I was headed to class last night and saw (smelled) smoke from a fire. I was reminded of my last Sunday at the church I preached at in bible college.
You may remember in 1999-2001 there were terrible forest fires in central Florida. As we headed to church which was about 45 minutes away down way far near Disney we encountered thick smoke from a fire. We tried several different routes, all of which were closed due to smoke. We literraly couldn't get through.
Strangely enough, 10 years ago was before everybody had cell phones. We weren't able to get ahold of anybody at the church. We didn't have a cellphone and neither did anyone at the church. The church met in a resort community clubhouse with no phone. We had to hope the people assumed we couldn't get there on our last dagger because of the fires.
Ultimately, we went the next week for our last week. This memory is however forever smoked into my mind.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
sitting around the campfire
At the church we have a place behind the shed where we burn yard waste. I arranged some benches around it for a fire experience a couple of Wednesday nights ago. I was sitting out there praying today just hanging out with God an hot cocoa. I looked into the woods of to my right and saw all the birds suddenly fly away. It was as if something had scared them.
As I looked closer I saw a squirrel on a branch in the low trees where all the birds came from. It reminded me of a camping experience and a squirrel known only as the 'Fatty Squirrel'.
The infamous fatty squirrel was easily twice the size of all the other squirrels. We were throwing pebbles and sticks at the squirrels who thought they were getting food. After a few minutes all the squirrels suddenly ran away. From the midst of the woods right in the middle of where the other squirrels had been sitting sauntered this giant fatty squirrel. He sauntered (I say this because he had a swagger to him that one does not normal see on a squirrel, its normally reserved for gang members) up and plopped down on his haunches and looked at us with a look of 'where's mine?'
We tossed a few things at him, rocks, and he didn't flinch. It was as if he knew it wasn't food. He finally left when he realized he wasn't getting anything.
We awoke the next morning to him chewing on the peanut butter jar. He was run off as a large rock nearly took his head off. The lid on the jar of peanut butter had a single turn left before it was open. The fatty squirrel was seeking his revenge for us taunting him with food the day before.
This is a squirrel I will never forget... I will always remember him as I sit around the campfire...
As I looked closer I saw a squirrel on a branch in the low trees where all the birds came from. It reminded me of a camping experience and a squirrel known only as the 'Fatty Squirrel'.
The infamous fatty squirrel was easily twice the size of all the other squirrels. We were throwing pebbles and sticks at the squirrels who thought they were getting food. After a few minutes all the squirrels suddenly ran away. From the midst of the woods right in the middle of where the other squirrels had been sitting sauntered this giant fatty squirrel. He sauntered (I say this because he had a swagger to him that one does not normal see on a squirrel, its normally reserved for gang members) up and plopped down on his haunches and looked at us with a look of 'where's mine?'
We tossed a few things at him, rocks, and he didn't flinch. It was as if he knew it wasn't food. He finally left when he realized he wasn't getting anything.
We awoke the next morning to him chewing on the peanut butter jar. He was run off as a large rock nearly took his head off. The lid on the jar of peanut butter had a single turn left before it was open. The fatty squirrel was seeking his revenge for us taunting him with food the day before.
This is a squirrel I will never forget... I will always remember him as I sit around the campfire...
Aliens & Strangers... pt 3 of a Royal Priesthood and a Precious Cornerstone
As I finished up my last post on the ideas of being able to overcome the community-busting sins listed in the first several verse of 1 Peter 2, it occurred to me that I wanted to share a few more thoughts on the ideas of being aliens in this world. This is terminology that has always appealed to me and sounded familiar yet at the same time difficult to comprehend. We are not made for this world. We are made for something bigger, something greater, something else. We are made for another place. One of my favorite aliens is Thor from Stargate SG1. I don't think this is what Peter is talking about when he says we are aliens in this world. We are not aliens in the sense that we are from another planet, but we are from another 'place'.
What is it that Peter meant by being aliens and strangers in this world? He meant that we are created for more... I know I already said that. It is often missed though. As I write this, I'm listening to the Catalyst Lab by Alan and Deb Hirsch. They are talking about various things that we allow to crowd out God and become idols to us. That's why realizing we are aliens in this world is so very important. When we forget that we don't belong in this world, we allow this world and all it has to offer to become an idol or a myriad of idols to us.
We are not to make our homes here in this world with the things of this world. Jesus tells us,
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also
Matthew 6:19-21
If this is true, then when we live as though we belong here then our treasure and our hearts are here in this world. If we live as though we belong in this world, then we have created idols of the things of this world.
I like what the Scottish theologian William Barclay had to say regarding the need to abstain from the fleshly desires because we are aliens in this world. He points out that it is essential for us to remove the fleshly lusts from our lives because it further prohibits us from living in the kind of community that Christ calls us to. The fleshly desires Peter talks about is what Barclay enlightens us to know are the human nature apart from God. It is the unredeemed nature of man, it is the characteristic of the fallen human nature.
This is why it is so critical for us to leave these fleshly desires (which includes malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy, slander) in order to be able to build the community that Christ calls us to. If we haven't left these out, and other sins for that matter, how are we going to be able to act and live as a holy nation and a royal priesthood? We can't, plainly put.
How well we are able to remember and live as aliens who are just passing through directly correlates to how well we are going to be able to function within our calling to be a light shining in the darkness of this world.
Are you living as an alien and stranger in this world, or have you made this world your home and thereby created a life of idols with little to no room for God?
What is it that Peter meant by being aliens and strangers in this world? He meant that we are created for more... I know I already said that. It is often missed though. As I write this, I'm listening to the Catalyst Lab by Alan and Deb Hirsch. They are talking about various things that we allow to crowd out God and become idols to us. That's why realizing we are aliens in this world is so very important. When we forget that we don't belong in this world, we allow this world and all it has to offer to become an idol or a myriad of idols to us.
We are not to make our homes here in this world with the things of this world. Jesus tells us,
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also
Matthew 6:19-21
If this is true, then when we live as though we belong here then our treasure and our hearts are here in this world. If we live as though we belong in this world, then we have created idols of the things of this world.
I like what the Scottish theologian William Barclay had to say regarding the need to abstain from the fleshly desires because we are aliens in this world. He points out that it is essential for us to remove the fleshly lusts from our lives because it further prohibits us from living in the kind of community that Christ calls us to. The fleshly desires Peter talks about is what Barclay enlightens us to know are the human nature apart from God. It is the unredeemed nature of man, it is the characteristic of the fallen human nature.
This is why it is so critical for us to leave these fleshly desires (which includes malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy, slander) in order to be able to build the community that Christ calls us to. If we haven't left these out, and other sins for that matter, how are we going to be able to act and live as a holy nation and a royal priesthood? We can't, plainly put.
How well we are able to remember and live as aliens who are just passing through directly correlates to how well we are going to be able to function within our calling to be a light shining in the darkness of this world.
Are you living as an alien and stranger in this world, or have you made this world your home and thereby created a life of idols with little to no room for God?
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
A Royal Priesthood and a Precious Cornerstone pt. 2
In my last post we looked at Peter's call on our lives to remove/overcome malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy and slander. We posed the question of how to do that. Here we begin to look to some possible ways.
One way that we may be able to overcome these sins is by realizing who we are called to be. Peter goes on to give us an idea of who need to be and a small snapshot of how get there.
2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
The first and sort of common sense way for us to rid our lives of these sins is to crave the word of God. The closer we walk with Christ, the closer he is to us.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:8
In order to have clean hearts and minds we have to mold our minds like the mind of Christ Jesus.
Craving the Word of God is kinda a no-brainer for us. We have to dig a little deeper and get further into why it is so important to remove these sins from our lives. As we previously discussed these are sins that are community-busters. When we get a little further into the text, Peter reminds us that we have a specific calling on our lives as Christ-followers. Look at where Peter goes in verse 9:
But you are a chosen race , a royal priesthood , a holy nation , a people for God’s own possession
Peter reminds us that we have a calling to be a part of a community. We ARE a chosen race, we ARE a royal priesthood, we ARE a holy nation. We ARE a part of a community that is bigger than ourselves. We have to rid ourselves of these sins that affect our ability to have community because this community is of the utmost importance for us to be able to. More than just being called to be a part of this community, this community is special, unique and has its calling rooted in God (verse 10 tells us: for you once were not a people , but now you are the people of God ; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy), and we are a community that has a purpose. God has called us to reveal his excellencies, reveal the awesome gift of salvation, reveal to a world full of darkness that there is a way out, a way of hope amidst the chaos that surrounds our life.
so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
As Christ-followers, it is our responsibility to engage and be active in a community of believers, it is our responsibility to actively partake in the action of proclaiming the saving grace and incredible work that God has accomplished in us through his Spirit and son.
Community-busting sins have to be removed, because when they are allowed to fester they become like cancers eating the body from the inside out.
Think about your faith community, is it being all that it can be for God? Or is it plagued by the community-busting sins? If your community isn't moving forward or making any progress for the Kingdom of God, it might be time to look inside and cut out the cancer that is destroying from the inside out.
Are you willing to rid yourself and your community of these sins?
One way that we may be able to overcome these sins is by realizing who we are called to be. Peter goes on to give us an idea of who need to be and a small snapshot of how get there.
2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
The first and sort of common sense way for us to rid our lives of these sins is to crave the word of God. The closer we walk with Christ, the closer he is to us.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:8
In order to have clean hearts and minds we have to mold our minds like the mind of Christ Jesus.
Craving the Word of God is kinda a no-brainer for us. We have to dig a little deeper and get further into why it is so important to remove these sins from our lives. As we previously discussed these are sins that are community-busters. When we get a little further into the text, Peter reminds us that we have a specific calling on our lives as Christ-followers. Look at where Peter goes in verse 9:
But you are a chosen race , a royal priesthood , a holy nation , a people for God’s own possession
Peter reminds us that we have a calling to be a part of a community. We ARE a chosen race, we ARE a royal priesthood, we ARE a holy nation. We ARE a part of a community that is bigger than ourselves. We have to rid ourselves of these sins that affect our ability to have community because this community is of the utmost importance for us to be able to. More than just being called to be a part of this community, this community is special, unique and has its calling rooted in God (verse 10 tells us: for you once were not a people , but now you are the people of God ; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy), and we are a community that has a purpose. God has called us to reveal his excellencies, reveal the awesome gift of salvation, reveal to a world full of darkness that there is a way out, a way of hope amidst the chaos that surrounds our life.
so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
As Christ-followers, it is our responsibility to engage and be active in a community of believers, it is our responsibility to actively partake in the action of proclaiming the saving grace and incredible work that God has accomplished in us through his Spirit and son.
Community-busting sins have to be removed, because when they are allowed to fester they become like cancers eating the body from the inside out.
Think about your faith community, is it being all that it can be for God? Or is it plagued by the community-busting sins? If your community isn't moving forward or making any progress for the Kingdom of God, it might be time to look inside and cut out the cancer that is destroying from the inside out.
Are you willing to rid yourself and your community of these sins?
Thursday, November 4, 2010
A Royal Priesthood and a Precious Cornerstone pt. 1
1 Peter 2 has been and probably always will be one of my favorite chapters in all of scripture. I like it because it points us several things that boil us down to the reason that we exist here on earth.
Peter starts off by encouraging us all to:
1 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
Peter calls our minds back a few verse where he discusses that we have been born again of a seed that is imperishable. It is because of this rebirthing that we must remove these sins that easy hold us back from seeing the glory of God and understanding the call he has put on our lives. Each one of these sins (and that's what they are... not just human emotions that we all feel and therefore can't escape, they are sin and a hindrance to the work God is doing in our lives) is potentially devastating. By themselves they are deadly and paired together, they are insidiously deadly. Look at them:
MALICE- a desire to injure others (directly contrary to the Love that God instructs us to show to others)
GUILE- a trick, scheme or a snare, the NIV says deceit here (this is purposefully leading someone astray or tricking them to take advantage of them)
HYPOCRISY- this is a two-faced faith for show only, meaning you say you love God but your actions deny him, also the root word for where we get our word actor... so a hypocrite is one who plays a part (obviously, this is when we try to present to God and others that we are something that we are not... this is the opposite of authenticity)
ENVY- an ill will towards other because they have something that I want (this again plays into not loving people, for no reason other than you want what they have and you foster anger towards them because they have it and you don't)
SLANDER- talking in order to do damage to others on purpose (like malice, except instead of actions you use your words to destroy and maim)
It is very easy to see how Peter says if we have been born again, then it is not possible for these types of behaviors to rule in our lives anymore. They directly contradict and destroy unity and community. When these are present it is not possible for unity and community to also exist. Peter tells us to remove these from our lives as though we are removing muddy dirty clothes that we have to peel off of us. Or to remove them as though they are obstacles that try to trip us up.
When we are able to rid our lives of these destructive sins, then we can begin to have community with each other and with lost people. How do we do that though? How do we remove sins as dug in and hard to remove as these? It reminds me of the movie the Predator. When the special forces dudes raid that village they track down all the soldiers in it and chase down one last one to a machine gun nest above them. Jesse the Body Ventura's character comments that he is, 'dug in like an Alabama tick!' Malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy and slander can manifest in our lives in such subtle ways that we don't realize they are there.
Overcoming these sins is a step towards becoming more like Christ. What are ways you overcome these sins in your life?
Peter starts off by encouraging us all to:
1 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
Peter calls our minds back a few verse where he discusses that we have been born again of a seed that is imperishable. It is because of this rebirthing that we must remove these sins that easy hold us back from seeing the glory of God and understanding the call he has put on our lives. Each one of these sins (and that's what they are... not just human emotions that we all feel and therefore can't escape, they are sin and a hindrance to the work God is doing in our lives) is potentially devastating. By themselves they are deadly and paired together, they are insidiously deadly. Look at them:
MALICE- a desire to injure others (directly contrary to the Love that God instructs us to show to others)
GUILE- a trick, scheme or a snare, the NIV says deceit here (this is purposefully leading someone astray or tricking them to take advantage of them)
HYPOCRISY- this is a two-faced faith for show only, meaning you say you love God but your actions deny him, also the root word for where we get our word actor... so a hypocrite is one who plays a part (obviously, this is when we try to present to God and others that we are something that we are not... this is the opposite of authenticity)
ENVY- an ill will towards other because they have something that I want (this again plays into not loving people, for no reason other than you want what they have and you foster anger towards them because they have it and you don't)
SLANDER- talking in order to do damage to others on purpose (like malice, except instead of actions you use your words to destroy and maim)
It is very easy to see how Peter says if we have been born again, then it is not possible for these types of behaviors to rule in our lives anymore. They directly contradict and destroy unity and community. When these are present it is not possible for unity and community to also exist. Peter tells us to remove these from our lives as though we are removing muddy dirty clothes that we have to peel off of us. Or to remove them as though they are obstacles that try to trip us up.
When we are able to rid our lives of these destructive sins, then we can begin to have community with each other and with lost people. How do we do that though? How do we remove sins as dug in and hard to remove as these? It reminds me of the movie the Predator. When the special forces dudes raid that village they track down all the soldiers in it and chase down one last one to a machine gun nest above them. Jesse the Body Ventura's character comments that he is, 'dug in like an Alabama tick!' Malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy and slander can manifest in our lives in such subtle ways that we don't realize they are there.
Overcoming these sins is a step towards becoming more like Christ. What are ways you overcome these sins in your life?
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
My Cursory Halloween post
I wanted to respond to and post responses from my first Halloween post. What you find below is the original post with a couple of responses and then my response or follow up to it all. Please enjoy and join the conversation:
I like Halloween. Carving pumpkins is one of my favorite activities. I think Halloween is mostly what we make of it. I like watching my kids dress up and get candy. It’s too much fun for us Christians to ignore!
Kinda like Easter. The Easter bunny is just as insidious as jack-o-lantern if you ask me. Plus with Easter you don’t get to carve a pumpkin.
I know the history and how Halloween evolved, but I don’t dwell on that. I focus on the fun of it. I use it for my own good.
What do you think, should a Christians avoid Halloween?
RE: Interesting take bro. At the risk of sounding too dogmatic let me give an opposing view. This is one that Darcy and I have chosen to apply Eph. 5:11 to. Although it might be fun for some, this night torments others. It's just hard for me to celebrate a night that there are actual sacrifices and real rituals going on. I've been challenged that if I really want to practice something on this night it probably should be praying for those tormented with demons and demonic practices. Somewhere there is someone that has a real name that is suffering demonic oppression.
Now that that is out of the way....you know that I love you and we think ALOT alike. This is just something that Darcy and I choose to abstain from because of personal convictions. Maybe its been because of the direct demonic activity that we see on the rez? For us, this is a conviction that is most certainly a "non-essentail" for Christians and we quietly let the holiday pass without "preaching" to our friends. I believe that there are great Christians on both sides of this one. I also understand that we walk a fine line sometimes. Being "in the world, but not of the world" sort of thing. As you know, I'm one that is comfortable being in a bar reaching out, I listen to secular music, etc, etc. So yeah, I'm a hypocrite in many areas. I guess that's the beauty of swimming in God's grace....
Thanks for asking the question. If you (or anyone else) is interested in hearing the sermon that changed my view on the holiday back in 1999. Go here http://bit.ly/aO7I8S
JP: I was with Ron...until Christ did something new in my heart. A "Mission" if you will...here are 2 blogs I wrote about what God did last year...
http://redeemedbeautifulmess.blogspot.com/search/label/Missional%20Halloween
KR: I LOVE the swimming in God's grace:) we all have so much to learn and so far to go really huh? ONE day we will all be 'perfected' but until then we can strive to be and live all He has called us too.. (i'm stealing the swimming quote btw, thanks)..I am with Mr. Ron,(even tho Polk is my bbestest buddy)..I believe we do not need to partake of the evil deeds of the darkness and we have an entire year to reach out and LOVE our neighbors..I do not have to provide a substitute of fall festivals or 'biblical' costumes for my kids..I do not give them 'carrots' to smoke as a substitute for cigarrettes..evil is evil and I do not need to condone it or think my kids are missing out.. my kids can dress up ALL the time, they can have a treat all the time...if we truly know and understand what the Enemy is up to on his 'day' then I'm again w/Ron we'd be on our faces praying for the children who will be sacrificed today..the 'fun' appearance of Halloween is a great cover up for the horrificness going on behind the scenes..please do not hear what I am NOT saying, I do not have all the answers and I am not all knowing..these are JUSt my families convictions based on what we believe the whole of God's word has shown us..and YES, I am passionate about it..there are many things we as believe s have bought into as they subtely get 'the ok nod' from the church and we have no clue how very far from His mark we have drifted..like Easter, Yes Eli it has Pagan roots as well!! aahhh!!!..this can get me off on the rabbit trail of many other things like Birth Control and dating and lots of other things we 'do' now that the world has slowly crept into the church..instead of us RUNNING SCREAMING INTO the WORLD with HIS HOPE and how WE should be changing their 'stuff' instead of vise versa !! So, all that to say..more..:) one of my former pastor's sat by a 'warlock' on a plane, (unknowingly to the warlock) and shared all about how they pray for the destruction of Pastors and they DO consider Halloween their High Holy Day and they do a whole lot of really BAD stuff on Halloween on purpose.. and they are amused that 'we' Christ followers celebrate the day with them cuz they sure atren't celbrating Christmas or Easter with us! (and they aren't out trying to 'evangelize' us on those days..interesting/scary stuff..ANYWAYS..I am SOOOO VERY FAR from who I know I am supposed to be.I am not sitting in judgement on what anybody else does on that day..we are individually responsible for what we do with Truth ya know..again, like Mr. Ron, I miss the mark all the time...I KNOW I do things still (sin) that I desire to NOT do BUT just not enough quite yet to 'give it up' or maybe I do thoings that other Christ followers consider sin, like oh..I spend money on eating out while every 6seconds a child starves or dies from treatable disease..so, I will continue to swim in God's GRACE and try to figure out daily how I can walk in the Light with a God who recklessly pursues me and you...btw just a few years ago i thought 'people' like me were wayyyy to extreme and a little nutty and legalistic...NOW, I feel like I am free to honor my God by NOT participating in a day that I know grieves His heart..( I love the time the new church brought togather all the 'witchcraft junk' etc and burned it or whatever.. would that we were so brave now...man, I'd have to burn a lot that i bet God consiers NOT of the Light ya know????/...until next time, forgive my rambling and my lack of 'smarts' I'm just a wife/mom 'on the road to beautiful'...LOVE YOU GUYS!!!! (not grammar or spell checking..) peace & everything is grace!!!
Happy Martin Luther day btw!!!!!!
KR: oh let's all get back to HIs Holy-days (all the God feasts and festivals) that He put in place as ways to remember and know Him. He never told us to stop!!!...oh what kinda craziness would that be...go research it!!! His Holidays are sooo much better than the one's we have created, and they would be a way to draw unbelievers to Light!!! whoooo hoooo! let's get radical for Him!!!! ok, I'm done..again, forgive my typos!!..still swimming in grace!
Eli Westfall: I want to respond to everyone. Just know that, but it will not happen tonite. I will offer a response tomorrow.
KR: no response needed for me...i 'throw up' what i'm thinking and then...well, i'm off to something else BUT in parting..know that the bottom line for me is that we are each living 'it out' in ways we are at peace with or wrestling through daily/yearlyand God knows our hearts...love you all!
So, after having considered all of the thoughts above, I sit here listening to the sermon that my buddy Ron has suggested I hear.
My response and follow up post:
I should share my evolution of Halloween...
As a child we did Halloween just like everyone else. I have only been to one haunted house ever. We never indulged in the scariness of it all, just the costumes and the candy.
Then, my first ministry in bible college I was at a church that wanted to have a haunted house at the church. When I said I didn't want to do a haunted house, I was chastised and this began the end of ministry there. It was at this time, I began to research and find the history and know what Halloween was all about. I was appalled when I learned what was the real story behind Halloween. So, I began to resist and not celebrate or do anything for Halloween. And then as time passed, so did my convictions against Halloween. Around that time we also had kids.
I feel like Halloween is a very tough place for us as Christians. More so than other holidays that have been taken over or have attempted to cover pagan holidays. I mentioned Easter as one of them. The Easter bunny drives me insane. Calling that Sunday, Easter drives me crazy!! It's Resurrection Sunday, not Easter.
I suppose in some ways, I have turned my frustrations that were previously reserved for Halloween towards Easter. I say that, but I still allowed Easter baskets. In the long run, Easter doesn't have the roots that Halloween does.
I agree, much of what we know Halloween to be is of demonic origin. My aim with Halloween is to allow my children to enjoy themselves on this day, like any other. We had a fall festival that was a blast. It occurred on Halloween, but I wanted to have it on another day. Having said that, I feel like offering what we did on Halloween was a great success. I said that I didn't want to have it on Halloween, but in the end I felt that having it on Halloween was the best time to have had it.
Maybe, a Halloween alternative on Halloween is actually a good idea. Who would have thought that? My new approach to Halloween is to offer an alternative, not just embrace it nor ignore it. How that will play out each year, I don't know.
Any further thoughts?
I like Halloween. Carving pumpkins is one of my favorite activities. I think Halloween is mostly what we make of it. I like watching my kids dress up and get candy. It’s too much fun for us Christians to ignore!
Kinda like Easter. The Easter bunny is just as insidious as jack-o-lantern if you ask me. Plus with Easter you don’t get to carve a pumpkin.
I know the history and how Halloween evolved, but I don’t dwell on that. I focus on the fun of it. I use it for my own good.
What do you think, should a Christians avoid Halloween?
RE: Interesting take bro. At the risk of sounding too dogmatic let me give an opposing view. This is one that Darcy and I have chosen to apply Eph. 5:11 to. Although it might be fun for some, this night torments others. It's just hard for me to celebrate a night that there are actual sacrifices and real rituals going on. I've been challenged that if I really want to practice something on this night it probably should be praying for those tormented with demons and demonic practices. Somewhere there is someone that has a real name that is suffering demonic oppression.
Now that that is out of the way....you know that I love you and we think ALOT alike. This is just something that Darcy and I choose to abstain from because of personal convictions. Maybe its been because of the direct demonic activity that we see on the rez? For us, this is a conviction that is most certainly a "non-essentail" for Christians and we quietly let the holiday pass without "preaching" to our friends. I believe that there are great Christians on both sides of this one. I also understand that we walk a fine line sometimes. Being "in the world, but not of the world" sort of thing. As you know, I'm one that is comfortable being in a bar reaching out, I listen to secular music, etc, etc. So yeah, I'm a hypocrite in many areas. I guess that's the beauty of swimming in God's grace....
Thanks for asking the question. If you (or anyone else) is interested in hearing the sermon that changed my view on the holiday back in 1999. Go here http://bit.ly/aO7I8S
JP: I was with Ron...until Christ did something new in my heart. A "Mission" if you will...here are 2 blogs I wrote about what God did last year...
http://redeemedbeautifulmess.blogspot.com/search/label/Missional%20Halloween
KR: I LOVE the swimming in God's grace:) we all have so much to learn and so far to go really huh? ONE day we will all be 'perfected' but until then we can strive to be and live all He has called us too.. (i'm stealing the swimming quote btw, thanks)..I am with Mr. Ron,(even tho Polk is my bbestest buddy)..I believe we do not need to partake of the evil deeds of the darkness and we have an entire year to reach out and LOVE our neighbors..I do not have to provide a substitute of fall festivals or 'biblical' costumes for my kids..I do not give them 'carrots' to smoke as a substitute for cigarrettes..evil is evil and I do not need to condone it or think my kids are missing out.. my kids can dress up ALL the time, they can have a treat all the time...if we truly know and understand what the Enemy is up to on his 'day' then I'm again w/Ron we'd be on our faces praying for the children who will be sacrificed today..the 'fun' appearance of Halloween is a great cover up for the horrificness going on behind the scenes..please do not hear what I am NOT saying, I do not have all the answers and I am not all knowing..these are JUSt my families convictions based on what we believe the whole of God's word has shown us..and YES, I am passionate about it..there are many things we as believe s have bought into as they subtely get 'the ok nod' from the church and we have no clue how very far from His mark we have drifted..like Easter, Yes Eli it has Pagan roots as well!! aahhh!!!..this can get me off on the rabbit trail of many other things like Birth Control and dating and lots of other things we 'do' now that the world has slowly crept into the church..instead of us RUNNING SCREAMING INTO the WORLD with HIS HOPE and how WE should be changing their 'stuff' instead of vise versa !! So, all that to say..more..:) one of my former pastor's sat by a 'warlock' on a plane, (unknowingly to the warlock) and shared all about how they pray for the destruction of Pastors and they DO consider Halloween their High Holy Day and they do a whole lot of really BAD stuff on Halloween on purpose.. and they are amused that 'we' Christ followers celebrate the day with them cuz they sure atren't celbrating Christmas or Easter with us! (and they aren't out trying to 'evangelize' us on those days..interesting/scary stuff..ANYWAYS..I am SOOOO VERY FAR from who I know I am supposed to be.I am not sitting in judgement on what anybody else does on that day..we are individually responsible for what we do with Truth ya know..again, like Mr. Ron, I miss the mark all the time...I KNOW I do things still (sin) that I desire to NOT do BUT just not enough quite yet to 'give it up' or maybe I do thoings that other Christ followers consider sin, like oh..I spend money on eating out while every 6seconds a child starves or dies from treatable disease..so, I will continue to swim in God's GRACE and try to figure out daily how I can walk in the Light with a God who recklessly pursues me and you...btw just a few years ago i thought 'people' like me were wayyyy to extreme and a little nutty and legalistic...NOW, I feel like I am free to honor my God by NOT participating in a day that I know grieves His heart..( I love the time the new church brought togather all the 'witchcraft junk' etc and burned it or whatever.. would that we were so brave now...man, I'd have to burn a lot that i bet God consiers NOT of the Light ya know????/...until next time, forgive my rambling and my lack of 'smarts' I'm just a wife/mom 'on the road to beautiful'...LOVE YOU GUYS!!!! (not grammar or spell checking..) peace & everything is grace!!!
Happy Martin Luther day btw!!!!!!
KR: oh let's all get back to HIs Holy-days (all the God feasts and festivals) that He put in place as ways to remember and know Him. He never told us to stop!!!...oh what kinda craziness would that be...go research it!!! His Holidays are sooo much better than the one's we have created, and they would be a way to draw unbelievers to Light!!! whoooo hoooo! let's get radical for Him!!!! ok, I'm done..again, forgive my typos!!..still swimming in grace!
Eli Westfall: I want to respond to everyone. Just know that, but it will not happen tonite. I will offer a response tomorrow.
KR: no response needed for me...i 'throw up' what i'm thinking and then...well, i'm off to something else BUT in parting..know that the bottom line for me is that we are each living 'it out' in ways we are at peace with or wrestling through daily/yearlyand God knows our hearts...love you all!
So, after having considered all of the thoughts above, I sit here listening to the sermon that my buddy Ron has suggested I hear.
My response and follow up post:
I should share my evolution of Halloween...
As a child we did Halloween just like everyone else. I have only been to one haunted house ever. We never indulged in the scariness of it all, just the costumes and the candy.
Then, my first ministry in bible college I was at a church that wanted to have a haunted house at the church. When I said I didn't want to do a haunted house, I was chastised and this began the end of ministry there. It was at this time, I began to research and find the history and know what Halloween was all about. I was appalled when I learned what was the real story behind Halloween. So, I began to resist and not celebrate or do anything for Halloween. And then as time passed, so did my convictions against Halloween. Around that time we also had kids.
I feel like Halloween is a very tough place for us as Christians. More so than other holidays that have been taken over or have attempted to cover pagan holidays. I mentioned Easter as one of them. The Easter bunny drives me insane. Calling that Sunday, Easter drives me crazy!! It's Resurrection Sunday, not Easter.
I suppose in some ways, I have turned my frustrations that were previously reserved for Halloween towards Easter. I say that, but I still allowed Easter baskets. In the long run, Easter doesn't have the roots that Halloween does.
I agree, much of what we know Halloween to be is of demonic origin. My aim with Halloween is to allow my children to enjoy themselves on this day, like any other. We had a fall festival that was a blast. It occurred on Halloween, but I wanted to have it on another day. Having said that, I feel like offering what we did on Halloween was a great success. I said that I didn't want to have it on Halloween, but in the end I felt that having it on Halloween was the best time to have had it.
Maybe, a Halloween alternative on Halloween is actually a good idea. Who would have thought that? My new approach to Halloween is to offer an alternative, not just embrace it nor ignore it. How that will play out each year, I don't know.
Any further thoughts?
The Celestine Danger
I have read the book the Celestine Prophecy twice now. I have seen the movie once (I DVR’ed it). As with many works of print, the book is waaay better than the movie. However, the movie did produce in me a recollection of the readings of the books and some thoughts that I had as I did so.
If you have never read the book, let me sum it up for you. There is an ancient scroll found in Peru with these 9 Insights (I know there are 11 total, but only the first 9 were known of in this installment) that will awaken in humanity some sort of evolution to allow us to become who we were supposed to be while ending all the conflict on earth making life awesome. The church in Peru (which appears to be the Catholic church) is vehemently opposed to this scroll as heresy (some say because it will challenge their authority) as well as the government. It is creating a sort of reawakening in the people of Peru and the world. The government and the church are working pseudo-together to destroy the scroll. The story ends with them thinking they have only for the audience to realize they have not.
Here’s where the danger lies in the Celestine Prophecy… it sounds strangely Christian, but interjects non-Christian aspects into it thereby creating something that is close to the truths of Scripture, although not quite. Here are the first 9 Insights as presented on www.celestineview.com:
1. A Critical Mass
A new spiritual awakening is occurring in human culture, an awakening brought about by a critical mass of individuals who experience their lives as a spiritual unfolding, a journey in which we are led forward by mysterious coincidences.
2. The Longer Now
This awakening represents the creation of a new, more complete world view, which replaces a five-hundred-year-old preoccupation with secular survival and comfort. While this technological preoccupation was an important step, our awakening to life’s coincidences is opening us up to the real purpose of human life on this planet, and the real nature of our universe.
3. A Matter Of Energy
We now experience that we live not in a material universe, but in a universe of dynamic energy. Everything extant is a field of sacred energy that we can sense and intuit. Moreover, we humans can project our energy by focusing our attention in the desired direction…where attention goes, energy flows…influencing other energy systems and increasing the pace of coincidences in our lives.
4. The Struggle For Power
Too often humans cut themselves off from the greater source of this energy and so feel weak and insecure. To gain energy we tend to manipulate or force others to give us attention and thus energy. When we successfully dominate others in this way, we feel more powerful, but they are left weakened and often fight back. Competition for scarce, human energy is the cause of all conflict between people.
5. The Message Of The Mystics
Insecurity and violence ends when we experience an inner connection with divine energy within, a connection described by mystics of all traditions. A sense of lightness – buoyancy – along with the constant sensation of love are measures of this connection. If these measures are present, the connection is real. If not, it is only pretended.
6. Clearing The Past
The more we stay connected, the more we are acutely aware of those times when we lose connection, usually when we are under stress. In these times, we can see our own particular way of stealing energy from others. Once our manipulations are brought to personal awareness, our connection becomes more constant and we can discover our own growth path in life, and our spiritual mission – the personal way we can contribute to the world.
7. Engaging The Flow
Knowing our personal mission further enhances the flow of mysterious coincidences as we are guided toward our destinies. First we have a question; then dreams, daydreams, and intuitions lead us towards the answers, which usually are synchronistically provided by the wisdom of another human being.
8. The Interpersonal Ethic
We can increase the frequency of guiding coincidences by uplifting every person that comes into our lives. Care must be taken not to lose our inner connection in romantic relationships. Uplifting others is especially effective in groups where each member can feel energy of all the others. With children it is extremely important for their early security and growth. By seeing the beauty in every face, we lift others into their wisest self, and increase the chances of hearing a synchronistic message.
9. The Emerging Culture
As we all evolve toward the best completion of our spiritual missions, the technological means of survival will be fully automated as humans focus instead on synchronistic growth. Such growth will move humans into higher energy states, ultimately transforming our bodies into spiritual form and uniting this dimension of existence with the after-life dimension, ending the cycle of birth and death.
As you read them you can see they offer some sound, good ideas. But upon further reflection, the danger is easy to see. While it speaks to a spiritual side to us all, I’m not sure it points to Christ. In our world and society where we are tuned into the spiritual, as Christians and leaders in the church we need to be very careful to ensure that the correct message from Scripture is presented. The idea that our goal as humans is t evolve towards a higher sense or state of existence is not found in Scripture. However, the idea of realizing our tendency to control and dominate people followed by the idea that in order to break that cycle we need to uplift and encourage one another does have its roots in Scripture. What we have here, is a little of Scripture and a lot of non-Scripture. This can be very dangerous for Christians that have become increasingly slack in their knowledge of Scripture. For many of us church leaders teaching doctrine and Scripture knowledge has fallen to the back burner of ministry. Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Church in Seattle has sent much time and even wrote several books just on Doctrine as of late. He says he does it because of the large number of new Christians they have at Mars Hill. This is one of the most well-known churches in America and the pastor is spending mucho time on doctrine. Why have the rest of us deemed it unnecessary? It would appear that solid Scriptural doctrine is in fact assisting growth rather than impeding it. Who would have ever thought?
The Celestine Prophecy offers an entertaining watch and even more entertaining read, but that is where it ends. Much like Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code. It almost seems these works cause more problems than good. Maybe that’s why they are there…
It is critical for us to know Scripture and to know it well. Christ will return and he is not going to bring anyone back to Heaven because they understood the 5th Insight and were able to connect with the divine energy unless that means they lived out a life of sacrifice to him loving those the world casts out, holding nothing back as an offering to God, made disciples, shared Christ’s love with the lost, cared for the orphans and widows, kept themselves from being unstained by the world, loved the world as Christ does and died to themselves.
What do you think? Do you have any insights on this?
If you have never read the book, let me sum it up for you. There is an ancient scroll found in Peru with these 9 Insights (I know there are 11 total, but only the first 9 were known of in this installment) that will awaken in humanity some sort of evolution to allow us to become who we were supposed to be while ending all the conflict on earth making life awesome. The church in Peru (which appears to be the Catholic church) is vehemently opposed to this scroll as heresy (some say because it will challenge their authority) as well as the government. It is creating a sort of reawakening in the people of Peru and the world. The government and the church are working pseudo-together to destroy the scroll. The story ends with them thinking they have only for the audience to realize they have not.
Here’s where the danger lies in the Celestine Prophecy… it sounds strangely Christian, but interjects non-Christian aspects into it thereby creating something that is close to the truths of Scripture, although not quite. Here are the first 9 Insights as presented on www.celestineview.com:
1. A Critical Mass
A new spiritual awakening is occurring in human culture, an awakening brought about by a critical mass of individuals who experience their lives as a spiritual unfolding, a journey in which we are led forward by mysterious coincidences.
2. The Longer Now
This awakening represents the creation of a new, more complete world view, which replaces a five-hundred-year-old preoccupation with secular survival and comfort. While this technological preoccupation was an important step, our awakening to life’s coincidences is opening us up to the real purpose of human life on this planet, and the real nature of our universe.
3. A Matter Of Energy
We now experience that we live not in a material universe, but in a universe of dynamic energy. Everything extant is a field of sacred energy that we can sense and intuit. Moreover, we humans can project our energy by focusing our attention in the desired direction…where attention goes, energy flows…influencing other energy systems and increasing the pace of coincidences in our lives.
4. The Struggle For Power
Too often humans cut themselves off from the greater source of this energy and so feel weak and insecure. To gain energy we tend to manipulate or force others to give us attention and thus energy. When we successfully dominate others in this way, we feel more powerful, but they are left weakened and often fight back. Competition for scarce, human energy is the cause of all conflict between people.
5. The Message Of The Mystics
Insecurity and violence ends when we experience an inner connection with divine energy within, a connection described by mystics of all traditions. A sense of lightness – buoyancy – along with the constant sensation of love are measures of this connection. If these measures are present, the connection is real. If not, it is only pretended.
6. Clearing The Past
The more we stay connected, the more we are acutely aware of those times when we lose connection, usually when we are under stress. In these times, we can see our own particular way of stealing energy from others. Once our manipulations are brought to personal awareness, our connection becomes more constant and we can discover our own growth path in life, and our spiritual mission – the personal way we can contribute to the world.
7. Engaging The Flow
Knowing our personal mission further enhances the flow of mysterious coincidences as we are guided toward our destinies. First we have a question; then dreams, daydreams, and intuitions lead us towards the answers, which usually are synchronistically provided by the wisdom of another human being.
8. The Interpersonal Ethic
We can increase the frequency of guiding coincidences by uplifting every person that comes into our lives. Care must be taken not to lose our inner connection in romantic relationships. Uplifting others is especially effective in groups where each member can feel energy of all the others. With children it is extremely important for their early security and growth. By seeing the beauty in every face, we lift others into their wisest self, and increase the chances of hearing a synchronistic message.
9. The Emerging Culture
As we all evolve toward the best completion of our spiritual missions, the technological means of survival will be fully automated as humans focus instead on synchronistic growth. Such growth will move humans into higher energy states, ultimately transforming our bodies into spiritual form and uniting this dimension of existence with the after-life dimension, ending the cycle of birth and death.
As you read them you can see they offer some sound, good ideas. But upon further reflection, the danger is easy to see. While it speaks to a spiritual side to us all, I’m not sure it points to Christ. In our world and society where we are tuned into the spiritual, as Christians and leaders in the church we need to be very careful to ensure that the correct message from Scripture is presented. The idea that our goal as humans is t evolve towards a higher sense or state of existence is not found in Scripture. However, the idea of realizing our tendency to control and dominate people followed by the idea that in order to break that cycle we need to uplift and encourage one another does have its roots in Scripture. What we have here, is a little of Scripture and a lot of non-Scripture. This can be very dangerous for Christians that have become increasingly slack in their knowledge of Scripture. For many of us church leaders teaching doctrine and Scripture knowledge has fallen to the back burner of ministry. Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Church in Seattle has sent much time and even wrote several books just on Doctrine as of late. He says he does it because of the large number of new Christians they have at Mars Hill. This is one of the most well-known churches in America and the pastor is spending mucho time on doctrine. Why have the rest of us deemed it unnecessary? It would appear that solid Scriptural doctrine is in fact assisting growth rather than impeding it. Who would have ever thought?
The Celestine Prophecy offers an entertaining watch and even more entertaining read, but that is where it ends. Much like Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code. It almost seems these works cause more problems than good. Maybe that’s why they are there…
It is critical for us to know Scripture and to know it well. Christ will return and he is not going to bring anyone back to Heaven because they understood the 5th Insight and were able to connect with the divine energy unless that means they lived out a life of sacrifice to him loving those the world casts out, holding nothing back as an offering to God, made disciples, shared Christ’s love with the lost, cared for the orphans and widows, kept themselves from being unstained by the world, loved the world as Christ does and died to themselves.
What do you think? Do you have any insights on this?
When God brings us to life...
I have been reading Francis Chan's Crazy Love (I know, I should have read this book eons ago... alas I did not). This book is great. It has been challenging me to live and love better. But it also has been timely for me according to my current life circumstances. It seems, that I have not read this book until now because it is what I need to hear now. A few things come to my mind and feel particularly relevant to me today and right now in my life:
1. God is bigger than me and anything that I currently struggle with. He is the almighty creator of everything out of nothing. Ex nihilo. God created all there was out of nothing. Don't forget that he had to exist prior, for him to be able to create. God is eternal and gigantically huge.
2. The giant God who is creator and king of everything, love ME. Personally. Not as a part of a group, but me. He knows me and loves me as though I was the only person. Incredible. I don't deserve this love. That's probably the understatement of all time. As I've been working to wrap my head around somethings in my own head, I have been sharing with the students that I pastor at SRCC. One thing I've said to them a couple of times is that God died for the individual, not me the unknown face in a sea of humanity. He was thinking of me on the cross... and you... and you... etc. God loves us each one.
3. God is going to do what he wants and I can either get on board or get out of the way (because his will will be done with or without me, I just might get run over if I'm impeding the process).
What does this have to do with being alive? I have been listening to a lot of Skillet lately. Particularly on the latest album, Awake, there is a much discussion on being made alive by God and God alone. I feel energized and renewed as I rely on God to bring me to life. Only God can satisfy me. Nothing else this world affords.
Do you love God with everything in your life? I want to quote Chan as I close:
Are you willing to say to God that He can have whatever He wants? Do you believe that wholehearted commitment to Him is more important than any other thing or person in your life? Do you know that nothing you do in this life will ever matter, unless it is about loving God and loving the people He has made?
1. God is bigger than me and anything that I currently struggle with. He is the almighty creator of everything out of nothing. Ex nihilo. God created all there was out of nothing. Don't forget that he had to exist prior, for him to be able to create. God is eternal and gigantically huge.
2. The giant God who is creator and king of everything, love ME. Personally. Not as a part of a group, but me. He knows me and loves me as though I was the only person. Incredible. I don't deserve this love. That's probably the understatement of all time. As I've been working to wrap my head around somethings in my own head, I have been sharing with the students that I pastor at SRCC. One thing I've said to them a couple of times is that God died for the individual, not me the unknown face in a sea of humanity. He was thinking of me on the cross... and you... and you... etc. God loves us each one.
3. God is going to do what he wants and I can either get on board or get out of the way (because his will will be done with or without me, I just might get run over if I'm impeding the process).
What does this have to do with being alive? I have been listening to a lot of Skillet lately. Particularly on the latest album, Awake, there is a much discussion on being made alive by God and God alone. I feel energized and renewed as I rely on God to bring me to life. Only God can satisfy me. Nothing else this world affords.
Do you love God with everything in your life? I want to quote Chan as I close:
Are you willing to say to God that He can have whatever He wants? Do you believe that wholehearted commitment to Him is more important than any other thing or person in your life? Do you know that nothing you do in this life will ever matter, unless it is about loving God and loving the people He has made?
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