "But this is for deacons only ... "
I do not think so, I think we are seeing what each of us is to aspire to in our personal lives. Albeit, not all circumstances are within our control - when we live in a liberal culture where vulgarism is appreciated and Godliness is not. And just in case you did not know this, God is not a legalist - He is the judge of your heart and deeds. Yeah, He has the right to decide right or wrong for you, and still be Right.
And less you ladies think this does not apply to you - check out the Book of Acts concerning the creation of Deaconesses, particularly Dorcas, aka Tabitha (my favorite name for a cat!).
We are to serve.
Deacons were meant to be a servant of all, to the point of being a servants - servant! In Timothy's day that meant you were a slave to the slave! Let us get this straight: you were either a freeman, hence Roman, or you were a slave. Only two classes of people back then and 2/3's of the world was under slavery to Rome! Now that slave status could be the result of some financial obligation you were trying to earn your way out of (a bond servant) but until that debt was cleared - you were a slave.
So, you want to serve God, then realize you could well be the servant of the lowliest in you culture - and willing to do so. And you are to aspire to be that servant, it is you ultimate calling ...
Yeah think on that.
We hype people going to where ever, Freedonia, to share the Gospel and told this what real Christians are to aspire to and yet, Paul is more of a mind that a real Christian is a servant - at home, where he lives, to the people around him everyday of the week, wholly sold out to God. So, sorry, no 9 to 5 in the mission field with a fat pension in some bank account when you "retire" and go back "home". (In fact that is about a close to an abomination as you could define as a missionary scenario in God's eyes!)
Women
And then, Paul moves straight on to women. Whose women? Which women? Well, some think this is to be the wives of the deacons or deaconesses but Paul could have said that, if that is what he intended. It only says women. So this must be ALL women!
So, if the argument here is that men should be living lives which are to be of service to others within the church, then all women should be living lives which will not bring slander to them or others, or gossips, or spreaders of either!
Well, I do not know about you but in my current church that eliminates just about all of the women! Yeah, we have a telephone gossip based slander chain that amazes me! I know in my own life I am not willing to slander or gossip about those whom wrong me (because I know God is not done with them and when He is, they will vindicate me), and yet, the women in my church have no problems doing the same about people they do not even know. (And in my personal instance, not a one of them has ever approached me or asked what really happened!, in over a year of this going on. But, outside of the church, people from other churches have no problem calling me up, stopping me on the street, sitting down as I am eating lunch and wanting to know the story! Think on the Godliness of those in my church ... yeah.)
And we begin to boil these verses down:
I am not afraid to live what I believe.
Even to point of losing my closest friends. I am answerable to God, not them. If God told me a task to perform, I will do it - He will reward me appropriately and probably not in such a way that anyone but me will know it. My greatest sorrow is my disappeared daughter, I did as I was told to. Yeah, she is gone but God rewarded me with another to reach out to, and then another, and I fully expect in the future yet another. The greatest blessing in my life is seeing freedom gained by these people from the bondage they have found themselves, sharing in their victories, and sharing in their sorrows. Mind you, to me, this is a rich reward, no one around me understands that, save for my lone friend. And if I died now of starvation, I would be the richest man I have ever heard of! For real.
I am not afraid to be tested.
Mind you I hate being tested and I wonder everyday if I am being so now! For me, the testing seems to be fumbling my way through life and trying to be very-very-very careful not to slip up from what God has called or given me. Not very easy and how I wish I had someone to give me wisdom at times - but God does not seem to want that to happen, for I am quite alone and therefore quite the coward at times - not only in doing right but also in failure! Yet, He seems to have given me a role and a series of tasks - and I have no idea where they lead and seem to contradict all that I expect in life. So, I tread water and moment by moment try not to screw things up (too badly!).
In the end, we see that what God wants is servants, whether you are male or female. He wants you to be above reproach and to model Him in your life for all those around you to see.
You can argue fine points of theology, you can argue that you do not like something about God or about His people or what He tells you to do, but that does not change His expectations of you. Somewhat tongue in cheek, due to my Sci-Fi background, but you are to serve man(kind) ...
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Restarting The Church
In years past I have been critical of what the modern church has become, an embarrassment to the blood of those whom have come before us! It is to be accursed for it only stands for selfish desires, ego stroking and all of those things from the world we are called out of as Christians. Oh, and by the way, when I am using the word church, I am talking about everyone I have ever heard of or seen.
Perhaps you agree with me. Perhaps like many you have walked away in disgust. Or you are now one of the many quietly sleeping in the pews because the church no longer is serving its purpose and hence, you are not either. Have you ever thought about doing something about it?
Certainly I have thought on this a great deal, how does one, whom is nobody, kick start a dead church? (Yes, referring to corporate Christianity here!) How do you take people, whom know all of the words and yet none of the truth? Christianity has died somewhere along the way. Is it the cheap grace Dietrich Bonhoeffer feared? Is it the affluence of our culture which has removed the need for a god?
There are only two places to start. The first is with you - you need to discover the REAL God of this creation and it ain't you! He is above your wisdom, above your understanding, He exists apart from you and yet places demands upon you, He expects them to be accomplished. He gave you a book, read it, contemplate it, do it! Start with the sin in your life. Don't have any? Well, look at the unforgiveness in your life - that separates you from God. Look at your sexual resume - that also separates you from God. You have to confess everyone of those unforgivenesses in your life to God. You have to confess everyone of those sexual misbehavoriors to God. Perhaps you have a problem with murder and/or hate - yeah, that also separates you from God. Want to know more? email me.
The other place to start is with the church and for sake of this we are going to assume that those involved are already Christians. I realize there is little hope of that but we have to start somewhere.
What is the Church?
It is a business - nope
It is a building - nope.
It is the house of God - nope.
Somewhere you go - nope.
Of course these are things the world has conformed the church to and somewhere along the way, God stopped visiting. And a vacant powerless church meets regularly, no longer calling the lost to salvation, no longer training the next generation of believers, no longer understanding the real power to be found on His path.
The Church is a how we are to live, not as a business, not as a building, not as God's place or somewhere we go regularly.
It is the body of believers - sort of.
it is a family - sort of.
It is in fact you - you are a part the church. You, gathered with other believers, are the Church, together we are the Body. Consider:
Ephesians 2:19-22
Matthew 16:8
1 Peter 2:5
1 Timothy 3:14-16
The Church is not just created, it is built and we get to do the building! And when once built, our roles do not end there. We get to be what holds up the church, we are to add strength to the structure. Think in terms of columns holding up a roof or the old style buttress which allowed cathedral walls to stand to great heights!
And the basis of our Church? God, Jesus, the blood of the martyrs from antiquity through to today. These are not nameless people, they are ones whose faith allowed them to understand that they are called to be apart from the world - even to the point of death, if that is what it takes to witness to those so opposed to the Gospel of Jesus.
(Did you note there are no guidelines here? That means there is a requirement of faith, knowledge in the Gospel and a transparent willingness to live the faith and lead others Biblically!)
Perhaps you agree with me. Perhaps like many you have walked away in disgust. Or you are now one of the many quietly sleeping in the pews because the church no longer is serving its purpose and hence, you are not either. Have you ever thought about doing something about it?
Certainly I have thought on this a great deal, how does one, whom is nobody, kick start a dead church? (Yes, referring to corporate Christianity here!) How do you take people, whom know all of the words and yet none of the truth? Christianity has died somewhere along the way. Is it the cheap grace Dietrich Bonhoeffer feared? Is it the affluence of our culture which has removed the need for a god?
There are only two places to start. The first is with you - you need to discover the REAL God of this creation and it ain't you! He is above your wisdom, above your understanding, He exists apart from you and yet places demands upon you, He expects them to be accomplished. He gave you a book, read it, contemplate it, do it! Start with the sin in your life. Don't have any? Well, look at the unforgiveness in your life - that separates you from God. Look at your sexual resume - that also separates you from God. You have to confess everyone of those unforgivenesses in your life to God. You have to confess everyone of those sexual misbehavoriors to God. Perhaps you have a problem with murder and/or hate - yeah, that also separates you from God. Want to know more? email me.
The other place to start is with the church and for sake of this we are going to assume that those involved are already Christians. I realize there is little hope of that but we have to start somewhere.
What is the Church?
It is a business - nope
It is a building - nope.
It is the house of God - nope.
Somewhere you go - nope.
Of course these are things the world has conformed the church to and somewhere along the way, God stopped visiting. And a vacant powerless church meets regularly, no longer calling the lost to salvation, no longer training the next generation of believers, no longer understanding the real power to be found on His path.
The Church is a how we are to live, not as a business, not as a building, not as God's place or somewhere we go regularly.
It is the body of believers - sort of.
it is a family - sort of.
It is in fact you - you are a part the church. You, gathered with other believers, are the Church, together we are the Body. Consider:
Ephesians 2:19-22
Matthew 16:8
1 Peter 2:5
1 Timothy 3:14-16
The Church is not just created, it is built and we get to do the building! And when once built, our roles do not end there. We get to be what holds up the church, we are to add strength to the structure. Think in terms of columns holding up a roof or the old style buttress which allowed cathedral walls to stand to great heights!
And the basis of our Church? God, Jesus, the blood of the martyrs from antiquity through to today. These are not nameless people, they are ones whose faith allowed them to understand that they are called to be apart from the world - even to the point of death, if that is what it takes to witness to those so opposed to the Gospel of Jesus.
(Did you note there are no guidelines here? That means there is a requirement of faith, knowledge in the Gospel and a transparent willingness to live the faith and lead others Biblically!)
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Twenty-two And Confused
Now at lunch Monday, I fell into a conversation with this sobbing college student. For those of you whom know me, crying female plus Kris do not mix. Actually porcupines and your dog's face are more compatible than me when tears are involved. But something in me was moved and I made the mistake of asking ...
Short story:
She desperately wants a boyfriend, but also knows it isn’t going to happen. She is too busy to maintain a good relationship, insists on a solid Christian boy (like they exist!) and doesn’t want to kiss until sure he is really going to be "special" in the long run. (psst! how about at the altar?) !
And then this alarm clock is going off inside of her - she HAS to find him!
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah - far too much about her I would not share, TMI! and I hope I can do a mind dump and just lose it once I have written this up. Interspersed with her above statement were perhaps three gallons of tears in there. She was in quite a state.
Oh, did I mention that she has made it to 22 and is still a virgin? Never had a boyfriend, never even held hands - and yes, she is more than most guys have on their list of wanna-be attributes (purely physical), has a brain and knows how to use it too, wants to do what is right by God and in tears over this exact problem!
"There are no guys! I am going to die a ugly old virgin!"
Suddenly I was happy no creepy old guys were within earshot of that one!
So, was she willing to think, talk and work through - why a guy is so important in her life?
Short story:
She desperately wants a boyfriend, but also knows it isn’t going to happen. She is too busy to maintain a good relationship, insists on a solid Christian boy (like they exist!) and doesn’t want to kiss until sure he is really going to be "special" in the long run. (psst! how about at the altar?) !
And then this alarm clock is going off inside of her - she HAS to find him!
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah - far too much about her I would not share, TMI! and I hope I can do a mind dump and just lose it once I have written this up. Interspersed with her above statement were perhaps three gallons of tears in there. She was in quite a state.
Oh, did I mention that she has made it to 22 and is still a virgin? Never had a boyfriend, never even held hands - and yes, she is more than most guys have on their list of wanna-be attributes (purely physical), has a brain and knows how to use it too, wants to do what is right by God and in tears over this exact problem!
"There are no guys! I am going to die a ugly old virgin!"
Suddenly I was happy no creepy old guys were within earshot of that one!
So, was she willing to think, talk and work through - why a guy is so important in her life?
1. There is no one whom meets her requirements,
but she still wants him.
2. Waiting for God to pick
out the perfect man, and realizes that is not what the Lord wants for her.
So we had something to work with, God is not asking her to wait for marriage so she can have sex. He is calling her to stop
waiting. But, she has not been listening to that answer, it is the wrong one!
If God really is
all you need to satisfy you, then what was she waiting for? What is going to
be better than Jesus? She was waiting for a husband, thinking
married life would be better than single life; she didn’t really think
Jesus alone could be better than Jesus plus a great husband!
And a few verses come to mind:
1 John 4:17
In this love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us ...
Psalm 16
2) I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
I have no good apart from you.”
5) The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
you hold my lot.
8) I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
9) Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
my flesh also dwells secure.
11) You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
So, my challenge, was for her to continue to ask, “Is Jesus really enough? If you never got married, would your soul still be able rejoice in Jesus'
love?”
And she was thoughtful. She realized that indeed she could be satisfied in knowing that her real happiness was in Jesus and His provision for her. Anything she did, in and of herself, was only going to cause problems and in the long term bring less than satisfactory results.
I walked with heaviness from lunch, for I remember those struggles in my own life and the years it took me to kill what was inside of me and to learn to wait upon the Lord and his provision - not my own. It is a hard lesson and life without my Faithless Bride is so much better in the long run.
And then I was to slam right into almost the very same conversation again, within the hour! This time, the conversation is not concluded I believe and I hope by sharing this, what I did say can be better understood by the second party today within the light of what I said on Monday.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Illustration
Since I started youth work, (back in 1974!, where have the years gone!) I have only had two kids go in full time ministry however numerous go into missions, both long and short. And I recent had the pleasure of hearing one of the ministry ones do a sermon.
He selected Mark 5:21-34, the woman with the issue of blood whom touched Jesus.
Roll the clock back to my pre-Christian days and I had been going to a Synagog for quite sometime trying to figure this whole God/Jesus thing out. The Rabbi was more than willing to work with me through the stories of Jesus - he knew them intimately well.
Now he told me that a woman having her period or with an issue of blood, such as might be caused by a cancer of some type was considered unclean and had to live to outside of the town until it was over. My knowledge of such things was not real good and I asked him if that didn't mean that women would be gone from the town quite often. He smiled and said yes, it was when men were allowed to rest. Odd comment I thought.
Now I grew up in a small German town near the French and Lux border, so I asked one of the elders if there had been any Jews in my town before the war. Apparently, there had been. So, you know my mind, I asked if women were forced to live in the fields during their time of the month. He smiled and said they had a guest house outside of town the women were sent to. Hmmm, life was different a hundred years ago it seems.
And this young man is going to talk on this quirky passage!
A woman, whom was not even supposed to be in town because she was unclean, is in the crowd, jostling for position to get close enough to Jesus to touch one of his tassels (there are four of them) which hung from the covering all men were required to wear.
And Jesus stopped and asked whom had touched her .....
Do you think Jesus knew whom had touched him?
Do you think Jesus knew why he had been touched?
Do you think Jesus wanted to make a point for some reason?
She confessed, I am sure in fear and dread. Was she going to be stoned by the crowd for what she had done? They would know of her condition and ban from being in town - and she had not only approached but also touched a Rabbi and now was speaking to him public! This kind of thing was not supposed to happen!
And Jesus did not condemn her for the breaking of the Law, nor the breaking of Talmud - instead he told her she was healed by her faith.
It was his being which healed her, she had to touch him to be healed, but it was her faith, which drove her past convention to do the unthinkable.
That is the kind of faith we each should have. Yeah healing of our problems is a very personal and important task. But, I wonder if we could have that kind of faith, to be real in our lives, for others - what might our surroundings and situations be like?
Yeah, I anticipate faith is not exactly a priority in your life. We all hop around saying we have faith but it is actually by our own power that almost everything is done. The black eyes we as Christians receive when one whom calls themselves by his name fails, proves that point. The failures in ministry ventures show the lack of faith used in how we spend his resources. The people whom trusted and then were turned off by our individual and collective failures all scream at us our lack of real faith.
Now how to realign ourselves and our thinking to place faith first and presuming upon God ending?
He selected Mark 5:21-34, the woman with the issue of blood whom touched Jesus.
Roll the clock back to my pre-Christian days and I had been going to a Synagog for quite sometime trying to figure this whole God/Jesus thing out. The Rabbi was more than willing to work with me through the stories of Jesus - he knew them intimately well.
Now he told me that a woman having her period or with an issue of blood, such as might be caused by a cancer of some type was considered unclean and had to live to outside of the town until it was over. My knowledge of such things was not real good and I asked him if that didn't mean that women would be gone from the town quite often. He smiled and said yes, it was when men were allowed to rest. Odd comment I thought.
Now I grew up in a small German town near the French and Lux border, so I asked one of the elders if there had been any Jews in my town before the war. Apparently, there had been. So, you know my mind, I asked if women were forced to live in the fields during their time of the month. He smiled and said they had a guest house outside of town the women were sent to. Hmmm, life was different a hundred years ago it seems.
And this young man is going to talk on this quirky passage!
A woman, whom was not even supposed to be in town because she was unclean, is in the crowd, jostling for position to get close enough to Jesus to touch one of his tassels (there are four of them) which hung from the covering all men were required to wear.
And Jesus stopped and asked whom had touched her .....
Do you think Jesus knew whom had touched him?
Do you think Jesus knew why he had been touched?
Do you think Jesus wanted to make a point for some reason?
She confessed, I am sure in fear and dread. Was she going to be stoned by the crowd for what she had done? They would know of her condition and ban from being in town - and she had not only approached but also touched a Rabbi and now was speaking to him public! This kind of thing was not supposed to happen!
And Jesus did not condemn her for the breaking of the Law, nor the breaking of Talmud - instead he told her she was healed by her faith.
It was his being which healed her, she had to touch him to be healed, but it was her faith, which drove her past convention to do the unthinkable.
That is the kind of faith we each should have. Yeah healing of our problems is a very personal and important task. But, I wonder if we could have that kind of faith, to be real in our lives, for others - what might our surroundings and situations be like?
Yeah, I anticipate faith is not exactly a priority in your life. We all hop around saying we have faith but it is actually by our own power that almost everything is done. The black eyes we as Christians receive when one whom calls themselves by his name fails, proves that point. The failures in ministry ventures show the lack of faith used in how we spend his resources. The people whom trusted and then were turned off by our individual and collective failures all scream at us our lack of real faith.
Now how to realign ourselves and our thinking to place faith first and presuming upon God ending?
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