Spurgeon would have been an "emergent". ; )
"We admire a man who was firm in the faith, say four hundred years ago...but such a man today is a nuisance, and must be put down...Yet imagine in those ages past, Luther, Zwingle, Calvin, and their compeers had said, 'The world is out of order; but if we try to set it right we shall only make a great row, and get ourselves into disgrace. Let us go to our chambers, put on our night-caps, and sleep over the bad times, and perhaps when we wake up things will have grown better.' Such conduct on their part would have entailed upon us a heritage of error. Age after age would have gone down into the infernal deeps, and the pestiferous bogs of error would have swallowed all. These men loved the faith and the name of Jesus too well to see them trampled on.
"It is today as it was in the Reformers days. Decision is needed. Here is the day for the man, where is the man for the day? we who have had the gospel passed to us by martyr hands dare not triffle with it, nor sit by and hear it denied by traitors, who pretend to love it, but inwardly abhor every line of it...Look you sirs, there are ages yet to come. If the Lord does not speedily appear, there will come another generation, and another, and all these generations will be tainted and injured if we are not faithful to God and to His truth today. We have come to a turning point in the road. If we turn to the right mayhap our children and our children's children will go that way; but if we turn to the left, generations yet unborn will curse our names for having been unfaithful to God and to His Word."C.H.S., Sermons, 1888, 83-84
It seems that the idea that the Reformation is not done was held by one of the greatest Calvinist himself.
(Update May 13, 2007: I noticed a bit of traffic to this post and wanted to point out that in case anyone missed it, this is posted under "fun" "humor", and "satire"... which makes me really wonder at the mean and nasty comments I received on it... It does though seem to point out as I stated that Spurgeon viewed that reformed theology was not "finished" but was still in process which is what many of the emerging conversation still believe. Yet, even with Spurgeon saying this, and emerging person agreeing, we are still deemed wrong about it. I will not state the obvious on that other than if someones view does not fit certain peoples views and theology they do seem to get mean and nasty... while I think the scripture is clear to bear with patience those who we see need to grow more in their faith... in that I will stand here and bear with patience those who seem to have no humor, and are more out to prove their self right is more right than mine. Theirs is a one-sided argument as I stand with Luther's quote:
"I shall never be a heretic; I may err in dispute, but I do not wish to decide anything finally; on the other hand, I am not bound by the opinions of men. "
Though I am not a Calvinist nor Baptist, I could easily exchange "emergent/Vineyard" or any other label I may hold; so I to hold to the spirit of this Spurgeon quote:
"I AM NEVER ASHAMED TO AVOW MYSELF A CALVINIST; I DO NOT HESITATE TO TAKE THE NAME OF BAPTIST; BUT IF I AM ASKED WHAT IS MY CREED, I REPLY —
"IT IS JESUS CHRIST."
I stand first and foremost on Jesus Christ. In that I stand on the side of Peace.)
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Modernistic fighting over Objective Truth is Unbiblical
Modernistic fighting over Objective Truth is Unbiblical
First off, I am not saying we cannot use the “tools” of modernism or postmodernism… yet there seems to be this misunderstanding in Christianity about certain “terms” that have been infused into “Christian” theology.
One of the terms you will not see in the Bible is objective/subjective in regards to truth. Search every passage on truth and it is not there.
So where did this idea come from…
It was not Moses or Jesus, or even Paul, but rather it was Plato! This same Plato that Irenaeus wrote extensively against as teaching heresy…
Plato's realism taught that truth was only an abstraction… Plato believed that “ideas” were more real than real things. Plato created a vision of two worlds… or what is called “Dualism”. In these two worlds one was of “unchanging ideas” while the other was of changing physical objects.
Again, Plato was teaching a form of Gnosticism… this is the same idea that is taught today by many of the modern church… they are teaching Gnosticism without even realizing it!
The first usage of the phrase “objective truth” was used by German mathematician Gottlob Frege as he was writing against Immanuel Kant. Again, notice that the phrase was not used until the early nineteenth century and by “philosophers”.
The idea again of “objective truth” is the view that there is a reality or realm of objects and facts existing outside and independent of the mind.
Now, there is some use to these terms, yet if one seems to think that by using them they are “more” biblical than someone else… beware.
So what does the Bible say about “Truth”?
It states pretty plainly that Truth is the Person of Jesus Christ.
In that Jesus is a Person… more He is Person within the Godhead.… it is a bit strange that one would fight to objectionize truth… for it is in fact objectionizing God… God is not an “object” like a rock or tree… He is a Person… relatable and wanting to reveal Who He is to those who seek after Him… To turn truth into an object removes the Biblical teaching the God is Living…
We are called to abide or dwell in Christ Jesus… Jesus was full of Grace an Truth… so as we dwell in Christ we are dwelling in His Grace and Truth. We are told also that Jesus is “The Way, The Truth, and the Life”.
So, do not get caught up in vain man made philosophies that though may be helpful in trying grapple in our understanding of Spiritual things, yet must be understood that often they are not “biblical” at their root.
Blessings,
iggy
First off, I am not saying we cannot use the “tools” of modernism or postmodernism… yet there seems to be this misunderstanding in Christianity about certain “terms” that have been infused into “Christian” theology.
One of the terms you will not see in the Bible is objective/subjective in regards to truth. Search every passage on truth and it is not there.
So where did this idea come from…
It was not Moses or Jesus, or even Paul, but rather it was Plato! This same Plato that Irenaeus wrote extensively against as teaching heresy…
Plato's realism taught that truth was only an abstraction… Plato believed that “ideas” were more real than real things. Plato created a vision of two worlds… or what is called “Dualism”. In these two worlds one was of “unchanging ideas” while the other was of changing physical objects.
Again, Plato was teaching a form of Gnosticism… this is the same idea that is taught today by many of the modern church… they are teaching Gnosticism without even realizing it!
The first usage of the phrase “objective truth” was used by German mathematician Gottlob Frege as he was writing against Immanuel Kant. Again, notice that the phrase was not used until the early nineteenth century and by “philosophers”.
The idea again of “objective truth” is the view that there is a reality or realm of objects and facts existing outside and independent of the mind.
Now, there is some use to these terms, yet if one seems to think that by using them they are “more” biblical than someone else… beware.
So what does the Bible say about “Truth”?
It states pretty plainly that Truth is the Person of Jesus Christ.
In that Jesus is a Person… more He is Person within the Godhead.… it is a bit strange that one would fight to objectionize truth… for it is in fact objectionizing God… God is not an “object” like a rock or tree… He is a Person… relatable and wanting to reveal Who He is to those who seek after Him… To turn truth into an object removes the Biblical teaching the God is Living…
We are called to abide or dwell in Christ Jesus… Jesus was full of Grace an Truth… so as we dwell in Christ we are dwelling in His Grace and Truth. We are told also that Jesus is “The Way, The Truth, and the Life”.
So, do not get caught up in vain man made philosophies that though may be helpful in trying grapple in our understanding of Spiritual things, yet must be understood that often they are not “biblical” at their root.
Blessings,
iggy
Monday, March 26, 2007
Walking Through Romans: pt1 chapter 1: 1-7
Walking through Romans: pt1
Romans 1 (New King James Version)
Greeting
1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. 5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
First off I want to say I have looked for a Bible version that was easy to read, and familiar. I prefer NKJV yet do believe there are many other great versions… some have their weakness in one area, and weaknesses in others.
Paul the Apostle had most probably never known Jesus before His death and resurrection. Yet, through an incredible story, Paul who had been on a mission to destroy this new sect called the “Christians” met Jesus in a vision. All this is recorded in the Book of Acts.
Paul is the most prolific writer of the New Testament and to him we owe much as far as to the deeper life we have in Christ Jesus. Romans was really a letter of introduction of Paul to the believers in Rome… There were both Jew and Gentile believers in Rome and history sets them as not getting along that well at all. The Jewish believers saw that they had been chosen by God, and given the Law, and also through them the Messiah had come, so the natural assumption would be that those who came to Christ would also become Jewish converts. In a sense we are about to look into a time in history that division was in the Church as Jew was against Gentiles who had come to the Lord by Grace through faith.
Paul is on his third missionary journey and this is an appeal for money to be able to good onto Spain. (Romans 15: 33)
The most astonishing thing is that in these very first few verses, Paul is standing against the Cult of Caesar. Paul invokes the prophets of Scripture as a way to point to Jesus’ authority to the Jews in Rome, and then to the Seed of David as to Jesus’ earthly Kingship. Paul in one sentence hits two nails and set the tone for the letter. In the very next verse Paul tells all that the final trump card is played… Jesus was raised from the dead… to that there had been no person let alone any earthly king who have died and risen from the grave… in that Paul begins the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul pushes the point by using the proclamation made by the Caesar’s themselves… “Through Him we have received grace” then once again goes over the head of all Caesars… “apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;”
With that statement Caesar is no longer lord… for Paul has just proclaimed Jesus as the One Whom grace comes to Rome and that empire is one of the nations called of Jesus for Himself.
Paul then opens with his greetings to his brothers, both Jew and Gentile in Rome…
“To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Yes, Jesus is Lord… even in Rome, the center of Caesar worship… in the hot seat of the Beast, Jesus is still Lord of all.
Blessings,
iggy
Romans 1 (New King James Version)
Greeting
1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. 5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
First off I want to say I have looked for a Bible version that was easy to read, and familiar. I prefer NKJV yet do believe there are many other great versions… some have their weakness in one area, and weaknesses in others.
Paul the Apostle had most probably never known Jesus before His death and resurrection. Yet, through an incredible story, Paul who had been on a mission to destroy this new sect called the “Christians” met Jesus in a vision. All this is recorded in the Book of Acts.
Paul is the most prolific writer of the New Testament and to him we owe much as far as to the deeper life we have in Christ Jesus. Romans was really a letter of introduction of Paul to the believers in Rome… There were both Jew and Gentile believers in Rome and history sets them as not getting along that well at all. The Jewish believers saw that they had been chosen by God, and given the Law, and also through them the Messiah had come, so the natural assumption would be that those who came to Christ would also become Jewish converts. In a sense we are about to look into a time in history that division was in the Church as Jew was against Gentiles who had come to the Lord by Grace through faith.
Paul is on his third missionary journey and this is an appeal for money to be able to good onto Spain. (Romans 15: 33)
The most astonishing thing is that in these very first few verses, Paul is standing against the Cult of Caesar. Paul invokes the prophets of Scripture as a way to point to Jesus’ authority to the Jews in Rome, and then to the Seed of David as to Jesus’ earthly Kingship. Paul in one sentence hits two nails and set the tone for the letter. In the very next verse Paul tells all that the final trump card is played… Jesus was raised from the dead… to that there had been no person let alone any earthly king who have died and risen from the grave… in that Paul begins the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul pushes the point by using the proclamation made by the Caesar’s themselves… “Through Him we have received grace” then once again goes over the head of all Caesars… “apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;”
With that statement Caesar is no longer lord… for Paul has just proclaimed Jesus as the One Whom grace comes to Rome and that empire is one of the nations called of Jesus for Himself.
Paul then opens with his greetings to his brothers, both Jew and Gentile in Rome…
“To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Yes, Jesus is Lord… even in Rome, the center of Caesar worship… in the hot seat of the Beast, Jesus is still Lord of all.
Blessings,
iggy
Saturday, March 24, 2007
The Jewish Dog
This was shared with me by a friend who is a Messianic Jew... strange term that is... for the miricle is really that there are Messianic Gentiles...
enjoy!
Shalom,
iggy
Shalom,
Hymie walks into his synagogue with a dog. The shammas immediately comes up to him and says, "This is a House of Worship, Hymie, you know you can't bring a dog in here."
"What do you mean I can’t?" says Hymie, "Look at him, he’s a Jewish dog."
The shammas then notices that the dog has a tallis bag round its neck.
Hymie then says to the dog, "Benjamin, daven for me."
The dog stands on his back legs and says, "Woof woof, woof," then opens the tallis bag, takes out a kippa and puts it on his head, exactly in between its ears.
"Woof, woof," says the dog who then pulls out a tallis and puts it round his neck.
"Woof, woof, woof," says the dog who then takes out a siddur and starts to pray, rocking from side to side.
"That's brilliant," says the shammas, "totally incredible. You must get him on TV and the movies and you could make millions.”
"You speak to him then," says Hymie, "he wants to be a doctor." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GLOSSARY OF TERMS: in order as used.
Shammas: (n) (Yiddish - language of the European Jew) Servant of the synagogue; sexton; chief
concierge.
Tallis: (n) (Yiddish) A prayer shawl.
Daven: (v) (Yiddish) To pray, esp. from a Siddur or prescribed prayers from a prayerbook.
Kippa: (n) (Yiddish) A small head covering (kippah); yarmulke.
Siddur: (n) A prayerbook containing the key Hebrew prayers for synagogue service.
This Jewish Dog is a stereotypical type of both the OT and NT church. They have been taught to do all of the "right things", they have been taught to talk the talk but it has not changed the reality of who they are. They are impressive to men but they are still not right with YHVH.
Pastor Eric
Tree of Life Ministries
enjoy!
Shalom,
iggy
Shalom,
Hymie walks into his synagogue with a dog. The shammas immediately comes up to him and says, "This is a House of Worship, Hymie, you know you can't bring a dog in here."
"What do you mean I can’t?" says Hymie, "Look at him, he’s a Jewish dog."
The shammas then notices that the dog has a tallis bag round its neck.
Hymie then says to the dog, "Benjamin, daven for me."
The dog stands on his back legs and says, "Woof woof, woof," then opens the tallis bag, takes out a kippa and puts it on his head, exactly in between its ears.
"Woof, woof," says the dog who then pulls out a tallis and puts it round his neck.
"Woof, woof, woof," says the dog who then takes out a siddur and starts to pray, rocking from side to side.
"That's brilliant," says the shammas, "totally incredible. You must get him on TV and the movies and you could make millions.”
"You speak to him then," says Hymie, "he wants to be a doctor." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GLOSSARY OF TERMS: in order as used.
Shammas: (n) (Yiddish - language of the European Jew) Servant of the synagogue; sexton; chief
concierge.
Tallis: (n) (Yiddish) A prayer shawl.
Daven: (v) (Yiddish) To pray, esp. from a Siddur or prescribed prayers from a prayerbook.
Kippa: (n) (Yiddish) A small head covering (kippah); yarmulke.
Siddur: (n) A prayerbook containing the key Hebrew prayers for synagogue service.
This Jewish Dog is a stereotypical type of both the OT and NT church. They have been taught to do all of the "right things", they have been taught to talk the talk but it has not changed the reality of who they are. They are impressive to men but they are still not right with YHVH.
Pastor Eric
Tree of Life Ministries
Friday, March 23, 2007
Christian Research Network Endorses Mike Warnke and Lauren Stratford.
Christian Research Network Endorses Mike Warnke and Lauren Stratford.
Dwyana Litz is on record of stating that she believes those who did the expose’ on Mike Warnke and Lauren Stratford are liars and a Satanic front.
Cornerstone magazine did a report in 1991 that exposed Mike Warnke and Lauren Stratford as frauds, here is the story.
Dwyana Litz has openly attacked Jesus People USA and has now called John Trott a liar… John gives his rebuttal here.
Here is a bit from Wikipedia as far as the facts.
"Investigation, debunking and disgrace
In 1991, Cornerstone magazine launched an investigation into Warnke's life and testimony. The previous year, that magazine had debunked the story recounted in Satan's Underground, by Lauren Stratford who claimed her deep involvement in Satanism led her to partake in a ritual in which her own child was sacrificed. After this exposé, which showed that for instance, Stratford's alleged child never existed, Cornerstone journalists Mike Hertenstein and Jon Trott investigated Warnke. They investigated Warnke's life, from interviews with over 100 personal friends and acquaintances, to his ministry's tax receipts. Their investigation turned up damaging evidence of fraud and deceipt.
The investigation revealed pictures of Warnke taken during the precise time of his alleged status as a Satanist priest. Instead of an emaciated drug-addict sporting long fingernails and waist-length hair, the pictures showed Warnke to be a typical 'square' of the mid-1960s.[citation needed] The investigation refuted, for instance, Warnke's claims that mass-murderer he and Charles Manson had attended a Satanic ritual — Manson was in federal prison at the time. It also uncovered that before even joining the Navy, where Warnke claims to have converted, he had been involved with a college Christian ministry, Campus Crusade for Christ. The investigation also revealed the unflattering circumstances surrounding Warnke's multiple marriages, affairs, and divorces. Most critically, however, the investigation showed how Warnke could not possibly have done the many things he claimed to have done throughout his nine-month tenure as a Satanist, much less become a drug-addicted dealer or become a Satanic high preist.[7]
Before publishing the article, Cornerstone contacted Warnke for an interview, but Warnke claimed that he and Cornerstone could not agree to the terms of an interview.[8] In June 1992, at the annual Christian Booksellers' Association convention, Cornerstone revealed its story. "
Mike never really apologized and as you read in the links on John Trott’s site it seems he is just upset he was caught.
I am growing ever more concerned at the Christian Research Network as they seem loose with facts as with the recent Beth Moore innuendo that she is an apostate because of how much she charges.
Be aware that these people are not discerning at all. In fact it seems the more accountable we cry out for them to be the nastier and snide and mocking they get. Ken Silva seems to think he is above reproach. It should be a warning sign as Satan appears as an angel of light and his messengers agents of righteousness.
I have tried to contact at least three of the contributors and have dialoged with them… yet though they seem more open in the emails, they seem to return to the view that it is a righteous thing to slander and lie and do damage to their bothers in Christ.
Walter Martin held much more charity towards Mormons than Ken Silva and the gossip crew does at CRN with whom they have doctrinal disagreements with.
Blessings,
iggy
Dwyana Litz is on record of stating that she believes those who did the expose’ on Mike Warnke and Lauren Stratford are liars and a Satanic front.
Cornerstone magazine did a report in 1991 that exposed Mike Warnke and Lauren Stratford as frauds, here is the story.
Dwyana Litz has openly attacked Jesus People USA and has now called John Trott a liar… John gives his rebuttal here.
Here is a bit from Wikipedia as far as the facts.
"Investigation, debunking and disgrace
In 1991, Cornerstone magazine launched an investigation into Warnke's life and testimony. The previous year, that magazine had debunked the story recounted in Satan's Underground, by Lauren Stratford who claimed her deep involvement in Satanism led her to partake in a ritual in which her own child was sacrificed. After this exposé, which showed that for instance, Stratford's alleged child never existed, Cornerstone journalists Mike Hertenstein and Jon Trott investigated Warnke. They investigated Warnke's life, from interviews with over 100 personal friends and acquaintances, to his ministry's tax receipts. Their investigation turned up damaging evidence of fraud and deceipt.
The investigation revealed pictures of Warnke taken during the precise time of his alleged status as a Satanist priest. Instead of an emaciated drug-addict sporting long fingernails and waist-length hair, the pictures showed Warnke to be a typical 'square' of the mid-1960s.[citation needed] The investigation refuted, for instance, Warnke's claims that mass-murderer he and Charles Manson had attended a Satanic ritual — Manson was in federal prison at the time. It also uncovered that before even joining the Navy, where Warnke claims to have converted, he had been involved with a college Christian ministry, Campus Crusade for Christ. The investigation also revealed the unflattering circumstances surrounding Warnke's multiple marriages, affairs, and divorces. Most critically, however, the investigation showed how Warnke could not possibly have done the many things he claimed to have done throughout his nine-month tenure as a Satanist, much less become a drug-addicted dealer or become a Satanic high preist.[7]
Before publishing the article, Cornerstone contacted Warnke for an interview, but Warnke claimed that he and Cornerstone could not agree to the terms of an interview.[8] In June 1992, at the annual Christian Booksellers' Association convention, Cornerstone revealed its story. "
Mike never really apologized and as you read in the links on John Trott’s site it seems he is just upset he was caught.
I am growing ever more concerned at the Christian Research Network as they seem loose with facts as with the recent Beth Moore innuendo that she is an apostate because of how much she charges.
Be aware that these people are not discerning at all. In fact it seems the more accountable we cry out for them to be the nastier and snide and mocking they get. Ken Silva seems to think he is above reproach. It should be a warning sign as Satan appears as an angel of light and his messengers agents of righteousness.
I have tried to contact at least three of the contributors and have dialoged with them… yet though they seem more open in the emails, they seem to return to the view that it is a righteous thing to slander and lie and do damage to their bothers in Christ.
Walter Martin held much more charity towards Mormons than Ken Silva and the gossip crew does at CRN with whom they have doctrinal disagreements with.
Blessings,
iggy
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Power in Prayer rather Power Behind Prayer
Prayer is seeking the heart of God... and that is the Power of Prayer...
But let's explore a bit of what this means and does not mean.
1. It means that we connect with the heart of God.
In connecting with the heart of God one will see God move in action. Some teach that we can by our prayers "move" God... yet it is not that our prayers "move" God in the sense that we make Him do our bidding, rather God is moved with compassion by our earnest prayer.
The Old Testament is full of verses of statements like in 1 Kings 9: 3. "The LORD said to him: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me:"
In which God does something to honor the faith that was displayed. There are many other references in which God states plainly that He "heard the prayer" and responds to the prayer.
Now, again it is not about "moving" God as in some sort of controlling Him. It is the idea that God, being of great compassion responds to faith. This is more like when Jesus saw the people's faith and responded to it by healing them, which leads me to point two.
2. It does not mean we in our prayer have some power to make God do something.
We cannot "make" God do anything. God wants us to be subject to His will and never has God been subject to the will of man. Even Jesus stated that "I lay down my life" so even His death was by His own will. In no way is the "Power of Prayer" about that... most realize this outside of some in the Word of Faith movement... yet most of those have reduced Jesus to the equivalent of a "Soda Pop machine in the sky".
3. The Power of Prayer is the Union of our spirit and the Holy Spirit seeking out God's will and purpose so we may line up with it. It is about changing us. The "Power" is the Holy Spirit working in us... as we "pray".
Some claim we do not "believe in prayer" yet to say that is like saying we do not believe in clouds or the moon. It does exist so if someone objects to that "phrasing" is a bit silly. Yet, in agreement there is at no time one worships or believes that prayer is the end all of power in and of itself. Prayer as i have said is a connection. It is the union of mortal and divine and opens mere man to the Power that is God.
We must be careful not to worship the power of God at the expense of God, nor worship the power of prayer at the expense of God in Whom we are praying to.
Yet, the "power of prayer" as a phrase is not unbiblical, and as one grows more and more in Christ one finds that like we need the power of oxygen to use as "fuel" for our bodies, so prayer becomes as if it is the air we breathe... it is a life giving force if connected to the Life of Christ otherwise we are just as well shouting into the wind.
Blessings,
iggy
But let's explore a bit of what this means and does not mean.
1. It means that we connect with the heart of God.
In connecting with the heart of God one will see God move in action. Some teach that we can by our prayers "move" God... yet it is not that our prayers "move" God in the sense that we make Him do our bidding, rather God is moved with compassion by our earnest prayer.
The Old Testament is full of verses of statements like in 1 Kings 9: 3. "The LORD said to him: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me:"
In which God does something to honor the faith that was displayed. There are many other references in which God states plainly that He "heard the prayer" and responds to the prayer.
Now, again it is not about "moving" God as in some sort of controlling Him. It is the idea that God, being of great compassion responds to faith. This is more like when Jesus saw the people's faith and responded to it by healing them, which leads me to point two.
2. It does not mean we in our prayer have some power to make God do something.
We cannot "make" God do anything. God wants us to be subject to His will and never has God been subject to the will of man. Even Jesus stated that "I lay down my life" so even His death was by His own will. In no way is the "Power of Prayer" about that... most realize this outside of some in the Word of Faith movement... yet most of those have reduced Jesus to the equivalent of a "Soda Pop machine in the sky".
3. The Power of Prayer is the Union of our spirit and the Holy Spirit seeking out God's will and purpose so we may line up with it. It is about changing us. The "Power" is the Holy Spirit working in us... as we "pray".
Some claim we do not "believe in prayer" yet to say that is like saying we do not believe in clouds or the moon. It does exist so if someone objects to that "phrasing" is a bit silly. Yet, in agreement there is at no time one worships or believes that prayer is the end all of power in and of itself. Prayer as i have said is a connection. It is the union of mortal and divine and opens mere man to the Power that is God.
We must be careful not to worship the power of God at the expense of God, nor worship the power of prayer at the expense of God in Whom we are praying to.
Yet, the "power of prayer" as a phrase is not unbiblical, and as one grows more and more in Christ one finds that like we need the power of oxygen to use as "fuel" for our bodies, so prayer becomes as if it is the air we breathe... it is a life giving force if connected to the Life of Christ otherwise we are just as well shouting into the wind.
Blessings,
iggy
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Save Your Station! New royalty rates could close us down!
Save Your Station! New royalty rates could close us down!
I received this in my email. Please read and help us fight this new royalty rates on internet radio stations.Save Your Station!
Blessings,
iggy
IMPORTANT: Visit http://www.live365.com/broadcast/choice/#what_we_are_doing for changes that immediately affect your broadcast.Dear Live365 Broadcasters:
Recently, the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) made an initial ruling of alarmingly high new royalty rates for Internet radio for the 2006-2010 period. The ruling increased sound recording royalties by 140% over the next 4 years and included a $500 minimum fee per station per year. The CRB is now rehearing our arguments against these unrealistic fees, but we must keep the pressure on.
With around 10,000 stations the previously released rates would mean an additional $5 million per year owed by Live365 and our broadcasters. Should this decision stand, most small webcasters on Live365 would be driven out of business and listeners would lose diversity in radio programming and choice in radio content.We've created a special broadcaster webpage that has tools and information to help. This new page includes congressional addresses and contact information, sample letters, a broadcaster story submission form, details on changes we will be making to the Live365 services, and more.
Please check it out at http://www.live365.com/members/login.live?url=/broadcast/choice.Though the CRB is rehearing our arguments, you still must make your voice heard by the lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Call, write, e-mail, and/or visit your Representatives and Senators today!
We will continue to fight for a realistic ruling and will work with our broadcasters, audiences, partners, and DiMA to appeal with the DC Court of Appeals if our motions are not granted.You, Live365 Broadcasters, are our voice. Our voice must resonate to be heard and to save Internet radio. We've weathered this storm before and will do so again!
Sincerely,
Jason Stoddard
Director,
Broadcasting
Live365 Inc.
I received this in my email. Please read and help us fight this new royalty rates on internet radio stations.Save Your Station!
Blessings,
iggy
IMPORTANT: Visit http://www.live365.com/broadcast/choice/#what_we_are_doing for changes that immediately affect your broadcast.Dear Live365 Broadcasters:
Recently, the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) made an initial ruling of alarmingly high new royalty rates for Internet radio for the 2006-2010 period. The ruling increased sound recording royalties by 140% over the next 4 years and included a $500 minimum fee per station per year. The CRB is now rehearing our arguments against these unrealistic fees, but we must keep the pressure on.
With around 10,000 stations the previously released rates would mean an additional $5 million per year owed by Live365 and our broadcasters. Should this decision stand, most small webcasters on Live365 would be driven out of business and listeners would lose diversity in radio programming and choice in radio content.We've created a special broadcaster webpage that has tools and information to help. This new page includes congressional addresses and contact information, sample letters, a broadcaster story submission form, details on changes we will be making to the Live365 services, and more.
Please check it out at http://www.live365.com/members/login.live?url=/broadcast/choice.Though the CRB is rehearing our arguments, you still must make your voice heard by the lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Call, write, e-mail, and/or visit your Representatives and Senators today!
We will continue to fight for a realistic ruling and will work with our broadcasters, audiences, partners, and DiMA to appeal with the DC Court of Appeals if our motions are not granted.You, Live365 Broadcasters, are our voice. Our voice must resonate to be heard and to save Internet radio. We've weathered this storm before and will do so again!
Sincerely,
Jason Stoddard
Director,
Broadcasting
Live365 Inc.
Christian Research Network... Now Beth Moore is an Apostate!
Yep... now Beth Moore is an apostate! You heard it from Ken and the gang at CRN... And what Biblical reason is given? She charged $55 a seat at a conference...
Yet, I bet if Ken could charge $55 a seat to "teach us" he would!
It just never stops at CRN... it only seems to get worse...
Notice there is not one mention as to WHY she is an apostate... the just link to someone who hates her and then call it a day... great job at research again...
Actually Beth Moore cost seems rather inexpensive compared to The Shepherd's Conference and what is charge for the conferences!!!
Here is the COST OF THE THIS CONFERENCE!!!! This was promoted by Phil Johnson...
So using the logic of CRN it seems these guys are more apostate than Beth Moore...
Now I might add that if you look at the most expensive Beth Moore study it is priced at $100 yet if you go to the Shepherds' Fellowship you will have to spend $200 for their studies...
So, do the math...
Blessed?
iggy
Yet, I bet if Ken could charge $55 a seat to "teach us" he would!
It just never stops at CRN... it only seems to get worse...
Notice there is not one mention as to WHY she is an apostate... the just link to someone who hates her and then call it a day... great job at research again...
Actually Beth Moore cost seems rather inexpensive compared to The Shepherd's Conference and what is charge for the conferences!!!
Here is the COST OF THE THIS CONFERENCE!!!! This was promoted by Phil Johnson...
So using the logic of CRN it seems these guys are more apostate than Beth Moore...
Now I might add that if you look at the most expensive Beth Moore study it is priced at $100 yet if you go to the Shepherds' Fellowship you will have to spend $200 for their studies...
So, do the math...
Blessed?
iggy
The Unpardonable Sin
Matthew 12: 30 - 32
"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. "
From Charles Spurgeon's sermon "Christ the Cure for Troubled Hearts":
"I hear another one say, 'But suppose I have committed the unpardonable sin;' to which I answer, 'But suppose you have not;' and there is just as much reason for supposing one way as supposing the other. And again I say, suppose you are wise enough to leave off supposing altogether. If you have committed the unpardonable sin, I should really like to know what it is; for, after reading, I think, as much of sound divinity as anybody, I have never yet been able to discover what it is; nor have I ever met with any divine who has seemed to me to approximate to any sure and certain description of what the unpardonable sin may be."
"This much I do know about it; it is called a sin that is to death, and as soon as ever a man commits it, a spiritual death steals over him, so that he never desires mercy, never is conscious of his guilt, and never wishes to find salvation by Jesus Christ. He becomes dead, so dead that it is not merely the sin which is itself unpardonable, but the condition of heart into which it throws the man, so that he never seeks pardon, or even wishes for it. Now, my dear friends, you know that you have not come to that terrible state, because you are always restless about your soul's salvation, and always wishing that by some means you might be saved. Whatever supposition you bring, I believe that I can sweep your supposition away, or that it goes to be swept away. Therefore, do not be in doubt or fear because of a supposition."
Interesting that this even today, seems to be an issue... If one only reads in Revelation Chapter 20 one will find the "death" Jesus is speaking of.
The "unpardonable sin" being "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit"... is that one is not written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
We must be a New Creation and Live the Life of Christ or we are to experience eternal death, or the second death.
By denying the Holy Spirit one suffers from not being pardoned at the time of judgment.
Blessings,
iggy
"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. "
From Charles Spurgeon's sermon "Christ the Cure for Troubled Hearts":
"I hear another one say, 'But suppose I have committed the unpardonable sin;' to which I answer, 'But suppose you have not;' and there is just as much reason for supposing one way as supposing the other. And again I say, suppose you are wise enough to leave off supposing altogether. If you have committed the unpardonable sin, I should really like to know what it is; for, after reading, I think, as much of sound divinity as anybody, I have never yet been able to discover what it is; nor have I ever met with any divine who has seemed to me to approximate to any sure and certain description of what the unpardonable sin may be."
"This much I do know about it; it is called a sin that is to death, and as soon as ever a man commits it, a spiritual death steals over him, so that he never desires mercy, never is conscious of his guilt, and never wishes to find salvation by Jesus Christ. He becomes dead, so dead that it is not merely the sin which is itself unpardonable, but the condition of heart into which it throws the man, so that he never seeks pardon, or even wishes for it. Now, my dear friends, you know that you have not come to that terrible state, because you are always restless about your soul's salvation, and always wishing that by some means you might be saved. Whatever supposition you bring, I believe that I can sweep your supposition away, or that it goes to be swept away. Therefore, do not be in doubt or fear because of a supposition."
Interesting that this even today, seems to be an issue... If one only reads in Revelation Chapter 20 one will find the "death" Jesus is speaking of.
The "unpardonable sin" being "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit"... is that one is not written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
We must be a New Creation and Live the Life of Christ or we are to experience eternal death, or the second death.
By denying the Holy Spirit one suffers from not being pardoned at the time of judgment.
Blessings,
iggy
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Is Following Jesus a Lifestyle?
Is Following Jesus a Lifestyle?
Is Following Jesus a Lifestyle?
I have to say no to that. That would make other lifestyles as equal to following Jesus.
Following Jesus is about Living a Life… not a lifestyle I choose and decide to live. Within “Christianity” there are many different “lifestyles”. Some people are rich, some are poor and on and on… to call Christianity a lifestyle reduces it fro what it truly is.
Jesus said follow me… and die to yourself… not live a lifestyle.
Why am I on this rant?
There was an article about a contestant who is on American Idol… Now I have been caught up in America Idol over the last few years yet it seems I have not had much interest in the last couple at least. Yet this quote out of the article got my hackles up.
“But Greene said she still has worries over Sligh's long-term spiritual journey.
"Is he going to stand strong by his true Christian morals?" Greene said. "Christianity is a lifestyle ... and there are things in your life that you do need to stand for."
John Jeter, the owner of a Greenville nightclub where Sligh has performed with his band, said Sligh's wholesome attitude and his faith come through in his music.
"It speaks well to the fact that it's not all blood, guts and trash," said Jeter. "Music doesn't have to be filthy. You can have a good time in a good environment, and Chris is proof of that."”
Now, I find it nice that Cheryl Greene is concerned about Chris Sligh’s spiritual walk… and that is not where I get my “hackles”… I get them over that the one who is “worrying” calls Christianity a “Lifestyle” and in a sense is also judging Chris Sligh’s choice and direction. Meanwhile the one who is “in the world” states that Sligh does not compromise his “faith”.
Notice that? This worldly club owner notices Sligh’s faith…
There is a huge difference in how we approach the world… if we say join our lifestyle, then why is our’s is better than the gay community? What makes our lifestyle right, while a drug user or drunk’s lifestyle is wrong?
Jesus is to BE our life so that the LIFE we LIVE is HIS and NOT ours. Again, it is about dying to self. We are baptized in Christ’s death… and buried with Him… and raised a NEW CREATION. This is exchanging our life for HIS or our lifestyle for the Person of Jesus.
Blessings,
iggy
Is Following Jesus a Lifestyle?
I have to say no to that. That would make other lifestyles as equal to following Jesus.
Following Jesus is about Living a Life… not a lifestyle I choose and decide to live. Within “Christianity” there are many different “lifestyles”. Some people are rich, some are poor and on and on… to call Christianity a lifestyle reduces it fro what it truly is.
Jesus said follow me… and die to yourself… not live a lifestyle.
Why am I on this rant?
There was an article about a contestant who is on American Idol… Now I have been caught up in America Idol over the last few years yet it seems I have not had much interest in the last couple at least. Yet this quote out of the article got my hackles up.
“But Greene said she still has worries over Sligh's long-term spiritual journey.
"Is he going to stand strong by his true Christian morals?" Greene said. "Christianity is a lifestyle ... and there are things in your life that you do need to stand for."
John Jeter, the owner of a Greenville nightclub where Sligh has performed with his band, said Sligh's wholesome attitude and his faith come through in his music.
"It speaks well to the fact that it's not all blood, guts and trash," said Jeter. "Music doesn't have to be filthy. You can have a good time in a good environment, and Chris is proof of that."”
Now, I find it nice that Cheryl Greene is concerned about Chris Sligh’s spiritual walk… and that is not where I get my “hackles”… I get them over that the one who is “worrying” calls Christianity a “Lifestyle” and in a sense is also judging Chris Sligh’s choice and direction. Meanwhile the one who is “in the world” states that Sligh does not compromise his “faith”.
Notice that? This worldly club owner notices Sligh’s faith…
There is a huge difference in how we approach the world… if we say join our lifestyle, then why is our’s is better than the gay community? What makes our lifestyle right, while a drug user or drunk’s lifestyle is wrong?
Jesus is to BE our life so that the LIFE we LIVE is HIS and NOT ours. Again, it is about dying to self. We are baptized in Christ’s death… and buried with Him… and raised a NEW CREATION. This is exchanging our life for HIS or our lifestyle for the Person of Jesus.
Blessings,
iggy
Can the Gospel be "Infused" into Culture?
One thing that many seem to miss is that there is a difference between the cultural influence on our understanding of scripture and being an influence in culture.
I think we sometimes blur the distinction.
I was talking to a person recently who used the word "infuse" which to me was not correct. His view was that we were to infuse Jesus into that culture.
I have come to realize that it is not about "infusing" culture with Jesus, rather it is showing a whole new culture in which all other cultures must become subject to.
The person whom I was speaking with seemed to think this was not correct as it would create a monoculture, and in a way he was correct. Yet it is not that all other cultures are "destroyed" but "restored". Meaning that we still experience our individuality within the unity of the whole..
Also it is the idea of One Body (Jesus') made of many parts (us) becoming the Church (called out ones) to become as One... the Bride to be brought out in perfection to be the Wife of Jesus... we are one in Him as He is in the Father...
Now, as we bring in our culture it must still be subject to Christ. In some cultures a man can still have more than one wife... I have been told by some in our culture it is wrong to judge that culture morals as it is not right to do so... yet we need to realize though it is acceptable in that culture and that makes it "OK" is it beneficial for the best for those in that culture?
That is what the Holy Spirits job is all about. Working within people within that culture to bring them to be One in Christ Jesus.
History is rampant with the ravishing of cultures as they clash... and that is what religion is all about. Religion is based on the bias of that culture be it against it or for it... It only seeks to empirically destroy the lesser or weaker and make them subject to their culture and in that lose their individuality.
In a way I see that the Kingdom of God enhances our individuality while drawing us into the Body as a whole... I can as part of the Body rejoice that I am a foot... and also rejoice that I am part of that body for with out it I cannot be a living foot with purpose. I am lesser without the whole.
So, with history, I see that at times culture was infuse into Christianity and instead of life we found death. Instead of thinking the other better we look and see them as less than ourselves.
Here is the thing, many Christians seem to think that God is only active in the "Church" which misses the very message and impact of The Incarnation. If we keep to that mindset we without realizing it are presenting a god who is "out there" as opposed to actively here now working and calling and draw people to Himself.
God is just as active in today's culture whatever it is as He was when Jesus walked on the earth 2000 years ago. We need to be able to see beyond what we want to believe and realize God is much bigger than whatever we are able to imagine.
The Church must go outside it's walls and reach the world... but not out of arrogance and believing "we have God and you don't", rather acknowledging God is working in the person, just as when Phillip met the eunuch who was seeking understanding in what God was doing in his life... often we are just a small part of the activity God is already working in and though... that is the privilege of sharing the Gospel... it is not all about us but all about God's workings and a chance to see Him at work
Blessings,
iggy
I think we sometimes blur the distinction.
I was talking to a person recently who used the word "infuse" which to me was not correct. His view was that we were to infuse Jesus into that culture.
I have come to realize that it is not about "infusing" culture with Jesus, rather it is showing a whole new culture in which all other cultures must become subject to.
The person whom I was speaking with seemed to think this was not correct as it would create a monoculture, and in a way he was correct. Yet it is not that all other cultures are "destroyed" but "restored". Meaning that we still experience our individuality within the unity of the whole..
Also it is the idea of One Body (Jesus') made of many parts (us) becoming the Church (called out ones) to become as One... the Bride to be brought out in perfection to be the Wife of Jesus... we are one in Him as He is in the Father...
Now, as we bring in our culture it must still be subject to Christ. In some cultures a man can still have more than one wife... I have been told by some in our culture it is wrong to judge that culture morals as it is not right to do so... yet we need to realize though it is acceptable in that culture and that makes it "OK" is it beneficial for the best for those in that culture?
That is what the Holy Spirits job is all about. Working within people within that culture to bring them to be One in Christ Jesus.
History is rampant with the ravishing of cultures as they clash... and that is what religion is all about. Religion is based on the bias of that culture be it against it or for it... It only seeks to empirically destroy the lesser or weaker and make them subject to their culture and in that lose their individuality.
In a way I see that the Kingdom of God enhances our individuality while drawing us into the Body as a whole... I can as part of the Body rejoice that I am a foot... and also rejoice that I am part of that body for with out it I cannot be a living foot with purpose. I am lesser without the whole.
So, with history, I see that at times culture was infuse into Christianity and instead of life we found death. Instead of thinking the other better we look and see them as less than ourselves.
Here is the thing, many Christians seem to think that God is only active in the "Church" which misses the very message and impact of The Incarnation. If we keep to that mindset we without realizing it are presenting a god who is "out there" as opposed to actively here now working and calling and draw people to Himself.
God is just as active in today's culture whatever it is as He was when Jesus walked on the earth 2000 years ago. We need to be able to see beyond what we want to believe and realize God is much bigger than whatever we are able to imagine.
The Church must go outside it's walls and reach the world... but not out of arrogance and believing "we have God and you don't", rather acknowledging God is working in the person, just as when Phillip met the eunuch who was seeking understanding in what God was doing in his life... often we are just a small part of the activity God is already working in and though... that is the privilege of sharing the Gospel... it is not all about us but all about God's workings and a chance to see Him at work
Blessings,
iggy
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Steven Tyler Singing Amazing Grace....
Whoa!
Steven Tyler in a church singing Amazing Grace!!!!
And lean on me.
Anyone have info on this? All I know is that it is a Unity Church in Chicago. Which was a bit of a let down to me.
Blessings,
iggy
Steven Tyler in a church singing Amazing Grace!!!!
And lean on me.
Anyone have info on this? All I know is that it is a Unity Church in Chicago. Which was a bit of a let down to me.
Blessings,
iggy
I really never heard of Al Mohler
I really never heard of Al Mohler until recently. I have not read much he has written nor know if I agree with him on certain subjects. I only noticed he is often on blogs that are anti emerging church.
Yet, lately as i have read him, I have seen what seems to be a side I would not have expected from someone who others link to as such.
Recently he wrote an article on "Is Your Baby Gay? What If You Could Know? What If You Could Do Something About It?" and with that took a lot of criticism from his own camp...
He has followed up with this article. Here is a quote from the article.
"I am even more frustrated with many conservative Christians who read the secular headlines without even bothering to read my article. They jumped to conclusions that I do not hold and castigated me for advocating things I have opposed all my life. I have received a great deal of hate mail from those identifying themselves as homosexuals outraged that I believe homosexual acts to be unconditionally sinful. But I also received mail that can only be described as hateful from those who identified themselves as Christians -- people who clearly had never read my article and simply jumped to conclusions or accepted misrepresentations. Furthermore, some who identified themselves as Christians spoke of homosexuality and homosexuals with hate-filled language that literally made me shudder. Do we really love sinners? Do we not understand ourselves to be sinners saved by grace?"
Now this is not about the question of "what would you do if you found out your baby was gay?" Rather it is again about judging others. Al Molher has stepped into the judgmental stream where others read something that someone else wrote without actually looking at the facts. This is often the case of what happens to us "emergent" folk.
Al unfortunately has gotten a taste of this condemnation and like the rest of us "shudder", and asked the same questions we have been asking all along. "Do we really love sinners? Do we not understand ourselves to be sinners saved by grace?"
I want to let Al Mohler we understand... and also that he keeps preaching that we are "save by Grace."
blessings,
iggy
Yet, lately as i have read him, I have seen what seems to be a side I would not have expected from someone who others link to as such.
Recently he wrote an article on "Is Your Baby Gay? What If You Could Know? What If You Could Do Something About It?" and with that took a lot of criticism from his own camp...
He has followed up with this article. Here is a quote from the article.
"I am even more frustrated with many conservative Christians who read the secular headlines without even bothering to read my article. They jumped to conclusions that I do not hold and castigated me for advocating things I have opposed all my life. I have received a great deal of hate mail from those identifying themselves as homosexuals outraged that I believe homosexual acts to be unconditionally sinful. But I also received mail that can only be described as hateful from those who identified themselves as Christians -- people who clearly had never read my article and simply jumped to conclusions or accepted misrepresentations. Furthermore, some who identified themselves as Christians spoke of homosexuality and homosexuals with hate-filled language that literally made me shudder. Do we really love sinners? Do we not understand ourselves to be sinners saved by grace?"
Now this is not about the question of "what would you do if you found out your baby was gay?" Rather it is again about judging others. Al Molher has stepped into the judgmental stream where others read something that someone else wrote without actually looking at the facts. This is often the case of what happens to us "emergent" folk.
Al unfortunately has gotten a taste of this condemnation and like the rest of us "shudder", and asked the same questions we have been asking all along. "Do we really love sinners? Do we not understand ourselves to be sinners saved by grace?"
I want to let Al Mohler we understand... and also that he keeps preaching that we are "save by Grace."
blessings,
iggy
Thursday, March 15, 2007
God Values the Blood of Jesus... For He Alone is Worthy
I want to way the this post is not about "self worth" as some teach be it Dr. Phil or the John MacArthurist two steppin' around "psychobabble" and not seeing that any system that is not for Jesus is against Him and is of the antichrist... of it is of this world and not of the truth.
To quote from one of the defenders of John MacArthur (against the bi polar opposite Darwin Fish and Rick Miesel. Darwin Fish would be the polar opposite of John MacArthur yet both seem to be into a extreme separatist theology so in that way have more in common than they realize)
"Therefore, we will make three general observations about psychology prior to beginning our defense of MacArthur's teachings.
Observation One: Psychology is not a false religion. Although it is becoming increasingly popular among biblically minded Christians to call psychology a false religion, it really cannot be classified as a false religion. Psychology has never pretended to be a religious system and has never attempted to create a religious system. In fact, most of the psychological schools of thought were started by atheists who specifically rejected religion, particularly Christianity."
Again, it is a religion that believes man can solve his own issues with his own knowledge... that is the "core" of all false religions...
"Observation two: Psychology is not another gospel. Believing that psychology is another gospel can lead to as much deception as believing that it is a false religion. As stated previously, psychology is nothing more than the world's attempt to study and understand the human mind and to observe and understand human behavior. In contrast, the gospel is the good news "that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3-4). In other words, the gospel is about Christ's bearing our sins and our receiving the merit of His righteousness."
I find it funny that they claim it is not another "gospel". The Caesar's proclaimed a "gospel of Caesar worship"... yet to use the logic here, since that was a "government" and not a religion, then it cannot be another "gospel". To those who are caught in the system of psychology they are caught in the false idea the their salvation is from drugs, doctors or some sort of pseudo spirituality such as Jungian visualization. I am not saying that some people cannot be helped by medication, nor that a psychologist can't offer good advice, but if a person trusts in anything outside of Jesus for their salvation, they will be lost... plain and simple.
Observation Three: Christian psychology does not exist. Although there are Christians that have become psychologists, there is no such thing as Christian Psychology. In fact, it is impossible to have a psychological school of thought that could be accurately classified as Christian. This is because Christianity and the gospel are virtually synonymous. Therefore, integrating psychology into Christianity is equivalent to integrating psychology into the gospel. Some may dispute this fact but a close examination of the gospel as stated above will prove that the gospel is not merely a part of Christianity but in fact is Christianity. Consequently, any attempt to create a specialized field of psychology that integrates Christianity and psychology will eventually lead to a corruption of the gospel.
Again, to a degree I may agree, yet there are gifted (by God) to counsel and console those who need guidance. If one is guided by the Holy Spirit and has some education then to me that is not "Christian psychology".
Again this all is an example of the double talk and lack of historical understanding that runs though much of John's teachings.
Jesus did not come to show us our self worth but that He was worthy. Though it seems on one hand John states comments like:
"A true sense of self-worth comes from understanding our position in Christ. We have been chosen in Christ from before the foundation of the world. Knowing this gives us a sense of our significance and value to God."
It is interesting to me that self-worth is not even a Biblical thought... "Worthy is the Lamb" have worth only because we are "in Christ" and in that Christ Jesus is worthy. There is no worth in ourselves nor do we gain worth by our "position" as a believer... as John asserts. His view is that we have been raised to a "position as opposed to being "placed in Christ Jesus". There is a big difference. One still focuses on the "self" in self worth... while the other realizes one is dead in their sins and needs a Saviour... and that Saviour is the worthy One.
TO do the MacArthur sidestep is to deny self but put focus back on self in that we do works to prove our salvation. Again, these are not our works, but Christ Jesus doing these works in and through us. So we only prove Christ Jesus' worthiness as we do them.
Does God value us? Yes! Does God love us? Yes! But in know way does God see us worthy before or after salvation. Again, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain." It is by the Blood we are saved despite being unworthy. TO teach worthiness before or after salvation negates the Blood of Christ and the Power and reason of the Cross and Resurrection.
Blessings,
iggy
Technorati tags:
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To quote from one of the defenders of John MacArthur (against the bi polar opposite Darwin Fish and Rick Miesel. Darwin Fish would be the polar opposite of John MacArthur yet both seem to be into a extreme separatist theology so in that way have more in common than they realize)
"Therefore, we will make three general observations about psychology prior to beginning our defense of MacArthur's teachings.
Observation One: Psychology is not a false religion. Although it is becoming increasingly popular among biblically minded Christians to call psychology a false religion, it really cannot be classified as a false religion. Psychology has never pretended to be a religious system and has never attempted to create a religious system. In fact, most of the psychological schools of thought were started by atheists who specifically rejected religion, particularly Christianity."
Again, it is a religion that believes man can solve his own issues with his own knowledge... that is the "core" of all false religions...
"Observation two: Psychology is not another gospel. Believing that psychology is another gospel can lead to as much deception as believing that it is a false religion. As stated previously, psychology is nothing more than the world's attempt to study and understand the human mind and to observe and understand human behavior. In contrast, the gospel is the good news "that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3-4). In other words, the gospel is about Christ's bearing our sins and our receiving the merit of His righteousness."
I find it funny that they claim it is not another "gospel". The Caesar's proclaimed a "gospel of Caesar worship"... yet to use the logic here, since that was a "government" and not a religion, then it cannot be another "gospel". To those who are caught in the system of psychology they are caught in the false idea the their salvation is from drugs, doctors or some sort of pseudo spirituality such as Jungian visualization. I am not saying that some people cannot be helped by medication, nor that a psychologist can't offer good advice, but if a person trusts in anything outside of Jesus for their salvation, they will be lost... plain and simple.
Observation Three: Christian psychology does not exist. Although there are Christians that have become psychologists, there is no such thing as Christian Psychology. In fact, it is impossible to have a psychological school of thought that could be accurately classified as Christian. This is because Christianity and the gospel are virtually synonymous. Therefore, integrating psychology into Christianity is equivalent to integrating psychology into the gospel. Some may dispute this fact but a close examination of the gospel as stated above will prove that the gospel is not merely a part of Christianity but in fact is Christianity. Consequently, any attempt to create a specialized field of psychology that integrates Christianity and psychology will eventually lead to a corruption of the gospel.
Again, to a degree I may agree, yet there are gifted (by God) to counsel and console those who need guidance. If one is guided by the Holy Spirit and has some education then to me that is not "Christian psychology".
Again this all is an example of the double talk and lack of historical understanding that runs though much of John's teachings.
Jesus did not come to show us our self worth but that He was worthy. Though it seems on one hand John states comments like:
"A true sense of self-worth comes from understanding our position in Christ. We have been chosen in Christ from before the foundation of the world. Knowing this gives us a sense of our significance and value to God."
It is interesting to me that self-worth is not even a Biblical thought... "Worthy is the Lamb" have worth only because we are "in Christ" and in that Christ Jesus is worthy. There is no worth in ourselves nor do we gain worth by our "position" as a believer... as John asserts. His view is that we have been raised to a "position as opposed to being "placed in Christ Jesus". There is a big difference. One still focuses on the "self" in self worth... while the other realizes one is dead in their sins and needs a Saviour... and that Saviour is the worthy One.
TO do the MacArthur sidestep is to deny self but put focus back on self in that we do works to prove our salvation. Again, these are not our works, but Christ Jesus doing these works in and through us. So we only prove Christ Jesus' worthiness as we do them.
Does God value us? Yes! Does God love us? Yes! But in know way does God see us worthy before or after salvation. Again, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain." It is by the Blood we are saved despite being unworthy. TO teach worthiness before or after salvation negates the Blood of Christ and the Power and reason of the Cross and Resurrection.
Blessings,
iggy
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Obedience of Faith… (Lordship Salvation?)
Obedience of Faith…
In the Book of Daniel (Chapter 9) we are told that the Mashiach which is transliterated into Greek as Christ, will come... both of these mean "Anointed One". If one even reads a superficial reading of the OT they will find the one's that are anointed were kings... Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords... He is God incarnate, the Creator and Living Word of God...
To demand one must accept Him as "Lord" of their life lowers Who He actually is! We have no life to give Jesus, that is a misnomer. It misses the very point we are DEAD in our sins... and a dead person is not regenerated until they receive LIFE... and that is the Life of Christ or the Holy Spirit... John is teaching that one must receive the Holy Spirit before they can receive the Holy Spirit... which is nonsense.
The washing of regeneration happens when one receives Jesus... not before... Titus 3:5
A simple reading of Titus shows this out...
Titus 3: 4-7
“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Notice "He saved us" it is repeated twice... It is by His mercy we are saved... BY the washing of regeneration... regeneration is not before... but at the time of salvation... why? We are renewed by the Holy Spirit...
John MacArthur and many Calvinists teach that regeneration comes before the Holy Spirit is received and that is impossible as one must have the Holy Spirit to be regenerated! One must receive Life and be raised from our own death into the Life of Christ to be saved! Then we are regenerated by the very life of Christ... or by the Spirit Who is Life... One must be dead, buried and resurrected “in Christ” to be regenerated by Christ.
This summed up clearly by verse 7: That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
We are first justified by His Grace then made heirs as we have the hope now of eternal life. As we turn in Faith which is a gift of God, we express this by our hope that we are justified and now have eternal Life...
To turn this around make no sense... and demands that a person must be saved to get saved... and that is nonsensical... and that negates the Blood of Jesus.
Now here is the major flaw in the Lordship debate. Faith and obedience are connected… yet not in the way John MacArthur is stating… in fact the way John and many other understand obedience turns obedience into “works righteousness”.
We all agree with the Apostles and Peter and that “We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) Yet many as I said do not understand what that obedience is… We are called to the “obedience of Christ” and in that way take all thoughts captive. (2 Cor 10:5) Yet, few notice it is “of Christ” from where the obedience comes… if it being “of Christ” then it is not “of us”… or from our own works…
Romans 5:19 really hit me one day. “
“For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (Jesus) shall many be made righteous.” (I added Jesus for clarity as in the context it is understood.)
Because Adam sinned, we died, for we were inside Adam’s loins as we are all descendents of Adam.
This is a bit hard for some to grasp, yet it is what the writer of Hebrews uses to explain about why the Priesthood of Melchizedek was greater than the Priesthood of Levi, for Abraham gave tithe to Melchizedek which was giving honor, and Levi was still in the loins of Abraham. (One must think a bit like a Rabbi here to understand the logic - Hebrews 7)
We who are in Christ are born of the man of heaven. 1 Cor 15: 45 – 49 states:
“So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.”
In Christ we are born of the Spirit… in that we are made righteous by the One man’s (Jesus) obedience… we walk in His obedience and not our own…
God had kept this all a mystery. Yet, now God has opened to all nations the obedience of faith through Jesus Christ. (Romans 16:25-27)
Faith is a gift… (Ephesians 2:8) It is also trusting that God is faithful to His Word and will do as He promised. We walk in “faith” and not by sight. Many think that walking in faith is doing good works… but there are no good works aside from the works God has prepared for us to do… to think we can do works whether to “prove our salvation”, earn “brownie points” with God, or even become more “sanctified” misses the point completely. We are saved by Grace through faith and sustained by Grace through faith… nothing is of us, all is of God. In the book of Galatians 3:3 Paul asks a question. “After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” We would be wise to consider the answer… if we say yes, then we are saying we “sanctify ourselves” if we say no, they we say it is God who sanctifies us. It is the Holy Spirit that sanctifies us… as 1 Peter states “through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.” The “works” are God’s by His Spirit… and it is the Holy Spirit that sanctifies us. (1 Thessalonians 5: 23) for we are told in 2 Thessalonians 2: 13, “because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.”
God sustains us. Some might think this is a Armenian versus Calvinist argument… to me it is not… it is a Calvinist vs. the Bible debate. Now saying that I will add that I am not a “Calvinist hater” I am not saying a Calvinist is not saved (confused maybe on some important issues) but I would never say we must separate over differences in our doctrine. Man is a flawed and finite creature. We easily can fall sway to “man’s” teachings… be it “free grace”, “Lordship salvation”, “Works righteousness”. I am also not saying at all I have all the answers, yet I will say I am sharing out of years of bondage under “works” and have lived years “under grace”. No one has ever been “free”. We have “free will” yet when we were not in Christ, we were slaves to sin, and if now one is in Christ we are a slave to righteousness… I pray whatever tradition you have chosen that you will chose to walk in the faith God has given you. (Rom 6)
We are to walk as Jesus walked… and in that as 2 John 1 states:
“And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.”
If we are “in Jesus” as He is in the Father, we are immersed in Love… for “God is Love”. (1 john 4:8)
One can accept Jesus as Lord, yet the real issue is that is not even enough... for one who has come to a relationship with Jesus must at some time realize that Jesus is one's very LIFE. "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (1 Philippians 1:21)
For it is by His Grace we even come to eternal Life.
Blessings,
iggy
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In the Book of Daniel (Chapter 9) we are told that the Mashiach which is transliterated into Greek as Christ, will come... both of these mean "Anointed One". If one even reads a superficial reading of the OT they will find the one's that are anointed were kings... Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords... He is God incarnate, the Creator and Living Word of God...
To demand one must accept Him as "Lord" of their life lowers Who He actually is! We have no life to give Jesus, that is a misnomer. It misses the very point we are DEAD in our sins... and a dead person is not regenerated until they receive LIFE... and that is the Life of Christ or the Holy Spirit... John is teaching that one must receive the Holy Spirit before they can receive the Holy Spirit... which is nonsense.
The washing of regeneration happens when one receives Jesus... not before... Titus 3:5
A simple reading of Titus shows this out...
Titus 3: 4-7
“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Notice "He saved us" it is repeated twice... It is by His mercy we are saved... BY the washing of regeneration... regeneration is not before... but at the time of salvation... why? We are renewed by the Holy Spirit...
John MacArthur and many Calvinists teach that regeneration comes before the Holy Spirit is received and that is impossible as one must have the Holy Spirit to be regenerated! One must receive Life and be raised from our own death into the Life of Christ to be saved! Then we are regenerated by the very life of Christ... or by the Spirit Who is Life... One must be dead, buried and resurrected “in Christ” to be regenerated by Christ.
This summed up clearly by verse 7: That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
We are first justified by His Grace then made heirs as we have the hope now of eternal life. As we turn in Faith which is a gift of God, we express this by our hope that we are justified and now have eternal Life...
To turn this around make no sense... and demands that a person must be saved to get saved... and that is nonsensical... and that negates the Blood of Jesus.
Now here is the major flaw in the Lordship debate. Faith and obedience are connected… yet not in the way John MacArthur is stating… in fact the way John and many other understand obedience turns obedience into “works righteousness”.
We all agree with the Apostles and Peter and that “We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) Yet many as I said do not understand what that obedience is… We are called to the “obedience of Christ” and in that way take all thoughts captive. (2 Cor 10:5) Yet, few notice it is “of Christ” from where the obedience comes… if it being “of Christ” then it is not “of us”… or from our own works…
Romans 5:19 really hit me one day. “
“For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (Jesus) shall many be made righteous.” (I added Jesus for clarity as in the context it is understood.)
Because Adam sinned, we died, for we were inside Adam’s loins as we are all descendents of Adam.
This is a bit hard for some to grasp, yet it is what the writer of Hebrews uses to explain about why the Priesthood of Melchizedek was greater than the Priesthood of Levi, for Abraham gave tithe to Melchizedek which was giving honor, and Levi was still in the loins of Abraham. (One must think a bit like a Rabbi here to understand the logic - Hebrews 7)
We who are in Christ are born of the man of heaven. 1 Cor 15: 45 – 49 states:
“So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.”
In Christ we are born of the Spirit… in that we are made righteous by the One man’s (Jesus) obedience… we walk in His obedience and not our own…
God had kept this all a mystery. Yet, now God has opened to all nations the obedience of faith through Jesus Christ. (Romans 16:25-27)
Faith is a gift… (Ephesians 2:8) It is also trusting that God is faithful to His Word and will do as He promised. We walk in “faith” and not by sight. Many think that walking in faith is doing good works… but there are no good works aside from the works God has prepared for us to do… to think we can do works whether to “prove our salvation”, earn “brownie points” with God, or even become more “sanctified” misses the point completely. We are saved by Grace through faith and sustained by Grace through faith… nothing is of us, all is of God. In the book of Galatians 3:3 Paul asks a question. “After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” We would be wise to consider the answer… if we say yes, then we are saying we “sanctify ourselves” if we say no, they we say it is God who sanctifies us. It is the Holy Spirit that sanctifies us… as 1 Peter states “through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.” The “works” are God’s by His Spirit… and it is the Holy Spirit that sanctifies us. (1 Thessalonians 5: 23) for we are told in 2 Thessalonians 2: 13, “because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.”
God sustains us. Some might think this is a Armenian versus Calvinist argument… to me it is not… it is a Calvinist vs. the Bible debate. Now saying that I will add that I am not a “Calvinist hater” I am not saying a Calvinist is not saved (confused maybe on some important issues) but I would never say we must separate over differences in our doctrine. Man is a flawed and finite creature. We easily can fall sway to “man’s” teachings… be it “free grace”, “Lordship salvation”, “Works righteousness”. I am also not saying at all I have all the answers, yet I will say I am sharing out of years of bondage under “works” and have lived years “under grace”. No one has ever been “free”. We have “free will” yet when we were not in Christ, we were slaves to sin, and if now one is in Christ we are a slave to righteousness… I pray whatever tradition you have chosen that you will chose to walk in the faith God has given you. (Rom 6)
We are to walk as Jesus walked… and in that as 2 John 1 states:
“And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.”
If we are “in Jesus” as He is in the Father, we are immersed in Love… for “God is Love”. (1 john 4:8)
One can accept Jesus as Lord, yet the real issue is that is not even enough... for one who has come to a relationship with Jesus must at some time realize that Jesus is one's very LIFE. "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (1 Philippians 1:21)
For it is by His Grace we even come to eternal Life.
Blessings,
iggy
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Wednesday, March 14, 2007
A Mystery Blog... Progressive Revelation
I have come across a blog that links to me... yet have no clue who it is. I have tried to contact the person but have not had an answer back.
I have the honor of being the only outbound link... so, thanks.
I have thought about linking to it, yet would like to give credit... I find it very interesting and insightful.
Here is the link to Progressive Revelations. Enjoy!
Blessings,
iggy
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I have the honor of being the only outbound link... so, thanks.
I have thought about linking to it, yet would like to give credit... I find it very interesting and insightful.
Here is the link to Progressive Revelations. Enjoy!
Blessings,
iggy
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All Prayers are Answered
All prayers are answered.
Someone said that God answers prayer by saying, "Yes.", "No." or "Wait."
That maybe true, yet I have found that God always does things different from what we might expect...
So as we pray for an answer, God always answers... with the words of Jesus, "Follow Me".
(Matthew 4:19; 8:22; 9:9; 10:37 -39; 16:24; 19:21 John 1:43; 10:27; 12:26; 21:19, 22)
No matter what you are going through, follow Jesus through it.
blessings,
iggy
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Someone said that God answers prayer by saying, "Yes.", "No." or "Wait."
That maybe true, yet I have found that God always does things different from what we might expect...
So as we pray for an answer, God always answers... with the words of Jesus, "Follow Me".
(Matthew 4:19; 8:22; 9:9; 10:37 -39; 16:24; 19:21 John 1:43; 10:27; 12:26; 21:19, 22)
No matter what you are going through, follow Jesus through it.
blessings,
iggy
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what if one read the bible without the influence of Plato?
What if one read the Bible without the influence of Plato? Or Gnostic Dualism?
What if we read it for what it said and not for the idea’s we put into it…
One cannot believe how much Gnostic heresy has seeped into Christianity by way of Plato…
Blessings,
iggy
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What if we read it for what it said and not for the idea’s we put into it…
One cannot believe how much Gnostic heresy has seeped into Christianity by way of Plato…
Blessings,
iggy
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Monday, March 12, 2007
Al Mohler Goes Soft (hearted) Over homosexuals...
In the recent events around the Ann Coulter scandalously using a slang term for homosexuals... besides showing the mentality of many of the "Christian Right Wing" it seems while chastising Ann, (which he should) Al Mohler says some interesting things...
"So . . . why would Ann Coulter use that word? And, even more troubling to me, why would any in her audience laugh? There is nothing remotely funny about that word in any context. It is meant to hurt when boys use it in the locker room, and it was meant to hurt when Ann Coulter used it when speaking to a conservative audience. It demeans homosexuals and should be banned from any acceptable discourse.
How can homosexuals think anything but the worst of a movement that would laugh at the use of this slur? How can we think any better of ourselves if we stand by and let it happen?"
It would seem if someone from the "emergent" crowd said this there would be outcry of "gay lovers!" or "Sodomite lovers" or whatever ugliness one of that ilk would use to demean another.
The funny thing is I agree with Al Mohler... so watch out! LOL!
As far as Ann Coulter. She has been very irresponsible... not ot say childish... but what's to be expected from someone who dated the man who is responsible for the porn magazine Penthouse... (I learned this from Al's article which is here.)
Blessings,
iggy
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"So . . . why would Ann Coulter use that word? And, even more troubling to me, why would any in her audience laugh? There is nothing remotely funny about that word in any context. It is meant to hurt when boys use it in the locker room, and it was meant to hurt when Ann Coulter used it when speaking to a conservative audience. It demeans homosexuals and should be banned from any acceptable discourse.
How can homosexuals think anything but the worst of a movement that would laugh at the use of this slur? How can we think any better of ourselves if we stand by and let it happen?"
It would seem if someone from the "emergent" crowd said this there would be outcry of "gay lovers!" or "Sodomite lovers" or whatever ugliness one of that ilk would use to demean another.
The funny thing is I agree with Al Mohler... so watch out! LOL!
As far as Ann Coulter. She has been very irresponsible... not ot say childish... but what's to be expected from someone who dated the man who is responsible for the porn magazine Penthouse... (I learned this from Al's article which is here.)
Blessings,
iggy
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Regeneration does not precede faith…
Regeneration does not precede faith…
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. -Titus 3:5-7
How can it?
Once one actually notices the context of Titus 3:5-7 one should notice that one must be saved first to be regenerated… notice the first three words of the paragraph.
“He saved us.”
This is written to those who are already saved, not to those who need to get saved.
To say one must have a regenerate mind to receive the salvation gets things so out of whack… it is saying one must somehow get saved… before getting saved!
This is a teaching widely spread and is accepted. Yet, if one bothered to read the passage one might actually see the great salvation of our Great God!
We are saved by Grace…
By Faith…
Not of works…
It is Faith that is a gift… given to us that enables us to turn, we still must come to Christ and be regenerated as we must first receive the Holy Spirit to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. If one has not yet been filled by the Holy Spirit then how can they be regenerated? Only after one come to Christ Jesus will they be regenerated and renewed by the Holy Spirit.
Note also these same people often teach of the wrath of God at the expense of God’s great grace… yet in the verses just before Titus 3:5-7 it is stated in verses 1 -4:
“Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,”
We are to be ready to do good works… to speak evil of no man… and to live after the kindness and love of God our Saviour. It is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance… not His wrath nor regeneration.
We cannot be regenerated of our spirit if one has not yet received the Holy Spirit Who does the work or regeneration. That is why man must acknowledge his sin nature and turn to God for salvation. Until that takes place and pride is removed… only when man humbly bends his knee and cries out “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” The God will now act upon the faith He gave for one to cry out for deliverance… only then will He deliver and give New Life… only then can man enter in through the Kindness of God’s Merciful Grace… only then will man be given the Spirit of Life that is the regeneration of our Spirit, only then by Grace do we then mover forward to conform to the Image of Jesus… only then do we be transformed by the renewing of our mind…
To say one is regenerate before salvation is heresy upon heresy as it negates the Blood of Jesus. For what value then is it if man is regenerate with out the washing of the Blood of our sins?
Again, some appeal to Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin all mighty men of God in their way… but even men of great knowledge fall prey to prove their doctrine at the expense of what the bible actually teaches. Salvation is a process and it seems some teach that regeneration can come before the process even begins.
Pray we do not fall victim this error… and lead someone to receiving the Holy Spirit before they have even turned to God. That would be just foolishness. The Spirit woos but has yet to indwell… and then we are regenerated by Him.
Faith is the gift to see in a moment our sin, and to also see the kindness of God in Christ Jesus... it is then at that moment we receive the gift of Faith by Grace... It is trusting at that moment that even though we cannot see who we are to be, we still trust that God will be faithful to do it, and after that regeneration begins. Regeneration is coming into New Life in Christ... one cannot come into that Life before they come into His Life... It is again nonsensical.
Faith is more about God's faithfulness to us than what some call our own faith. Salvation is offered by Grace. In that we respond to knowledge that God has done all for us at the Cross by His Blood... and in His death and Resurrection. We must accept that we do nothing except fall at His feet to be saved. For, just as Jesus must be our very Life... He is our only Salvation. The just shall live by faith... we are justified at the Cross and saved by His Blood, and Live by His Life giving Spirit.
So, again, all one needs to do is read three little words that sum up the issue... "He saved us".
Blessings,
iggy
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He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. -Titus 3:5-7
How can it?
Once one actually notices the context of Titus 3:5-7 one should notice that one must be saved first to be regenerated… notice the first three words of the paragraph.
“He saved us.”
This is written to those who are already saved, not to those who need to get saved.
To say one must have a regenerate mind to receive the salvation gets things so out of whack… it is saying one must somehow get saved… before getting saved!
This is a teaching widely spread and is accepted. Yet, if one bothered to read the passage one might actually see the great salvation of our Great God!
We are saved by Grace…
By Faith…
Not of works…
It is Faith that is a gift… given to us that enables us to turn, we still must come to Christ and be regenerated as we must first receive the Holy Spirit to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. If one has not yet been filled by the Holy Spirit then how can they be regenerated? Only after one come to Christ Jesus will they be regenerated and renewed by the Holy Spirit.
Note also these same people often teach of the wrath of God at the expense of God’s great grace… yet in the verses just before Titus 3:5-7 it is stated in verses 1 -4:
“Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,”
We are to be ready to do good works… to speak evil of no man… and to live after the kindness and love of God our Saviour. It is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance… not His wrath nor regeneration.
We cannot be regenerated of our spirit if one has not yet received the Holy Spirit Who does the work or regeneration. That is why man must acknowledge his sin nature and turn to God for salvation. Until that takes place and pride is removed… only when man humbly bends his knee and cries out “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” The God will now act upon the faith He gave for one to cry out for deliverance… only then will He deliver and give New Life… only then can man enter in through the Kindness of God’s Merciful Grace… only then will man be given the Spirit of Life that is the regeneration of our Spirit, only then by Grace do we then mover forward to conform to the Image of Jesus… only then do we be transformed by the renewing of our mind…
To say one is regenerate before salvation is heresy upon heresy as it negates the Blood of Jesus. For what value then is it if man is regenerate with out the washing of the Blood of our sins?
Again, some appeal to Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin all mighty men of God in their way… but even men of great knowledge fall prey to prove their doctrine at the expense of what the bible actually teaches. Salvation is a process and it seems some teach that regeneration can come before the process even begins.
Pray we do not fall victim this error… and lead someone to receiving the Holy Spirit before they have even turned to God. That would be just foolishness. The Spirit woos but has yet to indwell… and then we are regenerated by Him.
Faith is the gift to see in a moment our sin, and to also see the kindness of God in Christ Jesus... it is then at that moment we receive the gift of Faith by Grace... It is trusting at that moment that even though we cannot see who we are to be, we still trust that God will be faithful to do it, and after that regeneration begins. Regeneration is coming into New Life in Christ... one cannot come into that Life before they come into His Life... It is again nonsensical.
Faith is more about God's faithfulness to us than what some call our own faith. Salvation is offered by Grace. In that we respond to knowledge that God has done all for us at the Cross by His Blood... and in His death and Resurrection. We must accept that we do nothing except fall at His feet to be saved. For, just as Jesus must be our very Life... He is our only Salvation. The just shall live by faith... we are justified at the Cross and saved by His Blood, and Live by His Life giving Spirit.
So, again, all one needs to do is read three little words that sum up the issue... "He saved us".
Blessings,
iggy
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Esau I hated…
Esau I hated…
This phrase is found in two places, once in Malachi 1:2-3 and in Romans 9:13.
Many use this verse to prove God hates the sinner… when in fact it is not the “sinner” God hates but the sinfulness that dwells within the sinner. Many have taught it Like Martin Luther, and even today people like John MacArthur, yet it is a twisting of the scripture to fit their doctrine and not actually what is taught in the verses themselves.
Esau became the father of the people known in the Bible as the Edomites. These were wicked people who as their “father” did not see that following God was a worthy thing. In fact we read that Esau is used interchangeably in much of the OT as Edomites. In that God did not hate Esau in the sense many teach. They teach that God just chose out of thin air to hate Esau. Esau did not see that his firstborn rights were of any value. He, like Adam gave over his rightful inheritance for a pot of portage. With that was he also saw the blessings of the father of no real worth until after Jacob, who being a bit of a scoundrel tricked his father into blessing him instead of Esau. What many miss is that again God did not randomly just decide to hate Esau. In fact there was still a blessing that seems to be missed as a blessing unto the Gentiles.
The Edomites became wicked people and bore the wrath of God. Yet in that blessing Isaac states.
“His father Isaac answered him, "Your dwelling will be away from the earth's richness, away from the dew of heaven above. You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck." (Gen 29: 30-40)
I believe the real blessing was in that last phrase. “But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck." You see Esau was in bondage to Jacob. He was a slave to Jacob through the blessings that Isaac gave to Jacob. In Romans we find that Paul is building up to something.
Malachi is a great book. Many reduce it to just a book to guilt people into tithing… which misses the very point of the book which is pointing to the Coming of Jesus.
The first passage is where you find the OT reference to "Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated”. (Verses 2-3) Yet miss that what Malachi is doing is pointing out that even though Edomites were wicked, they had more faith in that though God had destroyed them, they would rebuild… of course only to have it destroyed once again. The Hebrews thought that they were better as they were the descendants of Jacob… The destruction of the Edomites was so great that even other nations told of the Greatness of God… yet here the Hebrews stood and gave God improper acknowledgement in the form of sick and improper sacrifices. They showed less honor than the pagans… who where God’s enemies. What this oracle is about is showing that the Hebrew were no better than the heathens and in fact worse as they knew how God desired to be worshiped and did not do it that way. To say that this is about God loving Jacob because he was “Elect” misses the whole point when you get to Romans 9.
Here the passage in Romans 9: 13-26 ( I know my Calvinist friend will not like this but follow it through and you will see this is not about the Elect going to heave and the non Elect going to hell… this is more glorious as it shows that God is compassionate and merciful…)
Just as it is written:
"Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."
Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?"
But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, `Why did you make me like this?'" Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath--prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory-- even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?
As he says in Hosea: "I will call them `my people' who are not my people; and I will call her `my loved one' who is not my loved one," and, "It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, `You are not my people,' they will be called `sons of the living God.'"
Most do not connect the Hosea with the rest of the passage. God is holding back His wrath to show mercy… just like the story of Jonah… He gave mercy. He called the gentiles people to Himself… God redeemed the Wicked Edomites and they have now become as God called them “`my people' who are not my people;”
This is not a passage of a hateful God showing His wrath, but of a loving merciful God who has compassion on Who He desire to have compassion on.
God hated the sinful ways of the Edomites, He hated what Esau did… yet instead of just giving wrath, which they already did suffer as the Edomites were judged severely in the OT, they were also vessels of mercy. Esau and his descendants were the shadow of the gentiles whom God also “hated” but still redeemed.
Blessings,
iggy
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This phrase is found in two places, once in Malachi 1:2-3 and in Romans 9:13.
Many use this verse to prove God hates the sinner… when in fact it is not the “sinner” God hates but the sinfulness that dwells within the sinner. Many have taught it Like Martin Luther, and even today people like John MacArthur, yet it is a twisting of the scripture to fit their doctrine and not actually what is taught in the verses themselves.
Esau became the father of the people known in the Bible as the Edomites. These were wicked people who as their “father” did not see that following God was a worthy thing. In fact we read that Esau is used interchangeably in much of the OT as Edomites. In that God did not hate Esau in the sense many teach. They teach that God just chose out of thin air to hate Esau. Esau did not see that his firstborn rights were of any value. He, like Adam gave over his rightful inheritance for a pot of portage. With that was he also saw the blessings of the father of no real worth until after Jacob, who being a bit of a scoundrel tricked his father into blessing him instead of Esau. What many miss is that again God did not randomly just decide to hate Esau. In fact there was still a blessing that seems to be missed as a blessing unto the Gentiles.
The Edomites became wicked people and bore the wrath of God. Yet in that blessing Isaac states.
“His father Isaac answered him, "Your dwelling will be away from the earth's richness, away from the dew of heaven above. You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck." (Gen 29: 30-40)
I believe the real blessing was in that last phrase. “But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck." You see Esau was in bondage to Jacob. He was a slave to Jacob through the blessings that Isaac gave to Jacob. In Romans we find that Paul is building up to something.
Malachi is a great book. Many reduce it to just a book to guilt people into tithing… which misses the very point of the book which is pointing to the Coming of Jesus.
The first passage is where you find the OT reference to "Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated”. (Verses 2-3) Yet miss that what Malachi is doing is pointing out that even though Edomites were wicked, they had more faith in that though God had destroyed them, they would rebuild… of course only to have it destroyed once again. The Hebrews thought that they were better as they were the descendants of Jacob… The destruction of the Edomites was so great that even other nations told of the Greatness of God… yet here the Hebrews stood and gave God improper acknowledgement in the form of sick and improper sacrifices. They showed less honor than the pagans… who where God’s enemies. What this oracle is about is showing that the Hebrew were no better than the heathens and in fact worse as they knew how God desired to be worshiped and did not do it that way. To say that this is about God loving Jacob because he was “Elect” misses the whole point when you get to Romans 9.
Here the passage in Romans 9: 13-26 ( I know my Calvinist friend will not like this but follow it through and you will see this is not about the Elect going to heave and the non Elect going to hell… this is more glorious as it shows that God is compassionate and merciful…)
Just as it is written:
"Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."
Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?"
But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, `Why did you make me like this?'" Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath--prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory-- even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?
As he says in Hosea: "I will call them `my people' who are not my people; and I will call her `my loved one' who is not my loved one," and, "It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, `You are not my people,' they will be called `sons of the living God.'"
Most do not connect the Hosea with the rest of the passage. God is holding back His wrath to show mercy… just like the story of Jonah… He gave mercy. He called the gentiles people to Himself… God redeemed the Wicked Edomites and they have now become as God called them “`my people' who are not my people;”
This is not a passage of a hateful God showing His wrath, but of a loving merciful God who has compassion on Who He desire to have compassion on.
God hated the sinful ways of the Edomites, He hated what Esau did… yet instead of just giving wrath, which they already did suffer as the Edomites were judged severely in the OT, they were also vessels of mercy. Esau and his descendants were the shadow of the gentiles whom God also “hated” but still redeemed.
Blessings,
iggy
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Sunday, March 11, 2007
Brad Delp of the Rock Group Boston died Last Friday
Brad Delp was the lead singer of the rock group Boston. As a young man growing up I found something in the music of Boston that even to this day makes me jump inside and go "Oh Yeah!"
My heart sunk this morning when I read about Brad's death. At age 55 and apparently in good health he was found in his home. There seemed to be no sign of a struggle nor that he was attacked... so we wait until they can figure out what happened.
Boston was one of the groups. Yes, it was a "party" group, with "Smokin'" and "foreplay" that morphed into "Long time". Yet, with only four albums to their name they hit the top of the charts every time and that after many years in between albums... The last one was released in 2002.
With each new release, there seemed this change and direction... from "get down and party" we find ourselves being told "don't look back" and one of my favorites "The Man I'll Never Be". Later they seemed focused on the evils of corporate greed. Maybe out of their struggle with the original recording label who they had spent many years in lawsuits over their music rights.
Brad did a side project with another band mate. Return to Zero. It was not Boston, but they too hit spot on the charts. Unlike bands like REO Speedwagon and Journey who have stopped producing new music and had contented themselves to be oldies bands, I do not see that Boston would ever be that. They were on a journey and though it may not have been "Christian" at times it it was inspirational and "spiritually" moving.
Funny thing is this. In a world of music, there was none like Boston. They pioneered a sound that influence as many guitarists and singers as Led Zeppelin had. Many guitarist today play through effects pedals designed by Tom Sholtz. It is saddest to me I never was able to see Boston in concert. And now I doubt I will even see them tour with a new singer.
Here is the my favorite song from Boston.
A Man I'll Never Be
If I said what's on my mind
You'd turn and walk away
Disappearing way back in your dreams
It's so hard to be unkind
So easy just to say
That everything is just the way it seems
You look up at me
And somewhere in your mind you see
A man I'll never be
If only I could find a way
I'd feel like I'm the man you believe I am
It's getting harder every day for me
To hide behind this dream you see
A man I'll never be
I can't get any stronger
I can't climb any higher
You'll never know just how hard I've tried
Cry a little longer
And hold a little tighter
Emotions can't be satisfied
You look up at me
And somewhere in your mind you see
A man I'll never be
If only I could find a way
I'd feel like I'm the man you believe I am
It's getting harder every day for me
To hide behind this dream you see
A man I'll never be
(Scholz)
This is most probably the song that most know, and the one that got me through most of my young teen days. "More than a feeling".
I looked out this morning and the sun was gone
Turned on some music to start my day
I lost myself in a familiar song
I closed my eyes and I slipped away
May God comfort those who mourn,
Blessings,
iggy
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"Carlos Shelton", Culture, Emerging church, iggy, Music, Thoughts
My heart sunk this morning when I read about Brad's death. At age 55 and apparently in good health he was found in his home. There seemed to be no sign of a struggle nor that he was attacked... so we wait until they can figure out what happened.
Boston was one of the groups. Yes, it was a "party" group, with "Smokin'" and "foreplay" that morphed into "Long time". Yet, with only four albums to their name they hit the top of the charts every time and that after many years in between albums... The last one was released in 2002.
With each new release, there seemed this change and direction... from "get down and party" we find ourselves being told "don't look back" and one of my favorites "The Man I'll Never Be". Later they seemed focused on the evils of corporate greed. Maybe out of their struggle with the original recording label who they had spent many years in lawsuits over their music rights.
Brad did a side project with another band mate. Return to Zero. It was not Boston, but they too hit spot on the charts. Unlike bands like REO Speedwagon and Journey who have stopped producing new music and had contented themselves to be oldies bands, I do not see that Boston would ever be that. They were on a journey and though it may not have been "Christian" at times it it was inspirational and "spiritually" moving.
Funny thing is this. In a world of music, there was none like Boston. They pioneered a sound that influence as many guitarists and singers as Led Zeppelin had. Many guitarist today play through effects pedals designed by Tom Sholtz. It is saddest to me I never was able to see Boston in concert. And now I doubt I will even see them tour with a new singer.
Here is the my favorite song from Boston.
A Man I'll Never Be
If I said what's on my mind
You'd turn and walk away
Disappearing way back in your dreams
It's so hard to be unkind
So easy just to say
That everything is just the way it seems
You look up at me
And somewhere in your mind you see
A man I'll never be
If only I could find a way
I'd feel like I'm the man you believe I am
It's getting harder every day for me
To hide behind this dream you see
A man I'll never be
I can't get any stronger
I can't climb any higher
You'll never know just how hard I've tried
Cry a little longer
And hold a little tighter
Emotions can't be satisfied
You look up at me
And somewhere in your mind you see
A man I'll never be
If only I could find a way
I'd feel like I'm the man you believe I am
It's getting harder every day for me
To hide behind this dream you see
A man I'll never be
(Scholz)
This is most probably the song that most know, and the one that got me through most of my young teen days. "More than a feeling".
I looked out this morning and the sun was gone
Turned on some music to start my day
I lost myself in a familiar song
I closed my eyes and I slipped away
May God comfort those who mourn,
Blessings,
iggy
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"Carlos Shelton", Culture, Emerging church, iggy, Music, Thoughts
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Pride: In the Name of Love
Pride: In the Name of Love
I was thinking about “revivals”. You know those good ole fashioned “evangelist” comes to town in a tent and preaches on hell and damnation… we all get emotional and hope the person we brought is listening (as we are too often too afraid to actually engage that person ourselves so we use a hired gun)… or that we wished we had brought someone to hear this man and feel guilty for not doin it. We hoot and amen and have a good ole time… but then after he takes his “love offering” he goes out jumps in the Winnebago he came in and scoots off to another town… and….
Nothing else happens…
Oh there is a buzz in the air for a short while… but if you are lucky the person that did go forward (not the ones who always go forward for every little thing) might even start coming once in a while… and that is great.
I saw these “great” prophets/teachers/evangelist/authors/whatever come to town and everyone raves on their ministry… oh people got healed… or thousands went forward and got saved… yet if that is so, why has nothing really changed in our fair city?
I mean if these thousands went forward and received Jesus then there should be a BIG difference I your town right? But, most often than not… we see no change…
So, I remember passing out tracts, I loved the Jack Chick one’s as they had those cartoons. I bought hundreds of them and passed them out here and there… and not one person came to Jesus…
I witnessed on the street. Mostly to JW’s who would be rude to me as I showed them through scripture Jesus was not an “angel” but held the same title as God… both claimed to be the Alpha and Omega… I was great in my presentation for I learned from the master Walter Martin… you know the Bible answer man… I could not afford Kingdom of the Cults but I would go to the Library or bible book store and read it there for hours… I listened to every show I could catch of the “bible answer man”. It was hard as many places I lived did to even broadcast him… but I took notes as I did…and when I did.
Yet, again with all my witnessing I did not see “fruit”. I was busy but not bearing fruit… so I took on a rigorous self discipline schedule… I fasted and prayed and kept a journal… I prayed and kept myself separate and holy… (Notice how I phrased that?) And with all this added work… nothing happened… I began to wonder if I was not saved… or that God hated me… or worse… God was a liar.
My heart was angry and hurt… all I did for God and nothing.
I was Elijah in the cave… “I am the only one”…. And instead of God reassuring me that there were others… There was no answer.
I taught and read and prayed and did all I could… until I heard on the radio a man speaking of the Grace of God… and I hated him… I wanted to show him how wrong he was about all his fluffy gospel… he taught eternal security and twisted scripture all over the place to fit his view… but something began to happen… Like the story of the Grinch…my heart began to grow as I listened…. And joy would appear… but I would stuff it down with hate and anger… for God was a wrathful God and if you did not keep yourself pure He would have no qualms in casting you into Hell… He hated sin…. Yet I knew instinctively that God also loved the sinner… and desired him to turn… and little thinks like “it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance” drove me nuts! I began an earnest study about Grace and eternal security… I read the man’s book… and it made sense… but it was not the Bible… so I read Galatians, and other books… but the one I knew backed me up the most was Hebrews. So I read it… and carefully kept each thought and chapter in context… and found Grace…
I was shocked! How could this be? I prayed and asked God to help me to understand what was happening… for if I accepted this as truth, then I lost everything… my position at church… face with the people around me and what few friends I had? what about my wife? Would she understand? I was the “spiritual leader” in our house… and how could I switch in mid stream my belief system?
I then heard a voice… which personally I hate it when people say that… but I did… and a question was set in my heart as if someone was standing in the room with me…A sheep knows his Sheppard’s voice… and sometimes I get these penetrating questions…
I feel like Peter, “Who do you say I am, Peter?” asked Jesus.
The voice asked… “What is keeping you from accepting what you have just learned?”
I answered… in one word… as if I had no choice… “Pride.”
That was a true revival... it has lasted for over 15 years inside of me... exchanging pride for the Name of Love...
The Truth shall set you free.
Blessings,
iggy
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I was thinking about “revivals”. You know those good ole fashioned “evangelist” comes to town in a tent and preaches on hell and damnation… we all get emotional and hope the person we brought is listening (as we are too often too afraid to actually engage that person ourselves so we use a hired gun)… or that we wished we had brought someone to hear this man and feel guilty for not doin it. We hoot and amen and have a good ole time… but then after he takes his “love offering” he goes out jumps in the Winnebago he came in and scoots off to another town… and….
Nothing else happens…
Oh there is a buzz in the air for a short while… but if you are lucky the person that did go forward (not the ones who always go forward for every little thing) might even start coming once in a while… and that is great.
I saw these “great” prophets/teachers/evangelist/authors/whatever come to town and everyone raves on their ministry… oh people got healed… or thousands went forward and got saved… yet if that is so, why has nothing really changed in our fair city?
I mean if these thousands went forward and received Jesus then there should be a BIG difference I your town right? But, most often than not… we see no change…
So, I remember passing out tracts, I loved the Jack Chick one’s as they had those cartoons. I bought hundreds of them and passed them out here and there… and not one person came to Jesus…
I witnessed on the street. Mostly to JW’s who would be rude to me as I showed them through scripture Jesus was not an “angel” but held the same title as God… both claimed to be the Alpha and Omega… I was great in my presentation for I learned from the master Walter Martin… you know the Bible answer man… I could not afford Kingdom of the Cults but I would go to the Library or bible book store and read it there for hours… I listened to every show I could catch of the “bible answer man”. It was hard as many places I lived did to even broadcast him… but I took notes as I did…and when I did.
Yet, again with all my witnessing I did not see “fruit”. I was busy but not bearing fruit… so I took on a rigorous self discipline schedule… I fasted and prayed and kept a journal… I prayed and kept myself separate and holy… (Notice how I phrased that?) And with all this added work… nothing happened… I began to wonder if I was not saved… or that God hated me… or worse… God was a liar.
My heart was angry and hurt… all I did for God and nothing.
I was Elijah in the cave… “I am the only one”…. And instead of God reassuring me that there were others… There was no answer.
I taught and read and prayed and did all I could… until I heard on the radio a man speaking of the Grace of God… and I hated him… I wanted to show him how wrong he was about all his fluffy gospel… he taught eternal security and twisted scripture all over the place to fit his view… but something began to happen… Like the story of the Grinch…my heart began to grow as I listened…. And joy would appear… but I would stuff it down with hate and anger… for God was a wrathful God and if you did not keep yourself pure He would have no qualms in casting you into Hell… He hated sin…. Yet I knew instinctively that God also loved the sinner… and desired him to turn… and little thinks like “it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance” drove me nuts! I began an earnest study about Grace and eternal security… I read the man’s book… and it made sense… but it was not the Bible… so I read Galatians, and other books… but the one I knew backed me up the most was Hebrews. So I read it… and carefully kept each thought and chapter in context… and found Grace…
I was shocked! How could this be? I prayed and asked God to help me to understand what was happening… for if I accepted this as truth, then I lost everything… my position at church… face with the people around me and what few friends I had? what about my wife? Would she understand? I was the “spiritual leader” in our house… and how could I switch in mid stream my belief system?
I then heard a voice… which personally I hate it when people say that… but I did… and a question was set in my heart as if someone was standing in the room with me…A sheep knows his Sheppard’s voice… and sometimes I get these penetrating questions…
I feel like Peter, “Who do you say I am, Peter?” asked Jesus.
The voice asked… “What is keeping you from accepting what you have just learned?”
I answered… in one word… as if I had no choice… “Pride.”
That was a true revival... it has lasted for over 15 years inside of me... exchanging pride for the Name of Love...
The Truth shall set you free.
Blessings,
iggy
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"Carlos Shelton", be a blessing, Beloved, Bible, Blessings, Christianity, Emerging church, Exchanged life, Follower of Christ, Generous Orthodoxy , God, Grace, Holy Spirit, iggy, iggynation, In Christ, Jesus, Life, Love, Redeemed, Truth, Truth Abides, Values, Walk in the Spirit, Word of Mouth Ministries
Friday, March 09, 2007
Bones of Jesus and his family...
Bones of Jesus and his family...
Ok, I did not watch the show... I did not care to... I thought it was a hoax or at best the worst research ever. If it was in any relation to the bone box of James.
I was already convinced that it was wrong. Why? Because the Truth (Jesus) had already set me free and I have seen this stuff all before in different forms, but always the same idea. Jesus never died, he swooned or was replaced by a look alike, or my favorite Gnostic gospel teaching of Jesus making Judas look like Himself and hovering in a spirit form over the Cross sneering at the stupid humans crucify Judas in His place.
So, I have heard about all there is to know.
BTW, even this "Jesus married Mary and had a bunch of kids" things was around before that ridiculous Duh-Vinci code. (Which I think most Christian churches fell into the trap of promoting with the "we must make sure people know the truth" which was a "hey, let's sell some "Christian" books and make some money" thing from my view point.) This was taught in some circles of Mormonism.
Jesus has a bride already. It is the Church in which He is betrothed to. We are the Bride of Christ and there was and will be no other. That would make God a polygamist.
I think the bible is trustworthy in it's story of what happened. I do not worry about the latest fad to come around.
Now if you do need a bit more "intellectual" comfort I recommend this article by Scot McKnight.
Scot McKnight: A Boring Box of Bones
Blessings,
iggy
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Ok, I did not watch the show... I did not care to... I thought it was a hoax or at best the worst research ever. If it was in any relation to the bone box of James.
I was already convinced that it was wrong. Why? Because the Truth (Jesus) had already set me free and I have seen this stuff all before in different forms, but always the same idea. Jesus never died, he swooned or was replaced by a look alike, or my favorite Gnostic gospel teaching of Jesus making Judas look like Himself and hovering in a spirit form over the Cross sneering at the stupid humans crucify Judas in His place.
So, I have heard about all there is to know.
BTW, even this "Jesus married Mary and had a bunch of kids" things was around before that ridiculous Duh-Vinci code. (Which I think most Christian churches fell into the trap of promoting with the "we must make sure people know the truth" which was a "hey, let's sell some "Christian" books and make some money" thing from my view point.) This was taught in some circles of Mormonism.
Jesus has a bride already. It is the Church in which He is betrothed to. We are the Bride of Christ and there was and will be no other. That would make God a polygamist.
I think the bible is trustworthy in it's story of what happened. I do not worry about the latest fad to come around.
Now if you do need a bit more "intellectual" comfort I recommend this article by Scot McKnight.
Scot McKnight: A Boring Box of Bones
Blessings,
iggy
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Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Thoughts on the Harmony of Being Uniquely Individual and Being Part of a Whole
Thoughts on the harmony of being Uniquely Individual and being Part of a Whole
Within the thought that the many become one... and yet remain uniquely individual is the mystery of the Triune God... all unique yet in harmony as One. Also it is the idea of One Body (Jesus') made of many parts (us) becoming the Church (called out ones) to become as One... the Bride to be brought out in perfection to be the Wife of Jesus... we are one in Him as He is in the Father...
Of course if one does not believe in the Triune God this is all lost to you.
More so though it is that though objectively all experience the same type of experience... yet uniquely it is subjectively experienced... the objective and subjective are not opposed but in union with each other. In that the objective abstract becomes subjective reality...
People who come to Christ share the same experience... yet it manifests in different ways... I was drunk then became sober with my sinners prayer..."if you keep me sober tonight, I will see what I can do for you" (famous last words!) God showed me I could do nothing for me as He had already done it at the Cross.
I came to realize some time ago that there is two types of Gnosis...
1. The revelational knowledge that is common to man, yet gives insight to this worlds struggles. It contains wisdom for this realm... but is truly worthless for salvation and the Kingdom of God.
2. The revelational knowledge that is based on faith. Faith in believing that what is not, is, and will be as God said it.
One is not in harmony with the other; in fact they are diametrically opposed to each other.
One teaches power and authority to control and gain for one's self... the other is the idea of lowering one's self to serve and love the other as better than yourself. Both cannot coexist. One cannot seek knowledge for knowledge sake with out seeking God to give meaning behind and for the knowledge given.
The fall was not just about eating forbidden fruit, but about man's choosing to take knowledge for himself apart from God... to seek knowledge for knowledge sake and yet not understand what the knowledge is truly for. What Adam did was give up his birthright as first born to be a god unto himself... and lost his life, or rather the access to eternal life as the tree of life was now taken from his grasp as he was cast out of the Garden.
Adam sought knowledge apart from God whom he walked with in the Garden in the cool of the evening... Adam chose to sever his relationship over knowledge for knowledge sake.
To say that transformation is just my experience denies that it is for anyone that seeks God's knowledge. It denies that man can now walk with God in the Garden for the Garden is now Christ Jesus. "If any man be in Christ, he is a New Creation."
Blessings,
iggy
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Within the thought that the many become one... and yet remain uniquely individual is the mystery of the Triune God... all unique yet in harmony as One. Also it is the idea of One Body (Jesus') made of many parts (us) becoming the Church (called out ones) to become as One... the Bride to be brought out in perfection to be the Wife of Jesus... we are one in Him as He is in the Father...
Of course if one does not believe in the Triune God this is all lost to you.
More so though it is that though objectively all experience the same type of experience... yet uniquely it is subjectively experienced... the objective and subjective are not opposed but in union with each other. In that the objective abstract becomes subjective reality...
People who come to Christ share the same experience... yet it manifests in different ways... I was drunk then became sober with my sinners prayer..."if you keep me sober tonight, I will see what I can do for you" (famous last words!) God showed me I could do nothing for me as He had already done it at the Cross.
I came to realize some time ago that there is two types of Gnosis...
1. The revelational knowledge that is common to man, yet gives insight to this worlds struggles. It contains wisdom for this realm... but is truly worthless for salvation and the Kingdom of God.
2. The revelational knowledge that is based on faith. Faith in believing that what is not, is, and will be as God said it.
One is not in harmony with the other; in fact they are diametrically opposed to each other.
One teaches power and authority to control and gain for one's self... the other is the idea of lowering one's self to serve and love the other as better than yourself. Both cannot coexist. One cannot seek knowledge for knowledge sake with out seeking God to give meaning behind and for the knowledge given.
The fall was not just about eating forbidden fruit, but about man's choosing to take knowledge for himself apart from God... to seek knowledge for knowledge sake and yet not understand what the knowledge is truly for. What Adam did was give up his birthright as first born to be a god unto himself... and lost his life, or rather the access to eternal life as the tree of life was now taken from his grasp as he was cast out of the Garden.
Adam sought knowledge apart from God whom he walked with in the Garden in the cool of the evening... Adam chose to sever his relationship over knowledge for knowledge sake.
To say that transformation is just my experience denies that it is for anyone that seeks God's knowledge. It denies that man can now walk with God in the Garden for the Garden is now Christ Jesus. "If any man be in Christ, he is a New Creation."
Blessings,
iggy
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Monday, March 05, 2007
Dwayna Litz: The High Priestess of CRN Attributes Creation to Satan
OK I know i am pushing it a bit on the title... but not as much as Dwayna Litz does on this post at CRN.
She says this:
"5 Elements (pentagram)Earth, wind, fire, air, sky (or spirit)
Satan has (limited) power over the elements
Job 2:6-God gives Satan power (Job 1:6-8)
Job 1:16- Satan sends fire from heaven
Job 1:17- Satan has power over the nations
Job 2: 7- Satan has power over disease (limited)
Exodus 7:22- Satan duplicated miracles of Moses-power to work miracles
Revelation 21:1, 5 - God destroys the elements/ new heaven and new earth"
Yet, at Mosaic they say this:
WIND - Commission - Acts 2:2
Mission is why the Church exists.
WATER - Community - John 7:38
Love is the context for all mission.
WOOD - Connection - John 15:5
Structure must always submit to Spirit.
FIRE - Communion - Hebrews 12:29
Relevance to culture is not optional.
EARTH - Character - Genesis 2:7
Creativity is the natural result of spirituality
Now if one looks at the Bible about these things we find some interesting things...
Wind is also the word for Breath... and is often a reference to the Holy Spirit.
Dwayna attributes Wind to Satan... yet scripture states that God is in control...
Genesis 8:1Genesis 8 "But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded."
Water is often used in the bible for the symbol of being cleansed by God... It is related to Baptism... again God also used water to save Noah and judge the world... so God is in control of the water. (Matthew 3:11; Hebrews 10: 19-22 ; 1 Peter 3:18-20)
Wood was used for fuel at the alters for sacrifice. It is also what the Cross was made of... so also God told Noah to Build the Ark out of wood... So to attribute wood to Satan is to attribute the Cross to Satan also!
Fire is what the Holy Spirit is likened to. It is also how God will cleanse the earth... so God is in control of fire... remember also it was not Satan who sent fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah... but God... and Satan was limited by God in what he could do to Job.
Earth is what God created for man to dwell on... God created it and called it good... God is also redeeming it from dominion of fallen mankind.
Dwayna needs to be careful as she is falling into the same thing the Pharisees did with Jesus. Matthew 12:24 states much the same thought that she expresses... "But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons." "
Beware when someone attributes the things of God to Satan... as the scripture teaches: 2 Cor 11: 12-15 "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."
Be not deceived...
Blessings,
iggy
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She says this:
"5 Elements (pentagram)Earth, wind, fire, air, sky (or spirit)
Satan has (limited) power over the elements
Job 2:6-God gives Satan power (Job 1:6-8)
Job 1:16- Satan sends fire from heaven
Job 1:17- Satan has power over the nations
Job 2: 7- Satan has power over disease (limited)
Exodus 7:22- Satan duplicated miracles of Moses-power to work miracles
Revelation 21:1, 5 - God destroys the elements/ new heaven and new earth"
Yet, at Mosaic they say this:
WIND - Commission - Acts 2:2
Mission is why the Church exists.
WATER - Community - John 7:38
Love is the context for all mission.
WOOD - Connection - John 15:5
Structure must always submit to Spirit.
FIRE - Communion - Hebrews 12:29
Relevance to culture is not optional.
EARTH - Character - Genesis 2:7
Creativity is the natural result of spirituality
Now if one looks at the Bible about these things we find some interesting things...
Wind is also the word for Breath... and is often a reference to the Holy Spirit.
Dwayna attributes Wind to Satan... yet scripture states that God is in control...
Genesis 8:1Genesis 8 "But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded."
Water is often used in the bible for the symbol of being cleansed by God... It is related to Baptism... again God also used water to save Noah and judge the world... so God is in control of the water. (Matthew 3:11; Hebrews 10: 19-22 ; 1 Peter 3:18-20)
Wood was used for fuel at the alters for sacrifice. It is also what the Cross was made of... so also God told Noah to Build the Ark out of wood... So to attribute wood to Satan is to attribute the Cross to Satan also!
Fire is what the Holy Spirit is likened to. It is also how God will cleanse the earth... so God is in control of fire... remember also it was not Satan who sent fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah... but God... and Satan was limited by God in what he could do to Job.
Earth is what God created for man to dwell on... God created it and called it good... God is also redeeming it from dominion of fallen mankind.
Dwayna needs to be careful as she is falling into the same thing the Pharisees did with Jesus. Matthew 12:24 states much the same thought that she expresses... "But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons." "
Beware when someone attributes the things of God to Satan... as the scripture teaches: 2 Cor 11: 12-15 "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."
Be not deceived...
Blessings,
iggy
Technorati tags:
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