Category: Jesus Christ

American Idols, the Next Season

 

“And though they worshiped the Lord, they continued to follow their own gods according to the religious customs of the nations from which they came.” 

2 Kings 17:33, NLT

 

Exclusive worship is not exactly the first choice of an outwardly religious people.  It can be offensive to the spiritual sensitivities of a people wanting an extra edge on blessing and favor.  We like to hedge our bets and cover our bases.  Worshipping Jehovah alone goes against all we feel and believe from a earthly viewpoint.

Idol worship is alive and well in America.  No longer restricted by carvings of stone or wood, we have ascended to worshipping concepts, or ideas.  For example, “materialism” used to be worshipped as a Golden Calf.  Today it is a god that is worshipped by many in a completely re-done format.  Go down to the Financial District of New York or San Francisco and you will see it laid out pretty obvious. Great effort and considerable activity is given to follow this idol.  Actually an idol is anything we love, find security in, look to instead of God.

Sex, power, music, art, politics, education, popularity and sports are open to people who want to worship.  The ritual of this kind of worship is easier and more prevelant then ever.  Christian believers are hardly immune.  People who fear God alone are rare.  We perpetuate attitudes and ideas that we pass on as our “values” to our children.  It is no wonder they rebel.  Often in their innocence they can see right through our hypocrisy.

We are specialists in spiritual syncretism.  It seems we have achieved a level of sophistication that idolatry and true worship have been blended to our tastes, and we swallow it all with minimal discomfort.  Heck, it even tastes good!  And it gives us so much in return (we think).

As we worship other things, we become enured to the truth.  We begin to actually prefer the taste of lies (as long as they are blended well).  Many times I have sampled other things, typically convenient and attractive.  Like a mineral vein in a mine shaft, it runs very deep and hidden.  It typically starts off small, and not hardly noticeable.  But it works its way through our minds and hearts.

When we first start worshipping an idol we have feelings of guilt and shame. Deep down we know it is not right (Isa. 45:16; Psalm 106:36) It is an universal truth that idols, in their mirage-like characteristics, lead us to spiritual poverty and confusion.  Since we become hardened by this false worship, we hardly notice.  When people (or books) speak truth to us, we will typically become angry and defensive.  We are pretty protective of our favorite idol.  Typically, if there is hostility, there you will find an idol.

Idolatry is running rampant through our culture.  It is not something we have “outgrown” as a civilization, rather we have “grown into it”. There now exists a sophistication to idol worship that the ancient Israelites lacked.  We have developed a blend that denies nothing and promises everything.  And any commitment to exclusive truth is regarded as fanaticism, hate and bigotry. 

“Little children, keep yourself from idols.”  1 John 5:21

iPod Theology: How to Get Closer Yet

I love gadgets.  Those veritable wonders of technology.  Typically overpriced with a short lifespan, but they still amaze me.  I saw something a few months ago that clicked with me; it was incredible. (But I can be a real geek sometimes.)

It was a platform, made to look like a classic varnished wood tray.  But what it was, was a charging station.  You laid all your iPods, cell phones, Blackberrys and Androids on this pad, and in the morning they would be charged and ready to use.  No need to plug them in, they were instead were juiced by lying on this special platform.

I’m not certain that this constitutes one of life’s necessities.  But a few days ago I began to think about the spiritual significance of this, and how we receive our strength. It’s not really often that this happens to me.

The Apostle John was one who was energized with his contact with Jesus.  He drew strength from being in close proximity with Him.  If there was ever a discipleship challenge it was John–one of the “sons of thunder”.  Full of energy, he could be vindictive, intolerant, self-righteous and very ambitious.  He was confronted by Jesus on more than one occasions for arrogance.  And yet, he was perhaps the man most transformed by being with Jesus.

John stood at the foot of the cross, holding and soothing Mary.  He went on to preach several notable sermons in the Book of Acts (with Peter).  He wrote much of the New Testament, including Revelation.  His books of 1, 2 and 3 John are known for the subject of Christian love.  Ten times he told early believers that they were to “love each other”, and that would be their mark of authenticity.

Something happened to John.  He was energized by love for Jesus, his Savior.  We see him at the Last Supper, leaning on his Lord.  It appears he just drew close, and rested his head on his friend.  He became known, as “the disciple that Jesus loved”. I believe that love very often begets love.

As a struggling and imperfect believer myself, I find that when I’m near Jesus, I become strong.  Psalms talks about “the nearness of God is my good.”  Christianity is different than other world religions in that it is built on a living (resurrected) Lord who we are to be in communication with, and to have an ongoing relationship with.  There should be a deliberate and planned intimacy between God and believers. 

Its a lot like that charging station I spoke about earlier.  I come to Him, and rest, just enjoying His presence.  Something happens.  I am encouraged and energized.  Leaning on Jesus I become strong.  Being in close proximity with Him gives my Christian life a vitality.  I get drained, and functioning isn’t possible (I try).  I get the urge (like John) to call down fire from heaven on my enemies, and then push myself into the limelight to be noticed.

Dear one, I beg of you to draw close to Him today.  Get into His presence, just be with Him; and all of hell will try to stop you.  But Jesus has promised that “He will never leave us, or forsake us.”

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“But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,That I may tell of all Your works.”

–Psalm 73:28

Thy Kingdom Come

“Come and set up your kingdom, so that everyone on earth will obey you, as you are obeyed in heaven.” Matthew 6:10, CEV

 

The Lord’s Prayer is like a skyscraper that has an inner skeleton of steel, very solid and very strong.  Jesus wants to teach His disciples to pray–to pray intelligently.  He is eager for them to learn what He knows.  This prayer cuts through the grime of religious gobble-de-gook, and is intended to make disciples out of believers with its assertions of what is real.

There is a need for people to pray–really pray.  Jesus shares what is of ultimate importance; the need of people to bring down heaven to earth.  Heaven on earth!  Think of it.  The spiritual climate of heaven, brought to earth for men to enjoy.  It’s like when it’s 100 F. and you come into an air-conditioned building.  What a relief! This phrase of the Lord’s Prayer indicates our license to pray for outrageous things to happen in the culture we are steeped in.

So far, we have seen little that would lead us to believe that praying like this would affect our world.  But that would diminish and even trivialize Jesus and His teaching.  The problem must lie with us then, and we are the reason that it hasn’t happened.

Praying for obedience, praying for the will of God to come and take over.  Our Churches are not merely a spot for A.A. to have their meetings, or the Food Pantry on Mondays, or a Men’s Breakfast on Saturdays.  We are the place of God’s presence, the territory and throne of the omniscient and omnipotent One. 

So let us pray this prayer.  Let us invite heaven to earth.  Let us look for the obedience that is being perfectly done in heaven, to come to this planet as well.  It says in Isaiah– “Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.”  Its an astonishing concept of an ever-expanding kingdom, always pushing its boundaries, never defeated.  Can we keep up?

Just Fling It

A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.”  –Mark 4:26-28, NIV

 

The insurmountable potential of a single seed!  It is scattered without a whole lot of conscious effort, hundreds of seeds in a handful scattered out on the dry ground.  It doesn’t get the dignity of individual effort, but is simply flung out.

I became a Christian believer partly through some indiscriminate seed flinging.  I was being escorted by Temple security in Salt Lake City off the grounds.  It may have been because I was shirtless and smoking, and being hammered as well.  As I was being thrust through the gates, I ran into Christians who were sowing their tracts.  These tracts landed on good soil. And I’m indeed thankful.

We simply do not know about any individual seed that leaves our bag.  We can not predict what is going to happen.  Jesus chose this particular metaphor to emphasize the supernatural nature of spiritual growth,  it grows whether we sleep or stay awake.  We don’t understand how things grow.  A tiny, dry seed comes to life, and grows up to be something amazing.

Dropping seeds; that is it.  We drop without taking responsibility for what may or may not happen next.  We scatter seed without contemplating what will follow.  It may grow, and it may not.  The believers standing in the baking sun outside of the Mormon Temple in SLC were simply sowing seed.  It fell on my heart, and I cannot tell you what happened to that seed.  All I know, is it started to live, and grow and eventually was harvested.

Buy some tracts, Christian books, DVDs, CDs.  Build an interesting website.  Sow seed.  You cannot harvest unless you sow something.  You must be faithful to your part, and God is faithful to do the rest.  Growing things is beyond our comprehension and ability.  I cannot tell you the dynamics or the process of spiritual growth.  Bible college did not have a class for that.  It is imponderable and  mysterious.

Be faithful, and sow.  Fling the seed.  Don’t mind the hot sun, or the thorns or the hungry birds.  Be faithful, and fling it.  Psalm 126:5-6 

 5 Those who sow in tears
       will reap with songs of joy.

 6 He who goes out weeping,
       carrying seed to sow,
       will return with songs of joy,
       carrying sheaves with him.