IllumiNations!

THE NEW REFORMED MOVEMENT: TO BE OR NOT TO BE, THAT IS THE QUESTION.

This article is WORLD MAGAZINE reports the growing movement within Western Christianity back toward Reformed Theology or Calvinism.  The "New Calvinism" as some would call this movement has been gaining great momentum the last decade or so, and has been very good for the church in my opinion.

As a Charismatic with a root system in what has generally been considered an Arminian movement, I have felt a little out of place at times because of Reformed leanings within my own heart.  Reformed Theology to me makes God bigger, man's lost-ness greater, and Christ's Incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension more glorious!  Reformed Theology keeps the focus of the Gospel on the glory of God, and the initiative of God in bringing men to saving faith. The Gospel of Jesus Christ truly makes "Grace Amazing!" 

However, with that said, I am not a 5 point, T.U.L.I.P. Calvinist.  I know, I know, to the true 5 pointer, I am not a Reformed guy at all then!  One of the things that has so frustrated me over the years about some Reformed guys is their inability to see the work of God through the great non-Calvinist Christians throughout church history.  If you are not a 5 pointer in their minds, then you are probably not even a child of God. 

Anyway, the article I have a link to really gives me hope that a new attitude is developing which may make room for guys like me with certain leanings.  This quote from Mark Driscoll really captures some of the values that have been real to me for many years, "Seattle pastor Mark Driscoll, dressed in an all-black anti-suit of jeans and zippered jacket, cited four TGC emphases: engaging rather than separating from culture, moving into not out of cities, openness to charismatic gifts, and building bridges to other Christians."  AMEN!

WE ARE CHANGED BY THE POWER OF THE UNCHANGING ONE!

Everything on this planet is in a constant state of change.  Nothing ever remains the same.  The only Unchanging entity in the universe is the Lord God Almighty.  HE CHANGES NOT!  The human creature, (myself included) though constantly looking for that Utopian State of bliss and perfection, is dogged by the reality of decay and breakdown.  We must daily behold the reality of change even while we gaze into our mirrors.  

The Apostle Paul declared that, "though our outward man is perishing, our inward man is renewed day by day."  The outward man is winding down to death, while the inward man is being prepared for the eternal state of resurrection life.  Whether in the corporate world, or the church world, we understand by the amazing and rapid changes going on around us that change is happening at a rate we can never keep up with.

With this as my backdrop, I have been so very aware of my need to change as a man, husband, father, and local church pastor.  If all that I do would avoid fossilization, I must be a man in the process of ongoing transformation.  Alas, there is hope for this sinner, and stubborn man. 

In 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, I am reminded that the great key to true change, (that is, Christ-likeness) comes by "beholding Christ in His word."  Since we become like whatever we meditate on or behold, we can become like Jesus by looking on Him daily and often.  This truth gives me hope, since it takes the pressure off of me and my various self-salvation projects, and puts it on Jesus, the "Author and the finisher of my faith."  He has promised to transform you and I as we spend time beholding His beauty, majesty and power.  WE ARE CHANGED BY THE POWER OF THE UNCHANGING ONE!

EASTER: The Spring Season in the Life of the Christian!

Spring, that magical time of year when bird songs return to greet us in the morning, when flowers bloom,  trees bud, and new life seems to be bursting out all around us.  Spring is that season that offers to us the hope of new life as we emerge from the general grayness and drabness of the winter months.  Spring is that time of year when our children emerge from the cave of our homes and play outside again.  When I think of spring, I remember the years when my children would venture outside to rediscover bugs, birds, and the warmth of sunshine.  The thing I most appreciate about spring is the picture it paints to us of the most important miracle in human history.  The miracle I speak of is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the premier event of all time.

    In all of our brief time on this planet, there is nothing that holds more significance to our everyday lives than the person of Jesus Christ and what He did for us mortals when He died a torturous, pain-filled death and then rose from the dead after three days in a sealed grave. The entire Christian faith, as well as any hope we have as human beings is wrapped up in these events.  If Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, then our “faith is in vain”(I Corinthians 15:17) and sin still has the power to pull us down and lead us to an eternity without God or hope.  In this one event we have the only true hope in our struggle to cheat death and milk all we can out of this life.    

    Each of us is continually faced with the very real prospect of death on a daily basis as we listen to the news, experience our own close calls and grapple with the death or dying of a loved one.  Death, as we all know is even more sure than taxes.  No matter how much we advance in medical technology, or exercise and eat right, we all know we are going to die.  In our culture, we dress up death to look a little nicer, or try to hide it by putting it in the hands of others who will soften the blow and make it more presentable.  Unfortunately, we do ourselves and others no favors when we engage in this form of denial.  Death is real, and, according to the Scriptures, it is our greatest enemy.  It is waiting for all of us and we cannot avoid it.   

    It is precisely this admission which makes the resurrection of Jesus Christ so powerful and liberating to those who have come to know and believe in Him.  When Adam sinned, death spread to all of us through his sin tainted blood. Each one of us understands sin's power, and how it affects our everyday life and entangles us in its chains.  As much as sin is a concept most of us hate to talk about anymore in this therapy minded culture, (which makes all of us a victim of our environment, upbringing or genes) none of us can deny the reality of it in our experience.  As the Scriptures teach, “ the wages of sin is death...” and all of us must receive that paycheck whether we like it or not.   

    This is where the resurrection of Jesus Christ becomes so powerful and relevant for all of us.  As the sinless Son of God and very God in human form, Jesus’ death on a Roman cross was more than just a martyrs sacrifice for a good cause.  Jesus was the only qualified God-man who could die in our place and receive our judgment in His own body. Though innocent of any wrong, though completely pure and without original sin or personal sin, Jesus was sentenced to die an unjust death as a sacrifice for us.  This death alone could satisfy the righteous requirement of God the Father for an atoning death.  Through this death, our sin was atoned for and cleansed once and for all.   

    This story is called the Gospel, which means, good news.  This story would be nothing more than a sad tragedy if it was not for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  When Jesus rose from a grave sealed by the Roman Government, He put the exclamation point on His whole mission and proved He was truly God in a human body.      

    Jesus’ resurrection sealed for us the hope of eternal life with God in a New Creation. This New Creation will be a world without sin, sickness, suffering, sorrow, war, famine, strife, pain, and most importantly, death.  The resurrection of Jesus makes it possible for those who exercise child-like trust in Christ to receive the power of The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enables His followers to overcome sin, and live without the fear of death any longer.      

    Truly, the Spring of creation was and is the resurrection of Jesus Christ! The resurrection is the most wonderful and powerful event in human history! The resurrection is the reason believers consider this Holiday to be the ultimate time for reflection and celebration.

    This Spring as you emerge from your winter grave clothes to enjoy all of the new life bursting forth, imagine Jesus Christ coming out of the tomb and bringing new life to those who believe in Him.  Think of a God in heaven who loved His children so much that He had to become one of them, so that He might die and reverse the curse of sin and death. Behold the God whose love is so powerful that not even death could keep Him in the grave!  HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY!

Core Value #2 - Knowing God takes the "D" word!

"I Value seeking to know God intimately through prayer, the Scriptures, and other spiritual disciplines as a main goal of life."

Words and phrases like intimacy, knowing God, personal relationship etc... are really in vogue in a number of Christian circles these days, and I think that is a good thing.  The essence of theology after all is the study of God's Person as He has revealed Himself to us through creation, the Scriptures, personal experience, and most importantly, Jesus of Nazareth. Unfortunately, I have not met many people who truly know God very well, or take the time or energy needed to invest in that knowledge.

What theologians call the Doctrine of Revelation is based upon the idea from the Scriptures, that God must reveal Himself to be known by humanity. All of the human initiative in the world doesn't make Him any less elusive, and He will only be found by those He draws.  However, in this time of the gospel of Jesus Christ, God has demonstrated his goodwill toward us and summons us to come and believe in his Son.  We are called to seek Him while He may be found. 

I still remember when the veil was torn away in my life, and the revealed, self-existent God came crashing in on my world.  Oh, what a day and season that was and is!  I was shocked that God was truly personal and knowable.  I couldn't keep my mouth shut.  GOD WAS REAL, AND EVERYONE HAD TO KNOW!  As I soon discovered though, this knowledge of God was meant to be an ongoing process that required much seeking, knocking and asking.

This process of seeking God is often a hard and frustrating work just as my marriage relationship can be.  I know He is supposed to be the initiator, but I have to admit it often feels like it's all up to me in this strange and mysterious courtship of God.  God seems to love to play hide and seek, while I fumble around in the darkness of this sin fallen world listening for the faintest breath or rustling of His Presence to give His hiding place away.

This of course brings me to the big bad "D" word, DISCIPLINE.  Yes, it takes discipline and the spiritual disciplines to finely hone my senses to God.  Scripture reading, memorization, meditation, prayer, silence, solitude, service, fasting, night watches and various other methods employed throughout history by God's people have been effective tools in the seeking of God.  Unfortunately, I don't really enjoy doing some of these things because I am not a very disciplined person.  Not only that, but I am repelled by anything that feels like religious striving to earn God's favor.

Nevertheless, I have found that when I consecrate myself to God, not to earn anything, but to focus my faculties upon Him, He shows up and does some unveiling of Himself to my dull and dry soul.  This unveiling impresses God's Presence and character upon my soul, which changes me and influences the people around me as well.

To know God is the greatest treasure and value a human being can desire. Knowing Him is by far the most worthy pursuit of life.  God chased us down and caught us with His irresistible grace and love, so we must now join the chase and make the pursuit of God our life-long goal.  Who knows, if we chase Him long enough, He may just catch us!

Isaiah 55:6 - Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.

My Core Values - #1

Recently I found out that a ladies discipleship group in our church was using my Core Values as an example for the purpose of developing their own Core Values.  I was both surprised and challenged.  I was provoked to take them out once again, look them over, and make sure they are not only what I truly value, but what I am also endeavoring to practice in my daily living.

It is not my intention to be overly self-focused in my writing, but as I looked at my Core Values, I thought of how they provide a good starting point for regular posts and food for thought for those who read.   All of us have a set of Core Values that we possess and live from whether they are written or not.  Our lives are constantly telling on us and shouting to the world what our loves, hates, passions and gods actually are.  These are our Core Values.  With that said, here are the first of my Core Vaues with commentary following:

"I Value relationship with God and others as the source from which life and all true ministry will flow."

We are relational beings, this much cannot be denied.  Though I have met a number of so-called "Lone Rangers" in my time, my experience tells me that the primary reason most people become islands unto themselves is because of betrayal, disappointment, and dysfunction within their relationships.  The people that we love and value become the source of our pain.  This very reaction is nothing more than proof that we are indeed relational beings.

Every human being is conceived when two people relating in the most intimate terms, mingled their body fluids and cells to form a whole new entity.  This conception brought forth a new life that related to its host mother by a life-line known as an umbilical cord.  This life-line brought nourishment and connection until the day when this unique personality would be thrust upon its mothers breasts to suckle.  Thus begins the journey of life.  The journey of dependence, of relationship, of family and community.

This new person is just beginning to experience the human condition, the risky proposition know as relationship, with all of its love, acceptance, rejection, abuse, disappointment, competition etc...  It is precisely this experience which primes a person for the knowledge of God and a relationship with Him. 

After only a few short years on this planet, we begin to realize that things are not right down here.  We see the failure of our biggest heroes, face tragedy and personal difficulty, and learn the law of the jungle.  It is often when the props of human relationships have fallen all around us that God reveals Himself to us as Father and Friend.  We then begin a new relationship with One who relates to us on His terms alone.  These terms begin with the idea of the Fall, and the human need for salvation.  We see ourselves as we really are, and God as He really is, in the Person of Jesus Christ. This new relationship becomes the source of all true relationship, and the restorative power through which all other relationships will be made right again.

This new life, this new relationship, issues forth as the fountainhead of all ministry into the lives of others.  It is only within the context of this new relationship, that we can find what God truly intended for all human relationships.  This is why the Great Commandments begin with loving God with our whole being.  To love my neighbor as I love myself, I must experience the settled reality of God's first loving me. Only then am I able to return that love to Him.  I can try to love my neighbor, but until I have encountered being loved by God and then loving Him, my love for my neighbor will always fail and fall short.

So, this is my first Core Value.  This is an impossible proposition apart from God's love.  This love is most clearly demonstrated and embodied in the Person and life of Jesus Christ.  I have received love and relationship, so now I can give them.  This is the law of the kingdom of God.  This is what I value!

I'M BACK AND JUST GLAD TO BE HERE!

I'm back!  I have been in a truly backslidden state when it comes to my identity as a BLOGGER!  I don't know what to say, but I got kind of burned out and a little tired of spending time blogging.  After a few days, then weeks and eventually more than a month passed as water under a bridge, I developed a new non-blogging habit.  Now, finally, I am breaking that habit.

Much has happened in our small world since I last posted an article way back on July 7th.  A war in the Middle East has been fought, a terrorist plot foiled, the biggest sporting event in the world concluded with a head butt and the one year anniversary of the worst natural disaster in American history has passed.  Through it all I have been grateful for the restraining Hand of the Almighty as He seems to hold us back from destroying ourselves!

I know for the many people suffering around this world with the fallout of the aforementioned events it probably doesn't seem like God is restraining much of anything.  But, when I consider history and all of its twists and turns, I am amazed that we haven't turned this beautiful blue planet into a blood-red or burned-out black orb of death by now.  Just over 60 years ago, the whole planet seemed on the verge of annihilation as we fought for civilization and our survival as beings made in God's image.

Truly, it is the guiding Hand of Providence moving us onward toward a great climax in God's mind. This great climax will ultimately result in all nations and peoples bowing their knees in humble and loving adoration to the King whose scars tell us the story of love.  This God-man named Jesus is upholding all things by the Word of His power and is the very Presence keeping creation from flying apart.  In this time of great upheaval, terrorism and power hungry dictators with nuclear ambitions, it does us good to remember that Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! 

I'M BACK AND JUST GLAD TO BE HERE!

The Good Samaritan on Mount Everest!

I am not a mountain climber, but I hope that if I am ever in trouble, someone like Daniel Mazur lends a helping hand to me.  This is a great story of an American climbing guide who gave up his ascent of the highest mountain in the world to help a stranded climber just days after many others passed by a British climber who eventually died on Everest.

This story reminded me of what a couple of men in our church named Mick and Clint did to help a distressed woman the other day as she sat weeping in her truck.  This guy Daniel is a hero who is receiving much deserved press coverage, but Mick and Clint are hero's in their own right in my book!

I love what Daniel Mazur went on to say in this AP story about the rescue.

"Oh yeah, it was worth it," he said. "You can always go back to the summit but you only have one life to live. If we had left the man to die, that would have always been on my mind ... How could you live with yourself?"

I forgot to mention that Daniel's two paying clients had to sacrifice their ascent as well to save this man.  On top of that, other climbers had already passed by and left Lincoln Hall, the stranded climber to die!  Stories like this remind me of the parable that Jesus told 2000 years ago to  his followers to illustrate the need to demonstrate faith and love with action.  Jesus finished that parable with the words, "Go and do likewise."  Sounds like good advice to me!  Way to go Daniel Mazur!  Way to go Mick and Clint!

Tags: Mount Everest, mountain climbing, rescue, Daniel Mazur, Christianity, Jesus Christ, good Samaritan

A Chilling New Wave of Anti-Semitism

Please take the time to read this article in Christianity Today by David Aikman entitled, AN UGLY PHOENIX REBORN.  The former correspondent for TIME MAGAZINE describes a chilling new wave of Anti-Semitism sweeping Europe only 61 years after we discovered over 6 million Jews were horribly murdered by Adolph Hitler and his Final Solution!  The article goes on to recount how most Europeans see Israel as the biggest threat to world peace and not North Korea, Iran or radical Islamist terrorism.  This is such an amazing confirmation to me of the demonic nature of this lie and proof that people are already beginning to forget what we promised would "never again" happen in our world.

I am not a Dispensationalist and I do not believe that Israel in its current state is under God's covenant blessing, but I am forever indebted to Judaism and the Jewish people for the great heritage of truth and history that they have passed on to us Christians.  I pray that Jews all over this globe would "look on him who they have pierced" and turn to Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah.  I will continue to support Israel's right to exist as a nation because they are one of the only truly democratic nations within the Middle East and our ally.  I do believe that God did something supernatural 58 years ago when Israel came to be an entity as a nation once again, so it is very important that we stand with them and challenge them politically when they engage in injustice toward any Arab people group.

I would remind those who think Israel is such a threat that almost every day we hear reports of Iran's president promising to wipe Israel off the map.  I would remind you that Israel lives with the constant threat of terrorism and invasion from every nation that surrounds them.  The hatred toward Jews and Israel that I am describing is not based upon injustices toward Palestinians or territory gained in war, but a deep ancient hatred that is rooted in nothing more than Jewish ethnicity and religion. This hatred was present before any of the current political realities and can only be explained as evil and twisted.  Please remember what the Nazi's and Stalinists did to the Jews in the last century and pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the preservation of Israel.

P.S. - A few qualifiers are necessary.  1.  A Dispensationalist is a Christian who has a certain viewpoint on the end times or "last things" when it comes to Biblical prophecy.  It is a complex methodology for determining how this current age will end and views the nation of Israel as having a very prominent part in those events.  2.  When I say Israel in its current state is not under God's covenant blessing, I am simply referring to those promises based upon obedience.  Yes, God promised them the land, but those promises were based upon obedience.   Disobedience would ultimately lead to expulsion from the land.  3.  When I quote from Zechariah 12:10, where the text declares "they will look on Me whom they pierced", I am not blaming the Jews alone for Jesus' death.  The Bible tells us that all of us are responsible for Jesus' death because our sin put him on the cross.  The very fact that the Roman Empire with its mixed multitude and the Jewish religious system were the instruments used,  just confirms our universal responsibility.  Two dreaded enemies got together to kill the Prince of Peace!

Tags: Israel, Anti-Semitism, Palestine, Holocaust, Jesus, Adolph Hitler, Genocide

I Must Stand For Wicca

UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION - BILL OF RIGHTS - Amendment 1.  Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Sometimes the Culture War can put us in some rather uncomfortable positions and cause us to have some strange bedfellows as the story I am linking to in Christianity Today  so poignantly illustrates.  As John W. Whitehead explains in his column, Stand Up, Stand Up for Wicca, "Amidst a sea of memorial plaques at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, one space remains blank.  That space is waiting to be filled by a plaque honoring the life and sacrifice of 34-year-old Sgt. Patrick Stewart, who was killed in action on September 25, 2005, when his helicopter was struck with a rocket-propelled grenade as it flew over Afghanistan. But it may be some time before Sgt. Stewart is remembered with a memorial plaque. That's because his war widow and the Department of Veterans Affairs are at odds over the Stewart family's request to have the Wiccan pentacle, a five-pointed star surrounded by a circle, placed on the plaque. As of May 31, 2006, government officials have refused to allow the Wiccan symbol to be placed on Stewart's plaque."

As the rest of the article goes on to point out, it is very important for people of all faiths to stand up for cases like this because if one religion can be disallowed its free exercise, than all can be.  It would be my desire for all Wiccan's to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, the very creator of the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, the seasons and rhythms of creation, male and female and sexual passion and energy.  But even if they never do, I will stand for a Wiccan's right to worship however they desire, even while trying to persuade them otherwise.  Sergeant Patrick Stewart's family should be able to memorialize his death with whatever symbol is appropriate to the Wiccan religion, and the Department of Veterans Affairs should support them and see that it happens quickly.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, I unashamedly embrace Him as the Savior of the world and the only source of salvation, heaven, the forgiveness of sins and fellowship with the Creator Yahweh.  I know Him as the Ultimate Goodness and Harmony behind creation, and the Conqueror of the evil spirits in the world known as demons.  I believe all people must turn from self worship, nature worship and sin to Jesus Christ in order to be in harmony with God and His creation.  I trust Jesus Christ and His sinless, perfect life, substitutionary death, cleansing blood and bodily resurrection and ascension as the only means for seekers to be reconciled to the Eternal God.

Having said all of this, I realize that their are many who do not embrace my beliefs and see them as being intolerant because they make Jesus exclusive and unique above all the other people to have ever walked this planet.  With all that is in me, I would seek to persuade these very people and trust God's Spirit to change their hearts to believe the aforementioned truths.  In spite of all of this, I am an American and I do not in any way espouse forcing people to believe or embrace a particular religion.  I agree with our Founding Fathers and the First Amendment and would stand for any person of any belief system that was being threatened or not given the right to the "free exercise thereof." Because I am a Christian American, I must stand for Wicca in this case.

Tags: Freedom of Religion, Wicca, Christianity, Christ, Jesus, First Amendment, War on Terror, Constitution of the U.S.

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BE A REAL MAN!

I Corinthians 16:13 - Keep your eyes open for spiritual danger; stand true to the Lord; act like men; be strong; TLB.    

John 15:13- Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.  NKJV.

Ephesians 5:25 - Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, NKJV.    

Nehemiah 4:14- And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses." NKJV.

I am leaving today to join about 35-40 men on a MEN'S ADVANCE in a beautiful wooded area just North of Spokane, Washington.  As I embark on what always turns into an interesting adventure, I find myself reflecting on what it means to be a man and why manhood seems to be under such attack today from cultural forces that seek to make "maleness" a bad thing.    

Many men these days seem to be confused about manhood because they have been told for several decades now that aggression, strength, passion, drive and decisive action are qualities to be avoided.  Men are being forced into a mold of "niceness" where the highest virtue to be achieved is to be "nice" to one and all.  Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to say that being manly is defined by being harsh or caustic, just that our highest goal in life should not be to make everybody happy with a kind of sappy sweetness.

As a man, I find that I am most inspired by great stories of love, sacrifice, brotherhood, courage and protection.  Though I hate war, I recognize that it is a sad necessity at those times in history when to avoid it is to risk our very existence as human beings.  War though seems to be one of those endeavors that brings out both the best and worst in men.  Whether it is the story of Sergeant York, or movies like Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List or Hotel Rwanda, there is something so powerful about men who put it all on the line to risk life, limb, property, comfort and privilege to rescue, protect and sacrifice for others.  It seems that when men live like this, they are fulfilling what it truly means to be "manly".  This is precisely why Jesus Christ is the ultimate man and the greatest model ever of what a REAL MAN looks like!    

As the above Scripture references make clear," laying down our lives, loving sacrificially, and fighting for our brothers, children, wives and houses", calls out to the "deep unto deep" within us and inspires something that often lies dormant in the day to day drudgery we call life.  The good news is that it doesn't take a war or some kind of heroic act to live our lives this way.  We were made to give up our rights, desires and comforts to assure that others may live well.  It is in "losing our lives" that we truly "find our lives" and become REAL MEN.  Men were made to give all for the sake of others and to put it all on the line to assure that the weak, the poor, the widows and the orphans are protected, provided for and loved.  We are called to live heroically by loving our wives as they deserve to be loved, and by providing an example for our sons and daughters to follow.

One day, some of us will be called upon to literally put our lives on the line for our families, nation or Lord, but until we do, we must make it a practice in the rhythms of our homes, workplaces and churches.  My friend and associate pastor Larry always reminds me that "we get good at what we practice at most often."  If we practice loving, giving, sacrifice and true manhood, we will be the kind of man we want to be in the day of testing and when we stand in the presence of the Almighty and hear Him pronounce, "Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord!"    

Powered by QumanaTags: Men, Manhood, Marriage, Family, War, Sacrifice, Love, Jesus