Georgia Planter

Francis Chan - The new middle road - RightNow Conference

2010-04-29T16:53:00.001-04:00

Watch this video dealing with the temptation to not be radical. This is well said.

Why do we like to be deceived?

2010-04-26T15:34:00.000-04:00

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!

What is it to be blessed?

2010-03-27T08:57:00.000-04:00

In Joel a most devastating locust plague has been levied on Judah for her sin, and it has been at the hands of Father that the locusts have devoured everything in a sharp rebuke moved out of love for his people and a passion for his reputation. There is a call issued for a solemn assembly to publicly repent of idolatry and injustice and on and on. The people and even the animals are languishing for food, and it is in this context that Joel 2:14 comes. Through chapters 2 and 3 there is the promise of three future days (Pentacost, the Day of the LORD, and the Day of the Messiah).

If read over without thought Joel 2:14 just gets passed and the implications missed.

Read it and see if it lands on you:
"Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?"

Do you see it?

See, when I say "I am so blessed." What I mean is that I have such an abundance or that I have such pleasant things.

The word blessing is barakah, and here is it's definition:
"Bless, Blessing. Pronouncement of the favor of God upon an assembled congregation." The word is also in places translated "pools" "liberal" "present".

So, I do use the word correctly. I noticed my problem is not a misuse of the word. It is an outright abuse of the point of blessing.

Notice how the word is used. The blessing (grace in provision from the LORD in a time in which there is not enough) was considered a blessing NOT because they could then eat, but because they could then offer a sacrifice!

Wow! It is considered blessing if one could offer a sacrifice and go hungry because the created end had been achieved.

The difference is what one views as the ultimate goal in all things. What is their reason for existence? In Joel 2:14 the text presupposes that one's chief end is to make much of God and honor him as their created purpose and that is fulfilling even if one does not eat. After all, they were to bring all their first fruit to the LORD. If they had something to sacrifice, they were living! They were alive! They had met their life's aim!

I presuppose that if I'm abundantly supplied and all things are pleasant I'm blessed, oh, and I do give a little too. Not too much because my comfort level would be threatened, but I give some.

I'm blessed if it's all good first and I throw God a bone at the end of the day. I assume my created end is to be taken care of then worship when I'm happy in my abundance. The text considers me blessed if I'm giving first and foremost back to God as worship because that is my created end regardless of what I have or don't have because my created end is to make much of God not make much of me.

I'm most definitely blessed. I'm given much, a generous abundance. What am I doing with it? How do I view Father's provision? Do I view it as goods to be given back to the source, Father, as worship? Do I view it as stuff to be consumed on my perceptions of comfort?

I believe it's the latter and want it to be the former, so there is repentance needed.

A Response to Dr. McKenzie's Argument Made at Berry College

2010-03-07T07:23:00.000-05:00

What is the problem?

There are those who want to broaden the scope of salvation through means other than Jesus and they are within the church. They presuppose some wrong things about the Scriptures, and therefore, they appeal to sources outside of the Scriptures to make propositional claims that fly straight in the face of the propositional claims of the Bible.

There is an obvious problem. There is an appeal to a time in history as a reference point for determining ultimate truth because that time in history was a revelation of God that brought about respect for other religions.

In the context of this communication respect equals acceptance as equally valid. Keep reading.

The hint is given in the notion that it is above the moral mandate to “tolerate” other of another religious background (in the proper sense of tolerate), to humble oneself and accept that God has revealed himself, obviously in a salvific manner, beyond Jesus.

In other words, people can get to God through other means than Jesus.

The reason that I say the problem is wrong presuppositions about Scripture is that the Scriptures, called the Bible, will just not allow any person who believes them to be accurate revelation from God to make such assertions.

Lets look at some possible belief systems regarding the Scriptures that feed ideas like the one we just looked at.

Neo-evangelical

Neo-evangelicals hold that inspiration is limited to redemptive truths and does not guarantee the correctness of all scientific and historical statements. The neo-evangelicals feel comfortable with the term infallibility, but most evangelicals insist on the word inerrancy as well.^[1]

Liberal-evangelical

C.S. Lewis believed in a fallible Bible that manifests varying degrees of inspiration. He saw a process of development whereby myth becomes history. God providentially guided the natural and errant literary productions of the past. Then, at the appropriate moment, God adopted that natural myth and elevated it into the service of the Word of God. He now speaks through it to the edification of believers.^[2]

Neo-orthodox

Neo-orthodox holds that the Bible becomes God’s Word.^[3]

The Bible is simply a witness to Christ. Christ is God’s revelation; the Bible is only a fallible human record of that revelation. ^[4]

Liberal

One of the most popular of the old liberals was the famous preacher of the Riverside Church in New York, Harry Emerson Fosdick. He is forthright in declaring that “the liberal emphasis rests upon experience; we regard that, rather than mental formulas, as the permanent continuum of the Gospel.” The Bible is not an absolute guide, for “any idea of inspiration which implies equal value in the teachings of Scripture, or inerrancy in its statements, or conclusive infallibility in its ideas, is irreconcilable with such facts as this book presents.” What makes it necessary to reject the Bible? “The vast enlargement of the physical cosmos, the evolutionary origin of man, materialistic theories which endeavor to explain him, brutality of social life involving low conceptions of him, the innumerable masses of men such that old cynicisms gain new force … tend in many minds to undo what the Hebrew-Christian development did.” However, “we are saved by it [biblical criticism] from the old and impossible attempt to harmonize the Bible with itself, to make it speak with unanimous voice, to resolve its conflicts and contradictions into a strained and artificial unity.”

Fosdick acknowledges the source of the modern liberal rejection of the Bible. “Get back to the nub of their difficulty and you find it in Biblical categories which they no longer believe—miracles, demons, fiat creation, apocalyptic hopes, eternal hell, or ethical conscience.” This should be no surprise to us. For “it is impossible that a Book written two to three thousand years ago should be used in the twentieth century A.D. without having some of its forms of thought and speech translated into modern categories.”^[5]

The problem stated:

The problem seems to be that there is a view of the Bible that comes up short of being the full and final source of truth for salvation.

Why are the scriptures questioned or not valued as authority?

1. The primary reason is that the text is clear and leaves no room for one’s opinion to be shaped by any other influence. The text clearly exalts Jesus as the only God, the God of the Old Testament, who made clear he was teaching himself as the only way to know God, the Father, himself as God. This gave way to the church having to wrestle it’s way through the development of the doctrine of the tri-unity of God.

2. A secondary reason is that the world-view of many is that there is no super-natural, therefore, all things written are historical in nature only and all super-natural things are “myth” created to validate the claims of the writers, who are mainly second century writers who are writing to validate the claims of the church and therefore putting words in people’s mouths they did not actually say. This is the position of “Jesus seminar” “Scholars”.

3. Lastly, many just don’t want to believe because their god is themselves and mankind in general.

What is the solution?

Have the view of Scripture that it has of itself

Orthodox / Evangelical

The modern evangelical position on Scripture is heir of the traditional, orthodox position of historic Christianity from biblical times to the present. Mainline evangelicals from all major denominations and smaller groups accept the verbal inspiration of Scripture, as well as its divine authority and consequent inerrancy. ^[6]

Verbal, Plenary, Inspiration (inerrancy)

Verbal (the very words of the Bible)

- This does not deny the fact that God used men in their settings in life, with

their distinct personalities to speak.

Plenary (every part of the Bible)

- All of the Bible is inspired, not just the parts we like

Inspiration (are divinely inspired revelation)

- That is they are from God and are true without any error. That is they

do not affirm anything contrary to truth.

Scripture claims to be God-breathed or inspired

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16–17).

Peter says, “the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look” (1 Pet. 1:10–12).

Peter also says “no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:20–21).

“Jesus summarized the Old Testament Scripture as existing in three parts: the Law, Prophets, and Psalms (Luke 24:44). He accepted the Old Testament canon as it exists today without any modifications and came to fulfill it (Matt. 5:17). As a rabbi, or preacher and teacher of Scripture, Jesus’ entire ministry involved the instruction and application of the Old Testament. Jesus’ public ministry even began with him reading from the Old Testament book of Isaiah and stating that his ministry was to fulfill the Old Testament promises about his coming (Luke 4:16–21). Jesus clearly stated that his ministry was an Old Testament ministry; it was to fulfill all of the Old Testament promises and longings that pointed to him.”[7]

“Christians believe that Scripture is our highest authority, or metaphorical Supreme Court, by which all other lesser authorities are tested. Practically, this means that lesser courts of reason, tradition, and culture are under the highest court of truth, which is divinely inspired Scripture. During the Protestant Reformation, the slogan sola scriptura (and sometimes prima scriptura) became popular to summarize this conviction; it means Scripture alone is our highest authority. ”[8]

Speaking of the New Testament writings of Paul, Peter actually calls his writing “Scripture”.

2 Peter 3:15, 16

And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, ¹⁶ as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.^[9]

The solution stated

The Bible claims to be the very word of God, given by God to man so that man can know the way of salvation.

The Scriptures warn us of errors regarding the proclamation of Jesus

2 Timothy 4:1-5

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. ³ For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴ and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. ⁵ As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” ^[10]

What do the Scriptures teach about Jesus regarding salvation?

John 14:6

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”^[11]

Acts 4:12

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” ^[12]

2 John 7-11

“For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.^[13] Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. ⁹ Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, ¹¹ for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.”^[14]

1 John 4:1-6

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. ⁴ Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. ⁵ They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”^[15]

1 John 4:14-15

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”^[16]

1 John 5:1

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.”^[17]

How does the Bible speak to the one who denies Jesus as the sole way to God?

1 John 2:18-27

Other Resources

For Further Reading on Bible Translations

“Pastoral Reflections on Bible Translations” by Mark Driscoll
The Indestructible Book by W. Kenneth Connolly  
The Word of God in English by Leland Ryken  
Choosing a Bible by Leland Ryken  
The Bible in Translation by Bruce M. Metzger  
How We Got the Bible by John H. Sailhamer  
A General Introduction to the Bible by Norman L. Geisler and William E. Nix

For Further Reading on How to Study Scripture

Reading the Bible With Heart and Mind by Tremper Longman III
Getting the Message by Daniel M. Doriani  
On the Old Testament by Mark Driscoll
On the New Testament by Mark Driscoll

For Further Reading on Apparent Bible Contradictions

When Critics Ask by Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe

For Further Reading on Miscellaneous Bible Issues

The Origin of the Bible, edited by Philip Comfort, is a good introduction to the authority and perfection of Scripture from a team of theologians.
Christ and the Bible, by John Wenham, is a very helpful survey of how Jesus Christ viewed the Old Testament.
The Canon of Scripture, by F. F. Bruce, is a thorough book on how the sixty-six books of the Protestant canon came to be.
The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?, by F. F. Bruce, is a good survey of the accuracy and credibility of the New Testament.
The Indestructible Book, by W. Kenneth Connolly, is a fascinating historical look at how the Scriptures have been both opposed and adored over the ages.

^[1] Geisler, N. L., & Nix, W. E. (1996). A general introduction to the Bible (Rev. and expanded.) (178). Chicago: Moody Press.

^[2] Geisler, N. L., & Nix, W. E. (1996). A general introduction to the Bible (Rev. and expanded.) (177). Chicago: Moody Press.

^[3] Geisler, N. L., & Nix, W. E. (1996). A general introduction to the Bible (Rev. and expanded.) (171). Chicago: Moody Press.

^[4] Geisler, N. L., & Nix, W. E. (1996). A general introduction to the Bible (Rev. and expanded.) (172). Chicago: Moody Press.

^[5] Geisler, N. L., & Nix, W. E. (1996). A general introduction to the Bible (Rev. and expanded.) (166–167). Chicago: Moody Press.

^[6] Geisler, N. L., & Nix, W. E. (1996). A general introduction to the Bible (Rev. and expanded.) (180–181). Chicago: Moody Press.

[7] Mark Driscoll, Revelation, http://blog.marshillchurch.org//2008/04/07/revelation/

[8] Mark Driscoll, Revelation, http://blog.marshillchurch.org//2008/04/07/revelation/

^[9] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (2 Pe 3:15–16). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[10] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (2 Ti 4:1–52). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[11] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Jn 14:6). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[12] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Ac 4:12). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[13] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (2 Jn 7). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[14] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (2 Jn 8–11). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[15] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (1 Jn 4:1–6). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[16] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (1 Jn 4:14–15). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^[17] The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (1 Jn 5:1). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Luke 22 and being uncomfortable

2010-03-03T06:25:00.002-05:00

I was reading Luke 22 this morning, and it is about Jesus’ betrayal and trial before the high priest. I’m fairly desensitized to violence as a former perpetrator of it through fighting and as an avid fan of watching it in MMA and the very good man movies I enjoy on WWII and good crushing evil type stuff. So the feeling I get from reading this text, always, takes me off guard. It is uncomfortable. It is hard to read. This time, as I’m reading, the thought occurs to me that the uncomfortable feeling is because of my sin. It’s my punishment he is taking yet he takes it for me. Isaiah is right; he was wounded for my transgressions. The chastisement that brought me peace was upon him and by his stripes I am healed. I, like a sheep, have gone astray; I have gone my own way, and God has laid on him my iniquity.

All I have to bring to the table is, “thank you”, you are worthy to receiver honor, glory and great praise.

Help me to be holy as you are holy. I can’t earn that. My righteousness is dirty rags. My prayer of confession and repentance is that when I fail, that he applies to me his never-ending righteousness and continue to take my sin, for in him do I trust. Glory to God for his acceptance in the Son revealed and proclaimed by the Spirit.

SDG

Father is good and gracious and I have to tell of his grace!

2010-02-24T20:28:00.000-05:00

Dude, here is the deal. All, and I mean ALL that happens in, on and around me can only be attributed to one source. FATHER! Period.

Jesus' goodness never ceases to amaze me and make me stand in awe.

As the Executive Director of Youth for Christ, Rome Area, I am coming to my last Camp Discover. I become the Spiritual Life Director at Unity Christian School July 1, and will no longer be the XD for YFC, Rome Area. I'll still serve on the board helping raise funds, but my job as the XD is over, but I hope my days of seeing this kind of grace only increases.

My friend, Al Martiniello, and I met with a friend of mine to ask them to help fund Camp Discover this year. I was going to ask for a very large sum of money. So, we eat lunch and I make the ask. The response? "It's already done." I looked at Al with a puzzled look, then at my friend with the same puzzled look. He tells us that he met with his financial advisor on Monday (day before our lunch) to position the funds to be given in the amount I was asking for. He said he had been thinking about it and waited for 2010 so that it could be counted on his 2010 tax return.

What I felt compelled to ask for, Father had already prepared. All I did was hold out my hand and watch Father drop his known and prepared provision into my incapable and ill-deserving arms.

He did everything. I did nothing but respond to his invitation to have my faith made stronger.

All praise to Father!

He is the God who sees! Genesis 22:9-14

Leviticus 10 and the job of the Pastor/Teacher

2010-02-23T06:20:00.000-05:00

First, I do want to note that the parallel between pastor and priest is, perhaps, not that parallel, but nonetheless, there is something important here to note.

As I meet pastors and get acquainted with ministries, I note something that bothers me. Also note that I'm opinionated and getting more so yearly.

I just hope my opinions are formed by Scripture. I'm seeking to make sure that is the case.

However, the job in Leviticus 10, among others, was for the priest to "distinguish" between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean..." and "to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the LORD has spoken to them by Moses."

Now I do believe inherent in this is NOT just lists of clean and unclean. The LORD says in Psalm 50 that right sacrifices are thanksgiving and that he does not need goats and bulls.

Somehow I don't think the heart of the job was teaching the list, but teaching the character of God that makes a distinction between who is holy and who is not. The point was God, not that people performed properly.

2 Chronicles 30 is an example of how the people were not clean, Hezekiah prayed for them, and the LORD healed the people although not clean by the law's standard. The point is that God is holy, they are not, and HE is the one who makes them clean, not their list keeping.

Why then so many pastor/teachers focus on pragmatism? Why do we teach "how to" without first teaching "who"?

Will "how to" make more sense if we know "who" and "why"? I think so.

I believe we create list keeping people who do not know God if we give them solutions to their problems without giving them the solution to their evil hearts, namely, Jesus. To help solve their problems without giving them the ultimate solution, the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus, is like putting a band aid on a broken leg. It does not ultimately help.

Jesus messes up everything (this is good)

2010-02-19T06:27:00.000-05:00

The more dialogue that is had with folks over the issue of whether or not Muslims and Christians are praying to / worshiping the same God, the more I realized that Jesus messes up people's belief structure that want to integrate these two very contradictory truth claims.

Frankly, it makes my blood boil. My friend and compadre, Brad Hankins, is in a class in which this is the current discussion, and he with perhaps one or two others, hold the line of what the biblical text actually says.

I have been in discussions and forums about this issue and no one wants to talk about what Jesus says. Why? Because he messes everything up. He got murdered for (many other sovereign and salvific purposes as well) some of the things he said, like "before Abraham was, I AM". That one kind of stirred the pot a bit.

There are presuppositions in play here. One is that, although it would be denied, the Scriptures are not the foundation of authority, experience, emotion and opinion are the foundations of authority, and any quotation of Scripture is an angry and harsh response. Remember, Jesus got murdered for saying this stuff and told us they would hate us too.

That does not mean we have to be jerks. We should and must be gentle and winsome, but we dare not avoid the text of Scripture. It will offend and I am learning this more and more.

1 John 5:6-12 is enough without even quoting Jesus! Bring Jesus in and these folks arguments and emotions are blown up!

I'll close with this from 2 Timothy 4:1-5
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

SDG

I hate Valentines Day

2010-02-14T18:02:00.002-05:00

Dude, the fact of the matter is that Valentine's Day as it stands is awful. After many years of wallowing around in my thoughts I propose a revolution to take the day back.
1. Saint Valentine was probably not a wuss, so let's go manly with the revolution.
2. Pink? What the heck? Can we get any more sugar in the tank? Really! Let's go with camo.
3. I hated giving Valentines cards to chicks as a kid that I feared would read too much into the goofy card and believe I was really asking them to be MY Valentine. How embarrassing. I propose we burn valentines cards for fuel for point number 5.
4. Chocolate... well, that's not so bad. We can keep the chocolate.
5. How about adding "feats of strength" events all day long. One such even could be with a bow and arrow, in order to redeem the combination from the sweet cupid, in which we shoot a moving target, preferrably something edible, and upon slaughter, field dressing the beast and cooking it on the spot on Larry's grill.
6. Beer. Enough said. If this one offends your conscience, then I meant root beer, seriously. Just have some fun with me and don't be a pink valentine.

That is enough from me for now. How about you post some of your thought on revolting against the current Valentine's debacle. Post them as comments. Come on people, let's get it done!

2010-02-13T07:42:00.003-05:00

threeriverscc.org/c_sermons.php?c_id=48

The Sabbath is such a pointer to the person and work of Christ that it's hard to see how it is missed. I have spoken on this issue in greater detail. The link above is a link to that talk, but I read Exodus 31:12-18 this morning as part of my Old Testament reading for the day and a single line spoken from the LORD stood out that really did the job of my entire talk. Speaking of keeping the Sabbath the LORD says, "...that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you." WOW!

See, on the Sabbath they did no work as the LORD did no work after the sixth day of creation. The LORD did not need to catch his breath after creation. If he did, we are in some trouble. Did the Sabbath provide a physical rest for the people? Sure. Was that the point? NO!

The writer of Hebrews makes that clear, but so does this text. The point was that they see it is the LORD who cleans them up without any of their assistance!

God does not ask us to be effective at cleaning ourselves up. We seek to be righteous because we love Jesus, but he makes us righteous because he, as God, is the only one who can do that.

So, when you enjoy the Sabbath, remember, it is the LORD, Jesus, who makes you and I acceptable to God, not our actions, attitudes, behaviors, resting....

Praise be to God!

CH Spurgeon, Nehemiah 4:15-23 and The Sword and the Trowel

2010-02-12T13:43:00.001-05:00

I love Charles Haddon Spurgeon. He is an apt hero for us Calvinist Baptists. I was digging today, this glorious gift of God's grace to me in a snow day in the south, while preparing for Sunday's talk on Nehemiah 4:15-23 and found a site that has some old articles from Spurgeon's magazine called "The Sword and the Trowel". I discovered that he took the title from the passage I'm preaching from Sunday, Nehemiah 4:15-23. It's the perfect title for a magazine that did the work his did. Here is a link to the site I found. Take a look at the cover art work on the left hand side of the page. Download the image and look at it closely. It is a great depiction of the work on the wall require "sword" and "trowel".

www.spurgeon.org/sw&tr.htm

Click this link and enjoy!

On the eve of something really cool

2010-01-30T15:54:00.003-05:00

You know, tomorrow could either be a huge success for a huge failure, at least in these eyes. Father never fails, I know that. Just being honest with my thoughts.

When I first learned of the need for Christian parents to do James 1:27 for real I was confronted with a personal responsibility to do something. Enter my 4 year old son Daniel.

When I saw him for the first time he was sick, in shoes too small and with a lady he did not know and biological mother he did not know. Jennifer, being the always prepared one, asked the mother some questions and she answered. The mother did not even hold Daniel (that is his new name). He sat in the lap of the other lady who drove the mother to where we were. He was with no one he knew. Nothing familiar, sick and in clothes that did not fit.

He slid down off of the lady's lap when it was time to part ways and toddled over to me and put those arms up for me to pick him up. He had my heart. I still can't recall that moment without tears. Partly because he became my son at that moment and partly because I can't fathom walking away from my kid like the biological mother did.

That was just part of the journey that led to January 31, 2010. We will meet together with 5 other partner churches and a mix of people from other churches in the launch of Project 127 Rome. This is a licensed foster placement and adoption agency that is focused on mobilizing the church to be THE answer to the foster care problems in NW Georgia. At 6 PM tomorrow night we go. This is a chance for the church to become relevant to the culture, actually indispensable.

I'm not nervous, just fully of anticipation of what Father is going to do with such unity among brothers and desire to do the work.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Nehemiah is kicking my butt

2010-01-24T07:37:00.002-05:00

You know what? Nehemiah is a journal of a man who took his passion for and knowledge of God and put it to work in a life long pursuit.

I hope that is what I have set my hands to.

Nehemiah records some of his internal musings, but he mostly records his work and what he said externally.

I, by no means, dwell fully in the world of internal musings and theory. I have my hands on too many things actually doing them as a result of what I say I believe. Too many. I actually must pare down some.

However, I often wrestle in communicating with my mouth the practice of what I am trying to do with my life to other people so that they can do the same things.

No doubt that doctrinal soundness and strong doctrinal moorings must be taught and adhered to, but they must be lived out. Nehemiah does this and he writes and tells you how he did it.

Communicating that how piece is my most difficult task.

My personality lends itself to self-starting and self-managing activity. I have no problem taking what I believe and going to do it from scratch and figuring out the best way along the way. Therefore, I default to wondering why all people just can't figure it out.

So, it's a challenge to get into the world of helping other people put the "how" to the "who and what". Nehemiah did that well, and it's kicking my butt.

Father is teaching me and I want to learn.

Help me Father speak the "how" better without forgetting the "who", "what" and "why".

A prayer for blessing that God will answer!

2009-10-06T05:57:00.002-04:00

Psalm 67:1-2 says, "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, THAT your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations."

Here is the deal. I'm headed to Georgetown University for a series of meetings with Key leaders globally about the upcoming issues globally between competing truth claims. I'm being very vague on purpose in case you are wondering for very important reasons, and if you are a TRCC regular you know why. Anyway, I digress...

There is really only one way to be a church doing it's biblical mandate and that is by engaging the globe personally by taking the Gospel to the unreached people groups of the world so that people can be saved and a self-sustaining and multiplying church made up of that people group and looking like that people group in cultural distinction but having the distinct characteristics of Jesus' kingdom imprinted on their new lives as a redeemed people of God now taking that message to the unreached peoples of the globe themselves.

A church doing local ministry only and throwing a small percentage of it's budget to a missions agency is not doing it's job. Then they have the audacity to ask God to bless them (however that gets interpreted).

This Psalm is basing it's request for blessing upon the already understood and mandated Abrahamic Covenant that they would be blessed (with the knowledge of God) to bless the nations (Genesis 12:1-3 "families" is the Hebrew of the word nations that means something along the lines of distinct ethno-linguistic peoples) with the knowledge of this God, who is Jesus.

In other words blessing does not exist for the sole purpose of growing a local church ministry. Blessing is that the church would then, by it's very nature and mission take that blessing to the nations that have not heard! The Great Commission is the restating of the Abrahamic Covenant! Jesus knew this. He did not make up a new thing. He was re-instituting (if I may use those words) what he already spoke to Abraham back in Genesis (Remember Jesus said he was YHWH in John 8).

So, don't ask for blessing unless you intend to fulfill your mission as followers of Jesus Christ to make disciples of the nations in blessing them with the blessing you have received from the Lord i.e. knowledge of the Gospel and resources to bring it to them.

Don't be satisfied with a ministry to local communities. That is not the end game. Our hearts were made to go global, and they have been shrunk and withered by a local only mentality.

I grow tired of having supposed pastors ask why we do what we do among the nations. I grow tired of pastors volunteering their words of defense that not everyone (i.e. pastors and churches) are called to do what we do. What bible are they reading? What part of it does not apply to them?

If one does not want to complete the Great Commission, then don't come after Jesus! Jesus said not to begin a work one is not willing to count the cost and assess if they are willing to finish the work. Don't come after Jesus in repentance unless you are willing to die among the nations for Jesus' fame having spent all of your resources to make it happen. That IS our mission.

If you pray for blessing to do that, you are guaranteed to get it because Jesus said if we ask for things in his name (things that represent his mission and reputation) he was pleased to do it! When we ask for blessing to be showered on us that we might turn and shower it on the UPG's of the planet, then we will get all we need to do the task! If we just want more crap, then we might get it, but know that what you get and attain and sit on is not from God, but a work of your hands and the desire of your heart and thus your object of worship.

Oh that we would be prayer warriors asking for blessing to be showered upon us that we might turn it to the praise of the nations to make much of Jesus, the King.

If you want to know about unreached people groups and the one's yet to be engaged go to http://joshuaproject.net/

Pick one and get started asking! We were made for this. We will either send by praying and resourcing or we will go short or long term or we will be disobedient.

Soli Deo Gloria among the nations!

Missing the text in fighting our flesh and the real answer to fighting our flesh!

2009-09-19T07:58:00.003-04:00

Here is something I notice about man’s nature, even as followers of Christ is that when studying the bible and asking questions of the text such as, “what is the explicit instruction of the writer here to whom and why?” people have a tendency to raise their eyes from the text, look into the air (indicating that they are searching for the answer). See, there is the problem. What is wrong with that picture? You got it! They are looking into the air, indicating they are searching for the answer in their own mind. The answer is found in the text! The answer is not pulled from one’s own mind.

This absolutely amazes me. Is this a fallen tendency left over in man? Is this a funk brought upon God’s people by the evil one to keep them from seeing truth and learning that truth can and must be mined from the biblical text? Probably a little of both is right.

It’s this phenomenon that has led to one of the most putrid activities among Christians known to the church: legalism disguised as spiritual discipline.
First, I want to say that I believe in the exercise of spiritual disciplines, but not as actual means to ends. I believe they are effective as means to get us into the proper means that lead to the proper end. Notice I made end singular and not plural.

Here is what I mean. I hear, perhaps most often from people, that they have thrown out their televisions and cable because it is the source of filth and all despicable content and they do not want that in their homes. They then discover they have more time to do more things like read the bible and relate to their children.

Fair enough. If that is what you want to do, then do it. The problem comes when they begin to sell it as if it should be done by all and defend it as “the” thing to do.

The problem is Jesus! No, Jesus is not problem, but he is a problem to that mentality. Mark 7:21-23 21 “... For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Do you see it? What is the source of filth and despicable content? The heart! Not television. The problem is that we actually think that external actions can actually help us grow. They can’t! They never will. Obviously, if an activity causes one’s conscience to be bothered, then the text is clear, avoid said activity. But if the avoiding of that activity is a means to the end of being a better person for Jesus, it is vanity of vanities!
Why might a person think that such external activities will help them and their children be better? They have lifted their eyes from the text and are searching for answers in their own minds to combat problems that they are powerless to conquer. This ends in frustration and confusion. Why do I still do these things? Why do I still think these things? Why do I still desire these things?

Jesus said to the Pharisees in Luke 11:37-54 that instead of washing the outside of the dish they should give as alms things that are within. Point? Externals will not fix the source of the filth. Only internals can fix the internals and then the externals will follow suit.

Again, Paul addresses this in Colossians 2 (whole chapter). Speaking of external attempts to gain control of the flesh he says, “These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.”

The point is to not let people trick you or force you through guilt to adopt externals as means to the end of getting rid of sin issues.

This begs the question(s): how do I fight sin issues? What is the end I’m striving for?

First, the end is simply stated in Ephesians 4 and alluded to Colossians 2. The end is that, through proper teaching, we grow up into Christ Jesus who is the head of the church to a mature manhood.

How do fight the sin issues that face me in order to grow up into Christ Jesus? Colossians 2:6ff states that as we received him continue to walk in him, rooted in him, established in him while abounding in thanksgiving. How did I receive Jesus? By faith. What does it mean to receive Jesus? Follow him, imitate him, learn from him and repent.

Here it is. Paul says that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ Jesus (Col 2:3). In other words, bury yourself up in the person and work of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, Yahweh come, Holy Spirit proclaimed, cross centered Jesus and learn and grow into him. Read the bible that preaches Jesus from Genesis to Revelation. Ask questions of the text like “why?” “who?” “what?” “when?” “where?” and “how?”. Learn how to read the Old Testament with an eye to the cross. Saturate your mind with the Gospels. Learn from the instruction to the early church. Practice what you read and you will make one hell of a war on your fallen flesh. Tedashii says in a song called “Make War” “I beat my flesh to the death every breath like I beat my chest.” This is how one beats their flesh into submission. It is done with the person and work of Jesus Christ on the inside not simply on the outside.

Disciplines, whatever you choose, only serve to bring us more into Christ, who is the means, to bring us fully into Christ in maturity, who is the end.

This is not pragmatic as pragmatics go (pragmatics being the exercise of means absent of the transcendent reality of God in Jesus Christ produces as a discipline during the Enlightenment). It is practical as the biblical text goes. Often our problem is that as Christians we are pragmatic atheists. If I just blew you out of the water, go read "Eclipse of Heaven" by AJ Conyers. It should clear it up for you. Another blog post for another time.

So, if you are looking up from the text and trying to figure out how to beat back the flesh and you come up with some good old external trickery, don’t be deceived. Look down to the text, follow the instructions, and bury up in Jesus, receive the Holy Spirit surgery, resist the evil one, love God, love your neighbor and go watch the game with him to the glory of God and the enjoyment of life and be salt and light to your neighbor not a stale breath of dead air condemning him for watching the game or in my case many games. God Dawgs! Go Falcons! Go Jesus! Thank you for the cross!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Link to Bakker renouncing The Prosperity Lie

2009-09-06T07:40:00.006-04:00

I am posting this clip with the following caveat: I do not agree with everything Jim Bakker says. I do not agree with all that he does practically or with the philosophy behind it. However, I do admire and respect his humility following his imprisonment. I do admire his boldness in this clip to denounce the guys in the clip on the front end. I do not endorse anyone in this clip as representing my foundational beliefs or the foundational beliefs of TRCC or any organization I'm affiliated with.

My desire for all who would watch this is to take note of the teaching of prominent people on the world of televised Evangelical Christianity and take not of the rank filth that is propagated and believed by the masses who watch with admiration and without an ounce of discernment.

I would request that each who would watch this clip also listen to the Sunday morning talk at TRCC by yours truly on the teaching ministry of the church on 9/6/2009. This may be accessed on Itunes or the church website www.threeriverscc.org

With all that said, watch and prepare to be disgusted at the front. After all of the junk there is a lady with a blue screen who is right on in her assessment of these deceivers and then Bakker. Feel free to stop watching at the lady with the blue screen. The clip gets long and is not necessary for you to watch.

Please post your feedback. Copy and paste the link in your internet browser. Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZEmPKj_EAI

Some thoughts on Isaiah 40:31

2009-08-07T06:56:00.002-04:00

You know there are just some passages in the Bible that are bound to be abused by folks along the way. I don't believe it is their intention to abuse the text. I believe they are well meaning Jesus followers who have not been taught better by their pastors (supposed teachers of the text). If they have a pastor who teaches well and they just don't engage in the life of the church and they make such errors, perhaps they need to check the reality of their salvation (2 Cor 13:5). Jeremiah 29:11 is one of those, and Isaiah seems to be one that I keep hearing that is radically abused.

Just for reference, here it is:
"...but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

I love it. But, the problem is that we westerners have a tendency to not read it in its proper context. We tend to superimpose our context on this text.

For example: As I go about my day doing my thing (continuing to be a workaholic, pursuing more material stuff at the stuff mart, bigger and nicer houses and cars, bigger and costlier toys, neglecting wife, husband and kids, not properly engaging the world through the vehicle of the church, etc.) God will cause me to have strength to do all that I need to.

In other words, because I say I am a Jesus follower, God will strengthen me to do my thing each day as it needs to be done.

It's subtle, but wrong.

From what I can tell, God's people are in exile in Babylon and languishing away in a land that is not home while enslaved by people who do not know the Lord and they are forced to comply with their captors while longing to return home and trying to remain faithful to the Lord.

In other words they are carrying a load that is humanly impossible to carry while in captivity resulting from not loving the Lord with all their heart, mind and strength.

The promise is this: when you are burdened so far beyond your ability to bear it with what God the Father in grace and love and placed upon you to train you to be his child because you bear his name and are forever adopted as his kid, when you are doing his thing, his way in his time, even if it means you are a freak to the world around you because of what you value and sacrifice for the sake of something better, their strength will be renewed, they will mount up on wings like eagles, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint.

It what scenario are you? In which scenario am I?

Promises are not all that valuable when posh and luxury are present and pursued. Promises take on value when in deep and discomfort is the "soup de jour". This is such a promise that only makes sense when we are loaded with God's stuff and can't bear it unless he causes us to.

See 2 Corinthians 1:1-11 for how Paul experience a crushing from the Lord so that he could taste what it was like for the Lord to cause him to be sustained in the middle of the crushing.

That is where Isaiah 40:31 take flight.

Sobering Reflection

2009-07-25T07:06:00.003-04:00

Perhaps nothing is as sobering as death. Yesterday I attended the funeral of my uncle on my Mom's side of the family. Jesse Lee Smith. Not even a year ago his wife, my aunt Carolyn, died. He did not even live a year after Carolyn's death.

As the family walked through the service and interment a particular Psalm assaulted my sense of youth and vigor: Psalm 39.

Psalm 39:4-6 "O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!
Behold, you have made my days a few hand breadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!
Surely man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!"

For some reason I, and perhaps many my age (30 somethings), tend to approach life as if the next day is a fore gone conclusion. I assume tomorrow.

I am not a negative person and I don't want people to think I'm being negative. I'm not. I'm just trying to bend my life around truth.

The truth is that I am a blip on the radar screen of history, and I am a very minute blip at that. The truth is that I am going to die. The truth is that knowing that my end is sure and that my days are short in history has a sobering effect, but it also has a profound effect.

David prays to know his end for a reason: to protect him from wasting his life in turmoil that comes as a result of accumulating much wealth.

David wants to live wisely, not foolishly. I'm not sure he pulled that off, but kudos for caring and giving it a whirl.

I'm not sure most of us even care enough to even try that avenue. I know I don't.

Maybe I do now.

The truth is I can feel great today and discover I have massive cancer issues tomorrow and be dead in six weeks.

If this is the case, and I really assimilate this possibility, it could prevent me from wasting my life.

It is truly a waste to work in order to accumulate stuff and all of the resulting work to maintain stuff when my days are few and then my stuff gets passed on to someone else that did not work for it.

I believe the point of Psalm 39:4-6 is to keep us from wasting our lives.

The truth is that I could be buried in a few weeks. The truth is I have a limited time here before my appointed day comes. The truth is that I don't want to waste the time I have (this is due to God's grace to me not my being good; I'm a scoundrel).

All of life is not intended to be "happy place" time. Good and productive living has to contain sobering moments that push us to action.

Yesterday was such a day for me. My day is coming and when it approaches I'm quite sure I'll look back and wonder where it all went so fast.

I don't want to have to wish I had done something that lasted beyond my days. I want to look back and say, "Jolly, you failed a lot; you really screwed a few things up good; you were far from perfect, heck even good; however, you did all you could with what you were given as best you could and you did not waste life on getting and keeping more stuff."

Plainly I want to get to the end and return my one talent to Father with whatever is gained from using that talent in his service. I don't want to just return the talent that I hid because I was too busy doing stuff that did not put Father's resources to work. I fear that.

I want to hear, "Well done. Enter the joy of your Master."

O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!

Let my words be few

2009-07-10T07:12:00.003-04:00

You know, I'm a talker. Those who know me know this fact. I'm a teacher / speaker / talker. It's built in (by Father my creator so it's all good).

The understanding of the Preacher in Ecclesiastes is that one is coming to the house of God because they know him. They have had the eyes of their hearts enlightened to see, understand and savor. So he says to let our words be few.

Words can be cheap. Words can be a replacement for action because words uphold our sense of self delusion while projecting a sense of significance to others. Delusion: trying to convince ourselves we are what we think we want to be. Significance: pridefully holding ourselves up to be more than we are so that others think we are really great.

Its like the disappointing fight in high school in the boys bathroom. The fight was billed as a great fight all day. They two talked trash all day. Fight time came and nearly all the 8th grade boys were in the bathroom hoping for a great show. The two combatants were ready. What did they do? They bumped chests and hurled insults at each others mother and extended family and even at each other. They even taunted each other to "come on", "jump". But that was it. The great fight was only words.

The Preacher says later on in Ecclesiastes 5 to pay one's vow because increased dreams and many words are vanity.

He seems to value action that backs up what the person believes rather than empty words.

Decisively put: faith produces actions. Faith is the result of seeing, understanding and savoring Jesus Christ. That faith results in action, not words.

Paul speaks of not seeing in 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 as man's lost state, and that at the work of the Evil One. The Gospel removes the blinding veil of the Evil One so that we can then see the light of the Gospel who is Jesus who is God.

Seeing Jesus (thus believing in and on him) is salvation and that results in following in his steps. Jesus says, "come follow me". James says this faith results in works.

If we have believed, then we must reign in our words and rev up our actions.

That is not to say that words don't have a place. They do. They have a significant place: preaching / teaching / encouraging / prayer / and on we could go.

The point is that our words should not be our actions.

It often seems like the church in Rome is like the 8th grade boys. We talk a good game, but we miss the nations and the local need.

The church is absent from the nations. Few know what UPG stands for. I'll say more about this in the next blog.

The church is absent from the social structure of our town in being an agent of healing to our city's issues. The church offers no viable solution to healing the social ills. The church has building funds for the people who are magically going to show up at our events. We have tons of money, but it is spent internally on people who already have plenty.

We say we believe Jesus can change the world but we, his ambassadors, are amazingly absent from it sequestered in our little kingdoms.

Let our words be few. Let us enter the fight. Let us throw the first punch at the needs of our town with the end that the Gospel would be preached to those who need to hear it.

Let our actions begin to outweigh our words and perhaps more will hear what we have to say.

Even better and more important is that our greatest audience is the God of all creation. Our actions are our worship (Romans 12:2). We do what we do because Father is glorified as we do in his name for the expansion of his kingdom.

Jennifer Scott (Open Door Home), Ross Collins (Director DFCS), and I are working on a model for the community to surround and support foster families to provide services for them with the hopes of recruiting more of them to the task from the local church. And the church serving these families. Do I need to tell you what the result of this work could be? This is huge.

I have pastor friends such as David Harper who are in with me. Others are coming along.

Let our words be few. Let our actions heal, then we can proclaim to a captive audience the Gospel.

It is better to listen than to offer the sacrifice of fools

2009-07-08T09:54:00.006-04:00

Often when we come to worship either privately or publicly we rush to "do" our part.

Now understand, I believe that worship is first and foremost a life lived not a song sung (See Romans 12:1-2 where worship is defined as being a living sacrifice and the following parts of Romans defines what that living sacrifice looks like in the context of church life).

So, when I say worship, I mean the life lived and not the song sung.

Now Ecclesiastes 5:1 was written in the context of going up to the Temple to worship. We don't have to go up to any temple to worship anymore because we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we can worship in Spirit and truth right where we are. We have constant and uninterrupted access to Father by the Son.

So the application is like this. Rather than seeing what kind of worthless babble we can manage to work up from our pathetic filthy rags, why not listen to and gaze upon the magnificence of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, three distinct persons, who has brought us into that fellowship that we can know and love and be loved because of the work of Christ Jesus at the cross to justify sinners who come by faith because of the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel preached among the nations.

Perhaps if we listen to and see glory and splendor beyond what we can even imagine because we are too busy babbling, our worship might pay off in the salvation of the nations and our joy in seeing that happen.

Listening and watching...

What us preachers should be doing

2009-06-30T09:01:00.002-04:00

OK, so I am about to finish Revelation. I'm reading in Revelation 19. Verse 10 stops me in my tracks. I've read it many times and, perhaps, from sheer familiarity I just moved on in times past.

Today I hit a wall and could not move on.

"For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

Telling the story of the Gospel, which is Jesus, IS the spirit of prophecy.

How many men have claimed to speak for God in the holy place of proclaimer/pastor/teacher/prophet and spoken nothing relating to Jesus or anything he has taught?

Jeremiah had lots to say about that issue. He spoke to the prophets and priests and condemned them for their folly (see Jeremiah 2:8; 23:23-32).

The priests do not know God. The prophets prophesy lies.

James 3:1 is a warning about claiming to be a pastor/teacher/prophet (I'm assuming pastors and prophets understand their job is to teach).

What are we to teach? From Jeremiah is seems the message was to be God! The priests did not know God! Consequently they were not making him known to the people and they had exchanged what was ultimately great and perfect for that which was broken and could not stand.

They were teaching. They were not teaching what was right.

Have we sold out the message for the sake of the people and in so doing lost the people too?

I fear so.

The Scriptures are not rough on sinners. Sinners find great mercy offered from Father. Jesus was always merciful and compassionate, firm at times, but compassionate with the sinner. God offered warning to the sinner to come for mercy and repent.

Jesus was brutal on those who claimed to know God. See Matthew 23. See Jeremiah, Isaiah etc.

So, I feel that it's O.K. to be harsh on my own kind. Those who claim to know God and represent him to his people.

The problem I keep running in to is that people want pragmatic steps to solving their problems that have been created via their folly.

Many of the people are finding that in preachers.

This is not to say that the pragmatic is not good. It is if it is right. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that practical solutions come from the assurance we have in knowing God. So, pragmatism's place is found resulting from knowing God.

The question becomes: Are pastors knowing God and making him known and allowing their pragmatic "how to" messages to result from knowing God and making him known? I'm not sure this is the case.

I find very few men who are doing this. Driscoll, Chandler, Piper, Carson, Keller to name a few. There are a few in Rome. Not many.

What is marriage's purpose? Why do we marry people? What is our marriage policy as pastors? This is just one issue that seems to reflect that we do not know God as a group of teachers of what God says. We seem to favor the people not God. God's standard is so high that people and pastors bristle at what is right.

We have allowed pragmatism to replace knowing God. We have allowed the fear of people to replace the fear of God.

We should be knowing God and allowing our practical ministry to flow from that. That alone would repair some of our issues in the life of the home if we would teach God's standard, hold to it, enforce it, discipline because of it and withstand the criticism for it.

By the way if you don't know what marriage is for, ask your pastor and see if it matches the text. If you don't know the text(s) then begin in Genesis and read to Revelation and mark them and see if the pastor's answer matches up.

"The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

My main function is to testify to Jesus in all that he is, says and is doing today. If I do this I can then address the issues with proper and practical solutions that are based in truth. The question is will I and the church do the practical that results from truth. There is a cost.

If anyone claims to teach or prophecy and Jesus' words, deeds or actions are not represented, then tune them out and find something else.

Is the testimony of Jesus what I do? Do my words as a teacher and my actions as a follower of Christ project the testimony of Jesus? If so I'm a prophet that is doing his job, a teacher fulfilling his mission. If not, I must repent.

Examining myself and my kind,

mj

The indicative comes before the imperative and the order is not reversable

2009-06-29T12:16:00.002-04:00

Again, as footnoted in my notes, I want to credit the author for the title of this blog and the notes from Sunday. Bryan Chapell is the author and I'm thankful for his insight that has helped me and allowed me to teach others as he has taught me from his writing.

What follows are some thoughts from what I said Sunday regarding the Scriptures reflecting Christ's person and work. We determined that when we see the pattern of Father stating the indicative that is the basis for the imperative we have the framework to handle grace and holiness.

That's what I want to write about just a bit.

I have been continuing to marinate on that statement since I wrote it down last week and only now has it produced something worth mentioning.

It's hard for most of us in the South to properly handle grace and holiness without becoming antinomian or a legalist. Our pendulum tends to swing far in the opposite direction of our raising.

The Scriptures are what bring balance to that swing in the other direction and must continue to hold us in the divine center on this issue.

If I were a legalist before I discovered the grace of freedom in Christ from a law, then I might become a drunk or glutton.

If I were antinomian in my behavior in the abuse of freedom before I discovered the grace of imitating God, then I might turn into a suit wearing, KJV swinging spiritual beat down waiting to happen on some poor unsuspecting soul.

What has to go is the misconception of grace and holiness being at odds. The Scriptures do this for us. We just truly have to become people of the book and not pretend people of the book making up our own stuff as we go to suit the notion of the day.

I am a child of God. I have been bought at a price. I am free to enjoy all things to the glory of God. Therefore, I must imitate the God who I am a child of, who purchased me and made all things to enjoy.

There seems to be tension there, and perhaps there is, but it's a holy tension. It's good and to be wrestled with.

Paul says things like..."all things are free for me but not all things are beneficial (loose quotation)."

He says things like..."I will not be mastered by anything (again a loose quotation)."

Paul enjoys the grace of being set free while imitating the holy character of God.

What is that tension we feel?

Paul makes much of the conscience, informed by the Holy Spirit, being how we determine what we as individuals do or do not do. He teaches this in the context of community and considering the other while not hindering freedom.

This is the tension of knowing God as his child, enjoying him, being family with others who are likewise children, and allowing them the freedom to be who Father wants them to be without looking down on them or reviling Father for allowing them to do something we think not quite right.

We are children. We are to act holy as Father is holy, but not according to law, but Holy Spirit conscience. We have to do this in community with others. We have to wrestle with the tension of being different from our other family members and being ok with it.

All of this because the indicative comes before the imperative and we can't reverse the order. We are children who are called to imitate Father and let each other imitate Father as they are compelled by Father.

Adopted and trying to imitate Dad, though not like everyone else.

Wrestle with me...

mj

From Whom Will the Kingdom Come?

2009-06-26T09:43:00.002-04:00

With all of the mess surrounding the South Carolina Governor and his adultery with the lady from Argentina some of us more conservative folks politically might have a tendency to fret. However, we must remember something vital: The Kingdom of righteousness does not come via kings, queens, rulers or authorities of the nations of the earth. That has never been God's plan and it never will.

The error has been in thinking that if we elect social conservatives to office God will bless us. Well, I think God can and certainly will bless those who do right if that blessing will be used to make his name known on the earth, but God is certainly not bound to bless a nation simply because they do something that happens to be righteous.

The next error has been in thinking that if a political party touts itself as "conservative" they are going to rally behind our values. That has been shown to be completely and utterly false. Example: the South Carolina Governor who was supposed to be a champion for our values. Hogwash!

Part of the Old Testament's job is to prepare us for the coming of Jesus who will bring the reign of God on the earth. When we look at the failed kings of Israel and Judah we are intended to look to one who will not fail morally, spiritually and doctrinally. We are to ask: who and when? We are to see and understand: Jesus! Prophet, priest and king.

The kingdom of God and Christ is advancing forcefully and will one day triumph at the completion of the Great Commission when King Jesus will return and rule forever the nations in peace and righteousness and we will have complete access to knowing him.

That is NOT going to happen via Republicans or Democrats. It IS going to happen through preaching the gospel to every tribe, tongue and nation. There is one God and he is Jesus. There is one kingdom, and it is God's kingdom.

We want our country to do well because we live here and have so much invested in here. We are to pray for and seek the peace and prosperity of our land because that peace and prosperity is used in the advancement of the cause.

But this is NOT our home country. Our home country is the Kingdom of God that is visible and yet invisible. Our allegiance lies to Jesus first.

Who will bring the kingdom we so desperately want to see? It will be Jesus.

So, do the best with what we have here, but do not lean on it or be down cast when it fails. Our system and political parties are bound to fail. Jesus is coming.

Lift up your head church for our redemption draws near!

Q & A What happens to children or infants who die?

2009-06-23T06:31:00.002-04:00

This is a very difficult question that makes me nervous. It makes me nervous because the biblical text does give a direct answer to this question. The inquirer must apply their knowledge of God from the whole of the Scriptures to even begin approaching this subject. One must also take into account pastoral care. I will give you my conclusion is a simple statement and send you to an article that has helped me and continues to help me when I'm faced with this question.

One of my heros in the faith is a man named John Piper. I began reading Piper in college at the suggestion of a friend who Father graciously used to rescue me from the damning results of post-enlightenment liberal theology that was wrecking the fragile faith that had been birthed in me. Piper's obvious scholarly and intelligent yet pastoral and rock solid biblical method brought new life and bolstered my wavering faith. Therefore, I have found him to be a source for many of my own questions that I can't quite get satisfied with.

I will be the first to admit that my position, taken from Piper's, is probably not the strongest there is exegetically. However, I find evidence in the text to support this conclusion and find no evidence to deny it and it applies pastorally. Here it is: I believe that Father, in Christ saves all infants who die.

Now, are you curious as to how I got there? Good! Go read this article:http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/2006/1622_What_happens_to_infants_who_die/

Remember that you must read well the biblical text, apply your knowledge of God and keep in mind pastoral application in ministering to God's people. Read, wrestle and rest that we have striven with God and he has blessed us in that!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Jesus and Math

2009-01-31T09:13:00.003-05:00

Ok, I really stink with math. So, I do not claim to do well. Dyslexia has prevented me from being a math wiz. So, I suppose Jesus concept of math is good for me.

At Youth for Christ we are building a home for students in the foster care system, and we are doing it in an economically depressed season. Monthly income does not equal monthly expense right now. The need, however, only increases. Do you do nothing and wait out the storm or do you go and address the need?

Well, we have decided to address the need by building the house, hiring house parents and drawing on the reserves.

Needless to say this has caused some moments of doubt for me.

This morning I was reading Matthew 16:5-12. Jesus just fed 4,000 folks not counting women and children from 7 loaves of bread and a few small fish. Jesus sends the 12 across the lake and they forgot to bring bread. Jesus begins to instruct them to watch out for the "leaven" of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the 12 start discussing whether or not Jesus was saying this because of their lack of bread or not. Jesus then pipes up, aware of their discussion, and asks them if they remember the miracle of feeding all those people with so little and all of the left overs. Then he interprets his words for them: "Beware of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

Jesus was not concerned with the lack of bread. He could, as the creator of all things, make bread for them. He wanted to preserve the 12 from misunderstanding who he was and missing the Kingdom.

I need Jesus view of math. He does not need a sufficient monthly income to equal outflow (it is nice from our perspective and the perspective of accounting). He can take lack and make it plenty. He is more concerned with what I think about him (not in a way that he worries if we like him). He is concerned that I think on him rightly and know him and trust him and do his work. He can alter the math to add up properly.

Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.

Lord help me to know you well enough to trust you and love you and believe you can make income equal outflow.

A Thought About Global Warming From the Vice Presidential Debate

2008-10-04T08:20:00.007-04:00

OK, I watched the debate the other night between Biden and Palin, and as usual, got angry as I listened. I knew it would happen, but I believe I actually enjoy the emotion of anger over things I'm passionate about. I'm a glutton for punishment I suppose.

Gwen Ifill asked about the issue of global warming and what the candidates thought the cause was. Palin said she believed it was multiple factors including man. Biden said that it was solely man and his pollution of the environment.

Now these answers set me to thinking. I know and confess that I am not astute in the world of science, therefore I lean heavily upon my good friend that is closer than a brother, Mark Jones. He helps me out in the realm of science and I enjoy sitting at his feat and learning science. But this I must say, if studied without the presupposition of an atheist, I'm sure science can bear out some truth that environment change is NOT a man made issue alone. Let me tell you why I believe that.

I believe that whatever role, if any, man plays in environment change it is because man's influence is used as a tool by Jesus himself to affect creation for Jesus' own good purposes in redemption and consummation. Colossians 1:15-17 tells the Christian that by Jesus' creative hand he created all that can be seen and all that is not seen in the universe. The heavens, the earth, all in them, rulers, thrones, dominions etc. It also tells the Christian that, as creator, all things hold together by him. I believe it is a safe exegesis to include polar ice caps in that "all things hold together" by him.

If that were not enough, Hebrews 1:3 says that Jesus "upholds the universe by the word of his power." That means that all he created is upheld by his active willing the creation to maintain his purposeful order. I believe it is a safe exegesis to include polar ice caps in that universe that is held together by Jesus' willing of it.

Now, here is the issue: Will Christians buy what God has said or what some dude with the presupposition of atheism will say? The fact is that not all science is objective. I have no doubt that objective science can discover general truth. However, science that begins with the assertion that there is no God can't arrive at a truthful conclusion because he does not believe that he is (Hebrews 11) and the rewarder of those who seek him. If he is avoiding, by philosophy, anything that disproves his presupposition that there is no God, then he can't arrive at truthful conclusions. It is impossible because he has started off subjectively not objectively.

Now, back to the debate. If Biden, who claims to be a Christian, assumes that all of the climate change is man made, what has he not taken into account? Do you see it? He has not taken into account our Sovereign Jesus who upholds the universe, including the darn polar ice caps.

If the word is authoritative, and if Jesus is our God, then we do not have an option on believing who is in charge of this earth, its change or anything else that happens in or on it. We can exegete that truthful answer right out of the biblical text. If it changes, regardless of the means, Jesus is the changer. If it warms, regardless of the means, Jesus is the warmer. Therefore, either Biden believes in a deistic god that has left all things to man and is not involved in his creation and man is the determiner of his destiny (unfortunately this is the kind of god many "Christians" say they believe in and is not god at all), or he assumes, like most scientists on the global warming band wagon that there really is no God. Neither one of those positions is good for a Christian. So, what is he? What are you? Do you apply the truths of Scripture to how you think on issues affecting our day? You must if you are going to represent Jesus well. To quote a marvelous man of God in our day, Ravi Zacharias, "Let my people think". If you dare to think hard check out Ravi's site www.rzim.com

What is the difference between praying persistently and in repetition?

2008-08-24T07:21:00.002-04:00

Ok, this is a great question. Several folks have asked me, based on last week's talk, the difference between asking persistently, which Jesus obviously teaches, and asking repeatedly like the Gentiles do.

Here it goes. Last week I said that our prayers must be concise. That is saying much in few words to avoid being like the Gentiles who think they will be heard because of their many words. Remember, Jesus reminds us that he knows what we need before we ask. The peoples of other religions of that day would ask thinking they had to get their god's attention. Remember the illustration of Elijah and the prophets of Baal? Elijah taunts them in a quite funny way saying, "maybe he is off relieving himself". Baal, taking a leak! Dude, that's funny.

Anyway, the point is that we don't have to get his attention, and we don't have to be repetitive in the same setting/prayer time in order to make sure he hears us, as if he were like Baal.

When Jesus teaches us to be persistent, it is with the intention of the story in Luke 18:1-8. Faith prays (read the story). Faith in Christ Jesus displays itself in asking persistently for what is just, right and good for God and his Kingdom (we are included in that).

If the semantics throw you off, then here it goes. The difference is that one attitude prays believing they must repeat themselves to make sure God hears. The person may not intentionally be trying to display a lack of faith, but that is exactly what is going on. Faith believes God knows already, and I can ask persistently without believing I need to get God's attention.

Persistence is asking without giving up. Repetition is asking because we think God did not hear us. Persistence is done in faith. Repetition is done in pride (believing that I need to be heard, so I make sure God does hear me by acting like a child who pulls at their parent's shirt to make sure the parent hears the all important request of the child).

So, ask without giving up, believing he knows the need already, and that we are asking for what is right, good and just.

Pray! You have access to ask anytime and anywhere to ask, with confidence, for God's things. God not only loves you and I; he likes us. So ask, seek and knock!

Why go to church if I'm not supposed to consume it?

2008-08-16T06:59:00.004-04:00

I thrive on observation, interpretation and application. This is how I study the scriptures, interpret the world around me and relate to people. It isn't difficult for me to go from seeing straight to application to myself very quickly. Sometimes it takes longer.

I'm constantly interpreting events and making life application, hopefully, from a solidly Christian, God-centered perspective.

So, when I say things like, "we do not come to church to consume a product", it comes from the process of reading the scriptures and observing life around me.

I say that to say that I really believe that statement from the very bottom of my being. It is not intended to have a surprise effect or be a "gun shot from the pulpit".

A friend asked me recently why we come to church if we are not to come in order to consume. Very good question. I gave a quick response, but for those who have asked this question as well, here is a little more.

Why go to church if I'm not to be a consumer of church?
1. We are property of Jesus, therefore we go to give him praise with all those who are his property as well.

2. Fellowship, not so much fellowship from the reception standpoint (that would be simply consuming), but fellowship from the other person's perspective. 1 John talks about the fact that if we have fellowship with Jesus we will have fellowship with others in the church. The context of that is that others need others. So, if I'm not engaged in the church, and I'm a Christian, I am robbing someone else of fellowship they may need. This is not to say that I am anything of radical importance, but if I am in Christ the Holy Spirit dwells in me and I am a part of the body of Christ and I have something to contribute to someone else. If I am absent, a piece of the body is missing that the rest need.

3. The Hebrews 10:25 Factor. Here, the writer of Hebrews says to NOT forsake the assembling together with other believers. His reason is found throughout the book. First, in chapter three he says that we are to encourage one another today as long as it is called today so that we will not be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. So we have some encouragement for another person that will help in their fight against sin. To be absent is to keep that encouragement from someone else. Now that is quite selfish.

Also, in chapter 10 the writer of Hebrews says that these people had joyfully accepted the plundering of their property in order to remain faithful to Christ and they did not shrink back from the faith because of persecution. These people who were persecuted were visited by their brothers and sisters while they were imprisoned. It was those present in the lives of others who knew their need and met it while they were being persecuted. There is nothing in that language that suggests anyone was in the church for their own consumption of resources or any product. It was not because the bald guys gives good talks. The encouragement to not forsake assembly was for the purpose of making sure we are fighting sin (sin in their case would be leaving the faith to save themselves) by encouraging one another in the midst of difficulty. And to turn back from the faith when difficult times come is a deadly (chapter 6), so don't forsake coming because someone needs to be encouraged to keep on keeping on and the person coming and encouraging will get encouraged by others, but they get encouragement as a byproduct of coming to be consumed not coming to consume.

It is never wrong to be in need of others, its human. It is wrong to meet our own need at the expense of other people without giving them anything they need. That is the hight of selfishness. This is the mentality of many in the church. Evidenced in their "church shopping." They may say, "I don't like the music here." "I don't like the preacher there." "I don't like the Sunday School there." "They expect me to do stuff and not just take up space."

So these people land in a place where all of their wants have been satisfied without giving anything of themselves to others.

4. Be imitators of God Ephesians 5:1. It is intended that the church be made up of people who imitate the Son of God, Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. Jesus did not come to consume the people he would save. He came to serve them. He, God, washed their stinking feet. He washed the stinking feet of the one who would betray him and the one who would deny him and the others who would run like deer from the stirring of the crowd. So, should I come to get when Jesus came to give and I have been told to imitate God?

I'll let you answer that one.

It's easy to think one is superior then...

2008-08-05T14:01:00.003-04:00

On my vacation a couple of weeks ago my family and I were sitting at a table in a restaurant eating, laughing and just enjoying vacation when Jennifer and I became aware that we were both listening in on a conversation at a table next to ours. Two men were were talking about church, and it was evident that they came from a tradition and perspective that I would not enjoy and pretty much avoid like the plague.

I found myself critiquing their tradition, style and strategy out loud with Jennifer, when, by what I believe to be the work of the Holy Spirit, I was cut to the heart about my attitude.

Here is the thought that I had:
These two men are talking about the faith. Not heresy. The faith. They are employing a strategy that may be old, out of date and repulsive to you, but they are talking about the faith. They love Christ enough to speak of him publicly. They love Christ enough to care about a strategy to reach the unreached. They have passion enough to attempt to make a difference. They are talking about the faith.

Now for all I believe I could critique them on, they love Christ. They were speaking of the faith that leads to life for all who believe. Faith in King Jesus.

Who am I? Nothing. I'm a fellow slave of Christ who has taken to a different strategy to display Jesus. Who am I to think less of my fellow slaves and their strategy to display the King? Nothing.

Just when I thought my way was best I was reminded that those in the body are growing up into Christ, who is the head of his body.

I am not superior in any way. I am not the head so as to be the author of strategy or style. I am just part of a much larger work. Rather than being arrogant, I should pray for brothers and do my best with my chosen strategy.

Humility is a great way to start over.

Transformation of behavior is just what happens when...

2008-07-18T09:43:00.004-04:00

I just spoke with a dad whose daughter has recently been brought to faith in Christ. His comment was that she is different.

Not elaborate. Not flashy. No lightning bolt. No lack of evidence. Just a transformation of behavior.

I was at Falcons training camp last August, and I felt this presence next to me that was big and powerful. I could feel the size and weight of the person. I took a glimpse over and it was Tommy Nobis. Now, if you are not a Falcon fan, or even a football fan, you will not know who this is. Let's just say that he is Mr. Falcon and Mr. bad. He is also a quite caring man who does tons for the community. Anyway, I began to act strangely. I was figity and uncomfortable because I suddenly became aware of the fact that there was some Falcon and NFL greatness right next to me. I could not find words to say, and I was not even sure I should say anything.

After continuing to watch 11 on 11 drills with my sons and some quiet reflection, I spoke some profound words. "Hey". The response? "Hey". Wow. My day made. Tommy Nobis said, "Hey."

Now what does that have to do with tranformation? Simple. Tommy Nobis changed the way I related to people because I was in awe of this man I have watched and heard of since I was a kid in the 70's.

If Tommy Nobis can transform my ability to relate then what happens when the King and creator of the universe initiates contact with a fallen creature? There is a change that takes place immediately that leaves the King's mark on us. Be sure there is much that will change as the years go by, but that initial encounter will leave it's mark.

This is what happened to this young lady. The King marked her as his, and she is different.

How much does the King's mark show on me? You? Us? I hope so much that it is clearly evident we have been known by King Jesus.

Here we go!

2008-07-18T07:31:00.000-04:00

Well, here we go. I'm an avid journaler with pen and paper. I've never taken the leap into the cyber world with my thoughts because I write uncensored in the confession of my sin and spill my honest holy and fallen thoughts out to wrestle with them and fight the fight of the faith in order to keep the faith and advance the King's cause.

So, in the coming days, read at your own peril and perhaps joy and maybe growth along with me as I post follow up thoughts to Sunday morning tallks, thoughts on the week's events and maybe just some fun things that happen to encourage and challenge you while helping me express my thoughts honestly.

So read, get used to the format and post your responses.

Soli Deo Gloria