Video Selections: God’s Chisel

This is another video from the Skit Guys. It has a powerful message that pertains to sanctification and our relationship with God.  The video was brought to my attention by a new member of the forum.  I hope all who view are drawn to a deeper awareness of God’s love, holiness, and the working out in our life.  Watch this a know that God does not make mistakes but He is not finished with any of us yet.

 

Christian Creativity: Mikeschair- Let the waters rise

Christianity Today recently posted an article about a newer Christian Band publishing with Curb Records that is going by the name of Mikeschair.  Strange name and have not found an explanation for it. The band just released their first music video Let the Water’s Rise.  The video images in combination with the lyrics to the song are powerful. It really points toward remember God and his faithfulness regardless of what is going on around you. 

They have a MySpace page which can be found at www.mikeschair.com. Mike Grayson, the lead singer, possible owner of the chair, and general band front man his a blog at the My Space page. He posted a comment about the song:

Let the Waters Rise is by far one of our favorite songs on the record.  I am so excited about this song being a single because I feel like its one of the most honest song we have written.  There are going to be times in all of our lives where we don’t understand the situation that God has us in, or we feel like He is no where to be found when we need Him most.  These are the times when our faith is truly tested.  Jesus never promised that our lives down here were going to be perfect, in fact, in John 16 Jesus says “In this world you will have troubles…” In this life we are going to experience death, we are going to experience loneliness, disappointment, and heartache, but Jesus doesn’t leave us there!!  That same verse in John is finished by Jesus saying “but take heart! For I have overcome the world”.  One of the hardest things we are going to have to do as believers is choose to follow even with a raging sea is right in front of us.  Our prayer is that this song encourages you in those times of struggle to “take heart!” and follow God no matter what the situation.

Here is the video he is taking about and drew my attention to this young band and how God may be using them:

Please pray that God continues to work out in their life what it means to worship in spirit and truth and keeps them on the narrow way. At the concerts they apparently have a table letting people donate food or money to various ministries and organizations helping those in need in this world, displaying God’s love in action.  The heart of their actions and desire definitely comes across as displaying genuine response to God’s revealed reality.  Mike Grayson also has a video explaining their commitment to Mike’s table:

The elemental dynamics of superstitions

Well another Friday the Thirteenth has come and gone. The day is a day superstitiously considered to be “bad luck” or a day when bad things can happen. The Friday the 13^th superstition is apparently one of the most widespread. Now certainly it is interesting to examine the origins of superstitions and one such article can be found here: http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Family-Lifestyle/Origins-of-13-Common-Superstitions.html.

If you look at the origins you will find roots to pagan religions, you will find misunderstanding of bodily functions, and you will find human create perspectives in dealing with evil or not offending God. There are reasons superstitions develop and become part of cultural nomenclature. The purpose of this article is to examine some the elements that go into how we begin to hold to superstitions in our life.

The basic elements of superstitious behavior are in fact rather elementary. These behaviors happen with the prospect of improving self in some way. An individual engages in an action or acquires an item with the hope and faith that it will bring good things into their life or prevent bad things from occurring. The basic formula would be: Self + Action= Benefit. Action being either something a person does or acquires. Benefit being either good things happening or bad things avoided. The key here to all superstitious behaviors is the self receiving some benefit. The behaviors in turn get reinforced when either a good thing happens as a result or the perception of avoiding something bad that was expected. Either way the behavior is likely repeated. Repeat a superstitious behavior often enough and it become ritual.

The fact is, each of us at some point or another engage in superstitious behaviors and actions. Granted, there are the superstitions that are learned and practiced within culture. These are things said and done without even realizing the source or origin. We just do them. The biggest area where superstitious behaviors develop is in competitive situations. The games we play or sports we root for often result in our engaging in behavior we hope will influence the results.

Often times the practice of superstitious behavior and ritual is rooted in fear. The psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and other anxiety based conditions exemplify ritualistic and superstitious behavior development. Something is feared and behaviors are repeated to prevent what is feared. When what is feared does not happen the behavior is repeated.

Now the reader may be thinking is not all religious behavior actually superstitious behavior with what is done to achieve some reward or avoid some consequence. Yet, there are also supernatural forces that can contribute to the effectiveness of superstitious behaviors. For example, with the use of blessing or curses they can have a simple self-fulfilling aspect that changes behavior. People may view evidence in such a way to validate a blessing or a curse. Yet, there are real supernatural forces that can be at work.

Sadly within Christianity, many people take a superstitious approach to God and evangelism. Some people pray and do thing to please God in order to get some gain or avoid some evil. There is a strong disconnect with truly relating to the Creator of the Universe. What is done is all about the benefit of self. This is even compounded by an approach to heaven that focuses on emphasizing eternal reward versus eternal punishment. The reality is the matter really comes down to being in relationship with the Creator of the Universe who loves far beyond our knowledge of love, a desires relationship or not being in such a relationship. It is hard to grasp for some the reality of such interactions and far easier to focus on rewards and consequences to self. The reality is Heaven is eternal time in God’s presence whereas Hell is eternal separation from God.

Now hopefully this article has got you thinking about how you let superstitious behavior influence you life. Each of us can benefit from thinking about why we do what we do and examine the origins of behaviors. Hopefully a strong look is taken at your approach to God. Do you dismiss the supernatural and view all religious practice as superstitious behavior? Do you take a superstitious approach to interacting with the Creator? Do you take only a reward and consequence approach to sharing the Gospel with others? These are questions for each of us, depending on where you are in life, please consider them.

Veteran’s day thoughts: Prayer and Thanks for persecuted Christians

Today in the United States is Veterans Day. It is a day the country sets aside to honor those that have served in the military of the United States of America.  It is also a day to remember those that died protecting this country.  Being a citizen under the authority of the United States of America, I offer my thanks and deep respect to those who serve and die in such fashion. 

, this article is about some other warriors that fight not a physical battle but a battle for the kingdom of God.  These are people who recognize that we serve God and find ways to spread the Gospel to those in need.  In particular this article seeks to give honor to missionaries in parts of the world that not only resist the Gospel but persecute those who have come to accept Jesus as Messiah. Particular honor is those who surrender their lives so that others may be brought into God’s kingdom.  There are missionaries in places in the world where they put their life on the line for the sake of sharing the Good News that they can have peace with God through Jesus Christ and enter into God’s kingdom.   Many end up losing their life or with ongoing wounds and scars for their service to God’s kingdom. And each of them would do so again. So on this day, these are the people I want to draw attention to with thanks and respect. 

Also want to ask readers to spend time researching places where people face persecution and stay up with the news.  Pray for those that are missionaries and reaching out to others with the Gospel in dangerous places.  Open Doors, a ministry founded by God’s Smuggler, Brother Andrew has compiled a World Watch list which is pictured below.  They also have compiled a prayer guide that can be downloaded: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/UserFiles/File/WWL%202009%20Prayer%20Guide.pdf.

In order to get ongoing news and information on the persecuted church there are several websites. 

Open Door: Founded by God’s smuggler Brother Andrew: http://www.opendoorsusa.org an affiliated blog can be found: http://spiritualcourage.wordpress.com/

Voice of the Martyrs: A ministry that provides both news and information and outreach to missionaries and Christian’s facing persecution and martyrdom. http://www.persecution.net/ and their related bloghttp://www.persecutionblog.com/.

There may be other ministries assisting those facing persecution but those are the two primary.  There are a couple of additional sources of news related to those facing persecution.  http://www.compassdirect.org/ and http://www.christianmonitor.org/.  I encourage you to monitor these sites and follow God’s lead regarding prayer or any other way God leads you to be involved.

The victor over encroaching darkness: Jesus

The world is filled with darkness. The news is filled with stories of death and destruction.  We have holidays that even embrace and celebrate darkness such as Halloween. There is an ever-growing trend of what is good being called evil and what is evil called good, such as the non-dualist moral framework of that which impedes desire is evil.  Recently this writer visited Brazil and one of wife’s family commented how Brazil used to be a safe place, but it is not safe anymore. He even commented about Southern Brazil experiencing a cyclone (tornado), something unheard of in Brazil.  So darkness is ever encroaching.

No a reader may ask what is meant by darkness.  Darkness is that which is evil, that which shows no light. Now many philosophical and religious systems out there do talk about good and evil, light and dark.  Yet the definitions vary. Essentially it focuses on the battle of evil impulses with those of good impulses.  There is a focus on benefiting the world at large, building it up, or being destructive and tearing it down.

There is acknowledgement in the world at large at pretty significant issues and areas of darkness. The world at large focuses on crime, disease, poverty, climate change,  and intolerance as areas of primary darkness. There are plans and scopes made to find and arrange political solutions to these problems. There is a hope of a New Era Dawning and folks that work toward facilitating a New World order, all in the name to fighting what they consider to be things of darkness.

The Christian world view is quite contrary to the world’s approach to problems.  The Christian view is not about finding political solutions. It is not about finding ways to all work together.  The Christian worldview sees darkness as defeated.  The encroaching darkness is something that is but temporary.  The evil within each of us evidenced by our on-going selfishness has been dealt with, a person simply needs to choose to accept the solution and turn from self and surrender to God.  The answer to darkness if found in the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah. 

Now, there are many that distort the Gospel and change the message of Jesus. There are many who believe they embrace light, when they reality is they are exchanging one darkness for another.  The number of things that appear to be light when they are truly dark is numerous.  Even within those that profess following the Gospel there are many deceptions and ways of darkness that can take one-off the path.  There are many who think they have embraced truth when still lost.

The fact is the forces of darkness know that time is short. They are working hard to deceive many and bringing destruction. The forces of darkness celebrate each choice that leads to death.  The forces of darkness want to take all to the reality of hell and eternal separation from God. 

Yet, while darkness is growing stronger and many are deceived, darkness is defeated. There will be those that turn from light to darkness, there will be those that seek to aid darkness, thinking the darkness is good.  Yet, the end result is all darkness is already defeated.  A time is soon coming when Jesus will return and implement the victory of darkness and bring wrath and judgment.  The question for each of us, is what choice have you made. At death or upon Jesus return it will not be about how often you did good things over embracing your dark impulses, because one thing done selfishly is disqualifying.  Light and darkness do not coexist and are not interdependent.  So the question is what keeps the reader from embracing and walking in the light? What source of darkness have you embraced?  What is your response to God’s offer of redemption through Jesus the Messiah?  Jesus is the light, there exists no other. Jesus is the victory over all that is dark.

News Commentary: Fort Hood shooting- Things done in the name of god.

Well the news is filled with stories of the tragic shooting on 11/5/2009 at Fort Hood in Texas.  The current numbers stand at 13 dead and 30 injured. This tragedy has capture the attention of many in this country.  It is a sad, sad story.

The internet is filled with descriptions of the alleged shooter, Major Nidal Malik Hasan.  He was reported to be calm and methodical, shouting “Allahu Akbar!” (god is great) before engaging in his shooting spree.  The Washington Post reported he had made several attempts to be discharged from the army and avoid being sent to Afghanistan. He did not support the conflicts in Iraq or Afghanistan. He also was reported to be of the Muslim faith.  The article also reported he had been investigated for a while based on online comparisons of Islamic suicide bombers and kamikaze pilots. The article printed this quote:  “To say that this soldier committed suicide is inappropriate,” the posting read. “It’s more appropriate to say he is a brave hero that sacrificed his life for a more noble cause.”  

For me this tragic shooting  brings a couple thoughts to mind. The first is the sadness over what people do in the name of god while serving their own agenda.  Clearly Major Hasan had significant personal issues. He appears to have turned to principles in Islam as a defense for the rightness of his actions.  Such actions certainly are not something the one true God would desire. However, many times even those of us who follow the one true God, do things in His name that are not consistent with what God desires.  We often substitute our thoughts for God’s thoughts, and our desires for God’s desires. 

The sad thing is that for those that do not follow the one true God and miss the truth of the narrow path, the end result one way or another can lead to destruction.  Major Hasan made choices related to his desires and fueled by his concept of god, based on Muslim theology.  He felt a need to destroy to serve god.  It is a sad and tragic but happens all to frequently.

Now, an important thing to note is such a tragedy will be used to push the false peace of “tolerance.” The argument may be made if Major Hasen was never harassed for his Muslim faith, this incident would never have happened. Such incidents will serve to give folks impetus to encourage tolerance laws that would serve to restrict those who take an exclusive view related to truth and relationship with the one, true God.  Yet, such laws are a matter of time, if not this shooting by Major Hasen, it would be some other incident. 

What happens politically will happen sooner or later, it is nothing to fear. Rather, those of us who follow the one true God, need to find ways to reach out to those around us lost in love and examine whether we input our own agenda and be following our agenda in God’s name.

In closing this commentary, I want to encourage people to pray for the victims and victim’s families.  The shooting is tragic. Yet, find a way to reach out in love to others, and reflect the love of the One True God.  I also want to encourage people to examine their relationship with God.  Do you have the true peace, that which comes from surrender to the One True God? If not, today is the day to reconsider, as none of us can know when we may be at the receiving end of someone making destructive choices.

Video Selections:The necessity of Hell-Tim Conway Sermon

 

Video Selections: Heaven or Hell

Is Halloween harmless?

We have come to the end of the month of October and the “holiday” known as Halloween. Now many consider it a day of harmless fun for children allowing them to dress up and receive goodies from others. For many it is considered a day of harmless fun. Growing up, I participated in all the fun that goes along with Halloween. My family educated me about the good and the bad but still allowed us to participate in the fun of Halloween. Personally I do not yet have children where need to make decisions on how to deal with this cultural holiday. Last year I focused on discussing three elements at the foundation of Halloween: fear, selfishness, and deception in a blog article. This year the thought on my mind is whether the day can be considered harmless. My answer to the question is a resounding no.

Now, did celebrating the holiday cause me any long term spiritual harm? I do not believe so, but in thinking about reactions to the day growing up, I know it was not harmless. In examining my own responses I notice three particular ways that what the day celebrates and teaches is harmful. The first of the three areas of harm is that the day really does encourage unbridled desire. It at the heart teaches to embrace what you want and to let go of inhibition. For children the day is about accumulating as much candy as possible, which often gets consumed quickly. The whole concept of “trick or treat” even is about getting what you want or inflict consequences on those who may be inhibiting the desire. Unchecked desire leads to increased selfishness and embracing of an approach of focusing on desire fulfillment.

The second danger is related to desire fulfillment, and that is promotion of disinhibition. Meaning, Halloween promotes the giving in to impulse, to not holding back. Personally when growing up, I found myself more willing to do things I would not do otherwise, simply because it was Halloween and pranks are to be expected. So it was okay to think about egging someone in the neighborhood. Usually the folks at the end of the pranks were folks disliked for some reason or another. Sometimes things were done just because it seemed funny at the time. Admittedly, there were such actions done at other times while growing up, but Halloween just had an atmosphere of allowance.

The third danger I want to comment on is that of desensitization. Halloween is known for attention paid to things that generate fear. The things that are generally considered dark are embraced. The ultimate result of the focus and celebration of darkness results in minimizing the reality of the dangers. Children dress as witches, vampires, zombies, and other assorted demonic monsters with the net result of making evil things seem to be simply matters of child’s play and stories to generate fear. The reality of the forces of darkness is ultimately minimized. When evil is minimized or ultimately made light of, it is far more easily embraced.

So these three identifiable ways Halloween is harmful are significant. Yet, many in the culture hold actually value the focus on desire fulfillment, disinhibition, and desensitization. These are values that are contrary to a Biblical view of love. Ultimately, each of these spiritual dangers make it easier for people to fall into the traps of darkness.  These dangers make it easier to embrace the darkness and forces of evil.

Whatever a parent decides to do with their children regarding Halloween, I encourage you to consider these factors. Whatever you do, take time to teach children the value of loving God and loving others. Take time to teach children that there is real spiritual evil, that evil is not just stories and imaginations of man. Take time to teach the power of light, which is only found in Jesus, and casts aside all darkness. Seek wisdom and ask God to lead your steps in training your children the path of truth.

Now perhaps you are simply a reader who has not accepted the Gospel. You do see Halloween as harmless and find my thoughts to be simply over-reactive. I challenge you to take time and examine further. Look at your own life and see how desire fulfillment, disinhibition, and desensitization have played out in your life. Take time to examine the light found in the Gospel and in Jesus the Christ.

One last thought to close this article. There is very really danger that occurs on Halloween for many adults and children. There is very real harm perpetrated on this day. The folks who engage in harming others on this day, do so ultimately to grow their own personal power. The real spiritual darkness feeds on people being harmed and destroyed. So whether you think I over-react to the elements of Halloween and the harm it produces, there is really harm done to many.

 

News Commentary: Death follows author of The Secret

Recently the Star Tribune posted an article about Liz Neuman who died while attending a New Age retreat which uses sweat lodges and billed itself as a spiritual warrior retreat.   The primary focus seems to be on the large number of people involved in the sweat lodge ritual.  She is the third person to die during self-help guru James Arthur Ray’s retreat.

James Arthur Ray is a self-help guru promoted by Oprah Winfrey. He is the author of Harmonic Wealth: The Secret of Attracting the Life You Want and The Secret. There also has been a movie made promoting The Secret in which James Arthur Ray also appears.  He promotes the new age concept of Law of Attraction which generally is about directing your thoughts to think positively about what you want.

Now according to a New York Post article these recent deaths are not the first time trouble has followed James Arthur Ray.  In July of 2009, Colleen Conaway committed suicide by jumping off a mall balcony. James Arthur Ray also was reported to bully a women into shattering her hand at one of his seminars. 

The recent incidents have police considering charges.  In a recent article, a least one witness has come forward describing the events of the retreat as purposeful deprivation and embracing suffering.  It was all a focus on “mind of matter” that is part and parcel to the “law of attraction” mindset of James Arthur Rays teaching.  It seems the central tenet is that in order to overcome anything hindering you from what you want, you need to train your mind to overcome suffering.

Some of the focus on what went wrong at the retreat pertains to the construction of the sweat lodge.  Certainly the sweat lodge design may have contributed to the tragedy.  Yet the mindset and teaching of James Arthur Ray contributed significantly to the deaths and injuries suffered.  Cries of warning and signs of distress were ignored.   This is really because the teaching center on using the mind to control the universe. A central tenant the law of attraction is that life is illusory. You can get what you want by focusing your thoughts. You can overcome barriers by controlling your mind and thinking.  You can even overcome felt suffering by controlling you mind. These teachings are not new and are central to many eastern and new age religious practices and constructs. 

James Arthur Ray has turned such teachings in to  a well marketed means of income generation.  The ill-fated retreat is one costing attenders at least 10,000 grand.  He has sold millions of books, well aided by Oprah and other celebrity endorsements.  James Arthur Ray certainly has gotten what he has wanted.  Yet, James Arthur Ray star is now fading because of these deaths. It was recently reported that his publishing firm has delayed upcoming book releases due to the recent tragedy.

It is the position of this blog writer, that James Arthur Ray is more than just a slick con man separating fools from their money.  There are very real spiritual elements going on.  Now while the focus here is on fulfilling desires by training the mind, there are spiritual forces at work as well.  The spiritual practices embraced lead to opening doors to spiritual forces of darkness.  Death is around, because the forces behind The Secret and other such teachings want to destroy people.  There is always the promise of having desires fulfilled.  There is always promises of great success.  But the powers behind the words are all about destroying lives.  The suicide of the woman could be pointed at the psychological manipulations of James Arthur Ray, but in reality much darker elements were likely at work.  A clear indication of spiritual darkness at work was James Arthur Ray’s reaction to a sliver of light poking into the sweat lodge. It brought an angry outburst over light intruding on the religious ceremony.  What James Arthur Ray teaches is pure darkness.

Now there is an alternative to the teachings of James Arthur Ray.  The alternative though is not about getting what you want or having your desires met.  The alternative is about achieving true peace.  The alternative is about a spiritual power far greater.  The alternative is the Gospel.  The alternative is Jesus the Messiah.  The only true peace is found in being reconciled with the creator, and being right with God.  What James Arthur Ray offers in training your mind to deny suffering.  What Jesus and God offers is peace in the midst of suffering.  What James Arthur Ray offers is getting what you want now. What Jesus and God offers is love and true life that is not about self, but about that which is far greater and everlasting.  The choice is always in front of you.  Turn to God or find ways to seek to elevate self.  One path is life, one path is death.