I "pnuema'd" ( version of Greek for spirited) into town for the day to meet with Pastor Glenn concerning a few issues with Grace Words and what's going on in the world of Christianity these days.
It couldn't have been much better than to be going over some things when someone in the room began switching the TV channels, and what comes on? No, not some TV Evangelist. Close. QVC. What was interesting is that they were selling a product of which there were hundreds of styles and colors, and the hostess blurted out, "My daughter wants this one in Pink and I am just praying, to the HOLY SPIRIT, that it will be available after the presentation so I can get her one."
New-Church Speak, most likely learned from these new "Big Box" Churches. First off, do we realize how ridiculous it is for someone on TV hawking a product, someone working for the company too boot, to say such an adolescent thing? We should not be thinking such things, let alone saying them. This is pure and simple immaturity upon the part of the Church that is instructing people to do this.
Having said that, Pastor Glenn, in the Daily Encouragements, has very little time to get into detail concerning nearly every issue that is brought up. This is due to the fact that the studies need to be "pithy"; short and to the point. Since we are meeting, he thought it a good idea to take on a few subjects and clarify them with some detail. These too, shall be brief, as I don't want to bore, but needed information is a help in our daily Life.
First off Confession: There are only two teachings on confession in the entirety of the New Testament. One is in James. There it says we should "confess one to another for wrongs we may have done". One to another. That simplified is this. We do something to offend a brother or sister, tell them you recognize that and apologize. That goes much further that telling God or someone that knows not the situation, and that being done in private. Very straightforward teaching, this.
Next, in 1 John 1:9 confession is brought up. John is speaking to people who do not believe in God. He is telling them that if they confess that sin, they will be forgiven, and presumably a confession following a realization that they have been mistaken, will become "children of God". Then John quickly switches gears and begins to speak to those that are believers already. There is a good deal of confusion concerning this text from the Traditional Church teachings through many years, but it is only confusion, not the reality of truth. In simple terms then, no confession, because as we will see next, there is no Law.
Next "The Ten Commandments or The Law". Seems we cannot get it into our heads what the Law was all about. It was given to the Jews when they had just barely gotten out of the hands of the Egyptians, where they were in captivity for four hundred years. The Jews really weren't very Jewish, they were pretty much Egyptians, and God being Spirit, had to get their heads out of idol worship, and get them focusing on the Spiritual aspect of their nature. Thus the Ten Commandments. Recall it starts out with: "I AM" the Lord Thy God, You Shall Have No False Gods Before Me? Idol worship was the Egyptian way, and the Jews only new that way. They needed to become a stable, large group of people, which the Egyptians allowed for in the captivity, but when the time was right, God took them out of Egypt, and as a start, after conversing with Moses, He gave them the Ten Commandments.
The Jews over time, turned those ten into 631 commandments. Unbelievably religious. Jesus came and told them how inane was their thinking and actions, and that He was going "not to destroy the Law, for not one part of it would be destroyed until it was fulfilled, which I will do." A play on words. We have a good start if we understand that the Ten Commandments are good. No one who loves his brother or sister will, for example, be jealous of them, steal from them, kill them, and so on. Love is the back drop of the ordinance. Not the obeying itself. So we respect the Law, be we are not judged under it. The only sin that is applicable today, is the sin of not believing that God has, in Christ Jesus, provided for our ability to become children of God.
Next: If you don't believe in Jesus, you are going to Hell! Are we God? Do we make the various agreements with mankind as God has? Agreements such as 1) Don't eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil or you will die, 2) Abraham trust me, 3) Moses lead my people to the promised land, 4) Obey my Laws, 6) Build My Temple, 5) Trust My Son. Who of us knows all of them, or what may be coming from God next? None, if I may be so bold. Paul, in the Book of Romans, and other writings, spells out quite clearly that God judges the heart, that it is His final decision, and that we don't have a clue about where the Spirit may be. Our job is to NEVER judge those in the world, for that is God's job. Our job is to judge those that claim to be of the Family of God, and whether or not they are teaching the Love of God, Christ Jesus, or some other Gospel. God will deal with the rest. And the God of Love, compassion, extreme patience, and unending willingness on the part of mankind, will see to those with a Love we don't understand. The children, the un-churched, the unreached, and so on. Judge yourself correctly, and if it were possible, you will be able to judge others. Do you believe in God's Provision? Good, count yourself Blessed and be happy! All right out of the New Testament my brothers and sisters.
Next, "Be An Evangelist." First off, Paul was saying to one specific person to "do the work of an Evangelist. Secondly, Jesus told the Apostles to do similarly. But Paul expanded the thought to a larger point. NOT everyone has the same gifts. Some can teach, some can preach, some can do this or that. Each part of the body has a reason to exist and is important. Evangelism is just one. The constant pounding of all going out and witnessing is not only creating guilt and a rift among many brothers and sisters(I know a brother that left his wife and children to go and "evangelize") it is also only part of the many gifts we have. Many of us do not have the gift, yet the Traditional, especially Evangelical, Churches pound this point as much as the un-Scriptural New Covenant tithing teaching. Take a breath, and do what the Lord lays on your heart, and at the time He opens the door to do so. Listen not to such dogged pragmatism.
One last issue for today: God and Politics. It has become quite fashionable to use God in every way when it comes to running for office in the government. Jesus has a chance to comment on government, and He did. He said to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and to God that which is God's. Some may be given a Spirit of leading and teaching within a certain ministry, but there is no suggestion anywhere in the writings that Christianity should become a political movement. God will get His Will done in His power, not ours. The rhetoric today from many so-called Christian Politicians and Ministry Leaders is so far out of God's thinking, that our first reaction should be that we would hope they would quietly go about the work the Lord is providing, and leave the door opening to God.
Of course there are many more issues we could discuss, but we will do that in another commentary. For the moment, think like a grown up. God is not a vending machine. He doesn't do this, that or the other just because we think, pray, say, sacrifice, follow, or do something we believe will get us special attention. Want special attention? Talk to Him as often as you can, about everything you can, and allow His thinking to become your thinking. Then it will all come into focus, your needs, wants, desires, and requireds. Peace. As Pastor Glenn is found of saying, "Life is Grace!"
Dr. Lamby
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
The Lord's Prayer?
Hello my brothers and sisters! When our Elder Brother walked this earth and was doing what it is our Heavenly Father told Him to do, and said what our Heavenly Father told Him to say, He taught His B.C. listeners this "pray something like this" prayer. Something like this has turned into a rote prayer that has little meaning. But at the time it was significant.
Mathew 6:9-13
"Our Father in heaven,
holy is your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
as we also have forgiven those that sinned against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one."
(Added by the Church-for yours is the Kingdom and Power and the Glory forever and ever, Amen.)
Great prayer! It would be a safe bet that each and every one reading this message right now has repeated the words in one way or another in their life. Probably many times.
But did you take notice that Jesus taught the listeners at the time, the time was, B.C.? Before the Cross! Since the Cross, since the bringing in of God's new agreement with mankind, after Jesus died for the sins of the world, for you and for me, would He still teach us this prayer?
The answer is an unabashed, NO! If Jesus were here with us today, in human form, and was teaching us a "how to", not a repetitive prayer, as he ALSO taught the first time, it would go to our Father something along these lines:
Our Father in heaven,
Holy is Your name,
thank You that your kingdom has come,
thank You that your will is done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Thank You for our daily bread.
Thank You also for forgiving us our sins,
as we should forgive those who sinned against us.
And lastly Father, thank You for not leading into temptation, but more, for
giving us a way out when we get caught up in our own desires.
Yes, thank You Father for delivering us from the evil one.
For who is going to be against us Father, if You are for us? Amen."
Much more appropriate for a Grace Believer, don't you agree?
Dr. Lamby
Mathew 6:9-13
"Our Father in heaven,
holy is your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
as we also have forgiven those that sinned against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one."
(Added by the Church-for yours is the Kingdom and Power and the Glory forever and ever, Amen.)
Great prayer! It would be a safe bet that each and every one reading this message right now has repeated the words in one way or another in their life. Probably many times.
But did you take notice that Jesus taught the listeners at the time, the time was, B.C.? Before the Cross! Since the Cross, since the bringing in of God's new agreement with mankind, after Jesus died for the sins of the world, for you and for me, would He still teach us this prayer?
The answer is an unabashed, NO! If Jesus were here with us today, in human form, and was teaching us a "how to", not a repetitive prayer, as he ALSO taught the first time, it would go to our Father something along these lines:
Our Father in heaven,
Holy is Your name,
thank You that your kingdom has come,
thank You that your will is done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Thank You for our daily bread.
Thank You also for forgiving us our sins,
as we should forgive those who sinned against us.
And lastly Father, thank You for not leading into temptation, but more, for
giving us a way out when we get caught up in our own desires.
Yes, thank You Father for delivering us from the evil one.
For who is going to be against us Father, if You are for us? Amen."
Much more appropriate for a Grace Believer, don't you agree?
Dr. Lamby
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Two Million Apostasy Sites!
How interesting it is to note how the world is turning away from religion?! A quick Google search on the word "apostasy" will find over two million sites, some very well put together, contemplating this very serious issue.
The "apostasy" is, to put in simple terms, the time when people that once believed in God begin to turn away. In the Old Testament, the Prophet Amos put it like this:
Amos 8:11 - "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord God, "That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord."
Today, in our local newspaper, which by the way, is no small town paper, it circulates in the hundreds of thousands each day, featured a fairly large column on Atheism.
Specifically the article sited three prominent atheist's and their recent books, all close too, if not best sellers, and of course, go about condemning religion. Of all sorts. Now normally this is not something we would discuss. But up until just a couple of weeks ago, this same page was the "religion" page, where local pastors, preachers, rabbis, and priests of various beliefs were allowed to espouse a point of view.
That is gone. The radical element of religion has begun to take a toll on the senses of those that would give them a public forum, and this seemingly small, quick change in a metropolitan newspaper, is just the tip of a very large movement that will soon lead us to what is known as the apostasy.
The overkill of so called Christian TV evangelists, far right preaching and action from all religions, and the heavy load of promises coming from, again so called Christian preachers who don't know the Bible from their bottom, are going to cause an awakening.
Soon, church going people who are easily swept away by believing that God and their idea of a good life, equate, will come to realize that all they have done is allow their money and their mind to go to people that live the life they promise, but only because those that are seeking answers, are paying for it.
When the eyes open to the total dishonesty of broken promises, misused Biblical verses, and more, extra-Biblical(outside the Bible, things not in the Bible)teachings come into the light, there is great anger. People may not lose their interest in God, but the church as it is now slowly, will go by the wayside.
There is evidence all around us to prove this out. Look at Europe as one example. The Jews were set for extermination, just prior to WWII, under the guise of what was considered to be the mindset of a good Christian. Now the Churches of Europe are all but empty. The reality of the lie set within the religious teaching, set in motion a backlash of anti-church. Not necessarily against God, as most in Europe still profess to believe, but most certainly against the Church.
In fact, take note of the explosion here in American these last few years of the Evangelical movement. The bulk of these church's are filled with former mainstream religion church goers. People who saw hypocrisy in one place and now fall for it in another. Why? Because they like the person delivering the message and/or the music. Doctrine is so confused for these that to tell them the truth actually confuses them.
This little note is not an alarm, it isn't to scare anyone. It simply is notice to try to open eyes to the world that is beginning to move in a direction we may be missing. It is information so that as people who believe in God, in His Provision in Christ Jesus, in the Grace in which have been so Blessed, that we don't get swayed by some, what will be very convincing, rhetoric that is just lately beginning to get noticed.
The time is just around the corner where Amos' prophecy will come about. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit, and have no worries about this. But, we should be aware, just as happened only six generations from Adam to his great to the fifth generation grandson, who not only did not believe in God, he claimed to be God.
The "man of lawlessness" as the Bible names him, may possibly state his claim soon. That is, "Man is God." How does that saying go? Oh yes, "History repeats itself."
Be watchful, but be assured, because we are not left as orphans, we are children of God, Who will never leave us nor forsake us! Amen!
Dr. Lamby
The "apostasy" is, to put in simple terms, the time when people that once believed in God begin to turn away. In the Old Testament, the Prophet Amos put it like this:
Amos 8:11 - "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord God, "That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord."
Today, in our local newspaper, which by the way, is no small town paper, it circulates in the hundreds of thousands each day, featured a fairly large column on Atheism.
Specifically the article sited three prominent atheist's and their recent books, all close too, if not best sellers, and of course, go about condemning religion. Of all sorts. Now normally this is not something we would discuss. But up until just a couple of weeks ago, this same page was the "religion" page, where local pastors, preachers, rabbis, and priests of various beliefs were allowed to espouse a point of view.
That is gone. The radical element of religion has begun to take a toll on the senses of those that would give them a public forum, and this seemingly small, quick change in a metropolitan newspaper, is just the tip of a very large movement that will soon lead us to what is known as the apostasy.
The overkill of so called Christian TV evangelists, far right preaching and action from all religions, and the heavy load of promises coming from, again so called Christian preachers who don't know the Bible from their bottom, are going to cause an awakening.
Soon, church going people who are easily swept away by believing that God and their idea of a good life, equate, will come to realize that all they have done is allow their money and their mind to go to people that live the life they promise, but only because those that are seeking answers, are paying for it.
When the eyes open to the total dishonesty of broken promises, misused Biblical verses, and more, extra-Biblical(outside the Bible, things not in the Bible)teachings come into the light, there is great anger. People may not lose their interest in God, but the church as it is now slowly, will go by the wayside.
There is evidence all around us to prove this out. Look at Europe as one example. The Jews were set for extermination, just prior to WWII, under the guise of what was considered to be the mindset of a good Christian. Now the Churches of Europe are all but empty. The reality of the lie set within the religious teaching, set in motion a backlash of anti-church. Not necessarily against God, as most in Europe still profess to believe, but most certainly against the Church.
In fact, take note of the explosion here in American these last few years of the Evangelical movement. The bulk of these church's are filled with former mainstream religion church goers. People who saw hypocrisy in one place and now fall for it in another. Why? Because they like the person delivering the message and/or the music. Doctrine is so confused for these that to tell them the truth actually confuses them.
This little note is not an alarm, it isn't to scare anyone. It simply is notice to try to open eyes to the world that is beginning to move in a direction we may be missing. It is information so that as people who believe in God, in His Provision in Christ Jesus, in the Grace in which have been so Blessed, that we don't get swayed by some, what will be very convincing, rhetoric that is just lately beginning to get noticed.
The time is just around the corner where Amos' prophecy will come about. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit, and have no worries about this. But, we should be aware, just as happened only six generations from Adam to his great to the fifth generation grandson, who not only did not believe in God, he claimed to be God.
The "man of lawlessness" as the Bible names him, may possibly state his claim soon. That is, "Man is God." How does that saying go? Oh yes, "History repeats itself."
Be watchful, but be assured, because we are not left as orphans, we are children of God, Who will never leave us nor forsake us! Amen!
Dr. Lamby
Friday, July 20, 2007
What Religion Is Acceptable To God?
Some of you may remember from reading your Bible that God does give His Blessing of one type of religion. The passage is in James Chapter One Verse 26: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
Pretty straight forward, is it not? Look around the entire world today and it is striking at what is happening to God's Will. Frankly if we listen to most preachers in the Christian community, they talk all about being in God's will, doing what it is He would have us do, and the end result is that most of the time the preacher either lands his sermon boat on "you can know, just send me dough." Or, he doesn't land the boat at all, and we don't have a clue what God's will is for us.
Then you have other religions. Take the most extreme Muslims for example. Is there a more ardent way to prove your worth to God than to strap a bomb on your body and blow-up yourself and others? It's extreme, but in reality, I personally have heard so-called good Christians say to me, "If we were that zealous for Jesus, the world would be a different place."
I suppose that is true. People rushing out to kill each other along with themselves to prove to the God that created them, that sending His Son to die on a Cross once for all, well, isn't just quite enough.
God set out creating the entire universe without us. He instituted all that He planned to do in order to stay close to you and I and yet, from one religion to another, from Judaism to Christianity to Islam, all have added to what God intended.
The Apostle Paul in the very first letter written and recorded in the New Testament scolded the Church at Galatia for doing this very thing. They had started out by faith and trusting God's provision, then began to acquiesce to our human desire. To perform. From some bad instruction no doubt. And, Paul in response to finding out what they were doing wrote, in Galatians 3:1-3 "You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?"
So in simple terms we see that not only is the religious world fully confused as to God's intentions for us, but our own Christian teachings are filled with it as well. So what is the answer? How can we live to please God without getting ourselves into "works."
Which, by the way, start with something as simple as the thought "Oh, I better do this, or God may not Bless." From that thought, things get a whole lot more complicated. That innocent thought process goes onto things like lighting candles, to fasting, to pilgrimages to holy places, to speaking in tongues, to tithing, and so on, all the way to "lock and load" for Jesus!
No, here is what God has asked us to do. Just read these few verses and I do believe we will get what God's Will is, that is if we believe in His provision in Christ Jesus already.
Romans 2:18 "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."
I Thessalonians 5:13b "Live in peace with each other."
I Timothy 2:2 "(Pray) for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives..."
Hebrews 12:14 "Make every effort to live in peace with all men..."
And to finish our little study on what makes for Practical Christianity:
2 Corinthians 13:11 "Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you."
Pretty straight forward, is it not? Look around the entire world today and it is striking at what is happening to God's Will. Frankly if we listen to most preachers in the Christian community, they talk all about being in God's will, doing what it is He would have us do, and the end result is that most of the time the preacher either lands his sermon boat on "you can know, just send me dough." Or, he doesn't land the boat at all, and we don't have a clue what God's will is for us.
Then you have other religions. Take the most extreme Muslims for example. Is there a more ardent way to prove your worth to God than to strap a bomb on your body and blow-up yourself and others? It's extreme, but in reality, I personally have heard so-called good Christians say to me, "If we were that zealous for Jesus, the world would be a different place."
I suppose that is true. People rushing out to kill each other along with themselves to prove to the God that created them, that sending His Son to die on a Cross once for all, well, isn't just quite enough.
God set out creating the entire universe without us. He instituted all that He planned to do in order to stay close to you and I and yet, from one religion to another, from Judaism to Christianity to Islam, all have added to what God intended.
The Apostle Paul in the very first letter written and recorded in the New Testament scolded the Church at Galatia for doing this very thing. They had started out by faith and trusting God's provision, then began to acquiesce to our human desire. To perform. From some bad instruction no doubt. And, Paul in response to finding out what they were doing wrote, in Galatians 3:1-3 "You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?"
So in simple terms we see that not only is the religious world fully confused as to God's intentions for us, but our own Christian teachings are filled with it as well. So what is the answer? How can we live to please God without getting ourselves into "works."
Which, by the way, start with something as simple as the thought "Oh, I better do this, or God may not Bless." From that thought, things get a whole lot more complicated. That innocent thought process goes onto things like lighting candles, to fasting, to pilgrimages to holy places, to speaking in tongues, to tithing, and so on, all the way to "lock and load" for Jesus!
No, here is what God has asked us to do. Just read these few verses and I do believe we will get what God's Will is, that is if we believe in His provision in Christ Jesus already.
Romans 2:18 "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."
I Thessalonians 5:13b "Live in peace with each other."
I Timothy 2:2 "(Pray) for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives..."
Hebrews 12:14 "Make every effort to live in peace with all men..."
And to finish our little study on what makes for Practical Christianity:
2 Corinthians 13:11 "Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you."
Not only "with" us, but "in" us. But that is the subject of another study or another time! For now, remember we are Blessed, at all times and in all ways!
Dr. Lamby
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