Monthly Archives: November 2009

Do we know the forces with which we deal?

The scariest words I may NEVER want to hear in my own life come from Acts 19:15. It is the episode of the seven sons of Sceva. They are trying to cast out a demon in the name of Jesus who Paul preaches. The demon’s response: “Jesus I know, Paul I know, but who are you?”

GULP.

We don’t go around with an exorcist business these days. (Well, some do.) But my question today is this: Do we understand the spiritual war in which we are engaged? Or, do we want to ignore it?

One of the great criticisms regarding US policy and terrorism is we refuse to recognize we are at war. Terrorist groups have declared war on the U.S. and we prosecuting them like American citizens. The criticism is that we are not recognizing the war in which we find ourselves.

That may be true spiritually. We just don’t want to acknowledge the spiritual forces in high places. Somehow, that makes us feel better. Do we encounter these demonic forces more than we recognize?

His Great Love

I am fairly sure we do not understand the great love of God. Currently I am teaching through Ephesians in one of my college classes. The first 3 chapters swept me away years ago when I was at the absolute bottom of my life. Those three chapters soaked into my spirit. (I spent an entire year just in Ephesians, so I really let it soak.)

When I try to explain this great love of God… lavish… rich… extravagant… poured out on US… at best I get blank stares. Sometimes I get yawns. Really? The love of God BORES us?

We don’t grasp how absolutely unlovable we are in the eyes of God. We may be loved by other humans on some level, but to a holy God, we are the farthest thing from lovable! Yet, in his great love, he LOVED us.

Sweep us away with your great love, dear Savior!

More on Healthcare “Reform”

I have a tab on this blog with more thoughts on healthcare “reform,” but I needed to add this update from Chuck Colson.

I know there are people applauding this legislation. It’s becoming the liberal version of “patriotism.” Remember the “old days” of the Iraq War when the liberals got upset when Republicans challenged their “patriotism” because they opposed the war in Iraq (after voting for it)? This is the liberal version. Somehow, if we oppose this silly piece of legislation we are not caring about healthcare reform and want status quo. Get a life!

The House bill calls for 111 new government agencies. It gives tax breaks to certain groups (when this bill didn’t pass through a tax committee). The biggest laugher is this: most of our congressional representatives haven’t read this thing.

Lest you think I am just for status quo, please read my full posting under the “Healthcare Reform” tab. This system is broken. But this bill ain’t fixin’ it!

Paul and the Athenian Experience

As I have prepared for the college class I teach on the Book of Acts, I am re-examining Paul’s ministry in Athens. I have never been comfortable with Paul in Athens. I personally think it didn’t go well. However, when I was in college the huge thing in that day was “apologetics.” The insistence was on learning how to debate intellectually, because God gave us a brain. The model for this method was Paul in Athens.

Reading through these passages again, I am more convinced Paul was out of his element and it just didn’t go well. It’s not to say that the method was wrong. It just didn’t fit Paul at that time. He had too many things taking him out of his areas of strengths and the results weren’t so great.

Maybe I am missing something on this one.

The Big OUCH

I have seen the book on different sites, but this blurb gives some GREAT quotes. Be prepared to be mad, or say “Ouch.”

Some of my favorites:

They wish the church could be more diverse, but then leave to meet in a coffee shop with other well-educated thirtysomethings who are into film festivals, NPR, and carbon offsets.

They want to be connected with history, but are sick of the same prayers and same style every week.

Good stuff.

The Power of the Biography

This article echoes one of my favorites genres: the biography. I am not much of a fiction person. I love history and biographies. It is much easier for me to plow through 900 pages on Alexander Hamilton than 200 pages of fiction. (Grisham and Baldacci are the exceptions. Sorry. I’m shallow that way.)

There are two autobiographies for Christian reading I highly recommend:

Confessions, by St. Augustine

Seven Storey Mountain, by Thomas Merton

I confess I haven’t read many Christian biographies, though Marsden’s work on Jonathan Edwards was fantastic.

Any favorites in your reading?

A NEW Translation Being Formed…

Yes! Yet another English translation. No… we obviously do not have enough! This one is called the Common English Bible. It seems the intention here is to be less on the conservative side (whatever that means) and more to the NRSV side. I like the NRSV, along with the TNIV, NLT, etc., so I believe the target audience is “mainline” protestants. They have posted the Gospel of Matthew and are looking for feedback. If you like, take a look and see what you think.

Yawning at the Word

Mark Galli has an excellent piece at Christianitytoday.com. We are so easily BORED with the Word these days. What is our problem?

This paragraph is challenging to me:

Whenever the Bible is read, a hush should come over us. We should be inching toward the edge of our seats, leaning forward, turning our best ear toward the speaker, fearful we’ll miss a single word— the deeds and words and character of Almighty and Merciful God are being revealed!

 

The New American “Christianity”, Part 2

The article regarding this new moralistic deism had an interesting paragraph:

All this means is that teenagers have been listening carefully. They have been observing their parents in the larger culture with diligence and insight. They understand just how little their parents really believe and just how much many of their churches and Christian institutions have accommodated themselves to the dominant culture. They sense the degree to which theological conviction has been sacrificed on the altar of individualism and a relativistic understanding of truth. They have learned from their elders that self-improvement is the one great moral imperative to which all are accountable, and they have observed the fact that the highest aspiration of those who shape this culture is to find happiness, security, and meaning in life.

Teens have learned well. We have taught them. Our example has been magnified and what we have done in moderation is now taken in excess by the next generation. Incredibly convicting paragraph, but HEY! not to worry, right? In the new theism, “It’s all good!”

This paragraph brings to mind another verse from Galatians:

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. People reap what they sow. (Gal. 6:7, TNIV)