Apprentice2Jesus

Ramblings of a Confessing Pentecostal

Archive for the month “September, 2009”

29 Sep 2009
5 Comments

This Just In… THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END!

We interrupt this blog for an important breaking news bulletin: Starbucks is going INSTANT.

Yes, you heard that right. They are going to peddle (I shudder at the thought) instant coffee. When I first got into “real” coffee years ago I read Howard Schultz’s book on the founding of Starbucks. He was such a purist. Now, he’s a corporate hypocrite. (It’s okay. He’s got public stock holders to worry about. It’s the nature of the beast.)

He swore he’d never allow his coffee to be sold in stores… He swore he’d never allow other vendors to make Starbucks coffee in a retail setting (it had to be THEIR baristas doing the job)… All of it he has backtracked on to make his stockholders happy.

BUT THIS??? Howard! How could you?

Posted in Culture, Economy, Humor and tagged ,
28 Sep 2009

Peace in the Middle East

I am a political person to the core. I can talk politics all day long. So… I avoid it. There are just too many other things going on, so I want to focus more on theology, spiritual formation, etc.

Theologically, the whole realm of “end times theology” is a massive heap of varied opinions. So, when I see statements issued like this one, I am curious as to reasons for particular people signing on. Take a look at the press release, then the signatories, and if you get a chance let me know what you think.

Posted in Culture, Society, Theology and tagged , | Leave a Comment
26 Sep 2009

“What I have I give to you…”

As I teach and preach through the book of Acts, I think of these words of Peter. He came from a place of abundance when he spoke to the lame man. He knew this place of abundance.

I think of that Gatorade tag line, “Is it in you?” Do we realize, as believers, what we have? Do we understand there is something powerful in us? We need that walk with the Spirit to understand there is something truly  extraordinary in us. The call is to walk with awareness of the abundance within us. Walk in the Spirit. It (the power of the Kingdom ) IS in you.

Posted in Holy Spirit, Spiritual hunger | Leave a Comment
25 Sep 2009
1 Comment

The Need for Spiritual Reading

There is a great line from the movie “Shadowlands.” The C.S. Lewis character, played by Anthony Hopkins, says, “We read to know we’re not alone.” He picked that up from a former student and let it teach him something valuable later in life.

A challenge I have in my own life is reading great books. Books teach me. The temptation is to read only for pragmatic purposes. I could read because I’m preparing for a class, or preparing a sermon. To read deeper is a challenge… and a joy.

Spiritual reading for me is reading to know God. It will take me a little longer. It may not be something I can preach or teach right away. It may be something that takes me several readings to understand. Yet, I pound away because I want God to do something IN ME. Not for others. IN ME. I need my heart made pliable.

What reading challenges you?

My top books:

Seven Storey Mountain, by Thomas Merton

Desiring God, by John Piper

Loving God, by Chuck Colson

Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard

The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas A Kempis.

I have some fiction books that have been great, but these are spiritual wells where I draw the best water for my life.

What about you?

Posted in Reading, Spiritual Formation and tagged , , ,
24 Sep 2009

The Holy Pursuit

One of the great privileges of teaching the Word is my need to be immersed in the Word. Currently I am teaching classes on Prison Epistles and Acts, along with a New Testament survey. Acts and the Prison Epistles keep me constantly immersed in the Word for class teaching.

Through that immersion I find my life undone at times. Part of biblical study is examining the Word. But it’s not really complete until the Word examines us. Paul’s passion leaves me shredded. I am working through Philippians and his fiery passion for the glory of Christ is touching my heart. I don’t mean “touching” in some nice, cushy way. I mean more like “setting my heart on fire and shredding my soul” kind of touching.

Paul laid down his body for the glory of Jesus Christ. He knew he was apprehended by Christ and as a result he threw his entire life into the holy pursuit of knowing him. Passion.

There are days I sense that burning heart. There are days I’m just in a fog trying to get from one day to the next. There is a cry in my heart to know the Christ that apprehended Paul. May he apprehend me! May I know his glory. May my life be totally given to that one holy pursuit.

Posted in Bible Study, Spiritual hunger and tagged , , | Leave a Comment
23 Sep 2009
5 Comments

Church Fights You Can’t Quite Believe…

There are church fights, and then there are church fights. Sometimes there is a dispute that causes one to truly think about the issues.

This one baffled me a bit. Tullian Tchividjian, Billy Graham’s grandson, was elected new pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian where D. James Kennedy had been pastor for many years. This story details the issues, which I found hilarious. The REAL issue probably is, “He ain’t Dr. Kennedy!”

The issues they raised?

“Dissidents, including Kennedy’s daughter Jennifer Kennedy Cassidy, were upset that, unlike Kennedy, Tchividjian has shunned a clerical robe and chosen not to focus on political issues from the pulpit.”

What? He won’t preach politics from the pulpit? To which I say, “HALLELUJAH!”

Posted in Church Life, Culture, Politics and tagged
22 Sep 2009
3 Comments

The Assemblies of God and Speaking in Tongues

Yet another article looking at the issue of speaking in tongues. In light of this article, I compare it to blogs I’ve read since the General Council.

In my own view, as an Assemblies of God pastor, it just isn’t about tongues… at all. It’s about prayer. We can preach on “tongues.” But if we aren’t people of prayer, we can’t expect the activity of the Spirit. That’s just my two cents, anyway.

Posted in Holy Spirit and tagged , ,
19 Sep 2009

How He Loves…

Posted in Potpourri | Leave a Comment
19 Sep 2009

The Gift of Pain

This weekend I am preaching on the gift of pain. I think of C.S. Lewis when he talks about the purpose of pain in our lives. I also think of all the ways we try to push pain off in our lives rather than hear the message.

Pain is the messenger. We too often shoot the messenger.

Let’s be ready to LISTEN to what the Lord may be saying to us in the pain we may have occurring in our lives.

ALSO, please take the opportunity to click on the “Spiritual Gifts” tab. I am building a teaching on Sunday nights concerning spiritual gifts and hope to have useful resources for people. Let me know what you think.

Posted in Potpourri | Leave a Comment
17 Sep 2009

Christ Exalted in My What?

“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or death.” (Phil. 1:20, TNIV. Italics added.)

This isn’t about sickness in the body. This is about our lives being “all in,” to use a poker term. Some would proclaim that having sickness in the body can’t glorify God. I am not in that camp.

What Paul is saying is his body needed to be in line with Kingdom principles. The Kingdom is lived out in our physical realm. The body can’t be committing sin while the mind says, “Well, my spirit is pure.” My physical life needs to be in this walk with Christ! Paul was in prison. He knew suffering. And in it, he saw Christ glorified.

This walk with Christ isn’t done outside my body. My body is in this. My life as a whole needs to line up with the power of the gospel. Often, as a symbol of my surrender, I will lay prostrate and say, “Lord, take my whole body as a sacrifice. Let my mind and my actions be in line with your Kingdom today.”

We are living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1).

Posted in Bible Study, Spiritual Formation | Leave a Comment

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