Serious OUCH!

I am a believer in the role of the local church. In fact I will work and do work hard to see the local church take it’s place in the community in bringing people to a saving knowledge of Jesus, and redeeming lives from the pit.

Sometimes I get discouraged. Sometimes I have to ask myself if I am living in the past. It takes a swift kick along side the head to make me ask questions I didn’t want to ask. That’s why this article by Jim Rutz (Mega-Shift) hit me pretty hard. My paradigm was messed with.

I love congregational worship and involvement when it is full and free. I put myself in the place to experience this a couple times a week. Why can’t church be like Rutz describes? It’s not the people. It’s the leaders. I am one. So it’s me. Ouch.

'Don't-get-bored-to-death' Christianity

In the old Spectator Christianity, you go to a large building once a week, sit down in a row, and keep your mouth shut except for the singing, which often these days is drowned out by high-powered sound systems cranked up past ninety decibels.

This kind of frozen religion is a vestige of the days of our forefathers, when the pastor/priest was the only person worth listening to and was often, in fact, the only one who could read.

Even today there is such a gulf between the clergy and laity that you dare not send in a lay substitute for your pastor to fill the pulpit when the good reverend is sick or on vacation. The result would typically be somewhere between embarrassing and pathetic.

In other words, what we have today is an outdated, two-tiered church composed of performers and spectators, producers and consumers. As a layman, you go to church, play the role, put some token money in the plate, shake hands with a few friends, go home, and turn on the game.

The pastor, on the other hand, is stringently required to spend hours polishing an uplifting sermon, especially in Protestant churches. (The most commonly heard reason for leaving a church is, "I wasn't being fed.") The pastor is expected to be the Holy Man wearing Holy Robes standing in the Holy Pulpit in God's Holy House on the Holy Day to preach the Holy Sermon (the term spoon-feeding springs to mind). By playing our very limited role in this unbiblical charade, we peons accumulate Brownie points and are somehow absolved from any failure to do our part.

This, my friend, is miles and miles from the exciting picture of the church that we see in the New Testament, which commands us in 54 places to do various good things for "one another": love one another, honor one another, bear one another's burdens. All an impossibility when we're sitting silently in rows. It commands us to keep the family of God highly interactive and we disobey this word from the Lord to our own peril.

My happy news for you today is that this interactive, high-responsibility church is growing rapidly around the world, even as the traditional, institutional, top-down, pyramid church is fading. Twenty years from now, according to top pollster George Barna, 65 to 70 percent of the Christians in the U.S. will be in The New Christianity: small house churches, office churches, and campus churches, where all of us will be learning to use our individual spiritual gifts: teaching, helping, praying, encouraging, singing, dancing, reaching out to help the lost, and changing the world.

What sparked this column was an article from John White, U.S. coordinator of Dawn Ministries, quoting statistics compiled by St. Louis pastor Darrin Patrick based in turn on research by Barna and Focus on the Family. The article contains much wisdom even for non-Christians, and I suggest you read it. Unintentionally, it also sounds the death knell of the institutional church system. How? By simply outlining the plight of today's traditional pastors:

* 80 percent of U.S. pastors and 84 percent of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.

* 80 percent of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave in the first five years.

* 1,500 pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches.

* Almost 40% polled said they have had an extramarital affair since beginning their ministry.

* 70 percent said the only time they spend studying the Word is when they're preparing their sermons.

* 70 percent of pastors constantly fight depression.

* 50 percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.

* 50 percent of pastors' marriages will end in divorce.

Add to this the tortured feelings of pastors' wives:

Eighty percent of pastors' spouses feel their spouse is overworked and wish they would choose another profession. The majority add that the most destructive event that has occurred in their marriage was the day they entered the ministry.

Makes you wonder if this is really what God had in mind for His church, doesn't it?

By Jim Rutz
© 2006

Things About Which I Needed Reminding

This last weekend I heard famous and wealthy people talk about what they believe and what they know. Much was redundant. But I needed to hear others say what I already knew and may have forgotten. Sometimes being reminded is as potent as being told the first time.

Here are 17 things one of the richest men in America said about being in business for yourself:

1. You must be in a business you know. Most people fail because they really don’t know what they are doing. That’s why franchises exist. That’s why so many people fail doing something they know nothing about. They are only in it for the money, the worst possible motivation.

2. You must LOVE what you do. If you don’t love it you will quit doing it.

3. Never Never give up. Keep on, don’t quit. If life knocks you down, get up.

4. Stay focused, diversions are very costly

5. Be a little paranoid – some people are just plain bad and are out to hurt you.

6. Being NICE isn’t always a virtue.

7. Be a contrarian or go against the tide only if you KNOW you have the ability to follow thru.

8. Go with your gut instincts (If you have the ability to follow thru)

9. Not everyone is cut out for or can do what others do. Don’t imitate. You may not be emotionally equipped to do this. It takes a cast iron stomach and a steel spine to be ready for the emotional pain . If that's not you maybe shouldn't be in business for yourself.

10. People who are not wired for risk shouldn’t be taking risks. If you can’t sleep at night because of the risks you must take to be in business for yourself you shouldn’t put yourself at risk. Business can be too much fun to make people miserable.

11. Sometimes very smart people have the most difficult time with being at risk. Being smart or well educated does not automatically make you able to be in business for yourself. Success in business for yourself has more to do with your emotional makeup than your intelligence.

12. Get the best people you can find to help you, but don’t trust them. People do what you inspect not what you expect. They must respect you. Tell the truth to yourself and others and move on. Sometimes goodbye is a good strategy.

13. Never ever let people step on you, if they know you are tough and smart they won’t be so likely to try to take advantage of you. Don’t ever let anyone take advantage of you.

14. There is such a thing as Luck, Fortune, Favor, Grace. Some people are just fortunate and some things you do will help swing things in your favor. Nothing happens if you try nothing. The harder you work the luckier you get. You can’t win without being in the game. When the Bears win a game, you are excited but you did NOTHING. The only ones who have the right to be excited are the players, owners and managers. The rest are spectators. Only those who participate celebrate legitimately.

15. Some people fight to win but they secretly want to lose. It’s easier to say “I Tried” and fail then to succeed. Success is frightening to many people. Get over your fear of success.

16. When you get into an arrangement, partnership, corporation, business deal nothing you thought you understood or agreed to matters except what is on paper if you come to conflict. The verbal agreement between good people is worth only the paper it’s written on.

17. Think bigger. If you play with pennies you win pennies, if you play with dollars you win dollars, if you play with hundreds you win hundreds. J D Rockefeller said that. I was in Atlantic City recently. I walked thru the casino. I watched people playing with $20 chips, $50 chips and $100 chips. The amount of the reward or loss was directly proportional to the amount at risk. But, it took the same amount of time and brainpower to win a hundred in one hand than to win $20.

That’s why the 10-10 rule exists in my own business. I try to only do business with people who could make a $10,000 purchase in 10 minutes. They may not always make that purchase but they could. The same amount of work goes into the little deals as the big ones. It has served me well.

This is most certainly true.

The Apple Orchard

The orchard master planted an apple orchard.

He was wise. He planted one of each type of apple. No two alike. Some were planted for the sweet fruit, some for the long lasting storage apples, some for the beautiful flowers, some for the shape of the tree, some for early fruit production and some for the prolific ability to produce much fruit.

Each tree was different. When they were just saplings they were all young and vigorous. They looked pretty much the same. But at time went by they began to do what the DNA they were imbued with caused them to do.

Some apple trees compared themselves to others, some felt they weren't as beautiful as others. Some less fruitful.

No matter how much the orchard master pruned and trimmed and consoled those trees that felt inferior he could do no more than say, "You mustn't repent of what I created you to be".

As time went on in the orchard many crops were produced. From those crops new seedlings were produced and planted in other parts of the orchard. From time to time early there were trees that were injured or damaged by disease or pests. Some died and were removed.

As the orchard became more mature the space between trees was becoming greater. The fact was that as time went on there were only a few trees left.

Then one day in this part of the orchard there was only one left. All alone. Old, cracked by wind and ice storms, rotting from the injury it finally gave up the fight.

The orchard master sadly cut down the old tree. The roots were grubbed out and soon new plants were planted in the place where the old trees had been.

Being the last tree in the orchard was a lonely place. It was almost a blessing to be taken eventually to join the others long since fallen before.

The orchard master smiled as he planted the last of the seedlings produced from the appleseeds of the old trees. Old things forgotten. New things begun.

Such is the cycle of life. Some of us become the few old trees left in the orchard. It's lonely but there is a time to live and a time to die. A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.

But they bore beautiful fruit. They were the best apple trees they could be.

And the orchard master smiled.

Anti-Christ?

If you are a student of end times theology at all you know there has been predicted a man of peace who would woo the world and then cause the world to worship him. Many have said here he is or there he goes.

The Bible does say there are and will be many Antichrists. That the spirit of Anti-Christ is always in the world. To that anyone would say yea and amen.

Hitler was an antichrist. Genghis Kahn was. Stalin was. They all had characteristics of an antichrist.

But the end time antichrist must be a man who causes all men great and small to worship him because of who he is and his charisma.

I have a candidate. He is Muslim, the religion out of which the Antichrist will rise. He is charming and influential. He is the right age. And as of today, HE will not know he is the antichrist (if he is). But, there are many reasons to believe he might be. Just so you heard it here first.

Here are what some world leaders say or have said about this man:

“A Man for our times who has been at the very heart of world events for two decades”
Margaret Thatcher

“A man of principle, a diplomat of astonishing caliber and one of the great peacemakers of our time”
Nelson Mandela

“Flamboyant, Dramatic, Personable, Smart, Canny and Probably Manipulative”
Lt. General Brent Scowcroft, USAF (Ret)

He has been called a man of peace. He may be the man who Bob Dylan sang about on the last Christian Album, Infidels. Look at the words for MAN of PEACE.

I submit a qualified potential for the Antichrist: Prince Bandar bin Sultan

Consider what could happen:
He settles things in Iraq, gets Syria and Iran to back off against Israel with a seven year pact, gets the Muslims to quiet down in Europe. With this great feat Putin buddies up to him and signs a pact. Even the USA is enamored of him. CBS ABC CNN and NBC fall all over themselves holding him up as a secular savior. He gets foolish world leaders to make peace pacts in exchange for power. People agree to all kinds of things including a chip in the hand and forhead to keep peace. I mean it's a small thing when you consider that we don't have to worry about terrorists anymore isn't it? Then one day he uses it to control all of us. No man can buy or sell unless they bow down and worship him. Then 3 1/2 years into the peace pact he turns against Israel. Russia comes from the north and attacks.

Too far fetched?

Read your Bible. That's exactly how it will happen.

If it's the Prince or not, I can't say, but he looks like the kind of man it will be.

Is Anybody Out There, Does Anybody Hear? - Davd Ruis from Sweet Mercies 1998

Residual irritation.

No names mentioned.

Left over from the last week.

I am convinced that talk radio, politicians, and most people in spiritual leadership (Pastors) are so in love with the sound of their own voice that they find it impossible to hear a word anyone else says. That's what makes these 4 quotes so salient.

"The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when someone asked me what I thought, and attended to my answer."
- Henry David Thoreau

"Most conversations are simply monologues delivered in the presence of a witness."
- Margaret Miller

"Many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much."
- Robert Greeleaf

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place."
- George Bernard Shaw

This is part of the problem in our country, part of the problem in marriage, part of the problem in politics and a huge problem in the Church.

If you want to have someone hear you out, go find the drunk at the end of the bar. At least he will listen. Maybe that's why so many bars are busier than many churches. Somebody at least seems to care.

What's most painful is that thinking about this has caused me to point my finger of accusation at myself first. I am chief among sinners in this area in particular.

Stop me before I talk again.

OK, YOU STOP TOO!

 

Return to jer-USA-lem

I am a big believer in missions. I have given deeply and gladly to overseas ventures in the mission field. I believe based on everything I see that the efforts are bearing much fruit. Those fields have now taken the job of spreading the gospel to a lost world seriously and effectively. God bless them as those seeds planted bear much fruit. They do it better and more efficiently than most American Missionaries can today. That’s the model.

But my concern today is for a much more desperate mission field. One for which I believe the church in America will be held to account if we fumble this ball. The blood of these people will be held against our account if we don’t try.

We have been so busy in Samaria and the ends of the earth we are losing Jer-USA-lem.

The book by Bill O’Reily about the rise of secularism and Ann Coulter’s book Godless are books written by those outside the church that tell me this battle is being lost.

I live in a typical cross-section of America: Prosperous, comfortable, safe, pagan and hell bound.

Churches have little intramural squabbles; from time to time they borrow a sheepling till that sheepling moves on to another church. Few real converts are being made. Few real disciples are created. Little spiritual maturity is developed as the Bible calls for in Ephesians 4 so saints are released to do the work of the ministry. The hired guns are expected to do all the work. They do what they can but they and we are failing.

Churches are waxing emptier every day. We keep saying we need a revival. We need to be vived first before we can be re-vived.

This rant comes because I visited several churches and church leadership in my last trip to the hinterlands. I was very discouraged with what I heard. We have no clue. This truly is going to hell in a handbasket.

Things are a mess; we have too much backscratching going on and too little warfare where the Devil owns the turf. Spiritual timidity born of the fear of man has paralyzed the church.

My friend John Armstrong has a word for what needs to be done. We as the church in America must see ourselves as a missional church. We are on the foreign field. We have millions of pagan lost souls headed for an eternity in hell if we don’t tell them. They live all around us.

My Pastor Friend Olfunso in Nigeria is more responsible and his brethren for new souls in the kingdom times 100 than the average Christian Leader or Pastor in the USA.

From here on out I’m going to be focused on how we well reach the most desperate lost mission field on the planet, the USA. We used to be the second most missionary receiving country in the world. We should be first. We are that lost. Come home from Samaria and the ends of the earth is the Macedonia cry ringing in my ears.

Let’s see to our jer-USA-lem first. That is the most scriptural thing we can do.

Why I’m Not A Pastor

If you need a shoulder to cry on, if you need someone to look lovingly into your
eyes and tell you everything is going to be ok, if you need a hug or someone to
lean on, I have good advice for you, go find someone to do that.

I am not HE!

I am one of those people who have learned to keep his mercy gift under control
to an extreme. I am quite willing to help,

Now, I’ll solve problems, I’ll fix things, I’ll see to it things get done. I
will encourage you; I will give you a view of the situation from God’s
perspective using his word as a telescope. I will stand arm in arm with you to
fight the Philistines. Run to the Battle is my war cry. Don’t pull back, step
over the fallen and press on.

In spiritual gifting I am more akin to the Good Samaritan than the Innkeeper.
If I see you along the road I will pick you up, put you on my donkey, pour in
the oil and wine to salve your wounds, but I’m not going feel sorry for you. I’
ll haul you to the inn, see to it you are taken care of, and make a deal with
that guy so you get taken care of again and get going again.

Pity just isn’t there in my justice driven gifting. Justice means making
things straight. Straitening things and people out.

Lord deliver me from me. Or not.

Truth and Lies we tell Ourselves

Dealing with family situations I am in a constant battle to discern the truth of
the situation and the correspondent action I need to take versus the lies I tell
myself and others tell themselves. Obviously I won’t detail this.

But as one famous man once said, “What is Truth”.

I can tell you what truth is: Jesus (Way Truth Life)

Everything else is just perception of imagined “facts” or reality. In other
words truth is our description of an elephant based solely on the examination of
his trunk. Not incorrect, just incomplete.

So, I fight to keep the truth above water and keep at bay the lies we tell
ourselves, one another, and mostly the self in our head.

This isn’t easy, some truth is painful, some is contradictory to our imagined
reality, and some is downright inconvenient.

Can we really deal with the truth face on and make it all work?

I am not hopeful. I think the little dream world we all live in and hope for
is just that, a dream world of our own making.

Then sometimes life’s alarm clock hands us a wakeup call. That is painful.

Spirits in the Night

I am spending the night and will again in the house I grew up in. There will
come a day when this house will be lived in by someone other than our family who
have occupied this scrap of earth for 55 years under this very roof.

There are ghosts. Not actual ghosts of course, but those who drift across my
mind’s memory. I can look at the light fixture in the bedroom I am in and
remember when it was new and I was 7. The closet I hid from myself when I put
on the tiger costume for Halloween.

And the tree, a tree. Well over 50 years old. I remember it as a sprig. In
fact most of the trees on this property I recall when they were being planted.

Some are ragged and broken up from age and the weather.

The reality is I no longer have a home here. The old saying, home is where
your hat is, that is kind of true, but the other truth is home is where you feel
at home.

I have changed. Maybe not for the better. Maybe not for the worse. Just
different. I always thought, if I needed to I could always go home again.

Then some wag say, “You can’t go home again”.

Maybe he was right.

I am ready to go home, to Illinois, Illinois. (The name of the state song). I
don’t know if North Dakota has a state song. It probably does.

To listen to the Illinios State Song go here. It’s actually very good.
http://www.50states.com/songs/illinois.htm

Tough to Get Old(er)

I�m not happy about life going by. I�m not happy about the fact that those
I love seem to experience life at the same rate I do.

Last night at the Choir Reunion seeing all those old people made me wonder
what I was doing there. Then I looked in the mirror.

Now today, seeing other people in the �Home� where Dad is for a while as he
gets back on his feet is hard. People I knew, people strong, people now
waiting for their trumpet sound. It�s hard.

I guess I have life enough. I don�t know what is real or my imagination.
In my imagination I�m feisty, full of life, tough to live with sometimes,
and loving it every day. Or is that reality and seeing life thru a gray
head with wrinkles and less future every day reality.

I�m going to vote feisty. Even if it�s not actually real, even if it�s my
version of the matrix, it�s a reality like Cipher said in the matrix. �I
know this isn�t real, the wine I drink is a computer program, this steak
that melts in my mouth is just an algorithm, but I prefer this to whatever
reality is out there�.

I may NOT want to know how deep that rabbit hole really goes.

A Visit to Never Never Land

3rd day of a 6 day visit to the land of my origins, Dakota.

It’s the silly season in ND. Lots of political ads on the TV. I’m amazed by them. Does anyone even believe this stuff? Conrad hyping ethanol? He should be ashamed for such political and scientific irrationality. Pomeroy’s ads aren’t much better.

Then in today’s Fargo Forum, a big article on carbon capture using GRASS and paying farmers for using no till because it “Captures” carbon and gives farmers income. That is another wacky scheme someone thought up. It’s all political. Nonsense.

The only parallel I can arrive at is how the African American community is led down primrose paths by the likes of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. How Black misleaders use fear, promises of payoff and half-truths to control and manipulate the people of the ghetto. And, dutifully they vote many times against their own best interests.

So it is in North Dakota, a bigger ghetto, but welfare queens with tractors none the less being told lies and told to vote against their better interests by putting political hacks in office like Kent Conrad. Earl Pomeroy is still a real guy and not yet polluted by the evil that is political hucksterism. But, Conrad hasn’t had an honest political thought in 30 years. I knew him back when he was young and in college. He isn’t good for America or North Dakota. Living in ILLINOIS I can’t vote for or against him. That’s too bad.

I just wish ND voters could see how easily the Ghetto formerly known as North Dakota is bought off by political pandering of the most transparent kind.

SIGH!!!

Conrad will win. Then he’ll go back to Washington, kiss a few babies and some other anatomical parts and forget ND for 6 more years.

Not all politics is Local.

Sweet and Sour isn’t just Pork, and Nostalgia isn’t what I Remember it to be

I’m in Fargo ND, actually I think you can say just Fargo, because to my knowledge there is only one in the whole USA. This is a trip of nostalgia and of remembrance. And some family things layered on top.

So, it’s nice to see people who you knew when and it’s hard to review your life in the same way. Sweet and Sour.

The only two things I did in college that amounted to anything at all were study plants (horticulture) and sing in the concert choir. The relationships and friendships developed there endure to this day. We fought a lot of battles together. It was all worth it.

So, last night I was at the general choir reunion. What is interesting is there were moms who sang in the choir and sons, and soon a 3rd generation. The oldest fellow there was a man from the late 30’s and early 40’s who sang under Van Vlissengen. I didn’t spell his name right. I sang under Van Vlissengen in the early 60’s. That all by itself is weird. But concert choir per se didn’t start until Dr. Robert Godwin came to NDSU in 1957. I joined in 1963. Now it’s 2006. Many of the marriages that took place between choir members have now created kids who sing in the choir.

They sang a few numbers and were fabulous. But disappointing, (sour), there was no one from the time I was in choir to join us last night. Not one. I was there 3 years. Not one Overlap to say Remember WHEN?

So, I visited, ate, was polite and left. Tonight is the “real” reunion. I’m really looking forward to it. I hope it doesn’t go sour. This will be people who sang under Dr. Godwin between the years of 1956-1970.

And, I had forgotten how darn windy it is in North Dakota. I say that every time I come. The wind is amazing. Constant. Inexorable. Buffeting.

So, it is, we press on.

Looking forward to tonight.

Double Hexing Day

Today is in the waning hours of Friday the 13th.

I am not superstitious. But, maybe I should be. Because today is a double hexing day. If you add up the whole numbers from today’s date 10/13/2006 you get, well look at this:

10=1
13=4
2006=8

1+4+8=13

Now that’s scary.

I called my buddy Jack on his radio program as I was coming into Fargo. I shared this interesting bit of trivia. Let me be kind, as a mathematician, Jack is a great radio announcer. He didn’t get it. Note, I didn’t blame his lack of grasping of the obvious on his further left than my political leanings. Although Air America went bankrupt today. Naaa, no relationship at all.

So, find a black cat to walk across your path, find a ladder to walk under, be very loose with broken mirrors and that like diet coke canceling out a doughnut’s calories will take care of things.

Just don’t ask Jack to do your taxes. THAT would be unlucky.

The Gleaner on the Road

Family and other issues have me driving north to Dakota again.  One part is a long anticipated reunion with people I spent years traveling the world with.  Our fearless leader of over 80 years on this earth, Dr Godwin won't in fact be attending as planned.  His wife Norma had a Heart Attack and so he is not coming.  But 57 of the faithful will be there and we are preparing a video hookup of wherever he is.  Semper Fei

 

I'll miss seeing him. At any of our ages life and times has a way of turning a hard corner and changing our plans.  We press on.

 

In addition, as noted in an earlier post, there is a family situation.  Seems like all will be well or as well as can be expected.  I will be in Ellendale probably Sunday Night.  Presence is more important than presents.

 

This means that those of you who do read this missive will find me absent unless the Blog-god allows me access to a connection or a computer somewhere so I can send off an update.  I doubt it.

I have a kerosene driven computer and nothing wireless touches my flesh.

 

So, I leave my precious wife and travel alone.  I should be back next Wednesday sometime.  Hopefully that will be soon enough.  This is my second busy season.  I hadn't planned the extended vacation. 

 

In the meantime, I will share my guilty blog pleasures with you to read:

Say Anything (there are two now, read them both)

Julie's Blog

Ron McKinzie

Barry Kolb

 

So until you hear (see) otherwise, be back in a week. 

 

You were warned.

 

 

 

Mob Rule Averted in Iraq

I have never been a big fan of democracy. In companies, churches or governments. It’s basically mob rule. Ideal for despots. Hitler was elected in a democracy, Saddam Hussein was elected in a democracy, a deomocracy crucified Jesus.

The Democrat party would like us to abolish the Electoral College so we could have a "true Democracy". That would be horrid. The founding fathers hated that Idea and so do I.

I like the fact that the USA is not a democracy, it’s a republic. We elect people who represent us. If they don't we get someone who will. That's the republican way.

I also like the fact that we are states and that issues regarding Illinois or North Dakota are not decided from Washington. We have some of that now, too much, I would like to see less.

So it was with some pleasure that I saw Iraq moving toward a federalist form of government. Sovereign states that choose to work together. A united states of Iraq. Works everywhere it’s tried.

Now if we could just get rid of the idea of universal democracy in the USA our republic would be safe. Vote Republican.

Hammer Blows

The thing I appreciate about the prophetic word is that it works like a hammer blow, or a hammer and chisel. God forms and shapes us into his purpose by the prophetic word like a hammer forms a piece of rock into the statue of David.

We know that our character and destiny is being formed from glory to glory into the image of Jesus. In fact when we get there we will look just like him. It's done primarily thru the prophetic word.

Turns out, the main tool he uses to reveal our destiny is the Proclamation and Declaration of the prophetic word. Our purpose is revealed. Our character is formed. Sometimes correction comes. But it is always to form us in to his image.

Like Mount Rushmore, many people wish they could just have all the dynamite put in place, one blast and viola the faces are revealed. If that much dynamite were placed it would destroy the faces. A little here, a little there and eventually the face of Jesus emerges. He finds a small hard spot and with a word of encouragement thru the prophetic helps remove the impediment. He finds a soft spot and thru a well placed word strengthens it.

The prophetic changes everything, we are never the same after an encounter with the Prophetic. But it's never quick, it's never instant, it is intended to be like hundreds of hammer blows to change us. Most people don't have the patience to wait for God to do what he wants to do in our lives and we get discouraged. That is called being stuck. We don't KNOW we are discouraged, we just no longer believe there is more or we think that's all there is.

That's why I love it so much.

It’s Impossible to Keep a GOOD Man Down

I got a phone call that “Dad”, my uncle Earl, who raised me from the age of 13 fell and broke his hip last night. He’s 90 years old.

This isn’t good news. I don’t have a prognosis this side of the veil.

I do have one for the other side for certain.

It’s impossible to keep a good man down. No matter how hard this will be, no matter what happens, no matter when he is able to come home, there will come a day for him when he will run, jump and shout again. He will dance on streets of Gold. He will bow down and get back up without any pain. He will once again be the handsome vigorous man people know him as, even in his advanced years he is still that man.

Oh, there will be some pain between here and there. Certainly those who love him and care for him like his wife Ruth of 65 years will see pain.

But there comes a day when all tears are dried, all pain is gone, all suffering ended, all loss erased and when that day comes as it will for every one of us it is a magnificent thing to know that a place, a mansion, is prepared for all of us.

Some may go and occupy them before I do, or maybe not. But there is one there, in need of a little work, in need of a window fixed; a tree trimmed, a garden hoed. It’s right there around the corner. I think Jesus made it that way just for Earl. I’ll get to see it some day.

We all will.

UPDATE:
Apparently Earl is going to have a ball and socket put in. I got a nice note from Jane Ahlin who I grew up with, her mom had recieved a ball and socket and was up and around in a few days. Probably not doing the Cha Cha but who knows.

SO, it's true, it's hard to keep a good man (or woman) down.

Thanks for the encouragement Jane. Sorry be being just a bit pessimistic. I guess I underestimate everything sometimes.

Ghost Stories

I spent time this morning hearing great stories about how God works in other people’s lives. Lots of people call these testimonies. That is far too religious for me. I believe that calling them Ghost Stories (Holy Ghost) is more relaxed and maybe more accurate.

Besides most testimonies are stories of what a bad old sinner I was and how now I don’t beat my dog anymore. Interesting but not as inspiring to me as how last week something wonderful happened and I saw the hand of God working in a magnificent way in my life.

A Ghost Story.

I love sitting around with other people of faith and hearing and hearing and hearing what God is doing for Good in the lives of these common ordinary people with mortgages and back pain.

Sometimes I have been fortunate to be part of such a group of people and we have done this for hours and hours. Come out of that time together and you feel like NOTHING is impossible with God.

That seems so much better than hearing about old Pete used to do cocaine and gamble and how he doesn’t do that any more. All good, but how about the time when God opened a door you thought was closed in relationship or employment and you knew it HAD to be God because nothing else could have been just exactly like that. That is a real Ghost Story. At this season of Halloween with all the garish and sometimes over the top costumes you see all around and all the decorations that imply the demonic, I love just a simple Ghost Story of the mercy and goodness of God.

Isn’t that really what All Hallows Eve should be about?

Do Babies and Dogs go to Heaven?

I heard a cute report last Saturday on the Paul Harvey report. He had been asked a question of a listener. This man had a little dog who had died and he wanted to ask Paul if that dog would be in heaven. I get asked this often. Mostly by nominal Christians. Seems like to them this is a big deal. So, Paul Harvey postulated the question to Billy Graham. I thought, now this is going to be interesting. You will be happy to know that Billy Graham agrees with me. There is little evidence of Dogs, Cats or Horses in heaven. Although there is some prophetic writings that you could interpret thusly. But in any case one more time, if you need to have your pet in heaven to have fullness of Joy (which is what heaven is) then you will. My guess is Jesus will be enough. But, that settles that from the desk of Billy Graham and Gene Redlin.

On a more serious note, I have been openly critical of Infant Baptism. I’m a believer that Infants should be dedicated to the Lord as Jesus was (there was Baptism before Jesus was born so if Baptism was the thing to do to babies they would have done it to/for Jesus). I believe that once a person comes to faith in Jesus he or she should then, upon the profession of that faith, be Baptized in the Name above all Names, Jesus, the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. A baby has no faith. It must be a person of reason. An adult. I was baptized at 32 years old.

I don’t think infant baptism does any good but it does have the potential to do harm. It offers false security to parents that they don’t have to work very hard to raise their kids in a Christian home. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard parents say to me, “I know he’s away from God but he was baptized as a child so I know he’s going to heaven”. I want to tell them the raw truth. He’s hell bound and will not see heaven unless he repents.

The other reason adult baptism is important is the whole line in the sand thing. Once we are buried and raised again in baptism we can point to that when the devil comes to us to lie.

I remember growing up how priests and pastors would race across town to baptize little babies who were just born but who thought they might die. The idea was that if a little baby died without being baptized it would go to hell or if catholic at least to limbo. No heaven for that little tyke.

What a bunch of hogwash that was.

It was with some appreciation that I saw that the Pope has renounced the catholic theology of Limbo. That if a baby dies baptized or not it goes to heaven. He’s right about that. I have often said that I have more in common with Catholics than I do with some protestant denominations theologically. Now even more, I'm more in line with true presence in the elements of Commnunion as well, but that's another story.

This is one such agreement with the Pope I say Yea and Amen to.

Now if we can just get the Pope to quit baptizing Babies we’re getting somewhere.

In Respect of the Amish

I wrote to a friend of mine that i have been challenged in who I am as a Christian by the actions of the Amish after the murder of the little girls in the schoolhouse in Pennsylvania. I don't know if I could do this. I'll admit I am ambivalent. But, maybe I should get a black hat, buggy, and join the Amish to he a better Christian. Or maybe I could just try to be a better Chrisitan without the hat. Let me have the love and compassion they have. I cried the first time i heard this story about the love of Jesus shown thru them. They, in this simple act, have done more for the cause of Christ than I have in a lifetime. Read the whole article.

"The hurt is very great, but they don't balance the hurt with hate."

WND/TN (Oct 5th, 2006)

In what's being called a stunning example of "the imitation of Christ," WorldNetDaily reports that the Amish community devastated by the cold-blooded murder of five of its schoolgirls is raising money for the killer's family.

Dwight Lefever, a spokesman for the Roberts family, said an Amish neighbor comforted the killer's family and extended forgiveness to them after the shooting, the Associated Press reports.

Barry Wigmore, reporting for the UK's Daily Mail wrote, "One of the few non-Amish guests invited to the funeral of seven-year-old Naomi Rose Ebersole, the first little girl to be buried, was Marie Roberts, the killer's wife. With tears in her eyes, Mrs. Roberts sat in the back of one of the 34 black horse-drawn carriages that were part of the funeral cortege behind Naomi's horse-drawn hearse. On the way from the church to the hilltop cemetery, the procession passed Mrs. Roberts' home where her husband, Charles, loaded up his guns before heading for the little village school on Monday."

Reacting to the Amish outpouring of support for the killer's family, columnist Rod Dreher wrote: "Yesterday on NBC News, I saw an Amish midwife who had helped birth several of the girls murdered by the killer say that they were planning to take food over to his family's house. She said – and I paraphrase closely – "This is possible if you have Christ in your heart."

And Journalist Tom Shachtman, who wrote a book on Amish culture called "Rumspringa: To Be or Not to Be Amish," told the New York Times: "This is imitation of Christ at its most naked. If anybody is going to turn the other cheek in our society, it's going to be the Amish. I don't want to denigrate anybody else who says they're imitating Christ, but the Amish walk the walk as much as they talk the talk." Amish expert Gertrude Huntington noted, "They know their children are going to Heaven. They know their children are innocent ... and they know that they will join them in death. The hurt is very great," she told the Associated Press. "But they don't balance the hurt with hate."

Jesus Camp - From the Horse's Mouth

Non Christians have been shocked by a movie about young people who are passionate towards Jesus. What a Concept. There has been much written. I have not, but today I got this and decided it was worth posting. I may see the film but If you should hear of it, this is the truth, all else you hear are lies. OK?

Aimee Herd (Oct 5th, 2006)
(She wrote this and works for the Elijah List Group.

The documentary Jesus Camp is now being talked about on just about every form of media available. Reviews have been mixed. Some are moved by it and inspired, some are horrified and alarmed, still others who viewed the film were disturbed by a negative tone in places, toward the camp, and even Evangelical Christian ideology in general. The documentary follows three Christian children attending a summer Bible camp. Cameras are rolling as pre-teen boys and girls display a passion for God's Word, weep in intercession, repent of their sins and those of the nation, and lay hands on a life-size cut-out of President Bush as they pray for him. Some of the children in the film are praying in tongues with intense emotion, others are forcefully declaring Scriptures with hands raised.

Certainly, one who has never witnessed these kinds of activities in church, let alone by children, would wonder, maybe even be shocked at what they see. But for Pastor Becky Fischer, who has spent much of her life working with, and ministering to children, this is normal "Spirit-filled" life. Pastor Fischer still has trouble seeing the "political" slant of Jesus Camp. When praying for the President, she says they were just doing what the Bible commands all Christians; to "pray for all who are in authority . . ." Yes, adds Fischer, "even if the President was Saddam Hussein," Christians are still told to pray.

Much of the controversy stems from the intensity and seriousness of the children who are concerned with world events and practices, such as abortion, and see themselves as "soldiers" in a war. Pointing to places in the film, where the kids attending the camp don war-paint, and talk of dying for their faith as martyrs, Mike Papantonio, radio host for Air America, sounds a warning of possible brainwashing by the likes of Becky Fischer, and other fervent Charismatic preachers. But has Mr. Papantonio, forgotten those familiar verses of the age-old hymn, which certainly seems to have been readily accepted by thousands in the past; "Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war . . ?"

Yes, Becky does point out to the children, the passion and dedication-to-belief that is found within youths of the same age, in Islam . . . even of those willing to be "martyrs" for their faith. But Becky is making a point. The opposite of such devotion is apathy. "This is the reason I let the filming of Jesus Camp take place," she explains, "statistics say, 70 percent of our children, who are raised in Christian, Bible-believing churches, are leaving the church when they become teenagers and young adults, and never stepping foot inside a church again. That's a crisis, and we've got to do something to change this picture."

According to Fischer, when footage was first completed, she was told the film itself was still without direction, so she informed film makers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady that she would pray for God's direction for the project. "I prayed for them," says Becky "I asked God to give them the direction they needed for the film." Nine months later, she realized the documentary about the kids had taken a different turn. Objections were voiced, from Fischer, as well as many of the parents. "It was a shock," remarked Becky. "I did go through a very emotional time wondering 'did I get tricked?'" So, Ewing and Grady went back and re-edited, even changing the music score, which had a somewhat eerie feel to it, and was felt to have added to the negativity. The result was the final version of Jesus Camp.

And Becky stands by the film, knowing the controversy it has stirred, enduring even death threats and angry phone calls in the night. Why? Becky explains, "I know what this film looks like. And I have two choices. I could distance myself from this, or I can continue to support this film. I look at this and think, 'this is still salvageable, there is more good in this film, than there is bad.' Everyone is focusing on the political angle and that's what's getting attention. My message is so much bigger to the Body of Christ. But if it wasn't for the political controversy, no one would've ever heard my name."

"Here's what I see," continues Becky, "this film has nothing to do with politics. This film has nothing to do with any chasm between Evangelicals and Charismatics. But this film has everything to do with; this is the generation that prophets have been speaking over for 25 years. This is all about this generation of children. I hate this controversy, but I'm using it as a platform to get this message out to the Christian community that God sees our children as partners in this 'last-days' move of God."

Do I Love You Enough to tell you the TRUTH – Do You Love me Enough to Hear It Without Offense – I don’t know.

A few weeks ago I read a blog that asked that question. I have people I don’t tell the truth to. I don’t lie to them, I just don’t tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

I tell them convenient truth. Couched truth. Comfortable truth. Candy Colored Truth.

I admit it, I do this because I know full well that unvarnished truth damages relationships. I don’t care who you are, the unvarnished truth is hard and if it is the truth comes off as uncaring.
Even if it’s a gift to see ourselves as others see us.

O wad some Power
the giftie gie us,
To see oursels
as ithers see us!
Robert Burns

The opposite is true. If I didn’t care I would say nothing. Why bother.

So, now the fix I am in is the need, even the demand that the truth be told and risking the relationship. I have heard all the pap about there being a good way to tell people bad news. To package the information so they will accept it. A little bit of sugar makes the medicine go down.

The reality is some people with too much sugar miss the whole point. The truth must result in getting a person to face some reality or another and make a positive change in behavior.

If I tell the truth and am rejected, that person rejects me, doesn’t change behavior and it was all for naught. In fact in that case would I have been better saying nothing. Sort of the strategy of hoping for the best and doing nothing about it. Not a good way to go.

Truth, you want the truth? You can’t handle the truth.

I’m in a tough place.

Guilty Pleasure

This is a small deal.  One to which I must confess.

 

Peggy and I love to watch "Dancing with the Stars" on ABC TV Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.  We watched it last year as well.

 

In fact for as long as I can remember we have enjoyed all kinds of competitive ballroom dancing.  Watched it for years on PBS.  There was this hostess who I guess died of cancer who I liked better than the ones they have now. 

 

When we were younger won a few dance contests in Dickey County.  We were (at least I was) much more flexible then.  Not so much now.

 

I know it's all made for TV hype, I know it's phony, all the tears and such.  It's reality TV with ballroom gowns and lots of makeup.  I know all that.  Hey, some people watch professional wrestling.  So, lighten up.

 

We don't call in and vote.  We just enjoy it.  And without activation of my prophetic gift I try to guess the comments and scores the judges give.  I do OK.  Maybe I'll apply to be a judge.  I could do as well.

 

Don't love me any less for my guilty pleasure.  You have them too.  I'll be you don't even feel guilty you Wrestlemainia watcher.

God uses a Strategy from Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book

I read much of Mega-Shift a while back. It told of the great move of God happening all around the world particularly in China. It was optimistic. Hard to believe since I see nothing like this kind of intense revival in America.

Then this article hit the wires a couple days ago: Evangelicalism Fastest Growing Religious Movement in the WORLD!

In it they make these statements:

....although Christianity has barely kept pace with world population growth over the last century, evangelicalism is “far and away the fastest growing major religious movement in the world today,”

Evangelicalism is growing twice the pace of Islam and three times as fast as the overall world population...

...the Mongolian church is now the most efficient missions force, sending one missionary for every 222 Christians.

...churches in the global South, from China to Nigeria, are now increasingly aiming to spread the gospel and close the gaps of the 10/40 window.

“I believe the older generation has slipped away from the idea of mission, but now I believe God is using a younger generation to renew the church’s commitment to mission,”

What it looks like to me is that the Body of Christ at the urging of the Holy Ghost is waging it's fastest and most effective conquest in remote, 3rd world and atheistic countries. That to this point the “Cultural West” countries are being left out of this global move of God until the countryside has been conquered. I would even say that the conversion rate among Muslims is greater than in the west. They are converting by the thousands.

That gives me hope. A quote from an interview with Chairman Mao.

Later, when we got to the countryside. Chairman Mao saw that in order to carry out the revolution it is necessary not only to rely on the peasants, but also to win over the middle and petty bourgeoisie.

It worked. Now, this spiritual revolution is taking place first in the countryside and the middle and then the petty and not so petty bourgeoisie will follow.

That’s pretty much all of America, Europe, Canada, Austrailia and New Zealand.

I am hopeful. I want to see revival in the USA before I step from time into eternity. So, do it Lord, do it again. You can do it over there, you are doing it over there, why not here, why not us, and why not now.

If you have to De-Bourgeoise us a little that’s ok.

Oh, and that whole Idea about starting in the country and moving to the city, I don’t think that was actually origional with the Chairman. I think the really BIG chairman, "He who sits on the throne", has ideas Chairman Mao never imagined.

Are YOU from Mars???

There is a great cultural and political divide in this country. It’s deeper and wider than even I can comprehend. I have written on this before, If the divide we have politically were geographic we would be in full blown civil war, if it were geographic we would label the other side as a whacked out cult. I know this because I have friends who have political views that can only be explained as otherworldly. Out on a far stratum of space. A strange parallel universe. Completely alternative to anything I know or understand. Nice people but so incredibly wrongheaded as to make me think they are aliens, strangers in a strange land, completely other.
Almost as if they are visitors from another planet, maybe Mars.

What brings that into focus is the Foley thing. I’m just about sick of hearing about this already. He’s a creep. He needs treatment. I don’t care what party he’s from; he needs excising from the body Politic.

But those from Mars, (I have now decided to quit calling people Liberals, democrats, wacky left, weirdoes) I’ll just give them the more accurate appellation of being from Mars; those from Mars are just giddy.

Turning on National Liberal Public Radio is a love fest of joyful Martians dancing around whatever kind of maypole they have on Mars in anticipation of how the Foley thing will allow the Martians to take over the congress. Never mind that the Martians are incompetent to govern and have no idea of what life is like on earth. The Martians have NEVER been able to lead with any kind of competence. Nothing has changed; they still have a Martian mentality which means they have no concept of earthly things.

Well, my Martian friends, don’t get too excited too soon. You Martians are not an organized political party. A fellow Martian said that long ago. Mark Twain. You have the record of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory more times than not.

Then there’s the whole being a Christian thing. That John (Lukewarm) Danforth is bemoaning the conservative Christian takeover of earth politics. Danforth is a Martian in earth clothing. My main concern is that we have too many of these. I am also highly amused by Martians telling me what the UBER-Earthling Jesus would or wouldn’t do according to Martian scripture. Danforth does that, and elequontly says, "Can't we all just get along?" Sorry John, That' line's been taken. I want to know what middle ground looks like in the abortion debate, in homosex, in pornography, in a hundred other things. What does middle ground lukewarm morality yeild? John and other clergy of his denomination gave us an openly gay Bishop. Is that the middle ground? It would be always good for a Chuckle if it wasn't so sobering. These Martians who put on a Christian hat frequently send me emails that begin, “How can you say or believe THAT and call yourself a Christian". I guess according to Martian theology I can’t. I’ll take my chances. I’m still from earth.

Then there are the Islamic Fundamentalists. There’s no compromise with them either. They are like the Martians in that they see earth as a foreign place. They are actually Venusians. Different Godhead. Different planet.

What is true of both Martians and Venusians is there is no compromise with either. We just can’t let the invasion of the body snatchers go on from either planet. They are a foreign substance and must not be allowed to take over earth.

I have seen enough Star Trek Next Gen (actually all of them) to say that if the Borg or any other foreign entity takes over another planet its bad news for the conquered planet.

The same is true of the Martians and Venusians. Don’t let them take over. Foley or not, you must vote republican this fall. Yes, there are a few Martians in earthly clothing among them, but we will discover them and like Foley, out they go.

Please DON'T Bother

I tried pretty hard and failed. Except I didn’t fail. I had some pix on a compact flash card to be developed and printed. I went to the Walgreens near us. Corner of Peck and 64 west of St. Charles. Walked in. Photo manager tells me that the whole computer is down, doesn’t know when he will have it up, so, I’ll have to go elsewhere. Other customers who had already downloaded their requests were about to be disappointed. No sorry, just Computers.

So, I went to the Walgreens on the west side of Geneva on State Street. That computer was up and running. But the YOUNG lad manning the booth tells me that he can’t find the adaptor to use to load the pictures. It’s now after 8PM. My options are slimmer than they were. He makes a perfunctory effort to find something and then throws up his hands. Well I don’t have his adaptor. And, they SELL these flash discs. Why in heck do you need an adaptor? Shouldn't this be part of the system?

I needed these pictures for a legal deposition I did this morning. So, I went to the west side of Geneva on state street to the CVS pharmacy. They have one hour too. I walked up to the machine, it took my card (a newer machine than Walgreens, no adaptor needed) and then I selected my pictures. At the end it asked me to print a claim slip for the pickup the next morning. I did so. It printed nothing. I asked the little kids who worked there if I could get my claim slip. OH, they assured me, we have you name, when you come in the morning just give us your name and all will be well.

I show up this morning. I stepped to the desk. Was waved dispassionately to the photo counter. Gave her my name. She looks all over. My pix (which I needed) aren’t there.

Now, I get a person over the age of 16, the manager. He looks in the computer, sure nuff, my name and pix are there. But, they didn’t make the “Transfer”. He tries to be apologetic. Badly.

So, the slip the computer didn’t print had something to do with transfer.

Now, I know the picture from Digital camera biz isn’t the biggest thing in all the world. But, it was big to me. I am disappointed and not a happy customer.

Here’s what I am asking Walgreens and CVS to do. PLEASE DON’T OFFER SERVICES YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO OR WON’T BE ABLE TO PROVIDE. Just Stop!

I’ll go to Wolf or Jewel. from now on anyway. When I was at Walgreens I spent $11 on candy, pop, popcorn and other incidentals. Plus I have a prescription that costs about $30 without copay per month. Oh, and you screw that up too often.

I think Jewel has a pharmacy.

I have emailed this link to both companies. Incompetence is it’s own reward.

One other thing, do NOT send me any discount coupons or free stuff. I don’t want it. I’ll just burn it if you do. I would rather just vote with my feet.

Bye Bye

Lord I Believe, But HELP my Unbelief

I am going thru a crisis of faith. I have seen a miracle. Actually several. I am having a hard time with all this. I won't tell you what the miracle was, it's too fantastic to relate. But, it was real and I am having a hard time dealing with it.

This has caused me to question what I say I believe. I have been a charismatic for a long time, I have seen some remarkable things, I have been shocked spiritually from time to time. It's all been good. But now, I am seeing things happen I can't explain. I can accept people being healed of disease, people having restoration miracles (Like a restored eye, eardrum or cancerous tumors disappearing), I could deal with someone being raised from the dead, miracles of financial provision, miracles of God's intervention in difficult situations. All these are well inside my comfort zone. It's the Miracles that are over and above blessing and provision that I struggle with.

Extravagant Miracles.

That's the problem. Now that certain higher-level miracles are happening around me, I'm staggered. I don't know what to think. I don't know why I don't believe. I want to find ways to explain these things outside of the supernatural. I can't easily explain it away.

This is rocking my world. I didn't realize I had once more put God in a box and told Him he could do this but not that. I have heard of these amazing things from overseas but had never seen them for myself. Always dismissed them as so much charismatic hysteria. Now that I have seen them for myself I'm shocked and filled with doubt.
The doubt comes because these things have the effect in that they magnify the reality of God more than I was ready for. I can't rationally deal with that.

I was comfortable with a more abstract God. I have no idea why I'm writing this. I'm not confessing a loss of my faith in God, but I must get past this stop limit I have placed on his hand in peoples lives. He's bigger than I thought possible.

I mean, what if on a regular basis people who were dead, dead, dead in the morgue for 5 days were raised up? Frequently. Documented. On TV. In person. How do you deal with that? What if a man standing in front of you had no arm, it had been shot off in Iraq. While you stood and watched the arm was restored, grew back, in your view. What do you do with that? What does that mean in your life? How do you not change everything in your life? What does it all mean?

Where I am is this? Maybe his arm being gone was an illusion. Maybe he really didn't lose it in Iraq. Maybe this is all a parlor trick. Maybe I'm being played for a sucker. I saw the old movie Mondo Cone. I know it can be done.

OR, maybe God really is doing these things. I don't know what I believe anymore. I'm in crisis.

It so disturbed me that last night in a dream I had a visitation. I was in Germany with my wife. We had gone there for a meeting. We were staying in a nice hotel ($400/night). We were in a meeting of some kind led by someone who I didn't recognize. It was conducted in English. About 40 or so people there. Then the meeting's leader called my name. He didn't know I was there. Calling my name shocked me. He asked me, "Why are you running from the Ministry I called you to". "You were called long ago for this purpose and you aren't filling it". He then proceeded to display ancient documents written in a language I didn't understand, Not English, Not German. But written there was a long long heritage of Men from my lineage who had committed themselves to ministry and had fulfilled it. That is true. We have a stambuch which goes back to 1271AD. There are many men in my family tree who were spiritual leaders, pastors, theology professors, and men of God in other ways. He was pointing to them, particularly those after the reformation. Why was I running from the call on my life? I didn't think I was.

Then the scene changed.

A 3 decade review of ministries I have been involved with began to review (like in "It's a Wonderful Life") in front of my eyes. A Christian Magazine that almost folded but for an encouragement God allowed me to bring 20 years ago when it was about to go under they now they are in 11 countries in 5 languages with hundreds of thousands of subscribers. How a proclamation, encouragement or impartation had made a major impact on many ministries in the USA and overseas. How some of those ministries would not exist today if I hadn't been placed strategically to provide a word from God in due season. How I had been used of God to do accomplish his purpose. I was humbled to see this. I knew that this was how God had used me to bring clarity and encouragement to keep ministries that were stumbling to keep from falling down. I also knew that I have been less faithful in this area than I had been in years past.

Now I'm in a new place. A place I'm not comfortable with. A place that is stretching me spiritually. I don't know what to do with it all.

I jokingly say, maybe I've been around Lutherans too long. I've been infected with doubt and unbelief. (That's a Joke). I'm just not sure why I'm having a hard time.

So, I'm going to let it stew, I'm going to ask God to help me out of my unbelief.

I need a breakthrough. I need to stop running away.

If you see me running, stop me.

Random Brain Blast

Collected Thoughts about nothing in particular:

It’s first of Oct tomorrow. Today feels like August. We are going to have some 80s next week. Fall is such a gift. We have yet to turn our heat on, although I fire up the fireplace. I know it’s a net loss but it makes me think I’m doing something. We will have these spectacular days from time to time from now till Thanksgiving. Then cold. For 3 months, then nice. I can take it.

New Christian song that’s going to be a monster hit. Group 1 Crew, Everybody’s got a Song to Sing. This group came out of Chicago, company that produces them is from Nashville and the main office contact is Florida. But they are fabulous. Hip Hop (Rap sorta) Christian Music. I love Macy Gray and her music, this is better. Look for it. On the other hand you won’t have to, it will run you down till you are sick of it.

We have our BIG block party tonight. I have to get up early to play on the worship team at Church. These two things don’t go together. Saturday night hoot and Sunday morning Scoot. I’ll do my best. I’ll need a nap tomorrow afternoon.

I discovered a really neat gadget. On google there is somehow a way to get update feeds from several news feeds and create a page. I have most of the blogsites I follow on a special bookmark deal from Firefox. Some blogsites don’t work. But I discovered this by trying to figure out how to do this with Julies blogsite.

I use dialup. So for me to troll across the blogosphere and read everyone who is there means I have to commit some time to it. I was visiting her site every time I “trolled” because I had no other way of checking if she had written anything brilliant lately. So, because I sort of “make the rounds” and most everyone is on a “feed” I had to actually hit her site to check. I think I made her nervous.

Then, in trying to find some way to avoid it I came upon this google thingy on her site. Wow, what a gadget. So now, the only time I have to check in is if there is something there fresh. I’ll bet she will miss my 10+ hits per day on the blog counter. Or not.

I spent a wonderful Thursday morning with Ben Peters and Barry Kolb. We sat and shared “ghost stories” and then Ben began to prophesy. I flow in this pretty well but Ben knows nothing of what has been ever said by the Spirit that had been delivered thru me or what the situation at LOL is. It was wonderful. I dearly love the prophetic gift because of how it wipes the mud from our eyes and allows us to see clearly. Remember that song by (I don’t remember) “I can see clearly now the rain is gone, I can see all obstacles in my Way" It might be Pain but the concept is the same. Well that’s what the prophetic is like when you take it to heart. It clears away the spiritual cobwebs, puts you on a course for the future, and gives you confidence. I don’t know when or if Ben and Barry and I will ever get together again. Ben is going to wait on God to tell him when or if we should. But, I believe God is about to reveal his purposes in all this. I’m patient and never disappointed.

I have been preparing for the men’s ministry meeting next weekend. I honestly get more out of this than anyone else. If only I showed up and only I shared with me what God has given me it would be enough. I think that’s what it is supposed to be like. Sometimes the gift God gives is just for me (or you). Teaching is a wonderful way to learn.

A random political note. If the divide in this country were geographical rather than philosophical we would be engaged in civil war. That’s how wide the gulf really is. Each side (and there are sides) is convinced the other is living on another planet with alternate realities and completely blind and warped in their thinking. For clarity, both sides think this of the other. That’s what brought on the long discussion with Ron MacKenzie below. He would normally fit into the camp of which I am a part and doesn’t really. But, we (both sides) really think the other is off their nut. In fact, to be honest, we don’t think so, we are confident in our position. (Both Sides) know SO. That’s why I say, if we were geographically divided as we are philosophically and politically, we would be at war.

I bring this up because of the thought of the future, let’s project, if the liberals win, the conservatives will harden their position and try even harder to discredit the other side and take back power, ditto the other way around. If the Conservatives win the liberals will do what happened in Mexico and for a third time claim we nasty conservatives stole the election. They will become even more radicalized. There is no compromise.

The problem is as we drift apart we are never going to arrive at the same place, there is no middle ground, the middle ground is gone. There can only be victory by one side and grudging submission and subversion of the government as we have had the last two years from one another.

This also applies to the issue of the Islamic fundamentalists and the battle being waged by them against western culture. They are never going to give in to our way of life. There is no compromise. They want women in submission, they don’t want their daughters to dress like little whores, they don’t want homosexuality pushed on their little boys in school, they don’t want drugs and alcohol, they don’t want dirty movies shown in their cities, and they don’t want the open perversion, ponography and putrification they see in American society. There is no compromise. They will do all they can to destroy the great Satan. We have shown his face to them on TV and in Movies. They want none of it. They don’t want the society they have created polluted by us. They would rather kill us then let us infect them.

So there is no compromise. There is no moderation. There is no middle ground on which we will agree to get along. There is only conquest by one side and defeat of the other.

We are engaged in civil war, in the USA, the middle east, and around the world. It’s a war of ideas.

I don’t like it but I see it clearly. Who will win in the end?

I read the Book.

He does.

Sometimes I Don’t Know What to Think

I am a pretty definite person. Overfull of certitude my critics say. I'’m OK with that. I know in whom I have believed and I am convinced.

There is a man from Christchurch New Zealand, Ron McKenzie, who I have never met. I wish I could. I have been reading his blog, Blessed Economist, for over 2 years. I have often wanted to post a comment on one of his posts. But his blog hates me. Not really, but it doesn't for some reason allow me to comment.

He's an economist and a very excellent theologian. I read everything he writes and nearly 100% of the time I agree with him. I have printed off some of what he has written from time to time and handed it off to pastor friends of mine. He'’s that good. I commend him to you. I love his view of government, civil and eccesiastical. In fact the denomination under which I licensed as a minister is using some of his material in developing the proper approach to the apostolic model in church leadership.

So, it was with some chagrin that a couple weeks ago he wrote a piece that was not supportive of the War in Iraq, President Bush and his role fighting the war on terror.

He Wrote:

George Bush sees the War on Terror as part of a Struggle for Civilization. I suggest that he does not understand war or civilization.
War on Terror is a strange name for a war. Terror is a weapon, not a war. So who is America actually fighting against: Al Qa'ida, an Axis of Evil, all Muslims, the Middle East nations?

Now, in principle I understand. He claims we do NOT understand what the War on Terror is; we have declared war on a weapon or a symptom, in a way it'’s like having a war on Atom Bombs, or our "War on Drugs" or the war on poverty.

If that is all there is, the war on terror is hopeless. If people'’s hearts aren'’t changed then nothing changes.

I had to think about it. Since his blog doesn'’t take comments from ME, I wrote Ron directly. I asked him this question, "“What would you do, say or encourage our President to do or say since he has the responsibility of leading and protecting this nation and it'’s constitution”. They really want to kill us. Kill us all. Nuclear annihilation. I recognize that the Gospel is the weapon that will get us further than any bomb or force. I understand your idea of interchange and communication. I do think this is a war for the ideals, for good and bad of western civilization. Capitulation defeats us all".

He responded:

Gene, a few of them want to kill you, but if you ignore the posturing, the truth is that they are mostly powerless or incompetent. Most of them just want to survive. They fear that the United States wants to kill them and there is a fair bit of evidence to justify their fears.

I'’m not sure I buy that, (Incompetent??) but then Ron said:

The people of the United States have very little to fear. You live on a large island that is almost impossible to invade. Even if Iran develops nuclear weapons, it has no way to get them to the United States. Terrorists have found it very difficult to strike against the United States, with only one success in a couple of decades.

Make that two, world trade centers 1 & 2. And there have been several near misses. Shoe Bomber. Gel Bombs. Others we may never know about. There'’s a problem, if they want to kill us, they are patient, they will strike, and they will use nukes next time, they will try to wipe out NYC and Washington DC. There are enough "“nutters" prepared to die in the cause of Islamofacism to propagate this. It would be worse if the weak Liberal politicians in the USA ran things. They have no fortitude to stand and fight. Only to cut and run. They are weak in the face of a real threat and believe that hiding and surrender is the right approach. In a soft way they represent the viewpoint Ron propounded.

Then Ron said:

I suspect that American culture has far more to fear from the corrosive growth of state power and the false gospel flowing out of Hollywood.

AMEN. But Johnny Depp isn't threatening us with a nuke. His threat while dangerous is being neutralized in that that we are winning the battle against what comes out of Hollywood.

Ron goes on:

First of all, I need to point out that terror is the weapon. It is a weapon used by some Islamic groups, but the United States military also uses terror as a weapon. A one-ton bomb dropped from a B1 bomber causes just as much terror as bomb let off by a suicide bomber. The difference is that the B1 pilot has better technology than the suicide bomber, so he can cause terror without risking his life. If the latter had the technical ability to hit his target without risking his life, he would probably do so. However, they both cause terror to the people they target. Islam does not have a monopoly on terror.

My response: if you live in those countries or areas of hatred for the USA you live under this threat (for a time), BUT no B1s are dropping bombs anywhere today. When does the next terror attack happen in Chicago or LA? We have ceased bombing them. The terrorists do not call a cease-fire and will not unless they are dead or changed spiritually, both of which must be the goal. They don't look to the sky in Iraq or Afgahnistan and fear the next B-1 is about to fly over today to bomb them. In the USA we do look up, every day. Every time I go to the airport I'm reminded of what is happening. I turn the news on with an eye toward what 9-11 style news flash will come next.

America thru no fault of it's own making has become defacto like Israel. There aren't any jews strapping on bomb vests and boarding palistinian busses or buses in the Hezbollah controlled areas of Lebanon. And there are no Israeli planes flying overhead bombing them today. Ceased fire. BUT, without constant vigiliance, without aggressive response as they did a couple months ago, there would be no peace in whatever form at all. The USA didn't declare this war, but we will fight those who have declared war on us. Israel didn't declare this war, but they fight to defeat those who want to destroy them. I think Ron's view of this struggle is short sighted in many ways. Good in theory, poor in execution.

Then Ron says

Secondly, we need to understand that both Islam and Christianity are expansionist religions. They both claim to have a monopoly on truth. They both want the whole world to accept the truths that they hold. This fact puts them on a collision course.

I am confident that in the end the gospel of Jesus will be successful, not because we have bigger guns, but because we have the Holy Spirit on our side.

With That I agree wholeheartedly. I am confident in our God.
But, George Bush is our President (by the grace of God alone), and if I read the text correctly, he is placed there by God to rule in the best way he is able. I believe in President Bush. I believe he knows and trusts the same Jesus I do. So, last, to the question I asked Ron was, “"If you had the Presidents ear, what would you advise him as a man of God".

Ron says:

How should I know. I do not even live in the United States.

(I knew that Ron, I know there are very few terrorists sneaking in to blow up New Zealand, your family or loved ones. The Perspective you offer is one which seems reasonable until looking up the barrel of a gun pointed at you becomes a reality)

BUT WHAT?

Ron Goes On:

1. George Bush's role is to defend the United States. The biblical rules for this role are outlined in Defence and War. George has not been appointed as the world's policeman. Tramping round the Middle East in big boots will not bring peace.

2. God does not need to United States to complete his purposes. American civilization will not save the world. American democracy will not save the world. The United States is currently in danger of becoming part of the problem. Maybe God has stirred up Islam to bring judgment on the United States Empire.

3. Absolute security cannot be achieved, no matter how much is spent on military power. George Bush may not be able to prevent every attack. If American culture is strong then it will survive. Life will go on. The gospel will advance.

4. A relevant passage is 2 Chron 25:8:
Even if you go and fight courageously in battle,
God will overthrow you before the enemy,
for God has the power to help or to overthrow.
Before going to war, you had better be sure that God is on your side. If he is against you, the strength of your forces will be irrelevant.

To which I must reply, even if stirring up the Middle East was part of the Plan of God to bring judgment, even if "“Tramping Around" brings unease, even if we can'’t bring absolute security, For GWB to do nothing belies his oath of office and the mandate he has as President of the USA to do his constitutional duty. We have a choice, we can face them THERE with boots on the ground, or we will face them in OHIO. We can take casualties THERE with men and women who are equipped and trained to inflict casualties in kind even if they take some themselves, OR we will take casualties in California by innocent non combatant men women and children as we did on 9-11. I would rather take the battle to them. And, according to the Islamic newswires, they have imported 4000 men to die in the cause in Iraq. We used to call that flypaper on the farm. So, yes we are fighting the real enemy in Iraq. They are getting desperate. They will try anything. They will use even chemical weapons. We must stop them, destroy their will, destroy their ability to wage this war. This is growing in determination, on both sides. I can't imagine what would happen if we "Gave Up". Iran invades the middle east and Europe.
Israel ceases to exist. This is not easy but it is essential.

Like Ron, I am very confident the Gospel will go on. I also think that for the USA to less than activly pursuing a military option to create a terror detente would be irrational and perhaps for our leaders ungodly.

Long time back I wrote a series of articles on why Biblically it is essential that the war in Iraq and the War on terror is waged. That it is a Prophetic war (the stand we take now will determine the stand we take in the future when REAL pressures come) with long term implications. That we must stand against this anti-Christ spirit now or we will have to stand later but weaker.

I wrote a series of articles on this war and why it's the right thing to do, now and ultimately. They are here: pt1, pt 2, pt3, pt4, pt5

I am still convinced that what we are doing in Iraq is right, just and must be won however that looks. I think even Ron McKenzie sees more of this aspect than he lets on. This is more than important, it's supernatural.

I admire Ron a great deal. He is a treasure and a gift to the Body of Christ. I just think he misses it on this ONE issue.

Ron, keep on blogging, keep on writing, your writings on the Prophet and the Apostle are rare and insightful. But on this issue, I think the story is yet to be told.

Maranantha

Junior Senior

A friend of mine just had his birthday.  He turned 62.  (you know who you are).

 

I face that in a few months.

 

I hate getting older.  They always say, "it's better than the alternative".  I'm not convinced.  But, I'll stick around. 

 

In any case, he's now 62.  The title the demographers place on this age bracket is Junior Senior.  I can't speak for him, but speaking for me, I'm just getting used to being middle age and now I'm not anymore.  WHAHAPPEND?

 

Also, 62 is the breakpoint at which they quit measuring you.  Up to 62 they consider you part of the 54-62 demographic.  After that it's 63-dead. 

 

Nice thought eh?  Talk about the ultimate pejorative.  He, and soon I no longer count.  Too old to be young, too young to be really old.

 

Is there any justice?

 

NO!

Why Where and How did all this Happen?

I got an interesting question on a blog I write comments on. Say Anything. It was after some discussion of a new film Jesus Camp that the issue of TONGUES came up. Always a tough one to explain to someone who hasn't been there. I had said this earlier in the post:
Seems like people that have never tried Mangos all have an opinion on what they do or don’t taste like and if we should or shouldn’t eat them.

Those who regularly eat and enjoy Mango’s can’t figure out what the fuss is all about. So it is with Tongues.

Then this honest question came forth:

Gene, Thanks for the insight! When, where and how did your first expirence with tongues take place? How does speaking tongues differ from normal prayer and why do think you speaking in tongues is necessary?

I tend to take a very reasoned and logical view of religion and I am having trouble understanding the reason and logic of this practice. I am not trying to talk you and the practice down but I wish to understand it better.
NodakJoe on September 26, 2006 at 03:14 pm

My Response:

I was in my mid 30's. I had heard a teaching on the Baptism in the Holy Ghost. I Thought, Wow, that would be something.

I was alone kneeling in prayer. I had weeks before prayed and asked God to fill me with His Spirit. I was hoping he would. I didn't know if he would but I was believing for it. I really wanted it.

Then soverignly without any promting it happened. Suddenly - like in the book of acts I opened my mouth and words I didn't make up or had ever learned came from me. It filled me with such joy. I felt like I was speaking directly to the heart of God in a way only he could understand. After a time I was overcome with the power of what had happened.

Now, as often as I can, whenever I'm alone, when I shower, when I drive and even in Church I find myself enjoying this marvelous gift. (lots of Spirit Filled Christians love to pray in the Spirit (tounges) in the shower)

It builds my faith. The very same faith that allows me to trust God for miracles in my life is the same faith I exercise while speaking in tounges. In that way I am edified, my faith is strenthed.

I'm baffled why everyone wouldn't want it. After more than a quarter century of walking in Pentecost I can't imagine what life would be like without it.

How does it differ from normal prayer? Well to me, tounges is normal. But, more to the point, sometimes I just run out of words to say, I am incapable of expressing what I have in my heart, I can't verbalize what I know I should or I don't completly grasp the whole situation I know I should or want to pray about. At that point I pray in tounges with the assurance that the Father hears me, understands and even guides my prayer.

Reason can be a tyrannical master and sometimes can be the enemy of faith. It was unreasonable for Peter to step out on the water when Jesus called. But he did. I want to abandon reason like Peter sometimes.

I take a reasoned view in many areas of my life but I try hard not to let my intellect get in the way of faith.

You might be interested in what this LUTHERAN pastor from our area preached on the Baptism of The Holy Spirit and Speaking in Tounges. They are a good read and should answer all your questions.

I am part of a Good Lutheran Church here although it's probably less like any Lutheran Church you have seen. We don't use hymnals, we're looking for a new drummer and the music is foot-tapable. God is doing a new thing. Get in on it.

And, Thanks for Asking.

How to Meet THE ONE

In Saturday’s Wall Street Journal Personal section there was an exhaustive analysis of all the paid and free internet dating singles websites. I read it. I have since done an informal survey and compiled the following information. Unscientific, yes! accurate, YES!

It turns out the success rate among those signing up for all the different matchmaking dating services on the internet have an abysmal success record according to the article. What’s even worse is the capacity of some people to get out there thru these services are sometimes really weird or bad people.

In discussions I have discovered that far and away the bulk of marriage matches are made in only FOUR major ways. All others including internet dating make a distant 5th.

How to meet the ONE!

1. In School (College usually) that’s were the bulk of marriages are formed
2. At Work (Either someone you work with, a customer or a supplier, or working as a volunteer somewhere for free)
3. Someone introduces you (this could be a blind date or a fix up) I know several which have worked out very well, my cousin Rita and Bill who were fixed up by my Sister Barb. “If you are single and someone says, I know someone you should meet, perhaps you should”
4. In Church (You never see Young Women or Young Men so excited as when a new “Prospect” begins attending the Church they do)

I know people go to bars to meet folks. It happens sometimes, but is a pretty tough way to make it all work. Those folks are looking for a one-night hookup. Dances ditto. Most social affairs are a difficult way to get it together. Social clubs don’t seem to make much progress.

So, the long and short of it is,

• IF you aren’t currently taking classes at a college or if you are an older then average student (small pool of prospects) you’re prospects are reduced.
• IF you aren’t working in an environment where potential folks of marriageable type show up that you might meet you are in some difficulty.
• IF you are unwilling to respond to a “Fix-Up” or are offended if it happens to you, then you have passed up a great way to meet new people.
• IF you don’t attend Church or if the Church you DO attend is 100 or less, static in attendance and you have attend the same church for some time you need to reach out to find a place where you might find someone. A few of the big MEGA Churches in the Chicagoland area thrive because people go there to find someone. The join the singles in their 30’s and 40’s group and go prospecting. It works. I have several friends male and female who made just such a program work. What’s interesting is after they meet and marry they almost never stay at that church. Problem is there are stories there that chase them down later in life.

So, dear reader, that is what I know about the dating scene and I can tell you I surveyed a hundred or more people, young and old. There's lots of methods that DON'T work. These 4 are tried and true. Don't waste your time, risk you life and be frustrated by the other options. There’s lots of fish in the sea my mom used to say. Well, that’s true, but you have to put your hook and bobber in where they are to catch any. I’ve just told you where to look.

Failure Makes Cowards of us ALL

I studied psychology with Dr. James T. Nolan during the 70's.  It was part of the development process in teaching Dale Carnegie.  Not everyone went in for the whole Kuhuna, but I'm a glutton for punishment.  I did. 

 

During that time I learned a great deal about how human beings deal with threat, failure and pressure.  That helped me in two ways.  One is to help me see when people are pushed to far.  Second it has helped me see the fly in my own ointment. 

 

People under pressure from a potential failure mode pull back, revert to what they knew, the tried and true, old school, tradition, what they were told would work by others and are rendered impotent because of it.  They start punching a clock in life.

 

They stop being courageous and creative.  The capacity for innovation and the boldness to implement what they believed might work is stifled by fear.

 

Oh, there are rationalizations why they are doing what they do, but it's all fear based. 

 

I am going to do a few, a series of essays on this topic.  I see so many people I care about unwilling to take the action necessary to reach into greatness.

 

They don't realize they were created to impact the world.  That God purposed them to be really great. 

 

In Princess Diaries the comment is made, "Why am I afraid of Greatness".

 

Fear of Failure.  It's a curse and it must be broken.

 

Stay tuned.