Jesus ~ The Way

Hey Friends, I know it's not Saturday and I just posted to the Blog a few days ago but I wanted to share with you a dialogue that took place on Larry King Live on March 11, 2003. It was around the question, "What would Jesus do about the war in Iraq?" This conversation highlights the issue I brought up in last week's post. I want to state for record, that I agree whole heartily with John MacArthur. There is only one God and one Savior through whom we have access to the Father and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Regardless of what the Ecumenical Officer of the United Methodist Church (Bishop Melvin Talbert) claims, Jesus is the only way to the Father. That is not my claim but the claim of Jesus himself. Here is the conversation that took place between Larry King, John MacArthur, Max Lucado, and Melvin Talbert.

King: Saddam says he prays.

MacArthur: Saddam Hussein? I'm sure he does.

King: He prays five times a day. He believes he's right. He must be praying to something.

MacArthur: Well, it's the wrong God unfortunately. There is only one true and living God, and that's the God of the scripture. The God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ. And if you aren't praying to that God, you are praying to no one.

King: He doesn't believe that. How do you deal with that? His belief may be as strong as your belief.

MacArthur: You could believe that you could fly and jump off a five-story building. It doesn't make it real. Unfortunately, false religion is the ultimate deception...

King: is the Muslim world all false?

MacArthur: Well, the theology of Islam is false. It's the wrong God. It's the wrong view of Christ.

King: When they hear that, don't they get anti-American thoughts...

MacArthur: It has nothing to do with America. I would say it if I were French.

King: They think yours is the wrong God.

MacArthur: Well, they do. But there has to be truth and untruth. Once you've established the truth, and I think the word of God has been established as true -- I think it can hold up under the most intense scrutiny -- and other books do not.

King: Don't you believe, Bishop Talbert, that Christianity is the right path?

Talbert: I do believe for Christians, but we're not here to settle which religion is right. That dispute belongs to God. We are here to practice what we preach.

King: Do you believe your religion is right?

Talbert: Yes I do.

King: Or else why believe it?

Talbert: That is right.

King: So therefore, the other religions have to be wrong.

Talbert: No, I don't say that at all.

King: If you believe your religion is right, the other religions are wrong.

Talbert: I believe my God is large enough to be inclusive of all human beings who were created in God's image, and that includes those religions that are not Christians.

MacArthur: I want to ask a question. Why did Jesus say -- why did Paul say -- if any man preaches any other Christ than the true Jesus Christ, let him be cured? Why does the Bible say neither is there salvation in any other name than Jesus Christ? Why doe the scripture condemn anyone who rejects Jesus Christ and the gospel of Christ? Why is the message so exclusive?

Talbert: For me, salvation in Jesus Christ is the way, and what I try to do as a Christian is to live that example. My responsibility is not to convert all other religions, but to live the Christian faith in the face of those religions. Are you going to say that my -- our friend on the show tonight who is Jewish is on the wrong path? That's God's choice. That's God's judgment, not mine.

King: Max, what is your view of Islam?

Lucado: Well, I guess it depends on if you're asking it from a political or religious point of view.

King: I guess from religious.

Lucado: Religious point of view -- it is a different approach to God than the Christian approach to God. My understanding as a Christian is that we're saved by what Christ did for us, whereas the Islamic faith says we're saved by what we do for God.

King: But do you think, Bishop Talbert, that these differing opinions are leading to lots of conflict in the world?

Talbert: I believe they're leading for a lot of conflicts because we do not open ourselves o each other and learn and grow. I have talked with Muslim leaders. They are -- the ones that I have met -- very fine people. They're on their way as certain as I am on my way. And what we need to do is to be tolerant with each other and not assume that our way is the only way.

Well, Mr. Talbert, what we really need is to be truthful with each other and with people of all nations and religions, sharing with them the love of God in Jesus Christ. We need to share the Gospel that Paul preached and no other. Jesus is not "Our Way". He is "The Way". It is not an assumption at all, but the very truth spoken by the Lord of all creation. John 3:18, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." This is from the lips of Christ. You can't take Jesus and throw away his words..

Peace, David

The Biblical Jesus ~ It Depends on which Bible You Mean.

The Bible . . . Is it a book given to us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, written by men, infallible and inerrant or is it a book sort of inspired by God but written by men whose political and social agendas tainted its content?

Is it a book that God has allowed to become corrupted over time to include errors in translation, errors in the historical record, and filled with fictional stories made up by men? Is it a book that has no absolute truth but is completely pliable in the hands of anyone who reads it, able to be interpreted any way we choose? Can we pick out the parts we want to believe and set aside those we don't? Can we pick out the parts that make us happy and comfortable, using them as if they are accurate or relevant but scrap the parts the make us uncomfortable, claiming them to be inaccurate or irrelevant?

Does it matter really? I mean, so what if we come at this book from totally different positions. We all love Jesus, right? But what Jesus do we love? And was he really here? And did he really perform miracles? And did he really die on the cross? And did he really rise from the dead? If we claim in any form or fashion that the Biblical record is unreliable then we have absolutely no right or ability to make any statements about its truth or quote from it. If we can't believe it we certainly shouldn't base our lives on it. Unless of course, we see it as a book that has some good things to grab a hold of like "Chicken Soup for the Soul" then we can, I guess, just pick out the parts that make sense to our lives and leave the rest for the right wing Jesus freaks (Like me)

Here is the issue, at hand, and one that I believe is monumental to the Christian faith: The Gospel of Jesus Christ stands or falls on what we see the Bible to be. Many today claim that the Bible is not a document that has solid, unchangeable truth but is moldable and shapable to the reader. It can be interpreted as we see fit. I want to give a couple examples to make this more clear:
The Old Testament reveals a God who is the creator of all things including man. When man sinned God revealed not just his love for man but also his holy justice with regard to sin. It revealed a God who demonstrated some serious wrath against sin and sinful man. Now, those who claim that the Bible isn't to be taken literally, claim that this is just the story of an ancient people who fought other nations with their own political and religious motives. So then they can forgo any aspect of God that might seem intolerant, harsh, violent, or contrary to their religious beliefs. It was man's evil not God's wrath. One quick note regarding the description of Bible believers as "Literalists" (ie. they take the Bible literally). We can be smart enough to understand that when Jesus said, "I am the vine . . " or when Jesus was called, "the Lamb of God" that Jesus wasn't a vine or a lamb. But we can also see that when Jesus said, "The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations." He said, "In his name." What name? Jesus.

The New Testament reveals the story of a man named Jesus who was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on a cross, and rose from the grave three days later. It claims Jesus to be God in the flesh who died for the sins of man. But Jesus was not always the gentle soft spoken peacemaker but made many claims about himself and about the judgment to come. But many today leave out all of the statements Jesus made about judgment, hell, and repentance. They leave out any statement that precludes salvation via any other person other than Jesus Christ. They do so by claiming that those who read the whole of scripture do so in a literal fashion while they themselves leave room for a much bigger God who can make the Bible all things to all men. Jesus can be their Lord and their Savior and their truth, way, and life but he is not for those of other faiths. Kind of like flag day. It is for us but not for Japan.

Can this be true? Can we both be right and does it matter? Can we ever preach from the Word and teach a church full of hearers from scriptures if we claim the Bible is not reliable and is only relevant or true to those who want them? Can we preach "I am the way and the truth and the life." as some sort of biblical feel good but claim that the next verse, "No one comes to the Father but through me." not to be true?

This is way more than can be addressed in a 10 minute blog post so we will be hanging here for a couple weeks. But, I want to share a couple things to start. First, if we believe Jesus lived and was divine (ie. God) then we should look at what he thought about the Old Testament and its reliability. Jesus quoted from twenty four of the Old Testament books and stated that he didn't come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it." Jesus spoke of Jonah's time in the belly of the fish, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot's wife who was turned to a pillar of salt, and he quoted many of the prophets. Did Jesus believe that the Old Testament was corrupted in its translation or the product of the minds of man? No! Paul believed that all scripture was "God breathed" and even if you claim he was talking about only the Old Testament then we can start there. Lastly, when the Dead Sea Scrolls were found they contained a near complete copy of the book of Isaiah dated to around one hundred years before the birth of Christ. These texts from Qumran proved to be word-for-word identical to our standard Hebrew Bible in more than 95 percent of the text. The 5 percent of variation consisted primarily of obvious slips of the pen and spelling alterations (Archer, 1974, p. 25).

The dilemma is this: If we claim the Biblical documents to be less than what Jesus and the Apostles believed them to be then we preach a Gospel that strips Jesus of his Lordship and of his Divinity. We make faith in Christ unnecessary for salvation and relegate Jesus to one of many religious leaders who taught us a better way to live. We can cut and paste the verses of the bible and use them as personal and social improvement tools and deny the truths we don't like.

Maybe God wasn't powerful enough to maintain the accuracy or truth of his Word and allowed it to be made virtually meaningless. Maybe the writings of Mohammad, Buddha, Krishna, Joseph Smith, Stephen King, and Mark Twain are all equally valid. Maybe Jesus didn't really exist and was just a fictitious character made up by these men, who for some crazy reason gave their lives to tell people about him. Maybe Paul didn't really meet Jesus on the road to Damascus and was later told what to preach. Maybe he just didn't like living high on the hog as a wealthy Jewish leader but instead wanted to see what it was like to be flogged, stoned, shipwrecked, beaten with fists, imprisoned, and beheaded for sharing the whole, uncompromising Gospel of Jesus Christ and him crucified. Maybe.

Although we can believe that how we see the Bible makes little difference as long as we all "love Jesus" it is not so. Either Jesus is the One and Only Son of God, God in the flesh, the name above all names, God with us, the name to which every knee will bow, the Judge of the living and the dead, the King of Kings, the one through whom all things were made, or he is not. If he is then we better get back to proclaiming him to all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit and not trusting that those without Christ can climb in another way. Jesus said he was THE way and not a way.

Stay tuned friends. Much more to come.

Peace, David

Why Does God Allow Evil and Suffering?

I have a good friend that I'd like you to meet. His name is Andrew. Andrew is 30 years old and was born three months prematurely, lost oxygen to his brain, and as a result has cerebral palsy. Andrew is confined to a wheelchair. He has no use of his legs, minimal use of his right arm, and limited use of his left arm. When he wakes up in the morning he lies in bed until his brothers come and help him get ready for the day. He can't drive, bathe, or go to the bathroom without help and so far has no wife or girlfriend with whom to share his love. Pity party? Nope, just the facts. I didn't meet Andrew because he was looking for a handout or for help. I met him as he preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to 150 homeless folks at a local shelter, a shelter where Andrew works most days. Despite the fact that his body has many limits, Andrew has two things that work really well: his brain and his heart. Oh yeah, and his mouth. Man, can Andrew preach!

So, if God is so good and loving then why would he have allowed this man to suffer as he has? If God is so good and loving then why would he have allowed you to suffer like you have? Why would he allow wars, murders, accidents, and natural tragedies to go apparently unchecked? Maybe you don't even believe in God because of this conflict in your mind or if you do believe in God you either don't trust him or you're angry with him. I want to share some thoughts that may help you to to see the magnitude of who God is and how he works in your life.

I'd like to give you a Reader's Digest (or Cliff Notes) version of the story of Joseph in the Old Testament book of Genesis. Joseph was the youngest of Jacob's twelve son's but the Bible says his father loved him more than the rest. So how did the the other eleven handle not being the favored sons? Well they threw Joseph into an empty well then sold him to traveling merchants who, in turn sold him into slavery in Egypt. The brothers took his robe, covered it in goat's blood, and brought it back to their father, telling him that Joseph was killed by a ferocious animal. In Egypt, Joseph was a slave to the captain of Pharaoh's guard, a man named Potiphar. Potiphar has a wife who thought Joseph was quite handsome so she tried to get him into bed but Joseph on more than one occasion told her to hit the road. The last time she was so mad that she ran out and accused him of trying to molest her so poor Joseph spends the next two years in jail. While Joseph is in jail, Pharaoh had a dream and he heard that this kid named Joseph could interpret dreams. Joseph interprets his dream and as a reward gets to be Pharaoh's second hand man. Things are looking up! OK, David get to the point! Here is the point. There is a wicked famine in all of the land but Egypt has stored up plenty of grain to last through the drought. Joseph ends up saving his family and all of Israel because he was in this position of power. He is reunited with his nasty brothers and his broken hearted father and forgives his brothers saying,

"Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children."

God is sovereign (he is in control and can do what he pleases), he is omniscient (he knows all things), and he is omnipotent (he can do all things within his nature ~ I mean he can't lie or sin or make a square circle). I shared with a friend a couple days ago that this poses a problem for some. If God is all loving and all knowing but is powerless to stop evil then he is impotent and weak and not a God at all. If he is able to stop it but doesn't then is he loving? That is where I want to wrap this up. God is able to see the beginning from the end. He can see how every single circumstance and every single life fit together. His view of the tapestry of life is beyond our imagination. He knew that there was going to be a famine and that Joseph's crazy journey to Egypt would save the nation Israel. The other issue with evil is this. Every single attribute of man (and woman) that we consider "good" can't happen in the vacuum of a perfect world. We can reveal courage only when there is the possibility of danger or death. We reveal compassion only when there are circumstances of suffering or pain. We reveal grace and forgiveness only when we have been hurt or wronged. We reveal faith when we are in the midst of trials and we can't see a way out. What Satan purposes for evil God can use for good.

You are probably in one of these three groups: 1. You don't believe in God at all 2. You believe but are struggling with the whys of your circumstances 3. You believe and even though you are struggling, you are walking in faith.

I know both from my own life and from the clear teaching of Scripture that God uses our circumstances to draw us nearer to him, to prune us (make us more mature in our walk with him), and to accomplish his will. I can't fully understand how we can have free will yet God can still work in our lives but maybe the "free" isn't complete. Like, Andrew isn't free to walk and Joseph wasn't free to leave Egypt. But here is the lesson: If your circumstances are difficult. If you are lost, scared, hungry, sick, financially broken, lonely, guilty then understand this: If you are not walking with God then he is calling you home. Maybe you have denied him for your whole life. Maybe for some his call may be really loud right now. Is he mean? No, he knows our pride and our stubborn hearts and he knows what we need. He knows our best lives are lived with him and not outside of a relationship with him. If you are walking with him but are discouraged or feeling hopeless, understand that there is ALWAYS hope in him. You may be in the dark but it's not dark to God so stay close and he'll lead you out. Lastly, the Word says that God chastens (disciplines) those he loves, so if you are a believer and are living in sin then maybe he is pruning off some dead stuff from your life. It might not feel good but it will make you better.

Only God completely knows the reason for your circumstances but there is a reason. Spend some time today asking God to help you believe, to help you have faith, to help you persevere, to help you grow. If you have a prayer need or just want to share your struggle please drop us a note and we will do what we can. Confidentially if you prefer. If you want to hear Andrew's testimony go to the media/podcast section of The I-61 Project and you can catch up with Andrew on his blog "Speaking for Him".

Peace and Love,

David

The God of the Universe Can Live in You! How Cool is That?!!

I've had some pretty deeply moving conversations lately with people who are broken, tired, afraid, confused, guilty, hopeless, lonely, and addicted, and just don't know where to go or how to break free. I've heard some of them say that they believe in God but can't feel him, can't find him, or simply can't surrender to him. Some of them have even looked in church but can't seem to find him there. They have a sense that what the pastor is teaching and what I am sharing holds a key to that freedom so they stay near but not too near. They hold onto their lives and at the same time reach out grasping for hope. It's like a person in a burning building who is leaning out of the window, stretching out their hand to the fireman on the ladder truck but can't let go of the window frame with their other hand. If you're reaching out or even if you are lost but haven't yet reached out I want to invite you to begin to see the dwelling place of God. How amazing would it be to find Him?! Where is he? God, where are you? Help! We're dying down here!

A good friend of mine recently told me that her daughter wanted to be married in an outdoor ceremony. She wanted to say her "I do's" under the canopy of God's creation. However, after speaking with church authorities she learned that this wouldn't be possible because the ceremony had to take place in the church since the building was "sanctified". Really? I want to show you a bit of the character and truth of who God has revealed himself to be and even more so to help you to draw closer to Him to understand where he truly resides. Not from my thoughts but from his Word.

OK, I know this sounds ridiculous because even little kids know that God is "Everywhere". The theological term for this attribute of God is his "omnipresence". And, that is true in the sense that God is outside of the confines of time and can be "over here" and "over there" at the same moment as we experience it. I know that bends your mind a bit but that is how big God is! But God has also shown us in his Word that he has give man more tangible expressions of his presence over the course of history. For instance, in the Garden of Eden, he actually fellow-shipped with Adam and Eve walking with them in the cool of the day but after the Fall he no longer was approachable. As the Jews wondered in the desert the manifest presence of God (called his Shekinah Glory) resided in the tabernacle, specifically in the holy place where the Ark of the Covenant ( a gold box that contained the two stone tablets of the ten commandments, the staff of Aaron, and a pot of manna) was housed. This same presence of God was present later in the inner chamber (the Holy of Holies) of the temple built by King Solomon. Bottom line: God had a manifest presence on earth but he was not approachable because of man's sin. The Holy of Holies was "sanctified" or set apart for the presence of the living God. Did that mean the God wasn't everywhere? No, just that he chose to reveal himself to man in this way.

Fast forward to a small stable in Bethlehem where a cry is heard coming from a woman giving birth to a child. Not any ordinary child but God made man (Emmanuel - God with us). The fullness of God was now among men and would soon walk with them and talk with them and touch them and heal their blind eyes. Was God now not everywhere? No. But he chose to manifest himself in the flesh to mankind.

Now here is where I want you to draw near and listen closely. Jesus sits with a Samaritan woman at a well as she draws water. He talks to her (quite against the rules for a Jew to speak to a Samaritan, especially a woman!). After Jesus gives her reason to believe he is something quite special the following dialogue takes place:

"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."

Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

Jesus was telling her that God was doing a new thing. God was no longer unapproachable behind the curtain of the temple's inner room. It would no longer be necessary to travel to Jerusalem to worship him. She was, at that very moment, sitting with, talking with, and being freed from their sin and death by God in the flesh.

Now hold on because here is where it gets even more crazy!! After Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day, his disciples didn't want to let him go again. But Jesus told them that unless he ascended to the Father's right side, the Comforter couldn't come. Who was this "Comforter"? It was the Holy Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). So where exactly did the Holy Spirit come to abide when Jesus ascended to heaven? A tabernacle? No! A church building? No! The Holy Spirit came to dwell WITHIN those who believed.

Stephen ( a disciple) said these words before he was stoned to death:

"However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says:

" 'Heaven is my throne,

and the earth is my footstool.

What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord.

Or where will my resting place be?

Has not my hand made all these things?"

And right before he died, the Word says:

"But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the Glory of God . . ."

When we come to the cross, repent of our sin, and look to Jesus and believe that he died in our place, took the shame and guilt we carried, that he paid the penalty for sin for us, that he rose from the dead and forever conquered death for those who trust in his name, then the Holy Spirit comes to take up residence in us. How amazing is that?! We are now the tabernacle of God.

In 1 Corinthians 3:16 Paul says, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"

In Galatians 2:2 Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Last one! In Romans 8:11 Paul says, "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you."

Look closely friends. "Sanctified" means to be set apart for God's use and you can be set apart and can become the dwelling place of the Spirit of God by faith in Jesus Christ. He can dwell in you if you are in prison, in rehab, in a college dorm, in your bedroom, or are getting married in the woods. He is not confined to a church building. (remember that the Apostles and the early followers of Jesus did not have fancy and ornate church buildings). I love to gather at the "church" with fellow believers and worship God but in reality the "Church" is body of fellow believers! If you are broken, lost, scared, lonely, guilty, hopeless, addicted then ask God to open your eyes to see the truth of his Son Jesus and the freedom and life he has come to share with you by faith!

We love you guys!

In Him, David

The Gospel - Don't be Afraid to Use Words~

Kayla and Ben spent hours pouring over topographical maps and GPS coordinates for their upcoming trip down the mighty, white waters of the Mongodongo River. One thing was for sure, when they came to the fork in the river marked by the massive boulder (called the Rock) they would take the branch that went off to the right. They had seen pictures of the terrible rapids and the eventual two hundred foot waterfall that would swallow them up if they took the left branch. Someone who who knew the river well and who had seen many people meet their demise at the hand of the deadly Left Branch of the Mongodongo told them to go right at the Rock. He sat down with them and explained in detail how to navigate the tricky waters near the fork in the river and even gave them a special journal he had been given that gave both instruction and encouragement from those who had already successfully made it to the great city at the river's end.

Kayla and Ben enjoyed the first part of the trip even though there were a few scary rapids and dangerous downed trees along the way. They pulled their raft onto a small island that was about a quarter mile upstream from the fork in the river and noticed a large group of rafters laughing and having a great time. There were about twenty rafts in the group and nearly eighty people of all ages. Kayla noticed that some of the people didn't have water bottles and seemed thirsty while others had blisters on their hands from rowing. Some seemed cold because they had come down the river without proper clothes. Kayla asked Ben to gather the extra water bottles they had brought and pass them out while she would use their first aide kit to bandage up the blisters. She had packed a few extra jackets for the trip and knew it would be the Christian thing to give them away even though they were expensive Patagonia Jackets from Cabelas. Bummer!

They were showing the people the love of Christ and it was clear to them that it would show by their actions. As Ben handed out water bottles he noticed a big sign that was in the lead raft. It read: "Left Branch River Outfitters". Ben began to chat with the river guide who told him that he was leading the group down the Left Branch today and that it was supposed to be a great time. Ben knew that his maps told a different story but who was he to impose his ideas on them? Besides they were having such a good time and he didn't want to scare them. After talking it over with Kayla, it was decided that their actions of love and service would probably be enough to convince the group to follow them down the Right Branch. As they all made their way back into the river, Kayla noticed that the other group turned down the Left Branch and as they did , Ben could hear one of the men yell out, "Thanks for the water and the jackets!" At the end of the trip, just before the great city, Kayla and Ben saw floating in the river four water bottles, three torn and deflated rafts, and two Patagonia jackets but not a person was seen again from the doomed Left Branch group.

I've heard it said before that it is often better to share Christ with our deeds than our words. As a matter of fact, St. Francis of Assisi said it this way, "Preach the gospel at all times - if necessary, use words." Now I don't want to contradict a Saint but I do want to share the words of the Apostle Paul and also make a couple points.

In Romans Chapter 10, after Paul shares the words, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." he goes on to make a rather obvious point. "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" He goes onto say, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."

Look, the Gospel is amazingly good news but ultimately it comes through the sharing of the message. It is impossible to share the Gospel without words. At some point in time, the name of Jesus has to be shared because the Bible tells us that "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." I know many people who manifest love and good deeds but do not lead people to saving faith in Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact some of the kindest people I know have been followers of New Age, Wiccans, and practitioners of Transcendental Meditation but none of them by their actions led a single soul to call on the name of God's one and only Son. Our lack of using words usually comes out of fear. Fear of losing friends. Fear of not knowing enough? Fear of being labeled a bigot or a radical. It also comes from a true lack of urgency for the fate of those going down the Left Branch.

Here is my last point: It ALL comes down to love! Our sharing of the truth of the Gospel has to come from a heart of love for others. It has to come from caring more about another's eternal life and their restored relationship with God than whether or not someone likes us or likes what we say. If we share out of a heart of self righteousness then we become hypocrites. If we give them the words but fail to touch them in their need (ie. feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the widow, and heal the sick) then the words will never be heard and we will not have loved!

The sharing of the Gospel requires us to pass out the water bottles, the bandages, and the new Patagonia jackets but it also requires us to tell the people about the dangerous Left Branch and the passage of safety at the Rock! We need to use words! Jesus didn't walk around silently healing and feeding. He spoke right up to the point before he ascended to the right hand of the Father, speaking these words, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Peace,

David

Don't Stop Half Way - God Wants You to Keep Walking

I woke up this morning with no idea what to write today then a picture came to my mind. First, a little background. Today is Saturday August 22, 2009 and in about six and a half hours a good friend of ours is going to be married in our back yard. We've spent many hours preparing the yard for the wedding and the bride-to-be has spent many hours preparing for her big day. She has sent out invitations, picked out rings, picked out her wedding dress, and chosen her maid of honor and her wedding party. We've mulched, mowed, weeded, washed, painted, and spread stones. Last night they had the rehearsal. You know the pretend wedding. Walk the path, say the things, and do the kiss but no rings, no blessing, no marriage. They leave the rehearsal dinner the same way they came to the rehearsal - unmarried.

So here is the image I had this morning. The pastor and the groom are standing there in the front as the music plays then comes the beautiful bride down the steps and slowly up the aisle. People have tears in their eyes because they know the magnitude of what is about to happen The groom's heart races and his hands begin to sweat just a bit. About half way down the aisle the bride stops dead in her tracks, frozen like a mannequin. There is a weird hush and the music stops. What will she do? All eyes are on the motionless bride. (Just for the record my vision isn't about this particular wedding because I know Susie will walk all the way to her man and leave with a new last name. This is a parable per se. So it's OK Susie, I hope you don't mind me using this analogy on your big day.)

Here is where my vision takes three turns:

1) She turns around and runs for her life. Flowers fall, the groom flashes a look of horror, a low but powerful corporate sigh comes from the people, and the last thing you see is the train of her dress as she rounds the corner and heads out of dodge. She made it half way then went back to her old life.

2) She stays there frozen stiff, not moving forward and not running away. Just going nowhere. She made it halfway and is stuck there like bubble gum in your hair. (sorry, that was the first thing that came to my mind and I had to use it.)

3) She continues her slow and steady procession to the front where she gives her life to the one she loves and her whole life is forever changed. She becomes part of a family and is no longer her own. She is united with her husband and has become one with him. She didn't stop half way!

There aren't many things that are good half way. A putt that gets only half way to the hole. Two years of a four year college degree. A drag racer who's car makes it half way down the track. A skateboard with only two wheels. Half way almost always leaves you feeling disappointed, sad, and unsatisfied.

Peter went half way (Matthew 14:25-31)

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

"Come," he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

The rich young man went half way after asking Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:16-22):

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

I've witnessed to many people and one thing I see over and over is an initial excitement or curiosity, some sense that their life is on the wrong track and is somehow void of real, eternal meaning. They get out of the boat but then sink part way out. They get part way down the wedding aisle and either freeze or bolt. Then they say to me, "Why, can't I hear from God?" or "Why is my life so empty or confusing?". They go back to their lives unchanged and maybe even a bit worse because they had a small taste of the goodness of God and now their lives taste even a little bit more bitter in contrast. Jesus compared them to seed that "fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root."

One thing I've come to understand about my relationship with God is that it doesn't work well when I stop half way. Sure I stop at times and have fear, stop at times and have sin, stop at times and see stuff in the world that I know is wrong but my flesh wants it, but when push comes to shove I know that nothing really matters if I walk away from the God of the universe who made me and knows the plans he has for me. Do I know better than him? I think not.

Here is my prayer for you today. I pray that you have a sense of God's call on your life and that he grant you the courage and the strength to go the distance. That you walk forward no matter how scary it gets, how many friends walk away, how much the tug of sin wants to drown you under its waves, or how alone you might feel. I think Chris Berman, the NFL commentator, would sound cool saying it like this: "I think he's (she's) going to go ALL ... THE ... WAY!" Let it be so for you.

Please drop us a note if you are stuck in the aisle, running away, or maybe thinking it's time to go all the way. We're here for you but more importantly God is there for you!

Peace, David

Radical Christianity - Is There Any Other Kind?

Picture the scene. It's a sunny day somewhere in the Blue Ridge Mountains (feel free to substitute the name of your nearest park or church parking lot) and there is a party goin on. It's the annual church pig roast complete with bingo tables, the big music stage, and free elephant rides for the kids. Over there by the rotating roast is a group of guys making sure that the pork is done just right. Let's sneak over and listen in on their conversation.

Bill: "Oowee Ed, we're getting close. It's smell'in real good. Pretty good turn out this year."

Ed: "This is my favorite day in the church! Good people, good food, and good fun! Doesn't get much better than this!"

Pete: "Amen Brother! Hey, isn't that the new guy who moved in next to Sandy and Harv. I heard he might be the new youth leader but word has it that he's a bit over the top. 'Jesus this and Jesus that', always, talking about God. It's like he's obsessed with it."

Ed: "I know what you mean. It's like some of these "Born Again" types have a one track mind. They're always trying to get people to "Come to Jesus". Who are we to tell others that Jesus is the 'only way'. I say 'Live and let live!' This is America! Everything in moderation, know what I mean."

Bill: "That's right. I have a life you know. I do plenty for the church and I don't want to push my beliefs down anyone else's throat. Besides, I learned a long time ago that there are two things you never talk about: religion and politics! I do church at church. These religious fanatics make me uncomfortable."

Fred: "Radicals. That's really what they are. Jesus freaks. It's a shame the last youth guy left. The kids loved him. They sure had lots of fun and did a bunch of community service but he didn't get them all riled up to board the Jesus train. Last thing we need is for our kids to be going to school want'n to evangelize their friends. They'd be the laugh'n stock of the school."

Ed: "Don't worry fellas, I heard the Pastor will keep him on a short leash. We don't want to look intolerant of other religions so if he starts getting to be a Jesus freak he won't last long here."

Bill: "Hey Ed, wanna slice me off a little sampler. I think she's done just right!"

Someone once said to me, "You must be one of those 'born again' Christians." A strange though came to my head, "Is there any other kind?" Doesn't the word "Christian" imply that the one to whom the label is given has been born again of the Spirit of God? Apparently, for many in the church it is not the case. By the way, I want to differentiate the 'church' from the 'Church'. I use the little 'c' to differentiate the overall number of church attenders and professing "Christians" from those who have been truly born again of the Spirit of God through saving faith in Jesus Christ as their only means of salvation (ie. the Church or the Body of Christ). Surveys show that more than 70% of Americans identify themselves as "Christian". Only God knows but I think if it were so, the nation would be a very different place.

Let me cut to the chase. Christianity is RADICAL! Now, I don't mean radical in the fanatical sense. I don't mean hostile, mean, protesting, or self righteous. But it is not and never has been a passive, lazy, apathetic, pluralistic, or a part time hobby. I want us to take a good look at what the Church (capital 'C') looked like in the first century and then take an even closer look at our own lives to see where we are. Are we radical, on fire, Jesus freak, born again Christians? Or are we church goers who might do a few church activities and church functions but then Jesus fades when we get away from the church building and into our lives?

How passionate where the followers of Jesus Christ in the early Church? How dedicated? How caring? Let's look at what the Word says in the Book of Acts Chapter 2.

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

What did the followers of Jesus endure as they boldly and unashamedly preached the Gospel?

Here is a list of Paul's struggles as he lived a radical life for Christ:

"Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers." 2 Corinthians 11:22-26.

The writer of Hebrew shares these words, "Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented-- of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth."

It is believed that 11 of the 12 Apostles were killed for preaching the Gospel and claiming Jesus was the one and only Son of God. Peter was reportedly crucified, hanging upside down because he didn't feel worthy to be killed in the same way as his Lord.

"Radical Christianity" Friends, there is no other kind. We can't water it down, tame it, temper it, fit it into the pluralistic world view of the west, or make it just a weekend hobby. If you're not feeling a bit of the heat, you might not be in the kitchen. Just for the record, I know that there are many of you and many churches that are on fire, radical, and doing radical things in the name of Jesus. And, to you I say, "Hallelujah!" "Keep the fire burning!" I pray that we would all have a new sense of awe and a revived passion for Christ. If you have not yet come to know Jesus Christ and are feeling the desire to keep listening, please stick with us and feel free to ask questions any time! You are why we are here!

A couple housekeeping notes. If you haven't listened to our audio podcasts you can find them at The I-61 Project.org or subscribe in iTunes. Also please check out Andrew Gommeson's Blog. His testimony is podcast episode #3. Thanks to all who have been following and commenting. You are a blessing to us!!

Peace,

David

What if We Skipped the Budget Meeting and Had a Prayer Meeting?

I was thinking (and that is often dangerous!) that God is pretty amazing. He designed the human body and because most of us take it for granted I wanted to give you a few facts to make my point:

1) There are 100-160 million capillaries in the human body that, if stretched end to end would reach nearly 50,000 miles (nearly twice the length of the equator).

2) Your heart beats about 36 million times a year (all day, every day, hopefully non-stop).

3) Over your lifetime, your brain remembers (although you may have trouble recalling) 150 trillion (that's 150,ooo billion) bits of information.

4) Your eye has nearly 125 million rods and cones (the receptors that process black and white and color respectively)

Now, that would be amazing in itself but he also designed each of the 1.4 million known species in the world and created the universe with its galaxies, stars, planets, nebulae, and black holes.

So, where am I going with this?

Let me describe the usual church council meeting:

First, there is the cursory opening prayer. Now I know that we all mean what we pray but let's be honest that if we actually used a stopwatch we would find that our prayer lasted one to two minutes max. If you don't believe me, take a stopwatch to the next meeting and give it a whirl. Then, there might be a wrap up or ratification of last week's agenda followed by this week's agenda. We devise programs, budgets, and marketing plans, design worship, design the bulletin, design the new stain glass window that was donated by aunt Gertrude, and design the layout of the new cafe which will "appeal to seekers". We try to find ways to increase the Sunday collection and to get more people in the pews. The meeting usually lasts a couple hours and then we close with prayer. Get out the stopwatch because I bet the closing prayer is less than a minute.

Don't get me wrong, all of these might be done with good intention and much of it is fine in and of themselves, but let's get something straight. God is GOD! The Bible tells us that God is omnipotent (all powerful).

Jeremiah 32:17,27 says, "Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you."

Is it possible that God already knows how to grow his Church, how to bless his Church, how to provide for his Church, and how to lead his Church? Maybe, just maybe, we are trying too hard. Maybe we've been a bit too proud, thinking that we can figure it out and use our wisdom to do what God is just waiting to do already. The Church is becoming a big business and is often being run like a Fortune 5o0 company with consultants and marketing people. Have they made churches bigger? Sometimes. But is "big" the desire? Not if "big" is also shallow or if it is at the expense of truth.

Let me throw something out there that might just be too crazy. It might be sound so ridiculous that you stop reading and begin laughing so hard you pop a vein in your forehead. But I think I'm going to do it anyway (caution if you have vascular disease!).

What if.... I mean, what if we just gathered together, fell prostrate (that means laying on your belly, face down) before the Lord, confessed our sins to Him, called on him to reveal to us his will, stood and worshiped Him with all of our passion (the same amount we give on SuperBowl Sunday), fast, and then waited on Him? I wonder what would happen. I wonder if God would be pleased with the humility and the surrender that he saw. I wonder if he would say, "Now, I can do what I want to do through you." I don't know because I'm not God but He does tell us in his Word:

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place." 2 Chronicles 7:14-15

Is it possible God's eyes and ears aren't attentive to our prayers now? These were his words not mine! I have been shown over and over that God is SO much bigger than I am and SO much more capable than I give him credit for. He doesn't need my money (although he expects us to reveal our love for Him and faith in Him through the giving of our "first fruits"). He uses us in his plan of salvation because he loves us. I think that we need to look into the Bible and see the times that God ROCKED people's worlds; Moses, Elijah, David, and the Apostles. Did the awesome power of God they saw when the Red Sea divided, fire came down from heaven, Goliath fell, or when 5,000 people were fed with a couple fish and a few loaves of bread, come from strategic planning, marketing, and the wisdom of man, or did they come by faith?

Friends, now is the time for us to do what God asks; humble ourselves, turn from our wicked ways, pray, and seek his face. I think we will see a move of God like we have not seen in our lifetimes... Hmmmm, just maybe.

Peace,

David

The Christian Diet - Don't Get Stuck on Baby's Milk

So, my wife is away at a conference for the weekend, it's seven PM and my stomach starts to grumble. My sons ask me, "What's for dinner?" "Hmmm? I'm not really sure. Let me look and see what we have." BINGO! Frozen mozzarella sticks and a bowl of Lucky Charms. Dad is the greatest! Then, just to complete the menu we finish off the last of the chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. As the final spoonful goes down, the phone rings.

"Hi honey. How's your trip", I say.

"Great. What did you and the boys have for dinner?"

"Um, well just some stuff."

"What kind of stuff"

"Mozzarella sticks, Lucky Charms, and ice cream."

"Wonderful!" She says with a sigh. "And what vegetable did you make?"

"Don't the green marshmallows have some vegetables in them?"

GO DAD!

Nutrition. We're surrounded by diets, been taught the food groups, and know what we need to eat to stay healthy. Clearly, my attempt at preparing dinner was inadequate and over time (if I was in charge) my boys would become over weight and vitamin deficient and eventually the Child Protective Service would come and haul them away.

OK, what does this have to do with being a Christian? Read on. Good nutrition starts when we are born. We know that the very best food a new born baby can have is mother's milk. In the first few days after birth moms make a special milk called colostrum which has a variety of growth factors and also antibodies to help fight infection. Then the milk changes to regular breast milk. The baby's small body and immature digestive system isn't ready for solid food yet. A T-bone steak and mashed potatoes just wouldn't sit well. Not only that, it's little toothless gums couldn't even begin to chew the meat.

I want to share with you a spiritual correlation to this concept of nutrition and growth. Although what I'm about to share applies particularly to those who have already accepted Christ, I don't want those of you who haven't to stop here. Please keep reading. When we are new to the faith (or maybe exploring our faith) we are like newborns. Actually, the Bible says that when we trust Christ, we have been born again so this is probably very accurate. As newborns, we aren't ready for solid food or things that are hard to swallow. The Apostle Paul wrote these words to an immature church in the city of Corinth, "Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly - mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, because you were not ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready for it."

There is a time in the life of a Christian and in the life of a church when we need to be fed baby's milk (the simple things of the faith). Here is the problem. Many people and many churches never move past the baby food and their growth is stunted. They may have the gift of salvation but they struggle in and with the world and don't have the knowledge of the Word nor do they grow in their understanding of the deeper things of God. Because of their lack of growth they are spiritually weak and when the winds of life blow they are easily toppled.

Then there are those who begin to dine on more grown up spiritual food but only the food that tastes good. Like I said in my last post, these are the ones who only like the parts of the Bible that make them feel good and don't make them uncomfortable. This is like the fats and carbohydrates in the food world. I love a good piece of Boston cream pie and I love french fries. They are easy to chew, taste great, and go down easy. But, if I ate only those things I would grow in girth, be tired, and very unfit. Sometimes I need to eat protein. Protein is harder to chew and occasionally I may need to even cut it in small pieces to get it down. Protein is like the deeper and harder to understand parts of the Word but without them we stay little children and even infants in Christ. Paul spoke to the Church at Corinth to encourage them to grow.

Then there are the Brussels sprouts and the radishes! The things that make kid's faces contort and grimace but the things packed with vitamins and minerals. They (at least to most of us) taste like dirt and just rub us the wrong way. These are the parts of the Bible that we just don't like to hear but are, nonetheless, as true as the parts that say God loves us. For instance, in the parable of the sheep and the goats when Jesus describes his second coming he tells his disciples that all the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Then he will say to the goats (the unrighteous) "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels." Wow, If that isn't a spiritual radish I don't know what is! But, it is from the mouth the One who also says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." That is more like a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter day! But we need to feed on both to grow in the knowledge of God.

So, my friend, if you are in a church or Bible study and seem to be getting only baby's milk, or maybe just the desert, you might want to also find a place to get some meat and vegetables. Find a bible believing small group or bible study that presses you and challenges you. Find a good book that dives into the deep things of God and see how you grow. Open the Word, read the Book of Matthew and ask God to open your spiritual eyes to see and discern. See how you stand when the tidal waves come and try to sweep you away! See how your faith grows and then you will also start to feed others who maybe still sipping on milk. Don't be afraid or offended by those parts that don't seem to taste so good. God knows what he's doing and he knows what you need. The banquet is ready! Come.

Peace,

David