Chick-Fil-A

CHICK-FIL-A STANDS, WELL

(not so firm)

Chick-Fil-A steps up to the mike and loudly and unequivocally says, “Well, uh, I’ll get back to you on that.”

OK, you have a choice: More money or speak out against gay marriage. Can you say “backstroke”? Ya gotta love this carousel of nothingness!

HERE IT COMES!
 
(How do those sandwiches taste now? They taste the same to me!)

The Dark Side of Discernment

THE DARK SIDE OF DISCERNMENT

Some pastor in New Orleans seems to have had an affair and subsequently has resigned. OK, I believe we all have seen this type of thing up close, and we all know it takes place regularly in all theological corners. And it usually unravels little by little, and the statements of resignation are usually well written and designed to reveal the situation with carefully worded and somewhat antiseptic language. Rarely does any pastor say, “I went a whoring.” I have even seen it where the language is so nebulous and even somewhat misleading that it leaves people to wonder, or in Biblical terms, gossip.

Now here is where the vultures descend and begin to pick apart the particulars. People who have never heard of this church begin to speculate and surmise and investigate. Enquiring minds want to know the details. To know such things does not benefit anyone, and those who God has placed in authority at that local church are responsible for how they handle the situation. But when the discernment community gets a whiff of this situation some cannot resist in revealing it to others.

Here is one site who sometimes specializes in salaciousness and gossip.

HERE
and
HERE

The sad part is that many of these discernment sites do not discern the difference between exposing doctrinal heresy and gossip. And because I sometimes write posts like this I am not embraced by the discernment village. You see, in order to wear the moniker of discernment and be welcomed into that exclusive club, you must throw away anything that resembles a mirror. You may recall that recently I addressed this same site because it chose to gossip about a preacher whose son was struggling with same sex attractions, that being a favorite delicacy that feeds some discernment vultures.

We as believers must maintain a wall of separation between what is a doctrinal warning to the body of Christ at large and the failings of men whose failings come to us through various channels. This is not only unbecoming, but it mirrors the tabloid mindset we see in the grocery store checkout line. I mean, what spiritual benefit does it serve our spirits to ingest details about a stranger’s moral failures? Will that convince us that adultery is wrong? And if that church happens to espouse doctrines that we believe are unbiblical, does his moral indiscretions fortify our views?

I know some discernment sites that I believe over focus on certain men or certain teachings. But that pales when we read these type of exposés. I mean let us all read about Lindsay Lohan and wet our whistles for hearing about a preacher. If you do not know that these things are rampant in the evangelical church then you must be an ostrich. I can do nothing about what happens in a church where I do not attend, and in fact the Word says, “but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.”

Our minds are bombarded constantly by the secular world which invites our minds into people’s bedrooms and to follow the details and timelines of adulterous affairs. So we surely do not need the church to add to that cache of ungodly facts that do not edify. Spreading accusations about others when we are not in a position to correct, discipline, and restore is nothing more than gossip.

But if these kinds of stories must be investigated, processed, and served to the community of faith, then perhaps someone should create a monthly newsletter that researches affairs of believers, writes about them, and provides an archive of former affairs so when the current revelations are not as salacious as some of the former we can revisit them. And at the end of the year we could create a top ten list of the most licentious affairs. And we could present a Pulitzer prize to the reporter who exposed the most outrageous affair, and who wrote about it with the most clever and titillating verbiage.

But if this kind of “discernment” is counter productive to a pure mind and a healthy spiritual walk, then avoid it. There is so much good food out there, even on some discernment sites, why gobble up a decaying carcass.

Pick Your Poison

PICK YOUR POISON

Mitt Romney is a practicing hedonist and a Mormon. President Obama supports abortion and gay marriage. To vote for one or the other is like Gen. Custer saying, “Some of the Indians seem friendly!”

BTW, the “lesser of two evils” in spiritual terms is a synonym for compromise. One preacher says Jesus was not born of a virgin and did not resurrect. The other preacher says that Jesus was not born of a virgin but did resurrect. Do you support the “lesser of two evils”? Let's see, hemlock or arsenic.

It just may be time for all true believers to shuffle off the grave clothes of this fallen system and stand completely on the uncompromised Word of God.

Or we can just continue as we are. Selah.

Will Jesus Find Faith?

WILL JESUS FIND FAITH?

Lk.18: And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

In the context of a woman getting some justice because of her relentless spirit, Jesus makes a startling statement at the end of the story. The Lord acknowledges how the secular world works, but instead of using that to teach about prayer or even being fervent and relentless, Jesus says,

“Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

How did we get from a lesson on secular relentlessness, applied to relentless prayer, to the absence of faith when the Lord returns? This must be addressed in its context. Most of the church has never given much thought to these words as it applies to this teaching, but would it not deserve a fair amount of thought just because of the seriousness of the statement? If when the Son of Man returns He wonders about the state of faith on earth, it might be wise to consider what has led to this situation.

Consider what constitutes the local church in the west, and what is used to attract more visitors and members. All kinds of manipulations and clever advertisements are now part and parcel of the vast majority of churches from every specter of the evangelical landscape. Let us examine a few techniques employed by churches which openly reveal a secular and fallen mindset, or in effect a faithless church..

* Slogans like “A friendly church” or “The fellowship where Jesus meets”

These and a thousand others are designed to allure people to come to that particular church. We can no longer rely on the remarkable lives of believers or the prayer closets or the observable witness revealed by believers and seen with clarity by their neighbors. No, we must have slogans. And these slogans are seen on bumper stickers and church signs and stationary, and they subtly generate a sense of pride - another unchristian trait. Who else has slogans? Both political parties as well as soft drinks, etc..

* The elevation and enhancement of preachers

Many preacher have the prefix “Dr.” before their name which is meant to suggest some intellectual prowess. The world does the exact same thing and the church follows suit. It surely is not meant to reflect humility or the meekness of the earthly ministry of Christ. In fact, many churches are built upon the résumé or reputation or speaking prowess of its pastor. Paul had none of those qualities. But Paul said that his impressive résumé was nothing but dung.

* Monikers like “Bible believing” or “conservative” or “reformed” or Fundamental”

These are designed to imply that we adhere to the Scriptures unlike others. That is most self righteous and if we truly did believe the Bible we would exhibit a much more humble stance. But these and other monikers draw like minded people. In other words, other people who think they believe the Bible will give that church a try because, after all, we believe the Bible.

*Denominations

Here we have a modern creation. Since people need a sense of belonging as well as feeling that they are right, denominations have sprung up. But many churches hide their denominational affiliations since they seem to hinder growth. And every year large and small denominations spend inordinate amounts of money for a national meeting to hear speakers and…uh…oh yes, talk.

*Church budgets

Here is a massive issue within the local church. Many have split over this very issue. But if we take a look at most church budgets we will find that the overwhelming amount is allocated to staff. No one in the Mormon church receives a salary, and we wonder why they spread so effectively. Most Mormon buildings are built debt free. Hmm, what is wrong with this picture?

*Music program

I play the piano and sing and have led worship for many years. But I have noticed that a professional music program draws many visitors. In fact, the better the music program the more members. And there seems to be a direct correlation between the music and a “great worship service”. No one ever claims that God’s presence was so discernable because many scores of believers were praying during the week and many scores arrived hours early at the church and began to cry out unto God.

* Doctrine

Most churches pride themselves on their doctrine. The statements of faith give lip service to the existence of heaven and hell, the deity of Christ, the inspiration of Scripture, and a few other things. But then why are the lives of the people who attend there not different than the liberal church members down the street or even the friendly and dedicated Mormons? Doctrine is important but it can be used as a clandestine way to exhibit self righteousness. What we do is what we believe, everything else is religious talk.

* Church buildings

Many church buildings are not just functional. They are built with many unnecessary accoutrements and all the comforts needed by western people. And many if not most church buildings are built with large amounts of debt leveraged by faith pledges from its congregants. Why? Because new buildings are a subtle way of saying that church is alive, and new buildings bring in more visitors. Take a look at the new pastor’s office and you will see wonderful desks, great carpeting, a modern phone system, and some even have a shower. Not many have kneeling marks in the carpet.

* Seminars and conferences

This is an especially under the radar idea which seems beneficial but actually just keeps ecclesiastical momentum going. The speakers earn wonderful honorariums while selling books and Cds. And if they are pastors they are double dipping since they continue to receive their home church salary. I know, I’m like a magician revealing how the tricks are done. Many pastors plan their vacations around a speaking engagement. They certainly do not spend a week in prayer. And what are the seminars about? Prayer and fasting? Repenting and living in moderation? Are you kidding? They are overwhelmingly about what can benefit you (marriage, finances, self esteem, etc.) or things of interest (prophecy, signs of the times, etc.).

* Special Sundays

Visitor Sunday! Give the Tithe Sunday! Love the Pastor Sunday! Bring a friend Sunday! Homecoming Sunday! God Bless America Sunday! And many more are designed to accumulate more human heads. I just received an e-mail from a church in my neighborhood advertising “Unashamed Sunday!” which is designed to get anabaptized people to be baptized. The thinking is that if that person can blend in with many others perhaps he will not be embarrassed. That is also a sales technique.

These are a few of the things churches have adopted from the secular business world. So perhaps you can get a little understanding into what Jesus meant when He said would He find faith on the earth when He returns. We have taken a little Jesus and constructed a colossal scaffolding of cultural methods and organization. Can anyone suggest that what has become a western ecclesiastical construct is anything like the early church or anything unlike the business down the street. In fact, when a church grows in membership and budget, the pastor and staff almost always receive a sizeable raise even though sometimes the senior pastor’s duties become more of a manager and less demanding of his personal time.

Many times the pastor of 200 members has to do more personal work and involvement than the senior pastor of a 5000 member congregation. And rarely does a pastor take another pastorate of a church with less membership or especially less salary. Most pastoral moves are of the upward variety. How ungodly and how carnal, but this is where we stand in today’s evangelical construct. Many churches would never call a pastor without the letters “Dr.” in front of his name, or a seminary education. And here is how the average church calls a new pastor.

They form a “search committee” comprised of men and women from the congregation. I dare not go into the unscriptural nature of that mixed gender construct. Anyway, they listen to Cds of certain preachers, paw over his résumé, and then set out to hear him preach personally. After that service they meet him and his family and go out to lunch and have a chit-chat. If they are impressed, they go back to their home church and recommend they have him come and preach with a “view to a call”. Of course just the committee’s stamp of approval usually tilts the scales.

The man preaches the morning service and then a church business meeting is called and they vote. Just the democracy of it all is unscriptural and reflects the culture rather than the Spirit. The man is elected and they set a date for his coming. Voilà! Like a drive through fast food restaurant, we have a new preacher. Again, a system that mirrors a company hiring a new high ranking official. Think about this: In a presidential election all sorts of people will cast their vote. People on drugs, people involved in adultery, people who are molesting children, people who hate other people, people who are embezzling money, people who know little about the candidates, people who are drunks, people who are greedy, people who are violent, and all sorts of other miscreants are legally allowed to vote.

The same with a church calling a pastor. Members who never read the Scriptures, members who never pray, members who are involved with adultery, members who look at pornography, members who hated the former pastor, members who get drunk, members who take drugs, and a mixed multitude of other members whose only validation as a believer is their church membership are welcomed to cast their vote. OK, where have we seen that format before? Oh yes, an American election. In fact, most Americans know more about their candidates than do church members know about this stranger they are calling to be their pastor.

OK, back to the original verses. If Jesus returned today how much true faith would He find here? You do the math. The western church is consumed with preacher following, huge budgets, secular growth techniques, and a variety of pleasurable activities. It shuns sacrifice, self denial, prayer, and a life of humility, holiness, and walking in the steps of Jesus. And what about those “would I find faith when I return” words? Yes, we are ready for you, Lord.

Reunion!

REUNION!

OK, I'm a sucker for good stories, What will happen if when you get to heaven you find someone there that you had never expected to be there? Perhaps some of this emotion.

AH-AH's BACK!

The Values Voter's Bible

THE VALUES VOTER'S BIBLE

This week a Values Voter conference was held in Washington D.C.. The usual suspects were there, and the national redemption depended upon these values. So in light of this, I have begun a Values Voter's Bible. Here are a few excerpts.

* In the beginning were Values, and those Values were with God, and those Values were God.

* For the law was given by Moses, but values came by Jesus Christ.

* But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto my values in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and the ballot box, and unto the uttermost part of the red and blue states.

　

* And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach my values to every creature.
He that believeth these values and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not these values shall be damned.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they be pro-life; they shall speak against gay marriage with new tongues;
They shall take up petitions; and if they are assaulted by a gay mob, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the liberals, and they shall lose the election.

　

* And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All values are given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations my values, baptizing them in the name of the founding fathers , and the pro-life movement, and of the traditional marriage amendment:
Teaching them to observe all values whatsoever the Judeo-Christian ethic commands: and, lo, my conservative values are with you always, even unto the end of the election. Amen.

* And whosoever was not found in the Republican Party was cast out of office.

* Even so, Come Mitt Romney.

A Paper Thin Hope

A PAPER THIN HOPE

II Thess.2: 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

This is an outline of what will take place in the ends day. It seems that the antichrist will not appear in person until, as verse seven suggests, someone is taken out the way. Now that has been juxtaposed with the teaching of the catching away of the Bride of Christ, generally referred to as the rapture. So it seems as though the antichrist will not be revealed until the church has been caught up to be with Christ.

Let me unpack this event called the rapture of the church. At a time known only to God that father, a voice from heaven will call and a sound of the trumpet will sound.

I Cor.15: 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Yes, this is a great mystery but a truth nonetheless. When this trumpet sounds, and according to Revelation chapter four, the voice commands, all the dead in Christ shall rise and all the living in Christ will be translated into heaven.

I Thess.4: 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

So everyone who died in Jesus Christ and everyone who lives in Jesus Christ will be gathered together in the air and go to meet the Lord Himself. This is no fable although to the natural mind it seems like a fairy tale. It is a soon coming event. What did these people do to earn such a reward? Nothing, it is all by God’s grace because they placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is no prophetic guess because Paul reinforces the authority by saying “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord”. This event will take place and all indications suggest it may come soon. Many get incensed about when the rapture will take place. Before the tribulation period or in the middle or at the end are the usual positions. My position lenas toward before or the middle, but my main position is that everyone should prepare for the event rather than argue about the chronology.

In the Jewish culture a man became engaged to a woman and all things were overseen by the parents. The bridegroom was to begin preparing a pace for he and His bride to live, but because he may be tempted to erect some quick lean-to and go get the bride, the father alone would set the time when his son could go and get his bride. The bride would be ready at all times, and especially at night time since midnight was a favorite time. When the groom's father said his son could go get his bride, the groom took some of his family and frineds and went to the bride's house.

When they came to withing sight of the bride's house, they often would blow a trumpet to anounce their coming and someone would yell out, "The bridegroom cometh!" The Bride might go to the door to meet the entourage and her brodegroom, and they would go to the place that had been prepared. For the next seven days they would hold a celebration called the wedding feast. Now I am no expert here, but you can get the general picture as it pertains to the rapture. Jesus, God's Son, will return for His Bride. With a trumpet and the voice of the archangle, He will come and sweep us away into the place He has been preparing and for seven years wll will enjoy a celestial wedding feast.

But I want to look at II Thess.2: 10-12. These verses are very serious and very troubling. This suggests that everyone who has heard the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ will not be given a second chance after this rapture takes place. And it reveals that God will send the deception upon them. As an aside, for all you “total depravity” people out there these verses confront your theology. Why would God have to send totally depraved people who could never believed without God granting them faith through irresistible grace, why would God have to deceive them? The reformed theology teaches that no sinner can believe on Jesus unless God allows him to believe. This scenario countermands such a theology.

But what a serious warning. Any sinner who has rejected the gospel will be damned forever, even after the rapture while others who have not heard might believe. Does that not make the admonition of Scripture which says “Today if you will believe” all that more important? This is no game of tidily-winks. This is of eternal seriousness. The eternal destiny of immortal souls hang in the balance. This is not the time to place it on the shelf and “mull it over”. This is the time to look deep into your heart and hear the voice of the Spirit as He lifts up Jesus. The church has so often given lost souls hope of a post-rapture chance to believe and be saved. But no one can say that is for sure the case, No one. Can anyone be saved after the rapture of the church? Yes, but it seems it will be many Jews and people who have not heard and rejected the gospel.

The end is rapidly closing, and all who have heard must extricate themselves from the valley of indecision. The evil one knows his time is short and he is deceiving millions of fools who have leveraged their eternal souls on the sinking sand of this temporal life. Go ahead, continue thinking this is some kind of religious fable. That is what many felt about the prophetic overtures concerning the first coming of Christ. They were wrong, and so will be millions when He comes again. But many live with the thought that even if the believers are removed and it becomes clear that the end is here, that perhaps they will have another chance.

That hope is paper thin and just may be the greatest deception of all.

Who But Jesus...

WHO BUT JESUS...

Ps.73: 23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

The priests of the order of Asaph were anointed by God to lift up worship unto God and especially through music. The man named Asaph put many psalms to music including the psalms of David. He had a special relationship with God and he lived to be at least one hundred years old. Through the years he had seen some wonderful things at the hand of God, but he had also watched as priests were killed and Jerusalem attacked and God’s people turned to idols. Many of his psalms were written as an old man.

Anyone who knows God has an unmistakable desire to be with our God. But notice what the Spirit writes through this man. He says “Whom have I in heaven but You?” So often we speak of gates of pearl or streets of gold, but in reality being with Jesus is what will make heaven what heaven is. Without Jesus it would only be a very nice place.

Are we not tired as well as restless in these days where all kinds of issues have crowded out Jesus? The church takes all kinds of positions and is intent on repairing a nation that never was whole. And the church holds all kinds of seminars and conferences about everything from finances to marriage, and yet Jesus must take a rather peripheral position in it all. Evangelicals are not known for Jesus; we are known for being pro-life and anti-gay marriage and capitalists and following in the steps of the founding father’s mirage. But Jesus? Yes, we give Him a wink and a nod, but that is not what we are known for. In fact, we use Jesus for our own selfish reasons.

We ask Jesus to change our nation; we ask Jesus to elect godly leaders; we ask Jesus to bless our troops; we ask Jesus to help our finances; we ask Jesus to defeat our enemies; we ask Jesus to keep us healthy; and we ask Him a laundry list of other things we say we want. But how often do we ask Jesus what He desires from us? How often do we approach Him without a preconceived notion about what He wants? Do we even come before Him with a vulnerability that surrenders everything and says humbly, “Here am I Lord. Speak, Lord, your servant is listening”?

Think about a person who you love very dearly and you would do anything for them. Think about that person being very, very sick and you must wait on their needs. They ask for a drink of water and you run to get them a pillow. When you return your loved one says that he does not need a pillow but desires a drink. You run and get him a magazine. He rejects that. You bring him a hammer. He still cries out for a drink. Over and over you faithfully bring him all sorts of things, but still not the drink he needs and asks for.

Is that not what we do for God? We run about doing all kinds of things that we deem He desires but we refuse to come before Him and listen. What does He require of us? He is not just our focus, but He should be our very life. The psalmist rightly recognized that even in heaven Jesus will be our eternal life. We have not been given eternal life so that we can run around heaven admiring our new bodies or reaffirming earthly acquaintances and generally having a good time in earthly terms. No, heaven is illuminated by the Risen Christ and as much as our limited attentiveness can understand we will be worshiping Him for all eternity. No more will we work, the work has been done. Yes, the heavenly surroundings will be surreal. The gates, the streets, the lights, the angels, and the immeasurable expanse will be beyond what we can imagine here. But how can we take our eyes off the Risen Christ? Will he not consume us? Will not His glory imprison our beings? How can we underestimate the impact His glorious presence will have upon all creation on that day?

Yes, there will be our redeemed loved ones, and Moses and Peter and Paul. But look again what the psalmist says, “Who have I in heaven but You?” I believe with all my heart that the person of Jesus, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and the Lamb of God, will be so overwhelming that He will draw all attention for all eternity. “Will we get a little bored?”, you ask. Are you kidding? You do not understand eternity or what eternal, spiritual bodies are capable of. And most of all you do not understand the power, glory, and majesty of the Risen Christ.

What words, what thoughts, or what imaginations can even come close to the coming reality?

But in these days who meditates or speaks about heaven? Everything is centered upon this life and the temporal, and heaven is vilified as some pie in the sky imagination. Can you believe such a thing has happened? Jesus paid the ultimate price so that we could have eternal life with Him and yet we expend all our energies attempting to enhance this life?

Dead in trespasses and sins, and living a death life that moved from one fallen dream to the next. That was us. But we were rescued, we were redeemed. We were given a life abundant with Him here and an eternal life in His presence. We had no hope in this world and we were given a hope that surpasses knowledge. No promises, no covenants, and without God in this world. And we were bathed in ourselves and everything that could benefit us, and yet we were blind to the fact that we were just heaping death upon death.

But Christ came, Christ died, Christ rose, Christ sought us, and Christ saved us. Can there be anything above our Lord Jesus Christ? Then why does the church go a-whoring after everything it can? Politics, prosperity, health, power, success, sex, church membership, Christian cruises, and a laundry list of activities designed to temporarily satisfy the hungry flesh.

But there we will be on that day. We see Him as He is, and for the first time we are utterly immobilized. Is it the tangible power of His presence, or is it the overwhelming glory of His vision that breaks us? It surely must be both. Where are all the great theologians now? Where are the post modern thinkers now? What has become of the major doctrinal squabbles about minor things? Do your precise prophetic chronologies matter now? Go ahead, think about what you scarificed for earthly success now. This is what you could have had, at least in part, but instead you chose the dirt from which you came. The Christ reigns before us and we are undone.

Oh but who can compare to the beauty and majesty of the Risen Christ in all His eternal glory?? While we feed our souls with leeks and garlic, the milk and honey of His presence goes unconsumed. This is not time for religious games, the end of all things is upon us. But under His redemptive wings we must not fear. For with each prophetic tick of time’s clock, we are that much closer to being with Him. And with all the descriptions of heaven, both open and some hints, we can be assured of one immutable fact.

Who do we have in heaven but our Lord Jesus, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and the Lamb that was Slain, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Words fail and imaginations reach a dead end. But one day we will receive the earnest of our inheritance. Forget about gold or silver or pearls. We have a token of them here. Our inheritance and our glory will be Him and Him alone. Basking in His glory and bowing in worship before Him, what we have dared to believe will be an unspeakable reality beyond all expectations. The embodiment of God’s love will shine forever and light all of eternity with the power of holiness and love.

He is Jesus…He is Jesus. Forever. Selah

What does "Follow me" mean?

WHAT DOES “FOLLOW ME” MEAN?

Matt.16:24 "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

Matt.4: 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Let us whittle away all the man made definitions, and all the ornate doctrinal dissertations, and let us simply ask the question, “What does it mean to follow Jesus”? It cannot be any simpler, and it cannot be anymore profound. In today’s western church we have taken that question and constructed an overarching scheme which not only dilutes the power of following Jesus, but it surreptitiously takes a few New Testament words and many cultural norms and creates an amalgam. And this conjoining of what should be two incompatible kingdoms has not only disemboweled the power of the gospel, but it has paved a new and comfortable way for believers to walk.

And this new way is not the way of Jesus. It is the way of religious man, and that way is in and of itself a new religion altogether. And we must make room for the possibility that through the decades the church has become so saturated with the culture that it no longer even knows what Jesus taught. Forget about going to church or tithing or being a church member, what does it mean to follow Jesus? Come on, that question is rarely asked, much less known.

Matt.7: 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

These are some very disturbing verses. But the church has assured everyone that whoever mumbled a few words in a sinner’s prayer does not need to concern themselves with these words. Everyone is alright. But notice that just after Jesus talks about people calling Him Lord and being rejected of Him, he goes right into a parable. It is a parable of two foundations; one of sand and one of rock. But notice that Jesus says the one who builds his house upon the rock is the one who hears His Words and does them. OK, think for a moment about the implications of that statement.

How can you “do” the Trinity? How can you “do” the virgin birth? How can you “do” justification by faith? How can you “do” the verbal plenary inspiration view? How can you do “unconditional election? How can you “do” the pre-trib rapture view? How can you “do” heaven or hell? In fact, our statements of faith have been so neatly crafted that there is little they require of us except that we check their boxes and get an “orthodox” tattoo. But that is not what Jesus said, and that surely is not the focal point of the New Testament.

In another gospel,

Lk.6: 46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Ok, we get it, or we should. Not just hearers but doers can call Jesus Lord. But in what context is He saying this, and just what words are in that chapter? Luke seems to reiterate some of the Sermon on the Mount here, but let me cull out a few verses which come before verse 46.

22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

　

31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Before I delve into these verses from the lips of our Lord, can you not see how we have played the fool and allowed ourselves to be deceived by the Deceiver? Doctrine is important, but make no mistake - THESE VERSES ARE DOCTRINE! They are as true and as orthodox as is the Trinity or the deity of Christ. But nowhere do they find a place in our usual doctrinal treatises or in the checklist which tests our orthodoxy. Do you see what has happened? We have completely changed the faith once delivered to the saints. We have surgically removed these applications because we now display a faith which exhibits boasting, morals, nationalism, hatred, caustic verbiage, and an in-house back scratching of each other as we throw stones at sinners of all sizes and stripes. Where did we ever get this?

I will tell you. We got it from the fallen culture, plain and simple.

35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Let me take it slow here so we all can understand. What….does….“love your enemies”….mean? Am I going too fast? What……….does……….”love your enemies”……….mean? Is that better? I assume we all have a least a working knowledge of the English language. And armed with that basic knowledge, what kind of devious manipulation does it take to change the meaning of “love your enemies”? Several times our Lord exhorts us to “love your enemies”. OK, class, let us all agree that is what Jesus commanded us to do. (that includes all you inerrancy disciples)

So, if that is what Jesus has commanded of us, let us see what that means. The word love seems to be the opposite of hate, right? In fact Jesus told us that we are to do good to our enemies. I know, it tends to get a little weird here. We are to love and to do good to our enemies. Is that not Scripture? Is that inspired? Does that come from the real Jesus? Then why have we ignored that admonition? How can we speak and act like the world and still claim we are following Jesus when we openly and substantively disobey His Words? And then we carelessly call Him “Lord” even though we do not do what He says? “Loving your enemies” is usually not part of the pillars of faith as constructed by man, but it seems to be a pillar of the life of Jesus.

But when a man asks of us our coat, we are supposed to give him our jacket as well? But when the tax man asks us for taxes we are allowed to complain and murmur and call him allsorts of demeaning names? And that is the way to follow Jesus? Look at verse 35 and notice that God “is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil”. Do I need to slow down here as well? Come on, let’s be transparent here. All your inerrancy and Greek and Hebrew credentials are worthless if you cannot and will not admit what this verse is saying directly to followers of Jesus. Look around and listen to professing believers and see if they are obeying these words. If not, and if they will not even admit what the verses“seem” to mean, then they are not following the Jesus that spoke them.

22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

What do you hear when western believers feel they have been slighted or verbally attacked by the fallen culture? Rejoicing? Hardly. They return evil for evil and they rush to bask under the shadow of the wings of the founding fathers. Democracy becomes their gospel which they claim should protect them from being maligned. Instead of rejoicing in the name of Jesus they squawk as if they were owed some respect. Jesus was spit upon for us but we cannot endure unkind words for Him? He was beaten and bruised for us and yet we cannot rejoice when we are persecuted verbally? He endured the cross for us but we cannot suffer financial loss for Him?

What kind of Christianity have we constructed? We are exhorted to “leap for joy” and yet we moan and groan and use all sorts of inflammatory language toward our “enemies”. What does it mean to follow Jesus? It means we must do what He says, not just believe an organized set of doctrines. Reward in heaven? Millions upon millions of professing believers seek their reward here upon earth. They lust after money and material things, and God help those who they deem as obstacles to their prosperity. That is not following Jesus; that is following riches; that is following yourself. I am speaking about a faith which openly defies the words of Jesus but uses His name nonetheless. That is what we have come to. We correctly identify Joel Osteen and Rob Bell and others as doctrinal heretics. Brian McLaren has just written a book that suggests Moses and Buddha and Jesus were all working together. That is rank heresy and antichrist. But that has blinded us to the fact the western orthodox church is heretical in practice.

You see we have treated the teachings of Jesus as a smorgasbord. Some are doctrine, and some are optional. But in effect, we are not following Jesus. We are following our own convenient interpretations. We do not need some tweaking or some surface reorganization. No, we need a revolutionary transformation that places everything on the table, prays for a deep spiritual correction, and returns to the Scriptures as a fresh revelation. This will not be just a minor course correction. This will begin with repentance, and then will proceed to the cross, into the tomb, and through the opening when the stone has been rolled away. From there we must follow in His steps. Oh that our Lord would grant us such a journey!

In order for us to follow Jesus we must hear His Words and do them.

Simple?

Go ahead and begin.

The Daily News

THE DAILY NEWS

 

THE DAILY NEWS FROM SATAN

*Muslims are protesting all around the world*

*A member of the royal family was topless*

*Obama said something*

*Romney said something*

*Another celebrity might be pregnant*

*Gas prices are higher/lower*

*November 6^th can bring hope*

 

THE DAILY NEWS FROM JESUS

I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes on Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.

Which subscription do you wish to renew?

This is a Test

THIS IS A TEST

OK, class. Muslims all over the world are protesting. Many are violent. Surprised?

NOTE: When people are deceived, they act deceived.

NOTE: Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

HOMEWORK: Go tell them the truth. Don’t just tell each other they are deceived.

There will be a test.

Apologizing a Sin?

WHEN DID APOLOGIZING

BECOME A SIN?

We as Christians teach our children to apologize when they are wrong. Marriage seminars suggest we say we’re sorry to each other. We are to confess our sins to our Heavenly Father. So when professing believers say to our children we should never apologize for America, are they saying this nation never makes mistakes? Tell that to the Indians and the blacks.

One of the core principles of being a believer is humility. We must always be ready to apologize for anything that might have offended, and we must never plant an unmovable wall where dialogue and understanding could be gained. This is Christianity 101 and not some new and strange doctrine. But when you ride upon a vehicle of national pride then you get swept up into behaviors that should not be associated with believers and imitators of Jesus.

President Obama has been accused of apologizing for America, and even though I do not find his words over apologetic, I still wonder why is apologizing such a sin? In the world of braggadocio and national pride, any hint of humility is viewed as weakness. Mitt Romney said that “America is the greatest nation in history”. I am sure millions of Indians and slaves might disagree. But that kind of hubris should never come from a true believer. And we are not those who compare ourselves with ourselves.

But to insist that apologizing for mistakes is somehow against the nation's interest reveals openly the difference between national interest and the commands of Jesus.

II Tim.2: 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

So where is this meekness about which Paul instructs? Is it unseemly to apologize when an indiscriminate drone kills some innocent people in Pakistan? Here we are teaching children to say “I’m sorry” and shake hands, but the adults refuse to utter those same words? But this is not the way of Jesus, and this is not the spirit of the kingdom of God. We must come out from among them and be separate. And part of being separate is being humble and meek. Tragedies should not be weighed in terms of ethnicity or national origin. We as believers must strive to see all people as equal as it concerns the gospel.

Phil.2: 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Our Master humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. That is our glorious example.

Jam.5: 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.

The church has become so nationalized that it rejects the overt teachings of Jesus in favor of a smug defense of the secular nation which murders millions of babies. How in the world have we gotten to the place where we even refuse to apologize? It is the height of arrogance and reveals the depth of carnal thinking running wild in the American church, and I do mean American. This kind of church is surely not a church which desires the spiritual, but it is the church which revels in the natural and plays the harlot by jumping into bed with the world.

“We do not apologize for America” is the current mantra. Jesus humbled Himself and came to our rescue, even when we were yet enemies, and died for us. But we stand with clenched fist and gritted teeth and refuse to exhibit the slightest bit of humility, even though the Spirit exhorts us to be clothed with humility. Let us face the facts. The church no longer follows Jesus at all. What we have now is a moralistic, nationalistic, and conservative religious system which bows before the “founding fathers”, looks down upon other nations, and exhibits a visceral dislike for Muslims and gays and liberals. And that is supposed to be the Christian faith? You are sadly mistaken and deceived if you believe that the Holy Spirit of Christ can be forced into an alliance with any earthly nation.

It is sad and embarrassing when you read and hear professing believers spout nonsense about America’s Christian roots. But even if that fairy tale were true, how can we justify the attitudes and the words and the self righteousness and the national hubris? If this is a “Christian nation” why don’t we act like Christ? It’s because we no longer even know what it means to be a follower and imitator of Jesus Christ. The nationalistic spirit has so infiltrated the western church that almost anything is accepted as Christian so long as it is covered in patriotism.

We as believers should not only apologize when there is the possibility that we are wrong, but we should be quick to do it. And let us be painfully honest. There have been quite a few times when we were wrong and did not realize it, or thought others were more wrong and therefore did not see the need for us to apologize. So if you are afraid of apologizing needlessly, well just chalk it up as making up for other times. I mean does anyone even know Christ outside the name? Do we even seek to be humble and meek and loving as was He? And even if we do seek that we still fall short. So how far short do we fall when we don’t even seek to be like Him?

When we accuse and excuse and when we speak demeaning words that defend the indefensible, well we are exhibiting Satan and not Jesus. Our flesh mirrors the evil one. Only God’s Spirit speaking and living through us exhibits the Lord Jesus. All the rest, including the hubris parade that carries the “greatest country in the world” banner is dung and in effect is the enemy of Christ. So the next time you hear someone say that we do not apologize for America, or that this is the greatest country in the world, you might want to listen to the voice of the Spirit. He will say,

II Cor.6: 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

And if you listen closely you just might hear Him say,

Matt.11: 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

But please allow me to frame this entire discussion inside what should be, what must be our template. Who can fully imagine the power and majesty and authority of the Creator arriving in the likeness of us? And then who can comprehend the humility and the unfathomable condescension for that same Incarnate Being inviting His enemies to mock and jeer Him? The sinless Lamb, the Holy One, is led like a Lamb to His own slaughter. He writhes, He moans, he sweats, and he bleeds profusely from even His own pours. Draped in agony and riddled with wounds; swelling beyond recognition; His breaths become more and more labored and His chest heaves with each elongated breath. And underneath the human pain and suffering, there lives the spiritual excruciation that only comes with a payment for sin. The rebellion of all mankind now elicits it awful toll with a suffering beyond the earthly realm.

And as we gaze upon this spectacle with the eyes of faith, are we not aware of the sacred self denial inherent in this death? And although this battered frame has endured the brutality and mocking of wicked men, His chest heaves out and His lips part. Behold, He speaks.

“Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

And encapsulated in those ten words is the character of Christ Himself. In a profound mystery, Christ is apologizing for His killers even though they will not apologize for what they are doing. And if that be so, then just who have we been following?

And for the many, many times that I have not been like Jesus…I apologize.

Were it not for Grace

WERE IT NOT FOR GRACE

Take every single good deed I have done through 37 years of being a believer, and multiply them by the power of one million, and I could never earn one ounce of God’s redemption. It is all dung and refuse. No matter how long we preach on God’s grace we will never even touch the hem of that garment through words of human understanding. God’s grace is unfathomable and resists all human efforts. It cannot be measured, and just when you place upon it a definition you realize you seem to be just knocking at the door to an eternal library called grace.

The word slides so easily off the tongue and yet its power is inexhaustible. If my sin could throw me out of His grace I would already be a castaway. Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds. Oh yes, all of us in one way or another have tested the strength of His grace. And yet His grace was in reality never tested since it is prefect and far beyond the strength of sin. Once believed, and once given through faith in Christ, the sinner is swept into the family of God, and yet, we still fall short in our own strength. God does not condone sin, but now He deals with us as sons and not as enemies.

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. That is not a license, that is a revelation of His grace. God cannot lie, and what He has purchased and what He has bestowed He will complete. How can we beckon our limited minds to soar that high? It would have been beyond us if God would have prepared a perfect place for us throughout eternity. But God went further, much, much further. The place in which God has prepared for us is His place. His place? Oh my, how can that be?

Grace, God’s grace. Drenched in blood and bearing those vicious and beautiful scars, grace came forth from the heart of God. Do we dare limit God to our doctrinal volumes, or will we one day see that our doctrines were only the scaffolding but the Risen Christ Himself was where that scaffolding led? Oh yes, the Lord Jesus in all His glory will not only be the proof of God’s grace, but throughout all eternity He will be the living and pulsating expression of that grace. Jesus IS the way and the truth and the life and the mercy and the love and the grace. In Him is where all the promises find their source and destination.

Of course the world cannot understand it, because we ourselves still cling to some bits and pieces of His glory. We ourselves are living as unfinished business waiting to be made complete in His eternal presence. And yet, while we see through a darkened glass it still shakes our being and creates a hunger for more. One day, one day of glory, we will behold the Author of this grace. Not limited to earthly senses, we shall behold Him with a knowledge and experience unknown to any man of woman born. And in order for us to remain living, we will be given new bodies which can survive and even embrace an actual vision of the Lamb of Glory. In His presence we will bask and worship forever. But we would never have this kind of eternity, were it not for grace.

Grace…grace…and only grace.

Watch and listen to this. 

Another Jesus?

ANOTHER JESUS?

 

Free Speech is not Biblical

FREE SPEECH IS NOT BIBLICAL

Col.4: 5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Ti.2: 7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Eph.4: 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

II Tim.1: 13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Jam.3: My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

As you can see, we as believers are not granted free speech, which means in the secular world, the right to say what and how you want. That is not what we learn from Christ. It is the first amendment to the Constitution, but God’s Word takes authority over the law of man. How have we acquiesced to the dictates of man and ignored what Christ has commanded of us? We must not take license from earthly authorities and speak in ways that are contrary to the Word of God. We are free to hate in America but we are not free to hate in Christ.

Earthly principles present an inherent conflict between light and darkness, even if the darkness seems reasonable and democratic. Sometimes earthly freedoms are in direct violation of God’s Word and yet millions of believers quote the Constitution as if that is the final authority for us. It is not. It never was. We are called to a much higher standard that many times requires us to deny ourselves the luxury of venting words that are without grace and are verbal projectiles rather than words that edify.

Our speech must be directed by the Spirit who only says that which proceeds from God. And so this free speech issue may be good for the kingdom of darkness, but it is not aligned with the kingdom of God. Other people may be free to speak evil of others or speak against sinners or even create a volatile video which mocks other religions, but we must listen to another voice. Our tongues are bond servants to the Spirit of Christ.

We are different, we think different, we act different, and we speak different. Let all the world know that we are servants of the Most High God and we will deny ourselves in order to win some to Christ. Let others win political points and even speak earthly truth with demeaning words of hate and dismissiveness. But when the Spirit drew us to Christ He did not mock us or make us an object of satire. The Spirit did not attack us with words of hate and words intended to make us nothing more than a clever parody. We were drawn to Christ by the redemptive power of the Spirit of Grace, the Holy Spirit of God.

That is our calling; that is our example; that must be our very life.

Oh be careful little children what you say, for the Father up above is looking down with love, oh be careful what you say.

Enough With the Founding Fathers

ENOUGH ALREADY WITH THE FOUNDING FATHERS

I do not need to reiterate the pluralistic foundations of America. I do not need to reiterate how many slaves were owned by those “founding fathers”. I do not need to reiterate that the name of Jesus appears nowhere in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution. I do not need to reiterate that inalienable rights and the pursuit of man’s happiness is the core of what the “founding fathers” considered independence. I do not need to reiterate how unchristian it is to go to war over taxes. I hope I need not reiterate those and other issues.

But even in the face of those unchristian facts there remains a sizeable number of Christian leaders and bloggers and writers who still pay homage to a collection of believers, agnostics, heretics, philanderers, and a mixed group of patriots. Enough, already. It is completely at odds with all we say we believe, and it is at odds with New Testament teaching. The Apostle Paul made it clear that neither he nor God was impressed with man or his earthly credentials.

Gal.2: 6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:

And yet here we as professing believers hanging pictures of these men, and referencing them as if they were gods from Mount Olympus. It is time the true church rejects that form of humanism and returns to a broken and surrendered obedience to the Lordship of Jesus Christ - EXCLUSIVELY! And let us be painfully honest here. None of us, NONE OF US, can truthfully claim that Jesus is Lord over our entire lives without any deviation. Even when we strive as we should, we still fall short. And in the light of that, how can we genuflect to any group of men? If we were inclined to follow the example of any man perhaps Paul would be a prime candidate, but even he refers to himself as chief of all sinners! And all his achievements scholastically and spiritually? DUNG, he says!

Away with all this nonsense that openly defies the direction of Scripture and makes little gods of men just because they began a pluralistic nation bought with human blood. I am baffled as to how normally intelligent men cannot see how their view of America is so inaccurate simply by the original documents. There are many nations whose legal system is built upon Judeo-Christian principles. Are they all “Christian nations”? There is only one Christian nation and Peter calls it a “holy nation”. It refers to the living body of Christ comprised of true believers from every earthly nations.

Is Jesus not enough? Must we cling to some fables about men who have long since died? Just look at what is happening here and around the world. Muslims kill people to protect the honor of Mohammed while Christians go to war to protect the honor of the “founding fathers”. And with all the violence and all the rhetoric and all the hatred the gospel of Jesus Christ has shrunk to little more than a doctrinal aside. Sweet smelling savor? We have become just a small part of the pandering crowd which is entertained by taking the news of the day and re-enacting the storming of the Bastille. Believers watch too much secular news and not enough gospel news. The entire landscape of talk shows have succeeded in altering our Biblical sense of reality and like a strong undertow has pulled us into the merry-go-round of yak-yak-yak and more yak.

But amidst all this bluster about nothing, where is the remarkable and observable devotion to Christ? Please do not try and suggest that moral standards are what constitutes being surrendered to the Lord Jesus. Capitalism? Democracy? Please, open your eyes and your heart. Being devoted to Jesus cannot be achieved without being like Him. And in order to be like Him we must read the gospels and see what He was like. How did He live; how did He speak; who did He love; how did he feel about money and power. Our example comes from that life and not from earthly lives enhanced by historical accounts.

Eph.4: 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Let us return to the shadow of our Father’s great wings and therein abide. For all eternity we have but one Father who is above all and in those who believe in His Son. Let your minds be captured by the eternal and release the attraction of the temporal. There is a city which awaits us whose brilliance will shame us all for ever having been fond of anything else. And in the center of that city, sitting upon a throne, is the Brilliant One. Our Creator, our Redeemer, and our Lord. Let us all bow now before Him and repent of our carnal ways. The way of Jesus is not of this world, but it can be found through Gods Word and the illumination of the Spirit.

Prov.3: 5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

The Underbelly Exposed

THE UNDERBELLY EXPOSED

Terry Jones is the pastor of Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida. Regardless of the word “Dove” in the church’s title, the man is a practicing Neanderthal who understands nothing about the Christian faith. His abject hatred for the Muslim people has led him to burn pages of the Quran and support some kind of video that disparages Mohammed. But let us not be blind to another aspect that plays a large role in his misguided and visceral attacks. He is a solid and energetic patriot who sees America as a divine creation and his role as a defender of this nation. Yes, he makes most of us very uncomfortable.

But here is another uncomfortable truth about Mr. Jones. He is a representative of what lives within American evangelicalism even though his ways may be a little less sophisticated and more primitive. Oh yes, this kind of hatred and prickly patriotism is practiced all across the country but usually not allowed to be presented in such a stark and offensive manner. But the kind of attitude that Mr. Jones openly displays flies under the radar within the community of mainstream evangelicalism. He also exhibits a tangible hatred for gay people. His church joined with the Westboro Baptist Church in a protest against gays, as well as hanging President Obama in effigy outside his church. Doing the hanging was Uncle Sam holding an American flag.

Ridiculous, you say? Barbaric? Well let me expose the repulsive underbelly of the American evangelical church. There is a distinct hatred for gays and Muslims, along with an idolatrous worship of America itself, flourishing in thousands upon thousands of evangelical churches. But let us not kid ourselves, this pastor from Florida, although extreme, has only magnified what burns within many evangelical hearts. We may not want to face it, but there it is. Pastor Terry Jones speaks what millions feel but would never express it so openly. Oh yes, these Cro-Magnon expressions are literal extensions of what more sophisticated believers believe and feel but would never resort to such crude methods of expression. The church has become accomplished at holding unchristian attitudes but cloaking them with half truths and a literal defiance of hundreds of New Testament admonitions.

In reality, and with an astonishing openness, the church has been able to set up all sorts of straw men while ignoring even the basic tenants of the faith. And with these straw men, pew dwellers by the millions who actually have no living relationship with the Risen Christ pacify their consciences by being on the right side of certain issues. And the overarching theme has always been wrapped up in patriotism. People are usually against gays and Muslims not so much because their belief system is unbiblical, but because they may be ruining the culture and detouring from the founding fathers. Can you believe such a thing? The “founding fathers” take precedence over the Father of Lights!?

Take a look and a listen to this Florida pastor. You think his rhetoric offends all professing believers? Professing believers by the millions hate Muslims, hate President Obama, and hate gay people. Oh they are way to clever to use that kind of rhetoric, but they hate them nonetheless. Not since the days of slavery has such hatred been embraced within the church. Yes, the church used to hate communists, but that pales when compared with the present displays of hatred. We have lost what it means to be a believer and a follower of the Lord Jesus. And believers refuse to even assess the issue of patriotism and nationalism as the root cause. Unless God removes the scales from our eyes the church will continue to blindly walk in a gospel-less haze which seeks its own prosperity, its own morality, and its own national interests. Instead of looking forward to the coming of Christ, the church looks backward to the founding fathers.

Do you think the Lord Jesus is interested in preserving the freedom that allows for abortion? Do you think the Father defends the freedom that allows gay marriage? Do you believe the Father wants to champion the freedom that allows the pornographic industry to flourish? But you still do not see that these things are not against democracy and freedom, they are the result of it! I again encourage everyone to read through the New Testament in one or two weeks. You will see just how far off course we have strayed. Let me illustrate another painful point.

If you believe that violence is accepted in certain circumstances from believers, then you are trapped into situations that may be unpleasant. Do you believe that believers in Germany should have taken up arms if they could and killed other Germans to protect the Jews from the Holocaust? Many would say they should have. Do you believe that some wars are just when they protect people’s lives and that believers should support and participate in such wars? Many would say yes. Do you believe abortion is the murdering of an unborn human being? Most would say yes.

Well then, when you juxtapose all these views upon each other, you must believe that killing abortion doctors is acceptable. You cannot have that view about Germans, and that view about war, and then reject that view about killing abortion doctors in defense of human lives. The only way you can reject the killing of abortion doctors is if you reject violence as a part of the kingdom of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And likewise, the only way you can reject the actions and attitudes of Pastor Jones in Florida, is if you reject the kind of sinner-focused Christianity that sees people as enemies of the state (country). And unless your allegiance is completely in Christ, then you cannot disagree with pastor Jones’ version of patriotic rhetoric and aggressiveness toward those who you deem unAmerican.

These kinds of things must be blazing billboards that warn us of our compromised ways and point us to a repentant return to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Please do not just be spectators in these last days, but listen to the voice of the Spirit. Search the Scriptures, Consume their truths. Revolutionize your prayer life. Drench your heart in the love of God. Refuse to allow the carnal battles of men to distract you from the unseen warfare for the souls of men. These are dangerous and deceptive times. Reject the ungodly underbelly of evangelicalism and embrace the light of Christ. Watch and pray more than you talk and support.

A Continuing Mockery

A CONTINUING MOCKERY

Nationalism and politics seems to be the perfect canvas upon which to paint hatred, lies, and the careless evisceration of one‘s opponents and/or other ethnic and religious groups. Four Americans were senselessly murdered, including the ambassador, in Libya last night. Before the attacks, yes, before the attacks the American embassy in Libya issued a statement condemning hate speech and specifically speech which denigrates another religion. The statement was an obvious attempt to disarm a volatile situation stemming from an American who constructed a video attacking Mohammed. It is reported that among other things the video depicted Mohammed having sexual relations.

Well the statement did not dissuade deceived and misguided people form killing those four Americans. But here is a situation in which we can see the repulsive depths that is regularly visited in the political darkness. Before the families of that fallen were notified, the candidate Mitt Romney pounced upon the statement and once again accused President Obama of apologizing for America. And even after being made aware that the statement in question was given before the vicious attacks, Romney again made his attacks with even more inaccurate verbiage.

Even Sarah Palin, a professing evangelical, made a mockery of this horror quipping that the President cannot see Libya from his house. And here is a post on Facebook from Palin last night. “President Obama likes to “speak softly” to our enemies. If he doesn’t have a “big stick” to carry, maybe it’s time for him to grow one.” And that kind of salacious language comes from a professing believer? Reprehensible and without conscience.

You see, politics on both sides is only after one thing - power. Facts do not matter, courtesy is seen as weakness, and even national tragedies are used and abused for political capital. It is and always has been a disgraceful exhibition of the wretched heart of mankind. But here is where I want to make a point. How can any believing follower of Jesus support such a system? How can you read God’s Word and engage in such a cesspool of unchristian speech? How can we look at and embrace the cross of Christ and yet embrace that which is clearly against that same cross?

I do not know the spiritual condition of those four Americans who lost their lives, but to me they were more than Americans, they were souls. Please, let all who name the name of Christ come out from among the political dunghill and show the redemptive grace in our words and in our lives. Hasn’t this carnal quicksand of politics and nationalism dragged us down far enough?

Eph.5: 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

I have been convinced for some time. Involvement in politics is proving what is NOT acceptable unto the Lord.