Book Review: Forgotten God

On my birthday my beautiful wife walked in the house with a few surprises from a local bookstore, one of them was the book Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit by Francis Chan. Chan, who just recently announced he’s leaving the church he help plant, is a radical teacher that doesn’t fit into any wooden description (such as liberal, or conservative). Chan, who is mostly known for his book “Crazy Love” has also been teaching at numerous conferences and is a refreshing voice the culture of self promotion. I believe he has been placed by God in this generation to wake the church up and invite us back to walking intimately with God.

In this book, he talks about the forgotten member of the Trinity: the Holy Spirit. He rightfully asserts that differing beliefs concerning the Holy Spirit has caused some just not to teach on Him or strive to experience His presence in their lives today. He is alive and waiting to be more apparent in our lives. In seven easy to read chapters Chan covers the following topics:

The role of the Holy Spirit as Jesus’ promised gift.
Fears and concerns about the Holy Spirit
How theology about the Holy Spirit has more to do with how a person lives than what they say they believe.
Motivations around the Holy Spirit and his power.
What a relationship with the Holy Spirit can really be like.
Letting go of manipulation and control by trusting the Holy Spirit.
Living in true community with the Holy Spirit and with others.

For a book to be as hard hitting on these themes as it is, the tone Chan takes hardly comes across as a harsh reprimand. There is a pastoral gentleness and humility that flow through these chapters, possibly because the author often uses his shortcomings as examples. It is balanced with his unbridled passion for something better. It is a contagious proposition. For readers who have already embraced the message from Chan’s first book, “Crazy Love,” you will find another winner here. For those who are reading him for the first time, you have found a new, encouraging friend, and Pastor. Please pick this book up for yourself , small group, or for a friend, I highly recommend it.

Next Book Review will be next Wednesday May 19th…

A simple message for Christians and non-Christian friends

This is not easy to post because it may offend many of you, but I do not write on this blog, live my life, say what I say, for anyones sake, only for the Glory of God. Please watch the video and take a second to evaluate what he said and whether it’s true. Then search your heart and respond.

“The same sun that hardens the clay also softens the wax.” -Puritan Proverb

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=587JL4Kzfu0]

Much bigger fish to fry

“Dear Republicans, stop complaining Healthcare needed reformed yrs ago & u did nothing. I don’t like it but @ least they finished something.”

This is the tweet that has started a string of responses from family, friends, and associates (even at work) about the recent law signed by our President (in case you have been hiding from reality lately). It’s not that I don’t vote or keep up with politics, I do, but after I’ve done my due diligence I just focus on what we [as Christ followers] have left to do. Ultimately, the government has asked me to do nothing against God’s law, no more than our 1st century brothers taxes were used for the upkeep of a colosseum that was the eventual resting place for many within there very personal and church families. So with that in mind I read Matthew 22, Romans 13 try to apply these in me being submissive to my government and tend to the larger business at hand which is the Gospel. My wife was one of the many people to comment on the tweet, and though we disagree vigorously on this subject she added an insight that I’ve not thought of before. She said:

“To fully understand where Jon is coming from (Not to defend him because we have been round and round about this) is the one thing that maters to him most is The Gospel and people knowing it. All other things typically get filter through the lens of “how does this affect The Gospel” Just some insight into my husband’s brain.”

She is right! So many people die daily without hearing the Gospel and that is our job as believers and followers in Christ. We have a duty to let them know the truth above all else. Unfortunately for us we fall prey to our enemies scheme to divert us from the one thing that we are called to which is to represent Christ in our very lives. Governments do not save people, People do not save people, the earth will not save people (or vice versa). Only Christ saves. As the earliest of all creeds states

“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived by the Holy [Spirit], born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, [and] was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sit on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy [Spirit] ; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.

Amen.”

This is what needs to be spoken not conservative, liberal, republican, democrat, tea party, tree hugger, gun toter, etc…… none of it, just Jesus. Listen, I’m not saying that you need to run to the hills and become a monk, I am asking those of you that claim to be Christ followers to engage culture with the Gospel.

What do you think?

P.S. That fish looks SO GOOD!!!!

Who is Jesus?

The greatness of God is most clearly displayed in his Son. And the glory of the gospel is only made evident in his Son. That’s why Jesus’ question to his disciples is so important: “Who do you say that I am?”

The question is doubly crucial in our day because not every Jesus is the real Jesus. Almost no one is as popular in this country as Jesus. Hardly anyone would dare to say a bad word about him. Just look at what a super-fly friendly dude he is over there. But how many people know the real Jesus?

There’s the Republican Jesus who is against tax increases and activists judges, for family values and owning firearms.
There’s Democrat Jesus who is against Wall Street and Wal-Mart, for reducing our carbon footprint and printing money.
There’s Therapist Jesus who helps us cope with life’s problems, heals our past, tells us how valuable we are and not to be so hard on ourselves.
There’s Starbucks Jesus who drinks fair trade coffee, loves spiritual conversations, drives a hybrid and goes to film festivals.
There’s Open-minded Jesus who loves everyone all the time no matter what, except for people who are not as open-minded as you.
There’s Touchdown Jesus who helps athletes fun faster and jump higher than non-Christians and determines the outcomes of Super Bowls.
There’s Martyr Jesus, a good man who died a cruel death so we can feel sorry for him
There’s Gentle Jesus who was meek and mild, with high cheek bones, flowing hair, and walks around barefoot, wearing a sash and looks very German.
There’s Hippie Jesus who teaches everyone to give peace a chance, imagine a world without religion, and helps us remember all you need is love.
There’s Yuppie Jesus who encourages us to reach our full potential, reach for the stars, and buy a boat.
There’s Spirituality Jesus who hates religion, churches, pastors, priests, and doctrine; and would rather have people out in nature, finding the god within and listening to ambiguously spiritual musical.
There’s Platitude Jesus, good for Christmas specials, greeting cards, and bad sermons; he inspires people to believe in themselves, and lifts us up so we can walk on mountains.
There’s Revolutionary Jesus who teaches us to rebel against the status quo, stick it to the man, and blame things on the “system.”
There’s Guru Jesus, a wise, inspirational teacher who believes in you and helps you find your center.
There’s Boyfriend Jesus who wraps his arms around us as we sing about his intoxicating love in our secret place.
There’s Good Example Jesus who shows you how to help people, change the planet, and become a better you.

And then there’s Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Not just another prophet. Not just another Rabbi. Not just another wonder-worker. He was the one they had been waiting for: the Son of David and Abraham’s chosen seed, the one to deliver us from captivity, the goal of the Mosaic law, Yahweh in the flesh, the one to establish God’s reign and rule, the one to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, freedom to the prisoners and proclaim good news to the poor, the lamb of God come to take away the sins of the world.

This Jesus was the Creator come to earth and the beginning of a new creation. He embodied the covenant, fulfilled the commandments, and reversed the curse. This Jesus is the Christ that God spoke of to the serpent, the Christ prefigured to Noah in the flood, the Christ promised to Abraham, the Christ prophesied through Balaam before the Moabites, the Christ guaranteed to Moses before he died, the Christ promised to David when he was king, the Christ revealed to Isaiah as a suffering servant, the Christ predicted through the prophets and prepared for through John the Baptist.

This Christ is not a reflection of the current mood or the projection of our own desires. He is our Lord and God. He is the Father’s Son, Savior of the world, and substitute for our sins–more loving, more holy, and more wonderfully terrifying than we ever thought possible.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=YNJ5oi1cw2I]

(What proceeded is adapted from the end of the talk on the “Life of Christ” that Kevin DeYoung gave at the Next 2009 Conference)

HT: Kevin DeYoung

Benny Hinn calls out Joel Osteen

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-ej7n7Nhns]

A few days back I posted this video and received a slew of comments quickly:

“His error is lumping all “seeker-friendly” churches in with Joel Osteen. WFC is seeker-friendly, and also very clearly and openly declares Jesus as the way, and the Gospel as the true Word of God. (Not to mention that there are plenty of videos and recordings of Mr. Hinn making false prophecy and committing heresy, so…)”
“I got a kick out of the strategic organ playing whenever he would get to those high points. It just drew me in… next thing I knew my hands were lifted and waving on their own and I was speaking in some heavenly language that no one else could understand. Just playing of course… a bit of sarcasm.”
“I don’t listen or read anything Benny Hinn says. He disgusts me.”
“You know I went to India and stayed with Prakash Yesudian He is the Billy Graham of India. He told me had more respect for Benny Hinn than for Mother Teresa. He said it was because Benny Hinn gave the gospel and brought people to the saving knowledge of Christ. Mother Teresa, however, told Prakash when he visited her told him that she and her people did not introduce the dying and sick to Christ because their job was to pray for them and help them not bring them to Jesus. That was God’s job. This made me stop and think about how we really see people.”

and my favorite (and personal reminder)….

“Strong comments my friends, before his master Benny will stand or fall, but for the record i do not agree with much of his theology concerning the kingdom. In private discussion i think these kinds of intense fellowships are better facilitated, before others it appears to be a house divided and we know what happens to that house. Lets major on the majors and minor on the minors.”

After viewing the video what do you think? Joel has since apologized for his comments does this change anything? Please comment below (and don’t be shy)……

Why I am intolerant…

You’ve seen these, right? They truly bother me . So much so that I sometime contemplate running cars with this bumper-sticker off of the road (I know, I know, I’m repenting and joking). Why, you may ask? Because the bumper-sticker doesnt really mean what it says.

Let’s break it down. We’ll call each worldview by the letter it’s supposed to represent. So:

C = Islam
O = Pacifism/ Peace
E = “Gender equality”
X = Judaism
I = Wicca / Pagan / Bah’ai
S = Taoism / Confucianism
T = Christianity

And let’s use a very broad definition of “coexist”: living together without calling for the destruction of each other. Here are the problems with that:

C wants to kill E, X, T, and (by implication) O. If they achieved the world they wanted, I and S would also no longer exist.
O doesn’t allow for effective resistance or defeat of C.
E stands in direct opposition to C, X, and T, and accuses those who speak against them of hate speech. Also, they’re trying to edge X and T out of public arena in favor of their own agenda. (They’re afraid C will be offended, so they get less trouble. See the first point) E is actually very, very intolerant.
X’s existence is threatened not only by C but also by O, who invariably supports C over X.
I and S are statistically insignificant and are mainly on there to complete the bumper sticker.
T is who the bumper sticker is really arguing against, but poses no physical threat to any of the others.

Historically, T has brought about more tolerance (“coexistence” if you will) than any other movement. A fair share of pain and suffering have been brought under that um But the kind of “coexistence” the people who make this sticker envision is one where at least X and T are completely marginalized.

Being an immature 30 yr old prideful, dogmatic reformed young man I wanted honk at people driving cars with this sticker while shaking my fist. Just as suddenly as frustration wells up my heart that same heart also begins to break, not because I’m appalled at the driver for having the bumper sticker, but because the depravity of our culture tells us that the only way “peace”, and “hope” can be obtained is by conglomerating all apparent “truth” together. Post-Modernism denotes the idea that truth is not objective but subjective. Truth does not identify things as they actually are, truth identifies what I want it to be. What’s true for me is true, and what’s true for you is true for you. Having a culture that fully embraces this definition of truth presents complete opposition to the general message of the Bible. While the depraved man cries out for “COEXISTENCE” Christ cries out for allegiance to him alone to the glory of His name forever. In this we find our “peace” and our “prosperity” that we long for so much.

What say you?