Thursday, June 30, 2016
Quotes and Musings
Everyone wants forgiveness or peace with God without cost or commitment. That want peace as a commodity(earned) or property (controlled) but not as a gift that one must respond to and have relational responsibility toward.- Chris Gilliam
Counteracting Moralistic Therapeutic Deism:
"Imagine for a moment an area of a city that is of historical interest. There are two very different ways of getting to know that area. The first is the sort of knowledge that a new tour guide possesses, which he passes on to other outsiders. He gathers this information from maps, books, and other external sources, which gave him important functional information that enables him to navigate the area. He may also pick up another level of detail that goes beyond purely functional information, such as interesting history, famous residents, and notorious events. Yet as vast as the guide’s knowledge may become, there is still a yawning gap in the amount of information as well as the depth of knowledge he acquires compared with someone who grew up in that area. Rather than the flat, functional knowledge of the tour guide, the ‘local’ possesses a deep and complex intuitive understanding …
"Some Christian leaders and pastors are tempted to become spiritual ‘tour guides.’ At one level, this is a satisfying role. Our knowledge is clean, clear-cut, and well presented. Our responsibilities are clearly defined and fit within scheduled time frames - our Sunday tours! Yet, at the more fundamental level, tour guides create tourists rather than residents - consumers of knowledge rather than participants in actual communities. We may introduce people to the basic contours and city limits of the gospel - ‘map knowledge’ - but how do we fundamentally reorient them within the new neighborhood of the gospel? Given the significant influence of the modern social imaginary, discipleship must be embedded within a Christian social imaginary in order to be an effective journey of counterformation. This will require a new vision of life, a new story to live within, a new community to be part of, and new practices to live by.” ~ Jonathan Grant
Weaponized Tolerance
It's time to stop letting covert-aggressive rhetoric win the day. Tolerance as used in our public discourse is a rouse. The first one to throw the, "I'm offended" flag is the default winner. Christianity, define broadly is the determined bain of society by the controllers of conversation and when you get to the specific of faith, it is considered abominable. To share painful truth in genuine love is considered to be insensitive on another feeling.
We should never back down from declaring and describing truth.
Even and atheist must admit from their go to guide for life "Science" that gender is assigned biologically in the DNA. No surgery, therapy, hormonal infusion will change that. As such they are hypocrites trying to persuade others that this is a real issue, when there own "science" screams truth to them.
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Quotes and Musings
"The reason why the Christians in this day are at such a loss as to some things is that they are contented with what comes from man's mouth, without searching and kneeling before God to know of Him the truth of things."
- John Bunyan
We know that the new creation is going to replace everything, like in Daniel 2, the kingdom which God is bringing to this earth is not the kingdoms that are already here. It’s replacing those kingdoms. And so in light of that, we can hold this world loosely as followers of Jesus and we can lay hold of the hope that is far greater than what we see around us in the present landscape. We know that we have a king, a ruler who’s actually going to replace all the mess that we experienced in our everyday life with his eternal kingdom. As we’re living in the time in between Jesus’ comings, we’re living these lives of faithful presence, holiness, and godliness like Peter talks about in 2 Peter 3, waiting for the day of the Lord.”
- Justin Holcomb
Revival starts when someone makes a decision to abandon everything to God, to deal ruthlessly with all known sin, to be found daily in the presence of the King, to adopt a submissive and obedient heart, to live unashamed and honored to be known as a follower of Jesus and to pray, 'Not my will but your's be done.'
-Unknown
Legalism, License or Grace?
Originally written in December of 2011.
In a few months I will be teaching at the 10th Annual Pastor's Conference in Lugoj Romania. The theme this year is Living in Grace. As I have been preparing the talks, one statement I have used over and over is this:
"It is easier to walk in rules than it is to live in grace."
It is my prayer and hope that we all not only learn to live in grace but teach others to do so also. Here are a few questions to get us started.
1. What will walking in grace demand of you that legalism forbids?
2. What will walking in grace demand of you that license permits?
Rather than give you the answers, I challenge you to look at the gospels and Jesus' life carefully to answer these questions for yourself.
Post comments as to what you are learning.
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Three T's
TREASURE GOD
God by choice started it all, man by sin stained it all, God through Christ offers redemption to all. Man redeemed knows the treasure God is. If God is growing lack-luster in your life or you have not experienced redemption. Go back to the good news and apply: Christ came! Christ died! Christ rose again! Christ is returning!
Psalm 37: 4 -4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.NKJV
TRUST GOD
Though the light may grow dim, though the day appear grim. Though heaven feels shut, though evil looms large. Though His hand seems absent, though presence unfelt, TRUST Him by faith! From Abraham, Joseph, Job, John the Baptist and Paul we see those who were tried by the silence of God, even to the point of death, yet faith remained and their hope is now realized. Ours will be too...Trust God.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, we also having so great a cloud of witnesses set around us, every weight having put off, and the closely besetting sin, through endurance may we run the contest that is set before us, 2 looking to the author and perfecter of faith--Jesus, who, over-against the joy set before him--did endure a cross, shame having despised, on the right hand also of the throne of God did sit down; 3 for consider again him who endured such gainsaying from the sinners to himself, that ye may not be wearied in your souls--being faint. Young's literal.
THANK GOD
Ingratitude reveals so much selfishness and self focus. Ouch! Remember, God did not have to sustain the world or even save men, but he did. Though He allow, at time and for season, your mistreatment by the world, your misalignment through the malignancy of sin, the misunderstanding of others and the stomp of the evil one. Better is here! Christ in ME the hope of glory. He redeemed ME...and YOU. that alone is enough to thank Him. One day we will reside where sin is no more!
1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks ; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. NKJV
1 Corinthians 15: 57 But thanks [be] to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. NKJV
Quotes and musings
"I don't mean to be cruel, but I'm compelled to be honest: If all those involved in Christian teaching had to become salesmen and saleswomen to make a living, most of them would starve to death. We're teaching the most exciting truth in all the world-eternal truth-and doing it as if it were cold mashed potatoes."
- Howard Hendricks
“I’m religious but I don’t believe in institutional Christianity” is often another Docetic way to say, “I want to be spiritual without any of the ambiguities, frustrations, and responsibilities that embody spiritual commitment.”
Institutions are embodiments and substantiations of ideals, aims, and values. Docetism is a special abnegation of any responsibility to incarnate ideals, values, or love.
It is altogether too easy to love and care in the abstract. Concrete situations of diapers, debts, divorce, or listening to and being with someone in depression and despair, is the test of real love.
Docetism is the religious way to escape having love tested in the flesh. All of us are tempted to audit life rather than to participate fully and be tested by it.
– C. FitzSimons Allison, The Cruelty of Heresy, 37-8.
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