Give unto Barry?

"Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” He saw through their duplicity and said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent." Luke 20:20-28

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" Matthew 25:34-40

It is often taught by Statists that Jesus was for paying taxes and his statement, "Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's" is a statement supporting higher taxes. It is nothing of the sort, clearly. Jesus was simply stating that we should do what we are required and pay what we are supposed to pay to the government. He never advocated paying more, and he didn't advocate government intervention in helping the poor. Jesus advocated individual intervention in helping the poor. He said each individual will be judged on how they treat and serve those less fortunate than themselves. When we help the poor, (with a proper attitude I might add) it is considered a righteous act in the sight of the Lord. When we do not, the scripture goes on, we are not considered righteous in the sight of the Lord.

Now there is this notion out there of "Collective Salvation" that I'm not really going to get into in great detail. (If you want to know more about it, listen to Glenn Beck) But this idea drives the Statist. The Statist believes that if, as a people, we give more to the government, the government can do what is right (laughable) and help the needy and then we all are "saved" collectively. This teaching is from Satan. It is designed to lead astray those with "good" hearts who don't really want to change. There is a clear path to salvation, and that is through Jesus. (John 14:6) Any other teaching, merely leads people astray.

Finally, I'll say this. I think that if we as a people (and Churches in particular) did a better job of helping the poor and needy, there wouldn't be a need for government involvement in helping the poor. There would be no government Welfare program because local churches would be providing that service. We wouldn't need Food Stamps, because Churches would be providing that service. The government would automatically be smaller which would mean there are more private sector jobs and opportunities for entrepreneurship, meaning less poor people. Why do we have the Federal Government involved in education? When parents couldn't teach their children back in the 1600's, community schoolhouses developed. When these didn't do their job, local government had to intervene. When this didn't work, regional governments got involved until you get to the point where we are spending trillions of taxpayer dollars on something that should be taken care of by parents. Because we have failed to do what we are supposed to, we have the Federal Government involved in every aspect of our lives instead of the limited role the founders had assigned to it. Why was this necessary? We didn't do our job as a people, and got bailed out by an ever increasing government. When people don't do what they are supposed to, government is usually seen as the solution, instead of the real solution: God. Then instead of worshipping the Creator, we start worshipping the government that we created out of our own laziness and irresponsibility. Americans need to again be responsible, get back to worshipping God and tell the government, "Thanks but no thanks. I created this mess, I can get myself out of it."

I just found this guy, and he's like an Alfonzo Rachel/Steven Crowder hybrid, but his videos are actually better.

Spiritual Encouragement

I've had a rough week at work, surrounded by two extremely encouraging weekends. This weekend coming up, we'll be going to the Texas Christian Conference put together by the Greater Houston Church. It should be an awesome weekend. I'm real excited to hear Gordon Ferguson speak. I've never heard him speak before, but I have a couple of his books. I've also heard great things about Sam Powell, and he will be one of the other guest speakers. We will also be making a trip down to Galveston to check out Moody Gardens. I'm pretty excited about the whole trip.

This past weekend, we had Dr. John Oakes from San Diego come to Austin. He was teaching from his book on Daniel, available at www.ipibooks.com. On Friday evening he talked about the portions of Daniel dealing with Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Nebuchadnezzar. Saturday, he dealt more with the prophecy, or what he called, (I'm paraphrasing) "The accurate history of the future". Daniel predicts accurately the history of Middle East for the next 600+ years. He predicts the Median/Persian Empire's defeat of Babylon, the divided nature of the Empire, and that the weaker part of the Empire (Persia) would become the stronger part of the Empire. He also prophesied the Greek defeat of Persia and the division into four portions of the Greek Empire after the death of Alexander the Great. He also predicted that one of the four, (the Ptolemaic Dynasty in Egypt) would grow another Kingdom. (The Seleucids) Daniel also predicts with accuracy the time of the coming of the Messiah into Jerusalem. He predicts the persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Domitian, predicting that Domitian would overthrow three Roman Emperors, (Otho, Galba and Vitellius) and change set times and laws. Domitian changed the names of the months of September and October to Germanicus and Domitianius after his own names. He also changed the Roman laws significantly. These were changed back promptly after his death.

Daniel also predicts two Desolations that cause Abomination. The first is the desecration of the Jewish temple by Antiochus Epiphanes who sacrificed pigs in the temple, splatter the blood of pigs on the walls and put up a statue of Zeus with his own face. (Antiochus) The second was the destruction and subsequent desecration of the Jewish temple in 70 AD by General Titus (brother of Domitian and Emperor before Domitian) ending forever the sacrifices and traditions of the old covenant.

There were so many other great moments from the past weekend, but what really stuck with me more than anything else, was that God is in control. Dr. Oakes asked those of us who were in the class: "Who believes that God was in control?" Of course everyone raised their hand, but he asked, "Do you always believe that?" This made me think. It's very easy to believe that God is in control when things are going well. But when things are bad, when you're having a hard time, God is STILL in control. When you look at the lives of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego you see their fervent belief that God is in control. Total control, whether things are good or bad. (from our perspective)

After midweek last night, I was forced to remember this, and it put my bad Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday into perspective, and made me remember that God IS in control. I'm looking forward to this weekend and tons of spiritual encouragement.

More Bumper Stickers

I saw this bumper sticker recently and it really ticked me off. I've recently seen some funny (contradictory) combinations, but this one just burns me up. It's not the first time I've seen the sticker either.

It goes: "Jesus was a community organizer, Pilate was a governor".

Now let's start with defining what the sticker was talking about. Barack Obama was a community organizer and Sarah Palin is a governor. So this is comparing Barack Obama to the Messiah, Jesus Christ and Sarah Palin to Pontius Pilate, the governor who authorized his crucifixion. There are serious problems with this analogy however. This also compares Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, FDR, Kathleen Sebelius, Bill Richardson and many other heroes from the left to Pontius Pilate.

Now let's get to the real point. Calling Jesus a community organizer is like calling WWII a small regional conflict. But it's more than that. Jesus never really did any 'community organizing'. Jesus was king, teacher, prophet, exorcist, healer, spiritual guide and carpenter. (among other things) Jesus taught many, trained twelve and intensely trained three men; Peter, James and John, teaching them everything. But, most importantly, who was and is Jesus? Jesus was not a community organizer, HE IS A KING! But not just any king, he is a right-wing extremist king. Now he is the only right-wing extremist leader who has been able to successfully balance love and compassion with his right-wing extremism, but you can't debate the teachings.

"For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20)

"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell." (Matthew 5:21-22)

"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28)

"It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery." (Matthew 5:31-32)

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19:21)

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." (Matthew 6:24)

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matthew 7:21-23)

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26-27)

Jesus has very high standards. He is King, and failure to comply with his precepts has severe eternal consequences. He loves everyone, but will not fail to reject those who do not measure up to his standards. But getting back to the real point of this post, Jesus was not a community organizer, and calling him one is insulting.

The Heart

This started as a comment at Stan Rosenthal's blog, and then began taking a life of its own, so I decided to post it here. Stan said; “Organized religion is a farce.” After reading this comment, I began writing:

I agree slightly with your premise. (Organized religion is a farce) When religious groups begin making rules and regulations outside of what the bible says, they begin entering into dangerous territory. The Pharisees did this (and most religious groups today do it) and it is what kept them from the true point of religion, which is to draw people closer to God; to love God and others. By creating external laws outside of what is taught in the bible, religious groups create more obstacles to what is truly important; love. If we become so focused on following rules, we don't get to the heart, which is what God really wants. But if our heart is a heart that loves and wants to please God, we will follow the rules automatically. We'll still sin, because we're sinners, but most of the time we'll follow God's commands without trying.

If we love God more than anything else, and focus on Him, we won't worship idols or use His name in vain.

If we rid ourselves of anger and malice, and focus on peace and love, we will not murder.

If we rid ourselves of greed and envy, and focus on gratitude for what we have, we will not steal or covet.

If we rid ourselves of lust, and focus on purity, we will not commit adultery.

Now for most people, the commands may not be too difficult to follow, but the heart behind them is. The commands are supposed to be boundaries, but the focus too often is on staying within the boundaries. We shouldn't focus on staying in the boundaries. We should focus on walking in the footsteps of Jesus. If we get too close to the boundaries we need a serious heart check. If we're walking in Jesus' footsteps we'll never get close to the boundaries.

But getting back to the comment about organized religion being a farce. If religion doesn't focus on God's Word as its standard for Christianity, it is a farce. If it places more emphasis on staying within certain boundaries than it does on walking with Jesus, then it is a farce. If it creates rules and traditions which supersede the Word of God, then it is a farce.

But religion which has a goal of bringing the members of The Body closer to Christ, in an environment with a primary goal of worshiping God, growing in knowledge and wisdom and knowing nothing more important than; " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' " (Luke10:27) , that religion is no farce.

Test me Lord

Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth. (Psalm 26:1-3)

A few weeks ago, Jakob Jukovski came from Tel Aviv to preach here in Austin. He is originally from the former Soviet Union (either Russia or the Ukraine, I'm not sure) and moved to Israel a few years ago. Though he claimed his English wasn't that good, it was very good in my opinion. He also had insights into the Hebrew mind. He talked about how important genealogy, like the one in Matthew 1 is. Genealogy to the Jew is like having a passport or driver's license. It's ID. The scripture that he used that really struck me though is the one above from Psalm 26. What was David's relationship with God like that he asked to be tested? I can't remember ever asking God to test me. I've asked God to STOP testing me. But to say to God, "Father, I want to prove to you that I love you. Please, test me. I want to be sure, and want you to be sure, that my love for you is pure." Well, I've never prayed that prayer. I'm not sure I really want to. I'd like to be able to someday. But I feel like I've been tested for the past few years since I've moved to the Austin area. I feel like I'm done being tested. Surely, I need to be tested again, but I'd like a little break...please.

Jakob shared how this scripture moved him, and he prayed this prayer. Well, he got the test. His apartment in Tel Aviv burned down. They lost everything except their lives. But like God proves time and time again, He will work through tragedy. We just have to let Him. I just hope I can get to that mindset someday soon. Thanks Jakob, you're a true hero in the faith! And thanks be to God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom all things are possible! Give me this kind of heart Father, and to You be the glory!

Three Woes for Babylon, by Andy Confer

Andy’s book, Three Woes for Babylon: Revelation the Same, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, is excellent for anyone new to the book of Revelation, as well as those who’ve read many commentaries on Revelation. While delving into the hidden points that can be difficult to understand, (or even notice) buried in the scriptures, Andy never forgets what is truly important about Revelation or any other book of the Bible. What is the core of Revelation? What did John attempt to communicate to those who were to receive this wonderful revelation of encouragement? What did God want to communicate to every disciple from the late first century, to today, until the Day of the Return of our Lord? So many books on Revelation will break down the scriptures in an impractical or inaccurate fashion. Andy’s exegesis gives the reader insight without confusion. He does not; “Miss the forest for the trees”. The trees are lovely, and we should examine them, but not at the expense of admiring the beautiful forest that is Revelation.

If you have never studied Revelation, you will get a great deal out of this book as Andy explains some of the finer mysteries of John’s Apocalypse. If you’ve read many commentaries on Revelation, you will almost certainly discover something you’ve never read or noticed before. Not only does Andy look at the symbolic and historical aspects of this great work, he makes the scriptures relevant to the reader. Whether you are a layman or a scholar, there is something new for you to discover. This book also addresses some of the alternative viewpoints on Revelation, and makes an excellent case as to why the ‘Mainstream’ theories on Revelation are inaccurate, or just plain false. Andy speaks to a number of the false doctrines that Denominational ‘Christianity’ has inaccurately derived from passages in Revelation, as well as scriptures which are inappropriately fused with other scriptures in the Bible. Andy does not mince words, and writes with a conviction that has been forged over decades of dedicated service to the Lord.

After spending many years working on this book, Andy has compiled a commentary which not only addresses the details of Revelation, but also seriously and clearly discusses what is truly important about this beautiful work of God. After you finish reading, you will understand what God really meant for you to understand, and you will discover many wonderful and fascinating details along the way.

Baptism: Condition of Grace

I hope to be able to properly address the question about: "What is a condition of grace?"

God pours out his grace freely to those willing to accept Jesus as the "way and the truth and the life". (John 14:6) However, believing is not enough. The condition is baptism. Much like if you were given a very large check, but you had to go to the bank to receive it; action is required. Belief alone does not get you all the way there. As Jesus' brother James says; 'I will show you my faith by what I do' (James 2:18) and, 'faith without deeds is dead'. (James 2:26) Simply believing is not enough, your actions should confirm your belief.

While there are a great many scriptures which speak to our salvation being by grace, there are also a number which say that our sins are washed away at baptism. How do we reconcile this? Well, both are true! It is only because of God's grace that we can be saved! We deserve death as a punishment for our sins. However, through Jesus, we can be reconciled to and enter into a relationship with God. If we have faith that Jesus is the Messiah who died for our sins, and then are baptized, our sins will be washed away. Many people will call this a 'work', but I'd have to disagree.

As Gordon Ferguson states in his book Romans: The Heart Set Free (pg 86) the basis of forgiveness is the blood of Jesus, and the condition is baptism. We are saved by grace through the blood of Jesus; this is the basis. The condition to accepting God's grace is baptism. If someone writes you a check and tells you to pick it up at the bank, is it really 'work' to go to the bank and pick it up? Or as Ferguson points out, would you brag to people about 'how hard you worked'? Or would you say, 'I received this check by grace, all I had to do was drive to the bank and pick it up!" I think it's clear that the check is received by grace and not works. But it does take faith and action to go to receive that check just as it takes faith and action to be baptized; "in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins." (Acts 2:38)

I believe the entire (or at least most of the ) problem with the watering down (no pun intended, well initially at least) of baptism is that interpreters of the scriptures have forgotten, disregarded or not paid attention to the original context of the scriptures. It has been said, though I'm not sure by whom, "Scripture can never mean what it never meant." The point is, it can't mean something to us that it didn't mean to the original hearers. God knew that we would be reading Paul's letters to Corinth, Rome, Ephesus, etc. but it DID have meaning to them as well. It wasn't written solely for us. What good would that be to those Christians, and how would that encourage them? Along those lines, if Paul is writing to Christians who have already been baptized, would he really need to go into the details of baptism? It is highly doubtful.

Much like Jesus' rebuke of the CHURCH in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) was written to Christians and not non-believers, Paul's letters to Rome, Corinth, Thessalonica, etc. were written to Christians. They may have been children who still needed spiritual milk, but they had already been born again. (John 3:3, 5-7) There was no need for Paul to discuss how one became a Christian, but discussion was necessary as to how one STAYED a Christian. (Paul did bring up baptism throughout some of his letters, but it wasn't a focal point) Paul emphasized grace because the Judaizers were emphasizing observance of the Mosaic Law as necessary for salvation. He was reminding them that death came by the law, and salvation came by God's grace, and observing the Jewish Law would not, and could not save them, but would instead condemn them. He did not need to focus on baptism, because it was moot, as his audience had already been baptized.


Here are a few scriptures which address baptism as a CONDITION of salvation:

"And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name" (Acts 22:16)
Paul is recounting his conversion experience. Paul's sins were washed away at baptism.

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Galatians 3:26-27)
Paul reminding the Galatian churches that they were clothed with Christ (saved) at baptism.

"In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead." (Colossians 2:11-12)
Paul telling the church in Colossae that they died to their former life and were raised to a new life during baptism.

"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7)
Paul tells Titus that we are saved; "through the washing of rebirth" (baptism)

"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him." (1 Peter 3:18-22)
Here Peter says that the flood of Noah's day symbolized the water of baptism. As the Great Flood purged the world of sin, so does baptism (through faith in Jesus, by the power of God and by His grace) cleanse the individual of sin.

Thanks for help on this post go to Gordon Ferguson (who I've yet to meet, but will certainly someday) and his book; Romans: The Heart Set Free and convesations with my friend Andy Confer as well as his book; Three Woes For Babylon: Revelation; the Same Yesterday, Today and Forever of which I have an advance copy.

Refined by Fire

"But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver."
(Malachi 3:2-3a)

The brother who preached at church today finished out his sermon by mentioning this scripture and the one at the end of my blog post. He was in the ministry for 15 years and while he was in the ministry this scripture came up during a bible discussion. A sister at that discussion decided to make an appointment with a silversmith to get some insight into this. She didn't tell him why she wanted to see his work other than general interest. The silversmith explained to her that you have to hold the silver in the hottest part of the fire to make sure all of the impurities are burned off. You have to watch it carefully however, because you can ruin it if it isn't in the hottest part of the fire. Also if you aren't careful, and keep it in the fire too long, you will destroy the silver as well as burning off the impurities. She asked him; "If you can't keep it in too long, how do you know when it's ready?" He replied; "When I can see my reflection in it."

Isn't this how God treats his children? He holds us in the hottest parts of the fire, not to hurt us, but to purify us. It's certainly not easy for us, but God is right there, watching, feeling the heat as well, and making sure we are right where we need to be, until He can see Himself in us. This world brings trials, but God does not disappoint us. He is always there, always caring, always watching, allowing us to go through trials, yet keeping His eyes on us the whole time, purifying us. The purification process is not always pleasant, but it is good. I have been feeling this heat of purification for awhile now. I need to be reminded (and was today) that God is always there, always watching. He is making sure we are right where we need to be, to eventually show His likeness in ourselves. I need to remember that Abraham waited until he was as good as dead (from Hebrews 11:12) to receive the son God promised him. Moses spent 80 years away from the palace that he could have lived in, and 40 years in the desert leading God's people to the Promised Land that he would never enter. David, who spent his whole life fighting for God, would never see the temple that he planned feverishly for. These men (and many other men and women in the bible) never saw, or waited a VERY long time to see, what God really had in store for them. But they trusted that God knew what He was doing, and that the trials they endured were God's plan for their life, even if they struggled through it. The next time you are fighting through a difficult challenge in your life, remember that God is there, watching carefully. Making sure you are right where you need to be. Hopefully you'll be able to say as Paul did shortly before his death:

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Slavery

This post is a response to Diana's question about the slavery portion of Exodus directly preceding the scripture I quoted in response to Reck's question on my Personhood Colorado post. The scipture she referred to was; Exodus 21:20-21. I will start by saying this: I don't believe it is God's desire for men to own slaves, however, it is not sinful. It is not God's desire for a man to have more than one wife, however that is not sinful either. Everyone in the bible I can think of who had more than one wife had issues because of it. Similarly, slavery was permitted, yet probably wasn't a good idea.

I would argue however, that Israel took far better care of their slaves than most other (if not all) ancient peoples because of scriptures like that one (Exodus 21:20-21) as well as:


"If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, sells himself to you and serves you six years, in the seventh year you must let him go free. And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed. Supply him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today." (Deuteronomy 15:12-15)

"If a slave has taken refuge with you, do not hand him over to his master. Let him live among you wherever he likes and in whatever town he chooses. Do not oppress him." (Deuteronomy 23:16)


"Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this." (Deuteronomy 24:17-18)

Now there are many, many more scriptures which refer to how Israel was to treat slaves, foreigners, servants, etc. The heart of God was that all people should be treated well. Were slaves property? Yes. The Israelites were reminded MANY times that at one time, THEY were the property of the Egyptians, and that they needed to remember that when they dealt with their own slaves.


Where does this go to? A better question may be, what is the point of the Old Testament and its teachings? The purpose of the Old Testament was to proclaim the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. It is also the story of God's relationship with his Kingdom, primarily the physical kingdom of Israel. I would have to write many books to go into all of the intricacies of the Old Testament and how they play out into God's Spiritual Kingdom that began around 33 AD. (Indeed, many have been written)

Actual slavery is a metaphor for our slavery to sin. When we are not in a relationship with God, we are slaves to Satan and this world. When we ARE in a relationship with God, when we have been washed of our sins through the blood of Christ, then we are no longer in slavery. Just as Israel's captors were washed away and defeated in the waters of the Red Sea, so is Satan defeated and our sin washed away in the waters of baptism. When Israel crossed through the Red Sea they were freed from slavery, but had a new perspective on slavery that they needed to be reminded of. A Christian needs to be reminded of his/her former life of slavery to sin, and look compassionately on those still in sin. However, those in sin are not God's people, as their sins separate them from God. This doesn't mean that God doesn't love them. It does mean that they are lost in sin, and need salvation. They need to be set free.


Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy have the rules that God set out for His physical Kingdom on Earth; Israel. Because they were his chosen people, sin could not be among them, and the penalties for sin had to be swift and harsh. Sin not only separates the individual from God, but unchecked can destroy the entire Kingdom. Because the physical Kingdom of Israel no longer exists today, things have changed, slightly. We are not under law, but under grace. That does not mean, however that we can 'sin it up'. (Romans 6:1-2) We need to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. We need to rid our lives of all sin. To bring this to a close, as this has gotten longer than I intended (it was intended to be a comment) those in slavery to sin are separated from God, and will not see heaven. Those who have been freed from slavery WILL see heaven. If God chooses to reward and treat as better those who are not slaves in this more perfect Spiritual Kingdom, then why would he have not treated his chosen people Israel, better than those who were their slaves?

Who is this Jesus?

See, my servant will act wisely;
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
Just as there were many who were appalled at him-
his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man
and his form marred beyond human likeness—

so will he sprinkle many nations,
and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see,
and what they have not heard, they will understand.


Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

This Jesus bore the sin of the world so that we do not have to die an eternal death. He paid the price though we did not deserve it. Still, to those called by God, we are worth the sacrifice of Jesus in the eyes of God the Father. Jesus was mocked, ridiculed, persecuted, beaten beyond recognition as anything human and tortured to death on a cross while bearing the pain of being separated from Our Father at his weakest moment. He was fully human and fully God. Because of His love for us, he suffered a pain that no one can imagine, and did it willingly for our sakes. Praise be to God through Jesus Christ his Son!

Discipleship

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." (1 Peter 5:8-9)


I just read a book again that I hadn't read in a long time. It's called The Lion Never Sleeps, by Mike Taliaferro. Mike now leads our sister church in San Antonio (where Carmen and I became Christians), the Mission Point Christian Church. But for a long time he lead churches in Brazil and Africa. The point of the book (which is a quick read but impacting nevertheless) is that as a Christian, you are going to face attacks from Satan. If we are not prepared, we are easy prey for Satan. When lions attack, they look for the weak animal, the animal that strays from the herd, the old or the injured animal. They know that if they are injured during the hunt they could die.

Satan is compared many times throughout the bible to a Lion. He is hunting, looking for those Christians who are not close to their bible, not close to God in prayer, not close to other Christians and those who have weak convictions. He wants the easy target. When someone is a new Christian, Satan is even more alert, looking for the opportunity to find that new Christian that strays from the herd so he can destroy their faith, tempting them with a taste of their old life before their convictions are too strong. Mike says in far more eloquent fashion how Satan can attack, using real stories of lion attacks in Africa, as well as real stories of how Satan has attacked Christians. He tells how some have been destroyed because of the attacks, and also, how some have won the victory in Jesus.

This video shows lions in attack, and a very lucky buffalo narrowly escaping with the help of the herd.

California, RINO's and the Demise of Democracy

Linda mentioned this, and while I considered posting about it, I wasn't sure. Honestly, part of me didn't want to touch this subject which is why most conservatives probably stayed away from it. The only conservative talk show host that I know touched on it was Michael Savage, though others might have commented on this subject. I had another post in my head a few days ago, but since my internet was down for a few days, I never did post on it. Anyway, I don't have anything else, so I'll post on this.

Secular Commentary:

In California, where liberalism is alive and well, the supreme court overturned a ballot initiative which defined marriage as between a man and a woman. This initiative had been passed by 61%. Not 51-49, but 61-39 a fairly large margin, especially in a liberal state like California. The voters of California said resoundingly that marriage should be between a man and a woman, and I wholeheartedly agree. Now before the leftists label me a cold-hearted hate-monger, let me say that I do believe that in the United States, the free nation that it is, there should be allowances made that provide for EQUAL protection under the law. Meaning that there should be recognition of relationships as a legal contract between two individuals if they so choose. Two men or two women who have committed themselves to each other for life should be allowed to give powers of attorney, medical decisions, life insurance etc. to each other. Every American should have the freedom to designate another person of their choosing as their 'significant other'. However, having civil unions is not the same as marriage. I truly believe that marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman.

Religious Commentary:

There is significant religious and historical precedent for marriage being a union between a man and a woman. I don't know of any major world religion which would sanction marriage between two persons of the same sex. It could be argued that there are 'Christian' churches which are doing this, but they are spitting on God if they are sanctioning these 'marriages' and claiming to be 'Christian'. If they claim to follow the bible, they need to rip out a few scriptures; Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and probably others that I can't think of right now.

A big deal was made about a US soldier shooting a Koran recently. It made me think of something that I will eventually use as an illustration for a bible study one day. My wife told me about a campus bible talk she attended where the brother leading the talk started ripping pages out of one of his older bibles. Some people were aghast, but really if you are not following the bible, it is just another book, like the Koran, or Aesop's Fables, you might as well rip out the pages you don't like. It has no meaning if you don't put it into practice. When 'Christians' sanction marriage that is in direct opposition to the bible, they are saying that the bible is not the Word of God, but merely a book with 'some good principles'. I believe that the bible is the inspired Word of God (2 Tim 3:16) which is living and active. (Hebrews 4:12) This being the case, I have to say that as a Christian, I am against same-sex marriage. This is not in a holier-than-thou sense because I recognize that I am a sinner. Homosexuality is not a sin I struggle with, but I do struggle with other sins. As a sinner, I have compassion on others who are in sin and instead of passing judgment as most Christians do, (even those I'd call real Christians) I'd like to say to those who struggle with the sin of homosexuality; "Let me show you God's way, let me help you to repent."

Getting back to the secular part of my post, I'd say that activist judges need to be stopped and Arnold Schwarzenegger needs to be recalled the way Gray Davis was. The 'Governator' has done a worse job managing the state of California (if that is possible) and has driven it further to the left. Now the 'Republican appointed' Supreme Court has told the citizens of California, 'Screw You! We'll do what we want (and what the far-left extremists tell us to do). Activist judges are the reason for this ruling, for Roe v. Wade, for rulings against illegal immigration etc. The courts are destroying America, and have overstepped their mandate as outlined in the Constitution. But then again, the Legislative and Executive branches have as well. Maybe someday we'll get our country back.

Faith

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1)

It's interesting how Satan attacks us right after we have a 'mountaintop experience'. When Elijah was raining fire (really God, through Elijah) on the prophets of Baal, he was experiencing an amazing amount of God's power. Yet, right after that he was running for his life from Jezebel, hiding in a cave. Yesterday, Carmen and I shared for communion at church. I'm not sure how well it went, even though Carmen and I had lots of compliments, but I'll listen to it in the next few days. But I felt really good about how it went. My prayer was that it would be encouraging, and go well with the rest of the service. It actually fit very well with the service. No one told us what to share, but God gives us the direction. Carmen talked about her life up until studying the Bible and becoming a Christian, and I shared about our baptism, and the peace I felt afterward. It was a good experience, and I felt good afterward and in the days leading up to it as I was preparing my thoughts.

But Satan had other plans. Those 'mountaintop experiences' are when he likes to attack. He sees us doing well, and he can't have that. The bottom line is that I had a terrible day today, one of the worst I've had in a long time. It followed a week where I was feeling so in step with the Spirit, and I could see God's blessings right in front of me. God takes care of those who love Him, and I know this. We have had a challenging last 3 or 4 months. We have been in a tough financial situation which has forced me to put school on hold. I have been waiting for a response from the Army as I am planning on going back onto Active Duty. I believe wholeheartedly that this is God's plan for our family, but it is taking too long for my liking. We have continued to get by (barely), but we have received a lot of help. While I have been struggling, God put the ultimate signature on His assistance this week. I was riding high and thinking even though this is a tough situation, God is right here with me. Well, I had a big helping of Satan slapping me in the face today, and it took most of the day to get over it.

But I have to go back to my faith in God. Satan tried to shake my faith, but I know what God's promises are, and God does not disappoint, no matter how much Satan tries to convince us otherwise. I have to go back to the Bible to straighten my head out, and here are some scriptures that usually encourage me in times of trouble.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. " (Ephesians 6:11-18)

"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." (Revelation 19:11-16)

Oprah's Church

"In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (2Timothy 4:1-5)


I'm going to start this by saying that I respect Oprah on many levels. She is one of the few liberals who actually does a lot to give back. She backs up what she believes in by using what she has worked hard for to give back to those who are less fortunate. However, I have to disagree with this. My wife found out about her 'church' and brought it to my attention.




It is no church at all really, but teachings of YOU being God. I really try to tell myself that the times we are living in aren't the literal last days. I know that in God's mind it has been the last days since Jesus was on the earth. But it almost seems like the end will be soon. I know it could be in 10,000 years, but it could be tomorrow. Times are getting scary. America is the last best hope for the world, but it is crumbling internally. Our 'culture' is trying to destroy God. If we make ourselves out to be God, there will be no moral law left. If we are God, who is to stop us from doing whatever we want?


The concept is ridiculous really. If we are God, then how did the universe come to be? Is the universe and all of its perfection the result of an accident? The number of accidents necessary for life to exist on earth are just unimaginable. It has been compared to shooting an arrow at a target on the other side of the universe, and hitting the target...blindfolded. It's quite simply not possible without God. If there is no God, then what was happening before the Big Bang? Was all matter in the entire universe being contained in a tiny speck the size of an atom with nothing to hold it together? Then for some reason it is released and it forms a system that has order and physical laws that can't be broken? (except by the Writer of the laws) If you examine the world around you and the universe, the only logical conclusion is that it was created by God. A God who loves every person, even those who don't love Him. In fact, it is preposterous to believe that it happened by accident.

Oprah comments in the video that she didn't like her preacher when she was 27 or 28 saying that God is a jealous God. Well, yes Oprah, God is a jealous God, but you need to understand the context of when God says this, and what He is referring to. He is not jealous of YOU. He is jealous of other gods. All of the scriptures that refer to God being a jealous God refer to Him being jealous of idols and other gods, not men. (or women) Look how much God loves you. He created everything in the Universe, and the things in this world that are special to you so that you would see how much He loves you. When you worship other gods, He becomes jealous of that. He wants your love in return, and He deserves it.

The Greatest Commandment

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

Leadership Roles

This originally started as a comment on ReckNHavic's blog, but I realized it was more of a post, so I'm using it here. Reck posted about his grandma, and how she had to step up as a boy scout leader, because there weren't any men in their town who were willing to lead a scout troop with blacks in it. It reminded me of Deborah and I commented about the roles of men and women and how it's good that women step up to the plate when men refuse to take their responsibilities.

"Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided. She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, "The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: 'Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.' "
Barak said to her, "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go."
"Very well," Deborah said, "I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman." (Judges 4:4-9)



I will talk about leadership in the context of marriage, because I believe that is where it is in the most need of fixing in America today.

Leadership in marriage is designed (by God) to be done by the man. How tasks are broken up and leadership styles are going to differ depending on the personality of both. However (final) decision making needs to be with man, after he has taken input from his wife. This doesn't mean he is a micromanager, but major issues need to be discussed. With good communication a husband and wife can plan what they will do in certain situations etc, so that discussion about the minor details in life is unnecessary.


Every man and every woman have their own strengths and weaknesses. It is very likely that in most marriages, many of the man's strengths are many of his wife's weaknesses and vice versa. (opposites attract) A husband and wife have to do what is best for their marriage, but as Paul says in Ephesians 5 the husband is the head, the decision maker, and ultimately more responsible for successes and failures in the marriage.

"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body." (Ephesians 5:22-30)


Since the husband is the head, he has final say. However, he doesn't disregard his wife's point of view. If you stub your toe, the toe sends a signal to the head that says, "Hey I'm in a lot of pain". If you are holding a baby the head will say, 'I need to put this baby down before I take care of my toe'. If you are just walking, the head will say, 'let me take care of this now'. If you are in combat and bullets are flying, you may have to ignore the stubbed toe altogether. You understand the signal, you recognize it, but it has to wait. However, the head can't go anywhere without the body taking it there. If instead of the toe being stubbed, the foot is blown off, the head isn't going anywhere. (except hopefully to a hospital)

This is just an example but it is like the way Paul describes the relationship between Jesus and the Church, and a husband and a wife. A good husband loves his wife, takes her input and generally takes her advice. But he has to understand where her mind is. Sometimes the wife is not in a position to make a good decision. He has to listen, but not take her advice. Sometimes the husband is not in a good position to make the proper decision, or it is too critical to wait for the husband's decision if he is not there. In this situation, the husband has to defer to his wife to make a proper decision. With good communication, the wife will likely make a decision the husband would agree with.

In the end, it comes down to love and respect. A husband must love his wife. Care for her, put her needs ahead of his own and lay down his life for her the way Jesus did for the Church. The wife needs to respect her husband and respect the fact that God created her husband to be the leader of their marriage. She needs to understand that she doesn't make the final decision. She gives her input and has a lot of say in the decision process, but when the rubber meets the road, it is up to the husband to call the shots...and take the responsibility for successes and failures.

Grace: Out of Control

A discussion my wife and I were having got me to thinking. I will take a break from my "What's Wrong with America" series and get into something I feel is a problem with mainstream Christianity. It is Grace: Out of control.

"The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him." (Proverbs 20:23)

I work evenings, which doesn't usually create a problem with church, but our church (and the San Antonio church) had a marriage retreat in Fredericksburg this weekend. We didn't plan on going because my wife was going to run in the marathon, which unfortunately didn't happen. But because of the marriage retreat, service was moved to 6 PM, while I was working. As my wife was telling me about service, this scripture came up in our conversation and I had a moment where something clicked in me. I've often tried to think, well I'll follow the bible because that's what God asks us to do, I want to please God and it feels good to do the things God wants us to do. There is also the part of me that says; "If I do what God commands, I'll be rewarded in the end." Well, it is most important that I do what God commands because I love Him, but sometimes doing things to avoid negative discipline helps to get us through moments when our heart is not right.

I remember in the past and even recently thinking, I'll follow God's Word, because that's what it says, and I want to be right. But I also hoped that those who don't can still get by. I realized though, that this scripture about differing weights applies not only to us in our dealings with others, but also to God in his dealings with us. Much like it is unfair for illegal immigrants to be given rights greater than citizens or legal immigrants, it is not right for God to show favor on those who are unworthy, no matter how much He loves them.

So where did my thought process go? Modern day Christianity talks about grace incessantly. You see the preachers with the 'Joel Osteen smile', saying; "God loves you, and there are no limits to His grace." (which is true) Then the preacher will say something like, "Pray Jesus into your heart and you will be saved!" Excuse me, but I missed that scripture. Maybe it isn't in the bibles I have.

My bible says things like; "Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'" (John 3:5-7)

It also says; "Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)

So Jesus says you can't enter God's Kingdom without being baptized, and Peter says your sins are forgiven at baptism. Therefore if you are not baptized your sins are not forgiven and you can't enter God's Kingdom. So why are there so many scriptures about grace? What I believe is this. Paul, who wrote most of the letters in the New Testament, was writing to Christians who were getting some things wrong. The Judaizers in many of the churches were trying to make the Gentiles in to 'Jews for Jesus'. Paul was trying to say; 'Hey, you're saved by grace, not the law!' He wasn't saying that baptism doesn't wash your sins away. He just didn't make a big deal out of it because he was writing primarily to Christians. (whose sins had already been washed away) Like Jesus' commands in Revelation to the seven churches, these people had already been cleansed of their sin, and Paul was instructing them on how to remain in Christ's love.

What this has transmogrified into in the 20th and 21st centuries though is this; you are saved by grace and baptism is merely symbolic.

Paul says of baptism; "Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin." (Romans 6:3-7)

I don't see this as symbolic. Paul is backing up what Jesus says to Nicodemus in John 3, and what Peter says in Acts 2. Baptism is necessary and is what washes away our sins. Once we begin living the Christian life we have to remember that we are not saved by following the Mosaic Law, or by being circumcised. We need to have a loving heart that is willing to obey God's commands. However, that doesn't mean minimizing the importance of baptism. Mainstream Christianity has relegated baptism to a symbol, little more than a cross on a necklace. We must not ever forget that God's grace is what saves us, because we are not worthy to enter God's Kingdom of our own merit. However, we also must not ever forget that we are saved and cleansed of our sins not by a prayer that was developed in the 18th century (and a misuse of the letter to the Church of Laodicea) but by baptism as commanded by Jesus, and reinforced by the apostles.

The Law

Last night at our midweek service we had meetings as family groups. Our group is about 20 people or so and we meet at the house of someone in the group, and this week it was at the house of the couple who leads our church. We usually have great discussions when we meet like this, because there are some people in our group who have been disciples for a long time.

This week Dave used a paper he had written on Galatians for a master's theology course to guide our discussion. Being written for a master's level course it was wordy, but it was very well written and gets to the point of the law. One thing that really struck me was the idea of pedagogy. I had never heard of this before, and I am generally intrigued by contextual stuff about the times certain biblical texts were written. My wife usually says things like; 'how can I apply this to my life?" Her attitude is good because I usually can't see the forest for the trees. I get so caught in the details that I miss the big picture. But this point of pedagogy really caught me. I wanted to know more about this and how contextually it assists in making Paul's point. For although God intended Paul's letter to be read by us today, it is possible that Paul didn't know that it would be read 2000 years later.

I will try to briefly explain the idea of pedagogy. Essentially, wealthy Greeks would have a slave who would teach their sons. This slave would teach, discipline and practically raise the son, with full authority over the boy. But when the boy was grown, he would have the rights of the heir, with authority over the slave and then, the slave would be subject to the young man. In Galatians, Paul uses this idea to describe the law. God gave us the law to teach us, to discipline us and even to have authority over us for a time. But we are God's children. When we are grown, the law no longer has mastery or authority over us. We have been instructed and disciplined by the law, but at a certain point, we outgrow the law.

There is a harmony that a Christian must have in his/her life. This great 'balancing act' is more than finding balance, because if you are at balance, you are not moving. But harmony is in motion, moving to different places and coming back again. A disciple of Christ must always be in motion, moving in step with the Spirit. Many 'Mainstream' churches preach that you are saved by faith, and that deeds or acts don't save you. Others would say that you need to do A, B and C or you will not be saved. Both would be correct. God is after our heart! He has given us grace, and to God be the Glory! Amen! But if we do nothing with the gift He has given us, then what credit is that? If we feel justified by the things we have done; giving to the poor, helping children, sharing our faith with the lost, we should feel glad that we have done the things Jesus commanded us to do, yet that doesn't save us either.

We are not saved by our own actions. Neither are we saved merely by faith in Jesus. There is a harmony that leans towards faith. God's grace and our faith in Christ are what saves us (mostly), but because of this wonderful blessing, there is an action that is required (and should come without prompting). Jesus' brother James says it well, "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do." (James 2:18b) Jesus is the cure for what ails the world. If you call yourself a Christian, what are you doing to spread His message? Do not feel as if I am judging you, because truly as I write this, the three fingers are pointing back at me. As I attempt to peck the splinter out of your eye, I know there is a plank in my eye. I am writing this because I felt the Spirit move in me last night, and I wanted to share that on this crazy thing called the World Wide Web. God has a plan. God knows what it is. God knows how it works. I hope that I can do a better job to be a light to the world, and at the same time live more for Him because soon and very soon, I hope to be an heir!

What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. (Galatians 4:1-7)

2 Esdras

Over the last few days I have been reading the books Ezra and Nehemiah. Originally Ezra and Nehemiah were compiled as one book, 2 Esdras. It is believed that they were compiled from partial writings of Ezra and Nehemiah. I hadn't read them in a while, and honestly I read through Ezra puzzled looking for something to jump out at me, but nothing did. I didn't know if I was not in touch with the Spirit, or if a poor week of quiet times previously was hindering me. But this morning as I began reading Nehemiah a light bulb went off.

"Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." (Nehemiah 4:14)

What I realized around this point was this: Christians will face opposition. Our opposition will come from many sources, yet it is Satan's work. God, true to his promise, returned the exiles from Persia in the first year of the reign of King Cyrus. Also true to the word of God were the 70 years. It was 70 years from the initial exile to the building of the new altar in Jerusalem,(605 BC-536 BC) as well as 70 years from the destruction of the Temple to the completion of the new Temple. (586 BC-516 BC)

In Ezra 1, the exiles begin returning to Judah to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. (By proclamation of King Cyrus) At first things go great and they make progress on the construction, but then they face opposition and stop. They may have stopped for about 10 years. With another proclamation (This time from Darius) the construction is finally back on track and a few years later the temple is completed. It took 20 years, but it could have been 10.

In Nehemiah 1, Nehemiah, cup bearer to King Artaxerxes is distraught when learning that after many years of the Israelite return to Jerusalem, the walls had still not been rebuilt. The temple was built, but they stalled and did not finish the work that needed to be done. Nehemiah returns (he had never actually been to Jerusalem as he was born in Persia) to the land of his fathers, in an effort to rebuild Jerusalem's walls and the city. Initially like with the temple, construction goes well, and they face more opposition (notice a trend). Finally they stand up and do the work that needed to be done to finish the walls.

After all of that background here is my initial analysis: When someone makes the decision to walk with God, there are challenges. At first it is great, but then Satan realizes he is losing his grip on you and the attacks come. At this point many people stall, not fully realizing what they are sacrificing in stalling, or who the attacks are really coming from. For me, it was past unconfessed sins that I didn't want to deal with. I liked them where they were buried just fine. But I wasn't going anywhere. The foundation was laid, but there was no temple. I finally overcame my fears and Satan's opposition and finished building the temple.

But what happens next? I'm a Christian, I'm saved. I'm GOOD. But you're not growing, and you haven't built your defenses. You have to grow as a Christian, because Satan will flee from you when you stand up to him, but he will come back with a better strategy. It took Nehemiah coming back to build the wall in Jerusalem, and it takes a fully committed effort by every Christian, to build their walls against the evil one. The Christian walk takes faith, determination, perseverance and a good measure of armaments to battle Satan.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:10-18)