Pulpit Report -- May 31, 2009 -- Celebration: Embracing the Joy of theSpirit

Psalm 150

We have come full circle -- we started as the disciplines as an avenue to joy and now we get to joy.

Celebration is a discipline in that it requires us as a church to live with joy and not be Eeyore. We can get run down by the situation but in the end we must embrace the joy of Celebration.

We do this by discovering and remembering who God is.
1. God is in his sanctuary -- he is close to us.
2. God is in the heavens -- he is greater than all
3. God is Great in power and greatness
4. God deserves our praise despite feelings

We have to discipline ourselves to embrace this with joy and celebration regardless of what the world is or does.

Where are You?

The Theology of Vision

Without a vision, the people are unrestrained and perish. -- Proverbs 29:18 (Pastor Ed's conglomeration).

Vision is about hearing from God what one's direction should be. The direct application of this is personal vision but it could be applied anywhere. Solomon also presented the idea of having too many dreams or vision as being empty (Ecclesiastes 5:7). Vision must be focused on a few things not many.

For myself, I set my personal vision one day in 1993 after I graduated from college. I sat down and wrote three things down.
1. Be the pastor of the best church in the world -- Best not meaning biggest, but one that follows the Word in all things.
2. Be a well known published Christian author of both non-fiction and fiction books.
3. To retire to being a professor in a College or University to pass on my knowledge to the next generation.

So far, no dice on any of them, but I have made progress on getting closer to each one. But without this vision I would not try to do anything and my efforts would not be focused. This vision has often kept me going, even when things got very difficult.

For churches, vision is important. It focuses the resources of the church toward the direction of building the kingdom of God. Many churches do just 'whatever' and wonder why they get nowhere. There must be a focus to evangelize, worship and disciple or there is no point to a church.

Have a vision for yourself and be a part of the vision of your church. You will be much more effective for God and His kingdom.

A Strategy for Defeat.

Now I am a Christian, but when it comes to spiritual warfare I realize that it is a battle of souls, minds and hearts. Key elements for victory in a War Of Ideas are to have resolve and courage and to believe in your cause to the point of standing up for it and fighting for it even if it costs you something.

That said their are three great illustrations of how certain people have acted in a the war of spirit and ideas that illustrate failure.

1. The first is President Bush's failure to leave a Republican legacy behind. In large part, the failure was planted with the new tone. In a war of ideas toning it down does not work. You can respectfully address your opponents but the stand you take on your ideals and principles must be firm and uncompromising. You must act to win. Letting your opponent help make policy, not being small government in practice and not using the bully pulpit to take on you opponents directly is a mistake because it gives your opponents a weakness to exploit. As Much as Bush had a realization that to fight terror we needed to get on a war footing, I wish he would have realized to get his agenda passed and the American people behind it he need to realize he was at war ideologically with the Democrats -- "What fellowship does light have with darkness" If only Chaney had been like he is now while in office.

2. The Republican failure to win in 2008 is accented by this same idea only from the leadership of the party -- lets be more like our opponents -- Why? If your trying to win something you have to accent your differences and not play the game by the other team's rules. Be different stand out and stand for the right thing. McCain got my vote, but he hadn't won my heart. And in the case of many others that was enough not to bother getting up to vote in the first place. The opponents successfully demonized the GOP, but all they did is take it and didn't fight back. Result -- they looked weak and not different at all -- Hail is Majesty -- Obama.

3. Now its Obama's turn -- His approach to diplomacy followed the same strategy of defeat. Talk nice to our enemies and dictator thugs, try to be liked and be the nice guy. Apologize for America (don't remember an apology for 9/11) and be better as a person. Result -- dictators now know Obama's real color -- yellow. And they are now flaunting it in his face -- two missile launches and a nuke test later and nothing. By taking us off a war footing and trying to be the nice ,we are going to ultimately reap it. Our enemies are going to take advantage of our foolishness naive policy and get away with oppressing us and others.

As a Christian, I am not going to be necessarily a nice guy. Jesus was not a nice guy at times and love is a tough thing not always flowers. Niceness without real resolve is a strategy for defeat. Something the above three examples should warn us of.

Dealing with the Past.

A fellow blogger emailed me about his Blog http://www.godneverwastesahurt.blogspot.com/. It got me thinking about my own hurts from the past. I do have a few.

1. My father's death
2. My oldest son's hospitalization when he was four. One of his kidney's needed major surgery -- you have child that young in hospitals all the time and see how you feel.
3. My first church -- A cesspool of unforgiveness, gossip and backbiting.
4. My second church -- A hurt church that found no other answer but to ignore their hurt and take their vengeance out on me for their last pastor's behavior. In the process I was hurt by my denominational leadership that pretty much hung me out to dry.

The point can be made however that each on of these bad situations did two things
1. They caused me to draw closer to God through a challenge of my faith. In fact on the last occasion I came very close to chucking the whole thing and going elsewhere completely. But in the end the Lord brought me around.
2. All of them caused me to rethink the direction of my life and ministry.

In the end Roy Stewart and this blog is right. God never does waste a hurt, he uses them to make us more there servants we need to be. Always remember that and NEVER GIVE UP ON GOD.

Blessings

Why I Am A God Lover

And God fearer I might add. I think this is actually the most important one. Theological and Political tags aside, the issue for me ultimately is relationship with God and my love for him.

1. I refuse to simply have a form of Christianity that is nothing more than religion. I believe salvation ultimately hinges on this not on some subscribing to a creed.

2. Love, Fear and Obedience are the trifecta of faith for me. I believe in God, but so do the demons of hell so their must be more than simple belief that leads to salvation. I love God so I trust him. I fear him, so I live with an understanding that He will bring every act of mine to judgment. I obey him -- because I love him as Father, Lord and Friend.

3. Faith is more than belief and it is this love for God that leads to all good things that come down from the Father of lights.

More than religion -- relationship. More than being conservative, evangelical, pentecostal creationist or open theist. this relationship with God means more than all of them. It means eternal life.

Finis. Blessings.

Why I Am Still an Open Theist.

I already wrote on this one many years ago on my Open Theism blog and not much has changed other than I have more of a resolve that Open Theism is true. I reprint it only because what I have to say is the same:

"For Years, I had an ever growing frustration with the main two options presented to Protestants -- Calvinism and Arminianism. The main frustration came with the fact on the one hand there were Scriptures that talk about the predeterminism of God in certain situations and on the other there were passages that spoke of God being well -- open to what happened and not determining anything. Of the two I quickly dismissed Calvinism as being completely Unscriptural in regard to God's Nature as a just God and there are many passages indicating the free choice of salvation by human beings. Arminianism became a better camp for myself, but it often frustrated me with the sometimes Scriptural twisting to get past the deterministic passages.

The problem I began to wrestle with was foreknowledge. What exactly does God know about the future? This question seems on the surface to deny traditional views of God's knowledge based on simple foreknowledge where God knows all of the course of time from beginning to end. But the question is actually aimed not at God but his creation. Better stated I began to ask: What is the nature of the future that God has created? Has God chosen to create a future where contingencies or choices are real to him as well as to us?

I want to stress the fact that Open Theists do not deny the omniscience of God -- what we deny is that God has created a world in which He can know exactly the future . He rather has created a world where possibilities are real to Him as well. Only in this way can God have a genuine relationship with his creation.

As I searched the Scriptures, I began to see the fact that in some case God does not seem to know what people will do. He knows all the possible things they could do but what they actually will do seemed out of His knowledge. There are other times that God actually expresses emotion over choices that were made in a negative way. 'Why?' became my question. If he already knew what was going to happen -- why get upset about it -- your God; you have a plan to deal with this -- why get upset?

Since that time I have been on a search to see if there is a way to reconcile this dilemma. Open Theism seems to offer the best answer. Contingencies are genuine to God as well as us are the open theists claim. The also did something refreshing -- the engaged the Scriptures. Contrary to popular Christian blogs out there -- Open theism is very much grounded in Scripture and that is why the only counter seems to be -- 'Open Theists are heretics". When you ask why they think so -- 'they deny God's foreknowledge." These things indicate to me that the anti-open theists have not looked deeply at the arguments presented for open theism and engaged them honestly. They are engaged in a knee jerk analysis of this subject and I find this irresponsible."

I originally posted that on March 10, 2006. Nothing much has changed other than I am even more convinced of two things:
1. Open Theism is Biblically True
2. The Opposition even more than before is engaged in knee jerk reactions and bases their criticism on false information on what Open Theists believe.

The battle continues

Memories of the Fallen and an Unfortunate Reality

Its Memorial Day -- a day to remember the fallen in battle and service to their country.

My grandfather flew B-17's over Germany and Russian during WWII he was a pilot that belly landed his plane once and was shot down another time and had to bail out over Germany. He won the Distinguished Flying Cross.

My father was in Florida in the Navy during the Cuban Crisis where he was chauffeur to an Admiral who was under the stress of dealing with a potential nuclear threat under a hundred miles from our shores. Both of them in the line of fire had things gone badly.

Both are gone now.

For myself, I have never served as I joined the Lord's Army but it does not diminish my feelings for these men along with many others who put their lives in between our enemies and your and my freedom. They deserve our respect.

Unfortunately we have President and a Congress that will go through the motions of respect but who have shown by their actions and words they have both a contempt for the military and National defense by force. Many of these people were among those who protested the Vietnam War calling these men 'baby killers' and other nonsense. They protested the Cold War arms race which Reagan pushed that lead to victory in the cold war with the fall of the USSR. They protested the Gulf War even though it liberated an innocent country. They protested The War on Terror even though it was a response to multiple attacks on Americans culminating in 9/11 and it liberated Iraq from a brutal dictator as well as killing many more terrorists who would cause our country harm.

Isn't interesting that those who claim patriotism is descent also have to side with dictators and thug and terrorists by saying that they are better than us or right in their actions by saying we have not right to take action against them.

Any action any of these people take to 'honor' our fallen should be taken with a grain of salt -- they should be protested themselves. Their actions have always been one of contempt and dishonor to the men in uniform.

To those who have fallen and those who have served and are serving -- Blessings to you, your families and your supporters. You deserve every bit of it.

Pulpit Report -- May 24, 2009 -- Guidance: Embracing the Spirit's Direction

I just want to say that this was one of the hardest messages to preach, not because I don't think it is needed, but it really hard to get across to people their need for others to guide them at times. Honestly I felt flat today, but the subject is important. Probably just me.

Guidance happens on all levels
1. Individual
2. Group -2 or more people
3. Church
4. Nation
5. World

The basic sense of guidance is to hear from God on issues and get a better perspective that you couldn't get just looking at an issue or problem yourself. For group and higher levels the issue becomes about following the Shepherd and it is about discerning where Christ is leading us. The Nation/World thing rarely happens. The USA has experienced it on some occasions but not on many others.

Acts 13-15 is a great example of guidance on all levels. Read it. The Spirit was in all cases working though other people to give guidance to groups, and the church as a whole.

You can either follow God by seeking guidance or go your own way without it. A disciplined disciple seeks it often and develops relationships where such counsel and guidance can take place regularly.

There are some pitfalls and restrictions on guidance.

1. No guidance should be accepted if it would cause you to sin.

2. No matter how well guided even by God -- the freewill of others and circumstances can change things. As an open theist I can tell you that some things are better possibilities even for the mind of God, but people can change and for the worse. Don't blame God if things go wrong.

3. In Group Guidance, everyone being in prayer is important. It is possible -- say on boards and councils -- that this is not the case and thus guidance can be false or misleading or worse based on personal ambition or politics. Be advised that group and church guidance requires committed spiritual people.

Blessings.

Nudity, Modesty and Culture -- Part Six -- A Final Word on Lust.

Or perhaps I should say a final word on the deliberate action of lust.

Up till now, I have discussed how to deal with nudity and related issues that are environmental or accidental in nature. The accidental flashing or the covers of magazines, issues of modesty, etc. There is a far cry from this and an action of seeking out nudity for sexual release and gratification. Just because you can re-conceive nudity in your mind as a Christian does not mean you should go looking for trouble. It is one thing to see a racy magazine cover in a store but entirely something else when a person and gets online and looks up nude pictures. The first could lead to lust, but the second is the fruit of lust already conceived. This distinction needs to be kept in mind as your deal with the challenges of these issues.

Lust grieves God's heart. It is not what he had in mind at all when he created man and woman. Lust is a sin that relates to idolatry in a great way. It must be avoided at great cost and repented of with tears and grief when conceived and brought to fruit.

I say this because some may think I am giving licence to go look at nudity an just deal with it. I am not saying this at all. What I am saying that this temptation can be dealt with in our present world, because there is a way of escape, not a license to sin.

A word on our Christian culture. Most of Christian culture is not going to think in terms of nudity and modesty in the way I have outlined. The teaching over the years has been avoid and isolate. When these thing happen in the context of the church remember you are not going to win over everyone in a second. Reeducation is needed. I offer this series as an alternative way to deal with the problem of lust in a world where nudity is becoming more common place and the standards of modesty are being altered at a rapid rate. Culture is changing everything and we Christians, male and female, need to adapt to stay strong in the Lord.

Blessings. Finis.

Nudity, Modesty and Culture -- Part Five -- Practical Advice For Christian Women

I feel very much like a man on the moon. Totally out of my element. If any woman wants to call me out of my mind, she is probably right. Seriously, If a woman out there wants to tell me why women lust or has any other comment on what I have written here -- you are more than welcome and would be appreciated.

OK, Women have lust problems too. See Potiphar's wife in Genesis 39 and Proverbs 7 for Biblical examples. It would also be fair to say that women are also attracted to the physical form of men, something I do not get at all. However, I do not think most women lust because of outward appearance. The emotional strength of women is also their weakness when it comes to men. Vanity also plays a factor. Truth be told, I still find it a mystery of why women lust, but they do. In the two cases above, one lusts because of her authority over Joseph and the other because of the absence of her husband. In one case it is about vanity in the form of control and the other is vanity in desire for being wanted.

In any case, what is a Christian woman to do? Guard her heart! Women like attention and don't tell me it isn't true, I see it. They want someone to listen to them and notice them. Women have a need to be loved, communicate with men and receive affection. These things combine into a strong desire for a man. I think. A woman's heart and desires can get the best of her.

The difference is how this desire is pursued. Men chase, women seek to be caught. I have had enough conversations with women and for some odd reason when I am the only man in a room full of women, women converse as if I wasn't there so I have some inside knowledge on this. This knowledge leads me to a conclusion that women have this strong desire to be so desirable that a man will chase to the ends of the earth to take her. It is a common fantasy and you only have to pick up any romance novel to know it is true. (Aside: could it be said that romance novels might be a form of emotional porn for women)

What does this have to do with nudity, modesty and culture?

First, a woman must distinguish between when she is seeking to be a pretty woman who is attractive and when she is being sensual. Sensuality is a clear sign of lust in a woman. It is a question of attitude. Any woman can be sensual and nudity is not necessary. In fact in sensuality, nudity can be too over the top. Once the clothes come off, there is no mystery and a man will actually get disenchanted with her over time unless they are committed in marriage.
The women who use sensuality know that the best course of action is to show just enough but leave some to the imagination. Sensuality is about using her sex appeal to attract a man for sexual proposes. It does not take natural beauty either. Madonna, back in the day, is a prime example -- somewhat pretty, but it was the way she carried herself in a sexual attitude that made her the most attractive to men. Know the difference between pretty and sensual.

Second, Paul and Peter provide that modesty is a heart issue and it has little to do with clothing. It is about quiet submissive hearts that are precious to God. True modesty can be the best defense against lust that can develop in a woman's heart. Quietness causes a woman to listen to God and receive his love. Submissiveness allows humility of heart and humility means a woman won't think higher of herself than she should. Vanity is brought under control.

Thirdly, Know that in dealing with men, they are going to look. You are visually attractive to most men. Deal with it in a manner that is positive. I once met a woman who would get offended because men would look at her breasts. She was well endowed and had a habit of wearing tight t-shirts with words across her chest. I wonder why they were looking? Women should not be offended when men look -- God's design I think -- when they should be offended is when men treat them improperly by not respecting their person hood because of what they see -- more important. It is also important for a woman not to get too embarrassed when the accidental happens. This is where women in the world are wiser than women in the church -- act like nothing happened. If you let a man know you know he saw something, he and you will be more inclined to dwell on it.

Fourthly, if you are married and want to guard you marriage, there is one place you can be as sensual as you want -- with your husband. I would also recommend that you give your husband as many images of you as you can. The one sure way to help your husband forget an image of some other woman is to give him many of you. I know this from experience.

Well, I am ready to hear the comments and run for cover.

Next: A Final Word on Lust.

Why I Am A Creationist

Well, mainly because evolution doesn't convince me.
1. Evolution is improbable -- the odds are very much against it.
2. It defies the laws of thermodynamics
3. It is based in large part on circular reasoning.
4. It is philosophically bad -- if it is right then Hitler was on to something -- there is a master race out their somewhere. Homo Superior is just waiting to get out.
5. Several creatures that exist defy evolutionary logic -- their is simply no way for them to evolutionary evolve without major problems.

As a creationist, I think what we see in the world is explainable by creative acts of God, adaptation and the worldwide flood.

I take God's word for it -- that He created the earth and because of that He has rights over it and me.

I think it is important that God is in the picture, because with evolution there is no higher authority to hold us accountable and with that viewpoint any moral or ethic is possible and often it is about power.

With God, everyone is accountable to God and His power. Final Judgment makes it a just system and that makes it work for me -- it is all a question of God being your creator -- Your Alpha and beginning.

Nudity, Modesty and Culture -- Part Four -- Practical Advice For Christian Men

OK, what is a Christan man to do in the culture we live in where skin and sensuality is in? Now as I write this particular post I am a man addressing men, so if you women want to give your perspective I would welcome it.

Number One -- Realize this, that you are not alone. Not in history or in the now. Paul in his ministry, particularly in places like Corinth, Rome and Ephesus, would have seen nudity, sensuality and sexual content on a grand scale. Between the temples dedicated to them, the Greek and Roman art of the time, naked slaves, temple prostitutes and skin of the free class, He would have been bombarded with these things by his culture much the same as we are now, and he dealt with it. Not by passing laws or calling the government -- he controlled his lust an his heart through relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Today, you are not alone in your struggle either. Many men like me are beginning to realize that not every woman is going to just cover up because we ask them to, a different solution is going to have to be developed in discipleship so this temptation can be overcome, not just avoided. I work with the public in both my jobs (Ministry and Retail) and I cannot just look at the floor or close my eyes all the time. It would be dangerous and disrespectful.

Number Two -- in practicality men are going to have to engage extreme measures on themselves (Matthew 5:27-30), not their world, and develop different perspectives on nudity and modesty in order to overcome lust in their own hearts. Jesus in Matthew 5 is saying take measures on yourself to rid yourself of sin -- lust in particular. If lust is in our hearts, even if every woman in the world covered up and no porn existed -- lust would still exist. Today, three young Amish women visited where I work. These ladies were dressed modestly, but understand that even in their ankle length dresses they had pretty faces and their hourglass figure was still visible. If lust existed in a man, he could still lust after these women. Their dress changes nothing about that.

Number Three -- Men need to realize that the lust they need to flee from is in themselves. The battle needs to be fought in your mind and heart. You are going to be exposed more and more to nakedness and sensuality -- by accident or on purpose -- and you are going to have to open up to God to change you. The temptation is to blame the woman -- but the problem is you.

That said, let me leave you with an example of a situation I faced a couple of weeks ago and how I handled it:

At work (my retail job), I was coming out of the bathroom and a little toddler came running around the corner and saw me at the last instance and stopped right at my feet only a foot away. She looked up at me and grinned. The child's mother came around the same corner in a hurry, but I kept the child in view to make sure we didn't run into each other. Mom bent down and grabbed the child. In that moment, the mothers breasts covered the child from view right where I was looking. This young mother was wearing one of those spaghetti strap tops that is supposed to have built in support. Unfortunately, she had bought one that was probably two sizes to big. Solomon said of his love: "Your two breasts are like two fawns,Twins of a gazelle which feed among the lilies." That is what I saw, and not just part, but the whole pair including the stuff you can't put on magazine covers (Yet.). This mother didn't mean to do what she did, it is one of those things that happen. To make matters worse, they looked great because she was a young, shapely and beautiful woman.. How should I react?

If I was a typical Christian male, I would attack her in my mind -- "She should know better than to wear something like that!" or I could decry society -- "Man, this is just another proof of the degradation of our society." But neither of these observations are accurate and they are not helpful either because neither one of them address what is going on in my mind and heart.

When a man sees something like this, his mind takes as snapshot or video of what he saw and begins to replay it over and over in his head. The female form is visually attractive to a man and there is no way around it as this I believe is God's design. The devil brings the temptation as the movie is played. There is a way of escape, but I am not going to do it by willpower or doing the typical American Christian blame game.

1. The first thing I need to realize is that I am not alone. Many others have faced this issue and I am not unique. Christian men have faced this before and triumphed. I can be like them.

2. The real issue is my perspective -- I realize from my studies of the Bible that what I have seen does not technically constitute the mother's nakedness. I have seen her breasts and it is our culture that says this is nudity, but in truth God's Word does not present it this way. Rather, I need to change my attitude. I am not seeing a temptress, but a concerned mother who loves her child and has accidentally showed me her breasts. She is a person deserving my respect and I need to change what I have seen from a temptation to lust after her to an admiration of her person hood and her beauty.

3. Lust will develop inside me and try to overcome my Spirit if If don't re-conceive what I have seen. So as the image plays in my head I change my thinking to "Those were beautiful and they are attached to a beautiful mother who loves her child and I should respect that. I have no right to diminish her person hood by lusting after her just because I have seen her breasts." By changing my perspective, I have shifted what I saw from what could be mental porn and fantasy to part of the mother's beautiful body that does not belong to me. I can admire what I saw, but not lust after her. It is not magic and it may take a battle of the mind for a good length to time, but the result is good if I stick with it.

I know a lot of Christians would disagree with this, but I have found this is the only way I can open myself up to letting the Spirit keep me from the temptation to lust. I am not always successful, but in this case, I went back to work appreciative of God's creative handiwork and not lusting after a woman I didn't know. The image in my head is still there (according to people that study these things, such images can stay in a man's head for up to two years), but I have no thoughts about possession of that mother's sexuality for use for my personal gratification -- it does not belong to me. God showed me the way of escape from the temptation to lust and I took it.

Next: Practical Advice to Christian Women

Nudity, Modesty and Culture -- Part Three -- Where Lust Lives.

I am really not going to give anything new here as James 1:13-15 kind of says it plain:
Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

No Brainer. Lust Lives in the person. In particular it lives in the heart of you and me. Taking Jesus word on defilement in Matthew 15:17-20 -- "Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man." And we begin to understand that it is the heart of man where lust dwells and defiles a person.

Lust knows no discrimination -- male, female, old, young, red, yellow, black and white. It exists in the hearts of all. Men and women differ in how lust manifests but the result is the same -- as desire to own or possess another persons sexuality for the purpose of control or gratification of self. The lust of men starts as visual attraction and then a desire to control or own the woman desired for ones self. Women lust too. I think in their case it is about comfort and vanity. A woman wants to be desired thinking that will lead to a man loving her. Men deal with 'love' to get sex, sex being a goal worthy in and of itself to most men. Women deal with sex to get 'love'; they hope sex will lead them to love. It rarely happens. In both cases, people are not people to the person with lust. They are objects to gain something for ones self. Lust is the poorest way to start a relationship, but in our sin sick world it is, more often than not, where it starts.

Lust differs from admiration in that admiration respects the person hood of the person being admired. A man can admire the beauty of a woman without lusting after her. Lust is a decision of the heart and will. A switch is flipped where the man stops thinking about the woman as a person who is beautiful and makes her into an object to be used.

That established, I want to make this series of posts to be about application. I live in the real world and a lot of this discussion has been me coming to terms with my own lust and how to deal with it. At an early age, I got involved with porn and all that goes with it. As a Christian I struggled with it unsuccessfully by the use of willpower. Doesn't work -- "taste not, touch not, handle not" is religious nonsense, as Paul rightly calls 'will worship', that does not deal with the real issue -- retraining or disciplining the heart to walk in righteousness and not in lust.

In this culture of ours, USA, Men and women are bombarded with images all day long about men and women involving sex and romance that are unrealistic and plastic. But the problem is not this -- the world is going to do what it does and, baring a real revival, it is going to get worse. I can see the nude beaches and public nudity of Europe coming here in a very short time. The issues of porn vs. art; public nudity and skin, sensuality, etc. will become more pronounced in the coming years. How is the church and the individual going to handle it? Changing culture is long time consuming process and in the meantime, what is a Christian man or woman to do to fight the temptations? There are some things that you cannot avoid because we are in the world. Jesus wants us to be in the world -- but not of it. How do we do this in regard to nudity, modesty an culture as men and women. That is the subject of the next two posts.

Next: Practical Advice to Men.

Whew That Was Close!

I made promise to myself to post everyday and I almost didn't make it.

Truth be told, this is writing exercise for me. I simple want to get used to writing everyday.

Hopefully I will say something intelligent, but today it is all about getting the post in under the wire.

Blessings.

Pulpit Report -- May 17, 2009 -- Worship: Embracing the Spirit's Desire

Part 11 -- Discipline: the Path of the Disciple

John 4:23 embraces a twofold concept that defines true worship
1. Worship in Spirit
2. Worship in Truth

In all this is the object of our worship -- the Father God.

The true worshiper focuses on the object of worship with these two factors

In Spirit the worshiper seeks to know the voice of God in power of His Spirit to live with the character of God. it is an issue of relationship with God through the Holy Spirit.

In truth, the true worshiper accepts who God is and does not make him into something he is not. He accepts the reality of God as described in the word and does his best to both fear God and obey him.

Worship is best done in corporate setting. The one Scripture says where two or three are gathered together not where one is alone. It is the power of corporate worship that matters -- style of service is not at issue. All types of worship can have these qualities.

Where are you in your worship?

Just a Short Post

I have many things spinning in my head I could write on but I have decided to just drop a post about my family on how great they are.

My mother has always been there when we needed something including a roof.

My wife is awesome as ever and deserves a medal for putting up with me for almost 20 years.

My son Edward is a great young man whom I still marvel at his gifts and intelligence.

My son Justin loves life and has the best humor, heart and imagination.

My daughter Patience continues to impress me in her integrity, intelligence and beauty.

Blessings to all of them.

Why I Am A Pentecostal

Pentecostal -- of, relating to, or constituting any of various Christian religious bodies that emphasize individual experiences of grace, spiritual gifts (as glossolalia and faith healing), expressive worship, and evangelism --Webster

I guess this is the hardest one for me these days, but I still hold to it. I grew up in the Assemblies of God and became ordained in them as well. The difficulty I have now is the fact that I no longer believe in the restrictive nature of Pentecostal theology.

What I mean is that once Pentecostals formulated doctrinal statement, true creative thought about the Holy Spirit and how HE works was lost. The Holy Spirit in my opinion became boxed up and unable to do anything except by the Pentecostal script of how HE works.

1. The Holy Spirit only baptizes people in a certain way and only with certain signs.

2. The Gifts of the Spirit work only this way and not any others.

Then there is the opposite extreme of letting anything go without thought to the Bible.

3."I don't care what the Bible says I know what the Spirit is saying to me"

4. The massive violation of good sense in interpretation of Scripture.


I am a Pentecostal in the sense of what it was like in the early days before Pentecostal denominations.

1. Freethinking about the Holy Spirit with a heavy dose common sense Biblical interpretation.

2. Open to the possibilities but closed to anything outside of Scripture.

This is where I like to be and what Pentecostalism lost when it lost sense and reality. I can only do my part and believe as a Pentecostal believes without losing my way in the mucky muck of twofold nonsense -- strict and closed doctrinal understanding and experiential theology with no Biblical backing.

Why, because I believe in the power of God to do the impossible and to act today in the world. I believe that God has promised healing and power for the believe to minister in this world. I believe in joyful and expressive worship. That's why I am a Pentecostal.

Does Anybody Really Believe Her?

Come on! Does anybody really believe the Nancy Pelosi didn't know about water boarding. I am going to lay aside the issue of whether its torture or not and how effective it was (probably very effective -- if it wasn't very effective they would have released the results quickly to embarrass Bush further, when you aren't forthcoming it usually means your opponent was right and you don't want anyone to know). The issue is did Nancy know?

I find it hard to believe that the CIA did not disclose to Congress and its members about the subject and find it harder to believe Nancy herself did not know. You can always tell someone is lying in Congress because their lips are moving, but in this case she had to read a statement. What's the matter Nancy? Have to word everything just right?

'I didn't attend the meeting and I was only briefed that the meeting took place and not the contents" ?!? Please. All this double talk smacks of cover up. The issue is that many Democrats in Congress knew and they did nothing because after 9/11 everyone was after the bad guys and saying --"Whatever it takes." Now the Dems want to make National Security a political issue. Hope their ready for the whirlwind.

What is so sad here is no body on the left really gives one hoot about National Security and everything they say is having an effect on this -- Nancy is being irresponsible and may cost us effective intelligence -- you do that when you call the entire CIA a bunch of liars. Undermines trust Nancy, If you didn't know about water boarding you are incompetent as a public official getting to the bottom of things or your lying. Either way you don't look good.

California do us a big fat favor and don't reelect her. Oh, that's right you people like her as your state goes in the toilet from your own liberal nonsense. We have been waiting for years for you people to wake up but no dice so far. Still snoozing away. I wander what human loss it will take before you realize all this stuff is crap and your embarrassing to the rest of the country.

Sorry Nancy Pelosi, your lying through your teeth. God knows it too and your not going to get away with it. Justice will be served someday by an authority greater than you -- I only hope you have the sense to repent before the Day of Judgment, because I don't wish hell on anybody.

Why I Still Like Rush Limbaugh.

I started listening to Rush in 1991. I was looking for anyone in the media who was supporting the Gulf War because I was tired of the leftist defeatist media and then a friend turned me on to Rush. One chorus of 'Bomb Iraq' and I was hooked. Off and on I have listen to him whenever work and time have permitted it. I bought his books and digested his philosophy and have used his arguments and comments many times.

I still love his show.
1. He has been a stalwart Reagan conservative and so am I.
2. He backs his ideas with research and often uses his opponents articles to his advantage.
3. He does not back down.
4. He backs his arguments up with clear reason and logic and most importantly common sense.
5. He is funny but people who are too serious or liberal do not get the jokes.
6. I have yet to find him wrong in his predictions.
7. He does not like McCain, Colin Powell or any other closet liberal calling themselves a Republican and I join him in his dislike.
8. When he did have a personal problem, he didn't cover it up, he dealt with it and took responsibility for his actions. none of this "I didn't inhale" nonsense.

I believe someday people will remember Rush as one of the great conservative thinkers and media personalities of our generation.

God Bless Rush Limbaugh

Nudity, Modesty and Culture -- Part Two -- Does God Hate Nakedness?

I had a professor in Bible College that had an expression when dealing with dress issues -- "God does not like nakedness!" I agreed with him a lot as a fellow Wesleyan, but on this issue I just couldn't get true Biblical support for the idea that God hates nakedness in general and always has. If that were so, why on earth did he create Adam and Eve naked? It lead me to ponder the question of nakedness and whether or not God hates nakedness.

I think the problem with nakedness is not nakedness in itself. The problem is sin and the resulting loss of innocence that causes shame from nakedness.

The first reference to nakedness in the Bible is Genesis 2:25 -- And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. I think this expresses the nature of innocence and purity on the part of Adam and Eve. They could see each other as wonderful creations of God and with no knowledge of good or evil, that is all they could see. They each had beautiful bodies and that is what they marvelled in. God declared all things 'very good' after their creation and that included 'naked and unashamed'. They walked before God and each other naked and without shame of any kind.

Sin changes this forever. Suddenly they are aware of their nakedness where before they had been blissfully ignorant. This shame could not have been about each other in truth though being husband and wife. I know we find it had to imagine but Adam and Eve Being husband and wife they must have consummated their marriage on the grass of the garden of Eden and so covering their shame of nakedness could not have had much to do with concealment from each other. It had to do with God. Now they were naked and vulnerable to God. Fear comes in, fear of God and being truly helpless before him -- naked before him. The couple covers their loins with aprons of leaves -- waist to mid thigh. There is no mention of any other area being covered on either one. In fact when nakedness is mentioned by the prophets this is the focus that Israel would be shamed with nakedness having their buttocks exposed. The focus of shame seems to be the buttocks and genital regions

One fact that needs to be mentioned is that female breasts and nakedness are never really equated except in Ezekiel 16:7 where God is speaking to Israel about how she used to be like a teenage girl who's breasts were formed but she was still naked until God clothed her. In all other references to female breasts there is some other thing at issue not nakedness. There is an exhortation to men to let themselves be satisfied with the breasts of their wife in very frank language at times in the Song of Solomon and Proverbs. The other way female breasts are addressed is in reference to nursing children. Even Jesus was addressed this way buy a woman in Luke 11:27. Jesus is not embarrassed by the statement and in fact refers to women's breasts in the same way in Luke 23:29. What this all indicates to me is shame associated with women's breasts being bare in a culture may be just that -- cultural. That why here in the USA ,where part of our cultural has been shaped by both puritanical and holiness roots with their emphasis on 'modest' apparel, exposed breasts have some shame to them but this is not the shame of sin so much as the same of elements of culture say it is wrong. Go to another culture and you see women topless and the men think no more or less of it than any other part of a woman's body. Something to be admired, but not necessarily immediately arousing.

Shift south of the border, so to speak, and the Biblical idea of shame of nakedness comes in full force. This is where shame comes in from Genesis, The Law, through the Old Testament prophets and even the Revelation this is presented. Noah's nakedness is exposed by his son, but not by the other two sons -- they cover him. I find it hard to believe that four hard working men building an ark didn't strip down for work like Peter did when he fished. The nakedness of Noah had more to do with exposing his 'apron area'. The term nakedness is also used to refer to sexual relations in the Law -- this is where incestuous relationships are condemned -- see Leviticus 18. The prophets refer to this area as well for shame of being sold into slavery as exposed because of the failure of Israel to follow God. Mark runs away naked to escape in the garden when Jesus is arrested. Revelation also talks about nakedness in reference to the shame of Laodicea and the whore of Babylon. In all of these, sin is the main culprit not nakedness in and of itself. The real question is the nature of sin and how it made and makes something good and beautiful into something shameful. It is the lust of mankind that is at issue.

I don't think God hates nakedness -- he made us that way to illustrate true intimacy and openness -- what I think he hates is what sin has done to our innocence about nakedness. The positive about nakedness is that it illustrates how we ultimately have to come to God and be naked before him and let him cloth us and raise us up. It is lust through sin that has caused a wonderful creation of God to be fouled up.

Next: Where Lust Lives.

Why I Am An Evangelical.

Evangelical -- "Emphasizing salvation by faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ through personal conversion, the authority of Scripture, and the importance of preaching as contrasted with ritual"

One could probably throw in the drive to fulfill the Great commission with this as well.

I have been an evangelical all my life, but that is not why I have remained one all this time. It is a question of passion. I am an evangelical because I firmly believe that the gospel is the cure to mankind's sin, not just a a cover up or just helping people cope with the sin they have, but THE cure.

The basic thing about evangelicalism is passion to present this cure to whoever will listen because it fulfills the Great Commission.

Now a lot of things a have been added to the idea of being an evangelical that might be about being right politically or having a certain morality, but at its heart it is about preaching the gospel and that is Biblical and more needed than ever given the state of our society.

The problem I have with most so called evangelicals is it seems to be more about being an evangelical in morality and politics. I often wonder if evangelicals would spend more time preaching the gospel and less time in political an moral action we might not NEED to spend as much time in political and moral action because then we would be affecting the cure to sin rather than just covering up the symptoms.

I am not against Christian's being involved politically -- I am, but when that takes precedence over being concern over people's eternity I think the focus is wrong.

Pulpit Report -- May 10, 2009 -- Confession: Embracing the Spirit's Redemption

Being a pastor I do preach every Sunday and I want to add a post on what I am preaching.

Over the last couple months, I have been preaching a series of messages called Discipline: The Path of Disciple. It is based on the book by Richard Foster called -- Celebration of Discipline. The outline and disciplines I talk about are the same, but slant has my own emphasis.

I started the series with an introduction that the point of the disciplines is the fruit of the Spirit being developed in the person through the transformation of God. It should bring joy and should not be about drudgery. The disciplines should also not be about judging another based on who does what, it is about humility before for God's glory.

After the introduction, I have done eight sermons so far 4 on the inward disciplines and 4 on the outward disciplines.

Inward:
1. Meditation
2. Prayer
3. Fasting
4. Study

Outward:
5. Simplicity
6. Solitude
7. Submission
8. Service

Today, I began the final four with the corporate discipline of Confession.

Title: Confession: Embracing the Spirit's Redemption
Text: James 5:13-16

Corporate disciplines require other Christians to do and that means fellowship and accountability.

There are basically three parts to good confession
1. First is a no excuse, I am responsible for my sin, repentance.
2. Second is genuine sorrow over sin and a desire not to return to it.
3. Third is restitution -- desire to make it right.
All of this is expresses to another believer.

The results of confession are forgiveness and restored relationship with God.

To give a confession a person needs to remember that they must be sorry and sorrowful over sin and be ready to make restitution. It is also important to find a person to confess to that is not going to justify your sin or break your confidence.

To receive a confession one must be ready to be both objective and compassionate and ready to offer up advice on restitution. You also have to be a person who keeps you mouth shut about sensitive issues.

Love and Forgiveness in truth are the key things in confession.

Where are you?

Nudity, Modesty and Culture -- Part One -- Defining Modest

One of my mentors once told me to remember that modesty is culturally defined. He said if I didn't believe him that I should go to the Bible and find a definition of modesty. I think I did find a definition, but there is no way to be clothesline preacher with it.

1 Timothy 2:9-10 "Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.

I want to note something here Paul never defines what proper clothing is. What modest means is also left undefined -- discretion is a matter of not being flashy or boisterous in the way one dresses.

Peter my shed some light on this as well.

1 Peter 3:1-4: In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external--braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

What this passage causes me to ask is whether modestly is about clothes so much as it is attitude of heart. Jesus asks us to judge not on outward appearance (John 7:24), but then we look at these passages and use them as a licence to judge a woman's modesty on how she dresses when that is not what Paul or Peter are advocating at all. It is simply a misapplication of the passages to use them this way. The real issue is the heart of a woman -- whether it is quiet and gentle is the issue.

One thing should be noted that neither of these passages addresses nudity. I can say that, because the culture of day included massive slavery and slaves often were naked as it was a symbol of their station. It's a point we often miss in this ancient Greek-Roman world culture. If either Paul or Peter excluded people from Christianity simply because of nakedness their would be lot of people forced by the culture out of the faith. The fact remains that Christianity spread through the slave cast very quickly; a group where nudity was common because of who they were in relation to their culture.

Paul and Peter are actually addressing free women who are rich -- that they should not allow their upward station to cause themselves to be snobs, think more of themselves than they should or be unsubmissive to their husbands. The two apostles are not addressing nudity or skin, but actually the opulent display of wealth and status in clothes before those who do not have wealth or status.

In missions the nudity/modesty question has always dogged us as Christians. In Africa where the heat causes clothing to be not much more than a scrap of cloth around the waist and the women were and are topless, many missionaries made the mistake of addressing the outward dress (or lack there of) instead of addressing the gospel. In South America one tribe was discovered whose definition of naked was 'beltless'. To us they would be considered naked all the time but they consider themselves naked only if they take off their work belt -- the only thing they wear.

Here at home in the USA, the issue is muddied because we have two cultures. The traditional culture which sees any sign of skin and cleavage as immodest and a more open culture which does not see this as so but would like to see women walk around topless just like men can. There are of course two million different views in between these extremes.

As people argue this from the Christian side the great problem is there is no Biblical definition of what constitutes proper clothing. Paul tells women to wear proper clothing but never defines what he means. The issue of how Christian men in or sex crazed culture are supposed to deal with more and more skin being shown by women is still a problem. Looking down at the ground all the time or sticking one's head in the sand does not work as you will eventually run into something hard and hurt yourself. The real question might be how does God see nakedness.

Next: Part Two -- Does God Hate Nakedness?

Notre Dame and Barak Obama

I am not a Catholic and every time Michigan and Notre Dame play football I have only one desire -- to watch the Fighting Irish lose. But I have to speak on this one because the one area where Catholics and I agree in many respects is moral issues.

On March 20, 2009 the University of Notre Dame invited Barak Obama to give the commencement address. The Outcry has been large and at first it looked like the whole thing was grinding to a halt, but the address is still on as of recent news reports on 5/7/2009.

I don't know what the University staff was thinking but this is not a good idea.

Obama has made it very clear that he does not take moral stands anywhere close to Catholics -- Pro-Choice, Not family oriented, etc. Why in God's name (I mean that in all sincerity) would you invite him to speak the commencement address. A few points if I may.

1) The whole thing is bound to cause controversy and that will make the graduates day of honor less wholesome.

2) The President is opposed to everything Catholics believe

3) This is going to be bad for the University

4) Giving this man an honorary degree is also insulting -- for what? Opposing everything Notre Dame stands for?

Probably the sadist thing is this was a no brainer as soon as proposed -- NO! It's not hard -- just don't even go there.

The University should fire the president if they don't stop it. It should be cancelled no matter what the media would say -- I would be proud of them. It would make a statement that not everybody supports Obama Mania.

Notre Dame -- do the right thing -- tell Obama to stay home.

Colin Powell Do Me A Favor.

Leave the Republican Party and go where you belong -- the Democrats.

It seems to be the place for traitors.

Colin Powell has become the biggest disappointment for me in the last few years and it is his brand of moderate Republican that has gotten us in this mess. Over the last few years it is he and his type that have caused so many troubles for us. I firmly believe these people have undercut the party that Reagan made prominent with their belief in moderate policies.

Colin -- join Specter! Please. It is the least you deserve for your treachery. But don't be surprised that they treat you like Specter. Traitors are rarely trusted by either side. But it's what you deserve after treating the party who put your name on the political map and made you the most promote black man before Barak "His Majesty" Obama like you have. Where was this talk about meanness when your boss -- Bush 43 was being attacked in the same and more despicable manners. How many jobs did they give you -- Oh Yeah, all of them and now you stab them in the back.

Quoting Him:
"Americans do want to pay taxes for services," he said. "Americans are looking for more government in their lives, not less."

Really, I sure don't. This also does not line up with polling data that says 55% of Americans believe bigger government is the cause of these problems. Bigger government will make you dependent instead of independent. Even if the American public did want it, which they don't, It is still bad on principle for America. Name me an American who wants more taxes and I will show you an American who is clueless.

Sorry Collin we need to return to being the party of Reagan with the trifecta for absolute victory which lead to two landslides for him and one for his VP -- Bush 41.
1. Strong National Defense -- Speak softly, carry a big stick -- trust but verify.
2. Fiscal Responsibility -- lower taxes, smaller government. Let capitalism work.
3. Moral Excellence -- follow the Judeo-Christin ethic. -- Pro-Life, Pro-traditional marriage, etc.

Since adopting Colin's policies we have lost twice to Clinton, squeaked by in two elections and got crushed with McCain who was a moderate like you advocate. Would someone show me evidence in hard election results that moving to the center has brought us the main result we are looking for-- landslide victory? You can't because it does not exist.

Once Again -- Colin Powell -- leave the Party and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Why I Am A Conservative Christian

I am starting a series of posts based on my profile and the list :"conservative,evangelical, pentecostal, creationist, open theist, God-loving Christian". It seems that some of these things should be very clearly defined so everyone understand where I am coming from..

Webster isn't really helpful in this as they define conservative in it's original form of --"traditional, following the established view". I am not sure conservative Christians define themselves this way anymore as in the USA --conservative Christianity is not the norm. If you were to say one that follows historical beliefs then maybe your getting closer. Traditional views are not really at stake but traditional morality. For me conservatism goes deeper than even this.

1. A conservative Christian believes the whole Bible is the revelation of God to man. It is complete, totally accurate and should not be subject to change simply because culture does not like what it says or its popularity drops.

2. The Bible describes God as a Trinity of three persons who are all God -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A traditional view here but it's supported by Scripture.

3. Salvation is accomplished through the atonement of Jesus Christ's work on the cross and the empty tomb. This is acquired by faith. The elements of faith are repentance, believing the resurrection of Christ and submission Christ's Lordship.

4. Christ will return to judge the earth and his saints in how they have applied or rejected his word. Therefore we should fear God and obey him. Each person is personally responsible before God.

Let's contrast this with liberalism:

Liberals treat the Bible as flexible in part or not to be believed in other parts. Miracles are explained away. If a revelation of God in scripture does not agree with their idea of God they have in their heads, they explain it away.

Liberals also conceive of God as something they like and want and often it resembles themselves. As a conservative I fight very hard not to do this but let God stand as he reveals himself.

Liberals view salvation as universal in many cases with no conditions -- God is love after all and He wouldn't condemn anyone. Always nice to reassure oneself that your on the way to heaven when based on the Bible it may not be so.

Liberals are social activists -- believing through their efforts they can bring about a human utopia. In 6000 years of recorded history there is no evidence this has been achieved, but they go on believing it anyway. Personally, I think it is going to take God to clean up this mess ultimately and no amount of human striving is going to change that. There is often a cheap grace in liberalism so God is our buddy and not the One to fear or obey. Obedience becomes optional. The church becomes a vehicle for social activism rather than a place of discipleship and empowerment to reach the world with the gospel.

In the current political climate in the USA being a conservative Christian now means you are an enemy of the state because of its stand on personal responsibility -- no Big Brother government is needed to bail you out. It's stand on God being in authority over Government is also a no no as there is definitely a desire to be a law unto one's self in the current administration, God would just get in the way. There is also that sin thing -- saying abortion, homosexuality, adultery, etc. is sin is just hate speak to them. Sin should be defined by man not by God to liberals.

I remain a conservative Christian because I feel maintaining truth is more important than just bowing to government or culture. To me this is the definition of what it means to be a conservative Christian.

A Fresh Start

After months of deliberation I have decided to return to the blogging world. Rather than just write articles on tame Christian topics I have decided to push the edge just a bit. If I do avoid something it will be because I am writing a book on the topic and don't want to give away for free what could be published.

I wanted a fresh look and start, so The Rabyd Theologian is born and no topic is sacred or safe. The Rabyd Theologian is an opinion blog -- it is my editorial comments on life, the universe and everything.

A word on comments -- allowed. I like feedback. Strictly monitored. If your comment does not make the cut it is probably for a reason among the following:

1. I have already answered the question or comment somewhere on the blog and I don't want to repeat myself.
2. The comment is not about honest discussion, it is an attack on my person or a view with no logic just emotion. Engage the issue not the person who wrote it (ME).
3. I deem it unworthy -- purely me saying I don't want this on my blog. Write well and be intelligent. Make me and my blog look good.

Blessings and Welcome.