God is in Control

I was listening to Psalm 105 (New Living Translation) this morning, and it struck me how "in control" it showed God to be. Take a look at that chapter, and consider this:

·         He made a covenant with Abraham, and confirmed it with Jacob.
·         He did not let one nation oppress them when they were few in number.
·         He warned kings on their behalf, "Do not touch these people I have chosen."
·         He called for a famine in the land of Canaan.
·         He sent Joseph to Egypt and tested his character, then exalted him over all of Egypt.
·         He brought the whole house of Israel to Egypt so Joseph could provide for them.
·         He multiplied them as a nation there, until they became too mighty for their enemies.
·         He turned the Egyptians against the Israelites.
·         He sent Moses and Aaron to do miracles in the Egypt.
·         He blanketed Egypt in darkness when they would not let His peoples.
·         He sent all the plagues of Egypt because Egypt defied him.
·         He killed the oldest child in each Egyptian home.
·         He brought His people safely out of Egypt, loaded with silver and gold, and there were no sick or feeble among them.
·         He spread out a cloud above them as a covering.
·         He gave them a great fire to light the darkness.
·         He sent them quail when they asked for meat.
·         He gave them bread from heaven.
·         He opened up a rock, and water gushed out.
·         He brought His people out of Egypt with joy.
·         He gave his people the lands of pagan nations, and they harvested crops others had planted.

If you know the story of Israel's Exodus from Egypt, you might already be familiar with the deliverance God provided, and the guidance through forty years of wilderness wandering, preparing them as a nation to serve Him and obey Him. God doesn't do things arbitrarily; everything He does is done with purpose.

Sometimes I think we get so focused on what God "allows" that we don't stop to consider what God actually "does" Himself. From our perspective it might be questionable, but faith tells us God knows exactly what He's doing. He is all-powerful; He is all-knowing; He is everywhere present all the time! We serve a great and mighty God, and He is always in control.

A Biblical Worldview of Sex

The following is a response that I made to a friend's blog, located here:

http://theholyapostate.blogspot.com/

The article is entitled: Sex!

The views expressed there are from his own worldview, which I do not endorse, but I try to carry on a healthy dialogue with him because he has been my friend for a very long time. I don't recommend that you go there, but if you do, be prepared. And if you feel the need to respond to anything he says, please be kind.

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I agree with you that "Christianity" and "the church" have not historically had a healthy perspective on sex. I even have to laugh at your invocation of Augustine, later sainted, who kept a mistress until the day she died, even while he was developing Christian theology. But the Bible has a very healthy perspective on sex, devoting, as you noted, an entire book to the subject.

I have often questioned the wisdom of telling our young people, "You can't have sex with someone you're not married to," and then telling them, "Don't get married, you're too young." As you pointed out, Biblical girls were usually married off at puberty, and boys not much later. That's not even legal today! Nevertheless, it was Biblical. And marrying for "love" has been a development of the industrial world. Most Biblical marriages were arranged, though with the involvement of the couples. The young man could make his choice, under the guidance of his father. And the young woman had the right to refuse. So even though they were arranged, they weren't forced.

I have a solution, but our culture (especially our church culture) is not going to like it. We need to quit "raising" kids until they are 30 and older. We need to raise our kids to be more mature and independent by the time they are teenagers than we are currently doing. They need to get their educations, and then get jobs and earn livings, a lot faster than they are currently doing. They need to be given more responsibilities earlier in life, more training for the issues that really matter in life, and more preparation for the realities of commitment and faithfulness in all areas of life. Including marriage. (and I could open a whole 'nother can of worms here, but I won't) I think we need to be raising our sons to be husbands and fathers, and our daughters to be wives and mothers. But for some reason, we're not.

Now for my disagreement: the Bible has plenty to say about pre-marital sex. It's called fornication, and it's as big a sin as adultery. In fact, fornication literally means "uncovering the nakedness of". Biblical marriage is centered around the Biblical covenant (another lost concept), which involves a separating of flesh and consummation through blood. We spend too much time preaching against sex, because it's sin, rather than promoting the sacredness of the act! The Bible never defines women as property (although some have misused the Bible to treat women as such); I think the Bible is probably the only sacred text that truly upholds the rights and liberties of ALL people.

God is the One who created sex, and He gave it to Adam and Eve for several purposes, only one of which was procreation. Sex forges a physical, emotional, and spiritual bond between those who engage in it together, which contributes to healthy bodies, healthy minds, and healthy relationships. Sex brings two people closer together than any other act between individuals, making them, Biblically speaking, one flesh. Every time a married couple has sex, it should have the same effect on their relationship as taking communion has on our spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ...it is a reminder of covenant, of commitment, of faithfulness, and of love.

And regarding Song of Solomon, which is practically my favorite book of the Bible, it truly is a book about intimacy, but it has so many layers it cannot JUST be a book about sex. But I think you are mistaken when you say the passion described is between two people who are not married; Solomon and his bride were married at the end of Chapter 3 and celebrated their consummation at the beginning of Chapter 5. As a betrothed couple, they may have shared certain intimacies that were allowable under those ancient marital arrangements, but when Solomon entered his "garden", he found it a garden enclosed, pure, fragrant, and waiting only for him.

Who Were the Prophets, and What Did They Say?

I've commented on this before; let me do so again. I don't think we truly fathom the nature of Biblical prophets and prophecy. We seem to have a very narrow understanding of what a prophet is and what a prophet does, but when you study the subject in Scripture, God can paint the fullest picture if we're willing to see it.

In the Old Testament and New alike, prophets arose as God's messengers to God's people. In the Old Testament, the prophet was one of three anointed offices appointed by God to rule Israel. A King was anointed--had oil poured over his head--by the High Priest of Israel, appointed for a lifetime to sit on the Throne and govern God's people. The High Priest was anointed and appointed for a lifetime of service in the presence of God on behalf of the people. Always with the priest, and almost always with the king, the right to succeed to that office was hereditary.

But with the prophet things were slightly different. The office was not hereditary; in fact the Bible is careful to point out that sons did not always follow their fathers in this ministry, and that sometimes men of totally unrelated occupations were chosen by God to deliver His Word. Sometimes Kings and Priests were also prophets; David was unique among the Old Testament personalities for having served the Lord in all three capacities though his ministry before the Ark in the presence of the Lord was a significant exception to established rules. And the anointing of a prophet had nothing to do with pouring oil over someone's head and appointing them a prophet. The office and ministry of the prophet was by divine appointment only, which may have been followed with an oily rite, but such a ritual is never recorded in the Scriptures. Becoming a prophet was about God's recognition, God's empowerment and anointing; being a prophet was about bending to God's will and boldly proclaiming God's Word.

Now Jesus is the fulfillment of all three offices...He was the anointed Prophet in the Gospels; He is the anointed Priest now; and He is soon (surely soon) to be the anointed King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And we as Christians shall rule and reign as kings and priests with Him in His coming Kingdom. But until the return of the King, we have been entrusted with gifts and empowered by the Holy Spirit to do His will here and speak His Word here. We have been appointed by Christ and anointed by His Holy Ghost as messengers, light-bearers, and witnesses in a world that doesn't readily accept the Word that we have for them. And we have a responsibility.

That responsibility is universal to all Christians. Jesus has given His Holy Ghost to all of us, so that we can all receive power and be witnesses (which is actually martyrs, someone who lays down their life for the Gospel). Jesus has given all of us authority to go and make disciples of all the nations. Jesus has promised to confirm His message with signs and wonders and miracles that will follow all those who believe. But within the greater body He has distributed gifts to individuals as He saw fit.

In 1 Corinthians 12 & 14, we are taught that the Holy Spirit distributes gifts throughout the body (the church) for use when the body comes together and for the purpose of encouraging and building up the body. Among the nine gifts defined by Paul, one of them is the gift of prophecy. it is definitely a speaking gift, one used to proclaim convicting and convincing truth to the benefit of believers and unbelievers alike. It is a supernatural and spontaneous gift that should be used only as the Spirit inspires.

In Romans 12, we are taught that God has given to each person a measure of faith by which to use the gift He has given to us by grace to fulfill a specific function in the body of Christ. In that listing of seven gifts, one of them is the gift of prophecy. And while it falls into a category of speaking gifts, it is also a gift of perception, of discernment, and of intercession. It is sometimes the place of the prophet to preach, but it is always the place of the prophet to perceive and to pray.

In Ephesians 4, we are taught that Christ has issued five different gifts to oversee and advance the kingdom that is the Church--apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. While any person can be used in the manifestational gifts of the Spirit as given in 1 Corinthians 12, and each person has a motivational gift as described in Romans 12, not every person is called to one of the ministry gifts of Ephesians 4. Sometimes referred to as the Five-Fold Ministry of the church, these five are offices of leadership, proclamation and service to the rest of the body, the prophet among them, and this prophet is one who brings God's word to God's people for their encouragement and their correction.

What the Bible reveals to be universally true is that the prophet, though appointed and anointed by God, is not always accepted by those to whom they are sent, and their message is not always appreciated. Some would like to classify the prophet as one who reveals the future--like a seer, diviner, or fortune-teller--but the primary ministry of the prophet was not foretelling, but forthtelling. And in their forthtelling, their message was universal: REPENT!

Listen to the speaking prophets like Samuel, Nathan, Elijah and Elisha; they offered counsel to kings and preached righteousness among the people. Read the writing prophets like Joel and Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Malachi. Their message and ministry was the same. Each one of them saw things, perceived things supernaturally and did things under the direction of the Lord. Sometimes they saw tomorrow; most times they spoke about today. Unless they were revealing the coming of Christ and His Kingdom, their outlook on the future was almost universally bleak. Because of your sins today, you will be judged tomorrow! Their solution: REPENT!

Now consider the New Testament prophets, for which John the Baptist and Jesus set the standard. John the Baptist comes out of the wilderness preaching: REPENT! Jesus public preaching ministry was the same call: REPENT! When Jesus sent the disciples out to preach, their message was: REPENT!

Barnabas and Paul are included in a list of prophets and teachers from Antioch; Agabus shows up in Antioch and later in Ceasarea; Judas Barsabbas (who is probably the same as Jude, the brother of Jesus) and Silas traveled to Antioch to encourage the Gentile believers with the decisions made in Jerusalem. The daughters of Philip were prophetesses in the church at Ceasarea. Paul's words and ministry are recorded in the Acts and in his epistles, and we know he was not shy about the message of repentance. The apostolic postcard from Jude is more of the same. Of the prophets singled out by name in the Acts, Agabus is the only one whose words are recorded, and he sounds like some Old Testament harbinger of gloom and doom: famine for the world, prison for Paul. How do you think Agabus' ministry would go over in the Charismatic churches of today?

The preaching of Jesus and the writing of the apostles both contain lots of revelations about the future, but their outlook was no brighter than that of the Old Testament prophets. Apart from the return of Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom, the future of the world is not a pretty picture, nor does it have a happy ending. And the one New Testament book devoted entirely to prophecy, penned by the Apostle John is a warning to the church: REPENT! because Jesus is coming, and you're not ready.

I have concerns about those who actually call themselves prophets, especially when I don't see the marks of the prophetic in their lives and ministries. Anybody can speak happy thoughts and good wishes over an expectant seeker. Anybody who is observant and intuitive can offer "readings" that are eerily accurate. Anybody with a little bit of persuasion and influence can move a crowd or an individual to respond. Anybody can proclaim inner healing and outward reactions as proof of their own power.

But why do so many prophets today want to foretell the future rather than forthtell the truth?

Why do so many prophets today want to make you feel good about yourself rather than make you feel convicted about your sin?

Why do so many prophets today play around with their gift, and even their anointing, doing and saying such foolish and frivolous things, rather than getting down to business with God and His people?

Why do so many prophets today tell us what we want to hear, what we pay to hear, what we came to hear, rather than what we need to hear?

I'll tell you why: it's because they don't want to preach repentance, and most folks don't want to hear it and don't want to do it.

Show me a man or woman who will stand before God's people and preach against sin. Show me a preacher who will take a stand for righteousness and call people to repentance. Show me a spokesman for God who will stop trying to ingratiate themselves to people for their own self-aggrandizement, and start speaking words that sound like they are coming from the mouth of a Biblical prophet. Show me that, and I won't have to see the title prophet on a business card to know that's what you are.

Think About That

Listen you leaders of Israel!

You are supposed to know right from wrong,

but you are the very ones who hate good and love evil.

You skin my people alive and tear the flesh off their bones.

You eat my people's flesh, cut away their skin,

and break their bones.

You chop them up like meat for the cooking pot.

Then you beg the Lord for help in times of trouble!

Do you really expect him to listen?

After all the evil you have done, he won't even look at you!

This is what the Lord says to you false prophets:

"You are leading my people astray!

You promise peace for those who give you food,

but you declare war on anyone who refuses to pay you.

Now the night will close around you,

cutting off all your visions.

Darkness will cover you,

making it impossible for you to predict the future.

The sun will set for you prophets,

and your day will come to an end.

Then you seers will cover your faces in shame,

and you diviners will be disgraced.

And you will admit that your messages were not from God."

But as for me, I am filled with power and the Spirit of the Lord.

I am filled with justice and might,

fearlessly pointing out Israel's sin and rebellion.

Listen to me, you leaders of Israel!

You hate justice and twist all that is right.

You are building Jerusalem on a foundation of murder and corruption.

You rulers govern for the bribes you can get;

you priests teach God's laws only for a price;

you prophets won't prophesy unless you are paid.

Yet all of you claim you are depending on the Lord.

"No harm can come to us," you say,

"for the Lord is here among us."

So because of you, Mount Zion will be plowed like an open field;

Jerusalem will be reduced to rubble!

A great forest will grow on the hilltop,

where the Temple now stands.

 
Selah. Think about that!

Who He Is

"He will be great,

and will be called the Son of the Highest;

and the Lord God will give Him

the throne of His father David."

Luke 1:32

Jesus was a child born, even conceived, under great expectations. I mean, every mother has high hopes for her children, but Mary was given the highest of standards for her firstborn son. Do you ever wonder if she ever wondered if she was up to the task of raising such a child? Do you think she had feelings of being overwhelmed as this mysterious angelic messenger revealed to her the nature of that which was being quickened in her womb?

He will be great, the angel said. The Greek for great is megas. Jesus was going to be the mega-baby of all eternity. And that wasn't a reference to his size. The greatness of the Christ-child was a measure of His rank and stature among other babies born, among other children raised, among other men who would walk and talk with him on a daily basis. Jesus' greatness was about his personal eminence in ability, virtue, authority and power. His birth, his very existence, was one defined by great moment and importance. He would be a most excellent human being, highly esteemed. He would be stately and splendid. He came to be God's preeminent blessing upon all of creation.

He will be called the Son of the Highest. Mary had not yet asked her question about the logistics of this foretold birth, but the angel told her right up front whose baby she would be carrying. The child birthed from her womb would be the very Son of God; in fact, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. Not only was this child to be great and the son of God, he was the heir of David as well. On her mother's side, Mary was a Levite, the daughter of priests. On her father's side, she was a descendant of kings. David's throne had not held an heir in six centuries, but the promises of God to that great king were recorded in the chronicles of the kingdom. God's promise to David was that he would always have a throne, and an heir to sit upon it. Now God was fulfilling in the ultimate way His millennium-old promise to King David, an heir whose kingdom would never pass away.

This was no ordinary conception, and this was no ordinary child. His was the brightest light in the panorama of God's universe. His was the greatest story that would ever be told!

This is God's Doing

O God...You have shown Your people hard things;

You have made us drink the wine of confusion.

You have given a banner to those who fear You,

that it may be displayed because of the truth.

Psalm 60:3-4

I think God gets blamed for a lot of stuff that's not his doing. For that matter, so does the devil. If we find a parking spot close to the door, it must have been God. If we can't find a place to park, it must be the devil. If things go my way, God must be blessing me. If things don't go my way, the devil must be hindering me. We hear it all the time in church circles, but what we too easily forget is our own role in things.

And there is the assumption that everything that happens in church and makes me feel good is from God, and anything that makes me feel not so good must be an attack of the enemy. God wants me blessed, so if I'm suffering financially, the devil must be stealing my seed. God wants me whole and healthy, so if I'm sick the devil must be attacking my body. God wants me successful in everything I do, so if doors are closing before me it must be the devil trying to thwart the plan of God for my life.

What we forget is that sometimes God does things that, from an imperfect human perception, seem to have negative consequences in our lives. Sometimes God withholds from us what we want or what we ask for, because it is not in our best interests to have it. Sometimes God closes doors because he does not want us to travel down a certain path, no matter how "blessed" we think we would be if we walked it. Sometimes God even disciplines us in order to get us on the right path and help us grow, but we can't stand to be corrected. We must remember that whatever God does for us, it is for our good and His glory.

I've occasionally witnessed confusion in churches, confusion over messages or gifts or manifestations or actions. I'm a firm believer in letting the Holy Spirit have complete freedom and liberty in church. But I have seen alot of things happen in churches that are blamed on the Holy Ghost, when in fact it is merely a human reaction or response, sometimes toward the presence of God, sometimes just because it makes them feel good, sometimes just because everybody else is acting a certain way or doing a certain thing. And when confusion reigns, I have sometimes been too quick to judge the confusion as not from God. But I think David puts these kinds of things into a different light.

Sometimes it is God who sends (or allows, since God is not the author) confusion because His people have strayed from righteousness and truth. The mess we sometimes witness may well indeed be God, but the confusion it causes brings lots of questions to the surface. Why would God do something confusing? Making the assumption that if something is from God it must also be what He is "blessing" us with right now is not a healthy practice. We need to take a step back and ask, "God, what are you trying to do here?" "Is this really from you?" And if it is from God, "What is the purpose of all this?" If it's confusing, we need to find out why. If God is sending confusion or delusion, we need to figure out why and repent!

And in all we do, we must be constant and vigilant in holding up God's banner of truth. Because His Name is truth, his words are truth, His ways are truth. We can settle for no less!

What's In a Name?

"And behold, you will conceive in your womb

and bring forth a Son,

and shall call His name JESUS."

Luke 1:31

Do you know what your name means? I just visited a couple of websites to find out mine. Apparently, Casey is a derivation of an Irish surname which means Vigilant in War. Lynn is a Welsh (or Celtic or Gaelic) name meaning From the Lake. And Stafford is an English surname that indicates The Ford at the Landing Place. So I suppose you might say my name, all together, means Vigilant warrior from the lake where you ford at the landing place.

So next I ask myself, does my name fit my personality or my character? Is my name descriptive of me? I think my Dad chose Casey just because he liked it; Lynn is a family name passed down from my grandfather to my dad to me, and which I may pass on to a son if I ever have one. And I think my grandfather may have been named for one of his father's cousins, but that part has never been too clear. Stafford is our ancestral name, which may or may not take our lineage all the way back to that first Stafford who came to England with William the Conqueror in...well, that's not something you're likely interested in. My point was, my parents were not Christians when I was born, and they didn't give me my name for any reason other than they liked it.

Vigilant means watchful, someone who stays awake and on guard, especially to avoid danger. For years I have read the Proverbs of Solomon, which exhort young men especially to be watchful, looking ahead to avoid the snares set for their feet. Paul tells Timothy to be watchful in all things. Peter tells his readers to be sober and vigilant because our adversary the devil is as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

I will say that I have always envisioned myself as a vigilant, if not gallant and courageous knight. My favorite literary character is Don Quixote, especially as portrayed by Peter O'Toole in Man of La Mancha. And The Impossible Dream is one of my favorite songs--to fight for the right, without question or pause, to be willing to march into hell for a glorious cause! I have always been an observer of human behavior, watching people and trying to discern what was going to happen next based upon their words and actions. I have stepped between men to stop fights, I have tried to defend those who were being treated unfairly. I have stood up for the rights of those who I thought were being mistreated or deprived. Even now, I see my role of Pastor as one of the vigilant watchman, guarding my church and my city against the enemies of false prophecy, false religion, and false Christianity. I stand for righteousness, I stand for mercy, and I stand for truth.

So I believe my name, Casey, fits me perfectly. I am God's vigilant warrior.

God changed Abram's name to Abraham, which means father of many nations, and then God made it so.

God gave Abraham a son in his old age and told him to name him Isaac, meaning laughter, because Isaac would bring much joy to the hearts of his aged parents.

Jacob came out of the womb grasping his brother Esau's heel; for that reason he was given his name, "Heel-grabber" or "supplanter". He was a con-man who constantly looked for ways to usurp his brother's place as firstborn, taking both the birthright and the blessing. But later God changed his name from Jacob to Israel, which means a prince of God, because he had wrestled God and prevailed.

Joseph's name was meant increaser, and he was used to increase his family's provision, their wealth, and their place in the population of Egypt.

Moses was named so because he was "drawn out" of the water, and later he would drawn his own people out of Egypt and deliver them through the Red Sea.

The list could go on and on and on. But it culminates in the perfect name for the perfect man--Jesus means "God is Savior". He was not the first man to be called that; he was not the last man to be named that. But He was the man who perfectly fulfilled the meaning of His name, for He was the savior sent by God to reconcile a fallen human race to Himself. He was destined to be the Savior, sent with that purpose and for that reason, and He became what no other human could ever be...God the Savior, Redeemer of the world!

Then the Angel Said

Then the angel said to her,

"Do not be afraid, Mary,

for you have found favor with God."

Luke 1:30

I find it interesting that angelic appearances are often accompanied by the phrase, "Do not be afraid." Why do you think that is?

In our culture, largely influenced I'm sure by representations from the Renaissance, we seem to have some benign mental image of tall blond men in robes of white with pale features and enormous feathery wings. But we don't get that picture from the Bible. For the most part, the Bible describes angels as "men", although there are times that other descriptions are made. Elijah and Elisha both saw the hosts of heaven as horses and chariots of fire. Isaiah, Ezekiel, and John all saw the cherubim and seraphim which minister around the throne of God--multi-winged, multi-faced creatures. But what Gabriel looked like on the day he appeared to Mary, we are not told.

We are not even told how she recognized him as an angel; perhaps they had wings after all. Perhaps there was a flash of light and the harmony of angelic voices lifted in song when he showed up. Perhaps there was something distinguishable about him that the Bible doesn't mention. But Mary knew what he was, and she was troubled, perhaps even fearful. What would an angel of the Lord want with her?

And it is a recurring them with angels appearing, that some of the first words out of their mouth are usually, "Fear not!" or in this case, "Don't be afraid." That's one of the things that concerns me with all these common, modern-day apparitions of supposedly heavenly beings. There's no sense of awe or reverence from those who've seen them. I've heard some speak of seeing angels as if it were some kind of game they were playing with God, competing against others to determine who had more spiritual sight. They look for angels in movements out of the corners of their eyes. They look to the clouds and the shadows for the appearance of angels. They look for angels as an every-day occurrence. And then all they want to do is brag--I saw an angel! I saw an angel! Where is the fear of the Lord?

Angels never showed up at random in the Bible, and they never revealed themselves to just anybody. In fact, I cannot find one instance in Scripture where someone was looking for an angel when they found one. Sometimes people were simply seeking the Lord in prayer or worship when the angel showed up. Like old Zechariah, or like Isaiah, both in the temple of the Lord. Alot of the time, people were just minding their own business, going about their everyday lives, when the angel showed up. Like Abraham, or Gideon, or Manoah's wife. Or like Mary.

And angels never showed up just to be showing up. It wasn't a game for them...let's see if the little humans can catch a glimpse of my coattail if I move really fast. They were on assignment from God, and their ministry is not about themselves. I think we give too much glory to the angels, who while worthy of our awe are not worthy of our worship. They are not what we should be seeking. They are not what we should be looking for. And when we see them, that sighting alone should not be worthy of our excitement, "I saw one! I saw one!" That's just foolishness.

If an angel shows up on your doorstep or at your foot board, you better know something serious is going on. Because God never sends his messengers without a message from the throne. If one ever shows up in my presence, I can only hope that their message would be like the one given here: "Do not be afraid, for you have found favor in God's sight."

You Don't Have to Die with the Philistines

Samson was a man of God chosen and called from the womb to be the deliverer of his people. His parents made a covenant with God that he would be a Nazarite from the womb; his mother was not to drink wine or any strong or fermented drinks, or even eat grapes from the vine; she was not to eat any unclean foods; and after he was born he was to do likewise. He was also not to cut his hair...ever. It was the mark of a Nazarite's vows to the Lord, and for Samson it would be the source of his strength.

And then you read about Samson's career as a judge, deliverer and leader of Israel.

First, he took a wife from among the Philistine women, the very people from which he was supposed to deliver his people. He messed around with dead things, eating honey from the carcass of a lion and even gave some to his parents without telling them where it had come from. Then he used the jawbone of a freshly dead donkey to kill some Philistines. Next you find him cavorting with Philistine prostitutes, one of which seduced him into revealing the source of his strength. And once the secret was out, she shaved his head. His covenant with God broken, his strength gone, Samson ended up bald and blind, bound to a mill grinding someone else's corn.

Sister Dolores Hein preached this message this morning in a church, a message she admitted was a difficult one to preach considering her audience--a dozen faithful church folks, including the pastor. But she preached about compromise and deception, about trading the anointing of God for a moment's pleasure. She preached about the dangers of dallying with the world, of dabbling in the things that displease God because you know you've still got your strength, you've still got your gift, and you also have God's grace. But then she preached--no, she prophesied, that continuing to do so would leave you as bald, blind and bound as Samson.

In the end of his story, Samson was brought into a banquet hall of reveling Philistines, his enemies who wanted to glory in the downfall of one of Israel's greatest leaders. When they placed him against the pillars that supported the entire structure, they failed to notice the hair that had grown long again. They failed to notice the transformation that had taken place in the spirit of a penitent man. And when his muscles began to ripple, with a shout of "Let me die with the Philistines!", Samson pulled the entire place down upon their heads. And the Bible says he killed more Philistines in his death than he ever had in his life.

But you don't have to die with the Philistines. You can use your gifts for the glory of God without compromise, without sin, without being enslaved to your fleshly desires. You can overcome the enemy without first suffering the humiliation of defeat. If you'll just remain true to your God, and your commitment to serve Him.

What a word!

A Church Divided

The church was divided.

They were divided over their favorite preachers.

They were divided about who was in charge.

They were divided about who was more spiritual.

They were divided over who had the most to contribute.

They were divided because of open and obvious sin, and the lack of correction.

They were divided by petty arguments and lawsuits against each other.

They were divided over matters of morality, and they were divided over matters of conscience.

They were divided over questions about marriage, and they were divided over questions about celibacy.

They were divided over diets.

They were divided over giving to missions and ministries.

They were divided over hats in church and hairstyles on heads.

They were divided by fellowship dinners and the Lord's supper.

They were divided by the exercise of Spiritual gifts, especially tongues and prophecy.

They were divided by arguments over the nature of the resurrection.

They were divided over who should be taking up the offerings, and who should be delivering it to where it was supposed to go.

In all that division, there were some issues that just weren't worth talking about. There were others that necessitated division, getting on one side of the issue or the other. There were some divisions that needed exploration and discussion so that understanding could bring unity. There were other divisions that just needed action.

That Corinthian Church was one messed up congregation of carefree charismaniacs, a hundred people going in a hundred different directions, but all of them apparently lacking in the one thing that is supposed to knit a body together. It is not about being alike that makes us a church; it is about being in love. We must love the Savior first of all, and we must love each other. Actions are going to necessitate reactions, but love keeps all things in perspective. Disagreements are going to happen, but love keeps the disagreement from becoming divisive. Love is that which endeavors to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

For we are one body. We have one Spirit. And there is one hope in which we are called. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Everybody Wants to be Daniel

So, I've been leading my congregation through a study of Daniel, particularly the visions and revelations that God gave him concerning the future history of the Jewish people and the world. For me, Daniel is the book that makes me believe that the prophecies of the Bible can be trusted, and that the ones which haven't been fulfilled yet will certainly be fulfilled before the end of days.

Did you know that Daniel prophesied that there would be four empires that would try to rule the world as it was then known--namely, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome?

Did you know that Daniel prophesied the succession of Persian kings and their defeat by the Greeks at Thermopylae at least 60 years before it happened?

Did you know that Daniel prophesied the rise and conquests of Alexander the Great, and also prophesied his death without an heir...nearly 200 years before Alexander was born?

Did you know that Daniel prophesied the division of Alexander's kingdom into four regional kingdoms, the most important of which would be the kingdoms of Syria and Egypt?

Did you know that Daniel prophesied, in minute detail, the wars of the kings of Syria and Egypt that would continue for 200 years after the death of Alexander until Rome began to exert its power?

Did you know that before there was ever a temple rebuilt in Jerusalem, Daniel prophesied that the Romans would destroy it?

Did you know that Daniel prophesied TO THE DAY when Jesus would enter Jerusalem as King only to be rejected by the ones who should have known He was coming?

One of the things the Bible tells us is that in the last days, many prophets and teachers would arise in the world, claiming to be of God, but their messages would actually lead people astray. I live with a church culture that believes in prophecy, in the prophetic word, in the ability of God to speak through one individual to address the heart of another. I believe God can and does reveal matters of the heart, matters of history, and matters of destiny. An anointed prophet of God can speak to what has happened, what is happening now, and what will happen in the future.

But being a prophet wasn't always about seeing the future. Everybody these days seems to want to be a Daniel, but I don't find many self-proclaimed prophets trying to be a Jeremiah or a Malachi. We live in a culture, even in the church, that wants to be gratified and satisfied with predictions of health, wealth, blessing, and prosperity, in which everything is put right and nothing will ever be wrong. People are anxious to hear a prophet speak good things over their lives about all the good things that God wants to do and that God is going to do. But very seldom do you hear a prophet get on TV or behind a church pulpit and pronounce gloom and doom and judgment and disaster because of the sins of our nation or the sins of a people. Seldom do you hear the call for repentance, the challenge to change the way you've been living. No one wants to here that. Certainly not many are willing to pay for it. Give us the good news, the multitudes demand, but keep the bad news to yourself. We're just fine the way we are; just tell us what God is going to do for us next!

I've got a feeling Jeremiah wasn't well liked by hardly anybody. Daniel just kept getting promotions and accolades, and God kept giving him glorious visions of a triumphant future for the Kingdom of Christ who hadn't even come yet! But Jeremiah's message was one of sudden defeat and certain destruction for the people who wouldn't repent--from the king in his palace to the slave in the field. If they didn't repent, God was going to bring judgment. Forty years he preached his sad-mad message: Repent or die! And what thanks did he get? He got slapped around, imprisoned, locked in stocks and bonds. He was falsely accused of being a trouble maker and a divider. He was forced into house arrest and thrown down a dried up well with nothing to eat. When everything he had prophesied came true, nobody stood around applauding him. Under threats to his life, he was exiled to Egypt where he supposedly died.

Daniel was popular with kings. Jeremiah was popular with nobody. Of course, maybe the reason Daniel was so loved and accepted is because his ministry was never to his own people. He was always preaching to foreign kings and their kingdoms. Jeremiah's message was proclaimed to his own, his neighbors and kinsmen and folks of like precious faith. In the end, both prophets were proven true in what they had said, but Daniel got rich and Jeremiah got bupkis.

Everybody wants to be a Daniel, having visions, seeing the future. They forget that Daniel also prayed three times a day and never had a bad word written against him But nobody wants to be a Jeremiah.

Someone Should Have Said Something

I started the Proverbs again this week, reading the profound yet simple wisdom of King Solomon. He was a young guy when he became king, likely no more than 17 or 18 years old, and when he made his great sacrifice to God at the beginning of His reign, he got God's attention. The Lord came to him in a vision and said, "I'll give you anything you ask of me."

Imagine what you would ask for, if God said He would give you anything you wanted. What would your request be? Power? Fame? Wealth? Love? Solomon could have asked for the world and received it, but instead He asked God for wisdom. "Give me knowledge, Lord, and understand, shrewdness and discernment. Give me the ability to comprehend what is holy and right and good, and the strength of character to apply it. Give me wisdom." And God said, "Because you have asked for wisdom, instead of asking for worldly things, I will give you the worldly things as well." Afterward Solomon was spoken of as the wisest man in the world; rulers from afar came to learn from him. His kingdom was the glorious time in Israel's history, a united kingdom expanding its authority and influence in all directions. His was the richest and most powerful empire on the earth, and everyone wanted to be Solomon's friend and, apparently, father-in-law.

Solomon had it all, everything a man could ask for. In his youth, he wrote one of the most beautiful love songs ever composed, recounting the tale of his pursuit of the one woman he chose for himself. In his prime he penned the Proverbs...31 collections of the best practical wisdom ever written. And in his old age, at the close of a 40-year reign, he wrote Ecclesiastes, the ruminations of a life ruined in the pursuit of power and pleasure. Read the account of his monarchy, and you find the first half filled with glory, the second have filled with foolishness. What happened to this great man of God?

First, the Bible says he married foreign women. Even in his youth he had 60 queens and 80 concubines and virgins without number in his harem. At its height, he tried to satisfy apparently insatiable appetites with his choice of 1000 women. That could conceivably be a different woman every night for nearly three years, or three women a night for one year. You do the math. And most men think having one wife is a handful!

But then, he began to listen to those foreign women, their longing for things familiar, like the gods of their homelands.

And then he began to concede to their wishes, building them temples for their gods in which they could worship.

And finally, the Bible says he also began burning incense to the idols himself, turning his heart and his devotion away from the God who granted him his request.

So Solomon ended his reign in ignominy, with enemies rising up on every hand, even within his own court and from among his own confidantes. The same God who promised Him wealth and power along with wisdom in the beginning now promised him defeat, the destruction and loss of the kingdom he had spent a lifetime building. Israel saw the height of its glory, and the beginning of its decline during the 40 years Solomon ruled in Jerusalem.

Solomon, being a smart man, probably surrounded himself with smart men. He had counselors to help him, prophets like Nathan who had confronted his father over the sin in David's life, and priests like Zadok who had ministered before the Ark of the Lord when there was neither tabernacle or temple in which to worship. Surely there were others. So in the multitude of all these counselors, where was the check? Where was the question? Where was the challenge?

When things began to go awry, why didn't anyone speak up? Uh, sir, do you really think you should be worshiping that woman's gods? Do you really think it wise to build a temple to an idol in the City where God put His Name? Do you really think it is right to allow idolatry in the land? I have to wonder, if someone influential had interjected an objection at any critical moment on the path to destruction, could Solomon's decline into debauchery have been halted? Could the Empire of Israel have been saved? We will never know, because they never did. And I wonder why.

It probably began as something simple like: Solomon has met with God, and received wisdom from God, and written books of wisdom by the power of God. Who are we to question him? Or, Solomon has been a wonderful king and he is worthy of our trust. How about, Solomon is a good, godly king, and he would never lead us down the wrong path. And yet Solomon betrayed their trust and led them down the path to destruction. He ignored the warnings of his own mouth, forgot the words he himself had written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. He did not continue in the ways his father and mother had taught him. And because He didn't, an entire kingdom suffered the consequences.

It is good and right and proper to follow leadership. It is Biblical to submit to all authority that has been placed over us, because it has been put their by God. We should pray for those who rule over us, counting them worthy of double honor, Paul says. Even the bad ones need our prayers, perhaps worse than the good ones who are likely praying for themselves. But when leadership goes astray, the righteous have the right--nay, the righteous have the responsibility to stand up and to speak up. I'm not talking about rebellion, although from time to time a little revolution to restore the good that has been lost might be necessary. But someone needs to say something.

Someone needs to say, Solomon, this isn't right. It doesn't look right. It doesn't sound right. It doesn't feel right. And it's not right. Someone needs to help Solomon get back on the path of righteousness and godliness and holiness before it's too late; before God shows up and says, "I'm finished with you people. I'll give my glory to those who will protect it and serve it and treat it like it's supposed to be treated." Someone needs to have the intestinal fortitude to stand in the face of sin and stupidity and say, "Enough is enough!"

Perhaps then, we can save the Kingdom. Perhaps then, we can save the king.