hey y'all, i'm just writing a quickie to say that i am coveting your prayers.
i've just sent off a manuscript to a literary agent to have it considered for publication. while i know it's all in God's hands, i just pray that whatever happens with it, it blesses someone's life.
[sprinting towards the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...]
30 August 2005
28 August 2005
hearsay&the_race.reloaded...
they say that life is a marathon.
they say we need to pace ourselves to finish the race.
they that pushing ourselves past the limit is unhealthy.
they say if we test our strength we will discover our weakness.
they say that too much, too fast will lead us to an early grave.
they say we need to look to the future and plan for tomorrow.
they say work today and play tomorrow.
they say we have all the time in the world.
they say life is a marathon.
rachel joy scott: 17 years old; martyred at coumbine high school; 1999. jim eliot: 29 years old; martyred in ecuador; 1956. keith green: 28 years old; died in a plane crash in texas; 1986. cassie bernall: 17 years old; martyred at columbine high school; 1999. oswald chambers: 37 years old; died in surgery in egypt; 1917. david brainerd: 29 years old; died in a blizzard in new england; 1747. john stam: 27 years old; martyred china; 1934. betty stam: 28 years old; martyred in china; 1934. frances havergal: 43 years old; died of fever in wales; 1879. philip bliss: 38 years old; died in a train wreck in ohio; 1876.
they say these died too early. they say their ministries were cut short.
jesus the christ: 33 years old; tortured and crucified in jerusalem; a.d. 30.
did He? was His?
what's worth more- a long life or a full life?
i've never run in a marathon, but i have played sports that require loads of training and running. my life has been full of sprints. i've lost, a lot. i've won, a few. i've quit, at times. and most of all, i've learned.
if you never give up on anything, you won't have something to regret for the rest of your life.
so, yeah, i get miserable and melancholy at times because i lose focus. i see the mistakes of my youth and how in certain areas, i am a prisoner to consequences. in one way, it is my thorn in the flesh.
i don't know how to express all that i feel inside. i am a paradox of emotions. i am excited about the future, but i feel petrified of the future. i can't wait to see what God is up to and it seems like it's taking forever, and yet time seems to be speeding away.
my goal, my passion, my all-consuming desire is to sprint. long life means nothing to me if it is not full. we are not in a marathon. today is an all-out sprint. we have this moment to make a difference. we have this breath to decide what we are going to leave behind.
one said, progress waits for no man. one said, he is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. one said, by life or death. one said, i ask only for one soul. one said, yes, i believe in God. one said, it is a joy to be so close to the gates of heaven. one said, never compromise your faith. one said, this will be my last year, Lord. one said, let the lower lights be burning.
He said, go...
He never said anything about coming back...
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
22 August 2005
[join the revolution video]
hey y'all, this is a little something i dreamed up and threw together over the last few days. you need windows media player to view it.
for high speed connections (38 kbps and above) click here.
for low speed connections (dial-up or below 38 kbps) click here.
for more information on creating a promotional video or a video to help raise finances for missions, email me directly.
of course, you can always leave a comment or any form of feedback...
for high speed connections (38 kbps and above) click here.
for low speed connections (dial-up or below 38 kbps) click here.
for more information on creating a promotional video or a video to help raise finances for missions, email me directly.
of course, you can always leave a comment or any form of feedback...
21 August 2005
lessons from a young cave dweller
we all have 'em. days when we feel we need some air. when we go outside and still feel like we're suffocating. days when we feel overwhelmed. days that make us want to run away but we know we can't run far enough. days when the ravenous wolves are snapping at our heels. yeah, we have them all right. they usually follow hard right after we let our guard down after a victory. the arrow that pierces it's target was not well-placed, only well-timed. a moment earlier and it would have harmlessly bounced off the shield.
where is your arrow resting?
the wound is only fatal if you let it be; if no attention is sought; if you hole up inside of yourself. maybe we feel that no one we know has been there; has had an arrow pierce them when they should have been their most protected. and maybe that's why it hurts so much. the trauma of the wound is compacted with our wounded pride. because we have been shown our place. because our pride was bloated.
maybe that's a lesson to learn from the scared youth who hid in caves and wept by himself even though he was surrounded by 200 strong men who pledged themselves for him. it's ok to be scared. it's ok to cry out. it's healthy to need others. it's good to open up. it is only abnormal to be fake. in fact, reality is the only thing normal.
"we have grown so accustomed to the subnormal that when we finally encounter the normal, we think it abnormal." -watchman nee
maybe it's our pride that utilizes plastic when steel is what is needed. we paint pretty pictures and use dazzling effects when there's turmoil deep inside. fear can paralyze; fear does paralyze. fear makes us want to run away and stay to hide at the same time. it's hard when those who experience things with you turn seem to turn against you.
remember when the young man and his men were out and some of their enemies came in and took all their possessions, their wives and their children? the men were so angry with their leader they wanted to kill him. but the scared young man hid in a cave and poured out his heart to God- the only One who could do anything anyway. the next words say it all: he encouraged himself in God. see, david realized that they wouldn't kill him because samuel the prophet had anointed him as the next king. how could he be king if he was dead?
none of those strong men held him as he wept. young david's comfort was not in that he wasn't going to die, but that God did have a plan for his life- and as long as that plan wasn't fulfilled, he had things to live for.
the scared boy emerged from the cave a victorious man. he rallied his men to chase after their enemies and took back what belonged to them and more! he was more than a conqueror- he was an overcomer.
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
where is your arrow resting?
the wound is only fatal if you let it be; if no attention is sought; if you hole up inside of yourself. maybe we feel that no one we know has been there; has had an arrow pierce them when they should have been their most protected. and maybe that's why it hurts so much. the trauma of the wound is compacted with our wounded pride. because we have been shown our place. because our pride was bloated.
maybe that's a lesson to learn from the scared youth who hid in caves and wept by himself even though he was surrounded by 200 strong men who pledged themselves for him. it's ok to be scared. it's ok to cry out. it's healthy to need others. it's good to open up. it is only abnormal to be fake. in fact, reality is the only thing normal.
"we have grown so accustomed to the subnormal that when we finally encounter the normal, we think it abnormal." -watchman nee
maybe it's our pride that utilizes plastic when steel is what is needed. we paint pretty pictures and use dazzling effects when there's turmoil deep inside. fear can paralyze; fear does paralyze. fear makes us want to run away and stay to hide at the same time. it's hard when those who experience things with you turn seem to turn against you.
remember when the young man and his men were out and some of their enemies came in and took all their possessions, their wives and their children? the men were so angry with their leader they wanted to kill him. but the scared young man hid in a cave and poured out his heart to God- the only One who could do anything anyway. the next words say it all: he encouraged himself in God. see, david realized that they wouldn't kill him because samuel the prophet had anointed him as the next king. how could he be king if he was dead?
none of those strong men held him as he wept. young david's comfort was not in that he wasn't going to die, but that God did have a plan for his life- and as long as that plan wasn't fulfilled, he had things to live for.
the scared boy emerged from the cave a victorious man. he rallied his men to chase after their enemies and took back what belonged to them and more! he was more than a conqueror- he was an overcomer.
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
20 August 2005
from essence to catalyst: smelling like God
i find it fitting that the psalmist writes "as the deer pants for water so my soul longs after You." i see two images of desperation here.
first there is the traditional rendering, that, like a deer gets thirsty and returns to the water to quench its thirst, so our souls are thirsty for God. the parallel here is that our souls need we God more than once or twice a week, but closer to three or four times a day.
the other image i draw from this passage is that of a deer being hunted by dogs. with an estimated 200 million+ scent receptors in their noses, it is difficult to lose a dog that has obtained a scent to track with. the only hope for the deer then is a rainstorm or a body of water. in this image, water goes from being the essence of life to the catalyst for life. it becomes the deer's salvation- the only means by which it can live. a deer cannot outrun a dog's tracking ability without the aid of a rainstorm.
i believe both images are integral to our understanding and application of this passage. like the psalmist, we can only run to the River to both find renewed strength and find life. we must run to the River multiple times a day. we must also realize that the enemy of our souls is a skilled and crafty hunter and that the only way he can "lose our scent" is if we smell like God.
the quest moves beyond quenching our thirst to a desperate search for life.
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
first there is the traditional rendering, that, like a deer gets thirsty and returns to the water to quench its thirst, so our souls are thirsty for God. the parallel here is that our souls need we God more than once or twice a week, but closer to three or four times a day.
the other image i draw from this passage is that of a deer being hunted by dogs. with an estimated 200 million+ scent receptors in their noses, it is difficult to lose a dog that has obtained a scent to track with. the only hope for the deer then is a rainstorm or a body of water. in this image, water goes from being the essence of life to the catalyst for life. it becomes the deer's salvation- the only means by which it can live. a deer cannot outrun a dog's tracking ability without the aid of a rainstorm.
i believe both images are integral to our understanding and application of this passage. like the psalmist, we can only run to the River to both find renewed strength and find life. we must run to the River multiple times a day. we must also realize that the enemy of our souls is a skilled and crafty hunter and that the only way he can "lose our scent" is if we smell like God.
the quest moves beyond quenching our thirst to a desperate search for life.
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
16 August 2005
conclusions.revisited
since returning to america from time spent in east africa, i have taken a temporary job in the tire and lube express at wal-mart to cover bills and prepare to re-enter college. on a daily basis, customers come in and complain about such menial things as the length of time of a 15-point oil change and inspection, or why they were charged a 70 cent disposal fee to discard their tires.
every day my heart is broken...
over the course of an 8-hour shift, an estimated 14,400 children die in africa of malaria. the cost of an oil change could treat nearly 40 children infected with the world's deadliest virus. the spread of malaria-carrying mosquitoes could be drastically diminished by the simple act of properly discarding automotive tires.
in the time it takes the average reader to view my blog, 10 children will have died. depressing? it could be. overwhelming? it may be. conclusion? prayer and action.
prayer first. why prayer first? with God, the world; without Him, not even over the threshold. a praying man (or woman) has the opportunity to join hands with the King of kings, he gains access to the King's vaults and armories, and, like joseph, he becomes a steward of justice in the land.
action second. why action second? with God, the world; without Him, not even over the threshold. without the focus attained through prayer, our cluttered minds, though originally intentful, may soon be overtaken by the more remedial. where at once, we were focused on making a difference, we may now be resigned to the thought that perhaps the only difference we can make is one made at great length.
some are called to making a difference from a distance but many who feel as though they are really aren't. they have seen the need but became overwhelmed by the scope of it instead of being overwhelmed by the size of God and His mercy and grace.
am i called to making a difference from a distance, or am i called to experience it first-hand?
it's a valid question. but i think we go about laying our fleeces with the wrong impression of what fleece laying is. we say that we need to know if this trip is where God is leading us. we need to know if it's God's plan. abram did not tell God that he needed to know, he just went not even knowing his destination. we lay our fleeces believing they will determine for us what God is saying. when gideon laid his fleece, his intention was to clarify whether he was hearing the Lord correctly- not to use it like it were some divine fortune cookie.
i think our apprehension of pursuing what we think God might be leading us to do may stem, in part, from a fear of failure. we like to make calculated risks. we don't like stepping into the unknown. how do i know this? the popluarity of books such as the purpose driven life, your best life now and who moved my cheese as well as countless other books on why we're here and dealing with change on the best seller lists suggests it. the other part of our apprehension of pursuing what God might be leading us to do may stem from our fear of inadequecy.
when God opens the door for us to go on a short trip for His glory, just what is it, exactly, that He is asking of us? to seek justice, encourage the oppressed. defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. (isaiah 1:17)
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
every day my heart is broken...
over the course of an 8-hour shift, an estimated 14,400 children die in africa of malaria. the cost of an oil change could treat nearly 40 children infected with the world's deadliest virus. the spread of malaria-carrying mosquitoes could be drastically diminished by the simple act of properly discarding automotive tires.
in the time it takes the average reader to view my blog, 10 children will have died. depressing? it could be. overwhelming? it may be. conclusion? prayer and action.
prayer first. why prayer first? with God, the world; without Him, not even over the threshold. a praying man (or woman) has the opportunity to join hands with the King of kings, he gains access to the King's vaults and armories, and, like joseph, he becomes a steward of justice in the land.
action second. why action second? with God, the world; without Him, not even over the threshold. without the focus attained through prayer, our cluttered minds, though originally intentful, may soon be overtaken by the more remedial. where at once, we were focused on making a difference, we may now be resigned to the thought that perhaps the only difference we can make is one made at great length.
some are called to making a difference from a distance but many who feel as though they are really aren't. they have seen the need but became overwhelmed by the scope of it instead of being overwhelmed by the size of God and His mercy and grace.
am i called to making a difference from a distance, or am i called to experience it first-hand?
it's a valid question. but i think we go about laying our fleeces with the wrong impression of what fleece laying is. we say that we need to know if this trip is where God is leading us. we need to know if it's God's plan. abram did not tell God that he needed to know, he just went not even knowing his destination. we lay our fleeces believing they will determine for us what God is saying. when gideon laid his fleece, his intention was to clarify whether he was hearing the Lord correctly- not to use it like it were some divine fortune cookie.
i think our apprehension of pursuing what we think God might be leading us to do may stem, in part, from a fear of failure. we like to make calculated risks. we don't like stepping into the unknown. how do i know this? the popluarity of books such as the purpose driven life, your best life now and who moved my cheese as well as countless other books on why we're here and dealing with change on the best seller lists suggests it. the other part of our apprehension of pursuing what God might be leading us to do may stem from our fear of inadequecy.
when God opens the door for us to go on a short trip for His glory, just what is it, exactly, that He is asking of us? to seek justice, encourage the oppressed. defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. (isaiah 1:17)
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
14 August 2005
the desire of our souls
in the path of your justice, o Lord, we wait for You; your name and renown are the desire of our soul. ~isaiah 26:8~
what is the desire of our soul? it's a question i ask myself almost daily. at the root of our actions lies our desires and our desired outcome. why do we do certain things? what does the outcome signify? better question, who does the outcome point to? who does the means point to? who do those two things glorify? if we can learn to give up doing things strictly for me, myself and i then we will discover the joys of doing things for them for the glory of Him!
God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. what gives us satisfaction? what is more satisfying than worship?
the highest form of worship is not beautiful choirs and glorious singing- if it were, heaven's choirs are larger and more in tune than ours. the highest form of worship isn't the postures of lifting hands or prostration of our bodies- if it were, the twenty four elders have been doing that for eternity.
no, the highest form of worship is a life lived continuously for the glorification of God. and, as i stated before, like john piper and s.j. hill argue from the scriptures, God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him.
how do we pursue this life of worship? pure and undefiled religion is this: giving aid to the oppressed and justice for the fatherless and to keep yourself clean from evil. (paraphrase mine)
what is the desire of our soul? it's a question i ask myself almost daily. at the root of our actions lies our desires and our desired outcome. why do we do certain things? what does the outcome signify? better question, who does the outcome point to? who does the means point to? who do those two things glorify? if we can learn to give up doing things strictly for me, myself and i then we will discover the joys of doing things for them for the glory of Him!
God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. what gives us satisfaction? what is more satisfying than worship?
the highest form of worship is not beautiful choirs and glorious singing- if it were, heaven's choirs are larger and more in tune than ours. the highest form of worship isn't the postures of lifting hands or prostration of our bodies- if it were, the twenty four elders have been doing that for eternity.
no, the highest form of worship is a life lived continuously for the glorification of God. and, as i stated before, like john piper and s.j. hill argue from the scriptures, God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him.
how do we pursue this life of worship? pure and undefiled religion is this: giving aid to the oppressed and justice for the fatherless and to keep yourself clean from evil. (paraphrase mine)
10 August 2005
justice or vengeance?
it is no secret that we serve a God of justice- or is it? why do people today view God as sitting on His throne with a bolt of lightening in His hand ready to strike dead anyone who fails or falls? the more i reflect on it, the more i realize that some of our ideas of who God is may be entangled with mythology.
we've all had the images in our heads from childhood when we watched all those disney movies and other cartoons. God is this really old guy with shocking white glowing hair and a really long flowing beard. He wears a golden crown that is partially hidden by the hair that has been growing since before eternity existed. He wears a white toga a lá cæser with a golden sash and golden sandals. His blazing eyes of fire are darting about the earth for anyone to strike dead when they screw up.
those without disney movies and other cartoons to guide their misconceptions of God had the help of sunday school felt boards (remember those?). and God became a sort of anti-santa claus. where santa looked for the good boys and girls to give good things to, God looked for the bad ones to strike with lightening.
now, that's a bit played up, but the premise is still the same. the obvious issue with this is that if that's what God were really looking for- to destroy people who do evil, the earth would have been empty long ago. in fact, we know that His eyes wander the earth looking for those who are righteous. He is seeking those who seek justice.
the difference between justice and vengeance is simple. revenge is the act of seeking to hurt someone as harshly (or worse) as they hurt us while hiding under the disguise of justice. revenge usually includes public humiliation of those who hurt us, whether they hurt us in public or not. if we give way to our anger and seek revenge, we feel good only in that moment of triumph. but as soon as we discover the damage we have left in our wake, that is when we become confused because we feel lower than when they hurt us.
the reason God says that vengeance is His is because He sees all things for what they are. while it may seem to take forever for God to act on our behalf, what we don't see is what we think is His inaction is actually His reaction on our behalf. if He were to come down hard on this person for offending us, He would also have to come down hard on us for offending someone else because He is a God of justice. justice is not the act of bringing or restoring peace but the act of paying a legal debt. life is the price of the debt owed. for the christian, Christ has paid the debt with His death on the cross. for the unsaved, justice still waits to be served.
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
we've all had the images in our heads from childhood when we watched all those disney movies and other cartoons. God is this really old guy with shocking white glowing hair and a really long flowing beard. He wears a golden crown that is partially hidden by the hair that has been growing since before eternity existed. He wears a white toga a lá cæser with a golden sash and golden sandals. His blazing eyes of fire are darting about the earth for anyone to strike dead when they screw up.
those without disney movies and other cartoons to guide their misconceptions of God had the help of sunday school felt boards (remember those?). and God became a sort of anti-santa claus. where santa looked for the good boys and girls to give good things to, God looked for the bad ones to strike with lightening.
now, that's a bit played up, but the premise is still the same. the obvious issue with this is that if that's what God were really looking for- to destroy people who do evil, the earth would have been empty long ago. in fact, we know that His eyes wander the earth looking for those who are righteous. He is seeking those who seek justice.
the difference between justice and vengeance is simple. revenge is the act of seeking to hurt someone as harshly (or worse) as they hurt us while hiding under the disguise of justice. revenge usually includes public humiliation of those who hurt us, whether they hurt us in public or not. if we give way to our anger and seek revenge, we feel good only in that moment of triumph. but as soon as we discover the damage we have left in our wake, that is when we become confused because we feel lower than when they hurt us.
the reason God says that vengeance is His is because He sees all things for what they are. while it may seem to take forever for God to act on our behalf, what we don't see is what we think is His inaction is actually His reaction on our behalf. if He were to come down hard on this person for offending us, He would also have to come down hard on us for offending someone else because He is a God of justice. justice is not the act of bringing or restoring peace but the act of paying a legal debt. life is the price of the debt owed. for the christian, Christ has paid the debt with His death on the cross. for the unsaved, justice still waits to be served.
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
08 August 2005
seperation
six years ago, i stumbled across amos 4. i say that i stumbled because i didn't just read it and go on, nor did i read it and understand immediately what the Lord was saying. even now, six years later, i don't have a complete grasp of what He was and is saying, but i know more now than i did then.
something about verses four and five really pierced my soul and would cause me to seek what God is saying to us. the amplified brings out a part, but my spirit told me it was still inconclusive.
it took about two years of looking at the verse before i decided to find out what bethel means. the amplified bible tells us that bethel is the place where the golden calf was located, but the word bethel means "the house of God". it is the place where jacob had the vision of the staircase descending from heaven.
gilgal was much more difficult. i began by attempting to define it in order to uncover what God was speaking to me. gilgal means "the rolling away". it began to feel like i was slamming my head into the wall. i then realized it was going to take more study. i researched all the places in the bible that gilgal is mentioned. gilgal is where the israelites first crossed over into the promised land and joshua had the men build an altar from rocks taken from the middle of the jordan river. it became a cermonial altar where israel would return to offer sacrifices.
so, with this “new” information, let's begin by restructuring amos 4:4-5. "come to [the house of God], and [sin]; to [the altar], and [sin even more]; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days; offer a sacrifice of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, o people of israel! declares the Lord God."
like i said before, i don't really know how to approach this. i mean it is so applicable to today's church that it hardly seems right to let it apply only to the old testament israelites like so many preachers and professors would have us believe.
i think the beginning of the passage is quite telling. but i'd like to take a moment to focus on the end of the passage. the Lord is really calling us out.
first, He calls us out on our "sacrifices of excess" or sacrificing that which is leavened. the israelites were required to offer unleavened bread- bread that doesn't have yeast. yeast can double and triple the size of the bread. it can make it look bigger than what it really is. what it refers to is that we take what we need and then add yeast to whatever is left over and give that because it looks big, but it isn't what God requires.
second, He calls us out on our free will offerings. one of the prevalent trends in the church today is the declaration of free will offerings coupled with a publishing of the names of big givers. sure, we may not announce them from the pulpit (or maybe we do), but we publish it in other ways- donor lists, wall plaques, gift lists, and the presentation of gifts to or naming of rooms, wings and additions after big givers. this sort of behavior has two effects. the first effect is that the church is robbed of its blessings because they begin to see the people God may have used to give and the size of their gifts, so the church begins to focus on the individual and not God. the other effect is that the giver is robbed of blessing because their reward has been relegated to whatever the church has given them instead of what God wanted to give them.
now focusing on the beginning of the passage, we discover just who God is speaking to when we read "come to [the house of God]." still confused? He further clarifies it for us with the next statement, "[come] to [the altar] and [sin even more]."
it is alarming, as it should be, that God wasn't (and isn't) speaking to the godless people or to those who worshipped a different god. He was (and is) speaking directly to those called by His name- His people; the ones He chose. the Lord explains that all the tragedies and natural disasters that He allowed to occur were not actual judgements, but rather, He allowed them to occur to draw His people back to Him. today, when tragedy strikes in the form of a natural disaster or a terror attack or whatever, many christian "leaders" are quick to say it is God's judgement on a sin-plagued land. the problem with that is the ignorant rhetoric is unfounded and it paints christians in the same light as muslims. our God goes from a God who is loving and seeks justice to a God who is disgusted with His creation and only wants it destroyed; that our God is heartless and only bent on judgement. don’t believe me? a quick look back to 2001 should be sufficient. how many countless Christians declared that to be God’s judgement?
it is when His people ignore His more gentle calling that He must, by his very nature, seek justice with obvious beckonings. He is a merciful God, and He finds justice either through the death of His Son (for those who choose to believe) or through the death of someone else.in verse 12 He leaves us with a warning that must serve to wake us up. if we continue to ignore Him, we must be prepared to meet Him face to face to account for our injustices.
there is good news though, back when Solomon dedicated the temple (2 chronicles 6-7), the Lord promised the people that if they left their wicked ways and returned to Him that He would hear them.
He desires steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of Him rather than burnt offerings (hosea 6:6).
"but for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. you shall go out with leaping like calves from the stall" (malachi 4:2).
He gives us strength to stand so that when tragedy comes, we can point others to Him. but when we have no strength it leaves the unsaved and unchurched with nothing to hope in.
"and it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions" (joel 2:28).
“God’s men are in hiding until the day of their showing forth. they will come.
let him be as plain as john the baptist. let him for a season be a voice crying in the wilderness of modern theology and stagnant churchianity. let him be as selfless as paul the apostle. let him, too, say and live, “this ONE thing i do.” let him reject ecclesiastical favors. let him be self-abasing, non-self-projecting, non-self-glorifying, non-self-promoting.
let him say nothing that will draw men to himself, let him come daily from the throne-room of a holy God, the place where he has received the order of the day. let him, under God, unstop the ears of the millions who are deaf through the clatter of shekels milked from this hour of material mesmerism.
let him cry with a voice this century has not heard because he has seen a vision no man in this century has seen. God send us this moses to lead us from the wilderness of crass materialism, where the rattlesnakes of lust bite us and where enlightened men, totally blind spiritually, lead us to an ever-nearing armageddon.
God have mercy; send us PROPHETS!” (borrowed from strings for your harp by leonard ravenhill)
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
something about verses four and five really pierced my soul and would cause me to seek what God is saying to us. the amplified brings out a part, but my spirit told me it was still inconclusive.
it took about two years of looking at the verse before i decided to find out what bethel means. the amplified bible tells us that bethel is the place where the golden calf was located, but the word bethel means "the house of God". it is the place where jacob had the vision of the staircase descending from heaven.
gilgal was much more difficult. i began by attempting to define it in order to uncover what God was speaking to me. gilgal means "the rolling away". it began to feel like i was slamming my head into the wall. i then realized it was going to take more study. i researched all the places in the bible that gilgal is mentioned. gilgal is where the israelites first crossed over into the promised land and joshua had the men build an altar from rocks taken from the middle of the jordan river. it became a cermonial altar where israel would return to offer sacrifices.
so, with this “new” information, let's begin by restructuring amos 4:4-5. "come to [the house of God], and [sin]; to [the altar], and [sin even more]; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days; offer a sacrifice of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, o people of israel! declares the Lord God."
like i said before, i don't really know how to approach this. i mean it is so applicable to today's church that it hardly seems right to let it apply only to the old testament israelites like so many preachers and professors would have us believe.
i think the beginning of the passage is quite telling. but i'd like to take a moment to focus on the end of the passage. the Lord is really calling us out.
first, He calls us out on our "sacrifices of excess" or sacrificing that which is leavened. the israelites were required to offer unleavened bread- bread that doesn't have yeast. yeast can double and triple the size of the bread. it can make it look bigger than what it really is. what it refers to is that we take what we need and then add yeast to whatever is left over and give that because it looks big, but it isn't what God requires.
second, He calls us out on our free will offerings. one of the prevalent trends in the church today is the declaration of free will offerings coupled with a publishing of the names of big givers. sure, we may not announce them from the pulpit (or maybe we do), but we publish it in other ways- donor lists, wall plaques, gift lists, and the presentation of gifts to or naming of rooms, wings and additions after big givers. this sort of behavior has two effects. the first effect is that the church is robbed of its blessings because they begin to see the people God may have used to give and the size of their gifts, so the church begins to focus on the individual and not God. the other effect is that the giver is robbed of blessing because their reward has been relegated to whatever the church has given them instead of what God wanted to give them.
now focusing on the beginning of the passage, we discover just who God is speaking to when we read "come to [the house of God]." still confused? He further clarifies it for us with the next statement, "[come] to [the altar] and [sin even more]."
it is alarming, as it should be, that God wasn't (and isn't) speaking to the godless people or to those who worshipped a different god. He was (and is) speaking directly to those called by His name- His people; the ones He chose. the Lord explains that all the tragedies and natural disasters that He allowed to occur were not actual judgements, but rather, He allowed them to occur to draw His people back to Him. today, when tragedy strikes in the form of a natural disaster or a terror attack or whatever, many christian "leaders" are quick to say it is God's judgement on a sin-plagued land. the problem with that is the ignorant rhetoric is unfounded and it paints christians in the same light as muslims. our God goes from a God who is loving and seeks justice to a God who is disgusted with His creation and only wants it destroyed; that our God is heartless and only bent on judgement. don’t believe me? a quick look back to 2001 should be sufficient. how many countless Christians declared that to be God’s judgement?
it is when His people ignore His more gentle calling that He must, by his very nature, seek justice with obvious beckonings. He is a merciful God, and He finds justice either through the death of His Son (for those who choose to believe) or through the death of someone else.in verse 12 He leaves us with a warning that must serve to wake us up. if we continue to ignore Him, we must be prepared to meet Him face to face to account for our injustices.
there is good news though, back when Solomon dedicated the temple (2 chronicles 6-7), the Lord promised the people that if they left their wicked ways and returned to Him that He would hear them.
He desires steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of Him rather than burnt offerings (hosea 6:6).
"but for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. you shall go out with leaping like calves from the stall" (malachi 4:2).
He gives us strength to stand so that when tragedy comes, we can point others to Him. but when we have no strength it leaves the unsaved and unchurched with nothing to hope in.
"and it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions" (joel 2:28).
“God’s men are in hiding until the day of their showing forth. they will come.
let him be as plain as john the baptist. let him for a season be a voice crying in the wilderness of modern theology and stagnant churchianity. let him be as selfless as paul the apostle. let him, too, say and live, “this ONE thing i do.” let him reject ecclesiastical favors. let him be self-abasing, non-self-projecting, non-self-glorifying, non-self-promoting.
let him say nothing that will draw men to himself, let him come daily from the throne-room of a holy God, the place where he has received the order of the day. let him, under God, unstop the ears of the millions who are deaf through the clatter of shekels milked from this hour of material mesmerism.
let him cry with a voice this century has not heard because he has seen a vision no man in this century has seen. God send us this moses to lead us from the wilderness of crass materialism, where the rattlesnakes of lust bite us and where enlightened men, totally blind spiritually, lead us to an ever-nearing armageddon.
God have mercy; send us PROPHETS!” (borrowed from strings for your harp by leonard ravenhill)
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
06 August 2005
decisions
for the past four days i've been wrestling in my mind over the decision to post what the Lord has been showing me in a passage of Scripture for the last 6 years. now, some would say,
just post it!
but it's not that simple. what if it's message is so radical, life-altering that it may prove to anger many of those who have been following christianity for more years than i?
good! that message is needed!
some may say. yes, it is needed, but my struggle isn't in the ideas to convey, but in the way in which i present it.
see, i'm a visual type person. and though the medium with which i communicate to you is in words, i look for the way to give you the best mental image i can. not that this is beyond the abilities the Holy Spirit has gifted me with, but that i must seek out the most proper means of speaking the truth in love.
but what if what i have to say doesn't come with a mental image? would it still be received? that's not for me to decide, i guess. it would be for me to decide whether or not to say what i hear the Holy Spirit saying.
uh oh! i think i just challenged myself to remember one of my own posts... Jesus did what He saw His Father do, and spoke what He heard the Spirit say...
i really honestly believe that if we lived our lives as if we actually believed everything that was in the bible, then we would be living radically different lives. there would be no grey areas between the world and christianity. people wouldn't be able to even come close to confusing what is a cult and what is christian discipleship.
so, i hope, over the next few posts, to walk you down this scriptural path that God has taken me down these last six years. and i hope it becomes a challenge to the established belief that the world is flat...
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
just post it!
but it's not that simple. what if it's message is so radical, life-altering that it may prove to anger many of those who have been following christianity for more years than i?
good! that message is needed!
some may say. yes, it is needed, but my struggle isn't in the ideas to convey, but in the way in which i present it.
see, i'm a visual type person. and though the medium with which i communicate to you is in words, i look for the way to give you the best mental image i can. not that this is beyond the abilities the Holy Spirit has gifted me with, but that i must seek out the most proper means of speaking the truth in love.
but what if what i have to say doesn't come with a mental image? would it still be received? that's not for me to decide, i guess. it would be for me to decide whether or not to say what i hear the Holy Spirit saying.
uh oh! i think i just challenged myself to remember one of my own posts... Jesus did what He saw His Father do, and spoke what He heard the Spirit say...
i really honestly believe that if we lived our lives as if we actually believed everything that was in the bible, then we would be living radically different lives. there would be no grey areas between the world and christianity. people wouldn't be able to even come close to confusing what is a cult and what is christian discipleship.
so, i hope, over the next few posts, to walk you down this scriptural path that God has taken me down these last six years. and i hope it becomes a challenge to the established belief that the world is flat...
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
02 August 2005
the choice to remain
sometimes we get the idea that we are supposed to attain holiness and purity before approaching God. dennae had a good point when she mentioned those come from the intense love affair between God and man. if we attempt to get there on our own, we will always fail.
the seperation between our lives and sin will make a marked difference in how the world treats us. unfortunately, those critical, cynical or jealous christians will upgrade their rhetoric and their cruel words. we are to be in the world, not of it. we are supposed to be bright beacons of holiness and love in the darkness of sin. the only way to accomplish this is to go outside the four walls of the church out where the lost are. because they believe that they have to "clean up" before they can come in.
paul wrote that he became all things to all people so that by all means, he might win some. that doesn't mean stooping to acts of sin in order to gain the attention of some. paul also wrote in romans that simply because God's grace is abundant it is foolishness to continue sinning in order to get more grace.
like dennae posted, holiness and purity are the overflow from the intense love affair between God and man. if those are not evident in our lives, it begs the question why not? it must be because we have let our passions cool. the once vivid flames are now embers. the fire is still there, it just needs to be stirred up and new wood must be added to rekindle the flames. the question is are we going to choose to remain?
the reasons for the flames going out are as numerous as the number of christians. we all have different backgrounds, different histories, different things affecting us that can put a strain on how we live our lives. even fear of man's opinions contributes to this. but there is a choice to be made. will we choose to remain?
at the first college i went to, i used to hang out with a large group of smokers. i have never lit up once, never wanted to. my grandfather died from lung cancer. after a month of just standing outside with them as the puffed away, they began to ask me why i stood out there and endured the elements while they smoked. so, i began to witness to them. a few actually were saved and quit smoking. others were simply impressed that i was a christian and i wasn't shunning them.
a few of my christian friends pulled me aside one day after a class and told me that if i continued to hang out with smokers then people would assume that i was a smoker too and that i was backsliding and that i could be a bad example- giving christianity a bad name.
after evaluating my motives and searching my heart, i gave them an answer the next day. i invited them to come hang out with me as i witnessed to the smoking community. suffice it to say that no one came, but i was not worried.
if we choose to remain in our passionate pursuit of God we risk be accused of living the same type of lives as the people we are among by the very people we should be supported by. even Jesus was called a drunk and a consorter because of His choice to be out among the outcasts. you don't have to do what they do in order to be labeled.
will we cast off man's opinions and choose to remain?
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
the seperation between our lives and sin will make a marked difference in how the world treats us. unfortunately, those critical, cynical or jealous christians will upgrade their rhetoric and their cruel words. we are to be in the world, not of it. we are supposed to be bright beacons of holiness and love in the darkness of sin. the only way to accomplish this is to go outside the four walls of the church out where the lost are. because they believe that they have to "clean up" before they can come in.
paul wrote that he became all things to all people so that by all means, he might win some. that doesn't mean stooping to acts of sin in order to gain the attention of some. paul also wrote in romans that simply because God's grace is abundant it is foolishness to continue sinning in order to get more grace.
like dennae posted, holiness and purity are the overflow from the intense love affair between God and man. if those are not evident in our lives, it begs the question why not? it must be because we have let our passions cool. the once vivid flames are now embers. the fire is still there, it just needs to be stirred up and new wood must be added to rekindle the flames. the question is are we going to choose to remain?
the reasons for the flames going out are as numerous as the number of christians. we all have different backgrounds, different histories, different things affecting us that can put a strain on how we live our lives. even fear of man's opinions contributes to this. but there is a choice to be made. will we choose to remain?
at the first college i went to, i used to hang out with a large group of smokers. i have never lit up once, never wanted to. my grandfather died from lung cancer. after a month of just standing outside with them as the puffed away, they began to ask me why i stood out there and endured the elements while they smoked. so, i began to witness to them. a few actually were saved and quit smoking. others were simply impressed that i was a christian and i wasn't shunning them.
a few of my christian friends pulled me aside one day after a class and told me that if i continued to hang out with smokers then people would assume that i was a smoker too and that i was backsliding and that i could be a bad example- giving christianity a bad name.
after evaluating my motives and searching my heart, i gave them an answer the next day. i invited them to come hang out with me as i witnessed to the smoking community. suffice it to say that no one came, but i was not worried.
if we choose to remain in our passionate pursuit of God we risk be accused of living the same type of lives as the people we are among by the very people we should be supported by. even Jesus was called a drunk and a consorter because of His choice to be out among the outcasts. you don't have to do what they do in order to be labeled.
will we cast off man's opinions and choose to remain?
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
01 August 2005
fundamentals
you can have controversy without revival, but you cannot have revival without controversy. someone, somewhere will always be critical, cynical or jealous. so if we decide we want to see our church revived, we have to be willing to sacrifice our pride, our ambitions, our agendas and our right to be offended. revival is the place where we must choose to give up self for the sake what God is doing in the community.
strange things occur in revivals. people get saved, they get set free- free from drugs, free from alcohol, free from smoking, free from pornography, free from religious spirits, etc. this revolution of souls is what grinds out the most controversy. when God comes, He changes what we see, what we say and what we do. revival is a complete experience- not just an intellectual one. many people will miss heaven and an eternity with Christ by a foot and a half. many christians will miss revival by the same distance- the distance between the head and the heart.
critics claim emotional sensationalism due to lighting, music and atmosphere of the venue is at the heart of modern revival. they claim, and often correctly, that many of the people at the altars are simply christians renewing their commitments. some of these have described it as "feeling as if [they] have just been saved again."
there are modern examples of revivals and outpourings, but God doesn't just want to alter the churchscape in one city, state or country, He wants the church unified in Him around the globe. He is looking for a clean bride who is not wounded, but whole. a bride who is not compromised but pure.
these are sometimes difficult pills to swallow. holiness and purity aren't always things we want to hear about. they can seem to be too elemental and fundamental not free and advanced. the power we have in Christ is more evident in a life of holiness than in a life of selfishness, self-servitude and self-preservation.
as a former athlete, i understand the need for fundamentals. they always caught you when you made a mistake, they were a place to return when you made an error. you can learn all the tricks and fancy plays you want, but without the fundamentals to build on, you're worthless to the team. you may be able to pull off a double cross-over behind your back but if you can't pass or shoot the ball, you won't play. you may be able to shake defenders and run precision routes, but if you can't catch the football, you'll never do anything. you might be able to catch the baseball in a spectacular fashion, but without the ability to hit the ball, you're worthless to the team. it's in the fundamentals that the foundations are laid for improvisation. to quote a movie, "the fun is in the fundamentals." the strength is in the struggle. when we uncover our weakness, we discover His perfect strength.
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
strange things occur in revivals. people get saved, they get set free- free from drugs, free from alcohol, free from smoking, free from pornography, free from religious spirits, etc. this revolution of souls is what grinds out the most controversy. when God comes, He changes what we see, what we say and what we do. revival is a complete experience- not just an intellectual one. many people will miss heaven and an eternity with Christ by a foot and a half. many christians will miss revival by the same distance- the distance between the head and the heart.
critics claim emotional sensationalism due to lighting, music and atmosphere of the venue is at the heart of modern revival. they claim, and often correctly, that many of the people at the altars are simply christians renewing their commitments. some of these have described it as "feeling as if [they] have just been saved again."
there are modern examples of revivals and outpourings, but God doesn't just want to alter the churchscape in one city, state or country, He wants the church unified in Him around the globe. He is looking for a clean bride who is not wounded, but whole. a bride who is not compromised but pure.
these are sometimes difficult pills to swallow. holiness and purity aren't always things we want to hear about. they can seem to be too elemental and fundamental not free and advanced. the power we have in Christ is more evident in a life of holiness than in a life of selfishness, self-servitude and self-preservation.
as a former athlete, i understand the need for fundamentals. they always caught you when you made a mistake, they were a place to return when you made an error. you can learn all the tricks and fancy plays you want, but without the fundamentals to build on, you're worthless to the team. you may be able to pull off a double cross-over behind your back but if you can't pass or shoot the ball, you won't play. you may be able to shake defenders and run precision routes, but if you can't catch the football, you'll never do anything. you might be able to catch the baseball in a spectacular fashion, but without the ability to hit the ball, you're worthless to the team. it's in the fundamentals that the foundations are laid for improvisation. to quote a movie, "the fun is in the fundamentals." the strength is in the struggle. when we uncover our weakness, we discover His perfect strength.
for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...
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