The Modern Family

Recently, my wife posted the following on Facebook:

“Wonder what it would be like to really have a family that really acted like a family…A family that laughs, loves and yes, cries together…A family that shared the good times and the bad times together…I have pretty much decided that a close, loving family doesn’t really exist…”

She posted this for many reasons.  She was lonely.  We’ve seen so much of families of late that back-bite, gossip, slander…and these are the ones in the church.  but the one thing she didn’t expect was the back-lash she received from her own kin.

The family unit today isn’t what it used to be.  There are fewer family gatherings.  We attended a funeral recently (not in our own family) and one of the ladies there remarked that it was the first time she’d seen most of the people in years.  Her cry was the same as my wife’s: “Let’s all bond together more.”

One would think this would be the heart cry of all families, but not so.  The vicious attacks leveled at my wife were unbelievable.  She simply made an observation based on what she’d seen among families we know, an observation expressing a hope, and expressing a pressing need among most families today, to return to that closeness of days past.

Why the cruelty for that?  I don’t really know.  I guess there might have been conviction that was rejected.  I assume the ones that attacked her were offended at the thought of a close family.  Who knows?  I just know this.

I’m tired of what has become of families and Christians and want no part of it.   I’m repulsed at what we pass off as Christianity today.  Instead of love and encouragement within families and the church, there is vindictiveness, jealousy, and cruelty.  It’s obvious why no one wants to be a part of it.  The ones they run with now are just like it, but don’t have the audacity to judge others by standards they won’t even hold to themselves.

If we’re going to be examples of the faith once delivered by the Apostles, then we need to think through our actions.  Why hurt the hurting?  Lift them up instead.  Don’t drag them farther down by pointing out all of their faults you think you perceive.  Just love them and ask God to fix it.  Leave it at “fix it.”  He doesn’t need our opinion of what needs to be fixed.

Each one of us needs to focus on fixing ourselves where we stand with God.  We might be surprised to find out that it changes our way of looking at the other person included.  Yes, I realize I’m preaching to myself.  I’m not afraid to take correction from God.  But, I’d rather He did the correcting.  I don’t recall getting the memo that said He passed that job to someone else that has a hateful attitude…even me at times.  It’s my job to be a witness…not a judge.  What’s your job?

Diana’s Story

There is a discussion taking place in a Psychology Class over abortion and how one would approach the issue.  The class was to describe the emotions a woman facing an undesired pregnancy might feel.  The majority of the class has never faced the situation, so they can only speculate.  As most are the product of the “New Awareness” mantra, they spout the Planned Parenthood talking points like pros.

But, one young lady has a different story to tell.  Her name is Diana Murphy, and she has given me permission to print it here.  This is how she told it with no changes.

When I was 18, I was on a magazine crew.  We went from city to city selling magazines.  I was seeing a guy on the crew, but he cheated on me and we broke up.  Two weeks later, I found out I was pregnant.  I told my boss, and he told me I had to either have an abortion or go home. I have been faced with this decision.  I thought to myself “My parents will kill me” “I don’t think I am financially capable of taking care of a baby right now” “The baby’s father and I are broken up.”  So I had a lot of emotions regarding the situation.  I finally decided that under no circumstances is it ok for me to end this human life.  I told my boss I would go home.  The day I was supposed to go home, I woke up bleeding.  I went to the hospital, and the Dr. told me the baby was too low on my uterus, that it might not survive, but they weren’t sure. I saw the baby on the ultrasound, and they measured it and told me I was about 14 weeks. I went home, and I bled for 27 days, and the baby was gone.  I didn’t even have an abortion and the feelings of guilt were terrible for me.  I kept going to the library reading about miscarriages, wondering what I could have done to save my baby. If I didn’t walk around so much or jump up and down, would it have saved the baby?  What’s worse is I was not home when I got pregnant, and when I got home I didn’t tell anybody and had to deal with the whole thing myself.  I do not think I could live with myself, if I am ever able to get pregnant again, if I had an abortion.  People who know now, tell me “well at least it wasn’t born yet” “It’s not like you lost your child”.  I wish people could see that there is life there.  It is not an object.  It is a baby.

Dominion Theology: An Answer to John MacArthur

On of John MacArthur’s church members asked him a question: “What is Dominion Theology.”  His answer can be found at the Bible Bulletin Board site, so I’ll not reprint it here.  Suffice it to say, Reverend MacArthur is up to usual antics: “Attack anything I don’t want to deal with by cherry-picking one verse to dispute (whether it does or not) it while ignoring all of the others that support it.”  He’s already attacked “tongues” as being “of the Devil,” and grouped the other manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the same category, simply because his denomination is still held in thraldom to the old Catholic Doctrines that caused the inquisitions and the witch trials.

Reverend MacArthur contends that we are not to take dominion over demonic spirits because of the Old Testament passage that says, “Resist the Devil.”  First, sir, what better form of resistance is there than taking authority over him?  Isn’t that what Jesus gave us in Luke 10:19 when He gave us authority over “all the abilities of the enemy?”  And what about the final instructions He gave before His ascension? Mark 16:15 clearly says, “And these signs shall follow them that believe.  In My name shall they cast out Devils; they shall speak with new tongues…”  Am I missing something here, or is this deleted from the “John MacArthur Study Bible?”

MacArthur contends that we are not to bind demons.  Doesn’t that smack dead in the face of  Matthew 12:25-29 where Jesus tells us we cannot cast out devils unless we first “bind the strong man?”

Reverend MacArthur needs to read his Bible again.  Maybe he should take an indeterminate hiatus from Ministry until he spends some time with the Holy Spirit whose works he so cavalierly dismisses.  Maybe they should get to know each other better.  Maybe then MacArthur wouldn’t spout off with drivel he cannot back with the word.

The Kingdom Prayer

In the prayer He taught to His disciples, the Christ gave us keys and values to the kingdom He preached and established.

“Our Father…”

First, He established that the God in, and from, and by whom all things are created sees and considers us to be His children.  Although existing in a Spiritual plane (heaven), He stills wants to be known as “our Father” who cherishes us and provides for us an abundant life.

“Who art in heaven…”

He can only be accessed through the realm of the Spirit, as God is true and completely Spirit.  We must learn to reach into the Spiritual place where God is if we hope to affect things in the physical plane.  We must access the supernatural to act on the natural.

“Hallowed be Thy Name…”

We must also approach Him in an attitude of reverence and worship, knowing that He is the character and substance of all that is Holy.  We must embrace that Holiness and draw it into ourselves.  Once we have recognized this and begun to accomplish it, we move into the pattern of thekingdom on the earth; inus and by us.

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done…”"

Jesus implies emphatically that the kingdom of the Living God and his “will,” or design, for it are for us, here and now, on this earth.  We are to speak of the kingdom as being already established, as the Greek in this passage is an active tense…Come now, kingdom of God, be done now, will of God” It is a kingdom for us to establish on the foundation of the Christ in the realm of the Spirit, as declared by God’s word, for activity and action in the natural level.

“…on earth as it is in heaven.”

God has already established His Kingdom and His plan for us in the spiritual realm.  He has spoken the abundant life, the perfected walk, the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, into existence in His realm.  We must walk in the Spirit as to be able to reach into that realm of the Spirit and draw out those things spoken for us and allow them to manifest in the natural.  This is accomplished by faith.

“Give us this day…”

Jesus assures us many times the God is the provider of all things; the active state of His reminder that “the Father knows you need these things.” (Matt 6:32)  He knows we need things to live and He provides them.  All we have to do is ask.  He takes care of us completely.

“…and forgive…as we forgive…”

The Father is a God of second (and more) chances.  He knows we will stumble from time to time as we learn and grow in Him.  He constantly administers grace and forgiveness and teaches us to administer that same grace and forgiveness to others, understanding that they, like us, are less than perfect.

“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us…”

If we follow the declared plan and will of God, then the prayer that Jesus prayed in the garden will echo this phrase.  He prayed that God not take us out of the world, but save us from evil (John 17:15).  We pray that God will not lead us into temptation, but temptation will surely come as the enemy will make himself evident at every turn, therefore we need God’s covering to protect us from the “evil one;” the enemy of our souls.

“For Thine is the kingdom…”

When Christ is formed in us and God therefore glorified in us, then His kingdom is established in power; a kingdom that will “never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44).  It is the kingdom of “God and the power of His Christ”  (Rev. 12:10)

The text of the prayer is meant to be a guideline, not a ritual.  Pray from your heart and express these truths from the “Kingdom Prayer” and watch the glory of God become greater in you.

The Christian Walk

This link is to an ESPN video.  Yes, ESPN is a sports affiliate.  Yes, it’s all about football, baseball, tennis, golf and all the other sports in between.  This clip is shot in the background of the game of golf.

But it’s not about golf.  It’s about a man; a very special man.  It’s about his dedication.  It’s about his determination.  It’s about his heart.

The Christian Community as a whole would profit from this video.  We would profit by modeling our Christian walk after the values this man shows in his life.  Watch it, and if it doesn’t bring you to tears….well….just watch.

http://vodpod.com/watch/1165857-walk-on-espn-video