Thought + Word + Action = Results. This is the creative process.

If we fail to remember the power of our creative potential, “We live by default, experiencing the results of what we think but dare not say, of what we say mindlessly that in turn evokes a fearful or unloving response from others, and of what we do in response to what we think someone else is doing or saying.” – Iyanla Vanzant, One Day My Soul Just Opened Up

I’d like to know what makes certain people so hell-bent on staying in miserable situations, and others (the few, the brave) willing and able to rise out of much worse conditions to become blindingly bright sources of light and joy.

I had lunch with a friend of mine whose recent story I’ve been following for about a year now. The real beginnings of our stories share some similarities. She is the second daughter of Taiwanese immigrants. Her father, a PhD scientist, dutifully toiled away in the cubicles of big pharma companies in New Jersey, providing a stable suburban lifestyle for his family, but always held the belief that he had been limited by his role on the science side of the business. It was the marketing people, or the physicians, he told his attentively listening daughters, who really made it to the top. Don’t follow in my footsteps, he said.

My friend’s older sister went to Princeton, met a math major whom she later married, and then went on to become an OB/GYN. Her math major husband came close to getting tenure at a major university, but then quit. It wasn’t what he wanted. By this time they had two kids, the second with a developmental delay. This really wasn’t what he wanted. So he quit his job, and sat on the couch for about a year.

Fast forward to now – my friend’s sister and her two kids have moved in with her parents as their divorce gets finalized. Not exactly the Asian American Dream.

But back to my friend. She went to Harvard with me, slugged it out as a Biochemical Sciences major, and was another familiar face on the “M2″ shuttle bus that would take all of us undergraduate “gunners” or “why am I trying to be a gunner but I’m too afraid of the alternatives” from the main campus to the medical school, about 30 minutes away in Boston. I ran into her about three years ago at Stanford, surprised to see her in such a different setting and phase of our lives. She didn’t go to medical school. She had gotten an MBA at Wharton. Her business card said, “Marketing Manager”, at a major pharmaceutical company. I didn’t get the irony of that until I got to know her more.

We had each been too busy to see each other in those three years until just this past spring. I was in the midst of rehabilitating my body through Pilates and a return to regular yoga practice, which had been another one of the things I was “too busy” to do until this year. She was “taking the day off” so we met for lunch. Never mind that she couldn’t stay because she “had to” talk to her boss about something urgent related to work. He was going out of town and this was his only availability. Never mind it was supposed to be her day off! Our entire lunch conversation was about how she hated her job, longed for space to consider what she really wanted in life, and needed to take a vacation. She called me “her hero” for doing Pilates and yoga, since she knew her body was calling out for more care. She told me about how she once took three months off from her consulting job to go to New Mexico to study flamenco dancing. She came home (to her parents’ house) after four weeks, overcome by guilt, shame, and fear. I’m not sure what she learned from this adventure, but I see it as the seed of her creative potential.

Fast forward to this summer. We had several long dinner conversations in which she opened up to me about her increasing longing to do something about her job situation, meanwhile feeling “trapped” by a long list of circumstances, reasons, explanations, and people who were keeping her in the status quo. Being a very intelligent, rational-minded person, all of these reasons seemed perfectly…reasonable.

Whenever we talked, I kept having the distinct feeling that we were going in circles. I got what she was feeling, it was clear to me that she needed to take some risks and let some things go and see what happened. This seemed to be very clear to her too, except equally clear in her mind were all the reasons she “could not” or “should not” do what needed to be done. Late one night, sitting on a concrete bench on the sidewalk in front of Books Inc. in Mountain View, we got down to it. She was agonizing over what she felt were her “only” options – either stay in her current job and continue to suffer, or accept a promotion to go to Japan to work for two years (for the same company). But she had real misgivings about picking up and moving her life to a foreign country at this stage of her life (when she “should” be thinking about “settling down”). She also really had no desire to keep working in corporate America. She was done with the politics, the idiots with no work ethic trying to collect paychecks while she did all the real work, the gender discrimination, everything. On the other hand, she said, it was a promotion, a better title (Marketing Director), and something she could “leverage” to her benefit after she came back from the assignment. “But wait,” I stopped her mid-sentence. “Leverage for what? You don’t even want another corporate job, so what do you care about the title?”

I really pressed her on this, and she finally came up with this: “My dad retired without ever reaching the level of Vice President. He told me that Directors have a really good chance at getting to VP, and since I had the chance, I should really go for it. After all, marketing is where all the people are who really make it.”

That was a JEWEL, a GOLD MINE, a TREASURE CHEST of information if she were willing to examine it, break it apart, and really do The Work on it. But I, not being a coach (and not even knowing The Work at the time), just being a friend, just listened to it. I watched her compassionately from the outside of her own mental prison cell.

And yesterday I had lunch with my friend for the last time before she moves to Japan this weekend. Not surprisingly, the conversation began with her own eyes rolling as she told me that her boss BEGGED her to finish a Board presentation and fly to Philadelphia to present it the week before Thanksgiving. This was supposed to be her week to pack her apartment and office, sell her things, have a goodbye party, go to the dentist, all the things you do before you LEAVE THE COUNTRY FOR A FEW YEARS. But every time she tried to press him and say that this was no longer her project and she was not going to do the presentation, he would “get really pissed”. After a few conversations like this, she was worn down and just gave in.

“After all, he’s been good to me,” she said. “I’m grateful.” And when you’re grateful to someone, you do whatever they ask, I echoed in my head. Only this time I heard her words for what they meant for her actions and the results in her life. She allowed this person to manipulate her into doing the work she didn’t need or want to do, because it was something he didn’t want to do himself, and he knew she would do it out of the weakness (some would say kindness) of her own heart. Her willingness to do violence toward herself was the only asset she brought to the table here.

I said, “You are such a GEM of an employee for them, you know? They’ve got you exactly where they want you, and you’ll do exactly what they need you to do!”

The rest of our conversation was about her interpretations of all the conversations and emails she has been having with the new team that will be reporting to her in Japan. No more talk of dreams and desires and longings. Everything was figured out for her. Already her mind is being wrapped up in who sent what memo to whom, who was copied on this email, who was invited to this meeting, and the like. She was gushing about her posh high-rise apartment building with a doorman, room service, and guest quarters for visitors. She was looking forward to her short commute to work, only three subway stops away. She would need to start wearing suits to work again in her new job. She would be running meetings. She would be the boss.

I sat there and I realized that I am free. And it’s not because my life looks neat and perfect and orderly. I don’t have a lot of things “figured out” about my life. But I’m free because I’m no longer trying to “figure them out”. I realize that the power of my intellect will not bring me peace, fulfillment, or happiness. The power of my intellect is a gift that I must use wisely. I realize that I need to surrender myself to stillness, and allow myself to observe the nature of my mind. I am free because I recognize the difference between my thoughts and the experiences that result from my thoughts. I no longer judge myself for judging. I simply notice and say, “Haha, I am judging! That’s interesting…” I don’t make it who I am. I am not a “judgmental” person. Like every human being, I have the ability to judge. I have a tendency to listen to my judgments and believe them. If I let go of my need to believe these judgments, I can be free of them, whether they are present or not.

As I think about my friend, I trust in the path of her life. Perhaps this move to Japan is exactly the space and time she needs away from the habits and patterns of life here. She may finally feel free to find out who she really is, underneath all of the conditioning of her family, her education, and corporate culture. Maybe attaining this title will give her the peace of mind she needs to one day explore what she really wants to do. Maybe she will discover that the thrill of the corporate climb is too intoxicating to let go.

Maybe. But in the meantime, I’ll just enjoy the view from here, and keep on watching my freedom unfold.

The Jews answered Him,  “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?”  John 8:48.

This is an example of a failing in humans that comes out when they can’t think of anything more intelligent to say as a comeback.

To the Jew of Christ’s time calling another Jew a Samaritan was fighting words, claiming they were demon-possessed meant they were unclean and insane.  These men weren’t just objecting to Jesus’ words they being insulting and cruel—as cruel as they knew how to be.

Remember, though, just a few short days or weeks before they were enthusiastic followers.  What changed their minds was a little tidbit of information they considered too hard to swallow so they turned hardened enemies.  This means they never really gave themselves over to the teachings of Christ in the first place, since they didn’t even seek to understand.  If you recall, Jesus gave them a key to understanding His words by telling them what He said wasn’t physical cannibalism but a spiritual diet of God’s Word in the flesh come to save the world.  They refused this and ended up His strongest opponents.

A word to the wise:  those who turn against Jesus will use their knowledge, skills and resources to discredit, cast doubt, blur, muddy the waters, obscure and generally downplay the importance of the Savior.  They will be so convincing that even the very staunchest of disciples will be tempted to give it all up, if that were possible.

Why they don’t want Jesus has already been discussed, but it’s important to know whom we face as enemies of the cross.  These people will sound good, know the Word by memory a lot of times and be cordial or politic the whole time they are eviscerating Christ.  Their reasoning will sound solid, their rhetoric will be hard to argue by human standards.  Our battle, however, is not with them but the spiritual darkness and powers in high places who seek to dislodge our loyalty to Jesus.

The wisdom of the gospel is Jesus Christ crucified and raised to life.  Contrary to popular earth-bound logic in a universe actually ruled by the Judeo/Christian God this fact of the gospel is not only possible by probable as well.

They insulted Jesus because they couldn’t defeat the truth of His teaching.  After all they had experienced three years of His arguments in the form of miraculous signs which included healing, the dead coming back to life and feeding several thousand people—not just once but twice.  His argument for being the Messiah and God’s Son left them helpless with rage, which in human terms always means the last resort is to turn to violence.

It’s important to remember this vital lesson.  We are to as unlike the world as Jesus was and is.  Our arguments are to be in the form of a demonstration of His power to change our lives and affect the world by our presence—much the same way salt flavors food by just being in it.  Our presence in the human mix, however, will not go unchallenged because if they did this type of stuff to our Master, they will do it to His servants.  And many of those we face will not only be people we know but brothers, sisters, best friends and fellow ministers who served with us at one time.

He (or she) who stands firm to the end, though, will receive a crown of life.

Scripture to read today:

Romans 13; Romans 14; Romans 15; Romans 16

Scripture that spoke to me:
Romans 13:9-10
The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Observation:
If you love something you won’t kill it; if you love someone you won’t steal from them. That is why Jesus summed up the law in two commandments- love God and love your neighbor. He, however, didn’t tell us how to get to this love. If love is a feeling, how do you get that feeling for everyone? I’m going to say that love is not a feeling. Love exists with many other feelings. You can love and still be sad. You can love and feel grief. You can love and be happy. If love exists over the spectrum of feelings, then love must not be a feeling- it must be a state of being that comes from living with Jesus in your heart.

Application:
I wonder how many times we feel something and call it love? I know lust gets mistaken for love. I am sure that happiness and gratitude often fall in there, too. What would happen if we viewed everyone we came across as our brother or sister? That person who just cut you off in traffic- if he were your brother, would you have graciously let him in front of you? The world changes when you look at everyone with the love of God.

Prayer:
Lord, this sounds good but in practice it is nearly impossible to do all the time. Please help me to remember that we are all Your children, especially when I am frustrated at others. Amen.

Searching in Vain for the Obama Magic.  Der Spiegel.  Gabor Steingart’s title easily summarizes his report.

Never before has a speech by President Barack Obama felt as false as his Tuesday address announcing America’s new strategy for Afghanistan. It seemed like a campaign speech combined with Bush rhetoric — and left both dreamers and realists feeling distraught.

One can hardly blame the West Point leadership. The academy commanders did their best to ensure that Commander-in-Chief Barack Obama’s speech would be well-received.

Just minutes before the president took the stage inside Eisenhower Hall, the gathered cadets were asked to respond “enthusiastically” to the speech. But it didn’t help: The soldiers’ reception was cool.

One didn’t have to be a cadet on Tuesday to feel a bit of nausea upon hearing Obama’s speech. It was the least truthful address that he has ever held. He spoke of responsibility, but almost every sentence smelled of party tactics. He demanded sacrifice, but he was unable to say what it was for exactly.

Obama’s Half-Hearted Surge by Gregor Peter Schmitz. 

Sounds about right. 

Interesting that German journalists from an international perspective can easily interpret and comprehend the substance of the speech, whereas American mainstream media repeatedly fails.

See:

• http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,664753,00.html
• http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,664682,00.html

Sometimes it’s hard to understand the choices we see other people make, especially those close to us.  We may think, “Don’t they understand how foolish this course of action is?  Can’t they see that they’ll just end up getting hurt?”  What we have to remember, though, is that no matter what we’re looking at, we can ONLY see it through our OWN lens.  Not theirs.

We’re making a judgment call that our choice is the better one – for them.  Obviously, that must not be the case – or everyone else would be doing exactly what we’re doing.  Right?

Underlying those questions is another judgment – one that assumes that pain should be avoided.  But is that really the best scenario?  Isn’t it through fire that our spirit is challenged and grows?  Would we deny our friends and loved ones their own opportunities for growth and expansion?

Of course those questions stem from what we “think” is best for our loved ones, but sometimes life is not best lead by the head but by the spirit.  Our soul knows what lessons it has come to this physical lifetime to experience.  Who are we to pass judgment on the lessons someone else has chosen to experience?

It’s just as easy to turn our judgmental tendencies inward, blaming and chastising ourselves for our perceived failures and shortcomings.  We can all relate to the depression and frustration that results from such actions.

But isn’t there another more constructive, and possibly more comfortable, way to frame our perspective?  What if we were to view ALL of life’s experiences as just that – life experiences?

What if we were to remove the assignment of “good” or “bad”, “right” or “wrong”?  Aren’t those just subjective truths, anyway?  Without a benchmark of right or wrong, good or bad, we are left without any comparison to judge our actions against.  They simply become actions.

Now we can observe them as just another experience in a lifelong string of experiences.  Things become “good” or “bad” simply because we declare them to be such.  So once we stop declaring them that way, we are free to see the gift that EACH experience offers us.

While we may decide that we enjoy certain experiences more than other, that does not make them “better” than those other.  Just more enjoyable.

Today, think about how easy it is to cast judgments – on someone else, on yourself.  And ask yourself, “Isn’t this a life experience also?”  Free yourself from the burden of judging your actions – and allow yourself to EXPERIENCE life.  It just might surprise you what you discover about yourself once you stop casting judgments.

“If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?  He who belongs to God hears what God says.  The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”  John 8:46b, 47.

I don’t know that I could stand hearing that kind of speech either.  I think it would torque my crank just a little too hard and I’d snap in self-defense.

Jesus has an uncanny knack of hitting the nail on the head.  His rhetoric couches truth in interlocking circles, revealing it in wave patterns.

The people arguing with Him were unable to hear what He said because they didn’t belong to God; Jesus said remained a mystery to them because their hearts were closed off to truth or the revelation of it.

“Why is my language not clear to you?  Because you are unable to hear what I say.”

And why were they unable to hear what Jesus said?  They didn’t belong to God, even though they called God their Father, but their actions of closing out Jesus’ words belied their claims and showed their hearts to be full of darkness.  Instead of fixing their eyes on the God they claimed to serve, they fixed their gaze on the forms, the customs, the identity, and their heritage, thinking (or hoping) all the while this is all God required of them.  They prided themselves in their history and proximity with God but not a relationship of any substance.

The language of Christ confused and irritated them because they were unwilling to see His words in the light of God’s presence.  The message remained unclear due to their refusal to accept what their own customs and history taught them about salvation, God and the Messiah.  This inability to hear the language of truth is inherent in all of us, for we prove our preferences over truth by constantly choosing traditional or rebellious views over the simple Word of God.

If  we were to submit to God completely, we would see clearly.  Not at first, of course, for spiritual insight is a matter of growth not miraculous happenstance, but our eyes would grow accustomed to light.  Learning to see truth is not so much a gradual thing as it is a matter of submission.  We who claim to know Christ have a responsibility to submit to His Word without holding back.  Our preferences, preconceptions and understanding all fall under the mighty hand of God.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5, 6.

Total submission to Jesus alone allows us to see what reality is and is not.  The universe was made by Him therefore trying to understand the science or way of it is impossible without acknowledging Him as Creator.  Oh, we might grasp obvious facts about our world and the heavens, but a clear understanding will elude us, which means we will draw faulty conclusions.

Jesus told those who had believed in Him who He was the whole time they followed Him and after they quit.  The reason it never sunk in is their expectations were in the way.  They revealed their motivations when Jesus confronted them with what we all need to do in order to have life.  Jesus’ blood must wash us clean on the inside, which is why He instructed us to spiritually ingest Him.  Our spiritual diet is to consist of Christ’s body and blood.  Paul calls those who believe “the body of Christ” and the Spirit gives life to all who believe.  Unless we accept this and bring it into our innermost being, His words will remain a mystery.

The Jews leaned on their own understanding since they refused to even hear what Jesus had to say.  In the way of addition and subtraction:   Since they leaned on their own understanding, they showed they did not trust God nor acknowledge Him in all their ways.  For any of us to get our paths straight we must acknowledge, trust and lean on God for our understanding.

I believe with all my heart the reason most of us experience switchbacks in our walk is simply because we attempt time and again to combine the truth with our own desires.  In other words, being human we all try to get a little earthly joy in conjunction with spiritual realities.  Many doctrines of recent times such as “name it, claim it” or “by your words you will be commended or condemned” take these things as if they were spells we cast that God has to honor.  In the case of “name it, claim it” or the prosperity doctrine as it’s known in some circles, proponents of this “truth” ignore Paul’s warning in Philippians 4:12 where he demonstrates by his own experience what those who follow Christ will experience; namely plenty and want.  Jesus told us clearly that we will be rejected, lose our property and those who kill or persecute us will do so out of a false believe they are serving God.

So what is the prosperity we gain from knowing Christ and which the Scriptures promise so strongly?  Peace, contentment and a sense of oneness with God.  Until our hearts are given over to this, all other forms of wealth will only be a distraction and snare to us.  1 Timothy 6:10 says,  For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.  Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

What faith is Paul speaking of except that which is in Christ?  Our wealth is in God not possessions.  For godliness with contentment is great gain.  There’s no other way to interpret those who pervert this truth than that they are combining the search for earthly security with that of God’s.  The inner security of one who lives by faith in the Son of God holds no interest or power over them to the point that they create ways for them to ignore Scripture for the pleasure of toys now.  In this they have the cart before the horse, for God doesn’t begrudge us earthly wealth nor have a problem with stuff, since He made it all as well as every possibility for anything we might invent along the way.  The problem here is in the emphasis not the possession.

All this is to say, the Jews and we lean on our own understanding instead relying on God.  We see a promise that God will prosper us, as did the Jews, and we think by our performance of rites and ceremonies we gain prestige, wealth and security.  In Christ it’s the exact opposite for we must first lose all of our priorities for His.  In other words, we must lay on the alter our grasp of what it means to be wealthy, respected, honored and godly for the sake of His interpretation.  Otherwise we will be rejecting God just as the Jews did.

I am not harping on money here but a way of life.  Lust for earthly wealth can come in insidious forms.  For some of us it is prestige alone which fills our cup, for others it is a nice house, car, friends, etc.  In Christ, our way of life is to be bought by the one who paid the price for our sin.  It is our first step toward the kingdom.  Money is a means to an end, folks, not the end in itself.  Jesus made the heavens and the earth so He owns it all.  This being true, those who enter His rest will share in His wealth, but first He must know He can trust us not to worship the gift over the Giver.

God provides for us everything we will ever need.  The world was made complete before a human foot ever walked on it, therefore we conclude we made to be mere caretakers of His property not owners, for in essence we are property of a sorts as well.  This means we can follow the Master into earthly poverty because we know He owns it all and will provide for us as we need it.  This does not mean we won’t experience earthly insecurity or want, since the best way to teach us dependence on His provision is to place us in situations where our own efforts fall short.  God longs to prosper us in things as well, yet He cannot as long as we cling to things as vital to our well-being.  The only “thing” which matters is sitting at the feet of Jesus, which is the better part, Martha.

The Jews closed the truth out by hardening their hearts to the God of the universe.

The question confronting us now is:  Who is our Father?

Weddings.  They can be such joyous occasions.

Until someone imbibes in earthly pleasures and coddles the pole a little too vigorously during a free form dance. 

From Heineken at Know The Signs.  Better resolution video here at Drunk Pole Dancing Gone Wrong.  November 11, 2009.

Pole dance ruins wedding

November 16, 2009

See:

• http://www.knowthesigns.com/
• http://www.youtube.com/knowthesigns2#p/f/1/8dRSFRXIHeI

In light of 1 Cor. 11:29-30, which I understand to be a reference to God’s judgment in the form of weakness, sickness, and/or physical death as a result of participating in the Lord’s Supper “in an unworthy manner,” how should we understand James, for example, who commands that those who are sick should seek prayer and anointing from the elders of the church (James 5:14)? Also, from James 5:15-16, how does this all relate to confessing our sins?

Upon reflection, I think James 5:13-20 is an excellent passage to bring into the discussion of 1 Cor. 11:29-30. In fact, I wonder if Paul might have some practical guidance in mind that very much resembles James 5:13-20 by saying, “About the other things I will give directions when I come” (1 Cor. 11:34). In other words, I wonder if the “other things” he intends to explain to them is how they need to deal with this situation in their church, besides merely stopping the selfish behavior they are currently practicing. We’ll never know.

But, let’s see if we can’t flesh out what this all might look like together. The situation Paul describes in Corinth shows that 1) believers have sinned; 2) many of these believers (though apparently not all) have received judgment from God in the form of weakness and/or sickness, and some have physically died (as a result of an illness?); and 3) God’s judgment/discipline occurs so that these believers would not be finally condemned (which is not holding out the possibility that a person may lose his or her salvation; rather I think he is acknowledging that there are unbelievers in the midst of the Corinthian congregation, as in all churches, and if a person were not judged/disciplined by the Lord in this way, it might be a sign that the person is not a true believer, so that he or she will be condemned with the world; see Heb. 12:5-6). Now, it does NOT say that everyone who has participated in the Lord’s Supper has been judged in this way. When he says, “Anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself,” I don’t think he means that everyone who does this actually receives God’s judgment; I think it means that the person deserves judgment, or invites judgment. It is a punishable offense, we might say. Who, when, and how God judges/disciplines believers is his sovereign right, and he does so only with good purposes.

So, what of James? Let me translate this passage to highlight the real force of what he is saying, which is somewhat softened in the English versions. This will be James 5:13-16a, 19-20 (skipping vv. 16b-18 for the sake of space, and because, while clearly important to James in this context, they do not help us directly with our question).

¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? He must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He must sing. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? He must call the elders of the church, and they must pray for him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And faithful prayer will save (or heal) the sick one, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another in order that you may be healed….¹⁹ My brothers, if anyone among you wanders away from the truth and someone turns him back, ²⁰ he must know that the one who turns back a sinner from wandering off his way will save (or heal) his soul (or life) from death and he covers a multitude of sins.

So, let me make a few observations, and then we’ll try to tie all this together. First, it’s interesting that he doesn’t tell the one who is suffering what to pray for. Particularly, I notice that he does NOT tell him to pray that the suffering would be removed, which makes sense because James wrote in chapter 1, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” Nonetheless, the appropriate response to suffering for the believer is to pray. Also, the appropriate response for a believer who is sick is to ask the elders of the church to pray (which may or may not necessarily include anointing with oil; if you’d like to ask more about that, I’d be happy to talk about the reasons I don’t think anointing is being prescribed here, but for now I’m going to keep moving forward). Then, v. 15 promises or assures that “faithful prayer” (as I have translated the phrase, which is usually translated more literally as “the prayer of faith”) will save the sick one. The word translated “save” here and in the Gospels can also be translated “heal,” and this is probably the sense that James intends here. So, there is a promise of healing for the sick one in response to the elders’ faithful praying. Now, I don’t think this is a guarantee that a person who is sick and comes to the elders for prayer will have their illness taken away immediately. The text, first of all, never says when healing will take place; it just says that the person will be healed. And, it says that the Lord will raise the sick person up, which is probably a metaphor that refers to recovery. (With the metaphor of “raising up,” I suspect we are to envision a person who is sick and incapacitated, lying on their back, unable to “raise themselves”; but, I don’t think that the metaphor limits the types of illnesses in view. However, as I reflect on this passage now, I wonder if James does have incapacitating illness specifically in view because it is interesting that the one who is sick summons the elders, rather than going to him. Perhaps he is unable to go to the elders.) This teaching also does not imply that if the elders do not pray for a sick person that God will not heal that sick person. Again, God is free and sovereign to heal whomever, whenever, and however he decides to heal (which is probably reflected in the various methods Jesus used to heal sick people), but as I have argued in a recent blog post, God delights to work through the prayers of his people.

Now, it’s interesting that, at this very point, having just mentioned healing the sick in response to the prayers of the elders, James mentions forgiveness of sins. This may imply that James understands a potential connection between illness and sin (please notice my emphasis on “may”; I am tentative in how I want to talk about the connection between illness and sin; is sickness always a result of sin? I suspect not, at least not necessarily the direct result of an individual’s sins. But, 1 Cor. 11 certainly indicates that it can be sometimes. Are we able to determine when a sickness in our own lives might be due to the judgment/discipline of God because of sin in our own lives? I’m not sure. Ah, I’m getting ahead of myself!) So, in the context of coming to the elders for prayer about his or her sickness, James says, “If he has committed sins, they (his sins) will be forgiven.” Immediately following this promise of forgiveness, he draws a conclusion: “since the person’s sins will be forgiven, therefore, confess your sins to one another.” So, James links forgiveness and confession of sins tightly here (perhaps as in 1 John 1:9). I think he means that the availability of forgiveness is held out to the one who is sick when he or she comes to the elders for prayer, and the person may take hold of that forgiveness by confessing his or her sins. Then, he commands, “Pray for one another so that you may be healed.” So, again he brings healing into the picture (and this word in Greek is specific for healing; i.e., it’s NOT the same word used above that could mean “to save”).  Thus, it seems that he wants to link confession and prayer, forgiveness and healing in some way. So, perhaps we are justified to think of the sin being connected to the illness. I think this connection is somewhat reinforced in v. 20. “The one who turns back a sinner from wandering off his way will save his soul (or life) from death and he will cover a multitude of sins.” Here, the connection is made between saving from death and covering sins. The word translated “soul” can also be translated “life,” and I think that is better here. I think he is still talking about believers in community, confessing their sins to one another, praying for another, anticipating healing from God in response to these prayers, and receiving forgiveness for sins. Any illness can lead to death; perhaps this is one way that they saw God answering their prayers. These believers who were sick came for prayer to the elders (or to one another; notice how he has shifted from a focus on the elders’ prayer to a focus on prayer “for one another”), the remained sick for a time, but then they eventually recovered, and did not die from their illness.

So, how shall we tie this into what is envisioned in 1 Cor. 11? Paul indicates that some in the church are sick as a result of judgment/discipline meted out by God because of their participating in the Lord’s Supper flippantly and/or selfishly. Some have even died. Paul commands them to stop behaving this way, to repent of their sinful attitudes and behaviors. James would not only have the Corinthians who were sinning this way repent, but he would also have those who have received the judgment of God in the form of sickness to go to the elders and confess their sins (which assumes their repentance). Then, the elders should pray for them. The sick person may then walk away with confidence that 1) his sins have been forgiven and 2) that he will be healed, whenever and in whatever way the Lord chooses to do so.

 
On Sunday Armand Newrick preached a very good sermon on the parable of the wise and foolish builders. With his permission I’m going to use some of his points, develop them further, and tie in another piece of scripture. This is by necessity a rather long essay so get comfortable . Let’s start by looking at the source:

[Jesus concluded the sermon on the mount by saying]

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell — and great was its fall.”

When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Matt 7:24-29 NASB

This essay is divided into five sections:

1. Rocks
2. Roads
3. Rigours
4. Reckoning
5. Rewards

That’s a pretty cryptic list, but hopefully it will all become clear as you read on…

1-> Rocks

The basic meaning of the parable quoted above is clear: if we wisely act on or apply the words of Jesus our life will have a firm foundation and we will be able to survive the storms of trouble that we all face in this life. Rocks are an all-weather foundation.

Those who foolishly build their life on another foundation will find that their foundation crumbles when the storms of trouble hit, taking them down with it. Sand is a fair-weather foundation.

There are two points worth noting here:

1. Wisdom and foolishness are not matters of cleverness and stupidity. Wisdom is good moral character (Christ-likeness) and foolishness is poor moral character (Satan-likeness, e.g. Job 2:1-10).
2. There are only two types of foundation. Jesus said “If you are not for me you are against me”, and in this life we have two options: God’s way or Satan’s way. Speaking of ways, let’s now move on to…

2-> Roads

We’ve already read the conclusion to the sermon on the mount. Earlier on in that sermon Jesus said:

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Matt 7:13-14 NASB

Just as we have a choice of two foundations in this life, we have a choice of two roads in this life:

1. The wide and easy road that leads to destruction. AC/DC call this the Highway to Hell [1].
2. The narrow road that leads to life.

Imagine that you are driving on a six lane highway. The lanes are wide, the road is smooth, and there is a choice of paths (six in this case), all of which will get you to your destination. Here you can proceed with very little effort and attention. Now imagine that you are driving on a narrow, winding country road. There is only one path that will get you to your destination, and if you stray from it there will be painful consequences that will remind you to be more careful in future. A lot of effort and attention is required to remain on this road, which takes us on to…

3-> Rigours

Rigours is another word for hardships, and doing what is wise and right in this life involves hardships. Digging a foundation in rock is hard work, and staying on the narrow road is hard work. In both cases there is an easier option, so why would anyone want to take the hard way?

Wise people put their holiness before their happiness and take the harder option because it brings rewards in this life. Wise people also do the harder and better things because they know that we will all face a day of…

4-> Reckoning

Reckoning is another word for calculation. On the day of reckoning [2] or judgment all that we have done will be part of the calculations. Did we love the Lord with all our heart and soul and mind? Did we look after the distressed widows and orphans? Did we give a cup of water to Jesus? Did our works consist of gold or straw? On the day of reckoning we will reap the consequences of our choices, including our choice of foundation (rock or sand) and our choice of road (wide or narrow). Allow me to explain.

Cast your mind back to the parable of the wise and foolish builders. I believe that Jesus was talking about this present life, but what he said also foreshadows the fate of the foolish/wicked:

Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell — and great was its fall.

Clearly this is an image of complete destruction. Destruction was also mentioned in the next passage that we looked at:

…for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction…

Does ‘destruction’ mean that the wicked will be sent to a place of unending torment (commonly called ‘hell’)? If you hired a demolition company and told them to destroy your building would you expect them remove all traces of it, or would you expect them to be torturing the building with wrecking balls until the stars fall from the sky?

The meaning of ‘destruction’ is obvious: it means to kill or annihilate. The wicked will be turned into smoke as the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were:

In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 1:7 NIV)

The good news is that on the day of reckoning the wise/godly will receive their…

5-> Rewards

In the parable of the wise and foolish builders we saw that the wise have a reward in this present life, i.e. security during the storms of troubles:

…everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.

Then in the next passage we saw that the wise also have an even greater reward to look forward to:

For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life…

Our ultimate reward is life, which is the opposite of destruction. After the day of reckoning we will have unending life in the presence of God. That is the reward that we can look forward to at the end of our rigours, for the hardships involved in building a foundation on rock and in following a narrow road are not fruitless.

In summary:

• Sand or rock?
• Wide or narrow?
• Easy or hard?
• Destruction or life?

We all have freedom of choice: will your choices take you to the choicest of rewards?

_††_†

Related post:
What does ‘hope’ mean for a christian? (Part 1)

1. The lyrics of this song are astonishingly honest and accurate:

(c.f. Ps 10:3-4 NASB:
For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire,
And the greedy man curses and spurns the LORD.
The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him
All his thoughts are, “There is no God.”)

Living easy
Loving free
Season ticket for a one way ride
Asking nothing
Leave me be
Taken everything in my stride
Don’t need reason
Don’t need rhyme
Ain’t nothin’ I would rather do
Going down
By the time
My friends are gonna be there too, eh

I’m on a highway to hell
On the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I’m on the highway to hell

No stop signs
Speed limit
Nobody’s gonna slow me down
Like a wheel
Gonna spin it
Nobody’s gonna mess me ’round
Hey Satan
Paid my dues
Playin’ in a rockin’ band
Hey momma
Look at me
I’m on my way to the Promised Land, wooh

I’m on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I’m on the highway to hell
Highway to hell

Mmm, don’t stop me
Eh,Eh,Eh

I’m on the highway to hell
On the highway to hell
I’m on the highway to hell
On the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I’m on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
Highway to hell
Highway to hell

I’m on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
And I’m goin’ down,all the waa-ay-aay, wohh
M-on the highway to hell

2. Cf Isaiah 2:12-22

116 U.S. Troops Died in Afghanistan While Obama Pondered Reinforcements.  CNS News.

One hundred and sixteen U.S. troops died in Afghanistan between August 30 when Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the U.S. commander in that country, first reported that reinforcements were needed, and today, when President Barack Obama is set to announce that he will send 34,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.

The legacy of dithering and dawdling will be recorded in the history books and in the cemetaries across America.  And burnished in the memories of the families of soldiers lost. 

Obama Approval on Afghanistan, at 35%, Trails Other Issues.  Gallup.

Obama’s Afghan Plan Fails to Satisfy Left, Right.  Fox. 

 By offering something to all sides in the debate, the president may have left all sides unsatisfied.

See:

• http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/57832
• http://www.animatedgif.net/flags/flagsusa/flagsusa.shtml
• http://www.gallup.com/poll/124520/Obama-Approval-Afghanistan-Trails-Issues.aspx
• http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/01/obamas-afghan-strategy-sparks-debate-exit-plan-cost/

Judging others…this is one of the most difficult topics to discuss for Christians. It is extraordinarily difficult to feel judged, to react when someone comes to you with a criticism of your behavior, and to accept when you may not be living up to the example set by Christ. But the question remains: is it ever appropriate to judge others?

The answer according to Scripture is yes. But are there certain conditions that must be met for judgment to take place appropriately? Again, a resounding yes. What does Jesus say about judgment in the Sermon on the Mount?

“Do not judge lest you be judged.
For in the way you judge, you will be judged;
and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye,
but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck
out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?
Your hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
(Matthew 7:1-5)

Jesus is saying that at times judgment of your brother is appropriate. But a very important thing must happen first: directly addressing your own sin (taking the log out of your own eye). By doing this first, you will then be able to see clearly to approach your brother about his sin. Part of addressing your own sin first is prayer and knowing the Word of God — these actions will further allow you to be right in the eyes of God before you correct your brother.

God has many purposes for judgment. James 5:20 tells us, “…let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.” Galatians 6:1 says, “Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted.” Salvation. Covering sin. Restoration. Building up one another and the body of Christ.

Kay Arthur provides an excellent summary of the issue of judgment in her book Lord, I’m Torn Between Two Masters:

“A careful study of [the] scriptures — including Matthew 7:1-5 — shows that judging is not forbidden. Irresponsible behavior, wrong doctrine, and sin must all be discerned, clearly identified, and dealt with…Righteousness is to be upheld, the gospel is to be earnestly contended for. Judging, therefore, is not wrong if it is done properly. It is fine to correct a brother as long as you do it in a spirit of gentleness, as long as you are spiritual, realizing that you are not above temptation yourself. It is all right to judge as long as the motivation of that judgment is love of God and love of your neighbor. The goal of judgment, remember, is not to condemn but to restore.

It is all right to judge as long as we judge with a righteous judgment, a judgment that is in accordance with God’s Word. We may judge dogs and swine, false prophets, sin, wrong behavior, and wrong doctrine. But we cannot judge the motives of a man’s or woman’s heart. But above all…we must continuously judge ourselves!” (pp 226-227)

Welcome back, brothers and sisters.

It is not often that we hear people talk about humility as a blessing.  Oftentimes, humility is mentioned in a negative way.  For example, I’m sure you’ve heard people talk about the “lesson of humility” in a negative vein, right, as though it was an experience that one would want to avoid?  Interestingly, the truth is that we all need to learn the lesson of humility at least once in our life, and in some cases more than once.  Why?  Beloved, humility brings us closer to the Lord.  Humility is a quality that Satan does not have.  Why?  It’s simple really.  Humility is the polar opposite of pride.

Think about it, brothers and sisters.  Pride results in people puffing themselves up.  Prideful people create an enhanced and unrealistically flattering vision of themselves.  They have to believe that they are better than others so that their elevated view of themselves is maintained.  A person filled with pride is almost impossible to teach, as their pride won’t allow them to admit that they need help to grow.  Someone filled with pride has a tendency to repeat mistakes of the past due to their unwillingness to learn from anyone other than themselves.  Even if 20 other people have made the same mistake, all to their own detriment, the prideful person will think they can do the same thing without the adverse consequences.  Why?  Because they believe that others that may have tried the same thing and failed are somehow inferior to them.  Their superiority complex will rarely allow consideration of the reality that the same limitations that apply to others also applies to them.

Humility, on the other hand, is quite different.  Humility often goes hand in hand with meekness.  A humble person sees themselves as they really are.  They are lowly in heart, not esteeming themselves any better than others.  As a matter of fact, they often esteem themselves even less than they esteem others.  The meekness found in a person that is truly humble is a key quality that results in submission to God’s will rather than their own.  A humble person is a willing student as the enormous barriers that pride throws up never enter into the equation.  A person filled with humility is not nearly as likely to repeat mistakes made previously, as they tend to learn from previous mistakes.  When they err, the humble person will acknowledge their error/shortcoming, and they will be open to understanding what they needed to do differently.

Is it possible to have a strong Christian walk in life while being an incredibly proud person?  No, it is not.  Why is that?  Well, beloved, an extremely prideful person is focused on themselves and on doing what they need to do to maintain or further enlarge the image of themselves that they are trying to project.  They esteem their own will in doing so as a more of a priority than God’s will.  A humble person subjugates their own will to God’s will, opting to seek His will before their own. 

Beloved, their are two great examples that come to mind that clearly demonstrate the difference between pride and humility.  Acting as the eternal poster boy for pride and selfishness is none other than Satan.  Think about it.  Satan always puts his own will first.  He rebelled against fulfilling God’s will due to thinking that doing so would somehow diminish his own greatness while also magnifying the truth that there is One greater than him. 

On the flip side, our champion of humility and meekness is none other than Jesus Christ.  That’s right, beloved, the greatest example of humility and meekness that we have is none other than the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Was Jesus meek?  Yes, He submitted himself to His Father’s will by accepting to suffer the cross in order to fulfill God’s plan.  Jesus is the purest picture of humility that we will ever have.  Consider the following words of Jesus:

“Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” – Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV)

Here is another quote from when Jesus was praying to God the Father in the garden of Gethsemane shortly before Judas betrayed Him to the authorities.  Jesus knew the horrors He would have to suffer if He fell into the hands of the authorities, and the following quotes part of His prayer to the Father that very night:

“And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, ‘Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but thine, be done.’” – Luke 22:41-42 (KJV)

Beloved, this is the only begotten Son of God!!!  He could have called down legions of angels to deliver himself, but instead He was humble and meek enough to submit to His Father’s will.  Consider what the apostle Paul said in the following:

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” – Philippians 2:5-8 (KJV)

Thank the Lord for humility!!!  Humility is truly a wonderful quality for each of us to have.  How does humility bring us closer to God?  Consider the following:

• How are we to hunger and thirst after righteousness unless we acknowledge that we are not righteous on our own? 
• Those who are meek have needed gentleness themselves.  Humility means willingly acknowledging that need. 
• If you do not recognize your own need for mercy, then how likely are you to be merciful to others?  Humility enables you to admit your sins, repent, and seek the Lord’s forgiveness.  In doing so, we receive His forgiveness and so much more:-)
• It takes humility to admit and own your mistakes.  To be willing and able to admit our own mistakes is a key ingredient to enabling us to be effect peacemakers.
• You cannot have purity of heart if you heart is full of foolish pride.
• How can we grow in our faith and walk with the Lord, unless we are honest about our need for such growth.  Humility is the acknowledgement of that need.
• To stand firm as a Christian means being willing to give all in order to serve Christ.  Christians that live for Christ undergo various forms of persecution (i.e. slander, undue criticism, false imprisonment, physical harm, emotional/mental abuse, etc.).  In order to make such a stand requires the humility of submitting to God’s will and putting Him first, at the expense of a harder existence in this world that we presently live in.

How does God view humility?  While there are many different excerpts in the bible that illustrate God’s view of humility, we will list just a few here.  Consider the following scriptures:

“By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [are] riches, and honour, and life.” – Proverbs 22:4 (KJV)

“[When] pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly [is] wisdom.” – Proverbs 11:2 (KJV)

“[He that is] despised, and hath a servant, [is] better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.” – Proverbs 12:9 (KJV)

“The fear of the LORD [is] the instruction of wisdom; and before honour [is] humility.” – Proverbs 15:33 (KJV)

“Better [it is to be] of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” – Proverbs 16:19 (KJV)

“Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.  Blessed [are] the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.  Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.  Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.  Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God.  Blessed [are] the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.  Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” – Matthew 5:3-11 (KJV)

Beloved, the last quote in that list is a quote from Jesus’ sermon on the Mount.  When you look at each of the statements He makes in that quote, you can see the need for humility and meekness as a central underpinning to every group He is speaking of.  I pray that all who read this message are filled with humility and draw closer to the Lord by continually seeking and submitting to His will.

If you have not yet given your life to Christ Jesus, but you would like to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior right now, please join me in praying the following prayer:

“Lord God Almighty, I know that I am a sinner and that I am lost.  I know that I need to be saved from sin, but I also know that I can’t save myself.  Lord Jesus, I know that only You can save me.  I know that you paid for my salvation with your own life and blood on the cross.  I know that when You rose from the grave on the third day, you conquered death and provided everlasting life to all who trust in You.  Right now, I lay down my life and let go of my pride, my vanity and every other sin that has kept me from You.  Lord Jesus, I now completely trust my life to You.  I open my heart to You, Lord.  Please come into my heart.  Please forgive me of all of my sins, and please accept me as Your child.  From this point on, I commit my life to You.  Please guide me and provide me strength as I begin to live the rest of my life for You.  In Your precious and matchless name I pray.  Amen.”

Beloved, if you just sincerely prayed that prayer, then you are now born-again in Jesus ChristJ  Welcome to the family!!!  You will still have many trials/problems to face in this world, but you will never again face them alone.  With the Lord God Almighty on your side, all problems just became manageableJ  I would encourage you to get to know the Lord better by spending a few minutes each day studying His word (bible), communicating with Him frequently through prayer, and by seeking other Christians to have some fellowship with.  All of these things will help you to grow spiritually in your new relationship with the Lord.  Remember, from this point forward your life should reflect who you serve, and you serve Jesus Christ as your Lord and SaviorJ  Praise God!!!

Thank you all for joining us for today’s discussion.  I hope you will be able to join us for Thursday’s message. 

As always, if you have a prayer request you would like us to join you in prayer over, please don’t hesitate to send it to us either through the “Comments” box on this page, or by emailing me directly at jasonthurwanger @ dellmail.com.  We will maintain your privacy.

Remember, if you would like to order the new book “Strapping On the Whole Armor of God – Suiting Up For Spiritual Warfare), please visit my website at http://www.yourbrotherinchrist.com .  If you prefer to order by mail, you will also find the mailing address on that website.  This book is very valuable in helping people understand how to go about securely and effectively putting on the whole armor of God that the apostle Paul refers to in Chapter 6 of Ephesians.  We are praying that many people will receive this book and be blessed in their walk with the Lord by reading it.

Have a wonderful and blessed rest of the day!!!

May the Lord bless you, keep you, guide you, and make His face to shine upon you and your loved ones always.

Your brother in Christ,

Rev Jason Thurwanger

A clever Robt Kraft brings us a compilation of Obama bows.

Bow Obama, bow.  Grovel on the world stage.  A mere sub-mortal indeed.  American protocol notwithstanding.  

Hat tip, No Sheeples.

The Twelve Bows of Christmas Obama Gave to Me

November 28, 2009

See:

• http://nosheepleshere.blogspot.com/2009/11/jacob-and-cloistered-echo-chamber.html

An Interesting Parallel

^{The Old Testament priesthood of Aaron had to “eat those things with which the atonement was made.”}

Then Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of meeting. They shall eat those things with which the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them; but an outsider shall not eat them, because they are holy. (Ex. 29:32-33)

True Christians are priests unto God under the new covenant:

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (I Pet. 2:9)

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God. (Rev. 1:5-6)

Jesus Christ is both High Priest and the Atoning Sacrifice:

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.  Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. (Heb. 9:11-12)

Like the priesthood of Aaron, we “eat those things with which the atonement was made.”

I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”  The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”  Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.  He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.  As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.  This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:51-58)

The Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;  and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”  In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” (I Cor. 11:23-25)

Did you notice in Ex. 29:32-33, “an outsider shall not eat them, because they are holy”? Those who are disqualified from the New Testament priesthood also must not eat of the table of communion, or they bring judgment upon themselves:

I Cor. 11:27-32  Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.  For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.  But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63

God bless you!

The ESRB has rated the game for North American release under the title, Eye of Judgment: Legends. In addition to implying an eventual retail release, the rating also reveals that the localization is due for a second pass with lines like, “the tremors of earth soaked in the Children of Earth in blood.” Oh my.

Source »joystiq

And if you want to have a sneak peak at the game then look no further as here it is. Thanks Joystiq for providing the vid

(c) Jon Worth (http://www.atheistbus.org.uk/bus-photos/)

The evangelistic neo-atheists are all the rage at the moment. From Dawkins to Hitchens to Penn and Teller’s Penn, everyone’s stepping it up. And I’m totally fine with the atheists getting out there, just like I’m fine with any other tiny religious minority group putting forward their faith claims for evaluation and discussion. So I’m not outraged at them or anything like that.

You may have seen these bus ads over in the UK.

Now I’ve read a lot of people take issue with the word “probably”, and while I agree that it’s a bit silly and really does work against what they’re trying to achieve, that’s not what struck me most about the ad when I first saw it.

But before I say anything more let me just point out that I’m not trying to disprove atheism or show why belief in the Christian God is rational or basic or probable. Rather this is simply a reflection on their ad campaign from my position, assuming belief in the Christian God and that this belief is defensible within reason.

Two things about the ad struck me: 1) was how naive it was about what life in the world is really like; and 2) was how desperate the whole argument was.

So let’s briefly consider these two thoughts in reverse order.

1)      I guess it’s only early in the new-atheist’s evangelistic push, and so I suppose I shouldn’t expect too much, but I’ve found the arguments I’ve read to be very lacklustre and intellectually shallow. Although, to be fair, I’ve only read The God Delusion from Dawkins and am only part way through Hitchen’s God is Not Great. Now I’m sure they can do better. And I’m not saying that atheists are stupid because they are most certainly not and I’m sure there are some very good arguments for atheism. I’m just saying that the figureheads of this new militant atheism are less than impressive.

But the reason I find this argument here so vacuous, the “so stop worrying and enjoy your life” part, is that it’s one of two key pieces of atheist rhetoric that contradict. One of the favourite arguments against belief in God – any God, not just the Christian God – is that this belief is supposedly simply a crutch for people too weak to cope with life. People who need a sense of purpose or who weren’t told they were loved enough as a child or something like that. So they need to imagine or find an already existing imaginary friend who can be that crutch for them. So belief in God is simply a way for people too weak and stupid to be able to enjoy life to some degree.

Hopefully the contradiction with the bus ads is becoming clear. The bus ad is another favourite argument against belief in God. It’s the argument that belief in God is an oppressive straitjacket that makes people live in a constant state of fear and guilt. It squashes personal freedom and creativity and restricts people’s lives with arbitrary and repressive rules. And it makes people constantly anxious about a coming judgment and wrath from an arbitrary and petulant God who flies off the handle at minor misdemeanours. Or at least that’s how the caricature goes. But, they say, this God doesn’t exist so stop worrying and enjoy yourself. Belief in God hinders you from enjoying life.

So which is it? Either belief in God helps or it hinders. Does it help you enjoy life more or does it hinder you from enjoying life like you should? It can’t be both.

Of course this doesn’t “prove” or “disprove” belief in God or atheism. It’s just a silly way to argue.

2)      But the main thing that struck me was how naive the ad was. Now maybe I’m putting too much freight on a simple ad slogan that’s designed to be provocative and somewhat tongue-in-cheek. But even still, the worldview it’s portraying is very narrow and parochial. And of course embarrassingly naive.

It is the view of what could only be a very small segment of the population. Here I’m not referring to the atheist minority. I’m referring to the affluent Westerner-ness of it. Sure, if you’ve lived in unbridled peace and prosperity, like I have, your entire remembered experience then there could be some truth to the “if God doesn’t exist I can enjoy life more with no thought of consequences” thought.

But as I understand it, that’s a very small percentage of the world’s current, and perhaps previous, population. The majority of the world live under extreme hardship, poverty and injustice. And the injustice they live through is of the kind where they will never experience true justice and recompense in this life before they die or are exterminated. But only in looking forward to a true and just judge who will put everything right one day is there even the glimmer of hope. Only in looking to a God who will one day completely heal and compensate and also bring true retribution is there any hope for enjoyment.

Now again, this isn’t an argument for the existence of a God. I’m just assuming that’s true and looking at these ads from that vantage point. And they are hopelessly naive.

What would it be like, to look a woman from the Sudan in the eyes who had just been gang raped by 10 men and then seen her sons, daughters, husband and extended family brutally tortured and murdered and piled up in their own excrement right before her eyes, a woman who had been kept alive by her attackers so that she could “live with death constantly close to her”. And similar situations would be multiplied probably millions of times across continents and throughout history. What would it be like to look her in the eyes and say, “Don’t worry, God doesn’t exist. This will never be put right and there is no justice for you. So stop worrying and enjoy your life.”?

Hopelessly naive would probably be an understatement.

My sermon from yesterday, which was the first Sunday in Advent.

________________________

“Thessalonica” 

Does that name ring a bell with you? Well, Thessalonica is a city in modern day Greece – also known as Salonica. But for our purposes what’s interesting is that the city of Thessalonica existed already in the time of Jesus and the earliest Christians.  In fact, this city was founded three hundred years before Christ by the King of Macedon – he named it after his wife Thessalonike.

Well, it must be nice to be able to name a city after your wife… Reading that historical tidbit this week I wondered whether I might try that this Christmas. Becky, there’s a beautiful little village in the Eastern Township called North Hatley, and but I’m going to re-name it for you as a Christmas gift. More than likely that’s a gift I’ll never be able to give.

In any case… This ancient city of Thessalonica was established by the King of Macedon on a major trade route – a trade route that reached from Asia into Europe – that trade route was essentially a road constructed by the Romans linking East and West. And not only was Thessalonica on the trade rout – it was also a port city. As a result of its location, then, it became a hub of commerce and of trade – and given its location it was also a cosmopolitan city. There were people in that city from across the known world.

Perhaps ancient Thessalonica will remind you a bit of Montreal – the similarities certainly crossed my mind.

What’s also interesting for us is the fact that the Apostle Paul finds himself on that ancient road. And he doesn’t just pass through Thessalonica- he stops there to share his message. He comes to this cosmopolitan, commercial centre and he speaks about Jesus – he goes to the synagogue and to public places, and he engages people in conversation about Jesus – about this one who lived a remarkable life – this one who died and who rose to life – this one through whom all our wrong-headed living comes to an end – this one through whom there is hope, for all of us, for resurrection life.

And wonderfully – as Paul speaks about Jesus some who hear want to know more. And of those who want to hear more, some find themselves believing it’s true – yes, this Jesus is different. This Jesus is the Son of God. Hearing the message, some in that city find themselves announcing: I believe it – This Jesus defeated death – he is new life.

As Paul engages with men and women in Thessalonica around the question, the person of Jesus, a small community is formed – formed around the name of Jesus – formed around the person of Jesus. A community of faith and hope is formed in that place.

Before we say more about the relationship between Paul and this Christian community, we should say a little more about the religious context of that city. It was a city of many gods. Its gods were those of the ancient Greeks and Romans. In that city there were firmly established religious traditions, with a whole collection of ancient gods each finding their own place society and family life.

But then a question… What happens when certain women and men living in Thessalonica find themselves enamoured with Jesus? What happens when they confess with joy that he is Lord?

In fact, their embrace of the Jesus way generates serious conflict with the wider society.  Suddenly these women and men can’t with good conscience participate in the worship of the many Greek and Roman gods. Suddenly these women and men feel compelled to follow a different way of life than is accepted by those around them.

And imagine how their embrace of Jesus looks to their family and neighbours. The refusal of these Christians to participate in the ancient religious traditions was seen as a slight of the worst kind – an arrogant to rejection of the traditional gods. “What do you mean you are following Jesus? What do you mean you only worship this one God? What is this new-fangled religion anyway?” Again – doesn’t sound unlike the reaction you will get in modern day Montreal.

All of which is to say: When these Thessalonian women and men find themselves compelled to worship Jesus only – when they find themselves joyfully enthralled with Jesus and the gift his forgiveness – they open themselves up to hostility from those around them. Strong social pressure is brought to bear – trying to convince them to abandon this new-fangled faith – or at least not to claim that this Jesus is uniquely to be worshipped. On account of the faith they embrace, these women and men expose themselves to severe mental distress and even physical violence.

I recall worshipping in a very small church in Northern Senegal – there were only a handful of us there. But one of those in attendance was a young man whose family had rejected him because he had become a Christian. Indeed, this young man had recently fallen off the map for several weeks – the other members of the church didn’t know where he was, couldn’t find him. When he reappeared he shared with them how his family had taken him and beaten him and threatened him on account of his faith in Jesus. It is a story that has played itself out innumerable times across time and space.

After he first came and preached in the city of Thessaonica, Paul stayed with these new Christians for some time – teaching them about faith, helping them sort out what it means to say Jesus is Lord. But after a time he left them as he continue on his path of service to Christ. And of course 1 Thessalonians, from which we read this morning, is a letter that Paul writes to these Christians he’s left behind – a letter in which he speaks of their common suffering and of their shared hope in Jesus – a letter in which he tries to encourage them and also correct them. Above all, a letter in which he expresses his desire to be back with them again.

In the middle of our reading this morning from 1 Thessalonians, however, Paul speaks not only of their shared life and faith. He also speaks about how the young Christians of that Thessalonica should relate to the hostile world around them. He writes: May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all.

Here our gaze shifts from the community’s sharing together in faith to their relationship with the world around them. And on one hand Paul’s words sound like motherhood and apple pie – love one another, and love everyone around you. But thinking again about the situation of the Thessalonian Christians it becomes clear that this command to love everyone represents a real challenge. They are under severe social pressure; even experiencing physical persecution. And here Paul offers a radical invitation to love. In his prayer we hear a clear echo of Jesus’ words: love your enemies – pray for those who persecute you.

When Paul offers this command – love everyone – he may be responding to a specific problem among the young Christians of Thessalonica. It seems that some of the Thessalonian Christians, anticipating the imminent return of Jesus, anticipating his judgment upon sin and injustice – some of these Christians have begun preaching and evangelizing in an aggressive, obnoxious, and even angry way – perhaps emphasizing God’s wrath and judgment – perhaps engaging in a full frontal assault on the gods of the culture around them.

Also, some of the Christians of Thessalonica, in the face of immense social pressure and persecution, may have been tempted to respond to violence with violence. In this highly charged circumstance, some may have lashed out with hostility in reply to the hostility they were facing. For this reason Paul also says later in his letter: See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. (repeat) An echo, perhaps of other words of Jesus: “You have heard it said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer…”

In our own Thessalonica – in our own cosmopolitan, commercial, urban centre of Montreal – perhaps the last thing that we are likely to do is aggressively and angrily speak the name of Jesus to neighbours or co-workers or family members.

Our difficulty is perhaps that we are too timid and hesitant in speaking of Jesus’ love and lordship. Many of us live with a crisis of confidence about our faith. Our cosmopolitan, commercial, sophisticated city has little time for our faith, and we display little courage in speaking of our life and hope in Jesus. But Paul’s prayer that we abound in love for all doesn’t only rule out aggressive and obnoxious evangelism – his prayer also invites us to love people enough to want to share with them the news of our friendship with Jesus, of our hope in him, of the community we experience in his name.

Paul in fact sets himself up as a model for the Thessalonians, and also for us, how to relate to those who live around us – those who have little patience for the perceived arrogance of our faith – those who see our as merely quaint. Paul describes how he and his fellow-apostles related to the Thessalonians: “We were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children.” It is this gentleness that is to characterize those who reach out in the name of Jesus. With such gentleness, we can learn to speak to our neighbours and friends – those with whom we are building meaningful relationships of trust and love – we can speak about Jesus. As the well known phrase puts it: “As one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.”

Does this mean, then, that the theme of judgment is entirely without place in our Christian faith? If Paul rejects the angry proclamation of God’s wrath, is judgment without any place? We are in the season of Advent, a season in which we embrace our hope that God in Christ comes to bring a better world – a season in which we announce our conviction that in Christ darkness and death do not have the final word.

But we should also realize that throughout the New Testament the celebration of Advent, of Christ’s appearing, is heavy with the theme of judgment. This is apparent in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians. He offers this prayer for them: May God so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

If it is indeed the case that some of the Thessalonian Christians were speaking an angry word of God’s judgment against the society around them, Paul’s prayer does something interesting. It takes that angry pointing finger, and turns it away from the world around them and in some sense points it back at his sisters and brothers themselves. May God so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. Christ is coming. God will judge the world, yes, but he will also judge your lives – so may God give you the grace, the strength, the courage to live well in the world.

In our modern lives, we twenty-first century Christians are pretty slow to accept judgment. We are slow, I think, to acknowledge that we live wrong-headed lives; we are slow to acknowledge that we are guilty of hurting others, of self-preoccupation, of greediness – that we are guilty of a failure to pursue the way of justice and truth. We have an almost pathological need to pat ourselves on the back and say – “you’re doing ok. You’re pretty good.”

Gary Thomas in his book The Beautiful Fight tells an interesting story of a manager who worked in the service industry, in a hotel. This manager got so frustrated with the anger and hostility that his staff often faced at the front desk that he had a large mirror mounted behind the desk – the thought was that anyone who was tempted to fly off the handle into inappropriate language or behaviour might just hesitate to do so if they could see in the mirror what they were doing.

Sometimes, we don’t see, or can’t see, the ways our lives are marked by mistakes and sin – ways of living that aren’t consistent with who we are as God’s beloved children. Sometimes its takes something like a mirror held in front of us to see how unfortunate, even ugly, our words and actions can sometimes be – a mirror to invite us to a different way of being in the world.

In a sense that’s what the season of Advent does for us – it holds up a mirror to our lives. Paul writes: May God so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus.

Later in his letter Paul will go on to give more concrete examples –

he invites his sisters and brothers to work diligently with their hands,

he challenges them not to give in to lust,

he encourages them not to take advantage of one another,

he asks them to support those who are faint hearted,

he tells them to help those who are weak.

May God so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus.

The last word though is not simply a moralising word of judgment. Nor is it merely a word of angry hostility toward us. God’s judgment is always exercised against a backdrop of grace. God’s goal in judgment is not to destroy but to transform us, making us fully alive, fully human. As our mistakes and sins are judged and forgiven, their power over our lives is undone.  We are set free to live in the resurrection life of our Lord.

Perhaps this morning it is fitting to hear the words of our Hope as they are expressed in Living Faith, a confession of the Presbyterian Church in Canada – chapter 10.

            Life had its beginning in God.

            In God it will come to completion

            and its meaning be fully revealed.

            All creation will find fulfillment in god.

            Christ will come again.

            Only God knows when and how our Lord will return.

            Now we see in part. Then we shall see face to face.

            Come, Lord Jesus.

            May the God of hope

            fill us with joy and peace in believing

            so that by the power of the Holy Spirit

            we abound in hope.

I am weary of judgment.

My entire life has been spent hiding behind a psychological veil, keeping the true shape of my face masked by an opaque fabric of social deceit. There lies upon that face a thousand marks of who I am that has been deemed inappropriate to be. If I smile politely enough and play the game of social politeness and propriety, no one takes notice that my true face is hidden.

I am not alone in this; it is a common experience we all face. We are told from the time we are children to be non-conformist, to be unafraid to be who we are, and yet from the same mouths that encourage our individualism we are told there are things that are not acceptable to be. That is, in childlike terms, it is acceptable to color with any crayon in the box, but it is not acceptable to color outside the lines, or with markers or colored pencils or paints. The world can be defined by 64 crayons, and colors that are not represented do not truly exist except in our fancy.

We are taught by our elders, who are considered our “betters,” what we should believe and how we should act. When I was a little girl in first grade, I befriended another girl in my class, whose skin was of dark color. She wore frilly pink dresses and always had her hair done up so neatly, and her smile was flawless. I often complimented her on how pretty she was, and how kind she was, for she was both. Though I only knew her for a year, her face, her smile, her favorite dress, and her name are forever implanted in my memory.

As I grew closer to this girl, I found my other school friends had drifted apart. At first, I did not realize what had happened, or how severe the drift had become. It was not until one indoor recess, when I invited a friend to come sit with us, that I found out what had happened.

“Eww! She has cooties! You both have cooties!”

I was confused. I thought only boys had cooties. “Why does she have cooties?”

“Cause she’s black.”

To say the shock that hit me was immense is an understatement. My brain, of course, had registered the fact that my friend’s skin color was far darker than my own or any of my class mates. In fact, it was one of the reasons I thought she was so pretty. It wasn’t until that moment that I realized that her skin tone, her “being black,” meant anything at all. I stuck by my friend that day (and through the year thereafter), but I went home and spoke to my mother about the situation, still terribly upset, and terribly confused. My mother spent a long time talking to me, explaining how some people found race was something to judge others by, and how she had once been judged herself for dating a black man.

What struck me later as I grew older about the situation was this: there were parents who had taught their children that “black” was “bad.” They taught their children about race and prejudice, before I even learned about race. It was through their misguidance that I learned one of the harshest realities about society, in an incident that still remains a fresh memory.

My poor childhood friend was judged on something she had not even a choice in.

And yet we too suffer for who we are, what we believe, whether we had a choice in the matter or not. It seems it is upon the minds of all people to rank others by whether they are alike or different, and those that are different are scorned. There is an endless supply of mockery and hatred available for those who do not conform, even after they are told to be proud of who they are as individuals.

It is therefore quite easy to harbor a menacing hatred to those that are so judgmental. But those people, too, have a story, a reason for believing what they believe. They may be hurtful, or hateful, or even wrong – but they have a right to be who they will be as much as any of the rest of us. Like each of us, they have a story on how they came to be who they are.

It takes a great deal of courage to not only be forgiving to those who would pass judgment on others, but to be compassionate to them. As the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hahn says, “When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That’s the message he is sending.”

As difficult as it is, one of my goals is to adopt this attitude of compassion to those that persecute others, and to let judgment pass. I find myself often angered or bittered by the treatment given to others, particularly on the Internet, but I wish to let these feelings go and use that energy to instead show compassion, love, and understanding; to smile and say “I’m sorry you are suffering,” rather than return an insult in hopes it silences them.

If we cannot love each other, how can we love ourselves? If we cannot love ourselves, how can we love each other?

Seriously, brothers and sister, God’s ban on same-sex marriage is still in effect. Furthermore, God’s ban on civil unions and homosexuality is still in effect. You see, beloved, while legislatures, judges, and other individuals may decide that it’s okay to be homosexual, God’s law remains in effect.Now, there are many that will read this and accuse me of being intolerant. They will wonder why I am so behind the times while society has shown itself very progressive and tolerant in accepting homosexuality. Here is my response. First of all, I thank the Lord God Almighty for my intolerance. Furthermore, I would rather grow in God’s timeless and lasting word rather than lose my soul to the “progressiveness” of this world. Society has indeed shown itself progressive in its ability to separate itself from God on this particular issue.

Beloved, God created a woman for Adam; not a man. You may think that’s harsh, but it is the truth. Consider the following:

“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.’” – Genesis 1:27-28 (KJV)

Brothers and sisters, a man cannot multiply with a man, and a woman cannot multiply with a woman. Only a man and woman can multiply. Consider also:

“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” – Genesis 2:24 (KJV)

Beloved, these words were not initially authored by me. The Author of these words is God himself. Though many people of this world have decided to compromise on this issue, the fact of the matter is that we are to be obedient to God in this matter, and all other matters. It is His will, not ours, that we are to commit ourselves to doing.

Whether you believe that homosexuality is genetic, or whether you believe it is a choice/lifestyle, the truth is that it is an affront to God. All sin is an affront to God. To repent of a sin, while planning on continuing to live in that sin, is not repentance at all. It’s lip service.

I remember several years ago when a battle over this issue within one of the religions caused that particular denomination to split into two separate organizations. The more liberal of the two approved of allowing homosexual ministers, while the more conservative opposed allowing homosexual ministers. I can still remember watching an interview with minister of the liberal portion of the church that thought it should be allowed. His statement was that while they believed strongly in God’s word, they also saw the need to compromise on the issue in light of the changing times.

Beloved, anyone that is willing to attempt to compromise God’s word/law/will is not serving the Lord. They are essentially trying to bend God to their own will, which is based in sin. Beloved, when we give our lives to Christ, we are to let go of our embrace of our sinful lifestyle. Our old selves are to die, as we become new creations in Christ.

Some people have gone so far as to take advantage of people’s ignorance of God’s word by claiming that God’s word does not specifically address homosexuality. Beloved, this is an absolute lie, and it is a lie sponsored by none other than Satan itself. Do you want some examples of just how specific the bible is about God’s view of homosexuality? Consider the following:

“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: It is abomination.” – Leviticus 18:22 (KJV)

“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men and women working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.” – Romans 1:26-27 (KJV)

“Know ye not that unrighteousness shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” – 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (KJV)

“If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” – Leviticus 20:13 (KJV)

That’s pretty clear, isn’t it? Did the last verse strike you as particularly harsh? It shouldn’t have. We know that the wages for all sin is death, so why would it be any different for this particular sin?

So how are we to deal with homosexuality? Are we to compromise our obedience to the Lord and say that its okay? No!!! We don’t say lying is okay. We don’t say murder is okay. We don’t say rape is okay. We don’t say homosexuality is okay!!! Purposely rejecting God’s word and will in order to satisfy your own affection for the pleasures of sin is never okay, no matter what that sin is. So here’s what we ought to do when dealing with someone who engages in homosexuality:

• Love them unconditionally, just as the Lord loves all of us unconditionally. Beloved, we are not to judge them. We are to love them with the Lord’s love. Remember that we were all lost to sin at one time in our lives.
• Share God’s word with them and encourage them to repent of their sins and to receive the deliverance that only Christ Jesus can provide.  That means living in that sin no more.
• Encourage them to separate from those things that would be likely to draw them back into homosexuality.

Beloved, I love homosexuals, murderers, liars, whores, pimps, drug dealers, and all other sinners, as I know that God does as well. We are never to pass judgment on those lost in sin. We are, however, to share the Truth with them at every opportunity so that they may see the light, repent of their sins, and be reconciled unto God.

As I’m sure you have come to know by now, it is not my style to be indirect and not speak God’s word in order to avoid offending anyone. Just know that my intention is never to offend. My intention is to always speak God’s word clearly, accurately, and consistently so that more may come to the Lord.

So in closing today, the choice is simple. Will you be tolerant of homosexuality so that we can all just get along, and because various men and woman have said its okay to do so, or will you obey the Lord God Almighty in truly living His word and protecting the sanctity of marriage? The choice is yours.

Thank you for joining us for today’s discussion. I hope you will be able to join with us for our next message.

Have a wonderful and blessed rest of the day!

May the Lord bless you, keep you, guide you, and make His face to shine upon you and your loved ones always.

Your brother in Christ,

Rev Jason Thurwanger

     Is there a difference in the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20:11 and Matthew 25?    

      In the Revelation chapter 20:11-15 is found the most awesome scene in the entire bible.  The Great White Throne judgment is enough to sober the most frivolous mind.  It is an extremely frightening scene that presents an event that will take place in the future.  There is coming a judgment day for all who have never received the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior.  John says to us that he sees a great white throne and the One who sat upon it His face the heavens and earth fled away.  Is this judgment that is presented here synonymous with that of the “sheep and goat” judgment presented by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 25?

          The bible teaches that there will be more than one judgment.  There is first of all, the judgment where Christ died on the cross for the sins of the world.  On the cross of Calvary the one time sacrifice for mans sins was made.  It was there on the cross, where the wrath of God was poured out on His Son, Jesus Christ.  “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness (1 Pet 2:24).”  Jesus Christ bore an infinite amount of judgment on the cross in a finite period of time – for me!

          The bible also teaches that one day there will be a judgment for born again believers.  This will be a period of examination which is referred to as the judgment seat (Bema) of Christ.  Paul writing to the church (‘believer’s’ 1 Cor 1:2) at Corinth says: “If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet as by fire (1 Cor 3:14-15).”  This judgment is not to see whether or not we are going to heaven, rather an examination of what we did in our body (Rom 14:10).

          The bible also teaches that there will be a judgment of the nations one day.  The Lord Jesus discusses this in the third section of the Olivet Discourse (Matt 25:31-46).  These words are the closing words of Christ in His last official sermon on earth.  He pulls His disciples together for some intimate teaching prior to His going to the cross.  At this point it is literally hours before the Lord Jesus Christ is going to be judged, and yet the Lord in these verses in Matthew is telling about sitting one day and judging all the nations of the world.  This particular judgment that Jesus teaches of in Matthew 25 is going to occur before the literal millennial reign of Christ on this earth.

          Jesus says in (v. 34) “come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”  This judgment has to do with entrance into the millennial reign of Christ, not occurring outside or after the millennial reign of Christ.  The bible seems to give us the setting for this particular judgment in the Old Testament book of Joel.  In Joel chapter 3 there seems to be a prediction which coincides with the teaching of Christ in Matthew 25.  Joel says (3:2) “I will also gather all the nations and will bring them down in the valley of Jehosophat and I will plead for them…(literally means he will judge for them there)…for my people and for my heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the nations and parted my land.”  Then the bible says (v. 12) “Let the heathen be wakened and come up to the Valley of Jehosophat for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.”  These words in the passage in Joel are inspired as well as spoken directly from the Lord (3:1). 

          There will come a day when Christ will come as judge in His glory throne, and all the nations will be gathered before Him.  This judgment is not the Great White Throne judgment.  This judgment in Matthew 25 takes place after the battle of Armageddon (Joel 3:2-14) and before the millennial reign of Christ.  There is no indication of a resurrection here, so the ones being judged are living.  The primary purpose of this judgment is to show the treatment of the gentile nations of the Jews during the great tribulation.  John Walvoord makes a great comment:

“Those described her are people who have lived through the great tribulation, a time of unparalleled anti-Semitism, when the majority of Jews in the land will be killed.  Under these circumstances, if a gentile befriends a Jew to the extent of feeding and clothing and visiting him, it could mean that he is a believer in Jesus Christ and recognizes the Jews as the chosen people.  The gentiles described as sheep are those who are children of God by faith in Christ…the goats being cast into the lake of fir is in keeping with the previous prediction of Christ in the parable of the wheat and the tares.”

          The Great White Throne judgment is distinct in and of itself from other judgments. The “Great” in that it is universal in scope.  “White” in that the throne is one of absolute purity and says to us that the One who sat on it was pure and holy.  The One is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.  “God hath appointed a day in the which He (Jesus) will judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31).”  Jesus Himself said “For the father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son (John 5:22).”  Through the ages men have ridiculed Him, ignored Him, and denied Him.  The truth is that one day all will face Him.  Jesus Christ is the inescapable personality of eternity and human history.   

          We are told in (Rev 20:11) “there is no place found for them” and that ties together with 2 Peter 3:7-10.  There will be no place to stand, no hiding place, and no place to run.  Just like in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve tried to hide from God – God knew exactly where they were and what they needed.  Jonah hit the high sea on the run from God, yet God sent a fish after him.  In that day of the Great White throne judgment there will be no place to run, those there will be suspended in space, all supports gone, all religions collapsed, and pride will melt away.

          We are then told in (v. 12) that “all the dead will be there.”  Some interpret this incorrectly because it says “all.”  This is why it is vital that the whole context of the scripture be taken into account.  This is reference to all those who have died outside the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are told very clearly that there is no more condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1).  Jesus Himself said that whoever believes on Him would not come into condemnation (John 5:24).  The great white throne judgment is not for believers but rather “the resurrection unto shame and everlasting contempt.”  Everyone throughout the ages who did not believe God by faith will be present here.  The great and the small – Caesar, Stalin, Hitler, al the rock stars and movie stars that polluted our culture with such filth.  Also present will be even the little people.  Maybe some who mocked God and His Son, even good people will be present there. 

          In contrast to the judgment of Matthew 25 where the gentiles are judged according to their works, “here (Rev 20) the works evidently are such that salvation is not the issue but rather the degree of punishment, and there is no indication that any righteous are found in this judgment (Walvoord).”  Although both are judgments and Christ is clearly judge, the characteristics are different.  The people present are different and the judgment is for a specific purpose in Matthew 25, whereas in the Great white throne judgment it is an all encompassing judgment.  We also must note again that the judgment in Matthew 25, the people are alive and in the tribulation period and the great white throne judgment the peoples are all the dead outside of Christ who are resurrected and brought before the Judge – Jesus Christ.

         How are they judged at the great white throne judgment?  We are told (v. 12) that the books were opened and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things written in the books.  It appears there are three books, two of which are mentioned here in this text and then also in (21:27) there is another.  The first of which is the book of life.  This seems to be the book that contains the names of all those who have been born on this earth.  The second book is God’s record book.  God is keeping perfect records of every action, deed, thought, word; anything and everything we have ever done.  This book will be present at the great white throne judgment.  Then there is the third book which is the Lamb’s book of life.  This is the book of all who have received the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior. 

          When one is brought before the great white throne judgment the first book that will be brought out is the book of works.  “The absolute justice of God is revealed in this judgment of works.  Even those who have spurned the Lord Jesus there is a differentiation in degrees of wickedness and apparently variation in punishment (Walvoord).”  Not any indication that any amount of works would merit even a mille-second in God’s heaven, but there will be various levels of everlasting punishment.  This seems to be what Dante’s Inferno seems to allude to in an allegorical fashion.  The bible does seem to indicate that the ones who have clearly heard and refused a clear presentation of the gospel will top the list in the role call in hell (Rev 21:8).  The other book that will be there is the book of life.  If one dies outside the Lord Jesus there name seems to be erased from the book of life.  The last book is the Lamb’s book of life.  When one receives Christ as Savior their names is written in this book.  I guess that is why the Lord Jesus told His disciples rejoice because your name is written in heaven.

          What makes the great white throne judgment so terrifying is that if you are present there you will not have another word to say.  God has been patient and He has been working for many centuries.  There will come a point in time when His patience will run out.  There will be no jury and no defense; a sentence but no appeal; a Judge and a final judgment (v. 14).  Jesus will say something to the effect of: Depart from Me I never knew you.  In closing the words of Charles Ryrie:

“The result of this judgment is that all of those who are in it are cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death – eternal separation from God.  Even death (which claims the body) and Hades (which claims the soul) are cast into the lake of fire, since their work is now done.  The death people die on earth is only temporary.  All will partake of resurrection.  The prison of the soul at death , Hades, is only temporary; for the final and eternal separation, the second death is the lake of fire.”

The truth of future judgment is written on the psyche of man; man knows instinctively judgment is coming one day.

A Year of Magical Thinking.  The Weekly Standard. 

The health care reform the Democrats are intent upon passing before the year’s end because of some sort of emergency is really based upon their need to pass something to enable them to proclaim a bill passage to their supporters.  A manufactured crisis with a manufactured deadline.  Never mind the staggering cost expected to rise with time. 

 All on America’s tax paying wallets.  WS.

The idea that expanding coverage will save the country money has always been a fantasy. True, the Congressional Budget Office found that, under certain assumptions that the authors of the legislation in effect required the CBO to make, the House and Senate health bills might not blow up the deficit over the next decade. But that won’t happen in the real world. For one thing, doctors’ reimbursements just aren’t going to be cut 20 percent.

The situation with respect to the long-term deficit is even worse. The Lewin Group, the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, and the government’s own Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have all said that Obamacare won’t control costs in the long term. When the experts at Peterson and Lewin looked at the template for legislation now under debate in the Senate, they found that it “does not bend the total health care cost curve downward as a percentage of the economy.”

Consider what’s happened in Massachusetts since its 2006 health care reform went into effect. More people in the Bay State have health insurance–and costs keep on rising. RAND recently found that health care spending is growing 8 percent faster in Massachusetts than the state’s GDP. To deal with this situation, the state government has had to trim coverage and raise taxes. Even the New York Times editorial board has admitted that Massachusetts hasn’t figured out “how to slow the relentless rise in medical costs and private insurance premiums.”

ObamaCare’s Cost Could Top $6 Trillion.  The Cato Institute.

When we correct for both gimmicks, counting both on- and off-budget costs over the first 10 years of implementation, the total cost of ObamaCare reaches — I’m so sorry about this — $6.25 trillion.  That’s not a precise estimate.  It’s just far closer to the truth than President Obama and congressional Democrats want the debate to be.

Beutler and other supporters of ObamaCare can react to this news in two ways.  They can continue to deny the enormous cost of the legislation they support.  Or they can question how President Obama’s health plan came to be so blessedly expensive, and how (and by whom) they were duped into thinking it wasn’t.

Common sense in Washington, D.C. seems to be glaringly absent.  If others seem to easily distill the flaws inherent in the health care bills as noted now, why do politicians insist upon ignoring the evidence, and instead misleadingly portray themselves as knowing otherwise?

“Trust me.”
Image courtesy of Johnx1 of the Independents for News in Pictures November 16 – 22 http://www.freakingnews.com/News-in-Pictures-November-16-22-Pictures–2677.asp.

See:

• http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/017/267aexag.asp
• http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/11/27/obamacares-cost-could-top-6-trillion/

God’s very special providence toward His own does not always or perhaps usually does not result in prosperity. God’s special love for His own often takes the form of chastisement.  “My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the Lord loves, He disciplines and He scourges every son whom He receives [i].”  Chastisement may be taken as an evidence of genuine sonship [ii].  This chastening is for our good, so that we may share in His holiness [iii].

Chastisement is a proof of God’s love, a proof that we belong to Him as sons. Events may seem to indicate otherwise, but faith gives the proper perspective. “All discipline for the moment  seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness [iv].”  Yet through the corrective lens of faith the purpose of this chastening becomes discernible.  “Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son [v].”    

The one who would recognize the providential finger of God in adversity, trial, and affliction is a mature son who truly knows God and the way of salvation in Christ. When in God’s good providence we are brought low, as was Job, we may ask why?  But we shall, like, Job, rest content to simply trust God even when the answer is not forthcoming.

Finally, let us never confuse chastisement with penalty. These two terms are actions which are essentially different from one another. Penalty proceeds from justice: “For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience [vi]?” Civil authorities are ministers of God, working as avengers, to those who do evil [vii].  In the end times men will be scorched with fierce heat because they did not give God His glory due Him as a penalty [viii].  Therefore, do not confuse civil penalty with God’s chastisement, and do not comingle the wrath directed against God’s enemies, the judgment upon unbelievers, that is to say divine fury with the chastisement God bestows upon His own people.  God’s chastisement proceeds with love. In Jeremiah we read, “Correct me, O LORD, but this justice; not with Thine anger, lest Thou bring me to nothing [ix]. Pour out Thy wrath on the nations that do not know Thee and on the families that do not call upon Thy name  [x].” 

Martin Luther wrote, “God has two rods: one of mercy and goodness; the other of anger and fury.”  Chastisement is the former, penalty the latter.  Our Lord always has His glory and our good at heart.

[ii]  Hebrews 12:7-8

[iii]  Hebrews 12:10

[iv]  Hebrews 12:11

[v] Deuteronomy 8:5

[vi]  1 Peter 2:20

[vii]  Romans 13:4

[viii]  Revelation 16:9

[ix]  Jeremiah 10:24-25

[x]  Jeremiah 10: 25

The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 640

“Phnom Penh: The Appeals Court of Cambodia issued a surprising decision, sentencing Ms. Chea Ratha [a former military police brigadier general, who had a lesbian relationship with actress In Soklida] for 18 years to jail for an acid attack against the aunt of the actress In Soklida, and also other accomplices are to be imprisoned. The decision made by the Appeals Court at this time is totally in contrast to the former decisions made by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to dismiss the accusations against the accused persons.

“The acid attack against Ms. In Soklida’s aunt had been brought for a hearing and judgment by the Appeals Court on 27 November 2009, with Mr. Seng Sivutha as the head of the council of judges, with Mr. Nhoung Thul and Mr. Thou Monei as members, and with Mr. Hean Rith as representative of the prosecutors.

“The judgment decided to uphold Decision 82, dated 31 August 2009, of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, but rejected Point 1, which is related to punishments for all who had been charged. The new decision of the Appeals Court exempts Meas Mao, male, 40; and Meas Chandy from the charge of illegal gun use, but sentenced them to serve 18 years in prison for violating the right of an individual, and for planned and attempted murder. Chea Ratha, female, 43, was removed from the charge of illegal use of a weapon, but she is convicted to serve 18 years in prison for planned and attempted murder. Ie Puthea, male, 33, and San Savuth, called San Sanut or Nut, 29, were freed from the charge of using a weapon illegally, but are to be imprisoned for 15 years for violating the right of an individual, and for collusion in a planed and attempted murder. Siek Sophal, male, was removed from the charge of using a weapon illegally, but is to be jailed for 15 years. Chan Dara, male, was removed from the charge of using a weapon illegally, of violating the right of an individual, and of collusion in an attempted murder, that means he is free from all accusations. All the six accused persons were ordered to pay to cover the cost of the medical treatment and to compensate the plaintiff with US$100,000, and an arrest warrant was issued to arrest those who escaped.

“It should be noted that the acid attack against Ms. In Soklida’s aunt occurred on 8 May 2008 in front of the RHAC Hospital on street 433, Tuol Tumpung 1, Chamkar Mon, Phnom Penh.

“The Phnom Penh Municipal Court had sentenced to dismiss the accusations against all accused persons, but the plaintiff’s lawyer later appealed against this judgment, and there was also a complaint from the prosecutor of the Appeals Court dated 23 September 2009.

“The reason leading to this new judgment is that there was an acid attack against the victim Ya Sok Nim, Ms. In Soklida’s aunt, by two unidentified persons, who rode a 2008 Viva motorbike, and then stopped behind her to attack her with acid, and escaped.

“After the event, the victim’s husband lodged a complaint to the authorities to solve the case according to the law, but he could not identify the perpetrators’ faces.

“According to a note of the victim read by a clerk, a day ahead of the attack, bodyguards and Chea Ratha came to her house to ask for information about her niece (In Soklida), but she said that she did not know where she was. They asked to check in the house, but they still could not find her. Then they left.

“A few days later, Chea Ratha phoned to warn her, ‘If you do not deliver In Soklida, there will be bloodshed.’ This i was recorded, and her voice was played in the municipal court. Later on, the acid attack happened on 8 May 2008.

“Sok Chey, a person who witnessed the event, said he saw two men, whose faces he could not identify as they wore masks, but remembers their appearance, as they appeared behind the victim, attacked her with acid, and escaped.

“After that, police arrested two perpetrators, after showing their photos to the victim. The victim was sure that they were the perpetrators, bodyguards of Chea Ratha, as the victim had gone to the accused’s house [Mr. Chea Ratha’s house].

“After hearing the information and conclusions from the prosecutors, the Appeals Court took the decision as mentioned above.” Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #5059, 28.11.2009

Note:

The Camboia Daily reported on Saturday/Sunday 28/29, November 2009:

“Mr. Ratha’s defense attorneys Keo Ya and Nach Try, who had lobbied Cabinet Minister Sok An ahead of the municipal court trial of Mr. Ratha seeking his intervention to have the case dropped, said they were unaware of their client’s whereabouts. Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said on Thursday that the lawyer’s letter was not considered in any way by Mr. Sok An, as it was the work of the courts.”

“There was no report that the office of the Deputy Prime Minster rejected this attempt, requesting an illegal act of influencing the court.”

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Saturday, 28 November 2009

Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #348, 28.11.2009

• The Asian Development Bank Provides a US$10 Million Loan to Cambodia to Counter the Impacts of the Economic Crisis
• Cambodia Has a Family Counseling and Strengthening Center Called “Mlub Kruasa Center [“Family Shade” - in Phnom Penh, assisted by the French government]

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #2110, 28.11.2009

• [Former Tuol Sleng prison chief] Duch Asked the Court to Release Him [he said so during the last hearing of Case 001 on 27.11.2009 at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal]
• Because Somebody Just Looked Straight at His Face, Man Drew a Gun and Shot to Kill Another Man among the Crowd [the victim was injured while the perpetrator was arrested – Phnom Penh]
• A Ghanaian Man Was Arrested after His Girlfriend Reported that He Was Involved in Cross Border Drug Smuggling [Phnom Penh]

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.3, #541, 28.11.2009

• [Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian] Son Chhay Asked [Prime Minister] Hun Sen to Send the Border Demarcation Document with Yuon [Vietnam] to the National Assembly

Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6817, 28-29.11.2009

• A Loan from Thailand Was Canceled, but Government Officials Said that Cambodia Has Sufficient Resources to Improve the 117 km of Road 68 [spending about US$41 million without the Thai loan -the Road 68 goes from Kralanh district in Siem Reap to Ou Smach and Samrong districts in Oddar Meanchey]
• Nineteen Companies Received Economic Concession Land of More Than 80,000 Hectares, where Some Companies Are Having Disputes with Citizens [according to a report of the forestry authorities in Kompong Thom]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #5059, 28.11.2009

• The Wind Changes Its Direction: Chea Ratha Was Sentenced to Serve 18 Years in Prison
• In 2010 the State Starts to Collect Tax from House Owners [at 0.1% of a the value of a house]
• The Sihanoukville Port Announced the Start the Construction of a Special Economic Zone [on 70 hectares of land]
• Two Girls Who, They Are Aunt and Niece [to each other, 6 and 7 years old] Were Raped by a 14-Year-Old Boy [the teenage boy was arrested – Banteay Meanchey]
• [Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs] Kasit Piromya: Thailand Will Not Negotiate with Cambodia as Long as [Thai fugitive ousted prime minister] Thaksin Shinawatra Is Still Advisor [of the Cambodian government and of Prime Minister Hun Sen]
• A Suspect Involved in the Massacre in the Philippines Was Charged

Have a look at the last editorial – you can access it directly from the main page of the Mirror.
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