Things that make you go, hmmmm...then, Hallelujah

Sometime in our afternoon ramblings Page stopped me to tell me "a prophet is someone who listens to God and tells people what He says." I thought, wow, that's a pretty precise way to put it. They must have been talking about prophets at Sunday school today, but, it makes me recall something I've been meaning to note for a while now.

A few weeks ago at work I ran into someone I was helping with a curious comment. She got off the phone with one of her daughters and proceeded to comment about the eldest daughter calling in frustration because the younger daughter won't run the vacuum cleaner because she hears voices. My ears immediately perked up at this. The woman dismissed it rather easily. I had meant to go back to talk to her about it but never got a moment. While waiting for my break, I debated about whether I should or shouldn't.

The following Saturday, Page, Kerri and Emma went to Whole Foods. While there Kerri, the super shopper she is, managed to find some all-natural soap either free or surprisingly cheap. After coming home, Page came into my bathroom and proceeded to tell me the soap was singing. Now, I don't know what's weirder, the immediate reaction a normal person would have to this kind of remark or the fact that I didn't even hesitate to ask her about the song. I don't think of my responsiveness as a good or bad thing, just something that makes me different...and my family.

Being that they had gotten the soap at Whole Foods, I pretty much intuited the possibility of a wiccan or witch-based business that curses its products. For me, the gap between all-natural and nature-worship it not that big in some cases. At any rate, I started dialoging with her about it:

Me: "Was it a good song or a bad song?"
Page: "A bad song. It was a man who sounded like a woman."
Me: "You know, God sometimes lets us know things to help us learn about what he wants. Right now, I think God is letting you know this about the soap so you can learn to ask him what he wants you to do at times like this."
Page: "Oh, ok."
Me: "So, if the soap is singing a bad song, what do you think God wants you to do?"
Page: "Throw it away."
Me: "That sounds like a good choice. Go ahead and throw it away."
Page: "Ok."

I don't know if I am justified in feeling this way, but, I can relate to the line in Luke 2:19, "But Mary kept all these things in her mind, pondering them in her heart." I am not inferring my daughter is Jesus or anything along those lines, but, rather, seeing things unfold in my daughter's life that point in interesting directions. Praise God he has entrusted our family with such an awesome path before us. Please protect us as well Holy Spirit that Jesus may be the light in our lives!

The past couple of years environmentalism has been a rallying point of so many debates it's become an ignored drone in the background for most people. That is, until this summer when prices for gas skyrocketed. So, now that everyone's pocket books are getting pinched, lots of folks want to talk about it. For years, people who have been crusading for the cause feel vindicated, as if we have a major wake up call and times will change. I am admittedly a little cynical. First of all, I think people need to walk, ride their bikes, sell their car, carpool and get over their obsession with being able to do what they want when they want. In this country, we are lazy and obsessed with having too much per individual.

On top of that, though, I have a bigger issue with part of the environmentalist agenda. Now, I wholly believe and recognize there are people out there who make personal sacrifices and truly live according to the laws of conservation so blindly ignored in the US. But, I also believe there are many who are not being environmentalists because of the repercussions of ignoring this movement, but, rather, because of a larger spiritual movement: nature worship.

In Greek mythology, Gaia was thought to be the spirit of the earth, or the goddess of the earth. Even today there are small groups who espouse nature worship, though, they would hardly admit it as such. In their minds, destroying the environment is killing this goddess. To them, the earth is alive, it possesses spirit and our actions are harmful to this goddess and must be stopped.

Though I doubt many environmentalists would even accept such a claim, let's look at the idea of what we are trying to protect with the movement. The crust of the earth covers the first 35 kilometers of depth as you approach its core. The other 6,343 kilometers are various forms of molten rock and liquid matter. So, aside from the fact that people can't live beneath the surface of the earth, we are only looking at 0.5% of the earth's radius as being affected by our destructive trends. Comparing this to the human body, it's about 1/4 the thickness of the skin on your fingertip relative to the thickness of your finger. So, we know it's not the earth as a whole.

Okay, let's relegate our review to the surface of the earth. There are so many elements that we take into consideration: air, water, land, trees, animals. Pretty much everything that we as humans are in contact with. These things are being polluted and the end result is the environment, that is, everything that sustains life, is being destroyed. Rising water levels don't matter because the water is rising. Rising water levels matter because it is changing the ecosystem. We, the theory goes, are losing precious, rare life because of this.

So, life, not the earth, is the real focus here. I guess as we get closer to ourselves the focus shrinks. Originally, "saving the earth" was the motto of the environmentalists. Now, it's "saw the parts of the earth that affect us and the things we think of that make us realize the ills of our ways". Hmmm, so, environmentalism may have once had the aire of sprituality, nature worship, but, it's a way of looking at the world around us and using it as evidence for the ills of our political and sociological ways.

I guess it really ties into the notion that the American democratic emphasis is on that of ideals, where as republican emphases are on humanity. When it comes down to it, in many realms, ideas prevail in the democratic mind, whereas in the republican mindset, people win over all else. Let's look at abortion. Democrats value freedom; republicans value human life. While both are necessary, neither one, alone, is solely right. Without freedom, human life is really no life at all. Without life, freedom is meaningless. That's just one example. I'm sure it'd be very easy to point out a contradiction to this, but, I think it does illustrate that ideals matter more often than not to some and I believe that environmentalism is often more of an ideological than a humanitarian focus.

I have my most amazing revelations in four places: driving to work, running, cleaning dishes and either sleeping or just about to fall asleep. Tonight, it was cleaning dishes. As I stood there, a random thought passed through my mind. Being random, however, didn't rob it of being a powerful insight. Many times, when I deliberately sin, knowing full well I am doing wrong, I find myself feeling good at that moment. By that I mean, I am not aware of guilt, consequences, emotions, thoughts, the future or the past. It's like I am outside of time for a moment. This realization points to why I go there. It is a way to find ecstasy, a place outside of myself, where who I normally am is washed away temporarily. That has a great allure. It is pure escapism. The hook of sin is that everything comes back. Sin normally is a short-lived hit of numbing agent, the sting of which is greater than the pain it is meant to numb. To me, it's funny that many people are addicted to drugs, but, the same mechanism can occur with anything. I guess for me, sin is my escape. My hiding place from goodness. I think at the same time, that sense of guilt, connected, pain, that is God helping me to be in touch with others, Him, the challenges of reality as a Christian. I can only imagine what Christ saw when he looked out over the world, a place full of sick, ailing souls. From the sanitarium...getting better every day. By God's grace.

I haven't run this through the scriptures, but, there's this unsettling feeling I have about people who work for "the Kingdom". Many times I've met people who are doing "great things", following some dream and doing great work for the "Kingdom of God". Yet, along the way, there is little in the way of built up churches, lives affected in a way I think Christ would commend, and, rarely, long-lasting relationships. Looking as Scripture, from memory at least, Paul would spend years in a place. He would build churches. I strongly suspect his legacy was one built on the backs of the time he spent with people, hearing their stories, telling them about his, and, introducing Jesus to them. The Kingdom was advanced. People came first though. That is the rub I have. I sense the people I have in mind are ones who are achievement and results oriented, concerned more with being super-Christians, much like Paul referred to in Corinthians, than having a super heart for God. I guess I would trade all the gifts in the world for a life more full of love and the fruit of the spirit. Now, I don't pretend I would not like to have a life that more closely resembled the poster-child of the 1st century apostles. However, if I am not that way, I do not try harder. I pray to be closer to God and have others closer to Him because of my longing to be nearer Him. Lord, help me to build your church more, love others more completely and lose my concern for results within my rapture for you.

All right, confession time. A few years ago, while we lived in Baton Rouge, pastor Pete-our lead pastor-did something interesting. He told everyone that we believed in the five fold gifts, as outline in Ephesians 4. He had placed small pieces of paper in a bucket with the names of the gifts written on them. If anyone felt led, he said, come up and get a piece of paper. Around this time I had discovered Streams ministries and the prophetic arena, dreams, and all that jazz. So, I wanted to be a prophet. Lo and behold, I grabbed a piece of paper labeled 'teacher'. I was disappointed. And, of course, everyone said, "Duh, did you really think it would be anything else?" I didn't really like that. Here we are 4 or 5 years later and I am publicly confessing I am humbly accepting my call as a teacher. (I wonder, in the back of my mind, if it is public if I have no readership and rarely if ever actually meet anyone who reads this. But, I digress.) I wish I could say it was with humility and graceful joy, but, it's really more with mumbling and grumpy reluctance.

So, as a matter of accountability, I have to admit, I have much writing to catch up on. At least 20 blog posts I have saved as drafts because the ideas are rough, at very best and, quite frankly, I am a procrastinator. To keep me honest, if you read this with any regularity, send me an email and post every now and again asking about the following three books I am supposed to work on:

1) Ephesians 6
2) several words, such as perfection, chance and love, that I have discovered the Biblical meanings of which revitalized my understanding of things
3) the role of teacher in the Bible

If I haven't written any of these in the next couple of years, goad me with an email or note.

I heard about this and laughed and cried all at the same time.

nicecritic.com

We can't even confront each other directly any more. We are truly a disconnected society!

Cessationism. Again

Ok, I know I've talked about this before, but, another thought came to mind regarding the issue of prophecy ceasing at the end of the first century. In Revelation 19:10, John writes, "I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." I do not presume to know the full meaning of what the angel was saying to John, but, the last line, "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" jumps out to me. It has for years.

Cessationists hold that prophecy no longer has a place in today's church. If prophecy is not to be in today's church, what does this mean for the testimony of Jesus? One immediate counter I considered is that they would say, "the spirit of prophecy" and the act of prophecy are two different things. Even if that is the case and I am simply misreading John's intended meaning here, I still wonder where was he going with this?

Playing cessationist's advocate... I assume that prophecy no longer has a place in the church today. Say all foretelling of events has fully occurred. No more future events are to be predicted. That doesn't prevent forthtelling, that is to say, declarative proclamation of God's kingdom, from occurring. That too is a key function of prophetic ministry.

Ultimately, it boils down to what the phrase "spirit of prophecy" means. The testimony of Jesus is fairly straight forward. This is the gospel, the spreading of the good news. So, we have a simple relationship, an equality put forth. (Yes, I put this in math terms to simplify it for myself.)

Testimony of Jesus = spirit of prophecy

In my heart I think testimony, that is, confirming statement of belief. For instance, a witness' testimony in a court of law. The left side of the equation seems to refer to witness' expression/expressing of Jesus' impact on their lives. (The / joining the two words indicates it's not just a noun (expression) or a verb (expression) but rather both that I aim to touch on here.) In other words, people testifying about Jesus. Testifying would most like result in preaching, teaching and spreading the good news. Living the life Jesus commanded his followers to live.

Ok, I think have a general grip on that side of things. Now, the spirit of prophecy suggests something, to me at least, about intimacy, or innermost being. Spirit, as I see it here, refers to the very core or essence of a thing. Prophecy as a whole can have many aspects. However, the spirit of prophecy, that phrase, points to a specific element of prophecy, it's very nature. Looking more closely, when prophecy, more precisely, the spirit or essence of prophecy, is boiled down to its essence-if my equation approach holds water-really just is a matter of people proclaiming the good news of Christ.

So, then, if what I have laid out here is accurate and the very essence of prophecy is living an outspoken, declarative, active life to share the testimony of Jesus...I cannot see how anyone can argue against prophecy in the modern church! Without prophecy, if this is accurate, Christ would not be in the church. We would not have a confirming act and history. I know this is a non-traditional argument against cessationism, but, it is clear and obvious to me, looking at it this way, there is something being ignored by those who hold to the position itself.

Death to self

I think most people who have gone to church any significant amount of time have run across a sermon, or, if they read the Bible on their own, the verses, where Jesus predicts his death. Below is the passage from Mark 8 with verses in line.

31He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
34Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35For whoever wants to save his life[c] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

Long running arguments about the nature of this verse--is it literal or metaphorical--are not the road I want to take today, but, I know those are intriguing concepts.

I am looking more at the issue of self-denial and trying to make sense of how that really works. I assume, based on the fundamental belief Jesus suggested the disciples do it, that is can be done. Of course, on the easy stuff, things which are not major, deep rooted issues, this is doable. I can get that. However, when you get to issues that you cannot walk away from no matter what you do, no matter how badly you want or how much it hurts. Then, we are talking about a different story.

To try and put this type of matter to a head, I was shown the idea of looking at death to self literally. Death is a matter of finality, of permanence. Insofaras death means an end. When people die, in most cases, they do not come back to life. The end is full and complete. With regards to self-denial (or the "death of self") I don't see this sense of death. Rather, it's more of a comatose state...it can wake up at any time and after a little free-for-all, go back to its zombie mode.

I long for the presence of God so powerful that sin can be put to death. My intial hope here is the supernatural "you're freed once and for all" kind of release. However, I think most have to struggle, thought-to-thought, moment-to-moment for that overcoming. Doing this over and over and over, submitting one's self to Christ, focusing on him, instead of the object of wrath, the sinful thing, over and over and over will transform character. And, that, the transformation of character, the supernatural metamorphosis of self that occurs under God's loving hand, that is the kind of death I seek. A sublimation of eternal proportions. I seek permenance, but, recognize that God's way is one that allows us to die and yet live through the process of death and denial.