A Question of Faith.

A Question of Faith

I often think of a conversation Jesus had with his disciple, in that conversation he posed the question, “would he find faith when on his return”.  Christianity once a religion of works has now transformed itself into a religion of wants.   Fewer and fewer messages are delivered touting the saving grace of our father while the airwaves, pulpits, and social media are alive with testimonies of what God is doing.   If a church going Christian would respond that God is not doing all of the things we claim he is doing, that church going Christian would be churched and thrown under the bus.

What is faith?  Some years ago, my 90 plus year old mother asked me this question.  We were sitting at the breakfast table about to enjoy our sausage, eggs, conversation, and coffee.   She asked the question with the seriousness of a person searching for an answer, and that caught me off guard.  Our breakfast table discussion was her way of teaching, transferring knowledge and inspiring me to search for and write, with a deeper understanding of God’s word.  In the twilight years of her life, she encouraged me to rethink some of the things that even she had taught me concerning the Word of God.   Often in our varied discussions, she would remind me that as a  Sunday School teacher, she had taught that the earth was square and that man would never go to the moon.  This faulty interpretation  stems from an improper understanding and thus an improper application of the Word of God from a biblical perspective. The angels of Revelation standing on the four corners of the earth was not supportive of a flat earth theory.  Through her years of Bible study, she had learned that the most proficient preachers and teachers use broken scriptures, scriptures out of context, (like broken English) as the basis of their objections or dissertations without considering the full counsel of the Bible. 

 I still can remember the first time I heard my mother explain to her Sunday School class what faith was.  She had begun by quoting Hebrew 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.   As an analogy, she used the old fashion method of cooking Turnip greens.    The greens would be boiled in a pot of seasoned water.  Once the greens were served any leftover water would be saved and later eaten with cornbread.  In the old days, they called it “pot liquor”.  Pot liquor was not turnip greens, but it contained the substance of turnip greens.   Therefore, she concluded, faith was the substance of hope.  Years later, I asked my younger brother the meaning of faith, he responded by quoting Hebrew 11:1. 

As I was about to answer my mother’s question by quoting Hebrew 11:1, my mind became a cesspool of unanswered questions.  Is there a difference between hope and hoped, more than just saying one is present and the other is passed.   When Paul speaks of hope is he referencing a certain type of hope.  Is the substance of this hope the basic elements of faith.   Hope for what?  Hope for the healing of the body?  There was a woman with an issue of blood for twelve years, she hoped for a healing.  Jesus spoke the word and she was healed.  My father lay on his bed of affliction for six months, the prayer for healing and restoration was not answered.  What is hope?  Hope for a new car?  There are many who claim that God gave them a new car, leaving them to make the payments.  Hope for salvation?   I mentally reviewed Hebrew 11:1.  Paul did not say faith was the substance of hope, he said faith was the substance of ‘things’ hoped for.  What were the things he was referring to?  This most definitely  did not mean  a Carte Blanche of things.   Was he giving credence to the old adage of, “If you can believe, you can achieve?”  There are good things and there are bad things.  Therefore, there must be a faith that is of God and if the rule of opposites applies, then there is a type faith that originates from the devil.   When she saw my confusion and  hesitation, she smiled.

Often we read the teaching of Paul and we conclude that it means this, as if we have a divine revelation into the mindset of Paul.  Paul was a highly educated man and he spoke the language of an educated man.   In the Book of Hebrews, Paul is speaking to a group of educated Jews and he speaks a  language that they can understand.   There are many statements attributed to Paul that the lay person is hard pressed to understand or reconcile.  Paul’s statement in 1 Timothy 2:12  But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence, once was accepted as doctrine by many, whereas in today's society, good or bad,  it is being reinterpreted and cast aside.    It would seem to me that Peter alluded to a certain problem with Paul’s teaching in his final epistle. 2 Peter 3:16  As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.  There are many who will disagree with me in my assessment of the above statement, but I prefer to let the facts speak for themselves. The question is, what is faith?  Quoting Hebrews 11:1 to a person who is searching for the answer does not necessarily provide the answer.   Acts 8, tell the story of Philip explaining the scripture to the eunuch who was riding along reading the scripture.  It is the preacher's job to explain the scripture so that those who seek answers might understand it.
   

Faith, God, miracles and blessings have been defined and redefined until even the things that God has ordained from the beginning of time is looked upon as a miracle.  The world’s spirituality  has changed and God is in the blessing business.  We go about our daily task, ignoring those unanswered pleas, as we seek to amplify what our Heavenly Father is doing, finding solace in “God is a good God”.   Secretly the faith of many tends to suffer because we are afraid to acknowledge our lack of understanding of the word faith.  When Jesus addressed the subject of faith with his disciples, they responded Luke 17:5  And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
  

We are encouraged to pray for the healing of the land and our body.  We pray for financial blessings and we often pray for God to deliver us from the storm.   We have a scripture that says God answer all prayers and if we ask we shall receive.  For an outward showing, we pretend  that we are receiving and enjoying the blessing of our Father while inward we are struggling with a question of faith.  The conditions throughout the land are not getting better and our bodies are deteriorating at an early age. We cry out to God for healing as we rush to the Hospital and when we survive the operation, our faith tells us it was God who did the work. 

John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus Christ was locked away in a jail cell.  When his faith began to weaken, he sent runners to find Jesus and ask him a question.   He did not ask to be delivered from jail, there were questions of faith that he needed to be answered.   Luke 7:20  When the men came unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?  What would, you are I ask for?  No doubt our testimony would have been, “I am trusting God to deliver me.”  All of the old patriots processed a great degree of faith, they did not abuse their faith.   John the Baptist was marooned on an island alone, no one to talk to except Jesus Christ and his angels.   There is nothing in the narrative that said John asked for deliverance.   Why?  Maybe to do so would have been abusing his faith.   Faith is not a question of or based upon what God can or cannot do.   Faith requires a degree of acceptance.  Philippians 4:11  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

Now, what is faith?  Every person who professes a belief in God know what faith is, right?  We also know that without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6)    According to  Wikipedia, Faith is variously defined as the belief, confidence or trust in a person, object, religion, idea or view.  Therefore, without confidence in God--in his fidelity, his truth, his wisdom, his promises it is impossible to please God.  It is impossible for a child to please his father unless he has confidence in him.  The rules of good and evil or opposites apply.  There is good and bad confidence.  It is impossible for a wife to please her husband, or a husband, a wife, unless they have confidence in each other. If distrust and jealousy exist on either part, there is discord and misery. We cannot be pleased with a professed friend unless he has such confidence in us as to believe our declarations and promises, The same thing is true of God. He cannot be pleased with the man who has no confidence in him; who doubts the truth of his declarations and promises; who does not believe that his ways are right, or that he is qualified for universal empire. The requirement of faith or confidence in God is not arbitrary; it is just what we require of our children, and partners in life, and friends, as the indispensable condition of our being pleased with them.

The problem with our walk of faith manifest itself when we attempt to use faith to get what we claim God promised us, and the result is not forthcoming.  I know that there are many of us who have dealt with this problem privately.  Our testimony speaks of the great thing God is doing for us, while inside we are like John the Baptist, alone on an island.  But, unlike John we are begging for deliverance.  To maintain our degree of faith and sanity we began to trivialize the works of God.  If Bible students could accept that Israel was God’s chosen people and God made earthly promises to Israel, and the church is the bride of Christ, and Christ made spiritual promises to the church, we would not become caught up in begging for the blessings of Abraham.   Israel a natural body received natural promises, the church a spiritual body received spiritual promises.   If this were not true, then sinners would be poor and Christians would be financially rich.

The modern day definition of faith tends to suffer because defining and supportive scriptures have been hijacked and used as a tool for mind control.  The drawing card off too many religious assemblies is based upon how to get what you want from God.  The emerging pious prelates tend to define faith as simply giving money to God and waiting for him to bless you.  The attributes of faith are reduced to healing and  financial blessing as those who seeks to obtain followers make vast promises in the name of God.   The social media are filled with promises of huge sums of money if the reader will type “Amen”  to the status presented.  The use of the phrase, “Somebody will receive this blessing”, is not an accurate representative of God’s power, nor is it an indication of the proper use of faith. 

The problem with trying to determine what is Mustard seed faith is complicated by the changing modern day definition of faith.  Is faith simply a belief in God, or  is faith is believing God will do things for us?   If he did it once, he can do it again, have now become the standard of God’s involvement in our life.   The statement is true from the standpoint of God’s power but is it a true assessment of His involvement in the day to day affairs of humanity.  If he parted the sea, he can do it again, but an exercise in futility might describe as standing on the beach begging God to part the waters.   A deeper understanding of the Word of God would prevent us from making unnecessary and bogus claims of God.

 to be continued

Revelation 13, The Rise of The Beast

In Revelation 13, through the eyes of John we are privy to the things that shall come to pass in the last half of the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy.  In Daniel 7:3, “four beasts came up out of the sea.” These four beasts are representative  of the four successive forms of Gentile rule, which are Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece and Rome. Rome fell in A. D. 476. Since that time she has not been a significant power, but she will rise again to become a world power through the ungodly alignment of the European Union and the United Nation  and under the leadership of the Antichrist.  All of this will take place after Christ has come back for his Saints. 

The last sentence of the above paragraph should be accepted as a dire warning to those who have refused to accept Christ as their Savior, and with exceedingly great joy to those who are awaiting his return.   It is the belief of many that when the tribulation began the Saints will be at home with their Lord.  Seeing that the conditions are ripe for a worldwide transition of power, the question is when will Christ return to claim his Saint?

As we have often stated, that as the end of the church age draws near, Jews and Gentiles will become wicked as never before on the face of the earth (Isaiah 60:2).   The authority of God will be challenged , God’s laws will be changed.  Once godly nations will join with the heathen nations in open rebellion against the Lamb of God (Revelation 19:19) and they will fight against Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2).  Therefore, the earth must be cleared of evil and ungodly men before the Lord Jesus comes back to reign in glory, with His Church.

To stress a point, Christ is nowhere said to come with the clouds to gather the Church out of the earth. On the contrary, the saints go up in the clouds (I Thessalonians 4:17). God provides a royal carriage to convey the saints from the earth to meet the Lord in the air and the church will become a part of the “clouds”.  In this essence, he is preparing his army to return and fight against the evils of this world, the great battle will not be won until he has gathered the wheat into his barn and burned the fields.

After the true Church have been caught up, leaving the Apostate Church behind, the works of the Holy Spirit will be complete.  Once the Holy Spirit has departed the world will be ripe for the rule of the Antichrist, but his rule will be for a season.   He will come promising prosperity and peace.  The changes will not be sudden, as the groundwork is already being laid and the message of peace, change, and prosperity has began to emulate throughout the land. 

Christians should not be looking for the revival of Rome, nor for the Antichrist; the bride of Christ should be looking for the coming of the bridegroom.  After the Rapture, or by what other name we describe the events of portrayed in (1^st Thessalonians 4:16-17), this super-human Beast will emerge and working  miracles.  He will cry peace and prosperity as he attempts to mimic the Kingdom of God.  The working of these miracles such as making fire come down from heaven, will change this ungodly conflagration of Churches and nations into a one world government in a very short time.

Revelation 13:1-10 “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”

In Revelation 13; the symbology of the Bible shines brightly.  The sands of the sea are representative of a vast multitude of people.  God told Abraham that He would multiply his seed as the sands of the sea. In Revelation 20:8 God’s army is referred to in number as “the sands of the sea.” Thus the sands of the sea represent multitudes; the sea itself represents unrest and turmoil among the masses.

Daniel visions play an important role in helping us identify these Beasts in Revelation 13. Daniel was an outstanding personality and  Jesus spoke of him in Matthew and declares that he was a prophet. Daniel had the gift of understanding and interpreting dreams. As a prophet, God revealed to him the entire course of “the times of the Gentiles.” The prophecy of Daniel is mainly concerned with things that shall befall the people Israel in the latter days (Daniel 10:14).

One of the many problems with the interpretation of Revelation is that often too much is read into a verse, and other times too much are discarded.  There are two bases of interpretation of the scripture, one is based upon the knowledge of good and evil, (a merism which is indicative of all the knowledge of the world) and the other is based upon the Knowledge of God.  The knowledge of good and evil does not instruct us in the path of righteousness, it gives mankind the power of choice.  Man’s access to the vast knowledge of good and evil allows him to shape or change the Word of God to suit his circumstances.

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The prophecies of The Book of Revelation are not to be explained based upon our knowledge of good and evil or the knowledge of man.  The knowledge of good and evil is based upon the knowledge of science.   Science cannot accept the existence of a metaphysical God, the legalistic and scientific conditions cannot be met.  Man makes a choice based upon his knowledge.

Reading or studying the Book of Revelation without a proper use of biblical symbology is also  a lesson in futility.  The first verse of the book informs us that the message was signified by an angel.  To understand the book we must understand the signs.  In Revelation 1: 11-17, John is using signs or symbols to describe the Son of God in his metaphysical state.   In Revelation 1: 20, the meaning of the signs and symbol unfold.   Here is an example and the meaning of some of the symbology used in Revelation 13. • Beast = Kingdom / government / political power, (Daniel 7:17, • Heads = Major powers/rulers/governments  (Revelation 17:3) • Horn = King or kingdom, (Daniel 7:24) And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: • Crown = A Glorious Ruler or Rulership, (Proverbs 16:31)

A simple analogy to understanding the interpretation of the Holy Scripture, especially the Book of Revelation is comparing it to a cup of lemon juice.   Harsh to the taste and unfit to be used as a breakfast of dinner drink.    But, if we add the right amount of water, sugar and ice we have a drink that will suit the taste of the most discriminating person.  

The ancient Gospel of “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand”, as well as the ancient prophecies of the return of Christ to establish his Kingdom here on earth, is no longer an acceptable message to be presented to our younger generation.  There is a new indoctrination that focuses on the love of God and Heaven is just a place we all go to be with God.  This new watered down version of the Holy Scripture with the right amount of sugar and Ice added to suit our taste, no longer support the prophecies of Revelation.  Words like Pre- Millennial, Post-Millennium and outdated are used to invalidate the book.  Jesus’ message to the churches has been cast aside, and the church said “amen”.

As this once Godly nations and its many different spiritual institutions digress into the final state of apostasy as prophesied in the book of Revelation,  the prospect of a one world government looms on the horizon.  The players seem to have been identified, and the conditions seem to be ripe for the beast to rise up out of the sea.  A beast rising up out of the sea is symbolic and indicative of a new nation rising up out of the midst of confusion.  There is an ethnic divide through the world today that is being manipulated in order to bring about lawless conditions and worldwide instability.  Once worldwide confusion prevails the beast of Revelation 13 will emerge.

If the Beast or Antichrist is preparing to make his appearance, the prayers of the righteous should be, “Lord, when are you coming to get us?”  (1^st Thessalonians 4:16-17) Rather, we spend  our prayer time asking for richness, glory and peace on earth.   When the disciple asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, a key instruction was, “let you Kingdon come, on earth as it is in Heaven.” (Luke 11:2) The signs are indicative of a world out of control.   The ethnic divide is tearing not only this country but the world apart.  There are wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes in different places.  There are dark clouds on the horizon.  Is God about to pour out his wrath that he has been storing up?  The hope of the Church is to be safe in the arms of Christ, the same as it was in the day of Noah, when the tribulation come.  

To be continued

What is Preaching

“What is Preaching”

Part #2

“The Art of Preaching”

After listening to the learned pastor speaking, using clever words and alliterations, an element of confusion engulfed me. There are those of us who came of age within our respective organized denominational church and have experienced the ethnic divides that separates the religious community. In some aspects of religion this divide is so great that Christianity has presented itself as a house divided against itself. On Sunday mornings this divide manifest itself in many forms, most prevalent is segregated assemblies with different interpretations and presentations of the Word of God. There is justification in the argument that the allowance for individual interpretation of the Bible is a destructive force within the household of faith.

One of the most dividing elements of Christendom is the style of preaching.  In a changing religious environment, many church goers are beginning to struggle with the question of, what is peaching.  From the prospective of the pastors and laymen, this is an easy question to answer.  Preaching simply translates into proclaiming a message from God, and some have added, in an entertaining manner.  There are those who have studied the effectiveness of preaching in an evolving society and have found that modern day preaching may not be an effective way to spread the Word of God.   If ‘modern day, high tech preaching’ was effective, then then the true knowledge of God  would prevail through the world.

In our previous post, “The Art Of Preaching”, we presented six guidelines that knowledgeable preachers agree upon.  Preaching should be  Inspirational, Motivational, Relational, Revelational, Confrontational and Proportional (Balanced and Consistent).  Keep these in mind as we twist and turn thru the maze of trying to understand what is true preaching.  Most definitions of preaching is  ambiguous at best, they present us with a God who is constantly giving out new messages, all designed to lift us up and carry us through another day.  The common thread in all of these new messages is, “don’t give up God will do what he said he will do”.  What if we compared todays form of preaching to that which was commissioned by Jesus.   Once we began the comparison our mind began to fill with many relevant questions.

Is there is a difference between spreading the Word of God  and preaching the Gospel?  The consensus seems to indicate that preaching the gospel is the same as spreading the Word of God. Yet, Jesus never commanded his disciple to preach the Word of God, he commanded them to preach the Gospel.    Mark 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.   The task  of the ancient prophets  was to proclaim the Words or Message of God.   A deeper understanding of the Word of God seems to indicate that the ‘Word of God’ was synonymous with the actions of God or the intended actions of God.  The Word of God was used to instruct the Jews in the wilderness. When a person or nation was in need of direction, God sent his prophet to prophesy.   The Message of God usually did not carry a repentance clause, the message was simple, “do this and live” or “do this and die”.   Moses proclaimed the Word of God.  John preached the Gospel.   Peter wanted to hear Moses proclaim the Word of God.  Mark 9:7  And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

In the Old Testament of the King James Bible there are only three references to preaching,  Ne 6:7; Isa 61:1; Jon 3:2.  In the first instance, the King had set up false prophets and appointed them to preach of him.  In the second reference it is used in a prophecy pertaining to the coming and the works of Jesus.  The third reference, the Word of God came to Jonah and commanded him to preach, this message allowed for the penance or repentance.

Teach, rather than preach is the word of choice used in the Old Testament, and it is used seventy five times.  Exodus 18:20  And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.  Leviticus 10:11  And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.  It seems as if the Old Testament patriots were instructed to teach the Word of God.

In the New Testament era  the job of the preacher was to preach the gospel, whereas in the Old Testament the focus seems to have been on teaching the Word of God.   Again,  in the King James’  Old Testament there is no reference to the Gospel.   Thus, what is the Gospel become a valid question.

Matthew 11:1  And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.

Teach and preach seems to be two different words used to describe Jesus actions.  Is there a difference between teaching and preaching?    A simple definition is, to teach is to instruct, to preach is to proclaim.   An acceptable definition to many would be based upon ones personal interpretation of the scripture.

Mark 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. John’s idea of preaching was, preaching in the wilderness of Judah. In view of the narrative,  it could be said, he was preaching to trees and animals, then people began to come out to see what all of the fuss was about.

Matthew 4:17  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  Luke 4:19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.  Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand, seems to have been the common theme of the messages preached by the New Testament patriots.   The Gospel was not a  motivational speech that promised sunshine and favors.  The Gospel was not about the life of Moses, nor was it about the life of Jesus Christ.  The Gospel setforth the purpose of Jesus’s suffering and dying on the cross, and his resurrection.  The Gospel is a call to repentance.   1 Timothy 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.  1 Corinthians 2:1-2  And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.   The Gospel is the message of the Kingdom of God. 

Acts 10:42  And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.  Testify is another word that’s added to the arsenal of tools used to promote the plan of God. 

There are two knowledges at work, there is the knowledge of good and evil, which encompasses all of the knowledge of the world, and there is the knowledge of God.   We are to teach the Knowledge of God the same as our worldly institutions teach the knowledge of good and evil.   Preach is to proclaim the Gospel.  When John the Baptist preached, it was not about the prophets, his message was simple, “repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand”.   Finally, as in a court of Law, a testimony is a dissertation of the events that has taken place. We testify of what God has done for us, it is vain to testify of what we want God to do.  When a person stands before a congregation, the purpose should be to Teach, Preach or Testify. 

The highjacking of the scripture has turned the Word of God into an entertainment platform.  Religious writer, Ministers and preachers are competing for equal time and space on the world stage, the same as other entertainers.  Preaching the Gospel has become a form of play acting, and the positions within the organized church is being used to promote social standings within the community at large.  The Gospel and the Word of God is combined together to form a polluted motivational type of message that is attractive to the masses.  This has never been the intent of the Gospel.   As the world drifts farther and farther from the knowledge of God, entertainment becomes the driving force of survival.  As the church becomes more apostate, people are flocking to the church to be entertained.   Entertainment played an important role in the building of many great congregations and civilizations.  The Romans flocked to fill the great coliseum to watch the Lions verses the Christians.

A preacher’s style of preaching, his appearance and the promises made plays an important role in determining who come to hear his message.   It is said, the typical "black church" style of preaching, the hooping and the hollering  goes back to the days of slavery.   Now, I know this line of thinking is offensive to some.  The use of clever words, alliterations, screaming, hollering, jumping around is often used to validate a message from God.  In many settings, the preacher hasn’t preached until he “tune up and roar”.   It is said, this technique became in vogue in black churches during the days of slavery.  It was enforced by the owners and was a part of the indoctrination of the slave.  It was used to ensure  that the slaves left the religious services feeling better about being slaves.  They felt good about waking up one more day and doing the master’s bidding. Singing in unison, “Swing low, sweet chariot,  coming for to carry me home”, filled their tortured soul with hope and expectation.  When they left the church they left with false hope, an elevated heart rate and sweaty clothes.  They left with nothing of substance other than with enough joy to get them through Monday, then the misery or reality would set in again, and they just couldn’t wait to get back to church and “throw down.”

The typical "white church" style of preaching was more substance and less flair. Comparing the two delivery systems is like comparing Country Music to Rock and Roll.   Listen to country music  one can easily get caught up in the message of the song, whereas with Rock and Roll, it is easy to get caught up in the ”beat”.  Some church goers were actually learning how to have a proper relationship with God through sound, sit down, shut up and pay attention teaching.  They were learning the concept of a metaphysical God, colorless, while others debated the color of God.  They learned about how to be proper stewards of money, land, family and their bodies. While they were getting something out of church, there were some who were getting nothing but a good cardiovascular workout.

A third style of worship has emerged.  The word crossover is being used to describe a type of worship service that embraces the best of both styles and incorporates the expression of worldly pleasures. 

Next

A True Call to Worship

The Art of Preaching

The Art of Preaching

I listen attentively as the learned pastor explained to me, “The Art of Preaching”.   It seems strange to me that after years of religious associations and study, in and out of the organized church, this was my first encounter with a narrative that openly defined preaching as an art form.    Yet, it was a natural evolution that preachers who desired to be successful would elevate their passion to an art form, the same as any other performing artist on the stage of human acceptance.  After Googling the phrase, I was overwhelmed  with the numerous  references to the “Art of Preaching” that  it seems as if I had been living in a cloud.  In my search for a closer encounter with God, I never considered preaching to be an art form, least of all a performing art.  Reading the exposition of one author, the words,  art, science and preaching were used within the same sentence to define the presentation of the Word of God.

The purpose of performing arts is to entertain and it boundaries are defined by public acceptance and nowhere in the equation is the knowledge of God a defining entity.   The standards of acceptability changes from day to day and with each generation.  That which was once considered taboo soon become acceptable and these changes are reflected in the performing arts.  Consider the movie and music industry, they have adapted and made changes, some of these changes are deplorable to the older generation.  In a society govern by the knowledge of good and evil rather than the knowledge of God, changes are necessary to remain a relevant entity in an apostate society.   The elevation of preaching to one of the performing arts has opened many doors for the messengers of God.  Ministers now can become financially successful as they scramble for attention from the church that Jesus purchased with his blood.  The sacredness of their position has now become fodder for reality television shows.  Maybe the “salt” has lost its saving power. 

It was not possible for me to continue to discuss the Art of Preaching with my learned colleague without taking into consideration, the different delivery system or styles of preaching.  This is becoming an issue to some that are as simple as, “black preachers and white preachers”.   There is definitely a black style of preaching and there is a white style of preaching, in the middle there are the crossovers who are blending the two together.   Somewhere lost in the emotional rush is the question of what is right and what is wrong.   If we follow the logical path of our indoctrination there are  questions that must be asked.  When we all get to Heaven, will there be a section for the emotional Blacks saints and the subdued Whites saints?   Will there be a section for the Baptist and a section for the Pentecostal?  God forbid that the confusion of religion would enter into the Heavenly place.

The Art of Preaching can be defined as being able to manipulate the emotional and/or spiritual intimacy of an individual, forming an interpersonal relationship  with a group that varies in intensity from one relationship to another and varies from one time to another, much like physical intimacy.  Preaching affects, emotions, and feelings, these  phenomena are often described as the spirit of God.  But, does today's concept of preaching and the different styles of delivery affects the spirituality of man or is it a play on the emotions? 

In the Old Testament prophets would spend much of their time traveling from city to city delivering the Words of God.  When not on a mission from God, they usually could be found in some secluded place, mountain top or forest retreat communicating with God.   A common theme among the prophets was, they gave up all claims to earthly wealth and glory to serve their God.    When they delivered a message, it was a message direct from God.   John the Baptist, a New Testament prophet and preacher did not come eating and drinking with the multitudes, meaning John did not allow himself to be lifted up and honored by the multitude, rather he chose to live a life of simplicity.  His diet was a poor man diet, it consisted of locusts and wild honey, and he preached, not in a temple but  in the wilderness of Judaea.  His message was even simpler:  Matthew 3:2  And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

What is “The Art of Preaching”? In today's modern, and politically correct society preaching is defined as a Homily, a  religious discourse that is intended primarily for spiritual edification rather than doctrinal instruction; a sermon.  Though the purpose of preaching is to communicate biblical truths, there is a sense in which Homiletics is both an art and a science. The study of principles of Homiletics, as they apply to the techniques of preaching, makes the discipline a science.  It becomes an art when one shifts the focus to the appropriate manner of delivering the message.   The message must be delivered in such a manner that the listeners are awed, excited, but not necessarily transformed.  The manner, the message, and the messenger must resonate with the audience to bring about an emotional response.  In an ethnic divided religious arena, the use of clever words, alliterations, screaming, hollering, jumping around is often used to validate a message from God.  In many settings, the preacher hasn’t preached until he “tune up and roar”.  This is “The Art of Preaching”.

 Luke 10:1-5   After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

It seems fitting that the basis of our discussion should be centered around these verses.  Jesus has chosen a group of seventy and he is sending them out to preach the gospel or deliver a message.  If pressed, to give a strict interpretation. The meaning is, that they were to go as they were, without making any special preparation, and that they were to give their time and attention wholly to their work, and not engage in social enjoyments, and in the interchange of the courtesies of society, in the places they should visit. The object of this mission seems to have been to disseminate generally some authentic knowledge of the Savior's person and character as a messenger from heaven and to call the attention of the community to the coming of the Messiah.  What is the message? Luke 10:9… The kingdom of God comes nigh unto you.  Remember John the Baptist message?  Matthew 3:2  And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

In the ancient ethnic defined, organized church, preachers were expected to stand before the congregations without a prepared script and allow the Holy Spirit to speak through them.   The reasoning is based upon Jesus admonition to the other seventy to take no script.   Matthew 10:19-20 is often surgical altered and used out of it context, to condemn those who sought to perfect the art of reading from a manuscript.  … Take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.  As preaching began to evolve and become accepted as an art form, it became necessary to spend hours preparing scripts.  Church goers within my age  bracket can remember when it was taboo for a preacher to read from a manuscript.  The old style preacher used many different techniques to hide the manuscript or notes.  In today's electronic age the taboo of the script has dissipated and evolved, from turning pages in a notebook  to the use of an electronic tablet and often projecting the message and scriptures on  overhead screens. 

What is the definition of preaching?  Does the modern day definition of preaching concur with the teaching of Jesus or Paul?  Are we guilty of adding or taking away from the message of the Holy Scripture?   Has the message of God evolved into nothing more than a motivational speech designed to prod us along our daily journey?  Let’s take a look at the modern day definition of preaching, then in Part #2 of this blog, we will discuss each aspect of this definition to see if it coincide with the teaching of the Christ.  

  

A. Inspirational - It must impart God to the people and bring the uplift of the Holy Spirit to them.

B. Motivational - It must produce a change in their lives. They must be motivated to repent and live according to God's word and plan for their lives. It is the preacher's task to motivate the Church to its ministry. Phillip Brooks said, "You must count your work unsatisfactory unless  you burn men's brains and awaken their consciences".

C. Relational - Preaching should establish the relative positions of God and man, & then man to man. Matthew 21:37-40.

D. Revelational - It should bring forth the whole counsel of God for that congregation. There should be an element of fresh truth being constantly revealed. Matthew 13:52. It is not enough to impart information. It is essential that his messages should have a revelation from God.  Facts of the Word which God has taught him personally.

E. Confrontational - Not in a negative, destructive sense, but with respect to being able to accept the responsibility to challenge and change a city. The preaching which has no goal to change its community has lost its reason for being.

F. Proportional - Preaching must be:

a) Balanced - It is possible to be so caught up with ultimates that the practicalities are ignored. There should be a proper balance between what is revealed and what is relevant.

b) Consistent - The preacher ought not to go after fads or new emphases unless he can see that he can make it part of his ministry for all time. Zigzagging in ministry will produce confusion, inaction, and frustration in the congregation. Paul advised Timothy to be consistent. 2^nd Timothy 4:2 - "be instant in season and out of season".

Scriptures are used to validate this definition,  but is this an accurate biblical definition of preaching?

  Next

“What is Preaching”   

Mark 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.    

The Road Leading To Destruction, Part "5"

Chapter 1, Part "5"
"Book Review"

Understanding The Word Of God

The divine commandment given by Jesus to his eleven disciples in a closed room was not a commandment to the gentiles, nor was it given to the non existence church.  The application of the rule, who is speaking, who is being spoken to and what is the subject matter is always an important key to understanding the word of God.   (Mark 16:14-18)  Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (This next verse must remain within the same context, he is speaking to his  “unbelieving disciples”.)  And these signs shall follow them that believe;  In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

If this divine command were to apply to all believers down through the ages, then the question would be where the believers are.  “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover”, as presented by those who are seeking to make a name for themselves have left many standing in a state of confusion.  Yet, this is something that cannot be openly addressed, because we are told that if the Bible said it, then it must be so.  In another command given to the disciples, Jesus said, “(Luke 24:49) And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” A loose interpretation of this scripture would require all believers to make a trip to Jerusalem.

These divine commands are blessing bestowed upon the disciples.  The blessing offers no material gain, He is empowering the disciples to go out and act in his name.  Blessing as well as miracles has been redefined to make them more applicable in today’s setting.  A blessing of this nature would not be attractive enough to draw people into a church setting.  A blessing must offer something tangible, something useful that will enhance the day to day life experience of the receiver.  The key to obtaining these blessings would be through an unholy interpretation of the scripture call “the planting of a seed”.  Once the seed is planted, the faith of the person planting the seed would be the determining factor whether the blessing was received or not.  To insure blessings were falling all around, the definition of a blessing must be constantly updated.  Simple things such as waking up in the morning became a blessing.  Your tax return came and you can’t wait to tell of the blessing of God.   Jesus attempted to correct the imprecision of this thinking when he stated, “(Matthew 5:45)   For he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Prayer or thanking God is not a prerequisite of waking up.  There are things that God has preordained and is allowed to take place in this world without regard to one’s status as a believer or not.  

The next item on the agenda was Heaven itself.  Traditionally, Christianity has taught Heaven is the location of the throne of God as well as the holy angels.  In most Christian denominations, Heaven is also understood as the abode of the righteous dead in the afterlife, usually a temporary place of the soul before the resurrection of the dead and the saints' return to the New Earth and rule with Christ.  Who they will rule over is a question that we shall attempt to answer later.   

Heaven once was looked upon as an exclusive abode, there were restrictions on who could or could not enter.   Under the new and reconstructed plan, the doors of Heaven were thrown wide open and it has become a place for everybody.  Rock stars usually arrive in Heaven long before their funeral is held and is usually assigned a position in the Heavenly choir.  A God of love would not send his wayward children to a place like Hell.  Heaven is now that place where we all go when we depart this life.  Our loved ones sprout wings and fly around in Heaven all day looking down on us, regardless of the life they live here on earth.  They are looking down and protecting us while shouting Holy, Holy, Holy all day long.  An earlier concept of Heaven that I was taught that was it was a place the righteous would go and, “have nothing to do but March around Heaven all day.”   All of these concepts of Heaven can be rather boring when considering the prospect of eternity, nor do they address the plan of God.

Heaven can be one of the most confusing aspect of Christianity, yet there is so much knowledge of Heaven recorded within the Holy Scripture.   Jesus often told his listeners, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like”, even John gave his dissertation on a view from heaven.   Much of the confusion exists because of what we once were taught or not taught because of a lack of knowledge of the Holy Scripture. 

John’s rendition of the afterlife does not set well with many, because it forces a belief that many are not prepared to accept.  Many of our religious leaders have abandoned the concept of Heaven and Hell as an intricate part of their message.  The elements of its application are considered too harsh for developing minds and many religious leaders have concluded that exposing our children to this ancient concept would result in traumatic experiences.  What once was at the forefront of the teaching of Christianity has now been cast aside in favor of a message of love. 

In 2003 a news organization did a survey that showed nine out of ten people in the United States believed in Heaven.  Today that number is more like six out of ten and dwindling.  The religious attitude of the United States is changing.  In the midst of all of our praying, preaching and teaching our younger generation does not believe as we do.  Is it safe to say their belief structure is not the same as that of their parents?  Christianity, religion, Heaven and Hell are becoming abstract terms and their use is superficial at best.    Every culture has wrestled with the question of an afterlife, and most have come to a similar conclusion: The bad end up in a place of punishment called Hell or by some other name, the good go to Heaven.  The promise of Heaven or a similar place plays a central role in the belief structure of most religions. For most people who believe in Heaven, proof of Heaven is not necessary.  Faith is all they need.  To some this faith comes easily, but to others it is elusive.  When the question is asked, what is Heaven like, this is where the lack of knowledge is amplifies.   

 In the eighteenth century, few, if any understood the concept of nuclear energy, yet the knowledge was there waiting to be discovered.  The young child’s mind that is filled with pictures of dinosaurs is often tempted to ask, did dinosaurs exist in the bible?  A deeper understanding of God’s word would allow a Bible teacher to answer with confidence, “Yes, and God talked to Job about them.”  The answer to, “What is Heaven like,”  and  “Where is Heaven “  is in the Bible, but many times it is overlooked for a more excitable message.   A message of overcoming the hardships of this life is more exciting than the message of Jesus telling you of your reward if you can endure the hardships of this life. 

Jesus gave a starling dissertation of a righteous beggar and a rich man living and dying.  (Luke 16:23)   And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  In that elucidation we are privy to a conversation between two dead men.   There is no indication that Lazarus saw the rich man in Hell, This would have been too traumatic, but the rich man saw Lazarus, which added to his torment.  .” (Luke 16:24-25)  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. If one came back from the dead would it make any difference to what we already know?  There is much to be learned here. 

Ask a minister or teacher about Heaven and you might get abstract responses such as, “Heaven is a beautiful place”, “Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people” or “Heaven is where Jesus is.”  Heaven by some is described as a place where the saints just march around heaven all day.

In a children's book by Maria Shriver called “What's Heaven”, she describes it as "a beautiful place where you can sit on soft clouds and talk.   If you're good throughout your life, then you get to go there... When your life is finished here on earth, God sends angels down to take you heaven to be with him."   This is a distorted view of Heaven, according to a noted Bishop in the Church of England.  This distorted view is allowed to exist even in modern society because the focus of Christianity has shifted from the hereafter to the now. 

 The selling of the Christ has distorted the view of God, Heaven, Hell and even the Word of God.  The focus is about making money and amass blessing.  The sacredness of the supernatural realm has eroded and the name of God has become common fodder for the unscrupulous.  

 As a child growing up in a church going family the name of God was spoken with reverence and respect.   We were taught to never use the name of God in vain.  There was the proper place and time to honor and praise God.   Our praise and prayer was a private affair being careful to adhere to the teaching of the Bible.  (Exodus 20:7) Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

This new or reconstructed God can now be found in many places where he once was not found.  Many of the older Christians are doubtful as to whether God wants to be acknowledged in some of the venues that make the claim of honoring God.   The rap star, whose music caused many to blush, often gives thanks God for his blessings when the awards are handed out.  God has exploded all over the social media and many have concluded that God is doing great things.  If you type “Amen” under a picture of a stack of money God will give it to you.  Prophets are revealing that God has given them a message and they will reveal the message for a small fee.   How profane.  

To be continued

The Road Leading To Destruction, Part "D"

Chapter 1, Part "D"
"Book Review"

Understanding The Word Of God

What is Grace?  In Christian theology, grace has been defined not as a created substance, but as the love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it.  Grace is given, not because of anything we have done to earn it; it is the condescension or benevolence shown by God toward the human race. It is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to man, generous, free and totally unexpected.  It is undeserved; it takes the form of a divine favor, love, clemency, and a share in the divine life of God.  It is an attribute of God that is most manifest in the salvation of sinners.   Grace is given freely without charge.  The sowing of a financial seed is not a prerequisite of grace.

In the presence of the Law the punishment for our transgression is made clear.  It is only through the mercies of God, that Grace is allowed to manifest itself.  In the presence of Judgment, when the demands of the Law are made known, Grace proclaims that the blood of the Christ has already paid the price.  We therefore are debtor to the work of the cross and not to the works of the law. The grace of God brought through the works of the cross did not turn God into a fun loving God, but a God who is storing up his wrath until the works of Grace is complete.  (Revelation 15:7) And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.

For God so loved the world that he gave or sent his only begotten son, what transpired after that was a plea for mercy from the son of God.  His cry was, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”.  Within the boundaries of Heaven that cry still resonates, as mankind drifts farther and farther from God.  The concept of a God extending his everlasting love is not scriptural.  God, on many occasions have been known to vent his angry.   Revelation depicts an angry God who anger is restrained only by the intercession of his son and the works of the Holy Spirit.

The Old Testament depicted a God that was prone to bouts of angry and long periods of silence.  The Old Testament introduced us to a God that actively participated in killing sprees.  The New Testament introduced us to the Son of God who extolled the virtues of love.  Let me inject this, the only thing standing between humanity and a killing spree by an angry God, is the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross.   This is parallel to the event that took place at the base of the Holy Mountain.  The only thing that stood between the children of Israel and a killing spree by an angry God was the intercessions made by Moses.

To overcome the obstacles presented in the Old Testament and to make God more user friendly, it became necessary to deconstruct and reconstruct God in a fashion that is compatible with today’s standards.   Even a new concept of Heaven was constructed to accommodate this new form of godliness and the prospect of Hell diminished or was eliminated.

Nations that were once considered ‘God fearing nation’ are backing away from the concept of “one nation under God”.  World leaders are seeking to shed the image of a Christian nation, and many Christian leaders have publicly stated, “The way of the cross is just one of many ways to this new concept of heaven”.  

 The organized church had no qualms about making God more users friendly, because it opens up a new level of power, money and control.  Under the direction of the organized church, this deconstruction and reconstruction process produced a type of religion, (charismatic, prosperity, love and kindness) that embodies many of the excesses that the God of old frown upon.   A message that portrays the workings of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit as an adventure in the application of love and kindness fails miserably to project the true image of God.  The message of the Kingdom and our reason for being here is overshadowed by our desire for worldly pleasures.

To deconstruct means to systematically remove layer after layer of the supporting structure. Whether it is an idea, concept or even a religious deity, this is done for the purpose of doing an analytical examination of something (as a theory) often in order to reveal its inadequacy  or relevance and to bring about changes.  Deconstruction is an environmentally friendly process; it is the alternate to demolition or destruction.    Rather than destroying or cast aside an item, idea, or even God, it is more fitting that a process of deconstructing and reconstructing be initiated.   The children of Israel attempted to do the same thing at the base of the Holy Mountain.  They wanted a God that they could see and touch. 

 In our modern and ever changing world, it is necessary that certain items, things or even our belief structure be updated to maintain their relevancy in a modern and high-tech society.  For the sakes of an analogy, let's look at the cook stove of the early 1800’s, a wood burning configuration that belched smoke would certainly be out of place in the modern homes.  Yet, today no home would be complete without the presence of a stove.   To fulfill the need of the home did not require creating a new method of processing food, heat would still be needed to heat the food to a temperature necessary to cook the food.  Therefore a process of deconstructing and reconstructing the wood stove allowed for the emergence of the gas, electric and microwave ovens, eliminating the smoke and grit.  Yet, they all have that one thing in common that makes them an oven. They use heat to cook the food. 

Blessings and miracles were two of the attributes of God subjected to an analytical examination.  When the old patriots blessed a child, the power to act in their father’s name was the objective.  Today, a blessing needs to be more than the authority to act in God’s name; it needs to represent a financial gain.  Blessings and miracles have become the sellable products of this new or updated god.  

Within the Holy Scripture blessing and miracles are an integral part of the work of God.  Jesus performed many miracles; this power was also given to the apostles.   Blessings and miracles was the confirmation that they were sent by God.   This was necessary to establish the new covenant.   When Jesus stood at the entrance to Lazarus tomb, he prayed a prayer that explains the purpose of the miracle he was about to perform.  (John 11:41-43)... And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.  And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

Prior to the emerging of the Pentecostal Movement that began in various regions around the globe, such as America, Germany, and Australia, in the early twentieth century the working of miracles were in abeyance.  Prior to the Charismatic Renewal which began in the last third of the same century, the consensus of mainstream Christianity was that miracles were part of the apostolic era.   The healing movement in the 1940s and 1950s signaled the rebirth of miracle working. 

We live in a Pentecostal age and around the world, wherever churches are growing, reports of miracles are rampant. Many Christians regard miracles as an extremely important element of their worship service.  The definition of a miracle can range from one extreme to the other.  To some their belief in miracles is so strong that it is a sin to go to the doctor.  Then there are those who have redefined the process of surviving a surgical procedure a miracle. 

This is not a dissertation as to whether miracles exist today, miracles are an expression of the power of God and there is no limit to God’s power.  It is how we attempt to harness and display the power of God that is at issue.   How often have we stood at the altar and begged God for a miracle.   Have we ever stood by and watched as the pastor, or the proclaimed healer laid hands on our loved ones and prayed for deliverance, only to no avail?  If he did it once, he will do it again if often used as a guide to determining what God will or will not do.   When we see the fault of our work or our promises, we should allow for our misunderstanding of God’s word.  Our prayer then should be to the Father to open up our understanding.

The Bible is the source of many different types of messages.  There are deliverances messages, motivational messages and even prosperity messages, all presented as the Word of God.  There is a question as to whether this is a true representation of the Holy Scripture.  True, there were many benefits of following Jesus, but the message was not about the benefits.  Many works were performed by the Apostles, but their messages were not about their works.   The message of the new dispensation, the message of Grace, the message of the New Testament seems to have been about the coming of the Kingdom of God.