Getting On Fire For God

Last night, we had the best praise team practice that we’ve had in the past year or two. The praise team consisted of 3 musicians and 5 singers, and what made last night so much fun was the spirit of the group.

The group was excited about God, having a lot of fun, and encouraging each other like we were preparing for a championship game. Maybe we were.

All I know is it was the kind of atmosphere you dream of having everywhere in your church, and if you’ve never been a church going kinda person, it might seem kinda weird. If you have been a part of church for awhile, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s a feeling of excitement, and enthusiasm, based not only on what you’re doing, but the expectation of even better things ahead. Go figure the rest out in sociology class, or religion 101, but for those of us who have been a part of some strong churches or Christians, we just call it being “on-fire.”

(speaking of using terms of the trade, if you’re an experienced cave explorer in Missouri you say “let’s go caving!” All the inexperienced people say goofy things like “let’s go spelunking!”…. just so ya know)

How do you get people on fire? That’s the question isn’t it? Maybe it depends, but all we have done is put the focus, and the hope, and the “plan” right on God. In fact, for 2007 we basically threw away our own plans, our fancy slogans, and fancier mission statements, and just quoted Zechariah 4:6 which says “not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord of hosts.” Because the truth is, a slogan never grew a church, or helped anyone break an addiction. God’s Holy Spirit does however. So we have a new vision for our church for 2007. New for us anyway.

Our success or failure will be measured by only two things this year:

1. How much we pray

2. How much we care for one another

And I believe, that is where God wants us to be because God is confirming it not only in my heart, but in the hearts of so many people in our church. The praise team was sure fired up last night. They’re going to rock the house Sunday morning because God is already rockin’ in their heart. You’ll see.

Sensitive Issues

I reread what I wrote on drinking and ended up making even more changes. It’s tough to really convey everything in exactly the right way. And on such a subject like drinking or baptism or eternal security or (fill in the blank) if the shade of meaning is just a little off….

There’s probably something wrong, however, when we can’t talk about a subject in church without getting upset over it. We should be able to discuss any spiritual issue in church. So I hope I haven’t offended anyone with what was written below.

You may even want to check the changes I’ve made.

To Drink or Not to Drink – or any other questionable thing

I never imagined how big a deal these type of issues would be when I became a pastor of a church! The very same type of issues that the Bible says we are not to judge each other over… we judge each other over. The very same issues the Bible says we aren’t to engage in disputes over… we engage in disputes over. When the Bible tells us to do everything we can to keep our brother from stumbling, we just say it’s their fault for worrying about us.

Anyway, when it comes to these type of disputes, check out I Corinthians 8 – 10, and see Romans 14. Here’s my take on the whole teaching you find there:

The Bible says that drunkenness is a sin without a doubt. All you gotta do is read Romans 13:13, Galatians 5:21, I Peter 4:3, and I Corinthians 5:11 which very severely says:

But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.

The Bible does not however say just taking a drink is a sin. Tradition says so, but the Bible only lists drunkenness, while saying in places like I Tim 5:23, John 4:46 that taking a drink with alcohol in it, isn’t wrong. It’s the excess that is sin.

So drunkenness is a sin, and sin is serious, but taking a drink is not condemned. Cool. Ready for the “but?”

But, the Bible does deal with the issue of eating or drinking which may offend people, or otherwise dealing with issues where one person may believe something is wrong, and another believes it is not. Should we give in when someone is being judgmental? Are we being too judgmental? This answer will satisfy no one I’m afraid, but here’s what the Bible says:

1Co 8:9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.

Rom 14:13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

Rom 14:15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.

The Bible here was specifically addressing whether or not it was okay to eat meat which had been “offered” to idols and gods in Greek society. At the time, some people felt anyone who ate such meat was participating in worshiping those gods, and other people believed it was just food and no big deal. We use the same scriptures to talk about drinking (and other questions) because like those days, this is an issue that some people believe is wrong and some do not.

And the question with drinking isn’t if you have the right to drink or not. You do have the right. The question here is whether my actions cause someone else to stumble or does it “grieve” them? Are they offended? Does it weigh heavy on them? Even when something is technically okay according to the Bible, there may still be someone who believes it is wrong, and is deeply offended by you or me. Hey, most people used to believe playing with a deck of cards was wrong. The Bible says little to nothing about gambling, but how many people do you know who would think it’s okay for their preacher to blow 200 bucks at Vegas at the blackjack table?? So out of concern for the people we offend or grieve, the Bible says:

1Co 8:13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

1Co 9:20 While working with the Jews, I live like a Jew in order to win them; and even though I myself am not subject to the Law of Moses, I live as though I were when working with those who are, in order to win them.
1Co 9:21 In the same way, when working with Gentiles, I live like a Gentile, outside the Jewish Law, in order to win Gentiles. This does not mean that I don’t obey God’s law; I am really under Christ’s law.
1Co 9:22 Among the weak in faith I become weak like one of them, in order to win them. So I become all things to all people, that I may save some of them by whatever means are possible.
1Co 9:23 All this I do for the gospel’s sake, in order to share in its blessings.

1Co 10:23 “We are allowed to do anything,” so they say. That is true, but not everything is good. “We are allowed to do anything”—but not everything is helpful.
1Co 10:24 None of you should be looking out for your own interests, but for the interests of others.

As far as the Bible teaches then, we are to avoid anything that causes a “brother” to stumble, but instead, put each other’s concerns ahead of our own. Paul tried to do that with whoever he was with, although that doesn’t mean he lied about it. It just means he tried to live in such a way as to keep from offending people. Yeah, it IS true you can’t please everyone, but you can make sacrifices occasionally for the sake of someone else, -for the sake of a higher purpose. In this case: to keep arguments and issues from getting in the way of teaching others about Christ.

So Where Are We So Far?
1. Drunkenness is sin and sin is serious. Taking a drink was not condemned.
2. The real question is does my drinking cause my brother to stumble or be offended or grieved? If it does, don’t do it, no matter if it’s drinking or something else.
3. It mentions these are issues between a Christian and a “brother” and/or a Christian and an “unbeliever” so this includes everyone who is watching you, and anyone who might be offended or caused to stumble.

There are Christians who are certainly offended and grieved over others who drink. To them the Scriptures say:

Rom 14:4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

And there are Christians who are believe they are doing nothing wrong by taking a drink and they are offended by someone judging them. To these the Scripture says:

Rom 14:21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.

Instead of passing judgment on the other, or dismissing and not caring that someone is grieved or offended by our actions, we are called to sacrifice for the OTHER PERSON’S SAKE. We always come second if we truly love our brothers. Listen to this very practical advice and the reason why:

1Co 10:27 1Co 10:27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you decide to go, eat what is set before you, without asking any questions because of your conscience.
1Co 10:28 But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat that food, for the sake of the one who told you and for conscience’ sake—
1Co 10:29 that is, not your own conscience, but the other person’s conscience.

Rom 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. …

Rom 14:19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

So What Are We Left With?

As a leader in the church, a pastor, I don’t drink. It would offend some of my brothers and sisters; and even though it may be lawful for me to take a drink as others do, I refrain for the sake of others. I do this in many areas of my life. I have to don’t I? For Christ?

If you are a leader in the Church and your brothers and sisters look to you as an example, you and I are in the same boat. Or a very similar one. Even if you’re “just a Christian” you can still offend people, or cause them grief by your actions, -whether it be drinking or something else.

At church one Sunday, I was announcing that we were having a swimming party in the evening. (Some churches would be very offended by certain types of swim wear…) Anyway, I made the announcement that the church was providing the hamburgers, hot dogs, and buns, and everyone was supposed to bring their own “sides and drinks.”

When I said “drinks” that sounded a little bad to me, so I smiled and added “church appropriate drinks.” It got a few chuckles.

It also offended a new family who never came back. Just the comment. They began attending another church where they and others have mentioned how sinful we are over here.

Their judgment toward their brothers and sisters was wrong, and their gossip about others is flat-out sin, yet when possible, God also calls us to do everything we can not to offend or grieve our brothers and sisters. It’s not always possible, but we should try.

What we CAN’T do, is go against the Bible just so we can please everyone else. There IS only so far that we can go, but as much as possible, we should try to work toward building each other up and keeping peace in the Church. Yes, Jesus was condemned by the “religious” people of his day, too, so obviously it’s impossible to please everyone. Very simply, stick with the Bible, and try to watch the example you set.

If you don’t know already, some people have mistaken impressions of how “good” you are supposed to be. Or sometimes they are right! Sometimes, people have mistaken impressions of what is right and wrong, or sometimes we do! People may have mistaken impressions of how you should act and what you should watch on television, and yes, whether or not it’s okay for you to drink. Or any other thing! They are still growing, still learning, and sometimes they are unfairly critical and/or stubborn. Just like us. That includes you.

For some of us, our past sins still bother us greatly and it distresses us to see a “Christian leader” or even “just a Christian” partaking of something that ruined our life at one time. Often, they see the dangers and the evil much more vividly because they lived it. Others of us have always been raised to believe something is wrong, and it is tough to let go of the idea. Still more of us have been taught something is in the Bible when it is not. Still others don’t realize that something we are doing is something God said in the Bible is wrong.

In any case, the question you must ask yourself is “am I causing others to stumble? Is something I’m doing weighing heavy on my brother?” Quite often, when it comes to things like drinking, we are offending and grieving our brothers. Even an innocent sounding comment is enough to run people right out of our church! So yes, how can we say otherwise? It does offend and grieve.

They may not be Biblically correct, but they are still offended.

So we must ask ourselves: Are we willing to sacrifice when necessary for their sake, to “pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another?” Or will we hold on to our rights despite what someone else might think? Christ-like love puts others first. We have to try don’t we?

At the same time, however, when issues like this become the cause of disputes and become our FOCUS, the doors of the church begin to close to anyone who doesn’t “fit,” to anyone who breaks a rule, and the kingdom of God starts to be about outward behavior instead of surrendering to a relationship with Jesus Christ.

You see, the relationship changes the behavior. Behavior doesn’t make a relationship. Think about that one.

For instance, right now if you are struggling with alcoholism, or don’t see anything wrong with it, or simply want to find out more about God, no one here expects or demands you to “clean yourself up” or quit anything before walking through the doors and hearing the message of Jesus Christ. However, at the same time, we want those who lead our church to show evidence of a changed life in Jesus Christ. Evidence of a surrendered life. If we are ruled by our passions and instead of ruled by Christ, how can we lead others in the Church? We love sinners. We ARE sinners. But we are also trying to follow Christ as best we can. Right? There should be changes in my life then, or I haven’t surrendered.

Anyway, even though we sometimes hate to admit it, the Bible says the message is about righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. This new life you’ve heard about isn’t based on following rules about outward appearances, or just strict rules on certain types of behavior, it’s about righteousness, peace and joy. It’s about a relationship with the God who sent His only Son to die for you. God will work on you, in you, and in your life. That’s why we have no business condemning each other over “doubtful issues.” Let the other person grow in their own faith, too. Encourage one another maybe.

Hey, if you think I’m wrong let me know!

Where’d the Bible Come From?

This is a slightly altered script we’re using to do a radio bit on our program. Thought you might like it. Here’s the radio bit if you’d rather listen.

So how do we know the books that are in the Bible, are the only books that should be in the Bible, and how do we know it wasn’t just manipulated by the Leaders of the Church for their own purposes??? Huh? Huh? Huh??

Okay, DaVinci Code boy. Here’s how we got the Bible:

Start with the Old Testament. Those are the 39 books we got from Judiasm. Ancient Israel. Moses. Elijah and guys like that. It records not only the teachings of the Law that Judiasm follows (including the Ten Commandments), but prophecy and stories about the nation of Israel, the end of the world, and the beginning of the world. Adam and Eve? Noah and the Ark? David and Goliath? Yeah, those stories and a lot more.

When it came to putting the Old Testament part of the Bible together as we have today, the Church pretty much just accepted what the Jews had long considered to be inspired. None of that got changed. That is, until Martin Luther showed up.

That crazy Luther!

No it wasn’t him actually, but the Church at the time was catching a lot of heat from Luther, especially over prayers for the dead and indulgences which Luther was preaching against. So conveniently, the Roman Catholic Church decided in 1546 at the Council of Trent that a few extra books or parts of books (11 total) should be added to the Old Testament, -one of which supports the idea of praying for the dead, naturally. Now, to this day Protestants, (that’s non-Catholic Christians) and Jews still reject those 11 additions, but there ya go. Other than that, it’s the same stuff the Jews use.

What about the New Testament Christian Books? Well by the middle of the second century, the Churches, and I say Churches because there wasn’t just one ruling body like many people believe, but hundreds and hundreds of independent churches, had largely accepted the New Testament as we have today. Later, they got together and officially ratified it at four different councils.

Who knows, coulda sounded a little like:

I like Peter!
Revelation is cool….
Don’t forget II Peter.
Fouth John!
There is no fourth John!
Jude? What kinda name is Jude?
Did I mention Revelation rocks?
Hey Matthew, Mark, Luke, and umm….
I and II Thessalonians, you just have to put them in order you know.
Titus!
Philemon? or Phillymon? How do you say that one?
You sound like you’re from Jamaica.
We haven’t even discovered Jamaica yet!
Okay, you guys just make up your mind, I’ve got the scroll of Hosea!
That’s the Old Testament!
Oh…
Corinthians, uh… Ephesians, Galatians, Philippians, Colossions, Colossus?
No Col-loss-ians… retard….
Hebrews, who wrote Hebrews?
Paul!
Timothy!
Peter!
James! James is good, Maybe okay, I got it…
Did I mention Revelation rocks!!!!!
Who let him in here?

Or something perhaps more uh… formal.

Anyway, there were some extra writings people had questions about of course, but none of the questionable New Testament writings were accepted by the majority of churches, -ever.
Most were never given the same status as the regular books, -ever.
None of the 4 major gatherings or councils of all the churches accepted them, -ever.
And the extra writings never met the requirements the church used in deciding if a book of the Bible should actually be in the Bible. The two main requirements were:

1. Did one or more of the original apostles actually write it or help write it? Including Judas? No Judas was never an apostle in the Church. He pretty much kicked himself outta the group with the whole, betraying Jesus thing.

and 2. Did the early Churches as a whole accept these books?

And for the books we have the New Testament, the answer to these questions was yes.

But why make it official?

To preserve what they had always accepted and keep other people from changing it later. The very thing people today accuse them of doing, they were trying to stop. In fact, at that time a group called the “Gnostics” (the “G” is silent – which of course begs the question of why it was put in the word to begin with? -The answer I believe is so people like you and me would miss it on a spelling test and make librarian-types feel smarter) started teaching that most of the New Testament was wrong and the Gnostics began writing their own books.

Every now and then, Dateline NBC finds one of these Gnostic books and freaks out about it.

We’ve found a new Gospel!

Yeah. Knock yourself out. The Churches, all the churches, all the BRANCHES of churches, even the ones that disagree, haven’t argued over the New Testament since 400 AD. That’s one-thousand six-hundred and seven years ago.

Yeah, but we’ve lost all the records haven’t we?

We have 5,700 Greek manuscripts alone. Right now.

Okay never mind.

Growing A Church

Perception is reality. It’s a little surprising that many of the same motivational principles used in sports and in the business world, are necessary at church. But when you think about it, what we’re trying to do in all three of those arenas is to get people to “believe.”

Seems like we’re just naturally negative. That given our druthers, we’d just as soon expect the worst and grumble about it. So on Sunday, we are purposefully trying to let our “faith” in God shine.

Now I can’t fake stuff like that. When I was a part time salesman in college, I couldn’t sell something I didn’t believe in. I just couldn’t, that wasn’t me. And we’re not going for manufactured happiness or pretend faith on stage when Sunday services roll around. No, we are looking for a sincere expression of belief and expectation from those who lead, teach, preach, greet, etc…

Because the only reason we’re there is to worship and honor Jesus Christ. The faith is already there so I suppose it’s more accurate to say we are trying to focus on that God, that Savior, we already believe in. Focus on Him publicly so others will be encouraged to do the same.

Just like sports or business, we aren’t just communicating a piece of knowledge, but an attitude that believes in what we are doing. In this case, an attitude that also believes in what God is doing. Such attitudes are contagious, and your church will mirror the faith of those who lead.

Sounds good. Wish it was as easy and quick as it was to write. Sunday is coming. Gotta study.

Who Are the 144,000 in Revelation?

Warning: I don’t have the secret Revelation DeCoder Ring or the DaVinci Code Decoder…. what was that thing?….. well you know.

There are about 3 zillion theories, so just to be safe, I think it’s best to take it at face value in some ways. I mean, the best way to read Revelation is using the philosophy:

If the plain sense makes sense
Don’t look for any other sense
Lest you wind up with nonsense.

Depending on who you ask, they are either the best people who will be saved and get to enter a high-class sort of heaven, (see Jehovah Witnesses and get your RSVP in early! Maybe there was a cancellation!) Or they are symbolic of the church as a whole from the beginning in Acts until now, (that particular view would say that 144,000 represents completeness or perfection. I personally wish age 40 represented buffness…) or they represent the first 144,000 Jews that would be saved, or they are symbolic of all the Jews that will be saved, (Which hopefully number more than 144,000.) or they aren’t just Jews, but Gentile believers called Jews because in Christ we are considered spiritual Jews….

etc…

Here’s what it says:

Says they are Jews, 12,000 each from these tribes:
Rev 7:5 Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand: Of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand;
Rev 7:6 Of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand;
Rev 7:7 Of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand;
Rev 7:8 Of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand; Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

It says they were sealed, evidently to protect them, before God’s judgement fell.
Rev 7:2 And I saw another angel ascend from the sunrising, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a great voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
Rev 7:3 saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we shall have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.

Then later they show up again with Jesus and you find out they have interesting tattoos:
Rev 14:1 And I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on the mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty and four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads.

And you find out they have musical ability when they get to heaven….
Rev 14:3 and they sing as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders: and no man could learn the song save the hundred and forty and four thousand, even they that had been purchased out of the earth.

And they are kinda weird:
Rev 14:4 These are they that were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were purchased from among men, to be the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb.
Rev 14:5 And in their mouth was found no lie: they are without blemish.

Now a quick study tells you they were either very literally virgins, or the meaning here is that they never engaged in any sinful or improper sexual immorality. The Bible never equals marriage with being “defiled,” but since it goes on to say they are virgins, you get the idea that they weren’t just symbolically pure, but actual virgins.

And face it. That’s a lot of virgins.

Anyway, it’s interesting to note that angels are never spoken of in the Bible as “singing” to God but people here “sing a new song.” Maybe those angel-dudes can’t sing? If true, I find that bizarre.

So put it all together: (I feel like I’ve got puzzle pieces without the cover for the box don’t you?)

God seals these guys just before the first four angels blow their trumpets and God begins to judge the land, sea, trees, etc…. They are Left Behind on purpose and protected from the judgments God is clobbering the planet with, just like God protected the Israelites when He was clobbering the Egyptians with ten plagues.

Why? Well they are definitely believers, so you assume that God left them and protected them so they could be a witness to those here on the earth during these terrible judgments. Since they are Jews, God seems to be using them exactly how He used the Jews in the ancient past. Namely, God not only gave them a “message” but required them to live certain ways and do certain things that were symbolic of God’s message.

The Jews weren’t allowed to wear clothing made of two or more different types of material. It symbolized how God wanted them to be separate from the world and pure from the sinful practices of those who don’t know God. These 144,000 guy-virgins (the Greek word used the masculine form) weren’t “defiled” which stands in stark contrast to the world they are living in which is being judged for all of its sins.

The Jews had to be circumcised, these guys have a seal on their foreheads.

They are talked about as the “firstfruits” without blemish, just like the Jews would give a lamb that was “without blemish,” the firstborn lamb, to God as a sacrifice for their sins. Here God “purchased” these guys from among men as the first to be redeemed from this world which is about to be judged completely.

So it stands to reason if God used the Jews to preach a “message” and to be an “example” in ancient times, God may still believe that’s a good idea and select for Himself a group of people, maybe even 144,000 Jews, who have completely forsaken the world and given themselves completely over to Him and use these guys as a witness and as an example to the rest of the planet.

And at the time, the planet is going into a death spiral, (because God is hammering the snot out of it) so people will either make their peace with God or be stupid like the thief on the cross who was cursing Jesus just moments before He died.

Evidently he was already brain dead even though he could still speak….

So even though I’d like come up with some fantastic symbolic weird meaning for the 144,000…

(Okay I will anyway, maybe they are symbolic of an alien race that arrives in Olney, England and offers to cure cancer if we give them shrubbery?)

….ah, in real life it actually seems to fit with the type of thing God would do during the end of the world, and goes with the stuff that Revelation says is happening at that time. Use a bunch of Jews devoted totally to Him as a witness and example to everyone else. So I think there will literally be 144,000 virgins who just want to serve Jesus at the end.

Even Paul said it’s better not to be married because then you can devote 100% of your time to God. Seems like that’s what these guys have done.

The other problem with believing 144,000 is literal is that it’s a round number. I mean, sure He’s God but what are the chances of finding 12,000 and 12,000 and 12,000 etc…? I’m just sayin’…. THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE! Create the universe, no problem, round numbers? Get outta here.

Doesn’t that have to be symbolic? Symbolic of perfection? 12 X 12,000? Symbolic of completeness? 12 is more complete than…. well…. 2 isn’t it?

Here’s my problem. WE are the ones who came up with the whole “completeness” “perfection” ideas for numbers. WE are the ones who decided that a number only divisible by itself and 1, such as the number 7, is “perfect.” I’m sure the number 13 is ticked at this. That’s probably why it’s bad luck.

And WE are the ones who decided a number divisible by 1,2,3,4,6, and itself, ie..12, is also representative of completeness and perfection.

Which doesn’t even make sense. What quality about 12 makes it perfect and makes 7 perfect as well? They have nothing in common. They don’t even date the same people.

But Christians don’t stop there. We go after other numbers! 40 is a symbolic number of a generation, 1000 is symbolic of even more completeness, not to be confused the completeness of 12, and 14 is like… perfection times 2!

My head hurts.

Here’s the bottom line, I’ll GRANT you that 40 MAY be “symbolic” oooooooooooo….. but I still believe it rained for 40 days and 40 nights when Noah was around. I’ll GRANT you 7 is symbolic but I still believe Noah put 7 of every clean animal on that ark, (He did, go look) and that there are 7 days in a week, and there are 7 reasons why Bill Parcells should retire….

Just because it’s a round number, or a “symbolic” number doesn’t mean it’s not real, so why can’t it be real? I’m going with mostly real. Maybe it works out to 144,002? Maybe Heaven was rounding off and the actual numbers looked like this:

12,004
11,997
12,001
12,000
etc…

But the last time I checked out at WalMart and the final total came to an even 35 bucks and I was like… Wow! That’s Incredible!

They still made me pay them 35 bucks.

So I believe there are literally 144,000 Jewish virgins running around preaching the Gospel during the last few years on earth. Stranger things have happened.

If Israel Nukes Iran…

Just on the purely philosophical side of things, I don’t think they should, even if I don’t blame them for considering the use of tactical nuclear weapons to destroy the underground bunkers housing the Iranian nuclear program.

Can’t blame them, but I think it plays into Iran’s hands. -just on the purely philosophical side of things.

I think it would give Iran’s leader the justification he needs to throw the region into the chaos he believes will usher in the coming Islamic Messiah figure called the 12th Imam. “Coming” is what he believes, not me. I don’t believe in the 12th Imam obviously, but it isn’t lost on me that such a figure might be accepted by him and at the same time, would fit the description of a world leader the Bible speaks of as the “anti-christ.”

It’s a bit significant to realize that the situation in the middle east and the world are primed for a scenario that comes very literally close to Revelation. This whole is the Bible true or not argument would become moot in a hurry. As would the literal or symbolic arguments in the church itself.

The unsettling nature of the world in this regard needs to awaken a sense of priorities in us. What I mean is, instead of allowing the possibilities to consume you, or to frighten you, allow the real facts of this uncertain world to cause you reflect on the things that matter. Life is short, and life as we know it may be even shorter.

Knowing this, perhaps our worry over ourselves, our things, our materialism, our sensibilities, and even our views of how things should be done at church or who has offended whom lately, should be superceded and overridden by the more important issues like what values we have taught our children, how much love and time have we invested at home with our kids and our spouse, how many have we reached with the message of Christ at church, and how like Christ are our actions and our attitudes in the building we claim to worship Him?

Now, more than ever, we all need to come second to others, and second especially to God.

Slain in the Spirit

We just returned from a Christ In Youth Ski Trip in Winter Park, CO! On the way back, our group of 13 went to the Faith Now Christian Center in Denver for their 11 o’clock Sunday morning service, and it was a fantastic church that impressed us in many ways.

They loved God, -that was obvious. They were friendly, organized, and everything in the sanctuary, as well as everything about the service revealed a church that gave attention to detail and strived for excellence from the smallest things to the larger. They had spent the money to make the place exceptional. They had gone the extra mile in everything. And they preached the Word, worshiped with all of their heart, and prayed like they meant it. They had ministries to every age group, to prisons, and to the poor.

I’m telling you this for a reason. Jesus said “by their fruit you will know them” and some of you out there may hear that this church over here, or that church over there is “charismatic” or “speaks in tongues” or during their services people are “slain in the Spirit” and you’ll immediately judge them in your mind. And at Faith Now, all those terms apply.

Of course, others of you will simply say, “What? Slain in the what?”

I’ll do my best to answer that in a second, but first: Whether you agree or believe in tongues, slain in the Spirit or whatever, this church called Faith Now Christian Center had the fruit Jesus was talking about. They had the fruit Galatians 5 was talking about. I just praise the Lord we don’t have to have every little thing figured out before God allows us into heaven. Understand, no matter our style, no matter if we’ve got the most accurate interpretation on the Bible, no matter if we believe Jesus will reign on earth a 1000 years or not, no matter if we are an a-capella church or a church with musical instruements galore… it’s by the fruit you know an apple tree is an apple tree. Shape doesn’t matter. Number of branches doesn’t matter. Length of the root system doesn’t matter. The fruit tells you what it is. So don’t get all judgmental just yet, cuz those guys and gals over at Faith Now are my brothers and sisters. I know they are. I saw the fruit.

I praise God for them, and how God spoke through the message that Sunday. It was the perfect sermon that summed up every message we had heard at Christ In Youth during the week at the Ski Conference.

Now about the tongues, slain in the Spirit, etc….

Tongues are a gift from the Holy Spirit given to people in the Church according to I Corinthians 12 and 14. We apparently see it used in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit first arrived on the Day of Pentecost when Jews from all over the world had gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate. On that day when people from many different places, with many different languages had gathered, the Holy Spirit came just as Jesus had promised, and the believers began to tell others about Him. As they did, they noticed that people from all these nations could suddenly hear them in their own language. Tongues, in this case, was a tool God used to overcome language barriers so people could hear about the good news of Jesus Christ.

Later, in Acts 10, Peter was speaking to a non-Jewish family who’s head was a guy named Cornelius. While Peter was speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon the whole family, and they started to speak in tongues as well. Peter took it as a sign that they had “received the Holy Spirit as well as we.” So for Peter, these tongues weren’t any different than what he himself had experienced on the Day of Pentecost. The Greek word we translate “tongues” literally means “languages.” So by the examples in the New Testament, tongues showed up from time to time as a proof the people had received the Holy Spirit (-although this wasn’t always the case. Sometimes people who had received the Holy Spirit “prophecied”, or sometimes they just “praised God”) and the gift of tongues was also something God used to overcome language barriers.

That’s why I believe I Corinthians 14 says tongues is a sign for unbelievers, not for believers. Why? Because tongues are primarily a miraculous evangelistic tool to overcome language barriers. In fact, we still hear stories of this happening from time to time on the mission fields across the world. Tongues can also be given temporarily as a sign someone has received the Holy Spirit, although the Bible makes it clear (at least to me) in I Corinthians 12 that not everyone has the gift of tongues, and nor did God always do this in the Bible. It seems God did it when it was necessary for some reason, or to further His purpose in some way.

Do some people fake having the gift of tongues? Of course. Some people fake being a Christian, too. There is always fake scattered around the real thing when it comes to the Church.

Slain in the Spirit is a little tougher. No where in the Bible do you see the practice of people gathering in a Church and the pastor or apostle laying hands on them and they fall over. At least in the way we see it practiced today. However, just talk to the people who have experienced such a ceremony and you’ll find some pretty amazing stories of encountering Christ, being struck by some sort of power and waking up on the floor, healings, etc… Not all the time, mind you, and there is supposedly a study or two that show the experience is often not much more than falling down while sincerely praising God and worshiping Him. Nothing wrong with that really, even if it’s not so miraculous all the time.

Sometimes, however, it’s very real. Either that, or my friends are lying to me, and I don’t believe they are. One explained it to me this way: He pointed out that several times in the Bible, when a person encountered the presence of God, they would fall down “as though dead.” It happened to John in the book of Revelation when he came face to face with Jesus. It happened to Isaiah and many others throughout the scripture. My friend believes that being “slain in the Spirit” is the same thing. A moment when you encounter the presence of God to such a great degree that you fall down “as though dead.”

I believe that during the moments when “slain in the Spirit” is real, that’s exactly what happens. Why not? Don’t tell me we cannot encounter the presence of God anymore. That would be goofy and without basis. And the fact is, when you encounter God powerfully, it is not something your physical body can withstand. He created the stars and forces in the universe. How can any of us stand next to that? Just the whiff of God’s presence is more powerful than anything man has ever dreamed of.

That’s how I look at it, anyway. I can’t say much from experience, except uh…. this:

While we were at Faith Now Church, the pastor laid his hand on me and pushed me to the point where I was losing my balance. At that moment, I became very self-conscious and did not focus on Christ, but on trying not to fall over. So no, there wasn’t a bolt of light for me, and I didn’t wake up on the floor, but I didn’t want to either. The pastor was pushing me and holding my arm so that I was losing my balance, and there’s my last point.

In the Bible, the issue never has to be forced. God will do what God wants to do, to whoever He wants to do it, for as long as He wants to do it. There isn’t one particular miracle that everyone must experience. There are many miraculous things that God allows us to experience from time to time, but none are required. None are listed as “fruit.” Galatians 5 says the fruit of the Holy Spirit is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Those are the things that tell you if you have the Holy Spirit or not, ultimately. There isn’t a miraculous gift listed there, just a changed person.

We make the mistake when we decide we must experience a certain miraculous event, BUT we make another mistake when we say all these miracles have past and no one can experience them any longer.

The Bible is the authority and the Bible says it is God who determines who receives what. It is the Bible who says the Holy Spirit (God) gives gifts to each one “just as He determines.” No where in the Bible was there a time limit on these gifts during our stay in this world. No where does it say these gifts will go away and the rest of you will simply have to go on without such things. (I Corinthians 13 says these gifts will go away when Jesus Christ returns) God is a miracle working God and has been since the beginning. We try to dismiss His miracles today I think because there are so many who force the issue and fake it. They want the miracle so bad they talk themselves into believing they have it, -often, because their church says they can’t be saved or be a Christian unless they experience this particular thing, or that particular thing.

Instead Christians, listen now, we need to trust God’s promises by faith. Faith is being certain of what we hope for, and being sure of what we DO NOT see. The miracles will come, and come in many ways.

And Christians, one more thing, we need to let God be God. Yes I know God gave the gift of tongues to Cornelius for a particular reason at that time. Guess what? If God gives YOU the gift of tongues, -He will also have a reason for THIS time. Let God be the decider of what He does when, and don’t condemn people when they experience God’s miraculous power. Rejoice with them.

And finally, the main thing is to follow God through any door He opens for you and your life. He’ll give you the gifts you need for just such a purpose. You’ll see.