Thoughts on Jim Palmer's post

First read this post by Jim Palmer. Unlearning the ‘R’-word

I saw Jim's post as "baby step" toward a fuller understanding of what repentance means. This in no way means I see it as unimportant. I see it as the one-time decision and this is the first step of the renewing that continues as we grow. Yet, as it is foundational, one cannot lay again a foundation of repentance, but must learn to walk in repentance in faith. One cannot go back and re-repent as that is putting Jesus again into public ridicule and crucifying Him over and over again. Instead, we repent and learn to walk in this new mindset by confessing to God and others. Confession means we are humble and are acting upon the initial internal repentance. 

We talked about someone falling away. Sometimes we view this as losing salvation... and I think that is wrong and confuses more people. I see that most often, Jesus has revealed an aspect of "religion" that we must choose to reject as not of Christ. However, since many see these revealed things as essentials, those people who see them often are deemed fallen away when in fact they are closer to following Jesus than ever. These are the people I work with and reach. They often are just confused by "religion" and never fell from Jesus. but fell back into religious works. 

The rejection of religious works for the approval of God is most often what Paul speaks about in his writings. It is impossible to fall away from God as God is God... He is God of Heaven and Hell... (however you may interpret that.) Nothing can separate us from the Love of God... as God is Love. If God begins a good work in us, He is faithful to complete it... and if He does not, then God is a liar... so perseverance itself comes from God once a person can understand it.

Falling from Grace is not the same as losing salvation. One can return to confessional  life as they understand that repentance was done... and acknowledge it as real the first time. 

End of one year and looking at the next...

2011 was a tough year and while there were some fun events that happened, there were some I would rather never relive. I won’t go into the details other than saying having a minor stroke, losing my job, then about time I feel ready to return to job hunting, I am assaulted and left with a broken ankle.

Now I am recovering well and see that soon I can begin the job hunting fun. Though, since I have been out of work so long it seems a rather daunting task to behold.  I have not been much up to writing on my blog and have tried to do some live shows on Saving Faith Radio. Neither pays the bills…

This may be the final days of Saving Faith Radio http://www.live365.com/stations/iggy14u . At present, I am without supporters or sponsors.  It is frustrating as the station is consistently in the top ten in its genre and I receive “A listener likes you” emails from live365.com on a daily basis. I know there are people listening yet no one is able or willing to help out.

Over the 12 years the station has been on the air, I have been amazed at where the stats have taken it. I have been contacted by people who were in European countries that are not “Christian” friendly as well as see stats from China and Arab nations that outright censor Christian stations. I see the main reason is that the music I play is not all CCM style but pulls from a variety of music from people who profess faith Jesus Christ. I mean, what other “Christian” station plays Alice Cooper can you think of?

While I have heard many huge Christian stations talk of cutting $1 million from their budget, I have been able to run Saving Faith Radio for less than $500 a year.  Think about that for a minute. I have also been able to help facilitate moving money for ministries into nations many people have not been able to. We have helped feed orphans in India and send shoes to Africa as well as teaching material to other nations Of course this all happened with the help of others.

On the other side, we have helped get artists be heard that otherwise are not heard. We have played many unsigned artists who later went on to become successful as well as played artists who had great success in the past but cannot or choose not to tour, yet produce great music.

Saving Faith Radio has done more than I thought it would in its 12 years and in that I am proud of it. However, since money is tighter this year than ever, and no one has stepped up, I am most likely letting it go. I already cannot renew my podcast http://iggyrocks.podbean.com/ and I know many have enjoyed and benefited from the free promotions of their books and websites.

I pray that those reading will see I would rather not beg for money. I also pray that someone or some people step up and help.  As much as I hate to say goodbye to Saving Faith Radio, this may be the year I have to let it go.

Blessings!

Blog Carnival: Subconscious Cultural Assumption

Language is a strange thing. One can assume they understand what someone is saying, yet still miss the point the other is making. I was aware of the issue of language before I had children, however, I became more away of the intrinsic nuances of language when my children began to start reading and spelling. 

“Dad, how to do you spell red?” (It is easy to see this in writing) I responded, “R-E-A-D.”

“No, dad that is read. You read books you don’t red them.”

“Oh, I thought you meant read as in ‘you read a book’.”

“No, like the color!”

At this point my kids usually either assume I am joking with them or just a little touched in the head… which I am these days.


Now if those of us who speak English can get confused, imagine those learning our language or trying to translate from their language into English (or visa-versa).


Here is one example:

I believe this is Japanese, though since I don’t read or speak Japanese that is my best guess. I would have no idea what they are saying without the translation. However, I am a bit concerned that they seem to want me to slip and fall, but am thankful they want me to be careful as I do!

Here is another example:

I wonder if this is Chinese? More, I wonder if ever I go to China, will I be abducted!?! But it does sound like those abductors in China will give you at least one phone call! I guess in that case it would be good advice to call the police. However, I am not really sure that is what they mean.

Now, imagine trying to understand a translation (even if it is much better than these) that also holds historical contexts and idioms that are culturally specific. Once again it would come into play that at times words may not mean or be understood as they were originally intended.

Jesus spoke in parables, and His words about “eat my flesh” gave way to the thought from many non-Christians that those who believed in Jesus were—cannibals! Halsal (1998), points out just a part of an accusation that was raised against Christians. Just so you know, this was describing the Eucharist/Communion.

Now the story about the initiation of young novices is as much to be detested as it is well known. An infant covered over with meal, that it may deceive the unwary, is placed before him who is to be stained with their rites: this infant is slain by the young pupil, who has been urged on as if to harmless blows on the surface of the meal, with dark and secret wounds. Thirstily - O horror! they lick up its blood; eagerly they divide its limbs. By this victim they are pledged together; with this consciousness of wickedness they are covenanted to mutual silence. (para. 3).

Now imagine what we may be missing when we try to assume we know what the Bible is saying about Camels going through eyes of needles! We try to see it as a sewing needle, but what was being spoken about was in Jerusalem there was a doorway into the city that was called the “Eye of the Needle”. When someone entered that entrance with a loaded camel, they would first have to remove all the baggage from the camel, then the camel would have to kneel low and crawl through the door way. Thus, Jesus meant that it was easier for a loaded camel to enter the city than a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Not impossible, but with difficulty.

O'Grady, & Lane, (1996) speak of a phenomenon in business called “THE PSYCHIC DISTANCE PARADOX” which happens when businesses see similarities in companies in other countries but miss the dissimilarities that may harm their relationship. It is sort of a spot blindness concerning cultural blindness that as O'Grady, & Lane, (1996) mention, "factors preventing or disturbing firms learning about and understanding a foreign environment". In other words meaning, while one can see that Canada and the USA are similar in many ways, there are major differences in how we may see the world, especially concerning business.

We must take into account that the teachings in the bible may not be as we see them in our own culture. We must realize we are talking about at least 4000 years of historical context and 100’s of perspectives when we read the bible. To assume that when Jesus spoke of “the poor will be with us always” does not mean that we can use that for our own political position and develop policies to not take care of the poor in our cities. Remember, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for lack of hospitality and in how they treated visitors (the homosexual aspect was not about orientation but about rape and other violence against those who came to those cities). Here is a verse to show what I mean:

Ezekiel 16:48. As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done. 49. "`Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. 50. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. (NIV)

The main point I am trying to make in this post is, don’t just assume. Don’t just assume what you were taught is what the bible is saying. Don’t just assume that you get it without digging deeper. I will also add, don’t assume you can understand the bible without help from the Holy Spirit. Also, don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that the bible is not clear on many things that can be easily understood today. I am admonishing all to look deeper into what you think you know.




Be sure to visit my friends who are taking part in this Blog Carnival.


How to Change Subconscious Cultural Assumptions

Subconscious Cultural Assumption And “The Other”

Tripping and Stumbling while following Jesus

Oh, here is one more for laughs: 

References

Halsal, P. (1998). Ancient History Sourcebook: . Retrieved from http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/christian-cannibals.asp

O'Grady, S., & Lane, H. W. (1996). THE PSYCHIC DISTANCE PARADOX. Journal Of International Business Studies, 27(2), 309-333.

 

Ephesians 3 The Mystery, Jesus Christ

Picture source

Ephesians 3 The Mystery, Jesus Christ

Common English Bible (CEB) Via Biblegateway.com

 1 This is why I, Paul, am a prisoner of Christ for you Gentiles.

 2 You’ve heard, of course, about the responsibility to distribute God’s grace, which God gave to me for you, right? 3 God showed me his secret plan[a] in a revelation, as I mentioned briefly before 4 (when you read this, you’ll understand my insight into the secret plan[b] about Christ). 5 Earlier generations didn’t know this hidden plan that God has now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets through the Spirit. 6 This plan is that the Gentiles would be coheirs and parts of the same body, and that they would share with the Jews in the promises of God in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7 I became a servant of the gospel because of the grace that God showed me through the exercise of his power.

8 God gave his grace to me, the least of all God’s people, to preach the good news about the immeasurable riches of Christ to the Gentiles. 9 God sent me to reveal the secret plan[c] that had been hidden since the beginning of time by God, who created everything. 10 God’s purpose is now to show the rulers and powers in the heavens the many different varieties of his wisdom through the church. 11 This was consistent with the plan he had from the beginning of time that he accomplished through Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In Christ we have bold and confident access to God through faith in him.[d] 13 So then, I ask you not to become discouraged by what I’m suffering for you, which is your glory.

 14 This is why I kneel before the Father. 15 Every ethnic group in heaven or on earth is recognized by him. 16 I ask that he will strengthen you in your inner selves from the riches of his glory through the Spirit. 17 I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. As a result of having strong roots in love, 18 I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers. 19 I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge so that you will be filled entirely with the fullness of God.

 20 Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us; 21 glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations, forever and always. Amen.

Footnotes:

Ephesians 3:3 Or mystery

Ephesians 3:4 Or mystery

Ephesians 3:9 Or mystery

Ephesians 3:12 Or through his faithfulness

I love how the Common English Bible states the firsts verse in a form of a question. “v2 You’ve heard, of course, about the responsibility to distribute God’s grace, which God gave to me for you, right?” For me, it conveys the heart of the verse in a way other versions gloss over. Paul, mentions that he has stated this before, and this is a gentle (or rhetorical) reminder of what he has already taught and was accepted as truth by those in Ephesus who now are reading his words. Paul lays out the mystery, or “secret plan” that was always there yet hidden. This secret plan was hidden to those throughout the ages yet, was always there in plain sight. Paul, states he received the understanding of the secret plan by revelation.

Revelation is tricky. Many can claim revelation, and use it to abuse people. Some seem to think that they become special when they receive revelation and often this seems to go to people’s head and they become power hungry and abusive. I do think at times these people are truly humble at a point, as they could not receive revelation without humility. However, Satan or humanities own evil desires can twist even the purest revelation into something it was never intended for. Again, I am not speaking of something that was not there in the text, but the sudden understanding of a text of Scripture, more akin to Luther’s “the just shall live by faith” moment that rocks the Church even today.

This special revelation that Paul received was special in that Paul was the first to see it. Paul, by guidance of the Holy Spirit of Christ Jesus, began to understand who Jesus was. Jesus WAS the Mystery or Secret Plan from the beginning of creation. Jesus was the redemption of all creation. Jesus was the unveiling of the Goodness and loving compassion of God alone. God is and was possibly NEVER angry with mankind, but with sin.

But, there is more to this secret plan of Christ Jesus. For the Jews believed they were like the man who received that special revelation, however instead of spreading to all the nations of the world, they kept it hidden by not sharing the goodness of God to the Nations. They, like the pastor who sees a truth and uses it for his own advantage, twisted the true nature of the Law into a Graceless means to force God to listen and obey their desires. If that was not horrific alone, they then used the Law to divide and keep people away from God instead of using it to unite and bring those to God.  

Now, not all of Israel did this, but at the time of Jesus this was the case with the Roman rule and occupation of Jerusalem. The focus was on trying to get God’s attention as if God was like the pagan Gods. But they already had God’s attention, as well as the Gentiles who did not even seek God. God already had the secret plan in motion at creation in the Person of Jesus Christ.

Paul was suffering, as he was in chains bound by Roman guards. Paul had suffered much for Christ in many ways from stonings to whippings. However, Paul stated that these sufferings were all worth it if the Gentiles came to know Jesus. For this reason, Paul would kneel and pray that every ethnic group would come to know Jesus in an intimate way in a love that knows no boundaries.

V  18 I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers.

This love that has no boundaries or bonds goes beyond mere head knowledge. It is received only by revelation. It goes straight to the heart of a person and may take a while for the head to begin to even comprehend it (though I believe it never can). To know this love is to know the Fullness of God. The Fullness of God is Christ Jesus of course, so to know Jesus is to know the Fullness of God through Christ in you.

Often we want to peg down God in our mere and pathetic theologies. Yes, I am often guilty of this myself so do not mean to point fingers at others. However, we must realize that God is able to do much more than we will ever comprehend in and through us by His Power (not ours). By doing this, God brings glory to Himself and to His Church through Christ Jesus and this will be everlasting. 

Learning to love my neighbor

 

This is my leg

Many of you may be wondering where or what happened to me over the last few weeks. I admit, I wonder myself a bit. I am not even sure what I can share as it is still under investigation as to what did happen and who did what to me. 

What I can say is this. People ask me what I did to myself, and I answer, “I did nothing, someone else did this to me.” I go on and state that there was a party at a neighbor’s house that seemed to be getting a bit out of hand. I went over to see if everyone was safe and apparently they were, but I was not. I ended up punched in the face, at which I fell back hitting my head giving me a concussion. Then someone decided to stomp on my ankle, severely fracturing it. Then they went back to their party to discuss how they should get away, leaving me in my driveway to crawl on hands and knees down my sidewalk, up my stairs, and call my wife for help. 

The police seemed to arrive fast and found the party was gone. My daughter (Ciana) came up about the time the police arrived and looked at me, and then matter-a-fact way stated, “Mom, dad’s head is -bleeding and I am hungry.” Bless her non-traumatized heart. 

The police took pictures and the ambulance people agreed my ankle was broken, but we decided to not take the ride in the ambulance. They did help me to the Durango and TES took me to the emergency room.

Much of the time I was on morphine so would fade in and out. I was cleaned up fairly well as the nurses and medical staff pulled gravel from my foot, legs and head. Someone stated they believed they had gotten all the rocks from my head and I asked them to put some back as I had to have something in that empty place most people keep a brain.

Again, much is fuzzy as pain killers knocked me out at times. I needed surgery so they took my blood sugar, which of course was high, so they decided to wait until it went down. After around 16-18 hours, my blood sugar seemed to just want to run high although I had not eaten since I arrived at the hospital.

My blood sugar finally went down under 200 and they rushed me into the OR. You can see the pictures of the fine work they did on me as I will post some soon. The next day I was put in a boot and after the rehab people walked me around a bit I learned how to move about on crutches. In a way, I am recovering from surgery (had the staples removed today) and waiting to recover enough to have a cast put on.

The nursing staff was great; I had no complaints at all. The Dr. seems to be doing his job so no complaints there. The Dr. does seemed to be using my break to show how a normal break differs from a trauma break via stomping as I hear him say that something’s are not as straight forward as with a normal break. I for one am thankful there was not a gun or knife involved.

Please pray for me of course, but also pray for my neighbor, and his friends who assaulted me. I pray that God uses this for good in some way.  While I am not happy with the situation, these are young guys and one who was once a young guy, I know what stupid things they can do ( I did enough stupid things myself). Right now, all I am trying to do is love my neighbor under these crazy circumstances.

I have been home for the last few days. Mostly, I sleep and wait for the next time I can take my pain killers. The doctor seems to agree that I need them. I hope to become more present on Twitter, FB and G+ soon.

Thank you all for your prayers and love.

Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?

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Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?

I rarely allow my critics to guide me in what I write these days. Most of what they say has been said as what they say contradicts itself and then end up agreeing with me—only to say I am still “not saved”. I see them as sad little people who do not know how to love others and have a warped understanding of the Gospel. 

Now that is out of the way…

Romans 6:1.  What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?

I was reading in Romans six and it hit me how so many people read this and miss the point completely. Why? They read this verse out of context of the others and not within the overall teaching of Scripture.

Yes, if you just take this verse it seems to say, “You cannot keep on sinning and expect grace to cover you.” But think about that…. If we can out sin grace, then grace means nothing. 

So, if we look at what Paul taught in chapter five we see that Paul just unpacked a teaching about grace in a profound and deep way. He stated things like:

Romans 5: 16 Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.

To summarize chapter five is to say that Jesus is our:

Reconciliation

Justification

Obedience

Salvation from death (as we died with Jesus on the cross) 

We also find that this is all by Grace. 

Then we hit chapter six. If we read it out of context we find that, yes, grace is not sufficient to cover all those things, but we just saw it did. So what is Paul saying?

Romans 6: 1. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2. By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3. Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4. We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  5. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.  6.  For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,  that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- 7. because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8.  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.  9.  For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10.  The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11.  In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

We died to sin. How? When we were “Baptized” (Immersed) into Christ. If you believe in Jesus, this already happened! We were buried with Jesus for a reason—to be raised again to New Life! You are united with Jesus in His death and then united with Jesus in His resurrection.  Your old self is dead (contrary to some who teach it still lives and you struggle with your old self). The process is then about the renewal of the mind and not dealing with sin. We are no longer slaves to sin because we died to sin and now live in Christ Jesus. Your old self is dead… buried… never to be dug up again… your old self is dead as sin…

Let me show another scripture out of Romans that shows more clearly what I’m, saying. We skip over to Romans chapter eight: 

Romans 8: 1.  Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2.  because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.  3.  For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature,  God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.  And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4.  in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. 

I guarantee that people will say I am soft selling sin. Not at all, I am agreeing with the bible as to what happened to sin. Here we read that God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to die for us or in place of us. When Jesus was on the Cross, He condemned sin IN sinful man. Man was never condemned, but SIN WAS!  In fact, what God did was make you His very righteousness. You are all that is right about God by His Grace! 

2 Corinthians 5: 21.  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

So  when I read how some misuse this passage I am saddened that  in one breath they claim grace, then in another misuse a passage to abuse and condemn others and miss that it states the opposite of their intentions. So like Paul states in Galatians 3:

Galatians 3: 1.  You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2.  I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3.  Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 

So do not let some legalist twist the bible to take away Grace from you. Live as the rightness of God through Jesus by His very Resurrected Life.

 My only (slight) disclaimer as I know some idiots out there will ask this is, no, I am not saying go out and live however you want. You are no longer "slaves to sin", but the rightness of God. However, unlike many who would even suggest that (as I see it a lack of trust and faith in God), I trust that the Grace of God is sufficient to save as well as the Holy Spirit greatly qualified to change a person how God sees fit and not by my own agenda and understanding. When it comes to a person's "sin", I believe God has dealt with it and deals with us on a much deeper basis than outward "sin". I see God as going to the core of our being and working in the renewal of our minds. Some people are more messed up than others and need patience and kindness. I wonder at those who judge and condemn others, when Jesus himself never did so. In fact, I see that those who act such a way toward others as to it to Jesus himself.

A meditation on Psalm 23

 Picture source (not a endorsement of site.)

A meditation on Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. - Yet I still do... 

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. - Yet I eat thorns and breathe dust.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yet I feel weak and do so much wrong.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: - Yet at times my fear consumes me.

For thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. - Yet I fear the rod is for me and not to protect me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: - And then You challenge me to invite them to eat with me!

Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup Runneth over. - Yet I fear how I will pay rent and other bills each month.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life - Teach me how to trust You, God.

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. - Only by your Grace and Mercy...