Just the other day I wrote the blog entry about our lack of understanding of the power of the spirit realm. Well, here we are in a 3-day "spiritual" retreat with all of the Central American MCCers, and I am disturbed by what I have heard in the teaching session that I have attended.
The speakers have been brought in from Chiapas, Mexico to lead us through the retreat. One is a native Mexican and the other is a Swiss lady, pastor/theologian in the Reformed Swiss church background. Apparently the two of them have been working together for some time in Chiapas.
They are focusing on the Mayan Christian traditions and rituals, and are leading the group through various exercises. I assumed that they were coming from a "normal" evangelical viewpoint and felt that I was open to hear what they had to say. However, the alarm bells started to sound when they started to lead us through gymnastics to "gather the power from the earth and sky", and bring it inward. They proceeded to talk about getting in touch with the heart of "Mother Earth" and to understand that God is in all of creation (not that we can see who God is, but that He is actually in the animal, plant, etc.).
Meantime they had created a traditional Mayan altar in the center of the room with various colors of flowers and symbolic candles. They proceeded to explain the "paths" from one candle to another: red to black signifies God's life and death, white to yellow signifies something (can't remember) to corn/plenty, and there were two others that I cannot remember. The three paths form a traditional Mayan cross. In the middle they place a small clay pot with burning incense. Each person lights a small candle and offers him/herself to God, through the candle.
OK, this is as best I understood/remember it. However, as they continued to talk about all of these things I became more and more filled with the conviction that this was not of God, and so I left the room before they performed the incense part of the ritual.
I keep asking myself if I am over-blowing the whole thing, but I cannot shake the feeling that they are entering the realm of the occult, and it is not benign! I opened my Bible to 1 John 4 (funny, I had a marker there) and read: "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world."
This experience is at the polar extreme of ignorance of the spirit realm, but I fear that the spirits with whom they are dealing are not of God.
If anyone is more knowledgeable on this subject or has some insight I would love to hear your thoughts.
More to come as I process this.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Prowling Like a Roaring Lion
First of all, I have to insist that all of you (men especially, but women too) read a fantastic book called, Wild at Heart, by John Eldredge. He articulates so well some of the things that I have felt over the years and has helped me to understand myself and my role better. Anyhow, I say all of this because I am going to include an excerpt from the book to illustrate what I want to say.
It goes like this:
The invasion of France and the end of WWII actually began the night before the Allies hit the beaches of Normany, when the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions were dropped behind enemy lines to cut off Hitler’s reinforcements. If you’ve seen The Longest Day or Saving Private Ryan, you remember the dangers those paratroopers were facing. Alone or in small groups, they moved through the dead of night across a country they had never been to in order to fight an enemy they couldn’t see or predict. It was a moment of unparalleled bravery … and cowardice. For not every trooper played the man that fateful night. Sure, they jumped; but afterward, many hid. One group took cowardice to a new level.
Too many had hunkered down in hedgerows to await the dawn; a few had even gone to sleep. Pvt. Francis Palys of the 506th saw what was perhaps the worst dereliction of duty. He had gathered a squad near Vierville. Hearing “all kinds of noise and singing from a distance,” he and his men sneaked up on a farmhouse. In it was a mixed group from both American divisions. The paratroopers had found [liquor] in the cellar … and they were drunker than a bunch of hillbillies on a Saturday night wingding. Unbelievable. (D-Day)
Unbelievable indeed. These men knew they were at war, yet they refused to act like it. They lived in a dangerous denial – a denial that not only endangered them but countless others who depended on them to do their part. It is a perfect picture of the church in the West when it comes to spiritual warfare. During a recent church staff meeting, a friend of mine raised the suggestion that some of the difficulties they were facing might be the work of the Enemy. “What do you think?” he asked. “Well, I suppose that sort of thing does happen,” one of the other pastors replied. “In the Third World, perhaps, or maybe to thwart a major crusade. You know … places where cutting-edge ministry is going on.”
Incredible. What a self-indictment.
I think that this excerpt says it so well. The western church is asleep. We have swallowed the lie that the enemy is not really active. It is time that we wake up and start practicing some serious spiritual warfare.
Ephesians 6:12 For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and the cosmic powers of this dark age.
It goes like this:
The invasion of France and the end of WWII actually began the night before the Allies hit the beaches of Normany, when the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions were dropped behind enemy lines to cut off Hitler’s reinforcements. If you’ve seen The Longest Day or Saving Private Ryan, you remember the dangers those paratroopers were facing. Alone or in small groups, they moved through the dead of night across a country they had never been to in order to fight an enemy they couldn’t see or predict. It was a moment of unparalleled bravery … and cowardice. For not every trooper played the man that fateful night. Sure, they jumped; but afterward, many hid. One group took cowardice to a new level.
Too many had hunkered down in hedgerows to await the dawn; a few had even gone to sleep. Pvt. Francis Palys of the 506th saw what was perhaps the worst dereliction of duty. He had gathered a squad near Vierville. Hearing “all kinds of noise and singing from a distance,” he and his men sneaked up on a farmhouse. In it was a mixed group from both American divisions. The paratroopers had found [liquor] in the cellar … and they were drunker than a bunch of hillbillies on a Saturday night wingding. Unbelievable. (D-Day)
Unbelievable indeed. These men knew they were at war, yet they refused to act like it. They lived in a dangerous denial – a denial that not only endangered them but countless others who depended on them to do their part. It is a perfect picture of the church in the West when it comes to spiritual warfare. During a recent church staff meeting, a friend of mine raised the suggestion that some of the difficulties they were facing might be the work of the Enemy. “What do you think?” he asked. “Well, I suppose that sort of thing does happen,” one of the other pastors replied. “In the Third World, perhaps, or maybe to thwart a major crusade. You know … places where cutting-edge ministry is going on.”
Incredible. What a self-indictment.
I think that this excerpt says it so well. The western church is asleep. We have swallowed the lie that the enemy is not really active. It is time that we wake up and start practicing some serious spiritual warfare.
Ephesians 6:12 For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and the cosmic powers of this dark age.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Just Actions???
Micah 6:8 says, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."
Time and again I return to this verse asking the question, "What does it mean to act justly?". If I am living a life of ease and know that there are people around me who are in need am I acting justly? Does it matter the reason for their poverty? This may sound like a strange question, but I will dare to say that there are people who are poor and in need because they don't want to do anything about it. Obviously this does not apply to all cases.
Ironically, I sometimes wonder if the work that we (NGOs) are doing here in Nicaragua is actually helping or if we are really just reinforcing their "look for a handout" mentality. How can I act justly in the face of countless needs and access to limited resources?
Here are a couple concrete examples that are troublesome for me.
Am I acting justly if I do not pay my housekeeper a "livable" wage, even if I am paying a better than typical salary for that type of work? How do I act justly when the drunk comes to my door looking for money or food?
I have had many conversations with a good Nicaraguan friend about "helping" the people, and he always says that when asked for help I should simply say that I don't have anything to give. I think, "Easy for you to say because it is true for you", but I know that he is simply trying to protect me from the "sponge" element of society. However, I cannot forget the verse that says that to whom much has been given much will be required. I have to think that even though I have very little money by US standards I have still been given much.
Recently we had a situation at church where a young lady asked for a loan for bus money to go visit her sick father. We do not know her well, but we have seen her regularly for the time we have been at the church, so wanting to "help", and not being able to honestly say that I did not have, I gave. Later, my friend asked why I had given her the money and warned me that she is not to be trusted. I protested that if there is a genuine need I feel that I am called to help. The catch is, how do I know if it is a genuine need? Of course, when the young lady showed up at church the next Sunday with her hair dyed I had to resist the temptation to be angry.
Did I act justly?
Time and again I return to this verse asking the question, "What does it mean to act justly?". If I am living a life of ease and know that there are people around me who are in need am I acting justly? Does it matter the reason for their poverty? This may sound like a strange question, but I will dare to say that there are people who are poor and in need because they don't want to do anything about it. Obviously this does not apply to all cases.
Ironically, I sometimes wonder if the work that we (NGOs) are doing here in Nicaragua is actually helping or if we are really just reinforcing their "look for a handout" mentality. How can I act justly in the face of countless needs and access to limited resources?
Here are a couple concrete examples that are troublesome for me.
Am I acting justly if I do not pay my housekeeper a "livable" wage, even if I am paying a better than typical salary for that type of work? How do I act justly when the drunk comes to my door looking for money or food?
I have had many conversations with a good Nicaraguan friend about "helping" the people, and he always says that when asked for help I should simply say that I don't have anything to give. I think, "Easy for you to say because it is true for you", but I know that he is simply trying to protect me from the "sponge" element of society. However, I cannot forget the verse that says that to whom much has been given much will be required. I have to think that even though I have very little money by US standards I have still been given much.
Recently we had a situation at church where a young lady asked for a loan for bus money to go visit her sick father. We do not know her well, but we have seen her regularly for the time we have been at the church, so wanting to "help", and not being able to honestly say that I did not have, I gave. Later, my friend asked why I had given her the money and warned me that she is not to be trusted. I protested that if there is a genuine need I feel that I am called to help. The catch is, how do I know if it is a genuine need? Of course, when the young lady showed up at church the next Sunday with her hair dyed I had to resist the temptation to be angry.
Did I act justly?
Sunday, December 7, 2008
The Spirit Realm
“The devil roams around like a roaring like, seeking whom he may devour.”
How true, yet we sure do not act like it.
“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers of darkness”
By all appearances we do not believe this to be true. Many people in the 3rd world understand quite clearly the powers of the spirit realm, but the enemy has quite effectively convinced us that he is not really active. I beg to differ. He not only is active, but he is the cause of many of the problems that we simply accept as “part of life”.
How true, yet we sure do not act like it.
“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers of darkness”
By all appearances we do not believe this to be true. Many people in the 3rd world understand quite clearly the powers of the spirit realm, but the enemy has quite effectively convinced us that he is not really active. I beg to differ. He not only is active, but he is the cause of many of the problems that we simply accept as “part of life”.
Friendship, Transparency, Prayer
“A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity.”
As we have reflected on friendship recently we have come to realize that it is very difficult to find people who are willing to actually be friends; meaning people who are willing to take the time to care, to listen, to help, to be transparent, to share from their hearts, and to share in one’s struggles and victories. Culturally we are so accustomed to having acquaintances, but we have very few friends. How desperately most of us really need someone who cares, but how few of us actually have that someone. Our conversations are often so shallow, “How are you doing; how’s work going; what have you been up to; how are the kids; I’ll be praying for you; okay, take it easy”. As the author put it so beautifully in Wild at Heart (I will paraphrase), we walk away from that conversation and we don’t give a rip about that person. We only say those things because it is the Christian thing to say. How true. In our churches we really don’t want to hear about someone else’s problems. We simply are not interested.
I remember quite clearly one Sunday we were at a particular, unnamed, church, and during the Sunday school time a dear brother dared to speak up and share a struggle that he had as a father. He bared his heart in a way that is simply not heard, or frankly acceptable, in the church, and when he finished not a person in the room said a word (to my shame neither did I). He was left in embarrassed silence, as though somehow he was the only person in the room who ever struggled with anything of the sort. The message to him was quite clear, “Don’t ever share anything like that again. We simply do not want to hear it”.
This experience, among many others, has reinforced my belief that church as we know it does not work. The only place that we have ever felt free to really drop our masks has been in a couple of small groups that we have been a part of where we were all willing to be transparent together. We were able to bear each others’ burdens, lay on hands and pray for healing or freedom from demonic oppression, share our joys and sorrows, exhort each other, admonish, and praise God together. Frankly, the most beautiful and supportive time in my Christian walk has been with those groups. Those people, even with all of their flaws, have been some of the best friends and most supportive brothers and sisters that I have ever had.
In place of the chit-chat at church I would love to hear people excitedly sharing what God is doing in their lives, what He has shown them in His word, or what miraculous and marvelous thing He has done. On a trip recently, we had the privilege of meeting another young married couple, and in the few hours that we had to together we were able to share, with excitement, what God is doing in our and their lives. They were perfect strangers, but it was one of the most fulfilling and stimulating conversations that I have had in recent history. Why? Because it is thrilling to talk about the power of God and what we believe it means to really serve Him.
To refer back to a phrase that I mentioned earlier, “I’ll be praying for you”, I would venture to say that this is the most commonly told lie in the church and amongst Christians. I have told it too, many times. We say it because we think that it is what a good Christian should say, and it is what we should do. However, how many of us walk away from that conversation and never think about it again, or if we do happen to think about it we quickly say, “Lord, please help Joe”. There I’ve done my duty. What nonsense! There are two reasons I believe that we act this way.
1. We simply do not care enough about our brothers and sisters to take them to the Lord in prayer.
2. More importantly, we don’t believe that God listens to our prayers and/or will do anything. By looking at the life of most Christians today one would come to the conclusion that we have the wimpiest and weakest god that could possibly exist. Is it blasphemous to say that, I think not? Look at how we act and how we pray; when we pray we don’t really expect God to act, and we never pray for God to do things that are impossible.
I love the account that one of my former co-workers told me a couple years ago. Sorry Steve if I don’t get it quite right, but it is a great account, so here goes. This fellow was commuting 1 hour each way to and from work, and the heater/defroster ceased to work in the car. This became a problem as winter came on in Pennsylvania. He was forced to drive with the windows down so that the windshield would not frost up, and even bundled up he would arrive at work quite chilled. With a young family he did not have the money to have the care repaired so he continued on this way for a time. However, one day his pastor learned of the problem and said, “This is crazy, this cannot be”, and laid hands on the car and prayed. From that day on the heater worked again.
Why does this seem so incredible to us? Why do we always search for the most logical physical solution to a problem when we have the Almighty, All-powerful God just waiting for us to ask? Didn’t Jesus say that we will do even greater things than He did? I am forced to believe that we don’t really believe that God is all-powerful.
However, I have resolved that I am going to start acting, and asking, like I really believe. Why should I accept that my son is lactose intolerant? That is certainly not God’s plan. Why should I tolerate allergies and act like there is no recourse, other than medications? Do I believe that God is powerful enough to bring healing to any sickness? I am excited to see the miracles that God is going to perform. Just last evening (Sunday) Zach and I went to the church service, and left Nathaniel and Colleen at home because he was suffering from a cold (as are many other children). It struck me during the service that I should ask for healing and expect to see results. So that is just what I did, and when I arrived home that is exactly what Colleen told me. He had woken up from his nap grouchy, but had begun acting differently part way through the evening (about the time that I was praying). Now before you say that the cold had just run its course let me assure that that is not the case. It had only begun 24 hours earlier, and you all know that a cold never runs its course in 24 hours. I rest my case.
Don’t think that I am boasting; that is not the case at all. I am simply illustrating the weakness of our faith (mine included), and the lack of strength in our prayers and our faith. God delights in giving good gifts to His children. We need to step up, believe, ask, expect, and receive with thanksgiving.
Also, we need to resist the enemy and cast him out, but that is for another day…
As we have reflected on friendship recently we have come to realize that it is very difficult to find people who are willing to actually be friends; meaning people who are willing to take the time to care, to listen, to help, to be transparent, to share from their hearts, and to share in one’s struggles and victories. Culturally we are so accustomed to having acquaintances, but we have very few friends. How desperately most of us really need someone who cares, but how few of us actually have that someone. Our conversations are often so shallow, “How are you doing; how’s work going; what have you been up to; how are the kids; I’ll be praying for you; okay, take it easy”. As the author put it so beautifully in Wild at Heart (I will paraphrase), we walk away from that conversation and we don’t give a rip about that person. We only say those things because it is the Christian thing to say. How true. In our churches we really don’t want to hear about someone else’s problems. We simply are not interested.
I remember quite clearly one Sunday we were at a particular, unnamed, church, and during the Sunday school time a dear brother dared to speak up and share a struggle that he had as a father. He bared his heart in a way that is simply not heard, or frankly acceptable, in the church, and when he finished not a person in the room said a word (to my shame neither did I). He was left in embarrassed silence, as though somehow he was the only person in the room who ever struggled with anything of the sort. The message to him was quite clear, “Don’t ever share anything like that again. We simply do not want to hear it”.
This experience, among many others, has reinforced my belief that church as we know it does not work. The only place that we have ever felt free to really drop our masks has been in a couple of small groups that we have been a part of where we were all willing to be transparent together. We were able to bear each others’ burdens, lay on hands and pray for healing or freedom from demonic oppression, share our joys and sorrows, exhort each other, admonish, and praise God together. Frankly, the most beautiful and supportive time in my Christian walk has been with those groups. Those people, even with all of their flaws, have been some of the best friends and most supportive brothers and sisters that I have ever had.
In place of the chit-chat at church I would love to hear people excitedly sharing what God is doing in their lives, what He has shown them in His word, or what miraculous and marvelous thing He has done. On a trip recently, we had the privilege of meeting another young married couple, and in the few hours that we had to together we were able to share, with excitement, what God is doing in our and their lives. They were perfect strangers, but it was one of the most fulfilling and stimulating conversations that I have had in recent history. Why? Because it is thrilling to talk about the power of God and what we believe it means to really serve Him.
To refer back to a phrase that I mentioned earlier, “I’ll be praying for you”, I would venture to say that this is the most commonly told lie in the church and amongst Christians. I have told it too, many times. We say it because we think that it is what a good Christian should say, and it is what we should do. However, how many of us walk away from that conversation and never think about it again, or if we do happen to think about it we quickly say, “Lord, please help Joe”. There I’ve done my duty. What nonsense! There are two reasons I believe that we act this way.
1. We simply do not care enough about our brothers and sisters to take them to the Lord in prayer.
2. More importantly, we don’t believe that God listens to our prayers and/or will do anything. By looking at the life of most Christians today one would come to the conclusion that we have the wimpiest and weakest god that could possibly exist. Is it blasphemous to say that, I think not? Look at how we act and how we pray; when we pray we don’t really expect God to act, and we never pray for God to do things that are impossible.
I love the account that one of my former co-workers told me a couple years ago. Sorry Steve if I don’t get it quite right, but it is a great account, so here goes. This fellow was commuting 1 hour each way to and from work, and the heater/defroster ceased to work in the car. This became a problem as winter came on in Pennsylvania. He was forced to drive with the windows down so that the windshield would not frost up, and even bundled up he would arrive at work quite chilled. With a young family he did not have the money to have the care repaired so he continued on this way for a time. However, one day his pastor learned of the problem and said, “This is crazy, this cannot be”, and laid hands on the car and prayed. From that day on the heater worked again.
Why does this seem so incredible to us? Why do we always search for the most logical physical solution to a problem when we have the Almighty, All-powerful God just waiting for us to ask? Didn’t Jesus say that we will do even greater things than He did? I am forced to believe that we don’t really believe that God is all-powerful.
However, I have resolved that I am going to start acting, and asking, like I really believe. Why should I accept that my son is lactose intolerant? That is certainly not God’s plan. Why should I tolerate allergies and act like there is no recourse, other than medications? Do I believe that God is powerful enough to bring healing to any sickness? I am excited to see the miracles that God is going to perform. Just last evening (Sunday) Zach and I went to the church service, and left Nathaniel and Colleen at home because he was suffering from a cold (as are many other children). It struck me during the service that I should ask for healing and expect to see results. So that is just what I did, and when I arrived home that is exactly what Colleen told me. He had woken up from his nap grouchy, but had begun acting differently part way through the evening (about the time that I was praying). Now before you say that the cold had just run its course let me assure that that is not the case. It had only begun 24 hours earlier, and you all know that a cold never runs its course in 24 hours. I rest my case.
Don’t think that I am boasting; that is not the case at all. I am simply illustrating the weakness of our faith (mine included), and the lack of strength in our prayers and our faith. God delights in giving good gifts to His children. We need to step up, believe, ask, expect, and receive with thanksgiving.
Also, we need to resist the enemy and cast him out, but that is for another day…
Knowledge vs. Relationship
Something that has bothered me for some years is the belief and custom in the church of requiring that a pastor have a seminary education. As a friend of mine aptly put it some years ago, “seminary would be better called a cemetery”. In other words, it is the place where love and passion for God is replaced by alleged knowledge about God and scrutiny of His word. Love for God is replaced by man’s wisdom. 1 Corinthians 8:1b-3 says, “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God.”
I do not read that the apostles and early church leaders were the most educated men of their time, but God used them to proclaim His word. Likewise, some of the best and most powerful preaching that I have ever heard has been from men of little education, but who have a heart for the Lord. On the other hand, I have heard many teachings/sermons from seminary educated men who can speak at length about God and His word, but the love and passion for God has been killed by too much study and knowledge about God.
I do not read that the apostles and early church leaders were the most educated men of their time, but God used them to proclaim His word. Likewise, some of the best and most powerful preaching that I have ever heard has been from men of little education, but who have a heart for the Lord. On the other hand, I have heard many teachings/sermons from seminary educated men who can speak at length about God and His word, but the love and passion for God has been killed by too much study and knowledge about God.
Praying with Power
WE DO NOT PRAY IN POWER. That is the conclusion that I have come to recently. When we pray and ask for something we do not really believe that God is going to do anything. We pray for people out of a sense of obligation, not because we expect to see something happen. We need to begin praying and expecting that God is going to work a miracle in whatever the situation may be.
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