E4God.com Blogs
Feb 07
.
Christianity teaches that believers have the help of a POWER not available to those who do not believe… right? Or at least that we have more POWER than other spiritual disciplines…
Spiritual power… what is that? Do you have it?
Can you know things others don’t? Walk on water? Heal the Sick? Raise the Dead?
Is that what [...] [...more]
Posted: under Prophecy, Society and Culture, Teaching, Testimony, Uncategorized.
Tags: christianity, Spirit Power, Spirituality
.
Christianity teaches that believers have the help of a POWER not available to those who do not believe… right? Or at least that we have more POWER than other spiritual disciplines…
Spiritual power… what is that? Do you have it?
Can you know things others don’t? Walk on water? Heal the Sick? Raise the Dead?
Is that what Spiritual Power means?
Your thoughts?
Jan 06
.
.
Many Christians seem to think that “suffering for Christ” is somehow a greater virtue than “Reigning with Christ”
Yes, we are saved and redeemed. Yes we are promised that there will be trials. Yes, we are called to overcome suffering and persecution (which will surely happen in this world)…
But.. My question is about what comes next? [...] [...more]
Posted: under Praise, Prophecy, Teaching, Testimony.
.
.
Many Christians seem to think that “suffering for Christ” is somehow a greater virtue than “Reigning with Christ”
Yes, we are saved and redeemed. Yes we are promised that there will be trials. Yes, we are called to overcome suffering and persecution (which will surely happen in this world)…
But.. My question is about what comes next? IS suffering gladly the whole point of Christianity?
HARDLY!
Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the
LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.
That’s OT, so here is some NT
Galatians 3:14 (New International Version)
14He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to
Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ
Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise
of the Spirit.
Without repeating Abraham’s blessings here, I think it is safe to say that a life of Suffering and Poverty were not included in the “blessings given to Abraham”
Too many Christians actually make it a matter of pride to let you know they are “accepting” suffering and poverty with gladness or contentment - IMHO. Hmmm. If so content then why are they talking about it so much? Most anybody knows is that Pride is one of the “seven deadly” sins, whatever the heck that means. I take it to mean one of the worst, or a sin that leads to loss of spirit power or spiritual life.
In my past, I was even guilty of being jealous of those who “suffered for Christ”. I even had a picture in my mind that somehow those Christians whose faith helped them be content to end each day with a crust of bread and a prayer (famous daily bread painting) were somehow “holier” or more advanced than those who struggled with desire to claim and use blessings of power and wealth.
I was wrong. Jealousy is another of those “seven deadly” sins. Wisdom comes from EXPERIENCE and not as much from STUDY. The life of Solomon is held as as proof of WISDOM - and he gained it by chasing and having enough experience to KNOW what he was talking about instead of just THINK about what he was talking about.
Having experienced poverty and having experienced wealth, I know that neither is better. Each provides an opportunity to manifest our Faith. However, One called to be a prince should not be a pauper… There is a significant teaching on this - maybe you know where it is found in the Bible?
If I am called to be a king or prince, then when I envy the faith of the poor, I fail to be content with my calling…
Therefore, I now aspire to live out the power given me by the Holy Spirit…
That power allows me to take hold of the glorious riches we can have, by taking full hold of our faith, I leave you with this for today : )
“Ephesians 1
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints in Ephesus,[a] the faithful[b] in Christ Jesus:
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he[c] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9And he[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
11In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”
Now….. somewhere in there is a Clling that has nothing to do with inviting suffering or willful poverty in order to “PROVE” our faith!
We are called to be RICH, to be Sons of the King, and by the Holy Spirit we are given the power to claim that glorious inheritance.
Still want to Suffer For Christ? If you are so called, AMEN! IF NOT then Get up off that mat and WALK!
Jan 02
.
It’s so easy to make New Year’s resolutions, and change our physical behavior by sheer will power. But easy change is rarely lasting change. A Typical New Years resolution lasts less than 10 days.
A BETTER WAY
A better way is to invite God to make the change in our heart first…
A PRAYER:
May the meditations of my [...] [...more]
Posted: under Teaching, Testimony, prayer.
.
It’s so easy to make New Year’s resolutions, and change our physical behavior by sheer will power. But easy change is rarely lasting change. A Typical New Years resolution lasts less than 10 days.
A BETTER WAY
A better way is to invite God to make the change in our heart first…
A PRAYER:
May the meditations of my heart produce words from my mouth and behaviors in my body which bring honor and glory to you, Oh Lord!
RATIONALE:
Because our feelings and behaviors start in our thought life ~ I invite Christ to reign in my thought life.
As it is said, “Thoughts become things. Choose the good ones!”.
Oh - yes , we can keep behaving badly, and keep leaning on forgiveness… But these choices will not help us grow into the powerful spiritual beings we are designed to be. We were made to bind and loose spirits, walk on water, claim the promised land, call the dead back to life.
Oh let us grow into our spiritual DNA!
Let us GROW in 2009 by inviting Christ to govern our thought life. (Take every thought captive)
Dec 09
I used to want to go deeper, and wider, in my faith.
I admired the classic Christian art portrait - DAILY BREAD of an old man praying over a loaf of bread.
Having had a very richly blessed younger life, I was actually jealous of the kind of faith enjoyed by those who could accept a crust [...] [...more]
Posted: under Society and Culture, Teaching, Testimony.
I used to want to go deeper, and wider, in my faith.
I admired the classic Christian art portrait - DAILY BREAD of an old man praying over a loaf of bread.
Having had a very richly blessed younger life, I was actually jealous of the kind of faith enjoyed by those who could accept a crust of bread and praise the Lord for it. I wondered if I could.
God answered my prayers with challenges, crises, and delays. Oh yes, my faith increased. It is painful to be stretched that deep and that wide that fast.
Oh yes, I praised the Lord in those circumstances too. However, I assure you, I would rather go back to the happy bliss of being richly blessed ; )
Paul said something like he had been rich and he had been poor - and that all things being equal he would rather be rich… Sign me up !!!!!
Knowing the Lord is what counts. It takes a lot of faith for a rich man to look to heaven and give thanks, and then use his riches to serve the kingdom. It can take just as much faith as for a poor man to thank God for bread. You wouldn’t understand unless you had ever been rich.
Jesus said - it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to get into heaven.
Now I know envy is a sin. I have been Guilty.
But now… Let it rain gold and I will never envy the poor man again!
Dec 03
From www.tut.com daily email today: Pretty good stuff!
############
Sometimes, when you’re feeling your lowest, the real you is summoned.
And you understand, maybe for the first time ever, how grand you are, because you discover that vulnerable doesn’t mean powerless, scared doesn’t mean lacking in beauty, and uncertainty doesn’t mean that you’re [...] [...more]
Posted: under Praise, Teaching, Testimony.
From www.tut.com daily email today: Pretty good stuff!
############
Sometimes, when you’re feeling your lowest, the real you is summoned.
And you understand, maybe for the first time ever, how grand you are, because you discover that vulnerable doesn’t mean powerless, scared doesn’t mean lacking in beauty, and uncertainty doesn’t mean that you’re lost.
These realizations alone will set you on a journey that will take you far beyond what you used to think of as extraordinary.
There is always a bright side.
The Universe
#####################
IF you sign up for this daily email, you will receive messages about self love, and many have a humanistic or new age feel. But there is always a biblical corollary!
Biblical corollary for today? Our trials are like a fire from God. Only with fire can the impurities of Gold Ore be driven away - leaving pure gold. The refiner’s fire produces pure gold if we endure the heat! Hang in there, let God be God, and good things will come from our trials!
Dec 01
Do you wonder? At the wonder of it all?
When people say that the world we live in came from a random expolosion in the blackness of space - i shake my head in disbelief. It is just as likely that a Swiss Watch resulted from an explosion in a spring factory. Hardly!
There is too much [...] [...more]
Posted: under Praise, Teaching, Testimony, Worship.
Do you wonder? At the wonder of it all?
When people say that the world we live in came from a random expolosion in the blackness of space - i shake my head in disbelief. It is just as likely that a Swiss Watch resulted from an explosion in a spring factory. Hardly!
There is too much order. Too much “coincidence”. Too much incredible organization. Too much syncopation. Too much beauty.
Do you wonder what God was thinking when…. (fill in the blank).
I do.
This is a form of prayer, meditation, and praise : )
Nov 29
While blogging around, I found an article that is well focused on one of the HUGE issues of our day: Permalink below:
http://www.leadingsmart.com/leadingsmart/2008/11/are-you-tired-of-the-noise.html
##############
Are You Tired of the Noise?
The other day, in a rare moment of silence, I was thinking about all the noise. The non-stop, in-your-face, never-ending cacophony of noise.
When I’m in my car, I tend to [...] [...more]
Posted: under Society and Culture, Teaching, Testimony.
The other day, in a rare moment of silence, I was thinking about all the noise. The non-stop, in-your-face, never-ending cacophony of noise.
When I’m in my car, I tend to flip between 170 channels of XM radio, usually settling on talk radio so I can hear what my favorite host thinks about the latest happenings on the campaign trail or in the stock market. I endure the commercials which entice me to clean the paste out of my colon or buy a CD so I can learn to process information ten times faster.
My iPhone buzzes in my pocket even as I drive telling me that I have a new text message or twitter alert or email. Or, as old fashioned as it sounds, perhaps someone is actually calling me.
At my desk, I struggle to focus as different types of beeps let me know that my attention is needed. I see hundreds of blog posts come through on the seventy-five RSS feeds that I track. I process more than 25,000 emails every year when I’m not answering the phone, leading meetings, making decisions and trying to be productive.
I finally get home…to the place I call a haven, and it starts all over again. The music in the background is ever-present, typically different types from multiple sources. One of my kids is practicing the piano, another is listening to her music, and a couple more might be tuned in to Hannah Montana or DinoSapien. Later on when it’s my turn, I flip the TV on to catch up on the latest thoughts from my favorite pundits on one of those “twenty-four-hour-we-make-up-the-news” channels.
My DVR allows me to never be without something to watch (which is awesome since I only have 300 channels to choose from), and if that’s not enough I can select from thousands of hours of fine viewing through the “on demand” service. With the push of a button, I can learn about war, automobiles, Obama, McCain, the stock market, Pamela Anderson, how stuff is made, how stuff works, how broken things get fixed, how to catch a very large fish, how to exercise, how to lose weight without exercise, and what the girls next door are up to.
The new season of TV makes the noise even greater. The series trailers convince me that must-watch-TV is not an option. I have to find out how The Mentalist made his Prison Break with the Gossip Girl and disappeared Without a Trace after stealing the Dirty Sexy Money from Chuck who was caught Dancing With a Star named Ugly Betty near the House of Eli Stone.
Some nights I’ll spend a few minutes killing bad guys on Xbox Live with eleven other people from around the world, listening to their incessant chatter through colorful words in various languages. I shut it down, check email one more time, pick up a magazine or put in the headphones before falling off to sleep—sometimes checking my iPhone again to see the latest news headlines.
And, the next day, it starts all over again.
It is the noise of life. And it never ends. And, if I’m not careful, the noise will keep me from hearing the sounds. You see, sometimes for me—the noise of life drowns out the sounds of life.
The noise keeps me from hearing the sound of my child’s voice and her tone that says, “Dad, I just need to talk for a few minutes.” The noise keeps me from taking the time for a hallway conversation that would communicate to a friend how much they really matter to me. Sometimes I don’t notice that my wife had a really tough day and she just needs to know I care—but instead I glaze right over the opportunity because of all the noise in my life.
It’s possible for the noise to keep me from hearing the sound of the still, small, unaggressive voice of the Spirit prompting me to hold my tongue or stop an action or take steps in a relationship. It is the noise of life that can cause me to forget a commitment, devalue a friendship, or underestimate the influence I have on those who are watching me.
The question I’m asking today: What can I do to minimize the noise of life so I can hear the sounds that really matter?
I need to spend some time thinking about this. That is what I’m going to do—right after I check my email, answer the phone, and finish last week’s episode of Heroes.
- By Tim Stevens from the November/December issue of Collide Magazine.
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
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
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!