Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
another mccain appointee
ST. PAUL — The reaction to John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin for vice presidential nominee has been so positive among grass-roots conservatives that the McCain campaign is quickly moving to name even more young evangelical leaders to a potential McCain cabinet. Yesterday John McCain stood next to Meghan Crandall and announced he would appoint the 12-year-old Girl Scout as Secretary of State, should he win the election.
full story ...
full story ...
non-compete agreement
ATLANTA — Hoping to reverse on-going membership losses, several denominations have entered into a non-compete agreement that carves up certain U.S. cities into exclusive evangelism areas. ... The controversial agreement, which has received little publicity, establishes boundaries for proselytizing, direct-mailing, church planting and small group formation in the cities of Atlanta and St. Louis, which are being used as test cases. ...
full story ...
full story ...
Technorati Tags: evangelism, humor
spiritual gifts
This cartoon reminded me of the many strange definitions I've heard regarding spiritual gifts.
Technorati Tags: humor, spiritual gifts
Sunday, September 14, 2008
christ
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
leonardo
I'm not sure how true the story below is but it makes for a good analogy. The following is in TrueFaced from C.E. MacCartney as cited by Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia: Signs of the Times.
The point:
A distinguished draftsman, engineer, artist, and thinker, Leonardo da Vinci is one of the outstanding intellects of history. Just before hr started painting The Last Supper, he had a violent quarrel with a fellow painter. Enraged and bitter, Leonardo determined to paint the face of his enemy – the other artist – as the face of Judas and thus take our his revenge by sending this man down in infamy. Judas was one of the first faces he painted, and everyone recognized the face of the painter with whom Leonardo had quarreled.
But when Leonardo came to paint the face of Christ, he could make no progress. Something was holding him back, frustrating his best efforts. Eventually, he came to the conclusion that the thing checking and frustrating him was that he had painted his enemy as Judas. He decided to paint out the face of Judas and start fresh on the face of Jesus. He did, and this time with the success which the ages have acclaimed.
The point:
We cannot simultaneously paint the features of Christ into our life and paint another face with the colors of enmity and hatred.
keys to forgiveness
In TrueFaced, the authors outline 6 keys to forgiveness:
1) Admit something happened - as simple as this seems, until we admit we have been sinned against, we cannot forgive. We must not dismiss or diminish what has been done.
2) Forgive the consequences of the act done - very, very often the affect of a sin on our lives is even greater than the triggering act. We need to be honest about this and include healing of this in the process.
3) Tell God what happened - this is not just between you and another. God is intricately and inextricably involved in the healing process. Remember, it is only His power that makes any of this possible.
4) Forgive the offender for your benefit - this is between God and us for our sake. A vertical transaction must take place. We need His healing and very often, we need His forgiveness for how we have reacted in our hurt.
5) Forgive the offender when they repent for their benefit - this completes our healing and also brings the other into their healing.
6) Distinguish between forgiving and trusting your offender - it's ok to forgive yet continue to have boundaries.
7) Seek reconciliation, not just conflict resolution - God is about complete healing and this means community building. Getting through crisis but not re-establishing relationship falls short.
1) Admit something happened - as simple as this seems, until we admit we have been sinned against, we cannot forgive. We must not dismiss or diminish what has been done.
2) Forgive the consequences of the act done - very, very often the affect of a sin on our lives is even greater than the triggering act. We need to be honest about this and include healing of this in the process.
3) Tell God what happened - this is not just between you and another. God is intricately and inextricably involved in the healing process. Remember, it is only His power that makes any of this possible.
4) Forgive the offender for your benefit - this is between God and us for our sake. A vertical transaction must take place. We need His healing and very often, we need His forgiveness for how we have reacted in our hurt.
5) Forgive the offender when they repent for their benefit - this completes our healing and also brings the other into their healing.
6) Distinguish between forgiving and trusting your offender - it's ok to forgive yet continue to have boundaries.
7) Seek reconciliation, not just conflict resolution - God is about complete healing and this means community building. Getting through crisis but not re-establishing relationship falls short.
repentance
I'm a slow reader and when a book is good, it seems I'm even slower. So yes, I'm still reading TrueFaced and stuck in the chapter about repentance. The key point here is that repentance is not a matter of the will. We are not able to make a decision to stop sinning. The authors put it succinctly:
We cannot manage our sin. It is only resolved when we are cleansed of it and that comes only when we depend on the Cross of Jesus. We did not and cannot make the provision for our sin - again, reinforcing that the "way in is the way on". It is trust in God's gift of Grace that transforms us.
In relationship to love, Thrall, McNicol, and Lynch write:
Unfortunately many do not trust God regarding the process of repentance. We see repentance as something we do. That is not repentance. That is continuing in our own thinking which is that we can do it. That we can somehow accomplish what we need rather that simply trusting in what He has done and is doing for us. It preempts God's power. More than confessing sin and agree that it is wrong, sin needs to be defeated and that only comes through the power of God. Willpower is not enough, only a redemptive act will do.
Self-effort is certain death. Trust in God's gift of Grace is life. In Christ we receive more than forgiveness for a given sin, we receive healing.
Repentance isn't doing something about our sin; rather, it means admitting that we can't do anything about our sin.
We cannot manage our sin. It is only resolved when we are cleansed of it and that comes only when we depend on the Cross of Jesus. We did not and cannot make the provision for our sin - again, reinforcing that the "way in is the way on". It is trust in God's gift of Grace that transforms us.
In relationship to love, Thrall, McNicol, and Lynch write:
Trusting God with ourselves allows us to receive love - his love and the love of others. And because we're loved, we can face what we have done to others and ourselves without having to retreat to a cave of hiddeness. Love acts as a safety net that can keep us from destruction as we admit the truth about ourselves. We know that nothing we do can change how God sees us.
Unfortunately many do not trust God regarding the process of repentance. We see repentance as something we do. That is not repentance. That is continuing in our own thinking which is that we can do it. That we can somehow accomplish what we need rather that simply trusting in what He has done and is doing for us. It preempts God's power. More than confessing sin and agree that it is wrong, sin needs to be defeated and that only comes through the power of God. Willpower is not enough, only a redemptive act will do.
Self-effort is certain death. Trust in God's gift of Grace is life. In Christ we receive more than forgiveness for a given sin, we receive healing.
sarah palin & hillary clinton together
Together at least on one issue, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton bring this important message regarding sexism in politics ...
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
mccain on the view
John McCain speaks to separation of church and state as well as Roe v. Wade on The View.
Technorati Tags: politics
new earth, old deception
Richard Abanes, "the old deception is the oldest deception—that we are God. Basically, go back to Genesis 3 and that was the original lie, and you see it perpetrated again and again and again in all these false religious belief systems."
Here's a portion of the interview with Frank Pastore regarding Abanes recent book, A New Earth, an Old Deception. The book was written in response to Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth. Tolle is Oprah Winfrey's spiritual mentor. Winfrey of course is an open book.
“God, in the essence of all consciousness, isn’t something to believe. God is. And God is a feeling experience, not a believing experience.” ~ Oprah Winfrey
I do not know all that Abanes has to say but Winfrey is way off ...
Here's a portion of the interview with Frank Pastore regarding Abanes recent book, A New Earth, an Old Deception. The book was written in response to Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth. Tolle is Oprah Winfrey's spiritual mentor. Winfrey of course is an open book.
“God, in the essence of all consciousness, isn’t something to believe. God is. And God is a feeling experience, not a believing experience.” ~ Oprah Winfrey
I do not know all that Abanes has to say but Winfrey is way off ...
Thursday, September 11, 2008
soul seeking jesus
Robert Murray M'Cheyne wrote to a "soul seeking Jesus."
If you did not know your body was dangerously ill, you would never have sent for your physician; and so you will never go to Christ, the heavenly Physician, unless you feel that your soul is sick unto death. Oh, pray for deep discoveries or your real state by nature and practice!
Pray to see yourself exactly as God sees you; pray to know the worth of your soul. Have you seen yourself vile, as Job saw himself? (Job xi. 3, 5, xiii. 5, 6); undone, as Isaiah saw himself? (Isa vi. 1, 5). Have you experienced anything like Ps. li.?
Perhaps you will ask, Why do you wish me to have such a discovery of my lost condition? I answer, that you may never look into your poor guilty soul to recommend you to God; and that you may joyfully accept of the Lord Jesus Christ, who obeyed and died for sinners.
You will never stand righteous before God in yourself. You are welcome this day to stand righteous before God in Jesus.
HT:MD
If you did not know your body was dangerously ill, you would never have sent for your physician; and so you will never go to Christ, the heavenly Physician, unless you feel that your soul is sick unto death. Oh, pray for deep discoveries or your real state by nature and practice!
Pray to see yourself exactly as God sees you; pray to know the worth of your soul. Have you seen yourself vile, as Job saw himself? (Job xi. 3, 5, xiii. 5, 6); undone, as Isaiah saw himself? (Isa vi. 1, 5). Have you experienced anything like Ps. li.?
Perhaps you will ask, Why do you wish me to have such a discovery of my lost condition? I answer, that you may never look into your poor guilty soul to recommend you to God; and that you may joyfully accept of the Lord Jesus Christ, who obeyed and died for sinners.
You will never stand righteous before God in yourself. You are welcome this day to stand righteous before God in Jesus.
HT:MD
politics and religion
Regarding his social programs, President Roosevelt said that “[the] object of all our striving . . . should be to help citizens realize the abundant life Christ said he came to bring.”
The public prayer of Franklin Roosevelt on D-Day in World War II:
“And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment — let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose. With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy.”
Read the rest of John Mark Reynolds' perspective ...
The public prayer of Franklin Roosevelt on D-Day in World War II:
“And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment — let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose. With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy.”
Read the rest of John Mark Reynolds' perspective ...
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Monday, September 08, 2008
trust and love
Another great line from TrueFaced ... "People who are unable to trust will never experience love. Ever. ... Learning to love perfectly or to trust perfectly is not the point; rather, it's learning to receive love." We must receive God's love on His terms and we must learn to let others love us on theirs terms, not our own.
love and junk
[The] gift of love is not about "learning to love more" or "learning to love better." In God's world, receiving love comes before giving love. We learn how to love only when we first learn how to receive the love of God and others. "We love because he first loved us." ... Until I learned how to be loved, my 'loving' just spewed all my junk and debris onto others. ~ Thrall, McNicol, and Lynch, TrueFaced
democrats v. republicans ... marriage and religious liberty
Marriage
Democrats: "We support the full inclusion of all families in the life of our nation, and support equal responsibility, benefits, and protections. We will enact a comprehensive bipartisan employment non-discrimination act. We oppose the Defense of Marriage Act and all attempts to use this issue to divide us."
Republicans: "Because our children's future is best preserved within the traditional understanding of marriage, we call for a constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage as a union of a man and a woman, so that judges cannot make other arrangements equivalent to it. In the absence of a national amendment, we support the right of the people of the various states to affirm traditional marriage through state initiatives.
"Republicans have been at the forefront of protecting traditional marriage laws, both in the states and in Congress. A Republican Congress enacted the Defense of Marriage Act, affirming the right of states not to recognize same-sex marriages licensed in other states. To safeguard that victory, a Republican House of Representatives passed legislation withdrawing jurisdiction over DOMA from the federal courts. We urge renewed use of that Article III power to prevent activist federal judges from imposing upon the rest of the nation the judicial activism in Massachusetts and California. …
"We lament that judges … are undermining traditional 25 marriage laws from coast to coast."
Religious Liberty
Democrats: "We honor the central place of faith in our lives. … We will increase our support for … religious freedom.
"We will restore vigorous federal enforcement of civil rights laws in order to provide every American an equal chance at employment, housing, health, contracts, and pay. We are committed to banning racial, ethnic, and religious profiling and requiring federal, state and local enforcement agencies to take steps to eliminate the practice."
The Democrats also encourage China to "promote greater respect for human rights, including freedom of religion …"
Republicans: "Our Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion and forbids any religious test for public office, and it likewise prohibits the establishment of a state-sponsored creed. The balance between those two ideals has been distorted by judicial rulings which attempt to drive faith out of the public arena.
"We affirm every citizen's right to apply religious values to public policy and the right of faith-based organizations to participate fully in public programs without renouncing their beliefs, removing religious objects or symbols, or becoming subject to government-imposed hiring practices. We support the First Amendment right of freedom of association on the part of the Boy Scouts of America and other service organizations whose values are under assault, and we call upon the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reverse its policy of blacklisting religious groups which decline to arrange adoptions by same-sex couples. Respectful of our nation's diversity in faith, we urge reasonable accommodation of religious beliefs in the private workplace. We deplore the increasing incidence of attacks against religious symbols, as well as incidents of anti-Semitism on college campuses. …
"Republican leadership has made religious liberty a central element of U.S. foreign policy. Asserting religious freedom should be a priority in all America's international dealings. We salute the work of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and urge special training in religious liberty issues for all U.S. diplomatic personnel."
"All who are engaged in the healing arts--doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and others--must be free to obey their conscience while performing their professional duties. This is especially true of the religious organizations which deliver a major portion of America's health care, a service rooted in the charity of faith communities. …
"We ask all to join us in rejecting the forces of hatred and bigotry and in denouncing all who practice or promote racism, anti-Semitism, ethnic prejudice, or religious intolerance."
Democrats: "We support the full inclusion of all families in the life of our nation, and support equal responsibility, benefits, and protections. We will enact a comprehensive bipartisan employment non-discrimination act. We oppose the Defense of Marriage Act and all attempts to use this issue to divide us."
Republicans: "Because our children's future is best preserved within the traditional understanding of marriage, we call for a constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage as a union of a man and a woman, so that judges cannot make other arrangements equivalent to it. In the absence of a national amendment, we support the right of the people of the various states to affirm traditional marriage through state initiatives.
"Republicans have been at the forefront of protecting traditional marriage laws, both in the states and in Congress. A Republican Congress enacted the Defense of Marriage Act, affirming the right of states not to recognize same-sex marriages licensed in other states. To safeguard that victory, a Republican House of Representatives passed legislation withdrawing jurisdiction over DOMA from the federal courts. We urge renewed use of that Article III power to prevent activist federal judges from imposing upon the rest of the nation the judicial activism in Massachusetts and California. …
"We lament that judges … are undermining traditional 25 marriage laws from coast to coast."
Religious Liberty
Democrats: "We honor the central place of faith in our lives. … We will increase our support for … religious freedom.
"We will restore vigorous federal enforcement of civil rights laws in order to provide every American an equal chance at employment, housing, health, contracts, and pay. We are committed to banning racial, ethnic, and religious profiling and requiring federal, state and local enforcement agencies to take steps to eliminate the practice."
The Democrats also encourage China to "promote greater respect for human rights, including freedom of religion …"
Republicans: "Our Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion and forbids any religious test for public office, and it likewise prohibits the establishment of a state-sponsored creed. The balance between those two ideals has been distorted by judicial rulings which attempt to drive faith out of the public arena.
"We affirm every citizen's right to apply religious values to public policy and the right of faith-based organizations to participate fully in public programs without renouncing their beliefs, removing religious objects or symbols, or becoming subject to government-imposed hiring practices. We support the First Amendment right of freedom of association on the part of the Boy Scouts of America and other service organizations whose values are under assault, and we call upon the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reverse its policy of blacklisting religious groups which decline to arrange adoptions by same-sex couples. Respectful of our nation's diversity in faith, we urge reasonable accommodation of religious beliefs in the private workplace. We deplore the increasing incidence of attacks against religious symbols, as well as incidents of anti-Semitism on college campuses. …
"Republican leadership has made religious liberty a central element of U.S. foreign policy. Asserting religious freedom should be a priority in all America's international dealings. We salute the work of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and urge special training in religious liberty issues for all U.S. diplomatic personnel."
"All who are engaged in the healing arts--doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and others--must be free to obey their conscience while performing their professional duties. This is especially true of the religious organizations which deliver a major portion of America's health care, a service rooted in the charity of faith communities. …
"We ask all to join us in rejecting the forces of hatred and bigotry and in denouncing all who practice or promote racism, anti-Semitism, ethnic prejudice, or religious intolerance."
democrats v. republicans ... israel/middle east
Israel/Middle East
Democrats: "Our starting point must always be our special relationship with Israel, grounded in shared interests and shared values, and a clear, strong, fundamental commitment to the security of Israel, our strongest ally in the region and its only established democracy. That commitment, which requires us to ensure that Israel retains a qualitative edge for its national security and its right to self-defense, is all the more important as we contend with growing threats in the region--a strengthened Iran, a chaotic Iraq, the resurgence of al Qaeda, the reinvigoration of Hamas and Hezbollah. We support the implementation of the memorandum of understanding that pledges $30 billion in assistance to Israel over the next decade to enhance and ensure its security.
"It is in the best interests of all parties, including the United States, that we take an active role to help secure a lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with a democratic, viable Palestinian state dedicated to living in peace and security side by side with the Jewish State of Israel. To do so, we must help Israel identify and strengthen those partners who are truly committed to peace, while isolating those who seek conflict and instability, and standing with Israel against those who seek its destruction. The United States and its Quartet partners should continue to isolate Hamas until it renounces terrorism, recognizes Israel's right to exist, and abides by past agreements. Sustained American leadership for peace and security will require patient efforts and the personal commitment of the president of the United States. The creation of a Palestinian state through final status negotiations, together with an international compensation mechanism, should resolve the issue of Palestinian refugees by allowing them to settle there, rather than in Israel. All understand that it is unrealistic to expect the outcome of final status negotiations will be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949. Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel. The parties have agreed that Jerusalem is a matter for final status negotiations. It should remain an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths."
Republicans: "The momentum of change in the Middle East has been in the right direction. From Morocco to the Gulf States, the overall trend has been toward cooperation and social and economic development, especially with regard to the rights of women. We acknowledge the substantial assistance the U.S. has received from most governments in the region in the war on terror. Those countries that have made peace with Israel, whether officially or in fact, deserve our appreciation and assistance. We urge the continued isolation of groups like Hamas and Hezbollah because they do not meet the standards of the international community. We call for the restoration of Lebanon's independence and sovereignty and the full implementation of all UN resolutions concerning that country. …
"We reaffirm America's commitment to Israel's security and will ensure that Israel maintains a qualitative edge in military technology over any potential adversaries. We recognize Israel's need for secure, defensible borders and its right to exist as a Jewish state able to defend itself against homicide bombings and other attacks against its people. We support the vision of two democratic states living in peace and security: Israel, with Jerusalem as its capital, and Palestine. For that to become a reality, the Palestinian people must support leaders who reject terror, embrace the ethos of democracy, and respect the rule of law. We call on Arab governments throughout the region to help advance that goal. The U.S. seeks a comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East, negotiated between the parties themselves, without the imposition of an artificial timetable, and without the demand that Israel deal with entities which continue to pledge her destruction.… Part of that [negotiation] process must be a just, fair, and realistic framework for dealing with the Palestinian refugee issue."
"Discrimination against Israel at the UN is unacceptable. We welcome Israel's membership in the Western European and Others Group at the UN headquarters and demand its full acceptance and participation at all UN venues."
Democrats: "Our starting point must always be our special relationship with Israel, grounded in shared interests and shared values, and a clear, strong, fundamental commitment to the security of Israel, our strongest ally in the region and its only established democracy. That commitment, which requires us to ensure that Israel retains a qualitative edge for its national security and its right to self-defense, is all the more important as we contend with growing threats in the region--a strengthened Iran, a chaotic Iraq, the resurgence of al Qaeda, the reinvigoration of Hamas and Hezbollah. We support the implementation of the memorandum of understanding that pledges $30 billion in assistance to Israel over the next decade to enhance and ensure its security.
"It is in the best interests of all parties, including the United States, that we take an active role to help secure a lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with a democratic, viable Palestinian state dedicated to living in peace and security side by side with the Jewish State of Israel. To do so, we must help Israel identify and strengthen those partners who are truly committed to peace, while isolating those who seek conflict and instability, and standing with Israel against those who seek its destruction. The United States and its Quartet partners should continue to isolate Hamas until it renounces terrorism, recognizes Israel's right to exist, and abides by past agreements. Sustained American leadership for peace and security will require patient efforts and the personal commitment of the president of the United States. The creation of a Palestinian state through final status negotiations, together with an international compensation mechanism, should resolve the issue of Palestinian refugees by allowing them to settle there, rather than in Israel. All understand that it is unrealistic to expect the outcome of final status negotiations will be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949. Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel. The parties have agreed that Jerusalem is a matter for final status negotiations. It should remain an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths."
Republicans: "The momentum of change in the Middle East has been in the right direction. From Morocco to the Gulf States, the overall trend has been toward cooperation and social and economic development, especially with regard to the rights of women. We acknowledge the substantial assistance the U.S. has received from most governments in the region in the war on terror. Those countries that have made peace with Israel, whether officially or in fact, deserve our appreciation and assistance. We urge the continued isolation of groups like Hamas and Hezbollah because they do not meet the standards of the international community. We call for the restoration of Lebanon's independence and sovereignty and the full implementation of all UN resolutions concerning that country. …
"We reaffirm America's commitment to Israel's security and will ensure that Israel maintains a qualitative edge in military technology over any potential adversaries. We recognize Israel's need for secure, defensible borders and its right to exist as a Jewish state able to defend itself against homicide bombings and other attacks against its people. We support the vision of two democratic states living in peace and security: Israel, with Jerusalem as its capital, and Palestine. For that to become a reality, the Palestinian people must support leaders who reject terror, embrace the ethos of democracy, and respect the rule of law. We call on Arab governments throughout the region to help advance that goal. The U.S. seeks a comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East, negotiated between the parties themselves, without the imposition of an artificial timetable, and without the demand that Israel deal with entities which continue to pledge her destruction.… Part of that [negotiation] process must be a just, fair, and realistic framework for dealing with the Palestinian refugee issue."
"Discrimination against Israel at the UN is unacceptable. We welcome Israel's membership in the Western European and Others Group at the UN headquarters and demand its full acceptance and participation at all UN venues."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)