I want to pray…I want to rest in the word…I want to feed on the word. I have some time.

I will look at my chapter. Ecclesiastes 3

Everything on earth has its own time and its own season.

Turn, Turn, Turn…

We do not choose our own time to be born, or to die. But we are living in a sad time when others than God can choose if a child will be born, or when a person might die. And we call such choices just and protected rights under the law. Some Catholics believe that aborted fetuses go to hell. What a sad belief. It’s not a choice, it’s a life. What a clever slogan. But people are choosing every day to kill the most innocent of all human beings. I once knew a student at a Christian College who was certain that God had called her into the ministry – onto the mission field. She got pregnant and had an abortion; a baby would have stood in the way of her doing what she was sure God had called her to do.
A time to be born, and a time to die. God knows every soul by name. The numbers of hairs on an aborted babies head. He knows the day each soul should pass on to eternity. The Sanctity of Life…is the choice really up to us?

If God knows a person will be murdered, that the plug will be pulled, that the bomb will fall…is anyone but God to blame? Did Jesus die on the cross because ultimately all Sin was God’s fault anyway…for coming up with a faulty plan. Of course not! That is just cynicism.

And I have set out to pray, not be cynical.

And so I pray, for the lives entrusted to my care. Hurting lives, confused lives. Perhaps lives that sprang from unrighteous behavior, perhaps lives affected by the sins of their parents, oh Lord, protect those lives. At home, at school, on the streets of the community. Protect them Lord, they are lost in sin, lost in the darkness, but not without hope or purpose. Bless them LORD with your truth. Let their ears be opened that they might hear you calling their names.

A time to plant, a time to reap…as long as this world continues, there will be planting time and harvest time. Seasons, determined from creation, changed a little at the time of the flood, perverted at times by the pollution of unwise stewards, but oh joy and rapture…Spring is coming! The land is dry. The drought is not over. But the sparrows sing in full chorus anyway. Glory to the King. Send your rain and rainbows. Send new life and renew your promises. Thy Will be done, Thy Kingdom come.

A time to kill? Is there really ever a time to kill? To kill an enemy rather than to love him. To kill a living soul rather than to try to enlighten it. The Bible says there is a time to kill. Perhaps it is a time to kill lies or bad ideas. Or should we look at it as the opposite of a time to heal. God does not always heal the way we’d like Him to does he? I couldn’t be so cynical as to say that healings don’t happen anymore. But I have serious doubts, when sweet children are trapped in wheel chairs while hopping charismatics declare freedom from a pain in their neck. LORD, my kids need healing. Healing of their intellects, their minds, some even need physical healing in that area. Kill the violent ideas and dark thoughts that rage in their young brains, and replace them with a love and a hunger for truth and life.

A time to break down walls and road blocks and a time to build up the highways of holiness. That’s a nice, religious sounding, churchy thing to say isn’t it? In my community it is time to break down the barriers of embezzlement and misappropriation of funds, and to build up – complete building the housing units that have been sitting undone and ruined for years. That’s a nice, practical way to look at it.

A time to weep, and I can’t seem to stop weeping, for my own family, and the mess they are in, and still for my kids who I am praying for. For the parents who have lost their sons to violence, and the parents whose sons have done the violence. Yet I can still find time to laugh, because junior high students and three year olds, and dogs and cats are just so darn funny! And of course, the God who created giraffes and penguins, and tiny spiders that scare great big mountain men, surely has a sense of humor.

A time to mourn? Just watch the news. And a time to dance, can’t seem to stop my feet from dancing. I miss dancing in our old church. Still the dance continues.

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together. I think of that in a very Biblical way. The stones of remembrance, and some things that we just aren’t supposed to remember. Don’t hold on to souvenirs of times too painful to remember, or events that cause bitterness when brought to mind.

A time to embrace…I love a good hug. A time to refrain from embracing? A time I guess to give people space. To not be too clingy.

A time to get, and a time to lose; seems like I’ve been loosing a lot. Still I pray for my kids to “get it”. How I love to hear a student say – I get it!

A time to rend and a time to sew – funny LORD, I can’t even sew a button on. A time to keep silent – oh yeah, I do talk way too much for my own good. Help me to measure my words when I speak. Help me to speak words my students will understand.

When LORD Jesus is it ever time to hate? Love you first, hate the systems and deceits of the World. Love the neighbor and the enemy, hate the trap and prison that keeps them from knowing true LOVE.

A time of war, and a time of peace. Yeah, well I guess there have been righteous wars. There are sure Biblical wars, and one soon to come. War in the world, peace in our hearts. And at least, Peace in my classroom – please!

What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? I sure don’t do this for the money! I know the task which God has given me with which to occupy myself. And my son needs a job real bad. But it’s just work. Eternity is something else. Treasure in heaven is something else.

It’s been proven again and again, that God’s sense of timing is not the same as ours, and he does indeed have an appropriate time for all things, which is why the Word urges us to be patient.

Oh oh, look what verse I am on now.

3:11(b)

*He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy], yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Let’s move on…

I think I will cut and paste the rest from the Message…

I've decided that there's nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That's it--eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It's God's gift.
Is not having a job also a gift from God?

Are good times really what this is all about? Is good time the same as being content and the philippians’ joy?

Well maybe. Doesn’t it say everyting is just vanity? If one thinks that fulfilling the task and following the road set before them by God is having a good time…and yeah, Go for it. But see, this is one area of Scripture that is tricky. The Bible says to eat, drink, and be merry. That is not very responsible behavior. You have to look deeper.

I've also concluded that whatever God does, that's the way it's going to be, always. No addition, no subtraction. God's done it and that's it. That's so we'll quit asking questions and simply worship in holy fear.

Here’s another of the writer’s great conclusions. Whatever was, is Whatever will be, is. That's how it always is with God.

Do I hear an amen? No not yet. My prayer isn’t over yet. The day isn’t done, the chapter isn’t done. And there is so much more to the book.

I took another good look at what's going on: The very place of judgment--corrupt! The place of righteousness--corrupt! I said to myself, "God will judge righteous and wicked." There's a right time for every thing, every deed--and there's no getting around it. I said to myself regarding the human race, "God's testing the lot of us, showing us up as nothing but animals."

So is this conclusion as true as the one above it?

Humans and animals come to the same end--humans die, animals die. We all breathe the same air. So there's really no advantage in being human. None. Everything's smoke. We all end up in the same place--we all came from dust, we all end up as dust. Nobody knows for sure that the human spirit rises to heaven or that the animal spirit sinks into the earth.

Is this also true? The bible says so. Right here in Ecclesiastes 3:19-20

For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity.

For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. All go to one place:

Is it all vanity? Is it all dust in the wind. Is the writer correct in his conclusions? Nothing better than to have a good time! Nothing else matters.

Life matters, choices matter. Love and Truth matter. Spreading the Good News and making discipels matters. Jesus is a personal Savior, who so loves us...That matters.
Pick up you cross and Follow Him! Trust and Obey.
I'm turning the pages, glancing, skimming the rest of the book. Good ol' Solomon.
So rich...so much...seek wisdom
Yeah Lord, that's what I'm doing...
God bless us, God bless them, God's blessings everyone.
I'll be back.

The Book of James

Last week, my best friend was praying for me and the LORD gave her Jame 5:11.
As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
The same day some other friends blessed us, using James 2:16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? And we were humbled.
So I decided to spend a few days reading and praying through James. A book written by the brother of Jesus. One of the first books of the New Testament chronilogically speaking. A book, not written to a specific church or town, but to the Twelve Tribes dispersed among the gentiles.
I first read it in the King James Version. Then in The Message. Checking verses in the NIV, and NASB, and Amplified.
And as I read it, I payed a great deal of attention to verse 1:5If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. 6Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind.
Asking in faith for wisdom. It's wisdom that this asking verse is referring to. Not riches or healing, or signs and wonders. Plain, pure wisdom.
More on Wisdom from chapter 2
13Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
Seems to be two kinds of wisdom. Gentle and pure or bitter and demonic. God, help me to be pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. God, give me the right kind of wisdom.
So what about James' declaration that faith without works is dead.
Here is how The Message puts it:
22Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!
26Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. 27Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

from Chapter 2 NASV
14What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?
17Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

19You believe that God is one You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

20But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

from Chapter 2 NIV
14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?

How much clearer does that have to be?

Faith can be held without actions...but it won't save. And what about the royal law?

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself,"

Forget all this faith only, scritpure only, who cares what the world thinks of us nonsense.
Let's focus on the widows and orphans, let's focus on the sick and homeless.
let's make disciples who understand what it means to be the hands and heart of Jesus in this dark and depraved world.
Well that's all I have to say right now...thanks to all of you who have been praying for my family...my class and my community! Love and Blessings to you all!

Sorrow

Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
Another young life gone. He was at our school last year. He was in the high school this year.
He had been in just a couple of my classes before he was transfered to another sped. program.
He'd been missing since January 23. He was found across the highway from our school. His body was in pretty bad shape. No details are known yet.
I love my job. I love my kids. I look at them and realized, it could have been anyone of them.
I look at them and think, will one of them be next? I look at them and I prayer, harder than I have ever prayed before.
My life is a mess...emotionally, financially, and the enemy is attacking, no holds barred at my spirit.
One of my morning time radio preachers was talking about predestination this morning. I turned him off. I think, God never forsakes His elect, and I look at circumstances, and come to school and find out about this young man's death...and then one of my students brings me a coke, and a couple of parents come in and thank me for helping their son. And the room is calm, and I sigh, I write, I say...The Lord is my Shepherd
And I remember to pray, I choose to pray, I have to pray...

A few Monday Morning words to ponder

Faith?
Wisdom and Understanding...
Truth and Light
Jesus
Remember Job's friends who insisted on comforting him by explaining God as they understood Him. Some of the stuff they were saying seemed pretty good, right on. Do I hear an Amen?
So I hear people saying "Don't you know that God..."
And I think, "Really? Have I been so wrong all these years? Have I gotten confused? Have I been misled?"
And I turn back to the Word, to the source.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God...
I hate that verse. As an English teacher I want to mark it in red and tell Paul to rewrite it.
Make it clearer sir. It's vague. Your readers won't understand what you're saying.
But then, Paul wasn't writing in English.
Wisdom and Understanding - seek it, work at it, dig for it like buried treasure (that's in Job).
I hope to think that I didn't assume the "Oh yeah, I know more than you, I understand more than you, I'm smarted than you" posture.
I like to think that it was more like "oh, oh...am I really wrong? I better look into this."
I was afraid that I was wrong. But I wasn't hiding my head in the sand, although it may have looked that way on the outside. I was digging. I was working things out.
And all the time I was crying out to God...If any of you lacks wisdom...
And I found some really interesting stuff. And my faith grew stronger. And I think it's better to realize that you must be seeking wisdom and understanding your whole life here on this planet.
That you can never sit back and say, I understand it clearly...those who don't understand it my way are wrong. Learning never stops...the Light just keeps getting brighter and brighter...
And Jesus is the Answer.
Blessings

a quick word before church

Yesterday morning I took a nice long walk, to clear my head and spend some quiet time in prayer. Before I left I chose to read Proverbs 3 - because I remembered the verse:
In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.
I knew what physical path I would be taking, but I wanted my spiritual path, my ‘line of thought’ to be straight as well…
Path - lead me on the right path.
With a quick check, I found the same sort of verse 6 more times in Proverbs and at least 5 times in Psalms. Lead me on the right path.
Maybe the most popular - at least for those thousands upon thousands who attend Christian Schools, or teach in them, where the pledge to the Bible is included along with the pledge to the American Flag is Psalm 119:105 “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”
When I started to read Proverbs 3, I got side tracked with the first verse. In some translations it reads “My son, do not forget my teaching.” Others say, do not forget my Law. But I started thinking about teachings - doctrines - and the teachers that teach them.
I thought of my own teachers. Nearly every teacher I ever had, except for my two years at community college and the professors I’ve had lately in my master’s courses in special education, have at least claimed to be Christians. And in their teaching - whether in the sciences or the humanities, God and His word was honored. In this, I was greatly blessed.
Not only was I taught the academic basics, I was taught to love learning, I was taught how to find answers for myself, and test those answers against the Truth. I was taught to recognize truth, and reject lies. I was taught to be kind. From Sr. Sheila to Dr. Livermore, from Thaddeus to Decker…I learned and I remember.
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding…God bless all those fine teachers I’ve had, and help me to teach - reading, writing, math, social studies, help me to teach those in Your light!
Time to Go to Church!

The B-I-B-L-E

I found something interesting the other day. I always knew that it said in Revelation that we were not to add or subtract from the words of the book. Literally speaking, it would be logical to think that could just apply to the Book of Revelation, but I always thought and taught it was talking about the Scriptures as a whole. I do not think that God would reveal anything new, although the Holy Spirit might give a new slant on certain things...I think any revelation or word of prophecy needs to be tested against the Written Word - the Holy Bible. And that word will never contradict the basic Bible teaching.
But as far as that "do not add command," I found it in at least 2 other places...One in Deuteronomy (4:2 and 12:32 ) and one in Proverbs 30:6. And a lot has been added to the Word since those times. Also - I am still quite interested in the (and I can never spell or pronounce this word) Apaphrica - uggg - the "extra" old testement books that are contained in the Catholic (and Orthadox I think) versions of the Bible. Someone said that it was Martin Luther who first decided that they didn't belong in the Bible...a few Rabbis I've consulted said that they were probably included in the Scriptures studied in the time of Jesus (and therefore would have been included in 2 Timothy 3:16 as "all Scripture") And Jude quotes at least one of them.
And one more thing, I always thought the quote "Let Scripture interpret Scripture" was actually in the Bible, and I can't find it there.
Well, that's all I have to say for now...blessings!

We Did Church Today

The building itself is like something out of medieval England, stonework, stained glass, candles.
The music was sweet, at times a bit upbeat, it effectively set the mood - reverence.
On the "church" calendar is was Sanctity of Life Sunday - a day to speak up against the sin of Abortion, and the sins of indifference and immorality that add fuel to the fire. The church had a special speaker, the wife of a pastor from another denomination with a powerful testimony. The "children's" choir sang a little song...a blast from the past. "The Butterfly Song". I could see my own little boys up there, being silly and singing off key, years and years ago. We sang "Holy, Holy Holy" and "Praise to the LORD". We took communion - "Body of Christ" given for you.
Father Carl is a friend of ours. He gives good hugs.
Things around here are pretty tense. Money is really tight and tempers are short. But we did Church today. And it was good.

God is great! God is Good!

oftentimes what I use what I read here in blog land to determine what direction my personal devotions should take. what follows is in response to something I read this evening.

God is Holy! God is the Great I Am, Holy, Holy, Holy - no question.
God is Sovereign! Great and Powerful - The ruler over everything. King of Kings and LORD of Lords! Creator of everything, worshiped by all of creation! - no argument.
God is Omnipresent! Everywhere!
God is Omniscient! He sees everything under the sun (job 28:24) He counts the stars and names each one…there is no limit to what He knows. (Psalm 147:45) No limit. He knows what will be, what should be, what could be…what might be. Every possibility and every individual’s true potential.
God is Omnipotent. And Job said “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, I talked of things too wonderful for me to know.” But God knows!
God is Eternal, Infinite, Perfect! He is a faithful God who does no wrong!
God chose to identify Himself, as Father, Friend, Comforter as well as Merciful Judge and Savior/Redeemer.
One of my new blog friends just posted a great word study on Sin. This brings to question, are we responsible for the sins we commit? The whole question of why there is evil in the world - did God create it, plan it? And of course my favorite topic - Free Will vs. the Sovereignty of God. Only I don’t see Free Will and the Sovereignty of God in opposition with each other. Our King knows what can be, what should be, and what might be. He loves His creatures, His children and does everything to help them reach the goal He has set for them. But ultimately the choice is ours. A perfect God did not create evil. A God, in whom there is no darkness, did not will into existence a world of darkness and despair.
One more word - pantheism - because it has become a hot topic lately on other blogs which take great offense with the emergent, postmodern, nontraditional churches.
I do not worship trees, but I do believe that trees worship their creator.
I do not worship or search the stars for secrets or answers but I do believe that God has named the stars and that they sing for Him.
I do not think that animals have souls that can be saved or lost, but I do believe that the birds of the air, the beasts in the fields, the creatures in the sea are all looking forward to the time that Jesus returns and renews creation, restores it to its prefall state.
I believe that when we were created we were given the job to care for and be wise stewards of the planet that God created to be our home, and that deliberately doing something to harm or waste any part of creation is a sin against the Creator.
Time to watch TV, turn off my brain, cuddle up with my husband…did I tell you that it snowed in Shiprock today. It was so incredibly beautiful!

January 19, 2006 - Snow is falling in Shiprock

I guess I should say something about the newest controversy out there – the movie the End of the Spear. Everyone else is. When my boys were growing up, we usually paced our mornings by the programs on the radio. We woke up to the Chucks – Chuck Smith and Chuck Swindol. We ate breakfast to Focus on the Family. We had to leave at the end of Elizabeth Elliot. I mention that because Elizabeth Elliot was the wife of one of the murdered missionaries, and we knew her story well.

I think there is something wrong with Churches and Ministries using their resources to promote movies. It’s basically a new trend. The buzz about the PASSION brought in millions. The debate over Narnia is still raging. And now, a movie, based on an intense story of personal sacrifice and forgiveness is at the center of a storm because the star is a gay activist.

Perhaps his sexual preference doesn’t have a negative affect on the story, but his interviews are offensive to many Christians. Reports are that the gospel message is watered down – what would one expect of Hollywood? But if faith comes by hearing, maybe some gay guy will go to the movie because of Chad Allan, and hear the truth and be saved. That would be a good thing. And hopefully concerned parents will be ready to have a dialog with their children, should they get caught up in this debate.

Could the movie be used as an effective teaching tool? Probably. There are a lot of movies that can be used as teaching tools. Schindler’s List, The Diary of Anne Frank, why I’ve even used “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Is the controversy or the sexual orientation of the star going to help the movie make millions? Probably. Should Churches encourage or discourage their people to attend it? Probably not. Is it something to get all worked up about? I see it as a sign of the times. More proof that we live in an angry, violent, dark world.

Where is the great light that should be shining through the followers of Jesus? Where is the Love of Jesus that should set us apart from the world we live in? The Love for each other, the love for our enemies?

On a personal note…In the fall, the principal of our school had a stroke…his recovery is going to take a long time. Over Christmas vacation one of our students…one of my students was stabbed to death in a fight, now two families are in crisis…the family of the victim and the family of the killer.

Today we got word that another of our students died. She died of an illness.

An eighth grader. Not one of mine, but one of ours…

Not too long ago, there was a drug related double murder on the outskirts of the reservation…one of the killed had been in the first youth group we worked with when we arrived in this area 7 years ago. Lord, have mercy! Selah!

Brrrr

A cold wind continues to blow through Shiprock, a frigid and dry wind...
No school today (Rest in Peace Martin Luther King Jr.) and I have a ton of papers to grade and sort.
I am going to try to link to an article that was linked to on "Slice". It is almost a year old, and another example of what's "wrong" with the emergent, postmodern, seeker sensitive church, only I really didn't see anything wrong with it.
Actually, this morning, as I was blogging, I found some real good stuff that encouraged me. Stuff that built up my faith rather than shaking it to the very foundation.
Let's see if this hyperlink works...
Article

The Cold Moon set and the Wind is blowing...
I first went to 1 Timothy because it was one of the verses in my new prayer journal for the week. Then I recognized the often misquoted or explained away verse about how God wanted all men to be saved. I stuck with it for a while, maybe because it concerned Church leadership and I really miss being active in ministry. And today, due to a messed up bank account, broken car, and other unpleasant circumstances, we couldn’t go to church. So I’ve read the whole thing through again, using Bible Gateway, and the Message. There is a lot of interesting stuff in there. A lot of verses that led me to think, “ok, what does that say in a ‘real Bible” So I looked some of it up in the New American Standard. My favorite Bible Scholar from Roberts Wesleyan college said that was the closest to the Literal Translation of the original Greek.

5The whole point of what we're urging is simply love--love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. 6Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into cul-de-sacs of gossip. 7They set themselves up as experts on religious issues, but haven't the remotest idea of what they're holding forth with such imposing eloquence. The Message

5But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, 7wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. The NASV
Love?
John, in his gospel and letters mentions Love as a command and requirement of faith no less than 30 times. Love God, Love your neighbor, Love the brethren, Love your enemies. 14Grace mixed with faith and love poured over me and into me. And all because of Jesus.

15Here's a word you can take to heart and depend on: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.
4He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we've learned: 5that there's one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us--Jesus, 6who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. 7This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth.
Isn’t this the doctrine? The teaching of Jesus. John 12:32 says that by the lifting up of Jesus on the cross, all men will be drawn unto Him. All men will be drawn, not all men will choose to say yes.
* 16This Christian life is a great mystery, far exceeding our understanding, but some things are clear enough: He appeared in a human body, was proved right by the invisible Spirit, was seen by angels. He was proclaimed among all kinds of peoples, believed in all over the world, taken up into heavenly glory. The Message
16By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness:He who was revealed in the flesh,Was vindicated in the Spirit,Seen by angels,Proclaimed among the nations,Believed on in the world,Taken up in glory. NASV
The mystery of faith! But why does it seem, that the Jesus who loves me, and the God who never forsakes His elect has left me alone here and now? Why don’t we have the ministry that we were promised? I am afraid that 1 Timothy explains that.

Outsiders must think well of him, or else the Devil will figure out a way to lure him into his trap.

Outsiders do not think well of us. Our eldest son fell so hard and far from grace. Praise Jesus he repented and was redeemed, and his faith has kept him from despair.Yet he, and the people that love him, are still suffering the consequences of his sin. But it is not just his fault that the world and the Church has judged us and found us wanting. Pastor Art does tend to be overbearing at times, and I am way too emotional for my own good.
Somewhere it talks about being too thin skinned. Circumstances have stretched us way thin, and this thin skin has indeed been an inroad for the devil, who has lured us into the trap of self pity and distrust.

Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after.
21People caught up in a lot of talk can miss the whole point of faith.

Hopefully, Prayerfully, we can rise above this, we can come out of this dark night and move on.

1Ti 6:20 Timothy, guard what God has placed in your care! Don't pay any attention to that godless and stupid talk that sounds smart but really isn't. 1Ti 6:21 Some people have even lost their faith by believing this talk. I pray that the Lord will be kind to all of you! Lord Have Mercy, And God bless us, everyone! Amen

Vision

i am posting this on Gateway of the Rock too, because if I could do any ministry, this is the ministry I would do...

I see you

You are not invisible to me.

I see you all

Walking with your head down,

Dragging you feet, wearing out your souls.

I see you

Vacant men walking past Vacant houses

Men of the Land, who don’t seem to care anymore

about the Land around them

Dry, like the Land you are born to

I see you

Making your way into town

For a drink, for a job, for a change

And making your way home again

To the old mother who still cares

To the old grandmother who still prays for you

To be greeted by a long sad sigh and an open door

I want to say, “hold your head up high”

I want to say, “be the brave you were born to be”

I want to say, “I am sorry.”

I want to cook for you, and sing you songs, and tell you stories

Great Stories, Living Stories

I want to give you a hot cup of coffee on a cold night,

With lots of sugar and a dash of hope.

I want to drive you home

To the son that needs you

To the woman that loves you

And I want to say…

Look past the stars, Look past the moon

Look past the tent meetings and revivals

Seek God!

He is there waiting

He sees you.

Learn to sing His songs

He is calling you.

Believe His stories

He has a plan for you!

All of you. Each of You.

Walking this Land for a Divine purpose.

He is not the White Man’s God

He is every man’s God

He is not the missionary’s God

He is the People’s God

He formed you, He knows you, He sees you.

You are not invisible to Him.

Get the Message?

This is how the MESSAGE puts it:
"Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray, not shaking angry fists at enemies, but rasing holy hands before God. and I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the lastest fashions, but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it. I don't let women take over and tell the men what to do. They should study to be quiet and obedient along with everyone else. Adam was made first, then Eve; woman was decieved first - our pioneer in sin! - with Adam right on her heels. On the other hand, her child bearing brought about salvation, reversing Eve. But this salvation only comes to those who continue in faith, love, and holiness, gathering it all into maturity. You can depend on this."
My apologies to the purists out there who cringe at the Message, but I actually "get this".
And again, the theme of the book is consistant - love and purity.

More on First Timothy

Who is Paul writing to? A young preacher in Ephesus. Are preachers and apostles any more important than anyone else? Well although Paul makes it clear that the body of Christ is made up of many parts that are to be respected for what they are, and no part is to elevate itself to a place of superiority or assume a position of supposed inferiority, he also seems to put the offices in a sort of order, with apostles first, prophets second and teachers third. (1 Cor. 12). And I am humbled by James 3:1 that warns teachers will receive a stricker judgement. So as I stated before, since this letter is addressed to Timothy, as opposed to the saints as in other places, I think it is fair to say that Paul presupposed a certain maturity and authority of his reader, that might not be expected of the whole congregation.
Who is Paul writing about? He is concerned with false doctrines that are creeping into the Church. What false doctrines, and who is teaching them? My first thought was that Paul writes a lot about the Jewish Christians who insisted that to be saved one had to become a jew. Cirrcumsision was a big issue to Paul and his gentile converts. But since Timothy was in Ephesus, and Ephesus is one of the seven churches in Revelation, I dug a little deeper and found the Nicolaitans, who apparently were teaching, among other things, that since we are saved by grace, and are free from the Law, anything goes...especially sexual lewdness.
May I ignor the part about women not teaching? Should we ignor the part about Timothy being instructed to drink wine (for his health)? I think maybe if more churches adhered to the guidelines in Chapter 3 when chosing pastors and elders and board members, there would be a lot less trouble. When we speak of Holiness, working out ones salvation, making sure that we are not trusting in a dead faith, since faith without works is dead, I look at Chapter 4:1 and wonder. If some can (will) fall from the faith, then it is possible to loose the faith they had at the beginning. And how should we interpret the verse (10) that says we have fixed our hope on the living God who is the savior of all men, especially of believers? That is one I'll really have to look into. But not now. It is time to go to work. It will be another long day.
So I will end this by going back to 1:5
But the goal of our instruction is love, from a pure heart and a good conscience, and a sincere faith.

theologically speaking:

Quick study of 1^st Timothy.

With three versions at my elbow: the NCV, NIV, and (oh sacrilege) The Message. The heading in one of the versions says: Advice to a young preacher, and although I’m sure that anyone can receive enlightenment from reading this, as well as any other book of the Bible, it probably should be noted that this is written to a church leader, not the congregation in general. A certain amount of maturity and authority would be presupposed as Paul writes to his young disciple, so perhaps some of this would be “over the head” of a new believer.

The goal of “this command” is love. Pure heart, good conscience and a sincere faith. Has anyone else noticed that when someone points to LOVE as a main issue, they get shot down by some “theologian” who wants to explain that we really don’t understand what LOVE means, Biblically speaking, and doctrine is really much more than LOVE (the two greatest commandments according to Jesus). I should think that verse 1:7 should humble some of us bloggers.

“They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.”

“They set themselves up as experts on religious issues, but haven’t the remotest idea of what they are holding forth with such imposing eloquence”

“They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand either what they are talking about or what they are sure about.”

It brings to mind the warning that we should not all seek to be teachers. And also that we should study to show ourselves approved.

Ah the good ol’ (new) Message goes on to say: It’s true, moral guidance and counsel need to be given, but the way you say it, and to whom you say it are as important as what you say.

And then, as clearly as anywhere else, is the gospel stated, called a true, trustworthy saying: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners! And do you hear the choir singing?

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invincible…the only wise God”

And, there it is, Chapter Two – pray for everyone – that is EVERYONE, and verse 4: (God) who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (niv) who wants all people to be saved and to know the truth (ncv) and

He wants, not only us, but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth that we know: that there is one God and only one! And one priest mediator between us and God, Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. (the message)

A few posts down, just beyond my whining laments, I pasted a portion from a Wesleyan Commentary concerning everyone’s favorite hot topic, personal predestination. As a result of that post I’ve made a new blog acquaintance – Kevin, who like myself and Pastor Art and Arthur B. Roberts, is of the Wesleyan, persuasion. We are not alone! Neither are we without Biblical support for certain doctrinal stands that we take. Well, I need to get on home. We’re having company tonight, and I know that when I get home I’m not going to feel much like typing, so I stayed after work to get this written.

I’m not done with First Timothy yet, but I just flipped to the end of the book in the Message:

“Avoid the talk show religion and the practiced confusion of the so called experts. People caught up in a lot of talk can miss the whole point of faith”

You gotta love it!

So What

I was in the middle of writing my next post,
woe is me, lamentations
and for some mysterious reason, it disappeared from the screen...gone
oh well, so what, it was just a bunch of immature laments, generated by self pity, mood swings, hormonal imbalance and hot flashes.
are you hearing the voices shouting and crying in the middle east?
and all the widows and orphans crying in the aftermath of floods, and hurricanes, and earthquakes, war and disaster?
and I believed that the LORD was telling me to trust Him concerning the matters of my family, my sons and my grandson. That He would take care of them, and I should focus my prayer on the students entrusted to my care, to stand in the gap for them, and now, one has been killed, violently and tragically and still the crisis in my own family continues.
And I am a seasoned, mature, Biblically literate Ministroally experienced, woman
who feels like a child, afraid of the dark.

Silence

He was on my role, but I hardly knew him. It seemed like he was always absent or in detention or suspended. The few times he was in my class he behaved himself and did fine work. In some of his other classes, and in the halls, and on the bus, it was a different story. I knew a lot less about him then I do about my other students. I have most of them for more than one class. I am their “case manager”. No one was talking about him much yesterday. Just a stray comment here or there. In the dominant culture of our school, one does not speak of the dead. Not until lunch did one of the staff members confirm the whispered rumor. He had been killed over Christmas break. He had been stabbed. He was dead and buried. Hadn’t I seen it in the paper? Tragic, Violent, and forgotten.

From Psalm 96

NCV: 96:11-13
Let the skies rejoice and the earth be glad; let the sea and everything in it shout. Let the fields and everything in them rejoice. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD, because He is coming. He is coming to judge the world; He will judge the world with fairness and the people with truth!"
And Jesus said: I am...the truth (John 14:6)
And Paul said: His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. (Romans 1:20)
and: Romans 8:20-23, all creation is waiting, all creation is groaning
Come Lord Jesus come!
And until then, may we, who are called by His name, be faithful to the task he has set before us and remember, they will know we are Christians by our love! (John 13:35)

From a Wesleyan Bible Commentary...

I cut and pasted this off our E-Sword software...Hope I'm not breaking any laws here...
just wanted to note that there are many sincere Christians out there who view scriptures, worship, and holiness from a Wesleayan perspective, ie United Methodists, Free Methodists, Nazerine, to mention but three. I may write more on this later, but for now, although the language is a bit formal, I'll let Wesley speak for me...
"We are bid to choose life, and reprehended for not doing it. It is inconsistent with a state of probation in those that must be saved or must be lost. It is of fatal consequence; all men being ready, on very slight grounds, to fancy themselves of the elect number. But the doctrine of predestination is entirely changed from what it formerly was. Now it implies neither faith, peace, nor purity. It is something that will do without them all. Faith is no longer, according to the modern predestinarian scheme, a divine "evidence of things not seen," wrought in the soul by the immediate power of the Holy Ghost; not an evidence at all; but a mere notion. Neither is faith made any longer a means of holiness; but something that will do without it. Christ is no more a Saviour from sin; but a defence, a countenancer of it. He is no more a fountain of spiritual life in the soul of believers, but leaves his elect inwardly dry, and outwardly unfruitful; and is made little more than a refuge from the image of the heavenly; even from righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Through sanctification of the Spirit - Through the renewing and purifying influences of his Spirit on their souls."

The B I B L E, yes, that's the book for me!

So, over the past few days, in the post Christmas quiet, I’ve read Ephesians, Jude, and Galatians.
I read them in 5 different versions with Strongs Concordance at my side…oh the wonders of the Computer Age. Three comments:
1. In Ephesians, there is a demarcation between “we” and “you” in the first chapter. WE being Paul and the Jews, who were predestined corporately and the YOU who became part of the elect through the decision to believe the Good News when it was preached to them.
2. Jude has one of my favorite sections about how some need to be corrected gently in love and others need to be dragged forcibly away from the edge of the pit. It also seems to be addressing those who think because Grace saves us we don’t have to worry about doing anything.
3. Galatians is mainly Paul defending his apostolic authority and the fact that gentiles don’t need to become Jews to be righteous. Circumcision is the main issue, although feasts and Sabbaths are mentioned too. I also compared the word “fool” as in Matt. 5 and “foolish” as in Galatians 3. The word “Rhaka” means empty one, or worthless one, that’s the Matt. 5 word. The word in Galatians means stupid, or unwise. I for one, am neither.

"tis the day after Christmas..."

I just posted a piece on Gateway of the Rock about how we celebrated Christmas this year.
I have one more full week off from school. Company tonight, worship practice Tuesday, Dance practice Thursday, Dinner out for our anniverary on Friday, Watchnight service Saturday (happy 2006!) regular Sunday, Free Monday, and then back to school...count down to the Big Test...uggg.
Later guys, love to you all...

Merry Christmas

Just a short note, a quote I got off a friend's blog...
Remember this about God -
"He is intimate with His creation and He is Good"
Isn't that what the Christmas Story is all about?

Here it is...

Please read "Disclaimer" and "On Hold" even if you can't make it through this whole thing.

In the beginning God…
Seems like as good a place as any to begin. And God Said…
How precious is the Word of God. How incredible is the fact that HE, who created the heavens and the earth would choose to make Himself known to such insignificant beings.
In the beginning, God created (Genesis 1:1 of course). And what may be known about Him is plain to us, to all of us, because since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature has been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Romans 1:19-20). Creation would have been enough. But he also gave us His word. He communicated with us, from the beginning. And as insurance that the message would be clear and eternal, He chose the languages in which to write the words, and hand picked the prophets, scribes, secretaries by whose hands it would be written. First mentioned is Moses. Exodus 17:14 “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered… Exodus 24:4 Moses then wrote down everything the LORD had said…Numbers 33:2 At the LORD’s command Moses recorded the stages of their journey. And this is confirmed by our LORD - John 5:46 If you believed Moses, you would have believed Me, for he wrote about me. What did Moses write? The Torah, the Law, The first five books of the BIBLE, the first recorded covenant between God and His creation, those created in His image and likeness, for His purpose. Ah, the first point of contention. I have heard it said that although man was created in the image and likeness of God (male and female He created them) after the fall man was no longer the image of God, but a totally depraved creature who can not seek God on his own. I would point to Psalm 8:4-6, but on a surface reading in most English translations, I supposed one could argue that David was writing about man before the fall, although I would disagree. James 3:9 mentions “men, who have been made in God’s likeness” and I Cor. 11:7 says that man is the image and glory of God. But again, it could be argued that those verses are talking about men saved by grace. I will just say that it shocked me to discover that some believers do not believe that humans still carry in them, from birth, the image and likeness of God. What does that make us before being saved? It seems to diminish the sanctity of life as I understand it. But going back to Genesis, it is clear that God continued to have communion with mankind even after the fall, and that He spoke to, and cared about individuals even after they totally rejected His covenant and warnings. I’ve already posed the question of Cain in Chapter 4.
In the NIV: Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door. It desires to have you, but you must master it.
In the CEV: If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling. But you did the wrong thing, and now sin is waiting to attack you like a lion. Sin wants to destroy you, but don’t let it. So God is giving Cain a warning and a choice.
Peter and James, who knew our LORD on a very intimate level gave similar warnings.
1 Peter 5:8 “be on the alert, your adversary, the devil prowls like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. James 4:7 Submit therefore to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Warnings and choices, from the very beginning. If and Then, This or That, make the choice, receive the blessing or suffer the consequences. Where does it say that the choice has already been made for us?
Before I move on, while I am still in Genesis, please look at Genesis 6. Can we read it without some theologian telling us, what it really means is this…or of course it doesn’t really mean that. Can we just look at the words as they are written, and draw the logical conclusion? Unless of course Logic is of the enemy and not a quality we can attribute to God. Genesis 6:5-8
NASV - Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually and the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth and He was grieved in His heart, and the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land…for I am sorry that I have made them…But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
CEV - The Lord saw how bad the people on earth were and that everything they thought and planned was evil. He was very sorry that he had made them and he said, I’ll destroy every living creature on the earth…I’m sorry I ever made them, But the LORD was pleased with Noah.
KJV - And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart and the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth…for it repented me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Did God know when He set the earth in motion exactly how things were going to turn out? Does He know every single choice we will make before we make it, or does he know every possible/probable decision and consequence of those multitude of choices we make every day? What about the Book of Life? Does (can/should???) man seek God? Who are the Elect? The Predestined? What is our destiny? Jesus taught us to pray…”Thy will be done” in fact He prayed those very words right before he was betrayed into the hands of the angry crowd. Why pray those words? Of course God’s will will be done. Why pray at all? Everything is unfolding exactly as God knew it would (foreknowledge). Everything in fact is unfolding exactly as God planned for it to unfold. (Sovereignty) Now, lest some of my readers (if I have any left that is) start rejoicing, thinking that in my delving into the word, I discovered “they” were right and I was wrong…I am merely stating here the doctrines I will be addressing in this way too long post. Already 1100 words long. And I’m still in Genesis.
I began my research for this piece by reading Deuteronomy 29. The book that I have been using for a guide line referred to Deut. 29:29 and it is a verse that I rediscovered this past year at a Bible Study. ‘The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever. That we may follow all the words of this law.” I was willing to apply this to the question of predestination vs free will, that there were just some things the LORD chose not to explain. But the Bible teacher that recently pointed me to that verse said that we can understand predestination clearly, without question, because it has been revealed to us. No question or debate. What is, is and what the Bible teacher said was, was.
Anyway, I went back to Deut. 29:29 and not wanting to take a verse out of context, I decided to read the whole chapter. And, OHNO! I got hung up on verse 4 - but to this day, the LORD has not given you a mind (heart) that understands That sounds like only people who God chooses to understand will understand. And the rest? Well, damn them anyway. So I grabbed all my other translations, and my Strongs. Here is my discovery. The word that is rendered heart or mind has to do with the intellect, the knowledge. Up until the point of this writing, people hadn’t been given all the information they needed to understand all there was to understand. What they had seen first hand should have been enough, but they were too dense. The whole chapter is about how God expects us to get it, at least as much as He had revealed at the time, about His covenant and our choices. And as far as verse 29 is concerned, of course we can now apply it to the whole of scripture, but note that at its writing the only thing about predestination or divine election revealed was that the sons of Abraham had been chosen as a people set apart.
I want to be very careful not to say “this is what it means.” I want to stick with “this is what it says”. But I have also discovered that “this is what it says” must be qualified sometimes, depending on what version(s) you are using, what Bias or Preconception the translators may have had - since all our translations were produced after the influence of Augustine, Luther, etc affected theology - and what context the words were written in. When it comes to the contexualization of the gospel, we need to be consistent. I am not insinuating that we should all become Jews, but I will point out that the scriptures were written primarily by Jews with a Jewish perspective and that Jesus’ teachings were often directed toward the Jewish leaders of the time. The context we should consider is 1st century Jew (and Gentile) not 15th century Europe.
When I approach the Scriptures, I do so with the understanding that God has revealed Himself as a covenant making and covenant keeping KING. That God is LOVE, mercy and justice are two of His most prominent attributes. That
He is light and in Him is no darkness, or confusion at all. What is true is true, no matter who says it. But truth is not a concept. It is a person, He who said, “I am the Truth…” and so one of the first concepts that I balked at here in the world of blog was that No One Seeks God.
If I were willing to play the game, “I have more verses than you, so I’m right!” I could win this one easily. I have at least 14 and I haven’t gone beyond Psalms yet. Usually, though, when I bring up those verses I hear, “But to whom are they written?” To all of us, right? To anyone who dares to read them. Right? Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. So the Scriptures are the Word of God and they are for anyone who hears it (reads it) but ummm, no. Not everyone who hears will believe. And not everyone who says they believe really believes. John 3:16 says, “whosoever believes” James says “Faith without works is dead.” what a tangled web we weave…And yet the Word seems so clear.
“God has set eternity in the hearts of man…Ecc 3:11
It’s there, He put it there. I know citing theologians or philosophers does not hold as much clout as quoting scriptures, but I really like Pascal’s allusion to the “god shaped hole”.
Deuteronomy 4:19...but if from there you seek the LORD you God you will find Him, if you look for Him with all your heart.
In Matthew 7:7 Jesus says “Seek and You will find…” What are we to be seeking? Sutff, Wisdom, Salvation, Truth, God?
My favorite “search God” verses from the New Testament are:
Acts 17:26-27 “From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth, and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that man would seek Him and perhaps, reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.”
And Hebrews 11, the faith chapter
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him (verse 6)”
One more, from my all time favorite book of the Bible
Isaiah 55:6,7 Seek the LORD while He may be found, call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts, Let him turn to the LORD and He will have mercy on him…
So what about Romans 3:11 where Paul is quoting Psalm 14 and 53? ’There is no one who seeks God, no one who understands…”
Well I say, if you look at the Psalms mentioned, you see the same image as in Genesis 6:6. God, looking to see if anyone is seeking Him, but seeing only corruption and then the lament., will the evil doers never learn? All have turned away. Turned away from what? He gave us choices, at times it seems as if everyone is making the wrong choice. If only those who God calls can seek Him, why should He care that the other guys aren’t looking for Him? But He does care. Like with Cain, He gives us warnings, He sends us prophets with words of instruction. It is not His will that any should be lost. He interacts with us daily, hourly, giving us grace, showing us mercy. But we have the choice and the responsibility to choose. We all fall short, and we are to accept the responsibility of our own sins and confess (1John 1:8-10)
Do our choices ever surprise God? Do our prayers ever change His mind?
I think, as with any good parent, God has high hopes and expectations that we will choose wisely. He knows the ultimate outcome of our right choices and of our wrong. Before we decide, He has a plan to prosper us if we choose correctly, and help us if we choose wrong. Since He knows all the possibilities, He is never surprised, yet He may be disappointed. Again Genesis 6:6 and a new discovery I just made, Jeremiah 3:19 “I thought you would call me Father…”
And it pleases Him when we choose Him over our own wishes - “Now, I know…”
Genesis 22:12.
Is God lying, fooling around with us. Or does the Word mean what it says?
As far as prayer goes, intercession prayer specifically
Abraham for Sodom - Genesis 18
Moses and Aaron for the assembly - Exodus 16
Moses for Israel - Exodus 32
In 2 Kings 20, Isaiah is told by the LORD to deliver a message, “thus saith the LORD”.
The king crises and whines and the LORD sends the prophet back…He had heard the kings prayers and changed His mind, which turned out to not be a very good thing for the king, but that doesn’t change the fact that the king’s prayer changed God’s plan.
There are so many other directions I can take this, but it is 2500+ words already. Who will read it anyway? One or two gentlemen who will remain unswayed no matter how many verses I cite, verses that say man is meant to search for God, that Jesus and the apostles wrote that there is, can be, some good in man, that the book of life mentioned in several places is not a prewritten book in which are the names of the elect who were predestined before time to be saved. I read the stories, the records of the covenant, the conditions, the promises. I read of a God who interacts with people on a regular basis. If the plan is prewritten and the elect are predestined, why would He even bother? I’m tired of this. I may have to leave a church I love because of this. I know the Bible pretty well, and I get to know it more each time I read it, but I don’t know a God who wrote evil and pain and damnation into His perfect plan. I have another book in my hands right now, it’s got some good, logical stuff in it. I’d quote it, but it’s just a book. Not the Bible. It does however confirm my original blogging fear. See, I started this whole thing when I read an article by Chris P. on the emergent church. In it he mentioned “Open Theism” and by his brief summary of what it was, I thought, well that sounds like what I believe, but Chris P. said that was Heresy, and I wondered why it was heresy. I started reading some other stuff. Commenting here and there. What was so wrong with candles or incense, or using rocks for a visual metaphor of a Biblical truth, and dancing in worship, even doing the Hula maybe. But I rejected the label “Open Theist” because the anti people out there said that the Open Theists were relativists who did not hold to the authority of the Bible.
But now I have to admit. I am an open theist, as described in the book I’ve been reading.
Some things happen that are not what God planned for us. And sometimes people simply fall victim to unfortunate circumstances. Our experiences matter to God, here and now. He is infinitely sensitive to what happens to us. There is a profound sense of divine sympathy flowing from God, and there is nothing that lies beyond God’s capacity to work for good. Such recognition meets our natural desire to know that tragedies have not occurred in vain, they count for something. And the open view of God does not evoke the objectionable notions that God plans the tragedies to happen.
It has been said here in the world of blogs, that Free Will is not necessarily a Biblical concept. The question has been asked, where in the Bible does it say we are entitled to a Free Will. If it weren’t a Biblical concept, why does God, through His prophets say over and over again to choose? Are we free to choose? Or does God just lead us to believe we have a choice? To be sure, we may think that we are making a decision, but if in reality my selection is already determined by factors of which I am not aware, if God’s knowledge of the future is exhaustive, and liner, and He knows exactly what I will choose, then freedom to choose is an illusion. I am trying to bring this to a logical conclusion. And the only thought in my mind is “I love you LORD.” I need to end this with one more Biblical quotation. Just one more? But which one?
“Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all you heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this. Love you neighbor has yourself!” By the way, that says neighbor not brother. We’ve had some discussions about who our “Brothers” were as opposed to who our Enemies are. It’s been said we don’t have to worry about the unsaved. I can’t believe it’s been said by people who claim to be followers of Christ, but it has been. Remember how Jesus answered the question - Whose my neighbor?. But that is an all together different issue. Be nice. Jesus wants us to be nice. Merry Christmas, and God Bless Us - Everyone…may we all be like trees - Psalm 1:3 trees. 3321 words.

A Disclaimer

I am about ready to post my 121st piece, and it will be a long one.
I just want to say, before it appears, that I am not trying to change anyone’s doctrine or theology. I have enjoyed fellowship with brothers and sisters of all denominations. The only criteria I use to determine if someone is indeed a brother or sister in the LORD is who they say Jesus is? What do they say about His cross? For that reason, I have had communion with all sorts of believers, from Catholic to Wesleyan, from Baptist to Reformed. Greek Orthodox, Messianic Jews, Charismatics, need I go on?
Nor, have I been searching the scriptures for answers. Not that I have all the answers, but most of the questions I ask here on my blog are rhetorical. I must admit that the past few months have been very hard on me. And, I have found myself crying out loud, lamenting…God, you just can’t be who and what they say you are. And in His mercy and patience He has reminded me of His love. He has let me feel his presence. And His Spirit has spoken clearly to my heart. “You know, I AM.”
But the reason I have written the next post - which should be up by Saturday afternoon - is that I have had 2 gentlemen say that I have no Biblical Basis for what I believe. And both have either directly or indirectly implied that people who believe as I do are heretics, stupid, foolish, and working for the enemy. Since one of those two is a personal friend of mine, this accusation was all the more hurtful. According to my statistics, I’ve had over 7000 hits on this site. That amazes me. But the only place I seem to get any comments are the places where this old argument can be addressed. And frankly, I’m a little sick of it.
I guess that is the nature of blogging though. If what you read doesn’t get a rise out of you, you simply move on. If you can’t argue you rather not waste your time commenting or even reading in full what has been written. I’m guilty of it as well. What will be, will be…what is, is. It’s just a blog after all.

Evacuation Drill

"This is only a drill. Incase of a real emergency..."
Today, I will be one of 40 teachers and staff members shepherding nearly 400 junior high students from our school to the closest "safe place". About a quarter of a mile.
Dread!
Dread because it is going to ryle up an already riled up group of pre-adult, pre-christmas, pre-midterm persons.
Dread because I've been walking slow and breathing hard these days.
Dread because what if it were a real disaster? What will happen when it is a real disaster?
When I first started teaching, sweet first graders, I used to cry at fire drills
(I also cry at parades, halmark commercials, when i see convicts cleaning up the highway "I'm praying for your mothers", and last night i cried because the baby in the manger looked like my grandson)
But now we practice lock-downs and evacuations. Fire drills aren't enough.
Maybe it will snow. I'd love to go for a walk in the snow. Even if I would be walking with 400 13 and 14 year olds. But oh my gosh, that would really get them going.
"Seek the LORD while He may still be found!
call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forske his sin and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD and He will have mercy on him, and to our God for He will freely pardon!" Isaiah 55:6-7 come on kids, before it's too late!
my heart is very heavy this morning - i better remember to take my blood presure medicine.

A year ago...

Last year at this time, when I was on duty, I used to hum Christams Carols as I watched the early morning mock foot ball game before the bell. The following is a set of lyrics I came up with concerning the young people at my school.
I know a lot of them a lot better now. And my prayer is even more fervent.
"Arise, shine; for Your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold darkness has covered the earth and deep darkness the peoples. But the Lord will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you, and the Navajo Nation will come to your light, all the nations represented in this, the Four Corners Region, The Colorado Platau will lift up their eyes and see the brightness of Your coming, and say Yes, LORD! Yes...

Green Sleeves in Shiprock
12/07/04
What child is this all dressed in black
With long dark hair and eyes so bright
Who thinks her future is just as dark
As the clothes she hides behind?
He looks so angry
this bright eyed son
The world he lives in is so unkind
But should he smile at a hint of joy
His face can light up the shadows
Jesus, Oh Lord I cry
Release an army of warriors
Fight, Fight the demons here
So the children can see the light.
What child is this without a dream
Dressed in black and shadows
Who cannot hear a word of hope
For the din of the angry clatter
Jesus, Oh Lord I pray
Release an army of angels
Drive away the deafening throng
So they can hear your whisper
Open your hearts while the way is clear
See the truth around you
The Joy and Promise of the Living Light
The truth of the stories you’ve heard.

BRRRRRR

Anyone else out there cold?
It was -1 degree this morning when I got to work.
I had to go out to the football field and convince a dozen or so young men that it was too cold to play outside until the bell rang.
All of them had nothing more than hooded sweatshirts on, and the hoods were not up, nor were they zipped. I'm not sure if it is actually all they have, or just the fashion statement of choice. They wear those hooded sweatshirts, mostly black ones, all year round. When we were having our heat wave and it was 100+, they wore them, they wear them indoors and out.
Oh, well...let me take a look as Psalm 5 before I get back to my research.
"For thou art not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, no evil dwells with Thee."
"Hold them (the ungodly) guilty, O God, by their own devices let them fall, for they are rebellious against thee."
I am very, VERY glad that tomorrow is Friday! And only one more week until Christmas Vacation begins. I love being a teacher!

Monday Morniing

In the CEV, Psalm 4:3,4 reads: The Lord has chosen everyone who is faithful to be His very own, and he answers my prayers. But each of you had better tremble and turn from your sins, Silently search you heart as you lie in bed...trust God.
In the NASB is says: But know that the LORD has set apart the godly man for Himself, The LORD hears when I call to Him, Tremble, and do not sin, Meditate in your heart upon your bed and be still...trust in the LORD.
So did He choose who would be faithful, or did He choose those who were faithful?
Is there a difference. Are the ungodly being called to meditate on the LORD and trust Him, or are those words only for those who have been prechosen to trust?
Tie this in with Genesis 4
verses 6, 7 (NASB) Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your contenance fallen? If you do well, will not you be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door, and it's desire is for you, but you must master it."
Did the LORD believe that Cain could master it, rise above it, resist it? Are warnings and declarations only for those that He has chosen to be faithful? What was the purpose of God's intercourse with Cain here? Was it a warning that Cain could not have possibly heeded? What was Cain's destiny? What was God's will?
Why do people only seem to want to comment on things like this where they can get into an argument? I have to get to work...

The Enemy Within

Isn't that the name of a Movie?
Anyway, yesterday I posted on Psalm 3, in which David gave the LORD some rather violent suggestions as to how to deal with his enemies. Well right now my enemy seems to be the Flu bug. Like those ugly little guys on some commercial...Thanks a lot pastor Art for coughing those germs all over the house. Do germs have teeth?
Psalm 4 is titled (by the NASB) "Evening Prayer of Trust", maybe I'll wait until evening to post on that one. After morning worship, after soup and sandwiches and correcting papers, after watching some silly movie on TV and falling asleep in the middle of it. Might skip evening service, if I'm still feeling poorly. We'll see if God hast relieved me in my distress by then...

December Three, Psalm Three

The heading in the NASB is "Morning Prayer of Trust in God"
sounds like a good way to start this day...
actually the day started about one hour and two cups of coffee ago, I have visited Chris, Wanderer, and Arthur here in Cyber space, read a nice e-mail from my sister and good emergent friend Matt, and soon I will be taking my eldest son "to town" to apply for some jobs. He really needs a job, and for people like him, jobs can be very hard to find. Those of you who know, know why, those who don't know don't have to know...anyway
Back to Psalm Three:
Ahh, it's a good old song - Thou Oh Lord are a shield about me, and the lifter of my head.
But it starts out talking about "Adversaries". Do I have adversaries? I think its important to remember Ephesians 6:12. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, powers, forces of the Dark Side...
Luke, don't listen to him, he's not really your father, not really.
Sorry about that Sci Fi moment
Back to the Psalm
"I pray to you and you answer from your sacred hill." Switched translations there - I'm in the CEV now. There's snow on my mountian. Nice.
David ends this one pretty violently. "Break my enemies jaws and shatter their teeth, because you protect and bless your people." Doesn't sound much better in the more traditional version.
"For thou hast smitten all my enemies on the cheek, Thou hast shattered the teeth of the wicked." I wouldn't pray that concerning anyone I know. I don't really have any enemies - except for the ones mentioned in Ephesians. I've been hurt, and I'm sad, and some people have been just plain mean to me. When I drive into town, I might stop to say hi to my grandkids. I've gone from having them every weekend to 5 minutes a week if I am lucky. I'd like to pray that prayer over the people that have caused this current heart breaking situtation. For a while there I felt something pretty close to hate concerning them. Then we have the accusers to deal with, but that hasn't been as bad as we expected. And there is the rather painful on going debate over theology and doctrine, which I can't seem to avoid - like gum on the bottom of my shoe, or worse, it gets pretty stinky in here sometimes. But I can't blame them...not any of them.
They are not the enemy. We do not contend against flesh and blood. I don't want to contend against anyone or anything. I want to sing - Thou, Oh LORD are a shield about me, My glory and the One who lifts my head...Thy blessings are upon Thy people.

What would Jesus say to the UN?

I can hear Him proclaiming the first 2 verses of Psalm 2.
Maybe the whole thing...
Thats not what this post is about though...
It's just that I'm in a real bad mood and I've been blogging very sarcastic comments around the place today, and I'm being sucked into the same old, same old. Then I read the latest posting on Dawn Is Coming, http://arthurbroberts.blogspot.com/ about not debating and I agree. It's sad but true. And I wonder why we even blog at all. Does any of it matter anyway. Is any mind ever changed? I want to reach out and touch. I want to make a connection. And I have found some interesting friends...But still there is the question, Why? That's all I have to say right now. I'm tired. I'm beat. It's the day after payday and I'm broke...
So, I'm going to say Good Night and God Bless!

God Bless Us Everyone

Good Ol' Tiny Tim!
I have quite a collection of "Christmas Carols". From the Muppets to Jean Luc Picard. Gotta love that story! God bless! Ever wonder what that means? To be blessed by God?
Without going into the Hebrew and Greek...Pastor Art is in bed with the flu and it's way too early for good ol' Strongs, I would say that to be blessed by God would be to become like a tree!
I went to bed last night thinking about Psalm 1. Acutally I was thinking about a comment made in here somewhere, that I had NO Scriptual support for the theological/doctrinal position I take on some matters, that I was just clinging to my feelings about what I think God should be...like some silly woman I guess. No, he didn't exactly call me a silly woman...but you get the gist of it.
Actually, I know quite a lot about the Scriptures. I've had a lot of good teachings both in and out of college. It wasn't a Bible College, it was a private, liberal arts, Free Methodist college. But I digress.
Psalm 1.
As I was going to bed, wondering where I should start to explain Biblically and support through Scripture my stand, it came to mind, that just using the psalms I could explain the whole thing. But then again that's not my job or my purpose for this blog. Pastor Art does a better job with that anyway, and we pretty much agree with this kind of stuff only I am usually a little softer/nicer. Feelings - like some silly old woman.
Ugg. I can't seem to stay on Topic this morning.
Psalm 1. Most traditional and accepted translations start out with a negitive qualifier. Blessed is the man who does not... I happen to have the CEV at my elbow this morning and it's verse one is written in the positive. "God blesses those people who...
refuse evil advice and won't follow sinners or join in sneering at God"
Here is one of those choice issues. Do people have a choice who they hang out with? Ever been told to choose your friends wisely? Psalm 1 basically says, stay away from the wicked, sinners, scoffers. Rather delight in the Word of the Lord. Meditate on it. And you will be blessed. You will be "like a tree". One could do a whole Sunday School Series on the passages in the Scriptures about trees.
"Sinners won't have an excuse on the day of judgement...The Lord protects everyone who follows Him, but the wicked follow a road that leads to ruin." v. 5-6
If/then - Refuse and Delight or Scoff and Burn...I like thinking about the trees better.
Anyway - God Bless Us Everyone.
Make us like trees that stand tall and bear much fruit. T'is the season after all.

December First

december
i have a Christmas tree in my classroom. Funny thing that. It's not very big and the decorations are items that past students have given me or made. At the top of the tree is a little 'story teller' ornament. The story teller is a Hopi tradition I think, an old woman with children all over her. On the one on my Christmas tree, in her middle is a Nativity scene. It's "culturual" and no one has ever told me that I can't have those things in my room. Not all teachers are so lucky. Christmas Trees are funny things aren't they? The UN and USA are trying to decide just what to call them. It's harder for the USA, they have to figure out what to call Christmas without doing serious damage to our economy. We have alot of Holidays on the calendar (Happy Holidays!) "black Friday" doesn't come before the Fourth of July or Valentines day.
So the ungodly world argues against calling December 25 Christmas, and against Christmas Trees and Carols (they have all but won the Nativity Scene debate) While some Christians who love to prove that they are more Christian than those other Christians, blog on about Christmas being a pagan holiday (what about it Wanderer?), Christmas Trees being Idols, the Veggie Tale Christmas playset being graven images, and we all know Jesus wasn't real born on December 25 anyway. I've heard it all. I don't care. I love Christmas. And for me, it starts the day after Thanksgiving (I NEVER shop on that day) and goes to my wedding anniversary, 26 years on Dec. 31 - Love Ya Pastor Art! I think this Christmas will be a sort of sad one for me because of some family issues. I probably won't be able to see my grandchildren and my heart is still breaking over that situation. But I start wearing my Christmas Shirts to school today. I've "written" the Christmas pagent our Children's Church is doing on December 23. I'm going to forget that my theology and doctrine is once again under attack here in the blog world., I won't take it personally! I'm going to deck the halls, my lights and my nativity scene collection will be put up this weekend. I will bake cookies, even though my grand daughter won't be here to help this time. I won't spend too much money, I never do. Honest...never have it to spend. It's not about the gifts anyway. But I will go to the Mall in Farmington, just to see and smell and listen. I'll hum Silent Night and Joy to the World as I go from place to place. Regardless of theology, political correctness, or personal disappointment, I will celebrate the Birth of My King - the King of Kings: The people who walk in darkness will see a great light, those who live in a dark land. The Light will shine upon them...for a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us and the government will rest on His shoulders, And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor. Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace! (Isaiah 9)
Shine Jesus, Shine!