THE ORPHAN AGE

THE OBEDIENT SON

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Jesus was obedient to the Heavenly Father. He was obedient tothe extent that it included dying on a cross. I think there is somethingvirtuous missing from our present understanding of obedience. His perfectobedience makes him ‘other’ than us. Arewe afraid that a dedication to obedience will make us ‘other’ than status quo and perhaps less of our own person?

Obedience is the carrying out of a command. It is doing whatyou are told to do. We may picture a military man barking orders or an angryboss harassing you complete difficult work in an unrealistic time frame.

If that is the context in which obedience belongs, we mustde-individualize in order to comply. The soldier learns to respond immediatelyto instructions from a superior officer. There is no questioning and noreasonable alternative.

Is there another picture of obedience? Was Jesus obedient tothe Father like a private to a sergeant? Did Jesus bite his tongue and act timidlike a teenage driver being pulled over by the police?

If we are willing to look further, there can be command andauthority deeply rooted in love. To obey such authority may come out of loyaltyand agreement with the one issuing an order. How often do we avoid obediencefor fear of being lorded over?

THE 'O' WORD

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

“I want you to obey me.”

I dare you to say that next time you need something done.

“Obey you? What areyou getting at?”

Obedience has a bad rap in the realm of friendlyrelationships. We wear kid gloves when we handle the ‘o’ word in adult relationships.

You were taught to obey parents, teachers, police andtrusted authority figures. It was something you were supposed to do even if itdidn’t make sense. Then you became an adult and shortened the list of whom youwould obey.

Our grandparents’ generation included that word in theirmarriage vows when they pledged to love, honour and obey. Unfortunately many ofthem struck out on all three pitches.

Obedience is a word we have relinquished to police, animaltraining, and cult leaders. This word has been co-opted by tyrants andthugs—Jim Jones and Kim Jong Il, Adolf Hitler and David Koresh. It’s amanipulative word in the mouths of powerful egomaniacs.

Is it any wonder we twitch a little at Scriptures that tellus to obey?

SHINE A LIGHT IN THE BASEMENT

2012-01-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

When we first purchased the old bar ‘Mongo Murph’s’ to turnit into our worship house there were leftovers from former days. The basementlights were burned out and so we explored it first with a flashlight. Mostly wefound decrepit furniture, empty bottles and parts of things that no longer hadsignificance. We did not find anything of lasting value.

Upstairs we found rusty bed frames, used needles, leftoverbelongings from a roomer and a few perverse unmentionables.

The presence of God roams the basement and the attic of ourlives. Our past decadence and worthless trinkets are not meant to stay. Thereis a new inhabitant bringing His value and worth into our broken down house.

Jesus says it’s your call. You choose what to fill yourselfwith. What you stuff inside you is not well hidden. Your secret place has notbeen kept in confidence. Your diary has been published in your eyes. You arenot anonymous.

Mark 4:

²¹Jesus said to them, “Does anyone bring alamp into a room to put it under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it put on alamp stand? ²²Thereis nothing hidden that will not be revealed. There is nothing kept secret thatwill not come to light. ²³Letthe person who has ears listen!”

²⁴Hewent on to say, “Pay attention to what you’re listening to! Knowledge will bemeasured out to you by the measure of attention you give. This is the wayknowledge increases. ²⁵Thosewho understand these mysteries will be given more knowledge. However, somepeople don’t understand these mysteries. Even what they understand will betaken away from them.”

Light reveals the secrets of the dark. Light dispels the fearof the unknown by illuminating the known. The question becomes how far are youwilling to explore yourself with God’s light?

What are you listening to? If you listen to the peeps andmutters that fill dark places, you will be transfixed in the darkness. You willstumble and hunker down in fetal position. You will pull the cover over yourhead to drown the fearful voice. Pay attention to what you are listening to.

There is a correlation between paying attention to God andgrowing in knowledge. Are you paying attention and growing?

Some only have the reference of past experiences. They haveno appetite to know more. Years later, they have not grown and the basement isstill filled with worthless, decaying trash. They have not found the newpurpose for which they were bought. It’s a sad day when someone who once walkedwith God tries to walk away from God. The God they once worshipped became afaded memory and there is little understanding in their present darkness.

If we look diligently for God, we will see Him. Is it timeto focus?

BOOK REVIEW: KICKING AT THE DARKNESS

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

In 1977 I was a 16 year old fascinated by the emerging music of the Jesus Movement. These were vinyl days when faith focused artists were emerging as proclaimers of the gospel.

I attended a music festival aptly named Jesus '77 at a campground outside Hamilton, Ontario. I heard some of the early Jesus culture prophets including Larry Norman, Randy Matthews, Mike Johnson, and Moose Smith.

From the handful of albums I had acquired, I was experiencing a renewal of my childhood faith and opening of imagination to the soul carnival found in concert venues and festivals.

In the Jesus '77 merch tent, I flipped through stacks of fresh vinyl endlessly searching for the next album to take home. In those days, I would spend $7 or $8 experimenting with new music. I would judge some of my purchases based on the album jacket and what I hoped would be matched sonically on both sides of the album.

When my eyes fell on Bruce Cockburn's 'In The Falling Dark', something mysterious happened. Without knowing fully why, the monochrome photo of Bruce and the song titles invited me to imagine another way of telling God's story.

From the first time the needle resonated in the groove of that album to this day, I revisit Bruce's discography the way some people return to a favorite cottage by a murky lake.

Now, about Brian J. Walsh's book; I say 'thank you, thank you, thank you!'

The book is subtitled 'Bruce Cockburn and the Christian Imagination'. Walsh treats the Cockburn fan to a rich exploration of themes found in Bruce's songs.

Bruce has an encyclopedia worth of recorded music (31 albums).

As I watched Walsh's dance with the theological elements found in the songs, I gained a greater understanding and appreciation for the true genius and intellect of Bruce Cockburn. He is a Psalmist, Prophet, Mystic (meaning we sometimes scratch our heads at his message) and Storyteller.

If you are a fan, you have already discovered that Bruce Cockburn's art will open doors of imagination and faith that no-one can shut.

I should also add that Brian Walsh understands the body of work better than anyone. He takes us into the sources of Bruce's inspiration and teaches us to read Bruce's worldview. Brian does this respectfully and carefully.

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"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Brazos Press, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

ADVANTAGE OF TEMPORARY BLINDNESS

2012-01-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

Our eyes work as a pair. The second eye adds dimension andperspective to what the other eye is seeing. If you had to, you could get alongwell with only one of your eyes.

Presently, I wear mono-focal contact lenses. One lens helpsme see distance and the other helps me see close. My brain reads the datacoming from each eye and blends it so that I unconsciously focus clearly onthings up close or at a distance.

If I had to lose an eye, I could still see but not with theadvantage of two eyes.

Matthew 18:

⁹If your eye causes you to lose your faith,tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eyethan to have two eyes and be thrown into hellfire.

Jesus is talking here about exposing yourself and fillingyourself with things that cause you to lose your faith. There is an advantageto not seeing something near or far,if it leads you away from God.

This is the advantage of temporary blindness. Blind in oneeye by choice—when not seeing isbetter than seeing.

We know that your eye does not act independent of the othereye. They work cooperatively. What is Jesus saying then?

Perhaps this parallels our own experience. We are touched byGod and filled with His light. On the other hand (or the other eye) we aredrawn to worship false gods and to be enticed by the lust of the flesh, lust ofthe eyes and the pride of life.

Jesus calls us to consider imposing restrictions and limitson ourselves. Better one eye and eternal life than two eyes and Hell. You donot have to look at everything everywhere. Sometimes you need less perspective,not more-- less information, not more.

THE MICROBREWERY OF YOUR SOUL

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

Your eyes may be your friends, but they are willing to playthe devil, too. They open wide to covetousness, false judgment, doubt and everykind of evil. If you look at lies you just may make them your own.

There’s something brewing inside everyone. Something ischanging in your inner substance to make you more pleasant or more poisonous.The presence of God in you causes all the other ingredients to be transformed. Youreyes give us a window into the microbrewery of your soul.

Jesus’ closest friend John said:

1 John 1:

⁵This is the message we heard from Christand are reporting to you: God is light, and there isn’t any darkness in him.

John says God is light. Paul told Timothy that God lives inunapproachable light[i]. Wedo not have the right kind of eyes to see God and live. If God is to appear tous, it must be in a vision or by appearing in human form.

Theologians refer to anthropomorphism—God speaks to us andreveals Himself in human terms so we can comprehend that which is beyond our understanding.God uses human language and human descriptions to accommodate our weakness andlimitation.

Man is formed in God’s image. This means there are commonalities that allowfor shared experience and bonding between God and humanity.

When we read about God’s face, His eyes, strong arms,walking in the Garden, speaking in a human language and so forth, it is becauseGod has chosen to limit Himself to an understandable form. His true form islikened to unapproachable light.

How fitting then, that Christ would put on human flesh andcome as the man Jesus. But, Jesus is more than God’s earth suit. Jesus is not apuppet form animated by the hand of God, but a union of Creator and Creation.The Messiah is 100% God and 100% human. This is a mysterious act of submissionby God to His own will. The humility and love of God are expressed through theIncarnation—God putting on flesh.

God’s ‘glory’ is often associated with visible displays oflight and fire. Jesus reveals the glory of God.

When we look away from God to false comforts, we areaffected by what we see. Our influences fill us.

Jesus looked into the eyes of the people around him andnoted what He saw.

Luke 11:

³⁴“Youreye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is unclouded, your whole body isfull of light. But when your eye is evil, your body is full of darkness. ³⁵So be careful that the lightin you isn’t darkness. ³⁶Ifyour whole body is full of light and not darkness, it will be as bright as alamp shining on you.”

On a cloudy, overcast day the brightness of the sunlight ishidden. Even though clouds are small compared to the sun, their proximity makesfor a dull and dreary day. Jesus was explaining that darkness within us can dimour vision and also what others see in us.

The light that you think you have inside you may in fact bedarkness. What does He mean? There are many religious beliefs and ideals thatpeople hold on to. But, others looking into our eyes see a different picture.They see darkness in our soul. We may think we have light and see, but it isour vain imagination. Jesus met many self-deluded people who thought they hadall the answers, but inwardly were filled with death and darkness.

Through Jesus sacrifice, God’s presence leaves the Holy ofHolies and enters our flesh. From the idea of God being untouchable, Jesusbrings us to the God who touches us.

The presence of God’s Holy Spirit fills us as a lantern isfilled with fuel to bring light to the surrounding world.

[i] 1 Timothy 6:15,16

UNCLOUDED EYES

2012-01-07T16:07:00.001-05:00

At some point in the decade following my 40^thyear, I realized that my eyes were not as strong as they once were. It’s now moredifficult to wire up the back of an entertainment unit or attempt a repair onsomething in cramped spaces because I need more light to read the fine printlabeling the connections. I have to take off my glasses or my contact lenses tosee the things closest to me.

My eyes have quite an effect on my life. They always have.

In Grade 7, the school eye exam revealed that I neededglasses to see the blackboard. I went home and cried because I thought wearingglasses would increase the teasing and bullying that went on in the early 70’s.But my self-conscious fears were trumped by the gift of sight. When I first puton glasses I was shocked at the detail I had been missing.

Everything that we see with our eyes is visible because oflight. There is a range of electromagnetic radiation that we are able todetect. We see because our eyes and brain cooperate to detect and interpretthis activity.

Light and vision are so much more to us than physics. Lightand vision are metaphysical terms, metaphors of spiritual realities.

My eyes have led me to find things I was searching for. I have read the Scriptures with my own eyes.The effect of this has launched me into faith, where I find evidence of thingsto hope for. I see things by faith, not yet visible to my natural eyes.

I beheld beauty at the back of the church in November 1987 anddecided I wanted to know her.

I have witnessed births and beheld death.

I have had my sight blur with tears.

I saw the ancient land of Israel in all its stone glory.

I have watched the sunset out the passenger window at 10,000meters.

I snorkeled past a spotted eagle stingray with a 4-meterwingspan at the coral reef of John Pennecamp underwater park. Sunlight dancedthrough the water as she made her watery flight beneath me.

BOOK REVIEW: NEARING HOME

2011-12-31T12:51:00.000-05:00

The seminal quote to describe Billy Graham's latest book is found on page 78.

"At my age, I can sympathize with most seniors. The good old days call me back at times, especially when I am with friends who have shared so much. While I choose not to dwell on the past or relive my youth, there are times I long to hike up into the hills with my children or stand in the pulpit to deliver a Gospel message. But the walker, wheelchair and cane near my bed remind me that chapter in life is past. So I thank God for the memories that have enriched my life but look forward to new opportunities, to experiences that can add some dimension to the present. Our attitudes play a major role in the closing scene of life's stage."

Born in 1918, Billy Graham has been an icon of the gospel message for generations. While other evangelists and Christian leaders fall by the wayside, Billy maintains a humility and simple faith that reminds us that the message is true. He is a loving reference point for evangelical leadership and Christian service.

His latest and possibly last book on life, faith and finishing well brings no surprises. The same passion to tell people about Jesus trickles into every chapter. While his last stadium preaching event was in 2005, his message lives on through his writing.

This is valuable material for us. It is a witness to a man's persevering faith, sustainability through ageism and grief and a marker for all of us on the road to old age, our coming death and eternal life.

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"Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson".

BOOK REVIEW: THE NAMES OF GOD BIBLE

2011-12-26T09:05:00.000-05:00

With over 70 names and titles of GOD presented in their original language of Hebrew (and a few in Aramaic), we are drawn to the textures and nuances of Eastern tongues. We are drawn into a rich contemplation of God's character as the ancients would have experienced when hearing the Holy Scrolls read.

This translation of the Bible has many practical and inspirational features to aid the reader.

This is God's Word Translation (GW). It is a scholarly and accurate translation that is easy to read and true to the original writing styles of the authors.

The Scriptures are formatted into a single column on each page, lending to easier reading.

Throughout the book, Ann Spangler (editor) has written feature pages that explore individual names and titles of God. These make an excellent resource for devotional study and commentary.

LaVonne Neff has written introductions to each of the Books of the Bible. These are easy to read, inspiring and informative.

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"Bible has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

THE FAST GOD LIKES

2011-12-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

God speaks clearly about what matters to Him.

Isaiah 58:

⁶ “Isnot this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
   and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
   and break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not toshare your food with the hungry
   and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
   and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸ Then yourlight will break forth like the dawn,
   and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
   and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you willcall, and the LORD will answer;
   you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

   “If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
   with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
¹⁰ and if youspend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
   and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
   and your night will become like the noonday.

Fasting is a temporary ‘doing without’ something. We usuallythink of food, but it can be media, sex, internet, etc. While fasting is acommon religious practice in most religions throughout history, God gives usreasons to consider doing it.

Fasting is tied to the idea that I will do without out inorder to share what I have with those who lack. I will fast a meal because Igave it away to someone who was hungrier. I will give up some of my comforts soothers can be provided for. I will fast and pray so that I can understand howto help someone else who is being oppressed, unfairly treated or enslaved.

When we catch this idea of fasting, we capture God’s desire.He wants us to stop with all of our critical talk and judgment. Less talk andmore acting in kindness… Then, God’s ways, justice and presence will beevident. It’s not longer prayer meetings, louder diatribes or greater proteststhat win God’s heart. God is looking for us to lay down our lives for others.That’s something to pray about…

CHURCH ON TIME AND SKIPPING A COUPLE MEALS

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

It seems that God was fed up with Israel and sent them anote through Isaiah. The nation had a certain religious appearance andprioritized their disciplines. But something was way off and it bothered God.

Isaiah 58:

¹ “Shoutit aloud, do not hold back.
   Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
² For day afterday they seek me out;
   they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
   and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
   and seem eager for God to come near them.

Israel said all the right things publicly. They projectedthe idea of being a godly nation. They asked for God’s help in many of the sameways as us. We say we want to know God’s ways, His justice and His presence.

But God felt differently. He saw a nation posing as if theywere solid with Him and already living right. Even though Israel fasted andobserved spiritual disciplines, they had questions about why God was notchanging things for the better.

It’s possible to sound very spiritual and like we are inalliance with the Almighty. But something is still off… God pulled off the maskto reveal their true face.

They did all these religious things, but continued to mistreattheir employees. They were busy getting rich off the backs of the poor. Fastingmade them cranky. As soon as the observance was over, they got back to theirhostilities with one another. They slipped back into being abusive and coarse.God was fed up, because they felt they were really doing something by gettingto church on time and skipping a couple meals.

We need to take a hard look at the spiritual disciplines andpractices in our life. What is the point? Is there a fasting, prayer anddevotional life that God is favorable towards?

BOOK REVIEW: COMPARING THE QUR'AN AND THE BIBLE

2011-12-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

In Islamic and Arabic-speaking countries, Christians use 'Allah' in their Bible to denote the person of God. (page 17)

Rich Richter has been a pastor in the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod for fifty years. Over the past decade he has held workshops on the Qur'an and the Bible from his extensive research into Islam.

Complete with discussion questions at the end of each chapter, this material would be an excellent source for study groups interested in understanding Islam.

Richter clearly is interested in presenting a comparison of beliefs that is fair to Muslims. He has treated the subject matter with objectivity rather than objection.

As a Christian interested in understanding people of other faiths, this book is a goldmine. I have long known that the differences in religious belief cannot be blended without destroying the integrity of each. Richter gives us a careful and accurate study comparing key doctrines with parallel passages from each of the Sacred writings. Islam and Christianity are not similar. We need to know what the differences are if we are to introduce the Jesus of the Bible to Muslims.

The principles of relativism and toleration would maintain that both the Qur'an and the Bible are equal sources of divine revelation. The Caner brothers, Mehmet Ergun and Fethi Emir, both former Muslims, state: "The tolerant postmodernist asserts that both books are divine because both contain some truth. But unless God lies, changes his mind, or makes mistakes-- in which cases He is less than God-- it cannot be that both books are divine... The Bible is either absolute or it is obsolete." (p.177)

Reading this book gave me a fresh appreciation and insight into the world of Islam and a nudge to know the Muslim neighbours of my city.

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"Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson".

WHY I DO NOT FAST

2011-12-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

Jesus’ words about fasting make me think about why I do notpractice fasting. The biggest reason is that I like eating. Most of the time, Ieat healthy food and normal amounts. I can skip a meal without anxiety and dothink too much about calories, carbohydrates and such.

Some people lose their appetite if they’re upset. Not me!When I get the flu and feel nauseous, I cannot wait to get eating again.

Ibelieve that getting back to eating will strengthen my body. I think eatingwill help me get well soon! I may be way off on this, but it is a deeply heldbelief. The thought of fasting is a challenge to my appreciation for food.

Another reason I do not fast is the way it makes me feel.Like Jesus in the wilderness (yeah, that’s me…) fasting opens up my mind totemptation. When I have spent prolonged times in prayer and even fasted, Ifound myself getting less spiritual instead of more. I found myself slippingback into fleshier thoughts.

Alcoholics talk about H.A.L.T. If you are hungry, angry,lonely and tired you are more susceptible to losing sobriety. This is partlywhy fasting scares me. Perhaps it ties to the saying about idleness being theDevil’s workshop. Or maybe… I need some really good reasons to pursue fasting.Let me get a snack and think about that.

You could make the case that I need to feel this emptinessand temptation, so I move into greater dependence on grace and less onself-reliance. Jesus seemed to handle the wilderness fasting and temptationwell. He came back and fulfilled His mission. I’m more like Peter or Thomasthan I am like Jesus. I just might fall asleep in the Garden when Jesus wantsme to stay awake and pray. I do feel bad about that. In addition to eating, Ialso have a real fondness for getting a good night’s sleep.

The last reason for me to fast is to keep up with the‘Spiritual Joneses’. If I think that fasting or praying will impress God orothers following me, I miss the point. If I think that it is going to be a wayto have super powers granted to me, I might be missing the point.

EX-POSED

2011-12-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

We are all tempted to pose in some way. Jesus wants to ‘ex-pose’ us.

When Jesus looked at the façade of religion around him Hespoke up. He would not participate in creating a false illusion of moralsuccess, ethnic superiority or worldly success.

If Jesus were to catch any of us being religious posers, Hewould pull away our mask. He would tell us to quietly deal with ourpeople-pleasing instincts. He would tell us to believe the words of ourHeavenly Father more.

Are there ways that you are looking for others to affirmyour religious success? Do you feel that your family or other churchgoers willaccept you more if you are more obvious with your devotional activities?

If you were more spiritual, you would probably pray a lotmore, right? You would be sure to associate with others who appear to be on theinner-circle of Jesus’ best friends. You would spend a fair bit of timeevaluating yourself to see if you’re measuring up. If you were reallyspiritual, you would probably get into fasting and try to get others to set thebar as high as you do.

Jesus knows all about our way of thinking. He saw the waythat ‘the more spiritual crowd’behaved and spoke up.

Matthew 6:

¹⁶ “When you fast, do not look somber asthe hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they arefasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, putoil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to others that youare fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who seeswhat is done in secret, will reward you.

A poser works hard at presentation. If they are successfulin their illusion, they gain the reward of thinking that other people look upto them. In reality, it is a shallow reward, because people eventually figureout if you are faking it. Then they lose respect. And that is the full rewardof a poser.

On the other hand, Jesus tells us to conceal what we’redoing so we do not get caught up in trying to impress people. Jesus tells us tobe authentic and focused on what only God can see.

IMPOSTOR SYNDROME

2011-12-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Some people have a very difficult time believing thecompliments they receive. No matter how well they perform a task there is aninner voice that tells them it is not true. Their measurement of self is alwaysskewed to devaluing their authenticity.

No matter how many times you praise them, they still believeit to be false. As a young teen I could be that way. I wanted the approval ofothers and had no way to accept it when given. Eventually, I outgrew thatmindset. But what about people that carry that thinking throughout theiradulthood?

In 1978, psychologists Pauline Clance & Suzanne Imescoined the term ‘Impostor Syndrome’to describe people who were unable to internalize their accomplishments.

Despite externalevidence of their competence, those with the syndrome remain convinced thatthey are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved. Proof ofsuccess is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others intothinking they are more intelligent and competent than they believe themselvesto be.

The impostor syndrome,in which competent people find it impossible to believe in their owncompetence, can be viewed as complementary to the Dunning-Kruger effect, inwhich incompetent people find it impossible to believe in their ownincompetence.[i]

I am reasonably sure that a few of the wannabees on AmericanIdol have the Dunning-Kruger effect,thinking they can sing when no such skill is found in them. They believesomething about themselves that has no bearing in reality.

Psychological conditions aside, we see people everyday whoare ‘posers’. These are people whotry to give you an impression of being something when they are not.

Have you met people who look and act like stereotypicalbikers but do not own a motorcycle? Their identity is formed around what theywould like to be, but lacking many of the essential requirements.

A poser is a kid who looks and dresses like a skateboarder.They even have a skateboard they carry around. The only problem is they do nothave the skills to use the skateboard.

There are posers who have nice cars and lots of bling, butcannot afford the basics of life. They believe that their projection of successis enough. They will fake it until they make it. They want you to believe thatthey are successful.

[i] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome

LEARNING FROM WOLF ATTACKS

2011-11-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

Have you seen the influence of a wolf in a flock of sheep?Unless the wolf is dealt with, the sheep scatter in fear. They panic as one oftheir group is destroyed by the predator.

There are spiritual wolves in Windsor and any othercommunity you may have lived in. If you have been abused, led astray ordeceived by an alleged spiritual leader you will be hesitant to trust again.You may have been infected and damaged by their destructive behavior.

How can you learn from wolf attacks and be prepared forfuture dangers?

It starts with the recognition that you were vulnerable anddeceived. No one plans to be fooled or seduced by a wolf. Predators watch forvulnerabilities. They look for blind trust and people who are impressed withresults.

Prophecy is a valuable gift in the church. We are encouragedto seek God’s message delivered through members of the faith community. We needto be willing to let God use us to prophesy. Do you know that wolves can alsoprophesy?

Deliverance from demons is part of the gospel. Wolves mighteven pull that off.

Miracles from God are signs of the Kingdom. Wolves can domiracles.

All of the supernatural attributes are intended to operateamongst God’s people. They are good gifts, but they do not signify that the oneacting has godly character.

Matthew 7:

²¹ “Noteveryone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, butonly the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me onthat day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name driveout demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell themplainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

At issue is the fruit that grows in a life. You can put astrawberry in a thorn-bush. It did not grow there. But you may think it did.

The image of the tree and the fruit reminds us that behavior flows fromcharacter, and in Christian teaching character comes through being born againrather than merely through self-discipline. Our own best efforts atrestructuring unregenerate human nature are doomed to failure (Gal 5:19-21). Bycontrast, a person transformed by and consistently dependent on the power ofGod's Spirit will live according to the traits of God's character because ofGod's empowerment, just as trees bear fruit according to their own kind (Gal5:18, 22-23).[i]

Wolf bites require help from the Great Shepherd. He knowshow to bring healing to a ravaged lamb. He can cleanse the infection left bythe bites and abrasions. He can mend broken bones and still the beating heart.

When trust is lost, you may question whether you will evertrust again. That is understandable. What can we learn from wolf attacks?

1. We need to be vigilant and pay careful attentionto what grows out of a person’s life. Trust is earned from observing somethingdeeper than a person’s ability to get results.

2. Wolves have a taste for blood. They will planelaborate con games to get their appetites satisfied. They masquerade asknowledgeable teachers with a message from God. Every teacher should come undera stricter judgment because of the trust they receive. Avoid teachers who putothers down and claim exclusive rights to God’s message.

3. Wolves are most likely to attack sheep that areat a distance from the shepherd. Find good shepherds to follow as a protectionfrom false prophets and false teachers. Remember character is more importantthan charisma.

4. Bring gentle correction and guidance to the morevulnerable sheep in the flock. If you are spiritual, bring healthy direction tothose who habitually wander and get lost. A flock needs to stick together. Wisesheep recognize the need to stay in a group.

[i] IVP New Testament Commentary

POKE THEM WITH YOUR SWORD

2011-11-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Some people will tell you that you should automaticallytrust people in authority. The logic follows that they would not have spiritualinfluence unless God wanted them to. False teachers sometimes demand anallegiance that leaves you no room to question their motivation. God told them,so who are you to question?

Jesus says watch out for wolves who masquerade as God’sspokesperson. How do you know if a person is a wolf or a sheep?

When I was first in pastoral ministry, I worked at a churchnear Ottawa with a pastor named Clair Mullen. He was from the Maritimes and hadmany colorful statements and euphemisms. He once asked me how I would know if aperson were a wolf or a sheep. I had opinions, but experience had taught methat listening to his opinions would be much more interesting. I played dumb tothe question. He replied, “The way totell is to poke them with your sword!”

He might be right. Confrontation is a great way to bring aperson’s character to the surface. You may need to ask questions and probebeneath the surface to find out where their values lie.

Jesus said wolves could be recognized by what grows fromtheir life.

Matthew 7:

¹⁶ By their fruit you will recognizethem. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Likewise, every goodtree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bearbad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not beargood fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus, by their fruit youwill recognize them.

We need to carefully scrutinize the lives of those we chooseto follow and help us. Jesus describedpeople who appear to be one thing, but reveal a ferocious, destructive naturewhen away from public view. There arepeople who take advantage of others in the name of the Lord.

How do you know whether you should trust a person in a placeof spiritual authority? Bad seed producesbad fruit. Immaturity breedsimmaturity. Anger produces anger. Lust produces lust.

Conversely, good seed produces good fruit. Patient people produce patient people. Truth loving people lead others to lovetruth. Those who love greatly influenceothers to love greatly. Forgivenessbegets forgiveness. We all produce afterour kind.

While telling us not to judge others, here Jesus is tellingus to be careful about whom we let influence us.

THE WOLVES OF PALESTINE

2011-11-23T06:50:00.001-05:00

Matthew 7:

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets. Theycome to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

Wolves were common predators in Palestine at the time ofJesus. The countryside was dotted with shepherds herding their flocks topasture. Good shepherds were vigilant and ready for a fight in case oneappeared.

When David was a shepherd, he had fought and killed a lionand a bear on separate occasions.[i]This was the aggressive side of shepherding. You had to be a roughneck if youwanted the job.

So, when Jesus warns of wolves, people knew the risk anddanger he spoke of. But a wolf dressed up as a sheep? What was this inreference to? Matthew Henry ties the wolf in sheep’s clothing image to thecommon dress of Old Testament prophets.

They come in sheep’sclothing, in the habit of prophets,which was plain and coarse, and unwrought; Elijah’s mantle the Septuagintcalls ‘hemelote’ —a sheepskin mantle. [ii]

Jesus is talking about people who claim to represent God.He’s saying that you cannot trust everyone who appears to be a prophet orteacher. You need to consider investigating their character before you sign up asa monthly supporter or get involved personally. Not everyone who appears to bedoing God’s work actually is.

The purpose of a sheep costume is deception. You can foolshepherds at a distance and cozy up to the sheep. Once you have close proximityto the flock, your true nature can be unveiled.

We need to watch out for spiritual wolves. There will always be people who usespirituality and religion as a disguise to get what they want from others. Wolves love power, money and sex. They will sneak in undetected to rob youblind. They might look like a lamb andsound like a lamb, but they’re after the lamb chops! In the end, their house will fall flat and bedemolished.

Don’t follow wolves. They will lead your house to ruin as well.

[i] 1 Samuel 17:36

[ii] Matthew Henry, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207&version=NIV

KNOW YOUR SPIRITUAL CONTRACTORS

2011-11-19T20:47:00.001-05:00

I cannot help but respect Mike Holmes. The rugged contractorin t-shirt and overalls exudes confidence and authority on his show ‘Holmes On Homes’. The basic scriptinvolves removing and repairing shoddy workmanship from dishonest and unskilledcontractors who take advantage of unsuspecting homeowners.

The moral of Mike’s story is this: A contractor may have anice truck, a business card and a cell phone, but that that doesn’t mean he ishonest or capable of doing what he says. You need to do your homework beforeyou hire.

With the numerous renovations around our church, we haveobserved a thing or two about finding trustworthy contractors. We’ve had greatones and an occasional stinker.

Unfortunately, this pattern also holds true with spiritualleaders. An appearance of success, convincing salesmanship and even a fewmiracles thrown in do not establish the credentials of a solid pastor, teacher,evangelist, prophet or apostle.

Have you been misled, misinformed or taken advantage of byan impostor? Jesus spoke about who to follow and who to avoid. We need to examine our spiritual contractors.

Matthew 7:

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets. Theycome to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

BOOK REVIEW: SACRILEGE

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

My family and I just returned from our first Caribbean cruise. During one of our family hangout times, my son Jesse made the comment, "We go to an inner city church and we're on a cruise. We're Christians and we watch South Park." He was pointing out the seeming opposite sides of our lives.

My read for the week was Hugh Halter's 'Sacrilege'. If I had any reason to feel guilty for being on a cruise instead of ministry to the poor, Hugh's book was a good way to unpack my baggage.

Jesus was considered to be sacrilegious by the religious authorities of his day. This is a book about living our lives not as disciples, but as apprentices of Jesus. Here's a definition of 'sacrilege'.

sacrilege

1. the misuse or desecration of anything regarded as sacred or as worthy of extreme respect to play Mozart's music on a kazoo is sacrilege

2. the act or an instance of taking anything sacred for secular use

[from Old French sacrilège, from Latin sacrilegium, from sacrilegus temple-robber, from sacra sacred things + legere to take]

sacrilegist [ˌsækrɪˈliːdʒɪst] n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

Part expositor/part story-teller, Hugh Halter brings fresh thoughts to the Beatitudes. He reminds us poignantly that Jesus was the friend of sinners. They actually liked him... alot!

As apprentices of Jesus, we are learning a life that religion cannot give us. This is a book about God's grace in all the wrong places.

Is anything sacred? Halter says 'yes', but not always in the ways that we have called things holy.

This book is a slaughter house for sacred cows.

_______________________

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

TEDIOUS BOREDOM & SHEER TERROR

2011-11-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

I spoke with a man whose job was to drive locomotive throughNorthern Ontario. When asked what his job was like he said, “It is days of tedious boredom combined withmoments of sheer terror.”

So why had he devoted his adult life to the rails?

Why dotruckers endure the long haul and why do daycare workers put up with demandingparents and low pay?

Some work because it is a means to an end. They endure theirjob in order to pay the bills and put their kids through college. Still, othersare engaged in their work (paid and unpaid) because they are compelled to. Theyhave an inner sense of being in the right place. They see higher value than thetask at hand.

Pastors, chaplains and community builders often have thatinner sense. We name it ‘the call of God’.It may involve a ‘job’ that we do to pay the bills, but something deeper callsus to live each moment purposefully.

The call of God is a bit like the call of the sea. It may not be veryspecific. It may not be a call to this ocean or that ocean, or to thisparticular port or that one; it is more like a restless, yearning, which canonly be satisfied by going to sea.[i]

A look at the men and women God called in Scripture revealsseasons of restless yearning and times of faith to take great risk. You findyourself somewhere in that continuum. Can you look at your current communityand say that you are there by God’s choosing? It might be good to know that.

The qualifier that separates picking a career fromresponding to God’s Call is the sense that you must do this. It is your loveresponse to the God who beckoned you to Himself.

‘It is God Who saved us and called us with a holy calling. Notaccording to our works, but to further His own purpose and grace which wasgiven to us in Christ Jesus before the world began’ (2 Timothy 1:9).

When we struggle with contentment, challenge and uncertaintyin our place of service we need to recall the First Call. The calling to be adisciple of Jesus is the highest calling that sustains you when your positionbecomes redundant, someone else is elected or you are unemployed.

God chooses to further His own purpose and grace throughyour life, in season and out.

[i] A sermon preached by John Hull on February 4^th2007 in the Chapel of the Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical TheologicalEducation, Birmingham, to mark the end of a residential course on the Missionof the Church in Britain. www.johnmhull.biz/SermonTheCallOfGod.doc

LOST ON BROADWAY AVENUE

2011-11-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

Matthew 7:

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. Forwide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and manyenter through it. ¹⁴ Butsmall is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few findit.

What about you? Perhaps you have heard the teachings ofJesus and even attended church regularly. It does not mean that you haveentered God’s Kingdom. There are many churchgoers and religious followers whowill experience devastating shock when the see the Kingdom of God come and theyare on the outside with no way in.

Being a good person and having church membership will notsave you. Jesus tells us that it is much easier to follow the crowd on the bighighway. Everyone is heading to destruction by the carload. Only a few peoplerealize that entry to God’s Kingdom requires single file entrance through a skinnydoor.

Jesus tells Israel that he is the narrow gate.

John 10:

⁷ Therefore Jesus saidagain, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.

The only way to be known and welcomed into God’s Kingdom isby entry through the sheep gate Jesus Christ.

Some are too pride to be identified as sheep. They do notchoose to follow the Shepherd who can feed and protect them. They prefer to berich camels and look for another way in.

Jesus’ message is still the most politically incorrect andoffensive message to those who want another way into God’s Kingdom. You cannotfollow Jesus and expect to have most people understand that you have chosen tostruggle over taking their easy road.

Do we trust our own ideas about God’s Kingdom or do welisten to the words of Jesus who invites us to follow Him?

Can it really be thatmuch of our religion and opinion is actually the path to destruction? Don’ttake an opinion poll, because most people are convinced of their ideas aboutGod.

Instead, heed the gatekeeper. He points us to Himself. I amthe way into God’s House. Follow me.

Jesus narrows our choices to only two: religion and Christianity. Religion, inbrief, can be defined as man’s efforts to reach God, while Christianity is Godreaching down to man. Religion rests upon man’s work for God; Christianity onGod’s work on behalf of men.[i]

[i] http://www.spreadinglight.com/sermons/m-r/narrowgate.html

GOD SAYS NO

2011-11-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

Luke 13:

²² Then Jesus went through the towns andvillages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. ²³ Someone asked him,“Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

He said to them, ²⁴ “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door,because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. ²⁵ Once the owner of thehouse gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking andpleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’

“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where youcome from.’

²⁶ “Thenyou will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

²⁷ “Buthe will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all youevildoers!’

²⁸ “Therewill be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac andJacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrownout. ²⁹ Peoplewill come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places atthe feast in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ Indeed there are those who are last who will befirst, and first who will be last.”

Anyone who thought that being a good citizen of Israel wasenough to merit entitlement was in for a great surprise. There will be peoplewho assume they will enter God’s Kingdom on the basis of their nationality orreligious history. The Kingdom of God would include the patriarchs who walkedin faith, but many would be left out. They will watch foreigners from all overthe world come to the Master’s table while they themselves are shut out. Theywill greatly lament their lost opportunity.

We live in times when people want a pushover god who neversays ‘No’. We are surrounded by people who believe theycan open a door into God’s Kingdom based on their opinion of God’s lovingnature. Jesus says, ‘No! The door will beshut and you will be surprised because you will be a stranger at God’s door.’

This was not the only time Jesus talked about thelimitations placed on entry to God’s Kingdom. Many rich people would not findtheir way in. The door in was compared to a needle’s eye. Anyone followingJesus was expected to accept a death sentence comparable to choosingcrucifixion. This was not an easy access Kingdom.

To a people who were exclusively selected to inherit God’sblessing, the fine print now excluded them and gave their invitation to theneighbours and far-off strangers.

THE CHOSEN FEW AND YOU

2011-10-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

Israel had a rich historical relationship with the Almighty.The nation wore the title ‘Chosen Ones’.Everyone in the nation knew that there was an expectation with the religion.They had a track record for obedience/disobedience and success/failure.

Many would live with the tension of knowing the Law andfalling short of its ideals. Still, they had national pride knowing that Godwas on their side. It would not be dissimilar from people who think of Canadaas a country founded on Christian principles, or Americans believing themselvesto be a Judeo-Christian nation. There is a sense of destiny and protectionismthat comes from this kind of pride.

As Jews in Jesus’ time listened totheir teachers, they would hear a message of repentance. God was issuing arecall to His people to come back and be restored. The teachings of the rabbiJesus were especially tough calling for a level of performance that not eventhe Pharisees had achieved.

As Jesus taught the heart values of the Law, many listenersbecame convinced of their shortcomings. Some would try and double up theirdevotion. Still others would walk away crying that Jesus’ teaching was toodemanding. They would stay with religion as usual, preferring the drudgery theyknew to the risk of great change.

Consider the call to compete in this account of Jesus’teaching:

Luke 13:

²² Then Jesus went through the towns andvillages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. ²³ Someone asked him,“Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where youcome from.’

²⁶ “Thenyou will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

²⁷ “Buthe will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all youevildoers!’

The question asked is ‘WillGod only save a few?’ Jesus answers with ‘What about you?’

Make every effort to get into God’s Kingdom through a small,narrow door. The Greek word used for making an effort is ‘agonizomai’. It conveys a meaning of great struggle. The same wordis used by Paul[i] toillustrate the efforts of an athlete in training. Great sweat and disciplinewould be required to work for the prize.

Such restrictiveness would not surprise this Jewish audience, since itwas already taught that Israel was God's elect nation. Second Esdras 8:3 reads,"Many are created, but few are saved." The surprise in Jesus' replyis not that access may be limited, but who gains entry.

The basis of the refusal is the Master's declaration that he does notknow those who knock. Earlier, when there had been opportunity to get to knowthe Lord, those outside had not been interested. So the Lord now says, "I don't know you or where you comefrom." The Lord's denial perplexes those who appeal for entry,since they once had meals in Jesus' presence and listened to his teaching inthe streets. But Jesus' reply makes it clear that exposure is not knowledge.Something more than presence is required in coming to know Jesus. So he tellsthem, "I don't know you orwhere you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!" Outwardcontact with Jesus means nothing; inward reception is everything. There is nobargaining with the Lord here. The issue is simply did you know him? [ii]

[i] 1 Corinthians 9:25

[ii] http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Luke/Know-Time-Israel-Turns-Away

BOOK REVIEW: CLOSE ENOUGH TO HEAR GOD BREATHE

2011-10-25T12:02:00.000-04:00

Greg Paul's book 'Close Enough To Hear God Breathe' tells intimate stories of the author's life illustrating God's great intimate story of Creation, The Fall, Redemption and Consummation. He talks about his family, children, failure and success in marriage, sex and street ministry.

I read this book with a lump in my throat ready to shed tears on any given page. The great themes of God are manifest in our mortal existence. Greg reminds us of that.

Greg Paul is not a haphazard writer. He writes brilliantly and is too provocative to avoid an enduring legacy.

Greg Paul is a pastor and member of Sanctuary (Toronto), an inner-city church where saints and sinners worship together. It is a church without the protective, social insulation more prevalent in 'nice' safe suburban communities. It is the church Jesus frequents when He is in Toronto.

Get this book.

__________________

"Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson".

NOTES FROM THE ARMCHAIR CRITIC

2011-10-22T23:28:00.001-04:00

As an armchair critic, I’m always in awe of the contestantson American Idol, Canadian Idol and The X-Factor. The singers range fromsurprisingly talented to tragically self-deluded. What do these shows tell usabout human nature?

Welike to judge others. We would like to be direct and opinionated likeSimon Cowell or we would like to tell the truth gently like Paula Abdul. We mayhave strong opinions about how the judges judge, but it doesn’t change the factthat we are twice the judges from our view in the living room.

Somepeople refuse to accept the judgments given to them. Ever see theouttakes after someone is told that they are not coming back to the show orgoing on to Hollywood? Some graciously accept the judgment while others areconvinced that the judges are idiots who do not recognize talent when they seeit.

Competitionis emotional and life changing. Winning, losing and awaiting judgment brings on tears, outbursts andelevated emotions. Contestants set everything aside for the chance to win. Theyquit their job at Burger King, break off an engagement, leave the baby atGrandma’s or graduate from rehab determined to come home with the title.

Mostwill lose the contest. Ultimately, one out of many thousands will finally win the contest.Everyone dreams and believes they can win, but the vast majority will not getpast the auditions in their city.

Turn off the television and look at your life. What qualityor talent do you have that you compete with? You may not be an entertainer orathlete, but most of us are competing in some way. There is a Simon or Paula ineach of our lives that we perform for and await their judgment.

Every child brings a scribble home to show theparent.

Everyone seeking a partner wants to impress tointerested parties.

Teachers may want to dominate your ignorance.

Gossips want the inside scoop to shock otherswith.

Perfectionists fight against themselvesendlessly without satisfaction.

KNOCKING ON HEAVEN'S DOOR

2011-10-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

Not a half-hearted knock… Bang that door! There is nothinglike desperation or great need to move you from being polite to intense. Ifthere is no immediate answer, keep knocking until you get an answer.

Sometimes we give up too quickly with prayer. Take courageand walk right up to that door.

You would not go knocking unless you had a need. Do wesometimes sit at home in our need instead of going to God’s door?

There is an interesting message Jesus gives to the church inLaodicea. They were self-reliant and comfortable enough to believe they wereokay on their own.

Revelation 3:

¹⁷ 'You say, "I am rich. I'vebecome wealthy and don't need anything." But you don't realize how pitifuland miserable you have become. You are poor, blind and naked.

¹⁸ 'Sohere's my advice. Buy from me gold made pure by fire. Then you will becomerich. Buy from me white clothes to wear. Then you will be able to cover yourshameful nakedness. And buy from me healing lotion to put on your eyes. Thenyou will be able to see.

¹⁹ 'Icorrect and train those I love. So be sincere, and turn away from your sins.

²⁰ 'HereI am! I stand at the door and knock. If any of you hears my voice and opens thedoor, I will come in and eat with you. And you will eat with me.

You may not be in crisis today. You have done everythingright in your eyes and naturally have entered the golden years. But what doesGod see in you?

Jesus saw a church that had no more passion. It was a churchrunning on autopilot but about to crash. Instead of being a church knocking onHeaven’s door, Jesus was knocking on their door!

When we fail to see our need for God, Jesus comes knocking.He has the insight and healing agents we need to deal with our problems.

Out of love, Jesus comes to confront us. He invites Himselfin for supper. What kind of friends would invite themselves over for supper?

Could it be that the Arnold at your door is actually Jesusknocking? Take him for ice cream. You may need it more than He does.

QUICK THOUGHT FOR SEEKERS

2011-10-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

It’s good that we learn to ask God for help. But, words arenot always enough. Jesus teaches that there are times when you need to go lookfor the answer. Seek it and you will find it. While you are asking God forhelp, listen for direction. You may get ideas of where you need to look to getyour answer.

The midnight caller needed bread for his guest. He did nothave it and had to leave home in search of it. It is not a lack of faith tolook around. Investigate your options.