My Blog

Escaping dead religion. The tyranny of works.

2009-05-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

A common trait of dead religion - of man's religion - is the unnatural focus on works. Usually when an individual is heavily involved in a works (performance) based religious system, they don't realize it. Only when freedom from that tyranny comes can one look back and see how works-based their religion truly was. This dangerous way of thinking has always been a common difference between man's way and God's way. Man tries to earn God's favor, but he cannot. Jesus Christ offers freedom from that hopeless state. He says that favor with God is free, and it doesn't require more religious exercises, but faith in His finished work as the God-sent savior of our souls.

However, many (if not most) Christian religious groups have fallen into the age-old trap of performance based religion. It may be subtle, but is present nonetheless. For those of us who were in a system like that for a good length of time, the process of re-learning and changing ones way of thinking is lengthy and difficult.

For example, just yesterday I noticed remnants of that old way of thinking while I was working. I was feeling far from God, and my relationship with Him had seemed distant for a few days. Frustrated, my mind started going down one of those old paths. Maybe I need to read my Bible more. Maybe I haven't been living out the great commission enough. Thankfully, I caught myself almost immediately, all glory to Him.

No. No -- Rightness with God doesn't come from those things. Closeness with God is not a result of working harder. Those things are a result of healthy intimacy with God, they are not what gives me intimacy with Him. So instead I went for a walk and and spent some time talking with Him.

That old way of thinking is like saying, "I feel distant from my wife, so I need to make more money, or I need to work harder around the house." Yes those things are important in keeping a household running, but they have very little to do with intimacy with my wife. If I want that, we need to spend more time together. True intimacy only comes from consistent and healthy communication.

Intimacy is not the result of right works, rather it is the root and seed of them. True kingdom work must be built upon a strong foundation of intimacy and walk with God.

Man's religion says: Work hard to reach God. Deny the body, deny enjoyment. Change your ways and do penance. Pray, fast, and read your Bible more. Go to church more. Yet God's grace says: Come to me. Sit at my feet. Seek to know me. Stay with, and in, me - and I in you.

So man's religion is backward. It says work harder and do more, and rightness with God will result. But Jesus has taught us the opposite: Get right with God, know Him. Then He will clean up your act, and right works will follow.

Escaping Dead Religion. The mystery of God's life.

2009-05-13T13:27:00.000-07:00

I continue to be baffled by the life that God gives to us His children.

Today started great but since has gone a bit downhill. I have been caught in this funk for the past few hours. Frustrated with work, feeling incredibly impatient and annoyed by little things. Feeling trapped. Feeling tired. Feeling far from Him. In fact, the last few days have left me feeling distant from my Lord...

Life just gets busy, especially when working full time and going to school part time, and marriage and kids and chores and finances and church family - oh boy - perhaps you can relate. Sometimes it feels like a grand juggling session.

At least without Him it does.

But then during my afternoon break at work I take a long walk in the sun, and pour out my heart too him bit by bit. Even praying and connecting with Him seems hard right now. But I press through. I've been through this before, and I trust Him enough to know that He has a purpose, even in this. I know that walking with Him is all about faith, and faith requires less-than-par circumstances. Faith wouldn't be faith if circumstances didn't require faith in the first place. As I struggle through my broken conversation with Him I remember this.

About 1 min before I make it to my desk, heading back inside, my countenance begins to change. Frustrated goes to freed and tired goes to peaceful. I feel a freedom in my spirit from Him. I suddenly feel like singing his praises and quoting Psalms about His wonder and goodness and life. His uncreated life which he gives to those who seek to know Him.

I don't understand it and probably never will, how God imparts peace and life into my innermost being. Without realizing it, after spending time with Him, even frustrating, hard time - trying to connect with Him and feeling like I'm not - He pours life into me. He rubs off on me and I can't put my finger on it.

Wonderful mystery. Glorious King.

Escaping dead religion. To find Him. (Day 1)

2009-05-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

I received a forward today. It was labeled "I agree, it is so!" and had the picture of a big-name evangelist-pastor personality and then a handful of affirmative prosperity statements listed to believe and accept by faith. At the end, it read:

"Very, Very, soon and I say Very, Very, Very soon, GOD is going to do a miracle and lift u up 4 GOOD. Here is a test: if you love God and you're not ashamed of Him, send this to ten people and watch what He does for you tonight. "

This last statement grieved me in my spirit. Since when was serving God about what He does for me, especially about my prosperity? Not to mention the very slight mysticism (forward to 10 people and God will do something amazing tonight for you) -- which may be harmless, yet effectively distracts folks from what God would have them do, which is seeking to know Him. Regardless of what He does or does not give to us, he would have us Know Him above all else.

When Jesus the Christ walked this earth, His teachings were about as far away from prosperity teaching as you can get. Instead of "You will find favor with men", he told his followers, "Men will hate and persecute you... If they hated me, they will hate you too". Instead of "God will give you more and more", Jesus said "In this life you will have trouble, but be happy, because I have overcome the world". Instead of "Trust God for more material blessings in this life", our Saviour taught the masses, "Don't be concerned for what you will eat or drink, or where you will live, or how you will be clothed, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you."

Jesus was the antithesis of getting ahead in this world. He was homeless, jobless, and sometimes even friendless. Instead of furthering his own causes, he focused solely on doing the will of the Father. He did not seek long life, but voluntarily died a premature death for those he loved. He was often acquainted with loneliness and abandonment. It's no wonder we don't hear much about these realities of Jesus' life and teachings. Truth simply doesn't sell as well.

I wonder what would happen if Christians today took all of their stock out of this world and re-invested it in the kingdom of God... Jesus said, "Don't lay up for yourselves treasures on earth... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." What would happen if we became completely content with having our basic needs met, and then focused all the leftover time, energy, and resources on Him and His kingdom?

Lord, give us the grace to be content with what we have, and focus all our efforts on knowing you and on helping others (as you lead) to know you.

A song I wrote

2009-04-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

Wrote a song that I feel like the Lord placed on my heart yesterday morn. Can't wait to put it to music. It is a song to help teach my children and our spiritual children how to pray.

When We Pray

When we pray
We thank Him for another day
We tell Him how great He is
For He gives us all good things

(chorus: Then we quiet ourselves
We focus on Him alone
We listen for Him to speak
In whatever way He wants to speak)

Then we confess
Our faults to Him who loves us so
Loves us more than life itself
His mercy will renew us

(repeat chorus)

And then we ask
For strength to make it through the day
Keep us walking in Him today
And give us help to do His will

(repeat chorus)

Of course we ask
For Him to help our families
Our close brothers and sisters
The ones we live & work with in Him

(repeat chorus)

Not afraid to ask
He said ask and you will receive
He said you don’t have because you don’t ask
The constant cries of His church will yield results

(repeat chorus)

And as He leads
We cry out for our lost friends
The ones stuck in sadness and sin
The ones who do not yet know Him
We ask believing
We plead for them as for ourselves
Cry and wail as the Spirit leads
We don’t take no for an answer

(repeat chorus)

And He will lead
His Spirit will lead our prayers
He’ll show us where to go from there
He’ll take us into the deep

(repeat chorus)

And when we’re done
We worship and we love on Him
He wraps us in His arms again
And tells us we’re His own again

Tells us we’re His own again (repeat)
We’ll always be His own

Re-thinking the "End Times"

2009-04-08T10:46:00.000-07:00

Oh man... I am sort of floored right now in my mind and spirit, and a little angry at all the twisted Bible teaching that I (and so many others) grew up with on the subject of eschatology.

How do you help someone to completely rethink their paradigm (their pre-existing set of beliefs and opinions) on a certain topic that they have been taugh fallacy on since they were very young? How do you help a person completely re-examine their entire belief system on a certain subject -- especially on a subject as full of confusion and fear (paralyzing fear) as this one? How do you help a person to take a huge mountain in their head, break it down piece by piece, rock by rock, and realize that the many pieces which constituted the mountain do not form a mountain - but actually something completely different? Where do you start? How can you help them see the need for a complete re-examination and then be willing to go through the process of re-discovery and re-learning?

Well, I do not doubt, as in anything truly important in this journey of life with God, it must be a God thing. It must be the Lord who initiates the questioning process which eventually leads to a complete re-examination of certain truths. Unless God is in it, trying to help a person see truth on a subject that has been as twisted as this one over the years, is like running into a brick wall.

Well I would like to encourage anyone being led to question their traditional thinking and belief system on the topic of eschatology that the process is worth it. It is so worth it. Imagine not experiencing fear and timidity surrounding the future because you understand the hope that God has given to all those who are in Him, and what He has truly revealed to our forefathers about our future. Picture reading the Bible - especially books like Daniel and Revelation and passages like Jesus' Olivet discourse - and fully understanding what you are reading, and being sincerely and deeply edified by it. Consider having so much more confidence in God, in His inspired writings, and in the apostolic fathers, because for the first time what were fuzzy and twisted sayings and teachings are now clear - and further prove that Him and everything about Him is true and living. This is the glorious result of coming in contact with Truth - and remaining in it.

On a topic as expansive as Bible eschatology, which includes verses and passages from nearly every book of the Bible, the task of rediscovery can seem daunting. Where do you start? Where do you go from there? How do you tell fact from fiction, truth from tradition? Well, on every journey, we start with Jesus. And we end with him too. He IS the truth, and He sent His Spirit to lead and guide us into ALL truth. The best posture before the word of God is one of complete humility and discipleship. Lord, teach me -- re-teach me on this subject. Show me what is true and what is not. Show me where to start and be my guide and my teacher. Protect me from every lie and deception of the enemy. Grant me understanding on this topic.

Let me next say that the right key opens the most frustrating lock with ease. The wrong key will not open the door no matter how hard you try. For many, searching for truth on this subject has been like systematically trying every key on the keychain to try and open that door (and for most, the right key has never been on the keychain at all - they've had to go searching for a new set of keys!). The fact is, when you find the right key to understanding this subject - the right paradigm through which to view this topic - all will become clear. The lock will unlatch, the heavy door will swing open with ease, and a new world of revelation and understanding and edification will be in front of you. For those who love the Bible, this is where it is at! God did not give us the inspired writings to confuse and perplex us endlessly - far be it from Him. He gave us His word to shed light, to give understanding, and to give us peace.

Simplicity

2009-03-18T13:36:00.000-07:00

Well,
As life moves forward, repeating themes and thoughts and burdens seem to emerge. One of the key disciplines that always seems to come back to the forefront of my mind and heart is that of simplicity. Living simply - cutting out the extras, the unnecessaries, the weights, or the distractions - and filling my life with the simple and straightforward, the rich and the pure.

I don't want to waste my time. I don't want to be throwing punches into the air. I don't want to finish my life wondering where all the time went. I want to finish it knowing I lived it right and full - and that I put my thoughts and energy on what was truly important.

My kids are what is important. My wife is what is important. Learning to spend time with Jesus constantly is important. Loving sinners is important. Living in community. Working hard. Being honest. Being totally available.

The words from a John Mayer song come to mind. "How come everything I think I need, always comes with batteries - what do you think that means?"

Preach it, brother John :)

If something in my life needs batteries to work, then its probably just a filler or a substitute for something organic and real - and the organic and real comes straight from the LORD.

Twisted Sisters - Common Bible Misconceptions - Pt 3

2009-02-05T12:30:00.001-08:00

Part 3 - Liturgy? Who needs it!

Okay - so the next misconception is not a misconception as much as a malpractice. Most understand that modern liturgical exercises do not find their roots among the primitive Christian church, but cling to modern liturgy nonetheless. Liturgy is a specific order of worship. Usually when we think of this term we think of something like the very traditional rituals of the Catholic church. However, presbyterian churches have them too - yes, even contemporary Christian churches have their liturgy - and I am afraid that it has taken over the modern church like a lingering cold that won't go away.

Any one of us could pick a church to visit on any given Sunday - small or large, black white or grey, and whatever the denomination - and generally know what to expect. Most services we could set our clocks by. We park, enter the building, are greeted by someone. Pick a seat in the sanctuary, and wait for the service to start. Someone steps on the platform in front, greets people or opens with a prayer, and the singing starts. 3-5 songs are sung. Then an offering is taken and/or announcements are given. Then the preacher or teacher steps up and prepares to give a sermon. Usually between 45 and 75 minutes long. Then either a corporate prayer or some type of altar call. There are variations to this of course, but pick whatever church or group - I don't care - any fairly mainstream denomination or church type, and it's nearly identical. Call it what you like, but that is liturgy. It's a specific order of worship. Whether we've consciously decided to follow this order, or sub-consciously, we follow it nonetheless... Or most do.

On this topic, like most every other, I believe that going back to the ancient writings to see how the early church functioned before the traditions and liturgies and organizing and institutionalism could very well revolutionize the way we practice our faith. Here is a key verse to kick things off:
1 Cor. 14:26 - "How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification."

This one simple statement written by Paul to the church in Corinth in the first century is paradigm-shattering if we thoroughly consider what it suggests. First of all, when's the last time you were in a gathering where "each person" had a song, a teaching, a tongue, a revelation, or an interpretation? Or when each person was simply even given the chance to share their individual gift? Although the church I grew up in was open to the spirit moving and taking over during a gathering, it was still a very rare occurence indeed. When it did happen, it was like pulling teeth. If God wanted to interrupt our comfortable liturgy, He had to play his cards just right or we weren't budging.

And we were better than most at this. Most churches don't ever see a service where each member can use their gift to build up the whole body. They are, without realizing it, helplessly bound by tradition. Our tradition has muzzled God's voice, quenched the moving of His Spirit, and held back His hand from truly working in our midst. We don't even see it.

This verse tells us a few key things. First, their gatherings were a forum for every Christian to share the gift God had given them before the whole group. Second, the believers in Corinth were so excited about what God was telling and showing each of them, that they had too much happening at once. Third - and I believe this is key - Paul's instruction to them was not to stop letting everyone share their gifts from the Lord when they came together, but rather to show them how to do it so that the whole group was built up. He did not stifle their giftings! Did not tell them that in order to avoid chaos let one person select all the songs they would sing each week and everyone else just stand by as spectators. Did not tell them to be quiet and let the smartest among them do all the ministering. Did not advise them to save their gifts for outside the corporate meeting. He was excited about each member functioning!

This is a peek into a bit of the glory of the early church. When they came together, anyone was free to share a song, a testimony, a revelation, a doctrine, a tongue or interpretation, or whatever other way the Spirit was communicating. Herein is the point. If the One who gives all these gifts is the Holy Spirit, and the gifts of the Spirit were the focus of their gatherings, then it was not any man that was in charge of their meetings! It was the Holy Spirit who was in charge. He was the M.C., and He alone led the gatherings!

It would seem then, that if He wanted to speak through a certain individual one week, and someone completely different the next, He could. If He wanted to speak a little something through a number of different members during a particular gathering, He was free to. Maybe He wanted to speak through a child, or an elderly widow, or even a stranger walking in off the street. Perhaps one week He wanted to build up His body through songs, and the next week He wanted to build up His body through gifts of healing. Well he certainly could, because there was plenty of room for Him to move! As a result, the job of the believers each week was very different than it is today. Today a small handful of folks do a lot of preparing for the main gathering during the week (usually a song leader, some Sunday school teachers, and the pastor or preacher). Back then though, it would seem that it was every members job to prepare for the main gathering - each was to seek the Lord during the week (seperately and together I'm sure) so that when they all came together, God could speak through any one of them the exact message for the exact needs present in that meeting. Because after all, only He knows what each member comes in true need of each week!

For the sake of brevity I will wrap this up -- In my studies, here is what their average gathering looked like in the days of the primitive Christian churches: 1. They usually met in homes (more on this in a future installment - Acts 2:46, 20:20, 1 Cor 16:19, Col 4:15, Phm 1:2). 2. They shared a full meal (also called love feasts). 3. A sharing of the bread and the wine to remember and honor the Lord's sacrifice, according to the Lord's command. (1 Cor 11:20, Jud 1:12, Acts 2:46, 20:7) 4. Waiting on the Lord together and each sharing the gifts of the Spirit, in whatever way and through whatever forum the Spirit prompted each one.

I will also mention that this forum fits well with the oversight of elders (bishops or presbyters - spiritual moms and dads) who simply looked over the flock, fed the young ones, and were there to guide the church family at key times -- but did not do all the work or all the ministering. Every member functioned in their God-given gift, and the whole body grew up into the Lord together as they submitted to His headship alone.

It makes me wonder how many unspoken needs go unmet in our modern corporate gatherings today because the Lord is not allowed to break in and spontaneously minister to them. I wonder how many spiritually gifted individuals have never been encouraged to exercise the gifts God has given them, let alone have a forum in the presence of the whole body through which they could practice them. Over the years I wonder how many leaders with profound callings on their lives have sat on our pews and grown stale and weak because they were never given a consistent and meaningful place to minister among their extended spiritual family.

I also wonder how badly our Lord desires to be head of His church again, to be the One in charge of the gatherings of His people, and to minister in the way that only He can each and every week...

But I have already said too much.

Twisted Sisters - Common Bible Misconceptions - Pt.2

2009-01-29T08:54:00.001-08:00

Part 2 - The Modern Pastor Isn't in the New Testament

I hate to say it - but it's true. The practice of having a head pastor of each church body does not find its roots in the New Testament scriptures. I hear the sacred cows mooing uneasily as I say this. Its not that I enjoy tipping sacred cows (I did once, but have grown up a little since then), but let's stand up for truth here and let the Bible speak for itself.

The English word "pastor" is used only 1 time in the New Testament. That right there should cause warning bells to go off in our heads - especially since that's a basic hermeneutical rule in most Christian circles - one obscure passage is not enough to create a Bible doctrine. Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word is established.

The English word "pastor" (used in Ephesians 4:11) is simply the Greek word for shepherd. This Greek word (poimen) is used many times in the NT, but in every other place it is translated "shepherd". Why the translators of the KJV and other modern versions of the Bible render this Greek word as "pastor" instead of what it is every other time - shepherd - is beyond me. Okay scratch that, it's not beyond me - Im pretty sure that the translators read their own traditions into the English translation - God rest their souls.

Eph. 4:11 - "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors (shepherds) and teachers..." First of all, the word here is coupled with teachers, and so the text suggests that shephereds and teachers are one and the same role. As in - a teacher is a shepherd, because they are feeding the sheep (1 Pet. 5:1). Paul simply threw the word "shepherds" in to further describe what a teacher really is in the body. Knowing that, I now realize that we had numerous able "shepherds" in the congregation of the church I grew up in...

But again, thats the only time the word "pastor" is used in the New Testament scriptures. In parallel passages like 1 Cor 12:28, where Paul is giving the same list of giftings to a different church, he doesnt even use the word "shepherd" but just says "teacher." So then if there were no pastors (as we have them today) in the early churches, who ran things? Aha - I'm so glad you asked!

There are many giftings listed by the apostles in their letters that were commonly at work in primitive Christian church, but I find only two offices. Elders (also called Bishops or presbyters) and Deacons (servants).

The word "elder" is "Presbuteros" in the Greek (literally - one advanced in life or age). The word Bishop is "Episkope" in the Greek (literally means 'overseer'). Both of these words refer to the same "office", but from two different angles. One focuses on the job of an elder (to oversee), and one focuses on the character of an elder (mature and responsible). In the NT, there was never just one elder in a church, it was always more than one (see Acts 14:23, 1 Tim 5:17, Tit 1:5, James 5:14, 1 Pet 5:1). See the NT guidelines of what qualifications an elder should have in 1 Tim 3 or Titus 1 (husband of one wife, can rule his own house well, not greedy for money, able to teach, etc). Wow, come to think of it, we had a LOT of people who met those simple guidelines in the congregation I grew up in...

We also have no record of the elders in each church being paid for that role. Wait, I shouldn't say that, I think I lost a few readers. Oh well, might as well be straight-forward. That's right, churches supported the itinerant apostolic workers among them (the travelling church planters), and supported the poor among them, but we have no record of each church's individual elders being paid for their oversight.

So back to our topic -- each church had "elders." In my church family today we just call these people spiritual moms and dads - they are more mature and responsible people who can help guide the group at key times and can feed the young ones. But they don't do all the work, and are not the heads of the church. Christ is the only head of the church, and everyone shares the responsibilities of ministry, because we are all priests to God under the New Covenant, and we have all been given different gifts to profit the whole group. No wonder Paul told the church in Corinth, "When you gather together, every one of you has a song, a teaching, a tongue, an interpretation, a revelation."

Anyway, the only other office we find mentioned in the New Testament was called a deacon, or servant. Servants were selected in some churches to oversee certain church events, like overseeing the distribution of food to the people in Acts 6. They also had the same simple character requirements as elders (1 Tim 3).

Those are the only two offices we find practiced in the primitive Christian churches of the New Testament. According to all the records we have, they had no solo pastors over each church.

So there you have it - take it for what its worth, chew on it, talk to Jesus about it, and consider the ramifications of it. I have little doubt that if churches today began to align themselves more closely with the patterns we find among the New Testament churches, they would be happier, healthier, and better equipped to fulfill the purpose of the body of Christ on this earth. I know that if the congregation I grew up among would have set its leadership up in this way, numerous troubles and crises could have been avoided. But hey -- its never too late to correct a mistake!

Twisted Sisters - Common Bible Misconceptions -Pt.1

2009-01-27T13:19:00.001-08:00

Part 1 - There is No Five-fold Ministry
People love to take the ancient writings and fit them into neat little packages with colorful bows to make them more marketable.But when an individual really comes face to face with the word of God, the encounter is not usually so nice and neat. Just as God cannot be tamed, when He speaks it often reflects his wildness and goes over the heads of all but the most studious.

Many a Christian leader have I heard do amazing tricks using random verses of the Bible with the skill of a seasoned magician. I have no problem with preachers, only with taking random scriptures out of context. This is one such case.
The New King James version of the Bible records Ephesians 4:13 as follows: "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the minstry..." Somewhere someone took this list and made a really marketable doctrine out of it, and now the term "Five-fold ministry" is a common phrase in the Christian-speak dictionary. The fivefold ministry is usually referred to with awe, like it is the all-star list on the roster of Christian workers. Be one of these and you are at the top of the heap. Usually paid for it too.

As if Ephesians was the only epistle in the New Testament.

There is something of a parallel passage in 1 Corinthians:
"And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts..."

Most assuredly the same exact list mentioned by Paul as in Ephesians, but to a different church, and the gifts that he mentions are pointedly different. There is no evangelist and no pastor mentioned - instead, a handful of other gifts are thrown in as companions to the apostles, prophets, and teachers - miracles, healings, helps, administrations, different kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. Maybe fivefold is more like nine-fold. Or maybe if we put both lists from Ephesians and Corinthians together, it is the eleven-fold ministry? But that can't be right, eleven isnt a very round number... won't sell as well...

Anyway, it seems apparent that when examining these lists side by side, there is no set-in-stone five-fold ministry. There are only gifts that God has passed out to everyone in his body to profit the whole. Perhaps there is a significance and a heavier responsibility behind the consistent mention of a few key giftings first (apostles, prophets, teachers), but it should be without dispute that the ministry is not five-fold... rather we should suffice it to say that it is manifold. The gifts are many and ALL are vital. All are used for the same purpose - to build up the whole body - till we all come in the unity of the faith and a perfect knowledge of the son of God.

One further note - Ephesians 4:13 is the ONLY verse in the New Testament which uses the word "pastor" (shepherd) when describing a gifting. Pastor and teacher are not mentioned as two separate gifts, they are mentioned as being the same gift - "pastors and teachers" - a teacher IS a shepherd (so then it is a four-fold ministry in Ephesians 4... eh, you get the idea) A shepherd feeds the sheep (1 Pet. 5:1). The idea of a one-man "pastor" over each church does not find its roots in the primitive Christian church or in the scriptures. But I will address that topic as the next common biblical misconception in part 2!

Argh! Give me life!

2009-01-20T13:32:00.000-08:00

This morning I was talking to Jesus about alot of different things and I was thinking about a prayer that was prayed over me some time ago: "Lord, I don't pray that you would give him the self control to simply not sin, but rather that you would heal him on the inside so thoroughly that he would no longer even desire those things."

This was prayed over me by a very important spiritual mentor who spoke into my life at some key points on my journey. At the time it hit me like a hammer... and it still does.

I realize now that this is the difference between the law and grace, between the Old Covenant and the New. The law could not produce inner transformation, and only served to show those under it how powerless they were to achieve righteousness by their own power. Legalistic religious teachings and groups don't realize how closely aligned they are with the law. They focus on a list of rules, regulations, and religious boundaries. They focus on teaching their people how to gain self-control, how to say no to the flesh, and how to look and act just right. This is just what the Mosaic law did -- and what did the Mosaic law produce? Condemnation, guilt, shame, and hopelessness. Men felt condemned because they could not follow all the law to the letter. It gave them a basic knowledge of right and wrong and good and evil, but could not give them the power and inner transformation necessary to make their heart and desires match their outward front of righteousness.

Sadly, so many groups today spend so much wasted time trying to control the actions of their people. Look a certain way, talk a certain way, act a certain way. Come on Sundays, put your money in the basket, become a member, and be a good obedient cookie-cutter Christian. The majority of these groups wouldn't know grace if it hit them in the head. They are too busy judging the outward appearance to truly love the person in front of them. They have to change them and make them fit in their group before they will truly love them. And if someone decides to leave the establishment? Talk bad about them, judge them, assume things about them, and don't call them to wish them the blessing of God wherever He leads them. That is not the church, it's a country club.

I thank God that He has delivered me from this attitude that I too had bought into, and practiced for so many years. I have repented numerous times since then of my pride, elitism, secterianism, bigotry, and segregation. I have made it over the hump of hurt and pain and gone over to the other side of that hard transition where there is freedom, joy, and love. I hope that every day of my life from here on is filled with the same love and grace for others which God has shown to me.

Jesus has come, finished his work, and delivered us from the curse of the law (the curse of legalism). He has loved us while we were yet sinners and offered to us fellowship with the Father, even in that sad and sickening state. He has not placed on us the heavy weight of a hundred laws and guidelines, but instead has offered to us love and friendship - a love that will transform us, over time, into people who do what's right - not because its the right thing to do, but because we love people and love our Lord so much that it's just the way we naturally are.

Lord, I don't pray that you would give those reading this post the self control to simply not sin, but rather that you would heal them on the inside so thoroughly that they would no longer even desire those things.

Looking for one thing - found another

2009-01-15T17:13:00.000-08:00

Today I grabbed my Strong's Concordance, my bookbag which holds my Bible and journal, and a cigar and headed to the garage. With the garage door half open, my two boys playing in the front yard, and me planted in the back of the garage by the window, I smoked my stogey and dove into the scriptures. As the cool January air hung around me (alot warmer than normal this time of year) and the melancholy smoke danced and twisted above my head, I made some precious discoveries.

I have been hungering to know what the Bible truly says about witnessing and outreach. This is a subject which has recently been very fuzzy and alluding to me lately. I have alot of conflicting information over the years clogging my brain and not alot of clarity as a result on this subject. Its near impossible to have a sincere conviction on any subject without a clear knowledge of what thus says the Lord regarding it.

So I began at John 20 after Christ has risen from the dead and begins appearing to his disciples. The first thing he tells them in John's record is "As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you." He then says "Whoever's sins you forgive, they will be forgiven, and whoever's sins you sustain, they will be sustained." This passage proved to be a good place to start on the topic of sharing the gospel.

As I was reading the full context of these words, I noticed Christ's statement to Peter in chapter 21: "If you love me, feed my lambs." No doubt these words with which Jesus charged Peter also fall within the reaches of the overall subject at hand. Out of curiosity I studied the original Greek words that our Saviour used when speaking to his disciple here. The results I found were an unexpected treasure.

Jesus asks Peter 3 times, "Do you love me?" Then Jesus says, "Feed my lambs." The next two times Jesus follows up his question by saying, "Feed my sheep." It turns out that the 3 statements Christ makes are each using a different combination of words:
1. Shephard my lambs
2. Feed my sheep
3. Shephard my sheep

Here are my initial thoughts on this... First of all, sheep and lambs are the same creature, however lambs are younglings and sheep are full-grown. This spoke to me. The words he used for "Feed" were also different. "Shephard" is used in the first and third statements, but "Feed" is used in the second one. From further study of the original Greek terms, I discovered that the verb (action) "to shephard" is from the root word for the noun (title) "Shephard". This is in contrast to the word for "Feed" which is from a word for cattle which connotates leading a herd to fodder. Shepharding being more tender, personal, gentle, and tender food. Feeding being more impersonal, straightforward, and more filling adult food.

The lambs cannot handle adult food yet and they need more tender loving care. The sheep need real sustenance - adult food, and are grown enough to survive without the personal touch of the shephard. However, the third statement, "Shephard my lambs" is out of the ordinary. It seems that the sheep too, need shepharding. Although they can survive without the tender loving care of their keeper, they still need it. They need the tender touch of their master.

It would also seem that sheep go through stages. As younglings they need light food and the special attention of their shephard. Then when they are fully grown they require heavier food and gain self-sufficiency. However, there are those sheep who are not fooled by their maturity. They realize the need to still take careful and loving direction and tender help from their shephard. They stay close enough to their shephard's side to hear his voice and gain his continual attention.

We as Christians are the same way. Even when we are grown enough to survive on our own, there is a time at which we will realize that the same tender care that we experienced from our Lord when we first came to Him is still important, yes even vital now. But not all will realize this. Most will stay within the protection of the flock, but forget the master's life-giving personal touch... but not all. These few are like the disciple John who was continually found with his head on Jesus' breast, the disciple "Whom Jesus loved." For these, being a mediocre Christian, a simple pew-sitter, and just "getting by" will never be enough. These sheep, although fully grown, will never accept less than the sweet life-giving words and transforming personal touch of their master, whom they serve in secret.

For those called to be shephards, like myself (however much I don't like it sometimes), there is much to be learned from Christ's statements about how to effectively minister to his flock. But for today, I have gained much from seeing this from the sheep's perspective.

The New Year

2009-01-09T09:40:00.000-08:00

With the new year brings a new perspective and in some ways a mystical feeling of a fresh slate. This year I hope to...

Work hard and work smart.
Drink a hot cup of coffee most mornings and a cold glass of beer most evenings.
Be kinder and gentler with my kids.
Talk about things more with my wife.
Spend time with Jesus more closely.
Spend time reading, studying and critically thinking about His word.
Eat new things I've never eaten before.
Write more.
Draw and paint more.
Play with my kids more.
Plan just a little more.
Hit the cigar bar with the guys consistently. This kind of "me" time is so refreshing.
Go to Oregon with my fam and my parents (and hopefully my siblings who live so far away right now).
Call my brother and my sister just to talk and catch up often.
Hang with my dad.
Love my wife more tangibly and passionately.
Teach my boys to pray. Teach my church family to pray.
Exercise and play sports a little.
Walk my tiny dog Phoenix in the evenings.
Put more effort into my schoolwork.
Play my guitar almost daily.
Be faithful. Be kind. Be a servant of my Father.

Here's me at a little pub and brewery in Boulder this last weekend when Jess and I took the boys to Celestial Seasonings for a tour and a family day... don't worry, those 4 glasses in my hand were "tasters" just to decide which brew I wanted to order :) HA!

And here's me and the boys when we were Caroling at a couple nursing homes on Christmas morning:
Happy New Year, and the Lord bless and keep you and make his face to shine upon you and give you peace.

More Room for God

2009-01-03T15:30:00.000-08:00

I just opened a facebook account... had a myspace for a long time, but never a facebook until now. I love it! It is easier, trimmer, and faster than myspace. And on day one I found like 30 friends already that I know! Love it.

Lately I have been taking a break from movies, which has freed up a lot of "me" time. I assumed "me" time was time where I was relaxing or rejuvinating, but Isaac told me that "me" time is time focused on bettering myself. So I have been picking a different activity to practice each day. One day it is my guitar, another day drawing or painting, another day practicing ballooning, another day writing... I realized that so much of my time is spent just existing. Just getting by. But I don't want to see my life pass me by. Not spiritually and not carnally. I want to live, learn, grow, accomplish, love, do, seek, understand. I want to truly live.

It also has given more room for God in my daily grind. More time to pray and think critically and listen to Him. More time to study the scriptures for myself. More time to prepare for church gatherings, outreach, and ministry. More time to minister to my wife and kids, to serve Him together.

I do not know all that life has in store, but I know that if I can keep Him first and give Him space to lead and guide everything in the future, I will see my life matter.

A beer I recently enjoyed with my pal and brother Bruce Duncan...

Christianity: Philosophy or action?

2008-12-31T09:00:00.001-08:00

When did Christianity become a practce of philosophizing rather than a practice of doing?

It is quite easy for a believer to fall into the modern trap of study and philosophy around the Christian faith rather than one of practice. It seems to me that much of modern Christianity has fallen into this trap - and it's an easy one to fall into! So much time is spent in churches sermonizing and teaching doctrines and belief systems and intellectual aseertions as they regard the Christian faith... but little time is spent actually putting those beliefs and doctrines into practice.

You believe in baptizing a certain way -- when's the last time you baptized someone? You believe in praying a certain way -- but is enough time spent practicing this type of prayer? You believe in the great commission -- but how much time is spent practicing it? You believe in helping the poor, fatherless, and widows -- but when's the last time you actually did it?

I was convicted the other day that recently I have been spending much time studying the scriptures to gain clarity on what I believe around certain doctrinal issues. This is not a bad thing... however it struck me that perhaps I have allowed my faith to become one of philosophizing and intellectualism and "figuring things out", when shouldn't my faith be one of practice?

I wonder if the doctrines and principles of the Christian faith were only meant to be understood through practice? As I reach the unreached, I understand more and more the grace of God and his wonderful salvation and I learn little by little how to better reach them... As I pray and spend time listening to Jesus I understand more and more the purpose and power of prayer and more and more of the character and love of God for me and this world... As I fellowship closely and daily with my spiritual brethren I learn more and more about the church, the body, and its ultimate purpose on this earth, as well as how to be used to edify the church...

So here I sit, convicted and making a new resolution with Him. To practice the little I know that I may learn more. To act on what I do know and in so doing learn what I dont yet know. To do and not just to know. To make living it out rather than studying it out the foundation of my life with Him.

I know this is right because the first century church didn't have all the doctrines figured out (they actually had a lot of doctrinal diversity among the early church), and still they turned their world upside down! And what about the poor saints in remote areas of Africa and Asia, or the persecuted underground church in communist countries? These have alot of weird and crazy doctrines in them but are growing like crazy, reaching their world for Jesus, and are seeing all kinds of signs and wonders as they go. Im not saying right doctrine is not important and in many cases crucial. I am saying that action is the one needful thing.

Jesus, forgive us of thinking, even subconsciously, that right doctrine is in any way a substitute for right works. Make us doers of the word, first and foremost, every day of our lives! May we understand, deeply and truly, that you would rather have us messed up doctrinally but reaching sinners with the little we know. You would rather have us to be prayer warriors with the small amount of faith and knowledge we have, rather than have all understanding and not practicing it. You would rather have us misunderstanding some of your truths rather than neglecting sharing with the poor, widows, and orphans of this world. All glory to you and your glorious good news!

Clarity

2008-12-26T13:41:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been too long since I posted on my personal blog. I plan on doing it a bit more.

Recently I felt like my Lord called me to shut myself off from all secondary Christian voices in my life. I got to the point where from reading different books, listening to different Christian radio programs, and reading different articles and websites, I reached a full point. Honestly I dont read and listen to much... but nonetheless all these different voices in my head over the months and years culminated in a lot of confusion. Suddenly I realized that I didn't have clarity on issues like prayer, outreach, and body life and practice - not from lack of information but from an abundance! I am almost always clear on doctrinal issues, as I feel like God has given me clarity in this area. What I have been lacking clarity on is the practical.

How often to pray? How to pray? How and when and why to outreach? What about church gatherings, church planting, and making disciples? All practical aspects of my faith are under fire right now -- not that I'm lacking faith, but that I am lacking clarity and understanding.

So far, I have received some understanding... It seems that Jesus is not into formulas. It seems that he doesnt always give clarity. It would seem that He is more interested in me gaining understanding through relationship with Him little by little rather than gaining understanding from secondary sources in one fell swoop.

Im getting the feeling that God isn't going to give me understanding on these things overnight... but rather that it will take some time. Im getting the feeling also that what might be true and effective in another time and another place with another individual, may not be true or effective with me in 2008, in Aurora Colorado.

Lord, deliver me from the need to have a magic formula. Deliver me from the godless drive to see results rather than the godly effort of having fellowship with God and making disciples... Deliver me from myself, Jesus. Help me to come to you for clarity.

My time away from secondary sources has already given me more room for God. More room for Him. More space to understand and rest in His understanding.

Whatever the Father is saying...

2008-06-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

I heard this scriptural tidbit from a friend and mentor of mine, John White, recently, and found it so telling and beautiful I wanted to share it with everyone...

It comes from John chapter 5 -- which records Jesus healing the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. Jesus goes to this special fountain of water in Bethesda where sick and infirmed people of all kinds gathered to wait for the "troubling of the water." It was a local belief that when the waters became "stirred" suddenly, by angelic influence, the first one to make it down into the water would be healed of their infirmity. Jesus came there and spoke with a "certain" man who had been sick or infirmed for 38 long years. The man told Jesus that he wanted healing, but he had no one to carry him down to the water when it began to stir, and someone always made it there before him.

John recorded that when Jesus heard how long he had been sick, he told the man "Take up your bed and walk" and immediately the man did just that and was instantly healed. John records none of the other sick folk waiting there at the pool of Bethesda being healed that day.

Then Jesus makes a statement in verse 19 that reveals a very vital truth. He says "I assure you, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does."

It should occur to us that there were many who needed healing that day, and only one got it -- and it was not because the others didn't want it. It was because it was not offered to them. Modern evangelistic Christians might say, well what about the others? No sharing the good news with them? No healing them? No passing out tracts or giving an invitation to the dozens around? What a wasted opportunity! It might seem that Jesus was stingy, or perhaps didn't understand the vitality of giving all the others His special touch that day?

The answer is this: Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing. For the first thirty years of his life, that was staying home and doing no ministry. When his ministry started, some days he healed hundreds... some days he healed no one. Was He out of God's will on those "unproductive" days? The answer we find in his statement: Whatever I see the Father doing, that's what I do. What a simple way of living and ministering! There was no theory he was following, no program he adhered to, no "moving and shaking" involved. He listened, and did whatever He heard the Father tell Him to do. That day God only wanted to heal one man.

This, to me, seems in direct conflict with the modern thinking of most of us Christians today. We want a formula to follow, a law to adhere to, a plan of action to put into place. However, more damage has been done to the kingdom of God by well-intentioned saints who are trying to do God's work on their own power or initiative. They feel the urgency of the gospel message and want to take action immediately. It is a hard lesson to learn when the "mover and shaker" sees many years of hard work gone down the tubes, too late realized that it was never God's will to go there or do that in the first place.

How much stress can be relieved, and how many brick walls can we avoid, by simply following in Jesus' footsteps and practicing our faith the way that Jesus did: Whatever I hear the Father saying, that's what I do. Jesus never called his followers to "figure it out." He never gave them a formula to follow. In fact, even the "great commission" itself is more like a great prophecy... instead of "Go ye therefore," the running greek text lends itself more closely to "Having gone therefore..." (Mat. 28:19 - see Young's literal translation, for example) As in the story of Mary and Martha, He has called us to choose that better part. He called us to listen to him, and then to do whatever He says -- nothing less, and nothing more. After all, it is not our work -- it is His. He promised that He would build His church. Not us. All he has asked us to do is be completely available, and instead of working to "make things happen," simply put our effort into staying close enough to Him to hear His whisper...

Do you hear what the Father is saying today?

Every good gift

2008-05-27T09:53:00.000-07:00

Was hanging with my good buddy Isaac on Sunday night. We went to Jazz at Jack's to see Nelson Rangell (a world-class smooth jazz artist) free of charge, have a drink, and hang out. Had a great time!

One thing that Isaac and I ended up discussing that evening was that every good gift comes from God. As we listened intently to the sweet and soulful melodies coming from the instruments of some extremely gifted musicians, we were in awe of how awesome God is. That's right, sitting in a "secular" atmosphere taking in a "secular" concert, we experienced God! Reminded us of what James said in his letter to the churches:

"Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven's lights. Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows." (James 1:17, NLT version)

James was speaking of God's character, and using it to encourage his audience to live holy and right before him... but this statement about God's character reveals something important to us: Every good thing comes from above - from God. What is good? Well, that can be an interesting question in and of itself - yet there are at least a few things we know are good. God is good, and everything God created is good. He said it in Genesis 1!

Sitting there enjoying an amazing gift of God on display was incredible. It was nothing less than his creation on display - God created the lips and the lungs and the brain to work together in rhythm and unity to create unique and spontaneous joyful sounds of musical ingenuity. Nelson Rangell wasnt performing to God directly, I think he was playing about love, and life and passion. I dont know if he knows God. However, the gift of God was on full display nonetheless, and for that reason, we could sit and enjoy God's handywork in all its reflective glory.

This brought us to the fact that every good gift of man is from God. Watching a star athlete compete with vigor in his sport, or a visual artist creating something beautiful and unique from paint and an empty canvas, or a skillful surgeon cutting and repairing the human body. The same with a mathematician at his computations, an Olympic diver coming off the board in perfect form, or a skilled botanist caring for his plants. All are good things, because God created them and the ability to do them in us, the human race -- the amazing creshendo of all his creation.

In this way, what some call secular can be deeply Christian. The line between "secular" and "Christian" has been skewed for centuries by religious men. Yet God created every good thing, be it directly aimed to Him or indirectly. Thank God we have the freedom to enjoy it, and celebrate it!

Our responsibility then, as sincere followers of Jesus the Christ, is to tell others the good news of what he has done for us in making us right with God... so that in turn others can practice their gifting within the context of a restored relationship with God for themselves. But let us no longer seperate ourselves from the everyday activities of the world (which in most cases are laced with the gifts of Gods creation), but let us enter in to the worlds systems with the purpose of redeeming them (and the lost within them) back to God for His glory.

Thank God for every good thing in this life - for they all come from Him.

Pics from 2007 and earlier

2008-05-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

Angels in the dugout

2007-08-06T14:56:00.000-07:00

My wifey saw an angel the other day.

Hopefully she doesn't mind me telling this. She was at home the other day with our 2 boys, looked up and saw (in the Spirit) a man standing in the hallway. He was as tall as the ceiling, and very big. He was huge African man and had a very soft face. She asked him, "Are you my angel?"

He shook his head no. Then he looked down as if to motion towards the floor... The boys were playing downstairs.

"You're my son's angel?" ...He nodded yes.

Then he was gone. The whole encounter took about 15 or 20 seconds. Now the beautiful part is that just a little earlier that morning as Jessica was spending time with Jesus, she was feeling worried about the boys and all the evil influences in the world... she had prayed, "Lord, please put a forcefield around my boys to keep them safe and protected from evil everywhere that they go."

A couple hours later, the Lord was gracious enough to open her eyes into the spirit world to see the Lord's "forcefield" that He's placed around our boys -- his angels who minister to those who will inherit eternal life!

Isn't it good to know that God protects and keeps those who love him - and their children - even when we don't realize it? This is important to understand, because all that is not of faith is fear, and fear is sin. God has not called us to fear, especially when it comes to believing that he really is in control and really keeps us and our loved ones. We are not to fear. We are to trust Him.

A Worthy Steward?

2007-07-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

Ever get the feeling that you are just not fulfilling your destiny?

I've been feeling that way lately, and it's got me thinking. In the parable of the talents (so called), each servant was given a different amount, and each was required to produce a generous return on their Lord's investment in them. A powerful comment was made by the Lord when the lazy servant was approached, which stops me in my tracks...

He told the servant who had hidden his money out of fear and hadn't produced any return on the investment that he "Should've at least put his money in the bank where it would at least have earned interest."

I wonder if I'll ever leave the bank.

The bank is fine -- and it is better than nothing -- but it is not where the Lord wants us to remain; and personally, it's not where I want to remain! What if me gathering with small groups, ministering in the simple gifts God has given me, praying here and there for the saints, mentoring a few young ones, giving the first part of all my increase to the work of the Lord and to the needy, and just working and living the rest of the time is little more than putting HIS money in the bank to earn interest?

Maybe I'm not giving my current "ministry" enough credit here, but there's got to be more than this. Perhaps me truly reaching my potential is more than this. Maybe there's a special work that God has called me to do that I have not realized and moved into yet... Or maybe this discontenment is from the Lord because He is getting ready to do something amazing! Or perhaps something very trying... Perhaps something no one would have ever guessed.

All I know is that I have so much more to offer, and up to this point I have lacked the opportunity to show it...

Legalism: The Law

2007-07-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

Modern legalism is much like the difficult Old Testament law. Those of you who were brought up in a legalistic mindset will understand what I am saying...

I read the whole book of Galatians in the NLT today and it made sense like never before. Paul was writing to the Galatian church who were being persuaded by Judaizers to turn back to keeping the law of Moses. They were being told that faith in Christ was not enough -- that they also all needed to be circumcised. This outraged Paul, who had laid the foundation of their faith and freedom in Christ through many trials, sweat, and tears. Paul himself had many stripes and beatings from the Jews for preaching the freedom from the law that is found in Christ. Paul knew that those Judaizers only wanted to control the churches thenmselves (rather than letting Christ be in charge) and be praised by men for all the people they had following them.

How was the law of Moses like legalistic belief-systems today? Well, it was based on works. It didn't have the power to justify (save) the person resting on it. It was only good enough to show people how powerless they were to save themselves. It paved the way for the freedom and grace found under Christ...

Reading through Galatians was like reading my own mail. I feel like Jesus has freed me from my own personal "law" I grew up with. It was my teacher that pointed me to Christ!

Even though I am infinitely thankful for the organization and church I grew up in, I am well aware of the dangerous effects of its legalistic side. As a small boy I was constantly fearful of going to hell because I had not yet spoken in tongues. As a teenager I could not pray or fast or witness enough to feel "right" with God. As a young adult minister in my church I was expected to look, talk, and act a certain way or I was not even considered saved...

The infant Christian church centuries ago (initially comprised only of Jewish worshippers) had been rejected by their parents, wives, children, etc for their newfound freedom in Christ. They could not even buy or sell at the worst point of their persecution just before the fall of Jerusalem in the first century. They were constantly shunned by the ones they loved for refusing to follow the pointless traditions and customs they were brought up with.

That is how my wife and I, and some of the others that God was good enough to bring out of our previous organization, feel. It is so hard to move on when everyone and everything you ever knew is saying you are the devil... We are being shunned and looked down on now for rejecting our man-made standards of so-called holiness (having all to do with appearances) and it hurts... but we have no desire whatsoever to go back under that law -- now that we are experiencing freedom in Christ! Now of course, as Paul said, we do not use that freedom to please the flesh -- but rather to serve one another! My previous yoke was hard, but the yoke I now am bound to (Christ alone) is easy and light! It frees me to do the will of God from my heart and fulfill the great commission as I was always meant to...

I will close with the words of Paul:
Gal 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision (fleshly ordinances and outward appearances: the law) mean any thing -- nor uncircumcision; but only faith which works by love!

Instead of focusing on a list of standards regarding jewelry, makeup, pants, skirts, beards, uncut hair, etc, we now can focus on the issue that Jesus died for: faith that works by love!

I realize that what I just posted may offend a few of my readers, but I must tell the truth and please God from my heart. Again, your opinion may be different than mine, and if that is such regarding this subject, then I hope that you will pray for me. Either way, thanks for taking the time to listen to my voice.

Keeping the Scriptures in Latin

2007-06-27T10:30:00.000-07:00

I realized something recently. There are denominations and ministers still around today who refuse to move on to modern translations of the Bible. They stand on the King James or some other ancient translation as the only source for uncompromised truth. They preach that saints should only read older translations because the newer ones are tainted and twisted and inaccurate...

First of all, this just isn't true. All Bible translations come (in one way or another) from a running greek manuscript that is based on over 5000 ancient manuscripts and copies we have of the scriptures... And there is NO perfect English translation. They all -- including the King James -- have their minimal flaws and faults , as there is alot of debate on HOW to translate certain ancient language phrases into modern language, and such debate will continue as long as we have sincere Christians roaming the earth.

Also, different translations have different aims. Some are word-for-word literal translations (like Young's literal), some are thought-for-thought translations (like the message Bible), and some are in between the two (the rest).

Therefore, to say that the NIV or the KJV is the only translation that is truly inspired by the Holy Ghost is both ignorant and presumptuous.

I was brought up in such an atmosphere. We scoffed at the NIV as the "nearly inspired version" and avoided it at all costs... looking back I kind of laugh at this kind of denominational control tactic that I so easily bought into... and I am sorry for it... how many people over the years did I turn away from the basic doctrine of common sense by promoting my unwarranted denominational biases?

Anyway, I realized recently that telling people that the King James version is the only accurate one, is much like the Catholic priests of the middle ages keeping the scriptures in Latin, a language which no one but the elite educated classes understood. The uneducated masses (the majority of the population) could not read the Bible for themselves, so for centuries the people were in spiritual darkness and were deceived by the priests during the dark ages...

It may seem simple, but here's my point: the uneducated masses of our day can't understand the King James anymore! It's almost like latin to us now -- the vocabulary is almost 400 years old!

If you met a poor hungry soul on the street, and were witnessing to him of the love of God for him, and handed him a King James Bible, he would crack it open and say, "Huh?" He wouldn't understand half of what it was saying and it may cost him his soul... but hand that same guy an NLT, and he would be enthralled with your offer after opening it and would read and understand to the saving of his soul.

The devil wants to keep people from understanding the plain word of God.

We are helping his cause if we refuse to find and promote accurate, modern translations that the everyday joe can read and understand -- that they may be saved.

Caleb's Dream

2007-06-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

My elder son is 7 years old and had a dream the other night. In his dream he says he heard a voice telling him to look in his pillow case. When he woke up he reached into his pillow case and pulled out a 20 dollar bill! He says it was Jesus who told him that in his dream.

Now we did not put any 20$ bill in his pillowcase -- in fact, 20$ bills are quite precious commodities in our home and we never leave any more than a few dollars just laying around... and when the tooth fairy comes, it's nowhere near 20$...

He showed us the 20$ bill -- and it can't be anything other than a miracle.

He said that he was supposed to spend it on himself, so he did. He now has a thick stack of new pokemon cards (a portion of which he gave to his brother) that he can hardly hold in one hand.

I thought of at least 2 things that God could have been doing through this happening:

1. Showing Caleb how to hear his voice -- who knows the ways that God plants his seed in our lives as we grow up?

2. Reminding us that he can provide whenever he wants to and whenever he sees fit. He doesn't need our help to provide the things that we need... so we needn't worry... Ever.

I just want my boy to learn to be a generous and selfless giver, and to hear the voice of God for himself even at a young age...

Half-truths I grew up with

2007-06-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

Growing up in a traditional church environment, I see now looking back, that there are many half-truths I bought into. I have had to re-learn and un-learn many things since my wife and I decided to follow Christ's command to go everywhere and make disciples of all nations... Not necessarily because they were directly taught to me this way, but rather they are unspoken teachings endorsed by churches that are a by-product of the traditional church system so prevalent today...

1.The only valid form of church is in a special "church building."
Although the church I grew up in started on the Capitol steps of Denver in the early 70's with a bunch of radicals praying for hungry people on the street corners every night, the ultimate goal from the beginning was to get a group of faithful people into a church building all under one roof. Is it any wonder that after my church left the streets of downtown Denver and went into comfortable pews in a heated auditorium that people got comfortable and the soulwinning subsided? What is this thing about church buildings?

When did the church go from a grassroots movement with the hungry masses spreading the gospel of the kingdom from house to house and everywhere in public, to a formal institution shut out to the masses and supervised by only the spiritually elite? Church has become a business -- with a CEO, a board of directors, and a majority of disgruntled employees -- rather than a naturally growing family with spiritual parents overseeing the newer spiritual children, and Jesus calling the shots, and the Lord adding to the church daily...

This is an issue that the modern church needs to seriously reconsider.

2.Not everyone is called to win souls.
It may sound far-fetched, but this is the pattern and the mindset of many traditional churches. Even if they don't teach it, they believe that certain people have a gift for soul-winning, and that some don't. They teach soulwinning as an option rather than a divine command. You end up only doing what you are comfortable with rather than what works. You end up sitting in a church building waiting for God to "bring" souls to you, rather than "going" and making disciples everywhere!

We are all called to win souls -- some may bring forth 30 times, some 60 times, and some 100 times what they sow, but I believe that all are called to sow the word of God to the lost.

3.Revival comes by praying and waiting, praying and waiting...
Only one important thing missing: GO therefore, and be witnesses! The only reason I can think of for this doctrine coming about in the first place is that people are so uncomfortable with going out and being witnesses, that they have opted to sit back instead and make an excuse for their laziness. Pass out a few flyers, and hire a preacher, and sit back and wait for people to come... Many churches are not like this, but more often than not this is a rut that churches get into. Mine did.

4.Only a preacher can baptize people.
This is a new one for me. I never understood this, but in the early church, anyone who won a soul baptized them. Jesus said he did not come to baptize -- rather his disciples did it for him. Paul went out of his way to tell the church that he was not sent to baptize, but to preach the gospel. The common people who were spiritual mothers and fathers baptized their converts! Parents baptized their children, regular everyday saints baptized those who they had witnessed to, and those new converts also went and baptized others... Baptism was synonymous with making disciples! The "great commission" was to everyone, not just to the apostles!

This truth excites me, because it empowers everyday Christians to do what God has called them to do!

5.The church and the world is in a downward spiral and cannot be rescued... we are just along for the ride. The antichrist is already here and the church going down the tubes has already been foretold in Revelation.
Although different churches have varying viewpoints on this, I believe this is one of the biggest lies of the enemy to the church today. After all, what's the point in polishing the brass on a sinking ship?

These 5 things are not the condition of every church or every church organization, and of course there are differing doctrinal opinions on all these things, but everyone is entitled to their voice and this is mine. I just dream of being like the New Testament church in all its blood, sweat, and tears... and less like the institutionalized version I grew up in...

Perhaps you disagree, and that is okay. Thanks for listening.

Books that Have Changed My Life

2007-06-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

Just recently, two different books have been brought to me by the Lord to teach me some incredibly important and timely messages in my life and in my ministry. Sharing them with you is to me one of the most important things I can do on this blog, because they have done a huge part in rescuing me from my own version of Christianity... rather I want HIS version of Christianity.

If you get your hands on them somehow you will be soooooo blessed and touched and enlightened. Each contains a message that is pertinent for our generation and for our phase of Christianity right now in the US and the world. Each will take you deeper into Jesus, drive you to your knees, and enlighten you concerning his work in this world in the 21st century!

Organic Church - Neil Cole

I am avidly searching for the definition of church - Christ’s definition. And the church that raised me (and to whom I am most grateful) I do not believe is it at its essence. It has too much else added on. It’s “Jesus + ...” Neil Cole has, in my opinion, removed all the extra and found the essence, the DNA, of the church, at its simplest.

Anyone who shares a burning desire to fulfill the great commission should read this book!

I just bought half a dozen of these books, so if you would like to read a few chapters of this book to sample it before reading the whole thing, just let me know...

Revolution in World Missions - K.P. Yohannan

Dr. KP Yohannan will greatly encourage you with stories of what God is doing among the unreached of Asia. Many have said recently that other than the Bible, this book has had the greatest impact on their life of any book they'd ever read! I can already sense that time will show that this will be the same for me too... It's that powerful!

You can get the world missions book free by going to gfa.org (gospel for asia). You'll see a link and I think you just have to do a quick free sign up and then they send you the book free of charge, no strings attached. I did it and I will never be the same.

I also just bought a gaggle of these books to give to every sincere Christian I know...

Thanks for listening to my recommendations. I have read a lot of books on church growth, small groups, prayer, missions... but never any like these two. I guarantee that they will be worth the small investment of time that they take to read the first few chapters to sample! They are not specifically about dictrine, but rather the heart and purpose behind Christ's message. They are so awesome.

Kids

2007-06-08T13:48:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple pics from our visit over to our friends the Ramirez's place yesterday. Virginia gives us haircuts and we love hanging with this family...

Here's some of the kiddos hanging out.

Here's me and my godson Jayce.

I hope to post lots more pics in the future.

I have a friend in my current LTG who is about 46 years old. When he was a child his parents called him "stupid" and "dummie." This was his nickname by his father while growing up and he tells how he was almost invisible to his parents and that he would sometimes leave the house for days at a time and come back and they would never know he was gone. One time a couple of his childhood friends ran away with him and they lived in a treehouse for almost three days. When his friends parents found them he watched his friends getting spanked with switches and getting laid into by their parents for running away.

He remembers telling his friends how lucky they were for getting laid into by their parents.

Because he was told he was a loser all his life by his dad his self image was so bad that he never learned how to read and today still only reads a little. By the grace of God, though, he is learning to read his Bible and has a whole new self image. Thank God that in spite of his upbringing, he is now one of the best people and dads that I know.

The Bible tells us that children are the heritage of the Lord, and they are our reward in life.
Sometimes with the busy-ness of life we let our kids innermost needs slip through the cracks... If we do not sacrificially love our children -- spending time with them, teaching them the ways of the Lord, and truly being there for them as patient mentors as they grow, we will lose the greatest assett we have been given by God, and will be in danger of the judgment of God. Let us pray that God makes us better parents.

Thank God for our parents and thank God for our children.

Thank you's from my heart

2007-05-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

Just was impressed on my heart to write some thank you's to people who have invested in me and helped make me the person I am, and who also have encouraged me to be the kind of better person I want to each day be.

To my wife Jessica -- You are beautiful and you light up a whole room with your presence. Your laugh is contagious, and your smile is to die for. You have forgiven me for many things, and yet have taken the ultimate chance on me, and have loved me in spite of my faults. We've been through so much together... My best friend and strongest critic; I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I want to be a better husband and friend to you as the years go on. Let us conquer and persevere together through everything life and ministry throws at us.

My boys -- You have forgiven me for being mean from time to time, and have loved me in spite of it. You have helped me to live for something other than myself and have helped teach me patience. I look forward to many nights camping out and many days playing and talking together. Caleb - your smile and your laugh are so wonderful, and your love for God makes me want to be a better teacher. Collin - your smile and laugh are awesome as well and I am convinced that God has wonderful things planned for both of you.

My parents - Dad, for your friendship, and for all the camping trips and rounds of golf and guitar lessons -- you have modeled a faithful husband and father to me, taught me how to be responsible, how to manage my money, and how to spend yourself for the sake of those you love. Mom, for all the sleepless nights and wisdom you have imparted -- you have taught me how to pray faithfully, how to live and persevere through the hard times, and laugh and smile through it all. You are a pillar and have been probably the greatest human asset in my growing up.

My brother and sister - Nate, for Saturday morning cartoons and video games... I have always looked up to you and loved you, and I will never stop praying for you. Erin, you are gorgeous and very special and I will never stop praying for you. I hope to spend more time together in the future.

My grandparents - Grandpa Gordon: you believed in me and forgave me when few others did, and I appreciate the stand for God you have exampled and the trail you have blazed in the spirit. My late Grandpa Hyatt: You taught me how to be gentle, kind, selfless, and generous... I miss you. My grandmothers -- you are the sweetest ladies and should be commended for your selfless devotion to your families.

Dacia, for your spiritual partnership and friendship with us I cannot thank you enough. You are so special and giving, I know that God will give you his best in this life and the next. Don't keep searching and trying and going deeper. God wants to take you higher.

Chip Donahue, to be given time and respect and sincere friendship from a man of God like yourself is an honor. Thanks for breakin me in and showing me that you can still be a man when you're living for God.

Aaron Jackson, you are the sweetest and kindest friend. Don't change that.

Desi Starr, you are a good man all around, and I appreciate your sincerity and open friendship.

Gabe Ramirez, I am convinced that God brought you into my life at just the right time. For the many laughs and rich company and heartfelt prayers and sharing I thank you!

Best friends throughout my life -- I wish friendships always lasted for a lifetime, but unfortunately they are usually only for a season: Nathaniel Bishop (trips to seveneleven) , Jonathan Saiz (movies and lake powell), Andrew Vigil (spy stuff and sleepovers), Robert Przekwas (flip books and adventures), Dana Hemmes (spy tech and summer fun), Jerediah Montoya (childhood play and softball games) , Dave Burton (debates and wisdom and friendship), Michael Burton (late night Olive Garden and playing pool at the laundromat), Natalie Bass (hours on the phone), Jenny Holdaway (hours talking in the car), Eric Sahs (art and wrestling and conversations about God), Isaac Johnson (choir and church and lots of drama:) ), Gabriel Ramirez (softball and lots of laughs and prayers)... Ya'll have been in my life during different important times and trials, and I thank God for each one of you!

There's a Nancy G song that says this:

So here's to you
My few and faithful friends:
Drink from the cup of memory with me,
And when we look back
We will laugh or maybe we will weep;
For tasting life
Sometimes can be so bittersweet.

Here's to you.

Ready to give an answer? Not so sure...

2007-05-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

I was driving to grab some Wendy's today during my lunch break (don't worry, I don't make fast food a habit -- it is more like an enjoyable hobby :)) , and as I was getting ready to turn on some Audio A, my ears caught a bit of a sermon.

It was Josh McDowell, preaching I don't know where, on Focus on the Family's broadcast, and he was talking about an ongoing survey he has been performing for many years. He speaks at conferences all across the nation focusing on high school aged kids and youth leaders. At every conference he goes to, he picks the brightest, most on-fire and successful youth leader he can find and asks them three simple questions:

1. Do you believe that the Bible is true? (usual answer is yes)
2. Do you believe that the Bible is the word of God and you can believe whatever it says as absolute truth? (usual answer is yes)
3. Why? (usually dumbfounded silence, or a blatently wrong answer)

He said that he has given this survey to nearly 1500 students in all this time, and only 1 knew how to confidently answer the question. One young person, after seriously thinking about it, answered, "Because I believe it!" He thought that because he believed it, it was true for him. To him, if someone else believed something else, then that was okay for them. That's called moral relativism.

Another time, a youth leader answered, "Because I have faith." Again a serious problem. Just because you have faith to believe that the Bible is the word of God, doesn't make it anymore true. If a muslim has faith that the Koran is the word of God, does that make it true?

Josh Mcdowell told each of them, "Well, that's the difference between you and me -- you say the Bible is true because you believe it, and I believe the Bible BECAUSE it is true."

Now I don't know much about this Josh McDowell dude, but his story here made me think.

At that moment, I wasn't ready to confidently answer that question.

Are you?

A few reasons I came up with are as follows:

-The Bible is historically, scientifically, and chronologically accurate, and was written by over 40 men over a period of 1500 years...
-The Bible bears viable testimony of the reasons behind the corrupt condition of mankind
-Jesus of Nazareth, the greatest man who walked the earth, who healed all manner of sickness and disease, and raised the dead, and died for his faith, said so.
-Because it has proven itself to be true in my life...

- - -> Right or wrong, what's your reason?

The Days of Elijah?

2007-05-15T08:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I hesitate to write what I am thinking; but, if I promised the "essential Sean," then I must deliver without cover-up.

I am frustrated by the misuse and twisting of scriptures that has been handed to down to 95% of Christendom today, especially concerning eschatology (end-times doctrines). Now, for the most part, I do not believe that differences in eschatology should create divisions in the church, and for that one reason I have stayed largely quiet on this subject around the majority of my Christian friends. It is not a "salvation issue" and therefore for a long time I have saved it only for those mature Christians honestly and personally seeking truth on this subject within the pages of scripture - which so far has been only a few individuals...

Anyway, I apologize ahead of time for writing about this subject on this blog -- but I've got to get this off my chest:

Are we living in "the last days" as mentioned in the Bible? I grew up being taught that "yes," we are now, in the 21st century, living in the "last days."

However, after a simple open-minded re-examination of this question in the pages of the Bible over the last couple of years, my answer is a confident "no."

I recently saw on the business card of an incredibly sweet and powerful Christian brother the quote "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." -Mat. 24:14. It occurred to me that the carrier of this business card believed that when Jesus made this promise to his disciples nearly 2000 years ago, that he was referring to our generation, nearly two millenia in the future. This is what most of us have been taught from youth, but is it really how Jesus meant for his words to be understood? There are three brief Bible points that I will make straight from scripture, and then I will step down off my personal biblical soapbox for a while :)

1.Every time in the New Testemant, when referring to the "last days" it refers to the days of Jesus and his disciples:
1 Cor. 10:11 - Now these things …were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
Heb. 1:1-2 - God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us by His Son.
Heb. 9:26 - Now once at the end of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin.
James 5:1,3 - Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. …It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!
1 Pet. 1:20 - Christ …has appeared in these last times for the sake of you.
1 Jhn. 2:18 - Even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour.

2.The gospel of the Kingdom WAS ALREADY preached as a witness to all nations (the whole then-known Roman world) in the first century:
Rom 1:8 - First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Rom 16:25-26 - Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
Col 1:5-6 - For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world;
Col 1:23 - If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

3. Jesus did not foretell the end of the physical world as we know it, rather he foretold the end of the (Jewish) AGE:
Mat. 13:40 -Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
Mat. 13:49 -So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just...
Mat. 24:3 -Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"
Mat 24:34 - Verily I say to you, This generation will not have passed away until all these things shall have taken place.

In Conclusion, even the very presence of John the baptist proved to the Jews in the first century that the end of the age and the great day of the Lord was upon them - compare these two simple verses:
Mal. 4:1,6 - For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts... Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, before I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Mat. 11:7-14 - And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John... And if ye will receive it, this is Elijah, who was to come."

An extremely popular song was written by Robin Mark some years ago called "These are the Days of Elijah." It went around the world and has become a staple anthem over the last few decades in the Christian movement.

Are these REALLY the days of Elijah? Or was that nearly 2000 years ago?

Are we really that deceived?

Or maybe I'm just crazy... I guess that's more likely after all.

144 million dollars

2007-05-07T16:18:00.000-07:00

I had the most mind-blowing dream a couple months ago and I am exciting to finally tell you about it on this blog. I'm sorry this is so long, but I promise it will be worth the read:

I dreamed my wife and I were touring a great mansion. We were going to buy it, and we knew it was going to be ours. We started through the main doors and proceeded through each room. The furnishings were not as lavish as you might guess in a mansion, but the carpeting was fresh and the rooms were white, and the furniture new yet modest. The furnishings were like the house I grew up in. As we toured the place, room after room, there was a feeling of peace, and wonder, as if the place was not of earth.

And indeed it was not of earth. This was a heavenly place! Think what you want, but it is God's honest truth... this is what I saw and how it happened, just this last February, without exagerration.

Even now, a few months later, I still remember the highlights of the dream as if it were last night. It was incredibly real, and it was one of those dreams where the emotions I was experiencing of bliss and happiness were just as beautiful, poignant and lasting as the actual surroundings I took in.

There were many many rooms, all simply and homely, but they went on and on. At one point we entered a different room where the ceiling was at least 100 feet high and the room was as vast as a great ballroom. There were mirrors all along one wall, a wooden floor across the whole place, and in one corner of the ballroom an area with banquet tables. I remember my grandfather on my mother's side next to me (who I suddenly realized I was leading by the arm) and I was explaining to him how the vast the room was -- I was telling him it was similar in size to Landmark's sanctuary.

At this point, I awoke in the middle of the night, but was too tired to digest what had happened in the dream. I then fell back asleep and continued the same dream. It seemed to start again, but it continued past the previous point to where we were with my parents touring the house, as if they were going to buy it, and Jessica and I hoped they would like it as much as we did. More than once my dad mentioned that the house cost 144 million dollars. He said it matter of factly, not as if they couldn't afford it, or it was a huge amount, just a statement of fact: it was 144 million dollars.

We all got more and more excited as we finally made it to the back of the house. The kitchen area had a fountain, and plants growing inside, with windows outside all around the back of the house. It was so beautiful, and at this point, my sister and my brother and my sister in law were all there looking around, amazed and excited at the prospect of buying such a wonderful place for all of us.

I also remember seeing the master bedroom and the bed alone was about 40 feet across.

This is the part of the dream which effected me the most - as I walked outside (and it was my first glimpse outside - the majority of the dream had been inside the great mansion) the beauty that surrounded me was breathtaking. It was like a southern mansion estate. The backyard area was closed off by massive trees with moss and foliage so that I couldn't see beyond my own backyard. There was a fog or rather a mist that was creeping over the grass. Marble walkways coiled around the back of the house and tall columns stood watchful on the back of the house. As you can tell, I don't exactly remember every detail, but there was a light, a pink or purplish light filtering through the fog - and there was an awe and a wonder that filled every fiber of my being as I stood and took in the beauty all around me. My mother told me that they were definitely going to get this place for all of us, and although I couldn't really hear it, everything around me was singing and filling me with wholeness.

It was like a Steven Spielberg moment in a beautiful film scene, except it was more than just a visual view - the sensation of peace and joy seemed to fill me to overflowing.

At that time I awoke with my alarm going off and instead of waking tired and groggy, I was wide awake. I was in a daze as I arose to my morning routine before heading off to work and I could not stop thinking of the dream. As I was dressing myself for the day, a scripture I had not thought on for a long time was suddenly fed into my mind:

"But as it is written:
'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.'
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God."(1 Cor. 12:9-12, from Isaiah 64:4)

After pondering my dream all day I emailed my family members who had shown up in my dream and told them about it... but what kept hitting me was the 144 million dollar price on the home. So about a week after my dream I was sitting around and I did some research on the most expensive homes in the world. They range from 5m to over 100 million dollars.

And the most expensive one? The 103-room mansion (pictured below) - set on 58 acres in the wealthy London suburb of Surrey. It has five swimming pools and every possible trimming. The cost of the most expensive home on the market today? 122 million.

See the Forbes article here: http://www.forbes.com/realestate/2005/07/29/expensivehomes-world-realestate-cx_sc_0729home_ls.html

To me this was the most amazing part: God was showing me that not even the most expensive home on this earth today could compare with what God has prepared for those who love him.

So incredible that we couldn't even imagine it with our carnal minds.

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.' " (John 13:36, 14:1-4)

Open Mouth, Insert Foot

2007-05-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

I made a fool out of myself last Sunday...

Not the first time -- probably won't be the last :)

I have been reading through the book of Acts lately and it has touched me like never before. Reading about how the gospel and the church started and spread through the preaching of the word and the signs and wonders done by the hands of the Christians... There was a pattern: The church would preach, encounter unbelief and persecution, and then perform signs and wonders, and whole cities were changed one by one. The spreading of the gospel went hand in hand with the miracles. In fact, it seems that scripture infers that the "power" the early church was filled wih upon receiving the Holy Ghost was the power to heal and perform signs to accompany their witness.

I could go on and on about the book of Acts and take you scripture by scripture, but I'll spare you...

So Sunday I got a text message from a friend telling me he couldn't make it to church because he was feeling very sick and was having chest pains. In my zeal I texted him back that I would pray and that the Lord would take care of it and I further told him that he would be feeling better within the hour. I spoke the word of faith to him as such and then I prayed for him right then and there, with faith. I truly believed that God would heal him.

So we left it at that, our gathering for worship and sharing went very well, then then in the evening about 7pm I received a phone call from my friend. He was calling to ask a ride to the hospital because his chest pains were bothering him so much.

Slap in the face. Open mouth, insert foot.

I felt too foolish to even mention my word of faith to him earlier that morning. He was kind enough to do the same. I left my wife and boys to go pick him up and take him to the emergency room.

On my way to pick him up, as the sunlight outside began to wane, and traffic was scarce, I was praying and talking to the Lord. I was very confused and frustrated, and was pouring out my heart to God about it. Was I not right with God? Did I not pray enough? Is it even worth stepping out in faith if God is not going to show up? Was it just not God's will, and if not, why did I not recognize that? How do these healing things work? I continued to talk to the Lord while I waited for him in the waiting area...

After waiting a bit, and feeling worse as the minutes ticked on, I went out to my car and knelt and cried out to God for understanding. It was hard to pray, but I pressed through with the tiny bit of faith I had left. It didn't take long until my frustration gave way to peace and my lack of understanding turned into understanding.

There were two major reasons that God gave me for my blunder. The first, and lesser of the two was that "This kind cometh not out but by prayer and fasting." The second, and major reason, was that miracles, signs, and wonders were to accompany the witness of the saints as they reached people with the gospel. In other words, miracles are mainly for unbelievers. They have a purpose and they follow something specific.

Miracles are not to be paraded around by prideful and fat saints...even when us fat saints try it, it doesn't work -- as my situation clearly shows. They are to accompany the preaching of the gospel to the lost. In fact, nearly every miracle recorded at the hand of Christ and his disciples in the New Testament record were done on unbelievers or on brand new believers or in situations requiring a witness of the Holy Ghost to unbelievers. Other than that, they followed around certain people, like Jesus or Paul, like flies on a candystick.

The Lord showed me that when we are filled with the Holy Ghost, we are filled with power to do even greater miracles than Jesus did. However, that awesome power is only activated when we preach the gospel to the poor, meek, and lowly of this world. Then it will be said of us that the "Lord worked with" us, "confirming His Word with signs following."

I wanna go home

2007-04-25T17:19:00.000-07:00

Homesick.

That word just about says it all.

First of all, one reason I started this blog is as a certain alternative to keeping a private journal. I've never been good at that, probably because I'm the only one who ever read it -- maybe knowing that others are visiting this blog will help me do this more often than not.

Second, as an outlet for shedding my emotions and thoughts about life (as it doesn't come very natural for me to openly talk about them -- ask Jessica). In sharing my fears, doubts, and heck, even insights, I might better understand my own path...

Also as a natural side-effect, I sincerely hope that this blog will somehow minister something into the lives of you readers. Perhaps through my meanderings and prose you will find some direction and purpose for your own journey -- and if this happens, then it will be all worthwhile.

---------------------

I felt so homesick this afternoon. Here I am at work on a Friday, the calls are slow, many of my coworkers are not in today... and for the record my walk with God has felt so good lately... Suddenly I found myself quite displaced and homesick. A homesick that I havent felt for a while -- I am homesick for heaven. That sounds corny, I know, but it is true. I found tears streaming down my face at my desk and I couldn't figure out why. God has been so good to me lately, our house church is going to the next level spiritually, and Jess and I have been blessed so richly lately... all this somehow transformed into a thankfulness so deep, and a loneliness so pointed, that the Lord could have taken me to heaven right then and there. It was like one of those moments where life, marriage, kids, work, ministry... were all of a suddenly in focus within the greater scheme of things, and they seemed so small, temporal, and insignifigant.

It came into focus so clearly at that moment. One day when your spouse is gone, your kids have moved on, and your earthly work is done... we are left with all that we came into the world with: our own mind and heart, and a great big God who lovingly gives us the breath that we breathe. Nothing more.

I guess homesick isn't always a tragedy...

Peace - a Matter of Relationship

2007-04-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was at work and feeling lonely and so during my lunch break I went looking for something to bring my spirits up. As I thought of the different things I could do to not be so down, for example:

-Read the next chapter in my "The Apocalypse Code" book (by Hank Hanegraaf)
-Take a short nap in my car
-Eat some more (I had already eaten my lunch)
-Take a drive to a nearby store
-Light up a bowl (an occasional pipe tobacco smoke is a new interest of mine)
-Surf the web from my desk

...It came to me that although all of these things are fine and okay, the only thing that should be filling my emotional/spiritual void, is Jesus.

So as the rain washed down outside, I tramped out to my car and pressed into the throneroom.

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As I prayed, the reality of a deep spiritual truth became exhaustively clear in my heart and mind:

Man was made to subsist on his Creator!

I began to wonder how many times I (even as a genuine new creation in Christ) had turned on a movie, or started reading a novel, or had a late-night glass of wine or bowl, or whatever, in a subconscious response to the unidentified hunger in my heart for fellowship with my creator. Now granted, I am convinced that the aforementioned diversions are NOT displeasing to God by themselves, but rather are given by the creator to be enjoyed by his creation (Ps. 104:15, Ecc. 5:18, 9:7, Col. 2:16-23 -> good stuff!), still the foundation of our emotional and spiritual (and perhaps even physical) fulfillment was always meant to be grounded in HIM.

Most of us realize that sinners go after drugs and drunkenness and illicit sex and so on in attempt to fill that spiritual god-shaped void in their inner being, but do we ever think that saints could also follow that faulty reasoning on a smaller level if they are not careful?

The only other question that I asked myself was this - If these material and carnal natural blessings from our creator were meant to be enjoyed in the fear of God by His creation, how can I tell when I should run to the creator alone or when it is okay turn on that flick? I think the key is restlessness and doubt. When I am experiencing these things I should realize that it is my creator I should run to. The only proper time to enjoy the carnal things is when I already have the peace and soundness in my spirit from my Jesus.

This is much like a healthy marriage: in a great marriage, the committed husband or wife refuses to be pleased (emotionally as well as physically) by anyone other than their spouse. Even in times of hardship when their mate is not meeting these needs, they must refuse to let anyone else meet those needs (otherwise the door can open to extramarital affairs). On the same note, we as committed Christians should refuse to allow anything other than Jesus be allowed to provide for our basic emotional and spiritual needs. In so doing, we allow God the room to move in us when the time is right and to give us the perfect fix, rather than just a temporary fix of this carnal world...

Next time I am feeling restless, or perhaps even reckless, I will run to Jesus instead of to this carnal realms desires to give me the peace and joy I am longing for...

After all, why run to a substitue when you have the substance?