The Demise of Christianity

I used to get worried about the possibility of someone finding a forgotten book of the Bible that would turn the entire New Testament on it’s ear. But while I was in seminary I had to read a number of these so called forgotten books of the Bible and was shocked at how poorly they were written and often how often they ripped off the canonical books that were actually included in the New Testament.

Most of these lost gospels (of Mary, Judas, Thomas, Peter, Philip and a host of others) were so inferior in their scope and subject matter and were so childish that I lost interest in them and their content. Further review proved that most of them were 2^nd, 3^rd, or even 4^th Century Gnostic writings. Dan Brown brought back a lot of speculation and interest in these “lost books” when he penned the Da Vinci Code. In fact his book and subsequent movie created a small cottage industry of writer who either debunked his work as simply a fanciful novel or trumpeted the of these pseudepigrapha writings as a fuller more meaningful understanding of Christ’s teaching.

All of this interest and debate died down years ago – until I recently read with a little interest article posted on the Internet. http://www.wnd.com/2012/05/iran-discovery-will-collapse-christianity/ Some who have read this article predict the downfall and destruction of Christianity because of a prophecy in the Gospel of Barnabas. This codex “predicts the coming of Mohammad. Turkish authorities have stated that the copy of the book that they have was written in either the 5th or 6^th Centuries predating the prophet by 100 years before or shortly after his birth in 570 CE. No outside group has been allowed authenticate this work but there is another copy of the Gospel of Barnabas that has been dated as having been written in the 16^th Century.

The religious/political leadership of Iran predicts that when the world reads the “truth” in this book that Christianity will wither away and die while the final word from God, the Koran, will thrive and Islam will flourish and take over the whole world.

Jesus addresses this very issue in the Gospels

¹⁸ I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Matthew 5:18 (NIV)

¹⁷ It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
Luke 16:17 (NIV)

⁸ They are steadfast for ever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprightness.
Psalm 111:8 (NIV)

⁸ The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."
Isaiah 40:8 (NIV)

³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Matthew 24:35 (NIV)

So God’s Word will never fade or pass away, even if some book says otherwise.

“What about the church?” you might ask.

Again Jesus speaks to this

¹⁸ And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros—a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra—a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) {or the boasting of men} shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it] {or make it disappear}.
Matthew 16:18 (AMP)

Should we worry about man’s attempt to undermine our faith and bring about the destruction of the church?

Well, I’m going to choose to follow God’s response to man’s attempt to waylay God’s plans.

¹ Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
² The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.
³ "Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters."
⁴ The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.
⁵ Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
⁶ "I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill."
⁷ I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father.
⁸ Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
⁹ You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery."
¹⁰ Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.
¹¹ Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.
¹² Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Psalm 2:1-12 (NIV)

Enjoying a last laugh with Father!

Pastor Val

The Holiday Diet

This is the season that my wife makes soups and stews every week. And I love soup! I like all kinds of soup but I especially like hearty soups. Given the opportunity I will eat soup until I am so full that I am uncomfortable. It’s rare that I ever say “Oh that’s enough, I’m satisfied I couldn’t east another spoonful!” Even that happens I always wish I could eat more! I’m rarely stated when it comes to soup! And don’t get me started about Thanksgiving and Christmas Feasts!

I wish I could say the same thing about God. I would love to sit here and tell you that my appetite for God is rarely sated, that I desire another helping and another until I am so full of God that I’m uncomfortable and have to share Him with those around me.

Truthfully, I have to admit that there are times I am more than satisfied with as small of a portion of God as I can get away with.

I don’t want to be a glutton when it comes to God or his things or his will. You see I’m on a God diet. I don’t want to become a heavyweight when it comes to spiritual matters. I practice portion control! Unlike John (known as the Baptiser) my prayer is not more of Jesus and less of me. Rather Its a rousing chorus of more of me and less of you, Oh Lord. And God could you re-align my vegetable intake just enough to keep me healthy and my doctor happy?

My gluttony problem is me!

The portion control I need to be practicing is less of me and the things I want – my school, my job, my spouse, my house, my money.

This holiday season perhaps I need to go on a diet of me and you do, too! When we do I think we will develop a taste for God.

⁹ Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair.
¹⁰ They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.
Psalm 19:9-10 (NLT)

Please pass me some more

Pastor Val

The Shack

I love to read!

I have a wide and varied interest in many different genres and themes that I enjoy. From mysteries, to SciFi, to adventure, to espionage, to drama I like lots and lots of different types of books. I even have read and enjoyed the occasional gothic novel – usually because my wife tells me how good a particular story was. I also enjoy reading books on leadership, business and of course theology!

In general I don’t care for Christian authors of novels. I’ve tried to read a number of different authors form this unique group of genres and most often I find the writing pedantic, cumbersome and boring. I have grown up being disappointed in novels that are published by Christian publishers due to their lack of skills and often simplistic plot lines.

All of that being said occasionally I am surprised by some novelist like Frank Peretti from a number of years ago. I was fascinated by the way he was able to weave so much theology into his writing and the how even the smallest reference to angelic being was deeply explored in his series on angelic world and how it intersected our understanding of reality. His plots were suspenseful and exciting and theologically he held my interest and admiration on tackling difficult issues and showing us that there are more dimensions then the three or four that we are used to relating to.

Yes, I know that many of us enjoyed the Left Behind series. I too enjoyed the books and was amazed at how the authors were able to weave a pretrib, premil understanding into their books and many of them were good reads. Toward the end, in my opinion, they suffered from writer’s fatigue and I from readers fatigue in their almost Christian SciFi series of eschatology (end times).

Until this past week I wondered when I find another Christian author who would write a novel that would again challenge or at least embrace my understanding of God and the theology of His plan to redeem the world and usher in the Kingdom of Now and Not Yet!

I finished a novel that was written a couple of years ago and became a New York Times best seller. I can’t tell form the face page how many printings this book has done through or whether or not it was originally available in hardback.

What I can tell you is that I had a hard time putting the book down. Perhaps I’m getting more emotional in my advanced age or perhaps God is making me more tender-hearted but there were times that I wept and times when I soared when reading this book.

Oh you want to know the name of the book?

The Shack by Wm Paul Young

Yes it is a novel and as such there will be certain latitudes that the author will take that some will not agree with, but the broad brush of this novel addresses many of the issues that the World is asking and that we as Christ followers are hard pressed to adequately answer.

Questions like:
Why is there evil in the world?
Is God a wrathful God and Jesus a loving God?
What is the nature of the Godhead – i.e. the Trinity?
What is forgiveness and who is it for?
What does God demand of His followers?

These and many more questions are addressed in this novel by Paul Young.

I have to admit that I am still processing this read through my theological knowledge of God, salvation, forgiveness and living in community with fellow believers and more importantly with God.

I can tell you that much of this writing I resonate with and my soul explodes in praise to my creator as I hear and read the issues he tackles. I can only wish that I had had the ability to articulate as well as the author does his understanding of Who God is and What He wants from each of us.

A brief synopsis of the story is that a man, Mack, who has suffered a life battering experience of the abduction and death of a young daughter, is invited ostensibly by God to meet with Him at the place where Mack’s daughter died. Not knowing what or who he will find at this back-woods shed that has been the sight of the greatest tragedies of Mack’s life, he goes that spends a weekend.

While there in an almost Dickens-like tale Mack encounters a number of personalities during his time at the shack. At the end of the weekend Mack’s life is changed.

If you are questioning God or have ever wondered who God is this book will challenge many of your preconceived notations and ideas about God and whether or not He truly is a loving God.

I hope you will read the book and join me in a discussion!

Serving a loving God and Father

Pastor Val

Presidential Do Over

Like many Americans and perhaps a lot of people around the world I tuned into the Inauguration Tuesday to watch Barack Obama become the 44th President of the United States. It was with some amusement that I watched the first presidential blunder of our new president when Chief Justice Roberts misspoke the oath of office and President Obama stopped midsentence and stumbled over his lines.

After flubbing the oath of office for the President of the United States President Obama and Chief Justice Roberts repeated the oath a second time in front of a few reporters the next day (not because it was necessary but do to an overriding “abundance of caution” by White House counsel. History indicates that this is not the first time that a President has had to have a do over of the oath of office because of flubbing their lines, Calvin Coolidge and Chester A. Arthur both were given “do overs.”

While some people might find the concepts of “do overs” wrong, the Bible is full of “do overs” Abraham had a habit of lying about his relationship with his wife and yet God allowed him back into fellowship. David certainly was allowed a do over when his relationship was restored after committing adultery and murder.

Peter was allowed a do over after denying Christ three times he confessed his love and loyalty to Christ three times after the resurrection. In fact if you read 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to purify us from all unrighteousness.

While there are always consequences for our action (just ask a farmer what happens if he gets his seeds mixed up when he plants) it seems that humans are much less forgiving then God is. We don’t care to give mulligans unless it’s involves our own failures. Yet Paul has to remind us that we were all sinners but God gave us a do over when we became followers of Jesus Christ (see 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

I’m sure glad that we serve a God of “Do Overs!”

Aren’t you?

Pastor Val

Royalty Has It Perks

I’ve been watching with some interest the situation with the Windsor family in England this week. Here in America we have not had a monarchy for more than 231 years and yet we continue to be interested in what the Royals do and say.

Not growing up under a monarchy (even a constitutional one) I never really thought about the different degrees of royalty there were. The UK papers have been all a buzz over a failed blackmail attempt of the royal family. Apparently there the family is made up of major members of the family and minor members of the family. Some less than savory characters had contacted the family with supposedly secret video of a member of the royal family in a sex act and drug use. These people were arrested while trying to extort money from royal staff members who turned out to be police instead.

The papers in covering the account never identified the royal family member who supposedly stared in the video. They just assured that public that it was a minor member of the royal family. This member immediately contacted the family and the authorities when they received the blackmail note. While the Queen was upset and embarrassed over the incident but she announced that she was standing with her “distant” family member throughout this ordeal.

You see, I’m a minor member of a Royal Family, too. I got to thinking about the royal household I was adopted into years ago and how my Father has had to put up with many embarrassing incidents throughout my life. He too has stood by me and supported me every time I’ve failed to live up to my adopted heritage. Each time that I turned to Him and admitted how I had screwed up again and asked for His forgiveness and help, He was always there to forgive and reconnect with me.

Like the story of the prodigal, my Father was always waiting for me to come back and ready to receive me back into His companionship. And unlike the story of the prodigal, my Big Brother not only accepts me, He died to enable the adoption to go through!

I have a pretty cool family and we are looking for more members.

Feel like joining?

Pastor Val

God’s Sense of Humor

The ancient Jewish writings tell us that we were created in the image of God. As image bearers of God we can learn much about the character of God by examining ourselves. For example, we know that God must have a sense of humor since we have one. Of course it doesn’t hurt my argument when reads the ancient poet who tells us that “the one enthroned in haven laughs” Psalm 2:4. So it doesn’t surprise me that Father has a unique sense of humor.

As many of you know, I am looking forward to a new ministry. I have been learning more about God’s sense of humor. As I’ve been waiting on God and his timing to launch me into my next ministry, I can’t help to occasionally have a conversation with Father and discuss what I’m going through and how I long to get busy with my next assignment.

Recently I was praying and complaining that with God’s kingdom being so vast that there must be some small corner of His kingdom where I could serve Him. I’ve been answering advertisements for pastor on the web and a church in California responded and asked me to consider their position.

Every time a church responds positively to my resume I always get pumped. So I was excited to get a packet of information from this church. That is until I read the proposed offer. This church in California was offering salary and parsonage. Sounds good so far.

(Now here is where God’s sense of humor comes in)

Yeah, the salary was $20,000 – for California!

For 24 hours I tried to figure out if I could do it and how could I do it. Then I remembered J. I Packer talking about how to determine God’s will in his book Knowing God. Packer reminds us that when trying to determine God’s will for our life, God expects us to use our God given abilities and brainpower. There was no rational way that I could take this job. While there is always the possibility that God wants us to step out in faith thus allowing God to do something spectacular, Scripture informs us that the miraculous doesn’t happen on a regular basis just occasionally. This just wasn’t such an occasion.

I looked up to the sky and told God “Now that’s not fumy!”

I know that God is ultimately in control but occasionally He has to remind me. In His time and His way it will happen, until then God will continue to teach me patience and something about His incredible sense of humor.

So I guess the joke is on me!

Pastor Val

"Big Brother" Is Listening

Last night our local NBC affiliate reported on how “Big Brother” might be listening in to our conversations via our cell phones. Apparently there is technology out there that can turn your cell phone into a microphone even if your cell phone is shut off. The cell phone might not even be yours but another person’s in the room.

Supposedly this technology is only legal (think Patriot Act) for the government to use with a court order. But WDIV interviewed private investigators who regularly use these programs in their investigations. Some boardrooms have become Cell Phone Free zones due to fear of industrial eavesdropping.

The FBI recently admitted in open court that there have been times when they have misused this technology to listen in on conversations that were not terrorist related. The ACLU and other groups are concerned about the potential abuse of this new technology.

Apparently the only sure way to ensure that your conversations cannot be overheard is to remove the battery from the cell phone.

While this is disturbing for Americans, being overheard by someone is nothing new for followers of God. After all we have know for centuries that we cannot escape from God’s presence (See Psalm 139:7-12). Theologians call this the omnipresence of God and when you couple that with another of His divine attributes his omniscience (God knows everything) we know that nothing can be hidden from Him. Since He sees all and knows all, we can be assured that He also knows what is best for us.

If you are concerned about what others might hear you say, how much more should we guard our tongues because our Father is listening after all we all know that “POS” is true for every believer.

Pax

Pastor Val