What True Revival Must Look Like to be True Revival

There is much concern in the Church today regarding the need for true revival. There are books, conferences and sermons spoken on the topic. Time for some straight talk.

I have distilled these pronouncements, this is precisely what true revival must look like to be genuine:

• People return to church who used to but don’t any more
• We must sing at least 2 old hymns every Sunday to be spiritual
• The people must listen in rapt attention as the pastor reads his sermon to them (It should contain a joke or two)
• People must give 10% of their net income after taxes to be members
• It must look and feel like it did 50 years ago when I was a kid growing up. That was revival.

If you know much about me you know I am kidding.

Here’s the problem with people trying to tell God how to bring the next revival they will accept:

1. God Laughs
2. They (Church Leadership) get frustrated

It is the epitome of arrogance to try to define what revival might look like in the next wave. Oh, I believe Revival is come, has come and will come. I just don’t think it will look anything like what the church at large thinks it will. For that reason when the visitation of God comes they will miss it complexly, try to explain it away, wait too long, and lose their congregation to Churches that embrace revival as it flows thru and close to become a disco when the new buyers buy that old building.

I have been reading with some interest and amusement this blog linked above on the topic of revival. I don’t mean to pick on this nice man but his take on what revival might or should look like is a human framed reference point God is far from.

We have had revival break out in various places around the world and even in America. I have seen and experienced them. They were never conventional. They changed me. Some died after several years. That’s what happens in revivals, they take us from Glory to Glory according to the scriptures and we begin to see Jesus. They never stay the same. You can’t put God in a box and tell him to stay there.

When we have had these true revivals in the past many people in evangelical traditional religion have rejected, questioned, poo pooed, visited and pronounced judgment, or ignored them and hoped these revivals would go away. When they did these critics remained in their deadness and said, "see, that didn't last". Never mind that it changed in a small way the face of Christianity that 100 years of tradition never could have.

The net result is Jesus showed up and they didn’t see him. Exactly as happend to the Jews in the first century. Eventually what God was doing changed and he began a new thing. These evangelical traditionalists continue to try reviving revival in the mode of what happened 150 years ago in Wales.
When God says, "Behold I do a new thing, if it's new to God it's new to you".

What about what happened in the 80’s with the laughter outbreak (discounted as ungodly), Pensacola (lots of repentance but too emotional), Toronto (too much weirdness) or with the prayer movement (too inward) has always been critisized. Every revival has its persecutors and critics. Luther did. The early reformists were burned at the stake. Every move of God has been missed by the established church, critisized by church leaders, and not recognized until well after it had run it's course. Look at Azusa Street. Only in the last 20 years is it become accepted. They just missed Jesus showing up.

It still goes on today because it doesn’t fit the man crafted idea of revival. What in the world makes us think we can tell God how to do anything?

Until man repents of keeping God in a box, revival can’t come. We as Christians must be prepared to say, “God, whatever you want to do or change in this Church you called me to, I’m ready to go”. Further we must be willing to say, “I will not touch or criticize your anointed. If you are doing a new thing, I will reach for you in it and see if I can find you there”.

This means nearly every sacred cow in the church must be subject to becoming hamburger. It’s big talk to say that, it's another thing to do it. God can only move as he wants to if we are prepared to kill off the revered bovines wandering around in our theologies.

Every single thing sacred in every Church Service must be subject to change. It’s all man-made anyway. Only that which is activated by the Spirit of God is real. The rest is all temporal. Worse, the idea that PEOPLE might object if we did or didn’t do this or that is so bogus spiritually that it needs to be called what it is, BAD RELIGION.

Arrogance is telling God what to do and being offended if he doesn’t do it your way. I have lived most of my life as a born again spirit filled Christian. I have instructed God several times on how to do thus and so in my life. He has always been quite amused. He never does it the way I tell Him to. He always does it right however. In fact, in the areas I defined how He was supposed to do it, if He had been foolish enough to do it my way it would have been a disaster. I have learned not to tell Him how to do things. I have learned to trust Him.

Why do we think it’s any different in our Churches? We somehow don’t think it arrogance to tell God how we believe Church should look to be "real" Church or to tell him how revival should look to be "real" revival. God is still amused. We frame our reference paridigm by being traditional, according to our denomination, Biblical, or classical. The problem is, all of these are interpretations and manmade. I know of Churches in Tennessee where to them being Biblical is not having any musical instruments in the Church. They have Bible verses to prove this. Or a church I’m very familiar with where the women NEVER cut their hair. They point to 1 Corinth 11.

Biblical?

Dumb!

Man Made!!

What if the next revival to break out was Rap Music? All the service, sermon, and sacrament was to the beat of a rap given by a guy dressed in black and an earring? What if Eminem and Fifty Cent got saved and became the next mass evangelists. What if thousands of rap fans came to Jesus at rap concerts and expect to be rapped to about Jesus in our Churches because that’s how they came to Jesus. What will the Church do with them? Start a Saturday evening service for rappers because the dying generation of old people can’t accept the rap revival in regular services? We would lose these people because they were marginalized. People who are new believers passionate for God, turned on, fired up, ready to act, full of energy, and then marginalized. Oh, God would find them a place, then as conventional Churches died they would try to have a Rap Service for those who wanted it. It would be watered down, anemic and empty. The fire went out on the altar.

So, the true new revival generated believers are abandoned because of tradition. God is not mocked. He will judge a Church that doesn't tend his sheep. Even if they love rap music.

Right now, according to John Armstrong, 8000 people per day are deciding to quit going to Church. That’s 56,000 per week. That’s nearly 10% of the population of the USA who no longer go to Church. I don’t know of the veracity of this statistic but I do know that the number is high. Why? Something no longer connects.

What ameliorates this somewhat is some people actually get saved and begin going to Church.

I narrowed this down into bite sized pieces. In the geography of the Fox Valley where I have received the Vision of what God wants to do, there are about 180,000 current residents. That means that 50 people within 15 miles of where I live decided to stop going to Church Today. This last week 400 stopped going to Church in the Fox Valley areas I live in. I’m confident that with all the churches together, we didn’t add 400 people. They just quit. The church in the Fox Valley I attend has about 500 attendees. That means that one person this last week in our Church decided not to come back to church this again and stay home permanently on Sunday. That means we lose about 4 people per month. That means that to keep just even we must add 4. This explains a great deal. By the way, that's about the statistics. Treading water.

Something is wrong and must be fixed. The fix isn’t in the hands of man, The fix is in the hand of God. But we must be ready and willing to go with him where he goes. You lead I’ll follow we sing, but we may be holding our fingers crossed behind our backs.

What we really mean is, Lord, you lead and if it doesn’t violate our image or traditions too much and if our people accept it I’ll follow. God smiles a wry smile and says, "If I have to let you all die and come to heaven to destroy what you have worked for so I can rebuild it as I wanted to, I will do it". God is not mocked.

I submit it would be better if we let him lead and we follow.

Oh, and I am not predicting a rap revival. It's just a way of testing your ability to think a little outside the box you placed God in. I have heard real rap music worship and thought it was OK. If that’s where he wanted us to go, I’m ok with it.

Let's let God arise and his Enemies be Scattered.

…………Said the Porpoise to the Tiger

Yesterday I had one of those times. I was at the Fox Valley Folk Fest. I don’t normally go to those things but a friend of mine, Art was there so I stopped out to see him.

While shooting the breeze and talking politics a long time acquaintance from a previous church stopped by. Charlie. Charlie and I had a great talk not about OLD DAYS but about what God was doing right now in the Church of Jesus. We talked about our hopes and beliefs in his purposes. It went on for a half hour or so it seemed to Art.

For clarity Art knows about Spiritual Things, actually is reasonably well versed in one way. Like a lot of people who grew up in church, are well read, probably read the Bible but have no understanding of who Jesus is. He can talk the language in fact. I think he was raised catholic.

We have talked, I have been open but he has always been dismissive of the whole thing. I don’t get my Bible out and pound it. I care about his soul but I learned long ago I am not the Holy Spirit. I am just Gene. He has to be attracted by the Spirit of God and not of Gene.

Our (Charlie and my) discussion intrigued him. He started asking questions. Not about salvation. Not about who Jesus is; but about Pentecost. He focused right in on speaking in tongues. What is so tragic is that is a stumbling block for so many who know just a little bit that it keeps them away from entering in. This is true even of those who know Jesus. They are fearful of going deeper. They have put God in a box and tell him to stay in his place; they’ll just take a little, dabble around the edges and hope it’s enough. The problem is it’s not for them about salvation. It’s about experiencing all there is to know of God, Hs Gory and Grace.

I have a good pastor friend who writes a newsletter by email. He mails one every week. Many times they are scholarly. But, they are always careful, analytical, distant and keeping of God in his place. I got just one such today. He tried and failed to differentiate the Mystical (Pentecost) in the spiritual realm. Talk about the Kitty Cat on the edge of the pool trying to describe what swimming is like even though he has never been in the water.

Art called this morning. He was upset that I didn’t explain all the nuance of Pentecost to him. I only said to him, this is not something that can be explained, it never was explained in the book of Acts as many times as people experienced it over the many years portrayed in the book, it could only be ministered and experienced. His response was, if it can’t be explained then it’s not real. Poppycock.

If it could be explained it wouldn’t be supernatural now would it?

I have struggled to give a metaphor for why this can’t be explained. I think I get it. If I were a porpoise who swam at great speed thru the sea, leapt from the water, twirled, dove, did that wonderful tail thing they do, and laughed all the time as they seem to I would have a very hard time explaining to a Tiger on the seashore what it is like, how it works, what it feels like, how to do it. Unless he becomes a porpoise himself, gets in the water and lets it all fly he can’t read enough books, listen to enough tapes or hear enough explanation as to what it’s like to be a porpoise. He will be a Tiger, probably a good tiger. But without getting in the water and being born of the water and spirit of a porpoise he will be a tiger now and forever.

Unless you experience it you can never understand it, and here’s the truth, once you experience it you will never want to leave the water. Being a porpoise is like that. It’s so freeing, it’s so safe, it’s so joyful.

A tiger in water is never going to be a porpoise.

I'm Still Reeling

Sunday Night we attended the church we often do on Sunday nights.  It’s a great church and I have a hope and a promise for a church of equal quality in our area.  God said he would do it so I stand on the promise.

 

Something happened Sunday night that set me back a bit.  There was a guest speaker.  He was a pastor from one of the larger churches in Uganda.  His name is Jackson Senyonga.  He came to visit and speak. He was trying to raise money for an orphanage they built in Uganda.  His congregation runs about 16,000 in Sunday attendance.  A typical offering is less than $2000 total for a Sunday.  They are poor people.

  

The government was about to shut down this orphanage that house several hundred AIDS orphaned children.  They needed to put in a sewage system shut down.  Fear of disease.  A valid fear.

 

The orphanage needed $200,000 immediately to do this work.   He contacted 4 churches in our part of the country and asked to come make an appeal.  That’s why he was in Rockford last Sunday.

 

Sunday night was the 3^rd service he spoke at in the church we were attending.  Pastor Lyon got up, made a simple announcement, he said, “I know we need a new building, but I promised the Lord that in building and paying for these things I would never abandon our commitment to supporting the work he calls on us to support.  We will cut our own expenses and postpone our own desires to do the work God puts in our hearts”.   With that the plate was passed.

 

By the end of the night, with fewer than 500 in attendance and with about 1200 attending the morning services, the total cash contributions for the day were $35,000.  There were pledges of another $11,000.   Pastor Lyon felt bad that the Church could “only” contribute $46,000.  I’m sure the other $4000 will come in.  That orphanage offering was the second offering in addition to the regular tithes and offerings of the night.

 

What astonished me was the ease and passion with which a simple offering became overflow.  No pressure.  No pain.  No emotionalism.  To be honest I haven’t decided what I will give so whatever I decide to do isn’t even in the total yet.  I know I am not alone in that decision to pray over the offering I might make.  Pastor Senyonga will get all the money he needs.

 

What astounded me as well was the relative wealth of the people in attendance.  Most of those who attend this Rockford Church are not wealthy, high placed, big earners, or elegant.   Compared to where I live they are actually kind of poor.  They are regular Joes and Janes of all colors, shapes and sizes.  They just do what God tells them to do.

 

I have always felt that lovers of God make better givers then those who are passive or nominal about Jesus.  I remember about a year ago attending a missions meeting with about a hundred people and raising $50,000 in an hour for missions.  I was blown away.  The people were so happy to be part of this.  I'll never forget that night.

 

That’s what I love so much about Pentecostals.  You don’t need to beat people up, just lay it before them and they will give and give and give.  They are willing to kick in time and treasure without pressure.  They see it as a privilege to be partnered with the work of God.

 

That’s the reason I have such a desire to see this kind of Body of Christ in the Fox Valley.  If God could get hold of the hearts of the people in the Fox Valley the world could be changed.  This is a serious challenge and is on the heart of God.  I know it like I know anything.  Nothing less than totally sold out is satisfactory.

 

Close circuit to some of my readers.  

Olfunso, this is the partnership that is possible, don’t lose hope.  I know you are a key to this.  Steve, yes, this is the church you attended it’s so much more than you ever saw they’ve had a breakthrough.

Charlie, I thought about you.  You have dreamed with me for this.  It’s time.

Cass, spirit filled believers staying home Sunday in our area need a home.

Mike G, Rod H, and Curt F.  There is true revival in our area.  We just need to move it 50 miles southeast to the Fox Valley.

Todd - Breakthrough is on the way, wait till Friday night.

 

There is release when the Spirit of God is at work.

100 Days of Summer - Legends of the Fall

Labor Day; The last day of unofficial summer. Stop wearing white.

Labor day is Day 247 on the calendar.

Memorial Day is the first day of unofficial summer. The Saturday before Memorial Day was day 147 on the calendar. That means we have experienced the 100 days of summer.

Reflections:
Yellow Jackets have been ferocious
It was warm for 10 days otherwise it has been a cool summer.
Memorial Day weekend is downright cold and wet.
Things grew well at first, stopped but the fall flush is great.
It got dry but it’s funny what a few inches of rain will do.

I’ll miss summer but I really enjoy the 80 days of fall. From Labor Day till Thanksgiving is unofficial fall. 80 days.

Then begins that long “cold” Illinois winter (It can go below zero two or three times a year for up to a whole day and we can get up to 8" of snow at one time). 117 days will come and go From Thanksgiving to the first day of spring, about March 20.

Then, at last spring begins.

We always have vernal witchhazel blooming then, some crocuses, and a few brave tulips poke their head up. Spring starts to spring. 70 days of Spring goes by too quickly, blooms too fast and moves relentlessly to summer. Spring and fall are like diamonds, rare and beautiful. Winter is like Coal (dark) and Summer like Granite (hard and too much).

Bring on the fall.

Good Cop Bad Cop

In my "spare" time I blog on Say Anything. I like it because it's North Dakota Based, Rob Port is a decent man, and he has more readers for me to rant and rave at. So I do. Sometimes I hit a nerve. This was just one such a day. I postulated that like vouchers for education, perhaps our legal system and police force should be totally privatised and held accountable. Well, I drew fire. A cop from down south somewhere took me on. It wasn't pretty. I imagine that under other circumstatnces we might have got along fine. But, I guess he's just one of those fellows who can't imagine paridigms different from his own. See all the fireworks here.

Here's the post anyway.


I have from time to time expressed a personal opinion that is becoming more and more persistent in my thinking. Not a good conservative value. Probably more a libertarian one in nature than anything.

I am convinced that our police forces in America have been completely Barney Fifed. You remember Barney. Andy of Mayberry and all that. He was always arresting the wrong people, a stickler for absurd detail and ready to use force at any time (which is why Andy only gave him one bullet).

Andy is no longer on the force in America. Our police force in America has become a bunch of bullies, in my opinion.

And not only in my opinion, either. Joseph Farah wrote a piece on police incompetence worth reading.

He says inhis piece:

But, like it or not, at the end of the day, police are just not serving the people. Maybe their job has become a mission impossible. I'm willing to acknowledge that. But, from my vantage point, our experience as law-abiding citizens with police officers is getting worse all the time.

The rule of law is breaking down in America. It can hardly all be blamed on cops. But policemen and policewomen are on the front lines. They are the people who are most likely to have direct, face-to-face contact with we the people. And, whereas that contact in the past has often been a positive experience, it is becoming increasingly negative for many of us.

We had such an event in Chicago in the last few weeks. A young woman, a student, who was on medication caused a ruckus at O’Hare airport. The police were called. She told them she was on medication. They locked her up. She became disoriented. She began to throw herself against the jail bars. After a few hours of this, they decided they couldn’t hold her any more and at 3:00am in one of the most dangerous parts of town she was turned lose without escort by the cops. She was disoriented. A black man picks her up, rapes her repeatedly and then to hide the evidence takes her up a 4 story building and throws her off. She survives but now is in a permanent vegetative state.

Her parents from California were in touch with the cops when they had her in custody and plead with them to hold her until they got there or release her into the custody of someone as a protector. This was a horrid situation and now a lovely 20 year old girl will spend the rest of her life, whatever life she has, unconscious because the police did not serve or protect her.

Chicago Cops are tough. In one way I like it. Chicago is a very safe place (except for certain neighborhoods). But they have conducted torture, they recently beat up a diabetic man having an insulin reaction and if certain Chicago cops arrest you as a drug dealer, your money will be taken and your drugs will be stolen and resold by the crooked cops.

This is a system badly broken. In Chicago for sure, but I know this kind of excess goes on all over America. Barney Fifes set loose with extra bullets.

Take a look at an article reprinted in the Wall Street Journal today from the BBC. It talks about the excessive use of SWAT teams. We have militarized the police to the point where the mission of protecting and serving is no longer part of the purpose of these para-militaristic thugs.

From the article:

Professor Peter Kraska, an expert on police militarisation from Eastern Kentucky University, says that in the 1980s there were about 3,000 Swat team deployments annually across the US, but says now there are at least 40,000 per year. "I have no problem with using these paramilitary style squads to go after known violent, armed criminals, but it is an extreme tactic to use against other sorts of suspects," he said.

Dr Kraska believes there has been an explosion of units in smaller towns and cities, where training and operational standards may not be as high as large cities - a growth he attributes to "the hysteria" of the country's war on drugs.

So, what is the answer? Some are starting to ask the question whether or not the police should be part of our government at all. They're asking if maybe it shouldn't be privatized. Currently there is no incentive for police to solve crimes as they get paid regardless, and it’s hard to hold bad cops accountable because it’s hard to sue the government.

Here is a typical argument in favor of privatizing the police in this article:

In To Serve and Protect: Privatization and Community in Criminal Justice, Bruce Benson argues for privatizing the American legal system (including police, courts, and prisons) and adopting a revised version of the old Anglo-Saxon system under which crime victims have a right to restitution from criminals. Benson describes the pros and cons of some measures that would reform the American legal system to allow more privatization. He also explains the fully privatized legal system that he advocates, which would require changes in the law to allow individuals to sell some or all of their right to restitution and to allow private ownership, management, and policing of roads and all other "public" property. Benson’s restitution-based legal system fits well with the system promoted by Randy Barnett in The Structure of Liberty.

Compared to the current legal system in America, which imposes the costs of investigations, trials, and prisons on innocent taxpayers and does little to compensate victims of crime, Benson’s victim-restitution system is more fair and more libertarian because: (1) it eliminates all victimless-crime laws, (2) it helps victims of crime to recover from the losses inflicted on them, and (3) it makes criminals bear most of the costs of crime investigation, court proceedings, restitution, and incarceration. With regard to preventing and negating crime, Benson’s privatized justice system is more efficient than the current legal system because: (1) victims can receive compensation quickly by selling all or some of their right to restitution to agents who are in a better position to capture criminals and extract restitution from them, (2) competition and the profit motive made possible by the markets for these services will lead to improved methods of crime prevention, crime investigation, court proceedings, restitution, and incarceration, and (3) the prospect of compensation gives victims more incentive to report crimes and to cooperate with the private police and courts.

I don’t know if I buy his whole argument, but we have drifted badly from the original mission of our police departments. I’m tired of the Barney Fifes. I know they aren’t all like that, but far too many are. Too many are corrupt. Too many don’t care enough to protect. Too many are para-military wackos. It’s time to revisit the Hill Street Blues. Remember what they did with the nutcase cops? The balance of power seems to have gone to the bullies. It’s time for a change in my humble opinion.

I may not have the conclusive answer to these problems, but I can say that the police no longer serve or protect.

Sincere Recommendations of Two Life Changing Books

I am a past tense reader of much in Christian Books. I have hundreds I have read and have become discouraged in the reading. When I go to our local Christian Bookstore (Johns) I peruse what is available and find most to be empty and frankly useless. Most of what is sold in Christian books, even bestsellers, are marginally Christian and barely books.

I’m not talking books that have stood the test of time, Andrew Murray, Spurgeon, etc.

I’m talking about books written by Authors of today. I buy them. I read them and I discard them. Nearly all are wastes of time. I do not buy the idea that “If we get just ONE idea from a conference or book it’s worth it all”. I even wrote one and I’m not sure of it.

I learned to take good notes in college. I can go to a conference (as I did last week) and could give any sermon I heard because I take good notes. I have boxes of notes. Most are redundant. A few are revealing. I believe only the Holy Spirit can take a truth and make it come alive just for you to be worthwhile in your life. I bought a book at the conference that Peggy read and she said it shook her. I read the same book, TWICE and I didn’t get the same reaction.

That’s the Holy Spirit in action. The reaction she had was just for her. That’s OK.

But, to the point:

There are two books that I can report which changed my life spiritually for the better. Turned me spiritually upside down. I say this because I recommend them to you.

One I read a few years ago. If you haven’t read it, do. You will see yourself and your Christian walk in a whole new way.

That book is The Final Quest by Rick Joyner.

If you google this book you will find plenty of anger and hatred on the web about this book. The evangelical fundamentalist community despises and attacks anything that rattles their little world view. This book does. You read it and you decide.

The second I read just this week. It was recommended to me by Brad Hampton of Faith Center in Rockford. He said, "Gene, This will change your life". Big claim but I trust him, so, off to Johns I went. I bought one. I read it. I’m still reeling spiritually.

There is theology in the book that I am not in complete agreement with. But for the most part it is sound in it’s concept. The purpose of the book is to ask you a core question, “What are your motives, why do you do what you do?” For the most part after reading the book I came to the conclusions my motives are not pure. I do things for selfish gain sometimes. My wife tells me I’m (I can’t say it, I must spell it) H-U-M-A-N. I joke of course but sometimes the hubris of life makes some people think they are not. Read post directly below.

The name of this pivotal work is Driven by Eternity by John Bevere

Click on the link above and scroll down to read the comments from people who have read this book. I can only say AMEN to them all.

If you are a Christian, and you want to see your Christian walk without the rose colored glasses you will want to read these two books. My hope is as a result of these you will recommend them to others. I am of the sincere opinion that the revival we all long for will come from a renewed commitment on the part of those who call themselves Christ Followers and a renewal of the fear of God.

Anything less is apostasy. I’m afraid it’s a rampant disease in the Church of Jesus today.

Teachability and the Achillies Heel

I remember years ago reading about Hubris and how it could be the downfall of any of us. I have never forgotten that lesson. I have had to learn it so many times.

But sometimes life comes along and offers additional education. I don't think I wanted to become this smart this late in life at such a high tuition cost. I just got whacked again. I won't bore you with it but because I have sold so much nursery stock and made decent money doing so I made a really dumb mistake that cost me a nice chunk of change. Worse I can only blame one person. ME!

Why did it happen? Hubris. I know what I'm doing, I'm experienced, I'm able, I'm competent, I have it together and frankly you would have a hard time telling me how to do what I do. I know better. That makes me incredibly vulnerable to hubris. My excellence is my greatest weakness. Achilles heel. Where I am weak I am careful and make few dumb mistakes. Where I am strong I can become arrogant and confident to the point where I fall in the one area I'm best at. Achilles strikes again.

I see this with others too. I associate with many Pastors. Those who are most able and gifted many times translate that ability to believing they have answers and abilities they don't possess in other areas. Therefore they move ahead with programs and policies and fall on their face or worse do nothing at all believing that somehow things will all work out. One I am thinking about has no one he is accountable or submitted to and is on an absolute course of disaster. Forget trying to tell him. He knows better. God is on his side. I'll be there to help him pick up the pieces when he fails but it looks like he's got his thumb located directly under the falling hammer.

When I am terrified at failing I do much better. When I enter into a thing that is at the core of my ability I am unteachable. Hence I don't know I can fail and am shocked when I do.

I think we all are.

I am re-examining my life as a result of this faux pax. The net question is, What core abilities do I have that have the potential of being an Achilles heel for me?What am I so good at that life or others can't help me see the error of my ways?

That is my Achilles heel, my blind spot, my area of unteachablitiy.

What are you really good at, very competent at, excellent at, experienced in, educated of, well read in, even respected by your peers for; I submit to you, THAT is YOUR Achilles heel, your area of unteachablity. The very thing that makes you strong is your area of greatest weakness and vulnerability.

I'm discovering (again) mine. How bout you? It's not too late to start. The hammer is falling.

The CURSE of the Power Struggle

I wrote a book on marriage, it is now in it's third printing. A copy of the book is located here. I am adding a chapter today. This is an area I have studied and brought this concept to a couple of Pastors to review. I believe I am right on this. I submit it for your consideration. Comments are appreciated.

The Curse of the Power Struggle

One benefit of becoming a Christian is the fact that the curse resulting from the rebellion in the Garden of Eden has been repealed by the Blood of Jesus. For instance, we no longer die but we live again in Christ. We work, but God blesses the work of our hands supernaturally. Of course, thistles still grow. But we are to have dominion over the earth.

There is an element of the curse that is not widely shared. I believe it is not shared because of political correctness. I have never been particularly politically correct. So, hang on.

Let me be bold. When God pronounced the curse on Satan, Adam and Eve at the fall, to Eve he said an unusual thing:

Genesis 3:16 Then he said to the woman, "You will bear children with intense pain and suffering. And though your desire will be for your husband,[a] he will be your master."
Footnotes:
a. Or And though you may desire to control your husband.

This footnote is from the New Living Translation which I find very accurate. Many people as they have interpreted this maintain that because childbirth was now to be a painful experience that God was making sexual desire in women a curse. How can that be?

I don’t agree. I’m may be in the minority. But I’m not alone. Several Bible Scholars agree with me. For Example:

Yet this does not make much sense as a curse. Why should a woman's desire for her husband cause him to dominate her? Most men would gladly accept his wife's desires for him, causing him to treat her more gently rather than roughly, as is implied in this verse. How are we to understand this?
Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Is it possible that part of the curse of the fall is a continual power struggle between husband and wife? I believe it is.

Consider the battles royal that go on in non-Christian households. She wants this, he wants that. They fight about things, people, money, relationships and a hundred other big and small things.

When there is a household out of order it can be one where HE is domineering and she is simply a doormat or SHE is a shrew and controls everything and he is a whipped milquetoast.

In both cases this is not as it should be.

This certainly is not as it should be in a Christian marriage. The power struggle was settled at the cross. Jesus is Lord of all, which includes your marriage. Then Jesus implements an organizational structure that makes the husband the head of the home and he is supposed to rule and love as Jesus loves and rules the Church as his bride. (He gives up his life for her and as men that’s what we are to do).

The Devil is in the business of destroying homes, Christian or Not. So he aggravates the curse and propagates this monumental power struggle.

Sadly many good people who profess Jesus as Savior reject him as Lord. They reject him in the power struggle that goes on every day in their home which manifest itself as manipulation, pressure, threats, pouting, temper tantrums, anger, silence and all kinds of other ungodly tactics straight from the pit of hell. This is true regardless of gender. It’s ungodly no matter how is comes off.

What is however covered directly under the curse God pronounced is when a woman wants to control the purse and apron strings in her home as she uses whatever power she can to do so. This is a manifestation of the fall of Man. A curse on wives.

So, what do you do if you are a man and you are married to a wife who controls and manipulates your every move? Who uses the most underhanded threats to push you around? Who will not allow you to make the decisions you were destined by God to make?

First, you must know that no one can make you feel inferior without your permission. She is doing that to you. By your reaction you have given her permission. Not allowing you to be the man she wishes you were by her pressure is causing you to be the man she wishes you were NOT. A paradox.

Second, you must take a stand and prepare to stand the consequences. If you can’t you will continue to sanction ungodly behavior in your wife. You cannot allow this to continue. As painful as it may be you must call this bluff, even if it’s not a bluff. Then, if your stand causes even more problems, even to threatening your marriage, it will surface the root of sin in the whole episode. Right now both you and your wife are in a state of denial. You both know things are out of order. You have both bought into the democracy of marriage. It’s not a democracy. It’s a theocracy and you represent the Theocrat in marriage order.

Third, this is a spiritual issue. You are not at war with your wife. You are in conflict with the devil’s influence. She is not the devil any more than the apostle Peter was when Jesus told him “get thee behind me Satan”. But, you must recognize that the control factor in your wife is a spiritual issue. If she was submitted fully to Jesus at a deeper level you could expect her to respond in a deeper way. She is living on spiritual pabulum. You, her husband, must wash her with the word of spiritual regeneration. She must come to the place where she begins to recognize who she is in Jesus and who He is in you. This is terribly deceptive ground. Most of the time it revolves around money. Money is deceitful above all things, and it is at the root of all kinds of evil.

Get your priorities right and things will come into order. Jesus must be first, all the things of Jesus must be first, His word, what you watch, what you look at, what you do, who and where you fellowship. If you are not getting balanced encouragement in this area, find a Church that believes the word of God. Second in order is your Wife. A distant third is your Kids. Fourth friends and last your job.

If you make Jesus really first, she will follow.

If you are the wife of one of these doormat husbands you are out of order. You not in God’s will in your marriage. You don’t understand the gift of God that is your husband. You are to be subject to him. The devil has you deceived. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings but the truth can set you and him free.

Last, Men, if you would have your wife be in order according to Jesus you must be Jesus to her. This means making good decisions, being loving, caring, and most of all forgiving, even when she’s a total shrew.

You will change he by your stoic focused behavior, not by giving in. Consider this, sometimes she might be crying out for you to take spiritual leadership in the home and call the empty bluff she makes. I refer you to the chapter called, “Checking Your Oil”.

It could save your marriage.

Or, it could reveal that what you have isn’t a real marriage. Do you want your heart broken now or later. Do you want to start working on having a spiritually sound and in order household now or later.

The BAD news is, there is no later, only now.

From the Email Spam File, Too Funny not to Reprint

Primer on THE BLUES

If you are into Blues music, or like it, but never really understood the why and wherefores, here are some fundamental rules:

1. Most Blues begin with: "Woke up this morning"

2. "I got a good woman" is a bad way to begin the Blues, unless you stick something nasty in the next line like, "I got a good woman, with the meanest face in town."

3. The Blues is simple. After you get the first line right, repeat it.

Then find something that rhymes - sort of: "Got a good woman with the meanest face in town. Yes, I got a good woman with the meanest face in town. Got teeth like Margaret Thatcher and she weigh 500 pound."

4. The Blues is not about choice. You stuck in a ditch, you stuck in a ditch... ain't no way out.

5. Blues cars: Chevys, Fords, Cadillacs and broken-down trucks. Blues don't travel in Volvos, BMWs, or Sport Utility Vehicles. Most Blues transportation is a Greyhound bus or a southbound train. Jet aircraft and state-sponsored motor pools ain't even in the running. Walkin' plays a major part in the Blues lifestyle. So does fixin' to die.

6. Teenagers can't sing the Blues. They ain't fixin' to die yet. Adults sing the Blues. In Blues, "adulthood" means being old enough to get the electric chair if you shoot a man in Memphis.

7. Blues can take place in New York City but not in Hawaii or anywhere in Canada. Hard times in Minneapolis or Seattle is probably just clinical depression. Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Memphis and Nawlins are still the best places to have the Blues. You cannot have the Blues in any place that don't get rain.

8. A man with male pattern baldness ain't the Blues. A woman with male pattern baldness is. Breaking your leg 'cause you were skiing is not the Blues. Breaking your leg 'cause a alligator be chomping on it is.

9. You can't have no Blues in an office or a shopping mall. The lighting is wrong. Go outside to the parking lot or sit by the dumpster.

10. Good places for the Blues:

a. highway
b. jailhouse
c. empty bed
d. bottom of a whiskey glass

11. Bad places for the Blues:

a. Nordstrom's
b. Art gallery openings
c. Ivy League institutions
d. golf courses

12. No one will believe it's the Blues if you wear a suit, 'less you happen to be an old person, and you slept in it.

13. Do you have the right to sing the Blues?

Yes, if:
a. you're older than dirt
b. you're blind
c. you shot a man in Memphis
d. you can't be satisfied

No, if:

a. you have all your teeth
b. you were once blind but now can see
c. the man in Memphis lived
d. you have a 401K or trust fund

14. Blues is not a matter of color. It's a matter of bad luck. TigerWoods cannot sing the Blues. Sonny Liston could have. Ugly white people also got a leg up on the Blues.

15. If you ask for water and your darlin' gives you gasoline, it's the Blues.

Other acceptable Blues beverages are:
a. cheap wine
b. whiskey or bourbon
c. muddy water
d. black coffee

The following are not Blues beverages:

a. Perrier
b. Chardonnay
c. Snapple
d. Slim Fast

16. If death occurs in a cheap motel or a shotgun shack, it's a Blues death. Stabbed in the back by a jealous lover is another Blues way to die. So are the electric chair, substance abuse and dying lonely on a broken-down cot.

You can't have a Blues death if you die during a tennis match or while getting liposuction.

17. Some Blues names for women:

a. Sadie
b. Big Mama
c. Bessie
d. Fat River Dumpling

18. Some Blues names for men:

a. Joe
b. Willie
c. Little Willie
d. Big Willie

19. Persons with names like Michelle, Amber, Jennifer, Debbie, and Heather can't sing the Blues no matter how many men they shoot in Memphis.

20. Blues Name Starter Kit:

a. name of a physical infirmity (Blind, Cripple, Lame, etc.)
b. first name (see above) plus name of a fruit (Lemon, Lime, Kiwi, etc.)
c. last name of a President (Jefferson, Johnson, Fillmore, etc.)

For example: Blind Lime Jefferson, Pegleg Lemon Johnson or Cripple Kiwi Fillmore, etc. (Well, maybe not "Kiwi.")

21. And I don't care how tragic your life is, if you are reading this because you own a computer you cannot sing the blues.

Hat Tip: Stella and Ken

I'm an OLD SOFTIE

Last Night, I got one of those infinite forwarded emails we all get. It was from the poor woman who raised me after my folks died. Ruth Redlin. As the Muslims say, "Blessings be upon Her".

Many times I get these fowards and they have been forwarded 30 times. Usually before I get that far It's deleteville for me.

But this was good. Exceptional even. Sappiness overlooked. Sometimes quality is better.

Look at this, if it don't thrill you a bit you're dead.

The Ubiquitous Black Bag

I just flew in from Columbus OH (man are my arms tired). Sorry, I can’t help myself.

I was there doing some technical expert work as I do from time to time.

In picking up my Olive Drab luggage from the carousel I took note of the black bag invasion. EVERYONE has a black bag. They all look alike.

Who buys a square black rollerbag so you can touch every one that comes off the carousel to find yours? They all look exactly alike. I don’t get it. When I bought the bag I have now I was very careful to find one that was distinctive. That way when the bag burper burps my bag I can immediately identify it.

Maybe those who have the little black bags have RFID chips in them. Maybe it’s like that March of the Penguins things. They all look alike except to mom and dad penguin.

All I know is I refuse to be a sheep. They must be cheap, those black bags, but don’t they come in ANY other color than black? I did get a roller bag. It’s fire engine red. I never use it.

Or maybe it’s like the model T. You can have any color you want as long as it’s black.

That Car Doesn’t Owe me a THING!

I grew up a gearhead. Rock and Roll, Hot Cars. The 60’s.

Two things we always said, "I trust that car so much I wouldn't be afraid to drive it to California". And, if we had fixed on a car long enough, "That car don’t owe me a thing". We felt like a hero if we got to see the odometer cross 100,000 miles. That was 1963.

As an older driver I want a car that works. I want a car that I can trust. But I don’t like the depreciation involved in buying a new car. So, when I buy a vehicle, it can plan on going to the moon before I give up on it. Moon?

The moon is 240,000 miles away. So, my goal is to get 240,000 miles on every car I own. I have succeeded a couple times. Mostly they get to about 200,000 and they start to drift. The big lie in car repair is “It’s nickel and dimeing me to death”. Another is, “The repair needed is more than the car is worth”. That may be true but if you can drive it another year with the repair you bought miles. Forget car value, buy miles.

If you fix what’s wrong right away it won’t nickel and dime you to death. The big reason people get frustrated is the electric window quits, then one light goes out, then it misfires some, then the brakes make noise, then the muffler goes out and then it hacks and coughs when you drive. Pretty soon it’s a basket case. Fix it when it breaks and you won’t have this problem. You build a mountain of repairs and then tear out your hair. The new car dealers love you.

An auto repair company, Merlins has just changed its company name to 200,000 Mile Shops. I understand and agree with the concept. They have a pretty good analysis of the situation. You make money by keeping the old girl running. Fix it when it breaks. Read the whole thing. You just might change your mind about going out and getting the newest rice burner on the market for $40,000.

Hyperactive isn’t always Hyper Good

I have noticed a trend among people on the radio, people in business, people in ministry, people who are just plain hyper.

ADHD is the modern term for this syndrome.

Have you ever seen Glen Beck’s program on headline News? Very entertaining but he has an attention span of a two-year-old child.

I have a pastor friend who never reads this blog so I’m safe. He is so hyper that he tries to do 3 things at once and always fails. When he talks to me (which I avoid) he is looking over my shoulder. I don’t know how he stays married. Frankly he barely does and I understand her frustration.

I do business with some landscapers who are so hyper that they harass me to my limits.

I have learned not to sanction or encourage this behavior. The inability to concentrate, stay focused or do deliberative consideration is a weakness these people don’t grasp.

I am happy that among most of my good friends there are few who I allow to abuse me with the inattention the ADHD lifestyle seems to manifest. If you don’t pay attention, I’ll ignore you too.

I have had the misfortune to have people under me who were this kind of talk talk talk rattle on types who couldn’t listen if you forced them. I have sometimes had to grab them by the hand, look them straight in the eye, yell at them, say “STOP TALKING AND LISTEN”. Then they usually start talking about why they talk so much. Then I yell, SHUT UP! Cruel? Maybe, but is it more cruel to sanction this kind of aberrant behavior by pretending it's not a problem? Particularly if this person works for you? I think real cruelty is not dealing with it here and now. By the way, those people that I have had to deal with in this brutal manner were better afterwards. They knew I wouldn’t tolerate the babble. They shut up.

The real crime is these people never develop the social skill of listening or hearing. The mouth they have is their worst enemy. It's always getting them in trouble. They are so distracted by so much that they can’t take direction, can’t follow a series of instructions, can’t reason without talking past the point. It’s a handicap in society to be one of these poor souls.

I could blame it on all the gadgets we live with. I could blame it on TV. I could blame the school system.

I blame a lack of discipline. I blame lazy parents. I blame a culture that seems to reward and encourage this kind of inanity.

If you are one of those bouncing off the wall types, I’ll catch you later. A LOT LATER.

An Amazing Update.

Yesterday Tuesday I get a call from the Pastor Friend I mention.

He's calling to talk policy in his fellowship, he has another cell phone which rings 3 times while he's talking to me and trying to drive, the radio is blaring and he's reading a map.

Needless to say I didn't have his undivided attention although I tried to give him mine.

And he kept saying, "Sorry Gene" when he would force me to listen to someone elses conversation on the other phone. Then he had the audacity to ask, "what were we talking about?".

He had forgotten. HE CALLED ME.

That gives you a clue as to how important he thinks I am. How much he values our "friendship". I pity his parish.

Remember this all happens when he calls ME. I'm not angry, it's just an example.

And believe me, this kind of self importance will be the death of him.

I will not be treated pejoratively. Frankly these inattentive self centered people think they are being caring. One of them said to me once after a particualrly bad row with another person, "But Gene, I'm the most caring person I know". I had to contain myself.

Please call me when you want to TALK!

I’m thankful for the Iraq Invasion and as far as it has gone

I was thinking about the men lost in the battle for Okinawa in the Second World War. Many many more than have been lost in Iraq. But having that base for our American Marines and Air Force kept a lid on Japan and Korea and maybe China during the post war years as things settled out. What stirred me was the death of the man that took the famous flag raising picture.

Now with Iranian nutcases on the loose, Syrian Collaborators and other Islamic Fascists running rampant we must be thankful for the fact that we have Air Base Baghdad. Wouldn’t it be something today if we had not taken steps to establish this.

I f am not pleased at the fact that we are bogged down, I am pleased that we are there at all. This was a gamble. All the dice haven’t yet been thrown. I’m still on the line. I think a wider more aggresive stance in Iraq would be good right now as things have quieted down.

Is it worth it? For sure! Kurdistan no matter what will stand as a republic unto itself even if everything else fails.

So, let’s see. A free democratic Kurdistan, Air Baghdad, small gains but gains nonetheless.

All the whole deal isn’t in yet. Easy to Monday Morning Quarterback at the beginning of the season. It takes vision to get to the Superbowl no matter how last weeks game went.

If we do not grow weary by the press trying to wear us down we will reap if we do not faint.

Chicago the Magnificent City

I’m from North Dakota. I’m glad I am. Glad I grew up there. But I’m glad I live here now.

Quoting an article that is appearing in tomorrow’s Sun Times. In it the Mayor of San Francisco is describing why San Francisco must emulate what Chicago has done. Why what Mayor Daley has accomplished is so exceptional it is turning the heads of Mayors all around the country. You can read it all here, but here a few key quotes of why people come and enjoy Chicago so much:

They're drawn not to the classic symbols of old Chicago, such as Wrigley Field or the Art Institute, but to such vivid new landmarks as Millennium Park, a 24.5-acre gathering place that attracts residents and tourists. They're captivated by the manicured streets and sidewalks that transformed once-gritty stretches of this city into urbane green paths.

"When you walk the streets of Chicago, it enlivens the spirit," Newsom said. "The intangibles are evoked. There's a spirit of pride and community."

He is describing such sights as the ornate stone railings along the Chicago River, part of the new mile-long Riverwalk Gateway that brings Chicagoans closer to the south bank of the waterway. Or Millennium Park attractions like "Cloud Gate," an enormous, bean-shaped sculpture of polished stainless steel that already is a staple of postcards.

This vitality also is leaving marks on the city's fabled skyline. Twenty-one towers taller than 50 stories are in the works, most of them for downtown's growing residential population; within two blocks of Millennium Park, five newcomers will exceed 55 stories.
"I don't think there's any similarity between the two cities as it relates to how you can govern," said former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. "San Francisco's about process, totally. In Chicago, the process begins and ends with results."

Considering the self-image of a city celebrated by poet Carl Sandburg as "proud to be alive and coarse and strong," not everyone was impressed. There also was snickering when Daley confessed to Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin that "I enjoy Martha Stewart, all her books and, uh, everything else."

But Daley didn't flinch. Now, Chicago has 73 linear miles of medians that stretch like tentacles from the city's high-profile core of the Loop and North Michigan Avenue, leading to such incongruous sights as beds of black-eyed Susans across from auto body shops and the Erotic Warehouse on West Randolph Street.

What Chicago demonstrates is the ripple effect of physical change. When promising initiatives take root -- literally, in some cases -- it raises expectations of what streets, parks and buildings should offer in terms of appearance and environmental sensitivity.

I have lived all over the world, Far East, South America and Europe. I think these places are very beautiful. But in my opinion there is no city in the WORLD that I know of any more beautiful than Chicago is today. I’m so happy to be here.

Hymnology??

Julie at LONE PRAIRIE wrote an interesting ironic article about hymnology. I think.

I was going to just comment but thought, what I have to say about all this is a bit more than a comment. Besides, this counts as a “Ping”.

I grew up in a hymn based church. Full on Lutheran. The big controversies were about which hymnal was better, red or green. I liked the old black one. It was arguing about the color of the vestments in 1917 as the Bolsheviks were at the door. Foolishness.

I got saved at 33 years old and began attending a Pentecostal Church in Fargo. I loved the old choruses. They were ditties I could sing in my quiet time in my head or under my breath. I still enjoy them. “From the rising of the sun…..”

But some things go around and come around. I attended a wonderful Sunday school class where the instructor just hauled out an old hymnbook and read the texts of the hymns and we would talk about what they meant. Some of those discussions were powerful. You can learn a great deal about theology by reading the old hymns. Now if we sing one of those hymns I get much from them. They mean something to me now.

I pity the one who sings them without apprehending the depth of meaning each word carries.

Of course there are bad hymns. Just because it’s old doesn’t mean it’s good. I don’t revere something that is old simply of it’s antiquity. I love opera. Some old opera is banal.

Some old hymns are banal.

But the ones that are not are rich.

So now, what of today’s music in the Church? Some banal, some rich. Nothing changes.

Julie talks of the Jesus as my Boyfriend music. There is some of that. But there is a level of the genre that is Jesus as my lover that is more genuine. Same concept different depth. If Jesus Lover of my Soul is right then the Jesus as my Lover stuff is right on. Heather Clark is a rich source of this material.

Then there is new music that rips the guts out of anyone who Loves Jesus from it’s passion. I was listening to a Hillsong CD a few days ago. There is a song, More than Life, The refrain was, I love you Lord, more than LIFE. The song before that is called Take all of me. Now, that is the stuff of modern Hymnody that I’m talking about. I could want “I love you more than life” played at my funeral. That’s how rich that kind of music really is.

Music played at a communion service can be so focused that we never lose sight of twhat is happening. The old Hymnals in the past did that, today we treat the music selection so much lighter in the modern Church during Communion. Hillsong addresses this focus in the Songs for Communion CD.

There is so much really GOOD music in the mix today. And there is so much really BAD music. We have a Christian music radio station in our market. K-Love. It’s ubiquitous. I almost never listen to it. It’s dumbed down spiritually. There is another national Christian music station out of California, Air One. Hard loud rock passion. My kind of stuff. Then there is the Flagship Christian Station out of Chicago. 80% is unlistenable except for Saturday PM when they have pure praise and worship on. The rest is almost beyond the pale for me. I have heard teaching on this station that makes my spiritual skin crawl. Doubt and unbelief.

I want to hear music in my head. I hear I love you lord more than life right now. I hear Heather Clark, Take me away, I hear Misty Edwards, You were always on his mind.

I think that as the revival I believe for develops, we will begin hearing better deeper richer music. Better than bad hymns, much better than some (not all) of the Chris Tomlin tunes everybody plays in Churches today. We need better heart touching stuff. We can go deeper, we can come up higher.

And, if I have my guess right, some will be hymns. Come thou fount of every blessing touches me whenever it is done. Read the story of how Robinson drifted from the faith after writing such a wonderful hymn. Now I raise my Ebenezer.

So, let’s find the deeper places and go there. Admit to ourselves that bad church music has existed since the beginning of time. Let’s do good music. People respond to GOOD music, be it hymns or Choruses or some strong lead guitar, a hammer down drum beat, a great bass player and a Hammond B-3. Now that's hymnody.

And to Julie, a well written essay. You are in good form.

James Earl Carter is (Deleted really offensive word here)

I have tried to give Jimmy Carter a pass from time to time. But he is an idiot. He embarrasses himself and his country by talking out of school.

He is a classless nutcase that should be sequestered from the world.

Israel agrees too.

Update:
I wrote this in anger. An anger I have every time I see that man or hear him talk. He is the source of much of the problems we have right now in Iran. (so was Reagan with Iran Contra to be fair).

I just wish he would shut the heck up. He's embarrasing and the worst president ever in all of history, that takes a lot.

That by the way isn't just my opinon. Read these two:


Worst President in History

Jimmy Carter, Traitor and Coward

If he wasn't so old he should be imprisoned for giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Treason.

Dig out the Parka, you are gonna need it

Now, a Russian guy of Science credentials has come out and said, nope, colder not warmer.

That the whole global warming thing is about to end.

That we are about to see things get really nippy.

Just as I was getting used to global warming, I was enjoying the nice winters.

Heck.

Spoilsports.

Lois Lane Would Make a Lousy Wife, Superman

In an article from Forbes online a man in a debate format has advised men everywhere not to marry a career woman.

I don’t know for sure if he is right on or not. I will say that there is some truth in what he writes.

If you marry the gal at the office who is such a go-getter you may live to rue the day because according to the article:

While everyone knows that marriage can be stressful, recent studies have found professional women are more likely to get divorced, more likely to cheat, less likely to have children, and, if they do have kids, they are more likely to be unhappy about it.

Rush talked about it and said;

These are the reasons you should not marry a career woman: One, you're less likely to get married to her. She's not interested in it. Number two, if you do marry, you are more likely to get divorced if you marry a career woman. Number three, she is more likely to cheat on you if you marry a career woman. Number four, you are much less likely to have kids. That would be in my plus column. Number five, if you do have kids, your wife is more likely to be unhappy. Number six, your house will be dirtier. This is in Forbes magazine! This is the subject of a study done in 2005 by two University of Michigan scientists, concluding that if your wife has a job earning more than $15 an hour which is roughly 30 grand a year, she'll do two hours less housework a week. Number seven. If you marry a career woman, you'll be unhappy if she makes more than you do. And number eight, she'll be unhappy if she makes more than you do. And number nine, you're more likely to get sick if you marry a career woman.

I think I might agree if my wife lets me.

Jesus – a man without credentials or references

I’m not upset. I’m just a little puzzled. It’s a symptom of a wacky evangelical environment. I have again been uberquizzed about my bonifides in ministry by an organization that may want to use something I have written. There are a lot of nuts out there so I get it. But it raises a question.

While I lived in Germany I got to know Peter Pretorius. He’s famous for working with James Robinson in feeding the poor in Mozambique. He was really frustrated with the western church at that time. He was itinerating around Europe for his mission. It was going OK. But, in trying to approach the Church in America they wanted to know, what were his credentials, what degrees did he have, who was he licensed and ordained by, who would vouch for him? What references did he bring?

While sharing a McDonald’s hamburger in Frankfurt he asked me this question, “Gene, what is with all the DR’s in America. Every preacher thinks they have to have a PhD. Earned or implied”. (I guess you can buy one on the internet. Never looked.) Then he made his point, “Any Church that requires that many Doctors is Sick”.

I have little against higher education. One of my best friends has a Doctorate or two. (sounds like something from segregation days, Some of my best friends are………..)

The issue is, what is with this super credentialed, super referenced, super educated church without fire in America?

I think of some great men of God, Smith Wigglesworth could hardly read yet if I had 1/10th his anointing I could raise the dead (as he did).

And Jesus. Wow, that would be something. Never went to bible school, college, no degree, no credentials. And now that I think of it the religious establishment rejected him.

I guess things never change.

Maybe the fact that we think we need so many Doctors in the modern church in America is because we really are SICK.

Trying it One More Time

Years ago when I was in business for myself in ND I asked Peggy to come in and help me. I thought she was smart (She is) and that she would be better at the job than anyone I could hire.

The problems developed when I told her I was in charge. She’s a first born too. We both like being in charge. We both are strong personalities. That lasted 6 weeks.

It’s hard to go home and sleep with the boss. Either way that goes.

We decided then that in the interest of marital bliss we would not work together any more.

Well, ever the optimist, I have asked her once more to make the leap. We visited several nurseries in Tennessee where the wife of the nurseryman is also the office person. It works very well.

She saw that model.

She has quit the school system. She is going to be the administrative half of the nursery biz.

I have higher hopes. Neither of us apart is as good as both of us together are. This isn’t for everyone. I know that. But I think it’s time. Besides, the ability to do what I do is a long-term security blanket for anyone. You can do this till you are a hundred. If Peggy can learn it, I’ve taught her to fish rather than storing up a bunch of fish that might rot in an IRA or 401K.

Oh, we still store, but isn’t it good to know how to make money anyway.

It’s nice having her here. Egos are wonderful, when they are under control. Particularly mine.

Attack from the Sky by the Yellow Dogs of Summer

Today has been a most beautiful day. Clear Sky, no wind, 78 degrees, no humidity. Just the kind of day we all wish were every day.

We even sat outside and had lunch. It was as beautiful as it ever gets.

Tomorrow is the 22nd. This is a day feared by many. Drudge is all over it. Lots of prophecy buffs are predicting the end of the world tomorrow. Iran is about to nuke the world. Even Nostrodomus predicted this. So, enjoy.

I enjoyed today. If the end of the world comes tomorrow I had today.

But I want to let you know that a day early we were attacked right here in sunny St. Charles IL from the sky, a day early, lethal flying enemy. Yellow jackets. Whatever we were eating outside they enjoyed too. Who knew that ripe red tomatoes and fried summer squash was on the agenda. They did.

But, I threatened them with a can of wasp killing stuff. They disappeared for a bit, and came back with brethren.

Wasps tremble at the sound of my name (or maybe not).

The Tide Rises

This week I was given a vision for the Church at large. I have many who read this blog who benefit from this kind of conversation. On the other hand if this language confuses you I suggest you skip reading this any further. This is closed circuit for Christians alone.

Last Night (Friday August 18, 2006) at the House of Prayer in Bolingbrook IL I delivered what the Lord had shown me in a vision as follows:

I saw seashore. It went for miles. All along the shore were boats. Except these were boats out of water. Some were run aground. Some were tethered to docks that were out of the water. There were large and small, fancy and humble boats. This seashore surrounded a huge harbor. There were some boats, not many, in the harbor still afloat in the deeper water.

Then an exceptional high tide came in. The boats up and down the shore were set afloat. Many were in such bad repair that when the tide came they couldn’t float and stayed under water. The fact that the boats were floating on the water again was an exhilarating thing for those who captained the boats. Many stood proudly on the decks of their boats and took credit for the fact the boat was now afloat instead of giving credit to the tide that had come in.

Boats out in the harbor communicated with the boats tied to the docks and those staying close to the shore that in order to stay afloat they should come out into deeper water to be safe. The Captains of the shore and dock boats told them they had always been boats of the shore. Deep water was strange. They didn’t need deep water. The people on their boats would rather be close so they could get on and off the boat easily, going into the village and then from time to time get back on the boat.

Then a call from the Harbormaster went out. “Come out here. Cast out into the deep. It’s safe and secure in deep water. You won’t run aground again”. A few decided to take the plunge. They burned the docks they had trusted and acted on the word of the harbormaster.

Many of the boats next to the shore and tied to the docks ridiculed those in the deep water. They said, our fathers always kept the boat close to shore. We need to be in control. There became a division of boats between deep-water crews and shore crews.

Then the tide went out again. Those boats on the shore and tied to docks were once again stranded aground. As time went by they talked of the old days when the boat was afloat. How thrilling it was to rise and fall with the waves. They hoped for another tide that would let them regain flotation. Some even said that next time the tide came in they would go out into the deep water so they wouldn’t be beached again.

The harbormaster had known and had warned the shore boats. He knew this seashore was a seismic area and that the potential for tidal waves was a serious threat. One day the world shook. Everything that could be shaken was shaken. As a result a huge tidal wave swept into the harbor. Boats that were in the deep rose higher as the wave passed by. But those on the shore and at the dock were destroyed by the powerful wave. Many people perished, many were offended that the harbormaster hadn’t insisted they come out; some blamed the captains of their boats that were destroyed for bad judgment. The end result was there were no boats left on the shoreline or at the docks. They were all rubble.

The boats safe in deep water came and rescued many of the refugees from the tidal wave. They mourned over the loss of life and property but from that day on it was known to all that the only really safe place is in the deepest water. There were no people willing to board a boat that wouldn’t go away from the shore. Security under the watchful eye of the harbormaster was where they wanted to be. Some people just retreated further inland to other villages and turned their back on the boats and the harbormaster. They felt safer inland. What they didn’t know what the danger of fire would be if they stayed deep in the woods of the inland areas.

I imagine you can determine what most of this is. If you have spiritual ears to hear, this all is clear.

The boats all represent ministries, churches and individuals. The tide is the grace and mercy of God. The docks are traditions and denominations. The Villages and inland are worldly pursuits. The harbormaster is Jesus. The captains are spiritual leaders and pastors.

The tidal wave is human crisis. It is also the outpouring of the Spirit of God and the shaking that goes with it. It turns upside down and destroys everything that these ministries and churches trusted in.

The very leaders or ministers and churches that resisted moving out into deeper water were destroyed. The pride they had for a short time when the first high tide of grace and outpouring came in was crushed by pressure.

Let the church and those who are in leadership with ears to hear what the Spirit of God is saying to the church right now.

The tide is high, but if you don’t get into the deep water now you will be crushed when the big wave comes.

Molek still Kills

I flew to and from Tennessee on business this week. No real hassles. The TSA took away my bottle of Anointing Oil from my carry on briefcase (I carry it in case I run into any sick people who need healing). When I told him what it was for, the look on his face was classic. I’ll bet he had a tale for his wife that night about this nut who… (I actually asked him if he needed healing?). Radical? Guilty as charged.

But, there were 3 events which caused me to ponder.

One was the news about the Muslim couple from Britain who had decided to put bomb material in baby bottles to blow up an airplane, themselves and their 6-month-old baby to kill us all. This really stirred me to think of an ancient god MOLEK. Molek in order to be worshipped properly needed couples to throw their babies in a fire. First born mostly.

How is that any different than some nutcase couple killing themselves and their baby in the name of whatever Islam is to them? This is Molek worship.

EVIL!

Second, while waiting at the airport and young Muslim woman needed to go to the bathroom or something. She asked if I would watch her bags for a few minutes while she did. We were leaving but someone else offered to. I’m sure she was nice. I’m sure she wasn’t a bomber. But this was not thru security. This was just inside the door of the Airport. That bag could have been full of C-4. It was a big bag. I won’t kid you, the further away I got the better I felt. Nothing happened, I’m sure she returned and all was well. But think about what that feels like for her as a scarffed Muslim woman to be looked at with suspicion. The Muslim religious fanatics have ruined it for everyone. Even for those who believe as they do.

Third, we went out for dinner before we jumped on the airplane at a nice restaurant in downtown Nashville named Demos’. We were waited on by a lovely man by the name of Dennis. Any time you go to Nashville, ask for Dennis. He was superb.

While we were eating I told my wife to look around. There in this large supper club were blacks, Hispanics, Whites, old, young, cowgirls in skimpy cowgirl outfits, and lots of hootin and hollarin. Yep, adult beverages were being drunk. People were smoking cigarettes. But everyone was happy, laughing and getting along. I said to Peggy, this is what the Islamic Fascists hate. The life of peace and joy we live here in the USA. All races all people all Americans getting along.

The left wing of our country doesn’t understand that when the fascistic turn the USA into the US Islamic Republic all that will go away.

The evil that is personified and the good that is threatened by the Islamic Fascists is a global threat that we must attack now. Later will be too late.

I believe war with Iran is inevitable. We can meet them now, or later.

What will be gained by waiting for them to hit us first?

What a Great Vehicle

Peggy and I just returned from Tennessee on a nursery shopping trip. I looked at many thousands of trees and a good time was had by all.

When I go I fly into Nashville, rent a car and drive to the country to see trees.

This time I decided to rent a Jeep Liberty. That’s a large version of the WWII version but with a V-6.

It had 4-wheel drive. Shift in and out. Overdrive. And very high clearance.

WHAT A NEAT SUV. Not great mileage. Driving half time thru mud and ruts and half the time on roads for about 600 miles we got an average of 15 mpg. I understand on the road you can expect 20.

But this is one well engineered SUV, bigger than the RAV 4. Roomy but small enough to park in any garage. But for me, size and all and I am a big guy, I fit in it very well. Leg room was excellent. And so maneuverable.

I think there may be a Jeep Liberty in our future. I like it that much. I just hope they get the mileage up a tad. The Reviews on this SUV are fabulous. Well-done Chrysler.

Speaking of Mileage. A few weeks ago I was pontificating on the great mileage the high mileage Buick was getting. Then all at once the injectors started plugging up. I had to have them cleaned. Clean injectors cost me 4 MPG.

My theory (and I’m sticking to it) is the dirty injectors let just a tad too little fuel in and so we were running lean. Mileage great. But susceptible to dirt.

More tomorrow, it’s late and I have to work tomorrow.

Why I love the Prophetic Voice RE The Middle East

Chuck Pierce, August 14, 2006, writes TODAY--the day of the Brokered Cease-Fire between Lebanon and Israel:

In Daniel 5, as Belshazzar presumptuously moved forward in ruling his kingdom, God came down and wrote on the wall, a statement which caused him to ask for assistance from God for interpretation. His wife had him consult Daniel to interpret the meaning of the writing. Verse 9 says, "Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his countenance was changed and his lords were astonished."

There will come a troubling moment for the present leader of Iran. Daniel spoke to the king and said, "But you, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart...."

Then Daniel interpreted the writing that was on the wall. I believe the handwriting is on the wall for this leader if he does not humble himself, and disconnect from the spirit that is empowering him to rule through destruction. He will be humbled. Iran is a nation that will be awakened to the things of God.

If changes do not come soon, this will be a nation that will be divided and the Spirit of God will rule in a new way in this land.

Chuck D. Pierce
Glory of Zion International Ministries
www.glory-of-zion.org


Kim Clement is my Favorite Prophet. I find what he says more accurate than anyone. So, Read on.

By Kim Clement

July 8, 2006--Hollywood, CA

"Rejoice, because your prayers are destroying the power and the influence that shall be endeavored, and be sent to the L.A. Airport of this place," says the Lord. For God says, "They are planning already, for they say, 'It is an easy target. It is easy access. They are cleaning it up.'"

But the L.A.X. Airport, and God said, "Those surrounding regions have been targeted with something very stupid, because they do not understand that the saints of the Most High God have been praying." And because they've been praying, God says, "I will once again take them and expose them as I did in Florida. I will expose them on the West Coast, and I will expose them over and over through the summer months as I promised you."

"I told you before, this prophet prophesied just a few months ago that come summer, I will expose, I will bring your enemies out from the very soil of this Nation and you have watched how I have done it. Ho, I am not finished yet," says the Lord. "If you would allow Me, and as your President has said to Me in his private moments, 'God Your will be done.'"

And surely says the Lord, "When the head of a Nation says, 'Your will be done,' then the Nation says, 'Your will be done.'" For surely God says, "My will shall be done through the summer months. I will multiply the vision of the Secret Service and the FBI, and I will cause My Spirit to come upon them so that they will expose, expose, expose."

July 16, 2006--Humble, TX

"I will save you from another war. I will save you from another war," says the Lord.

Syria, who do you think you are? You will not rise against the Lion. Listen to what God says, "Iran, you will not rise against this Nation or the Lion." (Lion referring to Great Britain.)

"Your enemies will come out, and they will bite the dust because of My light. I will send My light, I'm going to send My light to this Nation," says the Spirit of the living God.

July 29, 2006--Detroit, MI

God says, "A lion will roar. A lion will roar from Great Britain. Something shall change, a drastic thing shall happen. And greater shall be the unity of the nations that shall gather around and say that it must be brought to an end now. This is the summer, the one that I promised."

July 30, 2006--Detroit, MI

The Spirit of God says, "Do not take it lightly what you have heard tonight. For you shall watch and you will see in the news. How many times have they said, "It is impossible. This war is too much?'"

But God says, "Watch in these next few days what I do. Iran, Iran, watch now, watch now for you are going to be brought down to Hades. This will not be allowed, for the Spirit will take that which exalts itself."

God says, "They cry out, the blood of the innocent. It is the blood of the innocent in a war, but I will take the lofty ones and bring them down to certain deaths." God says, "Let this be a sign that I will bring the Middle East to a place of understanding of Messiah. I will bring them to that place. There is only one Prince of Peace. There is only one Prince of Peace. Shalom."

"I want you to understand Jerusalem. It shall come to pass that once again peace shall come in for a season as Christ is made known," says the Lord!


By Kim Clement
Prophetic Image Expressions
www.kimclement.com

If this is all weird to you. OK. Just hang in there, you get used to getting tomorrow's headlines today.

I did.

Off to Relationshipville

Peggy and I are going out of town. Business trip. Gone till Friday.

Sole purpose is restoring and building relationships. Nothing else. My business (Nursery) is 100% relationship. In fact everything we have or do in life is relationship. My next breakthrough may well come from the person I share a happy meal with at McDonalds. They know people I don’t. They are a bridge. They can help me and I can help them touch the next person etc.

I wish I had learned this earlier. I didn’t. Now I do.

SO, see you Friday.

Lost Vision

"Some men see things as they are and say why - I dream things that never were and say why not."

Most people think John F Kennedy created this. Nope. George Bernard Shaw is the origional author. Kennedy was just a good deliverer of someone elses words. But they are still good words.

Vision will drive a person for better or worse. The vision of the Islamic Fascists of world domination drives terrorism. If their vision succeeds I’ll need to buy a rug. I didn’t want to become a Muslim. Thank you UN, Ohlmert and Liberal Media for pushing our administration until at last Hezbollah Declares Victory. The free world has Lost the Vision.

I have been a staunch admirer of George W Bush because of his vision of Liberty and freedom. This is rare. He is wavering. The liberal media drip drip drip is neutering his vision.

That’s how all vision is destroyed. Public opinion. Eventually the person with a vision is driven back because he or she wants to be popular or well liked. I am of the opinion that wanting to get along is a the heart of liberal thinking. I know reasonable people who try hard not to have opinions in order to not offend anyone. The lie is being neutral or unopinoinated makes you popular. No it makes you inert.

The worst part of having vision is it alienates others. Vision that could be implemented means change. People hate change.

So, what are the options? To have no Vision? That is selling your soul. Vision is driven by the internal engine of creative discontent. Looking at the world around you and asking why do we do it this way? Looking into the future and asking why not? Why not us, why not here, why not now?

The problem vision carriers must deal with are people who say, “What’s wrong with things the way they are”? They refuse to question things. They resist the call to improvement. The vision carrier has to help them see what it could be like if thinks were not as they are and more as they could be. If many start to capture this vision things will change. If the vision killers win then nothing change and we stay stuck which ultimately means we drift slowly away. Supplanted by someone else's vision. Vision will always dominate, ours or someone elses. There is no happy medium.

The good news for conservatives is that liberals have no vision. They are only against everything. But, conservatives lack enough testicular fortitude to stay the course in the face of constant opposition. They need to get the vision back. Like they did in 1994.

This has been the problem with President Bush. He sees it. I see it. But most liberals, because they hate him so much, can’t see what he sees. I wish they could grasp the vision. He sees liberty planted in the navel of the world. Liberty that will spread into the rest of the Muslim World. The Liberal Media and the State Department have pressured him to back off from the vision. So, we drift into oblivion and inert life because of a lack of vision.

People perish because of a lack of vision. That’s in the Bible.

But, even it alienates every person I know, even if I bat against the wind for the rest of my life, I’m going to agree with Shaw and Kennedy.

"Some men see things as they are and say why - I dream things that never were and say why not."

Anything less is living death.

Islam is the problem.

Here goes one of the most politically incorrect thing I can say. There is no such thing as moderate Islam. Tooth Fairy. Santa Claus. Same deal..

Evidence?

The response of the "Moderate Muslim" population to the terror plot in the UK:

"The moderate Muslims' message, gives some comfort to the kind of people who say: 'Change your foreign policy or we'll blow you up'."

Until the culture of Islamic World Domination by use of force is crushed as the driving force of Islam there will be no stop to terrorism,

Evil. Pure Evil.

Book of Revelation stuff.

Perspective on Time and the USA

Recently I was in Philadelphia PA and visited the site where the Liberty Bell is and the Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed.

It’s a very old place and yet very young. Thinking this all over and thinking about world events the reality dawned on me. We are a very young country.

MY FATHER, was born in 1909. There were many people alive when he was born who were contemporaries of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, signers of the declaration and framers of the constitution. They died in 1826 on July 4th.

That in the scope of human time is a blink. Yet, here we are, without a doubt the greatest country in the world that has ever existed, a dreamchild of men of a few years ago.

So as we think of things happening in Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, or anywhere else and the time they have been in motion we are a bright burning but not yet long lasting flame.

What we have is precious; preserve it with all your might.

End of World Update

50 years ago I would have had to worn a sandwich board and walked up and down the street.

I just blog now.

According to a British professor Iran is going to bomb Israel off the map on August 22. That's the date the President nutcase of Iran said he would answer the question about nuclear weapons in Iran. It's also a holy date in Islam.

So, read the article. Run up your credit cards. Buy that big screen plasma TV and order the rapid delivery option. You can watch the end of the world from your easy chair. 12 shopping days left till the end of the world.

Have a nice day.