Sunday, March 27, 2005
Another Terri
Dear God, there is another Terri Schiavo in this world and she is my beloved teacher. Edith Schaeffer, as World Magazine reports, is at a point in her life where her children are having to fight European euthanasia to keep their mother under full care until God is ready for her. I am sorry to learn of their struggle and pray they will prevail in sustaining her life until its precious end. I have never met Mrs. Schaeffer but I will be forever indebted to her for the faith empowering lessons gained from her writings (Christianity is Jewish; Affliction). God bless you and Godspeed on your journey Home. Until we meet, love to you, dear teacher.
Not to detract, but add to the seriousness of our situation, has anyone wondered if there is a judge and medical gestapo out there ready to end the Pope's suffering?
Not to detract, but add to the seriousness of our situation, has anyone wondered if there is a judge and medical gestapo out there ready to end the Pope's suffering?
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Jesus, the Logos
Jesus said of the devil, “He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth, because there is not truth in him. For he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.” John 8:44
Another direction from Jesus, “If you continue in my Word, then are you my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31,32
As Schaeffer proposes, “The issue is clear: either this is truth, or not. A line is drawn which cannot be straddled.” This is the dilemma of the postmodern world and more specifically, the post Christian church. “The philosophy of relativism is deleting the word “truth” from man’s understanding,” says the author of Christianity is Jewish. I will add, it has deleted it from far too many sermons. But supposing truth does exist as an objective reality? What, asks Schaeffer, does the word truth mean? She portends, “it means there is something opposite that is not true, and that there can be no clarity of understanding if there is a muddy mixture.”
In the body of Christ, we have a muddy mixture of truth and lies. It can’t be helped, of course! After all, Paul told us, “Now we see through a glass darkly, but one day we will se with crystal clarity.” But we still see something. Thanks to a book we are all blessed to have at least one copy of, we are able to clear the water under God’s guidance. What am I saying? If Christian fellowship and relationships are reliant upon our faith, strong faith is reliant upon understanding, and understanding upon knowledge, the hope of us getting on the same page spiritually seems logical. We are warned, “A house divided against itself will not stand.” Matt. 12:25 Believers are to be of one mind. See memory verse: 1Cor. 1:10. “Do not conform to the patterns of this world…be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you might know God’s perfect and pleasing will.” Rom.12:2
We are different, talent-wise and naturally in different places growth-wise. Also, the Spirit will direct us in various ways…but all for His same, united purpose, the glory of God and His eternal Kingdom. We have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:16) Christ is the head of His church, the body. (Eph. 4:15) I believe we can be on the same page…and we should. Sunday morning shepherding from the pastor/priest is key and that puts a lot of pressure on him. On the radio awhile back, I heard a bit. The preacher spoke of six fundamental beliefs that the Church of Christ rests on. I’m no doctor of theology but I could narrow it down to one. The first doctrine was the authority of God’s Word. The others simply are contained in the Holy Scriptures…so if we believe the first, we believe all six. That first one has become a tremendous hump for many churched people, partly because of weak shepherding from the pulpit or otherwise. My hope and prayer is for Christians to get over it and actually become one of those fundamentalist, Bible-believing churchgoers. That means absorbing the lessons of Scripture during the week, however, whenever, alone or with whomever, and accepting them by faith and reason. God’s Word is Logical. Jesus is our Shepherd. LIsten for His voice.
Another direction from Jesus, “If you continue in my Word, then are you my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31,32
As Schaeffer proposes, “The issue is clear: either this is truth, or not. A line is drawn which cannot be straddled.” This is the dilemma of the postmodern world and more specifically, the post Christian church. “The philosophy of relativism is deleting the word “truth” from man’s understanding,” says the author of Christianity is Jewish. I will add, it has deleted it from far too many sermons. But supposing truth does exist as an objective reality? What, asks Schaeffer, does the word truth mean? She portends, “it means there is something opposite that is not true, and that there can be no clarity of understanding if there is a muddy mixture.”
In the body of Christ, we have a muddy mixture of truth and lies. It can’t be helped, of course! After all, Paul told us, “Now we see through a glass darkly, but one day we will se with crystal clarity.” But we still see something. Thanks to a book we are all blessed to have at least one copy of, we are able to clear the water under God’s guidance. What am I saying? If Christian fellowship and relationships are reliant upon our faith, strong faith is reliant upon understanding, and understanding upon knowledge, the hope of us getting on the same page spiritually seems logical. We are warned, “A house divided against itself will not stand.” Matt. 12:25 Believers are to be of one mind. See memory verse: 1Cor. 1:10. “Do not conform to the patterns of this world…be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you might know God’s perfect and pleasing will.” Rom.12:2
We are different, talent-wise and naturally in different places growth-wise. Also, the Spirit will direct us in various ways…but all for His same, united purpose, the glory of God and His eternal Kingdom. We have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:16) Christ is the head of His church, the body. (Eph. 4:15) I believe we can be on the same page…and we should. Sunday morning shepherding from the pastor/priest is key and that puts a lot of pressure on him. On the radio awhile back, I heard a bit. The preacher spoke of six fundamental beliefs that the Church of Christ rests on. I’m no doctor of theology but I could narrow it down to one. The first doctrine was the authority of God’s Word. The others simply are contained in the Holy Scriptures…so if we believe the first, we believe all six. That first one has become a tremendous hump for many churched people, partly because of weak shepherding from the pulpit or otherwise. My hope and prayer is for Christians to get over it and actually become one of those fundamentalist, Bible-believing churchgoers. That means absorbing the lessons of Scripture during the week, however, whenever, alone or with whomever, and accepting them by faith and reason. God’s Word is Logical. Jesus is our Shepherd. LIsten for His voice.
Friday, March 18, 2005
Dad's Mad
To continue "About the Ninth Hour":
The agony of Jesus when he asks the Father to take this cup from Him—was that about the physical torture? The cup or chalice of sorrow (Matt. 26:39,42) must represent the burden of everyone’s sin…lost souls waiting to be redeemed for all time. Isn’t that logically HEAVY? The true character of God is always what we want to discover. How can anyone read the Bible and not realize God’s just side? God destroys, punishes, and WILL destroy and punish. The grand finale is Satan finally getting his due. I am a God-fearing woman (Psalm 25:14) because I believe in a God who gets very, very angry. AND at the same time, I believe Jesus will rescue me from the wrath of Righteous condemnation. Jesus will save me from my guilty plea. I know He loves me in spite of my pathetic life. I see Jesus on the throne as Judge, and as my Defender, by my side. It is never a good idea to reason away a characteristic of the Triune God just because we can’t fit it into our peek-hole vision. Instead, let us reason reality to fit His supernatural Being and stand in Awe. Jesus is clearly described as Judge when He returns AND Mediator…King and Priest. Going outside the box, God did split Himself—Jesus was separate from the Father—“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani.” (Matthew 27:46) THAT is what I believe terrified Jesus. And it should terrify us too. Even if you are saved by faith, there is someone in your life you should be terrified for.
We are in His image. What earthly father likes correcting his children? God is a Holy Father who hates being angry, but He can be no less angry than He Is. He is the same God who flooded the earth—was that a picnic? His wrath will be released, poured out in the fulfillment of Revelation. It seems if we can’t grasp this, it will be impossible to get this: Jesus suffered God’s correction for all of us. He paid the price, which is death, separation and yes, wrath.
However mad and sad you might think God is with you, every time you displease Him—that anger and sorrow is on Jesus at One Moment in Time and in One place, on Calvary. That is HOW we get the clean slate! “God made Him who had no sin, to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
If you can get that Father and Son were split, then one step further isn’t so hard.
God propitiates Himself—He reconciles His Love and His Hate.
Doesn’t the very notion of forgiveness indicate there was a problem, a break in relationship? When you muster up forgiveness, are you not pushing away irritation, hurts, frustration and ANGER, even? God whooped on His Son, like any good father should. We don’t let our children continue in their bad behavior if we can help it. The weird part is, Jesus is His Son with Whom He is well pleased! He was a good boy! Where’s the justice? It wasn’t Jesus getting the beating…it was our bad behavior. It was us.
In order to find forgiveness on the cross, we must take it to the previous stage—God was mad at US! I cannot disregard God’s rage and its continuing reality even in today’s world. Who can deny we don’t deserve it?
“Why would God still be mad now, today, if Jesus took it all on the cross,” you ask? Another supernatural enigma that’s veiled by our limited view. Dutch Sheets (Intercessory Prayer; Watchman’s Prayer) explained it best for me. Jesus has Total Victory on the cross AND we are still carrying out the Victory---leading people to Him. So, why not—God’s anger was fully displayed on Good Friday, yet we’re still struggling in our sins, ticking Him off! We won’t be fully glorified until Jesus comes again!
Yes, it means we are living in a very awkward time. Things are left loose to be bound, and other things are left bound, to be loosed! (Matt. 16:19, 18:18) It’s the Church Age, the time of preparation. Bride, get ready!
The agony of Jesus when he asks the Father to take this cup from Him—was that about the physical torture? The cup or chalice of sorrow (Matt. 26:39,42) must represent the burden of everyone’s sin…lost souls waiting to be redeemed for all time. Isn’t that logically HEAVY? The true character of God is always what we want to discover. How can anyone read the Bible and not realize God’s just side? God destroys, punishes, and WILL destroy and punish. The grand finale is Satan finally getting his due. I am a God-fearing woman (Psalm 25:14) because I believe in a God who gets very, very angry. AND at the same time, I believe Jesus will rescue me from the wrath of Righteous condemnation. Jesus will save me from my guilty plea. I know He loves me in spite of my pathetic life. I see Jesus on the throne as Judge, and as my Defender, by my side. It is never a good idea to reason away a characteristic of the Triune God just because we can’t fit it into our peek-hole vision. Instead, let us reason reality to fit His supernatural Being and stand in Awe. Jesus is clearly described as Judge when He returns AND Mediator…King and Priest. Going outside the box, God did split Himself—Jesus was separate from the Father—“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani.” (Matthew 27:46) THAT is what I believe terrified Jesus. And it should terrify us too. Even if you are saved by faith, there is someone in your life you should be terrified for.
We are in His image. What earthly father likes correcting his children? God is a Holy Father who hates being angry, but He can be no less angry than He Is. He is the same God who flooded the earth—was that a picnic? His wrath will be released, poured out in the fulfillment of Revelation. It seems if we can’t grasp this, it will be impossible to get this: Jesus suffered God’s correction for all of us. He paid the price, which is death, separation and yes, wrath.
However mad and sad you might think God is with you, every time you displease Him—that anger and sorrow is on Jesus at One Moment in Time and in One place, on Calvary. That is HOW we get the clean slate! “God made Him who had no sin, to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
If you can get that Father and Son were split, then one step further isn’t so hard.
God propitiates Himself—He reconciles His Love and His Hate.
Doesn’t the very notion of forgiveness indicate there was a problem, a break in relationship? When you muster up forgiveness, are you not pushing away irritation, hurts, frustration and ANGER, even? God whooped on His Son, like any good father should. We don’t let our children continue in their bad behavior if we can help it. The weird part is, Jesus is His Son with Whom He is well pleased! He was a good boy! Where’s the justice? It wasn’t Jesus getting the beating…it was our bad behavior. It was us.
In order to find forgiveness on the cross, we must take it to the previous stage—God was mad at US! I cannot disregard God’s rage and its continuing reality even in today’s world. Who can deny we don’t deserve it?
“Why would God still be mad now, today, if Jesus took it all on the cross,” you ask? Another supernatural enigma that’s veiled by our limited view. Dutch Sheets (Intercessory Prayer; Watchman’s Prayer) explained it best for me. Jesus has Total Victory on the cross AND we are still carrying out the Victory---leading people to Him. So, why not—God’s anger was fully displayed on Good Friday, yet we’re still struggling in our sins, ticking Him off! We won’t be fully glorified until Jesus comes again!
Yes, it means we are living in a very awkward time. Things are left loose to be bound, and other things are left bound, to be loosed! (Matt. 16:19, 18:18) It’s the Church Age, the time of preparation. Bride, get ready!
Monday, March 14, 2005
About the Ninth Hour
World of Sven writes about the difficulty in accepting the doctrine of God’s wrath being taken out on His Son when Jesus was facing the crucifixion. How could a father do that to his son and if he did, why would we want to have anything to do with him? True enough if you picture an earthly father abusing and ultimately killing his offspring. Right away, we see a madman, the worst of criminals, someone to be hated, even if the son was a rotten, spoiled brat! I will argue that it was not the Son that was the object of God’s wrath, but Sin in the Son. Jesus felt the wrath and separation just the same. The issue might be, “Do we believe in God’s wrath?” Sven is seeking a verse which upholds God’s wrath on the Son. It doesn’t exist because God wasn’t mad at Jesus. He did direct punishment on Him. The fact that God would “do that” to His Son has come up in my journey before. Maybe this is why it strikes a nerve. A self-proclaimed believer once said, “Do you think God would pre-destine Jesus to suffer?” The Father did both plan and carry out this amazing Sacrifice. My answer then and still is, “We can’t begin to fathom God’s love for us.” Who can grasp it?
To carry out means God didn’t stop the horror. Watching The Passion (film) was intense for me because I kept crying out to God to “stop it!” There was such a release when the Father finally spoke in the turbulence of natural (supernatural, even) disasters. He finally had turned back on the earth, where His wrath belongs. The pain was watching the Innocent Lamb take what He didn’t deserve. Like seeing a child, or a “good person” suffering a dastardly cruel death.
We cannot understand God’s fury toward Sin in the Son any more than God asking Abraham to take a knife to Isaac. By God, Abraham trusted Him! …not to necessarily stop the killing either! Abraham trusted God with Isaac’s pending death…the knife was in the air! That time, God halted the sacrifice. But there is a clear demonstration here…God provided the lamb (ram). He would later provide another Lamb, they say on this same mountain range. God is always revealing more Truth for us to understand. It wasn’t all that loving a thing God asked of Abraham and Isaac, and it wasn’t exactly endearing to ask Jesus to go to the cross. God loved them, these willing servants, possibly more than He has loved at any other time, because of their brave obedience. This is the difference from the crazed dad we first envisioned. Unlike the poor, abused child, Jesus gets it and is a willing participant. Love abounding! But Love and Justice met on the cross…the most intense love and the most intense wrath came together in one place, at one time in History.
God is in conflict with Himself absolutely. His Holy existence cannot withstand sin and must separate from sinners. He is Love and wants us close in relationship with Him. This is sheer conflict and His solution, prophesied from Genesis 3:15 to Mt. Moriah with Abraham, through David, Daniel, and Isaiah, was the cross at Mt. Moriah. God hates sin—it keeps His children from Him. It is horrible to think He placed the consequences of that rage on Jesus until we begin to comprehend the consequences of His love for His creation, especially Jesus. (What was that?) This is a courtroom display of justice AND forgiveness. The confusion is in the relationship. God desires to relay Who He is and reveal this Truth on the cross. Since He is in conflict, the relationship is as well. Nonetheless, He is a God of relationship. He shows US—THIS is how much I hate sin. THIS is how much I love you. THIS is how I’m going to get my Creation back. We overlook the uncomfortable side of God and therefore miss the REVELATION!
“In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.” Hebrews 9:22
“About the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” Matthew 27:46
“Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!” Romans 5:9,10
“I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am Holy.” Leviticus 11:44
“But when this Priest (Jesus) had offered for all time One Sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the Right hand of God.” Hebrews 10:12
To be continued...
To carry out means God didn’t stop the horror. Watching The Passion (film) was intense for me because I kept crying out to God to “stop it!” There was such a release when the Father finally spoke in the turbulence of natural (supernatural, even) disasters. He finally had turned back on the earth, where His wrath belongs. The pain was watching the Innocent Lamb take what He didn’t deserve. Like seeing a child, or a “good person” suffering a dastardly cruel death.
We cannot understand God’s fury toward Sin in the Son any more than God asking Abraham to take a knife to Isaac. By God, Abraham trusted Him! …not to necessarily stop the killing either! Abraham trusted God with Isaac’s pending death…the knife was in the air! That time, God halted the sacrifice. But there is a clear demonstration here…God provided the lamb (ram). He would later provide another Lamb, they say on this same mountain range. God is always revealing more Truth for us to understand. It wasn’t all that loving a thing God asked of Abraham and Isaac, and it wasn’t exactly endearing to ask Jesus to go to the cross. God loved them, these willing servants, possibly more than He has loved at any other time, because of their brave obedience. This is the difference from the crazed dad we first envisioned. Unlike the poor, abused child, Jesus gets it and is a willing participant. Love abounding! But Love and Justice met on the cross…the most intense love and the most intense wrath came together in one place, at one time in History.
God is in conflict with Himself absolutely. His Holy existence cannot withstand sin and must separate from sinners. He is Love and wants us close in relationship with Him. This is sheer conflict and His solution, prophesied from Genesis 3:15 to Mt. Moriah with Abraham, through David, Daniel, and Isaiah, was the cross at Mt. Moriah. God hates sin—it keeps His children from Him. It is horrible to think He placed the consequences of that rage on Jesus until we begin to comprehend the consequences of His love for His creation, especially Jesus. (What was that?) This is a courtroom display of justice AND forgiveness. The confusion is in the relationship. God desires to relay Who He is and reveal this Truth on the cross. Since He is in conflict, the relationship is as well. Nonetheless, He is a God of relationship. He shows US—THIS is how much I hate sin. THIS is how much I love you. THIS is how I’m going to get my Creation back. We overlook the uncomfortable side of God and therefore miss the REVELATION!
“In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.” Hebrews 9:22
“About the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” Matthew 27:46
“Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!” Romans 5:9,10
“I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am Holy.” Leviticus 11:44
“But when this Priest (Jesus) had offered for all time One Sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the Right hand of God.” Hebrews 10:12
To be continued...
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Meet the Warrior
What an awesome chance to tell my testimony. William Meisheid at Beyond The Rim... is offering to interview five people in a meet the blogger sort of chain. If five people actually come by here, I will reciprocate. In the meantime, these are great delving questions. In case you don’t make it to the end, a big thank you William, right up front. Hopefully, a couple people will get to know me.
1.You have a relatively new blog (less than two months old), tell us why you started blogging and what your goals are.
I have had a calling to do online bible revelation for maybe four years. I am so not computer savvy, and on a tight budget; I was seeking free help. The original idea was to have in-home study for my church, to create unity in a very divided denomination. The idea died with two interim pastors who didn’t give me the boost I needed. But the call remained, so having found free blogging, I hope to reach out to the church at-large for a unifying experience through the rock solid foundation of God’s Word as infallible revelation of who He is and what His plan is, was and always will be. Why do I think I’ve got answers? (my question) God has given me faith to share, not answers. The answers are in the Book.
2. Your choice of blog title, "Christianity Is Jewish" is provocative. Can you explain why you chose that title?
The title! That’s the life-changing book of the same name by Edith Schaeffer. Actually, Ruth Graham Bell wrote a smaller, children’s version, One Wintry Night, which I read to my sons before Mrs. Schaeffer’s was discovered. Life-changing, why? It puts the bible cohesively into beautiful, whole picture or “tapestry” form. I had never seen God’s plan as so wildly simple, yet detailed. This and another book by Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal about the seven feasts revealed to me how El-Shaddai has worked out and fulfilled His glorious promises through His Chosen so that Christians could become His Chosen…so the Hebrew people will finally, in the end, become His Beloved Israel, with us. What a story! Could the tapestry be more lovely?! Only if Israel could have seen and heard. Why they didn’t, God, I trust will explain…so many want to know.
3. I see you are a fan of Randy Alcorn. I remember when he was a struggling author, under financial attack for his pro-life stance as a pastor. He is now a prolific and successful author. What is it you like about his writing?
His writing is so amazing and fresh. Could he be the C.S.Lewis of this generation? He’s ahead of our times, revealing the unseen history (spiritual warfare) something like Peretti but bringing it even closer to home by making it less fictional (like it is). Satan and his minions manipulating unsuspecting humanity in Lord Foulgrin’s Letters and in Heaven, the unseen exists maybe not so far away. Dr. Alcorn reveals a future, physical New Earth uniting with the unseen world! Who, besides some obscure, intellectual theologian writes like this? (Randy says very few are these, even.) Very exciting, readable, cutting edge, and oozing with Truth! These are not new ideas except to a blinded Bride.
4. You talk about how important the Bible (Scripture) is to you and how you live your life. How did you come to this commitment?
The Body of Christ is crippled by the selective teaching in mainline denominations (my experience). As I have grown in knowledge, the commitment has intensified. Studying with my boys in our school at home, we learned from the Christian worldview master, Francis Schaeffer, who stresses the importance of the whole story, meaning redemption makes no sense without the fall, as his wife so eloquently writes in Christianity is Jewish. The fallen earth needs redemption as well as its inhabitants. We also went through the Reformation, Westminster Confession, and the real U.S. history. These events are witnesses to how applying God’s wisdom in all of life---changes the world and in doing so, changes lives; the church, culture, nations are created anew. The cultural mandate of Genesis means to carry out Christ’s redemption of all the earth. Heaven also touches on this. Home schooling is the best thing that ever happened to me and hopefully, my family.
5. If you could spend the morning, starting with breakfast, with one other blogger (anyone in the blogosphere), who would it be and why, and what would you have to eat?
Definitely the easiest question of the five. Dory at Wittenberg Gate must be my soul mate if there exists such a thing. One of the first sites I visited, she subtitles, “Applying the Scriptures to every sphere of Life”…hm, sounds like me. Check profile…wow, a homeschool mom with one child remaining at home…ditto. Son’s name, Ben! My eldest! Happy St. David’s Day, she writes…this is over the top freaky! Can you believe we are both Welsh? We could definitely have some fun over tea and Welsh cakes. Huh, we aren’t the same person after all. She calls them pics!
The bonus question: What is the biggest adjustment or concern since "becoming one flesh"? Communication has been both a huge adjustment and still a concern when it breaks down. Could use a handbook on this one.
1.You have a relatively new blog (less than two months old), tell us why you started blogging and what your goals are.
I have had a calling to do online bible revelation for maybe four years. I am so not computer savvy, and on a tight budget; I was seeking free help. The original idea was to have in-home study for my church, to create unity in a very divided denomination. The idea died with two interim pastors who didn’t give me the boost I needed. But the call remained, so having found free blogging, I hope to reach out to the church at-large for a unifying experience through the rock solid foundation of God’s Word as infallible revelation of who He is and what His plan is, was and always will be. Why do I think I’ve got answers? (my question) God has given me faith to share, not answers. The answers are in the Book.
2. Your choice of blog title, "Christianity Is Jewish" is provocative. Can you explain why you chose that title?
The title! That’s the life-changing book of the same name by Edith Schaeffer. Actually, Ruth Graham Bell wrote a smaller, children’s version, One Wintry Night, which I read to my sons before Mrs. Schaeffer’s was discovered. Life-changing, why? It puts the bible cohesively into beautiful, whole picture or “tapestry” form. I had never seen God’s plan as so wildly simple, yet detailed. This and another book by Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal about the seven feasts revealed to me how El-Shaddai has worked out and fulfilled His glorious promises through His Chosen so that Christians could become His Chosen…so the Hebrew people will finally, in the end, become His Beloved Israel, with us. What a story! Could the tapestry be more lovely?! Only if Israel could have seen and heard. Why they didn’t, God, I trust will explain…so many want to know.
3. I see you are a fan of Randy Alcorn. I remember when he was a struggling author, under financial attack for his pro-life stance as a pastor. He is now a prolific and successful author. What is it you like about his writing?
His writing is so amazing and fresh. Could he be the C.S.Lewis of this generation? He’s ahead of our times, revealing the unseen history (spiritual warfare) something like Peretti but bringing it even closer to home by making it less fictional (like it is). Satan and his minions manipulating unsuspecting humanity in Lord Foulgrin’s Letters and in Heaven, the unseen exists maybe not so far away. Dr. Alcorn reveals a future, physical New Earth uniting with the unseen world! Who, besides some obscure, intellectual theologian writes like this? (Randy says very few are these, even.) Very exciting, readable, cutting edge, and oozing with Truth! These are not new ideas except to a blinded Bride.
4. You talk about how important the Bible (Scripture) is to you and how you live your life. How did you come to this commitment?
The Body of Christ is crippled by the selective teaching in mainline denominations (my experience). As I have grown in knowledge, the commitment has intensified. Studying with my boys in our school at home, we learned from the Christian worldview master, Francis Schaeffer, who stresses the importance of the whole story, meaning redemption makes no sense without the fall, as his wife so eloquently writes in Christianity is Jewish. The fallen earth needs redemption as well as its inhabitants. We also went through the Reformation, Westminster Confession, and the real U.S. history. These events are witnesses to how applying God’s wisdom in all of life---changes the world and in doing so, changes lives; the church, culture, nations are created anew. The cultural mandate of Genesis means to carry out Christ’s redemption of all the earth. Heaven also touches on this. Home schooling is the best thing that ever happened to me and hopefully, my family.
5. If you could spend the morning, starting with breakfast, with one other blogger (anyone in the blogosphere), who would it be and why, and what would you have to eat?
Definitely the easiest question of the five. Dory at Wittenberg Gate must be my soul mate if there exists such a thing. One of the first sites I visited, she subtitles, “Applying the Scriptures to every sphere of Life”…hm, sounds like me. Check profile…wow, a homeschool mom with one child remaining at home…ditto. Son’s name, Ben! My eldest! Happy St. David’s Day, she writes…this is over the top freaky! Can you believe we are both Welsh? We could definitely have some fun over tea and Welsh cakes. Huh, we aren’t the same person after all. She calls them pics!
The bonus question: What is the biggest adjustment or concern since "becoming one flesh"? Communication has been both a huge adjustment and still a concern when it breaks down. Could use a handbook on this one.
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Blinded by the Dark
How on earth have the Hebrew peoples been kept in the dark for so long? Or, better yet, how does Satan hold so much sway over God’s creation? Satan, the Great Deceiver, said in the Garden of Eden, God had lied. He said, “Ye shall not surely die.” Eve and Adam had a choice to continue believing God OR to believe Satan’s accusation, “God is a liar.” What will you trust to be true? Satan’s lies are everywhere and the only way to detect them is to hold them up against the light of God’s Holy Word. God’s Word is the Sword of Truth. It can cut down Satan’s dark force on earth, faster than any man made weapon. The Bible, not to be redundant, is a Gift from God…answers to life’s questions. Mrs. Schaeffer says, “How horrible it would be if man had to judge as to what in the Bible might turn out to be the Word of God and what might simply be the mishmash of man’s writing.” What if God had given us a “maze of paths” as Schaeffer calls it, for us to struggle with, spinning and turning, helplessly lost! Every once in awhile, we find a path of Truth but we’re never sure it’s True Truth! Relatively speaking, that’s all we’ve got, right? This is how Satan is empowered with his “subtle lies to the intelligence”. Why would an Almighty God, all powerful, omnipotent, give us a tarnished gift, a muddled instruction book, and then leave it up to weak, sinful people to figure it out? God did allow us choice and sin did arrive, along with the troubles of a fallen world, so you could say, “Well, the flawed Bible is just another effect of that nasty first sin!”
Now wait! Do you believe God Is? Then who is He? The ultimate question: “Is God a liar?” Not only did Timothy write the inspired words, “[God’s Word] is God-breathed”, there is the absolute logic of God fulfilling our need to know and communicate with Him with a perfectly flawless Book. It is a supernatural phenomenon. That’s important. You’ll never explain it in natural terms. He asks that we trust Him, surrender to Him, believe Him, humble ourselves before Him. THINK! How could this same God say, “I’m sorry about the Book. You’ll figure it out!” No, when we question God’s validity on this one, we are raising ourselves up to His level. We are saying God’s standard (for this gift, the Bible) is not and was not high enough. We are saying, “Our Father allowed some mistakes here”, as if He were just an earthly dad who accidentally gave us a broken toy for Christmas. What a setup. God tells us to believe on His Word as the created beings we are, believing and trusting their Creator. Then He makes a situation where we are forced to play “god”, deciphering which parts are true? NOT! We can blame many things on Satan and the fallen world of sin. Ultimately, we have to remember…God Is.
El-Shaddai is bigger, more powerful and in control. “God said to Moses, ‘I Am Who I Am’…Say to the Israelites, ‘I Am has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14
Now wait! Do you believe God Is? Then who is He? The ultimate question: “Is God a liar?” Not only did Timothy write the inspired words, “[God’s Word] is God-breathed”, there is the absolute logic of God fulfilling our need to know and communicate with Him with a perfectly flawless Book. It is a supernatural phenomenon. That’s important. You’ll never explain it in natural terms. He asks that we trust Him, surrender to Him, believe Him, humble ourselves before Him. THINK! How could this same God say, “I’m sorry about the Book. You’ll figure it out!” No, when we question God’s validity on this one, we are raising ourselves up to His level. We are saying God’s standard (for this gift, the Bible) is not and was not high enough. We are saying, “Our Father allowed some mistakes here”, as if He were just an earthly dad who accidentally gave us a broken toy for Christmas. What a setup. God tells us to believe on His Word as the created beings we are, believing and trusting their Creator. Then He makes a situation where we are forced to play “god”, deciphering which parts are true? NOT! We can blame many things on Satan and the fallen world of sin. Ultimately, we have to remember…God Is.
El-Shaddai is bigger, more powerful and in control. “God said to Moses, ‘I Am Who I Am’…Say to the Israelites, ‘I Am has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Laus Deo
These words are found at the top of the Washington Monument. Praise be to God. Some other quotes from various spots along the steps are "Search the Scriptures" (John 5:39), "Holiness to the Lord" (Exodus 28), "The memory of the just is blessed" (Proverb 10:7), "May Heaven to this Union continue its Benefice". Yet, today, it has become a forefront issue and decision for the U.S. Supreme Court whether the Judeo-Christian religion will stand as the foundation for Western Civilization. The Decalogue will stand or fall with two decisions: Van Orden v Perry (Texas Capitol Building and the Texas Supreme Court in Austin) and McCreary County v ACLU (Kentucky, concerning two county courthouses). There are only a few arguing that without the Judeo-Christian law eminating from the One True God, freedom of conscience, and liberty in general would not be. The church Reformation, Luther and Calvin, birthed freedom when they delivered Christians from tyranny in Europe. No more state denomination...freedom to worship as you wish, meaning all people, as it is in the Western World. The irony that in trying to preserve religious rights, the activists will remove the source of freedom. To believe religious rights come from men is their first mistake. God is the ultimate author of liberty, "and the Truth shall set you FREE." Here is praying that the justices will notice those words as they enter their chambers today. In God We Trust.
