Squeaky Wheels & the Groaning of Time

Ain't technology grand?

Back in 2001 I bought my first computer, an Apple iMac G3 that had a grand total of 13 Gigs of memory and two -- gasp -- yes, two USB ports on it. It was totally awesome! The computer I was using before had barely enough power to run a crock pot and the new machine was so amazing in comparison that I think I did backflips for three months. However, as we all come to find out, new technology is only new from the time you slide the credit card to the time you open the box. After you first turn it on... it's practically obsolete. Each month, technology seems to best its best efforts, from computers to websites to cell phones. My cell phone was purchased in late 2005 -- brand new -- and I was told just recently that it is ancient. Yes, from new to ancient in less than three years. Just today at the church I was confronted with the fact that our auditorium's LCD projectors (which I consider to be totally cool machines) are about to depart to that final microchip destination in the sky, circuit heaven. They are corroding on the inside and their effectiveness is gradually fading away.

Much like all we see around us. Much like you and I.

Yesterday I was bemoaning the effects of time. My grandfather is 83 years young and having some concerning health problems. It seems like only yesterday that I was riding with him on his riding lawnmower, chopping down blades of grass on one of the various lots he owned. Now, he cannot even sit on his mower. His grandsons do most of his yardwork. Time has caught up to him. Just as it will to you and I. But that's our reality here on planet earth. We must live with it, even if we don't like it. Things are breaking down, not getting better. And they will get much worse. Saint Paul puts it this way in Romans 8:20-22, "the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now."

All of creation is suffering as a result of mankind's fall way back in the Garden of Eden. God put a curse upon both man and ground and things have been getting progressively worse. Paul wrote that creation groans in pain like a woman giving birth. It longs for redemption just as you and I long for redemptiion. We long for time to cease and our bodies to rest. We long for renewal of our weary bodies but we know that we will not have such on this side of the eternal line. The planet is breaking down just like I am -- just like our electronic devices are. No, not even computers and LCD projectors are immune to the curse, it seems.

But unlike they, we will be redeemed. Because Jesus paid the debt of our fallenness and became accursed for us. And through faith in Him we will have redemption of both spirit and body. Yes, our bodies will be redeemed (read 1 Corinthians 15 all the way through). Death never had final say over the body. God always did. And our bodies will be raised -- from ash, bone or dust -- and we will be made like new. To walk forever without squeaky wheels and whining joints on streets of gold.

Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Behold, the Bunny Prowleth...

Can't Get Past the Evidence...

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the rabbit prowls around like a hungry hare looking for someone's lettuce to devour."
(1 Peter 5:8, from the Gardener's Bible)

I'm Thinking...

... that many Christians have lost their way when it comes to having a biblical worldview of "God and Government." I saw a Christian talk show's newsletter recently and the host wrote, "I believe that this election represents a major fork in the road for America." It sounds exciting but it ignores the fact that God will do with America as He pleases regardless of who wins. It ignores the fact that the two leading candidates for president are both professing believers in Jesus Christ. One candidate is open about his faith and the other more reclusive. But both believe. God's candidate will win this election. He or she always does. In every election. In every nation. We have a sovereign God who sees America on the same level as Mauritania (read Isa. 40). He no longer makes covenants with nations like He did with Israel. He loves and saves individuals and chooses to work through all governments. They are subject to Him. Always have been. Always will be.

... that Derek Webb's album "Mockingbird" is pure prophetic truth. I'm not talking future-telling here nor word-for-word inspiration but instead the words of a prophet calling the church back to holiness and right thinking. It truly is a masterpiece and I hope more believers pick it up and listen. God still speaks through believers. Not like the prophets of old, but He still does it. We would be wise to listen to each other.

... that rabbits love lettuce and I've been losing sleep over the fact that I planted nine romaine lettuce seedlings in my new garden last Tuesday. I expect one or two to disappear one night soon. And I've been told fences won't stop a hungry bunny. Yikes!

Don't Remember This Alamo!

From the files of wacky "evangelists" comes this article about Tony Alamo, a 74-year-old evangelist from California who has an international ministry compound in Arkansas (Why is it that every crazy spiritual figure has a compound?). Allegations of criminal activity have followed Alamo's ministry everywhere he's gone and the latest allegations are perhaps the worst. He even spent four years in prison for tax crimes int he 1990's. Now, the federal government is investigating whether or not children were abused at Alamo's Arkansas compound. In a page from the FLDS Mormons in Texas, Utah and Arizona, the allegations concern the young sexual activity and marriage of girls at the compound. Some girls are alleged to have been married as young as 12 to men more than twice or three times their age. The article I read made me shudder because people around the world consider Alamo to be a prophet of sorts who is to be trusted and followed.

But Alamo is more than a wolf in sheep's clothing. He is a dangerous man to both believers and unbelievers. His Gospel does not include the grace of God in Christ for the believer nor the forgiveness of God towards the sinner. He heavily leans on end times preaching and a "us-verses-them" motif towards the government, the Catholic Church, and towards other religions. He sees the devil everywhere in everything. It is men like Alamo that the apostles and saints of old warned the early church to leave on the street. Don't invite them in.

And certainly don't listen to them. If you want to read the disturbing article, click HERE.

Just Thinking...

... that the stories behind Christmas traditions, whether factual or legend, are almost as fun as the traditions themselves. I was just reading a poem I wrote about jolly old Saint Nick (when he was merely a young, shy bishop) to our writer's support group and the story is just as fun today as it was when I first discovered it four years ago. How quickly we evangelicals tend to throw the baby out with the bath water...

... that our relationships with other people should mirror God's relationship with us. We should forgive, accept, show grace, encourage, look after, etc., each other the way God does for us.

... that what I just wrote is easier said than done.

... that sometimes it is more meaningful to sit and chat with someone than to try to teach them something. Who knows, maybe through the very act of conversation, you have taught them something!

... that legalism kills. So many of my friends and associates have come from a law-driven background into the message of the grace of God but they still struggle with guilt and performance. Rules are nice and they generally keep us away from harm, but they can kill our spiritual energy and prevent us from bathing in the all-sufficient grace of God. It is only by God's grace that we stand and only into His grace that we fall.

Gentlemen, Put Down Your Swords!

"But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion." (1 Timothy 1:5-6)

"Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness." (2 Timothy 2:14-16)

"But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless." (Titus 3:9)

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I know of a church in which there is a great debate raging over words. These aren't words of traditional doctrine, mind you, but words of theology -- systematic theology. This church is in the midst of a self-imposed crisis, though its congregants have no idea that there is a theological controversy raging at the top. The debate is not over the Gospel message. All are in agreement over the simple message of forgiveness in Christ. The debate is not over the mission of the church, for all agree that the church exists to preach the Gospel, build up believers, and shine the light of Christ in this dark world.

The debate is over how to communicate to people that their church is vastly different from all the other churches around. It is a debate over the distinctiveness of this church's theology. And the debate is not very healthy. Pastor challenges pastor. Elder disagrees with pastor. Elder disagrees with elder. The debate concerns a system of theology that no man can completely define (and I will not attempt it here).

But within this one system of theology there are "sub-systems." Theologians argue over the commands of the apostles, the issue of confession, and the motivation for living the Christian life, among other things. And there are so many sub-systems within the main theology that arguments have even erupted inside this church between proponents of those sub-systems! There is so much hair splitting going on that the church leadership is at odds. Again, a self-imposed crisis.

It doesn't have to be that way.

What concerns me most about that church is I fear the message of the Gospel has been neglected in the midst of theological nit-picking. Paul wrote to Timothy in Ephesus that he should put an end to fruitless discussion among the overseers there. Their problem was not a theological system but the principle still applies today. It's time to refocus on spreading the message of the Gospel and lovingly building up believers in Christ. The goal of Paul's instruction was not arguments and debate over systematic theology but love with purity and a sincere faith. He said in his second letter that Timothy should charge the elders to stop wrestling over words. Paul told Titus to tell the Cretan church to avoid foolish controversies.

I believe most "sub-system" controversies are foolish controversies that usually distract churches. It is dividing the leaders of this particular church and I firmly believe their debate is hurting the whole church. Internal strife never produces growth, just as a fever is always a warning sign. Godly overseers need to refocus on the purity of the Gospel message and seek to share it with their community. The longer they wrangle over words, the more they hinder their mission. Forget about splitting hairs. Defend the Gospel. Defend your points of doctrine.

I believe Jesus would say, "Gentlemen, put down your swords and love one another!"

Quick Hits

I wanted to somehow keep the blog posts shorter than they've been recently (which was my intention when I stared TTS) so I'll periodically throw out there quick thoughts that have popped into my head during a week or two. Recently, here's what's been going through my mind...

1. I went to my local Kroger and saw the latest book by super-pastor Joel Osteen called, "Become a Better You." My first thought was, "I don't want to become a better me!" In fact, I don't want to be me at all. Not in a spiritual sense. Jesus did not say, "Accept yourself, sing about the cross and watch me." He said "DENY yourself, PICK up your cross, and FOLLOW Me." Paul would say we are not being transformed into better people. No, we are being transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. I want to become like Jesus, not like John.

2. Over the past two weeks my intention was to avoid watching or reading about both political conventions that took place here in the U.S. But (due to some female persuasion) I ended up sitting through the speeches of the two top Republican nominees, John McCain and Sarah Palin. Watching those speeches reminded me of how much I hate election season and convention speeches. The negativity was deep. The demonization of the other party and nominees was deep. (I'm sure it was for the other party, too). Why do we wish to cut down those we disagree with? Why do we draw such joy and satisfaction from labeling another human (and Christian) "evil" and "demonic" and "wicked"? I'll never understand this. Truly God's party is neither Republican nor Democrat.

3. I'm thinking that Derek Webb was so right when he wrote and sang: "my first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man / my first allegiance is not to democracy or blood / it's to a king & a kingdom." How often do we Christians forget that the Kingdom of Heaven and its King are real and demand "our soul, our life, our all." I wish we would remember that God is not rooting for a party. He's rooting for people, like you and me.

4. I'm thinking that I haven't heard a Derek Webb song that has not challenged the church or the individual in some way. He speaks for my generation's longing for transparency in the church (and its leaders), social responsibility (feed the hungry, clothe the naked, etc.), and the desire to reclaim the purity of the Gospel message, in his songs. His outspoken challenge of the church with biblical truth is a prophetic gift, in my opinion.

5. I'm thinking that relationships are way too complicated and the emotions of the human heart cannot truly be compartmentalized. There was a time in the American church when emotions were seen in a negative light and those who exercised emotion were thought of as "weak." A lie. Emotions were created by God, are used by God, and can glorify God when used properly by people. And emotions cannot be compartmentalized. They cross over to affect everything we do. And sometimes they get so complicated that they paralyze. I hate it when that happens.

6. I picked my best watermelon last week and licked my lips in anticipation of some watery goodness. The melon looked and sounded ripe (a good thump). It came off the vine easily. But when I sliced it open it was green inside with the exception of four small pink areas. I laughed. The melon reminded me of how some people can seem to be ripe and mature on the outside but are really green and undeveloped on the inside. More lessons from my garden...