Judgement Day – This Saturday!

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Grat

There’s been a large billboard on Parramatta Road in Sydney for the last month of so, advertising that Judgement Day will be this Saturday, 21st May!

Here’s the link to the group in case you want to follow up on it. http://www.familyradio.com/index2.html

I’m not going to comment on the theology or the arithmetic beyond saying that building assumptions on assumptions is a little shaky.

The quick summary is: 1,000 years = 1 day. 7 days between Noahs flood & the final Judgement (never did quite figure out how he got that part) = 7,000 years. Therefore (assuming a WHOLE lot of assumptions are correct) 21st May, 2011.

Between this lot, the bloke running around Tassie proclaiming himself Jesus and the hysteria surrounding the Mayan calendar, it’s shaping up to be a full-on year.

What I really wanted to talk about is in case any of you know anyone involved in this deception. Don’t ridicule them, don’t taunt them – let’s be known by our love. They’ll need love and care to make it through this time. Some might fall away because of this. Let’s show grace, love and mercy.

Remember that the reason that the counterfeits are fooling people is that they’re not seeing the real thing.

As we start to live a life full of overflowing Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness Gentleness, Faithfulness, Goodness and Self Control. A life where Love, Mercy and Grace covers everything. Lastly, and most importantly, a life full of the Resurrection Power of Christ – Restoring, Delivering and Healing, Covering and Upholding. As we live this life, establishing God’s Kingdom, people will start to see the real light. A God fully and passionately in love with them, showing endless love and mercy. Endless grace, endless hope, endless possibilities.

I’ll leave you with a current pet peeve of mine. Someone’s resurrected “this little light of mine”. I hate this song. I DO NOT have a little light that shines. I’ve got a bloody big one that blinds. The resurrection power that raised Christ flows through me, the power and light that split time and space, shattered dominions and saved all of creation is within me. When it’s a “cute little light”, I’m standing in the way. It’s supposed to like the light that brought Saul of Tarsus to his knees on the road to Damascus. That restores light to the blind, health to the sick, hope to the downtrodden and life to the dead. It’s because we’ve been fascinated with having a little one that we’re in this mess. Trust me, Big is Better, and we’ve got the Biggest.

Share on Facebook
Posted in Christian Living, Christianity, Eschatology | Leave a comment

Inerrancy

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Grat

I was at connect group the other night and I was a little surprised that even some mature brothers & sisters still had the old idea of Inerrancy of Scripture.

Someone raised the idea that God will not go against His Word. I created a bit of a stir (I know, unusual for me) when I replied with the following. “God will indeed not go against his Word, but He will go against our understanding of His word.” Let me explain (as I did have to the other night).

In The Old Days we’d talk about the “Word of GOD” (usually the King James variety) being perfect and inerrant. We were painted a picture of the Holy Spirit leaning over the shoulders of the translators guiding their pens. Once most Christians figured out that there were lots of translations and that they all weren’t the same and (horrors or horrors) the KJ version isn’t perfect, there were 2 main groups that emerged.

The sane ones (well, as sane as Christians ever get) mostly reverted back to “inerrant in the original language” stance, somehow allowing for the various translations by referring back to the “original”.

Of course the problem here is what original? There are a number of old texts that do vary. While there is a generally agreed upon “standard text” used by bible scholars, that is subject to change as more and more is known.

The insane ones burried their heads in the sand and reverted to the King James. Next time you pick up a King James, read the front and note that what you have isn’t the first edition. Why? Because they had additional revisions as they discovered various oopsies in the original translation or the Genteel took offense at some of the language in the original (“piss” was one of the first words to go). When you bring this up to a “King Jameser” they start expanding their statement to “this version is inerrant”. Sigh.

Most teachers seem to gloss over this. The reason behind this glossing over is where I want to focus.

When you deny the active presence of Holy Spirit both corporate and individual – when your practice doesn’t allow Holy Spirit to actually take control of your life, service, Church or meeting, then you have a problem. Unfortunately for you, God didn’t allow for a backup plan. His plan was Holy Spirit to be in charge. He’s job is to teach, guide, help, explain, reveal, etc.

Without the dynamic presence of God, you fall back into legalism. If you are going to fall into legalism, you need laws. If you have laws, then you have to have unity of understanding. If you have to have unity of understanding, then you have to have an “official” bible.

Now before you go off and start warming up the tar & feathers for me, I actually do think that the Word of God is inerrant. Firstly, since Jesus is the Word of God, He is indeed inerrant. As to the written word, well it too is inerrant, but only as understood by the Holy Spirit.

None of us are intelligent to understand God. He is this vast, multi-dimensional being of infinite everything. The Bible is the most complex book ever written. Embedded into its pages is an incredible, vast, storehouse of knowledge about everything. So for any of us to proclaim complete knowledge is farcical. Worse, people will then claim “but the necessary parts can be understood”. Like all misleading statements, this is true. The problem is what is the “necessary parts”? Each leader has a different list, or at least different interpretations of elements of this list. What people are doing here is missing the whole point. Here’s how I believe it works (and of course I’m write <grin>).

Holy Spirit uses any and all means at His disposal to help every Christian to grow and mature in Christ. At any point He is NOT concerned with “Doctrinal Purity” because He knows that’s a red herring. He’s focus is not on the Christian Head, it’s on his Heart. Heresy? If you think so, then answer me this: the fruit of the Spirit – heart or head?

He is so supremely confident in His own abilities that He doesn’t lose any sleep over each of our wrong beliefs. He simply works within that structure to bring us to maturity. As we outgrow some beliefs then he leads us into a “better” understanding, equipping us for the next level. he is not concerned so much with the accuracy as much as He is concerned that the structure allows Him to grow in our lives what he wants.

I cringe when I think of some of the things I use to believe. But I don’t think Holy Spirit was fussed. He had it all under control. In fact, I think the biggest job He’s had with me so far is to get me to realise that I don’t know it all (yes I know, work in progress). Once I figured out that He was better at being God then I was, He’s been able to work a lot faster in me.

But I can hear some of you saying that this is terrible, this undercuts the Christian’s surety and faith, but actually it doesn’t. Since I’ve understood this, it’s made my faith stronger and my foundations more sure. Why? Because I KNOW (and always did know, just wouldn’t accept it) I make mistakes, therefore my foundation use to be based on a lie. This meant that I HAD to win arguments; my salvation depended upon me being right. Therefore, since my “surety” was based solely on me being right (my efforts), I actually based my life on the flimsiest of foundations. Now however, my foundation is Holy Spirit and He knows exactly what He is doing. Everything else can rock, roll or run away and I don’t care. My rock is secure, he ‘aint going anywhere. You can beat me in an argument (well, you can try <grin>) and it doesn’t affect my salvation. In fact, it makes me stronger and allows me to admit that I don’t actually know everything. This protects me from error. I don’t have to play God and answer all your questions, I can simply answer what I know and refer you to the “original language” (God) for the rest. This is quite freeing.

So, are your thoughts due for a grease and oil-change? Maybe a complete engine overhaul? For this analogy, Holy Spirit is my high-octane fuel, super-charger and nitro injectors, with Him we rock, without Him we form an “anti-racing committee”.

Happy racing.

‘Grat

Share on Facebook
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Been a while

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Macmax

Heretics, our name says it all

To diverge from the norm, or to put it another way. To think out side the box! God is not in the box, Easter was not what the people He had spent 31/2 years with were thinking. The week before when everyone was laying branches; now thats what I am talking about. That is what they were thinking!

God is in the business of wowing us, I have been in meetings when He turns up heals a few people, not the ones we expect! but He is God everyone goes wow… He has done His thing we are left what was that??

Not the norm, what we think is not what He knows!! I have been around Him for for over 40years. I do know Him but like everyone else I have not worked Him out, I don’t want Him in a box. Anyone who truly knows me knows I don’t really know what a box is (thinking, ideas & whys)

I like that God keeps us guessing!

A little while ago I wrote a note (FB) about what is happening in the middle east, it drew a few comments; but since I have read the book of revelation just to remind myself of what was said. Over the years I have heard comments we are in this period or that of the seals or the bowls. Well having just read it again I don’t believe we have gone into any of the seals or the bowls. For one thing they are really specific in what is happening. I believe what we are seeing is to obtuse to be what is said in there.

I remember reading ‘The late great planet Earth’ Hal Lindsay the day I finished reading it (late 1979)  there was mention of about 3 things he had talked about in the press. I thought I am going to be lucky if I get married before Jesus returns. I married in 1983 have had kids, youth groups, planted a church, done all types of things & Jesus has not yet returned!

Does that mean I have lost my hope that it will happen; no I am looking forward to His return. The thing is the signs are that He is; but the bigger picture is for whom is He returning?

He is coming for His bride the Church in Her full splendor. On Friday night we will see a bride in her full splendor every media out let is there, more cameras pointed in Her direction that we can imagine. Princes Kate will be going down the isle we will all see it; want to or not. The thing is Kate will have it all gown, shoes, train etc etc. Jesus is coming for a bride His church not like we think but that is you and I (if you have excepted Him). So what is He waiting for? For His bride to be ready. Well are we? That is the question

Is the church full? Have you had an experience with Him & rejected it & regret that? We are like sheep without a Shepard going our own way without Jesus.  As for His return well as I see it Matthew 24 Mark 13 Luke 21 all talk of this time. Wars, Earthquakes as the beginning of the end. Birth pains if you like, many will come saying I am He but the end is not yet. There many other signs to come. the main one will be when you see. The beast standing in the Holly of Holly’s say I am he. He will do the miraculous to prove he is the one. Take it from me he will say things that don’t add up!!

So for me I am still interested in what is happening in the middle east

Share on Facebook
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

An Eye for An Eye

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Grat

I’m sure most of you who have known God for long enough have noticed that His sense of humour is a little strange. It’s great, wonderful and very funny, but strange. Well have a think over this and see if you agree that God’s hand been busy again.
One of the many places I get information from is a regular email from Brian Rensford (http://www.hnlc.org.au/rensford/religious.htm). I’m know there is a lot we disagree on (especially since I’m currently associated with a church he’d probably class as “tainted”), but that’s never stopped me from learning new things (there’s a technical term for being like this, but for the sake of decency we’ll skip that).
He dropped a couple of snippets over the last few weeks that’s just joined some dots together in my head.
Apparently, back in 1814 or so, Governor Macquarie was Governor of both Australia and New Zealand. Well, to shorten the story a bit, he did his narny over the bigoted, class-xenophobic behaviour of one Samuel Marsden (the leading Anglican Cleric in the Sydney Colony at the time). It looks like to get rid of the little darling Gov Maca sent him off on a missions trip to NZ. A really great disservice to that country as it terns out.
I find it amusing that God arranges 150 or so years later for NZ to so richly bless Australia after such a great disservice. I immediately think of Scripture in Song (responsible for many an Australian Church – or at least their youth groups – being able to break the shackles of 150 years of musical stagnation), Frank Houston (Brian’s Dad) and Phil Pringle to name just a few. The richness and diversity they brought to us as a nation is priceless. Faith Bible College in NZ trained a generation of Australians who wanted more than most Australian Churches were even willing to admit existed.
Should we all switch back to Scripture in Song? Of course not, – we’ve moved on. Were these people perfect? Of course not just like (pause while I check) yup, me. But they moved us on, helped us and continue to help us grow, mature and reach new levels in Christ. If we see far, it’s because of the shoulders we stand on.
Hmm, I’m reminded of a verse that I think God arranged to be NZ’s response – “Bless those who curse you”.
For those of you who know me, if you ever bring what I’m about to say up, I’ll break your fingers (in love, of course).
New Zealand, thanks.

Share on Facebook
Posted in Australia, Christian Living, Christianity, Humour, Idle Thoughts | Leave a comment

Old Favourites

Posted on February 5, 2011 by Grat

I’ve been re-discovering Dietrich Bonhoeffer after many years. For those of you who don’t know of him, he was a German Pastor who was martyred by the Gestapo just before the end of WW2. He wrote a small number of very influential books during his abbreviated life and lived such a life for Christ that he tended to win over his captors in prison by his love and actions. He actively opposed the Nazis and was part of the German Resistance.

It’s interesting re-reading my favourite, “The Cost of Discipleship” after many years. After a few years now of re-learning about Grace and having that greatly change my thinking and actions, I’m finding that I’m seeing things through a different set of glasses. I think he was a long way along the path to understanding Grace. His books before stirred in me that underlying niggling suspicion that there had to be more in Christianity, that I was missing something. Now it’s fleshing out more details, joining more dots, allowing me to see a little further, a little clearer. Exciting me, rather then condemming me.

The reason I dusted of that old tomb was a comment I stumbled across about how it was a shame that he had died so young, before he had really had time to formulate a systematic theology, that his revelation was incomplete. This struck me as insightful and spurred me on to re look at what he has to say on grace.

I’m also now surprised that I liked him as much when I was on the dark side (I recently heard it described as “unreasonably crunchy” theology).

I think I’m going to really enjoy this old classic.

Share on Facebook
Posted in Christian Living, Christianity, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Revisiting old and new

Posted on February 5, 2011 by Grat

Oops, it’s been a month since I’ve been here. Found & started a new job, all sorts of stuff been happening.

Anyway, the misses has been enjoying John Crowder’s new books. I’ve only been able to steal one occasionally to have a peak, but they’re lookin’ good!

Been pondering over the Cross and Christ’s finished work and it’s just getting bigger and bigger! Maybe more on this later, but I’m starting to understand more of the depth of connection of all sorts of things that happened around Christ and all the OT references.

Like the sign that hung over Jesus “King of the Jews”. Some took this mockingly, others simply refused to acknowledge His lordship there. It was a sign of His rejection by countryman and foreigner alike. It was used by some as an excuse to take out their anger and frustration. Jesus gladly took all of this. Absorbed all of this into His bruised and battered body.

It was my rejection by family, friends, countryman and foreigner that He took into Him. It was all of the times that people with authority over me took advantage of that that he purposely took into himself. And every time that this will happen in the future. Purposely. Intentionally.

This is just one little verse to show you the tip of the iceberg.

Suddenly cross-referencing passages in the OT are starting to open up more of their meaning to me.

I wanted just to reference Isaiah 53:3-4, but I made the mistake of starting to read around it. I suppose it would do no good to list as a cross reference “see Genesis-Revelation”?

Everything is just making so much more complete sense nowadays. Just before this passage (in Isaiah) is that famous passage “How lovely on the mountain are the feet of those who bring Good News” (emphasis mine). Ever wondered what a Jew of Jesus’ time would think was being talked about by that phrase we banter around, “The Good News”?

Well here is the likely passage to come to mind for them. Well, what’s the Good News in Isaiah 52? Surprisingly, not that they’re Dirty Rotten Sinners going to Hell. Who would have thought? It was actually that God Reigns! He’s back in control, setting everything aright again. And baby, is He on a mission!

Doesn’t sound too much like the Gospel you’ve heard? Maybe you just need to learn the code. This will be dampened down with terms like “Establishing The Kingdom” – usually in terms of this or that ministry. Here’s a surprise, JC’s finished that job too. Our job is to live in the Kingdom. Before you go tar & feathering me, it’s like Joshua (remember he’s a Type [term for shadow or representation] of Jesus). God gave them the Promised Land. It was theirs. They just had a few pesky giants to deal with. Which God promised to deal with. Have another read of Hebrews if you are still unconvinced.

Still going backwards in Isaiah, this takes me to Isaiah 52:3 “You were sold for nothing, and you will not be redeemed for money”.

Let’s take this and filter it through the Good News (chapter 52) and Christ’s sacrifice (chapter 53).

Christ took into Himself on the cross all of my worthlessness. He absorbed all of the guilt, shame, punishment, wrong words (by me and others), disappointments, everything that would set a value for me at little or nothing. The world may thing I am worthless, but God knows better. Chapter 52 shows us God’s way – the return of His Kingdom. Chapter 53 shows us the cost – Jesus.

Don’t jump this. Stop and absorb it. The price that God was willing to pay to restore His love relationship with you and me was HUGE. Really Huge. We are talking about the Death of God’s Son. It shook the earth, tore the veil in the Temple, even the sun wouldn’t shine. The price was like having a single match alight and using the whole pacific ocean in one huge splash to put it out. It’s gone. But we’ve been trained to think only in terms of our sins being dealt with. No, the cross reaches so much further. I love that old phrase “God didn’t come to make bad people good, He came to make dead people alive”.

On one side of the Cross, Christ absorbs everything into His Dying Body. On the other side we are born fresh, new, clean, whole, complete, valued, loved, desired, nurtured into (to borrow a phrase from John Crowder) “ the creamy centre of God”.

Gotta love that creamy centre.

Share on Facebook
Posted in Christian Living, Christianity | Leave a comment

ATTENTION ALL USERS!!!

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Grat

I’ve just changed the way that Avatars work (small little pictures associated with your name). The old system was based around “Gravitrons”, but as no-one using this site actually had one set up, it was pretty useless. So now you can upload your own little picture to use as your own Avatar. Please don’t use pictures greater than 1 MB in size as you will run afoul of the server’s limits & it may not work.

Share on Facebook
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Living Stones

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Grat

I was catching up on some reading (seeing what the various prophetic ministries around the world are saying about 2011) and stumbled upon a comment from Bob Hartley that triggered something.

Whenever I have read 1 Peter 2:4-6 and whenever I have heard it preached about, I always had the image of bricks, cemented together to build the wall. Bob’s comment made me realise that this would not have been the intent. He didn’t say “bricks”, he said “stones”. In addition, the use of stones for holy things in the Old Testament was very precise, they were not to be “dressed”.

No I’m not saying we should start attending Church naked, the term “dressed” here means shaped, changed. The stones were to be fitted together as they were found, like a giant 3D jigsaw. In fact, God took the ban on using any tools to shape the rocks used to construct an alter to Him very seriously (Ex 20:25). He says that the use of any tool will defile it, render it useless as an alter.

How many times do we (the Church of Jesus) demand that people be chiseled a bit (or a lot) to “fit in” with our Christianity. God wants each of us “en naturel” as we are built together into a spiritual house. It’s to be God who does the shaping.

Share on Facebook
Posted in Christian Living, Misquote of the Week | Leave a comment

Heretics

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Grat

Recently I was honoured by having someone “concerned with my salvation” from a comment I made. Whoooohoooo!

Martin Luther (founder of Protestantism) politely suggested in 1517 that he had a couple of issues with commonly held belief in the Church and would love an opportunity to discuss this with others.

It triggered wars, rebellions, torture, atrocities, redefined the political structure of all of Europe and split the church.

In the 1700’s, the Wesleys and in the 1800’s the Booths had similar experiences (to name just a few).

What’s interesting is how all of these people were against rebellion, tried as much as possible to live in peace with all people and were vilified, attacked (verbally and physically) and generally spat on, mainly by “Christians”.

JC himself was persecuted mainly by the religious leaders of the day. Starting to see a pattern?

Now I’m not comparing myself with them (well, I suppose I am, aren’t I?). If I can see far, it’s because I’m standing on the shoulders of mighty men (and women).

I can understand the mindset behind this, as I use to have it. One day I realised, however, that there is one big problem with assuming you’re right. It’s that you’re actually wrong.

Last time I checked, God didn’t die & make someone else god (He did die, but then He took His place in Heaven) nor did He abdicate because of someones bible teaching program…

One of the problems is that “main stream” Christianity has based a whole lot of stuff on an assumption that God has abdicated all sorts of things. One of the most contentious would be scripture (I can imagine the tar & feathers being warmed up already).

For years we would say the bible is inerrant (without error). Then as we discovered that we needed to be a little more “accurate”, this became “the bible is inerrant in its original language”. This allowed for the fact you can get a dozen different translations of a verse with a wide range of understanding in English.

The problem today is that when someone says “the bible is inerrant”, they usually mean that their interpretation of the bible is inerrant. To then compound the problem, they will insist that God is limited to their understanding of their interpretation. They will very easily consign anything that they disagree with to the “devil” basket.

Take “tongues” for example. I’ve seen the arguments for and against. Many of the arguments against this have a basic assumption that the person is either wiser or able to control people better then God can. Then there is the classic “If God doesn’t do it through me then it isn’t God” – this usually manifests itself through the “tongues were for the transitional stage till we had the scriptures” arguments. I remember one conversation that left me speechless (which for those who know me is quite an accomplishment). The Holy Spirit had been opening up to me a stack of understanding about God and especially the early church. A leader was talking to me about it (actually it was more like a scene from the Inquisition, but anyway) and made the comment that if that was true then God would have spoken to them first, before me, because they were “higher”. A number of the arguments for tongues are just as bad, especially when people start to try and make tongues a prerequisite for salvation.

Why can’t we just let scripture stand? Paul says that tongues are good for us & that he wished everyone spoke in tongues. I remember when I was arguing against tongues just before I received the gift. I was struck by how those who argued for were using the same scriptures, just the interpretation differed.

Of course rarely is any of this so blatant. Usually it’s couched in “wise council” or “tradition”. Most of it more closely resembles the “emperor’s new clothes” then anything else.

Scripturally, the Word (Jesus) is inerrant. The written word (the Bible) is to be interpreted to us by the Holy Spirit, whose council is inerrant and whose job is to lead, teach, admonish and comfort us. I am not saying that the Bible is wrong. But I am saying that anyone other than the Holy Spirit should not be dogmatic about it. Even when the Holy Spirit reveals something to me, he is doing it in the context of my understanding, maturity and walk. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve grown to the point where I can be embarrassed about what I use to believe. I remember hearing a quote from a famous author recently wishing that there was a way of unpublishing a book, because some of their early works make them cringe ever time they see them. Amen.

Now all of you who are suddenly concerned with heresy, stop and think for a moment. Scripturally, the Body (us) is supposed to be in respectful, servant-hearted organic relationship with each other. We are supposed to be submitted to each other and in close relationship with the Holy Spirit. In this environment heresy is a smaller problem. It’s in an authoritarian context that heresy becomes endemic.

We have created a hierarchy based organisation instead of an organic body, where process and authority replaces love and respect. This is so entrenched in the church that even our translations are put through this filter. This had led to the necessity of centralising interpretation because of the marginalising of the Holy Spirit. I was listening to someone who has a lot of my respect the other day and they said that God once challenged them by asking them if the service would have been any different if He didn’t turn up. This leader immediately repented and has strived to allow God to do what He wants, regardless of plans, schedules, etc, since then. Another person i respect related an incident where they decided to make sure that the service didn’t put people off. After 2 dead weeks they went to God to find out the problem. God’s responce? “Are you embarrased by me?” Again, repentence, throw out the caution, let God be God.

God is infinite, huge, immortal, eternal, etc, etc. We’re not. Therefore any understanding that we have of God has to be at best “limited” and at worse down right wrong. To try and enforce our limited understanding on others is at best foolish and at worse evil. We lead when we capture the people’s hearts, not their minds, consciences or religiosity.

I’m finally reached the point where I care more that the Holy Spirit was able to use me when talking to someone then whether or not I “won” the discussion (well, usually, anyway). If I want someone to grasp what I understand I have to rely on the ability of the Holy Spirit to impart that, not my ability to convince them.

Grat

Share on Facebook
Posted in Christian Living, Heresy | Leave a comment

ATTENTION ALL REGISTERED USERS!!!!!

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Grat

I’ve just done an administrative clean-up of the regestered users. My appologies if I accidently deleted a real person (I got rid of a hundred odd spam authors). I’d appreciate it if every one who is a real person at least made one comment (even to this post). It makes my job an awful lot easier.

I’ve also introduced a new spam filter, please let me know if there are any problems.

Thanks, ‘Grat

Share on Facebook
Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments