It has been a little while since I posted here. But it looks like my posts here will be even more infrequent in the future. I sometimes believe that I am the weirdest person I know. There are a number of sayings and jokes and common conceptions that lead us to believe we learn less, or at a slower rate, or with more difficulty as we age. "You can't teach an old dog new tricks," for example. But I find myself learning each day, and it seems that I am learning things I wish I had known at a much younger age. And I also find that I am struck at the depth of the lessons I am learning.
With all of that said, my blogging is evolving again. I am moving back to concentrate on what I set out to concentrate on in the beginning. The tendencies of Christians to take the written words of what is called the "Word of God" as set in stone vs what is reality. The phrase "Word of God" is intended to mean the Bible, in all of it's various translations and versions. I grew up in a KJV onlyism environment, and I know many people have been taught a rigid adherence to other translations and versions. But in reading lately I have discovered a group of scholars who believe that God in His infinite wisdom would not entrust His Word to mere mortals. And I believe that. These same scholars contend that most translations and versions of the bible canon contain enough truth so that when coupled with a fully invested Holy Spirit one can live like God intended man to live. And again I agree.
So does it really matter which we use or trust? Well, I believe it matters less than many claim. But I also believe most don't know enough about any translation or version to fully engage the Holy Spirit, or, and this may be more accurate, are willing to fully engage the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is a part of the triune God, and given as a gift by Christ after a full surrender of oneself to Christ. All that we are or want to be must be given over to Christ so that Christ alone is in control of our lives. Then, the Holy Spirit comes in for guidance and instruction in holy living.
So this blog may fall victim to cyber cobwebs and electronic dust. I may come back periodically to tidy up, but not often.
Thanks for coming along, those of you who have. I trust we will have time in eternity to unravel the mysteries in greater detail.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Suspicion
Got this song running through my head. "Suspicion torments my heart, Suspicion keeps us apart, Suspicion why torture me..." I get the feeling I am being set up. Again. I don't have enough to link it all together yet, but I am watching over my shoulder more. There are shadows moving where there should be none. But it is OK. I am ready. I will not hesitate to engage this time.
On a more theological front, I have four books sitting on my desk in front of me. Fortunately I have read through two of them and about half of the third. The first one so clicked with me that I wonder if others have just somehow missed all books similar to it, or they won't go there because it would tear out their foundation. It is titled "Are Men Born Sinners." The obvious answer, is of course, no. I realize that flies in the face of those who hold to the inbred sin line of thinking. But that is OK. That line of thinking has so many faults it makes the Pacific Rim of Fire seem like an elementary science project.
The second is titled "Doctrines That Divide" and addresses the central doctrines that Christian churches have adopted that do not promote unity but rather divide Christians. The third book is the book I have been referring to for the last 6 months that looks behind the scriptures of canon to the most ancient writings titled "How to read the Bible." Perhaps the deepest examination of ancient writings I have had in my hands.
The last one, and the only one not looked at other than the Introduction is titled "Reasonable Enthusiast." It is subtitled "John Wesley and the Rise of Methodism." I am anxious to get into it.The back cover begins this way, "This is the best and most comprehensive scholarly biography of John Wesley currently available." I am drawn to it because Wesley, while regarded as the father of the Methodist church, is also the underpinning of a number of churches including but not limited to the Nazarenes, several different groups calling themselves Church of God, Pilgrim Holiness, the Wesleyan Church, Heritage Wesleyan, United Methodists, Free Methodist, Mennonite and many more.
Wesley was all about salvation and sanctification, the fundamentals of holiness teachings. Many churches that claim to be Christian have phased out various parts of Wesleyan theology and with those actions created lives without the power of living holy. Leviticus 20.11 For I am the Lord your God that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. And in one of Peter’s letters in 1 Peter 1.16 he quotes the writer of Leviticus with “Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.” If it is not possible to live holy, the scriptures are a fraud. And if it is possible, then it must be a requirement of Christ's. I don't have the time tonight to get into the supporting scriptures for that. You can do your own homework. It is my opinion that not only is holiness desirable for Christians, the very word is described by holiness and is a necessary prerequisite for eternity in what we call heaven.
Problems? Read my friend. Read.
On a more theological front, I have four books sitting on my desk in front of me. Fortunately I have read through two of them and about half of the third. The first one so clicked with me that I wonder if others have just somehow missed all books similar to it, or they won't go there because it would tear out their foundation. It is titled "Are Men Born Sinners." The obvious answer, is of course, no. I realize that flies in the face of those who hold to the inbred sin line of thinking. But that is OK. That line of thinking has so many faults it makes the Pacific Rim of Fire seem like an elementary science project.
The second is titled "Doctrines That Divide" and addresses the central doctrines that Christian churches have adopted that do not promote unity but rather divide Christians. The third book is the book I have been referring to for the last 6 months that looks behind the scriptures of canon to the most ancient writings titled "How to read the Bible." Perhaps the deepest examination of ancient writings I have had in my hands.
The last one, and the only one not looked at other than the Introduction is titled "Reasonable Enthusiast." It is subtitled "John Wesley and the Rise of Methodism." I am anxious to get into it.The back cover begins this way, "This is the best and most comprehensive scholarly biography of John Wesley currently available." I am drawn to it because Wesley, while regarded as the father of the Methodist church, is also the underpinning of a number of churches including but not limited to the Nazarenes, several different groups calling themselves Church of God, Pilgrim Holiness, the Wesleyan Church, Heritage Wesleyan, United Methodists, Free Methodist, Mennonite and many more.
Wesley was all about salvation and sanctification, the fundamentals of holiness teachings. Many churches that claim to be Christian have phased out various parts of Wesleyan theology and with those actions created lives without the power of living holy. Leviticus 20.11 For I am the Lord your God that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. And in one of Peter’s letters in 1 Peter 1.16 he quotes the writer of Leviticus with “Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.” If it is not possible to live holy, the scriptures are a fraud. And if it is possible, then it must be a requirement of Christ's. I don't have the time tonight to get into the supporting scriptures for that. You can do your own homework. It is my opinion that not only is holiness desirable for Christians, the very word is described by holiness and is a necessary prerequisite for eternity in what we call heaven.
Problems? Read my friend. Read.
Hunger with a side of thirst
Sometimes I am amazed at what triggers people's indignation. I see people who worry about the slightest signs of poor workmanship or damage in products they are purchasing, and my mind goes to the poorest of poor that I have lived among. Yes, my time among them was short, and I always knew I was not staying, but still it was not possible to miss how most of the very poor were at peace with the little that they had.
I have been thinking about the numerous times I have been reminded of how much we have living in a first world country. I have some friends that spent a year in South America on a mission and when they came back to the US they spent about 4 hours in the supermarket just getting used to the selection, the amazingly low prices, and the quantity.
People in this country who have home gardens of any size, for the most part, do not have them for the same reasons people in third world countries have them. In third world countries that little garden may mean either food on the table or going hungry. When people here talk about their gardens it is usually coupled with an explanation of how relaxing and peaceful gardening is to them. I doubt very many eat from gardens here because it is necessary or cost effective.
I think we in this country (again I am speaking in the general sense, I realize there are people starving in this country) don't have a good base for understanding hunger. I would say the biggest hunger that goes unsatiated would be the hunger for real care, true compassion and honest love. I don't find too many really hungry for food. Yes they are out there. But the real lack of hunger that I encounter on a continual basis is the hunger for understanding of who we are and why we are here. Most people don't look deep enough inside of themselves to ever question what life really means.
If you want to perform your own experiment, try asking people you meet this question, "What is it that you would not live without?"
If they answer anything but a right relationship with their creator, the answer indicates they don't have a hunger for the most important thing in life.
Because I am a Christian, further defined as a Wesleyan Christian with a divine evolutionary mindset, I live by the knowledge that everything we know about is the direct result of a divine creator. If someone created me, as I believe, then I would think that my greatest goal would be to understand as well as can be this creator and how my relationship should look to that Creator.
I know I have said it before, and pretty much wore it out, but again, for anyone who hasn't been with me since the outset, this blog is simply a place for me to put my thought processes down. It is not meant to influence anyone. If it does, I hope it only influences them to read beyond and behind the scriptures that have become Canon for all Christians world wide. I advocate the Wesleyan tradition because I believe it most closely follows what Jesus intended. Calvinist miss the point of grace and misconstrue soul security in my opinion. I won't judge another when they step outside my boundaries, but I can't step out of those boundaries and keep my salvation. And yes, I have grieved the Holy Spirit with things I have permitted in my life. There are others who have observed me at close range and know my flaws. And just because I no longer engage in those aberrations does not permit me to throw stones. I sometimes speak out about things I see as oppositional to Christian influence, but I will not label those so engaged as sinners. It is not my place.
The more I hunger, the hungrier I want to be.
I have been thinking about the numerous times I have been reminded of how much we have living in a first world country. I have some friends that spent a year in South America on a mission and when they came back to the US they spent about 4 hours in the supermarket just getting used to the selection, the amazingly low prices, and the quantity.
People in this country who have home gardens of any size, for the most part, do not have them for the same reasons people in third world countries have them. In third world countries that little garden may mean either food on the table or going hungry. When people here talk about their gardens it is usually coupled with an explanation of how relaxing and peaceful gardening is to them. I doubt very many eat from gardens here because it is necessary or cost effective.
I think we in this country (again I am speaking in the general sense, I realize there are people starving in this country) don't have a good base for understanding hunger. I would say the biggest hunger that goes unsatiated would be the hunger for real care, true compassion and honest love. I don't find too many really hungry for food. Yes they are out there. But the real lack of hunger that I encounter on a continual basis is the hunger for understanding of who we are and why we are here. Most people don't look deep enough inside of themselves to ever question what life really means.
If you want to perform your own experiment, try asking people you meet this question, "What is it that you would not live without?"
If they answer anything but a right relationship with their creator, the answer indicates they don't have a hunger for the most important thing in life.
Because I am a Christian, further defined as a Wesleyan Christian with a divine evolutionary mindset, I live by the knowledge that everything we know about is the direct result of a divine creator. If someone created me, as I believe, then I would think that my greatest goal would be to understand as well as can be this creator and how my relationship should look to that Creator.
I know I have said it before, and pretty much wore it out, but again, for anyone who hasn't been with me since the outset, this blog is simply a place for me to put my thought processes down. It is not meant to influence anyone. If it does, I hope it only influences them to read beyond and behind the scriptures that have become Canon for all Christians world wide. I advocate the Wesleyan tradition because I believe it most closely follows what Jesus intended. Calvinist miss the point of grace and misconstrue soul security in my opinion. I won't judge another when they step outside my boundaries, but I can't step out of those boundaries and keep my salvation. And yes, I have grieved the Holy Spirit with things I have permitted in my life. There are others who have observed me at close range and know my flaws. And just because I no longer engage in those aberrations does not permit me to throw stones. I sometimes speak out about things I see as oppositional to Christian influence, but I will not label those so engaged as sinners. It is not my place.
The more I hunger, the hungrier I want to be.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Hunger and thirst
In keeping with the current line of thought Paster Kerry has been preaching on, the worship team this morning sang this Praise and Worship song, Hunger and Thirst. Here are the words:
I hunger and thirst for You
I hunger and thirst for You
In the desert of my need
You're the fountain that I seek
You're the Living Water I keep running to
I hunger and thirst for You
I hunger and thirst for You
I hunger and thirst for You
I hunger and thirst for You
Heaven's Manna Bread of Life
Fill the emptiness inside
Nothing else can satisfy me like You do
I hunger and thirst for You
I hunger and thirst for You
I must acknowledge the writers, David Moffitt and Sue C. Smith.
I got some very disturbing news about my family last night and it has made me sadder than I have been. I have lost a number of close family and extended family members in my life. Some were great losses because they took part of my heart with them. But none of those losses hurt my like the news I just got about still living family members. Disturbing because I thought they would be above such attitudes. Just goes to show you can't tell the Christians from the lions without a program. They look an awful lot alike at times.
I hunger and thirst for You
I hunger and thirst for You
In the desert of my need
You're the fountain that I seek
You're the Living Water I keep running to
I hunger and thirst for You
I hunger and thirst for You
I hunger and thirst for You
I hunger and thirst for You
Heaven's Manna Bread of Life
Fill the emptiness inside
Nothing else can satisfy me like You do
I hunger and thirst for You
I hunger and thirst for You
I must acknowledge the writers, David Moffitt and Sue C. Smith.
I got some very disturbing news about my family last night and it has made me sadder than I have been. I have lost a number of close family and extended family members in my life. Some were great losses because they took part of my heart with them. But none of those losses hurt my like the news I just got about still living family members. Disturbing because I thought they would be above such attitudes. Just goes to show you can't tell the Christians from the lions without a program. They look an awful lot alike at times.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Aha
I have known for most of my life that I am an inquisitive person. I love finding out things. I love documentaries about how things work. I love to tour manufacturing facilities. I like to hear people explain what they do. And I love to take things apart to see how they work. I began doing that when I was quite young.
Along the way of my almost 60 years there have been a number of real aha moments. That point when the “light” comes on. That revelation of discovery. That “I get it” moment.
Tonight was one of those aha moments. And I am afraid I cannot even explain it to my own satisfaction. Before I attempt to put it into words I am almost sure it will not make sense in the way I would like for it make sense.
This blog was begun as a place to verbalize my journey of spirituality. It evolved into what I have been finding in some of my research into ancient scriptures. And I have tried to put into words my thoughts and impressions of what I have been discovering.
Along the way of my life I have sometimes wondered why I was repeatedly pulled back to reading, analyzing and yes, challenging the scriptures. Well, now I know. I had an aha moment that lasted most of an hour.
First, let me put in the scripture Kerry used tonight. Matthew 5.6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. KJV. This, from the Message, is closer to how someone might express it today. You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.
Having been raised in the KJV I learned this scripture when I was quite young. Probably by the time I started school I had committed it to memory. And now, this evening, it has become my co-favorite verse. The favorite verse I have held dear for perhaps 10 years has been 1 John 4.19 We love Him because He first loved us.
I preached a message a number of years ago about the word first. I believe this scripture certainly can be read as Christ having loved us before we loved Him. But I also believe it can be read that Christ loved us before He drew us to Him, before He began to convict us of sin, before He began to teach us about righteousness, before He began to mold us into a person fit for the kingdom. In fact, all of those things came about because he first loved us. We love our children before we ever reach the stage of correcting them or teaching them or guiding them. I think it was the same with Jesus.
Now I have another favorite verse. But I like it in the Message format. You’re blessed when you have worked up a good appetite for God.
Now I understand why it seems like my greatest joy, my heart’s desire, is to be not just into the scriptures, but behind the scriptures as well. I want to know more than what they say. I want to know why they were said. God has never done anything without purpose. And writers of scripture did not write without purpose either.
An aha moment. An aha hour. An aha turning point in clarity. Thank you pastor. Thank you for adding an understanding of why to my understanding of what. I am compelled to search because I hunger.
Along the way of my almost 60 years there have been a number of real aha moments. That point when the “light” comes on. That revelation of discovery. That “I get it” moment.
Tonight was one of those aha moments. And I am afraid I cannot even explain it to my own satisfaction. Before I attempt to put it into words I am almost sure it will not make sense in the way I would like for it make sense.
This blog was begun as a place to verbalize my journey of spirituality. It evolved into what I have been finding in some of my research into ancient scriptures. And I have tried to put into words my thoughts and impressions of what I have been discovering.
Along the way of my life I have sometimes wondered why I was repeatedly pulled back to reading, analyzing and yes, challenging the scriptures. Well, now I know. I had an aha moment that lasted most of an hour.
First, let me put in the scripture Kerry used tonight. Matthew 5.6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. KJV. This, from the Message, is closer to how someone might express it today. You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.
Having been raised in the KJV I learned this scripture when I was quite young. Probably by the time I started school I had committed it to memory. And now, this evening, it has become my co-favorite verse. The favorite verse I have held dear for perhaps 10 years has been 1 John 4.19 We love Him because He first loved us.
I preached a message a number of years ago about the word first. I believe this scripture certainly can be read as Christ having loved us before we loved Him. But I also believe it can be read that Christ loved us before He drew us to Him, before He began to convict us of sin, before He began to teach us about righteousness, before He began to mold us into a person fit for the kingdom. In fact, all of those things came about because he first loved us. We love our children before we ever reach the stage of correcting them or teaching them or guiding them. I think it was the same with Jesus.
Now I have another favorite verse. But I like it in the Message format. You’re blessed when you have worked up a good appetite for God.
Now I understand why it seems like my greatest joy, my heart’s desire, is to be not just into the scriptures, but behind the scriptures as well. I want to know more than what they say. I want to know why they were said. God has never done anything without purpose. And writers of scripture did not write without purpose either.
An aha moment. An aha hour. An aha turning point in clarity. Thank you pastor. Thank you for adding an understanding of why to my understanding of what. I am compelled to search because I hunger.
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