The January 2007 issue of Charisma magazine has a good article about T.L. and Daisy Osborne. For those of you who've never heard of them, here's a synopsis:
They married in 1942 - he was 18 and she was 17. After pastoring a church they decided they were called to the mission field, specifically India. But alas, conversions there just weren't happening and they became very discouraged. So they decided to return to the states, and while there they discovered some healing ministries. They began to realize that this was the only way to reach those in India. As soon as they understood this--And I want to reiterate this point--AS SOON AS THEY REALIZED THIS FACT--God came upon them with an anointing of faith. They left for India but ended up first in Jamaica where they saw 135 deaf-mute people healed, 90 blind receive their sight and hundereds of crippled people walking away without any aids. After going to some other countries they finally ended up in India where they continued to see miracle after miracle and of course many conversions following.
So, what is the moral to this story? Well, we can adopt the position of most evangelical churches, including , sadly, most Pentecostal and Charismatic churches today, that God can heal if He wants to; or, worse, God will only heal IF the "right" anointed person is praying for us - or, we can adopt the more Biblical position based on the atonement (Matt. 8:17). Everyone was healed by Jesus during his lifetime IF they came to him with any faith to be healed EXCEPT those in his hometown of Nazareth. Of that place it was said that HE COULD NOT DO great works because of their "apistis" - Greek for unbelief, or literally, unfaith. Acts 10:34 states that God is no respecter of persons and Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus Christ, [is] the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Putting all of these Scripture passages together should give us some type of theology of healing that we can really depend on.
Will it kill us to stand in faith - on what Jesus did at the cross (again, see Matt. 8:17)? It just might kill us if we don't.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Saturday, December 23, 2006
The Strays
I'm a "stray."
What is a stray you ask? Is it like an animal without a home? Well, not exactly....but sort of.....during the holidays. Christians who came from muslim and Jewish families and became disowned by them are strays; widows whose families live far away are strays; also, widows who spend the day before or the day after with their adult childrens' families and have Christmas day alone are strays. People who are from very small families all of whom are dead now, and their friends are all with their families, are strays. You get the idea.
Usually a friend invites us strays to her house for Christmas dinner since she has her adult children and grandchildren over the day before. The strays get to have the delicious leftovers, and we usually have alot of fun. But alas, this year she will be spending Christmas with her children and grandchildren AFTER Christmas. So nowhere for me and my Christian neighbor who also is a stray to go. I wanted to have people to my place since I love to host and love to cook but I really didn't know anyone I thought would be free. But then God started putting people in front of me. The lady who usually invites us over will come along with another "stray" friend of ours. My Christian neighbor stray will act as my co-hostess while I am slaving away in my kitchen--very happily I might add. I thought perhaps my gay neighbor didn't have anywhere to go since his family lives in another state far away. He didn't, so he will come too. And then my agnostic neighbor will be spending the day BEFORE Christmas with her mother and sisters and brother so she can come too. I prayed for six to come and six of us there are.
Oh by the way, if you are wondering why church families don't invite strays over--well, that is another post for another day.
Merry Christmas everyone. I know this will be one of my happiest!...:)
What is a stray you ask? Is it like an animal without a home? Well, not exactly....but sort of.....during the holidays. Christians who came from muslim and Jewish families and became disowned by them are strays; widows whose families live far away are strays; also, widows who spend the day before or the day after with their adult childrens' families and have Christmas day alone are strays. People who are from very small families all of whom are dead now, and their friends are all with their families, are strays. You get the idea.
Usually a friend invites us strays to her house for Christmas dinner since she has her adult children and grandchildren over the day before. The strays get to have the delicious leftovers, and we usually have alot of fun. But alas, this year she will be spending Christmas with her children and grandchildren AFTER Christmas. So nowhere for me and my Christian neighbor who also is a stray to go. I wanted to have people to my place since I love to host and love to cook but I really didn't know anyone I thought would be free. But then God started putting people in front of me. The lady who usually invites us over will come along with another "stray" friend of ours. My Christian neighbor stray will act as my co-hostess while I am slaving away in my kitchen--very happily I might add. I thought perhaps my gay neighbor didn't have anywhere to go since his family lives in another state far away. He didn't, so he will come too. And then my agnostic neighbor will be spending the day BEFORE Christmas with her mother and sisters and brother so she can come too. I prayed for six to come and six of us there are.
Oh by the way, if you are wondering why church families don't invite strays over--well, that is another post for another day.
Merry Christmas everyone. I know this will be one of my happiest!...:)
Thursday, December 21, 2006
What is Adoption Anyway?
My laptop is in the shop so probably not alot of posts here for two weeks as I am using the library computer. But hopefully there will be at least 2-3 a week.
The other day I was listening to a Christian radio station here in good 'ole Southern California. The topic was differently presented than I had ever heard before. The pastor was teaching about natural adoption and how it helped us to see what "adopted through Christ into God's family" really meant. He used the illustration of a friend of his who had adopted a little girl. The girl was rather shy and seemed to have trouble adjusting to her newly found position as "daughter" in a real family. Then one day, she came to her adoptive father and said, "Dad, I need a new shoelace." It was the first time she called him "dad." And it was then that he knew that SHE knew inside for real that she really was a part of the family and these really WERE her parents.
I think you can see the analogy. Might we meditate thoroughly on this concept and
"get" it inside of ourselves during the Christmas season. Jesus came so we REALLY could be adopted into the family of God as His children.
OK--Remember now--Jesus is the reason for the season!
The other day I was listening to a Christian radio station here in good 'ole Southern California. The topic was differently presented than I had ever heard before. The pastor was teaching about natural adoption and how it helped us to see what "adopted through Christ into God's family" really meant. He used the illustration of a friend of his who had adopted a little girl. The girl was rather shy and seemed to have trouble adjusting to her newly found position as "daughter" in a real family. Then one day, she came to her adoptive father and said, "Dad, I need a new shoelace." It was the first time she called him "dad." And it was then that he knew that SHE knew inside for real that she really was a part of the family and these really WERE her parents.
I think you can see the analogy. Might we meditate thoroughly on this concept and
"get" it inside of ourselves during the Christmas season. Jesus came so we REALLY could be adopted into the family of God as His children.
OK--Remember now--Jesus is the reason for the season!
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Quote of the Week
Philip Jenkins in his book, The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South, writes,
"Two bishops, were participating in a Bible study, one an African Anglican, the other a U. S. Episcopalian. As the hours went by, tempers frayed as the African expressed his confidence in the clear words of scripture, while the American stressed the need to interpret the Bible in the light of modern schlarship and contemporary mores. Eventually , the African bishop asked in exasperation,
If you don't believe the scripture, why did you bring it to us in the first place?
"Two bishops, were participating in a Bible study, one an African Anglican, the other a U. S. Episcopalian. As the hours went by, tempers frayed as the African expressed his confidence in the clear words of scripture, while the American stressed the need to interpret the Bible in the light of modern schlarship and contemporary mores. Eventually , the African bishop asked in exasperation,
If you don't believe the scripture, why did you bring it to us in the first place?
Monday, December 18, 2006
Something's Still Missing, Rick
Yesterday I posted a review of David Kuo's new book, Tempting Faith. (You can read the review here). Kuo is the editor of beliefnet.com and recently he did an interview with Rick Warren. The following is an excerpt from that interview:
Rick Warren on the Five Things Jesus Did
"It's the five things Jesus did when he was here on earth.
->The first thing he did was he planted a church.
->The second thing he did was equip leaders. He spent three years training these disciples.
->The third thing he did was he cared for the poor. In fact, in his very first sermon, he says, "I am here to preach the good news to the poor." He cared for the poor.
->Fourth, he healed the sick. One-third of his ministry was a health ministry.
->The fifth thing is he taught. Particularly he cared about the next generation."
Uh, there seems to be something missing here. But then, in many evangelical churches today lots of items are missing. What happened to the cross; Jesus, the Christ and Saviour; atonement, redemption, repentence?
I don't want to keep ringing the same old stale bell, but I do wish to keep warning that deeds without creeds will lead into liberal Protestant mush. By creeds I don't necessarly mean an organized confession. I mean a foundation of Biblical Christian theology that includes the latter list (as opposed to the former Warren list). Frankly, Warren's list isn't bad, BUT it is an add-on to the centrality of the gospel - NOT the gospel ITSELF. And that is wherein the problem lies.
Here is what David Wilkerson, pastor of Times Square Church in New York City says about the "other" gospel of so many churches today:
...a growing number of ministers today have drifted from the preaching of the Cross. The message of the poor, homeless, suffering, bleeding Christ has become an offense. The call to sacrifice - to take up a cross, to embrace rejection for Jesus' sake, to become a living sacrifice, to die to self, to repent, to become humble, to crucify the flesh - all of these topics are avoided by preachers of the gospel of hapiness and wealth.
While I understand that Warren is not specifically preaching the prosperity gospel, he seems to be drifting into a good works program reminiscent of the liberal Protestants. At least that seems to be evident to many of us. But the seekers, PDL's, Third Wavers and others aren't the only ones. Now we have the Christian left. More about them next week.
Rick Warren on the Five Things Jesus Did
"It's the five things Jesus did when he was here on earth.
->The first thing he did was he planted a church.
->The second thing he did was equip leaders. He spent three years training these disciples.
->The third thing he did was he cared for the poor. In fact, in his very first sermon, he says, "I am here to preach the good news to the poor." He cared for the poor.
->Fourth, he healed the sick. One-third of his ministry was a health ministry.
->The fifth thing is he taught. Particularly he cared about the next generation."
Uh, there seems to be something missing here. But then, in many evangelical churches today lots of items are missing. What happened to the cross; Jesus, the Christ and Saviour; atonement, redemption, repentence?
I don't want to keep ringing the same old stale bell, but I do wish to keep warning that deeds without creeds will lead into liberal Protestant mush. By creeds I don't necessarly mean an organized confession. I mean a foundation of Biblical Christian theology that includes the latter list (as opposed to the former Warren list). Frankly, Warren's list isn't bad, BUT it is an add-on to the centrality of the gospel - NOT the gospel ITSELF. And that is wherein the problem lies.
Here is what David Wilkerson, pastor of Times Square Church in New York City says about the "other" gospel of so many churches today:
...a growing number of ministers today have drifted from the preaching of the Cross. The message of the poor, homeless, suffering, bleeding Christ has become an offense. The call to sacrifice - to take up a cross, to embrace rejection for Jesus' sake, to become a living sacrifice, to die to self, to repent, to become humble, to crucify the flesh - all of these topics are avoided by preachers of the gospel of hapiness and wealth.
While I understand that Warren is not specifically preaching the prosperity gospel, he seems to be drifting into a good works program reminiscent of the liberal Protestants. At least that seems to be evident to many of us. But the seekers, PDL's, Third Wavers and others aren't the only ones. Now we have the Christian left. More about them next week.
Friday, December 15, 2006
David Kuo's Hot New Book - "Tempting Faith"
I have been reading David Kuo's book, Tempting Faith. It's about his years in the Bush administration trying to implement Bush's faith-based initiative program. Sadly, Kuo reports that there really wasn't much of a program since Bush, his administration (read that George W, Karl Rove and Andy Card), and the Congress weren't really that interested in it. They basically were using it to get the votes of evangelicals, especially black evangelicals. Here are some excerpts of the last chapter, the Afterword. If this book; and Cal Thomas and Ed Dobson's Blinded By Faith: Can the Religious Right Save America; and Boyd's Myth of a Christian Nation don't convince you that for the past 30 years we have really taken a BIG wrong road, then I don't know what will.
Kuo, who is a born-again Christian, writes on p. 260,
"Since the mid-1970's and with ever increasing passion, Christians like me have looked to politics to save America. We thought that the right president, the right Congress, and the right judge or justice would stop abortions, strengthen marriage, create a safer country for children, and ensure that our religious faith was respected. Our motivations were good ones. We wanted to save lives, homes, and our country.
.....has our political focus produced the desired results? By 2008 we will have had a good, conservative Republican in the Oval Office for twenty-eight years. Republicans have had outright control of both houses of Congress for most of the last twelve years. Republican presidents have appointed the vast majority of American judges and seven of the nine Supreme Court justices, In short, we've had almost everything we wanted politically. But things are hardly better. Social statistics are largely unchanged. Divorces are rampant and more and more children are growing up in a home with just one parent. Nearly a million and a half abortions are performed every year. There are more children in poverty today than there were twenty years ago. A greater percentage of Americans lack health care than ever before. Educational achievement is hardly soaring. Millions of Americans live in what seems like utterly intractable poverty.
....by so passionately pursuing politics, Christians have alienated everyone on the other side, many of them good people with genuine policy differences. In countless discussions I've had with people across the country and round the neighborhood, the name of "Jesus" doesn't bring to mind the things He said He wanted associated with His followers--love for one another; love for the poor, sick and imprisoned; self-denial; and devotion to God. It is associated with antiabortion activities, opposition to gay rights, the Republican Party, and tax cuts. Can anything that dilutes the name of Jesus be worth it for Christians like me?"
Kuo's book really resnated with me because back in 1980 I was saying that this would lead us into disaster and people were not going to understand the true gospel of Christ if we preached "another" gospel. I really don't know what it's going to take to wake up the largely co-dependent evangelical community. I do realize we are to stand against sin in the society, but we need to do it through the leading of the Holy Spirit, not giving money and allegiance to politicians that use us and make fun of us. Converting people does wonders to change society History has proven this. But it is far easier to get angry at abortionists and gays; to throw money at politicians and political ministry leaders who make empty promises; to write terse letters to companies and Congressmen, than to be a witness. Actually, we should vote for good people and write letters when necessary. But it is the SPIRIT that is leading us that I am questioning.
Kuo ends with a startling but exceptional (IMO) suggestion. He asks all Christians to fast from supporting the Christian Right and the Republican (or Democratic) Party for two years. Just vote--that's it. Hopefully this will get the politicians to stop taking us for granted and maybe, just maybe, they will get a little more honest. I guess one can hope.
Kuo, who is a born-again Christian, writes on p. 260,
"Since the mid-1970's and with ever increasing passion, Christians like me have looked to politics to save America. We thought that the right president, the right Congress, and the right judge or justice would stop abortions, strengthen marriage, create a safer country for children, and ensure that our religious faith was respected. Our motivations were good ones. We wanted to save lives, homes, and our country.
.....has our political focus produced the desired results? By 2008 we will have had a good, conservative Republican in the Oval Office for twenty-eight years. Republicans have had outright control of both houses of Congress for most of the last twelve years. Republican presidents have appointed the vast majority of American judges and seven of the nine Supreme Court justices, In short, we've had almost everything we wanted politically. But things are hardly better. Social statistics are largely unchanged. Divorces are rampant and more and more children are growing up in a home with just one parent. Nearly a million and a half abortions are performed every year. There are more children in poverty today than there were twenty years ago. A greater percentage of Americans lack health care than ever before. Educational achievement is hardly soaring. Millions of Americans live in what seems like utterly intractable poverty.
....by so passionately pursuing politics, Christians have alienated everyone on the other side, many of them good people with genuine policy differences. In countless discussions I've had with people across the country and round the neighborhood, the name of "Jesus" doesn't bring to mind the things He said He wanted associated with His followers--love for one another; love for the poor, sick and imprisoned; self-denial; and devotion to God. It is associated with antiabortion activities, opposition to gay rights, the Republican Party, and tax cuts. Can anything that dilutes the name of Jesus be worth it for Christians like me?"
Kuo's book really resnated with me because back in 1980 I was saying that this would lead us into disaster and people were not going to understand the true gospel of Christ if we preached "another" gospel. I really don't know what it's going to take to wake up the largely co-dependent evangelical community. I do realize we are to stand against sin in the society, but we need to do it through the leading of the Holy Spirit, not giving money and allegiance to politicians that use us and make fun of us. Converting people does wonders to change society History has proven this. But it is far easier to get angry at abortionists and gays; to throw money at politicians and political ministry leaders who make empty promises; to write terse letters to companies and Congressmen, than to be a witness. Actually, we should vote for good people and write letters when necessary. But it is the SPIRIT that is leading us that I am questioning.
Kuo ends with a startling but exceptional (IMO) suggestion. He asks all Christians to fast from supporting the Christian Right and the Republican (or Democratic) Party for two years. Just vote--that's it. Hopefully this will get the politicians to stop taking us for granted and maybe, just maybe, they will get a little more honest. I guess one can hope.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
What's Wrong With Evangelical "Christianity" Today?
What's wrong with most evangelical "Christianity" today?
Tim Challies wrote this on Sept. 29, 2006. Be sure to especially check out the last four sentences:
"Christianity is only about this kind of Christ - Christ reigning supreme and unchallenged and unchallengeable over all of life's enemies. We do not have any other message than this. Seekers and postmoderns don't want to hear this, but the bottom line is that we don't have anything else to give them. Our only message is of Christ as unique, central, indispensable and supreme. We need to talk together and think together about how we help people to come from where they are in our postmodern culture to this point where they see Christ as supreme. But at the end of the day we do not have a different Christ for the postmodern generation than for any other. Many have decided that this is very off-putting to postmoderns and have been offering a slimmed-down version of the gospel. Certain important truths may not have been denied, but were kept hidden out-of-view since these things would prove perilous to the church's success. We are now living with the consequences of this.
--> In America 45% say they are born again, but only 9% have even the slightest clue about the most minimal biblical understanding to what it means to live an ethical life as a disciple. They did it out of fear for their safety, but we are doing it out of fear that we may not be successful. This is a serious miscalculation! The only Christ we have to preach is the one the Bible gives us."
And from Old Truth.com:
*"The most insidious opposition to the Gospel has come from within worldly churches."
--Iain Murray
*"The greatest threat to the gospel specific to today is the indirect challenge of pragmatism among evangelicals".
--Mark Dever
*"The biggest mission field in America is professing-Christianity".
--John MacArthur
Tim Challies wrote this on Sept. 29, 2006. Be sure to especially check out the last four sentences:
"Christianity is only about this kind of Christ - Christ reigning supreme and unchallenged and unchallengeable over all of life's enemies. We do not have any other message than this. Seekers and postmoderns don't want to hear this, but the bottom line is that we don't have anything else to give them. Our only message is of Christ as unique, central, indispensable and supreme. We need to talk together and think together about how we help people to come from where they are in our postmodern culture to this point where they see Christ as supreme. But at the end of the day we do not have a different Christ for the postmodern generation than for any other. Many have decided that this is very off-putting to postmoderns and have been offering a slimmed-down version of the gospel. Certain important truths may not have been denied, but were kept hidden out-of-view since these things would prove perilous to the church's success. We are now living with the consequences of this.
--> In America 45% say they are born again, but only 9% have even the slightest clue about the most minimal biblical understanding to what it means to live an ethical life as a disciple. They did it out of fear for their safety, but we are doing it out of fear that we may not be successful. This is a serious miscalculation! The only Christ we have to preach is the one the Bible gives us."
And from Old Truth.com:
*"The most insidious opposition to the Gospel has come from within worldly churches."
--Iain Murray
*"The greatest threat to the gospel specific to today is the indirect challenge of pragmatism among evangelicals".
--Mark Dever
*"The biggest mission field in America is professing-Christianity".
--John MacArthur
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Intriguing Stats
From the Christianity Today daily email:
50% of Evangelicals who say the government should not fund faith-based organizations.
50% of Evangelicals who say the government should distribute wealth more evenly in this country.
***************************************
$1 million = the amount donated by Target to the Salvation Army in 2006.
$8 million = the amount the Salvation Army bell ringers raised in front of Target stores nationwide in 2003. The chain has banned the ringers since 2004.
***************************************
17% of hate crimes in 2005 that targeted victims for their religious beliefs.
14.2% of hate crimes in 2005 that targeted victims for their sexual orientation.
[Christianity Today Sources: Baylor Religion Survey, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, FBI/Associated Press]
50% of Evangelicals who say the government should not fund faith-based organizations.
50% of Evangelicals who say the government should distribute wealth more evenly in this country.
***************************************
$1 million = the amount donated by Target to the Salvation Army in 2006.
$8 million = the amount the Salvation Army bell ringers raised in front of Target stores nationwide in 2003. The chain has banned the ringers since 2004.
***************************************
17% of hate crimes in 2005 that targeted victims for their religious beliefs.
14.2% of hate crimes in 2005 that targeted victims for their sexual orientation.
[Christianity Today Sources: Baylor Religion Survey, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, FBI/Associated Press]
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
What's on Your Front Burner?
Susan Perlman of Jews for Jesus urges evangelicals to "keep the proclamation of the gospel on the front burner."
Steve Camp has a lengthy but great blog today on the same topic. He specifically addresses the trend today in the evangelical camp to use government to change people. I have been braying about this for almost 30 years now. I am so happy to finally see some evangelicals "getting it." I am reading David Kuo's book, Tempting Faith. He is the one who reported that the Bush Whitehouse folks were lauhging behind the evangelicals' backs about them being "nutcases." Welcome to reality folks.
You can read Steve's excelent post here.
Steve Camp has a lengthy but great blog today on the same topic. He specifically addresses the trend today in the evangelical camp to use government to change people. I have been braying about this for almost 30 years now. I am so happy to finally see some evangelicals "getting it." I am reading David Kuo's book, Tempting Faith. He is the one who reported that the Bush Whitehouse folks were lauhging behind the evangelicals' backs about them being "nutcases." Welcome to reality folks.
You can read Steve's excelent post here.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Creeds and Deeds? Or, Deeds and Creeds?
At the heart of the emergent/seeker-sensitive vs. older version of the evangelcial church there seems to be a "creeds versus deeds" struggle. Michael Horton has written an excellent overview of this in the Nov/Dec 2006 issue of Modern Reformation magazine.
He begins with a quote from Rick Warren, author of "The Purpose Driven Life" and "The Purpose Driven Church;" and pastor of Saddleback Southern Baptist Church in Orange County, California.
We need a reformation not of creeds but of deeds...It's time to stop debating the Bible and start doing it...This is the new Reformation I'm praying for.
This seems to be the new evangelical mantra. Horton correctly points out thht without a foundation of correct theology, the deeds become just good works without the power of the gospel to transform. Havng grown up in a liberal Protestant church, I can tell you all about "deeds without creeds" and the disaster it ultimately brings. IMO there is no way the evangelical church can ditch the theological part of their message - the salvation part, unless they want to see their countries collapse. We are the last hope in the western world unless the Asian, African and Latin American Christians send missionaries to us. And frankly, they are talking about doing just that in those areas. It would be very embarassing indeed if we had to begin to hear the gospel from those in Third World countries because we failed to preach it here.
In fact, many of the Third World Christians are praying for great persecution of Christians here as they believe this is the only way to wake us up. They may be right as if persecution struck here, the deeds sheep would certainly go right on doing their "thing" and it wouldn't disturb the status quo at all. It would be the 'creeds first--deeds second' folks who would be the persecuted ones.
By the way, we need to do both as Horton points out. In fact, having listened to and read Horton for about 12 years now, he is one of the few Reformation people (Confessing Evangelicals) that IS calling for deeds within their reformed churches. Horton correctly syays that in most of Paul's epistles, the first chapters are the foundational theology and then the last chapters are the deeds, actions and personal behavior. BUT, the second part is built upon the first part.
We shall see what the future brings. As for me, I am on the creeds (theology) first so, secondly, the deeds can have real power and meaning .
He begins with a quote from Rick Warren, author of "The Purpose Driven Life" and "The Purpose Driven Church;" and pastor of Saddleback Southern Baptist Church in Orange County, California.
We need a reformation not of creeds but of deeds...It's time to stop debating the Bible and start doing it...This is the new Reformation I'm praying for.
This seems to be the new evangelical mantra. Horton correctly points out thht without a foundation of correct theology, the deeds become just good works without the power of the gospel to transform. Havng grown up in a liberal Protestant church, I can tell you all about "deeds without creeds" and the disaster it ultimately brings. IMO there is no way the evangelical church can ditch the theological part of their message - the salvation part, unless they want to see their countries collapse. We are the last hope in the western world unless the Asian, African and Latin American Christians send missionaries to us. And frankly, they are talking about doing just that in those areas. It would be very embarassing indeed if we had to begin to hear the gospel from those in Third World countries because we failed to preach it here.
In fact, many of the Third World Christians are praying for great persecution of Christians here as they believe this is the only way to wake us up. They may be right as if persecution struck here, the deeds sheep would certainly go right on doing their "thing" and it wouldn't disturb the status quo at all. It would be the 'creeds first--deeds second' folks who would be the persecuted ones.
By the way, we need to do both as Horton points out. In fact, having listened to and read Horton for about 12 years now, he is one of the few Reformation people (Confessing Evangelicals) that IS calling for deeds within their reformed churches. Horton correctly syays that in most of Paul's epistles, the first chapters are the foundational theology and then the last chapters are the deeds, actions and personal behavior. BUT, the second part is built upon the first part.
We shall see what the future brings. As for me, I am on the creeds (theology) first so, secondly, the deeds can have real power and meaning .
Thursday, December 07, 2006
I started to watch TBN tonight. Perhaps I've lived too long, but I am getting very, very tired of the Christian star hype today. Aren't some of you too? Here's my missionary friend's story as told by the wife. Note the contrast.
"I look at my husband Jim. Ordinary guy. In l954, we went out to Indonesian Borneo, (Kalimantan Barat), and moved into an area where the Gospel had never been preached. He traveled, stayed in villages where he slept on the floor, ate whatever was offered to him, sat on the floor in a circle of men and a few women, taught them things they had never heard of before. When there were a few believers in a village, he formed them into a church. This work spread, in a large part, by the Dayak people telling other Dayak people about this Lord in Heaven, who had come down to pay for our sins with His own blood. We stayed there eleven years. After he had been working as a Jail Chaplain for a few years, he went back to Borneo, into an area alone where the Dayak people (Borneo) were cutting off heads, eating brains and liver and drinking blood of the communists who had killed some of them. It was a terribly dangerous thing to do. The Dayaks don't mess around forgiving their enemies. He wanted to see if any Christians had taken part in the killings or if any Christians had been killed. They hadn't. He then spent the next twenty years as a Jail Chaplain. Every day for 20 years, he went into a jail situation where violence could have erupted at any time. He never thought of being afraid. He went to released inmates' homes and hidey-holes. He has remained aloof from denominationalism and stayed on track. While he was working at the jail, he served as a shepherd/teacher of the young people he gathered around; in fact, we moved from our home to this town because so many inmates came to the jail from here; many of them had led disordered lives. He helped some of them. He did what he felt he could do. It was like a second job, but that's not what he felt about it. He started this work in our town for released inmates. They weren't about to submit to any kind of discipline, but continued in the lives they had embarked upon, whether drugs, crime, whatever. But other young people came in and listened to what Jim had to say. Some of them fell away. Some continue in their faith until this day. They're in their fifties now. Jim left the jail after 20 years and now works 7 days a week as a Port Chaplain, rarely taking any time off except to take me to the doctor or to be with his grandkids when they come to visit. His evenings now are spent searching out which ships he thinks he can board the following day, by keeping track of what time they will dock, who is aboard them that he has known before and getting their names down. He buys phone cards and Chinese newspapers, which may help him in boarding vessels where there are communists, and writing letters to men who have received the Lord and sending them materials to help their new faith grow. So it's more than just 7 workdays. And every evening. He boards ships where there are crews he doesn't know. He sits in the dining room and talks to whomever the Lord arranges for him to talk with. All of his days are prearranged by a Hand that holds his schedule. He is utterly available to do nearly anything for nearly anybody. He doesn't think of himself except when he's hungry,thirsty or tired, and these gratifications are almost always deferred for the needs or wishes of others. He is trusted by many; seafaring men hand him hundreds of dollars in cash--their wages--which he then banks and returns their receipts to them. He is often loved by people whose names he may not remember next time he sees them. Wednesday last, we had a phone call at 4 a.m. It was Ronilo ("I know lots of Ronilos so tell me more about yourself.") This Ronilo, a Philippino seafaring man, was calling from Italy. Not collect. Just wanted to hear Jim's voice. Jim is just a servant, and is satisfied with that. His ear has been bored through with the awl at the doorpost of his Master. His wallet belongs to the Lord; he rarely knows what he has in it and barely notices what goes into it or out of it. His Master takes care of his wallet, especially while he is working. But to him, it isn't work. He does what he does for love of it. He doesn't punch a clock. He goes to work when the ships dock that he plans to board. He comes home after boarding the last possible ship. The work in Borneo continues on, with sons and grandsons of elders and evangelists having become elders and evangelists under no direction but that of the Lord. The young people to whom he ministered all gathered together again on a night we will long remember, and they still follow the Lord. No one knows how many souls he has introduced to the Lord. That's Heaven's bookkeeping--Jim has never kept such records and doesn't think of his past work as any sort of achievement. He does the next day's work, doing the next thing and doing it well. Just a plain,
ordinary 79 year old man."
"I look at my husband Jim. Ordinary guy. In l954, we went out to Indonesian Borneo, (Kalimantan Barat), and moved into an area where the Gospel had never been preached. He traveled, stayed in villages where he slept on the floor, ate whatever was offered to him, sat on the floor in a circle of men and a few women, taught them things they had never heard of before. When there were a few believers in a village, he formed them into a church. This work spread, in a large part, by the Dayak people telling other Dayak people about this Lord in Heaven, who had come down to pay for our sins with His own blood. We stayed there eleven years. After he had been working as a Jail Chaplain for a few years, he went back to Borneo, into an area alone where the Dayak people (Borneo) were cutting off heads, eating brains and liver and drinking blood of the communists who had killed some of them. It was a terribly dangerous thing to do. The Dayaks don't mess around forgiving their enemies. He wanted to see if any Christians had taken part in the killings or if any Christians had been killed. They hadn't. He then spent the next twenty years as a Jail Chaplain. Every day for 20 years, he went into a jail situation where violence could have erupted at any time. He never thought of being afraid. He went to released inmates' homes and hidey-holes. He has remained aloof from denominationalism and stayed on track. While he was working at the jail, he served as a shepherd/teacher of the young people he gathered around; in fact, we moved from our home to this town because so many inmates came to the jail from here; many of them had led disordered lives. He helped some of them. He did what he felt he could do. It was like a second job, but that's not what he felt about it. He started this work in our town for released inmates. They weren't about to submit to any kind of discipline, but continued in the lives they had embarked upon, whether drugs, crime, whatever. But other young people came in and listened to what Jim had to say. Some of them fell away. Some continue in their faith until this day. They're in their fifties now. Jim left the jail after 20 years and now works 7 days a week as a Port Chaplain, rarely taking any time off except to take me to the doctor or to be with his grandkids when they come to visit. His evenings now are spent searching out which ships he thinks he can board the following day, by keeping track of what time they will dock, who is aboard them that he has known before and getting their names down. He buys phone cards and Chinese newspapers, which may help him in boarding vessels where there are communists, and writing letters to men who have received the Lord and sending them materials to help their new faith grow. So it's more than just 7 workdays. And every evening. He boards ships where there are crews he doesn't know. He sits in the dining room and talks to whomever the Lord arranges for him to talk with. All of his days are prearranged by a Hand that holds his schedule. He is utterly available to do nearly anything for nearly anybody. He doesn't think of himself except when he's hungry,thirsty or tired, and these gratifications are almost always deferred for the needs or wishes of others. He is trusted by many; seafaring men hand him hundreds of dollars in cash--their wages--which he then banks and returns their receipts to them. He is often loved by people whose names he may not remember next time he sees them. Wednesday last, we had a phone call at 4 a.m. It was Ronilo ("I know lots of Ronilos so tell me more about yourself.") This Ronilo, a Philippino seafaring man, was calling from Italy. Not collect. Just wanted to hear Jim's voice. Jim is just a servant, and is satisfied with that. His ear has been bored through with the awl at the doorpost of his Master. His wallet belongs to the Lord; he rarely knows what he has in it and barely notices what goes into it or out of it. His Master takes care of his wallet, especially while he is working. But to him, it isn't work. He does what he does for love of it. He doesn't punch a clock. He goes to work when the ships dock that he plans to board. He comes home after boarding the last possible ship. The work in Borneo continues on, with sons and grandsons of elders and evangelists having become elders and evangelists under no direction but that of the Lord. The young people to whom he ministered all gathered together again on a night we will long remember, and they still follow the Lord. No one knows how many souls he has introduced to the Lord. That's Heaven's bookkeeping--Jim has never kept such records and doesn't think of his past work as any sort of achievement. He does the next day's work, doing the next thing and doing it well. Just a plain,
ordinary 79 year old man."
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Hanging Our (and My) Heads in Shame
On the American Christian level,
A Serbian Evangelical who was persecuted (read that jailed) for his faith, first from the Communists and then from the Serbian Orthodox Church, said,
If Christians are persecuted, 90% of them will PASS the test.
But if 90% are affluent and comfortable, 90% of them will FAIL the test.
On a personal level,
I have to hang my head in shame once again for the next 10 months. You see, I'm a USC alumna. I cannot wear my USC sweatshirt or cap without people smling in pity until next September, 2007. Our mantra year after year, after barely missing the national championship title for three years in a row, seems to be:
"Oh, well, there's still next year."
[For people living in a cave, or from other countries, USC was a certain to play Ohio in the national NCAA championship game on Jan. 5, 2007. Then unranked UCLA decided to get real tough and......sigh.....well.......hanging my head in shame.]
A Serbian Evangelical who was persecuted (read that jailed) for his faith, first from the Communists and then from the Serbian Orthodox Church, said,
If Christians are persecuted, 90% of them will PASS the test.
But if 90% are affluent and comfortable, 90% of them will FAIL the test.
On a personal level,
I have to hang my head in shame once again for the next 10 months. You see, I'm a USC alumna. I cannot wear my USC sweatshirt or cap without people smling in pity until next September, 2007. Our mantra year after year, after barely missing the national championship title for three years in a row, seems to be:
"Oh, well, there's still next year."
[For people living in a cave, or from other countries, USC was a certain to play Ohio in the national NCAA championship game on Jan. 5, 2007. Then unranked UCLA decided to get real tough and......sigh.....well.......hanging my head in shame.]
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Sad but True
I received this in my email and thought it was fantastic. And as a former public school teacher, I can certainly vouch that many of the 2006 scenarios are very true indeed.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Scenario: Jack pulls into school parking lot with rifle in gun rack.
1956 - Vice Principal comes over, takes a look at Jack's rifle, goes to his car and gets his to show Jack.
2006 - School goes into lockdown, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.
++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1956 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends. Nobody goes to jail, nobody arrested, nobody expelled.
2006 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1956 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by Principal. Sits still in class.
2006 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his father's car and his Dad gives him a whipping.
1956 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2006 - Billy's Dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. Billy's sister is told by state psychologist that she remembers being abused herself and their Dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some headache medicine to school.
1956 - Mark shares headache medicine with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2006 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Mary turns up pregnant.
1956 - 5 High School Boys leave town. Mary does her senior year at a special school for expectant mothers.
2006 - Middle School Counselor calls Planned Parenthood, who notifies the ACLU. Mary is driven to the next state over and gets an abortion without her parent's consent or knowledge. Mary given condoms and told to be more careful next time.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.
1956: Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2006: Pedro's cause is taken up by state democratic party. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he can't speak English.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1956 - Ants die.
2006 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary, hugs him to comfort him.
1956 - In a short time Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2006 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Scenario: Jack pulls into school parking lot with rifle in gun rack.
1956 - Vice Principal comes over, takes a look at Jack's rifle, goes to his car and gets his to show Jack.
2006 - School goes into lockdown, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.
++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1956 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends. Nobody goes to jail, nobody arrested, nobody expelled.
2006 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1956 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by Principal. Sits still in class.
2006 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his father's car and his Dad gives him a whipping.
1956 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2006 - Billy's Dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. Billy's sister is told by state psychologist that she remembers being abused herself and their Dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some headache medicine to school.
1956 - Mark shares headache medicine with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2006 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Mary turns up pregnant.
1956 - 5 High School Boys leave town. Mary does her senior year at a special school for expectant mothers.
2006 - Middle School Counselor calls Planned Parenthood, who notifies the ACLU. Mary is driven to the next state over and gets an abortion without her parent's consent or knowledge. Mary given condoms and told to be more careful next time.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.
1956: Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2006: Pedro's cause is taken up by state democratic party. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he can't speak English.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1956 - Ants die.
2006 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary, hugs him to comfort him.
1956 - In a short time Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2006 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Thankfulness and Pain
There is a certain region where hot springs and cold springs are side by side. The women there can bring their clothes and wash them in the hot springs and rinse them in the cold srpings. A tourist once commented to the guide that the people who live there must be thankful that Mother Nature has supplied them so genrously with hot and cold water. The guide replied that they were not thankful. They complained that Mother Nature didn't give them any soap.
[source: Nov.2006 issue of the Word of Faith magazine (Kenneth Hagin Ministries)
I'm afraid I am not one of the most thankful-oriented personages. However, I'm doing alot better now than I was, due to a 4 year hiatus in poverty followed by a 10 year span of destitution. Fourteen painful years - first trying to find work as an over-50 person, and then six years taking care of my bedridden mother all by myself. When you lose your money, health, loved ones or whatever, it creates a thankfulness that probably some cannot understand. Of course like most humans, I wish God would work these types of character traits in us another way - and perhaps that does happen at times. But all to often, as we go through the trials of the human experience, it creates in us a thankfulness that not only is it over now (that is if it ends); but we saw and felt how it was without "it" whatever "it" is.
And of course I am reminded of the Scripture in II Peter 1:5-11which tells us WHY this stuff happens to us:
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Sigh....................amen.
[source: Nov.2006 issue of the Word of Faith magazine (Kenneth Hagin Ministries)
I'm afraid I am not one of the most thankful-oriented personages. However, I'm doing alot better now than I was, due to a 4 year hiatus in poverty followed by a 10 year span of destitution. Fourteen painful years - first trying to find work as an over-50 person, and then six years taking care of my bedridden mother all by myself. When you lose your money, health, loved ones or whatever, it creates a thankfulness that probably some cannot understand. Of course like most humans, I wish God would work these types of character traits in us another way - and perhaps that does happen at times. But all to often, as we go through the trials of the human experience, it creates in us a thankfulness that not only is it over now (that is if it ends); but we saw and felt how it was without "it" whatever "it" is.
And of course I am reminded of the Scripture in II Peter 1:5-11which tells us WHY this stuff happens to us:
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Sigh....................amen.
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