Is Jesus enough? Really?

I watched The DaVinci Code this week (note: movie spoilers here).  Yeah, it’s pagan.  But it left me with an astounding thought: Could Paganism lead us back to God?  Don’t stop reading.  I am NOT ready to ditch Jesus for Mary Magdalene (you’ll have to see the movie to understand).  I’m not going to follow Zeus or anything.  But I was left with an amazing confirmation of my faith in God after viewing the movie. 
  
Here’s why.
  
Robert Langdon’s quest throughout the movie is to find The Grail.  For Langdon and so many others, the Grail was a thing, a cup.  In the end, however, it was a person: Sophie, ala Mary Magdalene.  So many times in my life my quests have been a certain kind of person (to find a wife or a girlfriend), or to find fulfillment (as in a career or job), or to find an experience (I love to travel so I yearn for that next vacation or trip or job that will take me to new places), or to find a thing (like that new gadget or better car).
 
I am still searching and yearning, and I would bet most everyone is if they’re honest.  This never ends.  The moment we stop wanting something is the day we die.  I think we do need to die to our desires so that life is not so much a trap to get what we want but a pursuit to love God.  Can God use Paganism to bring us back to Himself?  Could it be that in our pursuit of Pagan ideas we come to realize that this world doesn’t satisfy?  This idea is very old, I know.  But even we’re in church and trying to be sanctified to some degree, we need this reminder that this world is not all there is.  I affirmed my faith in God again in watching DaVinci  because I recognized that a dead Mary does not satisfy my soul – only a live Jesus can!  I have a place in my heart for Jesus and He is there.  No amount of Pagan trinkets can fill it.  I wish Langdon could’ve seen that in the movie.  I wish I lived it.Hillsong, their song None But Jesus played.  It helped me remember that our HOLY GRAIL is Jesus.  I don’t bow at a person or a thing or a pursuit.  I bow before the incarnate-God, Jesus Christ.  Sometimes I worry that I worship like the Samaritans and the Woman at the Well did: Jesus said that they worshiped what they did not know.  Maybe my worship is empty because I don’t try to know WHO I worship.  I think this song helps me with that.  Read John 4:1-42.  Listen to this song.There is no one else for me.

I know I haven’t been all I needed to be this week. I haven’t loved or served as I should and I need God’s – and others- forgiveness for that.  But more than this I need forgiveness for not pursuing HIM as I should.  I haven’t tried to know Him as I should.

I don’t have all the answers to this thing of pursuit but today in listening to
 
 
 None but Jesus…
Crucified to set me free.
Now I live to bring Him praise.
 
In the chaos, in confusion,
I know You’re Sovereign still.
In the moment of my weakness…
You give me grace to do Your will.
When You call I won’t delay.
This my song through all my days.
All my delight is in You Lord.
All of my hope, all of my strength.
All my delight is in You Lord, Forevermore. 
Hillsong – None but Jesus

The Five Love Languages for Singles

This is from the book, Five Love Languages for Singles

Single Adults: Significant and Growing

If you’re reading this book, chances are you’re either single or know someone who is. More than four of every ten American adults are single–92 million americans.1 In fact, the United States has more single adults than any other nation in the world except China and India.2

Of course, it wouldn’t be accurate to lump all single adults into the same group. There are at least five very different categories of single adults. The largest numbers of singles are those who have never been down the aisle (those to whom this book is largely directed), but the other four groups also command our attention. Here are the five groups:

1. Never married. Age eighteen and older, this group is 49 million strong.3 The median age of a first marriage has risen to twenty-five among women and twenty-seven among men. This means that, in the general population among people eighteen to twenty-four, almost four out of every five (78 percent) have never been married.4

2. Divorced. Today, at any one time, 10 percent of all adults are divorced.5 Over time, however, many more married adults suffer through a divorce. Within five years of the wedding, 20 percent of all marriages end in divorce. Within ten years, one-third of all couples will be divorced, and within fifteen years, 43 percent will be divorced.6

3. Separated but not divorced. These are individuals who are still legally married but no longer live under the same roof. In lifestyle they are more single than married. The separated status, however, is temporary. These individuals will either reconcile with their spouses or go on and formalize their separation by legal divorce. Research indicates that 97 percent of white women (and 75 percent of non-white women) who separate from their husbands end up divorced within five years of the separation.7

4. Widowed. Widowhood is definitely gender biased. Four out of five adults who are single because of the death of their spouse are females. Nearly half of all women sixty-five and older are widowed, compared to only 14 percent of men over sixty-five.8

5. Single parents. One hundred years ago, fewer than 1 percent of adults was a single parent of a child under eighteen. Today there are more than twelve million single parents with children under eighteen in their care–almost one out of every three families.9 Obviously, many single parents are also divorced. But a growing number of single parents have never been married. Among those who are single moms, 40 percent were never married to the father of their children.10 Thus a growing number of never-married singles are also single parents.

Review of Celebration of Sex for Newlyweds

Dr. Douglas Rosenau says “It takes a mature person to understand that the emotional center of the apex is not orgasm, but a surrender to feelings and each other.”  (p.37)  The great thing about being a Single’s minister is you get to read books on sex!  Before we got married, I read a couple of books on “Circling the Wagons” (our infertility doctor had several euphemisms, this is one).  That doesn’t make me an expert but shall we say I don’t mind the topic.

Churches don’t always do a good job of talking about sex.  We tell kids “DON’T DO IT” when they have all the equipment – and desire – but then when it’s time for them to marry, sometimes we don’t give them good information on how to use their equipment.  Nor do we tell them that marriage is not just about getting personal needs met but meeting the needs of the other.  This book is not just a book about sex but about taking care of your partner and giving yourself selflessly to him or her.

This book is good information for those who are getting married.  It doesn’t matter if you have been married before and you’re going into your second (or third, or…) marriage.  You need to read this book.  As the opening quote indicates, sex is more than just getting “serviced” for your physiological needs.  Sex is about intimacy between a man and a woman in a committed, life-long marriage.

A Celebration of Sex for Newlyweds is only about 120 pages, easy to read, gives tips and how-to’s, and has pictures!  But – you won’t feel like you’re reading a dirty book (I know some of you will be disappointed about that).   This book will help you achieve a lasting marriage not just through great sex (that can help) but through an ever-growing, ever-lasting intimacy.  Find it here at Amazon.

One caution – if you’re engaged, wait until a week or two before the wedding before you start reading this. ;-)

Other books?

  • A Celebration of Sex: A Guide to Enjoying God’s Gift of Sexual Intimacy by Dr. Douglas E. Rosenau – for those already married.  Longer with more information than the one for newlyweds.  See it at Amazon.
  • Intended for Pleasure: Sex Technique and Sexual Fulfillment in Christian Marriage, Third Edition by Ed Wheat, M.D.   This book is a little more technical but sets a healthy pattern for relating to one another sexually with Scripture, fulfillment, and intimacy in mind. Here is the link for Amazon.  No, I don’t get a commission.
  • The Act of Marriage by Tim LaHaye.  Kind of dated now, but this book helped to set the standard for Christian thinking about sex.  Again, here is the shameless link to Amazon.

Do you have a good book on marriage or sex you want to refer?

Spiritual Gifts, part 3, The Analysis

Finally, here are some last words regarding Spiritual Gifts and their use in the church.

First, resources…

  • Tim LaHaye wrote a book years ago called Spirit-Controlled Temperament. That was my first introduction to this sort of topic.  Even though he does not spend much time on gifts, I find this a very helpful resource.


Please realize that sometimes studies like this can absorb more of our time than is profitable for the body of Christ.  The other area which can be unproductive is Prophecy and the End Times.  I don’t want you to be overly concerned or over-absorbed into trying to find your gift.  God gifts us in order to build up the body (as Buddy discussed Sunday) and our job is to be free and available to be used in whatever capacity God opens the door for us to serve.  The KEY is to be open to serve in ANY capacity!  God will gift you with what you need at the time (Mark 13:11).  Too many times in the past, we would pine away trying to figure out our gift and then only do what we thought that perhaps we were gifted for. That is not how it works.  God calls us and then equips us for that calling.

We must be careful that we do not make God look like us and frequently the spiritual gift inventories I have seen sound more like personality tests.  The best way we can tell that we’re working within a gift God has given is if we KNOW that we must have God working in us for that gift to really work and provide fruit.  God is the one who must give the increase, remember?  Not us.  If I can take a test and it says, “you’re good at technical stuff and being a deacon” then that doesn’t say much.  Some of that is my personality.  Please understand that our personalities, experiences, heart, and education all play into this (ala SHAPE), but don’t count out what God intends to do through you in a supernatural way.

I am not sure that the “Ministry Information” classes, spiritual gift inventories, etc. have done what they should have to increase spiritual growth and promote service in the church.  When I was on a team here at the church which tried to analyze and promote this, after about three years we sat around a table and looked at who was serving before the classes and after the classes had been in place for three years.  Do you know what we found?  Basically the same names we had when we started.  We had a hard time seeing a significant increase in the numbers or participants in ministry.

Why was that?  We had great teachers (minus myself).  We had great material (the Bible, and other spiritual gift instruments).  We had promotion and backing from the pulpit.  We had TONS of people moving through the classes.  So what gives?  Why did more people not serve?  They were armed with more information and knew how they could serve.  We could show them real, live places where they could serve but it didn’t seem to work.  Why?

I think it goes back to my first point on Monday: WE MUST BE CALLED.  Do you want to know your gift?  I am becoming more convinced that you won’t know it until you put yourself out there and say, “GOD CALL ME.”  Take a look at Isaiah 6.  Isaiah was a man of “unclean lips” (he was not fit) and lived in a land of people with unclean lips (no one else was either).  But even though God had scores of angels there in His presence, He asked, “Whom shall I send?”  Isaiah was ready to serve God.  How do I know that?  Because God took his sin away.  YOU ARE READY TO SERVE IF YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED.

Have you said, “Here am I LORD, send me?”  It’s not just for preachers anymore!

Spiritual Gifts, part 2, The Information

This is part two of spiritual gifts – the Information.  How can we discern our gift?

First of all PRAY.  Ask God to lead you and call you into the area He has for you (yesterday’s post).  When you sense that calling, then ask God how He has gifted you.  Then read Romans 12.  I think this passage summarizes the gifts very well (vv 6-8).  1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4 have lists but what I call the “core” gifts are in Romans 12.  Permit me to summarize and ask you to begin to pray for yourself (and friend or spouse) about this.  Generally Romans 12 gives us the operative gifts, 1 Corinthians 12 gives us the administrative gifts, and Ephesians 4 gives us the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Also, this information is not all my own.  This is from many years of reading and thinking.  Tomorrow I will give some resources that have been helpful.

  • Prophesying – A prophet tends to see things black and white. He is very concerned about telling the truth.  He is not so much concerned with “before-telling” (prophesy) as much as “forth-telling” (speaking the truth).  A prophet sees things clearly but needs to operate by love.  He tends to talk too much.  They also stress the need to “Know your Bible.”  I have noticed that a Prophet frequently marries a person with Mercy. Peter was probably a Prophet.  Every generation needs a prophet to bring us all back to Scripture.
  • Service – A Servant tends to see needs and is quick to meet them.  My mother-in-law is a servant and instinctively knows if a person takes sugar AND cream with their coffee or how much butter you want on your bread (if any at all).  This person is quick to meet practical needs.  But they also need someone to help them know when to say “no” because they are always busy.  Andrew was probably a servant.  We have a lot of these at our church.  Just stay after a Wednesday night meal or after the Venue worship on Sundays and see who are the first ones to start picking up stuff and moving chairs.  The rest of us who don’t serve simply don’t understand that we’re supposed to be servants too!
  • Teaching – A Teacher is not so much able to speak in front of people nor do they really like standing in front of people (that would be more of a prophet) but they do know where to find information and how to structure it to help folks understand things.  Teachers must get over themselves and start teaching!  Luke was a teacher.
  • Encouraging – Exhorters or encourager’s can bring people together and know how to spur people onto spiritual growth and service.  This may be my gift or my secondary gift if we have a secondary gift.  Barnabas and Paul were encourager’s.  You can look at how Barnabas went to Tarsus and got Paul and brought him into the ministry (Acts 11:25,26).  You can see how Paul constantly encouraged others to “follow me as I follow Christ,” etc.  They also talk a lot.  They also need Prophets because they need to be reminded of Biblical truth and be more rooted in the Biblical perspective.  If an encourager gets out of balance, they will tend to sound “new age” or worldly in my opinion.  Many prosperity gospel preachers suffer from this I think.
  • Leading – Leaders or administrators have a knack for knowing who is good at certain skills and getting people into the jobs they do best.  Nehemiah was a leader.  They like to build things and see things get done. They’re very practical and quiet and give themselves to the bigger picture without regard for personal reward.  I know my Dad is and I think Buddy is probably a leader.
  • Mercy – This is the person those with emotional problems go to first.  John the Beloved was mercy.  They also gravitate toward prophets because they sense they need a prophet’s perspective.  A mercy needs a prophet or two in their lives because they also need to learn to say “no” and give themselves time to recharge.

Please understand that all the gifts should be desirable for all people because we are to be rooted and grounded in love.  All the gifts must be practiced in community in order that we might learn all the gifts and achieve balance spiritually. We are to be working to build all the gifts into our lives and learn from each other (1 Corinthians 12:31).  BUT, we will have a primary motivation or desire in some particular area.  One way to tell what you are is to imagine how you would react to someone being in the hospital… would you?

  • Tell them they are in sin and need to get right with God?  Then you’re a prophet. Prophets basically mow everyone down with their Biblical Uzi and pick over the bodies later!
  • Go and cut their grass, feed the dog, and get their mail? Then you’re a servant.
  • Research their disease, talk with the nurses, and get the scoop from their doctor and give the patient a full report?  Then you’re probably a teacher.
  • Give them a Joel Osteen devotional book, a comic book, and several Bible verses about their situation, and pray for them?  Then you may be an encourager.
  • Get everyone out of the room so the person could rest, make sure the servant finished the grass, check on the doctor’s schedule, call the church to make sure the person is on the prayer list, and ask the patient if their boss had been notified (or something to that effect), then you may be a leader.
  • Get down on your knees crying and begging God for the patient to be healed and bring six deacons over to pour oil on them?  Then you’re probably a mercy.

Do you see how this builds the body?!  It’s a great thing when a plan comes together.

Where are you on that list?  Do you even care?  If you don’t care, go back one step and get CALLED.  Tomorrow, the Analysis.

My Take on Spiritual Gifts, part 1 – The Call

Buddy Champion’s sermon yesterday spurred a little discussion from a couple of people at FBCT about spiritual gifts.  Let’s start this discussion…

So you want to know your spiritual gift?  That’s a good thing.  It shows that you want to be useful in the body of Christ and do your part to encourage others in the church.  I love talking about gifts and I have spent a lot of time looking at it over the years.  I thought Buddy did a great job on the sermon and I applaud Amy for taking the courage to share her experience in leading a child to Jesus!  That makes all this worth it.

What about gifts?  How many gifts do we have?  How do we get a gift?  Why do we care about this?

First of all, it’s not entirely clear if we have only one or more than one gift.  But hear me carefully, don’t limit yourself to what you THINK you are “gifted” to do!  Read 1 Corinthians 12 carefully.  Then read Ephesians 1.  It is God who calls and gifts and he will gift you AS He calls you.  Kind of sounds like “OJT” – On the Job Training – doesn’t it!?

In Ephesians 1:18, Paul says, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.”  Paul did not want the people to know the “gift” they had been called to, he wanted the Ephesians (and US) to know the HOPE God has called us to.  What is the hope?  Our inheritance.  What (WHO) is our inheritance?  Jesus Christ.

So the first thing you and I need is a call from God.  It doesn’t matter WHAT He has called us to, just that HE has CALLED US.  I know  I’m “yelling” a lot by using capitals, but this stuff is AWESOME because the Maker of the Universe as come to us and put orders upon us to use us for His glory and His purpose.  Why would we reject that?

So with that out of the way, first KNOW YOUR CALLING, then LOOK FOR YOUR GIFT.  If you don’t have a calling, don’t worry about your gift.  Get called.  The gift will come.

What has God called you to do?  Are you resisting it?!

Avatar – Green Mysticism

My bride and I took in dinner and a movie last night.  After hearing so much about Avatar, we decided to see it. I read a couple of reviews about the movie here and here.  The first article is an op-ed piece from the NY Times calling Avatar an “apologia for pantheism.”  The second article is by Roger Ebert who calls Avatar “an Event, one of those films you feel you must see to keep up with the conversation.”  Ebert predicts that Avatar will create a cult.  That’s when I knew I wanted to see the movie.  Anything that smells of pantheism and is destined to create a cult I am concerned about since I am in the “business” of furthering the gospel and teaching the Word of God.

The special 3-D effects, animals, scenery, and topography of Pandora (the planet where the story takes place) created by James Cameron (writer and director) show his imagination and genius.  The vision of technology simply mystify the viewer for almost 3 hours.  It spellsbinds the watcher to the point that all track of time is lost.  If you go, you must see it in 3-D.  That’s the only way to see this movie.  When we look back over the last 30 years in technology a handful of movies come to mind (Star Wars, The Matrix, Jurassic Park, Minority Report, etc.).  Avatar just may trump that list.

The acting was not fantastic.  If you are a fan of powerful acting then you may be slightly disappointed but the characters do their part to carry the story line and deliver the message.  Some of the other reviews I have seen completely dismiss this movie due to the acting and trite storyline but most people who enjoy reading and movies have seen all the possible plot combinations anyway.  So I am not sure this is a sticking point for most folks.

The uniqueness of Avatar comes in two ways: its unapologetic approach to “green mysticism” and its use of technology to deliver the message.

Both of the reviews I mentioned are correct and in a way they both miss it.  Avatar definitely has some sort sort of hint of non-Christianity to it.  Notice I said “non” Christianity.  I don’t think this movie intends to be blatantly anti-Christian.  It is definitely a green movie and is most definitely anti-war.  It is sort of Dances with Wolves laced with Pocohontas but set in another time and place like Star Wars.

I probably need to read up on my definitions of pantheism and animism – and I’m probably off here in some way, but Russ Douthat (NY Times) says this movie is “pantheism apologia” but I thought that animism (and some of the Wiccan teachings) see almost every (or all) living thing(s) possessing a soul. That is what this movie leans toward whereas pantheism sees the wider universe as “god” and wants mankind to submit itself to the entire expression of nature.  I see animism giving everything a “life of its own” whereas pantheism sees nature as a “god” and an unseen presence or force.  Maybe only a slight difference to some but a big deal to those follow it.   There are hints Pantheism in this movie, but with my very narrow understanding of animism and pantheism, this movie is definitely animistic. Animism is more disturbing to me because it leans heavily toward my understanding of Wicca.  Given the rise of that religion and neo-paganism in general it would not surprise me to see this from Cameron.  Even on the TV series HOUSE, the lead doctor/character says he is “Wiccan” (as an aside, I think House was just trying to get Wilson to react – I don’t think House sees himself as religious at all).

Perhaps a better way to understand this movie is to see it as pure Paganism.

At one point in the movie, the chief scientist (played by Signorney Weaver) tries to explain the Na’vi’s pagan religion in pseudo-scientific terms  by saying (my paraphrase, sorry) that the people have an electro-chemical relationship with the trees and the trees are all connected at the roots and everything just kind of talks to each other: so we shouldn’t kill it.  That’s a poor paraphrase, but okay.

It does bother me to some extent that I enjoyed the movie.  It is up to you whether or not you want to see it but I want to be clear that while I enjoyed the production, the technology, the story, and even characterization, I felt uncomfortable when they were praying to the Ewya (their goddess of sorts).  I pray to YaHWeY.

If Ebert is right, and unfortunately I think he is, Christians have a lot of work to do.  I woke up this morning thinking that my life needs to be more real and more Godly – and worth emulating more than the empty religion of blue aliens.

What are you doing today to further the Good News of Jesus Christ?

Review: The Well-Behaved Child

A couple of months ago a friend of mine at church pulled me aside and asked me what we were doing about a certain behavior with one of our children.  She asked me this because at a particular function she noticed how I was correcting our child.  My attitude, approach, and solution made her stop me and ask me where I learned how to do that.  She wanted to learn to do that too.  With a note of frustration she flatly said, “I don’t know what to do!”  I told her (drum roll please) she needed The Well-Behaved Child by John Rosemond.

What parent has not been there?  Before having kids, I managed big projects for big companies.  We adopted both of our kids and when my wife asked how many we should get I guess I thought we were ordering puppies.  ”Ah, let’s get two and get it over with,” I said.  ”It’s only kids, anyway, how hard can it be?”  Oh how dumb and naive I was (and am)!  Parenting is the toughest job in the world and you need the courage to do what my friend did and ask “how?”

When you have finally decided you don’t know what to do (which is everyone), then buy this book.  Then give a copy to a friend.  I am a Rosemond-ite now.  Please understand we’re not there yet.  Our kids are not sitting (every) meal calmly commenting to each other on what a nice day it is in their neatly starched trousers.  BUT, having a plan of attack greatly reduces the stress and gives a little hope for tomorrow.  Rosemond will help you develop a plan to correct specific behaviors.  This book is an easy read.  He’s funny.  The principles are clear.  And you will feel empowered and free to be the parent you need to be.  Stop trying all the new-fangled, whiz-bang ideas and get Rosemond’s book.  You won’t be disappointed.

What’s the top three behaviors you would like to change in your child(ren)?

Review: Obstacles Welcome

I appreciate a good book describing a person’s story on how they “made it” in this world, particularly from a businessman’s point of view.  I think I know a good business book when I see one because of my own 20 years of experience and education in business.  That’s why I recommend Obstacles Welcome. Ralph de la Vega describes his inspiring story coming to America alone as a child from Cuba.  By escaping Communist Cuba and living hand-to-mouth for several years, De la Vega learned the value of hard work, excellence, and salesmanship.  These qualities – and more – are described in his life-story in Obstacles Welcome.
I recommend this book for what it will do to inspire and challenge you to never quit.  There are some subtle lessons for managers and managing well but those are not as clear as perhaps they could have been.  De la Vega wants to communicate some principles of management and leadership but there are few nuts-and-bolts techniques here.  That might be okay since he works in a highly specialized area (telecommunications).   Don’t let that stop you, however, from reading about his life and what drives him.  Some of us who have not had to scrap the way he has will find a measure of gratefulness for our families and a heightened sense of patriotism for our country.  It is a good reminder for those days when you wonder why you do what you do.
Who taught you what you do now?  When have you thanked those who helped make you successful?

Does God hate Haiti?

Read this post from Al Mohler if you’re concerned about Haiti and the situation there.  Did God judge Haiti?

http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/01/14/does-god-hate-haiti/

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I hope these thoughts encourage or help in some way.