E4God.com Blogs
Sep 25
Yes, you read that right. POST CHURCH MODERN is the topic - and not POST MODERN CHURCH. But we will have to discuss the latter a bit in order to be clear about the former.
You may be more familiar with the phrase POST MODERN CHURCH. A POST MODERN CHURCH is one that serves a POST MODERN CULTURE. [...] [...more]
Posted: under Ministries, News, Prophecy, Society and Culture, Teaching, Testimony.
Tags: Church, Modernism, PostModernism
Yes, you read that right. POST CHURCH MODERN is the topic - and not POST MODERN CHURCH. But we will have to discuss the latter a bit in order to be clear about the former.
You may be more familiar with the phrase POST MODERN CHURCH. A POST MODERN CHURCH is one that serves a POST MODERN CULTURE. A person who considers themselves as belonging to the POST MODERN culture is seeing themselves as beyond modern (beyond here means AFTER). POST MODERN culture can be seen as a reaction to a modern culture, characterized by an ironic return to traditional materials and forms - as in architecture or literature. It typically calls for a radical re-examination of basic beliefs about who we are and how we got here.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT THAT.
The POST CHURCH MODERN is something else. The Post Church Modern is an individual who is moving values forward after falling OUT of love with the Christian Church as we know it. Notice the POST CHURCH MODERN Christian is not falling out of love with Christ, just with the church.
The POST CHURCH MODERN is NOT returning to traditional forms - not seeking comfort in the familiar, but is seeking intellectual and spiritual adventure and exploration in arenas once barred by judgmental, “traditional” opinions and belief systems.
To Sum: There is a very profound difference between the two. Cynicism and a spirit ready to judge something as inadequate are both needed in order to belong to Post Modern movement. Consider, if there was not something judged to be wrong with MODERN then the person would have no need to move beyond the modern view. Contrast this with the Post Church Modern, who is simply so open, so ready for life and adventure, that he has no need for confining form, and especially no need for one that looks backwards as a solution.
“THAT DID NOT WORK” is what the POST MODERN CHURCH SAYS ABOUT MODERNITY. IT’S TOO SHALLOW. Hmmm…. This very same accusation is fairly made about the POST MODERN CHURCH itself. The believer became tradition bound, afraid, held captive in a new form that was as rigid as the old form. The promise of freedom is offered, but instead the new form traps him into being free only as long as he remains cynical and judgmental toward “MODERN” Believers. This new trap really should come as no surprise. By its nature of being unhappy with all things MODERN, the adherants end up fighting their own condition. Since the Post Modern Church would attract a fairly cynical group of individuals, it can be expected that they will do what judgmental and cynical folk do. Post Modern Churchgoers hang together, wax nostalgic, and become trapped in the worship of the past. To maintain the facade of being special, they pronounce themselves in the right, and all others in the wrong.
Another viewpoint is possible. After all, we worship a Creative God!
THIS COULD BE FUN” is the attitude of the POST CHURCH MODERN. We could discover something useful, something powerful, something elevating, and we may end up cooperating with our own condition in a glorious explosion of what COULD BE!
Is it dangerous? Even blasphemous? Will we lose sight of dry land and sail off to drown in a sea of egocentric me-ism? Doubtful if you know that we continue to believe in and worship God. This position extols the wonder of a Creator God and a Christ who came to model the entire idea.
CHRIST was POST CHURCH MODERN in his day. The church, in his day, was the synagogue. He was “DONE WITH ALL THAT” because of the hypocrisy and intellectualized, self serving pride and rigidity found there.
Now there you have it. The POST CHURCH MODERN IS A BELIEVER WHO IS DONE WITH ALL THAT CHURCH STUFF because of the hypocrisy and intellectualized, self serving pride and rigidity found there.
Now - I said it and you can believe it : )
Sep 24
The U.S. Govt says they are trying to avoid a bank run. Don’t they think we know, we are already having one?
Today’s depositors who can withdraw all their money and thus cause a classic bank run are not John Q Public. We are insured by FDIC. We take money out of the bottom of a [...] [...more]
Posted: under News, Prophecy, Society and Culture.
Tags: bank run, depression, government, great depression, public trust, recession
The U.S. Govt says they are trying to avoid a bank run. Don’t they think we know, we are already having one?
Today’s depositors who can withdraw all their money and thus cause a classic bank run are not John Q Public. We are insured by FDIC. We take money out of the bottom of a system, like from the tap of a koolaid cooler at a church picnic.
The insurance companies, financial institutions, pension funds, investment banks, and world banks who make deposits into our financial system by making LOANS to our system are the ones who pour koolaide into the top of the jug. These guys have already withdrawn their money. They pulled the plug. The run is on because the money was pulled out of the top of the system instead of the bottom. They are not providing any more money. This means the wheels of commerce grind to a halt. NOW.
The most interesting part is that in the Great Depression, when we were a nation of SAVERS, cash ran out as the public lost confidence in the banking system and withdrew actual deposits. The difference is that today’s bank run happens as a nation of BORROWERS finds there is no money to borrow. Money has stopped flowing in at the top of the system.
Same basic outcome…. There is no cash. The run is already underway.
This is why our Govt wants to railroad a bill through Congress…. The washington power base seems to feel that if we print money fast enough, maybe John Q Public won’t find out that there is no cash!
A curse on Greed. A Blessing on Wisdom.
May those who hear the voice of God listen, and calm the waters of this storm.
Sep 24
Jesus said: “Do you not know that you are gods?” (John 10:34-35; Ps 82:6)
What will you do with all that presence, power, knowledge ?
Will it make a difference in the world around you? How big a footprint will you make? How far will your light shine?
I don’t mean to ask what will you do “SOMEDAY”. [...] [...more]
Posted: under Prophecy, Society and Culture, Teaching, Testimony.
Tags: i am, i am god, we are all god, you are god
Jesus said: “Do you not know that you are gods?” (John 10:34-35; Ps 82:6)
What will you do with all that presence, power, knowledge ?
Will it make a difference in the world around you? How big a footprint will you make? How far will your light shine?
I don’t mean to ask what will you do “SOMEDAY”. I mean to ask - what will you do “TODAY”?
HMMMMM ???
Sep 21
I feel sad, and angry, and bitter, and wounded, and broken, as though the entire world is beyond God’s healing reach today.
Time for a praise… I am weak but he is strong.
I praise him in my weakness and He delivers me.
Yes, Jesus Loves Me, you, us we, them, they, him, her, every buddy.
Even when we don’t feel like it.
[...more]
Posted: under Praise.
Tags: Jesus Love
I feel sad, and angry, and bitter, and wounded, and broken, as though the entire world is beyond God’s healing reach today.
Time for a praise… I am weak but he is strong.
I praise him in my weakness and He delivers me.
Yes, Jesus Loves Me, you, us we, them, they, him, her, every buddy.
Even when we don’t feel like it.
Sep 21
How many Pastors really want to spend time with the strung out, drug addicted, or those with criminal histories? Many pastors, including my exPastor - have learned to say… “Somebody else should”. My exP used to say “I don’t want to go through other people’s junk”.
Maybe they think God will heal it - show them [...] [...more]
Posted: under Ministries, News, Prophecy, Society and Culture, Teaching, Testimony.
Tags: Church, effectiveness, pastor
How many Pastors really want to spend time with the strung out, drug addicted, or those with criminal histories? Many pastors, including my exPastor - have learned to say… “Somebody else should”. My exP used to say “I don’t want to go through other people’s junk”.
Maybe they think God will heal it - show them acceptance - without a loving person to model the example of Christ? If so then why did Christ model spending time with the men that society discarded?
Even more surprising - many pastors don’t want strong Christian men hanging around. Those guys who REALLY KNOW the bible and have shown strength in organizing a ministry are considered dangerous. These people are apparently a threat… I mean think of the horror… If they were kept around, and later got a bee in their bonnet, they might have enough leadership influence to drag half the people in the church away in what is called a church split.
The two people most likely to change the world are a strong believer who can lead men, or a forgiven criminal who GETS IT and wants to pass it on. What about one person who is both? WOW!
Now - if the modern church cannot cope with either, then I guess we get a milkfed, or geriatric and otherwise ineffective church. Apparently, this is the only kind of parishioner that most pastors can handle?
Sad…
Please, somebody tell me there are places this is not true!
Sep 19
Prayer Call: Ask God to cause our leaders in Washington start doing something for the people instead of for the banks who caused this mess.
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You can read the following report from CNN any way you like.
Here is how I took it: In the latest financial market bailout news from Washington - U.S. Govt wants to bail [...] [...more]
Posted: under News, Prophecy, Society and Culture, Teaching.
Tags: banks, economy, Finance, government, prayer, U.S.
Prayer Call: Ask God to cause our leaders in Washington start doing something for the people instead of for the banks who caused this mess.
##########
You can read the following report from CNN any way you like.
Here is how I took it: In the latest financial market bailout news from Washington - U.S. Govt wants to bail out the banks who misbehaved so badly as to risk going under - even buy their bad debts so banks can clear their books and LOOK good again. This won’t fix the mismanagement that caused the problem, and won’t make them stronger than they are. It will just make them LOOK stronger. THIS IS NOT A SOLUTION!
- What about the people who counted on the American dream?
- What about the horrible loss being felt all over America as our houses plunge in value?
- What about our retirement?
- What about our kids in college?
- What about the young people who cannot even afford a decent place to live?
- What about their parents whose net worth has dwindled until they cannot help the kids with college or a place to live?
- What about the house in foreclosure next door, dragging my net worth down by $50,000.
I did not do anything wrong - but I am left holding the tab and hanging in the wind, broke, while Uncle Sam bails out the very people who caused this mess and makes their balance sheets look good?
God has a better plan. Let’s all pray for wisdom in Washington. Our leaders need to serve the needs of the people, not the greed of the banks.
#################
From CNN.com
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — The federal government, in what will be its most far-reaching attempt yet to contain the financial crisis, is poised to establish a program to let banks get rid of mortgage-related assets that have been hard to value and harder to trade.
Leaders from the House and the Senate were briefed on Thursday evening by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.
“The root cause of distress in capital markets is the real estate correction and what’s going on in terms of the price declines in real estate,” Paulson said at a press briefing after the meeting. “So we’re coming together to work for an expeditious solution aimed right at the heart of this problem, which is illiquid assets on financial institutions’ balance sheets.”
Many details of the plan remained unclear, but it is likely the government would take on tens of billions of dollars in mortgage assets - if not more.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said late Thursday night that lawmakers expected to get the proposal from Treasury in a matter of hours.
“We hope to move very quickly - time is of the essence,” Pelosi said.
Paulson, Bernanke and other officials expect to work through the weekend with congressional leaders to finalize a plan, said Brookly McLaughlin, a Treasury spokeswoman.
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said he believes legislation could be acted on next week.
The announcement is the latest stunning turn in an extraordinary six days that have rocked Wall Street. A widening banking crisis has toppled two major firms - Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch - and prompted an $85 billion government loan to stem the sudden collapse of insurance giant American International Group.
Meanwhile, mainstay financial institutions are scrambling to raise cash or find merger partners - because of a freeze-up in lending and sinking investor confidence stemming from a collapse of the home mortgage market.
Talk of plan energizes markets
Speculation that the Bush administration was developing a comprehensive plan jolted Wall Street on Thursday and sent stocks higher. The Dow ended 410 points higher.
The Treasury has been talking about the concept of an agency to take on bad debts of financial institutions “for several months,” a source with knowledge of discussions on the issue told CNN.
There’s precedent for the federal government taking on troubled assets from the private sector. In the 1930s, the Home Owners Loan Corp. was set up to issue bonds to refinance borrowers. Then during the S&L crisis Congress set up the Resolution Trust Corp. to sell assets of failed banks.
One way the agency under discussion could work is by setting up bulk auctions to buy mortgage assets from financial institutions. The auctions would be for set dollar amount purchases. Companies that want to offload the hard-to-sell assets from their balance sheets bid to sell to the government at a huge discount. The company willing to sell at the lowest price wins.
The government would then be able to sell the assets back into the market when it wanted.
According to policy research firm the Stanford Group, such a setup would allow the government to refinance borrowers in the loans owned by the government, thereby lowering the risk of their defaulting and eventually boosting the price of the mortgage security in which those loans are packaged.
The agency and auction facility is one that House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd have supported.
Jaret Seiberg, a financial services analyst at the Stanford Group, said he believes there is bipartisan support for allowing the Bush administration to take short-term action to “get us through the immediate crisis.”
The expectation is that whatever program is decided on would only last through the presidential inauguration. “You don’t want a program that will last for several years because that would limit what the next administration could do,” Seiberg said.
Candidates to weigh in
On Friday, both presidential nominees are expected to detail their own plans to address the crisis.
Not everyone supports the idea that the government should buy up assets that the market currently can’t value and isn’t trading.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., on Thursday proposed his own plan that would involve the government providing a cash infusion to financial institutions in exchange for stock in the companies and let the institutions offload their mortgage investments.
Banking consultant Bert Ely is skeptical about the government getting involved at all. If the government chooses to “prop up the institutions or allows the institutions to offload asset onto a government entity, who’s going to take the losses? It’s financial insanity. The markets have to clear. Our fundamental problem: an oversupply of housing.”
CNN senior correspondent Alan Chernoff, CNN White House correspondent Elaine Quijano and Washington producer Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report. 
Sep 18
Well, the economy is in quite a mess… It seems like it might be time for some wisdom on the subject.
I could just give you the BULLET on this post, and tell you that FEAR OF GOD is the beginning of wisdom, and that there is nothing new under the sun, and that we can [...] [...more]
Posted: under Society and Culture, Teaching.
Tags: America, economy, federal reserve board, GOP, Illuminati, Socialism
Well, the economy is in quite a mess… It seems like it might be time for some wisdom on the subject.
I could just give you the BULLET on this post, and tell you that FEAR OF GOD is the beginning of wisdom, and that there is nothing new under the sun, and that we can count on heaven for answers….
But I without a lot of background, or at least a little buildup it might not carry much weight. So here goes the long answer….
Before I start, let’s dispense with a popular myth. Christians aren’t supposed to be political…. or is it that Politicians are not supposed to be Christians?
What is that? You say “Faith should be a private matter?”
That road leads to hell for many… so Speak UP if you BELIEVE!
OK… now that we got this far, let’s talk about the economy and wisdom.
###########
First, Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. After that, it’s all “vanity” and “chasing of wind” because “there is nothing new under the sun”.
OK, That about sums it all up… Right? Well, almost.
I believe God can fix this mess, but I am sure not counting on the Federal Reserve, the GOP, or the Democratic Candidates for American Idol… Er… I mean…. President of the United States of America.
First let’s talk about “NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN”
Here’s the part that really chaps my underside….. The current situation is supposed to be FIXED because The Federal Reserve Board DROPPED CREDIT STANDARDS AND LIQUIDITY REQUIREMENTS for banks to borrow money from the U.S. Government.
Now, I ask you - Isn’t DROPPING CREDIT STANDARDS AND LIQUIDITY REQUIREMENTS on home loans what caused most of this mess in the first place? The answer is yes. And isn’t it likely that the lender in such markets will end up not getting paid? Again, the answer is yes. And aren’t bankers supposed to be smarter than this? Yes, the answer is yes.
How can our Politicians believe that allowing the US Treasury to behave in EXACTLY the same way that the failing banks behaved will fix the problem? Isn’t the USA now following the same game plan that caused all the problems at BANKS and INSURANCE COMPANIES in the first place? Oh, heck, I think they said…. “We can’t charge enough interest to people with good credit, so let’s LEND MONEY to all those people who cannot manage money - and just charge more interest than ever!” This was the greed that led to the SubPrime Mortgage Meltdown - as it is now being called. This greed is exactly what the Federal Reserve Board just exercised by lending money to AIG for 11 percent interest. It’s kind of like a SUB PRIME FEDERAL BANK LOAN WITH EXTRA FEES. They could have let the company go under, and let the insurance industry backup pool pay the insurance benefits, and probably should have. But no… they saw a chance to charge 11% interest - or take control of the largest pool of money in the financial world (banking and insurance industries) and decided to go for it. If enough of them do pay us back, it will all be OK… right? WRONG.
How is this RE-RUN going to fix the fallout?
Now for WISDOM
Is this even more ridiculous? Did the Federal Reserve Bank and Treasury Secretary just make a deal with AIG to buy 80% of the stock in a company that was ABOUT TO GO UNDER? Did they really invest $85 BILLION US DOLLARS in something that was failing? Did Uncle Sam REALLY BUY A COMPANY THAT NOBODY ELSE WANTEd ? Did they effectively turn the private company into a government owned entity? This is a slippery slope that leads to a socialized insurance system - which is the biggest pool of money in the world outside the vatican. AND THEY DID IT WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH OR EVEN INFORMING CONGRESS AT ALL?
Did they really? Yes they did!
In other words, there are no checks and balances that apply, and congress is not really running the country - but apparently one man is. His name is Bernanke. Or is he a Bush Puppet? Greenspan was not… but now look at what we have….
Consider: Greenspan was a republican purist who did not believe it was Government’s place to over-regulate financial markets. He refused to exercise some of actions Bush or even congress wanted him to exercise - because he believed in a free market…. Now Bernanke spends $85 Billion at a time without even consulting congress. Hmmmm……
Is Bernanke working WITH Bush and without Congress? Hmmmm….. Is this the last gasp effort of “THE NEW WORLD ORDER” to seize power before it’s latest poster child leaves office? G W B is, as we all know, a card carrying member of the OLD BOY NETWORK…. (READ: OLD MONEY crowd - or Illuminati).
Guess what… Uncle Sam is now taking over the biggest buckets of cash in the USA and making it look like it is somehow a nice thing for them to do. George won’t be able to sleep at night after he leaves office unless they give it back….. Maybe George will request a nice ransom to let these guys off the hook right before he leaves office. This sounds like a mafia technique I heard of once…. Some old guys would get desperate near the end of their life and and grab a friend by the cajones - squeezing until the guy coughs up some bucks to make you go away. In exchange the old guy would give them back their comfort and safety… Of course, the old man has to leave town afterward, or somebody comes looking for him when he is sleeping…
This is a time for God to shine his light on the darkness that is overcoming us. This is a time for Christians to voice the wisdom God provides. This is a time to clean house in Washington. We may need to impeach this crew EVEN BEFORE our president elect is supposed to take office, in order to maintain freedom and FREE ENTERPRISE in America.
Of course, if you would rather live in a Socialist Country… just do nothing. We just took a giant step in that direction, and they US Govt now controls an awful lot of cash that was supposed to be used to pay out life insurance and other claims… If Uncle Sam will let you lose your house, while bailing out the bank who did this to you, then what will Uncle Sam do with your retirement savings, or your life insurance policy? Hmmmm….
As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Look to the skies and call on our God for a mighty war on stupidity… Let wisdom come to rule over the spirit of panic. Selah
Sep 06
A child has Wed!
Love has won over the dark and lonely sojourn.
Hope has won over the pressing wet fog of existential angst.
As two ships pass, one may turn and follow the other,
Or better, they may together choose a new and better course.
Today two lives become one, two dreams flow together,
Two ships are sailing toward the sunrise of forever.
The wedding of [...] [...more]
Posted: under Praise.
A child has Wed!
Love has won over the dark and lonely sojourn.
Hope has won over the pressing wet fog of existential angst.
As two ships pass, one may turn and follow the other,
Or better, they may together choose a new and better course.
Today two lives become one, two dreams flow together,
Two ships are sailing toward the sunrise of forever.
The wedding of a child is a day to rejoice!
God IS Love come to be with us.
Praises rise as prayers are answered.
Blessings fall like gentle rain all around.
It is well and it is Good.
Sep 05
Here I am, drifting, at sea without a compass.
This means that I don’t know where I am, or where I am going.
According to my personality and business training, this is a dire emergency.
And yet, there is peace.
For God is there and He can be trusted.
Things of the spirit are foolishness to those who do not [...] [...more]
Posted: under Praise, Testimony.
Tags: feeling lost, mount up as an eagle, patience, peace, waiting on the lord
Here I am, drifting, at sea without a compass.
This means that I don’t know where I am, or where I am going.
According to my personality and business training, this is a dire emergency.
And yet, there is peace.
For God is there and He can be trusted.
Things of the spirit are foolishness to those who do not know Him.
But those who wait upon the Lord will mount up as eagles.
Waiting is not my idea of how to solve a problem.
Being lost at sea without a direction is a problem… in my book.
But apparently God has a different play book.
We’ll go with His…
Sign me….
Splashing around until I get a Map
Sep 03
When the enemy gets us down, it is easy to become discouraged.
We climb a mountain, only to get knocked back down.
We take a big chance, only to get crucified for it.
We try to help somebody, and feel the rejection of their refusal to accept.
We pray for somebody, only to watch them turn away
Good seems to [...] [...more]
Posted: under Praise, Teaching, Worship.
Tags: discouragement, prayer, starting over
When the enemy gets us down, it is easy to become discouraged.
We climb a mountain, only to get knocked back down.
We take a big chance, only to get crucified for it.
We try to help somebody, and feel the rejection of their refusal to accept.
We pray for somebody, only to watch them turn away
Good seems to flee in the face of evil.
WHAT TO DO?
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding - but in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths!
Oh yes, there are the sad days….
BUT THEN THERE ARE THE GLORY DAYS.
Lord God - I am ready for the sunrise. I am ready for a new day. I am ready for a GLORY DAY.
Bring your light oh Lord and overcome the darkness that has gathered.
In this heart, in this house, in this city, in this state, in this nation…..
We want to SEE YOU at work OH LORD and we want to BE YOU AT WORK…
Selah