We are taught in churches (mostly as a guilt trip) that we should be more loving toward one another. That they will know we are disciples by our love. That love toward the brethren was a sign of a good church.
My son, Tim, as I was having a discussion about evangelism with him told me that what impressed him about the Church he is a part of, what attracted him was the love.
When I say that, I hear all the pastors out there saying, "Yes and Amen, that's the problem". We don’t show enough LOVE in this Church.
Well here comes old bubble buster Gene. We might be showing the wrong kind. Let me give you a metaphor from real life.
This Sunday the Bears are going to beat the N/O Saints (We walk by faith and not by sight) on the road to the superbowl. I'm a Bear fan. I have a jersey and a tee shirt that says bears. I will wear both on Sunday afternoon and Pray as Grossman throws the ball. Very spiritual stuff.
I can't afford to go to the game. But I watch the fans on TV.
They have a good time. They pass the beers without taking a sip (manlaw), do the wave, sing the fight song (Bear down Chicago Bears, Rah Rah Rah) and when the Bears do something right the give each other high fives, cheer, yell, stand up, give each other hugs, head butt, and generally have a great time. They have in common the victory of a team they are jointly attached to, they honor, have fun with, accept, and generally treat each other as Buddy for the whole game. They don't know if the guy next to them is a gangster, truck driver, bum, or bank president. The concentration is on the Bears. They don't know if the woman next to them is a crack whore, waitress, housewife or the CEO of a major corporation. It's not about them; it's about the Bears.
A Bears game is exactly the kind of Love Jesus was talking about when he told his disciples in the most misunderstood verse of the Bible: By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another John 13:35
The word Love in this badly understood verse is Agape. Not Philia, Not Eros.
Jesus was saying, Love each other like the Bears Fans Love each other and you will "Get it". People will know you are mine as you Agape one another.
In good Bars and Bears Games true Agape is expressed. It's 1 Corinthians 13 Love, it's a Love Feast. If I were to go to a Bears game and get in the middle of the crowd I would be enjoying the fellowship and the game, FEASTING on it. I would want to go again. That’s why tickets are sooooo expensive and always sold out. It’s not always about who wins. It’s group focus. Being part of something bigger than themselves.
Now of course after the game is done if these people saw each other on the elevator, on the street, even in Church and were reminded how WIDE OPEN (another definition of Agape) they were at that game they might be embarrassed to admit that in the real world they don't love each other like they did at the game or half in the bag at the bar. For a few moments in time they were agape-ed at the game. It felt good. They wish it could be like that again. They certainly don’t become “Best Friends” because they go to the same game. The pressure for that level of friendship in the Church is huge. It’s not scriptural. Say with me three times, Agape, Agape, Agape. Besides you should only golf with sinners.
The real definition of Agape according to Zodiates in the Greek form is: Respect, acceptance, no judgment, honor, and esteem, received without qualification.
Sounds like a pretty good Church. Sorry to say it's not the Church you attend. I wish it were.
I wish Real Church could look like a Bears Game. Jesus is the focus. We sing the fight songs. We stand up, we wave our hands, punch the air, give each other high fives and pass the drinks and hotdogs in communion. Everyone is focused on Jesus. It’s exciting, there’s a sense that someone could take a kick and run it back for a touchdown from the one yard line. Anticipation.
It’s our love for Him that drives an Agape love for each other.
What if such a place existed? What if people could come just as they are? What if people were accepted, received, respected, even esteemed them without judgment? Would the Church have any trouble getting people to come back? I think I would even go back.
Love is the key component in Evangelism. I don't call many people Brother, Philia. I call some. You know who you are. I want to be more Agape towards others than I am towards the smaller group I consider brother or sister. I won’t cheapen the appellation as some have. My Eros love is restricted to one person, My Wife.
If you want to try to prove me wrong, I took Mr Strong’s BIG old concordance out this morning and looked up the New Testament verses regarding love. The focus overwhelmingly is that we should Love God as he Loves us. In fact we can't love God unless he empowers us to do so first. We can love one another only in the Love of Christ. The love defined between each other in the Church biblically is almost exclusively Agape in nature.
I have a confession. Not a bad confession. I am part of a smaller fellowship in the Chicagoland region. I have been there since it was formed. It is a diverse group of people. I have an agape love toward them all. I really love them in that way. I know they love me the same. I feel accepted and embraced when I am there.
But there are people in that fellowship that on a friendship basis I don't want to know better. Like at a Bears game. Not everyone in the stands is someone I want to hang out with. In fact, despite the Agape Love I have for these people at this fellowship we have fights. We argue. We don't LIKE each other sometimes. Agape isn't about liking someone. I can have an agape love toward you and not like you. Look back at the description. That was true in the early church. The Apostles fought like cats and dogs and even didn't really like each other all that much sometimes. But they loved each other in the Love of Christ. Agape.
In fact even Eros love doesn't work unless we love Jesus first. But that's a topic for another book.
Love is the answer but it must be the right kind of love to be effective in evangelism. 2 out of 3 are wrong to guilt the congregation with. They are only required to Agape. IF they did, the lost that might visit would stay.
Evangelism Should be driven by Agape Love.
That's the way it's supposed to work.
Tomorrow: The KEY to the heart of the lost, How much do you LOVE THEM?
Friday, January 19, 2007
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Eagles Evangelize Chickens, not the other way around
There is a motivational story about an eagle raised by a flock of chickens. I know you've heard it. The Chicken-Eagle is visited one day in the Chicken Yard by a wild adult Eagle. The Adult Eagle asks "Why are you here, Why aren't you up soaring with the other Eagles?". The young chicken-eagle says, "Soaring is only for eagles". "I'm a chicken". The Adult eagle remands, "No my young friend, you were created to soar, your destiny is to fly high". With much persuasion the wild Eagle with a mirror and demonstration builds enough longing and desire in the Chicken-Eagle who begins to believe. He tries, fumbles, tries again and in a few hours is soaring high above his former home. Oh, his foster chickens, his brother chickens, his friend chickens all said, "this isn't right, soaring is not for us".
What they didn't know is several of the chickens left in the yard were actually young eagles and could soar as mightily as their brother up in the clouds. But fear and tradition kept them grounded.
Learning to soar for the young chicken-eagle was a born again experience.
To an observer of the fowl religion, all these birds had feathers, beaks, flapped their wings, some of the chickens could actually take flight for short distances. Some were quite beautiful. So, when the young Chicken-Eagle took off there was some huffiness as in "We are as good as that young eagle, we just don't do that HERE". "We practice all the same fowl sacraments other birds do. We just don't soar".
Oh, there were some who watched this all happen. Who would tell others of the young eagle from the chicken pen who left and soared. Others who said they wish they could be like that. Some others who told grand stories of eagles who had left the pen and had mighty conquests. A few went to those Chickens who looked a little different and encouraged them to try soaring. They gave them books on soaring. In fact some even tried to offer a weak attempt on what soaring might look like. They were Chickens trying to convince others who had the potential to soar but couldn't because the ones trying to convince the little chicken eagles weren't able to soar themselves.
Without the capacity to believe they could soar themselves, without the capacity to demonstrate and show what it all meant to soar, it was good theology but without any power.
That is what is wrong with most evangelistic efforts in most churches. Mostly Theory without Practice.
If you don't have the light to outshine the worlds light you will be ineffective at reaching people for Jesus. People are attracted to what will open a door to soar for them. They don't want another sad tale, they want someone to offer them hope.
Then most Christians come along, head hung down, sad, frowning, looking defeated saying, "Wouldn't you like to have what I have? I'm Saved, I'm on my way to heaven" No thanks is the unspoken reply. Our words are right, but our light isn't on. Dim bulb in a bright blinding world.
These lost souls are eagles under the skin and they see us as clucking chickens unable to do more than talk and go thru the motions of flapping and pecking.
I know this seems harsh but I'm not the first to see this. Charles Finney over a hundred years ago saw what I see today. So does Andrew Strom.
These Excerpts (which I did edit) are from a piece by him:
So any discussion about those in the church evangelizing others outside the church is a moot point if the person in the church is not born again. If both the lost soul and the allegedly saved (but lost) soul are blind, one will lead another into the ditch. Most of the time it will be the lost soul leading the poor weak "believer" back into sin. I have seen it too many times, so have you. The Church of Jesus needs to become a place of real light so that others are drawn to the city on the hill. That starts with true conversion of those who ARE the church and not some nominal membership, and worse even leadership by people who to a Charles Finney would be prime evangilistic target material.
I know this part of my thesis seems a little harsh, maybe even judgmental. But, we don't have revival of those IN the church, we won't affect the world, we won't have any power, and we won't reach the lost because we have lied to each other and to ourselves about what a Christian really is. In my observation, RARE is the nomenclature I would put on it.
Last Sunday in our Church the Young Pastor had an altar call for salvation after a pretty effective presentaion of the Gospel. I was there for the altar calls. NO ONE came forward. No one repented. Yet, I know full well that there is a large portion of the Church asleep in the light. This is going to take a jolt. God has a Jolt coming.
True evangelism comes by people who desire to reach others getting saved first. You can't impart what you don't possess. You can't introduce people to someone you don't know, (Like Jesus). How can you introduce others to Him if you don't know Him?
Lovie Smith is the Coach of the Chicago Bears. I'm a bears fan.
I know about Lovie Smith, I have seen lots of interviews with Lovie. I read the sports section about Lovie. I admire Lovie. But, unless I actually KNOW Lovie my introduction of YOU to HIM will be empty and meaningless. I haven't earned the right. I'm not in the place where I can introduce you to Lovie. I don't KNOW him.
Now, you might decide to pursue meeting Lovie Smith on your own, partially based on my interest in Lovie that captured your imagination. As a result you might put yourself in a place where you might actually get to know him. Then, if I asked you to introduce me to him, who's his friend and who's an outsider?
That's the way most of the Church of Today is. Outsiders.
NEXT: The Power of Love in Evangelism (It's not what you think). You don't have to love others to reach them for Jesus. It's not about you. You do have to be head over heels in Love with Jesus however to make it all work. More later. I've beat you up pretty bad today. I love you, I just want to see you come into a genuine realationship with Him. You were created to soar!
What they didn't know is several of the chickens left in the yard were actually young eagles and could soar as mightily as their brother up in the clouds. But fear and tradition kept them grounded.
Learning to soar for the young chicken-eagle was a born again experience.
To an observer of the fowl religion, all these birds had feathers, beaks, flapped their wings, some of the chickens could actually take flight for short distances. Some were quite beautiful. So, when the young Chicken-Eagle took off there was some huffiness as in "We are as good as that young eagle, we just don't do that HERE". "We practice all the same fowl sacraments other birds do. We just don't soar".
Oh, there were some who watched this all happen. Who would tell others of the young eagle from the chicken pen who left and soared. Others who said they wish they could be like that. Some others who told grand stories of eagles who had left the pen and had mighty conquests. A few went to those Chickens who looked a little different and encouraged them to try soaring. They gave them books on soaring. In fact some even tried to offer a weak attempt on what soaring might look like. They were Chickens trying to convince others who had the potential to soar but couldn't because the ones trying to convince the little chicken eagles weren't able to soar themselves.
Without the capacity to believe they could soar themselves, without the capacity to demonstrate and show what it all meant to soar, it was good theology but without any power.
That is what is wrong with most evangelistic efforts in most churches. Mostly Theory without Practice.
If you don't have the light to outshine the worlds light you will be ineffective at reaching people for Jesus. People are attracted to what will open a door to soar for them. They don't want another sad tale, they want someone to offer them hope.
Then most Christians come along, head hung down, sad, frowning, looking defeated saying, "Wouldn't you like to have what I have? I'm Saved, I'm on my way to heaven" No thanks is the unspoken reply. Our words are right, but our light isn't on. Dim bulb in a bright blinding world.
These lost souls are eagles under the skin and they see us as clucking chickens unable to do more than talk and go thru the motions of flapping and pecking.
I know this seems harsh but I'm not the first to see this. Charles Finney over a hundred years ago saw what I see today. So does Andrew Strom.
These Excerpts (which I did edit) are from a piece by him:
Charles Finney spent his entire ministry preaching to professing Christians. And yet he was called one of the greatest 'evangelists'! What he was doing was evangelizing the church people? Because he found that most of them were not living in a state of true salvation at all. Most of the church was 'unsaved'!
Actually, you see this pattern in most Revivals down the centuries. In many cases, what Revival was actually the church coming into true SALVATION for the first time. They THOUGHT they were saved before, but they had been under a delusion. When the 'Revivalist' arrived and preached to them, suddenly they saw that they were undone and in a lost state, and multitudes were converted. Revival almost always begins with the church.
That's the way it is today in America. That's why the American Church is so impotent. It's a holding pen for the Dammed. People are preached to in Churches that they are 'OK', when in reality they are headed for destruction.
Today we see exactly the same thing in the West as Finney saw in his day. We see a church that is very largely UNSAVED. A truly "saved" church (in the New Testament sense) behaves and looks and sounds utterly different to what we have today.
Even in Pentecostal/Charismatic circles we often find many "previously-saved-but-no-longer-walking-in-it" believers.
The doctrine of "Asking Jesus into your heart" does not exist in the Bible. I would come very close to calling it a lie from the pit of hell, because it falsely assures people that they are "saved" just because they have 'prayed a little prayer'. It is very dishonest and totally unscriptural.
According to what I know about it, a basic "New Testament Christian" is someone who has:
(1) Repented (real change) Then,
(2) Been Baptized in water, and
(3) Been filled with the Holy Spirit
I am convinced that the coming harvest will BEGIN IN THE CHURCH. It will begin with converting the "CHRISTIANS". -This has always been God's order. "First in Jerusalem, then in Judea...."
I am deeply burdened for the church in the West. Let the new "Charles Finneys" arise. Let the trumpet sound go forth. The message of PIERCING REPENTANCE must be heard in the land once again. And the idol of "Mammon" must surely be one of it's key targets.
I am convinced that the prophets must arise for Revival to come to the West in these days. "For the word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword." -May this mighty sword be brought to bear on the walls of Religion and false 'assurance' in these days.
So any discussion about those in the church evangelizing others outside the church is a moot point if the person in the church is not born again. If both the lost soul and the allegedly saved (but lost) soul are blind, one will lead another into the ditch. Most of the time it will be the lost soul leading the poor weak "believer" back into sin. I have seen it too many times, so have you. The Church of Jesus needs to become a place of real light so that others are drawn to the city on the hill. That starts with true conversion of those who ARE the church and not some nominal membership, and worse even leadership by people who to a Charles Finney would be prime evangilistic target material.
I know this part of my thesis seems a little harsh, maybe even judgmental. But, we don't have revival of those IN the church, we won't affect the world, we won't have any power, and we won't reach the lost because we have lied to each other and to ourselves about what a Christian really is. In my observation, RARE is the nomenclature I would put on it.
Last Sunday in our Church the Young Pastor had an altar call for salvation after a pretty effective presentaion of the Gospel. I was there for the altar calls. NO ONE came forward. No one repented. Yet, I know full well that there is a large portion of the Church asleep in the light. This is going to take a jolt. God has a Jolt coming.
True evangelism comes by people who desire to reach others getting saved first. You can't impart what you don't possess. You can't introduce people to someone you don't know, (Like Jesus). How can you introduce others to Him if you don't know Him?
Lovie Smith is the Coach of the Chicago Bears. I'm a bears fan.
I know about Lovie Smith, I have seen lots of interviews with Lovie. I read the sports section about Lovie. I admire Lovie. But, unless I actually KNOW Lovie my introduction of YOU to HIM will be empty and meaningless. I haven't earned the right. I'm not in the place where I can introduce you to Lovie. I don't KNOW him.
Now, you might decide to pursue meeting Lovie Smith on your own, partially based on my interest in Lovie that captured your imagination. As a result you might put yourself in a place where you might actually get to know him. Then, if I asked you to introduce me to him, who's his friend and who's an outsider?
That's the way most of the Church of Today is. Outsiders.
NEXT: The Power of Love in Evangelism (It's not what you think). You don't have to love others to reach them for Jesus. It's not about you. You do have to be head over heels in Love with Jesus however to make it all work. More later. I've beat you up pretty bad today. I love you, I just want to see you come into a genuine realationship with Him. You were created to soar!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
The Essence of Evangelism – Greater Light
We have so far explored the question of what evangelism is or isn’t. We have asked the question of how does one know that an evangelist is doing what he is called to do.
Now, it’s time to get down to brass tacks. What does true versus false evangelism look like?
I have a few biblical foundational verses for you. First let's just be radical for a moment and see what JESUS says about who he wants to concentrate on:
Now, it’s time to get down to brass tacks. What does true versus false evangelism look like?
I have a few biblical foundational verses for you. First let's just be radical for a moment and see what JESUS says about who he wants to concentrate on:
- Matthew 19:14 - But Jesus said, Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them: for to such as these belongs the kingdom of heaven.
- Mark 10:14 - But when Jesus saw it, he was very displeased, and said to them, Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them: for to such belongs the kingdom of God.
- Luke 18:16 - But Jesus called them to him, and said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them: for to such belongs the kingdom of God.
- Matthew 21:16 - And said to him, Do you hear what these say? And Jesus said to them, Yes; have you never read, Out of the mouths of children and nursing infants you have brought perfect praise?
- Matthew 18:5 - And whoever shall receive one such little child in my name receives me.
- Mark 9:37 - Whoever shall receive one child such as this in my name, receives me: and whoever shall receive me, does not receive me, but him who sent me.
- Luke 9:48 - And said to them, Whoever shall receive this child in my name receives me: and whoever shall receive me receives him who sent me: for he who is least among you, that one shall be great.
- Matthew 18:6 - But whoever shall cause one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him that a great millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depths of the sea.
- Mark 9:42 - And whoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him that a millstone were hung about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
- Matthew 18:10 - Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I say to you, That in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
- Matthew 18:14 - In the same way, it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
- Matthew 18:3 - And said, Truly I say to you, Unless you are converted, and become like little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
- Matthew 18:4 - Therefore, whoever shall humble himself as this little child, he is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
- Mark 10:15 - Truly I say to you, Whoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall not enter it at all.
- Luke 18:17 - Truly I say to you, Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall by no means enter it.
Evangelism is best exercised and most effective when the children are reached young. The world ,the flesh and the devil are doing all they can to evangelize the little ones via the media, advertising, public school and music. The church owes nothing less than all it can give in effort toward bringing little children to Jesus. I won’t rehearse all the statistics about a child coming to Jesus, or Bible passages about raising up a child etc. I will say this, that unless the passion of a Church and of a Christian is any less than working hard and harder to see to it little children get grounded and sealed at the earliest age possible everything else we do as Christians is doubly difficult, expensive and mostly ineffective.
Then, once we have done what we can till the child is 10-13 years old, we must do what we can to disciple them, ground them, fire them for Jesus, see them filled with the Holy Spirit. We must do everything possible to see to it the great commission takes place in the lives of these young ones the Devil is trying to strip away from Jesus.
By the time that child grows to 18 or 20 years old the pattern of the next several years of that child’s life is set, for good or bad; Toward or away from Jesus.
They go away to College or work, get married, try to fit in, party down, and find it hard to become the man or woman of God they hoped to become. Unless they go off into this battle with the full armor of God they will go naked and are beaten in the battle.
True evangelism must focus primarily on the young. When I see the budget of a ministry I have a measurement I make, unless the bulk of the ministry money is being spent for children and youth, it’s wasted. Sorry to be blunt, it’s the truth. I think you knew that. It’s just not popular.
I have become close personal friends with some powerful men of God who led great Churches. Every one in reflecting on what has happened in the years previous has at one time or another said, "I wish we had invested more in youth and Children than we did". I never ever have heard ONE say, "I regret what we spent on Children and Youth. It was a waste of time and money".
After adulthood reaching people for Jesus is a losing crap game at best. Oh a few come in but the bulk of the people coming to Jesus are people coming back who were once discipled as children. So in reality, we are reclaiming the evangelistic efforts expended years before.
I have worked Billy Graham crusades. The bulk of the responders are moderate backsliders looking for fresh assurance of salvation.
That means, in a world of pagans, sinners, atheists, agnostics, and just plain passive unbelievers not practicing any faith, real conversions from that point are few and far between. Sadly this means that the bulk of money spent on trying to reach the lost in adulthood is a waste of time, energy and money. I’m not saying give up. I am saying, in resource allocation this is a new perspective. Reaching the lost is a one on one exercise in adult evangelism. More on that later.
There is one opportunity, when a couple has children and that couple was raised in some form of Christianity (early evangelism paying back again), there is a guilt complex that causes them to seek a little Christianity for the kids. If they come and bring the kids to church and Sunday school MAYBE they might stick. One can only hope.
Otherwise, the idea that an unchurched couple are going to come to church just because OK, Because of, of, of, WHAT? To join Club Jesus? Not too likely.
There is only ONE reason that anyone comes to Jesus as an adult. I'm talking about someone who doesn’t know Him now. They come because someone they knew personally was lost and destroyed, came to faith in Jesus, life got better, the light went on and the person watching all this said to themselves, “I would like to have what they have”. When they saw this light come on in the other person’s life they said, “I want what he has”.
Hence the question, “how many evangelists does it take to change a light bulb”. Answer, “Only one, but the light bulb must WANT to be changed and the wattage the Evangelist is offering must always be brighter”. If you have a working but dim lighted bulb, why would you put another in just as dim, or dimmer? You would always want to see things more clearly, more light, more wattage.
Men are like moths, given a choice they are drawn to the light. Conversion as the result of proper evangelism is always showing the light you have and then leading people to want more. Evangelism is showing the light:
“I have made you a light to the nations, a means of salvation to the ends of the earth” (Acts 26:17-18)
Jesus tells us to take the light in us and place it on a tabletop, “so that those entering the room can see” (Luke 11:33) Like a city on the mountaintop, shining like a beacon light at sea, leading people to the safe harbor, Jesus Christ.
In the heavenly Jerusalem, where “there will be no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God gave it light and the light was the Lamb and the nations shall walk by that light” (Revelation 21:23).
“Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). Do you know what hope means? It means I’m going to have a great tomorrow. I am walking in greater light. I have HOPE. LIGHT!
Isaiah 9:2 will come to pass as we let the light shine out of us: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. And on those who live in the shadow of death, light has shined.”
We are light bearers. Light is the essence of true evangelism for reaching adults. We know how to do this for little children. They are open, hungry and ready. We can almost not do it wrong. But with adults it is infinitely more difficult; we must let our light so shine before men that when they see the Good Works God does thru us they will Glorify HIM.
Church Hopping is off limits for both hoppers and church outreach efforts. Much of what we call evangelism is nothing more than borrowing sheep till they get frustrated and move on to another pasture. I believe Christians must commit to a body they can treat as a ministry and exercise the gift God put in them until they are no longer able to do so. That excercise will cease only with death and darkness on the part of the person or on the part of the Church. The only reason for anyone to ever leave a Church that has died or gone dark is for more light. Greater Light must always be the goal. The only reason to leave a dark and sinful life is for more light, greater light. The Church of 2007 must meet the culture with relevance. That's what this series is all about. Things are about to change, I'm preparing you.
Tomorrow: Shining the Light - a HOW-TO Primer
Now for a Brief Commercial
Mostly this blog is about stuff I'm thinking about, things I am getting insight into, things that impress or annoy me, and just generalized whining about things.
Some is serious, some is very very serious. Some is an attempt at bad humor.
Some is meant to just allow me to air an opinion. Not EVERYTHING I write carries with it some divine or otherwise inspiration. Most of it does not. When it does, I'll tell you.
I am in the middle of a thesis on evangelism. I haven't given up, I'm just not quite ready to post the next section. Still writing. I'll post it soon.
So it's in this vein (Not inspired, irritated) that I want to respond to a common news story that wanders across the pages of the newspapers of our minds:
I don't watch either, I'm not hip. But I have tuned into both from time to time. I don't find them all that amusing. I don't think much of the gravity of the world a topic for a knee slap. "ooooo that 9-11, wasn't that a hoot, how bout those towers coming down, WOW, what a laugh". Mostly in my opinion these two clowns are just clowns. Clowns are clowns. Like a class clown.
But to you weak minded sycophants who watch them, they are the funny boys who were class clowns in high school. You wanted to be in. You wanted to be hip. Being out of sync with the latest jokester was a place that no hopeful up and coming preppie wanted to be. SO, you laughed. You didn't always think it funny when they made fun of the little blind girl, or the kid that walked kinda funny from polio; that was funny wasn't it, when the class clown imitated her limp.
So, you went along. You laughed on cue. You were "IN".
Nothing's changed. Now you are older, maybe much older and you still laugh at the class clowns. Pretending it's just humor. Never mind that they are creating a mindless acceptance that nothing is funny except they say it is and nothing is serious ever.
So, if you are one who watches these two class clowns making a humor living on the misfortune of others, especially if you consider yourself a Christian, I have the right and responsibility to ask you, Who are you really following?
Try reading a newspaper. Try looking at some objective news sources who don't live from skewing the very values and freedoms that allow you to look at these two stunted 40 somethings acting like pimply faced 13 year olds.
They are bad for your spirit, bad for your brain and bad for your adulthood.
Some is serious, some is very very serious. Some is an attempt at bad humor.
Some is meant to just allow me to air an opinion. Not EVERYTHING I write carries with it some divine or otherwise inspiration. Most of it does not. When it does, I'll tell you.
I am in the middle of a thesis on evangelism. I haven't given up, I'm just not quite ready to post the next section. Still writing. I'll post it soon.
So it's in this vein (Not inspired, irritated) that I want to respond to a common news story that wanders across the pages of the newspapers of our minds:
"Most young people today get their news from fake news casters like John Stewart and Colbert".
I don't watch either, I'm not hip. But I have tuned into both from time to time. I don't find them all that amusing. I don't think much of the gravity of the world a topic for a knee slap. "ooooo that 9-11, wasn't that a hoot, how bout those towers coming down, WOW, what a laugh". Mostly in my opinion these two clowns are just clowns. Clowns are clowns. Like a class clown.
But to you weak minded sycophants who watch them, they are the funny boys who were class clowns in high school. You wanted to be in. You wanted to be hip. Being out of sync with the latest jokester was a place that no hopeful up and coming preppie wanted to be. SO, you laughed. You didn't always think it funny when they made fun of the little blind girl, or the kid that walked kinda funny from polio; that was funny wasn't it, when the class clown imitated her limp.
So, you went along. You laughed on cue. You were "IN".
Nothing's changed. Now you are older, maybe much older and you still laugh at the class clowns. Pretending it's just humor. Never mind that they are creating a mindless acceptance that nothing is funny except they say it is and nothing is serious ever.
So, if you are one who watches these two class clowns making a humor living on the misfortune of others, especially if you consider yourself a Christian, I have the right and responsibility to ask you, Who are you really following?
Try reading a newspaper. Try looking at some objective news sources who don't live from skewing the very values and freedoms that allow you to look at these two stunted 40 somethings acting like pimply faced 13 year olds.
They are bad for your spirit, bad for your brain and bad for your adulthood.
Monday, January 15, 2007
The Net Result of Evangelism
In order to get a grip on evangelism in a Biblical fashion we need to frame what the net results of evangelism are.
We know or at least think we know what the net results of an effective Apostle, Prophet, Teacher and Pastor is. For a teacher would be well grounded and prepared disciples; pastor would be secure and nurtured disciples, prophet would be commissioned and encouraged disciples, apostle would be placed and well ordered disciples all in the fellowship of believers.
So, with all that in mind, what are the net results of an evangelist?
I did a study of all the evangelized people in the Bible. I was looking for commonality. I was looking for scriptural basis from where we can get a glimpse of what an evangelists net results are.
Surprising, or perhaps not so surprising, there are not a huge number. Oh, people were added to the Church daily in the New Testament. But few real conversions are identified such that we can sort thru and develop some truths.
Of the ones that are, here are a few threads:
I know that in the Greek there is an equivalency of evangelism to missionary preaching. I'm probably not going overseas anytime soon. Likely neither are you. So how does that work? Unless we look at our mission field as within 10 yards, the distance of a first down, our neighbors, our friends, our associates we miss the point.
If I am doing the work of an evangelist what should be the net result? If I'm a hole digger, I did a hole, I do the work of a hole digger, I get a hole, and a pile of dirt. If I'm an evangelist what result should be expected of me to wear that ministry office appellation?
To say conversions are the net result of evangelism is not accurate. To say that decisions for Jesus are net results may be missing the point. Both are part but there is more. A clue. Conversions and decisions are measurable results but for the most part superficial and short lived. I know how it is. So do you. You have had many conversions and decisions who fell off the radar screen completely. So have I.
I think as I have really tried to dig down very deep I have found only ONE passage that in my opinion really grasps the heart of evangelism.
Here's the backdrop to the story:
Jerusalem, about 30 AD, just before Passover.
It takes place just after The Palm Sunday Hosanna’s. The story of Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead is on everyone’s lips. Judas has now decided to betray Jesus. The Sanhedrin leadership is plotting on how to get rid of this pesky Galilean.
Some Greeks have come to town to be part of the Passover Celebration. If they were really from Greece or were simply Gentiles they ask Phillip for an audience with Jesus.
Jesus, not being rude decides to tell the disciples what was about to happen and to start to instruct them in genuine evangelism.
From John, Chapter 12, Verses 20-50 New Living Translation:
Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to attend the Passover paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, "Sir, we want to meet Jesus." Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.
Jesus replied, "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone-a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels-a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. All those who want to be my disciples must come and follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them. Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, `Father, save me from what lies ahead'? But that is the very reason why I came! Father, bring glory to your name."
Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought it glory, and I will do it again." When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.
Then Jesus told them, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine. The time of judgment for the world has come, when the prince of this world* will be cast out. And when I am lifted up on the cross,* I will draw everyone to myself." He said this to indicate how he was going to die.
"Die?" asked the crowd. "We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. Why are you saying the Son of Man will die? Who is this Son of Man you are talking about?"
Jesus replied, "My light will shine out for you just a little while longer. Walk in it while you can, so you will not stumble when the darkness falls. If you walk in the darkness, you cannot see where you are going. Believe in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light." After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them. But despite all the miraculous signs he had done, most of the people did not believe in him. This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted:
"Lord, who has believed our message?
To whom will the Lord reveal his saving power?" Isaiah 53:1
But the people couldn't believe, for as Isaiah also said,
"The Lord has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts-
so their eyes cannot see,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them." Isaiah 6:10
Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he made this prediction, because he was given a vision of the Messiah's glory. Many people, including some of the Jewish leaders, believed in him. But they wouldn't admit it to anyone because of their fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.
Jesus shouted to the crowds, "If you trust me, you are really trusting God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the darkness. If anyone hears me and doesn't obey me, I am not his judge-for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged at the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me gave me his own instructions as to what I should say. And I know his instructions lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say!"
Now, if we take Jesus at his word, if we see how he just a few days before his brutal death on the Cross stripped naked uses his time to instruct, he gives us clear instruction on what and how to get the desired net results in evangelism.
Tomorrow, How many Evangelists does it take to change a light bulb?
We know or at least think we know what the net results of an effective Apostle, Prophet, Teacher and Pastor is. For a teacher would be well grounded and prepared disciples; pastor would be secure and nurtured disciples, prophet would be commissioned and encouraged disciples, apostle would be placed and well ordered disciples all in the fellowship of believers.
So, with all that in mind, what are the net results of an evangelist?
I did a study of all the evangelized people in the Bible. I was looking for commonality. I was looking for scriptural basis from where we can get a glimpse of what an evangelists net results are.
Surprising, or perhaps not so surprising, there are not a huge number. Oh, people were added to the Church daily in the New Testament. But few real conversions are identified such that we can sort thru and develop some truths.
Of the ones that are, here are a few threads:
They were all seeking. The evangelist’s effort was to answer the questions they were asking.From those three postulates here are 3 conclusions:
Nicodemous, the Woman at the Well, The Greeks seeking Jesus, The Rich Young Ruler, The 3000, The Jailer, Cornelius.
There were lots of failed evangelical attempts. Felix, Festus, Agrippa, Paul at Athens, the mob at Ephesus, even Jesus in Nazareth.
Jesus even appeared bodily to over 500 people after resurrection. A pretty big deal I'd say. But in the upper room there were only 120 on the day of Pentecost. What happened to the 380? Golf game?
1. Evangelizing takes place only after inquiry. If a person isn't asking the question your answer is useless. The questions usually come on the heels of a personal crisis of some kind. Much of what we think of as evangelism is answering questions people aren't asking.I have read carefully all 3 biblical references to evangelism I have cross referenced that to include any reference of which there are 4, to any kind of worker in the Gospel. I have read the whole book of Second Timothy over and over again to get a glimpse into what evangelism really is and what we should or shouldn't expect from evangelism.
2. Attempted evangelistic persuasion without the calling of the Holy Ghost is useless effort. In fact it will only cause a riot or ridicule.
3. Information, even supernatural information like a person rising from the dead isn't enough to make disciples. Hunger must be stirred and fed.
I know that in the Greek there is an equivalency of evangelism to missionary preaching. I'm probably not going overseas anytime soon. Likely neither are you. So how does that work? Unless we look at our mission field as within 10 yards, the distance of a first down, our neighbors, our friends, our associates we miss the point.
If I am doing the work of an evangelist what should be the net result? If I'm a hole digger, I did a hole, I do the work of a hole digger, I get a hole, and a pile of dirt. If I'm an evangelist what result should be expected of me to wear that ministry office appellation?
To say conversions are the net result of evangelism is not accurate. To say that decisions for Jesus are net results may be missing the point. Both are part but there is more. A clue. Conversions and decisions are measurable results but for the most part superficial and short lived. I know how it is. So do you. You have had many conversions and decisions who fell off the radar screen completely. So have I.
I think as I have really tried to dig down very deep I have found only ONE passage that in my opinion really grasps the heart of evangelism.
Here's the backdrop to the story:
Jerusalem, about 30 AD, just before Passover.
It takes place just after The Palm Sunday Hosanna’s. The story of Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead is on everyone’s lips. Judas has now decided to betray Jesus. The Sanhedrin leadership is plotting on how to get rid of this pesky Galilean.
Some Greeks have come to town to be part of the Passover Celebration. If they were really from Greece or were simply Gentiles they ask Phillip for an audience with Jesus.
Jesus, not being rude decides to tell the disciples what was about to happen and to start to instruct them in genuine evangelism.
From John, Chapter 12, Verses 20-50 New Living Translation:
Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to attend the Passover paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, "Sir, we want to meet Jesus." Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.
Jesus replied, "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone-a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels-a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. All those who want to be my disciples must come and follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them. Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, `Father, save me from what lies ahead'? But that is the very reason why I came! Father, bring glory to your name."
Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have already brought it glory, and I will do it again." When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.
Then Jesus told them, "The voice was for your benefit, not mine. The time of judgment for the world has come, when the prince of this world* will be cast out. And when I am lifted up on the cross,* I will draw everyone to myself." He said this to indicate how he was going to die.
"Die?" asked the crowd. "We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. Why are you saying the Son of Man will die? Who is this Son of Man you are talking about?"
Jesus replied, "My light will shine out for you just a little while longer. Walk in it while you can, so you will not stumble when the darkness falls. If you walk in the darkness, you cannot see where you are going. Believe in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light." After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them. But despite all the miraculous signs he had done, most of the people did not believe in him. This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted:
"Lord, who has believed our message?
To whom will the Lord reveal his saving power?" Isaiah 53:1
But the people couldn't believe, for as Isaiah also said,
"The Lord has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts-
so their eyes cannot see,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them." Isaiah 6:10
Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he made this prediction, because he was given a vision of the Messiah's glory. Many people, including some of the Jewish leaders, believed in him. But they wouldn't admit it to anyone because of their fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.
Jesus shouted to the crowds, "If you trust me, you are really trusting God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the darkness. If anyone hears me and doesn't obey me, I am not his judge-for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged at the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me gave me his own instructions as to what I should say. And I know his instructions lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say!"
Now, if we take Jesus at his word, if we see how he just a few days before his brutal death on the Cross stripped naked uses his time to instruct, he gives us clear instruction on what and how to get the desired net results in evangelism.
Tomorrow, How many Evangelists does it take to change a light bulb?
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Evangilism - Getting it WRONG
In a conversation with my son Tim who is a better theologian than I am, the topic was, "what is or is NOT evangelism". This is on my mind right now. I am coming to the conclusion that the western Church by and large is a waste of time and energy. Unless the western Church starts getting things right it will decay into oblivion.
This is important because I am rethinking the ministry gift of evangelism that lies within the 5 fold of Ephesians 4. I have come to a deeper understanding of what the Apostle, Prophet, Teacher and Pastor are. I know they are in that order. I just don't know what the Evangelist does or is supposed to be doing.
That does NOT make the evangelist least in importance but there must be something to evangelize within. The Apostle and Prophet manifest the vision and order of the Church and the Teacher instructs and corrects the saints for the work of the ministry. The Pastor heals and encourages the Saints to move out.
What then is the role and the function of the evangelist? How does it work? How does one know if they are doing the work of the evangelist? What should be the benchmarks of an evangelist?
I have known many who were proclaimed by themselves and others to be evangelists. I don't know if very many of them really are or ever were .
What evangelism is NOT:
- Inviting people to a meeting, to church, small group, bible study while good things to do is not evangelism.
- Giving people a book or tract is not evangelism although many people have come to Jesus by a book or tract.
- Speaking in front of a large group of Africans as you see regularly on TV while having the net effect of creating an evangelistic environment is not evangelism.
- Having a TV program with passionate guests and a 1-800 number at the bottom of the screen to call a prayer partner while having the capacity to be a way people come to Jesus is not actually evangelism.
- Introducing people to the Pastor is not evangelism. He might help. It's just not evangelism.
In fact before I tell you what evangelism is, I submit that as I have queried several people, read books, and did research on the subject, I have come to the sad conclusion, almost no one really understands or engages overtly in real evangelism.
Oh, conversions happen. But they are scattergun. Lots of fire, smoke, noise and buckshot. 99% misses the mark. But now and then even a blind sow finds an acorn. A person is converted. Angels rejoice in heaven. Christians get excited and try to create a scattergun evangelism program. They spend lots of time and energy attempting to replicate what worked by accident once.
This is NOT evangelism. This is busy, ineffective and badly executed. Most of what we spend in money and effort in evangelism is lost.
As a caveat. I have been part of some HUGE evangelistic efforts around the nation and internationally. Worked the altar. Prayed with sinners. Took names, got cards.
Here's the truth. Out of 100 heartfelt decisions for Jesus we retained 3 after 1 year. We did the math. We did the research. What a waste. It would have been better for the 97 to have never attended this crusade. They have hardened their hearts further and will be doubly difficult to reach in the future. I won't participate in these things any more.
Most "Evangelists" would tell us that pitiful result is the church's fault, that the discipleship efforts were wrong. That the follow-up stunk. That we weren't loving enough. That we didn't assimilate them enough.
Bunk!
The reality is, they weren't ever evangelized. Oh, they prayed a sinners prayer, asked Jesus into their heart after having HELL scared out of them. They just weren't evangelized.
So, here is the question, What is the net result of evangelism? What should be the fruit of evangelism?
It's not as simple as it seems and it's not what you think. I am going to use a pretty scary source for my argument. Ready for this?
The Bible.
Whoa.
More tomorrow.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
The Lion with a Toothache
A few years ago I had my one and only root canal.
It was a terrible experience.
I won't blame the dentist. I do know that it has never been right.
I have another tooth which was also impacted. I refused to allow him to do a root canal.
Instead I had him cap the tooth.
That has been also two years.
Now, the "Dead" root canal tooth is giving me fits. That wasn't supposed to happen.
The tooth that I unadvisedly had capped even though there was infected raw nerve showing is just fine.
I think there is less about dentistry than dentists know.
Time to rethink the root canal.
I have a suspicion that a root canal is basically to make a boat payment for most dentists and less necessary than they make us poor guppies all believe.
If I sound cranky, I am, I have a toothache that I was promised I would never have again.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Pass the Salt
1. There are at least two people in this world that you would die for.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. You are special and unique.
8. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
10. When you think the world has turned its back on you take another look.
11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.
And always remember....when life hands you Lemons, ask for tequila and salt and call me over!
Good friends are like stars........ You don't always see them, But you know they are always there.
"Whenever God Closes One Door He Always Opens Another, Even Though Sometimes It's Hell in the Hallway"
I would rather have one rose and a kind word from a friend while I'm here than a whole truck load when I'm gone.
So, he heard me. My Brother and God.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. You are special and unique.
8. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
10. When you think the world has turned its back on you take another look.
11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.
And always remember....when life hands you Lemons, ask for tequila and salt and call me over!
Good friends are like stars........ You don't always see them, But you know they are always there.
"Whenever God Closes One Door He Always Opens Another, Even Though Sometimes It's Hell in the Hallway"
I would rather have one rose and a kind word from a friend while I'm here than a whole truck load when I'm gone.
I just got one of those forwarded emails we all get from an Old Friend of Mine, Phil Duchscher. I was feeling sorry for myself tonite. After praying for a long time to what seemed to be a brass heaven I called my brother and complained to him about how I feel like I'm on the shelf, not making a difference, not doing what I'm called to do and ready to make some changes if nothing happens. Then I get this. Phil, I needed this, thanks. I seldom post these Email things except God knew I needed encouragement and this was his way of doing so.
So, he heard me. My Brother and God.
I’ve Seen This Movie Before
Nevada, 1880 The town, Rockton.
People in Rockton are living in fear and oppression from Black Bart the outlaw and his gang.
Black Bart is a villain; he keeps the town in fear. He kills an occasional citizen to maintain “Order”. Bart’s gang takes what they want when they want to. The citizens of Rockton have learned to live under this reign of terror. They hate it but there is an order to it. No other outlaws dare invade Bart’s fiefdom. The devil they know is better than the devil they don’t know. People live, grow up, go to church, have businesses but by and large only by the permission of the outlaw Bart. Oh, in private they wish Bart would go away, that he would drop dead but no one dares take him on.
A new governor of the state of Nevada decides that we will not have these corrupt fiefdoms anymore. He appoints a State Marshall to go to Rockton and take control of the situation. If the state of Nevada is ever going to become the peaceful state the Governor believes it is destined to be the town of Rockton must be recovered from the thugdom of Black Bart.
The Marshall, Buck White (the color of his hat) shows up in Rockton, the sheriff of the town tells Buck that they don’t need his help. Things are fine as they are. Go away. The Sheriff is Sheriff because Bart put him there and keeps him there. Sheriff Spite tries to have Marshall White Killed.
Marshall White figures it all out and jails Sheriff Spite. Bart doesn’t take this lying down. He sends several of his thugs to get rid of Marshall White. But Marshall White is capable. He has deputized a couple of the locals, and he brought with him two effective gunfighters to help him. Black Bart doesn’t easily displace Marshall White. He does inflict casualties. The two men he brought with him from Reno are gunned down one by one.
In retaliation for Marshall White’s efforts Black Bart burns down the livery stable, shoots up the saloon, and scares heck out of the citizens of Rockton.
Then the big showdown comes. Black Bart announces that he will be coming to Rockton to take his town back. Without Marshall White’s two gunfighters the situation looks grim.
The showdown is going to be at high noon. Dickey the storeowner tells the Marshall that he should leave town, that Bart is going to kill him like he did the two gunfighters. Ted the undertaker says nothing is going to turn out OK and life was better before Marshall White came to town. The saloon keeper Harry and his barmaid Nancy tell Marshall White they wish he had never come to Rockton. “Look at all the destruction and the men that have died because of the governor’s plan and the Marshall’s arrival”. In fact the local newspaper publisher, Christopher takes up a petition to be sent to the governor to have Marshall White recalled to Reno.
Marshall White appeals to the townsfolk to support him. Just have a gun and shoot from behind the closed doors. Fear keeps the townsfolk from being brave or even taking action to defend themselves.
Just before high noon Reverend Patrick from the Church picks up a rifle and takes a stand in the steeple of the Church. Old Joe who was rejected by the cowardly townsfolk hides behind a water tank with just a pistol. And the deputies emboldened by the support of just a few of the citizens of Rockton are lifted in spirit. They decide to fight rather than run.
Noon comes, Black Bart and the Gang ride into town. All is quiet for a bit. Marshall White steps out onto main street, his guns still holstered. He tells Black Bart to leave and never come back again or else.
Black Bart leans back in a huge guffaw and says “or else what”? He makes ridicule of Marshall White. The townspeople all cower and say to each other, “he should have got out when he could, he’s doomed”.
Suddenly Bart and his men go for their guns. Gunfire erupts all up and down Main Street. Black Bart is killed immediately by a deadeye shot from Marshall White. His men are confused. They begin shooting randomly. Several die. The rest flee Rockton with haste. One of the deputies is wounded, Joe is grazed by a bullet, but the Marshall is victorious.
Then, the townsfolk come out, self-congratulating each other on the great victory. They knew it all along. They just KNEW the Marshall would do it.
Marshall White mounts his horse and announces he is leaving, Bart’s Gang being destroyed his job is done. The townspeople say, “Wait, what if his Gang comes back?” Marshall White says, “you have my deputies and now it’s up to you to maintain peace”. “Elect an honest and effective sheriff and back him up. Your security from here on out is up to you”.
With a tug on the bridle, he gives his pony a poke and off they go into the sunset.
That’s exactly what President Bush announced he is about to do.
The townsfolk of Iraq are going to have to take up the battle. We aren’t sticking around forever.
Now if we could just get some of the cowards and traitors from our country to stop hiding their heads in the sand we might have a chance.
The Cast of Characters:
People in Rockton are living in fear and oppression from Black Bart the outlaw and his gang.
Black Bart is a villain; he keeps the town in fear. He kills an occasional citizen to maintain “Order”. Bart’s gang takes what they want when they want to. The citizens of Rockton have learned to live under this reign of terror. They hate it but there is an order to it. No other outlaws dare invade Bart’s fiefdom. The devil they know is better than the devil they don’t know. People live, grow up, go to church, have businesses but by and large only by the permission of the outlaw Bart. Oh, in private they wish Bart would go away, that he would drop dead but no one dares take him on.
A new governor of the state of Nevada decides that we will not have these corrupt fiefdoms anymore. He appoints a State Marshall to go to Rockton and take control of the situation. If the state of Nevada is ever going to become the peaceful state the Governor believes it is destined to be the town of Rockton must be recovered from the thugdom of Black Bart.
The Marshall, Buck White (the color of his hat) shows up in Rockton, the sheriff of the town tells Buck that they don’t need his help. Things are fine as they are. Go away. The Sheriff is Sheriff because Bart put him there and keeps him there. Sheriff Spite tries to have Marshall White Killed.
Marshall White figures it all out and jails Sheriff Spite. Bart doesn’t take this lying down. He sends several of his thugs to get rid of Marshall White. But Marshall White is capable. He has deputized a couple of the locals, and he brought with him two effective gunfighters to help him. Black Bart doesn’t easily displace Marshall White. He does inflict casualties. The two men he brought with him from Reno are gunned down one by one.
In retaliation for Marshall White’s efforts Black Bart burns down the livery stable, shoots up the saloon, and scares heck out of the citizens of Rockton.
Then the big showdown comes. Black Bart announces that he will be coming to Rockton to take his town back. Without Marshall White’s two gunfighters the situation looks grim.
The showdown is going to be at high noon. Dickey the storeowner tells the Marshall that he should leave town, that Bart is going to kill him like he did the two gunfighters. Ted the undertaker says nothing is going to turn out OK and life was better before Marshall White came to town. The saloon keeper Harry and his barmaid Nancy tell Marshall White they wish he had never come to Rockton. “Look at all the destruction and the men that have died because of the governor’s plan and the Marshall’s arrival”. In fact the local newspaper publisher, Christopher takes up a petition to be sent to the governor to have Marshall White recalled to Reno.
Marshall White appeals to the townsfolk to support him. Just have a gun and shoot from behind the closed doors. Fear keeps the townsfolk from being brave or even taking action to defend themselves.
Just before high noon Reverend Patrick from the Church picks up a rifle and takes a stand in the steeple of the Church. Old Joe who was rejected by the cowardly townsfolk hides behind a water tank with just a pistol. And the deputies emboldened by the support of just a few of the citizens of Rockton are lifted in spirit. They decide to fight rather than run.
Noon comes, Black Bart and the Gang ride into town. All is quiet for a bit. Marshall White steps out onto main street, his guns still holstered. He tells Black Bart to leave and never come back again or else.
Black Bart leans back in a huge guffaw and says “or else what”? He makes ridicule of Marshall White. The townspeople all cower and say to each other, “he should have got out when he could, he’s doomed”.
Suddenly Bart and his men go for their guns. Gunfire erupts all up and down Main Street. Black Bart is killed immediately by a deadeye shot from Marshall White. His men are confused. They begin shooting randomly. Several die. The rest flee Rockton with haste. One of the deputies is wounded, Joe is grazed by a bullet, but the Marshall is victorious.
Then, the townsfolk come out, self-congratulating each other on the great victory. They knew it all along. They just KNEW the Marshall would do it.
Marshall White mounts his horse and announces he is leaving, Bart’s Gang being destroyed his job is done. The townspeople say, “Wait, what if his Gang comes back?” Marshall White says, “you have my deputies and now it’s up to you to maintain peace”. “Elect an honest and effective sheriff and back him up. Your security from here on out is up to you”.
With a tug on the bridle, he gives his pony a poke and off they go into the sunset.
That’s exactly what President Bush announced he is about to do.
The townsfolk of Iraq are going to have to take up the battle. We aren’t sticking around forever.
Now if we could just get some of the cowards and traitors from our country to stop hiding their heads in the sand we might have a chance.
The Cast of Characters:
- Black Bart and His Gang – The Islamofacists in Iraq
- The Governor - President Bush
- Marshall White – Our Armed Forces in Iraq
- Sheriff Spite – Saddam’s Army before
- Dickey the Cowardly Storeowner - Dick Durbin
- Ted the nay saying Undertaker – Ted Kennedy
- Harry and Nancy who run the Saloon – Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi
- Christopher the Seditionist Newspaperman – Chris Matthews
- Reverend Patrick - The Religious Right
- Old Joe – Joe Lieberman
- The Deputies – The Iraqi Security Forces
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
You TOO can be a Prophet, IF.........
It has been a puzzle to me why so many people struggle with the gift of prophecy with doubt, fear and treat the Office of the Prophet with such disdain or deference. Prophecy and the Prophet is the most badly understood of all the giftedness. Yet, Paul the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 14:5 says, I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. NIV
If he meant what he said then we have missed the mark. In that vein I want to offer a primer that any serious child of God who desires to prophesy or wants to be enabled in that gift can pursue.
Prophecy is a gift which is activated the same way you were able to first speak in tongues. It was by faith, you stepped out, it was clumsy, it became less clumsy, then free flowing and rewarding. It became a way God used you in prayer, intercession and a way you are built up in faith. In the same way, stepping out in the prophetic requires the same obedience and faith you used at the beginning. There are some requirements, there are some boundaries.
There are proofs of the prophetic that I use in delivering the Word God gives me. This is a gift and an office God wants to release more believers in. Here are the core guidelines I observe as I Prophesy:
No one knows all, not even Karnak the Magnificent who used to appear on Johnny Carson. On the other hand, if I were some Psychic quoted by Weekly World News with 80% accuracy I’d be a front-page story. But because it has “Jesus” attached to the word there is an immediate discounting. The Bible says about modern prophecy, “we see thru a glass dimly” and "we know in part, we prophesy in part". At best it’s still nebulous, at worst is complexly obscure. Less obscure than Psychics. More encouraging. Faith Building.
Sometimes, I hear the voice in my head of my own prejudice or desire and not the voice of God. It’s sometimes easy to let my personal ideas interfere with what I’m actually hearing. But when reviewing what I have written down I will see my own voice and recognize it for what it is. That doesn’t make the cut.
What qualifies Gene Redlin or anyone who claims to speak for God as a Prophet? We qualify because we prophesy, continuously, accurately, Biblically. Others have to judge. Over time the gift and eventually the office is recognized and embraced by others.
I and others who carry the Prophetic gift or even office are as human, flawed and stupid as the next person down the street. If you knew me personally you would question rightly what in the world makes me qualified? I wear no halo. I have no degree in “Prophecy”. I sin. I get angry. I could commit all of the 7 deadly sins to one level or another. I wish I didn't but I know my heart.
So did ALL the other men and women called to be prophets or prophetesses in the Bible old and New Testament. They were all flawed and even sometimes even stupid human beings. Just like me. Just like you. I won’t give a review but if you are interested your local bookstore will have a book you can buy on the prophet’s lives. Weird stuff. Walking around naked, Laying on one side, Eating cakes cooked over human excrement, shaving or not shaving, spending time in pits, hiding in caves, depressed, marrying whores, wearing animal skins, sitting like a statue when your wife dies, pretty weird stuff. And always being hated, stoned. killed and despised. Not an appealing job description. It has to be a calling. Even today.
Here’s the rub. ANYONE CAN DO THIS. ANYONE. Everyone SHOULD. Most won’t. The average Christian won’t or can't give up lesser pleasures to pay the price he must to be a vessel used of God in prophecy.
If you are willing to be used, He is looking for willing vessels of Clay to use. Anyone can qualify IF they prepare themselves and are willing to pay the price. I have taught very nominal believers to do some of this at a rudimentary level. There are requirements.
First, you must put your human understanding in your back pocket. Reasoning will stop the flow. God is the rewarder of those who Diligently seek Him. You must believe. You must be willing to move and have faith; not in understanding, questioning or unbelief. This is the single biggest stopper. We have been conditioned to be safe, to be reasonable, to understand. Who said anything about safe?
Second, you must KNOW Jesus. Not know about Him, Know Him. Born again, follower, hard after His heart. Possessed and obsessed with HIM.
Third, you must accept the reality of all the Gifts of the Spirit and the ministry offices or ascension gifts. One of which is the Gift and then the Ministry of Prophet. How can you receive as a gift what you doubt exists?
Fourth, you must KNOW the word of God cold. That way you become familiar with what God's voice sounds like. Just like I can tell a note written by a friend of mine without his signature because it sounds like him. How can you sort out and accurately identify what is or isn’t God without this effective screen of the Spirit? Here's the danger, the denominational church has drifted into apostacy in this area because they believe that just knowing the Bible is enough to release the Gifts of God. So we have well educated impotent powerless churches. This has to change.
Fifth, you must be filled with the Holy Spirit and it must overflow from you. Yes, that includes speaking in tongues. It’s best to spend some time praying in tongues before you begin. Half hour is good, hour better. I will submit to you that if a person is Not Fully Immersed in the Holy Ghost they cannot do this. If they aren’t practicing the flow of the Spirit they can’t enter into and flow in this gift. Praying in tongues is the gateway to the gift of Prophecy and to all other spiritual gifts.
Sixth, you must set aside time to hear from God. Take pad and paper, shut everything off around you, don’t read, don’t listen to music, just listen. NO MULTITASKING! Wait. If you get nothing, don’t be discouraged, there’s always tomorrow. Patience is virtue. It takes the whole month of December for me to get the Word for the next year. If I seek God for another person it will usually take several weeks.
Seventh, when something comes, start writing without judging what you write. I ended up with 35 pages of hand written notes regarding 2007 before I began transcribing them. I did not go back until it came time to compile. This is how I record what I am hearing. I hear something, start to write and stop when I hear no more. Transcribe it without human edit. Screen out what is YOU. You will be astounded by the accuracy and precision of the word as it is given.
Eighth, Inquire of God by writing down your inquiry regarding an issue or a person. Place that inquiry before your eyes, pray in tounges until you get a release. Sometimes you will get an answer, sometimes not. Only those things you inquired of will be answered. I don’t prophesy on some things because I don’t want to pay the price to inquire and it doesn’t fit what God wants to accomplish. Remember, this is a gift I that I do only by the grace of God. I will not abuse it. It’s too valuable. So don’t ask me who is going to win in the 5th race at Pimlico in May.
Ninth, Not everything about everything will be prophesied. It’s different all the time. Just because God speaks about a certain issue today may mean he won’t “Update” that Prophecy again. Prophecy usually is targeted toward things that are on people’s hearts. God uses it most to allay fear and instill faith. Last year it was Bird Flu. This year it’s something else.
Tenth, don’t be thin skinned. Write down and transcribe what you are told to, it’s not about you. Even if people poke fun and discount what you have written, you are safe. Besides after you have done this for several years in a row with a high degree of accuracy you begin to have more and more confidence. Those who throw stones miss.
What’s interesting to me is looking at the 10 areas above which include waiting, hearing, praying, knowing his word, seeking God and being full of the Holy Ghost with all the manifestations was a normative operation after Pentecost and after the outpouring of the Spirit in the early 1900s. We as believers have begun a slippery slope drift away from the purity of faith and it’s disciplines that allow all believers to hear and prophesy as was intended. Teaching and preaching has replaced the prophetic in most churches today. People hear about God, but they don't Hear GOD. A Form of Godliness, no power.
People in most churches don’t accept prophecy. They don’t embrace it. They fear it. I understand that with the unbeliever. BUT, It is dangerous for a believer to discount prophecy as some crackpot activity. The proper approach is to say, HMMMM that’s interesting and just ponder it in your heart like Mary did. For the unbeliever, nothing you or anyone could say or do will change their mind or help them understand. They are blinded by the devil and lost. They rely on human understanding and reason, which is a dangerous place. When a “Christian” does the same thing they have been blinded by tradition and fear as well.
You may have read the Prophecy I posted, you may understand it, and you may not. You may disagree with it. You may find it all silly. To a believer this is a serious endevor that must be paid attention to.
Many highly noted prophets are less specific and less accurate than lesser-known prophets. They have a reputation to preserve. That makes them cautious and conservative. I’m OK with that. I don’t have a TV show. I’m neither cautious nor conservative. I want to hear from the famous prophets. But I also want to hear from the “common” prophet without a platform but who really hears from God. I find the lesser prophets who are specific and more accurate than the notable sometimes more helpful. God will deal with the hearts of those who have become timid. A timid prophet is an oxymoron. God will use even a donkey to get his word out if they back off and make it palatable. That is a word to me, I have backed off sometimes. My fear in backing off is that God will stop using me. I teach the Word of God because I must. I know that if I go inactive in this area God will withdraw the gift. If I back off prophesing because I fear rebuke God will withdraw that from me too. Worse, like Samson I may not even KNOW that the gift has left. That's why I try very hard to keep myself in places where the gift flows.
The Devil HATES prophets, Jesus condemned the Pharisees because they killed the prophets, Ultimately even HIM. Why should any prophet think he or she would get any better treatment at the hands of the Enemy today?
2007 will be an interesting year. I could show you where to read all the headlines in advance. But that would take all the fun out of it. Some of us won’t be too surprised when God does what he has said he will do. God does nothing unless he tells his prophets first. Then there’s the proof of the two or three witnesses which is in a previous post.
But then, you can hear God for yourself IF you just pay the price. It’s not Rocket Science. As the apostle Paul says: So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. But be sure that everything is done properly and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:39-40 NLT
If he meant what he said then we have missed the mark. In that vein I want to offer a primer that any serious child of God who desires to prophesy or wants to be enabled in that gift can pursue.
Prophecy is a gift which is activated the same way you were able to first speak in tongues. It was by faith, you stepped out, it was clumsy, it became less clumsy, then free flowing and rewarding. It became a way God used you in prayer, intercession and a way you are built up in faith. In the same way, stepping out in the prophetic requires the same obedience and faith you used at the beginning. There are some requirements, there are some boundaries.
There are proofs of the prophetic that I use in delivering the Word God gives me. This is a gift and an office God wants to release more believers in. Here are the core guidelines I observe as I Prophesy:
- Usually whatever comes is surprising and not my own voice. (Usually it starts with a picture I describe)
- It always ends up agreeing with the Bible.
- It points people to Jesus and his purposes for them in encouragment and comfort.
- It has the effect of preparing believers for God’s hand to move.
- Should I avail myself of Prophecy, what if it’s not perfectly accurate? I Trust God to reveal himself more than the Devil to Deceive me.
- It takes Faith to receive from God. Faith is a substance. I physically take hold of it.
No one knows all, not even Karnak the Magnificent who used to appear on Johnny Carson. On the other hand, if I were some Psychic quoted by Weekly World News with 80% accuracy I’d be a front-page story. But because it has “Jesus” attached to the word there is an immediate discounting. The Bible says about modern prophecy, “we see thru a glass dimly” and "we know in part, we prophesy in part". At best it’s still nebulous, at worst is complexly obscure. Less obscure than Psychics. More encouraging. Faith Building.
Sometimes, I hear the voice in my head of my own prejudice or desire and not the voice of God. It’s sometimes easy to let my personal ideas interfere with what I’m actually hearing. But when reviewing what I have written down I will see my own voice and recognize it for what it is. That doesn’t make the cut.
What qualifies Gene Redlin or anyone who claims to speak for God as a Prophet? We qualify because we prophesy, continuously, accurately, Biblically. Others have to judge. Over time the gift and eventually the office is recognized and embraced by others.
I and others who carry the Prophetic gift or even office are as human, flawed and stupid as the next person down the street. If you knew me personally you would question rightly what in the world makes me qualified? I wear no halo. I have no degree in “Prophecy”. I sin. I get angry. I could commit all of the 7 deadly sins to one level or another. I wish I didn't but I know my heart.
So did ALL the other men and women called to be prophets or prophetesses in the Bible old and New Testament. They were all flawed and even sometimes even stupid human beings. Just like me. Just like you. I won’t give a review but if you are interested your local bookstore will have a book you can buy on the prophet’s lives. Weird stuff. Walking around naked, Laying on one side, Eating cakes cooked over human excrement, shaving or not shaving, spending time in pits, hiding in caves, depressed, marrying whores, wearing animal skins, sitting like a statue when your wife dies, pretty weird stuff. And always being hated, stoned. killed and despised. Not an appealing job description. It has to be a calling. Even today.
Here’s the rub. ANYONE CAN DO THIS. ANYONE. Everyone SHOULD. Most won’t. The average Christian won’t or can't give up lesser pleasures to pay the price he must to be a vessel used of God in prophecy.
If you are willing to be used, He is looking for willing vessels of Clay to use. Anyone can qualify IF they prepare themselves and are willing to pay the price. I have taught very nominal believers to do some of this at a rudimentary level. There are requirements.
First, you must put your human understanding in your back pocket. Reasoning will stop the flow. God is the rewarder of those who Diligently seek Him. You must believe. You must be willing to move and have faith; not in understanding, questioning or unbelief. This is the single biggest stopper. We have been conditioned to be safe, to be reasonable, to understand. Who said anything about safe?
Second, you must KNOW Jesus. Not know about Him, Know Him. Born again, follower, hard after His heart. Possessed and obsessed with HIM.
Third, you must accept the reality of all the Gifts of the Spirit and the ministry offices or ascension gifts. One of which is the Gift and then the Ministry of Prophet. How can you receive as a gift what you doubt exists?
Fourth, you must KNOW the word of God cold. That way you become familiar with what God's voice sounds like. Just like I can tell a note written by a friend of mine without his signature because it sounds like him. How can you sort out and accurately identify what is or isn’t God without this effective screen of the Spirit? Here's the danger, the denominational church has drifted into apostacy in this area because they believe that just knowing the Bible is enough to release the Gifts of God. So we have well educated impotent powerless churches. This has to change.
Fifth, you must be filled with the Holy Spirit and it must overflow from you. Yes, that includes speaking in tongues. It’s best to spend some time praying in tongues before you begin. Half hour is good, hour better. I will submit to you that if a person is Not Fully Immersed in the Holy Ghost they cannot do this. If they aren’t practicing the flow of the Spirit they can’t enter into and flow in this gift. Praying in tongues is the gateway to the gift of Prophecy and to all other spiritual gifts.
Sixth, you must set aside time to hear from God. Take pad and paper, shut everything off around you, don’t read, don’t listen to music, just listen. NO MULTITASKING! Wait. If you get nothing, don’t be discouraged, there’s always tomorrow. Patience is virtue. It takes the whole month of December for me to get the Word for the next year. If I seek God for another person it will usually take several weeks.
Seventh, when something comes, start writing without judging what you write. I ended up with 35 pages of hand written notes regarding 2007 before I began transcribing them. I did not go back until it came time to compile. This is how I record what I am hearing. I hear something, start to write and stop when I hear no more. Transcribe it without human edit. Screen out what is YOU. You will be astounded by the accuracy and precision of the word as it is given.
Eighth, Inquire of God by writing down your inquiry regarding an issue or a person. Place that inquiry before your eyes, pray in tounges until you get a release. Sometimes you will get an answer, sometimes not. Only those things you inquired of will be answered. I don’t prophesy on some things because I don’t want to pay the price to inquire and it doesn’t fit what God wants to accomplish. Remember, this is a gift I that I do only by the grace of God. I will not abuse it. It’s too valuable. So don’t ask me who is going to win in the 5th race at Pimlico in May.
Ninth, Not everything about everything will be prophesied. It’s different all the time. Just because God speaks about a certain issue today may mean he won’t “Update” that Prophecy again. Prophecy usually is targeted toward things that are on people’s hearts. God uses it most to allay fear and instill faith. Last year it was Bird Flu. This year it’s something else.
Tenth, don’t be thin skinned. Write down and transcribe what you are told to, it’s not about you. Even if people poke fun and discount what you have written, you are safe. Besides after you have done this for several years in a row with a high degree of accuracy you begin to have more and more confidence. Those who throw stones miss.
What’s interesting to me is looking at the 10 areas above which include waiting, hearing, praying, knowing his word, seeking God and being full of the Holy Ghost with all the manifestations was a normative operation after Pentecost and after the outpouring of the Spirit in the early 1900s. We as believers have begun a slippery slope drift away from the purity of faith and it’s disciplines that allow all believers to hear and prophesy as was intended. Teaching and preaching has replaced the prophetic in most churches today. People hear about God, but they don't Hear GOD. A Form of Godliness, no power.
People in most churches don’t accept prophecy. They don’t embrace it. They fear it. I understand that with the unbeliever. BUT, It is dangerous for a believer to discount prophecy as some crackpot activity. The proper approach is to say, HMMMM that’s interesting and just ponder it in your heart like Mary did. For the unbeliever, nothing you or anyone could say or do will change their mind or help them understand. They are blinded by the devil and lost. They rely on human understanding and reason, which is a dangerous place. When a “Christian” does the same thing they have been blinded by tradition and fear as well.
You may have read the Prophecy I posted, you may understand it, and you may not. You may disagree with it. You may find it all silly. To a believer this is a serious endevor that must be paid attention to.
Many highly noted prophets are less specific and less accurate than lesser-known prophets. They have a reputation to preserve. That makes them cautious and conservative. I’m OK with that. I don’t have a TV show. I’m neither cautious nor conservative. I want to hear from the famous prophets. But I also want to hear from the “common” prophet without a platform but who really hears from God. I find the lesser prophets who are specific and more accurate than the notable sometimes more helpful. God will deal with the hearts of those who have become timid. A timid prophet is an oxymoron. God will use even a donkey to get his word out if they back off and make it palatable. That is a word to me, I have backed off sometimes. My fear in backing off is that God will stop using me. I teach the Word of God because I must. I know that if I go inactive in this area God will withdraw the gift. If I back off prophesing because I fear rebuke God will withdraw that from me too. Worse, like Samson I may not even KNOW that the gift has left. That's why I try very hard to keep myself in places where the gift flows.
The Devil HATES prophets, Jesus condemned the Pharisees because they killed the prophets, Ultimately even HIM. Why should any prophet think he or she would get any better treatment at the hands of the Enemy today?
2007 will be an interesting year. I could show you where to read all the headlines in advance. But that would take all the fun out of it. Some of us won’t be too surprised when God does what he has said he will do. God does nothing unless he tells his prophets first. Then there’s the proof of the two or three witnesses which is in a previous post.
But then, you can hear God for yourself IF you just pay the price. It’s not Rocket Science. As the apostle Paul says: So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. But be sure that everything is done properly and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:39-40 NLT
Monday, January 08, 2007
Luther on Hearing From God Directly
Over 475 years ago Martin Luther came to the realization that the Holy Ghost inspired pattern of Christianity had been established at Pentecost. He recognized that the church he served in had drifted, was in deep weeds and needed changing. I think if he were here today he would set us straight. We have drifted again.
The problem in Luther’s time was the priesthood and all the ministry offices were professional positions that could only be held and operated by those who had jumped thru the proper ecclesial hoops. They took advantage of the people. The Priests were held nearly above God.
That’s not what God had intended. He wanted to speak directly to each and every person individually and not thru a spokesman. He wanted every man to hear his voice. Look at what he says in Exodus 19:5-6 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be mine own possession from among all peoples: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.
But because of Sin, because of fear, because of the noise and thunder and trumpets they trembled. So in Exodus 20: 18-19. And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
God honored their request. that was the last time He spoke to them directly, to the people as a whole. From then on he used Priests and Prophets as mediators between them and Him.
Looking at those two sections of Scripture, it is clear that in the beginning it was God’s clear intention to have every believer a kingdom of priests with direct access to God’s voice.
That all changed after Pentecost. The confusion set at the tower of Babel was resolved thru the gift of tongues. The silence of God’s voice to his people was restored thru the gifts of the Spirit. That was his intent. But the Church of today has said, "We don't want to hear from God directly" "You tell us what he says" is the cry of people in congregations. They are unwilling to hear from God directly. Or if they do they reject the voice of God. Even when a pure word is given they deny the gift blaspheming the giver which is the Holy Spirit.
All this despite the fact that the word of God is clear on this:
1 Peter 2: 5, 9 We are a kingdom of Priests, a holy people, a royal priesthood. (Yes even a Prophet)
Rev 1:5-6 Jesus has made us to be Kings and Priests Also in Rev 5:10
We are now priests because the veil has been removed and can come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb 4:16. We no longer need a priest to intercede for us because we have ONE mediator, Jesus 1 Timothy 2:5.
Even the Prophet Jeremiah saw this day: Jeremiah 31:31-34. His law in our minds and hearts in a new covenant. We won’t need to have others tell us, we will know from least to greatest. We will all know him .
Martin Luther Taught the Doctrine of the Priesthood of all Believers and the Doctrine of Private Judgment.
This didn’t make Luther popular with those who tried to show that they had special ecclisiastical priveledge. It led to the showdown at the diet of Worms. It became messy. Uncontrolled. Denominational Splits. Even War.
The fundamental and evangelical world embraces the priesthood of believers as long as it doesn’t involve that "priesthood hearing from God" stuff. The bad news for much of the modern church is that a Priest is a Prophet and a Prophet is a Priest in the Pentecostal age. These Latter Days prophesied by Joel.
The Catholic Church gets this one right. They stayed with scripture and proclaim that as we become like Jesus we become Prophet, Priest and King. This is something more evangelical groups have lost focus of.
They love that fact that Luther took the structured and ritualistic world that was Catholicism of that day and turned it upside down. It almost got Luther killed.
Today’s church has restored much of the evil Luther spoke against. Even in the Churches that bear his name, structure and ritual misled by empowered professionals is a corrupting influence on the Church of Jesus and is a stench in His nostrils.
Luther was right. What he fought for needs to be restored. Priesthood of ALL believers.
Tomorrow: You were meant for Full Priesthood, anyone can do it, It’s not Rocket Science, BUT You must be willing to pay the price.
The problem in Luther’s time was the priesthood and all the ministry offices were professional positions that could only be held and operated by those who had jumped thru the proper ecclesial hoops. They took advantage of the people. The Priests were held nearly above God.
That’s not what God had intended. He wanted to speak directly to each and every person individually and not thru a spokesman. He wanted every man to hear his voice. Look at what he says in Exodus 19:5-6 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be mine own possession from among all peoples: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.
But because of Sin, because of fear, because of the noise and thunder and trumpets they trembled. So in Exodus 20: 18-19. And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
God honored their request. that was the last time He spoke to them directly, to the people as a whole. From then on he used Priests and Prophets as mediators between them and Him.
Looking at those two sections of Scripture, it is clear that in the beginning it was God’s clear intention to have every believer a kingdom of priests with direct access to God’s voice.
That all changed after Pentecost. The confusion set at the tower of Babel was resolved thru the gift of tongues. The silence of God’s voice to his people was restored thru the gifts of the Spirit. That was his intent. But the Church of today has said, "We don't want to hear from God directly" "You tell us what he says" is the cry of people in congregations. They are unwilling to hear from God directly. Or if they do they reject the voice of God. Even when a pure word is given they deny the gift blaspheming the giver which is the Holy Spirit.
All this despite the fact that the word of God is clear on this:
1 Peter 2: 5, 9 We are a kingdom of Priests, a holy people, a royal priesthood. (Yes even a Prophet)
Rev 1:5-6 Jesus has made us to be Kings and Priests Also in Rev 5:10
We are now priests because the veil has been removed and can come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb 4:16. We no longer need a priest to intercede for us because we have ONE mediator, Jesus 1 Timothy 2:5.
Even the Prophet Jeremiah saw this day: Jeremiah 31:31-34. His law in our minds and hearts in a new covenant. We won’t need to have others tell us, we will know from least to greatest. We will all know him .
Martin Luther Taught the Doctrine of the Priesthood of all Believers and the Doctrine of Private Judgment.
This didn’t make Luther popular with those who tried to show that they had special ecclisiastical priveledge. It led to the showdown at the diet of Worms. It became messy. Uncontrolled. Denominational Splits. Even War.
The fundamental and evangelical world embraces the priesthood of believers as long as it doesn’t involve that "priesthood hearing from God" stuff. The bad news for much of the modern church is that a Priest is a Prophet and a Prophet is a Priest in the Pentecostal age. These Latter Days prophesied by Joel.
The Catholic Church gets this one right. They stayed with scripture and proclaim that as we become like Jesus we become Prophet, Priest and King. This is something more evangelical groups have lost focus of.
They love that fact that Luther took the structured and ritualistic world that was Catholicism of that day and turned it upside down. It almost got Luther killed.
Today’s church has restored much of the evil Luther spoke against. Even in the Churches that bear his name, structure and ritual misled by empowered professionals is a corrupting influence on the Church of Jesus and is a stench in His nostrils.
Luther was right. What he fought for needs to be restored. Priesthood of ALL believers.
Tomorrow: You were meant for Full Priesthood, anyone can do it, It’s not Rocket Science, BUT You must be willing to pay the price.
PROPHECY - 100% Accurate is 100% Wrong
I Prophesy because I’m a Prophet, I’m a Prophet because I Prophesy. If you take any ministry office and plug in the words Pastor, Teacher, Evangelist, Apostle you will find that the equation works. I Teach because I’m a teacher, I’m a teacher because I teach. Barry Kolb leads apostolically because he’s an apostle; he’s an apostle as demonstrated by his apostolic leadership. A Pastor and Evangelist does the same.
If a teacher gifted, anointed and of the Holy Spirit sometimes teaches something that is perhaps not all agreed to by other teachers, he isn’t threatened with stoning. If an Apostle leads from courage but sometimes makes a bonehead move it doesn’t disqualify him from his office as an apostle. If a Pastor loses one of the sheep because they become rebellious or if he misses nurturing one he is not less of a Pastor, and if an Evangelist after giving it all he knows to give is rejected by his target subject, he isn’t questioned by the rest of the giftedness as to his office’s validity.
But, not so with Prophets. We are expected to get it right all the time every time. The problem is that’s not scriptural. Not in the New Testament 5 fold ministry expressions of today.
Of course, people who oppose and question prophecy will immediately start to talk of digging up some stones to throw. All that based on a badly understood passage of scripture Deut 8:8-22. That passage says if a prophet is wrong he must be stoned to death. That WAS true.
That passage was given because before Pentecost there were very few Prophets of God on the earth at any one time. Scripturally there may have been only a half dozen at any one time. With bursts to 15 or 20. Seldom more. There were false prophets. People who claimed to speak for God or gods. Those were the ones who must live under threat of death. The Holy Spirit only came on a few people from time to time in the Old Testament. So there was no capacity for discernment by those who were followers of Jehovah. Prophets Had to be 100% accurate all the time.
Most prophets before Pentecost were prophets to leaders, in particular kings. They claimed that what they said was the very words of God, precisely as God said them. Exodus 4:12, Jeremiah 1:9 and Numbers 22:38 are examples of the claims of the prophetic voice in the Old Covenant.
After Pentecost everything changed. A lot. First of all it was assumed that all believers everywhere would have the Spirit of the Living God living strong in them so that when the prophet spoke the others could do as Paul mandates in 1 Corinthians 14:29; Hear and Judge what is said. Not like today where only a third of those claiming to be part of the Body of Christ are living in the fullness of the Spirit of God. They do not operate in the gift of discernment because they have rejected the fullness. Oh, they judge, but they judge incorrectly or too harshly or become despisers of prophecy 1 Thess 5:19-21. That is the state of the Church today. Weak judging people operating in their own understanding without the fullness of the Holy Ghost empowering their life. What is sad is they will all say Yes and Amen to the idea that we are to: Trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding. What they really mean is Trust the Lord some, try to understand and explain things thru reason and what I don’t understand I will reject. They trust the devils ability to deceive them more than they trust God ability to reveal himself to them.
We are in full-blown Pentecost. The Spirit of God has been poured out. Sons and Daughters prophesy. Young and old, visions and dreams. Sure there are errors. That’s why the discernment of the Spirit counts.
If you had the fullness of the Spirit in full operation in your life it wouldn’t be so mysterious. This life should, no MUST be normative in the Church of Jesus for tomorrow.
There is a curse leveled on Churches and Spiritual leaders who blaspheme what the Holy Ghost meant for them in this part of the 5 fold. Don’t be among them. This is too serious to play games with.
Tomorrow: Martin Luther taught on these gifts and got it right. So should you.
If a teacher gifted, anointed and of the Holy Spirit sometimes teaches something that is perhaps not all agreed to by other teachers, he isn’t threatened with stoning. If an Apostle leads from courage but sometimes makes a bonehead move it doesn’t disqualify him from his office as an apostle. If a Pastor loses one of the sheep because they become rebellious or if he misses nurturing one he is not less of a Pastor, and if an Evangelist after giving it all he knows to give is rejected by his target subject, he isn’t questioned by the rest of the giftedness as to his office’s validity.
But, not so with Prophets. We are expected to get it right all the time every time. The problem is that’s not scriptural. Not in the New Testament 5 fold ministry expressions of today.
Of course, people who oppose and question prophecy will immediately start to talk of digging up some stones to throw. All that based on a badly understood passage of scripture Deut 8:8-22. That passage says if a prophet is wrong he must be stoned to death. That WAS true.
That passage was given because before Pentecost there were very few Prophets of God on the earth at any one time. Scripturally there may have been only a half dozen at any one time. With bursts to 15 or 20. Seldom more. There were false prophets. People who claimed to speak for God or gods. Those were the ones who must live under threat of death. The Holy Spirit only came on a few people from time to time in the Old Testament. So there was no capacity for discernment by those who were followers of Jehovah. Prophets Had to be 100% accurate all the time.
Most prophets before Pentecost were prophets to leaders, in particular kings. They claimed that what they said was the very words of God, precisely as God said them. Exodus 4:12, Jeremiah 1:9 and Numbers 22:38 are examples of the claims of the prophetic voice in the Old Covenant.
After Pentecost everything changed. A lot. First of all it was assumed that all believers everywhere would have the Spirit of the Living God living strong in them so that when the prophet spoke the others could do as Paul mandates in 1 Corinthians 14:29; Hear and Judge what is said. Not like today where only a third of those claiming to be part of the Body of Christ are living in the fullness of the Spirit of God. They do not operate in the gift of discernment because they have rejected the fullness. Oh, they judge, but they judge incorrectly or too harshly or become despisers of prophecy 1 Thess 5:19-21. That is the state of the Church today. Weak judging people operating in their own understanding without the fullness of the Holy Ghost empowering their life. What is sad is they will all say Yes and Amen to the idea that we are to: Trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding. What they really mean is Trust the Lord some, try to understand and explain things thru reason and what I don’t understand I will reject. They trust the devils ability to deceive them more than they trust God ability to reveal himself to them.
We are in full-blown Pentecost. The Spirit of God has been poured out. Sons and Daughters prophesy. Young and old, visions and dreams. Sure there are errors. That’s why the discernment of the Spirit counts.
If you had the fullness of the Spirit in full operation in your life it wouldn’t be so mysterious. This life should, no MUST be normative in the Church of Jesus for tomorrow.
There is a curse leveled on Churches and Spiritual leaders who blaspheme what the Holy Ghost meant for them in this part of the 5 fold. Don’t be among them. This is too serious to play games with.
Tomorrow: Martin Luther taught on these gifts and got it right. So should you.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Religion of Peace, My Posterior! KORAN 101
In case there is just a few deluded folks out there who still believe that Islam as a religion is harmless, that they teach what the Bible does, that we should accept and embrace all things Islam, YOU NEED AN EDUCATION!
If you will just click on this link you will learn more than you can imagine in 2 minutes or less. Then, I want you to come back and tell me that I'm all wet, Islam is full of really fun loving people who just want to do the right thing.
You could lose your head for believing that.
If you will just click on this link you will learn more than you can imagine in 2 minutes or less. Then, I want you to come back and tell me that I'm all wet, Islam is full of really fun loving people who just want to do the right thing.
You could lose your head for believing that.
Men Who Loathe Sex - How Civilization Ends
I have posted an article which was published in today's Chicago Sun Times. I guess it's OK, but, it's pretty graphic. You can read the whole thing HERE.
Excerpts of the article:
I know from those I spend time with in Marriage Counsel that this is a problem. It has become too much work to do the deed for some men. They don't want to fight the battle any more. The pleasure derived from a beer, a burger and a ball game has become a substitute for being a marriage partner in every way. And there are other things which I won't go into here.
Sufficient to say, if this trend continues we will have neutered men, desperate women, childless and lonely.
How did we get here? What happened? I would appreciate an opinion. I think we have deep trouble.
PS: I did not link directly to the article which first appeared in Huffington Post this summer. The comments were very direct and graphic. If you insist on reading them let Google be your guide.
Excerpts of the article:
Welcome to the new breed of healthy young men who rate sex way beneath their other appetites. In this brave new world, girls are a pain, a disappointment, and rather dangerous to the soul. Self-preserving boys would rather be satisfied with a brew and bit of beef than an erotic tide of reckless passion.
There are lots of guys today who have sexually retreated, or soured on the mating game altogether, and you don't have to search out "Miller Time" or Taco Bell to find them.
My chief indictment at present, the one we can prove, is Pharmaceutical Abuse. Many of America's favorite medicines depress the libido, and ironically, the most notorious ones are used to treat depression. Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and all the rest have made a lot of people feel "happy" at the expense of feeling horny.
I find the spectacle of men's declining sexual self-interest disturbing. I never would have guessed that this would be the threat I'd be confronting thirty years after the modern gender liberation movement began. I'm an advocate for men being sexually sensitive and discriminating, but what I see in the erotic arena is mostly men who feel disconnected from their bodies, from the "dating game," and who feel terribly pessimistic that anything is going to change.
I know from those I spend time with in Marriage Counsel that this is a problem. It has become too much work to do the deed for some men. They don't want to fight the battle any more. The pleasure derived from a beer, a burger and a ball game has become a substitute for being a marriage partner in every way. And there are other things which I won't go into here.
Sufficient to say, if this trend continues we will have neutered men, desperate women, childless and lonely.
How did we get here? What happened? I would appreciate an opinion. I think we have deep trouble.
PS: I did not link directly to the article which first appeared in Huffington Post this summer. The comments were very direct and graphic. If you insist on reading them let Google be your guide.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)