Thursday, April 29, 2010
Francis Chan - The new middle road - RightNow Conference
Watch this video dealing with the temptation to not be radical. This is well said.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Why do we like to be deceived?
You know, I have thought about not posting my thoughts here on what I 'm about to say partly because I was not present when said words were spoken and partly because I don't want to be the ass who always seems to be coming down on everything.
Oh well, let's give it a go, shall we?
I have received reports from students and faculty about a certain speaker who spoke at length about blessing with our words. It's true, the tongue has great power, the writer of the Proverb said. We can kill and heal with our words. If I speak lies about someone I can hurt their emotions and damage their reputation, and that is a powerful position to be in. If I encourage with truth and speak true things gently to a hurting person, I can bring life to them. Truth makes people free, Jesus said.
However, I become concerned when people begin to speak of blessing as having some power become I say things and want or desire them to come true. There are hundreds of worldview issues at stake here, but this is not the point of my rant. I'll hit that, perhaps, on my next post.
Why must it be taught that I have power? See, the point of the text is not to communicate that I am innately powerful. The power is not in me, but in the eternal words I speak. Jesus defined the very nature of "blessing" in the series of "blessed" statements he made about the status of people in his Kingdom (see the Beatitudes). The power is not in words or the speaker, but the eternal truths communicated through the fragile words carrying the eternal meaning.
I can tell a hurting person a hundred things that will make them feel better but they might not be true, so did I really help them? This person might perk up and go on and be happy, and it appears that I spoke powerful words that blessed. But, what happens when what I said is proven to be false? My words and I turn out to be pathetically weak.
Blessing is carried in the eternal God (Jesus and his Gospel work) and his fixed truths that are revealed in his Word spoken to and applied rightly to people.
We should bless people, but with eternal truths properly applied from the only source of eternal truth.
One example was given that a person can call to themselves things they have lost and they will magically reappear. Really? Where is that written? That one smells like the pit. That concept is often a misinterpretation of Matthew 16 along the lines of how Native American Religion played with the micro-macro principles that are often found in Voodoo. It interesting to note how false religions play on eternal truths but contorted and backward and false.
Jesus made clear that what happens here and is realized by us on this earth is a result of God's control of it in the heavenlies. It's not controlled by me and my words here and somehow let loose to come my way.
Would such "good luck" BS ever preach to the persecuted house church in Indonesia? I don't think so. Try telling some shell shocked pastor who has buried most of his church because of persecution and their faithful endurance to just call security down and claim his protection. He will preach Hebrews 10 to you and invite you to be saved.
Why don't these people ever write books or lead talks on how to die well? Why don't they ever talk about how to suffer with Christ and endure to the end while keeping the faith? The reason? That will not sell to materialistic consumers who want their magic charm and assurance that Jesus will secure them from any suffering.
2 John has some harsh words for people who depart from the Gospel and wander off from the teaching of Christ and his Gospel work. Anyone want to go and quote it in the comments section?
If the message will not preach or apply to the persecuted as well as the comfortable, it's not truth.
I'm glad I was not at the event. I stayed away on purpose. If I were there, I probably would not have handled it as classy as some. I might have made myself out to be the table turner overer.
I'm sure to post more critique of this event soon. Just know that many deceivers have gone out into the world (2 John 7).
Watch yourselves. Know the text of Scripture. Test the spirits to see whether they are from God. If it's not written and properly handled, run from it!
Oh well, let's give it a go, shall we?
I have received reports from students and faculty about a certain speaker who spoke at length about blessing with our words. It's true, the tongue has great power, the writer of the Proverb said. We can kill and heal with our words. If I speak lies about someone I can hurt their emotions and damage their reputation, and that is a powerful position to be in. If I encourage with truth and speak true things gently to a hurting person, I can bring life to them. Truth makes people free, Jesus said.
However, I become concerned when people begin to speak of blessing as having some power become I say things and want or desire them to come true. There are hundreds of worldview issues at stake here, but this is not the point of my rant. I'll hit that, perhaps, on my next post.
Why must it be taught that I have power? See, the point of the text is not to communicate that I am innately powerful. The power is not in me, but in the eternal words I speak. Jesus defined the very nature of "blessing" in the series of "blessed" statements he made about the status of people in his Kingdom (see the Beatitudes). The power is not in words or the speaker, but the eternal truths communicated through the fragile words carrying the eternal meaning.
I can tell a hurting person a hundred things that will make them feel better but they might not be true, so did I really help them? This person might perk up and go on and be happy, and it appears that I spoke powerful words that blessed. But, what happens when what I said is proven to be false? My words and I turn out to be pathetically weak.
Blessing is carried in the eternal God (Jesus and his Gospel work) and his fixed truths that are revealed in his Word spoken to and applied rightly to people.
We should bless people, but with eternal truths properly applied from the only source of eternal truth.
One example was given that a person can call to themselves things they have lost and they will magically reappear. Really? Where is that written? That one smells like the pit. That concept is often a misinterpretation of Matthew 16 along the lines of how Native American Religion played with the micro-macro principles that are often found in Voodoo. It interesting to note how false religions play on eternal truths but contorted and backward and false.
Jesus made clear that what happens here and is realized by us on this earth is a result of God's control of it in the heavenlies. It's not controlled by me and my words here and somehow let loose to come my way.
Would such "good luck" BS ever preach to the persecuted house church in Indonesia? I don't think so. Try telling some shell shocked pastor who has buried most of his church because of persecution and their faithful endurance to just call security down and claim his protection. He will preach Hebrews 10 to you and invite you to be saved.
Why don't these people ever write books or lead talks on how to die well? Why don't they ever talk about how to suffer with Christ and endure to the end while keeping the faith? The reason? That will not sell to materialistic consumers who want their magic charm and assurance that Jesus will secure them from any suffering.
2 John has some harsh words for people who depart from the Gospel and wander off from the teaching of Christ and his Gospel work. Anyone want to go and quote it in the comments section?
If the message will not preach or apply to the persecuted as well as the comfortable, it's not truth.
I'm glad I was not at the event. I stayed away on purpose. If I were there, I probably would not have handled it as classy as some. I might have made myself out to be the table turner overer.
I'm sure to post more critique of this event soon. Just know that many deceivers have gone out into the world (2 John 7).
Watch yourselves. Know the text of Scripture. Test the spirits to see whether they are from God. If it's not written and properly handled, run from it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
