I came across a sobering statement in the book of Jeremiah today: 'But I have been watching! declares the Lord'
God tells his prophet Jeremiah to let Israel know that he is watching. Watching what? God is getting angered at Israel for doing things like 'burning incense to Baal and following other gods that you have not known, then coming to stand before the Lord in his house.' God is also angered at their acts of stealing, murder, adultery and giving false testimony.
I am not a scholar of Old Testament practices but apparently the act of burning incense is an act of prayer.
So essentially, Israel was praying to Baal and then rocking up to the temple of God. It is abundantly clear that in the Old Testament God does not share power with any false god. Unlike our advanced society, he is not much of a pluralist.
The book of Colossians talks about the Supremacy of Christ. There is none above Him. He is the sole head of the Church. When the supremacy of Christ is compromised within the Church, God is watching.
Up until reading this snippet in Jeremiah today I was wondering why God doesn't protect his church from forces that do not hold Christ and his teaching as supreme. For example, when I see Christian world leaders bend their knee in the Mosques of Allah, Christian denominations holding joint prayer meetings with other religions, secular liberalism asserting itself in the church, churches being run by a cult of personality where the attendees follow the leader rather than Christ and when I see Christian books espousing speculative philosophical theories that people devote more time to than the Word of God, I have tended to think that maybe it's all okay with God. Maybe he doesn't have a real interest at the end of the day about what is being done in his name. Maybe the church should move with the times and embrace social liberalism and inter-religious cooperation.
But I am coming to the realisation that God is not indifferent. God is watching! His anger is rising. He is quick to love, quick to forgive but he is also unrelenting in his disdain for idolatry and hypocrites. All around me I see the church and church leaders compromising on the supremacy of Christ and burning incense (or recognising the deity) of false gods.
But don't tell me you fear God and then go and compromise the supremacy of Christ. Why is Christ supreme? Read my blog called 'Why I need to be saved? or better still, read the rest of Colossians
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
God, the world says you don't exist
God, I am sure you’re aware that the world thinks there is zero evidence of your existence.
The world thinks that those who believe in your Son, Jesus Christ, are brain-washed, deranged, infantile, weak, hypocritical, arrogant, selfish and self-righteous.
The world wants to plot its own course and leave you out of the scientific equation.
The world claims that your laws are outmoded and based on ancient myth.
The world wants the law of God to be replaced by the laws of science, stabilised by the innate morality of humanity.
The world claims that your followers are part of a supernatural cult that promotes exclusion, discrimination and immoral practices.
The world condemns Christians for sticking their noses into politics, in an attempt to create draconian laws, whilst the embarrassed and enlightened majority look on.
The world, according to science and human wisdom, has pushed you off the throne as the source of instruction and reason.
The world claims your Word is an ancient book of rules written by an inconsequential Middle Eastern tribe.
The world claims that your Word is the root of all evil and has been the source of immense human suffering and depravity.
The world claims that if you did exist in the form of Jesus Christ that you were just a charlatan, or at best a good moral teacher but nothing more.
The world sees the idea of being forgiven and justified by your blood sacrifice as offensive.
The world says that Jesus Christ has no part in the lives of the great majority of people.
The world says that the Apostle Paul was on the whacky-tabbacy on the road to Damascus.
The world says that the book of Revelation is the also the result of the whacky-tabbacy.
According to the world, I am behind the times and I should catch up. Apparently my belief has a statistical chance of being 1: 10 000 right.
Apparently 99% of modern Christians believe in the science of evolution rather that believing the world is here because you breathed it into existence.
Lord, participation in the organised church is at an all time low. People aren't even aware of what is in the Bible and what you have to say. Sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ doesn't seem to have an impact. Even Christians can't agree on the meaning of your Word. They argue about how to translate it, what bits to leave with the culture of generations gone by and what should be relevant today. I am even confused at reading your Word at times. We are divided into Preterists, Partial Preterists, Millenialists, Dispensationists, Catholics, Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists, Texans etc etc. I like to think they are all wrong and that even your foolishness (just a baseless premise of course) makes a mockery of the wise. Your Word is flickering out! When a generation allows your Word to diminish to the point of being snuffed out, do you intervene?
Hebrews 4:12 says For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. This is the case only to the believer it seems. To everyone else, your word has no power and no truth. To most, it is a blunt plastic spoon rather than a sharp double-edged sword. Where does a Christian go from here?. Sure, we can try and live a good example by loving our neighbour and living a life of attempted obedience, but an endless line of non-believers love their neighbour as well and live in obedience to your laws by proxy.
Lord, I am not a happy-clappy and talk endlessly about an imminent Revival. I have seen this Christian cultural expression for a couple of decades now but the world (as well as me) can't relate to it. Can you intervene? I am not talking about your Second Coming, because if that happened countless numbers would be condemned. Can you breath life into your Word, can you convict people of sin? Can you reveal, just a little bit, of your glory to a recalcitrate world?
In John 18 when Judas, a detachment of soldiers and some religious officials came to arrest you and put you on trial, they came with weapons. You asked 'Who is it you want?' They replied 'Jesus of Nazareth'.
'I AM HE' was your answer. They must have seen a glimpse of your authority and glory because they 'drew back and fell to the ground'. I reckon you did that just for kicks. You let your true glory show to a sinful rabble and then resumed your role as the sacrificial lamb.
Lord God, can you not return as judge just yet, but just walk past? I know you are here in your Kingdom in the form of the Holy Spirit in all believers but that doesn't seem to cut it (our fault not yours).
Can you breath life into your Word in this world and make the wise look foolish?
Remind people that you are here, and that you are indeed the one and only risen God and you have a purpose?
I don't want to turn into a happy-clappy but can you make your gospel real, tangible and relatable in a world going to hell on the back of secular enlightenment?
I guess for starters, believers will have to be reminded that you can not dwell with sin. You find sin detestable, rancid and unbearable. I don’t want to call it 'Revival' (how that word makes me nauseous) and run across Canberra with a coloured banner singing Jesus songs. But can you convict the believers of sin, remind them of the power of your Word and the power of your presence? Only then, I guess, the Holy Spirit can move. Can you let out a little 'I AM HE' to the world and bring the wise, educated and enlightened sinners to their knees? Loving our enemies, gifts of healing, prophecy etc...bring it on (but I can do without the happy-clappy bit)
Regards
Rob
The world thinks that those who believe in your Son, Jesus Christ, are brain-washed, deranged, infantile, weak, hypocritical, arrogant, selfish and self-righteous.
The world wants to plot its own course and leave you out of the scientific equation.
The world claims that your laws are outmoded and based on ancient myth.
The world wants the law of God to be replaced by the laws of science, stabilised by the innate morality of humanity.
The world claims that your followers are part of a supernatural cult that promotes exclusion, discrimination and immoral practices.
The world condemns Christians for sticking their noses into politics, in an attempt to create draconian laws, whilst the embarrassed and enlightened majority look on.
The world, according to science and human wisdom, has pushed you off the throne as the source of instruction and reason.
The world claims your Word is an ancient book of rules written by an inconsequential Middle Eastern tribe.
The world claims that your Word is the root of all evil and has been the source of immense human suffering and depravity.
The world claims that if you did exist in the form of Jesus Christ that you were just a charlatan, or at best a good moral teacher but nothing more.
The world sees the idea of being forgiven and justified by your blood sacrifice as offensive.
The world says that Jesus Christ has no part in the lives of the great majority of people.
The world says that the Apostle Paul was on the whacky-tabbacy on the road to Damascus.
The world says that the book of Revelation is the also the result of the whacky-tabbacy.
According to the world, I am behind the times and I should catch up. Apparently my belief has a statistical chance of being 1: 10 000 right.
Apparently 99% of modern Christians believe in the science of evolution rather that believing the world is here because you breathed it into existence.
Lord, participation in the organised church is at an all time low. People aren't even aware of what is in the Bible and what you have to say. Sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ doesn't seem to have an impact. Even Christians can't agree on the meaning of your Word. They argue about how to translate it, what bits to leave with the culture of generations gone by and what should be relevant today. I am even confused at reading your Word at times. We are divided into Preterists, Partial Preterists, Millenialists, Dispensationists, Catholics, Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists, Texans etc etc. I like to think they are all wrong and that even your foolishness (just a baseless premise of course) makes a mockery of the wise. Your Word is flickering out! When a generation allows your Word to diminish to the point of being snuffed out, do you intervene?
Hebrews 4:12 says For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. This is the case only to the believer it seems. To everyone else, your word has no power and no truth. To most, it is a blunt plastic spoon rather than a sharp double-edged sword. Where does a Christian go from here?. Sure, we can try and live a good example by loving our neighbour and living a life of attempted obedience, but an endless line of non-believers love their neighbour as well and live in obedience to your laws by proxy.
Lord, I am not a happy-clappy and talk endlessly about an imminent Revival. I have seen this Christian cultural expression for a couple of decades now but the world (as well as me) can't relate to it. Can you intervene? I am not talking about your Second Coming, because if that happened countless numbers would be condemned. Can you breath life into your Word, can you convict people of sin? Can you reveal, just a little bit, of your glory to a recalcitrate world?
In John 18 when Judas, a detachment of soldiers and some religious officials came to arrest you and put you on trial, they came with weapons. You asked 'Who is it you want?' They replied 'Jesus of Nazareth'.
'I AM HE' was your answer. They must have seen a glimpse of your authority and glory because they 'drew back and fell to the ground'. I reckon you did that just for kicks. You let your true glory show to a sinful rabble and then resumed your role as the sacrificial lamb.
Lord God, can you not return as judge just yet, but just walk past? I know you are here in your Kingdom in the form of the Holy Spirit in all believers but that doesn't seem to cut it (our fault not yours).
Can you breath life into your Word in this world and make the wise look foolish?
Remind people that you are here, and that you are indeed the one and only risen God and you have a purpose?
I don't want to turn into a happy-clappy but can you make your gospel real, tangible and relatable in a world going to hell on the back of secular enlightenment?
I guess for starters, believers will have to be reminded that you can not dwell with sin. You find sin detestable, rancid and unbearable. I don’t want to call it 'Revival' (how that word makes me nauseous) and run across Canberra with a coloured banner singing Jesus songs. But can you convict the believers of sin, remind them of the power of your Word and the power of your presence? Only then, I guess, the Holy Spirit can move. Can you let out a little 'I AM HE' to the world and bring the wise, educated and enlightened sinners to their knees? Loving our enemies, gifts of healing, prophecy etc...bring it on (but I can do without the happy-clappy bit)
Regards
Rob
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