A Fire That Lives

Did you ever have one of those experiences when you read a book and said to yourself, “I’m not sure of I got it?” Don’t get me wrong, the book I finished just a few days ago was an entertaining piece of work but when it was all over, I wasn’t sure what the author was actually trying to say from a theological or biblical standpoint. It appears that he was trying to emphasize the fact that those who have grown up without fathers are not abandoned but have become “wounded healers” that have something to invest in the lives of others who grew up in similar circumstances. For me, however, he missed a golden opportunity to allow something much more profound to happen through the experience of his reading his book----he missed allowing the voice of the Lord to speak through the mouthpiece of Scripture throughout the pages. I’m not suggesting that Christian authors fill every other thought with a verse from the Bible, but I am suggesting that as much as we try to convey truth in our own words, sometimes the Word of God speaks to us in greater volumes that our inadequate words ever could attempt to do.

I am now reading another book, The Fire of the Word by Chris Webb. If read properly, it will take me four months to go through this 190 page book. It’s about coming back to a place in our lives where we actually experience the Word of God as it was intended to be experienced. Already, God has given me revelation that I perhaps have not yet considered. As I read my passage of Scripture for today’s reflection, I was reminded of what the “Word of God” means to us who open our Bibles daily in the attempts to hear God’s voice. 1 Samuel 3:1-10 records the story of a young Samuel who receives his calling from the Lord. The imagery is interesting as it shows two different postures of people and two different experiences each one has. First there is Eli. We find him sleeping in his usual place. Then we have Samuel who decides to lay down by the Ark of the Covenant. As you read the story, Samuel is privileged to hear the voice of God calling his name while Eli gets this story second hand from what Samuel experiences. Did you ever think that this is what happens in the church time and time again? There are those who hear God’s voice and those who hear God’s voice second hand through what others experience. The difference is in one’s posture and position before the Lord. Samuel put himself in a place where he was in God’s presence while Eli lived by his routine. Samuel did what was necessary to get as close to God’s presence as he could while Eli was content with being “in the temple” but not in the Most Holy Place.

I think you can easily see the parallels between those who genuinely desire to worship God (Samuel) and those who go through the motions of religion (Eli); however, there is something even more profound in this passage. This is about the Word of the Lord and our ability to hear His voice. God has made it known that He speaks---and I believe He is speaking all of the time. If that is not the case, then we cannot claim that the Bible is the “living Word of God.” His voice constantly speaks to our lives. The problem is that we are not listening. Why? Because our lives are not in position to do so! Hebrews 4:12 states “For the Word of God is LIVING AND ACTIVE…” In other words, each and every time we open the pages of Scripture, GOD IS SPEAKING! But do we hear? Are we listening? Chris Webb made a statement that has stayed with me all week. He suggested that God’s invitation to his word is “not to explain God but to experience God” (Webb 2011, 21). I think too many times when we open His Word we search for “information.” We search for some “truth” he might have for us-----but are we searching FOR HIM? The Bible is much more than a book, but too often I read it like I read To Own a Dragon and I find myself saying, “Some good stuff here but I’m still not satisfied.”

I propose a new approach to God’s Word for this New Year. Rather than being like Eli and opening Scripture from “routine and duty” that we approach it like Samuel. We put ourselves in a position of being able to hear God’s voice----still, quiet, reverent, and making our lives a “Most Holy Place.” If we can do that, then all we need to do is to open our ears and listen for the voice of the Lord. When we open the pages of the Bible we are not opening the pages of just another book----we are opening our lives to the voice of the Lord. He will call our name and when he does we simply need to reply “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

The Coming of a King

It was dark days and the world was in disarray when the announcement first came to a people who were subject to a wicked king, “ The people walking in darkness have seen a great light…for unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders” (Isaiah 9:1, 6). The words of the prophet Isaiah came at a time when trusting God was no longer in the interest of the Israel. King Ahaz had decided, despite the fact that Isaiah had told him to “trust God” when faced with the invasion of an enemy, to take it upon himself to place the “government upon his shoulders.” For most kings, this was the normal way of life----they were kings and they ruled their kingdoms. Not so with Israel. They had a king, but he did not rule the kingdom. He was not to be the supreme ruler; rather, he was to be an administrator and was to faithfully serve the people under the hand of God’s authority. God’s people allowed a tyrant on the throne who had forgotten that when it came to His kingdom, God alone had the authority to rule and reign.

The repercussions of Ahaz (and other kings who choose to place the “government upon their own shoulders”) brought the people of God into even darker days under the rule of an empire not their own: Rome. During those days another announcement came, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:11-12). In the midst of living among the most powerful earthly kingdom to ever be upon the face of the earth in all of history, God announced that His king had now come to change the entire power structure of mankind. This time, however, it was not about lands, armies, empires, or politics. It was about coming to rule the unconquerable kingdom of the hearts of man and the human spirit. Although a few recognized that the “child was given” to rule and reign in their lives, many continued on in the same fashion as Ahaz and trusted in their ability to rule their own lives.

Psalm 89 speaks of God’s rule and reign over all of creation. It calls for men to bow before His throne and just as Isaiah promised, the psalmist recognized that one day that upon David’s throne, would sit one who would be exalted over all the “kings of the earth” and who would rule forever (Psalm 89:27-29). Today, that person is sitting on that throne. Do we recognize that? The psalmist goes on to describe something that is all too common in our world concerning this King---“You have exalted the right hand of his foes…” (Ps. 89:42). The psalmist recognized that because Israel failed to maintain the covenant relationship between and God and themselves, God turned them over to the authority of their enemies. The result is that for many, like in the days of Ahaz and in the days of Rome, nothing has changed and life remains under the rule of someone other than the One who is destined to rule.

Christmas is a powerful reminder that a King has come. He has not come to simply give us a warm and wonderful story that will be reproduced over and over until we lose sight of its true meaning. He came to be KING! He came in the hopes that we would no longer “exalt the right hand” of his foes and would exalt Him to the rightful place in our lives. In the bible, the “right hand” is symbolic of authority, rule, and power. Isaiah’s promise was that when the child was born, the “government will be upon his shoulder.” In other words, He was given the authority to rule and reign in our lives. We’ve been given this promise. We’ve been given this King to rule and reign our lives----but is His right hand exalted in our lives or that of his foes? The foes are no longer physical governments that attempt to dictate to how men should live; consequently, it is the government of men's hearts that stand to assert the “right hand” of authority over Christ. It is pride, greed, envy, lust, anger, bitterness, doubt, worry, and fear that represent the “foes” of this King. We cannot go through life after having encountered the King and then exalt the right hand of his foes in our hearts----otherwise, His coming to us would be in vain. We would be no different that the countless people who throughout the ages have missed the point: Jesus Christ has come to rule and reign as King over our lives. Either He is or He isn’t. A salvation that doesn’t have Jesus Christ reigning in our hearts and reigning over His foes is no salvation at all! 

If there is any doubt as to why Jesus Christ came, it will one day be made crystal clear. This king is coming once again. In his first coming, he established a throne within the hearts of men. In his second coming, he will establish his physical kingdom. No longer will there be ANY foes to be found. Echoing throughout the heavens and the earth we will hear “The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). My prayer is that during this Christmas season you would remember that we have been given a King to rule our lives and because of that, we would actually allow Him to have that place in our hearts.

The Making of an Unshakable Life

The great questions of Psalm 15 “Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary?” and “Who may live on your holy hill?” centers on the realization that there are conditions which are present and must be fulfilled if one is to obtain the privileged life that lives in the favor of the Lord. Jesus echoes this idea throughout the Gospels in making statements such as “…anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27), “ For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20) and “ I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:15). In making such statements, one could easily argue that there are individuals who inherit salvation based on their faith in the work of Christ who are vastly different from those who have experienced salvation but have inherited the kingdom of God as a way of life. The latter are the people, who Spurgeon explains that are “Members of the visible church, which is God’s tabernacle of worship, and hill of eminence,” that “diligently see to it, that they have the preparation of heart which fits them to be inmates of the house of God.”[i] Those who “dwell” in God’s sanctuary and “live on His holy hill” have made certain “marks” in their lives----lines in the sand that have propelled them into a life of Christian maturity.

Centuries before Jesus revealed to His disciples the challenges that would face those who desired to obtain a life defined by the kingdom, David penned the words of Psalm 15 realizing that in order to become a person whose life would be identified as being “unshakable” in worshiping Yahweh, there were stipulations which needed to be fulfilled to experience such a life. Although it only contains five verses, Psalm 15, reveals three “marks” of maturation that must be present in one’s life if one is to live an “unshakable life” that is defined by the presence of God; consequently, these three “marks” are the result of the life-long journey of pursuing a life of spiritual formation, which is steeped in discipline and exercised through the desire to know God deeply and passionately.

The first mark of maturity that allows one to live an unshakable life is purity. David said in response to his question of “who may dwell..?” (v.1) in the sanctuary and holy hill of God, that it is “He whose walk is blameless…”(v.2) who will be able to reside there. The Hebrew word, tamiym means “complete, whole, without defect, and entirely in accord with truth and fact.”[ii] Blamelessness infers that when a life is under examination through the eyes of the Lord, He is seeing a complete, unadulterated heart that is free from sinful contaminates. The whole person is able to stand in purity before the Lord. The way of blamelessness, however, is not an easy road for the believer to walk. It is evident that those who would strive for purity in a world that is over wrought with sin would need to maintain a disciplined life. This calls for the practice of submission in every area of one’s life. Richard Foster explains that submission is “…the ability to lay down the burden of always needing to get our own way.”[iii] It is the self-less life that leads to the blameless life as one seeks to fulfill the living out of the pure love of Christ in “laying down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). As one submits to the will of the Lord, he is able to fulfill the act of blameless living as David described as “who does his neighbor no wrong” (Ps. 15:3).

The second mark of maturity found in Psalm 15 is obedience. David’s observation that those whose walk is “blameless” may dwell in the unshakable place of the Lord’s presence is followed by the addition of “and who does what is righteous” (v.2). The word righteous in this context portrays the meaning of doing what is “ethically and morally right.”[iv] In order for one to do what is morally and ethically “right” one must adhere to the commandments of the Lord. By doing so, one is exercising the discipline of worship. Foster writes that “just as worship begins in holy expectancy, it ends in holy obedience…in all things and in all ways we do exactly what Christ says because we have a holy obedience that has been cultivated over years of experience.”[v] Although the believer has been given a “righteousness in Christ” (Phil. 3:9), the act of righteousness, which David is referring to in Psalm 15, is something which must be exercised in one’s life. Disciplines such as study, prayer, worship, and service, all play an important role in developing an obedient heart which seeks to live out the commandments of the Lord. Only in doing so can one “do what is righteous;” otherwise, acts of righteousness would be exercised through selfish motives rather than the desire to please God. David inserts the application of what the practice of righteousness reflects itself in one’s life as being “…has no slander…does no wrong…casts no slur…keeps his oath…and does not accept a bribe” (Ps. 15:3-5). Thus, obedience to what the Lord requires in one’s life results in acts of righteousness which allows one to “…dwell in your sanctuary” in unshakable worship before the Lord.

The third mark of maturity found in Psalm 15 is one of “integrity.” It has been said, that “Integrity is who you are when no one is looking.”  David’s reflection on this idea in Psalm 15 is found in the phrase, “…who speaks the truth from his heart” (Ps. 15:2). The word “truth” denotes “faithfulness, stability, continuance and reliability.”[vi] Speaking truth from one’s heart expresses more than spoken words. Motives and thoughts are things which also come from the heart. If one is not faithfully, continually, and reliably living out the “truth” of the Christian life then speaking “truth” from one’s heart would be an impossibility. Only a person who will remain true to themselves can fulfill what David had in mind for this requirement of the unshakable life. Matthew 5: 8 states “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”  John Stott notes that those who have a “pure heart” have a heart that is “utterly sincere,” furthermore, he adds that “Their whole life, public and private, is transparent before God…yet how few of us live one life and live it in the open.”[vii] Truth encompasses the essence of the spiritual disciplines. Without one living in integrity, the foundations of spiritual formation cannot be supported as one would deny the truth of who he is in Christ and opt to live his life governed by the flesh. To dwell in the sanctuary of God and live in His holy hill, however, the believer must be true to the life he has been given and through that life----physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, speak the truth in all things.

A life that reflects purity, obedience and integrity is not a result of an instantaneous work of the Spirit; rather, it is a result of a life that journeys on the road of spiritual formation. Psalm 15 shares the important truth that if one chooses to embark on the journey one can live an unshakable life which dwells with the presence of God. Although the believer has been given all he needs in Christ to fulfill what is required for the unshakable life, he must realize that “sufficient strength and insight” will not “be automatically infused into our being in the moment of need.”[viii] The context of Psalm 15 makes it clear that the privilege of living the unshakable life is a matter of choice. God cannot make His people choose purity, obedience or integrity. He cannot make them choose a holy life nor can He make them choose a disciplined life. He can, however, make it possible. By giving the believer the opportunity to take the “yoke” of Christ upon him and by “adopting His overall life style,” the unshakable life becomes a reality.[ix] This reality can only be made possible through a life of spiritual formation. The disciplining of one’s self to live as Jesus lived. The provision has already been made. One only needs to discipline one’s self to pursue the life that has been provided. In other words, mature in the Christian life. If one can do that, then he can come to live the unshakable life that dwells in the presence of the Lord.

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[i] C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: vol. 1(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1974), 176.

[ii] Edward W. Goodrick and John R. Kohlenberger III, The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999), 1508.

[iii] Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline (New York: Harper One, 1998), 111.

[iv] Francis Brown, The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 2008), 841.

[v] Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline, 173.

[vi] Blue Letter Bible. "Book of Psalms 15 - (NIV - New International Version)." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2010. 3 Oct 2010. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Psa&c=15&t=NIV >.

[vii] John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1978), 49.

[viii] Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines,(New York: Harper One, 1988), 4.

[ix] Ibid., 5.

To Judge or Not to Judge?---That is the Question!

Sometimes of the words of Jesus are rather confusing. While at times you believe He is saying one thing, He then turns that tables and makes comments that are seemingly contradictory to what you though He said. Take Matthew 7 for instance. We are told not to “judge” (V.1); however, we are then told that if are heart is in the right place, we are allowed to speak into the lives of those who are erring in their ways (v.3-6). To further this, Jesus then tells us that we can recognize a “tree by its fruit” (v.15-23) which clearly tells us that He has given us a sense of discernment to make judgments concerning the issue of “truth.” So on one hand, Jesus tells us “Do not judge” and on the other, He tells us that we can “judge.” What is the method to his madness? Using the words of Shakespeare to fit our thinking, “To judge or not to judge?---that is the question!”

Writing from the perspective of an American (for those of you in Germany, Russia, and the UK), we take this issue very seriously. In fact, it appears to be an “either-or” way of thinking. In one camp you have the “Don’t judge me” people and in the other, you have the “I’m God’s agent of wrath who can reveal everything within the hearts of men” people. The truth is, neither one of these type of people are following the Biblical precedent concerning the Christians ability to “judge or not to judge.” The result is what you have come to see in this country. The “don’t judge me” people gravitate to churches that make them “feel” good about everything. They don’t talk about “sin” as they should and the goal of their faith is to be “happy.” If they are confronted about some sinful behavior by concerning people, they respond quite vehemently “Don’t judge me!” The other camp feels its place to condemn everyone who does not meet up to their “standard.” This is best scene in the ungodly ideas of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka Kansas” Clearly they have a “plank” in their eye called “hate” which is something that is not in the heart of God (not that I’m judging). For those of you in the “Don’t judge me” camp you also have to live with your hypocrisy as you most likely believe that Westboro is “wrong” in doing things like protesting military funerals---thus “judging them” for their actions.

The answer to this dilemma is simple---We are to judge---but not as we think. There are judgments that are reserved solely for God Himself. He alone is the only One who can determine a person’s eternal destination; furthermore, He alone is the only One who can know what is truly in the hearts of men. For us, however, we can “judge” the actions of others based upon what we know to be “truth” through the standard of God’s Word. There is, however, a condition that Jesus puts forth. To judge clearly, one must be in a place in his life where he has overcome a similar issue in his own life (v.3-6) Secondly, one must have the leading the Holy Spirit and walk in the spirit of love (v.7-12). Thirdly, one must be living in such a way that he is following the standard of God (v.13-14). Finally, one must realize the “purpose” as to why God allows for brothers and sisters in Christ to “judge” one another (v.15-27).

God wants us to know the “truth.” As children of God, He has given us the ability to recognize what it true and what is falsehood. Jesus emphatically tells us “by their fruit you will recognize them.” Who is the “them?”--- Those who are producing fruit which is contrary to God’s truth. The Bible calls them “false prophets” (v.15). They are active in the church and live among the Body of Christ. They experience what we experience and look very much like “normal Christians,” expect for one thing: when it comes to the real fruit of their lives in the issues of living by the standard of God, something does not quite line up. (Next’s week’s blog will explore the “false prophets” in more detail.)

Judging in the Body of Christ is about revealing “truth” to a person’s life rather than condemning “sin.” We, however, get offended when someone says to us, “I’m concerned about the choices you are making in life as they are in contradiction to the Word of God.” As the brother or sister in Christ is not “judging” you but they are trying to ensure that your life is built as the “wise man’s” (v.24-25). The qualification that kept the man’s house from being destroyed was not because he had accepted “Jesus.” Read the passage again: “Therefore everyone who HEARS THESE WORDS of mine and PUTS THEM INTO PRACTICE is like a wise man” (v. 24). We’re too caught up in semantics and we play this “don’t judge me” card like Isaac Stern plays the fiddle. As we have accepted Christ, we have also accepted the fact that we are members of a Body larger than ourselves (see 1 Corinthians 12). Just like there are parts of your physical body that alerts you when something is “wrong,” so the Body of Christ has the ability to do the same. You be the judge: would you rather have a doctor tell you that you two weeks to life because you have a cancer in which you felt no pain until it was too late or would have you much rather preferred that your body alerted to you that something was wrong before the disease spread? In encourage you to read the many passages of the New Testament that tell us that as the Body of Christ, we are to keep one another accountable for the way that we live-----not to play “God,” but to keep one another from having an awful end to what should be the most glorious life!

Could Jesus Have Sinned?

Years ago when I was in my undergraduate studies, one of the classic theological questions came to the forefront of a discussion: “Could Jesus have sinned?” Given the fact that He wasn’t just “fully God” but also “fully man,” the discussion explored the dynamics of this loaded question. The truth of the matter, however, is answered in a simple but true reply, “It doesn’t matter because He didn’t!” The temptations of Christ, on the other hand, were very real experiences. I believe that we too often skim through the passages such as Matthew 4:1-11 and act as if Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness was nothing more than a formality so that He could briefly experience what those He created experience on a day in and day out basis. Furthermore, what was Satan trying to accomplish? Did he think that Jesus would actually bow down and worship him? After all, he tried to oppose God once before and it didn’t work out very well----so why try to assert his authority and power over him once again?

Regardless of whether you believe Jesus could have sinned or not, there is one truth that can be agreed upon from both positions: Jesus had the ability to feel what we feel. The same emotions that run through our veins ran through His as well. Did he ever feel “fear, doubt, sadness, or anger?” I believe He did. In order to consider the “courage” of Jesus, He would have felt the feelings of fear. In order for Him to offer “hope,” He would have known the feelings of “doubt.” The difference, however, is that Jesus did not submit to what He felt; rather, He made a stand against the things that often hinder man’s ability to truly overcoming in this life.

When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, I believe that he used the same tactics that he tried in the Garden of Eden----he attempted to bring doubt! As Jesus spend forty days fasting he certainly would had been tired, hungry, and lacking energy. Imagine yourself in such a place. In fact, many of you are in this place. The trials of life have left many tired, hungry, and lacking. They have left many feeling weak and wanting. And then the question comes---“Is this really worth it?” I’m sure you’ve heard this voice before. Like Jesus, who GOD called into the wilderness (Matt. 4:1), we sometimes find ourselves in a barren land----not because of the enemy, not because of anything we did, but because God has put us there! Being there leaves us famished for something to fill our lives. Being there leaves us confused as to why we need to be there. Being there makes us tired of being there and all we want to do is leave the God-forsaken place in our lives. And yet, God has put us there!

If that is all we had to endure, it may be a bearable situation. But that’s generally not the case. We have an enemy who comes to us like the snake he is and he begins to fill our heads with thoughts: “It’s not worth it, take the easy way out, and let’s get through this quickly so that you can get on with your life.” After being clothed in humanity for thirty-years, I wouldn’t have blamed Jesus to think to Himself, “These people are not worth my pain of going through this wilderness.” Perhaps the though came to Him, “Can I even bring myself to actually going through all the way to Calvary if it is going to be like this?” Maybe a though passed through his mind, “There has to be another way.” Isn’t that what Satan suggested with his last “temptation?” He suggested to Jesus that he could give Jesus what He wanted---“the kingdoms of this world”---and give it to him in an instant! (Matthew 4:8-9). With all that Satan whispered into the ear of Jesus, I believe that Jesus fully identified with the feelings of doubt and despair.

Doubt is an interesting thing. It is based upon our perception of what our circumstances dictate it us. When life is good and things are well, we seldom experience doubt. But when we are in the wilderness, doubt rears it ugly head and attempts to be our closest friend. Jesus, however, understood something that we seldom consider when it comes to doubt. His responses to the enemy’s attempt to cast those seeds based upon His circumstances were met with the words of TRUTH! Jesus’ proclamation of “it is written” reveals something that we all need to understanding while living in the wilderness. “Doubts” are lies! The hopeless situation you may be overwhelmed with is a LIE! The fear of not knowing what is to happen is a LIE! God does not send us into the wilderness to die; rather, He sends us to the wilderness so that we can LIVE! Life is not about “bread and water,” but it is about what God says it is about. We don’t have to try to prove that God cares about us when we are in the desert; we just have to know that He is THERE with us. We do not have to throw in the towel and take the easy way out because we know that our wilderness experience is meant to bring us into His plan for our lives----not to end it! Jesus stood upon truth when it came to doubt. It was truth that brought Him through the wilderness experience. He understood that the reality of life is discovered in the truth of God’s Word.

It doesn’t matter what your wilderness experience brings before you---what matters is what God says about you and His plan for your life. One of the greatest ways which we can worship the Lord is by simply saying the words, “I will trust You.” Remember brothers and sisters in Christ that your wilderness experience is an opportunity for you to worship the Lord. The enemy knows this and will try to take your eyes off of the truth. The things that you doubt in your life are not the things which God has promised you. Just like Jesus, remember what the Word of God has said and know that like your Lord, God has an incredible plan waiting for you to fulfill!

Why is God Hiding From Me?

 After taking a week off from the blog, I have struggled to figure out what’s next? A few week’s ago, I attended my annual pilgrimage to Green Bay for my yearly silent prayer retreat. As much as I want to “move on” from my incredible encounter with the Spirit of the Lord and begin to walk the journey which he has placed before me in this upcoming year, I cannot get past the convicting truth which He has brought to my attention---and yes, you guessed it, it is a truth I will now share with you. Two years ago at the retreat, God had me focus on the story of Hezekiah and the purification of the temple. And while he reminded me that that time is now in preparing my temple and that I should not be negligent in doing so ( see 2 Chronicles 29), apparently he was not done in teaching me something through this powerful passage of Scripture as He brought it to me this year once again.

King Hezekiah was a great king and we typically think of a man of faith and a man who trusted the Lord in all he did; however, we sometimes forget about what Hezekiah’s life also produced-----a Manasseh, who was considered to be among the most wicked of Judah’s kings. One has to wonder how such a man of “faith” was inept in making a impact upon his son. Although Hezekiah was a “good” king, he was not without his issues. The end of Hezekiah’s reign did not fair well as his “pride” became his downfall (see 2 Chronicles 32). After God has miraculously healed him and delivered him from the hand of the Assyrians, Hezekiah had allowed pride to enter his heart and caused judgment to fall upon the nation. The end result of his life was a Manasseh.

What causes “Manassehs?” I believe the answer to these things is found in Hezekiah’s dealings in purifying the temple in 2 Chronicles 29. Like Hezekiah, many of us have a passion for the church. We have a passion for worship to take place in the Body of Christ. We long for God to move among his people and we will do whatever it takes to see the “temple” where we worship purified and blessed by the Lord. As Hezekiah began the process, however, he ran into an interesting problem. While there were “Levites” who were more than ready to be used of God and were consecrated to do so, there was a lack of priests to finish the job. 2 Chronicles 29:34 states that “The priests, however, were too few to skin all the burnt offerings; so their kinsmen the Levites helped them until the task was finished and until other priests had been consecrated, for the Levites had been more CONSCIENTIOUS in CONSECRATING themselves than the priests had been.”

At first glance, we may think “What’s so bad about that?” However, when we consider the implications of what that points to, it is rather convicting! The Levites were individuals who were “set apart” for the service of God. Like many of us, we have an area of our life which we have set apart for the service of God. It may be being a member on a worship team, small group leader, deacon, or an usher. Regardless of where it is you may serve, many of us do a great job of making sure that our “service” to the Lord is a consecrated aspect of our lives. Hezekiah’s service to the people of God as “King” was something that he did extremely well in leading the people of God. He understood that as king, he needed to be obedient, trusting, and faithful to the Lord. We would not dispute that concerning our own lives as well. Being in a ministry at the church requires that we also be “consecrated” in fulfilling that ministry.

The priesthood, on the other hand, speaks to something much deeper that Levitical ministry. The priesthood was a life-long calling. It was more than a ministry but it was indicative of the person----they were the “priests” of the Living God. In other words, Levitical ministry is something you do while the priesthood is someone you “are.” I believe that in the church today, we have many who are consecrated in “doing” their ministry, but few who are “consecrated” in all of life! Hezekiah, while being a great king, failed miserably as the priest of his home. He did “kingship” well, but what about his personal life when he was away from the throne?

It is not difficult to the parallels in this story. We have churches full of people who serve the church well in what God has called them to----but what about their lives outside of the church? Are they living consecrated lives? When the TV goes on at home, is the temple remaining “consecrated or are we allowing things which compromise our priesthood? Does our “holy” conversation at church sound like the conversation we have behind close doors in the security of our homes? Do we serve our family like we treat the people we “minister” to with the same passion and respect? Or is home a place to take a “day off” from the grueling task of being “consecrated?”

True worship can only take place in a purified temple. If we fail to keep the temple truly consecrated, then God will do something incredible----he will “hide” from us” (2 Chronicles 32:31). By removing His presence, he will reveal the truth about what is truly in our hearts. Unfortunately, we discover that despite the fact that we serve Him faithfully in the church, His presence remains elusive. Could it be that because we do not see the need to have all of life consecrated unto Him that the process of having a purified temple cannot be made complete? Its not that God does not want to make His presence known to His people but it is because we have yet to live in a way where we act as if we truly desire it. The real fruit of our live will not be measured by the service we do in the church; rather, it will be measured by the person we are at all times before the Lord. Yes, Hezekiah was a great king, but he failed at the more important role of being the priest of his home. We must remember, despite his great faith and trust in God as a king, the Lord didn’t measure his legacy based upon how he served----but in who he was. For Hezekiah, he saw the ever-so-important role as being King of Judah, but lost sight of seeing himself as a person in need of God in all areas of life and living in such a way where his life was consecrated for the full-time service of worship.

Prayer Request

I want to thank so many of you for supporting this blog and being champions for truth. Although I have not met all of you who read this blog as some of you live in countries such as Russia, Great Britain, and Germany, I love that fact that we are connected in the Body of Christ. As my brothers and sisters in the Lord, I am asking for your prayers. I have recently finished writing my first book and it is now in the hands of a publisher who I feel that Lord has directed me to work with. This is a co-publishing endeavor and therefore, the financial obligation for the printing of the book rests upon me. I am asking that you partner with me in prayer for the provision of this project as it stands as a mountain before me. I know that "With God, all things are possible" but I also know that God works through the prayers of His people. I thank you for your commitment in doing so and I will remain to be a faithful servant of the Lord who desires to see His people worship Him "in Spirit and in Truth."

Worshiping at the Table of Demons

Trick or treat? It seems to be a harmless phrase that accompanies what has become one of the most celebrated holidays in America: Halloween. This is the time of year when we “celebrate” ghosts, witches, death, gore, and “good ole’ American” fun-----as long as nobody gets hurt. After all, we celebrated it as kids and why should we deprive our children and grandchildren the beautiful, lifelong precious memories that come from this wonderful celebration? I’m sure you can detect a sense of sarcasm in the tone of my writing as over the years, I have developed a very strong opinion (which that opinion is based upon what God’s Word says) about the notion of Christians participating in this celebration.

To begin with, you must ask yourself, “Does the Bible have anything to say about participating in Halloween?” The typical answer is, “No, it does not specifically say anything about Halloween.” The Bible does however, have much to say about God’s people in regards to participating in pagan celebrations. The origins of Halloween began with the pre-Christian druids of Gaul and Great Britain who believed that “ghosts and witches” would most likely to manifest during this night. The pagans of Western Europe believed their “god” whom the Christians called “the devil” became “incarnate in human or animal form” and they celebrated the presence of their “god.”[i]  This is the essence of “Halloween.” It is based upon honoring some other “god” than the One True God.  Even in the symbolism which we now associate with Halloween (jack-o-lanterns, black cats, “trick or treat,” etc.), it refers back to the roots of pagan beliefs and celebration practices. The Roman Catholic Church however, did attempt to rectify the celebration by instituting the “Festival of the Dead” and “All Saints Day” in the hopes to bring a redeeming value to the festival. Consequently, this attempt failed at changing the nature of the holiday as the entire historical context of Halloween is still centered upon the idea of being a “worship celebration” that has no Biblical basis.

 As it stands now, as people celebrate the holiday, they carry on the “traditions” which origins began in the worship of demons. I find it interesting that many Christians attempt to convince themselves that they can “make” Halloween mean something other than what it truly represents (a sure sign of postmodern thinking). But imagine a “Christian making this claim: “Just because the cross of Christ stands at the foundation of salvation in history, to me, I think that its okay to choose to be a Mormon in order to be saved.” As Christians, we would argue that you would be in error if you adopted that particular belief as it is contrary to the claims of the Bible. We cannot change the “truth” about something because of what we choose to “believe.” In 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1, Paul refers to the idea of “origins” and the willingness to participate in something which has its origins in the demonic. He uses it in the context of the Lord’s Table and in essence, is promoting the idea that as God’s people, we cannot mix the “holy” and the “unholy.” He states, “No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s Table and the table of demons” (1 Corinthians 10:20-21). In other words, our lives as God’s people cannot represent the participation of both the godly and ungodly. We can attempt to dismiss the celebration of Halloween as being something “harmless” but is that thought in the context of God’s mind or ours?  It’s much like taking a rotting piece of meat out of a dumpster, brushing it off, and presenting it to our children and saying “Here’s a gourmet meal for you to enjoy.” The truth is however, no matter how much you attempt to make the meat appetizing and appealing, it is still a rotten piece of meat from a dumpster. For some reason, many believers feel as Halloween can be “dressed up” and celebrated in a “Christian” manner; however nothing we can do will ever change the truth that it is still a celebration of the kingdom of darkness.

This Bible does give us some very sound advice. Ephesians 5:11 tells us to “have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” As the apostle Paul wrote the Ephesians, he had a great concern for them in how they conducted themselves in their culture---especially when it came to the influence of paganism and the temple cult of Diana. He encouraged the Ephesians to be “imitators of Christ” not under the guise of blending in with the cultural norm but in standing against the things that were contrary to the Christian life. The things we “participate” in are the things we become “identified” with; thus, this was the reason Paul admonished the Ephesians to be “imitators” of Christ rather then being imitators of the pagan culture. Ignorance does not negate the truth and the truth about Halloween is what it is: the worshiping at the table of demons and for the Christian, to participate would be to place a costume over Christ and pretend that you are someone who worships at the table of demons.

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[i] Walter A. Elwell ed., The Evangelical Theological Dictionary (Grand Rapids, Baker: 2001), 533.

A One World Religion? Ask Rick and Bill

We live in dangerous days. The apostle Paul warned Timothy that there would come a day when people would no longer put up with “sound doctrine” and I believe that we are now seeing the fuller implications of the apostle’s words. For me, it’s sad to see that for so many, they are easily swayed by a pastor or teacher based upon the size of his church or the success of his books and not even consider some of the things which they willing endorse. Okay, I must let the cat out of the bag as I am righteously annoyed at two of America’s more prevalent pastors who espouse such “expertise” in church growth----even giving conferences and offering the “struggling” churches resources by joining their “association.” But for the latest endorsements for Rick Warren and Bill Hybels, I must be obedient in exposing the error of their Christian beliefs.

There is a new movement called “Christ-Islam” which endeavors for Christians and Muslims to join together on the basis of “loving God and loving each other” for the sake of world peace. The movement which is called “A Common Word Between Us” http://www.acommonword.com/ holds to the belief of unity of the faith based on what both the Bible and Qur’an teaches. It states: “Not only can A Common Word Between Us give them a starting point for cooperation and worldwide co-ordination, but it does so on the most solid theological ground possible: the teachings of the Qu'ran and the Prophet r, and the commandments described by Jesus Christ u in the Bible. Thus despite their differences, Islam and Christianity not only share the same Divine Origin and the same Abrahamic heritage, but the same two greatest commandments.”

 

Any student of God’s only Word to man, the Bible, should be able to understand that the teachings of Islam and the teachings of the Bible are not compatible. In a document entitled “A Christian Response to A Common Word Between Us and You” the following is endorsed by the mentioned names above as well as many other in the evangelical community:

 “What is common between us lies not in something marginal nor in something merely important to each. It lies, rather, in something absolutely central to both: love of God and love of neighbor. Surprisingly for many Christians, your letter considers the dual command of love to be the foundational principle not just of the Christian faith, but of Islam as well---That this common ground consists in love of God and of neighbor gives hope that deep cooperation between us can be a hallmark of the relations between our two communities.” (http://www.yale.edu/faith/acw/acw.htm. see the names of those endorsing at the bottom of this document).

 I know that it sounds rather “Kumbaya-ish” that we would show “our love” to Islam by recognizing that they also have a love for God and a love for each other just as we Christians are commanded to do; however, this has nothing to do with “love” but rather a blurring of the lines of truth which promote the idea of a “one world religion.” Islam and Christianity do not serve the same God. We do not share the common belief that we are of the same “Divine Origin.” John 1:1 states very clearly that man’s divine origin came from JESUS CHRIST who was “The Word” that He was with God in the beginning. Islam vehemently opposes the deity of Jesus Christ. How then can Christians promote the idea that we are on the same page with Islam when it comes to “loving God?”  Furthermore, do we, as Christians, believe that Muslim’s are lovers of God when they deny that Jesus Christ is Lord? Does the God of the Bible see them as one’s who love Him? No, the reality is that Islam is far from God and is incapable of offering Him true worship because they have denied Jesus Christ. By evangelical pastors believing that we can “join together” on the common ground of “loving God and loving our neighbor” is being deceptive in their witness to Muslims making them feel as if they are lovers of God while being on the pathway to eternal damnation! 

We cannot have “Peace” apart from the “Prince of Peace” who is Jesus Christ! Peace is not the absence of war but it is the presence of Jesus! By these “leaders” endorsing this idea, they are promoting deception by eliminating the truth about Christ and proposing that there is “another way” by which we can accomplish God’s plan on earth. Sorry Rick and Bill, but give me chapter and verse where it says that to “love others” means to lower the standard of truth in God’s Word. The truth in this matter is that there is no “compromise” when it comes to proclaiming who Jesus Christ is and by us softening our beliefs by coming under the name of “God” and “love” rather than the name of “Jesus Christ,” it diminishes the power of the gospel. Paul himself said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of JESUS CHRIST for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…”(Romans 1:16). It’s not the gospel of “God” as everyone has a “god” whom they serve. Islam serves a “god” who demands his followers “perform” acts of goodness in order to be given an opportunity to enter into heaven---and knows nothing of true love. Allah is not a god that reaches to man. So, Rick, Bill and others, why would you profane the holy Name of my God by portraying Him in the same light as the god of Islam? There is a greater agenda----one that calls for “global peace” apart from Christ, one that calls for the “unity of man” apart from Christ”, and one that calls for the “worship of one god” apart from Christ---its called the moving toward a one world religion and as for me, I’m not buying it!

How to Launch Into the Extreme Prophetic

There is an alarming trend which I have observed in the arena of worship which makes the suggestion that the heights to which I learn to achieve in my “worship,” the greater “revelation” of the deep mysteries of God will be revealed to me. In this dangerous and erroneous movement, the spirit of prophecy is treated with contempt as self-proclaimed “prophets and apostles” promote the idea that only those who are among the spiritually “elite” have the privileged to understand these “mysteries.” In fact, they go as far to believe that God is giving them “new revelation” which can only be translated by those gifted in the office of prophet or apostle. Because we live in a world where people are searching for answers and are genuinely hungry for something from God that will sustain them in these last days, people are willing to gravitate towards what feels good and sounds good----even if they cannot fully make sense of it. In the end, the thing that is truly missing from their lives is the love for truth and a true knowledge of God’s Word. Unfortunately, rather than understanding the nature and character of the Holy Spirit, many who participate in certain factions of the prophetic movement are captivated by the Christian “tooth fairy” who gives us gold fillings, angelic pixies who sprinkle their intoxicating “gold dust” for us to frolic in and cosmic disco balls which appear so God’s people can brag about our over-the-top worship experience. And because we have this movement which appeals to our fleshly desires---if not bordering on the demonic--- the prophetic movement has left a bad taste in the mouth of many within the church.

In order to combat this, we must come to an understanding as to what the function of the “prophetic” is in light of Scripture. Prophecy as a whole calls out three aspects of God’s redemptive purposes: the condition of man, man’s need for God, and the promises of God to restore man. All of prophecy points to the one essential truth that everything that God reveals, whether it is “foretelling” or “forth-telling,” is “designed to make Jesus Christ preeminent” and “to show how Christ will once again be the revelation of God in all his splendor and majesty.”[i] Additionally, there is no “new revelation” which exists apart from the Word of God. All prophecy only confirms what already had been revealed in Scripture. Otherwise, we might as well take the words of these self-proclaimed apostles and prophets and add them to the Bible and call it “Scripture.” There are no “new truths” about God. HE IS TRUTH AND HE NEVER CHANGES! The “prophetic” only confirms the truth about God----which all we know about God, is contained in His Word.

The “Prophetic Movement” misses the nature of what prophecy is intended to do in the lives of believers (or even non-believers). Prophecy along with the promises of God is simply meant to draw us to Christ. As it reveals the heart of man and the heart of God, it is meant to draw us to a greater realization of Jesus Christ not a greater realization of ourselves. The message that is sent by many within this movement is that the supernatural and the promises of God are meant for us. The result is an ascent to self-realization rather than Christ-realization. The apostle Paul stated that the “promises of God” are “Yes and Amen in CHRIST” not “yes and amen” in ME (see 2 Cor. 1:20-21). His point is simple: no matter what God is doing it is done with the sole purpose that Christ is glorified. Prophecy which admonishes that “we” can achieve or that “we” are given power and “gifts” rather than prophecy that admonishes that “He” allows us to achieve and that “He” is the source of all power and gifts is not of God. There is no deep “mystical truth” that only those with “eyes to see and ears to hear” are privileged to experience. In fact, Acts 2 tells us that God will “pour out His Spirit on ALL flesh” and that “your sons and daughters will PROPHESY…” Those who come to “Christ-realization” are given this privilege of experiencing the spirit of prophecy---which is Jesus Christ (Rev. 19:10) and this “prophetic gifting” is for a very distinct purpose. It is to be WITNESSES to the truth about Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8). It is not for the purpose to bring about “deeper teaching” and “supernatural signs and wonders” which make people say “You’re really spiritual!” It’s not so we can come to a ‘self-realization” of power which makes us believe that we somehow have a spiritual authority to use or even “command” the things of God. 

Prophecy in the modern day church is the same as it has always been. It is a witness that testifies to the condition of man, the heart of God, and the answer for man’s dilemma. Simply put, prophecy proclaims that we are sinners, Jesus took the judgment that is awaiting us because of His love and because of this God has made us His sons and daughters to live eternally in His kingdom. Beware my brothers and sisters in Christ as there are wolves among us who would lead you to believe that there are deeper truths out there through the “prophetic word.” The only essential truth that we will ever need to know for all of eternity is that Jesus Christ is Lord and He alone is the One who is to be glorified!  If you truly want to launch into the world of “extreme prophetic” then simply worship Jesus and bring Him glory with all of your life; after all, isn’t that the most spiritual thing we can ever attain to do?

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[i] D. Brent Sandy, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2002), 205.

                [i] McConville, 159.

Learning Worship from Islam

During the last few weeks in my continued pursuit towards my MDIV, I have been a participant in a class entitled Introduction to Islam. Prior to taking this class, I, like many other Americans, had developed my own stereotypes concerning Muslims and the Islamic faith. As I have studied, I have come to appreciate certain aspects of Islam. To put your fears to rest, I can wholeheartedly proclaim that I am not in the least embracing Islam or “converting” to their faith. Moreover, I strongly maintain that Islam is a false religion and unfortunately, they have missed the truth about Jesus Christ. In fact, I am further compelled to have compassion on the Muslim people as even in their own holy book, the Qur’an, they admit that Jesus Christ was the only one who ever walked on the face of the earth that had a supernatural birth, supernatural life, and a supernatural resurrection. Not even their prophet Muhammad can make these claims and yet, they still fail to see the truth that remains in front of their eyes.

From the other side of the spectrum, those who are committed to the Muslim faith have much they can teach Christians in certain areas of worship. Above all things in Islam is a deep reverence and devotion to “Allah” which puts many of professing Christians to shame. Muslims do not casually throw his name around like any other common word. They do not use his name in any way which might cause disrespect or insinuate that he is someone other than he is not. Nor do they entertain things which certainly bring disfavor upon his holiness and sacredness. To a Muslim, Allah is to be submitted to in all of life---by which the very word “Islam” means: submission.

How do we think that Muslims see the average American who calls himself a Christian live out his faith? Missions groups such as the Caleb Project (www.encounteringislam.org) have discovered that one of the main reasons that Christians cannot effectively evangelize Muslims is due to the fact that our lives do not reflect what our Bible proclaims in how we should be living as followers of Jesus Christ. Think about how “casually” we approach our worship. We have no problem using God’s name in vain even to the point where we feel freely to text "OMG"---not in praise but in a response to the ordinary events of life. We in the west feel that as we can bear our bodies and dress as everyone in the world dresses. Forget the idea of modesty as it is acceptable for Christian women to show “cleavage” and wear mini-skirts which leave little to be imagined. We have no problem watching movies and television shows that grieve the heart of God and act like He is not even in the same room with us. We mock the Muslims for their “rituals” of their religion, but how many of us actually take the time to pray to our Lord five times a day in the pursuit of pleasing Him? We cry “outrage” as to how they make their women dress, but we as a church have done nothing to deal with our need to have “sex-appeal” to fit in with our culture. We cry “legalism” but I believe God cries “unholy!”

It should shame us that we serve the True and Living God and yet, we don’t act like his word is “true” and that our God is actually “Living.” We live in such a way that God fits into our lives, schedule, and agenda, whereas, dedicated Muslims, fit their lives into the notion of serving Allah. They worship falsely yet their reverence and obedience is displayed as if the God they serve is true. We on the other hand, we worship what is true, but where is the reverence, holiness, obedience, and yes, the submission? In the end, our worship of Jesus Christ looks no different that the pagan worship of the seventh century which Islam fought against in proclaiming “There is only one God.” Jesus Himself said “Worship the Lord and serve Him only” (Matthew 4:10). If we are truly worshiping the Lord, then our lives will reflect the idea that we are “serving” Him which literally means to “serve for hire.” In other words, serving requires our submission. We must “do” certain things in order to show our worship towards the Lord. There must be actions that reflect our beliefs and God in His great wisdom has given us the Book on “what we are to believe and how we are to put those beliefs into action.”  Sure, we can look like we worship the true God on any given Sunday but take a look at our lives Monday through Saturday and we might discover that the Muslims are right on one thing---we are a people whose claims about Jesus Christ do not match up to our actions.

A Cry for a True Ecumenical Movement

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to experience worship and the renewing power of the Spirit in the midst of  a people where many are serving in worship ministry in what is considered by some to be a “dead” mainline denominations. Not knowing what to expect when I was invited to attend a “worship conference” put on by the organization, I suddenly realized that I was privileged to take part of something special in seeing what Acts 2 proclaimed and the prophet Joel foresaw in the last days----God’s Spirit being poured out upon all flesh! Although it is evident that Christianity in America is declining, there is a remnant of believers who are determined to be baptized in the fire of the Spirit and walk in the true path of worshiping the Lord by living surrendered and abandoned lives to His glory.

Whether we are from a Pentecostal, Charismatic, or Mainline traditions, we all share a common thread: we are all in need for the Spirit of the Lord to encounter us and empower us once again. I could find many flaws, say with the United Methodist church, but if I were to take an honest look at the denominational affiliation that I subscribe to, I guarantee that I would find the same stale traditions and godless compromises that look no differently in the eyes of God. The problem that the church has is a universal problem. The church that ordains homosexuals and the church that no longer accepts the gifts of the Spirit suffer from the same root problem as the church the believes that God exists to create wealth on this earth and the church that believes it has the corner market on the “Spirit.” This problem is coined by one little word that has damned countless of souls to Hell and continues to be the church’s fiercest enemy----religion!

Religion seeks to define God. It seeks to define His role in our lives. It seeks to put God and all that He is in a neatly confined structure that makes Him a deity that can comfortably dwell with man. Religion is us trying to control God and if you take a look at the condition of the church, we have done a stellar job of limiting what God truly wants to do in us and through us. If we do not like what the Bible says or suggests, we reinterpret the Bible to make it mean what we want it to mean (isn’t that correct Mr. Bell?) If we’d rather become more embracing of cultural standards rather than embracing the life of holiness, we simply make God accepting and even endorsing our way of life.  In essence, we create a “God” that we want instead of serving God as He is. In the end, it becomes a form of idolatry using religion at the foundation and dressing it up as “Christianity.”

1 John 5:21 states, “Dear children, keep yourself from idols” and in the case of the church, the greatest idol which we have erected is “religion.” It is the serving of a god that is based on our preference rather than “Spirit and Truth” which is demanded of God for true worship to become a reality. Image if the church in America, regardless of denomination could come together with that single thought in mind---to worship our King in Spirit and in Truth. I’m not suggesting an ecumenical movement, but I am suggesting a movement of Pentecost and Revival among the people of God. We need to be radically transformed by the power of the Spirit and to be fully indoctrinated with the truth of God’s Word in order that the idols in our churches can be destroyed and Jesus can take His rightful place among His Body. God never asked us to “figure Him out!” He simply asked us to follow Him in obedience. We need to stop making God what we want Him to be and allow Him to the freedom to become who He is. To do this, we must lay down our preconceived ideas and our petty preferences that place us at the center of our universe to illicit a religion that is safe, comfortable, and accommodating to our desires and needs. It’s time to let go and return to the beginning before “church” became a religious institution and do what believers did at first-----seek the heart of God and allow the Spirit of God to consume us with holy fire that will forever change our lives and make us into a people who not only say they “know God,” but actually live as a “witness” to His presence in their lives. My cry is simply----for a true ecumenical movement where the church is once again a people who worship in one Spirit and in one Truth: that Jesus Christ is Lord of All and all other gods that our "religion" has fashioned will bow their knees in submission and worship to our King. 

Taking the Week Off

Although it is already Thursday, I just wanted to let my readers know that I am taking this week off of the blog as I am preparing to attend a worship conference in Nashville this weekend. I sure I will have much to say when I return. God bless you and thank you for your faithful support in reading the things that burn in my heart.

The Purpose Driven Lie

Our society loves the latest “buzz.” When someone who has something “new” to say has made their mark in our world, it seems as if they are propelled to the forefront societal thought. Not only does this phenomenon happen in the world but also and unfortunately, this happens within the church; however, once these individuals are placed in the “spotlight” of the Christian arena, it does not take long to discover the motivating force that exists behind their assent to the mountain top of Christian “pop-culture.” With that said, one individual in particular had indeed made his mark upon the landscape of the church in America and in many ways, he has shaped the way that church has re-defined worship. 

A few years ago, I attended a church that went through Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life. At the time, I thought that it was a good idea for the church to spend the forty days in a focused study that somehow might prove beneficial to the Body. Since that time, I have come to recognize that the theology of Rick Warren is anything but Biblical. How can I make such claims? After all, that book has helped so many people discover that they are valued and that they serve a purpose in the Body of Christ. What about the news story of the hostage who used The Purpose Driven Life to touch the heart of her captor? Wasn’t that a “God” thing as well? I have a good friend who ga uges the theology of a Christian writer with a very simple thermometer: if it is on the New York Times best seller list and the world “loves it” then it must not be “Christian.”  According to Jesus, that makes sense as he assured us that the world would “hate us” and everything that is associated with Him. 

I do not know Rick Warren personally, but I can see the fruit of his life which he has chosen to put on display. Currently, Warren is attempting to find common ground among the world’s major religions and to somehow join us together in the name of “peace.” Believe it or not, this has everything to do with the Purpose Driven Life. Central to the book’s theology is “unity.” It was designed for churches to come together by a common means and experience life together and embracing our various differences which make us unique as God’s people. Enter the spotlight on Mr. Warren, and we can discover that he sees that God’s people extend beyond the confines of Christianity. Just like his book, we can comfortably accept our differences and celebrate our unique contributions which help us to discover the “purpose” for our lives in relation to God----whoever your god may be.

I’m not writing to demean or discredit Rick Warren but I am coming against the mentality what he has advocated to the Christian faith and is now infecting the church like a killer pandemic. First and foremost, God doesn’t believe in the Purpose Driven Life! He believes in the Christ Driven Life! Because without Christ at the very center of all we do, life has no purpose! The church has become too concerned with finding a “bridge” that will connect us with the world. God never called the church to “connect” with the world on any grounds. In fact, he has called us to “Come out from among them and be separate.” Too much of what the church does is in finding ways for people to discover their “purpose” in life. The Bible from cover to cover explains that very simply---to glorify God with all of our life! In other words, our purpose is to worship Jesus Christ. 

The early church did not look for “common ground” with those in the world; rather, they preached the gospel. The Gospel message is not one of common ground between the world and the church. It is a declaration that the world has no ground to stand on while the church has the only ground that will keep them from falling into a “bottomless pit.”  Because we have embraced the Purpose Driven theology, we have in essence created the church to be a place that is more concerned with people finding significance, purpose, and value for their lives than for people finding that they only thing in life which has significance, purpose, and value is Jesus Christ. It has become a place where we discover ways to conform to the Gospel to our lives as opposed to our lives being conformed to the Gospel. 

Perhaps the biggest problem in the Purpose Driven mentality is its position on “unity” at all costs. While unity is important to the Body of Christ, it should never compromise the Word of God for the sake of “peace.” There are certain “differences” we can embrace in the church such as our gifts, personalities, and preferences; however, there are also absolutes which cannot exist as “differences” in the church. Sin is sin and should be dealt with as being “wrong” and not dismissed as having a different view which we need to “respect.” Erroneous beliefs and false doctrine should be exposed and those whose job is to confront it should not be “afraid” of offending the wayward party. Finally, worship should be pure and not centered upon pleasing the ear of men for the sake of making people feel “comfortable” in our pews. After all, the goal of worship is not for unity or for the church to discover their purpose on this earth. It is to glorify God and in that, unity will come and purpose will be found; but to approach worship in any other way will result in another item to the long list of destructive theologies which has sought to destroy the true purpose of the church.

America's Demise: Who is at Fault?

There is much blame to go around these days for the decay of our nation. While one could make a great argument that for the most part, politicians have utterly made a mockery of our country, the level of intelligence which has been exhibited by this country’s leaders as of late makes one wonder if we did in fact evolve from lesser life forms as their level of decision making may prove that the “missing link” has been found---in Washington, D.C. All joking aside, our nation is a mess. And while we could place the blame on the democrats, republicans, libertarians, tea party members, or whoever else we would like to criticize, I believe that those responsible are less conspicuous and unknowing of their damning deeds that have caused the erosion of America.

I have heard many people make the claim that this current president is “narcissistic.” While there may be some truth to that, I also believe that in America there is a place that is much more self-centered, self-promoting, and self-indulgent than the White House----it’s called the church! We have created an organization in this country which exists to meet the needs of its adherents. We have our one hour and fifteen minute service so that no one has to be inconvenienced; after all, people have lives outside of church and we especially never want people to feel as if they need to “commit” to something which would cost them their free time. Furthermore, we had better entertain the congregants; otherwise, they’ll find other things to do on Sunday morning that will suit their interest. As long as we can give people what they want and speak what they want to hear, the church can remain “alive and well.”

I realize I may be somewhat harsh, but let me prove my thoughts with two simple words: prayer meeting! Where is it? Why aren’t churches doing it? Why won’t people come out to it? Someone once said (to the effect of) “The life of the church is measured by its prayer meeting.” If that is the case, I believe that we are in trouble. And yet, prayer is the foundational element to worship. The general attitude concerning prayer in the church today is one of drudgery, disinterest, and derelict. Yet, it was the “prayer meeting” that empowered the church (Acts 2). Today, we’ve come to believe in our program driven agenda based on a George Barna, Rick Warren, or Willow Creek paradigm. While prayer may be suggested as a part of implementing these programs, the emphasis centers upon the need to become a more “relevant” church to the world around us. After all, the world certainly cannot relate to the prayer meeting.

Ezekiel 21 begins with a warning to God’s people that His wrath was about to be executed upon their nation. It states, “Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary” (v.1). Why would the prophet begin to “preach against the sanctuary?” The answer is simple: this is where the greatest offense has taken place against the Lord. It wasn’t the “secular” aspect of life which was destroying their nation but it was the worshiping community which was responsible for the coming judgment. How could that be so? The reason I believe is the same reason for what is transpiring in our country today. Ezekiel 22: 30-31 states “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

While the church is too focused upon on how we can make “church better” we have failed to focus on how to make the influence of the church in the world “more powerful” which can only come through the people of God “standing in the gap.” For some reason, we are too concerned with “church growth” strategies rather than the only strategies which will make a church grow----prayer! Rather than painfully interceding on behalf of the sin and lostness of men in our nation, it is much more enjoyable to simply relish in the commentaries of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and other such conservative voices as in their “wisdom,” they can tell what needs to be done to save our nation. Their voices echo with the same rhetoric “If we could only get a new president…if we could only get conservatives in the senate….if we could only get more conservatives in the House, then we could get this nation back on track!” While all along, a voice echoes from heaven saying, “If I could only get a church to stand in the gap…if I could only get people to believe in the power of prayer…if I could only get the Body of Christ to care less about their “freedoms” and more about their “sacrifice” as disciples, then I would ‘…hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land’ (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Let’s be honest at this point. Prayer is the least important aspect of worship in the church today but it is the most necessary. Why are we so negligent towards prayer?  The honest answer is the most humbling---we’re simply not that interested in God. God doesn’t care about the size of our churches or whether or not we have a top-notch youth ministry. He doesn’t care about whether or not the world is even interested in entering the doors of your sanctuary. He’s not the One giving us all of the “ideas” to “grow our churches” in finding ways to “connect” better with those in the world. How can I make such claims? Because there is a nation in which we live in that is about to experience the wrath of God in ways we have never seen in this country, and while we are worried about building our little kingdoms and mega-churches, God weeps over the lost and grieves over the apathetic church which would rather be entertained in their worship instead of travailing through the pain of intercession. Judgment will begin with the house of God. My only prayer is that when it does, perhaps a few of us will stand in the gap when the foundational walls of this nation comes crumbling down. So the next time you’re tempted to point the finger at the president, senate, or congress, you had better do so knowing that there are fingers pointing back at you accusing you of putting our country in this mess for the lack of a zealous prayer life!