This is my newest blog, where I will explore the meaning of Christ words at the cross for Him and the world. So drop in often, as I talk about the COMPLETED VICTORY of CHRIST THE VICTOR, THE TRIUMPHANT KING OF GLORY.
Joseph Black D.D.
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Sunday, November 28, 2010
Who Are You? (Part Two)
That day, after the fall, when God was calling out Adam's name looking for him, and please note Adam was the one in hiding, because what took place the moment after that, when the serpent, the woman and the men, are told what the consequences were going to be for now on, that we came to see this, as punishment for disobedience. Western Society has a grand difficulty in understanding, God didn't view His Creation any differently at that moment then He did moments before the fall. In God's mind, He didn't say to himself, "well you did what I told you not to do, so now I am going to Punish you for it". "You go to hell!"
No! He didn't say that at all, ""bad boy, bad boy, what you going to do when I come for you!"
What a sick perversion of Who God is! Who we are! (Given freely to us by the serpent)
So man now had lost His sense of being who He really is, and His sense of who God really is.
Man sees Himself hopelessly evil, hopelessly good from that point on, because now from that point on, He sees God, as only good, and himself as good, only in relation to what he does, as who he is. Man now sees God as evil at times, by what He does, rather then by who He is.
Yes, God is good but He is much more than just good, He is love, absolute non-polluted love.
We were and are in the eyes of God, much more than just good or evil beings, He sees us always with the eyes of His love.
God's view of "us" never changed, we have been His creation before the fall and after the fall. What changed is our entire perception of truth. We now came to live an illusion, that "what we do, has defined who we are."
I am going to tell you something right now, there is no religion, on earth, did you hear me, on earth, that can change that wrong view of God, or ourselves. Even the "christian religion," doesn't do that for us, because largely that interpretation as presented to us is a perversion of truth as well. It is presented to us in law and grace mixed. The very thing that Paul worked so hard to eliminate.
But wait there is hope, the Bible tells an entire different story, then what you have had drilled in your skull, by the experts, of religion, by the so called good men in cloth, or anyone else for that matter.
Why, because religion is the natural propensity of men since the Fall, with that old mind set, which is the mind set of Adam that caused him to hide from God, and that which caused both Adam and Eve, to make the first attempt to cover something up about themselves, that God was quite pleased with while they were in the garden, but now they saw as something that defined them.
Their nakedness, their having no definition of who they are by the knowledge of good or evil. They were just naked, just as God intended them to be, they were already good, in God's eyes, because God had looked at all He had made, even naked Adam, no definition of good or evil and called all that He created, including the serpent and the Tree as of Knowledge of Good and Evil- GOOD! Read Genesis again, if necessary. I believe it is, for it is the start of the story that ends, not in the future somewhere way out yet beyond, it ended at the Cross and a New Creation came forth at the Resurrection. The end of the Old Story with the beginning of the new, thus Paul calls Jesus - the Second Adam.
Man changed the whole thing for himself and creation, not God.
Man is the one with the problem, not God, He didn't say whoops, now you went and did it, you became evil. He didn't go whoops now you need to make yourself good. Whoops, my goodness I should have put clothes on you before now, my goodness how shameful "your naked!"
It was not that God had to be reconciled to man, He never has left us, alone to wallow in the quagmire of all of this state of lostness. Our own loss of significance and definition of self found only in reliance upon Him.
I will present the rest of this in the following weeks. Stick with me, I promise some of your thinking will be changed and you will see your Daddy in heaven, and Jesus Christ work in a light perhaps not seen before by you. You will see how grand God's plan was and just what it was He accomplished in 33AD.
God bless until the next time.
Brother Joe Black
No! He didn't say that at all, ""bad boy, bad boy, what you going to do when I come for you!"
What a sick perversion of Who God is! Who we are! (Given freely to us by the serpent)
So man now had lost His sense of being who He really is, and His sense of who God really is.
Man sees Himself hopelessly evil, hopelessly good from that point on, because now from that point on, He sees God, as only good, and himself as good, only in relation to what he does, as who he is. Man now sees God as evil at times, by what He does, rather then by who He is.
Yes, God is good but He is much more than just good, He is love, absolute non-polluted love.
We were and are in the eyes of God, much more than just good or evil beings, He sees us always with the eyes of His love.
God's view of "us" never changed, we have been His creation before the fall and after the fall. What changed is our entire perception of truth. We now came to live an illusion, that "what we do, has defined who we are."
I am going to tell you something right now, there is no religion, on earth, did you hear me, on earth, that can change that wrong view of God, or ourselves. Even the "christian religion," doesn't do that for us, because largely that interpretation as presented to us is a perversion of truth as well. It is presented to us in law and grace mixed. The very thing that Paul worked so hard to eliminate.
But wait there is hope, the Bible tells an entire different story, then what you have had drilled in your skull, by the experts, of religion, by the so called good men in cloth, or anyone else for that matter.
Why, because religion is the natural propensity of men since the Fall, with that old mind set, which is the mind set of Adam that caused him to hide from God, and that which caused both Adam and Eve, to make the first attempt to cover something up about themselves, that God was quite pleased with while they were in the garden, but now they saw as something that defined them.
Their nakedness, their having no definition of who they are by the knowledge of good or evil. They were just naked, just as God intended them to be, they were already good, in God's eyes, because God had looked at all He had made, even naked Adam, no definition of good or evil and called all that He created, including the serpent and the Tree as of Knowledge of Good and Evil- GOOD! Read Genesis again, if necessary. I believe it is, for it is the start of the story that ends, not in the future somewhere way out yet beyond, it ended at the Cross and a New Creation came forth at the Resurrection. The end of the Old Story with the beginning of the new, thus Paul calls Jesus - the Second Adam.
Man changed the whole thing for himself and creation, not God.
Man is the one with the problem, not God, He didn't say whoops, now you went and did it, you became evil. He didn't go whoops now you need to make yourself good. Whoops, my goodness I should have put clothes on you before now, my goodness how shameful "your naked!"
It was not that God had to be reconciled to man, He never has left us, alone to wallow in the quagmire of all of this state of lostness. Our own loss of significance and definition of self found only in reliance upon Him.
I will present the rest of this in the following weeks. Stick with me, I promise some of your thinking will be changed and you will see your Daddy in heaven, and Jesus Christ work in a light perhaps not seen before by you. You will see how grand God's plan was and just what it was He accomplished in 33AD.
God bless until the next time.
Brother Joe Black
Friday, November 26, 2010
Nuggets of Wisdom
"Hatred, Murder, and War are not the uniforms of the brave, but the rags of those that fear and are cowardly.'
'Fear and Manipulation has always been the reason for EXCLUSIVISM..... it keeps an us against them mentality."
"Hell was designed by those who wish to keep their power, and to keep their subjects in check, God is not a despot.
"Love may attract a few, but fear moves masses."
"A rod in the hand of the powerful will bend the backs of those with no power, but an individual bent over in pain, will never accomplish the work to be done."
"Bees are like people, they know they have a job to do, and do it well, but when someone bust their honeycomb, they get confused, where can they take their pollen?"
"The hungry and poor will gladly eat from the hand of an evil taskmaster and even accept a beating then face one more day of nothing to eat or to wear."
"Yes, man chose to have a free will, the only choice given him and in that he found he could only choose between good and evil, but holiness, Oh! love, only that belongs to God, and no man can do either by his own choice, he cannot choose and cannot will it, that alone belongs to the Father who is love, only He revealed the true meaning of love by His Son, and only He accomplished that by the work of His Spirit."
"Those that need a hell to motivate them to do good, have not yet understood love."
"Those that do good, and need a hell to rule the masses, have not yet understood evil" It is their hell for which they create for others in what they think is good that becomes evil."
"Ah, yes slay those for whom disagree with you, let the blood flow, but what shall you do, when the sword is in their hands and you have none as they?"
"Man's best always becomes his worst, history proves that."
"Those that dream absolute power will subdue the masses, are those who are too proud and arrogant who are in need of subjection, and not by power that is equal, not by powering over them in rebellion,but by a power not seen by this world except in one, and those that truly followed Him", His name is LOVE, His name is Jesus Christ."
"Love in it's greatest revelation did not come with a sword or power, rather it was revealed in His submission to the sword and power."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I wrote all these, and have posted many of these on, Face Book, as a message of God's love and who He is, and who we are now in Christ.
Dr. J.
'Fear and Manipulation has always been the reason for EXCLUSIVISM..... it keeps an us against them mentality."
"Hell was designed by those who wish to keep their power, and to keep their subjects in check, God is not a despot.
"Love may attract a few, but fear moves masses."
"A rod in the hand of the powerful will bend the backs of those with no power, but an individual bent over in pain, will never accomplish the work to be done."
"Bees are like people, they know they have a job to do, and do it well, but when someone bust their honeycomb, they get confused, where can they take their pollen?"
"The hungry and poor will gladly eat from the hand of an evil taskmaster and even accept a beating then face one more day of nothing to eat or to wear."
"Yes, man chose to have a free will, the only choice given him and in that he found he could only choose between good and evil, but holiness, Oh! love, only that belongs to God, and no man can do either by his own choice, he cannot choose and cannot will it, that alone belongs to the Father who is love, only He revealed the true meaning of love by His Son, and only He accomplished that by the work of His Spirit."
"Those that need a hell to motivate them to do good, have not yet understood love."
"Those that do good, and need a hell to rule the masses, have not yet understood evil" It is their hell for which they create for others in what they think is good that becomes evil."
"Ah, yes slay those for whom disagree with you, let the blood flow, but what shall you do, when the sword is in their hands and you have none as they?"
"Man's best always becomes his worst, history proves that."
"Those that dream absolute power will subdue the masses, are those who are too proud and arrogant who are in need of subjection, and not by power that is equal, not by powering over them in rebellion,but by a power not seen by this world except in one, and those that truly followed Him", His name is LOVE, His name is Jesus Christ."
"Love in it's greatest revelation did not come with a sword or power, rather it was revealed in His submission to the sword and power."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I wrote all these, and have posted many of these on, Face Book, as a message of God's love and who He is, and who we are now in Christ.
Dr. J.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
God Is Love Who Loves Eternal
I have recently completed a short but I think effective essay on the Who God Is, as given to us in the words of John. God Is Love.
I wrote this, because I am more and more convinced that God's love expressed to man in Jesus Christ was inclusive of all man kind, and what Jesus did at the cross, in the resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit, changed not only the course of history but men for all time and ages to come.
I believe it is a good read, as when I wrote this, my heart was moved by the Holy Spirit, to see the depths of Christ death, as I had never seen it before, to see the New Creation has something I had never seen before. That this was an all encompassing work of God for His creature that He loves. He didn't have to have our love, He gave it like a mother or father gives normally to their children. Adam's fall did not change ownership of whose children they were, they have been and always will be His children.
Alas it was men, who needed to know God is love, but man were blind now, after the fall, their minds corrupted to see everything in terms of good or evil, even God. Thus Jesus work had to eliminate the old man, and create altogether a new man. Not a revised old man, not a something inside the old man but to create a brand new man. Genesis is the beginning story of man, the cross and the resurrection is the new Genesis, it was the change, the end of the ages, the change for all time, for man to be brought back home where he belonged in the loving care of He who is love. This work of God, should ever change the minds of exclusionist. It should bring forth in the minds of those who trust that God is love, a brand new paradigm of understanding those three words like never before God is Love.
If you would like to read the paper it is posted on my ministry website
at: Life Synergy Enterprise (Life Ministry) just click on the left to go there, you will find it embedded under the menu for Keys to Inclusivism
I wrote this, because I am more and more convinced that God's love expressed to man in Jesus Christ was inclusive of all man kind, and what Jesus did at the cross, in the resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit, changed not only the course of history but men for all time and ages to come.
I believe it is a good read, as when I wrote this, my heart was moved by the Holy Spirit, to see the depths of Christ death, as I had never seen it before, to see the New Creation has something I had never seen before. That this was an all encompassing work of God for His creature that He loves. He didn't have to have our love, He gave it like a mother or father gives normally to their children. Adam's fall did not change ownership of whose children they were, they have been and always will be His children.
Alas it was men, who needed to know God is love, but man were blind now, after the fall, their minds corrupted to see everything in terms of good or evil, even God. Thus Jesus work had to eliminate the old man, and create altogether a new man. Not a revised old man, not a something inside the old man but to create a brand new man. Genesis is the beginning story of man, the cross and the resurrection is the new Genesis, it was the change, the end of the ages, the change for all time, for man to be brought back home where he belonged in the loving care of He who is love. This work of God, should ever change the minds of exclusionist. It should bring forth in the minds of those who trust that God is love, a brand new paradigm of understanding those three words like never before God is Love.
If you would like to read the paper it is posted on my ministry website
at: Life Synergy Enterprise (Life Ministry) just click on the left to go there, you will find it embedded under the menu for Keys to Inclusivism
Monday, November 22, 2010
Who Are You? ( Part One)
NOTE: I have decided that I would post this is in different parts, as reduce reading and listening time. This may be the most important beginning post series of teaching I have done yet. The Gospel presented to you like you have never heard it before. I pray it will be life changing and you might discover the Exchanged Life in Jesus Christ. So here is today's portion.
(Music lead on PodCast is by Israel & New Breed-Song Title: Alpha and Omega)
Who Are You?
I am going to start by asking some questions,as I do answer then honestly to yourself as you read or listen to this Part One of the series, Who Are You?
Are you a good person?
Are you an evil person?
What does it mean to be a good person?
What does it mean to be an evil person?
If you are a good person, have you ever done evil?
If you are an evil person have you ever done good?
Now if you answer those questions honestly, you will see
that you are defining yourself as a person, either overall, or at least based upon
what you do, at specific times and in specific situations.
What if I were to tell you, that you are neither one of the above, good or evil?
Do you accept that or do you try to weigh your behavior in some sort of imaginary scales and based on which behavior you experience or perform more often then the other defines who you believe yourself to be? Which side ways the most?
Let's be honest as humans both behaviors are a very real part of our lives.
All of us!
Now, I am going to tell you something you may never even imagined to be true.
You are neither a "good person or an evil person," because your behavior doesn't define who you are.
God has decided forever Who You Are, because He is your Creator.
We (humanity) were all doing just fine, until we developed this concept of seeing ourselves in the eyes of good and evil.
How did that come about?
Most people who don't understand or have a full grasp of the reason why Jesus came, and the what of Jesus life, death, resurrection, and Pentecost live in this nightmare of being a Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
We dare not admit it, but we are all schizophrenic, or at least suffer multiple personality disorder. When we define ourselves by what we do.
To be honest many of you listening to this Pod Cast or reading this blog right now are dealing with issues in your life, you are either trying to be a good person, and finding yourself failing, or you thought you were a good person, until something came along in life, and you failed, and now that image you so held of yourself it has all been tarnished.
Christians do the same thing, that are yet trying desperately to do something to be good. This is called "christian religion" as opposed to the Christ life.
You at least for the moment believe you are what you do, or did, until you can get back on the merry go round, and try to make up for the wrong you did, or perhaps you will just shrug it off, but it still doesn't change your self-image, it's now corrupted. You can justify your behavior, overlook your behavior (impossible to do), or try to make up for it(more religious effort.)
Yes, God called His creation, all of it good, but it was not the substance of who you are.
What the Fall did, was made us believe that the all of life is defined by these things good and evil, what we do, as opposed to who we are. Especially our core being. It does not!
We were and are still God's loved creatures the image of God.
It was because of this transformation Adam brought into the world by eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and one that religion, any religion, continually propagates that has so tainted us even more, with the same lies as that first serpent handed us, the failed carnal thinking that "we are what we do, rather than what we are." Once the trap was sprung, once Eve did something she knew in her mind God had told her not to, and Adam followed along, they were trapped, their minds now before the fall, had no idea of either one of these terms as pertaining to their behavior, they were who they were, the Creation of God, who fellowshiped with them and communicated with them and they found joy, peace and righteousness in His presence.
So how can we return to our prior state before the Fall?
We lived that life or at least Adam did as the representation of ALL MEN, we lived in perfect innocent fellowship with the One who loves us beyond what we can ever imagine before this horrid transformation of thought process came into our minds and corrupted our view of God and ourself.
How can we escape this sad tragedy of despair and hopelessness we have in this life bouncing back and forth from one label of description to another of ourselves and others?
How do we come to know who we are, if not a good or evil person?
Where is the picture for me to see?
Can I find it in history?
Where is this story that tells me something different as you say other then good or evil?
Where is it I can find something that assures me, that God views me and others as more grand and glorious then can be imagined?
Where is the story that can be found?
Who will tell me and show me this, that I am free, and that all is well between me and my Creator?
Where can it be found?
In the next blog, I will talk about the Fall and Who We Are Now and more.
I am going to do my best to answer these question and more over the next few days in this teaching as I present it line upon line and precept upon precept.
You will hear I promise the Gospel as never presented to you perhaps, but nonetheless it is the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Come back for Part Two of Who are You?
Dr. J.
(Music lead on PodCast is by Israel & New Breed-Song Title: Alpha and Omega)
Who Are You?
I am going to start by asking some questions,as I do answer then honestly to yourself as you read or listen to this Part One of the series, Who Are You?
Are you a good person?
Are you an evil person?
What does it mean to be a good person?
What does it mean to be an evil person?
If you are a good person, have you ever done evil?
If you are an evil person have you ever done good?
Now if you answer those questions honestly, you will see
that you are defining yourself as a person, either overall, or at least based upon
what you do, at specific times and in specific situations.
What if I were to tell you, that you are neither one of the above, good or evil?
Do you accept that or do you try to weigh your behavior in some sort of imaginary scales and based on which behavior you experience or perform more often then the other defines who you believe yourself to be? Which side ways the most?
Let's be honest as humans both behaviors are a very real part of our lives.
All of us!
Now, I am going to tell you something you may never even imagined to be true.
You are neither a "good person or an evil person," because your behavior doesn't define who you are.
God has decided forever Who You Are, because He is your Creator.
We (humanity) were all doing just fine, until we developed this concept of seeing ourselves in the eyes of good and evil.
How did that come about?
Most people who don't understand or have a full grasp of the reason why Jesus came, and the what of Jesus life, death, resurrection, and Pentecost live in this nightmare of being a Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
We dare not admit it, but we are all schizophrenic, or at least suffer multiple personality disorder. When we define ourselves by what we do.
To be honest many of you listening to this Pod Cast or reading this blog right now are dealing with issues in your life, you are either trying to be a good person, and finding yourself failing, or you thought you were a good person, until something came along in life, and you failed, and now that image you so held of yourself it has all been tarnished.
Christians do the same thing, that are yet trying desperately to do something to be good. This is called "christian religion" as opposed to the Christ life.
You at least for the moment believe you are what you do, or did, until you can get back on the merry go round, and try to make up for the wrong you did, or perhaps you will just shrug it off, but it still doesn't change your self-image, it's now corrupted. You can justify your behavior, overlook your behavior (impossible to do), or try to make up for it(more religious effort.)
Yes, God called His creation, all of it good, but it was not the substance of who you are.
What the Fall did, was made us believe that the all of life is defined by these things good and evil, what we do, as opposed to who we are. Especially our core being. It does not!
We were and are still God's loved creatures the image of God.
It was because of this transformation Adam brought into the world by eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and one that religion, any religion, continually propagates that has so tainted us even more, with the same lies as that first serpent handed us, the failed carnal thinking that "we are what we do, rather than what we are." Once the trap was sprung, once Eve did something she knew in her mind God had told her not to, and Adam followed along, they were trapped, their minds now before the fall, had no idea of either one of these terms as pertaining to their behavior, they were who they were, the Creation of God, who fellowshiped with them and communicated with them and they found joy, peace and righteousness in His presence.
So how can we return to our prior state before the Fall?
We lived that life or at least Adam did as the representation of ALL MEN, we lived in perfect innocent fellowship with the One who loves us beyond what we can ever imagine before this horrid transformation of thought process came into our minds and corrupted our view of God and ourself.
How can we escape this sad tragedy of despair and hopelessness we have in this life bouncing back and forth from one label of description to another of ourselves and others?
How do we come to know who we are, if not a good or evil person?
Where is the picture for me to see?
Can I find it in history?
Where is this story that tells me something different as you say other then good or evil?
Where is it I can find something that assures me, that God views me and others as more grand and glorious then can be imagined?
Where is the story that can be found?
Who will tell me and show me this, that I am free, and that all is well between me and my Creator?
Where can it be found?
In the next blog, I will talk about the Fall and Who We Are Now and more.
I am going to do my best to answer these question and more over the next few days in this teaching as I present it line upon line and precept upon precept.
You will hear I promise the Gospel as never presented to you perhaps, but nonetheless it is the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Come back for Part Two of Who are You?
Dr. J.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Baby Talk
I was reading and doing research on teaching, and communicating ideas, and ran across an article on Family education on Teaching your baby to speak.
Science and education, has proven, that in order for baby's ever to speak, they must be allowed to speak and hear you speak, to formulate language.
Common Sense, huh?
The article was summarized with the following statement.
"Talk a lot to your baby if you can, but don't monopolize the conversation. Remember to give your infant a chance to talk while you listen."
Why do we ever suppose that our heavenly Father, would have ever intended the body of Christ to come together, and be silent while only one person speaks.
Pastor, Teacher, you wouldn't do that with your own children, so why would you dare do that with God's children?
I know as a Pastor and Teacher, I learned a lot from others, as I moved into "Dialegomai," the word so often mistranslated in English to preach which really means to discuss. This was the tradition of the Apostles, not our tradition of men.
Pastors and Teachers we don't hold the corner on God or truth, and it is very prideful and arrogant of us to think so.
I know, I have been there and done that.
I was miserable as a Pastor, as a Teacher, I was miserable in my own spiritual growth.
We should rightfully should be miserable when we are creating children that will have a speech impediment!
Doesn't it only make common sense that our Heavenly Father who has given EACH of us, this new birth in Jesus Christ, where we all start as babies, unable to barely walk, only making non-nonsensical sounds, still needing care, that we as Pastors and Teachers allow all the body of Christ to mature, to grow up, to become all that God has given them to be in Jesus Christ. To become in essence - Pastors!
Well just like for a baby, they have the same need and we need to treat the body of Christ with the same respect as we do our own children born to us.
I have had a friend for many years now, that when I first was told by the Holy Spirit to change to do things God's way rather than mine, a huge transformation for him took place as well as for I, once I listened to God, and begin to listen to others.
He was always quiet, never said anything, never asked questions, he would just sit their listening when I preached or taught at church or Sunday School or the Youth group, as was expected of him, I might add.
Once the door was open for Him to speak in open dialectic fellowship, He began to grow as did I. He had and has a lot of nuggets of godly wisdom to share with the body of Christ.
Did he speak perfectly about Jesus in the beginning? No, but is He learning to do so now? Yes, exactly like myself. None of us are perfect in speech or our deeds, but we would think so, with the practice of church today.
I believe Jesus is the Head of the church. Jesus would never design a time that we come together as His body, that He would tell the one acting as an earthly parent of new born babies or even that of the full grown adults, to tell His children to sit down and be quiet, and don't dare speak. Our practice in many churches today, relays that message to those sitting in the pews.
Nor would Jesus bring together those that are mature, and tell them they have nothing to add to the lesson, He would listen.
You know, Sunday School was largely an attempt to return to early Apostolic practices but it has failed because it too remains yet organized, planned and supervised. It's not spontaneous fellowship, it's not something we are part of, but something we go to.
It has become a place to come together that it has become usually no more than a microcosm of church service.
One person, leads, he uses a book or lesson approved by those in charge, and very little becomes a part of the discussion or time together outside of that parameter.
Oh! you may talk and ask questions, but we are so ingrained with listening and not speaking very few ever do. They are careful not to do so, or just don't know what to say, or they are afraid it might sound like babbling or they may not sound spiritual like the leaders.
Often times, we won't give them the opportunity to speak about something that may be weighing heavily on their minds and hearts on truth, and their fellowship in Christ, as it would get us off "our lesson."
Well that's where we all began, just babbling as babies do.
So be courageous and babble or speak, and teachers and pastors let them talk and let us learn to listen.
Let's get back to practice the way God designed it both for His heavenly children and our earthly children.
We wouldn't treat own children in the way that we do so many of the children of God. So why would our Father in heaven have such a practice for us to treat his children that way?
Our Heavenly Father would not ever be so cruel just as we wouldn't to our own. We need to ask ourselves, are we painting the right picture of Family, when we do so?
The church is in need of return to the traditions of the Apostles and Scripture not men that came after them, (The Reformationist Martin Luther by the way, is the one that said you can't have a 'church service" unless their is a sermon)
There is nothing in Scripture that states what Luther taught and that has so brain washed the church to make this our sole practice of the time we spend together.
Let's hear God speaking to His body, He has the sense and love of any good and true parent.
He allows His babies to speak as well as those of us, who may think we are the parents in the body.
This is what He designed for our times of coming together.
So, we can listen, speak and learn. Just as we did as a baby. Just as babies do to develop proper speech. Just as parents do, to assist them. They stop and listen.
They don't put their hand over their mouth, and say, you don't make any sense, or what your saying isn't correctly, grammatically formulated, so be quiet.
I looked for one scripture that admonishes 'the church" to preach a sermon in fellowship or to come together to hear one, there is not one, yet I counted TWENTY THREE Scriptures and there may be more, on what as Christians we do in fellowship with "one to another." Look them up.
If you need, I will be glad to mail you a list of scripture references.
They all are pertaining to the subject "one to another."
I have not yet found one that tell us to do as common church practice is as so many believe it is suppose to be at present. This is found especially in certain circles of churches and denominations.
There are many like myself, that found the riches of organic church and are practicing such now and are letting the children grow up, and funny thing, it's a joy to see them grow up, but even more, because you grow up with them.
Let's hear Paul speak on this when writing to the church of Corinth, we must read those "23" scriptures on "one to another" to understand this passage in light of all these other twenty three. This is what is called reading the Bible in context by the way.
Paul was not making a negative statement or a statement about what was going on at the church of Corinth, in the scripture to follow, but he was stating this is what fellowship was all about. How do we know that? How can we be sure? Easy, by the context of all the other scriptures that tell us what true assembly is- "one to another".
Thus Paul lays down some ways it can be achieved as well.
What he was criticizing at the church at Corinth was that there was a church full of babblers. The body was meeting but not for fellowship but just for a few to show off how spiritual they were. When in fact they were showing they were still babies, carnal yet, he states this in the beginning of His letter to them.
They had not yet learned "the equality of believers."
That speaks to us Pastors and Teacher, when we organize the time for fellowship that is centered around our sermon or lesson for today.
Thus Paul proposes a question as all good, dialectic speakers do. If you follow Paul, he used the common method of the day, for individuals to arrive at agreement in truth.
Dialectic is based on a dialogue between two or more people who may hold differing views, yet wish to pursue truth by seeking agreement with one another.
So here what Paul was saying in the verse in 1 Corinthians 14:26- So now that I have corrected you, you will now ask me, well if we aren't doing it right, then how do we do it, Paul?
Paul is not making a statement of not what to do, after the "What then brethren", this is a dialectic statement as a question, then he makes the statement after that one, to what the solution to their fellowship time together was to be, to avoid the problem they were already in.
Corinth had gone haywire where only one or the few monopolized the time of the body coming together, the Babblers.
Children all the same, but that is where they were stuck and because of this supernatural gifting, they were trying to make everyone else believe they were the parents, the only one's with true spiritual faculty.
Boy, did Paul turn that upside down on them.
Where was the head, the eye, the arm, the leg?
Answer he made clear earlier.
Read the verse in light now, of the twenty three other verses on "one to another."
What then, brethren?
When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. {1 Cor 14:26 RSV}
See if he was saying only one thing a lesson (sermon) or one thing a revelation, or one thing,tongue, or on thing when we meet, interpretation, he would have said so, but he makes it clear by adding the last sentence, that our coming together is encompassing all these and more, for he use LET ALL THINGS...that's permissive not restrictive...be done for edification.
He is not condemning open organic fellowship, he is naturally advocating it.
Just like we naturally advocate and practice it as parents for our children, Our heavenly father advocates and wants us to practice it as His children.
"Talk a lot to your baby if you can, but don't monopolize the conversation. Remember to give your infant a chance to talk while you listen."
So, now how do we incorporate that, for our love of God's children? First off we don't fear that which is natural for children, or God's children, let them speak.
Second, we can either force a change (bad move, makes you an authoritarian more then we have already been acting as), leave where we are at, and form a new church
(I did that, but I wasn't full time, only filling in my last pastoralship), or ask God for wisdom, especially if we have people we love in our church and wouldn't want to abandon them. Offend some for the change, yes it is going to happen, but are we more worried about pleasing men or God?
Here is what I would do now, if in the position of many Godly Pastors who want to do what God would have them do. Then slowly you can wean the children from the bottle and they will get up, take a few steps and fall down, they will babble at first, but then as they hear you and others, they will begin to finally speak like adults, just like we do as children growing up. Try starting with a few pauses in your sermon pose some questions to the body. This a good start to moving the body to share in the fellowship of "one to another" and a better proven method of teaching anyway. Don't say a word, wait until someone answers, then listen to them. If God gave you something to be said that day, believe me, He will get said what He wants the body to hear, even if your sermon goes south.
The question that has to be faced is, whose church is it anyway?
Dr. J.
Science and education, has proven, that in order for baby's ever to speak, they must be allowed to speak and hear you speak, to formulate language.
Common Sense, huh?
The article was summarized with the following statement.
"Talk a lot to your baby if you can, but don't monopolize the conversation. Remember to give your infant a chance to talk while you listen."
Why do we ever suppose that our heavenly Father, would have ever intended the body of Christ to come together, and be silent while only one person speaks.
Pastor, Teacher, you wouldn't do that with your own children, so why would you dare do that with God's children?
I know as a Pastor and Teacher, I learned a lot from others, as I moved into "Dialegomai," the word so often mistranslated in English to preach which really means to discuss. This was the tradition of the Apostles, not our tradition of men.
Pastors and Teachers we don't hold the corner on God or truth, and it is very prideful and arrogant of us to think so.
I know, I have been there and done that.
I was miserable as a Pastor, as a Teacher, I was miserable in my own spiritual growth.
We should rightfully should be miserable when we are creating children that will have a speech impediment!
Doesn't it only make common sense that our Heavenly Father who has given EACH of us, this new birth in Jesus Christ, where we all start as babies, unable to barely walk, only making non-nonsensical sounds, still needing care, that we as Pastors and Teachers allow all the body of Christ to mature, to grow up, to become all that God has given them to be in Jesus Christ. To become in essence - Pastors!
Well just like for a baby, they have the same need and we need to treat the body of Christ with the same respect as we do our own children born to us.
I have had a friend for many years now, that when I first was told by the Holy Spirit to change to do things God's way rather than mine, a huge transformation for him took place as well as for I, once I listened to God, and begin to listen to others.
He was always quiet, never said anything, never asked questions, he would just sit their listening when I preached or taught at church or Sunday School or the Youth group, as was expected of him, I might add.
Once the door was open for Him to speak in open dialectic fellowship, He began to grow as did I. He had and has a lot of nuggets of godly wisdom to share with the body of Christ.
Did he speak perfectly about Jesus in the beginning? No, but is He learning to do so now? Yes, exactly like myself. None of us are perfect in speech or our deeds, but we would think so, with the practice of church today.
I believe Jesus is the Head of the church. Jesus would never design a time that we come together as His body, that He would tell the one acting as an earthly parent of new born babies or even that of the full grown adults, to tell His children to sit down and be quiet, and don't dare speak. Our practice in many churches today, relays that message to those sitting in the pews.
Nor would Jesus bring together those that are mature, and tell them they have nothing to add to the lesson, He would listen.
You know, Sunday School was largely an attempt to return to early Apostolic practices but it has failed because it too remains yet organized, planned and supervised. It's not spontaneous fellowship, it's not something we are part of, but something we go to.
It has become a place to come together that it has become usually no more than a microcosm of church service.
One person, leads, he uses a book or lesson approved by those in charge, and very little becomes a part of the discussion or time together outside of that parameter.
Oh! you may talk and ask questions, but we are so ingrained with listening and not speaking very few ever do. They are careful not to do so, or just don't know what to say, or they are afraid it might sound like babbling or they may not sound spiritual like the leaders.
Often times, we won't give them the opportunity to speak about something that may be weighing heavily on their minds and hearts on truth, and their fellowship in Christ, as it would get us off "our lesson."
Well that's where we all began, just babbling as babies do.
So be courageous and babble or speak, and teachers and pastors let them talk and let us learn to listen.
Let's get back to practice the way God designed it both for His heavenly children and our earthly children.
We wouldn't treat own children in the way that we do so many of the children of God. So why would our Father in heaven have such a practice for us to treat his children that way?
Our Heavenly Father would not ever be so cruel just as we wouldn't to our own. We need to ask ourselves, are we painting the right picture of Family, when we do so?
The church is in need of return to the traditions of the Apostles and Scripture not men that came after them, (The Reformationist Martin Luther by the way, is the one that said you can't have a 'church service" unless their is a sermon)
There is nothing in Scripture that states what Luther taught and that has so brain washed the church to make this our sole practice of the time we spend together.
Let's hear God speaking to His body, He has the sense and love of any good and true parent.
He allows His babies to speak as well as those of us, who may think we are the parents in the body.
This is what He designed for our times of coming together.
So, we can listen, speak and learn. Just as we did as a baby. Just as babies do to develop proper speech. Just as parents do, to assist them. They stop and listen.
They don't put their hand over their mouth, and say, you don't make any sense, or what your saying isn't correctly, grammatically formulated, so be quiet.
I looked for one scripture that admonishes 'the church" to preach a sermon in fellowship or to come together to hear one, there is not one, yet I counted TWENTY THREE Scriptures and there may be more, on what as Christians we do in fellowship with "one to another." Look them up.
If you need, I will be glad to mail you a list of scripture references.
They all are pertaining to the subject "one to another."
I have not yet found one that tell us to do as common church practice is as so many believe it is suppose to be at present. This is found especially in certain circles of churches and denominations.
There are many like myself, that found the riches of organic church and are practicing such now and are letting the children grow up, and funny thing, it's a joy to see them grow up, but even more, because you grow up with them.
Let's hear Paul speak on this when writing to the church of Corinth, we must read those "23" scriptures on "one to another" to understand this passage in light of all these other twenty three. This is what is called reading the Bible in context by the way.
Paul was not making a negative statement or a statement about what was going on at the church of Corinth, in the scripture to follow, but he was stating this is what fellowship was all about. How do we know that? How can we be sure? Easy, by the context of all the other scriptures that tell us what true assembly is- "one to another".
Thus Paul lays down some ways it can be achieved as well.
What he was criticizing at the church at Corinth was that there was a church full of babblers. The body was meeting but not for fellowship but just for a few to show off how spiritual they were. When in fact they were showing they were still babies, carnal yet, he states this in the beginning of His letter to them.
They had not yet learned "the equality of believers."
That speaks to us Pastors and Teacher, when we organize the time for fellowship that is centered around our sermon or lesson for today.
Thus Paul proposes a question as all good, dialectic speakers do. If you follow Paul, he used the common method of the day, for individuals to arrive at agreement in truth.
Dialectic is based on a dialogue between two or more people who may hold differing views, yet wish to pursue truth by seeking agreement with one another.
So here what Paul was saying in the verse in 1 Corinthians 14:26- So now that I have corrected you, you will now ask me, well if we aren't doing it right, then how do we do it, Paul?
Paul is not making a statement of not what to do, after the "What then brethren", this is a dialectic statement as a question, then he makes the statement after that one, to what the solution to their fellowship time together was to be, to avoid the problem they were already in.
Corinth had gone haywire where only one or the few monopolized the time of the body coming together, the Babblers.
Children all the same, but that is where they were stuck and because of this supernatural gifting, they were trying to make everyone else believe they were the parents, the only one's with true spiritual faculty.
Boy, did Paul turn that upside down on them.
Where was the head, the eye, the arm, the leg?
Answer he made clear earlier.
Read the verse in light now, of the twenty three other verses on "one to another."
What then, brethren?
When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. {1 Cor 14:26 RSV}
See if he was saying only one thing a lesson (sermon) or one thing a revelation, or one thing,tongue, or on thing when we meet, interpretation, he would have said so, but he makes it clear by adding the last sentence, that our coming together is encompassing all these and more, for he use LET ALL THINGS...that's permissive not restrictive...be done for edification.
He is not condemning open organic fellowship, he is naturally advocating it.
Just like we naturally advocate and practice it as parents for our children, Our heavenly father advocates and wants us to practice it as His children.
"Talk a lot to your baby if you can, but don't monopolize the conversation. Remember to give your infant a chance to talk while you listen."
So, now how do we incorporate that, for our love of God's children? First off we don't fear that which is natural for children, or God's children, let them speak.
Second, we can either force a change (bad move, makes you an authoritarian more then we have already been acting as), leave where we are at, and form a new church
(I did that, but I wasn't full time, only filling in my last pastoralship), or ask God for wisdom, especially if we have people we love in our church and wouldn't want to abandon them. Offend some for the change, yes it is going to happen, but are we more worried about pleasing men or God?
Here is what I would do now, if in the position of many Godly Pastors who want to do what God would have them do. Then slowly you can wean the children from the bottle and they will get up, take a few steps and fall down, they will babble at first, but then as they hear you and others, they will begin to finally speak like adults, just like we do as children growing up. Try starting with a few pauses in your sermon pose some questions to the body. This a good start to moving the body to share in the fellowship of "one to another" and a better proven method of teaching anyway. Don't say a word, wait until someone answers, then listen to them. If God gave you something to be said that day, believe me, He will get said what He wants the body to hear, even if your sermon goes south.
The question that has to be faced is, whose church is it anyway?
Dr. J.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Three Legged Chicken
Larry was driving down a country lane in his pickup when suddenly a chicken darted into the road in front of him. He slammed on his brakes, but realized that the chicken was speeding off down the road at about 30 miles an hour. Intrigued, he tried to follow the bird with his truck, but he couldn't catch up to the accelerating chicken. Seeing it turn into a small farm, Larry followed it. To his astonishment, he realized that the chicken had three legs. Looking around the small farm, he noticed that ALL of the chickens had three legs.
The farmer came out of his house, and Larry said, "Three-legged chickens? That's astonishing!"
The farmer replied, "Yep. I bred 'em that way because I love drumsticks."
Larry was curious. "How does a three-legged chicken taste?"
The farmer smiled. "Dunno. Haven't been able to catch one yet."
Now, that's funny!
I laughed at this joke, then I thought, you know, how often do we as Christians become three legged chickens.
We come into our faith in Christ, then somewhere down the line, religion gets a hold of us, and that beautiful new
creation of God, that is just absolutely everything Christ intended, rather than developing and maturing in His trust alone in Christ we get bred into three legged chickens, thinking that religion will make us a littler more desirable, then what God has made of us in Christ. The world prefers us to be religious as well, like the farmer desiring more drumsticks, we let the world conform us to give them more of what they want.
Religion so spoils the work that Jesus did, we might look more desirable to the world, the church, our community, even some of our friends, as long as we keep that third leg on, of religion. The sad thing, is no one will taste the beauty of who we are in Christ.
It's so much easier to rest in Him and just live that way, ever trusting in Him, what He has accomplished that we never could nor ever will.
The sad thing, is religion breeds us into three legged chickens.
We might run faster with religion, and find it easier to get along with the world but in the end, do we really serve the purpose for which Christ made us.
We were made to be light and salt to a world lost in sin and death.
Paul said this when reproving the Galatian Christians for growing a third leg...the third leg of religion.
Galatians 3:2-3
2This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
3Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
Let's slow down, throw off the third leg, and let's keep trusting Jesus, and not religion. God wants to catch up with us as well, He has great things in store for us, when we leave Him to do the job.
Dr. J.
The farmer came out of his house, and Larry said, "Three-legged chickens? That's astonishing!"
The farmer replied, "Yep. I bred 'em that way because I love drumsticks."
Larry was curious. "How does a three-legged chicken taste?"
The farmer smiled. "Dunno. Haven't been able to catch one yet."
Now, that's funny!
I laughed at this joke, then I thought, you know, how often do we as Christians become three legged chickens.
We come into our faith in Christ, then somewhere down the line, religion gets a hold of us, and that beautiful new
creation of God, that is just absolutely everything Christ intended, rather than developing and maturing in His trust alone in Christ we get bred into three legged chickens, thinking that religion will make us a littler more desirable, then what God has made of us in Christ. The world prefers us to be religious as well, like the farmer desiring more drumsticks, we let the world conform us to give them more of what they want.
Religion so spoils the work that Jesus did, we might look more desirable to the world, the church, our community, even some of our friends, as long as we keep that third leg on, of religion. The sad thing, is no one will taste the beauty of who we are in Christ.
It's so much easier to rest in Him and just live that way, ever trusting in Him, what He has accomplished that we never could nor ever will.
The sad thing, is religion breeds us into three legged chickens.
We might run faster with religion, and find it easier to get along with the world but in the end, do we really serve the purpose for which Christ made us.
We were made to be light and salt to a world lost in sin and death.
Paul said this when reproving the Galatian Christians for growing a third leg...the third leg of religion.
Galatians 3:2-3
2This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
3Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
Let's slow down, throw off the third leg, and let's keep trusting Jesus, and not religion. God wants to catch up with us as well, He has great things in store for us, when we leave Him to do the job.
Dr. J.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Rise and Shine
We accept that Jesus died for our sins, we accept the poorly defined evangelical portrayal of being born again, "easy believism" but many of us, haven't even got out of bed of old thinking, and lack understanding Christ resurrection and the present resurrection we have in this new life in Christ in the here and now.
If we do, we too often, negate the life of Christ being expressed in the world to those around us by a life that is exemplified much by this cartoon.
Our typical carnal thinking usually goes something like this:
"OK, I have risen as a new creation in Christ, but that doesn't mean I have to shine, or I won't shine until Jesus comes, All of these are but the same thing, "not at the same time".
Well let's look at one Scripture that tells us just the opposite of what we have so often falsely believed in.
We aren't like Maxine in this cartoon, scripture tells us just the opposite, that He has given us everything we need to rise and shine at the same time.
2 Peter 1:2-4
2Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
3seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
4For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
So let us claim the truth of God's Word in both our words and our actions, because it's not that we need more to get out of bed, we just need to appropriate more of what God has already given us.
I'm not waiting until Jesus comes, that's a cop out. Yes, we can lively godly lives right here and now.
Brother Joe Black
Monday, November 15, 2010
How I Pray For the Restoration of America to Christianity
We have far too long in this nation, have disobeyed the life of Christ, his death, and teachings.
We have done this through one of the worst false doctrines that has seized the "church", the teaching of "christian zionism" and "Dispensationalism" by the twisting of scripture to our own destruction.
America and the world is in grave danger and because of it.
I would ask anyone visiting this page to take time to view the videos, by a Christian who is telling the truth.I have placed one of the links to his videos in this article.
I have never viewed Ted Pike's videos before today, but I have known these things and have taught these things, trying to correct those that claim to be "Christians" for the last 5 years.
I have opposed violence since I was young. Why, because Jesus opposed violence by acting in sacrificial love in the same we are to do, if we are born of His Spirit.
Please take the time to watch these videos. These will make you understand in my study of the
Word of God, and church history, and history, that these things, and mostly the love that God has shed abroad in my heart proves that Christian Zionism is Anti- Christ.
Please I pray you will watch these, check it out for yourself in personal study, I did long before I ever heard or read, or watched any videos, these are truths, that point to the one truth- Jesus Christ.
I love all people, and pray for peace to come to this world but it won't until we hear the Messiah's voice speaking to us right here right now, and hear what He says to all people.
There is no way to the Father but by Him.
Every Hebrew or Zionist or for that matter anyone on this earth that died yesterday, today or tomorrow without Christ is hopelessly dying in their sin. Christ came to defeat, sin and death.
Christ came first to the lost sheep of Israel, then to the Gentile, Israel rejected Him, all but the remnant - who received Jesus as Messiah or are receiving Him today are saved or ever will be. They will continue to live under the wrath of God, and not His grace.
Watch and learn, "church" and "christian religion".
Awake! Oh people of the Lord, and know that the Lord our God is Lord, not Zionism or a false state of Israel.
Jesus Christ is Israel now, and only those who know Him and have received Him as Messiah, the Anointed One, have received the spiritual promises of God. All the Old was pointing to the new, which is only fulfilled for Jew and Gentile alike, by absolute trust and obedience to Christ.
No man shall be saved by doctrines, church practices, membership, baptism or other ingenuity of men.
There is no other name in heaven, on the earth or under the earth whereby men may be saved.
Salvation delivers us eternally but it is not from a hell that has been created by men's lying and deceiving and making salvation only something that deals with the afterlife, salvation was given to us by Christ to deliver and set us free from sin and death, beginning here and now and then into eternity. I didn't come to Jesus to get free fire insurance. I came to Jesus because it is He that gave me life and delivered me from the sin and death (hell) I was already suffering in.
Watch these videos. Ted is a futurisist only- in eschatology, I am not, but at least His futurism has not kept Him from the truth on this matter of Zionism, and the evil that it is.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4452153918748081072#docid=7713806100545252588
I pray everyday for every Jew in the world, that they may come to know their Messiah, who Has come, and came to offer them as well as us all the promises of the Old Testament, and they weren't for physical things, but for eternal things, which are found only in Jesus Christ the Messiah.
Brother Joe
aka Dr. J.
BTW- How many of you know that the "reverend Hagee, denies Christ as Messiah.
Hear him deny Christ as Messiah for yourself at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah1sx_93EoE
We have done this through one of the worst false doctrines that has seized the "church", the teaching of "christian zionism" and "Dispensationalism" by the twisting of scripture to our own destruction.
America and the world is in grave danger and because of it.
I would ask anyone visiting this page to take time to view the videos, by a Christian who is telling the truth.I have placed one of the links to his videos in this article.
I have never viewed Ted Pike's videos before today, but I have known these things and have taught these things, trying to correct those that claim to be "Christians" for the last 5 years.
I have opposed violence since I was young. Why, because Jesus opposed violence by acting in sacrificial love in the same we are to do, if we are born of His Spirit.
Please take the time to watch these videos. These will make you understand in my study of the
Word of God, and church history, and history, that these things, and mostly the love that God has shed abroad in my heart proves that Christian Zionism is Anti- Christ.
Please I pray you will watch these, check it out for yourself in personal study, I did long before I ever heard or read, or watched any videos, these are truths, that point to the one truth- Jesus Christ.
I love all people, and pray for peace to come to this world but it won't until we hear the Messiah's voice speaking to us right here right now, and hear what He says to all people.
There is no way to the Father but by Him.
Every Hebrew or Zionist or for that matter anyone on this earth that died yesterday, today or tomorrow without Christ is hopelessly dying in their sin. Christ came to defeat, sin and death.
Christ came first to the lost sheep of Israel, then to the Gentile, Israel rejected Him, all but the remnant - who received Jesus as Messiah or are receiving Him today are saved or ever will be. They will continue to live under the wrath of God, and not His grace.
Watch and learn, "church" and "christian religion".
Awake! Oh people of the Lord, and know that the Lord our God is Lord, not Zionism or a false state of Israel.
Jesus Christ is Israel now, and only those who know Him and have received Him as Messiah, the Anointed One, have received the spiritual promises of God. All the Old was pointing to the new, which is only fulfilled for Jew and Gentile alike, by absolute trust and obedience to Christ.
No man shall be saved by doctrines, church practices, membership, baptism or other ingenuity of men.
There is no other name in heaven, on the earth or under the earth whereby men may be saved.
Salvation delivers us eternally but it is not from a hell that has been created by men's lying and deceiving and making salvation only something that deals with the afterlife, salvation was given to us by Christ to deliver and set us free from sin and death, beginning here and now and then into eternity. I didn't come to Jesus to get free fire insurance. I came to Jesus because it is He that gave me life and delivered me from the sin and death (hell) I was already suffering in.
Watch these videos. Ted is a futurisist only- in eschatology, I am not, but at least His futurism has not kept Him from the truth on this matter of Zionism, and the evil that it is.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4452153918748081072#docid=7713806100545252588
I pray everyday for every Jew in the world, that they may come to know their Messiah, who Has come, and came to offer them as well as us all the promises of the Old Testament, and they weren't for physical things, but for eternal things, which are found only in Jesus Christ the Messiah.
Brother Joe
aka Dr. J.
BTW- How many of you know that the "reverend Hagee, denies Christ as Messiah.
Hear him deny Christ as Messiah for yourself at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah1sx_93EoE
Monday, November 8, 2010
Clarification to the Offended
I want to make something clear, I know often in my rants, that many individuals who may run across what I write here, seem to think it is personal attack, against them.
Nothing of what I ever write is to condemn others, or to judge them, only God is judge, I like the prophets of old am compelled to speak only against their practices, beliefs or teachings that oppose the Who is God, and Who is the Son.
What we believe doesn't change that Christ came to die for all of us and that we all needed that, but it is His life - the message we must understand as well. It must be applied in every area of our lives.
Nothing of what I ever write is to condemn others, or to judge them, only God is judge, I like the prophets of old am compelled to speak only against their practices, beliefs or teachings that oppose the Who is God, and Who is the Son.
What we believe doesn't change that Christ came to die for all of us and that we all needed that, but it is His life - the message we must understand as well. It must be applied in every area of our lives.
However, history proves that people will kill to defend their beliefs, doctrines, or practices and thus the world rages now. The message cannot be applied but by His grace in our lives, but we must first approach God the Father through the Son always in prayer, not by doctrine or our "Orthodoxy or Orthopraxy."
Religion, Politics, Foreign Policy, Criminal Justice you name it, has it's roots in the sinfulness of men.
Systems are not pure, as the early Christians so better understood.
They may have used the term Devil or Satan but they had a definition outside of what later developed within the context of church. They didn't believe in the Devil, as an entity in competition with God, a second god. They were not dualist. They understood that "Adversary" was all that opposed God's love and mercy, and that individuals, groups, governments and the world are the "Satan".
They never perceived of Him as the church does or we have been taught to do. The Satan is not some weird little pointed ear, long tail, horned and red in color individual that was a "fallen angel" that is in some great cosmic game of chess with God using mankind as the playing pieces.
This teaching so widely accepted with all religions which are pagan, even our "christian paganism," are false and do more to excuse all people from personal sin, then anything else. It has done more to produce the very opposite of what God's revealed love in Jesus was to produce within His people.
All of the "adversaries" of God that I have not completely listed above are the "Satan" they are merely a reflection of the entire human condition of sin and death in this world.
Just as we are, and can be, when we fail to receive God's grace in our lives. We become and are the "Satan" - the adversaries of our Creator.
There is much more that could be said here on the dualism teachings of the church, and the gnostic origins of the church for what is taught but that's for another book perhaps. There have been some very good books written on this matter as well, by men who are thinking men, who have opened their eyes and ears to Jesus Christ, and not Jewish myths, traditions of men, and all the things Paul warned the body of Christ of, time after time. and John and Peter as well.
I love people of all races, because Jesus didn't die for the Caucasian race only as some would have us believe. He lived and died for all men regardless of race, color, creed or religion.
We all needed Him. We all still do.
Religion, Politics, Foreign Policy, Criminal Justice you name it, has it's roots in the sinfulness of men.
Systems are not pure, as the early Christians so better understood.
They may have used the term Devil or Satan but they had a definition outside of what later developed within the context of church. They didn't believe in the Devil, as an entity in competition with God, a second god. They were not dualist. They understood that "Adversary" was all that opposed God's love and mercy, and that individuals, groups, governments and the world are the "Satan".
They never perceived of Him as the church does or we have been taught to do. The Satan is not some weird little pointed ear, long tail, horned and red in color individual that was a "fallen angel" that is in some great cosmic game of chess with God using mankind as the playing pieces.
This teaching so widely accepted with all religions which are pagan, even our "christian paganism," are false and do more to excuse all people from personal sin, then anything else. It has done more to produce the very opposite of what God's revealed love in Jesus was to produce within His people.
All of the "adversaries" of God that I have not completely listed above are the "Satan" they are merely a reflection of the entire human condition of sin and death in this world.
Just as we are, and can be, when we fail to receive God's grace in our lives. We become and are the "Satan" - the adversaries of our Creator.
There is much more that could be said here on the dualism teachings of the church, and the gnostic origins of the church for what is taught but that's for another book perhaps. There have been some very good books written on this matter as well, by men who are thinking men, who have opened their eyes and ears to Jesus Christ, and not Jewish myths, traditions of men, and all the things Paul warned the body of Christ of, time after time. and John and Peter as well.
I love people of all races, because Jesus didn't die for the Caucasian race only as some would have us believe. He lived and died for all men regardless of race, color, creed or religion.
We all needed Him. We all still do.
What I stand against if you have read my writings enough is the total disregard, we, Christians, have for all people, just because of their race, color, creed or religion, and don't see ourselves in light of the living Word of God, that all men are in the same condition, and all institutions are in the same condition, all governments are in the same condition and all religion is in the same condition.
We are without redemption from our evil, ourselves, our violence, our hatred, our selfishness, without Christ being the centrality of our life. Not the Jesus that has so wrongly been portrayed to the world, but the Jesus of the Gospels.
We are without redemption from our evil, ourselves, our violence, our hatred, our selfishness, without Christ being the centrality of our life. Not the Jesus that has so wrongly been portrayed to the world, but the Jesus of the Gospels.
We have far too long focused on doctrinal matters (and most often, been wrong) and not enough on living matters.
God loves the hater as well as the hated, the evil doer as well as those who oppose evil, but without Him, Jesus Christ coming to us, changing us, by seeing the life he lived, the death he died, and what resurrection and Pentecost really mean, we are hopelessly lost in our hatred, and our being a victim of it. We are lost in our doing of evil, and our being a victim of evil.
It is the love of God, that has been shed abroad in our hearts that Christ body needs and the world at large.
Far too long traditional Christianity has defined the atonement in terms that are falsely Judicial rather than Christ the Victor terms.
God's mission to bring Justice, was in the person of Jesus Christ while He was here both in the life he lived, and the death he died.
God loves the hater as well as the hated, the evil doer as well as those who oppose evil, but without Him, Jesus Christ coming to us, changing us, by seeing the life he lived, the death he died, and what resurrection and Pentecost really mean, we are hopelessly lost in our hatred, and our being a victim of it. We are lost in our doing of evil, and our being a victim of evil.
It is the love of God, that has been shed abroad in our hearts that Christ body needs and the world at large.
Far too long traditional Christianity has defined the atonement in terms that are falsely Judicial rather than Christ the Victor terms.
God's mission to bring Justice, was in the person of Jesus Christ while He was here both in the life he lived, and the death he died.
Biblically to "bring justice" does not mean to bring punishment,
but to bring healing and reconciliation.
Justice means to make things right. All through the Prophets justice is associated with
caring for others, as something that is not in conflict with mercy, but rather an expression
of it. Biblically, justice is God's saving action at work for all that are oppressed:
"Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the
fatherless, plead the case of the widow". (Isaiah 1:17)"This is what the LORD says:
"`Administer justice every morning; rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who
has been robbed" (Jeremiah 21:12)
True justice can only come though mercy
"This is what the LORD Almighty says: `Administer true justice: show mercy and
compassion to one another. (Zechariah 7:9) "Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice".( Isaiah 30:18)
--From Penal Substitution versus Christus Victor Atonement-
"The Rebel God" a blog linked on this page.
I believe sincerely anything outside of the action of love, self sacrificing love, in the exemplary way that Christ lived and died, is not Christian. We can turn the Holy Bible into something more unholy so often by all the traditions of men, then hearing the Word of God and seeing the Living Word. We like to shake our fist at the Muslim and their Quoran. When we treat the Truth of the Word of God, and especially the story, the One we trust in, in disregard of the Story, we have reduced our "Holy Bible" to nothing more then that we accuse the Muslim of having - "a book of violence that propagates it."
Wrong, all religion propagates violence, even ours if we treat the Story- Jesus, as a book, defined and dissected by us, into a few choice verses, to justify our own sin. Then it becomes as unholy, as any book claimed to be God's truth, when it is in contradiction to all Jesus lived and died for. This is what the serpent did in the Garden, he was the first Theologian, a simple animal, became man's first great Theologian. The first to WRONGLY divide God's Word.
When we as men, turn to concepts of man's justice, man's hatred for others, man's pride, man's powering over others, man's solution as war to the problems of the world, we have negated Christ in His teaching, His life, and His death. How dare we call ourselves "Christian."
So what I do is stand against all that makes us less then what we are too be or claim to be in Christ, this includes, false teachings, practices, and living. I stand against those things which say, powering over others, rather than submitting to others, is the way we win.
No we win, when we see the REAL JESUS, and we turn to the love He showed, practiced and gave right down to the Cross. The reasons most Christians don't live this life, is because of false teaching, and listening to evil more than the Holy Spirit and story of God's love to us who deserved none but Christ won the victory for all of us, the victim and the victimizer.
He redeemed us not so we can say, now I can live like the world, think like the world and do like the world and go to heaven. No! He redeemed us, that we redeem others, in this life, by allowing His life to be lived in us, through us and as us. So, that in all that we do and say, it is the same love expressed through Him by the Father to us, that we by the Holy Spirit express that life to others.
His entire story, the message we miss is found in who God is. We have too long tried to define God in every whim of doctrine rather then answering the simple declaration of the Word of God.
God is love!
Thus I oppose war, and power structures, that leave men powering over others.
I believe as Jesus lived and taught, it is in powering under, that we gain real power, It is when we get down and wash each others feet, and the feet of our community, our State, Our Nation and the World, is where real power comes from, resurrection power.
It is when we lay down our lives in love to all men, that we have lived in obedience to the Spirit of Christ and not the spirit of this World (this is the Satan).
So, when I attack a teaching or practice it is to redeem God's people from the sinful thinking that it brings in their lives, and in the end when acted out, it destroys them and all those around them. Jesus turned over the tables in righteous anger against those taking advantage of the poor, the widowed and the orphan, I get angry and rant... Jesus loved the table tenders, He hated their belief system that had translated the "house of prayer" into a market system.He may have flogged them, but he didn't go get a AK-47 or any kind of sword that physically kills or maims, if any killing was done, it wasn't people that He killed, He killed their "adversarial actions and beliefs about the Father". He chastised those He loved the Temple market place people. We twist that, and say, well in the New Testament Jesus did get angry, so war and hatred is justified.
Yes, He did get angry, righteously angry and He is still angry at our total disregard of our love for Him first, and then our neighbor. He is still flogging us, as a person, a nation, and world. Not to destroy us but to save us, and make His people not the Temple, His house of prayer.
No we win, when we see the REAL JESUS, and we turn to the love He showed, practiced and gave right down to the Cross. The reasons most Christians don't live this life, is because of false teaching, and listening to evil more than the Holy Spirit and story of God's love to us who deserved none but Christ won the victory for all of us, the victim and the victimizer.
He redeemed us not so we can say, now I can live like the world, think like the world and do like the world and go to heaven. No! He redeemed us, that we redeem others, in this life, by allowing His life to be lived in us, through us and as us. So, that in all that we do and say, it is the same love expressed through Him by the Father to us, that we by the Holy Spirit express that life to others.
His entire story, the message we miss is found in who God is. We have too long tried to define God in every whim of doctrine rather then answering the simple declaration of the Word of God.
God is love!
Thus I oppose war, and power structures, that leave men powering over others.
I believe as Jesus lived and taught, it is in powering under, that we gain real power, It is when we get down and wash each others feet, and the feet of our community, our State, Our Nation and the World, is where real power comes from, resurrection power.
It is when we lay down our lives in love to all men, that we have lived in obedience to the Spirit of Christ and not the spirit of this World (this is the Satan).
So, when I attack a teaching or practice it is to redeem God's people from the sinful thinking that it brings in their lives, and in the end when acted out, it destroys them and all those around them. Jesus turned over the tables in righteous anger against those taking advantage of the poor, the widowed and the orphan, I get angry and rant... Jesus loved the table tenders, He hated their belief system that had translated the "house of prayer" into a market system.He may have flogged them, but he didn't go get a AK-47 or any kind of sword that physically kills or maims, if any killing was done, it wasn't people that He killed, He killed their "adversarial actions and beliefs about the Father". He chastised those He loved the Temple market place people. We twist that, and say, well in the New Testament Jesus did get angry, so war and hatred is justified.
Yes, He did get angry, righteously angry and He is still angry at our total disregard of our love for Him first, and then our neighbor. He is still flogging us, as a person, a nation, and world. Not to destroy us but to save us, and make His people not the Temple, His house of prayer.
So, don't become personally offended, but do if necessary.
Become offended enough to re-evaluate your actions and belief system in light of no longer proof texting everything you do believe, this is the worst thing that we can do to God's Word, we have come to think to "rightly" divide the Word, is to divide it up into one or two verses, that will appease our sinful nature, make a doctrine out of it, form a group around it, and hate all those who oppose it.
God's "RIGHTLY" dividing is the opposite of our dividing, rather than division it creates unity among those who believe the story. It will always divide when we "search the scriptures thinking we might find life in them, when they speak of Him."
The Bible is not one million verses on how to keep from going to hell, it is the story of God's love to and for His creation. He doesn't want to deliver us from some future "tormenting fires". He wants to get us out of the hell all men are in right now, in the here and now. This is only accomplished by trust placed in the story of His love expressed through the first human to ever be the full expression of who He is- Jesus Christ- the Second Adam. Our trust is in Him, because of the unity of the story, not it's divisions created by men. This is the worst thing men ever did, at first was to divide it up into chapters, verses, paragraphs, sentences, words, etc. The Christian church has used that division of the story far too long, and miss the entire context from Genesis to Revelation.
God is love.
In light of everything Jesus was, did and is. He is the full expression of the Father. He is love.
Jesus didn't come to formulate a new religion but to deliver us from religion to a life of love for the Father first, and then to our neighbor.
Then we will find common ground as Believers when we trust the subject of the story and it will be "God is love."
Become offended enough to re-evaluate your actions and belief system in light of no longer proof texting everything you do believe, this is the worst thing that we can do to God's Word, we have come to think to "rightly" divide the Word, is to divide it up into one or two verses, that will appease our sinful nature, make a doctrine out of it, form a group around it, and hate all those who oppose it.
God's "RIGHTLY" dividing is the opposite of our dividing, rather than division it creates unity among those who believe the story. It will always divide when we "search the scriptures thinking we might find life in them, when they speak of Him."
The Bible is not one million verses on how to keep from going to hell, it is the story of God's love to and for His creation. He doesn't want to deliver us from some future "tormenting fires". He wants to get us out of the hell all men are in right now, in the here and now. This is only accomplished by trust placed in the story of His love expressed through the first human to ever be the full expression of who He is- Jesus Christ- the Second Adam. Our trust is in Him, because of the unity of the story, not it's divisions created by men. This is the worst thing men ever did, at first was to divide it up into chapters, verses, paragraphs, sentences, words, etc. The Christian church has used that division of the story far too long, and miss the entire context from Genesis to Revelation.
God is love.
In light of everything Jesus was, did and is. He is the full expression of the Father. He is love.
Jesus didn't come to formulate a new religion but to deliver us from religion to a life of love for the Father first, and then to our neighbor.
Then we will find common ground as Believers when we trust the subject of the story and it will be "God is love."
Doctor J.
2 Corinthians 13:5
Ἑαυτοὺς πειράζετε εἰ ἐστὲ ἐν τῇ πίστει, ἑαυτοὺς δοκιμάζετε: ἢ οὐκ ἐπιγινώσκετε ἑαυτοὺς ὅτι Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν; εἰ μήτι ἀδόκιμοί ἐστε.
Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?-- unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Zionism Promotes Anti-Semitism
- from an article from the True Torah Jews Against Zionism website.
Theodor Herzl (1860-1904), the founder of modern Zionism, recognized that anti-Semitism would further his cause, the creation of a separate state for Jews. To solve the Jewish Question, he maintained "we must, above all, make it an international political issue."Herzl wrote that Zionism offered the world a welcome "final solution of the Jewish question." In his "Diaries", page 19, Herzl stated "Anti-Semites will become our surest friends, anti-Semitic countries our allies."
Zionist reliance on Anti-Semitism to further their goals continues to this day. Studies of immigration records reflect increased immigration to the Zionist state during times of increased anti-Semitism. Without a continued inflow of Jewish immigrants to the state of "Israel", it is estimated that within a decade the Jewish population of the Zionist state will become the minority.
In order to maintain a Jewish majority in the state of "Israel", its leaders promote anti-Semitism throughout the world to "encourage" Jews to leave their homelands and seek "refuge".
The entire article can be found here. http://www.jewsagainstzionism.com/antisemitism/zionismpromotes.cfm
You will be surprised of some of what you learn from the Jews for Jesus
Dear Brothers and Sister in Christ,
I am completely convinced, that Zionism is not only Anti-Christ, but Anti-Semitic. This is my reasoning. They hate anyone but themselves and their political ideas, they want the world to accept them in their Anti-Christ belief - Political and Racial Apartheid. I believe that the teachings of Christian Zionism creates an actual hatred for those who are quote "Jewish."
If people would put on their thinking caps, instead of the Darby, Scofield cap and seek Christ first, they would see, this for a fact, the Christian church and especially all the Christian Zionist, should watch a lot of these videos.
Please watch this profound video found under www.jewsforjesus.org/a-day-in-the-life and maybe you will get rid of the idea that Zionist are God's chosen people and see that they are in desperate need of Jesus Christ.
The last thing they need is a bunch of Pro-Zionist so called "christians to support their ideas and rejection of Christ.
Please watch this profound video found under www.jewsforjesus.org/a-day-in-the-life and maybe you will get rid of the idea that Zionist are God's chosen people and see that they are in desperate need of Jesus Christ.
The last thing they need is a bunch of Pro-Zionist so called "christians to support their ideas and rejection of Christ.
You will watch and learn and see a typical "Jewish Zionist," giving a Jew for Jesus the FINGER!
I love the Jewish people and all people but they have nothing outside of Jesus Christ, and will die in their sin, as millions of Jews have, and other religions.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
They are as naked as Adam and Eve without the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ. They are dying daily in their sin, and the very fabric of their society and culture reveals this, pick up the newspaper over there and read, and see they have the same problems all men do- Sin!
They are no different then those that Paul and Jesus confronted in their day. You should think for a moment, isn't it Interesting that Jesus dared tell the Pharisees who were Jews, that their father was the devil.
Yet, Christian Zionist, say, oh you can't speak against "Israel" referring to a political State, that they have somehow managed to twist into a people. Well, yes I can speak against the false Israel, and speak for the true Israel, His name is "Jesus Christ."
No, just as there were those in the time of Paul that were "Jewish" that opposed the Gospel, there are in this time, and Zionist oppose it to the extreme, in deed, in word, and their treatment of all other races, and peoples.
What Christian Gentiles haven't figured out, because they don't study the Word of God and only listen to and read false doctrinal "experts" of God, in what they tell them, is that, if given the opportunity, you especially you dear Christian Gentile, will also be extinguished from earth, as the scum Christians you are, this is what they believe, and this what they will do.Just as they did Christ, and conspired to do to Paul, and the church altogether. Paul was a Jew, and he never said, just as Jesus never said, any of the Jews were saved or God's chose people because they were Jewish. He makes it clear it is the Remnant that is saved, as there is a remnant today finding Christ as Lord and Savior. Jews for Jesus is a large part of that remnant.
Already thousands of Christian Palestinians, men women and children have been murdered at the hands of the American Churches financial and political support of Zionism.
This is a sin for which we must repent. That doesn't mean telling God that we are sorry but there must be a complete change of mind, heart, and spirit.
I love the Jewish people and all people but they have nothing outside of Jesus Christ, and will die in their sin, as millions of Jews have, and other religions.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
They are as naked as Adam and Eve without the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ. They are dying daily in their sin, and the very fabric of their society and culture reveals this, pick up the newspaper over there and read, and see they have the same problems all men do- Sin!
They are no different then those that Paul and Jesus confronted in their day. You should think for a moment, isn't it Interesting that Jesus dared tell the Pharisees who were Jews, that their father was the devil.
Yet, Christian Zionist, say, oh you can't speak against "Israel" referring to a political State, that they have somehow managed to twist into a people. Well, yes I can speak against the false Israel, and speak for the true Israel, His name is "Jesus Christ."
No, just as there were those in the time of Paul that were "Jewish" that opposed the Gospel, there are in this time, and Zionist oppose it to the extreme, in deed, in word, and their treatment of all other races, and peoples.
What Christian Gentiles haven't figured out, because they don't study the Word of God and only listen to and read false doctrinal "experts" of God, in what they tell them, is that, if given the opportunity, you especially you dear Christian Gentile, will also be extinguished from earth, as the scum Christians you are, this is what they believe, and this what they will do.Just as they did Christ, and conspired to do to Paul, and the church altogether. Paul was a Jew, and he never said, just as Jesus never said, any of the Jews were saved or God's chose people because they were Jewish. He makes it clear it is the Remnant that is saved, as there is a remnant today finding Christ as Lord and Savior. Jews for Jesus is a large part of that remnant.
Already thousands of Christian Palestinians, men women and children have been murdered at the hands of the American Churches financial and political support of Zionism.
This is a sin for which we must repent. That doesn't mean telling God that we are sorry but there must be a complete change of mind, heart, and spirit.
The Zionist hate Christians, because if Christianity as taught by Jesus, not the false church teachings, ever got a hold of it's people all Jews, the world may just be transformed for Christ completely.
Christian Zionism will never be conducive to this, but will produce just the opposite effect, I love the Jewish people, but I also love, Buddhist, Hindu's etc, but no religion will save you, only Christ.
Wake up Christians and see Zionism for what it is.
It is the very lie, of Nazism, and thus was founded, and financed by Nazi dreamers, and schemers. Zionism is the worst kind of Nazism.
Jews for Jesus are working to break this lie.
Israel has never been a place, it is a people who lay claim to being Judeans, who have rejected and hate Jesus Christ "the Judean" to this day, and no, God hasn't promised them a land, but Salvation but not outside of Jesus Christ which is true for all men. Preachers like the "reverend" Hagee and these false Prophets are teaching just the opposite.
They do more harm then good. They are truly the one's in my opinion that are Anti-Semitic, because of their Pro-Zionist twisted scriptural teachings.
For the sake of the love of the people, all people, please reject, these false teachings of Zionism and Pre-Millenialism, as we must learn to see ALL PEOPLE IN NEED OF CHRIST not that we need to support a state or a government that hates Christ, and hates all people except those who subscribe to Zionism.
Study and show yourself approved of God
Any doctrine that teaches that anyone outside of Christ, is chosen of God, is a false doctrine. It is Anti-Christ.
Christian Zionism, does just that.
It has gone so far to say, that the Zionist will be saved by the rebuilding, of that which Christ took down, and that they will be saved, by returning to animal sacrifice, if there was ever an open door for the Anti-Christ, teachings like that, from false preachers like the Reverend Hagee, will make the way for it. God has not promised them a land, He has promised them what many Jews for Jesus have discovered, the REMNANT, He was always promising them Himself, if they will but turn to Him, and He made it possible, through His Son Jesus Christ. He didn't' make it possible through the Temple or animal sacrifice, rabbinical teaching, or anything religious that they had. Paul got it, and thousands like him, they were the remnant, being saved, as always God had a remnant. Just study the Old Testament, for once. Yes, God desires to save them and ALL people.
I find it totally bewildering how Christians who are so apt to condemn all other religions, will eat, drink and swallow Zionism, which is not so much even a religion, but is a political ideology that Darby and Scofield twisted to become a theology, that in my opinion is the devil in a red dress, it has stolen more from reaching Jews for Jesus. It is Anti-Semitic, in that it keeps the true Gospel from being proclaimed to the millions across the world and those living in Israel as well. It keeps the Gospel from reaching Jew, Muslim and all other religions. Christian Zionism is the worst possible false teaching that has destroyed the Gospel for millions across the world and especially to the one's that Christian Zionist like to claim are "God's Chosen People", since I love all people, Jesus died for all people, and He is seeking all people, then anything that teaches there is only one particular religion is acceptable to God, Judaism, versus all the others, this is the most Anti-Semitic teaching there is, for it degrades the Jew, to some special class of religious zealots, to an acceptance before God, based on race and religion versus Christ. No man comes to the Father, but by me, Jesus own words.No, we must not hate the people of Israel, but neither should we hate the people of Palestine, or India, or any other country, for they are all in desperate need of Jesus.
Here O' Zionist! Here O' Christian Zionist, Here O' Israel.
Dr. J.
P.S. The Talmud warns them of Zionism. So to say that they only believe in this would be incorrect, and I may have said that in the past, their is a part of the Scriptures of the Talmud, that warns them of Nationalizing. See Torah Jews Against Zionism. You will have to be able to answer two important Jewish life questions, to enter the part on Torah. So you better brush up a little on those two questions if you want to read it.
P.S. The Talmud warns them of Zionism. So to say that they only believe in this would be incorrect, and I may have said that in the past, their is a part of the Scriptures of the Talmud, that warns them of Nationalizing. See Torah Jews Against Zionism. You will have to be able to answer two important Jewish life questions, to enter the part on Torah. So you better brush up a little on those two questions if you want to read it.
Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy, which had formerly only a religious basis in the doctrine of original sin, the redemption, and the Church, has in our day gained a new scientific basis and has consequently caught in its nets all those who had reached too high a stage of development to be able to find support in religious hypocrisy. So that while in former days a man who professed the religion of the Church could take part in all the crimes of the state, and profit by them, and still regard himself as free from any taint of sin, so long as he fulfilled the external observances of his creed, nowadays all who do not believe in the Christianity of the Church, find similar well-founded irrefutable reasons in science for regarding themselves as blameless and even highly moral in spite of their participation in the misdeeds of government and the advantages they gain from them.
Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Hope you just didnt get through eating.
This is the kind of thing that just turns my stomach and wants to make me PUKE!
When will these FALSE PROPHETS ever get it! Thinking godliness is gain!
I am sick of the HWP preachers and anyone that says give me, give me, give me!
I wished they would just sit down and shut up! Should we take them outside of the camp and stone them?
Of course not, but unless we as Christians, real Christians, Bible believing, hating tradition, and these lies, stand up and begin to speak out about these liars, then the the church is digging itself deeper into the hell it should be pulling people out of.
http://vimeo.com/16359090
What twisting of Scripture, and lies can be told all to enrich yourself, and this guy is a Southern Baptist at that. He exemplifies one of the two reasons I resigned my last Pastoralship, one was over the false teaching of tithing, and the other over just war. My final resignation from organized religion. I was Pastoring a Southern Baptist Church. I was driven out by the Wolves, and thankful this day to my Father for it! I wrote a letter, and a final letter, addressed to all organized religion, and I am thankful to my Father, because of it, I really came to know the Son, as never before.
Friday, November 5, 2010
"The Cost of Discipleship"
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." The followers of Jesus have been called to peace. When he called them they found their peace, for he is their peace.... But nowhere will that peace be more manifest than where they meet the wicked in peace and are ready to suffer at their hands. The peacemakers will carry the cross with their Lord, for it was on the cross that peace was made. Now that they are partners in Christ's work of reconciliation, they are called the sons of God as he is the Son of God.[125-126]
Dietrich Boenhoffer, excerpt from the section on the Beatitudes.
Text Proofing versus Living It Out
I was impressed and disappointed at reading the excerpt from Brian McLaren's explanation of John 14:6 that wasn't included in his book, The Secret Message of Jesus.
You can find this located on his website at: http://www.brianmclaren.net/emc/archives/McLaren%20-%20John%2014.6.pdf
Here is why he impressed me, because he clearly showed that the Disciples weren't grasping everything Jesus had stated. Let us always remember John wrote this after he was given the Holy Spirit, and did know Christ personally. So there are two aspects to the narrative we must keep in mind.
Also I know that Brian has a distaste for linear thinking or systematic theology. I as well overall. Mainly because I don't think the Bible was given to us, to proof text from or to create doctrines, in the sense that this defines a Christian or Christianity. It's the story that counts, the love of God expressed through His Son to the world.
Herein is the problem, I see, when someone ask us a particular question based on squeezing Scripture into proof text, a narrative explanation such as he gave, avoids the person's question.
In other words, the person has one thing in mind, Did or Didn't Jesus say, He was the only way to the Father?
Now, here is how I would have dealt with the issue, first off, I am in absolute agreement with Brian on my stand against Penal Substitution and the tradition of men on their teaching on hellfire damnation. I whole heartedly believe in the "Christus Victor Atonement Model "over all else. Why? Well I won't go into that here, not enough room to write and it would take a lot of scripture, church history and more to show you, the Scriptural logic of Christus Victor over Penal Substitution.
Let me give you one, simple answer, Jesus says "forgive seventy times, seven, and tells us to love our enemy," so thus, since He is the expression of the Father in human flesh, and all his words portray to us, the revealed Word of God, then why would Jesus ask us to do something, that the Father either can't or won't? So, I'll let you chew on that awhile.
Now away from my digression.
My answer would have been first fold, not disregarding Brian's answer, it was well given, but left to no absolute, there has to be some absolutes, but not dogmatic absolutes, that puts down anyone or any other religion, but rather, points to the statement made by John here in regard to what Jesus stated in John 14:6. I also believe there is a way to do this in a loving manner, rather than leaving someone with an open answer, that really leaves it to the person, asking the question, as to whether John's statement was an absolute, or just open for definition, or to one's own preference of how to see something. Christ made a very clear statement that "I am the way, the truth, and the life." To me that is a pretty absolute statement. Now, I will agree, it is necessary narratively to express that out further in what does He mean the Way, or the Truth, or the Life?
When someone ask for an absolute answer, we must not leave it open to conjecture by the person asking, especially when such an important question is asked. The person asking could be, Hindu, Buddhist, Confucianist, even Atheist. Here often is what they are saying in their question, "You Christians think Jesus is the only way to know the Creator, but we believe our way is to know the Creator"... or they would expect us, to reply by most Christians replies to the question, Yep, that's what the Bible says, so I believe it, and I'm sorry but your belief system will send you to hell!
Wrong! This is the inappropriate answer.. I would show that everyone knows of God. Don't believe, then read Romans 1:18-23.
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
Now this scripture clearly condemns all forms of religion, even much of Christian religion. Religion is religion, and it all fails to show the Creator. We can also see, that man in the study of anthroplogy, if not creating idols in the forms of creation, also worshiped those things that revealed the Creator, the Sun, the Moon and even the Stars.
I would then go onto explain that Scripture shows, that "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" – Christians as well. We have surely worshiped much more than Christ alone, especially Western Christianity, which is largely based on Materialism and Worship of Church, Pastors, Religion, Nation, Zionism, you name it, and all of it's displaced worship of spirit and truth in Christ and Him alone.
Then I would show through scripture by scripture the claims Christ made, versus religion. I think this is one of the most important things the church is missing out on providing even those today who claim to be Christian, is that there are many IDOLS we can have, even our own form of "Christianity" if it is only based on man's traditions, and man's conceptions, and basically putting God in a box. Now I am not saying once again as a Christian we can't have any absolute, but that absolute must be Christ and Him alone, as the only way to know the Father and the Son, and in so doing they have eternal life. Not focusing on what happens after you die, but focusing on what you have in the here and now.
Making Christ come to only redeem us from hell, to send us to heaven, is the worst, theological and eschatological mistake and heretical error in my opinion the traditionalist have made.
Christ came to save that which was lost, and to redeem and restore all mankind to What God Intended Man To Be, the Imagio Dei, the Image of Him, our Creator, not because we walk on two legs, or have two arms, or even a brain to think with, but to be the expression of Him in behavior, this thus is what the fruits of the Spirit reveals in our lives, it is the expression of the Father in us, as us, and through us.
So for me, to even proclaim Christ or to seek to draw others to Christ, or even call myself, Christian, there has to be at least this proof text per se, for me to trust Him and only Him.
To do otherwise opens the door for me to all religions, to trust in for salvation from not hell, but myself. This is life, that we are ALL dead in Sin and Trespasses, and only Christ gives life, yes life that is eternal, but eternity doesn't begin after we die, it begins in time and space where we are now. Too often, Christian Theology has been focused on nothing more than the ancient idea of pagans, even the Egyptians believed, and taught eternal life, based on much of the same basis that most Christians do today a physical existence in a proposed place of " I got a mansion, just over the hilltop."
Now I said in not so clear of terms as I wanted to express myself, I agree with Brian, but I also disagree, in his only approach to the answer, to the question asked.
Brian's answer is somewhat ambiguous.
Now, let me add, my point of view here on something, that is important a little off track to this, but not actually. We Christians do and I think rightfully so, believe what Jesus was saying here, but we sometimes and most often, limit our answer, like I said above, and are to arbitrary, and even antagonistic, in our answer, to those who may be in another religion, and in my opinion, atheism and agnosticism is as religious as Buddhism, or any other religion, it still seeks to down grade the Creator to mere worship of creation. "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven ".
Do you ever ask what does this mean?
Too often we have placed this only in the context of homosexuality especially these days, as if this is the only wrath of God!
Too often we have placed this only in the context of homosexuality especially these days, as if this is the only wrath of God!
We have many more problems then that, we have drug addiction, addiction to materialism, domestic and child abuse, alcoholism, war, poverty, hunger, injustice, and the list goes on. These things are the "Wrath of God Revealed".
Not some unquenchable hellfire later, but the hell we all live around us everyday in the here and now! Open your eyes, to many of your own problems with yourself, and your own family, and you have to see the hell that is there.
Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly and this doesn't mean riches, beyond measure in the material sense, like the false Health Wealth & Prosperity teachers put out there. He didn't come to make us successful, in the definition of the worlds' idea of success, to be perfectly healthy, perhaps we could be more healthy, if we heeded our diets, and sure didn't come to make us rich in money and the things we own and posses.
He came to bring the Kingdom of God to us.
Where beauty, justice, mercy and compassion is all around us and given out to all, yes, even the lost world about us.
Not some unquenchable hellfire later, but the hell we all live around us everyday in the here and now! Open your eyes, to many of your own problems with yourself, and your own family, and you have to see the hell that is there.
Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly and this doesn't mean riches, beyond measure in the material sense, like the false Health Wealth & Prosperity teachers put out there. He didn't come to make us successful, in the definition of the worlds' idea of success, to be perfectly healthy, perhaps we could be more healthy, if we heeded our diets, and sure didn't come to make us rich in money and the things we own and posses.
He came to bring the Kingdom of God to us.
Where beauty, justice, mercy and compassion is all around us and given out to all, yes, even the lost world about us.
The big problem I see with all the eschatological views out, there, especially the futurist one, is it displaces the Kingdom of God to way out there someday when Jesus comes, well sorry folks He has already come, and stated in a clear and eternal voice, The Kingdom of God is in your midst!
Now we must ask what is the Kingdom of God, well it also has been wrongly defined, by many groups, sects, denominations, etc. What I love about comparing scripture to scripture is we can get to the meat and definition of things, if we study hard enough and long enough, a feat that most Christians dare not task, it's too easy to just rely on what someone told you, rather than to seek God yourself and His truths.
We have two clear definitions, one is that it is a spiritual kingdom, but this doesn't exclude it from becoming active in the reality of the world around us, but we also know that Paul defines, the Kingdom of God as thus, joy, righteousness and peace! Look it up, there is the definition. Now, we are lazy, instead of the presentation of Christ as the now and present means to experience, know and activate this Kingdom, we are waiting on Christ to come back and force it in to existence. He is waiting on us, who have prayed to long vainly, Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done, On Earth As It Is In Heaven". Christ wasn't talking about what the Tim LaHaye's, and other futurist are preaching with their false fictional stories of the Rapture or Heaven or the remaking of the earth, or any of that.
Christ explains throughout the whole narrative by His life lived, His deeds done, and His Words given, the Kingdom is and can be a reality in the here and now.
This is why I eft both Futurist, Preterist, ammilenialist, and on and on eschatology, and became a realist, idealist, and spiritual Eschatologist.
See my explanations by linking to my view from the link provided on this page - "Christ In You Now!"
Christ explains throughout the whole narrative by His life lived, His deeds done, and His Words given, the Kingdom is and can be a reality in the here and now.
This is why I eft both Futurist, Preterist, ammilenialist, and on and on eschatology, and became a realist, idealist, and spiritual Eschatologist.
See my explanations by linking to my view from the link provided on this page - "Christ In You Now!"
Now we must ask, is this Kingdom which we know is spiritual, and is the Father's Will for the planet earth, or there would have been no need for the Lord to teach us to ask for something, that's not possible to some far out future, does it and can it translate into the world around us. Of course, not in the sense that every time we see man's good , we can say , that it is the Kingdom of God, but it translates in how we personal interact with the world and of course the Father and Son first.
We must ask how can we give the world that which we are suppose to have, if we are the King's children. How can this become possible on earth as it is in heaven? How can the Father's will be made known, on earth as it is in heaven?
How do we give joy, righteousness and peace to others around us, do we provide that with a message of condemnation and hellfire, or through the message Christ gave the lost, love and forgiveness, How can we provide the world around us, righteousness? Do we provide food to the hungry, healthcare and healing to the sick and hurting, do we make sure true justice is equal for all men, of course, this is bringing the will of the Father to bare on planet earth. How do we provide peace? Do we do it as so been atypical of conservative and right wing, Christianity? War, and more war, attacking everyone that crosses us or threatens us? Do we bring peace by love, mercy, compassion, loving our enemy? Jesus has defined already what the Spiritual aspects of that Kingdom is, and we still don't get it. Thus, hell reigns around us, in our communities, our states, our countries, even our own families and more often then not, within our own mind, body and spirit.
Jesus shows in his life and everything that He spoke how to get there, but even Christians still don't get it, we have theologized and twisted everything Christ said, right down to No regard for peace, or forgiveness for our enemy, or "those that trespass against us".
We have chosen for 1900 years, the words of men, like Augustine's Just War, and Calvin, Luther and host of other predominant speakers who have taken Christ out of the equation, and put it all down into doctrines, that we divide over, and fight over, and still there is no answer yet for Christ prayer.
We have chosen for 1900 years, the words of men, like Augustine's Just War, and Calvin, Luther and host of other predominant speakers who have taken Christ out of the equation, and put it all down into doctrines, that we divide over, and fight over, and still there is no answer yet for Christ prayer.
You know how you hate it, when you pray so hard about something, and it just seems to bounce off heaven's doors, and nothing happens, I surely believe at times from what I hear and see in Christendom. Jesus must feel the same way. Let's hear his final prayer, here in John 17:20-23
20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
I tell you if you can proof text, John 14:6, I can proof text John 17:20-23. Pay close attention to the last part of that.
Now we ask, is Dr. J. proposes, and promoting the "World Council of Churches". My answer is clearly NO!
What I am proposing, is when Christians come to love one another, laying down their lives for one another, and exemplifying, seeking out that which is lost, and are focused on these attributes of relationship rather then Theologies, Doctrines, and Eschatologies of Men and their traditions and get back to the basics of what it means to be a Christian, that is not defined in a specific written definition of the Bible as cited by men, but by the heart of God within them, the very life of Christ that we all share, and realize, Christianity, is not something we believe in, but it is a relationship with the one who His Christ, and that He is in EACH OF US, who claim His name, there will be the falling down of the doors of division, strife and faction, and Jesus prayer will be finally answered..... Then the world will know that you sent me, and have loved them even as you loved me.
This is the heart of winning the world for Christ. How can other religions ever believe in "a religion", the religion we have made of Christ, when it's as divided, and divisive as all religion is, and all religions with it's many divisions.
My prayer is not for Christians to worry so much about what will happen or question do other religions get to go to heaven or not? My prayer is for Christians to answer Christ prayer, and then the Kingdom of God, the Will of God, will come to earth as it is in heaven.
Amen
Doctor J.
Rants On The Move
I created this blog to be able to post thoughts, while I am away from the PC. Many times they may only reference a new blog on my "The "Rants" of a Christian Blogger".
Either way, now that mobile SMS blogging by texting is available I intend to use this new Blogger technology, for fast and immediate thoughts, to make sure I record them as they come. Please see the main blog for full text of recent blogs written.
I hope you enjoy this new quick post for quotes. I will probably post the quote or the thought I came up with to insure, I don't go off and forget it.
Either way, now that mobile SMS blogging by texting is available I intend to use this new Blogger technology, for fast and immediate thoughts, to make sure I record them as they come. Please see the main blog for full text of recent blogs written.
I hope you enjoy this new quick post for quotes. I will probably post the quote or the thought I came up with to insure, I don't go off and forget it.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Check out The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry Coming September 18th
I am excited to share The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry website with you. It comes to theaters September 18th and needs your help in spreading the word. Get your local church involved and help bring The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry to a theater in your area.
http://gotaf.socialtwist.com/redirect?l=544148118195645252331
http://gotaf.socialtwist.com/redirect?l=544148118195645252331
Some Thoughts On Hearing Brian McLaren Teach
I just yesterday, starting reading on the Emergent Church, and for the very first time, read and listened to Brian McLaren. I must say, I am impressed and praise God for men like him who are speaking out, in love and truth on a need to be less hardline when reaching out to other religions. I do disagree with the many within the movement, that want to put everyone and anyone, or any religion under the umbrella as having it right. The majority of the Christian Church still hasn't got it right, but thank God some are trying.
Brian McLaren is a leading voice of the Emerging or (Emergent) Church.
He makes a great statement (I am not quoting here but providing to you what I heard him say in a video, imperfectly I might add)
..... "Christianity is the message of reconciliation, Conservative Christians make the message about reconciliation to God, Liberal Christians make the message about reconciliation with others. For Christianity to be the message of reconciliation it must consist of both of these."
Absolutely true.
============================My comment
I love the concept of a Mission centric life in Christ in this age and this time.
We are in one of the great transitions of Society and the World.
The world is getting smaller, and to show a world Jesus Christ will take more than a few out of country missionaries, or church buildings, it will take the entire body of Christ to reach out and touch someone. I am not talking about the Social Gospel, by itself, and I am not talking about Fundalmentalism, but a Christ centered life, that is willing to die to self, even to go to the cross to love all men.
It will take the expressed life of Christ in each of us. Not doctrine, not the Four Spiritual Laws, but the living Christ in us, as us and living through us.
=============================
Brian also provides an illustration for thought on a mission centric life.
Our personal Christian mission is like this, "think of it like a Bicycle, you have to get on the bike and start peddling, God will do the steering in the direction the Bicycle should go." (once again imperfect quoting, just how I heard it)
====Some Thoughts On Hearing Brian McLaren Teach ======================
This is not works based religion, if you know, that all you can do is peddle, it only becomes work based religion when we think we can do the steering as well.
Doesn’t this make sense, when we read, Proverbs, (paraphrased of course)
"Man makes plans, but it is God that gives direction."
We cannot be stagnant individualistic Christians any longer, we must think first of Christianity in reaching others in the terms of the world, then community.
Most of our focus has been on ourselves first and foremost, and that stems from us being raised in an individualistic society.
Yes, our relationship to God is important, but if it excludes others, where is the overall effect in salvation or obedience "to go ye into ALL THE WORLD." However contrary to the idea of just coming along accepting any religion for that matter, we are to preach the Good News, and that Good News is Christ has restored us, and given us life, and we can now live in love, and in peace, joy and righteousness. Religion, all religion, even Christian religion, doesn't have that. Only a life centered in and fellowship with Christ alone has that.
Our Christian life becomes selfish, even narcissistic, and results in an imbalanced Christian, if we say we can only have community with those who “believe’ as we do.
It makes for a church, that is exclusive and judgmental, and powerless. We aren't to exclude the pagan, but we aren't to include them either. We must look at Paul, He first converted the Gentiles, before they could be considered part of the Ekklesia, but He didn't condemn them or win them with an exclusive attitude, He first found common ground with them, then he persuaded them through discussion to Christ as the Way, the Truth and Life. Our problem hasn't been the message and Christ alone, but our problem has been two things, one in it's presentation , and two the most important one, is the contrary lifestyles we live and love others, in direct contradiction to Jesus own teachings, and one of the most important, is non- violence. Conservative Christianity and it's love of Nationalism, Zionism, and it's Western Materialism, is as or even more become more violent then the Protestants can condemn the Catholics in being against, all that opposed them. We have bit off the most important teaching expressed in the life of Christ, and that is to take up your cross and follow me, and take no vengeance, but to love your enemy and do good to those who DESPITEFULLY use you.
I think that falls into the category of radical Muslims as well. Why it is we can love Zionist, who commit autrocities as well, against Palestinian Christians, but not all men, is simply a matter of false doctrines and teachings the traditional church has shoved down the throats of "LAZY" people in the church, mostly religious people, who have spread these like they were the Gospel. They are all lies. God is love. All encompassing love, that sent his Son to die for ALL MEN. Not just Jews, and the Christian Religion, but ALL MEN!
We must be open, to the Father at all times, to teach us, not only in our personal study, but in our encounter with others. Regardless of their present belief system.
We cannot win the world for Christ by saying "ha ha, I am better than you are."
So, I say yes, community is important, whether it be two or three, or more, there should be a reaching out, not in the sense to win someone over to my argument, my theology, my truths, but a living out the truth to others, that my life reflects the generosity, love, compassion, justice and mercy of who I am, Christ in me.... and in you, and in others. A revealing of the "Christ in you," which is " the hope of glory"
We cannot do this alone, we cannot hope to do it alone, thus Christ gave gifts unto all men, so community, the Ekklesia cannot be ignored, it is within the context of that, that true spiritual life can be reflected to the world about us, as each one, reaches out to another, and that one reaches out to another and we all reach out together but we don't lock it behind the closed doors of a building, we openly engage the world about us. This is how the early Christians turned the world upside down. They didn't have to invite someone to church, for they knew they were a candle, but then they could include others from the church, as candles as well to the outside world, knowing that they didn't have all the light to give. Paul and Timothy, are great examples. It wasn't that Paul had anything to teach Timothy, I think there was times, when surely Timothy taught Paul. Paul was always learning and engaging others who were outside of the realm of the church, He engaged the pagans but found common ground, through conversation then won them to truth, by example, a life lived out in the love of Christ within.
In reaching out, to others, we cannot think we hold the corner on truth, the truth be told, if we have Christ, we all have “The Truth.
So if we do not allow others, to speak, is to say we know more then them. This is pride, stubborn, and quite honestly evil in the final outcome.
It is in the context of shared community, that we find, the gifts of each of us, building the body into one, a wholesome union in Christ.
Let me illustrate....if you light one candle and put it in a dark room, only a portion of that room will be lit up, now add another candle, and another, and soon there is enough light to dispel the darkness.
This is why there must be a coming together in common unity under the banner of Christ, not to just sit or be bystanders or be entertained, coaxed, or be an audience, but to be actively engaged, in being one of the candles.
I believe, that we must be open, and forthright, and exercise the love of Christ to obtain that. We have to be open, to the reality, that Christ is in us, as well is he is anyone else in our Christian Community.
If we show any hint, of not listening, and only talking, we shut down, the gift another may have to give us. In the same aspect. We cannot be shut down, to do so, is the same as us, shutting someone else down, we allowed our candle to be snuffed out, and that one little area of the room remains dark and undiscovered to us and to others, either way we go.
The Father designed it that way.
This is why scripture tells us what our coming together is to be like,
“One to Another'”.
Modern church and Pre-Modern Church and going way back to Medieval Church, and back further than that, after the Apostles passed away, men, thought that they knew better and tossed Christ and the Apostolic tradition out the door, for their own traditions.
I blame Martin Luther for the fact that the one man leader idea didn’t get reformed in the Reformation, it just got modified, Pope/Priest to Pastor or Bishop.
I blame Martin Luther for the Sermon. Read up if you would like to know why.
Martin is the one, that said there must be a Sermon at every church meeting. Function is one thing, title and power is another.
Our discovery of walking and abiding in Christ, must be one in which all the candles are allowed to burn, it doesn’t matter the candles beauty, it’s shape, or even it ‘s color, what matters, is that without that one little candle, one area will always remain dark in the room. Thus there is great need, for the body of Christ, when coming together to always be, in Dialegomai-discussion, not argument, on who is right or who is wrong, for each candle has it’s worth, even if it isn’t the prettiest candle or the one we would have chosen to help light the room.
We must be constantly engaged in the "one to another.”
This is why I love the Quaker’s or the old "Orthopraxy" of the Ana Baptist, is the shared responsibility, and the shared importance of each member.
This is what Paul was saying all along, in the book of Corinthians.
How could we as the church so have missed it?
Why, because men, thought they could protect the sacred teachings, instead of the Holy Spirit doing the job, and they stepped in, and the Holy Spirit, was forced out the door. It never was about the written word, it's always been about the Living Word.
The Holy Spirit has been trying to step back in ever since, there as been over the centuries of church history (the main reason most churches don't teach it) one after another, who said, "Wait, I have something to say," and the hierarchy, said, "sit down, be quiet, and learn from me."
Those that refused, were always branded as "heretics," just like Jesus. "Where does this man, get His teaching, isn’t He the carpenter’s Son?"
This is what rattled the Pharisees, the most, is Jesus teaching attracted the crowds, out of love to hear more of what he had to say, and what they could learn, they hungered to learn more of the Father's love, they hungered to engage Jesus, but the Pharisees, had to use fear manipulation and religious power to keep the crowds attention.
They could excommunicate.. been there, I know that one from personal experience!
I think we missed it because of our carnality and being human and always either wanting someone to lead us, instead of being actively engaged, as it is easier, it is lazy, and more often or not it is out of fear. We often fear that others may discover "the real us."
Isn’t that what fellowship with one another is suppose to be all about, is that discovery, so that we can both encourage and rebuke, but in mercy, in compassion, in love. So that each one can grow up in the maturity and fullness of Christ.
It is in the mouth of TWO or more witnesses, that truth is to always be established, this is the lesson from our Father, that He expressed Himself through the Son, and now expresses Himself through each one of us by the Holy Spirit.
Yet there is that relationship with the two always.
Christ neither said or did anything without the Father, and neither should we without the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit is not limited to one man, or one woman.
He is working and speaking through all of us, that are His children now.
No one person has the corner on the Holy Spirit for it is impossible to put the Father in a single container, one man, one woman, and say, there He is.
Pastor worship is fatal to the body and fatal to the Pastor. I can promise you, more assemblies die because of this one thing, and more Pastors quit or are fired because of this one thing, then any other reason.
It all narrows down to who we worship, Christ the Head of the body, or just some foot or toe, of the body.. being a Pastor doesn't make you the head.
This is the grandest error of all. This is what destroys, Pastors, Evangelist, or anyone engaged in ministry, when we begin to think the adoration is deserved, and expected.
Church, as it is in most churches, is the opposite of community, except in the things that don’t matter, this is the grand error, of church hierarchy, and tradition. It's alright to share the babysitting, the Sunday School room, the meal, the cooking, the outward mission to get members, but don't you dare ask to share the teaching, preaching or the curriculum. This is why Sunday School lessons must be organized, or directed, or decided upon by "the leadership."
Any thing other is a threat to the Pastor and to the Hierarchy.
It is the antithesis of every thing, that is Christ like, or even Apostolic.
There will always be those that will want to lead, but what about the church giving this a try - "We have no leader but Jesus Christ," and we humble ourselves to admit, that we are but one candle, in a dark room, we don’t have all the answers and we sure don’t have all the light needed to light up the room. Bring on the candles! A single candle will burn out a lot quicker then several lit at intervals.
It is when as a Pastor, or leader, we step down, and humble ourselves, to accept not a role as leader, but as servant, and allow others to be the same, that the whole room will get light.
In other words the entire community of believers, and the world around them can be lit by the fire of God, and the Holy Spirit can do His grandest work.
So what am I saying here, I am saying what Paul, said. Who is Paul, Who is Apollos, - who is the Pastor?
We can say we depend on the Father to be what we must be to the congregation, but can we say, I will depend on the Father to be what the congregation is to be.
We don’t most often because we fear, we anguish and worst than that, sometimes we are too proud to relinquish our phylactery, or robes, and tassels, to step down, and say, "look, I don’t have anything more than you, I don’t have the corner on truth, we together are here in the presence of The Truth and as a whole, He is the truth, and we will rely on Him."
Let us no longer, shut the grand doors of the gate, of the communion of believers coming together in fellowship, and let us quit telling the Holy Spirit, He will have to wait outside, until the service is over, or He can come in, as long, as you follow my directions, my program, my doctrine, my creeds, my belief system, my, my, my.... the "my" is what is killing the body and the long run will kill you.
Can’t we see, how in doing this, we have now stood in the place of God, declaring ourselves to be God, when all along, He is sitting there in the congregation before you, and in you, waiting, waiting, for us as Pastors to sit down and shut up, and listen...
We might just light another candle in the darkroom and then a whole bunch of candles get lit on fire by a sharing of the flame of the work of the Holy Spirit in each persons life.
I say, yes there is a time for teaching, or preaching but it must be a group decision, once the candles know how to burn on their own, but this doesn’t mean all we do is talk , we teach in the same manner Jesus did.
Jesus gave a story, He then would ask questions, then he would engage in conversation, and seeds were planted. - Thanks Brian for that one.
How can a Pastor or anyone learn, if we don’t hear. If all we do, is listen to our own taped sermon, or our own voice, to see how grand we sound, or persuasive, we miss out, on what was received, from what we said.
We wonder, why when we have worked so hard to deliver a SERMON, that seems to us, should effect everyone and we believe that it expresses the heart of God, that the body, sits there half asleep, half engaged in what is said, and half listening.
Ask most people when they leave, what the sermon, was about, they will tell you, "I don't know, but it was good."
We would never sit still for a college class where question aren’t asked, and answers given, and there is an exchange between students in Professors, why do we think that the Father would design fellowship to be ‘sit there be quiet, don’t ask questions."
This is not the way Jesus engaged the world or His own disciples. He engaged them into conversation, thought, questions, and conversation.
Jesus would start with a story an illustration.
The best teachers are one’s that give an illustration- a story, then ask questions of the pupils, then allows for conversation, to allow the seeds of truth to sink in.
Revelational truth that only the Holy Spirit can provide each of us is what truly teaches us.
Authoritarian teaching, teaches nothing but authority, engaged conversation teaches love.
You would be amazed at how much, so many of the saints you thought less of, in the assembly, that perhaps had more insight, more spiritual awareness, more growth, even then yourself at times. I speak that from former house church and organic fellowship experience.
The call for the Post Modern church is this, for it’s leaders for once to be real servants, and learn to listen, to shut up when necessary, and open the doors to others to speak, to teach, to preach, to sing, whatever the Holy Spirit would desire to do, within the context of reason and order.
I don’t believe in a bunch of chaos, but when organic church is practiced, it rarely happens, this is where, anyone of a group of people, not just the Pastor, can put the brakes on if led by the Spirit of God to do so.
I think scripture makes it clear, that more than one can prophesy, I am not talking about what is defined as Charismatic prophesying, but what is defined by scripture, "The Spirit of Prophecy, IS THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST"....that’s why I love God’s Word, is that you will find order in it, that is clearly spelled out, if we will only look for God’s definitions in it, and not our own.
Let each one speak, the other sit down, and let the others judge. This is not a verbal bout, over whether it was right or wrong. It is the asking what was said encouraging, correcting, or teaching on our testimony of Jesus Christ, then it should be judged quietly by each heart, and then if someone has something to say, let them speak, let them engage on what was said, how it effected them.
Did it harm, then say so, did it encourage, then say so, did it correct us, then say so, did it give us a teaching, then say it and share it.
Was it in line with the Father of all Love and Creation. If the body has the Holy Spirit, and they are truly the body, there will be no bickering, no condemning, no putting down of others, but all will be done in love.
This is where the Holy Spirit will use someone I promise to speak out and say so, and it will be in union with what the Holy Spirit is saying in the others hearts as well. Do we trust Him?
Oh, what if I have a song to sing? Can I sing it, from my heart?
This is the big question for the Pastor and the Body to ask themselves,
Do we trust the Holy Spirit to be what Jesus said He would be, that He would guide us into all truth. He would speak of Jesus. Isn't that what we come together for, is to see the reality of a Resurrected Jesus, in each of us?
I can promise you, I have more than once tolerated sermons, and speakers, who were both off Scripture by a mile, and harmed more than they won over anyone with love.
Why? No one dared challenge, them, they are the “PASTOR”.
The man of God, the man with the Oracle of God.
Thinking like this is purely pagan in origin and is what creates the Jim Jones, and other false prophets, and teachers we here of today.
I pray, that this one thing, will be what the Post Modern Church will get, that they will finally catch onto, is the elimination of leaders and instead the making of servants and disciples, who are filled with Spirit,and the Wisdom of Christ.
I pray that Jesus Christ must be the central truth and means to salvation, and no not all religion, matter of fact, no religion, leads to God the Father, and that it's not a matter of being an organization that is willing to except anyone for anything they believe, but about being a person, that Christ lives through us, as us and in us, then He can do the soul winning, the drawing all men unto Himself, and we won't have to alienate others, but fact be known, there is no "church" - no ekklesia, without Christ as the central truth, Buddha, Confucious, none of those religions will make the "called out one's of God. They can be drawn in, loved in, and even taught in, but without love, what good is winning someone to a doctrine, rather than a person, and this absolute has to stand, to be called "Christian", Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
When God works, we rest, when we work, He can't and won't rest until we learn to allow Him to take the reigns of all of our life, individually and in community.
Let us in the coming days, not experiment, not create cell churches, not start groups, or even new movements, let us come together as the Early body of Christ did, in harmony, in love and in equality, open to allow the candles to be lit. I believe in my heart, that we could once again, turn the world upside down for Jesus!
Let's quit experimentation, let's abandon dead works, elitist leaders, love of money and power, and let's make Christ and His people- all equal, and love the foundation of all we think and do, and there won't be any need for a new movement, or the emergent church or the old church, there will be Christ! Standing out as a light to the world, and the salt of this earth that every religion can see, and they will be drawn to that light, and desire it above all things, as well.
Doctor J.
Brian McLaren is a leading voice of the Emerging or (Emergent) Church.
He makes a great statement (I am not quoting here but providing to you what I heard him say in a video, imperfectly I might add)
..... "Christianity is the message of reconciliation, Conservative Christians make the message about reconciliation to God, Liberal Christians make the message about reconciliation with others. For Christianity to be the message of reconciliation it must consist of both of these."
Absolutely true.
============================My comment
I love the concept of a Mission centric life in Christ in this age and this time.
We are in one of the great transitions of Society and the World.
The world is getting smaller, and to show a world Jesus Christ will take more than a few out of country missionaries, or church buildings, it will take the entire body of Christ to reach out and touch someone. I am not talking about the Social Gospel, by itself, and I am not talking about Fundalmentalism, but a Christ centered life, that is willing to die to self, even to go to the cross to love all men.
It will take the expressed life of Christ in each of us. Not doctrine, not the Four Spiritual Laws, but the living Christ in us, as us and living through us.
=============================
Brian also provides an illustration for thought on a mission centric life.
Our personal Christian mission is like this, "think of it like a Bicycle, you have to get on the bike and start peddling, God will do the steering in the direction the Bicycle should go." (once again imperfect quoting, just how I heard it)
====Some Thoughts On Hearing Brian McLaren Teach ======================
This is not works based religion, if you know, that all you can do is peddle, it only becomes work based religion when we think we can do the steering as well.
Doesn’t this make sense, when we read, Proverbs, (paraphrased of course)
"Man makes plans, but it is God that gives direction."
We cannot be stagnant individualistic Christians any longer, we must think first of Christianity in reaching others in the terms of the world, then community.
Most of our focus has been on ourselves first and foremost, and that stems from us being raised in an individualistic society.
Yes, our relationship to God is important, but if it excludes others, where is the overall effect in salvation or obedience "to go ye into ALL THE WORLD." However contrary to the idea of just coming along accepting any religion for that matter, we are to preach the Good News, and that Good News is Christ has restored us, and given us life, and we can now live in love, and in peace, joy and righteousness. Religion, all religion, even Christian religion, doesn't have that. Only a life centered in and fellowship with Christ alone has that.
Our Christian life becomes selfish, even narcissistic, and results in an imbalanced Christian, if we say we can only have community with those who “believe’ as we do.
It makes for a church, that is exclusive and judgmental, and powerless. We aren't to exclude the pagan, but we aren't to include them either. We must look at Paul, He first converted the Gentiles, before they could be considered part of the Ekklesia, but He didn't condemn them or win them with an exclusive attitude, He first found common ground with them, then he persuaded them through discussion to Christ as the Way, the Truth and Life. Our problem hasn't been the message and Christ alone, but our problem has been two things, one in it's presentation , and two the most important one, is the contrary lifestyles we live and love others, in direct contradiction to Jesus own teachings, and one of the most important, is non- violence. Conservative Christianity and it's love of Nationalism, Zionism, and it's Western Materialism, is as or even more become more violent then the Protestants can condemn the Catholics in being against, all that opposed them. We have bit off the most important teaching expressed in the life of Christ, and that is to take up your cross and follow me, and take no vengeance, but to love your enemy and do good to those who DESPITEFULLY use you.
I think that falls into the category of radical Muslims as well. Why it is we can love Zionist, who commit autrocities as well, against Palestinian Christians, but not all men, is simply a matter of false doctrines and teachings the traditional church has shoved down the throats of "LAZY" people in the church, mostly religious people, who have spread these like they were the Gospel. They are all lies. God is love. All encompassing love, that sent his Son to die for ALL MEN. Not just Jews, and the Christian Religion, but ALL MEN!
We must be open, to the Father at all times, to teach us, not only in our personal study, but in our encounter with others. Regardless of their present belief system.
We cannot win the world for Christ by saying "ha ha, I am better than you are."
So, I say yes, community is important, whether it be two or three, or more, there should be a reaching out, not in the sense to win someone over to my argument, my theology, my truths, but a living out the truth to others, that my life reflects the generosity, love, compassion, justice and mercy of who I am, Christ in me.... and in you, and in others. A revealing of the "Christ in you," which is " the hope of glory"
We cannot do this alone, we cannot hope to do it alone, thus Christ gave gifts unto all men, so community, the Ekklesia cannot be ignored, it is within the context of that, that true spiritual life can be reflected to the world about us, as each one, reaches out to another, and that one reaches out to another and we all reach out together but we don't lock it behind the closed doors of a building, we openly engage the world about us. This is how the early Christians turned the world upside down. They didn't have to invite someone to church, for they knew they were a candle, but then they could include others from the church, as candles as well to the outside world, knowing that they didn't have all the light to give. Paul and Timothy, are great examples. It wasn't that Paul had anything to teach Timothy, I think there was times, when surely Timothy taught Paul. Paul was always learning and engaging others who were outside of the realm of the church, He engaged the pagans but found common ground, through conversation then won them to truth, by example, a life lived out in the love of Christ within.
In reaching out, to others, we cannot think we hold the corner on truth, the truth be told, if we have Christ, we all have “The Truth.
So if we do not allow others, to speak, is to say we know more then them. This is pride, stubborn, and quite honestly evil in the final outcome.
It is in the context of shared community, that we find, the gifts of each of us, building the body into one, a wholesome union in Christ.
Let me illustrate....if you light one candle and put it in a dark room, only a portion of that room will be lit up, now add another candle, and another, and soon there is enough light to dispel the darkness.
This is why there must be a coming together in common unity under the banner of Christ, not to just sit or be bystanders or be entertained, coaxed, or be an audience, but to be actively engaged, in being one of the candles.
I believe, that we must be open, and forthright, and exercise the love of Christ to obtain that. We have to be open, to the reality, that Christ is in us, as well is he is anyone else in our Christian Community.
If we show any hint, of not listening, and only talking, we shut down, the gift another may have to give us. In the same aspect. We cannot be shut down, to do so, is the same as us, shutting someone else down, we allowed our candle to be snuffed out, and that one little area of the room remains dark and undiscovered to us and to others, either way we go.
The Father designed it that way.
This is why scripture tells us what our coming together is to be like,
“One to Another'”.
Modern church and Pre-Modern Church and going way back to Medieval Church, and back further than that, after the Apostles passed away, men, thought that they knew better and tossed Christ and the Apostolic tradition out the door, for their own traditions.
I blame Martin Luther for the fact that the one man leader idea didn’t get reformed in the Reformation, it just got modified, Pope/Priest to Pastor or Bishop.
I blame Martin Luther for the Sermon. Read up if you would like to know why.
Martin is the one, that said there must be a Sermon at every church meeting. Function is one thing, title and power is another.
Our discovery of walking and abiding in Christ, must be one in which all the candles are allowed to burn, it doesn’t matter the candles beauty, it’s shape, or even it ‘s color, what matters, is that without that one little candle, one area will always remain dark in the room. Thus there is great need, for the body of Christ, when coming together to always be, in Dialegomai-discussion, not argument, on who is right or who is wrong, for each candle has it’s worth, even if it isn’t the prettiest candle or the one we would have chosen to help light the room.
We must be constantly engaged in the "one to another.”
This is why I love the Quaker’s or the old "Orthopraxy" of the Ana Baptist, is the shared responsibility, and the shared importance of each member.
This is what Paul was saying all along, in the book of Corinthians.
How could we as the church so have missed it?
Why, because men, thought they could protect the sacred teachings, instead of the Holy Spirit doing the job, and they stepped in, and the Holy Spirit, was forced out the door. It never was about the written word, it's always been about the Living Word.
The Holy Spirit has been trying to step back in ever since, there as been over the centuries of church history (the main reason most churches don't teach it) one after another, who said, "Wait, I have something to say," and the hierarchy, said, "sit down, be quiet, and learn from me."
Those that refused, were always branded as "heretics," just like Jesus. "Where does this man, get His teaching, isn’t He the carpenter’s Son?"
This is what rattled the Pharisees, the most, is Jesus teaching attracted the crowds, out of love to hear more of what he had to say, and what they could learn, they hungered to learn more of the Father's love, they hungered to engage Jesus, but the Pharisees, had to use fear manipulation and religious power to keep the crowds attention.
They could excommunicate.. been there, I know that one from personal experience!
I think we missed it because of our carnality and being human and always either wanting someone to lead us, instead of being actively engaged, as it is easier, it is lazy, and more often or not it is out of fear. We often fear that others may discover "the real us."
Isn’t that what fellowship with one another is suppose to be all about, is that discovery, so that we can both encourage and rebuke, but in mercy, in compassion, in love. So that each one can grow up in the maturity and fullness of Christ.
It is in the mouth of TWO or more witnesses, that truth is to always be established, this is the lesson from our Father, that He expressed Himself through the Son, and now expresses Himself through each one of us by the Holy Spirit.
Yet there is that relationship with the two always.
Christ neither said or did anything without the Father, and neither should we without the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit is not limited to one man, or one woman.
He is working and speaking through all of us, that are His children now.
No one person has the corner on the Holy Spirit for it is impossible to put the Father in a single container, one man, one woman, and say, there He is.
Pastor worship is fatal to the body and fatal to the Pastor. I can promise you, more assemblies die because of this one thing, and more Pastors quit or are fired because of this one thing, then any other reason.
It all narrows down to who we worship, Christ the Head of the body, or just some foot or toe, of the body.. being a Pastor doesn't make you the head.
This is the grandest error of all. This is what destroys, Pastors, Evangelist, or anyone engaged in ministry, when we begin to think the adoration is deserved, and expected.
Church, as it is in most churches, is the opposite of community, except in the things that don’t matter, this is the grand error, of church hierarchy, and tradition. It's alright to share the babysitting, the Sunday School room, the meal, the cooking, the outward mission to get members, but don't you dare ask to share the teaching, preaching or the curriculum. This is why Sunday School lessons must be organized, or directed, or decided upon by "the leadership."
Any thing other is a threat to the Pastor and to the Hierarchy.
It is the antithesis of every thing, that is Christ like, or even Apostolic.
There will always be those that will want to lead, but what about the church giving this a try - "We have no leader but Jesus Christ," and we humble ourselves to admit, that we are but one candle, in a dark room, we don’t have all the answers and we sure don’t have all the light needed to light up the room. Bring on the candles! A single candle will burn out a lot quicker then several lit at intervals.
It is when as a Pastor, or leader, we step down, and humble ourselves, to accept not a role as leader, but as servant, and allow others to be the same, that the whole room will get light.
In other words the entire community of believers, and the world around them can be lit by the fire of God, and the Holy Spirit can do His grandest work.
So what am I saying here, I am saying what Paul, said. Who is Paul, Who is Apollos, - who is the Pastor?
We can say we depend on the Father to be what we must be to the congregation, but can we say, I will depend on the Father to be what the congregation is to be.
We don’t most often because we fear, we anguish and worst than that, sometimes we are too proud to relinquish our phylactery, or robes, and tassels, to step down, and say, "look, I don’t have anything more than you, I don’t have the corner on truth, we together are here in the presence of The Truth and as a whole, He is the truth, and we will rely on Him."
Let us no longer, shut the grand doors of the gate, of the communion of believers coming together in fellowship, and let us quit telling the Holy Spirit, He will have to wait outside, until the service is over, or He can come in, as long, as you follow my directions, my program, my doctrine, my creeds, my belief system, my, my, my.... the "my" is what is killing the body and the long run will kill you.
Can’t we see, how in doing this, we have now stood in the place of God, declaring ourselves to be God, when all along, He is sitting there in the congregation before you, and in you, waiting, waiting, for us as Pastors to sit down and shut up, and listen...
We might just light another candle in the darkroom and then a whole bunch of candles get lit on fire by a sharing of the flame of the work of the Holy Spirit in each persons life.
I say, yes there is a time for teaching, or preaching but it must be a group decision, once the candles know how to burn on their own, but this doesn’t mean all we do is talk , we teach in the same manner Jesus did.
Jesus gave a story, He then would ask questions, then he would engage in conversation, and seeds were planted. - Thanks Brian for that one.
How can a Pastor or anyone learn, if we don’t hear. If all we do, is listen to our own taped sermon, or our own voice, to see how grand we sound, or persuasive, we miss out, on what was received, from what we said.
We wonder, why when we have worked so hard to deliver a SERMON, that seems to us, should effect everyone and we believe that it expresses the heart of God, that the body, sits there half asleep, half engaged in what is said, and half listening.
Ask most people when they leave, what the sermon, was about, they will tell you, "I don't know, but it was good."
We would never sit still for a college class where question aren’t asked, and answers given, and there is an exchange between students in Professors, why do we think that the Father would design fellowship to be ‘sit there be quiet, don’t ask questions."
This is not the way Jesus engaged the world or His own disciples. He engaged them into conversation, thought, questions, and conversation.
Jesus would start with a story an illustration.
The best teachers are one’s that give an illustration- a story, then ask questions of the pupils, then allows for conversation, to allow the seeds of truth to sink in.
Revelational truth that only the Holy Spirit can provide each of us is what truly teaches us.
Authoritarian teaching, teaches nothing but authority, engaged conversation teaches love.
You would be amazed at how much, so many of the saints you thought less of, in the assembly, that perhaps had more insight, more spiritual awareness, more growth, even then yourself at times. I speak that from former house church and organic fellowship experience.
The call for the Post Modern church is this, for it’s leaders for once to be real servants, and learn to listen, to shut up when necessary, and open the doors to others to speak, to teach, to preach, to sing, whatever the Holy Spirit would desire to do, within the context of reason and order.
I don’t believe in a bunch of chaos, but when organic church is practiced, it rarely happens, this is where, anyone of a group of people, not just the Pastor, can put the brakes on if led by the Spirit of God to do so.
I think scripture makes it clear, that more than one can prophesy, I am not talking about what is defined as Charismatic prophesying, but what is defined by scripture, "The Spirit of Prophecy, IS THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST"....that’s why I love God’s Word, is that you will find order in it, that is clearly spelled out, if we will only look for God’s definitions in it, and not our own.
Let each one speak, the other sit down, and let the others judge. This is not a verbal bout, over whether it was right or wrong. It is the asking what was said encouraging, correcting, or teaching on our testimony of Jesus Christ, then it should be judged quietly by each heart, and then if someone has something to say, let them speak, let them engage on what was said, how it effected them.
Did it harm, then say so, did it encourage, then say so, did it correct us, then say so, did it give us a teaching, then say it and share it.
Was it in line with the Father of all Love and Creation. If the body has the Holy Spirit, and they are truly the body, there will be no bickering, no condemning, no putting down of others, but all will be done in love.
This is where the Holy Spirit will use someone I promise to speak out and say so, and it will be in union with what the Holy Spirit is saying in the others hearts as well. Do we trust Him?
Oh, what if I have a song to sing? Can I sing it, from my heart?
This is the big question for the Pastor and the Body to ask themselves,
Do we trust the Holy Spirit to be what Jesus said He would be, that He would guide us into all truth. He would speak of Jesus. Isn't that what we come together for, is to see the reality of a Resurrected Jesus, in each of us?
I can promise you, I have more than once tolerated sermons, and speakers, who were both off Scripture by a mile, and harmed more than they won over anyone with love.
Why? No one dared challenge, them, they are the “PASTOR”.
The man of God, the man with the Oracle of God.
Thinking like this is purely pagan in origin and is what creates the Jim Jones, and other false prophets, and teachers we here of today.
I pray, that this one thing, will be what the Post Modern Church will get, that they will finally catch onto, is the elimination of leaders and instead the making of servants and disciples, who are filled with Spirit,and the Wisdom of Christ.
I pray that Jesus Christ must be the central truth and means to salvation, and no not all religion, matter of fact, no religion, leads to God the Father, and that it's not a matter of being an organization that is willing to except anyone for anything they believe, but about being a person, that Christ lives through us, as us and in us, then He can do the soul winning, the drawing all men unto Himself, and we won't have to alienate others, but fact be known, there is no "church" - no ekklesia, without Christ as the central truth, Buddha, Confucious, none of those religions will make the "called out one's of God. They can be drawn in, loved in, and even taught in, but without love, what good is winning someone to a doctrine, rather than a person, and this absolute has to stand, to be called "Christian", Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
When God works, we rest, when we work, He can't and won't rest until we learn to allow Him to take the reigns of all of our life, individually and in community.
Let us in the coming days, not experiment, not create cell churches, not start groups, or even new movements, let us come together as the Early body of Christ did, in harmony, in love and in equality, open to allow the candles to be lit. I believe in my heart, that we could once again, turn the world upside down for Jesus!
Let's quit experimentation, let's abandon dead works, elitist leaders, love of money and power, and let's make Christ and His people- all equal, and love the foundation of all we think and do, and there won't be any need for a new movement, or the emergent church or the old church, there will be Christ! Standing out as a light to the world, and the salt of this earth that every religion can see, and they will be drawn to that light, and desire it above all things, as well.
Doctor J.
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