What does it mean to be spiritual? I’ve been thinking about this for some time.
Aware of the spiritual dimension
A spiritual person is aware of another dimension to life and the world around us. By this I refer to forces, powers, principles, as well as beings. Yes, beings. Angels. Demons. Satan. God. Life itself is spiritual in essence and there is life after death. Sadly, Western Civilization has a non-spiritual outlook and mind-set. Everything from life itself to love is considered a purely physical thing: simply an arrangement of cells and molecules, genes and hormones. Non western cultures are often very spiritual – fully aware of this dimension. Often to the point of superstition and bondage. And interestingly, western culture uniformly refers to them as “primitive.”
One culture that I have read the most about is the American Indian. They were very spiritual in their outlook. They were keenly aware of the Great Spirit or Great Mystery and His interaction with the world. They were aware of the spiritual connectedness of life. For example, they didn’t just go out and kill a deer for supper – they prepared for this. They often fasted the night before the hunt and asked the deer to sacrifice himself so the tribe could live. And upon killing a deer they gave thanks. This outlook permeated their culture. Whatever we think about this, this is spiritual. They would often go on a vision quest for direction and dreams were considered significant (and appear to have often been prophetical).
I am aware that there was not a monolithic Indian culture or even set of beliefs, but having read from early sources about Indians in regions all over America, I believe I am safe in saying that they were a spiritual people. Western man, on the other hand, is generally profane, nothing is sacred and this is at least in part because we are not a spiritual people.
Interacting with and seeking to control this spiritual dimension
Once people become aware of the spiritual dimension they often seek to interact with it. This is the danger area and often results in superstition and bondage. Spiritism, witchcraft, occult are the most obvious means of seeking to interact with the spiritual realm. And without a guide, it is very easy to be deceived. And just who would that guide be, who can steer us safely through this realm? Jesus, of course. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. And He has given us His Word and His Spirit so that we might be a truly spiritual people.
The Spiritual Christian
Now, the Bible is not some sort of spiritism guide. But it does speak openly about angels and demons; the devil; knowing God, walking with God, prayer, being led by the Spirit, miracles, life after death etc. After all, God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
The Christian is fundamentally a spiritual person: he believes in Someone he cannot see; he looks not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; he walks by faith, not by sight; and he worships God in spirit. The entire outlook and mindset of the Christian is spiritual. And this immediately puts us at odds with western culture.
1 Corinthians 2:14-3:4 helps us understand this matter of being spiritual:
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
The apostle declares there are two basic types of people: natural and spiritual. What is the difference between the two? Jude answers this: These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. The King James translators loved variety, but the words natural and sensual are translations of the same Greek word - perhaps they were indicating that the natural man is a sensual man. Anyway, the natural man is the one who does not have the Holy Spirit. When a person is born again they are given a new heart and a new Spirit (Ezek 11:19). So, the first step to a healthy spirituality is for God to give you a new heart and His Spirit. [I realize that I appear to be contradicting Paul by saying there are non-Christian people who are spiritual while Paul says they are natural and not spiritual. All I am saying is there are people who are aware of and seek to interact with the spiritual realm and are spiritual in that sense. Paul is saying, and I agree completely (isn’t that big of me!), that even though they are aware of this realm they are still natural in that they do not have the Holy Spirit. This is the true and safe spiritual.]
But the apostle Paul tells us that this matter of being spiritual is not instantaneous:
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it…
Isn’t this interesting? The Corinthians had believed in Jesus; been baptized in water and with the Holy Spirit; they had every spiritual gift in the Book, yet they were not spiritual! It would appear that true and healthy spirituality comes through spiritual growth, which comes by time, knowledge of the Word, and experience (Heb 5:11-14).
Paul then says something rather shocking
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
The Corinthians should have grown up by now, but had not. They began their Christian life as we all do, as babes. As such they were carnal, but this was not blameworthy - they didn’t know any better. But now, ye are yet carnal. This was blameworthy. They should have been spiritual by now and they were not. And what are the marks of the Christian who is yet carnal? Envy, strife, division.
Adam Clarke, one of my favorite commentators, said of this passage:
“There are three things here worthy of note: these people were wrong in thought, word, and deed. Envying refers to the state of their souls; they had inward grudgings and
disaffection towards each other. Strife or contention, refers to their words; they were continually disputing and contending whose party was the best, each endeavoring to prove that he and his party were alone in the right. Divisions, refers to their conduct; as they could not agree, they contended till they separated from each other, and thus rent the Church of Christ. Thus the envying and grudging led to strife and evil speaking, and this led to divisions and fixed parties. In this state well might the apostle say, Are ye not carnal, and walk as men? Ye act just as the people of the world...
It was well known that both Paul and Apollos held the same creed; between them there was not the slightest difference: when, therefore, the dissentients began to prefer the one to the other, it was the fullest proof of their carnality; because in the doctrines of these apostles there was no difference: so that what the people were captivated by must be something in their outward manner, Apollos being probably more eloquent than Paul. Their preferring one to another on such an account proved that they were carnal-led by their senses and mere outward appearances, without being under the guidance either of reason or grace. There are thousands of such people in the Christian Church to the present day.” Wow! But to try to get back to my main point…
But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
I know this is a difficult verse, but at the very least it tells us that the spiritual man sees behind the scenes; he sees into the heart of both a person and a matter; he discerns and sees things in the Spirit. 2 Kings 6:13-17 is a good illustration of this. The king of Syria had sent a great host in an attempt to capture the prophet Elisha. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. Amen!
I’m not talking about mysticism. I’m saying that there are many in the Church who are yet carnal and act like the Corinthians. There is another large group who have reduced the Christian life to an intellectual pursuit, who think all we need is to cram the head with the proper facts. No, we are to be, we need to be intensely, vibrantly spiritual. May the Lord open our eyes that we may see the spiritual dimension. I need to ask myself, Am I aware of the spiritual dimension? Have my eyes been opened to see? Am I yet carnal, merely intellectual, or truly spiritual?
Friday, August 5, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
My shoe shopping adventure
I really don’t like to go shopping, but sometimes you just have to do it. And this was one of those times. My feet started bothering me at work. That had happened once before and I waited and waited and until I developed Plantar Fasciitis. I knew it was coming on again and that the only cure was to buy some new shoes. I kept putting it off. Finally, one day I woke up early went shopping.
Mary and Tiernan came with me. Tiernan and I went in search of shoes for me and Mary went looking for some for herself. I need to say at the beginning, I always have a very difficult time finding shoes that fit. At least in the shoe stores that I frequent. I have wide feet and I am very sensitive to every little thing that is wrong with the shoe. I know that I have passed this obsession on to some of my children. Anyway, we looked and tried shoes on until I finally found a pair that fit and looked decent. While searching I had found another pair of shoes that looked pretty cool. Since this store, whose name I can never remember (I just know where it is located!), always has Buy One Pair Get One Pair Half Off, I was going to pick up a couple of pairs of shoes!
Just a side note about me and shopping. One time when I went to this store to get some shoes, I had forgotten all about their BOGO policy. So I had mentally armed myself to buy one pair of shoes. At the checkout, the cashier reminded me of their sales policy and asked if I wanted to look for another pair. I responded, “Thank you, but I only came mentally prepared to buy one pair of shoes.” Whenever I mention that Mary just sighs.
Now to get back to my story. Here I was walking around with two pairs of shoes and I did not feel good about this at all. “Why do I need two pairs of new shoes?” So I put one down and said to Tiernan, “Let’s go find you a new pair of shoes.” We did. And Mary found some for herself.
So we went back home and I went back to bed so I could work that night. When I woke up I got dressed and put on my new shoes. And they were too big! What?!? How in the world did this happen?? I went to work that night with my old pair and boy did my feet hurt that night. I wasn’t going to go through that again.
The very next day I woke up and once again Mary and I wended our way right back to the store. This time Mary helped me find a pair. And we did. One that fits, too! She suggested I might need a new pair of flip flops/sandals. I tried this one and that one and the other one. She kept saying “They will stretch” or “You will get used to it.” But I know my neurosis better. I said, “Flip flops should feel comfortable the first time you put them on.” Then I put my feet in a pair and knew right away, “Yep, these are them.” And, since she was getting some shoes for work and these were already on sale, I got them for a song.
And that reminds me of a night some kids came into the store. They didn’t have enough money for a fountain drink so I told them if they would do a dance for me they could have a free drink. They danced and I let them get a free drink!
Now I have new shoes and my feet (and knees) don’t hurt all night long. And I am once again thinking that these will be the last pair of shoes I ever buy.
Mary and Tiernan came with me. Tiernan and I went in search of shoes for me and Mary went looking for some for herself. I need to say at the beginning, I always have a very difficult time finding shoes that fit. At least in the shoe stores that I frequent. I have wide feet and I am very sensitive to every little thing that is wrong with the shoe. I know that I have passed this obsession on to some of my children. Anyway, we looked and tried shoes on until I finally found a pair that fit and looked decent. While searching I had found another pair of shoes that looked pretty cool. Since this store, whose name I can never remember (I just know where it is located!), always has Buy One Pair Get One Pair Half Off, I was going to pick up a couple of pairs of shoes!
Just a side note about me and shopping. One time when I went to this store to get some shoes, I had forgotten all about their BOGO policy. So I had mentally armed myself to buy one pair of shoes. At the checkout, the cashier reminded me of their sales policy and asked if I wanted to look for another pair. I responded, “Thank you, but I only came mentally prepared to buy one pair of shoes.” Whenever I mention that Mary just sighs.
Now to get back to my story. Here I was walking around with two pairs of shoes and I did not feel good about this at all. “Why do I need two pairs of new shoes?” So I put one down and said to Tiernan, “Let’s go find you a new pair of shoes.” We did. And Mary found some for herself.
So we went back home and I went back to bed so I could work that night. When I woke up I got dressed and put on my new shoes. And they were too big! What?!? How in the world did this happen?? I went to work that night with my old pair and boy did my feet hurt that night. I wasn’t going to go through that again.
The very next day I woke up and once again Mary and I wended our way right back to the store. This time Mary helped me find a pair. And we did. One that fits, too! She suggested I might need a new pair of flip flops/sandals. I tried this one and that one and the other one. She kept saying “They will stretch” or “You will get used to it.” But I know my neurosis better. I said, “Flip flops should feel comfortable the first time you put them on.” Then I put my feet in a pair and knew right away, “Yep, these are them.” And, since she was getting some shoes for work and these were already on sale, I got them for a song.
And that reminds me of a night some kids came into the store. They didn’t have enough money for a fountain drink so I told them if they would do a dance for me they could have a free drink. They danced and I let them get a free drink!
Now I have new shoes and my feet (and knees) don’t hurt all night long. And I am once again thinking that these will be the last pair of shoes I ever buy.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Things I learned from a fire on a midsummer night in July
I made a fire tonight to burn some boxes and the rest of the cuttings from a rose bush that had hitherto resisted the flames.
§ There is a good reason fires are more enjoyable on a cool night
§ You can feel the sweat forming and then running on your forehead
§ Smoke can be so thick that when you shine a flashlight at it you cannot see through it
§ Thick smoke has enough force to move the leaves on a tree when it billows over them
§ “Billow” is a great word for the movement of smoke
§ It is a really eerie feeling to look into darkness and see nothing, then turn on the flashlight and suddenly see things that weren’t there before! Or to put it another way, the world is not real (substantial) just because you can see it. It is there in the dark as well.
§ The sounds of summer at night in the south are really cool
The boxes were consumed, as were the remnants of the rose cuttings and I am thankfully ensconced in air conditioned splendor!
§ There is a good reason fires are more enjoyable on a cool night
§ You can feel the sweat forming and then running on your forehead
§ Smoke can be so thick that when you shine a flashlight at it you cannot see through it
§ Thick smoke has enough force to move the leaves on a tree when it billows over them
§ “Billow” is a great word for the movement of smoke
§ It is a really eerie feeling to look into darkness and see nothing, then turn on the flashlight and suddenly see things that weren’t there before! Or to put it another way, the world is not real (substantial) just because you can see it. It is there in the dark as well.
§ The sounds of summer at night in the south are really cool
The boxes were consumed, as were the remnants of the rose cuttings and I am thankfully ensconced in air conditioned splendor!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The ups and downs of riding a bike in Rock Hill
Two weeks ago I began riding my bicycle to work. I thought it would help save a little money and I would get in better shape. The trip is like 30 miles one way. OK, really just 3 miles – my legs just feel like it's 30. I know people who do 3 miles in their sleep, or used to do 30 and more a day, and to them this is no big deal. My friend Mark rode his bike to work one day, and he works in Charlotte, some 26-28 miles away! So my little trip is nothing in comparison. Anyway, back to my bike riding . . .
Every where I go from my house is uphill! It is an almost continuous incline from my house to the hospital, which is 8/10 of a mile from work – they should change the name of the hospital to Hospital on a Hill. Then you coast down a hill for a ways only to have to climb again to get to my destination. Then it is uphill back home! In fact, not only is it uphill anywhere I go from my house, it is even more uphill to get to my house! They should change the name of this town from Rock Hill to Rock Hills! We live in the piedmont, you would think that this meant foothills...
Yesterday evening I decided to ride over to Sarah’s house. Lot of incline on Ebinport and then a long hill right before Cherry Rd. You cross Cherry Rd, another small incline and then her street is a long hill down to her house. As I was whizzing along I realized, “I’m gonna pay for this on the way back!”
I thank God for the person who invented the multi-speed bicycle! I have a 21 speed bike. Not for any particular reason, it was simply the one I liked at the bike store and it just happened to have 21 speeds. Three on the left hand and seven on the right. So far I only use the 7 gears on #2. Gotta figure out what the other gears are for . . .
I’ve already had some interesting encounters on the road. I already know from past bike riding that drivers don’t see cyclists, so I know to be very defensive. But people coming from side roads just fly up to the stop sign. Come to think about it, I was riding a bike one a long time ago and got hit by a car just that way!
One of my first nights riding to work (yes, I work at night so I ride at night; I leave the house at either 10:30 or 11:30; well, I’ve gotten a little faster so it is more like 35 after the hour now) I was coming up to the entrance of the hospital. I saw that there was a car wanting to turn into the parking lot and being aware that he probably would not see me (despite my headlight and flashing tail light), I stopped and signaled him to go ahead and turn. As he turned he switched on his brights so I could see him!! I confess, I muttered something unkind about him and went on to work.
Yesterday, on my way back from Sarah’s house, I’m riding along Ebinport all by myself. Then I heard some cars coming up behind me and there was still no one coming the other way. The car behind me honked his horn and passed. I laughed sardonically. In my saner and softer moments I realize that people riding in cars don’t hear anything but their car and their music, while people walking or on bikes hear so much more. That’s one of the things I love about my jeep – I have no windows and hear all sorts of things while driving.
That’s my story so far. I arrive every where hot, sweaty and a little out of breath. And probably wind blown. Tiernan told me yesterday that I looked like Wolverine. I don’t know if that’s good or bad. But, since I tend to brush my hair only once a day anyway, I don’t really care!
Every where I go from my house is uphill! It is an almost continuous incline from my house to the hospital, which is 8/10 of a mile from work – they should change the name of the hospital to Hospital on a Hill. Then you coast down a hill for a ways only to have to climb again to get to my destination. Then it is uphill back home! In fact, not only is it uphill anywhere I go from my house, it is even more uphill to get to my house! They should change the name of this town from Rock Hill to Rock Hills! We live in the piedmont, you would think that this meant foothills...
Yesterday evening I decided to ride over to Sarah’s house. Lot of incline on Ebinport and then a long hill right before Cherry Rd. You cross Cherry Rd, another small incline and then her street is a long hill down to her house. As I was whizzing along I realized, “I’m gonna pay for this on the way back!”
I thank God for the person who invented the multi-speed bicycle! I have a 21 speed bike. Not for any particular reason, it was simply the one I liked at the bike store and it just happened to have 21 speeds. Three on the left hand and seven on the right. So far I only use the 7 gears on #2. Gotta figure out what the other gears are for . . .
I’ve already had some interesting encounters on the road. I already know from past bike riding that drivers don’t see cyclists, so I know to be very defensive. But people coming from side roads just fly up to the stop sign. Come to think about it, I was riding a bike one a long time ago and got hit by a car just that way!
One of my first nights riding to work (yes, I work at night so I ride at night; I leave the house at either 10:30 or 11:30; well, I’ve gotten a little faster so it is more like 35 after the hour now) I was coming up to the entrance of the hospital. I saw that there was a car wanting to turn into the parking lot and being aware that he probably would not see me (despite my headlight and flashing tail light), I stopped and signaled him to go ahead and turn. As he turned he switched on his brights so I could see him!! I confess, I muttered something unkind about him and went on to work.
Yesterday, on my way back from Sarah’s house, I’m riding along Ebinport all by myself. Then I heard some cars coming up behind me and there was still no one coming the other way. The car behind me honked his horn and passed. I laughed sardonically. In my saner and softer moments I realize that people riding in cars don’t hear anything but their car and their music, while people walking or on bikes hear so much more. That’s one of the things I love about my jeep – I have no windows and hear all sorts of things while driving.
That’s my story so far. I arrive every where hot, sweaty and a little out of breath. And probably wind blown. Tiernan told me yesterday that I looked like Wolverine. I don’t know if that’s good or bad. But, since I tend to brush my hair only once a day anyway, I don’t really care!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Observations from behind the counter – Money
Observations from behind the counter – Money
I deal with money all night long and quite naturally I have a few observations about money and how people treat it.
Bills
I used to think that the one dollar bill was the most common bill but I have changed my mind. It has to be the twenty dollar bill. We literally receive more twenties than any other bill. People will buy a thirty five cent pack of gum with a twenty. I get to where I hate seeing another twenty.
One hundred dollar bills. People love to flash a hundred dollar bill for a four dollar purchase. And then say, “It’s the smallest thing I’ve got.” I think having them in their pocket and flashing it every time they get some money out makes them feel good. I also believe they think we are impressed when we see one. I’ve got news for everyone – we are not. They are just a pain and we all know they are just trying to get change for it. Why don’t they simply get the bank to break it down when they cash their check?
How People Keep Their Money
The majority of people I see do not use a wallet. But the women who do are very organized about it. They zip open their wallet and one compartment has the bills all neatly laying there and another compartment has the change. Zip, zip, zip and they are done. Of the men who use wallets, many have these bulging wallets full of every scrap of paper they have ever handled. Others use their whole hand searching through their money and putting money back in the thing. Many keep it doubled up in one section of the wallet. A lot of guys keep coins in their wallet as well. Several hide it in the wallet and then have to search through it to find it. A few women have a teeny tiny wallet and it is quite a process to extract a bill!
Most do not use wallets. They keep their bills in their pockets. Some women keep it in heir bra, which creates a rather interesting moment when they are either getting their money or putting it back! Some guys keep money in every pocket and it is amusing watching them check every pocket for more money. Most keep it simply doubled over but some keep each bill crumpled up like waste paper. And it is amazing how many keep money in their car – “I’ve got money out in the car, I’ll be right back.”
How It Is Handed To Me
This is also interesting and amusing. Those who keep their money all crumpled up will pull out a wad and just hand it to me. Others will lay the wad on the counter and slowly smooth out each bill. Then there are those who will lay all their cash on the counter and work their way through it until they have given me enough money, then gather the it all up and stick it back in their pocket. Some will bend over low, half turned away from me, pull a bundle of money out and count out what they need then give that to me. And it is amazing how much money people carry around in their pockets! There are a lot of people who will deliberately crease the money length-wise into a upside down V and then hand it to me – like “cool” gangsters in some movie. Servers usually give you their cash all neatly arranged, facing the same way. Then there are those who hand you money arranged every which way! Most people who pay with change are apologetic or ask if I mind. I always tell them, with a smile, “As long as it’s American and comes out to _______ it's fine with me.” A few will place it on the counter and say, “I want this much in gas.” When I ask them how much it is they shrug. I ask them to count it out for me and they make a pitiful attempt and I really believe they do not know how to count change. Every once in a while I get change that has “been in the car for a while” that is so nasty I wash it before putting in the drawer!
How people handle money has to say something about their personality and I’ve often wondered if there has ever been a study on this. How do I keep my money? When I have any (!) I keep it in my wallet, in denominational order, with all the heads arranged and facing the same way. And I use my thumb and forefinger to withdraw it. Besides being the correct and only way to keep your cash, I wonder what this says about me?
I deal with money all night long and quite naturally I have a few observations about money and how people treat it.
Bills
I used to think that the one dollar bill was the most common bill but I have changed my mind. It has to be the twenty dollar bill. We literally receive more twenties than any other bill. People will buy a thirty five cent pack of gum with a twenty. I get to where I hate seeing another twenty.
One hundred dollar bills. People love to flash a hundred dollar bill for a four dollar purchase. And then say, “It’s the smallest thing I’ve got.” I think having them in their pocket and flashing it every time they get some money out makes them feel good. I also believe they think we are impressed when we see one. I’ve got news for everyone – we are not. They are just a pain and we all know they are just trying to get change for it. Why don’t they simply get the bank to break it down when they cash their check?
How People Keep Their Money
The majority of people I see do not use a wallet. But the women who do are very organized about it. They zip open their wallet and one compartment has the bills all neatly laying there and another compartment has the change. Zip, zip, zip and they are done. Of the men who use wallets, many have these bulging wallets full of every scrap of paper they have ever handled. Others use their whole hand searching through their money and putting money back in the thing. Many keep it doubled up in one section of the wallet. A lot of guys keep coins in their wallet as well. Several hide it in the wallet and then have to search through it to find it. A few women have a teeny tiny wallet and it is quite a process to extract a bill!
Most do not use wallets. They keep their bills in their pockets. Some women keep it in heir bra, which creates a rather interesting moment when they are either getting their money or putting it back! Some guys keep money in every pocket and it is amusing watching them check every pocket for more money. Most keep it simply doubled over but some keep each bill crumpled up like waste paper. And it is amazing how many keep money in their car – “I’ve got money out in the car, I’ll be right back.”
How It Is Handed To Me
This is also interesting and amusing. Those who keep their money all crumpled up will pull out a wad and just hand it to me. Others will lay the wad on the counter and slowly smooth out each bill. Then there are those who will lay all their cash on the counter and work their way through it until they have given me enough money, then gather the it all up and stick it back in their pocket. Some will bend over low, half turned away from me, pull a bundle of money out and count out what they need then give that to me. And it is amazing how much money people carry around in their pockets! There are a lot of people who will deliberately crease the money length-wise into a upside down V and then hand it to me – like “cool” gangsters in some movie. Servers usually give you their cash all neatly arranged, facing the same way. Then there are those who hand you money arranged every which way! Most people who pay with change are apologetic or ask if I mind. I always tell them, with a smile, “As long as it’s American and comes out to _______ it's fine with me.” A few will place it on the counter and say, “I want this much in gas.” When I ask them how much it is they shrug. I ask them to count it out for me and they make a pitiful attempt and I really believe they do not know how to count change. Every once in a while I get change that has “been in the car for a while” that is so nasty I wash it before putting in the drawer!
How people handle money has to say something about their personality and I’ve often wondered if there has ever been a study on this. How do I keep my money? When I have any (!) I keep it in my wallet, in denominational order, with all the heads arranged and facing the same way. And I use my thumb and forefinger to withdraw it. Besides being the correct and only way to keep your cash, I wonder what this says about me?
Friday, July 15, 2011
Casting Down Old Altars
Last Sunday I went to church and the pastor began his message in Deuteronomy 11. His introduction was rather long so I started reading through 11 and into 12. Great stuff! Made me long for the Calvary Chapel in Yucaipa because that brother would have simply gone through the chapter. I would like to comment on the whole passage (read 11 & 12), but I shall refrain. But there is a part that has had me thinking all week
11:31 For ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God giveth you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein.
32 And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I set before you this day.
12:1 These [are] the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.
2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
3 And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.
Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations…served their gods And ye shall overthrow their altars…and destroy the names of them out of that place. Wow. Utterly destroy. This was for Israel as they came out of Egypt and entered into the promised land. This applies to us. It seems obvious to me that the promised land for the believer cannot be heaven – there will be no idols there to be destroyed, no –ites to be driven out and no giants to defeat. What is it for us then? The fullness of the blessing, the abundant life, the Spirit-filled life. When we enter the promised land we are to overthrow all the old altars, utterly destroy them. What does this mean? All that we used to worship has to go.
But this week I’ve been thinking about how this relates to Christians in America. Before I go further let me emphasize – America is NOT the promised land, we are NOT called to conquer America or even to Christianize it!! But we ARE Americans and have grown up with and internalized the values and mores of our culture. God says to us who have been redeemed here in America, “When you enter the promised land you must fully obey me, and that means utterly throwing over all that you used to worship and all that those around you still worship.”
So I asked myself, What is that we worship in America? Beauty. Thinness. Health. Fitness. Money. Possessions. Entertainment. Sports. Independence. Environment. Technology. And the trinity in the American Pantheon? Sex, Fun, and New. Sex is almighty. But in everyday life, a thing is no good if it is not Fun. Vying with Fun is New. One of the worst things you can say about something is that it is old. New and Fun - that is American.
Now, none of these are wrong in themselves. But God says, And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire. Everything we value and pursue has to be evaluated by this, Is this compatible with the kingdom of God, the worship of God, my obedience to my Lord Jesus? Are my values, my priorities, my pursuits American or biblical?
I’m reading a book, Fire in our Hearts, which is the story of The Jesus Fellowship Church in England (which is also known as the Jesus Army; they hold the historic Christian faith, being reformed, evangelical and charismatic). This church began life in 1805 as Bugbrooke Baptist Church. Then in 1960s and 70s they were impacted by the charismatic renewal and became a part of the Jesus People movement. Describing their development in the early 70s the book says:
“Around this time we discovered Love Not The World by Watchman Nee. Nee wrote: ‘Salvation is essentially a present exit from a doomed order... [In baptism] a whole world goes down with you. When you come up, you come up in Christ — in the ark that rides the waves. You have entered a new order of things.’
Clearly the hippy culture was not the Jesus culture, but neither was the status quo. Everything in the New Testament cried revolution, transformation and a new society. ‘If anyone is in Christ,’ declared Paul, ‘he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!’ (2 Cor 5:17).
New creation became our theme song as we broke new ground. New creation called for a reassessment of values that had been drummed into us from birth. It meant hacking out a hallowed spot from the tangle of worldliness. It put a question mark on everything we did simply because everybody else did it. Television, theatre, sport, vacations abroad, religious festivals — they all came under the searchlight.
Many questions arose as we glimpsed the magnitude of God’s will. ‘Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,’ he was saying, ‘but be transformed by the renewing of your mind’ (Rom 12:2). If it was a choice of moving with God or running with the crowd, then the matter was already settled.”
This is good stuff! Are my values, my priorities, my pursuits American or biblical??
And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I set before you this day. These [are] the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land…Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.
11:31 For ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God giveth you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein.
32 And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I set before you this day.
12:1 These [are] the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.
2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
3 And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.
Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations…served their gods And ye shall overthrow their altars…and destroy the names of them out of that place. Wow. Utterly destroy. This was for Israel as they came out of Egypt and entered into the promised land. This applies to us. It seems obvious to me that the promised land for the believer cannot be heaven – there will be no idols there to be destroyed, no –ites to be driven out and no giants to defeat. What is it for us then? The fullness of the blessing, the abundant life, the Spirit-filled life. When we enter the promised land we are to overthrow all the old altars, utterly destroy them. What does this mean? All that we used to worship has to go.
But this week I’ve been thinking about how this relates to Christians in America. Before I go further let me emphasize – America is NOT the promised land, we are NOT called to conquer America or even to Christianize it!! But we ARE Americans and have grown up with and internalized the values and mores of our culture. God says to us who have been redeemed here in America, “When you enter the promised land you must fully obey me, and that means utterly throwing over all that you used to worship and all that those around you still worship.”
So I asked myself, What is that we worship in America? Beauty. Thinness. Health. Fitness. Money. Possessions. Entertainment. Sports. Independence. Environment. Technology. And the trinity in the American Pantheon? Sex, Fun, and New. Sex is almighty. But in everyday life, a thing is no good if it is not Fun. Vying with Fun is New. One of the worst things you can say about something is that it is old. New and Fun - that is American.
Now, none of these are wrong in themselves. But God says, And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire. Everything we value and pursue has to be evaluated by this, Is this compatible with the kingdom of God, the worship of God, my obedience to my Lord Jesus? Are my values, my priorities, my pursuits American or biblical?
I’m reading a book, Fire in our Hearts, which is the story of The Jesus Fellowship Church in England (which is also known as the Jesus Army; they hold the historic Christian faith, being reformed, evangelical and charismatic). This church began life in 1805 as Bugbrooke Baptist Church. Then in 1960s and 70s they were impacted by the charismatic renewal and became a part of the Jesus People movement. Describing their development in the early 70s the book says:
“Around this time we discovered Love Not The World by Watchman Nee. Nee wrote: ‘Salvation is essentially a present exit from a doomed order... [In baptism] a whole world goes down with you. When you come up, you come up in Christ — in the ark that rides the waves. You have entered a new order of things.’
Clearly the hippy culture was not the Jesus culture, but neither was the status quo. Everything in the New Testament cried revolution, transformation and a new society. ‘If anyone is in Christ,’ declared Paul, ‘he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!’ (2 Cor 5:17).
New creation became our theme song as we broke new ground. New creation called for a reassessment of values that had been drummed into us from birth. It meant hacking out a hallowed spot from the tangle of worldliness. It put a question mark on everything we did simply because everybody else did it. Television, theatre, sport, vacations abroad, religious festivals — they all came under the searchlight.
Many questions arose as we glimpsed the magnitude of God’s will. ‘Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,’ he was saying, ‘but be transformed by the renewing of your mind’ (Rom 12:2). If it was a choice of moving with God or running with the crowd, then the matter was already settled.”
This is good stuff! Are my values, my priorities, my pursuits American or biblical??
And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I set before you this day. These [are] the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land…Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Sin makes you stupid
Sin makes you stupid. I know of a once famous pastor who used to say this. He was correct, sin does make you do stupid things. But this expression doesn’t tell the whole story. In James 1:13-16 we read:
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.
The Holy Spirit says sin not only makes you stupid, it brings forth death. Let’s take a brief look at the path:
every man is tempted – tempt is a big word and the specific meaning is determined by context. Here, it is “an inner impulse to do evil.”
when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed – “The metaphor is taken from hunting and fishing: as game is lured from its covert, so man by lust is allured from the safety of self-restraint to sin.” We are being hunted by sin! The bait is dangled before us and when we give in we are caught!
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin – lust gives birth to sin
and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death – The child of sin is death. Sin not only makes you stupid, it makes you dead.
Consider Adam and Eve in the garden. God made Adam and then the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. That sounds a lot like sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. We know what happened. But how did it happen?
And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. – this is the place of safety
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. – the temptation
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. – lured from safety and enticed
And the eyes of them both were opened – when lust has conceived it brings forth death
Things haven’t changed much since then!
For in the day you eat from that tree you shall surely die. Did Adam or Eve know what that meant? Did they really understand the consequences? Probably not. But more importantly, did they really die the very day they ate the fruit? Adam did not die for another 930 years. Was God wrong? No. Sin brought forth death immediately: Adam was aware that he was naked (died to innocence); hid from God (died to fellowship); got kicked out of the garden (died to his home); had to work by the sweat of his brow (died to paradise); Eve would have pain in child-bearing and yet her desire would be to her husband (died to paradise); they saw one of their own children murder another of their children; and yes, they eventually died physically. Sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.
Consider David, a man after God’s own heart. He was going along fine until his encounter with Bathseba. Then, to hide that, he arranges to have her husband killed. The rest of his life is marked by the death brought forth by this sin. He remained king and retained the messianic promise, but the rest of his life was marked by such sadness.
Consider Saul, chosen by God to be king before David. What a great beginning! Anointed with oil by Samuel then anointed with the Holy Spirit. Then he decided he knew better than God and chose to disobey. Sin. He lost the Spirit and he lost the kingdom.
You may be thinking, “What you say is true, but that is the Old Testament. The New Testament is so full of grace that this is just no longer true.” Consider that James is a New Testament book. What about Annanias & Sapphira? And the Corinthians: But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. No, it is still true, Sin, when it is finished, brings forth death. And I’m talking about believers who slip into sin.
I can hear someone saying, “Lighten up, man. The Gospel is all about grace and love and life. Not all this sin and death stuff.” Without “this sin and death stuff” all you have is cheap grace. We need to be aware of this lust-sin-death pattern. I’m not suggesting there is a tit-for-tat arrangement: don’t pray today, go bald tomorrow. But I am saying sin brings forth death. It may show up in small ways: failure to give thanks is death to joy; not praying robs you of peace. But this verse seems to be dealing with the sin that comes from lust. Like Adam and Eve, we don’t all physically die the moment we sin. But just like them we suffer the consequences. We can lose position, prestige, respect, family. Most importantly, sin has a definite impact on our fellowship with God. There is grace, but when we fall into sin some things may be lost that can never be regained.
So, how does “sin makes you stupid”? Well, despite the Word of God, you do it anyway. THAT is stupid! I know, some people seem to get away with it. But remember, “Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.” Therefore, do not err, my beloved brethren. Remember, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.
The Holy Spirit says sin not only makes you stupid, it brings forth death. Let’s take a brief look at the path:
every man is tempted – tempt is a big word and the specific meaning is determined by context. Here, it is “an inner impulse to do evil.”
when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed – “The metaphor is taken from hunting and fishing: as game is lured from its covert, so man by lust is allured from the safety of self-restraint to sin.” We are being hunted by sin! The bait is dangled before us and when we give in we are caught!
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin – lust gives birth to sin
and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death – The child of sin is death. Sin not only makes you stupid, it makes you dead.
Consider Adam and Eve in the garden. God made Adam and then the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. That sounds a lot like sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. We know what happened. But how did it happen?
And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. – this is the place of safety
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. – the temptation
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. – lured from safety and enticed
And the eyes of them both were opened – when lust has conceived it brings forth death
Things haven’t changed much since then!
For in the day you eat from that tree you shall surely die. Did Adam or Eve know what that meant? Did they really understand the consequences? Probably not. But more importantly, did they really die the very day they ate the fruit? Adam did not die for another 930 years. Was God wrong? No. Sin brought forth death immediately: Adam was aware that he was naked (died to innocence); hid from God (died to fellowship); got kicked out of the garden (died to his home); had to work by the sweat of his brow (died to paradise); Eve would have pain in child-bearing and yet her desire would be to her husband (died to paradise); they saw one of their own children murder another of their children; and yes, they eventually died physically. Sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.
Consider David, a man after God’s own heart. He was going along fine until his encounter with Bathseba. Then, to hide that, he arranges to have her husband killed. The rest of his life is marked by the death brought forth by this sin. He remained king and retained the messianic promise, but the rest of his life was marked by such sadness.
Consider Saul, chosen by God to be king before David. What a great beginning! Anointed with oil by Samuel then anointed with the Holy Spirit. Then he decided he knew better than God and chose to disobey. Sin. He lost the Spirit and he lost the kingdom.
You may be thinking, “What you say is true, but that is the Old Testament. The New Testament is so full of grace that this is just no longer true.” Consider that James is a New Testament book. What about Annanias & Sapphira? And the Corinthians: But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. No, it is still true, Sin, when it is finished, brings forth death. And I’m talking about believers who slip into sin.
I can hear someone saying, “Lighten up, man. The Gospel is all about grace and love and life. Not all this sin and death stuff.” Without “this sin and death stuff” all you have is cheap grace. We need to be aware of this lust-sin-death pattern. I’m not suggesting there is a tit-for-tat arrangement: don’t pray today, go bald tomorrow. But I am saying sin brings forth death. It may show up in small ways: failure to give thanks is death to joy; not praying robs you of peace. But this verse seems to be dealing with the sin that comes from lust. Like Adam and Eve, we don’t all physically die the moment we sin. But just like them we suffer the consequences. We can lose position, prestige, respect, family. Most importantly, sin has a definite impact on our fellowship with God. There is grace, but when we fall into sin some things may be lost that can never be regained.
So, how does “sin makes you stupid”? Well, despite the Word of God, you do it anyway. THAT is stupid! I know, some people seem to get away with it. But remember, “Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.” Therefore, do not err, my beloved brethren. Remember, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
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