May 23rd, 2010 / No Comments » / by Allen
Matthew 13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
I’ve been meditating on the “kingdom of heaven” this morning. Specifically, how the kingdom of heaven is very different than the kingdoms of this world (could be grouped into the word ‘politics’ perhaps).
Things I notice about this particular verse (Matthew 13:44):
1. The treasure was found by a passerby. This perhaps was a person walking through someone else’s property. It was not a ‘treasure hunt’ as it were. The kingdom of heaven ‘just comes’ to an individual by the sovereignty of God. This person COULD have been looking, I suppose, but nonetheless, the point is still valid – the kingdom of heaven was placed in the field by another (God).
2. The kingdom of heaven is NOT morality, and in fact, is opposite of morality in SOME instances. Why did the man cover the treasure up with the intent to deceive the landowner? This is the most surprising part of this passage. If this story were told in any children’s story book, we would say that the main character is morally corrupt – that he made the ‘wrong decision’. After all, it IS unfair to the landowner, right? He doesn’t know about the treasure. This point is interesting. This is along the same vein as when Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence” (Matthew 11:12). This is the concept that truly born again people will do anything and everything for their master, and for His glory. They will hide spies (Rahab), defy the government (midwives, Peter, etc.), even kill people (read Numbers 25 about Phinehas) for the glory of God. This passage is very different from your average children’s Sunday School lesson.
3. The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of this earth are mutually exclusive. He sold everything he had. If it was his call to lose his life to gain the kingdom of heaven*, he would have gladly done so. This is a man who has seen the worth of Jesus. He knows that everything else cannot compare. He gives his everything – it may have not been a lot by our standards, but it was 100% of everything he owned.
Would we be like this man!!! Why can’t we see this dichotomy of kingdoms this plainly? I wish we did (starting with me). I get so fed up with so much that I see in the news, in politics, in the schools – but to know that there is an invisible kingdom that is more real than this physical one! Lord, give me the eyes to see this!
* NOTE: It WAS his call (and IS ours) to lose our lives daily in the sense of “take up your cross and follow me” and “crucified with Christ”. In this parable, however, the man did not die in the literal sense of the word.
Posted in: Devotional
January 16th, 2010 / No Comments » / by Allen
Utopian society is desired by all the major political parties, it seems. Each attacks the other to gain the higher “moral” ground, in an endless cycle of nipping at the opponents’ heels. Once examined, it seems to be a sort of theology.
What was in times past the bastion of conservatism, the Republican party has seemed to denigrate into a moderate-to-right system of espoused beliefs and adherences, but without any true conviction. Many will say the right thing at the right time to appease the conservative block of people, albeit Catholic, Evangelicals, Moralists, etc. All the while, without any conviction or moral compass of their own, they will concede and compromise when the heat is turned on from the left.
Democrats, on the other hand, taking the cue from the ilk of Saul Alinsky, stir up angst and feelings of disenfranchisement among their constituents and voters, thereby assuring the votes from the non-thinking left. They play to the whole “why is your lot in life keeping you back – don’t you know the ‘MAN’ is out to get you?”
“Theology” in it’s simple definition (as I see it) is the “Study of God”. (I know it’s a conglomeration of two Greek words “Theo” – God, and “logos” – word, but bear with me.) The “theology” of these Republicrats is more of a “system” or “religion” of sorts. Their “god” in this sense is a Utopian society. This Utopia is different depending on who you talk to.
To Democrats, it’s a place where magic fairies visit children and give them $20 for each tooth lost, (which never goes up due to inflation which should never happen). It’s a place where everyone owns their own home, everyone earns 6 figures, everyone has this, that, and the other. It’s a place where there’s no “mean old Wall Street men” and no “cursed Capitalists”, but a safe place where all is happy and rosy. There’s this big, benevolent government in the sky that pours money onto it’s citizenry like rain, with no thought of where this money comes from. When one looks at this, one has to indeed look for the man behind the curtain.
To today’s Republicans, it’s a place where all people become “moralists” and will have the same definition of “goodness” and “badness”, regardless of religious or social background. A good Mormon, Catholic, Baptist, or Jew will have the same Deistic view of God and/or religion, and will view society through the same lens. There’s a broadbrush of sorts onto “spirituality”, and with a nod and a wink at election time to the right people, they usher into office their own sense of foolish views.
The issue here is that these views are a house of cards, once examined with an open mind and a critical eye. The democrats’ view of utopia is just one of a socialist state. IF all people were the “haves” in an equal and moral society, it would be just a pipe dream, because the biggest thing “worshiped” in that society is the government itself. Necessarily then, you will have “haves” and “have nots”. Those in government (haves), those not in government (have nots). You can keep this version of Utopia, I don’t want it. Jesus said, “the poor you will always have with you”. Does this excuse us from lending a hand to the poor? No, but He said something very interesting. There will ALWAYS be “have nots” in whatever society man creates for himself. That’s the truth, no matter what is done.
Today’s republicans are not far better. This “wink and nod” business to the different conservative voting blocks is very bad indeed. For example, how does a “moderate” (really a democrat who is registered as a republican in name only) all the sudden become “conservative” at election time? This is what we had in the last presidential election. Even with the nomination of Bush in 2000 the RNC set up a moderate as a conservative. Bush had pluralistic views of God (in that Christians and Muslims worship the same God – see Nightline interview, Dec 2008), strange fiscal ideas (bailouts, etc), and militarily was incompetent at best.
This republican “wink and nod”, and broad-brushed, pluralistic religious view is very telling. Jesus said that there is a “narrow way that leads to eternal life”. Are these words hard to hear for many? Yes, they are. That’s why He also said, “but there is a broad way that leads to destruction”. It is interesting to note when Republicans identify themselves as Christian, they seem to not want to take the “exclusive” role that Jesus espoused and taught. At least many of them today are like that. I was shocked (but shouldn’t have been), when Cynthia McFadden from Nightline asked George W. Bush, “Do you pray to the same god as the peaceful Muslims?” to which he replied, “Of course, God is a god of Love”. Upon further questioning, she asked Bush, “Does bin Laden pray to the same god?” Bush replied, “Oh no…he prays to something else, because our god is a god of peace.” And there you have it. This view of “God is Love and Peace” is this moralist “high ground” of sorts that is the Utopian view of Republicans. God help us. The road is indeed narrow, not broad as the “Utopian Republicans” would have you believe.
I believe there’s a proverbial “rolling in the grave” by our founding fathers. This country is denigrating rapidly into a socialist, secular, pluralistic, God-hating state. It all is caused in my opinion, but the theology of Republicrats. I guess voting “the less of two evils” is truly what one has to do.
Posted in: Politics, Rant
Tags: bush, democrat, election, republican
June 6th, 2009 / No Comments » / by Allen
In light of New Testament churches, and the various doctrines that are professed, I wonder how Psalm 18 is interpreted. Specifically, the chain of thought I’m speaking of is this:
31 For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?—
(Here David is describing the Covenental God of Israel, the chosen people of God.)
40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 They cried for help, but there was none to save;
they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
What? There was no God to save them? Why not? Did they not call to Him? How does this square with New Testament doctrinal distinctives of certain churches / denominations? Some would perhaps say that their “cry for help” was not sincere? That they didn’t truly mean it? How does this work itself out in the context of today’s church? Is God not the same yesterday as He is today, and forevermore?
My answer? Let God be God. Let man shut his mouth.
Here’s the entire Psalm for context:
18:1 I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of destruction assailed me;
5 the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
7 Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9 He bowed the heavens and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,
thick clouds dark with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him
hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.
13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his voice,
hailstones and coals of fire.
14 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.
15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16 He sent from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me.
20 The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his rules were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23 I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from my guilt.
24 So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25 With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
26 with the purified you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
27 For you save a humble people,
but the haughty eyes you bring down.
28 For it is you who light my lamp;
the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
29 For by you I can run against a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
30 This God—his way is perfect;
the word of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?—
32 the God who equipped me with strength
and made my way blameless.
33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer
and set me secure on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your right hand supported me,
and your gentleness made me great.
36 You gave a wide place for my steps under me,
and my feet did not slip.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them,
and did not turn back till they were consumed.
38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;
they fell under my feet.
39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
you made those who rise against me sink under me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 They cried for help, but there was none to save;
they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them fine as dust before the wind;
I cast them out like the mire of the streets.
43 You delivered me from strife with the people;
you made me the head of the nations;
people whom I had not known served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
foreigners came cringing to me.
45 Foreigners lost heart
and came trembling out of their fortresses.
46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation—
47 the God who gave me vengeance
and subdued peoples under me,
48 who delivered me from my enemies;
yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me;
you rescued me from the man of violence.
49 For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
and sing to your name.
50 Great salvation he brings to his king,
and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
to David and his offspring forever.
Posted in: Devotional
May 21st, 2009 / No Comments » / by Allen
How apt this Psalm is for me today (Psalm 61:1-5):
61:1 Hear my cry, O God,
listen to my prayer;
2 from the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I,
3 for you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.
4 Let me dwell in your tent forever!
Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah
5 For you, O God, have heard my vows;
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
My heart is indeed faint in this season. I am so glad that even with the faintness of heart and the waning of heat spiritually, that the reality of redemption is clear. There IS a Rock higher than I, and the psalmist knows it all too well. I am like the psalmist in this verse – pleading with the Redeemer to take me higher….place my feet upon the Rock that does not change.
The desire to be “Home” with the Lord is mine as well – the need for a refuge, as an eaglet to its Eagle, may God bless me with this “parental protection”.
The heritage that He has given is a great Salvation that has been wrought from above. Praise the mighty name of God this day, oh my soul.
Posted in: Devotional
April 29th, 2009 / 1 Comment » / by Allen
We sang an oldie but goodie at church this last Lord’s day. There was one part that stood out, and I never really noticed it before:
View Him prostrate in the garden;
On the ground your Maker lies;
On the bloody tree behold Him;
Sinner, will this not suffice?
Wow…such good theology packed in this one verse. However – the part that really “hooked” me was the phrase, “Sinner, will this not suffice?”
What a question! So many things we fill our lives up with – and yet the question is still asked, “sinner, will the Savior not suffice”? So many things lead us away from the bloody cross. I’m thankful for good, rich words that can come back with full force after over 170 years or so of being sung at countless worship services. How many times I have sung this song without REALLY hearing the words! Wow.
Here’s the song in its entirety:
1. Come, ye sinners, poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love and pow’r.
* Refrain:
I will arise and go to Jesus,
He will embrace me in His arms;
In the arms of my dear Savior,
Oh, there are ten thousand charms.
2. Come, ye thirsty, come, and welcome,
God’s free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Every grace that brings you nigh.
3. Come, ye weary, heavy-laden,
Lost and ruined by the fall;
If you tarry till you’re better,
You will never come at all.
4. View Him prostrate in the garden;
On the ground your Maker lies;
On the bloody tree behold Him;
Sinner, will this not suffice?
5. Lo! th’ incarnate God ascended,
Pleads the merit of His blood:
Venture on Him, venture wholly,
Let no other trust intrude.
6. Let not conscience make you linger,
Not of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness He requireth
Is to feel your need of Him.
Posted in: Devotional
March 28th, 2009 / No Comments » / by Allen
I find it ironic that so many Southern Baptists quote from Spurgeon, but decry his brand of theology (Calvinistic).
Interesting quote from Spurgeon:
And what is the heresy of Arminianism but the addition of something to the work of the Redeemer? Every heresy, if brought to the touchstone, will discover itself here. I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, without works; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel, unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus. Such a gospel I abhor.
This is from his famous work, “A Defense of Calvinism”.
Posted in: Devotional
Tags: Theology
March 14th, 2009 / No Comments » / by Allen
Today, we’ve finished our preaching / testimonies, and will be heading out to Singapore tonight from Densapore, Bali. It’s been beautiful, and HOT, HOT, HOT! Imagine the hottest part of Louisiana in August – muggy, sweaty, sticky – now imagine that from 7 AM to about 6 PM. I’m looking forward to getting cool in La., before it turns hot for the summer.
God has made a beautiful island in Bali – and folks are a lot more open for us in sharing with them the great Gospel of our God. Many conversations by different team members have taken place, challenging locals (and foreign vacationers) in their current worldview and religions. It has been much more receptive here than in Java.
The time has flown by – and as you can tell – we’ve had very limited internet access comparative to when we were in Surabaya. I wish I could have posted more as the days sped along – but it just wasn’t possible.
I look forward to posting pictures, stories, and testimonies about our trip in the near future. We will be leaving tonight at 8PM to Singapore (only a few hour flight), spending the night, then leaving in the morning at 9 AM – flying to Seoul, South Korea – then on to San Francisco on Monday night. Because we’re crossing back over the international date line – we’ll be actually in the air 30 – 40 hours.
Pray for our health in the return – and pray for our spiritual health as we return back to our daily routines. Many of these “mountain top” experiences lead us to know God more – and also to forget many things along the way. Pray that we’d remember the faces, lessons, and lives that we’ve shared time with in these two weeks.
Posted in: Indonesia, news
Tags: Indonesia
March 9th, 2009 / No Comments » / by Allen
Many opportunities abound for us today to share Christ Jesus. PRAY! Pray for the hearts of those who will hear…pray for the hearts of those who speak. Joseph and Josh are speaking on “post modernism” in America, and Earl is speaking on “Biblical Worldviews”. This is a university that has many students who are “open” to the Gospel – but aren’t necessarily saved. Pray that the Spirit would blow throughout that campus before we even arrive.
Posted in: Indonesia
Tags: Indonesia
March 9th, 2009 / No Comments » / by Allen
Pray for the opportunity for us to share at the University today the love of Christ. From what I understand, there are “cultural Christ …
Posted in: twitter
Tags: Indonesia, tweets
