Like many of you out there, I have a Facebook account. In fact, I can probably lay claim to, initially, being one of it's most enthusiastic users and supporters. I was hooked on it to a degree like no other and often wondered what the world would be without it.
Actually, it would be no better or worse.
Really, you say? What made me change my mind? After one gets over the usual euphoria or being 'in-touch' in a social network, the novelty wears off when one is constantly addicted to the 'thrill' of playing with new applications, adding new friends, placing updates about yourself etc.
In other words, it's all about satisfying your ego again.
What else would motivate you to update others about your life on a constant basis? Do I really need all my friends to know that I had a tough day? Why don't I take it to God instead in prayer, lamentations and exhortations. The reason for why one doesn't do it has always been the same: people only care about themselves and they want others to care about them. But God doesn't feature in there at all
It is a practice that is self-seeking and self-glorifying. The more I update, the more I revel in myself; good or bad. And pretty soon, everyone's raving on about ourselves. Add to that the countless hours that are spent playing around with useless applications and it becomes even more distressing when we consider that those times could have been better spent reading God's Word, spreading the Gospel or in earnest prayer.
No matter how you slice and dice it, unless you tell me that you are running a ministry or counselling someone over Facebook (which is quite possible and therefore a couple of redeeming features characteristic of the system), it remains a tool of destructive distraction that would seek to take you away from building the Kingdom of God
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
Reality Based spirituality?
There are two shows I am hooked on, and yes, they happen to be reality shows. They are "The Biggest Loser" and "Chopped". One is all about obese people trying to lose weight and the other has to do with four chefs trying to be the last one standing,in other words, trying not to be 'chopped'
Without a doubt in both of these shows, an amount of intense competition, skullduggery and conflict is necessary. Those are elements compulsory for TV viewership. It is also depressing at times for while compeition is exciting to watch, it also in some ways reminds us of our very primal nature to get ahead at the expense of someone else. It always leaves a taste of wanting something more at the end, a higher and more noble precept, rather than what I witness- which is a survival of the fittest in the ultimate Darwinian sense
On certain occasions, I see some contestants knowingly and willingly put the interests of the group or their team first over themselves. Invariably, while they are loved and respected for that (so say their teammates as they tear up..and then vote them off anyway for being a threat!), they do not win. It seems that Americans love a sole winner and champion the individual succeeding at all costs, no matter the social impact
It broke my heart when I saw a contestant on 'chopped' last night give one of his two eggs to his competitor in the final cook-off last night. He didn't need to do it but he did, and in the end; it jeopardised his dish and he lost the contest. Was his compeititor grateful? No way. She acted as though it was on her own effort, disregarding the charity of the other person. What was even more demoralising was that when the loser was interviewed at the end, he admitted that he should not have given up the egg and instead had concentrated on keeping it all for himself
Thus went another disillusioned soul into the night, who now believes that the meek will not inherit the earth and he will get stomped on if they turn the other cheek. Better to be like the world because the way of Christ doesn't pay, does it?
I sadly admit that at times, the way of our Lord does not look very intelligent, street smart of common sensical at times. In fact, just following it can make our life look like it took a downturn. But then again, Jesus did not promise that all will be great, rosy and peachy
"In this World, you will have trouble" said Christ. And you will - for following him. Don't look to the so-called corporate fat cats who claim that Jesus blessed them this way and that. Maybe so, and if they were honest, they ought to be humble and ascribe it to his grace that they are so blessed and not swimming in a lake of fire. If they claim to they are able to 'work' the gospel so it turns out well for them in terms of material riches; be careful - who are you going to belive: man or our Lord? One is a liar, the other is not. You decide
In my time, I have been made a fool for following Christ. My career has suffered due to decisions taken not to compromise the gospel, and I have had to endure the sniggerings and criticisms of being one who walks the meek way. Or as some of my less charitable detractors have labelled it - the 'loser' way
But I hope and pray that I will not be like that losing chef at the end; that no matter if the decisions I take do not make me a success in the eyes of the world, my peers, parents or even the church. As long as Jesus sees me as his own. That is enough. For to be 'chopped' by him on judgement day, will be far, far worse than anything that could happen to you on a so-called 'reality' show
Without a doubt in both of these shows, an amount of intense competition, skullduggery and conflict is necessary. Those are elements compulsory for TV viewership. It is also depressing at times for while compeition is exciting to watch, it also in some ways reminds us of our very primal nature to get ahead at the expense of someone else. It always leaves a taste of wanting something more at the end, a higher and more noble precept, rather than what I witness- which is a survival of the fittest in the ultimate Darwinian sense
On certain occasions, I see some contestants knowingly and willingly put the interests of the group or their team first over themselves. Invariably, while they are loved and respected for that (so say their teammates as they tear up..and then vote them off anyway for being a threat!), they do not win. It seems that Americans love a sole winner and champion the individual succeeding at all costs, no matter the social impact
It broke my heart when I saw a contestant on 'chopped' last night give one of his two eggs to his competitor in the final cook-off last night. He didn't need to do it but he did, and in the end; it jeopardised his dish and he lost the contest. Was his compeititor grateful? No way. She acted as though it was on her own effort, disregarding the charity of the other person. What was even more demoralising was that when the loser was interviewed at the end, he admitted that he should not have given up the egg and instead had concentrated on keeping it all for himself
Thus went another disillusioned soul into the night, who now believes that the meek will not inherit the earth and he will get stomped on if they turn the other cheek. Better to be like the world because the way of Christ doesn't pay, does it?
I sadly admit that at times, the way of our Lord does not look very intelligent, street smart of common sensical at times. In fact, just following it can make our life look like it took a downturn. But then again, Jesus did not promise that all will be great, rosy and peachy
"In this World, you will have trouble" said Christ. And you will - for following him. Don't look to the so-called corporate fat cats who claim that Jesus blessed them this way and that. Maybe so, and if they were honest, they ought to be humble and ascribe it to his grace that they are so blessed and not swimming in a lake of fire. If they claim to they are able to 'work' the gospel so it turns out well for them in terms of material riches; be careful - who are you going to belive: man or our Lord? One is a liar, the other is not. You decide
In my time, I have been made a fool for following Christ. My career has suffered due to decisions taken not to compromise the gospel, and I have had to endure the sniggerings and criticisms of being one who walks the meek way. Or as some of my less charitable detractors have labelled it - the 'loser' way
But I hope and pray that I will not be like that losing chef at the end; that no matter if the decisions I take do not make me a success in the eyes of the world, my peers, parents or even the church. As long as Jesus sees me as his own. That is enough. For to be 'chopped' by him on judgement day, will be far, far worse than anything that could happen to you on a so-called 'reality' show
Monday, August 3, 2009
Can you lose your salvation?
Recently, a learned brother in Christ , and also an avowed Wesleyan Arminian; challenged me once again on the doctrine on whether salvation can be lost. For 5-point Calvinists like myself, we believe that our sovereign God who has done a work of grace by calling us to him will not let us fall away irredeemably. He will preserve us to end. We call this point the “Preservation of Saints” , the “P” in TULIP.
As an Arminian, his contention is that this salvation is not certain. It can be lost due to the lack of judicious cultivation of one’s salvific faith. Or maybe just stumbling back into sin. the His proof text used was from Hebrews 6:4-6, which states:
“For it is impossible, in the case of those who have been enlightened, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt”
A-ha! ‘So one can fall away!’ said my antagonist confidently. On the surface, it sure looks like that. Those referred to seem to have all the hallmarks of a believer, seen all the things associated with that of a follower of Christ, and sadly had backslided away; beyond redemption
It is a tough passage no doubt, but then again, what does one make of another verse that seems to contradict that?
“ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”
- John 10:27-29 (ESV) –
Or this:
“even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will”
- Ephesians 1:4-5 –
Notice the phrase “ no one is able to snatch them out”. That means nobody, not Satan, not your beer loving friends or a night in Vegas; no one can snatch you from the Father once he has called you
This does not mean that you do not sin. After justification, we are still works in progress. This is the process of santification, but we will not be sinless until we are in heaven where there is no sin.
The confusion, I believe, comes from a view of salvation as a one time event where you get your ticket punched as though you were about to board a train. This is the present view of salvation in the evangelical church. You put your hand up, and accept Christ. Thereafter, you strive to be good, but if you’re not, you might backslide so much that you lose your place on the train. God takes your ticket, so to speak
Look at Ephesians. We are chosen before we even ‘decided’ to go up for that altar call. That aligning of your heart’s compass needle to the true north of the Godhead is a work of the Holy Trinity indeed. It is the Holy Spirit, regenerating your mortally depraved soul, pointing to the Son as the atoning sacrifice for your sins and bringing you to your knees in repentance before the Cross. Redeemed from your sins by his blood, you have a righteousness not of your own, that of Christ, and through that, the Father calls you his own – from the very start
It’s the ultimate love story
To solve the issue of Hebrew, one should look at the literary effect being outlined here in that passage. The key phrase is the use of an absolute proposition : “It is impossible..” By doing so, he is stating the absurdity of a certain situation happening. And the example put forward is a question as to whether someone who is a believer can fall away
The manner in which it is answered is telling. The author’s premise is:
1) It is possible to “taste the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come..”
2) But once you experience all that, how is it possible that you can fall away?
3) For it should be impossible for you to do that, but if you do, then maybe you haven’t really “tasted the goodness of God”
4) Thus, those who claim all that and still fall away…were not truly saved in the first place
This is sobering thought. But it does make sense in the light of other cautionary passages such as Philippians 2:12 which tells you to “..work out your salvation with fear and trembling”. It means work on your sanctification, know that you are justified but if there is no display of sanctifying behavior, in other words, your deeds do not follow your words – then brother, sister: I think you have a serious problem here saying that you are justified
Thus, my problem with the Arminian view. If Jesus says that he will “give them eternal life and they will never perish”, how come some seem to do just that in Hebrews? This gives us the unsavory possibility of having to call our Lord a liar; which he definitely is not. But the author of Hebrews in not telling tales as well, which leads us to the position that there are those who look, smell and taste like a follower of Christ; but they are not of him. Again, we do well to heed the verse that says:
“ Not everyone who calls me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven”
Or in my vernacular, putting a tuxedo on a goat still makes it a goat.
SDG
As an Arminian, his contention is that this salvation is not certain. It can be lost due to the lack of judicious cultivation of one’s salvific faith. Or maybe just stumbling back into sin. the His proof text used was from Hebrews 6:4-6, which states:
“For it is impossible, in the case of those who have been enlightened, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt”
A-ha! ‘So one can fall away!’ said my antagonist confidently. On the surface, it sure looks like that. Those referred to seem to have all the hallmarks of a believer, seen all the things associated with that of a follower of Christ, and sadly had backslided away; beyond redemption
It is a tough passage no doubt, but then again, what does one make of another verse that seems to contradict that?
“ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”
- John 10:27-29 (ESV) –
Or this:
“even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will”
- Ephesians 1:4-5 –
Notice the phrase “ no one is able to snatch them out”. That means nobody, not Satan, not your beer loving friends or a night in Vegas; no one can snatch you from the Father once he has called you
This does not mean that you do not sin. After justification, we are still works in progress. This is the process of santification, but we will not be sinless until we are in heaven where there is no sin.
The confusion, I believe, comes from a view of salvation as a one time event where you get your ticket punched as though you were about to board a train. This is the present view of salvation in the evangelical church. You put your hand up, and accept Christ. Thereafter, you strive to be good, but if you’re not, you might backslide so much that you lose your place on the train. God takes your ticket, so to speak
Look at Ephesians. We are chosen before we even ‘decided’ to go up for that altar call. That aligning of your heart’s compass needle to the true north of the Godhead is a work of the Holy Trinity indeed. It is the Holy Spirit, regenerating your mortally depraved soul, pointing to the Son as the atoning sacrifice for your sins and bringing you to your knees in repentance before the Cross. Redeemed from your sins by his blood, you have a righteousness not of your own, that of Christ, and through that, the Father calls you his own – from the very start
It’s the ultimate love story
To solve the issue of Hebrew, one should look at the literary effect being outlined here in that passage. The key phrase is the use of an absolute proposition : “It is impossible..” By doing so, he is stating the absurdity of a certain situation happening. And the example put forward is a question as to whether someone who is a believer can fall away
The manner in which it is answered is telling. The author’s premise is:
1) It is possible to “taste the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come..”
2) But once you experience all that, how is it possible that you can fall away?
3) For it should be impossible for you to do that, but if you do, then maybe you haven’t really “tasted the goodness of God”
4) Thus, those who claim all that and still fall away…were not truly saved in the first place
This is sobering thought. But it does make sense in the light of other cautionary passages such as Philippians 2:12 which tells you to “..work out your salvation with fear and trembling”. It means work on your sanctification, know that you are justified but if there is no display of sanctifying behavior, in other words, your deeds do not follow your words – then brother, sister: I think you have a serious problem here saying that you are justified
Thus, my problem with the Arminian view. If Jesus says that he will “give them eternal life and they will never perish”, how come some seem to do just that in Hebrews? This gives us the unsavory possibility of having to call our Lord a liar; which he definitely is not. But the author of Hebrews in not telling tales as well, which leads us to the position that there are those who look, smell and taste like a follower of Christ; but they are not of him. Again, we do well to heed the verse that says:
“ Not everyone who calls me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven”
Or in my vernacular, putting a tuxedo on a goat still makes it a goat.
SDG
Thursday, July 30, 2009
The 'wrong-ed' way of Jesus
Recently, it came to my attention that there was some conflict amongst some people I knew at church, and it spilled into what could be characteristically called - a blog war. Accusations, sniping and who knows what else was thrown on each side. To date, it still has not been resolved.
One of the good and bad things about the internet is that it has given voice to the dienfranchised. If I feel wronged, I blog, email, twit about it. Far more effective than making 100 phone calls or writing 100 letters (and a lot cheaper too). The problem here is the phrase "If I feel wronged"
Rather than talk about that. Let me point to the Word of God as usual (yes, yes, I know..we Calvinists always go on and on about the Word). Throughout the story of the Bible, it has been one of humanity feeling 'wronged'. Eve feel wronged for being duped by the serpent. Adam felt wronged by being sucked in by his wife. I bet both of them felt wronged when God gave them marching orders out of Eden. Cain felt done in by Abel, then did him in. Esau - done in by his deceitful brother Jacob. The list goes on...
History is one whole litany of man feeling he's been 'wronged'. Well, sorry, my Oprah sensitised touchy-feely people..there's only one who's been 'wronged' here - and it's God. Somehow or another, from day 1, we have been the abject failure of whatever it is we were supposed to be. We kill with words, then objects, or both. Hate, discord and greed is what we are best at sowing, not seeds of grace and love
And then we committed the ultimate wrong - we sent the Son of Man to the Cross.
Yes, you, chum. With your filthy, sick sins. You and I might as well have pounded the nails into his hands, or picked up the scourge to whip and tear his flesh. We are stand condemmned; and rightly so.
However, Jesus, the only man to have been wronged by every person in existence, bore the wrath that was due to us and took our sins. He who was justifiably wronged and should have exacted just retribution to us for our inquities gave his life for us instead. What grace..what mercy..what humanity. The truest sense of it. And beyond.
In finality, I am not saying that we shouldn't seek justice, resolution, reconciliation or dialogue. All of those things under the banner of Christ is all good. Damn good. What I am leaving you with is this - there is a bigger picture, and it goes beyond some bits of jottings on a blog. We should all seek to remember that, including me
SDG
One of the good and bad things about the internet is that it has given voice to the dienfranchised. If I feel wronged, I blog, email, twit about it. Far more effective than making 100 phone calls or writing 100 letters (and a lot cheaper too). The problem here is the phrase "If I feel wronged"
Rather than talk about that. Let me point to the Word of God as usual (yes, yes, I know..we Calvinists always go on and on about the Word). Throughout the story of the Bible, it has been one of humanity feeling 'wronged'. Eve feel wronged for being duped by the serpent. Adam felt wronged by being sucked in by his wife. I bet both of them felt wronged when God gave them marching orders out of Eden. Cain felt done in by Abel, then did him in. Esau - done in by his deceitful brother Jacob. The list goes on...
History is one whole litany of man feeling he's been 'wronged'. Well, sorry, my Oprah sensitised touchy-feely people..there's only one who's been 'wronged' here - and it's God. Somehow or another, from day 1, we have been the abject failure of whatever it is we were supposed to be. We kill with words, then objects, or both. Hate, discord and greed is what we are best at sowing, not seeds of grace and love
And then we committed the ultimate wrong - we sent the Son of Man to the Cross.
Yes, you, chum. With your filthy, sick sins. You and I might as well have pounded the nails into his hands, or picked up the scourge to whip and tear his flesh. We are stand condemmned; and rightly so.
However, Jesus, the only man to have been wronged by every person in existence, bore the wrath that was due to us and took our sins. He who was justifiably wronged and should have exacted just retribution to us for our inquities gave his life for us instead. What grace..what mercy..what humanity. The truest sense of it. And beyond.
In finality, I am not saying that we shouldn't seek justice, resolution, reconciliation or dialogue. All of those things under the banner of Christ is all good. Damn good. What I am leaving you with is this - there is a bigger picture, and it goes beyond some bits of jottings on a blog. We should all seek to remember that, including me
SDG
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
At times, I have asked why I nit-pick over certain points or words in the Bible. I suppose it is a sign of the times that this current generation seems to eschew the practice of careful thorough analysis, as opposed to a cursory reading with an emphasis on the subjective experiential result at the end. Their feeling is: “ Why do you want to argue so much, I mean, can’t we all just stick to John 3:16, hold hands and sing ‘Kumbaya’?”
Unfortunately, I would call them out of their own hypocrisy. They say that words don’t really matter. Really? Ask your girlfriend or boyfriend how they felt about you. And if they said they ‘liked’ you when they meant they ‘loved’ you or vice-versa, can you see how much confusion and grievance that could possibly cost? Words, and their correct definition and placement within a context are tremendously important, and no more so than in God’s Word
One word that, by the grace of God, has made a comeback is “Propitiation”. It is not a word that we use very much any more but one that is vitally important in understanding the whole message of the Gospel. To ‘propitiate’ is to make a sacrifice to avert some form of judgement, wrath or anger. It is a word used to describe the conciliatory and atoning sacrifices made in order to avoid a divine punishment.
In recent times, this word was seen as primitive and not representative of what a ‘loving’ God should look like. So, it is no wonder that as some translations of the Bible omitted the aforementioned word, and used the term ‘expiate’ instead. This was seen in the New English Bible, where it is mentioned:
“ For God designed him to be the means of expiating sin by his sacrificial death, effective through faith. God meant by this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had overlooked the sins of the past..” ( Romans 3:25 : NEB )
What is the difference? To ‘expiate’ means that sin is removed, or put out. The root word ‘ex-’ is the same as the one used in words like ‘extinguish’ and ‘exhale’. Is a wrong word to describe God’s saving grace? No. Christ’s death on the cross indeed cancelled the debt of sin over us. It was redemptive in the removal the sin curse.
Is the word sufficient? No. It hardly does justice in depicting the real nature of his death. In using the word ‘propitiation’, as seen in the ESV translation below, we finally see that Christ’s death did not just remove the sin debt, but also appeased the wrath of God who previously had judged us all as sinners worthy only of receiving death. It also depicts that the very act of sending his own son is a testament to his loving grace and mercy and also characteristic of God as a just being. It is crucial that we see this, otherwise our depiction of God will be a one dimensional, mono-perspective one and our whole understanding of the Gospel will have been built on shaky foundations
“ whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance, he has passed over former sins.” ( Romans 3:25 : ESV )
‘Expiation’ is insufficient because it does not refer to the satisfaction or appeasement of God’s wrath, turning it to favour. God’s righteous anger needs to be appeased before sin can be forgiven (note the sequence), and God in his love sent his Son (who offered himself willingly) to satisfy God’s holy anger against sin. In this way, God demonstrates his righteousness, which here refers to his inate nature of being holy, and just.
Thus, one word is of matter of grave importance. At the very heart is the nature of salvation itself, and if one lacks a proper understanding of it, one does not have the correct understanding of God. It is that important, and it is that serious
SDG
Unfortunately, I would call them out of their own hypocrisy. They say that words don’t really matter. Really? Ask your girlfriend or boyfriend how they felt about you. And if they said they ‘liked’ you when they meant they ‘loved’ you or vice-versa, can you see how much confusion and grievance that could possibly cost? Words, and their correct definition and placement within a context are tremendously important, and no more so than in God’s Word
One word that, by the grace of God, has made a comeback is “Propitiation”. It is not a word that we use very much any more but one that is vitally important in understanding the whole message of the Gospel. To ‘propitiate’ is to make a sacrifice to avert some form of judgement, wrath or anger. It is a word used to describe the conciliatory and atoning sacrifices made in order to avoid a divine punishment.
In recent times, this word was seen as primitive and not representative of what a ‘loving’ God should look like. So, it is no wonder that as some translations of the Bible omitted the aforementioned word, and used the term ‘expiate’ instead. This was seen in the New English Bible, where it is mentioned:
“ For God designed him to be the means of expiating sin by his sacrificial death, effective through faith. God meant by this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had overlooked the sins of the past..” ( Romans 3:25 : NEB )
What is the difference? To ‘expiate’ means that sin is removed, or put out. The root word ‘ex-’ is the same as the one used in words like ‘extinguish’ and ‘exhale’. Is a wrong word to describe God’s saving grace? No. Christ’s death on the cross indeed cancelled the debt of sin over us. It was redemptive in the removal the sin curse.
Is the word sufficient? No. It hardly does justice in depicting the real nature of his death. In using the word ‘propitiation’, as seen in the ESV translation below, we finally see that Christ’s death did not just remove the sin debt, but also appeased the wrath of God who previously had judged us all as sinners worthy only of receiving death. It also depicts that the very act of sending his own son is a testament to his loving grace and mercy and also characteristic of God as a just being. It is crucial that we see this, otherwise our depiction of God will be a one dimensional, mono-perspective one and our whole understanding of the Gospel will have been built on shaky foundations
“ whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance, he has passed over former sins.” ( Romans 3:25 : ESV )
‘Expiation’ is insufficient because it does not refer to the satisfaction or appeasement of God’s wrath, turning it to favour. God’s righteous anger needs to be appeased before sin can be forgiven (note the sequence), and God in his love sent his Son (who offered himself willingly) to satisfy God’s holy anger against sin. In this way, God demonstrates his righteousness, which here refers to his inate nature of being holy, and just.
Thus, one word is of matter of grave importance. At the very heart is the nature of salvation itself, and if one lacks a proper understanding of it, one does not have the correct understanding of God. It is that important, and it is that serious
SDG
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Chicken or beef, sir?
Picture this:
You're at your wonderful, large comfortable middle class church with numerous programs. You've got programmes coming out of the wazoo. And all of them look good. Maybe a worship workshop? How about a power prayer seminar? Or maybe a retreat for some spiritual invigoration? Sounds good, right?
Decisions, decisions. Choice after choice
And yet..all so wrong
When you are faced with alternatives, and all those alternatives look good - how do you choose? I mean, it's not as though I've a choice between church or drugs, right? They are all 'spiritual' and 'godly' choices
Oh,oh..my normal readers (about 1 or 2 in the world..:-) )know that when I start using quotation marks, I'm about to get snarky, and they would be right
Listen very carefully:
If you choose what your heart is telling you to..chances are...it's the wrong choice.
Remember what it says in Jeremiah: "The Heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9 ESV )
Your choice should be the one thing that you find boring, painful, a chore you wrestle with and the very thing you fear
For most people in church, it's serious Bible study. The one with no jokes, no trendy topics and dazzling music or video. Just you, a Bible and God. That's it.
I have seen the most spiritual looking and sounding people suddenly go weak at the mention of reading the Bible seriously. I have seen the same people in worship, raise their hands in glorious ecstasy to the King of Kings, promise that they will go to the ends of the earth for their Lord and fall to their knees in supplication..
..but they will not pick up his Word to know him better. His very precious divine word that has come through millenia, literal blood, sweat and tears and now is neatly bound in leather and sits in front of us in an airconditioned study room at church. We will not touch it.
Why? I've been asking over the weeks. Why is that?
Paul knew the answer, and it is a sobering one indeed:
" For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.."
( 2 Timothy 4:3 ESV )
Think about that for this week
SDG
You're at your wonderful, large comfortable middle class church with numerous programs. You've got programmes coming out of the wazoo. And all of them look good. Maybe a worship workshop? How about a power prayer seminar? Or maybe a retreat for some spiritual invigoration? Sounds good, right?
Decisions, decisions. Choice after choice
And yet..all so wrong
When you are faced with alternatives, and all those alternatives look good - how do you choose? I mean, it's not as though I've a choice between church or drugs, right? They are all 'spiritual' and 'godly' choices
Oh,oh..my normal readers (about 1 or 2 in the world..:-) )know that when I start using quotation marks, I'm about to get snarky, and they would be right
Listen very carefully:
If you choose what your heart is telling you to..chances are...it's the wrong choice.
Remember what it says in Jeremiah: "The Heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9 ESV )
Your choice should be the one thing that you find boring, painful, a chore you wrestle with and the very thing you fear
For most people in church, it's serious Bible study. The one with no jokes, no trendy topics and dazzling music or video. Just you, a Bible and God. That's it.
I have seen the most spiritual looking and sounding people suddenly go weak at the mention of reading the Bible seriously. I have seen the same people in worship, raise their hands in glorious ecstasy to the King of Kings, promise that they will go to the ends of the earth for their Lord and fall to their knees in supplication..
..but they will not pick up his Word to know him better. His very precious divine word that has come through millenia, literal blood, sweat and tears and now is neatly bound in leather and sits in front of us in an airconditioned study room at church. We will not touch it.
Why? I've been asking over the weeks. Why is that?
Paul knew the answer, and it is a sobering one indeed:
" For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.."
( 2 Timothy 4:3 ESV )
Think about that for this week
SDG
Monday, June 29, 2009
Really Radical Youth - Part 2
Imagine a youth who is well behaved, polite and properly attired. Someone who listens and obeys their parents. Works as a volunteer at church and social organisations on the weekends. What would you call him or her?
An oddball. A freak. A nerd.
Can we just take a breath and a pause to reflect on what has happened to our perception of moral values and cultural mores? The absurdity of taking what looks to be a more biblical model for behaviour and saying that it is out of the norm? We sometimes need to step back and take a look in the mirror to see how warped we've become, because we have accepted the lowest common denominator of social behaviour, applied the weakest of standards to our youth, and deemed it okay; even worth developing
It is the equivalent of giving everyone an 'A' because we don't want to damage their precious self esteem.
I see this in many instances. When a youth event is Bible study, hardly anyone turns up. When it is a 'fun' event involving worship, food and what-not; the place is filled to the brim. The watchwords of this age are fun, good feelings and being happy. To which I say: Beware - these will not get you the Kingdom of God.
Look, I don't have just classical music on my iPod. Nor do I dress like someone out of 'Revenge of the Nerds'. What's on the outside doesn't always reflect the inside but it is folly to suppose that there is no connection between the two whatsoever. You are what you eat. You dress and behave the way you feel and think. Perhaps, we need to think about that a little and check the way we portray ourselves to the world.
I gauge it very simply. Whenever I drop my 89-year old grandmother at church on Sunday, hardly anyone ever bothers to open my car door to help her out. They just walk by caught in their own little world. So, really , there is nothing radical about our faith when this happens, nothing radical about our church and nothing radical about our people
To paraphrase a song, 'We are the World', and that is a sad indictment indeed according to biblical standards
An oddball. A freak. A nerd.
Can we just take a breath and a pause to reflect on what has happened to our perception of moral values and cultural mores? The absurdity of taking what looks to be a more biblical model for behaviour and saying that it is out of the norm? We sometimes need to step back and take a look in the mirror to see how warped we've become, because we have accepted the lowest common denominator of social behaviour, applied the weakest of standards to our youth, and deemed it okay; even worth developing
It is the equivalent of giving everyone an 'A' because we don't want to damage their precious self esteem.
I see this in many instances. When a youth event is Bible study, hardly anyone turns up. When it is a 'fun' event involving worship, food and what-not; the place is filled to the brim. The watchwords of this age are fun, good feelings and being happy. To which I say: Beware - these will not get you the Kingdom of God.
Look, I don't have just classical music on my iPod. Nor do I dress like someone out of 'Revenge of the Nerds'. What's on the outside doesn't always reflect the inside but it is folly to suppose that there is no connection between the two whatsoever. You are what you eat. You dress and behave the way you feel and think. Perhaps, we need to think about that a little and check the way we portray ourselves to the world.
I gauge it very simply. Whenever I drop my 89-year old grandmother at church on Sunday, hardly anyone ever bothers to open my car door to help her out. They just walk by caught in their own little world. So, really , there is nothing radical about our faith when this happens, nothing radical about our church and nothing radical about our people
To paraphrase a song, 'We are the World', and that is a sad indictment indeed according to biblical standards
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Really Radical Youth - Part 1
This is a follow up to my previous post on Radical Youth Ministry. Some questions were posed to me once when I mentioned the example of Mark Dever's youth ministry at his church. Primary among them was : " Is it really possible that these kind of youth exist?"
You see, the problem with youth these days is that we are prepared to accept the lowest common denominator from them in terms of behaviour and attitude. Adults have already inwardly typecasted them as rude, rebellious self-centered individuals with a short attention span. But, so as not to alienate them or make them worse; they obligingly pander to these characteristics by giving them at church the music they want to hear, the topics they think they can relate to and the latitude to dress in the manner that they choose to.
What poppycock.
It is not that I think the youth today do not display all those aforementioned characteristics. They do. I did, when I was young. At times, I stil do. But the answer does not lie in mere capitulation to the mores and ways of the world and admit defeat in the cultural wars. This does not mean locking citadel doors and bringing up the drawbridge over the moat as well. You can't effectively shut out the world, even if you were Amish. But you can engage it from a Christian perspective and win; especially if your base is Biblical
What do I mean? Let's take an example.
Now I can tell you to turn off the TV when hot chicks on MTV in skimpy outfits start prancing around in a Jay Z vid. But that doesn't really work. Nor will browbeating you with Christian alternatives. I've known people who started lusting after singers on the Christian Contemporary Music scene just because that's all they were able to see and listen to. It doesn't make it any holier or rightheous; it's just transference
The key is to apply good, solid biblical teaching on this issue. I would talk about a simple issue; why are those dancers on MTV dressed in hardly anything at all? You mean they can't dress in a full dress and dance? In fact, why do they have to dance like that? And furthermore, what are those lyrics about? Why is it always about ho's and bling? Pardon the street vernacular.
In short, a process of enquiry through the whole issue will reveal certain points.
1) You're being manipulated hook, line and sinker by media companies and a greedy system
2) The singer and dancers don't care two-hoots about your wellbeing or love you. They really don't. They just want you to buy their CD's
3) My weaknesses are being exploited. How do you feel about that?
All this comes about because the Word of God makes one think differently about how the world is viewed. It's not an amazing revelation. It's a Biblical one because somewhere along the line, the Word of God has been used for teaching, exhorting and guidance in it's proper context.
A youth who subscribes to that view is not going to be the same. His or her world will slowly turn upside down, and they will start on the path to be really radical. But more about that in part 2.
You see, the problem with youth these days is that we are prepared to accept the lowest common denominator from them in terms of behaviour and attitude. Adults have already inwardly typecasted them as rude, rebellious self-centered individuals with a short attention span. But, so as not to alienate them or make them worse; they obligingly pander to these characteristics by giving them at church the music they want to hear, the topics they think they can relate to and the latitude to dress in the manner that they choose to.
What poppycock.
It is not that I think the youth today do not display all those aforementioned characteristics. They do. I did, when I was young. At times, I stil do. But the answer does not lie in mere capitulation to the mores and ways of the world and admit defeat in the cultural wars. This does not mean locking citadel doors and bringing up the drawbridge over the moat as well. You can't effectively shut out the world, even if you were Amish. But you can engage it from a Christian perspective and win; especially if your base is Biblical
What do I mean? Let's take an example.
Now I can tell you to turn off the TV when hot chicks on MTV in skimpy outfits start prancing around in a Jay Z vid. But that doesn't really work. Nor will browbeating you with Christian alternatives. I've known people who started lusting after singers on the Christian Contemporary Music scene just because that's all they were able to see and listen to. It doesn't make it any holier or rightheous; it's just transference
The key is to apply good, solid biblical teaching on this issue. I would talk about a simple issue; why are those dancers on MTV dressed in hardly anything at all? You mean they can't dress in a full dress and dance? In fact, why do they have to dance like that? And furthermore, what are those lyrics about? Why is it always about ho's and bling? Pardon the street vernacular.
In short, a process of enquiry through the whole issue will reveal certain points.
1) You're being manipulated hook, line and sinker by media companies and a greedy system
2) The singer and dancers don't care two-hoots about your wellbeing or love you. They really don't. They just want you to buy their CD's
3) My weaknesses are being exploited. How do you feel about that?
All this comes about because the Word of God makes one think differently about how the world is viewed. It's not an amazing revelation. It's a Biblical one because somewhere along the line, the Word of God has been used for teaching, exhorting and guidance in it's proper context.
A youth who subscribes to that view is not going to be the same. His or her world will slowly turn upside down, and they will start on the path to be really radical. But more about that in part 2.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Really Radical Youth Ministry - another perspective
When a nationally renowned and respected youth worker in the U.S one day paid a visit to Mark Dever's Capitol Hill Baptist church youth program in Washington D.C. he was shocked. They were studying Wayne Grudem's "Systematic Theology" quietly and earnestly and discussing the subject of the atonement on the book of Romans
He admitted a little embarassedly that at his church, he had to rely on all the normal stereotypical elements to keep the youth interested in church; loud music, games, drama skits, exciting topical sermons etc. When he asked Pastor Dever about what special planning he instituted to get the youth to be like this, and what program he put in place - this was his response:
" I have 150 youth doing bible study on a Saturday afternoon and after that, we sing hymns written by people who have been dead for over a 100 years. And you ask me if I planned this? "
The ironic point here is that we have been conditioned to believe that the youth of today cannot take bible study, that the old techniques are passe. And we need a new approach, radical ideas and constantly changing techniques to keep them interested. Thus, a whole new industry based on keeping the youth in church has surfaced. And it is based on the premise that youth today have short attention spans, an incapacity to digest complex and tedious information and are inclined to the experential rather than the intellectual.
Mark Dever's approach takes the opposite approach, and it is a uniquely Calvinist one. God is sovereign. He does not need to pander to you, or study you. You need to study him. And worship him reverentially.
Thus, the program (if I may call it so), has the paramount aim of going back to the basic fundamentals of knowing God through his primary source; The Bible. All other stuff is then built on it. How different this is from the modern day church where it is the other way around. We design our activities first, then fit the Bible around it, or as an afterthought.
I admit that as a one time youth counsellor, I have been guilty of doing that. In an effort to keep the youth interested, I had committed the gross sin of putting God into the background, and then wondered why the program was ineffective. But there was this great fear that every counsellor felt, that if they did what Mark did, then the youth would find it boring, irrelevant and leave for another more fun church
In the end, I realised that if this was the case, then so be it. The Word says : "The heart is deceitful above all else, who can understand it". We have made the classic error of thinking that the heart is essentially not-too-bad, and that if we tweak it through some cool church programs; the youth will see that Jesus is the way to go.
Not so. The heart is deceitful. Mine, yours and that seemingly innocent kid in your youth group. All of us deserve God's wrath, and would surely get it if not for his amazing and salvific grace. That is the failure of modern programs. Man, or in this case, the youth is placed first, not God. I don't care these days if your youth assembly is growing by the multitudes or even if they are laughing and crying in the streets. If God is not primary, all is secondary and an illusion; no matter how real it seems
I don't know whether the youth worker went back to his church and instituted a program like that. More than likely, he would have been shouted down by the church board and deemed a heretic for curtailing their 'dynamic' youth ministry. I hope not but I am not too optimistic. Which is why I still pray for really radical youth ministry like Mark Dever's to have more followers, and more truly radical youth to follow
SDG
He admitted a little embarassedly that at his church, he had to rely on all the normal stereotypical elements to keep the youth interested in church; loud music, games, drama skits, exciting topical sermons etc. When he asked Pastor Dever about what special planning he instituted to get the youth to be like this, and what program he put in place - this was his response:
" I have 150 youth doing bible study on a Saturday afternoon and after that, we sing hymns written by people who have been dead for over a 100 years. And you ask me if I planned this? "
The ironic point here is that we have been conditioned to believe that the youth of today cannot take bible study, that the old techniques are passe. And we need a new approach, radical ideas and constantly changing techniques to keep them interested. Thus, a whole new industry based on keeping the youth in church has surfaced. And it is based on the premise that youth today have short attention spans, an incapacity to digest complex and tedious information and are inclined to the experential rather than the intellectual.
Mark Dever's approach takes the opposite approach, and it is a uniquely Calvinist one. God is sovereign. He does not need to pander to you, or study you. You need to study him. And worship him reverentially.
Thus, the program (if I may call it so), has the paramount aim of going back to the basic fundamentals of knowing God through his primary source; The Bible. All other stuff is then built on it. How different this is from the modern day church where it is the other way around. We design our activities first, then fit the Bible around it, or as an afterthought.
I admit that as a one time youth counsellor, I have been guilty of doing that. In an effort to keep the youth interested, I had committed the gross sin of putting God into the background, and then wondered why the program was ineffective. But there was this great fear that every counsellor felt, that if they did what Mark did, then the youth would find it boring, irrelevant and leave for another more fun church
In the end, I realised that if this was the case, then so be it. The Word says : "The heart is deceitful above all else, who can understand it". We have made the classic error of thinking that the heart is essentially not-too-bad, and that if we tweak it through some cool church programs; the youth will see that Jesus is the way to go.
Not so. The heart is deceitful. Mine, yours and that seemingly innocent kid in your youth group. All of us deserve God's wrath, and would surely get it if not for his amazing and salvific grace. That is the failure of modern programs. Man, or in this case, the youth is placed first, not God. I don't care these days if your youth assembly is growing by the multitudes or even if they are laughing and crying in the streets. If God is not primary, all is secondary and an illusion; no matter how real it seems
I don't know whether the youth worker went back to his church and instituted a program like that. More than likely, he would have been shouted down by the church board and deemed a heretic for curtailing their 'dynamic' youth ministry. I hope not but I am not too optimistic. Which is why I still pray for really radical youth ministry like Mark Dever's to have more followers, and more truly radical youth to follow
SDG
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Take a break before it really breaks
Imagine this. Maybe you've had a series of spritual highs in the past. Been to 50 church camps in a row, sang Hillsong till you dream the lyrics and read the Bible back to front - what, only 66 books?!? ). Along the way, you've told anyone and everyone about the gospel, your nickname is Hudson Taylor and your parents are already packing your bags to the seminary
But now you're frustrated. Your spiritual life seems to be stuck in neutral gear, your haven't opened your Bible in a while and prayer seems to be something said just to get it over and done with. What do you do?
Nothing. That's what
When I gave this advice to a friend of mine, I bet he thought I was the anti-Christ (Sinner! You want to stumble me!!! ) Surely I should have been exhorting him to pray more, sing harder, read more books, get more involved in church. Was I being a stumbling block?
No, I was trying to be a friend
Take it from someone who has been burntout and injured from sports in the past - the same thing can happen to your spiritual life. The only difference is whether you want to admit it or deny it. Many Christians refuse to confess that they are burnt out or have hit a plateau - they rather say that they are a little "tired" or just need to have more "faith".They see it as weakness if they have to admit otherwise
In sports, this overtraining and non-recognition that you have hit a plateau can have devastating and debilitating consequences. Lets say I am already tired, a little injured, weary and frustrated that I can't progress in my training. I urge myself on, pushing on, berating myself for being weak, shouting "ganbattei" all the way...until something snaps. Like an achilles tendon or a bone
And then suddenly, I am out for two years. Bitterness and woe sets in. Why? Not because I wasn't strong, it's because I wasn't smart. I was egoistical, thinking that I was invincible and super tough, only to find out that I was just a lump of clay. Broken clay now. It's all pride
It is much the same with our spritual growth. We sometimes hit a plateau. It's natural and is because we are flesh and blood. Push the rubber band that is your body, mind and spirit beyond the breaking point and be prepared to suffer the consequences
We live in a world that prizes fast paced spiritual growth, action and doing rather than being. Ironicaly, all this serves to place more faith in one's own ability rather than God. In other words, it's what the devil wants. All we want to do is "kar yow" (add oil) when you drive but do you know where you're going?
The most interesting thing about this is that when an injury occurs, it's usually not because it happened there and then. Usually, it was slowly occuring over a period of time, sort of like a small crack in a dam finally leading to it's collapse.
On the positive side, a time of rest where you go about living a Godly life (without being overtly Christian - I will write more about this one day) might be the tonic needed to heal you. It's much the same way that cross training prevents injuries by working other muscles that strenghthen the ones you use all the time. God is building you up behind the scenes, quietly.
You just don't see it but he is there. That is the essence of faith
But now you're frustrated. Your spiritual life seems to be stuck in neutral gear, your haven't opened your Bible in a while and prayer seems to be something said just to get it over and done with. What do you do?
Nothing. That's what
When I gave this advice to a friend of mine, I bet he thought I was the anti-Christ (Sinner! You want to stumble me!!! ) Surely I should have been exhorting him to pray more, sing harder, read more books, get more involved in church. Was I being a stumbling block?
No, I was trying to be a friend
Take it from someone who has been burntout and injured from sports in the past - the same thing can happen to your spiritual life. The only difference is whether you want to admit it or deny it. Many Christians refuse to confess that they are burnt out or have hit a plateau - they rather say that they are a little "tired" or just need to have more "faith".They see it as weakness if they have to admit otherwise
In sports, this overtraining and non-recognition that you have hit a plateau can have devastating and debilitating consequences. Lets say I am already tired, a little injured, weary and frustrated that I can't progress in my training. I urge myself on, pushing on, berating myself for being weak, shouting "ganbattei" all the way...until something snaps. Like an achilles tendon or a bone
And then suddenly, I am out for two years. Bitterness and woe sets in. Why? Not because I wasn't strong, it's because I wasn't smart. I was egoistical, thinking that I was invincible and super tough, only to find out that I was just a lump of clay. Broken clay now. It's all pride
It is much the same with our spritual growth. We sometimes hit a plateau. It's natural and is because we are flesh and blood. Push the rubber band that is your body, mind and spirit beyond the breaking point and be prepared to suffer the consequences
We live in a world that prizes fast paced spiritual growth, action and doing rather than being. Ironicaly, all this serves to place more faith in one's own ability rather than God. In other words, it's what the devil wants. All we want to do is "kar yow" (add oil) when you drive but do you know where you're going?
The most interesting thing about this is that when an injury occurs, it's usually not because it happened there and then. Usually, it was slowly occuring over a period of time, sort of like a small crack in a dam finally leading to it's collapse.
On the positive side, a time of rest where you go about living a Godly life (without being overtly Christian - I will write more about this one day) might be the tonic needed to heal you. It's much the same way that cross training prevents injuries by working other muscles that strenghthen the ones you use all the time. God is building you up behind the scenes, quietly.
You just don't see it but he is there. That is the essence of faith
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Why I prefer the gym to church - Part 1
Some of you know that one of my main passions is the martial arts, and that I spend a good (my parents would say disproportionate! ) amount of time training at my coach's gym. Lately, I've been teaching a lot of classes as well due to the fact that my coach's mum has been criticially ill. The irony is that far from being a drag on my schedule or a stressful situation, I've actually enjoyed it. Why is that? And why do I not get the same level of satisfaction from serving at church?
Now I know this is inherent blasphemy to some. And believe me, I've thought long and hard before writing this. Gym over church? Heresy! Hear me out first
I believe that one reason why most people don't want to serve at church in the first place, or give up serving is not because they are worldly (although some are) or not sacrificial. It is that their experience bucks one integral rule of continuing service - positive feedback. In other words, the sense that you are doing something useful and beneficial.
If I serve, and I see that I make a difference, and that my work is appreciated - I will endeavour to do more. But if I suffer ridicule, negative backchat and the slings and arrows from those whom I try to help - well, in the parlance of the times, only a doofus would stay.
So, this is the critical issue. If a church provided an environment where service - true service and not blind slavery - was appreciated, there would be a slew of people begging to want to part of this. But most times, the church is a full of mini napoleons, fiefdoms and self-interested groups which at times looks more like the secular world than my gym, which is avowedly secular.
The church was never supposed to look like that. It was intended to be a place where the light shone in the darkness. And those in the darkness would gravitate towards it. But instead, in many cases, it reflects the darkness so well that people get confused.
I now choose not to be a part of that mechanism, which is why I have gradually dropped my level of service in various ministries. Does this mean I love God less? On the contrary, this has given my faith a new and more vibrant dimension and I am more in touch with God than I ever have before. It's like throwing off a backpack full of rocks. A backpack is only useful if you have necessities like water, food etc. Rocks are useless, and thus, it is better discarded.
Discard what is useless. Appreciate the minimalism and sheer simplicity of a life in Christ alone. And then, you'll see the abundance.
Now I know this is inherent blasphemy to some. And believe me, I've thought long and hard before writing this. Gym over church? Heresy! Hear me out first
I believe that one reason why most people don't want to serve at church in the first place, or give up serving is not because they are worldly (although some are) or not sacrificial. It is that their experience bucks one integral rule of continuing service - positive feedback. In other words, the sense that you are doing something useful and beneficial.
If I serve, and I see that I make a difference, and that my work is appreciated - I will endeavour to do more. But if I suffer ridicule, negative backchat and the slings and arrows from those whom I try to help - well, in the parlance of the times, only a doofus would stay.
So, this is the critical issue. If a church provided an environment where service - true service and not blind slavery - was appreciated, there would be a slew of people begging to want to part of this. But most times, the church is a full of mini napoleons, fiefdoms and self-interested groups which at times looks more like the secular world than my gym, which is avowedly secular.
The church was never supposed to look like that. It was intended to be a place where the light shone in the darkness. And those in the darkness would gravitate towards it. But instead, in many cases, it reflects the darkness so well that people get confused.
I now choose not to be a part of that mechanism, which is why I have gradually dropped my level of service in various ministries. Does this mean I love God less? On the contrary, this has given my faith a new and more vibrant dimension and I am more in touch with God than I ever have before. It's like throwing off a backpack full of rocks. A backpack is only useful if you have necessities like water, food etc. Rocks are useless, and thus, it is better discarded.
Discard what is useless. Appreciate the minimalism and sheer simplicity of a life in Christ alone. And then, you'll see the abundance.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Why the 286 generation needs to learn how to make their bed
There has been a lot of talk about how the current young generation is going to go out there and win souls for the glory of God. Preachers exhort it from rallies. Personal prophecies are given (those of you who know me will know that I am rolling my eyes when I write this one..), and kids are fired up because they are more passionate about God and want their lives to be transformed and others, as well
Well, before they pack their Psalty Zonderkids and their best of Hillsong CD's (or illegally ripped MP3's) into their J.C Rox my Sox backpack, maybe they do well to heed the words of someone a lot wiser than them, or me, for that matter- the apostle Paul
"Do nothing from rivalry and conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves" - Philipians 2:3 -
You see, I am rather old fashioned. I think today's youth are insolent, rebellious, lacking in all manner of social graces, indolent, prone to backchat and lazy in the intellectual sense. They are also spoilt beyond belief, indulged to the point where the fat of arrogance drips of them. Like battery hens bred for a life of solitary confinement, they open they mouth for what they feel is their divine right to the good life, and their own inalienable rights
Of course, there are exceptions. However, finding one or two is about as easy as finding a fund manager who didn't hit in the financial crisis in 2008. If you find one, let me know. It's akin to stiking the lottery
Thus, it is even more repugnant when they are in church singing away to Jesus and patting themselves on the back for being 'spiritual'. The odiousness of layering a false sense of humility while backstabbing and displaying all the mores of total depravity are made even more sickening by the fake protestations of faith and sanctification. I should know - I used to work with these youth
Rather than being difference makers ( another catchphrase) and being 'in but not of this world', they are in this world, and they LOVE it. They love it with such a passion that they don't want to leave and would happily go on with their merry ways even if Jesus came again. Of course, that won't happen when the King comes, which is why the 'gnashing of teeth and the wailing' never rang so true
So, who is to blame? Their parents? A church seduced by the secular? Chris Tomlin? All of the above, except Chris - he's da man! But levity aside, all play a part, and thus all are guilty of gross mismanagement of these young souls. But they are not blameless either. Their fallen sin nature is partial to this and thus, rather than rebel in a good way to follow the light, the path of darkness looks more attractive
One common lament that the youth make is that they get no respect from the older people. But respect is earned. It is not a right. If I am applying for a job, I need to earn the respect of the interviewer, and I have to respect him or her. Any less than that will have dire consequences for employability at this company. When I see the youth totally absorbed in their own lives, and it's all about them and their needs, why should the older folk care about them? That kind of selfishness eventually comes back to them
The gospel has the power to change lives. Young or old. The famous mathematician and thinker, Blaise Pascal was notoriously selfish and cantenkerous - essentially not a nice person to be around. Intellectuallly brilliant but with a low emotional quotient. However, when he met God, he became a different person. Those who knew him said that the best indicator of change in him was this - he made his own bed. In the past, he left it to his servants but in his later life, a wave of humility swept over him and he humbled himself to make his own bed.
It is my wish that the young generation be different in this sense. When they meet the real risen Christ and their lives are changed, their difference is seen by everyone around them. Their parents, friends, teachers and pastors will notice that there is real transformation - not just glib superficiality
But I'm not holding my breath
Well, before they pack their Psalty Zonderkids and their best of Hillsong CD's (or illegally ripped MP3's) into their J.C Rox my Sox backpack, maybe they do well to heed the words of someone a lot wiser than them, or me, for that matter- the apostle Paul
"Do nothing from rivalry and conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves" - Philipians 2:3 -
You see, I am rather old fashioned. I think today's youth are insolent, rebellious, lacking in all manner of social graces, indolent, prone to backchat and lazy in the intellectual sense. They are also spoilt beyond belief, indulged to the point where the fat of arrogance drips of them. Like battery hens bred for a life of solitary confinement, they open they mouth for what they feel is their divine right to the good life, and their own inalienable rights
Of course, there are exceptions. However, finding one or two is about as easy as finding a fund manager who didn't hit in the financial crisis in 2008. If you find one, let me know. It's akin to stiking the lottery
Thus, it is even more repugnant when they are in church singing away to Jesus and patting themselves on the back for being 'spiritual'. The odiousness of layering a false sense of humility while backstabbing and displaying all the mores of total depravity are made even more sickening by the fake protestations of faith and sanctification. I should know - I used to work with these youth
Rather than being difference makers ( another catchphrase) and being 'in but not of this world', they are in this world, and they LOVE it. They love it with such a passion that they don't want to leave and would happily go on with their merry ways even if Jesus came again. Of course, that won't happen when the King comes, which is why the 'gnashing of teeth and the wailing' never rang so true
So, who is to blame? Their parents? A church seduced by the secular? Chris Tomlin? All of the above, except Chris - he's da man! But levity aside, all play a part, and thus all are guilty of gross mismanagement of these young souls. But they are not blameless either. Their fallen sin nature is partial to this and thus, rather than rebel in a good way to follow the light, the path of darkness looks more attractive
One common lament that the youth make is that they get no respect from the older people. But respect is earned. It is not a right. If I am applying for a job, I need to earn the respect of the interviewer, and I have to respect him or her. Any less than that will have dire consequences for employability at this company. When I see the youth totally absorbed in their own lives, and it's all about them and their needs, why should the older folk care about them? That kind of selfishness eventually comes back to them
The gospel has the power to change lives. Young or old. The famous mathematician and thinker, Blaise Pascal was notoriously selfish and cantenkerous - essentially not a nice person to be around. Intellectuallly brilliant but with a low emotional quotient. However, when he met God, he became a different person. Those who knew him said that the best indicator of change in him was this - he made his own bed. In the past, he left it to his servants but in his later life, a wave of humility swept over him and he humbled himself to make his own bed.
It is my wish that the young generation be different in this sense. When they meet the real risen Christ and their lives are changed, their difference is seen by everyone around them. Their parents, friends, teachers and pastors will notice that there is real transformation - not just glib superficiality
But I'm not holding my breath
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Fun is a four letter word - Part 2
When I wrote the earlier post on 'fun' I did not expect it to be a two parter. It was just an off the cuff article. But now after some reflection, I have some additions to make
The notion that making fun is the main aim of everything is more insidious than it appears. Wanting fun in every activity means that you want that shot of endorphin or dopamine in every activity. So, any activity that doesn't give you that is deemed not to be of interest to you. This meas that you short circuit rational though processes and depend only on one feedback qualifier: feelings of fun
Notice how dangerous this can be to your spiritual life. A bible study is 'boring' because you it involves work and processes of thought which at times can bypass those yearnings for emotional stimulation. What happens? You give up and thus, what could have been an important tool for spiritual growth is neglected because you let 'fun' be the dictator of what should be undertaken
I notice this all to much at church. We fear boredom and pain. Why? Sometimes, these two seemingly unwelcome fellows are exactly the teachers that we need
The best story I have heard regarding this comes from Gary Player, the world famous golfer who is up ther with such amazing legends as Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.
Once, while Gary Player was at the driving range hitting balls, someone came up to him and said:
" I wish I could hit the ball like you"
Gary then thought about it and told the man:
" Sure, you can. Just get up at the crack of dawn. Hit a thousand balls until your fingers bleed. Wash the blood off. Then go hit a thousand more. Then, you'll hit the ball like me"
Gary said that the man then left looking sad. And this was his final comment:
" The man wanted to hit like me but he didn't want to do the hard word. Nor suffer the pain. It doesn't work that way - you have to go through all of that"
Likewise, recently when some of the youth asked me about how to deepen their spirituality, they didn't like the answers I gave. Hard bible study doesn't sound like fun. Disciplined prayer sounds even less. But that's what you need to grow into mature christians. And like that man, they will probably look for more 'fun' ways of becoming more mature or not bother. That is up to them
I have taken a stance like Gary. You want to know how to grow, I'll tell you with the limited knowledge I have. But I won't cajol or make you hit the balls. Nor will I call you at the crack of dawn to get to the driving range. You will have to dig deep and find the motivation to do so. Champions are driven from within, not from the outside.
So too with saints of God
The notion that making fun is the main aim of everything is more insidious than it appears. Wanting fun in every activity means that you want that shot of endorphin or dopamine in every activity. So, any activity that doesn't give you that is deemed not to be of interest to you. This meas that you short circuit rational though processes and depend only on one feedback qualifier: feelings of fun
Notice how dangerous this can be to your spiritual life. A bible study is 'boring' because you it involves work and processes of thought which at times can bypass those yearnings for emotional stimulation. What happens? You give up and thus, what could have been an important tool for spiritual growth is neglected because you let 'fun' be the dictator of what should be undertaken
I notice this all to much at church. We fear boredom and pain. Why? Sometimes, these two seemingly unwelcome fellows are exactly the teachers that we need
The best story I have heard regarding this comes from Gary Player, the world famous golfer who is up ther with such amazing legends as Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.
Once, while Gary Player was at the driving range hitting balls, someone came up to him and said:
" I wish I could hit the ball like you"
Gary then thought about it and told the man:
" Sure, you can. Just get up at the crack of dawn. Hit a thousand balls until your fingers bleed. Wash the blood off. Then go hit a thousand more. Then, you'll hit the ball like me"
Gary said that the man then left looking sad. And this was his final comment:
" The man wanted to hit like me but he didn't want to do the hard word. Nor suffer the pain. It doesn't work that way - you have to go through all of that"
Likewise, recently when some of the youth asked me about how to deepen their spirituality, they didn't like the answers I gave. Hard bible study doesn't sound like fun. Disciplined prayer sounds even less. But that's what you need to grow into mature christians. And like that man, they will probably look for more 'fun' ways of becoming more mature or not bother. That is up to them
I have taken a stance like Gary. You want to know how to grow, I'll tell you with the limited knowledge I have. But I won't cajol or make you hit the balls. Nor will I call you at the crack of dawn to get to the driving range. You will have to dig deep and find the motivation to do so. Champions are driven from within, not from the outside.
So too with saints of God
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Why Billy is not Joel, but he still can't start the fire
I like Bill Hybels. I really do. He gets a lot of bad press for being seeker-friendly but frank admission here, I am Bill Hybels friendly, ever since I got his book "Too busy to pray" (Highly recommended). In Australia, on the sometimes questionable so-called Christian cable channel with such whack jobs as T.D Jakes, Joyce Meyer and assorted tele-con-vangelists with bouffant hair - he's a paragon of biblical solidity. Well, almost anyway..
He's no Joel Osteen. I rue the day I got that book for my dad and then spent countless wasted hours debating why it was rubbish. Why the Holy Spirit never led me to buy a J.I Packer, John Stott or John Piper book for him, I'll never know
Joel "See how my teeth shine" Osteen is a horrible waste of sermon space. His stuff isn't bad...if you like your God nothing like the God of the Bible. Yes, I know, he quotes lots of scripture but so does Hallmark cards in their pseudo-religious section. And nothing on Jesus coming to save. Apart from that, it's the gospel according to Oprah and Dr Phil..with a slightly Paulo Coelho kind of 'god'
But Bill, he tries to tell people about Jesus...but in a nice way. Yes, a gentle way. Through drama, great songs and stage sets: it's a wonder he hasn't won a Tony award now. His approach is to coax you gently into the Kingdom of God, with a few folksy jokes, a slap on the back and do pick up a decaf Latte on the way in please
Unfortunately, much as I prefer him over the perfectly coiffured one with the teeth, he still falls short of a standard which I believe must be upheld. It is this:
The Gospel must be preached unreservedly
Therefore, no soft selling, cajolling, playful nudges and unclear messages. No relegating Christ and his work on the cross to some footnote while the pastor cracks jokes downloaded from the internet and goes on about the singles 12 step recovery mininstry for weeks on end.
When you preach this, or another kind of similar message, Paul says:
"..the offence of the cross has been removed" (Galatians 5:11: ESV)
The cross offends because you are offensive to God. Therefore, it needs the unimaginable work of the son of God becoming man to die on the cross as an atonement to propitiate God's wrath and at the same time, exact his loving grace and mercy to you, a reprobrate sinner deserving of nothing but hell
If that above passage sounds foreign to you, then you have been listening to a different gospel. Or a false on
Put it this way, on the pulpit, you sometimes only have one chance to say something. What are you going to say? You can tell the congregation that they are decent people, maybe even pat them on the back and give them a pep talk like a football coach
But woe to you should one of them leave the church without understanding the gospel.
"Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel" (1 Corinthians 9:16: ESV)
If he or she dies that night without knowing God - part of that responsibility lies on your seeker friendly head. Think about it
He's no Joel Osteen. I rue the day I got that book for my dad and then spent countless wasted hours debating why it was rubbish. Why the Holy Spirit never led me to buy a J.I Packer, John Stott or John Piper book for him, I'll never know
Joel "See how my teeth shine" Osteen is a horrible waste of sermon space. His stuff isn't bad...if you like your God nothing like the God of the Bible. Yes, I know, he quotes lots of scripture but so does Hallmark cards in their pseudo-religious section. And nothing on Jesus coming to save. Apart from that, it's the gospel according to Oprah and Dr Phil..with a slightly Paulo Coelho kind of 'god'
But Bill, he tries to tell people about Jesus...but in a nice way. Yes, a gentle way. Through drama, great songs and stage sets: it's a wonder he hasn't won a Tony award now. His approach is to coax you gently into the Kingdom of God, with a few folksy jokes, a slap on the back and do pick up a decaf Latte on the way in please
Unfortunately, much as I prefer him over the perfectly coiffured one with the teeth, he still falls short of a standard which I believe must be upheld. It is this:
The Gospel must be preached unreservedly
Therefore, no soft selling, cajolling, playful nudges and unclear messages. No relegating Christ and his work on the cross to some footnote while the pastor cracks jokes downloaded from the internet and goes on about the singles 12 step recovery mininstry for weeks on end.
When you preach this, or another kind of similar message, Paul says:
"..the offence of the cross has been removed" (Galatians 5:11: ESV)
The cross offends because you are offensive to God. Therefore, it needs the unimaginable work of the son of God becoming man to die on the cross as an atonement to propitiate God's wrath and at the same time, exact his loving grace and mercy to you, a reprobrate sinner deserving of nothing but hell
If that above passage sounds foreign to you, then you have been listening to a different gospel. Or a false on
Put it this way, on the pulpit, you sometimes only have one chance to say something. What are you going to say? You can tell the congregation that they are decent people, maybe even pat them on the back and give them a pep talk like a football coach
But woe to you should one of them leave the church without understanding the gospel.
"Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel" (1 Corinthians 9:16: ESV)
If he or she dies that night without knowing God - part of that responsibility lies on your seeker friendly head. Think about it
Friday, February 27, 2009
Fun is a four letter word
If I could ban one word from church, it would have to be "fun".
Before the cries of 'calvanist meanie!' go up. Let me explain, then after that, you can get the dunking chair out on me :-)
In the modern church, that word has become the yardstick generally of whether a program, camp, sermon or activity has been effective. And notice the main tenet of using this as a benchmark: It's need for an immediate response
Fun is an instantateous reaction to a stimuli. There is no such thing as waiting for a while and thinking about whether what just happened was fun - it either is or isn't. This is dangerous because this predisposes the church into judging everything on a straight emotional response and one that can be thoroughly misleading
The effectiveness of the Christian faith can usually only be seen through a long period of walking with the Lord in obedience and discipleship. At times, many of those moments are full of hardship and discomfort - definitely not fun. But it is necessary to build that kind of intimacy with God, if you are serious
Which I think is the crux of the issue here. It's usually a way of skirting the harder issues about where our own individual faith is taking us. Rather than think about that, we rather play with it superficially. Keep it light, keep it fun
The last time I checked, being fun was not really one of God's attributes. And even if you can find some way from your exegesis to argue so, I would contend that it certaintly isn't one of his major ones
Soli Deo Gloria
Before the cries of 'calvanist meanie!' go up. Let me explain, then after that, you can get the dunking chair out on me :-)
In the modern church, that word has become the yardstick generally of whether a program, camp, sermon or activity has been effective. And notice the main tenet of using this as a benchmark: It's need for an immediate response
Fun is an instantateous reaction to a stimuli. There is no such thing as waiting for a while and thinking about whether what just happened was fun - it either is or isn't. This is dangerous because this predisposes the church into judging everything on a straight emotional response and one that can be thoroughly misleading
The effectiveness of the Christian faith can usually only be seen through a long period of walking with the Lord in obedience and discipleship. At times, many of those moments are full of hardship and discomfort - definitely not fun. But it is necessary to build that kind of intimacy with God, if you are serious
Which I think is the crux of the issue here. It's usually a way of skirting the harder issues about where our own individual faith is taking us. Rather than think about that, we rather play with it superficially. Keep it light, keep it fun
The last time I checked, being fun was not really one of God's attributes. And even if you can find some way from your exegesis to argue so, I would contend that it certaintly isn't one of his major ones
Soli Deo Gloria
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The face of evil
A few days ago, over Chinese New Year, I got a phone call from someone in my family. Every family has it's skeletons in the cupboard. Mine is no different. It probably has a whole graveyard full of 'em. Most of them are bones of contention over family related hurts and rejection; perceived or otherwise. In any case, this relative gave me 15 minutes worth of cursing and damning of other family members; including my parents. Not an easy thing to stomach, mind you
When another relative, a milder uncle asked me if it bothered me. I said "Not really, seen and heard worse when I was involved in deliverance ministry" (Yes, I was - back in those bad ol' Mike the charismatic days :-) )
While I severely doubt the veracity of demon posession and related demo-mania; I do believe in the existence of evil. That something is 'tak betul' with the human race- both individually and collectively. I heard a bit of it over the phone. I see a bit of it each day. It's in two kids fighting for a plastic pail in a playground. And it's in an Israeli and a Palestinian drawing guns on each other.
I don't see horned halloween devil like creatures behind each individual, pulling the strings of human behaviour. I'll leave that to my..shall we say...more psychically bent brethren of the Pentecostal faith. But what I observe is that in the bones, sinews, emotions, soul and spirit of each human is the capacity and rapacity to want to do evil.
It's about this point that everyone usually waves their hands and says : "Not me! I'm a good person. What about Mother Theresa then". The main difference here is that Mother Theresa knows that she had the inclination to evil just as much as every person in the world - she was just a little better at relying on God's grace than you or me, that's all.
Jesus was really good as pointing this out to those with myopia with regards to evil. To the self-inflated lawyer who demanded to know who his neighbour was - he exposed his racism and pride. To the man who wanted to know how the inheritence was going to be divided, Jesus lectured on the futility of storing up wealth, thus exposing the evil of covetousness
Which is why,sad to say - they crucified him. No one likes their dirty insides exposed. But the irony is that by doing so, it released a Spirit who is perfect as exposing every sin, lie and evil and cleansing it. Out of an act of evil, the death warrant for evil was signed, sentenced and passed. The irony of it all
I can't say I am totally without this inclination to want to sin. Each day passes and I marvel at my capacity for frailty and even more incredible delusion at excusing that. In other words, like most of my other 6 billion brethen on this earth - I try to say that my evil is justifiable
Thus, if some guy scratches my car, I must be justified in doing one to his door. If I get fired from my job, no one will blame me if I take a few pens and a stapler, right? My cry is for justice. For fairness in an unfair world. If no one will protect me, especially God, well, I gotta look out for number one, correct?
In a world of an eye for an eye, there are going to be a lot of one eyed and blind people around
One act of evil is a pebble in a pool, The ripples resonate. Who knows where they will stop. One act of goodness does the same to the pool. When they clash, it looks ugly. Consider this image if you will. Increase the number of good ripples. Increase them to infinity.
After a while, the whole rippled filled pond will look....calm
But underneath, there is activity. Lots of good activity
That, my friends, is the image of a true Christlike world. And in that pond or world, evil doesn't fit in
When another relative, a milder uncle asked me if it bothered me. I said "Not really, seen and heard worse when I was involved in deliverance ministry" (Yes, I was - back in those bad ol' Mike the charismatic days :-) )
While I severely doubt the veracity of demon posession and related demo-mania; I do believe in the existence of evil. That something is 'tak betul' with the human race- both individually and collectively. I heard a bit of it over the phone. I see a bit of it each day. It's in two kids fighting for a plastic pail in a playground. And it's in an Israeli and a Palestinian drawing guns on each other.
I don't see horned halloween devil like creatures behind each individual, pulling the strings of human behaviour. I'll leave that to my..shall we say...more psychically bent brethren of the Pentecostal faith. But what I observe is that in the bones, sinews, emotions, soul and spirit of each human is the capacity and rapacity to want to do evil.
It's about this point that everyone usually waves their hands and says : "Not me! I'm a good person. What about Mother Theresa then". The main difference here is that Mother Theresa knows that she had the inclination to evil just as much as every person in the world - she was just a little better at relying on God's grace than you or me, that's all.
Jesus was really good as pointing this out to those with myopia with regards to evil. To the self-inflated lawyer who demanded to know who his neighbour was - he exposed his racism and pride. To the man who wanted to know how the inheritence was going to be divided, Jesus lectured on the futility of storing up wealth, thus exposing the evil of covetousness
Which is why,sad to say - they crucified him. No one likes their dirty insides exposed. But the irony is that by doing so, it released a Spirit who is perfect as exposing every sin, lie and evil and cleansing it. Out of an act of evil, the death warrant for evil was signed, sentenced and passed. The irony of it all
I can't say I am totally without this inclination to want to sin. Each day passes and I marvel at my capacity for frailty and even more incredible delusion at excusing that. In other words, like most of my other 6 billion brethen on this earth - I try to say that my evil is justifiable
Thus, if some guy scratches my car, I must be justified in doing one to his door. If I get fired from my job, no one will blame me if I take a few pens and a stapler, right? My cry is for justice. For fairness in an unfair world. If no one will protect me, especially God, well, I gotta look out for number one, correct?
In a world of an eye for an eye, there are going to be a lot of one eyed and blind people around
One act of evil is a pebble in a pool, The ripples resonate. Who knows where they will stop. One act of goodness does the same to the pool. When they clash, it looks ugly. Consider this image if you will. Increase the number of good ripples. Increase them to infinity.
After a while, the whole rippled filled pond will look....calm
But underneath, there is activity. Lots of good activity
That, my friends, is the image of a true Christlike world. And in that pond or world, evil doesn't fit in
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Only one does the knocking..and it ain't you
There's a beautiful story in the modern church which goes like this: God is a gentleman. He'll never force you to do something you don't want. They preface this with that picture of Jesus knocking on the door and stressing the point that the lock is on the inside; so you have to open it to let him in.
Bollocks.
There was a man who lived in the village of Midian. In the first forty years of his life, he had been a prominent person in Egypt. It was a luxurious life..but he had to move. No matter, for the next forty, he married, had kids and a comfortable life tending sheep. Great life, eh? Just about ready to retire and then...
God appears to him
Note that he didn't pray for an 'word' or enter into a nice conversation with God. Heck, he probably wasn't praying at all - and he got the 'WORD' himself. That is one scary thought. I think of all those people shouting and praying "God! show me more of you!" or "Let me see your face!" in church. And all I can think of is: "Uh-uh. Nope. I don't want to see God face to face. If I did - I'd soil my pants pretty darn quick".
Look, I would get nervous enough seeing Cate Blanchett face to face (Hot tamale!)...let alone the King of Heaven.
So anyway, he gets into this weird conversation with God. And it involves all sorts of weird stuff happening. He obviously doesn't want the job but at about the point where God turns his hand leprous; he kinda thinks that maybe it would be better to zip his lip for a while as some other appendage might turn leprous.
Point Number two: Saying 'No' to God really isn't an option (Hi, Jonah!)
His whole life turns upside down from that point. His son gets circumcised by his wife Zipporah to save him from getting fried by God. All I know is, that a Freudian psychiatrist would have a field day with this scene..
He then has to contend with the might of the Egyptian army, plagues, complaining ungrateful hordes of his people, going up mountains, making decisions...and all this at a time when he should have been retired or dead. His only wish is to see the promised land. Just one small desire - not to much to ask when he's done all this, right?
Nope. One moment of indiscretion puts him out.
Haven't we all been there? If only I never said that to her, if only I never walked into that place, if only i had studied harder..if only, if only.
And all he can do is watch through his feeble eyes, the others entering into the land of Milk and Honey, while he waits to die. In a land where he has spent the last forty years wandering; only to be so close yet so far. This is the story of Moses
I cringe when I see those self proclaimed 'prophets' in large churches. You want to be a prophet, really? Consider Ezekiel. God tells him that his wife may die...and get this: he is not to mourn for her. Now, this was no nasty wife that he was glad to be rid of. This was the 'delight of his eyes' (Ezekiel 24:16). And he was not even allowed to cry for her. "..yet you shall not mourn or weep. nor shall your tears run down"
You still want to be a prophet now?
What did the verse I use in my first post for the year say? Everything belongs to God. Even you. Even your wife. Your little kids are his. Don't ever say Jesus sold you a false story about the cost of discipleship in the gospels. He was brutally honest about saying that you have to carry a cross.
I honestly have to say that if I knew how much of a cross this was, I seriously may not have opted to carry it. You can call this heresy or blasphemy if you wish. It doesn't matter. You can 'willingly' accept it - if you think it's your will doing it. Or you can walk away. Like Jonah, and see how far you go
"For the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof" - 1 Corinthians 10:26
" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honoured use and another for dishonourable use?" - Romans 9:21 -
Bollocks.
There was a man who lived in the village of Midian. In the first forty years of his life, he had been a prominent person in Egypt. It was a luxurious life..but he had to move. No matter, for the next forty, he married, had kids and a comfortable life tending sheep. Great life, eh? Just about ready to retire and then...
God appears to him
Note that he didn't pray for an 'word' or enter into a nice conversation with God. Heck, he probably wasn't praying at all - and he got the 'WORD' himself. That is one scary thought. I think of all those people shouting and praying "God! show me more of you!" or "Let me see your face!" in church. And all I can think of is: "Uh-uh. Nope. I don't want to see God face to face. If I did - I'd soil my pants pretty darn quick".
Look, I would get nervous enough seeing Cate Blanchett face to face (Hot tamale!)...let alone the King of Heaven.
So anyway, he gets into this weird conversation with God. And it involves all sorts of weird stuff happening. He obviously doesn't want the job but at about the point where God turns his hand leprous; he kinda thinks that maybe it would be better to zip his lip for a while as some other appendage might turn leprous.
Point Number two: Saying 'No' to God really isn't an option (Hi, Jonah!)
His whole life turns upside down from that point. His son gets circumcised by his wife Zipporah to save him from getting fried by God. All I know is, that a Freudian psychiatrist would have a field day with this scene..
He then has to contend with the might of the Egyptian army, plagues, complaining ungrateful hordes of his people, going up mountains, making decisions...and all this at a time when he should have been retired or dead. His only wish is to see the promised land. Just one small desire - not to much to ask when he's done all this, right?
Nope. One moment of indiscretion puts him out.
Haven't we all been there? If only I never said that to her, if only I never walked into that place, if only i had studied harder..if only, if only.
And all he can do is watch through his feeble eyes, the others entering into the land of Milk and Honey, while he waits to die. In a land where he has spent the last forty years wandering; only to be so close yet so far. This is the story of Moses
I cringe when I see those self proclaimed 'prophets' in large churches. You want to be a prophet, really? Consider Ezekiel. God tells him that his wife may die...and get this: he is not to mourn for her. Now, this was no nasty wife that he was glad to be rid of. This was the 'delight of his eyes' (Ezekiel 24:16). And he was not even allowed to cry for her. "..yet you shall not mourn or weep. nor shall your tears run down"
You still want to be a prophet now?
What did the verse I use in my first post for the year say? Everything belongs to God. Even you. Even your wife. Your little kids are his. Don't ever say Jesus sold you a false story about the cost of discipleship in the gospels. He was brutally honest about saying that you have to carry a cross.
I honestly have to say that if I knew how much of a cross this was, I seriously may not have opted to carry it. You can call this heresy or blasphemy if you wish. It doesn't matter. You can 'willingly' accept it - if you think it's your will doing it. Or you can walk away. Like Jonah, and see how far you go
"For the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof" - 1 Corinthians 10:26
" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honoured use and another for dishonourable use?" - Romans 9:21 -
Monday, January 19, 2009
The deafening silence of God
Nothing speaks more of the impassability of God then the deafening silence of unanswered prayer. The decline of Christianity in the West is sometimes attributed to the years after World War One where many millions of young Christian men died in the horrible hellish nighthmare of trench warfare. Yes, it could be argued that in those millions were thousands of potential missionaries, pastors and workers for Christ. We will never know. But I have another theory
For virtually every christian family that sent a christian son off to war and saw him come back in a coffin; there lay the seed of a growing bitterness towards God. A cold rage towards him for not answering those prayers of protection and safety from danger and death. A body was buried, but that was not all. The faith of a family and subsequent generations got buried as well on that cold day - where God failed to answer their prayers
Of course, God answers prayers, people say. Just not always in the way you want it to be.
As 2009 begins, already the tsunamis of life (note the plural) have already hit and devasted the beaches of my life. Before I can even get one prayer of help out, another hits; and another. Before long, you even wonder whether you should just forget saving the boat (what boats are left to save?) and just run to higher ground until the waves subside - or will they?
Oddly, I have no platitudes for you today. I can't say whether you will keep your faith or lose it. I know many good people who have. What do you say to a father who has lost a child? What do you say to the mother? I have no idea
I guess if I was to answer honestly, I would grab a handful of earth, and throw it into the grave. Where a body lies. And maybe a faith and the faith of fathers
For virtually every christian family that sent a christian son off to war and saw him come back in a coffin; there lay the seed of a growing bitterness towards God. A cold rage towards him for not answering those prayers of protection and safety from danger and death. A body was buried, but that was not all. The faith of a family and subsequent generations got buried as well on that cold day - where God failed to answer their prayers
Of course, God answers prayers, people say. Just not always in the way you want it to be.
As 2009 begins, already the tsunamis of life (note the plural) have already hit and devasted the beaches of my life. Before I can even get one prayer of help out, another hits; and another. Before long, you even wonder whether you should just forget saving the boat (what boats are left to save?) and just run to higher ground until the waves subside - or will they?
Oddly, I have no platitudes for you today. I can't say whether you will keep your faith or lose it. I know many good people who have. What do you say to a father who has lost a child? What do you say to the mother? I have no idea
I guess if I was to answer honestly, I would grab a handful of earth, and throw it into the grave. Where a body lies. And maybe a faith and the faith of fathers
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Reformed Resolutions for 2009
It's amazing how things work out.
Towards the end of a very torrid last year, I was on a high. Finally, I got my resume done and looked forward to entering the workforce again in 2009. In one week, I managed to complete the Stanchart half marathon, attended a seminar by my boxing coach (which was really good) and capped it off by attending YLDP..honestly, one of the few christian camps I had really enjoyed for many, many years. During the camp, I got to counsel a few people, made some friends and even when I came back - intervened to help a friend in serious trouble. I was on a high, both physically, mentally and spiritually
Then I broke my foot
After that, family problems came popping out like termites
Which was followed by even more issues that threatened to overwhelm me
"The Earth is the Lord's, and everything in it"- 1 Corinthians 10:26 -
Every new year, we make resolutions for the coming year. Some of us are glad to see the end of the last one and vow that this one will be better. Why? Because we resolved it to be so. That's the power of positive thinking! It's taking charge, being in control, claiming that I am the master of my own universe.
It's also very wrong
Sometime this year, and I guarantee this, someone will find out they have cancer just before Christmas, and a pale shadow will descend on the family during their dinner on the eve. A child will eagerly await her daddy, only to find out that he died in a car accident on the way home. A wife who is expecting her first child goes into shock when she discovers that her husband has been cheating on her
It's amazing, when you seriously think about it, how little control we exert over life. And yet, we are fed through a steay stream of Oprah and positive affirmation preaching from the pulpit that we are the captains of our ship. But the irony is that we did not make the ship, we did not make the waters and we certaintly do not control the tides or the waves. And you can be the best nautical captain ever to helm a ship but if a 100ft wave hits, you and your plonky vessel - are both going down, my friend
But oddly, this should not make you negative, or totally cynical.
My favourite faith verse of all time in Daniel 3:16-18. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are about to be thrown into the furnace. A pretty hot situation to say the least. And the chances of a reprieve or appeal look slim when the judge is also the king who is chucking you in.
Let's stop for a moment. When Christians think about facing trials like these, or things like cancer, or equally as tragic; many say : " My faith in Christ will carry me through!" very confidently. I don't think so. I just don't buy it. When the rubber really, really hits the road; most christians will falter. I have counselled enough to see that while their are no atheists in a foxhole, they are very few real christians out of one either. The bullets and impending doom will reveal the extent of real gold in your pile, don't worry about that
So, when the trio say " If we are thrown in the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O King.." (v.17). But the kicker is verse 18: "Even if he DOES NOT, we will not serve your gods.."
Even if he does not.
Even if you are in agony and your numerous prayers bring no relief. Even if you pray for the conversion of a loved one and he or she goes to their deathbed unrepentant. Even if you lose everything, and your friends mock your faith. Your parents plead with you to go back to the altar deities, or to at least listen to Dr Phil.
"..we will not serve your gods."
Because we have been there, and seen too much since. Or experienced so much of the real God that we cannot serve or turn back to false idols any more. It may be true that while the world has collapsed and we may be in a corner picking our scabs like Job; we cannot turn back because once the scales have fallen off, we can't put them back over our eyes and pretend that we are blind. That's just goofy
A reformed resolution is one where God is placed where he is. All the earth is his, and it revolves around him; not you. Reformed resolutions seek to proclaim the name and fame of Jesus even if your world is crumbling around you and your own resolutions, hopes and dreams fall into dust. That is the reformed faith at work.
This year, the church will ask you what do you want out of 2009. I want you to ask God: What, O Lord, do you want in 2009? The answers may be just the resolutions that you are seeking in the first place
Happy New Year and Grace to you
Towards the end of a very torrid last year, I was on a high. Finally, I got my resume done and looked forward to entering the workforce again in 2009. In one week, I managed to complete the Stanchart half marathon, attended a seminar by my boxing coach (which was really good) and capped it off by attending YLDP..honestly, one of the few christian camps I had really enjoyed for many, many years. During the camp, I got to counsel a few people, made some friends and even when I came back - intervened to help a friend in serious trouble. I was on a high, both physically, mentally and spiritually
Then I broke my foot
After that, family problems came popping out like termites
Which was followed by even more issues that threatened to overwhelm me
"The Earth is the Lord's, and everything in it"- 1 Corinthians 10:26 -
Every new year, we make resolutions for the coming year. Some of us are glad to see the end of the last one and vow that this one will be better. Why? Because we resolved it to be so. That's the power of positive thinking! It's taking charge, being in control, claiming that I am the master of my own universe.
It's also very wrong
Sometime this year, and I guarantee this, someone will find out they have cancer just before Christmas, and a pale shadow will descend on the family during their dinner on the eve. A child will eagerly await her daddy, only to find out that he died in a car accident on the way home. A wife who is expecting her first child goes into shock when she discovers that her husband has been cheating on her
It's amazing, when you seriously think about it, how little control we exert over life. And yet, we are fed through a steay stream of Oprah and positive affirmation preaching from the pulpit that we are the captains of our ship. But the irony is that we did not make the ship, we did not make the waters and we certaintly do not control the tides or the waves. And you can be the best nautical captain ever to helm a ship but if a 100ft wave hits, you and your plonky vessel - are both going down, my friend
But oddly, this should not make you negative, or totally cynical.
My favourite faith verse of all time in Daniel 3:16-18. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are about to be thrown into the furnace. A pretty hot situation to say the least. And the chances of a reprieve or appeal look slim when the judge is also the king who is chucking you in.
Let's stop for a moment. When Christians think about facing trials like these, or things like cancer, or equally as tragic; many say : " My faith in Christ will carry me through!" very confidently. I don't think so. I just don't buy it. When the rubber really, really hits the road; most christians will falter. I have counselled enough to see that while their are no atheists in a foxhole, they are very few real christians out of one either. The bullets and impending doom will reveal the extent of real gold in your pile, don't worry about that
So, when the trio say " If we are thrown in the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O King.." (v.17). But the kicker is verse 18: "Even if he DOES NOT, we will not serve your gods.."
Even if he does not.
Even if you are in agony and your numerous prayers bring no relief. Even if you pray for the conversion of a loved one and he or she goes to their deathbed unrepentant. Even if you lose everything, and your friends mock your faith. Your parents plead with you to go back to the altar deities, or to at least listen to Dr Phil.
"..we will not serve your gods."
Because we have been there, and seen too much since. Or experienced so much of the real God that we cannot serve or turn back to false idols any more. It may be true that while the world has collapsed and we may be in a corner picking our scabs like Job; we cannot turn back because once the scales have fallen off, we can't put them back over our eyes and pretend that we are blind. That's just goofy
A reformed resolution is one where God is placed where he is. All the earth is his, and it revolves around him; not you. Reformed resolutions seek to proclaim the name and fame of Jesus even if your world is crumbling around you and your own resolutions, hopes and dreams fall into dust. That is the reformed faith at work.
This year, the church will ask you what do you want out of 2009. I want you to ask God: What, O Lord, do you want in 2009? The answers may be just the resolutions that you are seeking in the first place
Happy New Year and Grace to you
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