The following is an excerpt from Sharing Christ When You Feel You Can't.
Develop a Love for the Lost When I came to the Lord, I desired to love the world like God does. But I soon realized that you can't create a love for people on your own. It's easy to get worked up about the condition of the unsaved and feel love for them-until we get on the freeway and some car cuts us off. Then our love for the lost flies out the door as we shake our fist at the unskilled driver.
A love for the lost has to come from God. We can't fake it or create it. I remember wrapping my arms around a globe we used to have in our house and praying, "God, give me a love for the lost. I want to have a love like Yours for the world."
Evangelism is a normal expression of our Christian faith. So if a desire to witness is lacking, we need to cultivate our relationship with God.
Have you ever tried to share Christ with someone when absolutely nothing is happening in your spiritual life? I was sitting on a plane one time talking with a fellow passenger, and the perfect opportunity arose to talk about the Lord. But I had nothing to share because my life right then was so dead spiritually.
Psalm 63:8 (KIV) says, "My soul followeth hard after thee." This implies an intense desire to know God, which is what we need if we are going to be effective in our witness for Christ. Knowing God takes strenuous exertion or discipline. Spend time getting to know Him through reading and studying the Bible. Knowing God also takes perseverance. Don't follow Him sporadically, but keep on following even when you don't feel like it.
We sometimes get in the habit of only "using" God in an emergency. But God is not like a spare tire that we put on when nothing else works, then take off when life returns to normal. God can't be stored in the trunk of the car, so to speak.
If we're working to know God and God is working in our lives, we will want to share Him with others, and we will gain a heart like his.
As condemned murderer Charles Peace was led to the gallows in Leeds, England, in 1879, a priest followed, calmly reading aloud the "Consolations of Religion," which warned Peace of the torment to come after death. His executioners offered a final request, and Peace asked to speak with the priest.
"Sir," he said, "if I believe what you and the church of God say that you believe about hell, even if England were covered with broken glass from coast to coast, I would walk over it on hands and knees and think it worthwhile living just to save one soul from an eternal place like that."
We have to ask ourselves, "Do we have that sense of urgency?"
God has given us an urgent task-to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to the spiritually lost. But as we begin to build bridges to those we know who need Christ, we may encounter some extremely wide chasms.
God bless you,
Dan
Order your copy of Sharing Christ When You Feel You Can't and learn about the great chasms that need to be crossed to share Christ with others who need him, and how we can cross them with confidence.
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, December 29, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Merry Christmas
Christmas is here! Christ is here! I pray that you will have a wonderful Christ-filled Christmas this week.
I was reflecting on the beautiful Christmas carol, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” translated by John Neale. This is one of the most ancient carols we sing and one of the most contemplative. The words and melody are thought to have originated in the 12th century and used specifically during the Advent Season.
In the mid-1800’s the Anglican minister John Neale translated this ancient Latin chant into English. The song which speaks of the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 as being fulfilled in Matthew 1:23 has been sung in churches of all denominations.
This gorgeous song would not be so meaningful if we did not understand the word “Emmanuel” to mean “God with us.” The moving melody and the understanding that God truly is with us, does much to calm our spirits and bring us joy during this time of Advent.
The word ‘advent’ comes from Latin meaning ‘coming towards’ and speaks of Christ coming to earth to be “God with us”. Advent really has three implications, Christ coming to Bethlehem, Christ coming into our hearts, and Christ coming again. Christ Jesus is with us indeed.
It is my prayer that you will not only have head knowledge of Christ, but that your heart will be filled with His presence. Christmas is a reality and God is not only with us, He is in us through His Spirit. Please take time to talk with Jesus our Lord this week. Don’t let all the good things that will take place this week take you completely away from a quiet time with him.
As the late Ron Mehl, wrote in his stirring book, God Works the Night Shift, “Doesn’t the Christian life really boil down to being held by God and, in turn, holding on to Him?” God is with you so hold on to Him this week.
Merry Christmas from all of us at Eternity Minded Ministries!
Dan
P.S. Just after the holidays we will have a report to you on all that God did in Rwanda!
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
I was reflecting on the beautiful Christmas carol, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” translated by John Neale. This is one of the most ancient carols we sing and one of the most contemplative. The words and melody are thought to have originated in the 12th century and used specifically during the Advent Season.
In the mid-1800’s the Anglican minister John Neale translated this ancient Latin chant into English. The song which speaks of the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 as being fulfilled in Matthew 1:23 has been sung in churches of all denominations.
This gorgeous song would not be so meaningful if we did not understand the word “Emmanuel” to mean “God with us.” The moving melody and the understanding that God truly is with us, does much to calm our spirits and bring us joy during this time of Advent.
The word ‘advent’ comes from Latin meaning ‘coming towards’ and speaks of Christ coming to earth to be “God with us”. Advent really has three implications, Christ coming to Bethlehem, Christ coming into our hearts, and Christ coming again. Christ Jesus is with us indeed.
It is my prayer that you will not only have head knowledge of Christ, but that your heart will be filled with His presence. Christmas is a reality and God is not only with us, He is in us through His Spirit. Please take time to talk with Jesus our Lord this week. Don’t let all the good things that will take place this week take you completely away from a quiet time with him.
As the late Ron Mehl, wrote in his stirring book, God Works the Night Shift, “Doesn’t the Christian life really boil down to being held by God and, in turn, holding on to Him?” God is with you so hold on to Him this week.
Merry Christmas from all of us at Eternity Minded Ministries!
Dan
P.S. Just after the holidays we will have a report to you on all that God did in Rwanda!
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, December 15, 2008
Light Reveals God
We have just returned from Rwamagana, Rwanda with an incredible amount of joy in our hearts. "Mission Reconciliation" was moved along by the Holy Spirit to accomplish things that went beyond our knowledge and planning. I was amazed at how the Spirit orchestrated events so that those who truly needed the love and forgiveness of God would come under the influence of that very message. I will look forward to sharing these things with you via our Impact newsletter after we get some rest. I want to thank you for your ministry of prayer for us and for your gifts of faith. The Lord used you in the ministry of reconciliation and transformation. Due to getting home late this past week and not having time to study and write, I am sending to you an excerpt from Who Is This Jesus?. I trust it will bless you.
Dan
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LIGHT REVEALS GOD
Psalm 27:1 says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear?" Psalm 36:9 declares, "For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light." In Psalm 104:1-2 we read, "O Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. He wraps himself in light as with a garment," Then John wrote John 1:5, "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." Why would John say that? Why would Jesus say, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12)?
Whenever Jesus used the phrase "I am," the Jews knew exactly what he meant. It was the same word God used to describe himself in the Old Testament, and they understood that Jesus was claiming to be God. In fact, in John 8:58-59, when Jesus used the phrase "I am," the Jews picked up rocks and tried to stone him. It was a bold claim!
The word used here for light has a rich historical background. The Israelites observed an annual feast that lasted seven days and that they called the Feast of Tabernacles. It was a reminder of the time the Israelites wandered in the desert. It was not, however, a time of mourning or sadness. It was a time of great rejoicing. It also coincided with the harvest, so there was a lot of activity going on.
During this feast all the Israelites would leave their homes, and they would erect tents in a big circle to form something like a courtyard. The tents were a reminder of God's protection.
In the midst of the courtyard, they would light big candelabras. Every home had a lamp, and at night they would move to the center of this courtyard where the big candelabras gave off incredible light. That light reminded them of the pillar of fire that God used to lead them through the desert-it reminded them that God was always there with them. It was a symbol of his presence.
Jesus appeared on the scene and claimed, "I am the light of the world." That statement created quite a stir among the Jews. Not only did he use God's special name, but he also claimed God's unique role as a protector and guide and to be the Messiah.
The world in which we live is dark. Of course, there are moments of great joy and happiness, and life can be fun. But in general, this is a dark world. It is dark because it is under the power of Satan and because of our own evil thoughts and devices. We move more deeply into spiritual darkness when we refuse to examine the evidence in the universe for God's existence and for who he is.
George Lucas, of Star Wars fame, did not invent the dark side. The dark side had been there ever since the Evil One had his beginning. It is in contrast to that dark side that Jesus said, "I have come to reveal to you what God is like in this darkness. In this dark world, I have come to show you what God is like and to answer you questions about God." We know what God is like because we see what Jesus was like.
Because Jesus came to reveal God to us, we can know the answers to the big questions: Where did we come from? Where are we going? Where are we? Jesus came to show us the way, to answer the deepest questions of our hearts, and to point us to God. Jesus is the Light of the World. Has he revealed God to you? Jesus said the Father would reveal himself to those who walk with him (John 14:9-10, 21).
In your Christian life, in your Christian experience, has God revealed himself to you? Does he show you new things? When you're alone reading your Bible, or when you're driving in your car perhaps listening to worship music, and a certain thought hits you-that could be God showing you something new. When you come to a new spiritual understanding, when a light goes on in your mind-that may be God revealing himself to you. Not in some distant place, two thousand years ago, but right now, right here, God wants to reveal himself to you.
We sometimes make an encounter with God harder than it needs to be. God wants to reveal himself to us. He does not want to remain hidden behind some screen or cloud. God wants to draw you to himself. That is why it is so important that we spend time alone with God, meditate, and ask, "What do you want me to do? What do you want me to be?" Because in that darkness and in that time we spend with him, God will shed his light and expose things in our lives.
Do you ever get frustrated? Do you ever think, Lord, where are you? You're not revealing yourself to me. I find in my own life that such feelings of isolation from God are normally my own doing, not his. He wants to reveal himself to me, but I get too busy with my life to take the time to wait, pray, read, and meditate on God. God wants us to slow down long enough for him to reveal himself to us.
Blessings to you,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, December 8, 2008
United We Stand
Dan Owens and the Eternity Minded Ministries ministry team are currently ministering to the people of Rwamagana, Rwanda. Today we are sharing an excerpt from Dan Owens' book A Joy That Is Real. Devotions from the Spiritual Genealogy Series will resume upon Dan's return.
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UNITED WE STAND
Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, Dear Friends! I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. --Philippians 4:1-3
During a difficult time at the beginning of our country's history, founding father Benjamin Franklin said, "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately." Martin Luther King Jr. said, "We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now." Abraham Lincoln said the now famous phrase, "United we stand; divided we fall." Throughout America's history, unity has been an important concept.
In the Bible, unity refers to a sense of oneness. Jesus expected unity among his followers, and he prayed in John 17:23, "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." Unfortunately, conflict sometimes destroys our unity, especially in the local church.
I've heard people say, "I don't want to go to church because people don't get along with each other and I don't want to get hurt." Sadly, in many cases that is true. Paul has been writing about joy, and he's getting ready to give some encouragement, but first he must deal with a problem of disunity in the church. Two women, Euodia and Syntyche, were having a conflict. Apparently this problem was big enough that Paul singled them out as he begins the final portion of his letter. He urges their fellow believers to help them in resolving the problem.
How do we resolve disunity within the body of Christ? I want to offer you a few principles from Scripture on how to deal with conflict in the church.
Don't Run
In verse 1, Paul says, "Stand firm in the Lord." Running away from conflict will not resolve it. We need to realize that conflict is part of life-whether you see it in the office, at home, or at a Bible study.
. . .
Don't Sweep It
Another common response to conflict is to try to pretend it's not a big deal, or sweep it under the carpet. However, Paul realizes that this type of problem won't resolve itself-and he gets right down to naming names. He isn't being mean-spirited, but he realizes that he must confront these two women and call them specifically by name in order to deal with the issue properly. He does it out of the true love and concern that we saw in the first verse.
. . .
Don't Ignore It
When we realize and admit that there is a problem, we can't ignore it. Paul was so concerned about this conflict that he asks others in the church to meditate. They could not resolve it themselves, and they needed help. In these cases, someone else needs to get involved-not a busybody, but someone who truly desires to bring the two people or groups together for the glory of God.
. . .
Paul saw that his beloved church had to choose a direction. Either these women needed to deal with their conflict and forgive each other, or they were going to continue to build up their secondaries and drag others into the problem, and end up causing a split in the church.
God has called us to be unified. The church should not be a place of bickering and fighting, but a place where lives are transformed, and where we see the Spirit of God at work.
Peace to you!
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, December 1, 2008
You Are The Salt Of The Earth
I trust that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I know that some of our friends who receive my devotionals do not live here in the United States but for those of us who do, it is certainly a beloved holiday. We have so much to bless God for in spite of these uncertain times.
By the time this email arrives in your in box, I will be on a flight from London to Rwanda with our team. We are so blessed to be going to the city of Rwamagana, Rwanda to share the love of Jesus Christ. I know that our ministry is just one of thousands that are at work all over the world today with the desire to make life better for others. Yet for us, we not only want to help, we want to share the salvation that comes through faith in Christ.
This past week I was preaching at a church in Santa Ynez, California. It is one of my favorite places to go because it is only an hour and half a way, so I am there on a fairly regular basis. I have been teaching through a series on the Beatitudes and thought I would finish up with the great words of Jesus found in Matthew 5:13-16:
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven."
The question I asked in the sermon was, "Where would this world be if you took all the Christians out of it?" We all know Christians that have tarnished the name of Jesus, and if we are honest, our testimonies have not always been as brilliant as they should be. Yet, we must think of all the incredible love and works that Christians share around the world. Think of all the schools, hospitals, orphanages, soup kitchens, relief work and churches that Christians have built around the world.
Jesus said that each one of us are the salt that keeps our world from total decay. You, my brother and sister, are the salt of the earth that hold back anarchy and you are the light of the world, sharing His love with others.
Many people say to me that they would like to join us on a trip overseas. They sense a need in their soul to make a difference in this world; and we are thrilled to take people with us to share in ministry as we are doing for Rwanda. We must never forget that we are all salt of the earth right where we live and play. Each of us is being used of the Lord to hold back the evil that flows so freely.
You are the light of the world just in your smile, your kindness, and your generosity! Jesus says that we are a light to our own houses, meaning the people we love, but we are also a light on a hill showing that we impact even those we do not know very well. You can only shine as He shines in you through His Spirit that dwells in you.
So today I am asking that you pray for Eternity Minded Ministries while we share the light in Rwanda. I am also asking that you pray for yourself as you continue to be His light in a dark world. Pray that your moral and ethical decisions will be the salt that helps to keep moral decay from spreading. I will return to writing on our Spiritual Genealogy when I return from Africa.
Peace to you!
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
By the time this email arrives in your in box, I will be on a flight from London to Rwanda with our team. We are so blessed to be going to the city of Rwamagana, Rwanda to share the love of Jesus Christ. I know that our ministry is just one of thousands that are at work all over the world today with the desire to make life better for others. Yet for us, we not only want to help, we want to share the salvation that comes through faith in Christ.
This past week I was preaching at a church in Santa Ynez, California. It is one of my favorite places to go because it is only an hour and half a way, so I am there on a fairly regular basis. I have been teaching through a series on the Beatitudes and thought I would finish up with the great words of Jesus found in Matthew 5:13-16:
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven."
The question I asked in the sermon was, "Where would this world be if you took all the Christians out of it?" We all know Christians that have tarnished the name of Jesus, and if we are honest, our testimonies have not always been as brilliant as they should be. Yet, we must think of all the incredible love and works that Christians share around the world. Think of all the schools, hospitals, orphanages, soup kitchens, relief work and churches that Christians have built around the world.
Jesus said that each one of us are the salt that keeps our world from total decay. You, my brother and sister, are the salt of the earth that hold back anarchy and you are the light of the world, sharing His love with others.
Many people say to me that they would like to join us on a trip overseas. They sense a need in their soul to make a difference in this world; and we are thrilled to take people with us to share in ministry as we are doing for Rwanda. We must never forget that we are all salt of the earth right where we live and play. Each of us is being used of the Lord to hold back the evil that flows so freely.
You are the light of the world just in your smile, your kindness, and your generosity! Jesus says that we are a light to our own houses, meaning the people we love, but we are also a light on a hill showing that we impact even those we do not know very well. You can only shine as He shines in you through His Spirit that dwells in you.
So today I am asking that you pray for Eternity Minded Ministries while we share the light in Rwanda. I am also asking that you pray for yourself as you continue to be His light in a dark world. Pray that your moral and ethical decisions will be the salt that helps to keep moral decay from spreading. I will return to writing on our Spiritual Genealogy when I return from Africa.
Peace to you!
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, November 24, 2008
God Looks at the Heart
Most of us are quite familiar with David of the Old Testament. We know the story of his fight with the giant and his failure with the flesh. We know of the beautiful songs and Psalms that he wrote and we know the story of his kingship. I always have enjoyed reading the story of when he was chosen by the prophet Samuel to replace Saul as king.
Samuel could have easily passed over young David as a potential king had he not listened to the clear instructions that the Lord gave him. By human standards, David was a young shepherd and not a likely candidate for such a position. However, the instructions to Samuel were clear:
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
‘The Lord looks at the heart’ is a beautiful statement and one that we should often be reminded of. One of the greatest weaknesses of human nature is to make judgments based on the external. God is not the God of the fashion show, the ‘in’ crowd, or the upwardly mobile. He is the God who knows the heart and He cannot be bought or impressed with material things or physical beauty.
In year 177AD in the city of Lyon, France there was a young, frail girl by the name of Blandina. She was a slave girl owned by a Christian and both were placed in captivity because of their faith. Blandina’s friends were fearful that she would deny Christ during her torture because of her frail frame and quiet disposition. They were looking only at her body and not at her heart.
Eusebius gives a full account of Blandina in his book on church history written in 325AD. He notes that this frail young girl endured some of the worst torture that was ever invented in the evil hearts of men. She was abused in every way imaginable, and yet, her executioners became exhausted “as they did not know what more they could to do her.” In every instance of abuse, pain, and humiliation, she would cry out “I am a Christian and there is nothing vile done by us.”
Finally Blandina was taken to the amphitheater in Lyon to face the crowds and the beasts. They beat her, roasted her over a fire, and had her thrown before wild bulls that threw her into the air with their horns. At last she was put to peace with the thrust of a dagger. This frail young virgin inspired countless others to hold fast to their faith in spite of horrendous suffering.
Today the ruins of that amphitheater can still be found in Lyon, France. There is a pole and a plaque that honors Blandina and the others who died there. The pole is a reminder that many were tied to it and were devoured by wild animals. When Blandina was tied to the pole the animals would not come near her, which is why they roasted her and threw her to the bulls.
Young, small, and frail, but with a heart huge for God, our sister Blandina is a great reminder that God looks at the heart. God sees beyond all that is external and knows what is brewing in the soul. God knows that inner strength is more useful and noble than physical strength. Maybe somewhere along the way Blandina had read the words of Paul written to the Christians at Corinth, “Be on your guard; stand firm; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.”
I know this passage says, “Be men of courage” but let’s be honest. There are more women of courage in this world than men. I am speaking here of spiritual and moral courage, of course. As I have traveled to many parts of the world I often wonder where the work of the Lord would be without the women. Yes, there are times when the men have been killed off or have been taken away into slavery leaving the women there to stand firm. But there are more times when the women are just more inclined to the things of the Lord. They rise to the top spiritually because they are more committed to the Lord.
The importance of women in the spreading of the Gospel and the building up of believers in the history of the church is undeniable! Even today we can look at our churches and see that in many ways the women are the backbone of the work that is being done. And, it’s not just the work that they do; it’s the spiritual insight that they bring to the Body. Yes, it’s true there are some women who are just mean-spirited busybodies as the Bible says, but there are greater numbers who love the Lord, stand firm in their faith, and help move the Kingdom forward. The spirit of Blandina is still in the hearts of many women here and around the world.
Whether you are male or female you cannot help but read of Blandina and wonder how you would have done. When you read about how they locked her in a metal grate and set about barbequing her, do you wonder how you would have behaved? I think about that a lot and I have come to the conclusion that God gives grace in those situations and that if I only know God as a creed or a story from an ancient book, then I will fail. To stand strong in the face of torture, or job loss, or deteriorating health, one must truly know the Lord Jesus Christ in his or her heart and life.
I have said a thousand times, it’s hard to trust someone you don’t know so we must get to know our Lord so much better!
God Bless You,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Samuel could have easily passed over young David as a potential king had he not listened to the clear instructions that the Lord gave him. By human standards, David was a young shepherd and not a likely candidate for such a position. However, the instructions to Samuel were clear:
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
‘The Lord looks at the heart’ is a beautiful statement and one that we should often be reminded of. One of the greatest weaknesses of human nature is to make judgments based on the external. God is not the God of the fashion show, the ‘in’ crowd, or the upwardly mobile. He is the God who knows the heart and He cannot be bought or impressed with material things or physical beauty.
In year 177AD in the city of Lyon, France there was a young, frail girl by the name of Blandina. She was a slave girl owned by a Christian and both were placed in captivity because of their faith. Blandina’s friends were fearful that she would deny Christ during her torture because of her frail frame and quiet disposition. They were looking only at her body and not at her heart.
Eusebius gives a full account of Blandina in his book on church history written in 325AD. He notes that this frail young girl endured some of the worst torture that was ever invented in the evil hearts of men. She was abused in every way imaginable, and yet, her executioners became exhausted “as they did not know what more they could to do her.” In every instance of abuse, pain, and humiliation, she would cry out “I am a Christian and there is nothing vile done by us.”
Finally Blandina was taken to the amphitheater in Lyon to face the crowds and the beasts. They beat her, roasted her over a fire, and had her thrown before wild bulls that threw her into the air with their horns. At last she was put to peace with the thrust of a dagger. This frail young virgin inspired countless others to hold fast to their faith in spite of horrendous suffering.
Today the ruins of that amphitheater can still be found in Lyon, France. There is a pole and a plaque that honors Blandina and the others who died there. The pole is a reminder that many were tied to it and were devoured by wild animals. When Blandina was tied to the pole the animals would not come near her, which is why they roasted her and threw her to the bulls.
Young, small, and frail, but with a heart huge for God, our sister Blandina is a great reminder that God looks at the heart. God sees beyond all that is external and knows what is brewing in the soul. God knows that inner strength is more useful and noble than physical strength. Maybe somewhere along the way Blandina had read the words of Paul written to the Christians at Corinth, “Be on your guard; stand firm; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.”
I know this passage says, “Be men of courage” but let’s be honest. There are more women of courage in this world than men. I am speaking here of spiritual and moral courage, of course. As I have traveled to many parts of the world I often wonder where the work of the Lord would be without the women. Yes, there are times when the men have been killed off or have been taken away into slavery leaving the women there to stand firm. But there are more times when the women are just more inclined to the things of the Lord. They rise to the top spiritually because they are more committed to the Lord.
The importance of women in the spreading of the Gospel and the building up of believers in the history of the church is undeniable! Even today we can look at our churches and see that in many ways the women are the backbone of the work that is being done. And, it’s not just the work that they do; it’s the spiritual insight that they bring to the Body. Yes, it’s true there are some women who are just mean-spirited busybodies as the Bible says, but there are greater numbers who love the Lord, stand firm in their faith, and help move the Kingdom forward. The spirit of Blandina is still in the hearts of many women here and around the world.
Whether you are male or female you cannot help but read of Blandina and wonder how you would have done. When you read about how they locked her in a metal grate and set about barbequing her, do you wonder how you would have behaved? I think about that a lot and I have come to the conclusion that God gives grace in those situations and that if I only know God as a creed or a story from an ancient book, then I will fail. To stand strong in the face of torture, or job loss, or deteriorating health, one must truly know the Lord Jesus Christ in his or her heart and life.
I have said a thousand times, it’s hard to trust someone you don’t know so we must get to know our Lord so much better!
God Bless You,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, November 17, 2008
Defending Our Faith
Both my wife and I noticed the picture on the Internet of a young mother buying a gun the day after the election. In the interview she said she was afraid that President-elect Obama was going to pass laws against guns. She wanted to be able to hunt for food and to defend her family. One-day gun sales records were broken on that same day as people rushed to buy guns while they still could for the purpose of sport and defense.
The word ‘defend’ is used in sports, military, self-protection, legal proceedings, and oral examinations. Webster’s Dictionary also gives us a definition in regards to personal beliefs: “To maintain in the face of argument or hostile criticism, to prove valid by answering oral questions.” We can defend our homes and our families but can we defend our faith?
Over the last few decades so much emphasis has been placed on Christians sharing their story, their conversion story that is. There is no doubt that our story of what Christ has done in our lives is a very useful tool. There are times, however, that I sense that this is the only tool we are teaching our people to use. It is helpful to read the works of people like C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, J.P Moreland, and Peter Kreeft to see that logic, philosophy, reason, and a good understanding of history and Scriptures are tremendous defensive weapons for our faith.
Justin Martyr was a pagan. What I mean by this is that he was not a Bishop like Ignatius or Polycarp. Justin was born in 100 AD in Palestine to Greek parents. He received the classic education of his day and was drawn to Greek philosophy. We know that he was successful after his education because he owned land and traveled a fair amount. But his study of philosophy caused him to be restless. He forever wanted to find the meaning of life, to find truth.
Justin’s own personal testimony is that he was walking along the seashore one day and an old man appeared to him. They began to talk and the stranger told Justin that he would never find what he was looking for in human endeavors but only by divine revelation. The old man met Justin on his terms, philosophy, and reason. He had Justin thoroughly engaged. Finally, this old man made the point that truth is from God and that God can be known. He went into his explanation and defense of Christianity, starting with the Prophets and prophecy and ending with Christ on the cross and the resurrection. Justin was converted that day and became known as one of the greatest defenders of the faith in the second century.
Justin noted in his writings that after that day on the seashore he never saw the old man again. There is a part of me that wants to believe it was an angel standing there reasoning with Justin, and maybe it was. However, there is also the thrill of knowing that God the Holy Spirit put another Christian on the seashore that day to talk with him. God knew how Justin’s mind worked and he placed someone there who could talk in philosophical terms.
Reading the works of Justin Martyr I am also amazed at how much this old man knew about the Old Testament and the current teaching of Christ. He was a student as well as a teacher. I have found in my life that the best teachers are by and large still students. They still have the desire to learn and to appreciate that learning makes one a better teacher. There is nothing worse than sitting in a class, a class of any kind (or church for that matter), where the material sounds like it has been neatly packaged for many years with nothing new added. It’s like the teacher who has been using the same lesson plans for years without bringing in new thoughts from history or from current affairs.
Are you still a student? Let me be more specific, are you still a student of the Trinity? Are you repeating clichés and phrases that you learned decades ago, or are you a student? I see people carry their Bibles to church with pages underlined from decades of church services and Bible studies and I wonder how much they have really learned. How much is being lived out in their lives?
Peter wrote about suffering even when doing nothing to ‘deserve’ it. He indicated that this kind of suffering would open a door for the Gospel. He says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”
The old man shared Christ in this very way although he was not suffering at the time. He knew what he believed and he could defend it and he could do so with a kind heart. Yes, sharing our testimony is a great tool, but why don’t we develop other tools for God’s glory? Peter says that we should all be prepared to defend our faith, This means we should still be students--forever learning.
My son just took an oral exam for The California Highway Patrol. They asked him situational questions and he had to give reasons for the actions he would take. What if we were only allowed into heaven after an oral examination from the Lord? What if the question was not “Why should I let you into my heaven?” (which I don’t think the Lord will ever ask), but rather “Give me the reason for the hope that you have”. What if in order to enter heaven we had to defend our faith? What if we had to give the whole of salvation’s history from the Old Testament into the New? What if the correct answer was more than just “I have Jesus in my heart?”
Yes, Justin was martyred for his faith around 165 AD, but not before writing two famous works that you can easily find. “Apologies” was written to the emperors and “Dialogue” was written to his Jewish friend. Through Justin we can see how an early church layman defended and defined the faith. He is an example to us all.
God bless,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
The word ‘defend’ is used in sports, military, self-protection, legal proceedings, and oral examinations. Webster’s Dictionary also gives us a definition in regards to personal beliefs: “To maintain in the face of argument or hostile criticism, to prove valid by answering oral questions.” We can defend our homes and our families but can we defend our faith?
Over the last few decades so much emphasis has been placed on Christians sharing their story, their conversion story that is. There is no doubt that our story of what Christ has done in our lives is a very useful tool. There are times, however, that I sense that this is the only tool we are teaching our people to use. It is helpful to read the works of people like C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, J.P Moreland, and Peter Kreeft to see that logic, philosophy, reason, and a good understanding of history and Scriptures are tremendous defensive weapons for our faith.
Justin Martyr was a pagan. What I mean by this is that he was not a Bishop like Ignatius or Polycarp. Justin was born in 100 AD in Palestine to Greek parents. He received the classic education of his day and was drawn to Greek philosophy. We know that he was successful after his education because he owned land and traveled a fair amount. But his study of philosophy caused him to be restless. He forever wanted to find the meaning of life, to find truth.
Justin’s own personal testimony is that he was walking along the seashore one day and an old man appeared to him. They began to talk and the stranger told Justin that he would never find what he was looking for in human endeavors but only by divine revelation. The old man met Justin on his terms, philosophy, and reason. He had Justin thoroughly engaged. Finally, this old man made the point that truth is from God and that God can be known. He went into his explanation and defense of Christianity, starting with the Prophets and prophecy and ending with Christ on the cross and the resurrection. Justin was converted that day and became known as one of the greatest defenders of the faith in the second century.
Justin noted in his writings that after that day on the seashore he never saw the old man again. There is a part of me that wants to believe it was an angel standing there reasoning with Justin, and maybe it was. However, there is also the thrill of knowing that God the Holy Spirit put another Christian on the seashore that day to talk with him. God knew how Justin’s mind worked and he placed someone there who could talk in philosophical terms.
Reading the works of Justin Martyr I am also amazed at how much this old man knew about the Old Testament and the current teaching of Christ. He was a student as well as a teacher. I have found in my life that the best teachers are by and large still students. They still have the desire to learn and to appreciate that learning makes one a better teacher. There is nothing worse than sitting in a class, a class of any kind (or church for that matter), where the material sounds like it has been neatly packaged for many years with nothing new added. It’s like the teacher who has been using the same lesson plans for years without bringing in new thoughts from history or from current affairs.
Are you still a student? Let me be more specific, are you still a student of the Trinity? Are you repeating clichés and phrases that you learned decades ago, or are you a student? I see people carry their Bibles to church with pages underlined from decades of church services and Bible studies and I wonder how much they have really learned. How much is being lived out in their lives?
Peter wrote about suffering even when doing nothing to ‘deserve’ it. He indicated that this kind of suffering would open a door for the Gospel. He says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”
The old man shared Christ in this very way although he was not suffering at the time. He knew what he believed and he could defend it and he could do so with a kind heart. Yes, sharing our testimony is a great tool, but why don’t we develop other tools for God’s glory? Peter says that we should all be prepared to defend our faith, This means we should still be students--forever learning.
My son just took an oral exam for The California Highway Patrol. They asked him situational questions and he had to give reasons for the actions he would take. What if we were only allowed into heaven after an oral examination from the Lord? What if the question was not “Why should I let you into my heaven?” (which I don’t think the Lord will ever ask), but rather “Give me the reason for the hope that you have”. What if in order to enter heaven we had to defend our faith? What if we had to give the whole of salvation’s history from the Old Testament into the New? What if the correct answer was more than just “I have Jesus in my heart?”
Yes, Justin was martyred for his faith around 165 AD, but not before writing two famous works that you can easily find. “Apologies” was written to the emperors and “Dialogue” was written to his Jewish friend. Through Justin we can see how an early church layman defended and defined the faith. He is an example to us all.
God bless,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, November 10, 2008
The Good Old Days
While preaching at a supporting church recently, a wonderful couple I know handed me a copy of Life magazine. They passed it along to me because it had an interesting article regarding evangelism in Africa. As I read the article I could not help but be fascinated by the advertisements in the magazine because this issue of Life was dated June 2, 1947!
Back in the 1940’s, Life magazine cost a mere 15 cents, which of course, caught my attention right away. There were ads for a bottle of Coke for 5 cents, a tooth brush for 23 cents, a cigar for 11 cents (not that I smoke), a woman’s blouse for $3.00 and a man’s suit for $29.50! Ahhh . . . the good old days! Actually, those days were before I was even born. We can all look back to certain eras that we would call the ‘good old days’ even if our memories have been sanitized a bit.
I was speaking to someone recently about his church plant and he talked about his desire to go back to the ‘good old days’ of the early church. He wanted his church to be like it once was. He went on to talk about the concept of the house church and how there was no pastor, and everyone just loved each other. That’s how he viewed the early church.
The reality is that the early church was not a free-for-all like we imagine. Even before the Apostles departed this earth there was an established hierarchy with bishops, presbyters, and deacons. From the earliest days, the bishop’s main function was to keep careful watch over church doctrine. Yes, well before 100AD there were new churches springing up all over the place that did not teach the doctrines that Peter, Paul, John, and the others had passed along as coming directly from Jesus Christ.
Bishop Polycarp was one such man who fought hard against intrusive heresies. He, along with Ignatius, was instructed by the Apostle John and possibly by some of the other Apostles as well. He had spent time with many of those who had listened to the teaching of Jesus. He was born in 69AD and lived a very long life dedicated to Christ and the purity of doctrine.
Polycarp was ordained the Bishop or ‘overseer’ of Smyrna, which is now Izmir, Turkey. You might well remember that John wrote of this church in Revelation. We don’t know a great deal about his life other than what we can glean from the historical writings of Ignatius and Irenaeus. We do have one authentic and surviving letter that Polycarp wrote to the Philippian church. I have read the letter and was intrigued by it due to the fact that he quoted verses from 17 letters that we now have in our current New Testament. It is awesome to see the standard that he upheld as Bishop.
All Protestants, Catholics, and those of the Orthodox Church appreciate and honor Polycarp. It was his death that so moves us and causes us to reflect on our own lives. Even in Rome the hostile crowds knew him as ‘The great teacher of Asia’. Like his close friend Ignatius, Polycarp was condemned to death by fire. It was his first famous quote that brought the sentence of death. When commanded to turn his back on Christ he said, “If you imagine that I will swear by Caesar, you do not know who I am. Let me tell you plainly. I am a Christian.” It was his second, more personal defense, that has been quoted in every century since his death. Polycard boldly stated, "Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?"
Polycarp died at the age of 86, which was incredibly old for that period of history, especially for a Christian in the age of persecution. He was faithful to the end. One can almost imagine the words of John ringing in Polycarp’s ears as they lit the fire:
“This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” I John 5:2-5
He was to die by fire, but when the fire was lit, it would not even burn him so they took his life by stabbing him. John recorded the words of our Lord to Polycarp’s church in Smyrna, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Polycarp took those words literally and was faithful in death even as he had been in life.
How faithful are you to the Lord now while you have your health, prosperity, and there is no danger in sight? We want to think that we would stand firm in the end, but are we standing firm for the Lord while we are on this journey? The French missionary Fenelon wrote: “It is only by fidelity in little things that a true and constant love of God can be distinguished from a passing fervor of spirit.”
Are you being faithful to the Lord in the little things? Are you faithful to His church? Are you a faithful friend? Are you faithful in doing what is morally right? Is your heart faithful in love for the Lord or have you divorced the Lord to follow other things? Are you faithful in sharing your heart, your hurts, and your helplessness with the Lord? Are you faithful in the giving of love to others even when there seems to be no reciprocation? Are you faithful in “doing unto others as you would have them do for you?”
.
The death of Polycarp strengthened the church. His teachings and the way in which he faced death spoke volumes to the early church that was being butchered. Let me just close by asking: Do we really want to go back and be like the early church with all that bloodshed? If in our lifetime these things should happen to us, like Polycarp, would we be able to stand faithful to the end?
Stay faithful to the end,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Back in the 1940’s, Life magazine cost a mere 15 cents, which of course, caught my attention right away. There were ads for a bottle of Coke for 5 cents, a tooth brush for 23 cents, a cigar for 11 cents (not that I smoke), a woman’s blouse for $3.00 and a man’s suit for $29.50! Ahhh . . . the good old days! Actually, those days were before I was even born. We can all look back to certain eras that we would call the ‘good old days’ even if our memories have been sanitized a bit.
I was speaking to someone recently about his church plant and he talked about his desire to go back to the ‘good old days’ of the early church. He wanted his church to be like it once was. He went on to talk about the concept of the house church and how there was no pastor, and everyone just loved each other. That’s how he viewed the early church.
The reality is that the early church was not a free-for-all like we imagine. Even before the Apostles departed this earth there was an established hierarchy with bishops, presbyters, and deacons. From the earliest days, the bishop’s main function was to keep careful watch over church doctrine. Yes, well before 100AD there were new churches springing up all over the place that did not teach the doctrines that Peter, Paul, John, and the others had passed along as coming directly from Jesus Christ.
Bishop Polycarp was one such man who fought hard against intrusive heresies. He, along with Ignatius, was instructed by the Apostle John and possibly by some of the other Apostles as well. He had spent time with many of those who had listened to the teaching of Jesus. He was born in 69AD and lived a very long life dedicated to Christ and the purity of doctrine.
Polycarp was ordained the Bishop or ‘overseer’ of Smyrna, which is now Izmir, Turkey. You might well remember that John wrote of this church in Revelation. We don’t know a great deal about his life other than what we can glean from the historical writings of Ignatius and Irenaeus. We do have one authentic and surviving letter that Polycarp wrote to the Philippian church. I have read the letter and was intrigued by it due to the fact that he quoted verses from 17 letters that we now have in our current New Testament. It is awesome to see the standard that he upheld as Bishop.
All Protestants, Catholics, and those of the Orthodox Church appreciate and honor Polycarp. It was his death that so moves us and causes us to reflect on our own lives. Even in Rome the hostile crowds knew him as ‘The great teacher of Asia’. Like his close friend Ignatius, Polycarp was condemned to death by fire. It was his first famous quote that brought the sentence of death. When commanded to turn his back on Christ he said, “If you imagine that I will swear by Caesar, you do not know who I am. Let me tell you plainly. I am a Christian.” It was his second, more personal defense, that has been quoted in every century since his death. Polycard boldly stated, "Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?"
Polycarp died at the age of 86, which was incredibly old for that period of history, especially for a Christian in the age of persecution. He was faithful to the end. One can almost imagine the words of John ringing in Polycarp’s ears as they lit the fire:
“This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” I John 5:2-5
He was to die by fire, but when the fire was lit, it would not even burn him so they took his life by stabbing him. John recorded the words of our Lord to Polycarp’s church in Smyrna, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Polycarp took those words literally and was faithful in death even as he had been in life.
How faithful are you to the Lord now while you have your health, prosperity, and there is no danger in sight? We want to think that we would stand firm in the end, but are we standing firm for the Lord while we are on this journey? The French missionary Fenelon wrote: “It is only by fidelity in little things that a true and constant love of God can be distinguished from a passing fervor of spirit.”
Are you being faithful to the Lord in the little things? Are you faithful to His church? Are you a faithful friend? Are you faithful in doing what is morally right? Is your heart faithful in love for the Lord or have you divorced the Lord to follow other things? Are you faithful in sharing your heart, your hurts, and your helplessness with the Lord? Are you faithful in the giving of love to others even when there seems to be no reciprocation? Are you faithful in “doing unto others as you would have them do for you?”
.
The death of Polycarp strengthened the church. His teachings and the way in which he faced death spoke volumes to the early church that was being butchered. Let me just close by asking: Do we really want to go back and be like the early church with all that bloodshed? If in our lifetime these things should happen to us, like Polycarp, would we be able to stand faithful to the end?
Stay faithful to the end,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, November 3, 2008
Ignatius
In 1994 three college students at Albright College were watching actor Kevin Bacon in the movie "Footloose". That movie was followed by another Kevin Bacon movie called "Quicksilver". In the boredom that came from being shut-in during a heavy snowstorm, they began to muse about how many actors or actresses were connected to Kevin Bacon in some way. Out of their creative minds came the game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon". According to Wikepedia, "The game requires a group of players to try to connect any film actor in history to Kevin Bacon as quickly as possible and in as few links as possible."
The real point of the game shows us how small of a world we really are. The phrase "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" is now accepted as a quick way of saying, "Hey, did you know so and so knows so and so, who knows so and so?" Kevin Bacon said that he hated the game at first because he thought they were making fun of him. Now he embraces it and even formed a charity last year called SixDegrees.org.
I am not interested in playing that game, but the concept to me is fascinating because I believe it is important for us as followers of Jesus Christ. Replace the name of Kevin Bacon and let's think in terms of "Six Degrees of Jesus Christ". We are connected to Him through our Spiritual Genealogy even though we are more than "Six Degrees" away in some ways and closer due to the Holy Spirit. So who was the closest to Jesus? We know that answer is His mother Mary and father Joseph, and the disciples, turned apostles. The next "degree" away from them brings us to some fascinating people that we are linked to but rarely hear of.
The Apostles not only preached Christ to the world, but they mentored and trained others to do the same. They annointed and ordained others to become leaders of churches. We know, for instance, that the apostles Peter and John both spent time with a follower of Jesus called Ignatius. It is believed that John tutored him in the things of faith and that Peter ordained him as Bishop of Antioch. Jesus taught the Apostles and they taught others. So Ignatius was "one degree" from Jesus according to the game. Ignatius was able to hear first hand accounts from the very Apostles who spent over three years with Jesus and then saw Him after the resurrection. Ignatius was and is our brother in Christ and we can be encouraged by his life and death.
It is thrilling to me to read the words of this church leader and to realize that he was instrumental in not only defending the faith but also defining it in the early days of the church. As one who was discipled by the Apostle John, Ignatius was clear on the doctrines he presented. In his writings one can read that he stressed the Virgin Birth of Christ, the doctrine of the Trinity, and the importance of the Lord's Table. For those of you with Catholic backgrounds, you might be interested to know that Ignatius was the first to use the term "Catholic", meaning universal.
While in Antioch leading the church, Ignatius was condemned to death and summoned to Rome. While on his long journey back to Rome to face the executioners, he wrote seven letters that we still have today. He wrote to several of the churches including Rome and Ephesus and to his fellow Bishop Polycarp who was also discipled by the Apostle John. As he journeyed to Rome, Christians would come to see him to encouage him, but he was the one who did the encouraging. He wrote to his friends, "There is water living and speaking in me, saying from within me, 'Come to the Father.'" Ignatius knew he was going to die and in fact he was later thrown to the lions in the Coliseum in Rome.
Today that very same Spirit is drawing each of us to the Father. The ministry of the Holy Spirit and the person of Christ leads us to the Father. Ignatius taught the importance and reality of the Trinity. He understood quite well the role of the Spirit and of Christ, that they were pointing to the Father. We are not "six degrees" away from the Father--He dwells in us through His Spirit.
The Father, your Father, is always drawing you. John tells us that Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him". The Father is drawing you to His Son by the Spirit, and the Son is revealing the Father to you by the Spirit. The Trinity that Ignatius taught is working constantly in your life.
Even in this time of economic, political, and moral uncertainty, the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are calling on us to find our meaning, our peace, our security in Them. We should not forget the words of the Psalmist "For great is His love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever." Psalm 117:2. Ignatius lived in a time that was horrific for Christians and yet in the midst of a hostile environment, he could hear the words, "Come to the Father."
No one can really protect you. There is truly no security in this world; there will always be evil and moral failures, and nothing that we hold to tightly will last. Many Christians living in the affluent West are only now beginning to understand this. This week let's remember the words: "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man". The Father is calling you to not just trust Him, but to be satisfied with Him!
Ignatius was ripped apart by two lions in front of thousands of blood-thirsty people, but not before he encouraged the Christians in Rome with these words: "No earthly pleasures, no kingdoms of this world can benefit me in any way. I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one desire."
With Eternity in Mind,
Dan Owens
P.S. Please pray for our upcoming ministry in Rwanda and for the finances to complete our mission.
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
The real point of the game shows us how small of a world we really are. The phrase "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" is now accepted as a quick way of saying, "Hey, did you know so and so knows so and so, who knows so and so?" Kevin Bacon said that he hated the game at first because he thought they were making fun of him. Now he embraces it and even formed a charity last year called SixDegrees.org.
I am not interested in playing that game, but the concept to me is fascinating because I believe it is important for us as followers of Jesus Christ. Replace the name of Kevin Bacon and let's think in terms of "Six Degrees of Jesus Christ". We are connected to Him through our Spiritual Genealogy even though we are more than "Six Degrees" away in some ways and closer due to the Holy Spirit. So who was the closest to Jesus? We know that answer is His mother Mary and father Joseph, and the disciples, turned apostles. The next "degree" away from them brings us to some fascinating people that we are linked to but rarely hear of.
The Apostles not only preached Christ to the world, but they mentored and trained others to do the same. They annointed and ordained others to become leaders of churches. We know, for instance, that the apostles Peter and John both spent time with a follower of Jesus called Ignatius. It is believed that John tutored him in the things of faith and that Peter ordained him as Bishop of Antioch. Jesus taught the Apostles and they taught others. So Ignatius was "one degree" from Jesus according to the game. Ignatius was able to hear first hand accounts from the very Apostles who spent over three years with Jesus and then saw Him after the resurrection. Ignatius was and is our brother in Christ and we can be encouraged by his life and death.
It is thrilling to me to read the words of this church leader and to realize that he was instrumental in not only defending the faith but also defining it in the early days of the church. As one who was discipled by the Apostle John, Ignatius was clear on the doctrines he presented. In his writings one can read that he stressed the Virgin Birth of Christ, the doctrine of the Trinity, and the importance of the Lord's Table. For those of you with Catholic backgrounds, you might be interested to know that Ignatius was the first to use the term "Catholic", meaning universal.
While in Antioch leading the church, Ignatius was condemned to death and summoned to Rome. While on his long journey back to Rome to face the executioners, he wrote seven letters that we still have today. He wrote to several of the churches including Rome and Ephesus and to his fellow Bishop Polycarp who was also discipled by the Apostle John. As he journeyed to Rome, Christians would come to see him to encouage him, but he was the one who did the encouraging. He wrote to his friends, "There is water living and speaking in me, saying from within me, 'Come to the Father.'" Ignatius knew he was going to die and in fact he was later thrown to the lions in the Coliseum in Rome.
Today that very same Spirit is drawing each of us to the Father. The ministry of the Holy Spirit and the person of Christ leads us to the Father. Ignatius taught the importance and reality of the Trinity. He understood quite well the role of the Spirit and of Christ, that they were pointing to the Father. We are not "six degrees" away from the Father--He dwells in us through His Spirit.
The Father, your Father, is always drawing you. John tells us that Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him". The Father is drawing you to His Son by the Spirit, and the Son is revealing the Father to you by the Spirit. The Trinity that Ignatius taught is working constantly in your life.
Even in this time of economic, political, and moral uncertainty, the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are calling on us to find our meaning, our peace, our security in Them. We should not forget the words of the Psalmist "For great is His love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever." Psalm 117:2. Ignatius lived in a time that was horrific for Christians and yet in the midst of a hostile environment, he could hear the words, "Come to the Father."
No one can really protect you. There is truly no security in this world; there will always be evil and moral failures, and nothing that we hold to tightly will last. Many Christians living in the affluent West are only now beginning to understand this. This week let's remember the words: "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man". The Father is calling you to not just trust Him, but to be satisfied with Him!
Ignatius was ripped apart by two lions in front of thousands of blood-thirsty people, but not before he encouraged the Christians in Rome with these words: "No earthly pleasures, no kingdoms of this world can benefit me in any way. I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one desire."
With Eternity in Mind,
Dan Owens
P.S. Please pray for our upcoming ministry in Rwanda and for the finances to complete our mission.
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, October 27, 2008
Our Faith Family Tree
As the phrase goes, “I’m back at ya!” Thank you for allowing me to take a little time off from writing. It has allowed me some time to think about where I would like to go next in my devotional writings. Today is the launch of a new series that I’ve entitled Spiritual Genealogy.
Family genealogy is my wife’s hobby and with the aid of the Internet she has become quite the sleuth. She actually pays for services that are out there to help her research our family’s tree more fully. She is into it! Like all family trees we have some fruits and nuts in our’s! Most recently Deb has been working on my side of the family, my dad’s side to be exact. She discovered that my dad’s side is a lot of fun to research because so much of the family history is within a short drive of where we live.
We now know that my great-great-grandfather was married at the California Mission of San Miguel, which is just seven miles from our home. This same man played in a band that was a regular at the Fiestas held at Mission San Antonio about thirty-five miles from our home. My family tree goes back to the Salinan Indians that inhabited the land from Monterey to San Luis Obispo, California. In fact, our very home is sitting on land that once belonged to the Salinan tribe. No wonder I love living in Paso Robles!
So, you might be thinking, “Who cares?” That is exactly my point. Most likely the only ones interested in my family tree are my family members. The only ones who are interested in your family tree are your family. While I enjoy taking picnics out to Mission San Antonio where my ancestors were once baptized, none of our friends share the same excitement that our family does because it has little or no meaning to them.
Although our family trees may be different, we share a common Family of God tree. I call it our Spiritual Genealogy. We are all a part of God’s family and that family goes back millenniums. If we just want to follow our bond through Christ, then we can go back about two thousand years. Over the past two thousand years we have had a myriad of brothers and sisters who have left this physical world to be with Jesus Christ in the spiritual world. We should all be interested in our spiritual family tree even more than our physical one!
The author of the book of Hebrews reminded the early church of their Spiritual Genealogy. In chapter 11 we read what is often termed the “Hall of Faith” because the writer reminds us of those who walked by faith down through the ages. The entire chapter deals with these men and women and the lives they lived and the persecutions they endured. As we pick up the reading in verse 35 the writer says,
“Others were tortured and refused to be released, that might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned, they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated-the world was not worthy of them”
The Israelites made it a point to always look back and remember their heritage and genealogy. There were certain holidays or feasts that were set aside to retell the stories of previous generations. The early church did the same thing in oral and written form. Today we have copies of manuscripts and writings that were used by the early church to encourage the living Christians to follow Christ like their earlier brothers and sisters. As chapter 11 ends in Hebrews, chapter 12 begins with, “Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
By hearing or reading stories of past “faith-filled” people the new believers were inspired in faith, purity, and perseverance. I believe we have lost this tradition and gift and therefore our faith is not as strong and vibrant as it could be. We are always looking to the future for the next thing, but we don’t look to the past to be strengthened by it. John Piper calls this tendency “Chronological Snobbery” meaning we think the new is always better than the old.
“Chronological Snobbery” has thus become the motivation for my new series Spiritual Genealogy. I want to look back into the history of the church and see some of the men and women who to this day are examples of faith, purity and perseverance. For simplicity let me just refer to these brothers and sisters as saints. These saints came in all shapes, sizes and colors. Some were poor while others were rich. Some were educated while others lacked educational opportunities. Some lived long lives, although many of them were horribly killed because of their love for Jesus Christ.
Each week I will share a brief biography of a saint, a quote or thought from them, and then connect that quote or thought to a passage of Scripture. As always I will close by making a life application as the Holy Spirit leads. By studying the saints we can learn from them and be strengthened in our faith. At least that is my prayer. I think as we go along you will agree that we have some very interesting brothers and sisters that are waiting for us in glory!
God’s peace to you,
Dan
P.S. We are preparing to minister with our team in Rwanda this November. If you would like to know more about this ministry or partner with us please visit this link: http://www.firstgiving.com/carldawson
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Family genealogy is my wife’s hobby and with the aid of the Internet she has become quite the sleuth. She actually pays for services that are out there to help her research our family’s tree more fully. She is into it! Like all family trees we have some fruits and nuts in our’s! Most recently Deb has been working on my side of the family, my dad’s side to be exact. She discovered that my dad’s side is a lot of fun to research because so much of the family history is within a short drive of where we live.
We now know that my great-great-grandfather was married at the California Mission of San Miguel, which is just seven miles from our home. This same man played in a band that was a regular at the Fiestas held at Mission San Antonio about thirty-five miles from our home. My family tree goes back to the Salinan Indians that inhabited the land from Monterey to San Luis Obispo, California. In fact, our very home is sitting on land that once belonged to the Salinan tribe. No wonder I love living in Paso Robles!
So, you might be thinking, “Who cares?” That is exactly my point. Most likely the only ones interested in my family tree are my family members. The only ones who are interested in your family tree are your family. While I enjoy taking picnics out to Mission San Antonio where my ancestors were once baptized, none of our friends share the same excitement that our family does because it has little or no meaning to them.
Although our family trees may be different, we share a common Family of God tree. I call it our Spiritual Genealogy. We are all a part of God’s family and that family goes back millenniums. If we just want to follow our bond through Christ, then we can go back about two thousand years. Over the past two thousand years we have had a myriad of brothers and sisters who have left this physical world to be with Jesus Christ in the spiritual world. We should all be interested in our spiritual family tree even more than our physical one!
The author of the book of Hebrews reminded the early church of their Spiritual Genealogy. In chapter 11 we read what is often termed the “Hall of Faith” because the writer reminds us of those who walked by faith down through the ages. The entire chapter deals with these men and women and the lives they lived and the persecutions they endured. As we pick up the reading in verse 35 the writer says,
“Others were tortured and refused to be released, that might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned, they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated-the world was not worthy of them”
The Israelites made it a point to always look back and remember their heritage and genealogy. There were certain holidays or feasts that were set aside to retell the stories of previous generations. The early church did the same thing in oral and written form. Today we have copies of manuscripts and writings that were used by the early church to encourage the living Christians to follow Christ like their earlier brothers and sisters. As chapter 11 ends in Hebrews, chapter 12 begins with, “Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
By hearing or reading stories of past “faith-filled” people the new believers were inspired in faith, purity, and perseverance. I believe we have lost this tradition and gift and therefore our faith is not as strong and vibrant as it could be. We are always looking to the future for the next thing, but we don’t look to the past to be strengthened by it. John Piper calls this tendency “Chronological Snobbery” meaning we think the new is always better than the old.
“Chronological Snobbery” has thus become the motivation for my new series Spiritual Genealogy. I want to look back into the history of the church and see some of the men and women who to this day are examples of faith, purity and perseverance. For simplicity let me just refer to these brothers and sisters as saints. These saints came in all shapes, sizes and colors. Some were poor while others were rich. Some were educated while others lacked educational opportunities. Some lived long lives, although many of them were horribly killed because of their love for Jesus Christ.
Each week I will share a brief biography of a saint, a quote or thought from them, and then connect that quote or thought to a passage of Scripture. As always I will close by making a life application as the Holy Spirit leads. By studying the saints we can learn from them and be strengthened in our faith. At least that is my prayer. I think as we go along you will agree that we have some very interesting brothers and sisters that are waiting for us in glory!
God’s peace to you,
Dan
P.S. We are preparing to minister with our team in Rwanda this November. If you would like to know more about this ministry or partner with us please visit this link: http://www.firstgiving.com/carldawson
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, August 4, 2008
There Has To Be More!
As we come to the close of the Gospel of Mark I am reminded of my own conversion and subsequent journey years ago. With no church background, our entire family found the Lord through a Baptist church in my home town of Concord, California. There is no question that at that time our family began to change for the better and I would say to some degree there was a visible transformation in all of us.
I can remember well remember going to the front of the church and getting on my knees where an elderly man led me through the "sinners prayer." Not long after that prayer I was baptized along with my future brother-in-law, who later wiped out big time. Our family became totally immersed in church activities, so much so that my dad sold our cabin up at Donner Lake because we no longer had time to go there on the weekends.
Most of our activity at church revolved around the Bible in some way or another. Even at the beginning of my newfound faith I was attracted to the Gospels, especially Mark and Luke. Those two Gospels were so filled with life, action, and the supernatural work of Jesus. I was taught from the beginning that even though Jesus did amazing things as recorded in the Gospels, that period of time was over and those things did not happen any more - it was a new dispensation. I felt sort of ripped off because I wanted to see my big God do the miraculous, and I was told that He did not even heal people any more.
Going off to college and seminary was not much different from my experience in the church where I came to the Lord. Most of the time, a person is directed by their pastor to colleges that believe and teach the very same things that he or she was taught. This cycle can go on for years as I have mentioned before in my writings. So, as I entered the ministry full time I taught what I had been taught through the years - I parroted what I had heard and what I had experienced.
In the sixteenth chapter of Mark in your Bible, you probably have a line and an explanation just before the ninth verse. It tells you that the more ancient manuscripts do not have verses nine through twenty found in them. My professors used that knowledge to discount the most amazing verses, that being seventeen and eighteen. Let's look at them.
"And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up with their hands; and they will drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."
Even though I tried to accept that these ministries were of another time, in my heart I longed to not only see them, but also experience them. In my early thirties, I began to work across denominational lines and had the opportunity to meet people that actually believed that these things were still taking place today - in fact, they were the norm. I confess that for a few years I also discounted these people as being highly emotional or uneducated, yet to some degree I was envious. They spoke of God's power in ways that sounded like the New Testament.
There came a time when I was flying in and out of Michigan to help set up a Luis Palau Crusade and there I met a Baptist pastor. He was part of our committee and I found him to have a burning desire to know God. One day he told all of us that his wife had cancer and that she was going in for a double mastectomy. It was a very difficult time for this family and you could easily see the pain on his face. Since our committee was made up of many different denominations, we had those who believed that God was still in the healing ministry. Several of the pastors wanted to know if they could lay hands on his wife and pray for her. I was not a part of that ministry time since I had to fly back home to Portland.
Upon my return to Michigan a few weeks later, I went to a meeting and this concerned Baptist pastor was there. However, this time his face was bright and alive with joy oozing from his very soul. When I asked him how his wife was doing since the surgery his eyes began to fill up with tears. He then told me that as she sat on the side of her bed in the hospital as they were making preparations for her surgery, she began to check her breasts one last time to see if maybe something had changed. Startled by what she felt she called the nurses in and said, "The lumps are gone!" The nurses thought she was just projecting what she wanted to find, but they checked her out. They also were startled and called for new x-rays to be taken and the doctor to be called in. Yes, it was true; this Baptist pastor's wife had been healed!! She went home that day, without the operation.
As I stood there something in me began to shout "yes yes, this is the power of God I knew was out there!" So began my quest for God and His power to do the amazing. It has been such a hard quest because I have had to unlearn so many things. I do not put myself in the camp that believes God heals everyone all the time, but I do believe that my education limited God. Now years later, I have seen God cast out demons, heal the sick, and save my life when I ate things that should have killed me or at least made me sick. No, I don't play with snakes; but I do go to places that are not always safe because I know God is still a supernatural being who sends His angels to watch over me and my family.
I no longer argue or debate with others about the works found in this last portion of Mark. To be honest, it is just not worth the time and effort because no one can be convinced by arguments or debate. I know what I have seen and I know what I have experienced through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life. I would rather spend my time with those who say, "I knew there had to be more!"
A car, a house, some new clothes, a hobby, a fine job, a good reputation, a nice vacation, accolades from your friends and co-workers, marriage, children, retirement, death - there is more to life than that! Mark's Gospel tells us that life with Jesus is a life of action, a life of supernatural occasions, and a life that has bearing on our next. Crank up your journey with God your Father and tell Him you are ready to learn some new things!!
God Bless You,
Dan
P.S. As we come to the end of Mark, I am going to take a little break for the month of August. I will be gone a great deal during the next month or so to Peru, Uganda and Rwanda so this is a good time for me to evaluate where to go next with these musings. Our office has prepared a survey for you to help us make some decisions regarding this area of our ministry. Please take the time to communicate with us by taking our online survey.
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
I can remember well remember going to the front of the church and getting on my knees where an elderly man led me through the "sinners prayer." Not long after that prayer I was baptized along with my future brother-in-law, who later wiped out big time. Our family became totally immersed in church activities, so much so that my dad sold our cabin up at Donner Lake because we no longer had time to go there on the weekends.
Most of our activity at church revolved around the Bible in some way or another. Even at the beginning of my newfound faith I was attracted to the Gospels, especially Mark and Luke. Those two Gospels were so filled with life, action, and the supernatural work of Jesus. I was taught from the beginning that even though Jesus did amazing things as recorded in the Gospels, that period of time was over and those things did not happen any more - it was a new dispensation. I felt sort of ripped off because I wanted to see my big God do the miraculous, and I was told that He did not even heal people any more.
Going off to college and seminary was not much different from my experience in the church where I came to the Lord. Most of the time, a person is directed by their pastor to colleges that believe and teach the very same things that he or she was taught. This cycle can go on for years as I have mentioned before in my writings. So, as I entered the ministry full time I taught what I had been taught through the years - I parroted what I had heard and what I had experienced.
In the sixteenth chapter of Mark in your Bible, you probably have a line and an explanation just before the ninth verse. It tells you that the more ancient manuscripts do not have verses nine through twenty found in them. My professors used that knowledge to discount the most amazing verses, that being seventeen and eighteen. Let's look at them.
"And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up with their hands; and they will drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."
Even though I tried to accept that these ministries were of another time, in my heart I longed to not only see them, but also experience them. In my early thirties, I began to work across denominational lines and had the opportunity to meet people that actually believed that these things were still taking place today - in fact, they were the norm. I confess that for a few years I also discounted these people as being highly emotional or uneducated, yet to some degree I was envious. They spoke of God's power in ways that sounded like the New Testament.
There came a time when I was flying in and out of Michigan to help set up a Luis Palau Crusade and there I met a Baptist pastor. He was part of our committee and I found him to have a burning desire to know God. One day he told all of us that his wife had cancer and that she was going in for a double mastectomy. It was a very difficult time for this family and you could easily see the pain on his face. Since our committee was made up of many different denominations, we had those who believed that God was still in the healing ministry. Several of the pastors wanted to know if they could lay hands on his wife and pray for her. I was not a part of that ministry time since I had to fly back home to Portland.
Upon my return to Michigan a few weeks later, I went to a meeting and this concerned Baptist pastor was there. However, this time his face was bright and alive with joy oozing from his very soul. When I asked him how his wife was doing since the surgery his eyes began to fill up with tears. He then told me that as she sat on the side of her bed in the hospital as they were making preparations for her surgery, she began to check her breasts one last time to see if maybe something had changed. Startled by what she felt she called the nurses in and said, "The lumps are gone!" The nurses thought she was just projecting what she wanted to find, but they checked her out. They also were startled and called for new x-rays to be taken and the doctor to be called in. Yes, it was true; this Baptist pastor's wife had been healed!! She went home that day, without the operation.
As I stood there something in me began to shout "yes yes, this is the power of God I knew was out there!" So began my quest for God and His power to do the amazing. It has been such a hard quest because I have had to unlearn so many things. I do not put myself in the camp that believes God heals everyone all the time, but I do believe that my education limited God. Now years later, I have seen God cast out demons, heal the sick, and save my life when I ate things that should have killed me or at least made me sick. No, I don't play with snakes; but I do go to places that are not always safe because I know God is still a supernatural being who sends His angels to watch over me and my family.
I no longer argue or debate with others about the works found in this last portion of Mark. To be honest, it is just not worth the time and effort because no one can be convinced by arguments or debate. I know what I have seen and I know what I have experienced through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life. I would rather spend my time with those who say, "I knew there had to be more!"
A car, a house, some new clothes, a hobby, a fine job, a good reputation, a nice vacation, accolades from your friends and co-workers, marriage, children, retirement, death - there is more to life than that! Mark's Gospel tells us that life with Jesus is a life of action, a life of supernatural occasions, and a life that has bearing on our next. Crank up your journey with God your Father and tell Him you are ready to learn some new things!!
God Bless You,
Dan
P.S. As we come to the end of Mark, I am going to take a little break for the month of August. I will be gone a great deal during the next month or so to Peru, Uganda and Rwanda so this is a good time for me to evaluate where to go next with these musings. Our office has prepared a survey for you to help us make some decisions regarding this area of our ministry. Please take the time to communicate with us by taking our online survey.
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, July 28, 2008
The Teacher
The following is an excerpt from Who Is This Jesus? By Daniel Owens
The Teacher
There was a man of the Pharisee sect, Nicodemus, a prominent leader among the Jews. Late one night he visited Jesus and said, “Rabbi, we all know you’re a teacher straight weren’t in on it.”
Jesus said, “You’re absolutely right. Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it’s not possible to see what I’m pointing to-to God’s kingdom.” (John 3:1-3)
Many have called Jesus the greatest teacher ever to live. He is our example of how to teach. He could hold the attention of his listeners, no matter their age. The parables he taught have been told and retold for generations.
In John 3, Nicodemus approaches Jesus, the great teacher. Sometimes we gloss over this story, but a closer look reveals why this was such an amazing encounter. We see in this story the qualities that made Jesus such a wonderful teacher.
Jesus Was Approachable
Nicodemus was from the upper class, a leader, and a member of the ruling council. He was so prominent that, in verse 10, Jesus refers to him as “Israel’s teacher.” As a Pharisee, however, he led a legalistic lifestyle, holding on to the Old Testament law and man-made traditions that had developed among the Jews over the years. Nicodemus was the one with all the answers to people’s questions.
We all know people like Nicodemus, people who believe their way of thinking is the only way to think. There are even ministers like that. In several of his books, Philip Yancey exposes the damage that dogmatic, legalistic pastors have done. They wield Scripture as a tool of manipulation, and they use guilt as a weapon.
Nicodemus might have been very closed minded when it came to new ideas, but something about Jesus gnawed at him. So he came to see Jesus at night. Many theologians have supposed that Nicodemus was afraid of what his peers might think of him going to see Jesus, prompting him to wait for the cover of night. It could also be, however, that he was smart and knew that people surrounded Jesus during the day. Perhaps that’s why he sought him in the evening, when he could easily have a private audience with him.
An even more thought-provoking possibility is that he came at night because he was a teacher of the law, and many teachers at that time did a great deal of their studying at night. Today we still have college students who stay up well into the night to churn out a paper or study for a test!
The main point, however, is that Nicodemus went to see Jesus. He must have heard much about this new teacher. He believed Jesus would receive him and listen to him.
Charles Templeton, who traveled extensively with Billy Graham back in the 1950s, eventually drifted away from the faith. He even wrote a book called Farewell to God: My Reasons for Rejecting the Christian Faith. Shortly before his death, he granted an interview to Lee Strobel, in which he explained his reasons for walking away from the Lord.
In his book The Case for Faith, Strobel quotes Templeton:
[I saw] a picture of a black woman in Northern Africa . . . . They were experiencing a devastating drought. And she was holding her dead baby in her lorn expression. I looked at it and I thought, “Is it possible to believe that there is a loving or caring Creator when all this woman needed was rain?”
Then I began to think further about the world being the creation of God. I started considering the plagues that sweep across parts of the planet and indiscriminately kill-more often than not, painfully-all kinds of people, the ordinary, the decent, and the rotten. And it just became crystal clear to me that this is not possible for an intelligent person to believe that there is a deity who loves.
Charles Templeton could not reconcile this problem in his mind. He could not understand why God would let bad things happen to good people. It kept him from approaching Jesus, in whom he had previously believed.
What keeps us from approaching Christ? Doubts? Time? Pride? Self-love? Shame? We don’t have to come by night. We can come before God at any time to pour out our hearts. Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Approach Christ this week and pour out your heart to him.
God bless,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
The Teacher
There was a man of the Pharisee sect, Nicodemus, a prominent leader among the Jews. Late one night he visited Jesus and said, “Rabbi, we all know you’re a teacher straight weren’t in on it.”
Jesus said, “You’re absolutely right. Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it’s not possible to see what I’m pointing to-to God’s kingdom.” (John 3:1-3)
Many have called Jesus the greatest teacher ever to live. He is our example of how to teach. He could hold the attention of his listeners, no matter their age. The parables he taught have been told and retold for generations.
In John 3, Nicodemus approaches Jesus, the great teacher. Sometimes we gloss over this story, but a closer look reveals why this was such an amazing encounter. We see in this story the qualities that made Jesus such a wonderful teacher.
Jesus Was Approachable
Nicodemus was from the upper class, a leader, and a member of the ruling council. He was so prominent that, in verse 10, Jesus refers to him as “Israel’s teacher.” As a Pharisee, however, he led a legalistic lifestyle, holding on to the Old Testament law and man-made traditions that had developed among the Jews over the years. Nicodemus was the one with all the answers to people’s questions.
We all know people like Nicodemus, people who believe their way of thinking is the only way to think. There are even ministers like that. In several of his books, Philip Yancey exposes the damage that dogmatic, legalistic pastors have done. They wield Scripture as a tool of manipulation, and they use guilt as a weapon.
Nicodemus might have been very closed minded when it came to new ideas, but something about Jesus gnawed at him. So he came to see Jesus at night. Many theologians have supposed that Nicodemus was afraid of what his peers might think of him going to see Jesus, prompting him to wait for the cover of night. It could also be, however, that he was smart and knew that people surrounded Jesus during the day. Perhaps that’s why he sought him in the evening, when he could easily have a private audience with him.
An even more thought-provoking possibility is that he came at night because he was a teacher of the law, and many teachers at that time did a great deal of their studying at night. Today we still have college students who stay up well into the night to churn out a paper or study for a test!
The main point, however, is that Nicodemus went to see Jesus. He must have heard much about this new teacher. He believed Jesus would receive him and listen to him.
Charles Templeton, who traveled extensively with Billy Graham back in the 1950s, eventually drifted away from the faith. He even wrote a book called Farewell to God: My Reasons for Rejecting the Christian Faith. Shortly before his death, he granted an interview to Lee Strobel, in which he explained his reasons for walking away from the Lord.
In his book The Case for Faith, Strobel quotes Templeton:
[I saw] a picture of a black woman in Northern Africa . . . . They were experiencing a devastating drought. And she was holding her dead baby in her lorn expression. I looked at it and I thought, “Is it possible to believe that there is a loving or caring Creator when all this woman needed was rain?”
Then I began to think further about the world being the creation of God. I started considering the plagues that sweep across parts of the planet and indiscriminately kill-more often than not, painfully-all kinds of people, the ordinary, the decent, and the rotten. And it just became crystal clear to me that this is not possible for an intelligent person to believe that there is a deity who loves.
Charles Templeton could not reconcile this problem in his mind. He could not understand why God would let bad things happen to good people. It kept him from approaching Jesus, in whom he had previously believed.
What keeps us from approaching Christ? Doubts? Time? Pride? Self-love? Shame? We don’t have to come by night. We can come before God at any time to pour out our hearts. Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Approach Christ this week and pour out your heart to him.
God bless,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, July 21, 2008
Listening To God
The Spirit of God does speak to us. But we have to be willing to listen. God wants to encourage us, he wants to lead us, and he wants to empower our lives. So how do we listen?
First, we study the bible. Some people are confused by the word study. I am not talking about simply reading The Daily Bread or some other daily devotional. If we go to church, Sunday school, and a Bible study during the week, that is all great, but that is not what I mean when I say, "Study the Bible." We need time alone with God and his word. This leads into the next step: meditation.
Psalm 1:2 says of the man who is blessed by God, "His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." Meditating on God's Word does not involve "emptying the mind" as some of the Eastern religions define it. Meditation means filling our minds with the Word of God, then pondering it, reflecting on it, and considering how it might pertain to us. After we have read a passage thoroughly and studied it carefully, then it is time to chew on it for a while.
Most of us don't have time for meditation. We just have time to grab the Bible, flip it open to a random passage, read a few verses, and call it quits. We may think briefly about how what we have just read might apply to our lives or how we can use it to teach our Sunday school classes, but we don't allow it to penetrate our minds, wills, and emotions. If we read the Bible without allowing it to have and impact on us, if it does not change us from the inside out, then we have missed the whole point.
The purpose of reading the Bible is not so much to gain knowledge as it is to transform our lives. Meditation causes us to think: "God, that's me. I need to change. I need you to work on something inside of me."
The third step involves moving from meditation to contemplation. Contemplation goes further and deeper than meditation. Webster's dictionary defines the word contemplate as "to view or consider with the continued attention," and the word contemplation as "a state of mystical awareness of God's being." We move from reflecting on the passage we have just read to contemplating the nature and being of God. We are not rushed, we don't say much; we just dwell on the majesty, greatness, and awesomeness of God.
Joyce Huggett, in her book The Joy of Listening to God, said of the process: "We bask in the warmth of his love. We feel his gaze on us. He fills us afresh with his spirit. We receive a new perspective on life-his perspective. We draw so close to his heart that we sense his concern for the world and from our contemplation flows intercession as we catch his compassion for the hurting world." I encourage you to study the Bible not only to gain knowledge but also to develop an ear that listens for God to speak. Do you have times when you think the Lord may be speaking to you to do something, but you aren't sure?
I encourage you to do it anyway. See what happens. You may be very surprised. Be open to God's prompting.
Have you ever done a random act of kindness for someone who later told you, "That was just what I needed. How did you know?" (I love it when this happens.) You may not have even realized it, but you heard God's voice, and he used you to meet the needs of someone else.
Contemplation can take a bit of time. If you are retired, you probably have a lot of time. If you are semi-retired, you probably have much time. If you have a full-time job and a family to care for, you have some time. If you are a single mother of three children under the age of five, you have no time and no life. But no matter what your circumstance is, no matter what stage of life you are in right now, decide when you are going to make time for study, meditation, and contemplation.
The wonderful part is that you can meditate and contemplate while changing diapers, mowing the lawn, or sitting in traffic. Meditation is a matter of the heart. Sometimes it is good to find a quiet relaxing place, but that is not always possible. Just be quick to listen when you study, meditate and contemplate.
Be blessed,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
First, we study the bible. Some people are confused by the word study. I am not talking about simply reading The Daily Bread or some other daily devotional. If we go to church, Sunday school, and a Bible study during the week, that is all great, but that is not what I mean when I say, "Study the Bible." We need time alone with God and his word. This leads into the next step: meditation.
Psalm 1:2 says of the man who is blessed by God, "His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." Meditating on God's Word does not involve "emptying the mind" as some of the Eastern religions define it. Meditation means filling our minds with the Word of God, then pondering it, reflecting on it, and considering how it might pertain to us. After we have read a passage thoroughly and studied it carefully, then it is time to chew on it for a while.
Most of us don't have time for meditation. We just have time to grab the Bible, flip it open to a random passage, read a few verses, and call it quits. We may think briefly about how what we have just read might apply to our lives or how we can use it to teach our Sunday school classes, but we don't allow it to penetrate our minds, wills, and emotions. If we read the Bible without allowing it to have and impact on us, if it does not change us from the inside out, then we have missed the whole point.
The purpose of reading the Bible is not so much to gain knowledge as it is to transform our lives. Meditation causes us to think: "God, that's me. I need to change. I need you to work on something inside of me."
The third step involves moving from meditation to contemplation. Contemplation goes further and deeper than meditation. Webster's dictionary defines the word contemplate as "to view or consider with the continued attention," and the word contemplation as "a state of mystical awareness of God's being." We move from reflecting on the passage we have just read to contemplating the nature and being of God. We are not rushed, we don't say much; we just dwell on the majesty, greatness, and awesomeness of God.
Joyce Huggett, in her book The Joy of Listening to God, said of the process: "We bask in the warmth of his love. We feel his gaze on us. He fills us afresh with his spirit. We receive a new perspective on life-his perspective. We draw so close to his heart that we sense his concern for the world and from our contemplation flows intercession as we catch his compassion for the hurting world." I encourage you to study the Bible not only to gain knowledge but also to develop an ear that listens for God to speak. Do you have times when you think the Lord may be speaking to you to do something, but you aren't sure?
I encourage you to do it anyway. See what happens. You may be very surprised. Be open to God's prompting.
Have you ever done a random act of kindness for someone who later told you, "That was just what I needed. How did you know?" (I love it when this happens.) You may not have even realized it, but you heard God's voice, and he used you to meet the needs of someone else.
Contemplation can take a bit of time. If you are retired, you probably have a lot of time. If you are semi-retired, you probably have much time. If you have a full-time job and a family to care for, you have some time. If you are a single mother of three children under the age of five, you have no time and no life. But no matter what your circumstance is, no matter what stage of life you are in right now, decide when you are going to make time for study, meditation, and contemplation.
The wonderful part is that you can meditate and contemplate while changing diapers, mowing the lawn, or sitting in traffic. Meditation is a matter of the heart. Sometimes it is good to find a quiet relaxing place, but that is not always possible. Just be quick to listen when you study, meditate and contemplate.
Be blessed,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, July 14, 2008
Be Convinced
C.S. Lewis once wrote regarding the historical resurrection of Jesus Christ, "If the thing happened, it was the central event in the history of the earth", which is why it is still an "issue" to this day.
A person is defined as a "theological liberal" based on their stance on the authority of the Bible, the divinity of Christ, and the resurrection of Christ. For those of us who are more conservative or "biblical" in our beliefs, we would say that without the resurrection there is no Christianity at all. For us, everything rises and falls on the resurrection, or at least it should.
I recently heard the President of Gonzaga University enthusiastically promote a book that he just finished reading. The book was by N.T. Wright called The Resurrection of the Son of God. Gonzaga is a Catholic University in Washington and N.T. Wright is a conservative Anglican from England, and yet I have heard many Protestant scholars hail this book as one of the greatest works of the past century. Why is the resurrection so important? Another man from England, Michael Green put it so well when he wrote, "Christianity does not hold the resurrection to be one among many tenets of belief. Without faith in the resurrection there would be no Christianity at all." In other words, it is the chief tenet!
Please allow me to be of assistance in building your faith. Below is a partial review of the book The Resurrection of the Son of God by N.T. Wright. I want to encourage you to read this review and then purchase the book, especially if you find your faith weak. N.T. Wright is accepted across the board as one of the greatest New Testament scholars of our day, or any day for that matter. Instead of reading all the bad news in the papers or on the internet, read his book and allow your faith to be built up in the risen Lord!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
RICHARD N. OSTLING
Associated Press
Easter is a day not only of hope, but discord - at least among theologians.
Throughout modern times, liberal scholars have challenged a central tenet of Christianity: that Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead after being crucified by the Romans on Good Friday.
Whether the Resurrection occurred, they say, is ultimately unimportant compared with Christ's message.
But to myriad Christians - who each Sunday profess faith in Jesus' Resurrection and, ultimately, their own - that's heresy. Now, a conservative theologian is backing their viewpoint with a new book.
The Rev. N.T. "Tom" Wright, who will be consecrated in July as bishop of Durham, the fourth-highest Church of England post, has just produced the most monumental defense of the Easter heritage in decades.
Wright, 54, a prolific writer of both scholarly and popular books, is currently canon theologian of Westminster Abbey and a former university instructor at Cambridge, Oxford and McGill in Montreal. He often visits the United States, lecturing in his strong baritone.
Wright's 817-page The Resurrection of the Son of God (Fortress Press) marches through a clearly organized case that confronts every major doubt about Easter, ancient and modern.
He disputes those who think the Resurrection is "beyond history."
There's a historical question, Wright insists, that is inescapable: Why did Christianity emerge so rapidly, with such power, and why did believers risk everything to teach that Jesus really rose?
He concludes the best explanation is that the earliest Christians held two strong convictions that worked in tandem:
Jesus' tomb was discovered empty on Easter morning.
Jesus then appeared to his followers alive in bodily form. In other words, they held the convictions that make up the unvarnished New Testament story.
Wright carefully sifts the New Testament and adds to that his circumstantial and logical arguments.
The best history can provide with ancient events is a "high probability" they occurred, he says. The Easter story qualifies as true because all proposed alternatives fail to explain the early power of Christianity.
The oldest alternative, mentioned in Matthew 28:12-15, was the claim Jesus' body was stolen from the tomb. Wright notes the New Testament writers presented that possibility even at the risk of "putting ideas into people's heads." They did so, he says, precisely because skeptics were trying to explain why the tomb was empty.
Saturday, April 19, 2003
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Be convinced of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, purchase N.T. Wright's book!
Go Read,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
A person is defined as a "theological liberal" based on their stance on the authority of the Bible, the divinity of Christ, and the resurrection of Christ. For those of us who are more conservative or "biblical" in our beliefs, we would say that without the resurrection there is no Christianity at all. For us, everything rises and falls on the resurrection, or at least it should.
I recently heard the President of Gonzaga University enthusiastically promote a book that he just finished reading. The book was by N.T. Wright called The Resurrection of the Son of God. Gonzaga is a Catholic University in Washington and N.T. Wright is a conservative Anglican from England, and yet I have heard many Protestant scholars hail this book as one of the greatest works of the past century. Why is the resurrection so important? Another man from England, Michael Green put it so well when he wrote, "Christianity does not hold the resurrection to be one among many tenets of belief. Without faith in the resurrection there would be no Christianity at all." In other words, it is the chief tenet!
Please allow me to be of assistance in building your faith. Below is a partial review of the book The Resurrection of the Son of God by N.T. Wright. I want to encourage you to read this review and then purchase the book, especially if you find your faith weak. N.T. Wright is accepted across the board as one of the greatest New Testament scholars of our day, or any day for that matter. Instead of reading all the bad news in the papers or on the internet, read his book and allow your faith to be built up in the risen Lord!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
RICHARD N. OSTLING
Associated Press
Easter is a day not only of hope, but discord - at least among theologians.
Throughout modern times, liberal scholars have challenged a central tenet of Christianity: that Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead after being crucified by the Romans on Good Friday.
Whether the Resurrection occurred, they say, is ultimately unimportant compared with Christ's message.
But to myriad Christians - who each Sunday profess faith in Jesus' Resurrection and, ultimately, their own - that's heresy. Now, a conservative theologian is backing their viewpoint with a new book.
The Rev. N.T. "Tom" Wright, who will be consecrated in July as bishop of Durham, the fourth-highest Church of England post, has just produced the most monumental defense of the Easter heritage in decades.
Wright, 54, a prolific writer of both scholarly and popular books, is currently canon theologian of Westminster Abbey and a former university instructor at Cambridge, Oxford and McGill in Montreal. He often visits the United States, lecturing in his strong baritone.
Wright's 817-page The Resurrection of the Son of God (Fortress Press) marches through a clearly organized case that confronts every major doubt about Easter, ancient and modern.
He disputes those who think the Resurrection is "beyond history."
There's a historical question, Wright insists, that is inescapable: Why did Christianity emerge so rapidly, with such power, and why did believers risk everything to teach that Jesus really rose?
He concludes the best explanation is that the earliest Christians held two strong convictions that worked in tandem:
Jesus' tomb was discovered empty on Easter morning.
Jesus then appeared to his followers alive in bodily form. In other words, they held the convictions that make up the unvarnished New Testament story.
Wright carefully sifts the New Testament and adds to that his circumstantial and logical arguments.
The best history can provide with ancient events is a "high probability" they occurred, he says. The Easter story qualifies as true because all proposed alternatives fail to explain the early power of Christianity.
The oldest alternative, mentioned in Matthew 28:12-15, was the claim Jesus' body was stolen from the tomb. Wright notes the New Testament writers presented that possibility even at the risk of "putting ideas into people's heads." They did so, he says, precisely because skeptics were trying to explain why the tomb was empty.
Saturday, April 19, 2003
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Be convinced of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, purchase N.T. Wright's book!
Go Read,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, July 7, 2008
What's Behind The Curtain?
I never did like the Wizard of Oz as a kid. Ok, it was those flying monkeys that gave me the creeps. All the smoke, the fire, and the harsh tone of voice that came from Wizard made we want to go hide under my bed. You can well imagine how happy I was when Toto finally pulled back the curtain and revealed the little old man so gentle and sweet-the great Oz. Once that curtain was pulled back, the mysterious Oz was approachable.
I just cannot proceed to the resurrection of Christ without commenting on one of my favorite passages in the Gospels. It too speaks of a curtain and the revealing of someone great and mysterious.
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion who stood there in front of Jesus heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!" Mark 15: 37-39
"The curtain of the temple was torn" is just so captivating to me. Jesus was not even near the temple; He was slowly dying on a horrible cross. Although Jesus was not at the temple it seems people were aware that the curtain had been torn, not by man, but by God. It gives me goose bumps! Such a little phrase this is, yet it is THE story of the Bible and all of history.
This curtain was hung between the Holy Place and The Most Holy Place or the Holy of Holies. You might remember that the Holy of Holies was where Gods presence was and that once a year only the High Priest could enter there on the Day of Atonement. The curtain was woven out of blue, purple and scarlet threads into the form of a cherub and then sown onto white linen. The cherubim are and were the guardian angels of God's holiness. If anyone besides the High Priest made it past the curtain they would surly die.
Just as Jesus breaths his last human breath the curtain tears from top to bottom. Its significance makes you want to shout "Glory to God!" The tearing of the curtain tells us that for the first time in human history every man, woman, and child had direct access to God! Yes, priests and pastors still have their function but anyone can come directly to God because of the death and resurrection of Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. For centuries, the righteous ones had longed for this; the promise they were holding on to. Jesus brought us all back into a right relationship with God. It's back to the Garden of Eden where we can once again commune with the living God because of His indwelling Spirit! It's what God wanted from the beginning.
There were many who understood the significance of this event, including Jewish priests. Acts 6:7 tell us that there were priests who became followers of Jesus. "So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith." Maybe they became followers of Jesus because they saw the curtain supernaturally tear. Could it be that they were the ones who told the other followers like Peter and John what had actually happened. It was certainly a significant event that did not fall on deaf ears.
By the time the book of Hebrews was penned, followers of Jesus knew quite well what this tearing of the curtain meant to them. "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, this his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our own hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."
Yes, we have access to God because that curtain was torn, but the more amazing thing to me is that God came after me. I did not tear the curtain, God did! God is the pursuer in His relationship with humanity. He made it possible to bring His creation back from the curse of the garden. He is the one who is deeply in love with us and committed to us. When that curtain was torn I would imagine all of heaven sang for joy and all the demons of hell stood up to take notice.
We must get this drilled into our heads and our hearts-God wants us. He wants to walk with us, talk with us, hear from us, guide us, love us, counsel us, console us, reveal to us-God is for us!
St. Augustine the Catholic and Charles Spurgeon the Protestant both agreed upon this point of God's love. It was St. Augustine who wrote, "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us to love" and Charles Spurgeon penned, "He knows your case as thoroughly as if you were the only creature He ever made, or the only saint He ever loved." Both these great men of faith came to understanding that they were loved not because of their gifts or sacrifice, but because the God who is love, chose to love them.
I am encouraged by the words of Meister Eckhart from the 13th century, "For however devoted you are to God, you may be sure that he is immeasurably more devoted to you."
He made it possible for us to come to Him at anytime so let's take Him up on it. As Meister Echart also wrote, "God is at home, it we who have gone out for a walk" Let's ring His door bell and spend some time with Him this week. The curtain is gone and His door is open.
Peace,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
I just cannot proceed to the resurrection of Christ without commenting on one of my favorite passages in the Gospels. It too speaks of a curtain and the revealing of someone great and mysterious.
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion who stood there in front of Jesus heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!" Mark 15: 37-39
"The curtain of the temple was torn" is just so captivating to me. Jesus was not even near the temple; He was slowly dying on a horrible cross. Although Jesus was not at the temple it seems people were aware that the curtain had been torn, not by man, but by God. It gives me goose bumps! Such a little phrase this is, yet it is THE story of the Bible and all of history.
This curtain was hung between the Holy Place and The Most Holy Place or the Holy of Holies. You might remember that the Holy of Holies was where Gods presence was and that once a year only the High Priest could enter there on the Day of Atonement. The curtain was woven out of blue, purple and scarlet threads into the form of a cherub and then sown onto white linen. The cherubim are and were the guardian angels of God's holiness. If anyone besides the High Priest made it past the curtain they would surly die.
Just as Jesus breaths his last human breath the curtain tears from top to bottom. Its significance makes you want to shout "Glory to God!" The tearing of the curtain tells us that for the first time in human history every man, woman, and child had direct access to God! Yes, priests and pastors still have their function but anyone can come directly to God because of the death and resurrection of Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. For centuries, the righteous ones had longed for this; the promise they were holding on to. Jesus brought us all back into a right relationship with God. It's back to the Garden of Eden where we can once again commune with the living God because of His indwelling Spirit! It's what God wanted from the beginning.
There were many who understood the significance of this event, including Jewish priests. Acts 6:7 tell us that there were priests who became followers of Jesus. "So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith." Maybe they became followers of Jesus because they saw the curtain supernaturally tear. Could it be that they were the ones who told the other followers like Peter and John what had actually happened. It was certainly a significant event that did not fall on deaf ears.
By the time the book of Hebrews was penned, followers of Jesus knew quite well what this tearing of the curtain meant to them. "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, this his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our own hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."
Yes, we have access to God because that curtain was torn, but the more amazing thing to me is that God came after me. I did not tear the curtain, God did! God is the pursuer in His relationship with humanity. He made it possible to bring His creation back from the curse of the garden. He is the one who is deeply in love with us and committed to us. When that curtain was torn I would imagine all of heaven sang for joy and all the demons of hell stood up to take notice.
We must get this drilled into our heads and our hearts-God wants us. He wants to walk with us, talk with us, hear from us, guide us, love us, counsel us, console us, reveal to us-God is for us!
St. Augustine the Catholic and Charles Spurgeon the Protestant both agreed upon this point of God's love. It was St. Augustine who wrote, "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us to love" and Charles Spurgeon penned, "He knows your case as thoroughly as if you were the only creature He ever made, or the only saint He ever loved." Both these great men of faith came to understanding that they were loved not because of their gifts or sacrifice, but because the God who is love, chose to love them.
I am encouraged by the words of Meister Eckhart from the 13th century, "For however devoted you are to God, you may be sure that he is immeasurably more devoted to you."
He made it possible for us to come to Him at anytime so let's take Him up on it. As Meister Echart also wrote, "God is at home, it we who have gone out for a walk" Let's ring His door bell and spend some time with Him this week. The curtain is gone and His door is open.
Peace,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, June 30, 2008
Take Comfort In The Cross
The slam against evangelists through the years has been that they only have three or four sermons that they keep repeating. Most of the time the criticism came from pastors who had to weekly crank out a sermon for their congregation. Some of the accusations have been true, but there are others of us who do study and do produce new material as the Lord works in our lives. However, I eagerly confess that there is one sermon I have been preaching for well over twenty years.
For those who have been a part of our ministry teams to various parts of the world, they have heard me preach on the cross of Christ from the Gospel of Matthew. Years ago I studied the crucifixion from a historical and medical point of view. I was so moved back then by the brutality of that Roman form of execution. When you combine the crucifixion with the scourging that Jesus received, it is correct in saying that Jesus was not even recognizable while He hung on the cross for my sin.
It is not my purpose today to preach that sermon to you, if you want to hear it then come with me one of our ministry trips. Better yet, go rent Mel Gibson's Passion of Christ which finally shows the Passion as it really was. I can well remember seeing the advertisements for that movie and thinking to myself, "Someone finally got it right."The cross was brutal. The cross was ugly. The cross was execution at its worst.
Today the cross has been sanitized for us. What I mean is that we see it so often that it has little impact on us. It has become an art form or a fashion accessory. People who do not have any intention of following Christ will wear the cross. That has certainly not always been the case. As we look back in history we find that for many years after the death of Christ the cross was not at all accepted as the sign for Christians. In the earliest years of the church the symbol for followers of Jesus was the fish, as the cross was repulsive to them.
As early as second century the Christians were known to have made a sign of the cross on their foreheads. It was a way that they could be identified by other believers. They would either use something like charcoal to make the sign or just trace it on their foreheads much like the Catholics do to this day. The cross soon became the symbol of Christ's suffering and desired physical expression of the believer's faith. As early as the third century we find that the body of Christ was added to the cross in what we would now call a crucifix (Latin for "to torture") and by the fifth century the crucifix was established as a reminder of the sufferings of Christ. These items were primarily used for personal devotions and private prayer.
I would encourage you even today to read Mark chapter 15 and the account of the crucifixion. Throughout much of Christian history bearing the cross would get one killed or worse, tortured. In our society it really costs us nothing to have a cross hanging on our necks or tattooed on our arms. (No, I don't have a tattoo). There is a store in San Diego down by the water that sells only crosses. It is a beautiful store, but no one will harass you or want to kill you because you go in there to buy a cross. My point is we have lost the power, majesty and awe of the cross of Christ.
Last year I was invited to go to a Catholic church for a service. Out of kindness I went, even though I kind of felt like I had to keep looking over my shoulder to make sure none of my friends saw me. As long as I live, I will never forget the first sight of going into that church. It literally made my knees buckle. There on the front wall behind the altar was an enormous cross, but not just a cross, a crucifix. It hit me full force, the reality of Jesus dying on that cross for me. As a protestant, I am not used to seeing a portrayal of Christ hanging on a cross. Seeing the representation of Christ's body on that cross made me want to drop to my knees, bow my head, and cry out, "My Lord and my Savior." It made me want to search every area of my heart and life to see if it all truly lined up with the ways of Christ. I can honestly say that seeing that crucifix some seven months ago is still impacting my behavior.
Jesus told us that in our lifetime that we are going to have deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. I have been recently struck by the fact that Christ mentioned our cross before He ever got to His. It must have seemed strange for His followers to hear those words, "Take up your cross." As time went on they understood those words quite well as following Christ cost so many all their earthy possessions and even their very lives. Christians that were martyred were often venerated or given "sainthood" as a way of brining courage to those who were about to enter a fiery trial. Today the church in America wants to hear nothing of denying self or taking up of the cross, and we no little of the hero's of our faith.
The question has always been the same, "Will you follow Jesus Christ if it cost you something?" As our economy sinks and our moral fiber slowly dissipates, will we still be joyful followers of Jesus Christ? As we are now paying close to $5.00 a gallon for gas here in California and our property values have plummeted, will we still raise our hands on Sunday morning to worship the King? We have to remember that you cannot have the crown without the cross.
Followers of Jesus down through history can agree on one thing, Jesus keeps His promises. Jesus has told us clearly that He "will never leave us nor forsake us" and that His love for us will never cease. We are Children of God, Children of the Cross and during these difficult days of job loss, dried up savings accounts and loss of homes, Jesus is HERE to help us bear the cross. We are never alone!
Be at peace,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
For those who have been a part of our ministry teams to various parts of the world, they have heard me preach on the cross of Christ from the Gospel of Matthew. Years ago I studied the crucifixion from a historical and medical point of view. I was so moved back then by the brutality of that Roman form of execution. When you combine the crucifixion with the scourging that Jesus received, it is correct in saying that Jesus was not even recognizable while He hung on the cross for my sin.
It is not my purpose today to preach that sermon to you, if you want to hear it then come with me one of our ministry trips. Better yet, go rent Mel Gibson's Passion of Christ which finally shows the Passion as it really was. I can well remember seeing the advertisements for that movie and thinking to myself, "Someone finally got it right."The cross was brutal. The cross was ugly. The cross was execution at its worst.
Today the cross has been sanitized for us. What I mean is that we see it so often that it has little impact on us. It has become an art form or a fashion accessory. People who do not have any intention of following Christ will wear the cross. That has certainly not always been the case. As we look back in history we find that for many years after the death of Christ the cross was not at all accepted as the sign for Christians. In the earliest years of the church the symbol for followers of Jesus was the fish, as the cross was repulsive to them.
As early as second century the Christians were known to have made a sign of the cross on their foreheads. It was a way that they could be identified by other believers. They would either use something like charcoal to make the sign or just trace it on their foreheads much like the Catholics do to this day. The cross soon became the symbol of Christ's suffering and desired physical expression of the believer's faith. As early as the third century we find that the body of Christ was added to the cross in what we would now call a crucifix (Latin for "to torture") and by the fifth century the crucifix was established as a reminder of the sufferings of Christ. These items were primarily used for personal devotions and private prayer.
I would encourage you even today to read Mark chapter 15 and the account of the crucifixion. Throughout much of Christian history bearing the cross would get one killed or worse, tortured. In our society it really costs us nothing to have a cross hanging on our necks or tattooed on our arms. (No, I don't have a tattoo). There is a store in San Diego down by the water that sells only crosses. It is a beautiful store, but no one will harass you or want to kill you because you go in there to buy a cross. My point is we have lost the power, majesty and awe of the cross of Christ.
Last year I was invited to go to a Catholic church for a service. Out of kindness I went, even though I kind of felt like I had to keep looking over my shoulder to make sure none of my friends saw me. As long as I live, I will never forget the first sight of going into that church. It literally made my knees buckle. There on the front wall behind the altar was an enormous cross, but not just a cross, a crucifix. It hit me full force, the reality of Jesus dying on that cross for me. As a protestant, I am not used to seeing a portrayal of Christ hanging on a cross. Seeing the representation of Christ's body on that cross made me want to drop to my knees, bow my head, and cry out, "My Lord and my Savior." It made me want to search every area of my heart and life to see if it all truly lined up with the ways of Christ. I can honestly say that seeing that crucifix some seven months ago is still impacting my behavior.
Jesus told us that in our lifetime that we are going to have deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. I have been recently struck by the fact that Christ mentioned our cross before He ever got to His. It must have seemed strange for His followers to hear those words, "Take up your cross." As time went on they understood those words quite well as following Christ cost so many all their earthy possessions and even their very lives. Christians that were martyred were often venerated or given "sainthood" as a way of brining courage to those who were about to enter a fiery trial. Today the church in America wants to hear nothing of denying self or taking up of the cross, and we no little of the hero's of our faith.
The question has always been the same, "Will you follow Jesus Christ if it cost you something?" As our economy sinks and our moral fiber slowly dissipates, will we still be joyful followers of Jesus Christ? As we are now paying close to $5.00 a gallon for gas here in California and our property values have plummeted, will we still raise our hands on Sunday morning to worship the King? We have to remember that you cannot have the crown without the cross.
Followers of Jesus down through history can agree on one thing, Jesus keeps His promises. Jesus has told us clearly that He "will never leave us nor forsake us" and that His love for us will never cease. We are Children of God, Children of the Cross and during these difficult days of job loss, dried up savings accounts and loss of homes, Jesus is HERE to help us bear the cross. We are never alone!
Be at peace,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, June 23, 2008
Envy Leads to Malice
Before I begin my devotional thought for today, I want to thank you for your prayers for our recent ministry in Iquitos, Peru. We will be sending out a praise report this week to the glory of God. Our work there continues as we partner together with you to share the love of Christ. Praise the Lord for the lives that were touched and the souls that were saved as a result of your prayers and support!
As we come to Mark chapter 15, the crucifixion of Christ is now upon us. Jesus is brought before Pilate to be judged and Pilate, for various reasons, wants to wash his hands of the whole situation. Jesus was brought to Pilate by the religious leaders under the pretense that they were concerned about Jesus being a threat to the Roman government. The Scripture says that "the chief priests accused him (Jesus) of many things." They wanted Him dead at all cost and it had nothing to do with the security of the Roman government. Pilate had a custom of releasing one prisoner of the people's choosing during the Passover.
Pilate must have been hoping that they would ask for the release of Jesus, but instead they asked for Barabbas-surprise surprise! We know little about this man, but we do know that Pilate kept his word and released Barabbas to them once the crowd began to go hysterical with shouts of Jesus' crucifixion.
Look at the drama of this scene: "Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate, knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. Mark 15:9-11
Pilate was a smart man, a man of the world and he greatly understood the inner workings of men's hearts. He had not risen through the ranks of the Roman government without being able to read between the lines of the behavior of others. Pilate knew very well that the priests were not loyal to Caesar, just as he knew Jesus was not a threat to the Roman government. He correctly perceived that the real issue was one of envy. Here is a pagan Roman official discerning the spiritual condition of those who claimed to be closest to God. Amazing!
Envy is a feeling of sorrow at another's good fortune. We see this sin at all levels of society. Envy finds joy when evil or loss befalls someone else. It is not just that we are angry that someone else received something good in life, but envy causes us to be thrilled at the pain the other person is going through. The modern American culture is built upon the sin envy. Just listen to new casts, talk radio, commercials and conversation at the office or job site. No one is ever happy for someone else's success and we relish in the demise of others.
It is most amazing that this sin is found most frequently in the church. Every Sunday there are those who are in great pain because of the success of another brother or sister. One church becomes envious of another for their numerical growth or their notoriety in the community. Staff members become envious as one ministry is exalted over another, at least in their minds. Members fight over territory, resources and "platform time." The world has crept into the church and we don't even notice it.
Just as the priests were envious towards Jesus because of His popularity and power we find ourselves envious in the same way. The worst kind of envy is that which comes against the Holy Spirit. It is the envy of someone else's gifts-spiritual gifts. People become competitive and envious over the very gift's that God the Holy Spirit distributes. I have seen it with my own eyes even in our ministry. It is frightening. It is deadly. It is ugly.
Don't try to be something you are not because you think it will advance you, or bring attention to you. Don't mimic someone else's gifts because in the end you will only be frustrated and probably embarrassed. I have met more people who think they are teachers or preachers who have no gifting whatsoever for that ministry. They are envious of that gift, they want it, but they don't. Envy kills a church and the envy of others spiritual gifts is a sin against the Holy Spirit!
The Spirit has given you gifts and you must know what they are. There are plenty of resources available to help you discover your gifts. But the best way to find your gift is to not sit around and read about gifts, but to get busy serving the Lord. You will find things that come naturally to you and things that don't. Other people will confirm to you what your gifts are as well; listen to what they are saying. The best place to start though is to ask the One who gave you the gifts what He wants you do for Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what gifts He has given to you and how He wants you to use them. I am almost 52 and I still pray that prayer because I know I can deceive myself, thinking I have gifts I don't have. The priests should have been working with Jesus not against Him. Envy leads to dissention, factions and eventually to malice. And it was malice that caused the chief priests to call for the death of Jesus. Malice is envy at its worst since joy is attained through the pain of others, just the opposite of "loving my neighbor as myself." Get busy for your Lord and let Him reveal the unique gifts He has given to you!
Bless you,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, June 16, 2008
No Comparison
Regular devotions will resume next week.
This week we are sharing an excerpt from Dan Owens book, A Joy That Is Real.
Take advantage of our SPECIAL OFFER RATE of only $4.50 (free shipping) and Order Now
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
(Philippians 3:7-11)
We compare all the time. We compare the old with the new; we compare our jobs, homes, possessions, and our families with other people. For some people, comparisons lead them to believe that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
In this passage, Paul compares a few things. After instructing the Philippians to put no confidence in the flesh, he tells them where they should put their confidence-in knowing Christ and the power of his resurrection.
Paul knew that his credentials were only good for this world. All the notoriety, all the accolades, and all his accomplishments were present gains that were nothing when compared to knowing Christ. He considered them rubbish-literally "garbage."
I have seen ministers come to Christ. It is quite a shock to most people, but I have seen pastors of all backgrounds come forward at evangelistic events and pray to accept Christ. It might be hard for some of us imagine. Some people are walking around like Paul was, trying to reach God by doing good deeds. Jesus finally came to Paul and showed him that he needed faith, because without it, nothing else matters.
G.K. Chesterton writes, "Let your religion be less of theory and more of a love affair." As a Pharisee, Paul certainly had the theory down, but he had to realize that faith was more important in bringing him to the point of salvation.
Unfortunately, humans have always wanted to make up rules for God. The Pharisees had more than six hundred rules and regulations. Keeping them supposedly would make them spiritual and bring them closer to God. As Paul looks back, he realizes that all those laws didn't do a bit of good. They were all worthless compared to knowing Jesus.
We have to ask ourselves: Would I consider everything I have as garbage compared to knowing Christ? Is he all I need?
Be blessed,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
This week we are sharing an excerpt from Dan Owens book, A Joy That Is Real.
Take advantage of our SPECIAL OFFER RATE of only $4.50 (free shipping) and Order Now
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
(Philippians 3:7-11)
We compare all the time. We compare the old with the new; we compare our jobs, homes, possessions, and our families with other people. For some people, comparisons lead them to believe that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
In this passage, Paul compares a few things. After instructing the Philippians to put no confidence in the flesh, he tells them where they should put their confidence-in knowing Christ and the power of his resurrection.
Paul knew that his credentials were only good for this world. All the notoriety, all the accolades, and all his accomplishments were present gains that were nothing when compared to knowing Christ. He considered them rubbish-literally "garbage."
I have seen ministers come to Christ. It is quite a shock to most people, but I have seen pastors of all backgrounds come forward at evangelistic events and pray to accept Christ. It might be hard for some of us imagine. Some people are walking around like Paul was, trying to reach God by doing good deeds. Jesus finally came to Paul and showed him that he needed faith, because without it, nothing else matters.
G.K. Chesterton writes, "Let your religion be less of theory and more of a love affair." As a Pharisee, Paul certainly had the theory down, but he had to realize that faith was more important in bringing him to the point of salvation.
Unfortunately, humans have always wanted to make up rules for God. The Pharisees had more than six hundred rules and regulations. Keeping them supposedly would make them spiritual and bring them closer to God. As Paul looks back, he realizes that all those laws didn't do a bit of good. They were all worthless compared to knowing Jesus.
We have to ask ourselves: Would I consider everything I have as garbage compared to knowing Christ? Is he all I need?
Be blessed,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, June 9, 2008
God is Benevolent
Dan Owens and the Eternity Minded Ministries' ministry team is returning from Iquitos Peru today. Regular devotions will resume next week.
This week we are sharing another excerpt from Dan Owens book, A Faith That Is Real.
Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow
(James 1:16-18)
It is God's nature to give. In verse 17, James says, "Every good and perfect gift is rom above." God does not give us temptations. He gives us good and perfect gifts, and we receive those gifts every day.
One of the most encouraging things we can do is look at our day and try to identify all the gifts God has given us in it. Intead of going through the day complaining and being negative, we should go through our day looking at all the wonderful gifts he has bestowed upon us. We need to understand that God is benevolent and that every day he gives us gifts. He gives us the gift of laughter. Today, we can laugh, we can smile, we can have joy. Health is a gift. Family is a gift. We are able to enjoy the gift of nature all around us. Because of God's goodness to us, we have the gifts of love, friendship, and forgiveness. Here James is telling us, "Listen, God's not giving you a temptation. No, God is the benevolent Father who is giving you good and perfect gifts."
As the psalmist said of God, "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters . . . my cup overflows" (Psalm 23:2, 5). Every good and perfect gift-love, laughter, family, nature, joy, friends, church, everything that we have-has come down from the Father who says, "I want to bless you with a gift."
I always enjoy reading in the Old Testament about the way God dealth with Israel. Through his servant Moses, God told his people:
See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. (Deuteronomy 30:15-18)
As we read that passage, we would think that the choice would be obvious. Who wouldn't want to choose life and blessing? God warned the Israelites of what would happen to them if they disobeyed him, but they disobeyed anyway. And still, again and again, he allowed them to repent, and he blessed them. What a picture of the benevolence of God. But what a picture of the way we act toward his benevolence.
I love the story of the prodigal son (see Luke 15:11-32). It is one of the greatest illustrations of God's love. Even though the son disobeyed and disrespected his father, when he finally returned, the father not only welcomed his son back, but he ran out to meet him. God our father is waiting with open arms for us. He is running toward us, and he wants us to run to him.
When our kids are young, we like to pick them up, hug them hold them, and kiss their chubby little cheeks. But do they want that? Of course not-they would rather be playing. I think God's the same way. He tries to hold on to us, but we get distracted by "fun stuff" that we think we would rather be doing. "Come on spend some time with me," he says.
But we are full of excuses. "God, I've got so much to do today and so many people to meet. Maybe tonight . . . or tomorrow." Our Father wants to be with us, but we have to make time for him.
Henri Nouwen said it best in his book, The Return of the Prodigal Son. "Here is the God I want to believe in: a Father who, from the beginning of creation, has stretched out his arms in merciful blessing, never forcing himself on anyone, but always waiting; never letting his arms drop down in despair, but always hoping that his children will return so that he can speak words of love to them . . . his only desire is to bless."
Be blessed,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, June 2, 2008
Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow
Dan Owens and a ministry team of 31 believers are currently ministering to the people of Punchana, Iquitos, Peru.
The following is an excerpt from Dan Owens book, A Faith That Is Real.
For more information about our ministry in Iquitos or books by Dan Owens, visit www.eternityminded.org.
Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow (James 1:16-18)
A seven-year old boy cannot stop fidgeting during Sunday school. He tries to pay attention, but it is so hard to sit still. Finally, he can't take it any longer, and he yells out to the teacher, "Can we hurry up? This is so boring."
A little girl turns quickly, punches him in the side, and says, "Be quiet. It's supposed to be boring."
One of my greatest fears when I am speaking is that people will think I am boring. I had some boring professors in college, and I have heard boring pastors at times. I don't want to be like them; I don't want to put people to sleep.
Are we bored with church and with God? Do we look at the world and think it looks like fun because God is so boring?" Do we feel that God is mundane?
If so, James says to us, "Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" (1:16-17).
Why are we bored with God? Because our hearts are distracted by the world. We need a better understanding of who God is. We need to know his character. Then we can praise the God from whom all blessings flow.
God is Not Out to Destroy Us
The word James uses for God in this passage is Father (1:17). In Matthew 7:11, Jesus reminded us that even earthly fathers give good gifts to their children. How much more will our heavenly Father give us good gifts? Don't be deceived into thinking that somehow God is trying to trip you up and destroy you. He cares for you even more than an earthly father cares for his children.
I am worried somestimes by how easily I can be deceived. My mind plays tricks on me and tells me that something is okay when it's not. Someone once said, "The ingenuity of self-deception is inexhaustible." So James tells us not to be deceived. God is our Father, says James, and he is not trying to put sin in our way.
We cringe when we read stories in the newspaper of parents who have done horrible things to their kids. When we read a story about a mother who killed her own children, we groan inside and think, "How in the world could a parent do such a thing?"
When I think of my own kids, I can't imagine doing anything to cause them pain. But I have to remember that earthly fathers are not perfect. God, our heavenly Father, is perfect, and he does not want to see us in pain. James reminds us in the previous verses that God is not the one who tempts us. He does not seek to do us harm. On the contrary, he wants to bless us.
Be blessed,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
The following is an excerpt from Dan Owens book, A Faith That Is Real.
For more information about our ministry in Iquitos or books by Dan Owens, visit www.eternityminded.org.
Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow (James 1:16-18)
A seven-year old boy cannot stop fidgeting during Sunday school. He tries to pay attention, but it is so hard to sit still. Finally, he can't take it any longer, and he yells out to the teacher, "Can we hurry up? This is so boring."
A little girl turns quickly, punches him in the side, and says, "Be quiet. It's supposed to be boring."
One of my greatest fears when I am speaking is that people will think I am boring. I had some boring professors in college, and I have heard boring pastors at times. I don't want to be like them; I don't want to put people to sleep.
Are we bored with church and with God? Do we look at the world and think it looks like fun because God is so boring?" Do we feel that God is mundane?
If so, James says to us, "Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" (1:16-17).
Why are we bored with God? Because our hearts are distracted by the world. We need a better understanding of who God is. We need to know his character. Then we can praise the God from whom all blessings flow.
God is Not Out to Destroy Us
The word James uses for God in this passage is Father (1:17). In Matthew 7:11, Jesus reminded us that even earthly fathers give good gifts to their children. How much more will our heavenly Father give us good gifts? Don't be deceived into thinking that somehow God is trying to trip you up and destroy you. He cares for you even more than an earthly father cares for his children.
I am worried somestimes by how easily I can be deceived. My mind plays tricks on me and tells me that something is okay when it's not. Someone once said, "The ingenuity of self-deception is inexhaustible." So James tells us not to be deceived. God is our Father, says James, and he is not trying to put sin in our way.
We cringe when we read stories in the newspaper of parents who have done horrible things to their kids. When we read a story about a mother who killed her own children, we groan inside and think, "How in the world could a parent do such a thing?"
When I think of my own kids, I can't imagine doing anything to cause them pain. But I have to remember that earthly fathers are not perfect. God, our heavenly Father, is perfect, and he does not want to see us in pain. James reminds us in the previous verses that God is not the one who tempts us. He does not seek to do us harm. On the contrary, he wants to bless us.
Be blessed,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, May 26, 2008
A Couple of New Thoughts
While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. "You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus," she said. But he denied it. "I don't know or understand what you are talking about," he said, and went out into the entryway. When the servant girl saw him there she said again to those standing around, "This fellow is one of them." Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, "Surly you are one of them, for you area a Galilean." He began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know this man you're talking about." Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times." And he broke down and wept. (Mark 14:66-72) I am not sure there is a more preached upon passage of Scripture than this one. I have heard more self-righteous sermons about how horrible it was for Peter to deny the Lord. With the preacher's finger pointed to the congregation asking us how many times we deny the Lord just like Peter. I have also heard sermons dealing with the humanness of Peter and how we are all weak when temptation strikes. It can almost come across like we can sin all we want because Jesus knows how frail we are. There is a bit of truth in both of those sides, but the focus should not be on Peter's failure but on the Lord's forgiveness! Hallelujah. Jesus already knew Peter was going to stumble big time, but he also knew that he would not make this a habit in the future. Yes, we all sin, but because we are filled with the Holy Spirit the Lord expects us to get beyond those sins. I would like to make a couple of different observations regarding this passage. As I meditated on it, I noticed a couple of things that I had never really thought of. I don't know about you, but I get excited when I see something new in Scripture. First thing I noticed was that pesty little servant girl. That girl was a major pain! She is a servant girl; she has no business in this whole matter of Jesus' arrest. Mark said that she looked at Peter "closely", and then we he moved away she went and followed him out into the entryway. What's up with that? The little brat made a big scene with her big mouth by drawing the attention of others to Peter. Maybe she was trying to "kiss-up" to her boss by finding out some juicy information. It could be that she was just a nasty little mean spirited girl. Let's face it; there are people like that in our world, in your world. They are at work, they live in our neighborhoods, and they even attend church. We have a neighbor down the street that is so nasty that the police have been called out over thirty times to their house. Praise the Lord we are several doors away and don't have to deal with them. It's just best to stay away from some people. You might be thinking, "Well Dan, should we try to build relationships with them and lead them to Christ?" Well, if you are ready to let the hordes of hell into your life and home then go for it. The Bible tells us that there are "God-haters" who are bent on destruction, and that means the destruction of you and your family. No wonder the Apostle Paul admonished us to stay away from mean nasty people who just like to make life miserable for others. Just because someone smiles and uses church words does not mean that they are people that you want to let into your home. Now, the second thing I noticed was Peter's words after he cursed. I have never really thought about how sad they are. Peter said, "I don't know this man you are talking about." That is so sad because I believe Peter was telling the truth-he did not know the man. Have you ever been in one of life's situations where a person changes before your very eyes? How many couples have decided to divorce with the final words of, "I don't even know you anymore" being said? How many friends part company with the words, "I thought I knew you, but I guess I didn't?" It is horrible to think you know someone only to find out you really didn't. Peter thought he had Jesus all figured out. He thought he knew what the plan was for this new Kingdom that Jesus was going bring. He thought that Jesus was Lord, Messiah, and ruler, but in the end Jesus was arrested and led away. What kind of ruler, Messiah, and Lord was Jesus? When asked if he knew Jesus, Peter responds with "I don't know this man, I thought I did but now I guess I never really did." You see, we are blessed with being able to see the "big picture" while Peter only saw that night. Three years of traveling with Jesus now seemed like a total waste of time to Peter. Peter goes back to fishing. The game is over. The dream is gone. Jesus was now only chapter in Peter's life. However, Peter would soon see the "big picture" as well and he would become the leader of the church in every way. Jesus tells us in Matthew that a day will come when He will tell some people that He never knew them. Yes, even though they said the right words, did the right deeds and looked the part, Jesus will walk away from them. If Jesus can say that He did know me, then I can also say that I never knew Him. What a horrible thought! Is there anything in your life right now that is more important than knowing Jesus? No! We have the Holy Spirit, we have the Scriptures and we have 2,000 years of church history to help us know Jesus quite well. We are to be pitied more than Peter if we "don't know this man" as we can and should.
Be blessed,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
http://www.eternityminded.org/
Be blessed,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
http://www.eternityminded.org/
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