The Anti-Itch Meditation

New Address

2009-02-07T08:36:00.002-06:00

Ever since Blogspot sold out to Google, people have told me how hard it is to comment on my blog. I was hoping at a certain point that would be taken care of, however, the complaints keep coming.

Therefore, I have decided to make the jump over to a wordpress blog. You can find the new anti-itch at http://antiitchmeditation.wordpress.com/

I ask a question. To see if you can comment please feel free to answer it. We'll see how that goes.

Illustrating Sin Pt. 2

2009-02-06T08:45:00.002-06:00

The solid line to the right represents the way God wants us to go. The lines all over the place represent the way we go. The smiley face in the lines represents the good times we convince ourselves we are having while sinning.

The solid line down represents tradition, not exactly opposite of what God said, half right so we settle for it and solidify that as being OK.

The dot in the lower left corner represents where we are at birth. How can we get from there up to God's line? Only by faith my friends, only by faith.

Illustrating Sin

2009-02-05T11:21:00.002-06:00

This is the illustration I used to teach kids about sin the other night. Can you discern my teaching?

My text was 1 John 3:4.

Atonement = Propitiation

2009-02-05T09:15:00.000-06:00

Atonement is an Old Testament word. Look it up in the concordance and you will find that it is not used one time in the NT. Romans 5:11, in the KJV, translates a word as atonement but the word is actually reconciliation. A botched translation. One of the few, certainly fewer than the NIV, eh.

Atonement, contrary to your Sunday School teacher's definition "atonement means at-one-ment," gag, means to cover. Christ has not covered our sins, He done got rid of em.

However, there is a NT word that closely resembles atonement. The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew OT, uses the word propitiation for atonement. This is the right word to use.

Propitiation is a large word that God put in the Bible so adults could laugh at kids with speech impediments. It means, "to reconcile or atone for sin." It means to make a payment for. Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).

Glad we got that cleared up.

Teaching Kids About God

2009-02-04T11:12:00.003-06:00

I gave one of my children a chess lesson. It was a good first lesson. I have attempted to teach my children chess at a young age to see if I had any prodigies.

I'm gonna go with "no" on that one, but hey, a guy has to check. In fact, there's one kid I haven't even bothered trying to check. Yeah. Just wasn't gonna happen. You never know, this might be a choosing David thing though. Hmm, maybe I'll try.

Anyway, chess is a large game. It requires attention and thinking ahead, putting multiple factors into play at one time to reach a good decision. It's tough to teach to a kid. How much do I teach before it becomes frustrating? What about castling and en passe? Will their brain fry completely and they'll forever resent me and chess?

While I was teaching chess, I was also in the midst of figuring out what to teach a group of 3rd-6th grade kids about the Bible. How much do you give them? What bits do you "leave for later?" What are the essentials? If salvation is essential, sin is essential, then hell is essential, then shedding of blood is essential and on and on.

How much do you give them before their brains fry and they just come to resent you? What if you force so much down them they grow up to hate the whole thing? But if you keep it too light it seems to simplistic and they'll leave it for the fairy tale nature of it all.

Or do I just do what I do and let the Spirit worry about it?

I don't know. All I know is that my five year old son totally got how a knight moves and that thrills my soul.

God is Love

2009-02-04T09:07:00.001-06:00

Everyone likes this sentiment. God is love. How nice.

At the same time pessimistic, cynical people like myself get too hard on people who make much of these verses. God being love is indeed a very cool thing. It's G.

Or something.

The best way to remember the two verses about God being love is this:

John is the disciple whom Jesus loved, so "God is love" must be in a book John wrote. John was the first disciple to run to the empty tomb. So, we're in 1 John. Got it?

Then, to remember the verses remember this: twice 4 is 8, twice 8 is 16.

God is love is found in 1 John 4:8 and 16. Oh no, you're welcome.

A little known fact about 1 John 4:8 is that, yes it does say that God is love but it also lets you know if you know God's love. Yeah, if only we knew that part as well as the last part. Indeed.

Matt Millen and the Gospel

2009-02-03T13:28:00.003-06:00

I was surprised to see Matt Millen as a commentator before the Super Bowl. Matt Millen completely destroyed the Detroit Lions franchise with his management. Soon after he was fired, he gets hired as an expert analyst?

Apparently, the channel carrying the Super Bowl in Detroit ran a scroll at the bottom of the screen every time Millen was on camera that read, "Matt Millen was president of the Lions for the worst eight-year run in the history of the NFL. Knowing his history with the team, is there a credibility issue as he now serves as an analyst for NBC Sports?"

The whole world knows it: if your words don't make sense coming out of your life, people will not listen to you.

"Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame" (1 Corinthians 15:34).

Ye Must be Born Again

2009-02-03T08:51:00.003-06:00

John Wesley used to hammer John 3:7 continuously. He was once asked "Why do you keep preaching 'ye must be born again?'"

His answer, "Because ye must be born again."

It's that simple really. John 3 shows Jesus convincing Nicodemus of the necessity for a new birth. Paul explains later that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

Our natural man, the flesh body we were born in from our momma, is going to stop on earth. If you desire eternal life you must do better than clean up the natural man. You must do better than apologize for the natural man. You must do better than make pompous resolutions about what your natural man can do. You must do better than think happy thoughts about your natural man.

Your natural man must be crucified with Christ and you must take to yourself new life, spiritual life, life from above. There is no other way to heaven.

New life always manifests itself. Even in the brief time the thief on the cross had, he confessed his guilt, Jesus' innocence, rebuked a sinner and asked Jesus to intercede for him. Not bad for a few hours of new life living.

Many use the thief on the cross as an excuse for ineptitude, for continuing in the old man. Big difference between you and the thief on the cross--you aint dead yet.

Believers are dead to sin and alive to God. "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Before you were born physically you didn't do physical things. You didn't do anything. But since the time of your physical birth you began physical life with all its characteristics.

The same is true of the new birth. The old is passed away, all things have become new. We are the righteousness of God. It's a beautiful thing and it's the only shot you have.

Facts About A. W. Tozer

2009-02-02T20:42:00.003-06:00

1. Preached at Southside Alliance Church in Chicago for 31 years.

2. Has more than 40 books, most are compilations of articles he wrote for Alliance Life, a publication he edited for 13 years.

3. His "classic"work is entitled The Pursuit of God and was written while travelling by train from Chicago to Texas.

4. Tozer was father to six boys and one girl.

5. He married Ada Cecelia Pfautz.

6. He and his wife never owned a car.

7. Tozer died in 1963 and is buried in Ellet Cemetery in Akron, Ohio.

Tozer sermon audio.
More Tozer Sermon Audio.

Potluck Lawsuit

2009-02-02T17:43:00.002-06:00

I know this isn't funny, somebody died, but still.

Religious States

2009-02-01T13:55:00.001-06:00

Where does your state rank on the most religious states in the US?

Perhaps they should follow this with the ranking of states with the highest percentage of habitual liars.

Christian Football Picks

2009-02-01T13:32:00.004-06:00

It's been three years since I did the regular Christian Football Picks. Back in the 2005 season our picks went 29-15. Christian football picks is based on the premise that God will elevate the team that deserves His favor.

First we have the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals have one thing for them, some church officials are indeed called Cardinals, this has to be good. They also have Kurt Warner, who, if you hadn't heard, every Christian in the world is desperate to point out is a Christian. God does like winners.

However, Arizona has some things on the negative side as well, all closely related to their positives. Cardinals are Catholic church officials and it's debatable that God likes Cardinals that much (if they were that great they wouldn't be cardinals, they'd be pope). Also, if Kurt Warner is indeed a believer, expect him to have to endure persecution and trial.

Then we have the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers represent industrialization and the raping of God's green earth. All good things. It's only through industrialization that we're able to send Joel Osteen messages to all corners of the earth. On top of that Ben Roethlisberger, lined up against Warner's pristine testimony, is nothing more than a drunken slob heathen.

These are the kind of guys God likes to bless.

It has been decreed from eternity past:

Pittsburgh 32
Arizona 24

Lion Patrol

2009-02-01T12:30:00.000-06:00

Christians frequently talk about the joys of doing God's Word. How swell it all is. When we follow God's Word the birds sing sweetly, the sun shines brightly, the temperature rises to 73. All is well.

The only way you can possibly have this view is if you have no idea what God says.

Imagine you're out walking one day and a guy comes up to you, claiming to speak for God, and tells you to smite him with a sword. "Um, what?"

"Go ahead, hit me."

"I don't think so. Why would I do that? Sorry man, find someone else." That's what I'd say.

1 Kings 20 has this scenario in it. The guy refuses to nail the prophet. The prophet turns around and says "Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee."

Guess what? The guy leaves and a lion eats him. He gets eaten by a lion for not listening to God's Word! He refuses to hit a prophet with a sword and gets eaten by a lion. Good grief, God! A lion?!

That's a tough one to wrap the mind around. I don't care about your "grace didn't show up to the NT" theory either, doesn't matter. A lion eats him for not hitting a prophet?!

David got mad at God for smiting Uzza for reaching out to steady the ark. It's tough stuff. Perhaps we forget how serious God is about this whole faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God deal.

Watch out for lions.

Answer for Evil

2009-01-31T21:25:00.002-06:00

The Bible is full of creepy guys. Literally, these guys make your skin crawl they are so evil. Ahab was one of those guys. We're told that "Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him."

What I love about God is that He doesn't forsake His people. When a bad guy comes, God always has a good guy ready. Ahab is mentioned first in 1 Kings 16 28. By 17:1 Elijah, the chief of the prophets, is on the scene!

Just when it seems like things couldn't get any dumber, God comes along and totally redeems the situation. You can never get discouraged with bad guys, bad times, bad situations, because God has something good coming. Sometimes it takes a long time; sometimes the good comes quickly.

Doesn't really matter: good is coming! Keep the faith!

Is Israel's Kingdom in Minneapolis?

2009-01-30T08:49:00.003-06:00

One of the central tenets of Reformed/Covenant theology is that the Kingdom of Israel is now fulfilled in the Church. The Church has replaced Israel, therefore, Israel will not get a kingdom, thus making reformed and dispensational end times views vastly different.

This is a huge sticking point for me. I do not see how you can read the Bible and not come to the conclusion that God will restore the kingdom to Israel. The only way you can do it is to "spiritualize" the text, to make it say what it does not literally say.

Here's one "proof" that reformed theology misses the boat. At the beginning of Acts, Jesus tells His guys to wait for the power of the Spirit to come on them. The disciples ask, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6)

If Reformed theology were true, Jesus would say something like, "Oh, you guys, don't you get anything? Israel won't get a kingdom, I gave it to a bunch of white guys in Minneapolis."

However, this is not even remotely close to what Jesus says. Jesus says, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons." In other words, not yet guys. This obviously implies that Jesus thought the Kingdom would indeed be restored, He just wasn't telling them when.

"Restore" means to reconstitute, to bring back again. In other words, Israel is going to get back their kingdom. Next time Christ will reign and the Kingdom will be more awesomer than it ever was before. This will fulfill the covenant God made with David that there will be someone on David's throne forever.

Reformed theologians say Jesus' answer dismisses their question, they missed the boat still thinking about an earthly kingdom. But if this were the case, Jesus would not have answered about time, He would have answered about place. He does not correct their question, He answers their question in relation to time, by refusing to reveal when it would occur! No doubt because it would have been highly depressing.

The disciple's question was correct it just wasn't time yet. To deny that is to twist words.

The Faith of Harry Connick Jr.

2009-01-29T14:59:00.002-06:00

Harry Connick Jr. did a brief interview with Christianity Today about his faith, which is "practicing Catholic." Keep practicing, maybe someday you'll get to play. Here's a snippet.

"When I was young I felt more tension between my faith and entertaining than I do now. When I was 22 there were things that I thought were wrong that I now know are not wrong. For example, I don't have a problem with profanity in movies. I did for a while and I did many movies in which I would not curse. I wouldn't kiss an actress. I realize now that's silly. Part of the reason God put me here is to be an entertainer."

The Vatican Channel

2009-01-29T14:57:00.002-06:00

The Vatican has launched a Vatican Channel on YouTube where you can keep up to date on the latest appearances of Pope Ben and Co. Enjoy!

Holy Priesthood

2009-01-29T10:27:00.000-06:00

"No lead pastor" view guys quote 1 Peter 2:5,9, we are the holy priesthood of God. They follow it up with, "See, I'm a priest myself, I don't need a pastor."

This is an ironic point because serious contenders for the "no lead pastor" view use much ink in telling us not to use the OT examples of Moses, Joshua, the priests, or the king as an example of pastoral power today. A point I agree with.

However, by saying, "since I'm a priest I don't need a pastor" they now switch the argument back and equate the OT priest with the NT pastor. You can't have it both ways.

Peter's point is that we are all the priesthood of God in that we are all capable of offering God spiritual service and showing forth the praises of God. Believers are all God's representatives and can all approach the throne room of God and can all serve Him. There is no special class of guys who get closer to God than others.

Peter's point is that we all, in Christ, fulfill the pictures of the OT and are God's representatives now. It's not a temple, a class of priests, a selected nation. It's a people born again to new life in Christ.

This is a far cry from saying that there are no leaders in the church. Ephesians 4, which details gifted men who lead the church, tells us that these gifted men are there to equip believers to do the work of the ministry, i.e.--teach them to offer spiritual service to God as a priest might do.

Furthermore, Hebrews 7 says that Christ is our priest. "No lead pastor" view guys argue against using OT offices as NT guides to church leadership, as they were all fulfilled in Christ. I agree, but again, they switch it back and now claim to be the office of priest!

The word Peter uses for "priesthood" (again with the Greek concordance here), is different from the word "priesthood" used in Hebrews to talk about Christ. The priesthood in Peter is not a class, it's a description of believer's actions.

We have one high priest today and that is Christ. Christ has gifted men in the church to equip believers to do the work of priests--spiritual service. Thank you. That is all.

Pastors

2009-01-28T12:17:00.003-06:00

Seriously, I like much of what Frank Viola says. His critique of the problem is excellent. His solutions, a tad one sided. Here's another example.

He mentions that the word "pastor" is only used one time in the NT, therefore it's odd that we make so much of pastors in our day. Two things.

1) "Love thy neighbor as thyself" is mentioned one time in the OT, yet appears rather important to the mind of Christ. Let's be careful not to determine how important God thinks something is based on our obsession with numbers.

2) I don't know, with all due respect, Mr. Viola needs to implement a Greek concordance. I mean no disrespect, it's just that my Greek concordance undermines much of what he says so authoritatively about certain words.

The King James uses the word "pastors" one time in Ephesians 4. However, the Greek word and it's derivatives are used several times.

1 Corinthians 9, in defending the paying of pastors, says that shepherds eat from their flock so to should elders/pastors get paid.

1 Peter 5 tells the elders to feed the flock of God. "Feed" is the Greek word "pastor."

Acts 20:28 says again to "feed," pastor, the flock of God while speaking to the elders at Ephesus.

Saying that the word "pastor is only used once" is right in that only once is a man called a pastor. However, calling an elder a pastor is not a mistake, is supported by the activity a pastor is to do and is also what Ephesians 4 does indeed call them.

The shakiness of the central points trouble me.

Spiritual Rank

2009-01-28T09:45:00.003-06:00

I'm trying to maintain composure. It really frosts me when people use Scripture in a twisted way. This Reimagining Church book is starting to get to me. Boy I wanted to like this book.

Exousia is a Greek word that means "authority." The author maintains that at no point in the NT is one believer given exousia over another believer. All are equal, there is no hierarchy and no rank.

In order to maintain this, he has to fudge words around and ignore passages, like most of 1 and 2 Corinthians, which is Paul's defense of his authority over them, even using exousia a few times.

If a guy were to look up the word "rule" in the NT he would find that this word, proistemi, (which is defined as "to stand before in rank") is used several times of the higher rank of some in the church over others.

When he does mention "rule" he says it means to "guide." I don't see this at all in the word. Pro means "before" and histemi means "stand." It means literally to stand before, in front of. One might say to rank ahead of.

In fact, Romans 12 lists ruling, having rank over others, as a spiritual gift! 1 Thessalonians 5:12 says we are to esteem those who have the rule over you in the church highly! One of the qualifications of a pastor is that he rules his own house well, how else can he care for the church?

However, the author would have us believe there is no rank in the Body. Does this mean believing parents don't have authority over their believing kids? Does this chuck the whole man is responsible for his woman deal?

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says those elders who rule (rank) over you well get double honor. We are warned to stay away from "brothers" who are unruly (those who don't submit to authority)!

Goodness. It just bugs me more that he's so sloppy with Scripture. I truly wanted his point to be true. I did. But it's not. It just isn't.

It bugs me that he doesn't even veer into these passages. He just skips them as if they don't exist, mostly mentioning them in an appendix and he uses words deceptively to walk around passages. It's like talking to a Calvinist. Man. What a bummer.

Double Honor

2009-01-27T14:19:00.002-06:00

Continuing some thoughts on 1 Timothy 5:17. The reason I'm reading this book trashing the modern church (Reimagining Church by Frank Viola) is because I'm not content with the modern form of church. I really wanted him to tell me not to get paid and that I can slough off my responsibilities on the lazy laymen.

I desperately wanted that. I also wanted to be one of the high and mighty spiritual ones who could then down pastors who get paid and brag that I'm one of God's priests, I don't need you. I earnestly desired such a thing. Still do.

However, the Bible just doesn't go that way, as much as I and others would like it to. A few more thoughts on double honor.

--If double honor doesn't mean "pay" but means "respect," then you have the unfortunate situation of doubly respecting certain members of the Body of Christ, which violates many scriptures. One of the main tenets of this book is that all members are equal, there is no leadership or hierarchy (institutional anyway). However, if double honor means I treat certain people better than others, seems I've missed something.

--I may grant that "double honor" doesn't mean a wage. I can agree with that based on the Greek. However, it can mean "to pay a price for something." If all members of the Body gave double to a pastor more than what they pay to anyone for any other service, a pastor wouldn't need a wage anyway!

--I still desire to be convinced not to be paid for this job. "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel" (1 Corinthians 9:14). I view this statement as being a command, the way things ought to be. I also view it as a giant curse. A curse which many today are desiring to get out from underneath and I know why.

Getting paid for this job is one of the most humiliating (humbling) things I've ever done in my life. It carries a huge weight and burden. It carries with it a nagging sense that whatever I spend money on is letting down lots of people. If I were not paid for this, I'd be even more of an ego maniacal, raving jerk.

I can honestly say that being paid for this job has been one of the most trying things I've ever faced and it has lead to much growth in my life. I still have the right to forgo pay, but I also know I need to grow more before I can trust myself with such freedom.

Paid Pastors

2009-01-27T12:34:00.004-06:00

I've long thought over the role of the modern day pastor. The current office is not the original intent. At the same time, whenever I read spoutings off on the modern pastor role, they tend to throw out the baby with the bathwater, which, you know, babies are annoying and everything, but still.

A recent guy I'm reading talks about 1 Timothy 5:17, "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour." This is a statement used to support the paying of pastors, which he attempts to deny.

First, he says that the Greek word used is not the usual Greek word referring to wages. This depends. Yes, there is a word that refers to wages but there is also a word that is more commonly used referring to paying money, and that is the word "honor" in 1 Timothy 5:17.

Second, there are charges in the NT for believers to honor each other and honor God etc. Therefore, it must always mean "respect." This is true, the word is used that way, however, my Greek concordance also shows me that it is also frequently used in regard to paying money.

Third, he attempts to show that the context means we are to respect elders, not pay them. I would argue the exact opposite from the context. Ox eat the grain they tread, sounds like a physical payment to me. This point is further proven by looking at 1 Corinthians 9:9-11 (a passage he neglects to bring up) where the same analogy is used to refer to paying a guy for spiritual work. Granted, Paul refused the payment but he still says it is acceptable. "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel" (9:14).

Further, the anti-paid-pastor guy says that earlier in chapter five the church is to honor widows. He says this refers to respecting them. However, the context shows that Paul is literally talking about paying widows, putting them "in the number," on the account sheet to provide for them.

It always bothers me when guys make points and neglect to raise the total context of their passages and words. Makes me suspicious of their agenda.

In all, I think pastors should endeavor to pay their own way, Paul is an excellent example of this sacrificial service. At the same time, the Bible seems to back up the notion of paying guys who help you. Christian love says to pay guys who don't help you (Matthew 5:38-42) so I'd assume paying helpful people is also love!

Pastors should, however, be more concerned with their service to others and if reducing salary induces edification, go for it. Being paid is a right; foregoing it is a privilege.

Angels

2009-01-27T08:55:00.001-06:00

Pyromaniacs has a very well done post on angels. Rather than focusing on the silliness of what we've done with angels, he focuses on the focus of angels and brings home a very nice application. Well done.

Let's Judge Everybody

2009-01-27T07:59:00.000-06:00

Go here for a good time.

A Post to Disagree With

2009-01-26T13:44:00.002-06:00

Seth Godin has a blog post today about doing goals that no one ever sets out to do but perhaps should. He says,

"It's not stupid to have a stated goal of starting several ventures that will fail, or asking three stupid questions a week, or posting a blog post that the world disagrees with. If you don't have goals like this, how exactly are you going to luck into being remarkable?"

Being stupid is a very attainable goal for me. I will accomplish this goal by doing a blog post the world will disagree with. Here goes.

The apostle Paul instructs women to be quiet in church (1 Corinthians 14:34,35; 1 Timothy 2:11-15). No one ever adheres to this instruction. Even people who pride themselves on reading the Bible literally don't literally interpret these passages.

The explanation I always hear is that these passages are to be interpreted culturally. Paul was speaking to the culture he was in and it has no ramifications for today.

Here's the deal, if this is cultural, consider what it does to the context. If the Holy Spirit truly does gift women to speak in church and Paul culturally tells them not to, Paul is thwarting the Holy Spirit. Paul is putting a human rule, a yoke of bondage, on people, something he specifically preaches against.

If this passage is cultural, then Paul does not listen to his own teaching, he is an opponent of the Holy Spirit, and he undermines the authority of Scripture by showing that the Bible is not God-inspired.

If that's the case, women, feel free to speak. If it is not, I suggest women shut up.

Let the disagreement begin.

Sacrifice and Obedience

2009-01-25T13:17:00.000-06:00

It's common knowledge that the sacrifices of the OT were a picture of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The sacrifices were a picture or a shadow of the perfect sacrifice of Christ.

Sacrifices in the OT were spoken of to illustrate the various ways Christ's death would fulfill God's righteous demands.

When we see sacrifices in the OT our minds should point to Christ, it's where the school master brings you.

Here's an interesting one. Saul and the boys wooped up on the bad guys. God told them not to take any of the spoils. The people, true to form, took some spoils. This is the classic line of Samuel in the King James, "What meaneth the bleating of the sheep?"

Saul says, "Oh yeah, the sheep, well the people took those but we were gonna use them for a sacrifice to God." Yeah, a sacrifice, yeah, yeah, that's the ticket.

Samuel's response, "to obey is better than sacrifice" Obedience is better than sacrifice.

Hmm, thinking of Christ, school master bringing me along. Hmm.

Christ is not sacrificed again, He did it once for all. That being the case, there are many who assume that since Christ died and I'm forgiven sin is no big deal. But something tells me listening to God is better than taking advantage of the sacrifice.

"Should we sin that grace may abound? God forbid." I believe Paul and Samuel have the same human proclivity in mind in their similar statements.

Legalism and Lust

2009-01-24T21:10:00.002-06:00

It's hard work to live up to other's rules for your life. Unfortunately, living up to other's standards frequently leads to us failing God's.

Back in the day, King Saul told his guys not to eat any food while they were woopin up on the enemy (1 Samuel 14). While chasing the bad guys they got tired because they were so hungry.

Finally they were able to eat after abstaining for Saul. They gorged themselves on meat and they were in such a hurry to cook and eat it they didn't bother to drain the blood. Eating blood was a violation of God's Law.

While doing a good job keeping Saul's rules they ended up blowing it on God's rules. Which do you think God cared more about?

The problem with legalism, man-made rules of conduct, is that it often leads to lust and a sudden explosion into sin. God does not promise any spiritual provision to keep man's rules! Don't waste your energy. Even if you succeed you'll eventually blow it and a torrent of sin will ensue.

Triumphal Entry

2009-01-24T20:18:00.003-06:00

Don't know if you saw all of CNN's coverage of Obama's entry into Washington. Here's what you missed.

HT: A Little Leaven

Prayer and Teaching

2009-01-22T17:02:00.004-06:00

Israel's idea to get a king did not go over well with God. He took it as an affront. They have rejected God to follow a guy. Samuel points out their sin to them and they feel really bad. They ask Samuel to pray for them. Here's his response.

"Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way" (1 Sam 12:23).

Of course Samuel will pray for them but he'll also continue to teach them.

This refrain shows up other times in Scripture. The early church "continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."

The pastors in Acts 6 chose guys to wait on tables so they could "give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word."

Paul continually prays for his people while teaching them about love and their new salvation he desires them to grow in (2 Corinthians 13:9; Philippians 1:9). Prayer and teaching go together.

This shows us that teaching alone doesn't work and prayer alone also doesn't work. But both teaching and prayer presents an unstoppable force. Seeing as how this is a consistent testimony of Scripture, it should be our consistent practice.

"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" (Colossians 1:9).

Bible Names

2009-01-21T12:54:00.001-06:00

Names used to mean stuff. I named our eldest daughter after a cute weather lady in MN. That's not very inspiring (although her forecasts were).

Anyhooo, names in the Bible used to mean things. They called significant places long names to commemorate what happened there.

--And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah
--And he called the name of the place Taberah:
--And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:
--And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah:

If you know Hebrew you'll know what these names mean and they would remind you of what went on there. They keep sticking more syllables together to get to a cool word that means stuff. Here's my favorite one. This is so great.

Wait for it.

It's from Joshua 22:34.

Wait.

"And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed."

That's so great! It reminds me of The Quest for the Holy Grail. The mighty magic man is blowing up stuff with fire out of his staff. "What do we call you?" they ask hesitantly, greatly impressed with his powers.

He answers with much pomp and power: "There are some who call me, Tim." Too funny.

Praying in Football

2009-01-21T07:35:00.002-06:00

Tim Tebow has brought a lot of attention to the religious component of football. Which is fine, whatever, I still doubt anyone from the Florida Gators can truly be saved.

The NFL, which has long held to certain supposed Christian traditions and has also been labeled the No Fun League because they curb idiot athletes, has recently made a statement concerning end zone celebrations during the Super Bowl.

"The whole issue is, you can’t go to the ground on your knees or with your hand or anything. There’s only one time that you’re going to be allowed to go on your knee after you score like this, and that’s when you want to praise the Lord. If you do that, then I’m going to allow that, because I do not want to be struck by lightning, I promise you that. We will allow that."

So that's good reasoning. I guess I don't mind end zone celebrations. Of course, the former team I cheered for never had to worry about getting carried away in the end zone for some reason. The Lambeau Leap reigns supreme as an end zone celebration.

Inside Were Fears

2009-01-20T10:46:00.000-06:00

One criticism that I have heard at my church is that I'm too wimpy when it comes to confrontation. I'll confess the truth in this.

My growing years were consumed with idiots making fun of me and my crossed-eyes. In Jr. High I was put in a special ed gym class for some reason. During the entire year, all the special ed kids made fun of me, calling me ever so affectionately, "Cockeye."

I withdrew into myself and watched. I can judge character in a split second. I know a bully at first glimpse and I'm seldom wrong. Even now, as I work with young kids in our church, I can always sense the ones who will mention how my eyes look funny.

I've always struggled with a fear of people, weird situations and new surroundings. Much of it has to do with the fact that I can't see well. This has long been a battle for me. I have seen growth but I continue to fight it.

It is nice to be treated with grace in this area but I also understand how disappointing I may seem as a pastor. I get it. This is one of many reasons I point people to Christ and not me.

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God."
--2 Timothy 1:7,8

Gaza

2009-01-19T21:03:00.005-06:00

Israel and the Palestinians have called a truce in their conflict of the last three weeks. Gaza is the largest city of the Gaza Strip region.

I happened to be reading in Judges today and saw that Samson had his run-in with a prostitute and then was later imprisoned in Gaza!

Gaza was also the place Philip was heading to in Acts 8 when he met the Ethiopian eunuch.

I don't know why, but that's weird to me.

Can Church Really Teach Scriptures?

2009-01-19T11:35:00.000-06:00

Not long ago a guy at our church came up to me and said "The Church [by which he meant the institutional church] can never truly teach the Scripture because the Scripture teaches against the Church."

I thought that was a good point. It's quite true. Read Matthew 23. Read Paul and Peter's warnings about false shepherds and teachers.

--It's awful hard to get rich off ministry and teach the Scripture.

--It's awful hard to be more interested in your church's finances and material growth and teach the Scripture.

--It's awful hard to tell everyone your leadership and teaching is infallible and teach the Scripture.

--It's awful hard to make your church members jump through your traditional hoops and teach Scripture.

--It's awful hard to live above the laws you force on your congregants and teach the Scripture.

--It's awful hard to desire fancy titles and privileges and teach the Scripture.

--It's awful hard to be friends with the world and adopt their methods and teach the Scripture.

--It's awful hard to tell lie after lie, deception after deception and teach the Scripture.

"Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple."
--Romans 16:17,18

Our Prayer

2009-01-18T13:00:00.000-06:00

In the same prayer sermon by Mark Driscoll, I heard him say that when we pray, based on Jesus' teaching in the Lord's Prayer, we should do it corporately minded. Not always praying about ourselves.

His reasoning for this is that Jesus constantly uses "us" and "our" throughout the Lord's Prayer.

Now, I certainly have no problem praying for others or with a corporate mindset. However, to teach that we should always pray this way because Jesus uses "us" and "our" in the Lord's Prayer seems a tad off.

The reason Jesus uses "us" and "our" is because it's in answer to the question: "Teach US to pray." He is addressing a group at the time. "He said unto THEM. . ."

How to Pray

2009-01-18T10:25:00.000-06:00

Prayer strikes people differently. We've made it more confusing than it needs to be.

Jesus Christ taught some good stuff in regard to prayer in Matthew 6. His first teaching is that if you want to learn how to pray don't watch religious people. They don't get it.

Instead, when He teaches people how to pray He constantly drops in "Father."

If you want to know how to pray, watch a kid who has a loving father. Watch how that kid talks to his dad: that's how you pray.

I heard this in a sermon by Mark Driscoll and I thought it was well said. I doubt I have said it better.

The King and I

2009-01-17T15:04:00.000-06:00

Deuteronomy 17 contains rules for Israel's kings. The kings pretty much ignored all of them, some right away. One rule that was majorly violated is in 17:17--the king should not have a multitude of wives. How did that one go David?

Here's a more fascinating one in 17:18, the king was supposed to make a copy of the law, to write it out in front of the Levitical priests! How cool is that?

Obviously this one fell into disuse as well, seeing as how one of the priests stumbled upon the book of the law under Josiah's reign. If the priests didn't know where the book was it was doubtful the king knew it.

Furthermore, if each king had to write out the law wouldn't there be many copies lying around somewhere?

It's amazing how God's rules are so simple and yet we have such a hard time keeping up. Thank God for grace, but thank God for His rules that can keep us out of much stupidity if we just go ahead and do 'em.

Heart Health

2009-01-16T10:50:00.001-06:00

When it comes to the genuineness of faith, the heart is always the issue.

God has revealed many things to us to help get us where He’d like us to be, allowing for our own free will idiocy at the same time.

God has always been interested in people’s hearts. He wants to know what’s going on in there, and He finds this out by watching words and actions (Matthew 12:34; Ephesians 6:6; Romans 6:17).

Deuteronomy 8:2 says "And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no."

He obviously got His answer! In order to stay in the Land and keep things going well the people were to live by the Law. If they did what God desired them to do they would be blessed in their Land.

We know the rest of the story. Listen to God’s cry, feel His pain in this statement, "O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!" (Deuteronomy 5:29)

This is the pain of a father who loves His kids, who desperately wants them to just listen so they won’t have so many problems and so that He can love them the way He’s always dreamed of loving them.

The issue is the heart. If the heart is right with God good actions happen.

"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." (Ezekiel 38:26,27)

There is a partial fulfillment of this today, all believers get a new heart. Paul says "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love." Love is the fulfilling of the Law.

So cool how it all fits together.

Fat Pastors Part 2

2009-01-16T08:57:00.002-06:00

As a follow-up to our earlier discussion on fat pastors, here is why pastors are increasingly fat and the problem it is becoming.

Good News

2009-01-15T12:15:00.001-06:00

Very cool demonstration of Christian love on a football field.

Thanks to kamp krusty for the link.

Simony and Pet Doctrines

2009-01-15T08:47:00.003-06:00

I was involved in a very fun discussion last night about faith. We eventually hit on Simon who believed God and was baptized (Acts 8:13). Later on, however, Simon tries to buy the power of the Holy Spirit.

At this point Peter says to Simon, "Let your money perish with you. Your heart is not right, your sins are not forgiven and you in trouble son" (Acts 8:20-23).

The fascinating point brought up was, which one do we throw under the bus here: justification by faith alone or eternal security?

If a man is justified by faith alone it would be hard to imagine Peter condemning the man to hell since he said he believed. If he was saved because he believed and Peter told him and his money to go to hell, well Simon just lost his salvation.

Which doctrine do we keep in this one? If you say Simon wasn’t saved, what was all the "Simon believed" business? The only other option to avoid chucking doctrines is to convince yourself that when Peter told him and his money to perish is that "perish" does not mean condemnation to hell.

You’d have to do some tricky non-literal interpretation things to get that meaning based on how the word is always used in regard to people: talking about their destruction in hell, Judas was a son of perdition. "Perdition" is the same word as Peter uses for "perish."

Fun stuff!

Daily Devotionals are Weak

2009-01-14T14:03:00.004-06:00

I came across this article that notes the new trend in making one minute Bible studies for busy Christians. These are nothing more than devotionals that are marketed to only take a few minutes out of your day.

Devotionals have always struck me as odd (not to the point I don't write them for cash), but still they're mostly trite and simplistic.

The fact that marketers of devotionals have to now stress how little this devotion will waste your time does show a disturbing trend, however.

A recent national survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life found that 71% of people are absolutely certain about their belief in God and that 58% pray daily outside of religious services.

Faith leaders are working hard to capitalize on that spiritual hunger, not just with convenience but with high production values.

Well, this here "faith leader" aint doing anything to help you water down faith and make it as convenient as possible for anyone.

When you observe the methods of Jesus Christ in evangelizing and teaching, you very quickly realize that He confronts people and makes His message as difficult as possible to receive. He lets people know the cost and what it will do to them.

I get it that publishers need to do what they gotta do to make money. But to trivialize the Bible, to make it convenient and slick is completely contrary to the Bible's message.

We're told to "study to show ourselves approved." I don't recall reading the part where it said "Read for like a minute a day to be approved."

(And, to all devotional readers who are offended, yes, "it's better than nothing." Just like walking to the fridge is better than sitting on the couch.)

Obama and God and Stuff

2009-01-13T14:39:00.003-06:00

I refrain from most political discussion more or less because I think it's pointless. However, I still find it interesting to observe. Here are some news headlines:

--Obama wants to include "so help me God" in his swearing in. I'd like him to include it too.

--Apparently Obama got lots of heat for his choice of Rick Warren, gay basher extraordinaire, to pray at his inauguration so he's evened it out by asking an openly gay Episcopal bishop to also pray. Ahh, safely back on the yellow line.

--In other news, Ted Haggard is back from the "wilderness." "At this stage in my life, I'm a loser - a first-class loser," he says.

--And lastly, some not so surprising news that I predicted many years ago, megachurches are increasingly defaulting on their loans. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the taxpayers who will foot the bill for their bankruptcies. Jesus must be so proud.

(Many thanks to the blog Thunderstruck for their continued sifting of the news for me.)

Christians and Cancer

2009-01-13T09:35:00.002-06:00

Back on December 27 I got an email from my internet pal Scotte Hodel who recently died from cancer. In fact, it was the next to last email I got from him. Here is, in part, what he said, and I found it to be completely heartwarming.

Hi Jeff,
I was going over old emails and I saw where you said that [Christians] annoy you because they are so happy bubbly all the time. I have to agree. I have some friends in a local church who regularly email me with things like "We declare you healed!" Hrumpf.

I started to read Ps 103, but it was too happy. Ps 102 is much more where I am now. So: what will they declare now?

I'm glad I was able to provide Scotte with some good ol encouraging pessimism. I keeps it real.

I've been with several people now who have gone through the process and lost to cancer. One thing I've noticed is that it's always much worse than what they are telling you.

Several cancer sufferers have mentioned to me how hard it is to keep a cheery face around Christians. They feel they are letting down Christians and their prayers and faith because they keep getting worse.

This is undue pressure no one needs while suffering through a horrendous disease. Do we have any concept how rude we healthy, happy Christians are? It's better to embrace reality rather than try to force your happiness on others' sufferings.

God and Handicapped People

2009-01-12T14:11:00.000-06:00

God is not politically correct and He could care less that you're offended by that.

According to Leviticus 21:18-21 the following people are a defilement of His presence:

"a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken."

I doubt that God cares He is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. He is not an equal opportunity employer!

Does it offend you that God does not want blind guys or dwarfs in His presence? I'm a blind guy, should I be offended?

I'm not and here's why. I'm glad God has standards. I'm glad that His presence demands perfection from people. I'm glad He's picky about who represents Him.

Furthermore, He never says these guys can't be sanctified (21:23), He does not keep them from being a Jew, they just can't be priests.

Further furthermore, Christ has taken care of it all for me anyway. I have boldness to enter the throne of Grace now because of Christ. But I still understand why I couldn't be a priest back then.

God is strict and holy and righteous and He enforces His ideals. This is not a bad thing, it's a revelation of how holy He is. Seeing a blind guy passing up the priesthood, even though he qualifies in all other areas, is a living illustration of God's holiness.

Seeing Christ remove the curse of the Law so me, a blind guy, can be in the priesthood of God, is a great demonstration of His grace.

Fat Pastors

2009-01-12T08:29:00.002-06:00

Pastors are often fat. Don't know if you've noticed that or not. It's true. It's often because we sit around a lot and we often go out to eat with people and people give us food and what can ya do?

However, many pastors are not fat. I saw a link to this ad, encouraging pastors to come lose weight. The guy who runs this weight loss deal is a pastor and he aint fat.

Wow, I could totally serve the Lord better if I looked like this!

Let me tell ya brother, you been served.

Yeah. Anyway.

Important Stuff

2009-01-11T14:05:00.003-06:00

I've often heard that when God repeats something three times it's very important. If God went out of His way to use the same words over and over in the Bible you better pay attention.

I guess I can't argue, but let me also add, stuff that's only said once is pretty important too!

For example, watch how the NT interprets the OT. Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was. He said it was to love God and love your neighbor. There are no commandments greater than these.

Here's the thing, "love they neighbor as thyself" is only said once in the OT! Leviticus 19:18 says it and that's it! Yet Jesus sees this as one of two main points of the Law!

Furthermore, when Jesus says this (in Mark 12:31) the scribe who asked Him the question agrees and says these two commands are better than any burnt offering or sacrifice. Even non-Jesus guys understood the importance of love in the OT!

Yet it was only said once!

Seems to me, allowing the Bible to interpret itself, when God says something even once it's a pretty big point! It might even be the biggest point!

Scotte Hodel

2009-01-10T13:53:00.002-06:00

Me internet buddy Scotte, who has been battling cancer for some time now, died last night. Scotte compiled a book of thoughts through his battle with cancer and shared it with me awhile back. He was a regular reader and commenter on this blog for many years.

He had a great sense of humor and was an encouraging brother in Christ.

Satan is a jerk.

But we win.

Deliverance to Obedience

2009-01-10T11:35:00.007-06:00

We have many misconstrued notions about the Law of Moses. One of them is that people kept the Law solely out of fear, if they kept the Law God would be good to them. I don't argue that fear was a motivator, Scripture clearly says that, but if the point stops there it's only half true.

Israel was to keep the Law also because God was good to them. We have the weird idea that obedience today is because God has been good to us, as if this were some new thing.

"For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy."
Leviticus 11:45

Part of the reason Israel was to obey was because God had been good to them by delivering them from slavery. The keeping of the Law was Israel's condition for remaining in the Promised Land. It was never given to bring spiritual salvation.

They blew it. Joel comes along and says that a day is coming when God will put His Spirit in His people and they will obey (Joel 2:28-32).

Peter quotes Joel in Acts 2:16-21 saying that Pentecost was a fulfilling of Joel. (However, if you look up the passages you'll note that Peter cuts Joel short. Joel goes on to talk about Zion and uniting the land, a further fulfillment is yet to come in the Millennial Kingdom.)

However, my point is this: Israel was to obey the Law to get in and remain in the Promised Land. They didn't do it. Joel says a time is coming when they will obey because the Spirit of God will allow them to obey.

Peter says believers are currently living in a partial fulfillment of this, the spiritual form of the kingdom, or the mystery form of the kingdom alive today. We could care less about geographical locations, Christ's Kingdom is not of this world, but obedience is still the result of the indwelling Spirit.

Therefore, as God told Israel to obey because He delivered them from slavery to Egypt, God is now telling us to obey because He has delivered us from slavery to sin. "And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness" (Romans 6:18).

Beautiful stuff. Obedience always follows the faith that truly responds to God's deliverance, and with the indwelling Spirit there is no excuse.

All of Israel was delivered from Egypt but not all Israel obeyed God. "They are not all Israel that are of Israel" (Romans 9:6). Just the same today, Christ has delivered all men from sin, but not all men respond. Every man who responds by faith, whether in Moses' day or ours, is obedient.

Be holy because I delivered you from Egypt
is the same as
Be holy because I delivered you from sin.

iPods and Heaven

2009-01-10T10:38:00.003-06:00

My dear sister bought me an ipod for Christmas, a blatant violation of our Christmas present giving rules. However, you gotta take what you get.

The problem with an ipod is that it's very easy to buy a song and then grow to not like it quickly, making you feel like you wasted money buying a dumb song. Especially since this happens with every song, with a few exceptions, it gives me anxiety when I think of buying a new song.

Why buy it? I'll just grow to not like it. If I never hear the song much I'll potentially continue to like it for the rest of my life because I'll rarely ever hear it. Catch-22.

Thinking about new songs and how nice it would be to buy a new song that never got old, a song that would continue to bring joy, reminded me of the New Song that will be sung in heaven (Revelation 14:3).

This new song is new because it has never been heard before. But I wonder if, since we're in heaven where there is no time, the new song will actually remain new for eternity?!

Once again, the things of this earth are but a shadow of the perfection in store for us in heaven.

Augustine on the Church

2009-01-09T07:48:00.000-06:00

"The church is a whore, but she's my mother."

He's Coming?

2009-01-09T07:40:00.001-06:00

Maybe just moving furniture but still, something's brewing out there.

Scripture Only and Faith Alone

2009-01-08T08:25:00.003-06:00

This morning, for the 4,623rd time, I heard one of my children say

First is the worst.
Second is the best.
Third is the one with the treasure chest.

This is said now every time my three kids are told to do something. I have explained, approximately 2,347 times that this is a really dumb thing to say because it's not true and shows an ungracious, sore-loser attitude.

However, they keep saying it. I imagine they say it because my kids never come in first and it makes a group of losers feel better to pick on the lonely winner, plus it has a nice rhythm to it. It sounds good. After going through all this as my kids went out the door, I sat down at the computer and read this.

It's about an emergent church leader criticizing the Sola Scriptura idea of the Reformers. I actually don't mind what she says, she's at least being honest. All other churches still maintain sola scriptura (the idea that the Bible is the sole source of faith and practice) but in practicality completely operate contrary to the idea. I don't agree with her, but it takes some nerve to at least admit flat out you aint gonna even try any more.

Ever since the Reformation we have claimed that 1) the Bible is our sole authority and 2) we are all justified by faith alone. These are nice ideas, they sound good, so we say them. However, they aren't true.

The first one, the Bible is our sole authority, isn't true just because it isn't! The idea is true, the Bible is our sole authority, but it's been a long time since we've let the Bible decide things for us. Our guys' interpretation of the Bible is mostly our authority these days in codified theology.

The second one, that we are justified by faith alone, well, that's just not true. Again, if number one were true, that the Bible is our sole authority, we would understand this. The only time faith alone is even found in the Bible is when James says "not by faith alone." This is the main reason Luther (Mr. Faith Alone himself) wanted to chuck James out of the Bible.

To go beyond James all you have to do is look up "justified by" on your computer Bible concordance and see how many results you get. More than one. You will then note that we are justified by more than just faith alone. Furthermore, to look at all contexts where justification is brought up you'll note a few more results that will undermine this swell sounding idea.

Now, the response here is to wonder what deep end Jeff just fell into. There's no deep end. It's simply what happens when a guy reads the Bible a lot: you notice things.

The attempt to speak the truth rather than say just what sounds nice, stuff that has a nice ring to it, is not that hard. You're just not gonna win many friends and influence people. Just depends what you're shooting for.

Jesus is God

2009-01-07T17:11:00.002-06:00

John 12:41 is cool.

"These things said Isaiah, when he saw his glory, and spake of him." The "his" and "him" of this verse are referring to Jesus Christ. Isaiah saw the glory of Jesus Christ!

More than likely this took place in Isaiah 6:1, "I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple."

The Lord sitting on the throne was Jesus Christ, another great proof text that Jesus Christ is God.

You gotta love it.

Sarkicophobia

2009-01-07T08:55:00.002-06:00

One of the best things I've ever read on a blog.

Deserved Grace?

2009-01-06T15:06:00.002-06:00

Grace is a huge concept, much huger than most people make it. Our modern definition of God's grace has boiled down to "undeserved favor." That definition is OK, as far as it goes.

However, when people further explain it they tend to make it go much further. Usually it is said that you can't do anything to get grace. Grace is there and then it's there more or something.

The problem with this is that not everyone is a participant in God's grace. If you don't have to do anything to get it then everyone has it. Therefore, everyone would be saved.

This makes no logical or biblical sense. Yet, in order to attempt to be consistent with our definition, "undeserved favor," we think we have to go to that stupid length.

You have to do something to get grace or else everyone would have it and grace wouldn't be grace, it would just be there, the way things were. Now doing something to get grace is a long way from saying I deserve grace.

Let me say it again for emphasis, doing something to get grace is a long way from saying I deserve grace.

My kids don't deserve my ice cream. Ever. Dessert for my kids is always out of my grace. However, if I told them that if they eat all their supper I'll give them ice cream that is a condition.

Even if they eat all their supper, they still don't deserve my ice cream! It's just a condition I put on the favor of my ice cream.

Now, before you get the matches out to light my fire, allow the word of God to speak, the Word which says things that mean things. "God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble."

Humility is a condition of grace. Humble people don't deserve anything, let alone God's grace. But only humble people get God's grace. I imagine that means something.

Her Seed

2009-01-05T13:33:00.003-06:00

I read this thing about Jesus' birth tying it back to Eve and "her seed" that would come and bruise Satan's head. The author said that this was the only time a seed was attributed to a woman (her seed) and signified the virgin birth or some such.

Well, it stuck in my mind because first, if it were true it is kind of a cool point, one I was close to going public with. Second, I wondered if it was true.

It's not. I just read Genesis 24:60, which refers to Rebekah's seed.

Point being, always verify these things before making a point out of them, especially if it's a doctrinal point. People poke these things apart and then dismiss the entire doctrine because of it.

Be careful out there.

Pope Cologne

2009-01-05T12:46:00.002-06:00

Didn't get everything you wanted for Christmas?

It's only because they didn't know you wanted it. Now they know, and they've made it available.

Top Ten US Christian Persecutions for 2008

2009-01-05T12:44:00.002-06:00

Wow, if this list is true, things are pretty good for Christians in America.

Roland Burris and God

2009-01-05T12:34:00.002-06:00

Roland Burris, the guy appointed by Governor Blagojevich to replace Obama in the senate, had this to say about resistance to his appointment,

"We are hoping and praying that they will not be able to deny what the Lord has ordained," Burris said. "I am not hesitating. I am now the junior Senator from the state of Illinois. Some people may want to question that and that is their prerogative."

Hmm, on the one hand, if something happens it's because God made it happen. On the other hand, if God does the ordaining, what's with the money under the table business? Hmm.

God is Seeking

2009-01-04T14:28:00.002-06:00

"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).

I read an interesting cross reference with that verse last week. The author tied it in with Genesis 3:9 where Adam and Eve were hiding after they sinned, "And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?"

Ever since then God has been seeking sinners. How many have the guts to answer God's question and receive His provision?

Winds of Change

2009-01-02T15:59:00.000-06:00

Well, I made it official this week, I announced to my church a major decision in my life. A change that will effect many people, possibly affect them as well. It's a decision I have thought over with much thought and, yes, even prayer.

I have decided to renounce my fandom in the Chicago Cubs and Bears. I am now going to abandon my childhood teams and move over to be a fan of the teams the people I live with root for, and yes, that would be the Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Brewers.

Now, for those of you who know me, you know this is no minor shift. However, I do it for three main reasons.

1) The Apostle Paul tells me that I should be all things to all men, to identify with the people you are with. I think there is much truth there. It's hard to love people when I am happy their teams stink. Really, it is for me.

2) In all honesty, I'm quite tired of the regular, year in year out idiocy of the Chicago sports teams. I feel I've done my time and to go on with such idiots can only impact my own idiocy, which I need no more of.

3) Once I leave cheering for the Cubs and Bears they will indeed win the World Series and Super Bowl soon, so I'm actually helping my family who still root for the infidel Chicago teams.

So, that's my big announcement. Hopefully it impacts you very little.

Go Pack!

New Year New Goal

2009-01-01T14:02:00.001-06:00

The past few years I have found it very rewarding to read the Bible through as many times as possible. My goal last year was four and I regret to admit that I did not do it. I only made it through three times.

However, I still think it was one of the more rewarding ideas I've ever had. I'd encourage all of you to try it. Even if you only want to read it once (gasp) try to do it in three or four months.

Reading the Bible quickly gives you a great idea of what's going on. Really helps you gather the context of the whole book and how the separate parts fit in. It's great to see the continuity of the book but also the distinctions. How differently God deals with people, to see prophecy made and fulfilled. God is truly the same yesterday, today and forever, the Book makes that plain.

I don't know, it's just cool. I will once again endeavor to read it four times this year. I am encouraging you to try it. It'll blow your mind.

No Room in the Inn?

2008-12-31T13:49:00.000-06:00

I was talking before about dealing with the actual words of Scripture and adjusting our beliefs accordingly. Here's another example of that.

Luke 2:7, "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

The word for further investigation today is "inn." Inn is the Greek word kataluma. Here are the only other two uses of it in the NT:

Luke 22:11 and Mark 14:14, which both say "And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?"

Translating the word as "inn" botches the true meaning of the word. In fact, Greek has a different word for an inn, a public lodging place, pandocheion, used in the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:34.

Does it mean anything significant? Not really, only that whatever house Joe and his wife were going to stay at didn't have any room in their guestroom, which makes sense because lots of people were in town. Bethlehem was not a major town nor on a major route to anywhere making it further doubtful they would have had a commercial inn.

Anyway, no big deal. Just thought it was interesting.

Who was Born in Bethlehem?

2008-12-30T13:48:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago I asked a series of trick questions to a group of kids to show them they don't know as much about the birth of Christ as they thought. One question was: How old was Jesus when He was born? No one got it right.

I pointed them to Micah 5:2 where Messiah is said to come out of Bethlehem and "whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Jesus was eternal when He was born!

Jesus Himself backs up these words Himself when He said things like, "Before Abraham was, I AM." He said that His Father "lovedst me before the foundation of the world."

When Christ made these claims of eternalness, it was supposed to clue people in that Jesus was the Messiah, the one Micah 5:2 was talking about being born in Bethlehem. The one born in Bethlehem was around for quite some time.

He's your God. You'd do well to meet Him soon.

The Radical Process of Regeneration

2008-12-29T09:18:00.000-06:00

The title of this post is a phrase I saw. Regeneration is a moment but it begins a process. Just as a baby is born at a specific time, the birth is the necessity that leads to the process of growth. The Bible repeatedly illustrates spiritual growth with physical growth.

That being said, is it radical? A tree does not radically grow does it? It grows slowly, bit by bit. However, if a guy were to plant a seed and then return to it many years later, one would see radical growth.

I think that is an adequate way to describe spiritual growth. Unfortunately, two main ideas have distorted this process. And, of course, they are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

1) "Now that I'm converted I'm perfect! All temptation magically melts away. Resisting sin is no longer hard work. All problems are, poof, gone!"

2) "I was born again, what else do ya want? As long as I said the prayer I'm in. Growth is possible but I don't really have to worry about it, it's God's problem not mine."

View 1 sees regeneration as a lucky rabbit's foot that cures all ills and struggles. This shows a total lack of understanding of why we have armor, why faith is a fight, why we run with patience. It jumps to the ends without the means. It sees the tree as full grown right after being planted.

View 2 sees regeneration as just something else we did. Like going to the store. "Yeah, I have groceries now, I might cook later." It eliminates the power of the Spirit, it undermines the sufficiency and power of Jesus Christ, it darkens the illuminating light of the quick and powerful Word of God, it completely ignores Scriptures that tell us to wake up, change, cleanse yourself, put off the old and put on the new. It denies the active role of grace that teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously and godly. It squarely blames God for its lack of maturity. It views a perpetual seed as being good enough.

Both views are wrong. Allow me to present a third view.

3) "Christ has begun a good work in me, a work that He will complete. It's a work I'm all for so I join in, using all that Christ has offered me. I now see sin for what it is and it disgusts me, so I resist the devil, put off the old man and make no provision for the flesh. I now see the great beauty in doing what is right, in loving the Lord and loving my neighbor as myself. I see life for what it is. I am departing from the world already and headed toward heaven. Bring it on!"

View 3 sees the whole deal, it sees the seed, the humble beginning, but it also sees the potential for the tree. It views Christ as the perfect man and starts moving in that direction. Regeneration is our need, ask Nicodemus, and it is also all we need. If it truly happened, it won't keep you the same, but it won't do it immediately either. Run with patience, finish the course, fight the fight!

Psalm 84 and Mecca

2008-12-27T20:03:00.002-06:00

I am doing my Saturday night routine of reading commentaries on the Psalm I am teaching tomorrow. While surfing the net commentaries on Psalm 84, I saw this one that says Psalm 84 is a passage Muslims use to say that the Bible teaches us to take a pilgrimage to Mecca.

The key phrase is "the valley of Baca" (Psalm 84:6). At one point in the Koran, Mecca is given the name Bakkah. Dude.

However, no offense to my Muslim readers, but this claim cannot be carried out with any logic whatsoever. Psalm 84 clearly shows that the Valley of Baca is passed through on the way to the place of worship, the house of God, the temple, Zion.

So, anyway, don't worry, the Bible still does not teach taking a pilgrimage to Mecca. You may all unpack now.

J. Vernon McGee on Preaching

2008-12-27T15:31:00.002-06:00

"The old-fashioned methods of preaching were topical, textual and expository. There is a tendency to depart from all three--in fact, to depart from Scripture altogether. Sermons have become pep-talks on psychology, political speeches on the United Nations, or propaganda for some new fad. Someone has defined the modern church as a place where a mild-mannered man gets up before some mild-mannered people and urges them to be more mild-mannered."

"[The preacher] should seek, in prayer before God, a burning heart. He should speak as Wesley said: 'A dying man to dying men!' McCheyne wrote, 'Speak for eternity.' Paul stated in the language of the Spirit, 'Woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel.' The prophet cried that the Word was a fire shut up in his bones. The preacher who does not love to preach should carefully examine his call to the ministry."

Quotes from J. Vernon McGee, 1959

Pastor's Books

2008-12-27T09:35:00.003-06:00

I read this morning that a pastor should spend as much on his library as he does on his car. Well, depending on what kind of car you have that may not be much. But seriously? Do we need that many books?

The Early Church pretty much taught with the Old Testament and the new New Testament books being circulated. Other than that, they didn't have much to go with. Yet they preached and souls were saved.

I understand the value of books and I read all the time, but I get a little tired of hearing this idea that if a pastor doesn't read books his sermons and soul will run dry. What a charge to level against the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit!

Yet I hear it all the time in pastoral advice. Most Christian books are not worth your time. Trust me on that one. Good reference books are very helpful and have greatly added to our understanding of Scriptures over the years.

At the same time, most of these books have also hurt our spiritual growth. We quote our guys with Scriptural authority. Maybe protestants don't think the pope is infallible, but "our guys" get pretty close.

Perhaps if we had to face Scripture on our own instead of waiting for other guys to stir us and then copy them, perhaps pastors would be springs of living water all the time.

America in Biblical Prophecy

2008-12-26T19:15:00.002-06:00

Here are the major opinions as to America's presence in Bible prophecy:

1) The eagle that helps out Israel in Revelation 8:13.

2) The beast with the two horns in Revelation 17.

3) The whore or giant consumer, Babylon of Revelation 17.

4) The people tall and smooth of Isaiah 18:7.

5) America will all but disappear in the Rapture.

I reject pretty much all of these, especially 5. Give me a break. How can America be viewed as either the great whore or decimated by the rapture? American Christian studiousness on display.

The two I would gravitate toward, although never give full support to, are 1 and 3. Wondering why we're not in prophecy can be pretty easily answered: we aren't in the Middle East region. About 98% of all nations are not mentioned in Bible prophecy. Welcome to universal mediocrity USA.

King of Kings Plus at Least One Other King

2008-12-26T14:35:00.003-06:00

My man Nate has a good post on Obama, abortion and the need for Christians to stop screaming and start saving people. Indeed, it's the only answer to all life's problems.

At the same time, I see an article about the Rev. Ed Dobson who spent this past year emulating Christ in diet, dress, and attempting to carry out Jesus' teachings. The article details some of his struggles with trying to be Jesus including this here:

"Jesus' troubling teachings influenced him to vote for Barack Obama -- his first vote for a Democrat for president. Though disagreeing with Obama on abortion, he said, "I felt, as an individual, he was closer to the spirit of Jesus' teachings than anyone else. (Obama) was a community organizer, so he was into the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed, which Jesus is very much into."

Now, OK, that's fine, trying to be Christ, won't begrudge a man for that. But I don't get this paragraph at all.

How can you read the Gospels and come away thinking you should vote for anyone? Jesus lived during one of the most corrupt and evil governments ever. A government that was instrumental in killing Him.

Never once did He voice any opinion about going to them for help, giving a rip what they were up to, or anything else. His only opinion was that we should love everyone.

He's either the King of Kings or He aint. If He is, no other king matters.

Heary Ye, Hear Ye

2008-12-25T15:00:00.001-06:00

My Christmas message.

Don't Forget. . .

2008-12-25T07:50:00.002-06:00

. . . the real reason for the season is that you are a horrible, pathetic, rotten, miserable sinner.

"And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin."
1 John 3:5

"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."
1 John 3:8

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."
1 Timothy 1:15

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."
Matthew 1:21

"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:"
Romans 8:3

Curing Neuroses

2008-12-24T21:16:00.002-06:00

From William Ayer

"True Christians help others and forget themselves, which is one of the best ways of getting rid of neuroses."

"Get out of your home, forget your personal troubles, and start helping others who are in real trouble, and you will soon forget about your own problems. Remember Christ; He had many troubles but He forgot Himself into immortality."

Samson as Example

2008-12-24T21:11:00.002-06:00

I found an old book in my basement that was one of my dad's text books from college. In the front cover was his book review he wrote.

It made me laugh because all he did was reword the introduction of the book with many superfluous words. That's exactly how I got through college!

Anyway, I found a fun quote by William Ayer

"There are times when the preacher should feel like I think Samson felt when the power of God came upon him and he grabbed the ass's jawbone, backed into a corner and yelled for the Philistines to come on."

Cool.

D. L. Moody on Spiritual Leadership

2008-12-24T18:18:00.002-06:00

My father in law once removed, or something, gave me a book on D. L. Moody and spiritual leadership. It's a short little book, 180 pages, put out by Moody Press, written by Steve Miller, fly like an eagle, man.

What a cool little book. I found it to be very encouraging and great reminders. Moody always said, "Consecrate then concentrate." Find your thing to do for the Lord and then do it. Dedicate your life to it.

Love people. Serve people. Study the Word. Pray. Follow the Spirit and resist the flesh. Be humble. Be holy as your message won't get past your life. Have a passion to save souls.

Good stuff. Get this book!

Furthermore. . .

2008-12-24T08:54:00.002-06:00

My earlier post told you about a new pet peeve of mine, one of many. Here is a further thought that came to me while writing it.

Which of the following options sounds more like giving with love?

1) I will not buy Christmas presents for my family so I can give to the poor.

2) I will stop buying anything for me at all times of the year because I am going to buy things for others at all times of the year.

It's always easier to not buy things for your kids than it is to stop buying things for yourself. Make the kids sacrifice for your good deeds. Nice.

Quit playing games.

Christmas Giving

2008-12-24T08:34:00.003-06:00

You would be hard pressed to find a Christian guy who hates Christmas more than I do, you really would. But I'll have to say there is a new trend that kind of bothers me.

This new trend asks people not to buy stuff for their family but rather to give the money to a worthy cause. Now, don't get me wrong, your kids really don't need more junk to play with, I understand. Poor kids in Africa need your money more than your own kids need more Polly Pockets, that's not my problem.

My problem is this: Why is giving to charity only an option when it means I don't give to someone else? In other words, you're saving money from one thing to give to another. Is that really charitable giving or is that just a slick way to not feel so guilty?

Guilt levels drop because 1) you didn't give in to consumerism (even though you'll just be guilted into buying them a bigger birthday present, you know, because you didn't really get them anything for Christmas) and 2) you helped poor kids.

Scripture tends to recommend giving out of your lack, not out of your abundance. Furthermore, Scripture does say to provide for your own family or else you are worse than an infidel.

It reminds me of churches who cancel Sunday services to help the neighbors. What happened to the other 6 days and 23 hours of the week? Why can't people sacrifice to give stupid Christmas presents and charitable giving? Why is it one or the other?

The Vatican you Won't Always Have With You

2008-12-23T18:48:00.000-06:00

A Philippine lawmaker on Tuesday asked the Catholic Church to use the money from mass collection to help poor Filipinos instead of remitting the donations to the Vatican.

Live at Bethlehem Square

2008-12-23T18:45:00.001-06:00

"Twenty-first century gospel is what we are calling it," said Mike Peros of Pinellas Park, whose IPrayTV network is providing a live video stream of the square at the Church of the Nativity beginning Christmas Eve. The stream will include a two-hour service that will be taped and replayed throughout Christmas Day.

Mass for Cash

2008-12-23T18:44:00.001-06:00

Some senior German politicians have caused a stir by suggesting that only citizens who pay church tax should be allowed to attend Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

Worried that regular churchgoers cannot find a seat due to the popularity of the traditional Christmas service, Thomas Volk, a top member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives in Baden-Wuerttemberg, said the church should be selective.

Your Biggest Problem

2008-12-23T12:30:00.002-06:00

We are in day 4 of 16 of Christmas Break. This break is annually spent reminding my children what it is like to live with their father as opposed to a bunch of liberal whacko teachers who think they're special.

One of my children got a treat taken away from them today. A treat they have been waiting to eat all day. A treat they got as a gift. A treat that is now in the garbage because certain children don't listen very well.

I had a talk with this child explaining to them their biggest problem. Their biggest problem in life is not their brother, or their sister, or their propensity to argue, or anything else. Their biggest problem is ME. When I become a bigger problem to you than your brother, we know we've arrived!

If you don't listen to dad all manner of horrible thing will happen to you.

Got me to thinking about life. Many people think they're biggest problem in life is sin, temptation, other people, Satan, their flesh, etc. It's not true. Your biggest problem in life is God. How will you stand before Him?

If we feared God more than we fear anyone or anything else then we are overcomers. Our problem is a lack of God-fearing. I believe that's why Paul said, "Perfect holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1). Indeed.

Assurance is no Guarantee

2008-12-23T11:46:00.002-06:00

Words mean things.

Usually.

But sometimes they mean what they don't mean. Sometimes we make them mean other things. Two words in theology that do that are "assurance" and "security."

Since the Bible teaches the eternal security of the believer, we assume that all who have it have assurance. This is not true.

Some who have assurance do not have eternal security and some who have eternal security may not have assurance.

Allow an illustration. Jesus couldn't stand the Pharisees, they were children of their father the Devil. The Pharisees probably had more assurance than anyone else in the time of Christ.

When most people are waffling around with doubt, our attempt is to usually say something like, "Oh, don't worry. You're in. Put away all doubt, don't even think about it."

I doubt that's as safe advice as we might hope it is. I don't know the eternal security of a person and the Bible certainly seems to point out that assurance is no guarantee of security. We probably shouldn't confuse the two either.

Preaching Smartish

2008-12-22T13:52:00.002-06:00

"It is a stupid thing to try to be eloquent."
--D. L. Moody

I agree with the sentiment and with the usage of my favorite word "stupid."

Literal Til it Hurts

2008-12-20T19:41:00.003-06:00

My problem with many of my fellow brethren who interpret the Bible literally is that usually their literalness stops at a point where being literal is inconvenient to maintain a pet doctrine.

(By the way, "literal" to me means finding out the literal usage of the words the Bible is using. If the Bible is using the words figuratively, I literally interpret them figuratively. You can determine when the Bible is being literal by the context, usually.)

Many of my literal brethren will balk at being literal with certain passages. Allow me to illustrate with 1 Corinthians 9:27, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

When looking this verse up in my literal brethren's commentaries (including the Scofield notes, John Walvoord, and others), they all interpret this word "castaway" to refer to Paul losing reward for service.

However, if a fellar were to look up the Greek word for "castaway" and how it is used in the rest of the NT (allowing Scripture to tell us what Paul meant with this word) you will notice that every other time the word is used it refers to a nonbeliever. (Romans 1:28; 2 Corinthians 13:5-7; 2 Timothy 3:8; Titus 1:16; Hebrews 6:7,8). It is never used to merely describe losing a reward.

If a guy were interpreting Scripture with Scripture one would have to conclude that Paul is worried about being called an unbeliever. The obvious problems with this arise. Is Paul saying he could lose his salvation? Is eternal security out the window?

These are questions I'm not responsible to answer for you! My responsibility is to tell you exactly what the Bible says. Your job is to figure out the implications. Have fun!

Psalm 82 and Being Literal

2008-12-20T16:20:00.004-06:00

I am very much a literalist when it comes to reading the Bible. Scripture should interpret Scripture. One of the best ways to do this is to observe how the New Testament interprets the Old Testament. Jesus was great at this.

I am preaching on Psalm 82, which Jesus quotes a part of in John 10:34. He is being threatened with death because He is claiming to be God. He counters with Psalm 82 where it says rulers are gods. If it's OK for the Scripture to call rulers gods, how is it wrong for Him, God's actual ruler, to claim to be God?

This is startling! After Jesus said this, the Jews still wanted to kill Him. I'm sure this is not a well known Bible verse, that people are called gods. However, that's exactly how Jesus interprets it and He leaves it at that.

Since that's the way the Scriptures have it, and God means everything He says, these guys must have been gods (elohims). God's Word cannot be broken! Again, startling stuff.

This probably gets too close to threatening our "God is one" idea. It doesn't really, but it makes us uncomfortable. We'd rather not discuss it. Jesus seems to find these passages we'd rather ignore and make a major point with them.

The Bible is tough, it makes you face your theology and sometimes it threatens the borders. This is why most people don't really read it. We're safer that way. I'll bet God is not impressed with that approach.

Silent Night

2008-12-20T12:41:00.000-06:00

Police investigating a fatal church accident are looking at the possibility that a safety harness worn by a Christmas pageant performer failed during an aerial rope act.

Results of a preliminary police investigation released Friday conclude that the death of Keri Shryock, 23, of suburban Toledo, was an accident.

The NIV and 1 Corinthians 5:5

2008-12-19T15:04:00.004-06:00

I was reading in 1 Corinthians in the NIV, (I know, I know) and came across 1 Corinthians 5:5, which the NIV has as, "hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord."

I just about jumped out of my chair, and would have if I weren't so stinking cold in my basement and hadn'a had a blanket wrapped around me. What a butchery to the text on that one! Here is the KJV rendering of the verse.

"To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."

The NIV interprets the word "flesh" for us, one of many reasons I detest the NIV. Using your doctrinal ideas to interpret words rather than translate them is dangerous, fairly close to adding things to the Bible.

More than that, it doesn't even make sense. How is Satan, and why would Satan, destroy the sin nature? Your sin nature is his biggest buddy. The verse seems to be saying that if this sinner keeps sinning their body, their flesh, is going to get hurt and hopefully this will lead them to salvation.

To me that makes sense. However, this does not mean that I would translate the word flesh as "the physical body." It's safest to let it sit as the simple word itself.

Anyway, carry on. Burn your NIV.

Rick Warren on the Social Gospel

2008-12-18T14:38:00.002-06:00

The Social Gospel is a concept rolling around in Christianity for some time. It's the idea that Christians are here to reform society not so much to save people for eternity. Here is Warren's criticism of it:

“Really in many ways it was just Marxism in Christian clothing,” he criticized. “[I]t was in vogue at that time that if we redeem society then man will automatically get better. It didn’t deal with the heart.”

Warren sees that Christianity deals both with the body and the soul. He also criticizes much of Christianity for being coldly all about the soul with little love shown for physical needs.

BBC Spot on Street Pastors

2008-12-18T14:35:00.002-06:00

The BBC, a great channel featuring people with great accents, has a spot on a group of Christian "street pastors" who go out on Friday nights and assist drunk people. Kind of a cool idea.

Expert Christians

2008-12-18T10:53:00.002-06:00

Facebook has a Tetris application. The first time I played it I finished in the 91st percentile. I am currently in the 96th percentile of 1.4 million users.

My Tetris skills date back to college where I bought the first Game Boy Nintendo made and couldn't afford any other games besides Tetris, which came with it. So, instead of doing homework for five years in college, I played Tetris. I rock. It's true, it's true.

Being an expert at something requires at least 10,000 hours of deliberate practice, or so I'm told. That's 416 straight 24 hour days. 1,250 8 hour days (3 1/2 years with no day off). I think I have come pretty close to that number over the years in my Tetris skills.

What a waste of perfectly good time. It is fun though! Anyway, I was sent a link about Wesley's guidelines for pastors and it got me to thinking. What exactly would an expert Christian look like? What would you do for 10,000 hours to qualify? Is it even possible?

Wesley sure seemed to think so. Here are a few tidbits:

"Be diligent. Never be unemployed. Never be triflingly employed. Never while away time, nor spend more time at any place than is strictly necessary."

"Be ashamed of nothing but sin ; no, not of cleaning your own shoes, when necessary."

"Be punctual. Do every thing exactly at the time. And do not mend our Rules, but keep them, and that for conscience sake."

"You have nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore spend and be spent in this work. And go always, not only to those who want you, but to those who want you most."

"Act in all things, not according to your own will, but as a son in the Gospel, and in union with your brethren. As such, it is your part to employ your time as our Rules direct ; partly in preaching and visiting from house to house, partly in reading, medi- tation, and prayer."

"as often as possible, rise at four o'clock. From four to five in the morning, and from six to seven in the evening, meditate, pray, and read, partly the holy Scriptures, and partly the most close and practical parts of what Mr. Wesley has published. From six in the morning till twelve (allowing an hour for breakfast) read in order, with much prayer, the Christian Library, and all our other books, whether in prose or in verse, and especially all Mr. Wesley's Sermons."

"In the afternoon visit as many of the sick, and those who want your help, as you can ; and you will have work enough for all your time. Then no Preacher will stay with us who is as salt that hath lost its savour ; for to such this employment would be mere drudgery. And in order to it, you will have need of all the useful knowledge you can procure."

I would totally kick Wesley's butt at Tetris.

The One Way of Salvation

2008-12-17T17:02:00.002-06:00

Here is the sermon I preached on Sunday, which I brought up on the blog the other day. It was a fun sermon to bring. I love the Bible. So good. I'd be appreciative if you could give it some time.

Rick Warren to do Inauguration

2008-12-17T14:27:00.001-06:00

"Pro-life pastor Rick Warren will give the invocation at President-Elect Barack Obama’s inauguration."

Amish Mortgages

2008-12-17T14:16:00.003-06:00

Amid all the housing and loan crises we are living through, there is one sector of the economy doing quite well: banks that loan to Amish farmers.

The Amish live well within their means — no splurging on iPods or HDTVs, no dinners out that they really can't afford. The Amish think that missing a payment brings shame — not just on them, but on their whole family, their whole community.

Are the Amish legalistic? Yes. Do the Amish have an incredible testimony? Yes. Makes you wonder what exactly all us "grace people" are up to.

God's Humor

2008-12-16T13:38:00.009-06:00

I wonder if God feels the same way I do about humor. People do not read the Bible for comedy. This is too bad because there are some comedic passages. I will share a few of my favorite.

Luke 22:35-38, I'll quote it in full because I know you won't look it up.

"And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing?
And they said, Nothing.
Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.
And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords.
And he said unto them, It is enough." And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

Now, I've been with guys, I know how they talk. Here's how this conversation probably went.

Jesus said to them, "Hey, remember how I told you before not to take stuff with you on your journeys?"
"Yeah." Said the disciples.
"Did you lack anything on those trips?"
"Um, no."
"Well, now you better take some stuff with you. Take some money and a few swords. People are going to come get me soon so you're pretty much on your own now."
"Um, Lord? How about these swords?"
"OK," Jesus throwing his hands up said, "That's enough."

See, they already had swords. "Take some swords with you now." "You mean like these?" Why did they have swords? They were already not listening. Jesus was exasperated, "OK, that's enough." And then he got up and left!

Funny. Or is it?

Pastor Jokes Part 2

2008-12-16T13:33:00.002-06:00

Hey! Brant, from the Letters From Kamp Krusty blog on which I made my comment, thought it was funny! As long as he and I know I'm being funny I'm satisfied.

Sometimes my satire is so subtle the satirical nature flops right over people's heads.

One of the funniest things I wrote on this blog, in my not so humble opinion, is this post about the gay teletubby. I thought it was hilarious and even more hilarious that no one thought I was being funny.

I mean, seriously, to miss the gay teletubby thing you would have to be living in a cave. Not just any old cave, but like a cave in a totally Muslim country that didn't allow Christian broadcasting waves in their airspace. And even then, in the very back end darkest part of that cave.

Anyway, I thought it was hilarious. Even if I'm the only one who enjoys my humor, I will persevere to the end. Amen.

Pastor Jokes

2008-12-16T12:34:00.002-06:00

Pastors often look like dorks. I was recently thinking about this. Why do so many pastors tell stupid jokes and sound corny?

I arrived at my answer: It's because we find ourselves in many situations where we have no idea what to do or say, so we say dumb things.

There is also potentially another answer that at least explains why I come across as a dork: I am one.

I have a strange sense of humor that even I don't get sometimes. Today I put a comment on a blog that I thought was funny, but pretty much no one else would think it was funny because no one would know I was joking.

Why do I do this? Anyone who reads it is going to think, "What a dork." They won't think it's funny. It's just a thing I do. Perhaps, because I'm a pastor I have more confidence to say stupid things in social settings. I'm used to people telling me how dumb I am so who cares?

Perhaps another explanation is that people don't think pastors have a sense of humor. We're not real people with real people thoughts and responses. So when we say something we intended to be funny, it's not interpreted as funny because pastors aren't funny. Even though, if they knew I was joking, it would be funny.

Which leads me to a main reason why pastors don't seem funny: Christians have a very tiny sense of humor. Relax out there people.

In the end, it doesn't really matter. I know I'm funny and my wife, who lives in a constant state of hilarial guffawing, thinks I'm funny too. We'll find out some day if God thinks I'm funny. I hope He has to recover several times from laughing while saying "Well done good and faithful servant." Or would that not really be funny?

Sarah Palin's Church

2008-12-15T18:03:00.003-06:00

Sarah Palin's church was allegedly attacked by arsonists. Wasilla Bible Church, "a church that she visited frequently," started on fire while women were gathered inside doing crafts.

I've heard things about what church women really do when they get together to make crafts, but this, I had no idea it was this bad.

Palin's spokesman told "an assistant pastor that she apologizes if the incident is in any way connected to the undeserved negative attention the church has received since she became a vice presidential candidate on August 29. Whatever the motives of the arsonist, the governor has faith in the scriptural passage that what was intended for evil will in some way be used for good."

The "scriptural passage" is Genesis 50:20, where Joseph says that his brother's act of selling him into slavery worked out pretty well years later. Not sure this is exactly analogous to a church burning but I won't split any hairs over it.

The Schuller Saga

2008-12-15T17:26:00.004-06:00

The Reverend Robert A. Schuller has resigned from his position at the Crystal Cathedral. Apparently, younger Robert got the heave-ho from old dad from the Hour of Power tv show, which is not nearly as powerful as it once was.

Reports say that the two Schullers have a disagreement over the vision of the Crystal Cathedral. Young Bob won't share his pastoral role with other pastors, seems to be one of the reasons for disagreement between the duelling Bobs.

Young Bob is going to start his own ministry. Oh yeah, just what we need. Maybe old Bob needs to focus a little more possibility thinking toward his son.

Editors and Where They Might Be

2008-12-15T16:02:00.001-06:00

What's wrong with the following paragraph?

Every Christmas, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, an event recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Jesus was born in a stable, the Gospel writers tell us, because there was no room in the inn, and He later suffered the ignominious death of being crucified between two thieves.

For the record, my point here is not a criticism of the point of this article, which is a fine point.