"Entry into the presence of God is by the blood of Jesus Christ alone." When we try to use worship as the means of coming into or being in the presence of God, we have perverted the very nature of worship. Worship is ministry to the Lord, it is giving a gift without strings attached. We don't enter into His Gates by thanksgiving and praise, we enter with these things. We enter by the blood of Jesus Christ and nothing else."
"What we need is faith in what the blood has provided, and be active in that faith (as opposed to passively carried with the flow of music), that by absolutely no merit or service do we earn or come into God's presence... We draw near with hearts in full assurance of faith because of what Jesus' blood has done. It is appropriate that we draw near with worship, but worship does not purchase His Presence... we cannot buy a drop of God's goodness or mercy."
(JoshuaGH, www.revivalschool.com forum)
AND TO THAT I SAY 'AMEN'
Friday, September 12, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
"The Shack"
William P. Young, the author of the controversial best-seller The Shack, defended his novel against critics and told of its redemptive impact it had on his own life.
Calling himself “an accidental author,” William P. Young told a crowd of roughly 300 people Wednesday morning that the controversy surrounding his New York Times best-selling novel, which has sold more than 1 million copies since its debut last year, was “good.”
Critics have accused The Shack—about a man who encounters God at the scene of a past personal tragedy—of lacking theological integrity and promoting unorthodox theories. Well-known author and radio commentator Charles Colson has been the most vocal in warning people to avoid the book because of its low view of Scripture.
But Young said the fictional story was not written as systematic theology. “It’s a parable or a metaphor,” Young told author and radio host Chris Fabry during a 10-minute interview for a mock radio program. “Tell Chuck Colson that it’s not an allegory.”
His comment drew laughs, but Young was more somber as he discussed how he was sexually abused as a child of missionaries while attending boarding school in New Guinea. Young shared that he recently received a call from the main perpetrator of his abuse, who asked for his forgiveness after reading The Shack. “It was wonderful and [peaceful],” Young said as he fought back tears.
Calling himself “an accidental author,” William P. Young told a crowd of roughly 300 people Wednesday morning that the controversy surrounding his New York Times best-selling novel, which has sold more than 1 million copies since its debut last year, was “good.”
Critics have accused The Shack—about a man who encounters God at the scene of a past personal tragedy—of lacking theological integrity and promoting unorthodox theories. Well-known author and radio commentator Charles Colson has been the most vocal in warning people to avoid the book because of its low view of Scripture.
But Young said the fictional story was not written as systematic theology. “It’s a parable or a metaphor,” Young told author and radio host Chris Fabry during a 10-minute interview for a mock radio program. “Tell Chuck Colson that it’s not an allegory.”
His comment drew laughs, but Young was more somber as he discussed how he was sexually abused as a child of missionaries while attending boarding school in New Guinea. Young shared that he recently received a call from the main perpetrator of his abuse, who asked for his forgiveness after reading The Shack. “It was wonderful and [peaceful],” Young said as he fought back tears.
Speaking Life
Speaking Life
~ Godly Character ~
by Don Finto
We are again experiencing the disappointment and even disillusionment that comes when perceived servants of God fail.
This is a dangerous time for us. How will we respond? Will we privately rejoice because we saw flaws and cautions that others did not see? Do we discount those who were healed, who came to faith or who experienced the move of God? Are we to assume that everything was a farce? Was there never any real hunger for God? Was it all sham and hypocrisy?
Years ago when a prominent television evangelist’s moral failure was exposed, another television evangelist was publicly harsh and judgmental in his assessment. The Lord laid on my heart to write that television evangelist a letter. “Brother, be careful. ‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (Matthew 7:1-2).’” A few weeks later the sexual failure of the man who had done the judging was paraded before the American public. Most of us would affirm the gifting that was in both these men, but their character did not match their gifting.
Character and gifting are different. This is why we can sometimes see extremely gifted-of-God men and women who fail morally.
Remember the mightily gifted Samson whose character never matched the gifting.
Do not forget David, the murderer/adulterer. Was David anointed? Yes. Gifted? Yes. Did he fall? Yes. Was he restored? Yes. Were there consequences of his failure? Yes. Yet God later described him as “a man after my own heart (Acts 13:20).”
Have we considered the fact that Peter lied three times on the night of Jesus’ betrayal, but fifty days later was God’s chosen spokesperson to call the nation to repentance? I wonder if that young servant girl to whom Peter had lied was in the crowd that Pentecost day. If so, how difficult was it for her to hear the gospel through Peter’s flawed, yet restored lips?
Sometimes, when we sin, we are restored to our ministry and destiny. At other times, according to God’s own choosing, we forfeit a portion of our inheritance. This was true of Moses who, in that moment of pride said, “Must we bring you water from this rock (Numbers 20:10)?” Because of his sin, Moses never entered into the land of his inheritance. He was still the leader, but his time was cut short.
It is appropriate for us to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1), while at the same time realizing that we are all works-in-progress. We cannot only affirm as gifted those whose walk is perfect, yet “if someone is caught in a sin, [we] who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).
May this recent exposure call forth an examination of our own lives! What about our own marriages? Are we loving our husbands/wives? Are we walking in pride? Are we accountable?
Lord have mercy upon us! Turn our propensity for judgment into mercy and intercession. May the disappointment and disillusionment that is ours through the sin of another, work in us a radical pursuit of You, Lord, Your Presence, and Your gifts! May Godly character be worked in all of us! And may we be so open to Your will in our lives that when the fire and glory of God descend upon us, we will not disintegrate, but will be ignited with Holy Spirit power for the glory of God the Father and Jesus our Messiah and soon-returning King!
Don Finto
www.calebcompany.com
Caleb Company, 68 Music Square East, Nashville, TN 37203
~ Godly Character ~
by Don Finto
We are again experiencing the disappointment and even disillusionment that comes when perceived servants of God fail.
This is a dangerous time for us. How will we respond? Will we privately rejoice because we saw flaws and cautions that others did not see? Do we discount those who were healed, who came to faith or who experienced the move of God? Are we to assume that everything was a farce? Was there never any real hunger for God? Was it all sham and hypocrisy?
Years ago when a prominent television evangelist’s moral failure was exposed, another television evangelist was publicly harsh and judgmental in his assessment. The Lord laid on my heart to write that television evangelist a letter. “Brother, be careful. ‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (Matthew 7:1-2).’” A few weeks later the sexual failure of the man who had done the judging was paraded before the American public. Most of us would affirm the gifting that was in both these men, but their character did not match their gifting.
Character and gifting are different. This is why we can sometimes see extremely gifted-of-God men and women who fail morally.
Remember the mightily gifted Samson whose character never matched the gifting.
Do not forget David, the murderer/adulterer. Was David anointed? Yes. Gifted? Yes. Did he fall? Yes. Was he restored? Yes. Were there consequences of his failure? Yes. Yet God later described him as “a man after my own heart (Acts 13:20).”
Have we considered the fact that Peter lied three times on the night of Jesus’ betrayal, but fifty days later was God’s chosen spokesperson to call the nation to repentance? I wonder if that young servant girl to whom Peter had lied was in the crowd that Pentecost day. If so, how difficult was it for her to hear the gospel through Peter’s flawed, yet restored lips?
Sometimes, when we sin, we are restored to our ministry and destiny. At other times, according to God’s own choosing, we forfeit a portion of our inheritance. This was true of Moses who, in that moment of pride said, “Must we bring you water from this rock (Numbers 20:10)?” Because of his sin, Moses never entered into the land of his inheritance. He was still the leader, but his time was cut short.
It is appropriate for us to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1), while at the same time realizing that we are all works-in-progress. We cannot only affirm as gifted those whose walk is perfect, yet “if someone is caught in a sin, [we] who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).
May this recent exposure call forth an examination of our own lives! What about our own marriages? Are we loving our husbands/wives? Are we walking in pride? Are we accountable?
Lord have mercy upon us! Turn our propensity for judgment into mercy and intercession. May the disappointment and disillusionment that is ours through the sin of another, work in us a radical pursuit of You, Lord, Your Presence, and Your gifts! May Godly character be worked in all of us! And may we be so open to Your will in our lives that when the fire and glory of God descend upon us, we will not disintegrate, but will be ignited with Holy Spirit power for the glory of God the Father and Jesus our Messiah and soon-returning King!
Don Finto
www.calebcompany.com
Caleb Company, 68 Music Square East, Nashville, TN 37203
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Who are Todays Pharisees?
“So if you want to know who today’s Pharisees are, here are some of the questions to ask. Who are the religious people who follow the traditions of the elders, and who - on the basis of that tradition - believe they can tell the true prophets from the false ones? Who are the guardians of the faith, the fully initiated, law-abiding, pledge-paying, creed-saying, theologically correct people who can spot a heretic a mile away?
According to John, these are the people to watch out for, because they think they can see. Furthermore, they think they can see better than other people, and they are not shy about telling you that you are not really seeing what you think you see, or that what you are seeing is wrong. They do not do this to be mean, either. They do this because they love God and maybe even because they love you too. They are doing it to protect you from believing the wrong things.” Selah
According to John, these are the people to watch out for, because they think they can see. Furthermore, they think they can see better than other people, and they are not shy about telling you that you are not really seeing what you think you see, or that what you are seeing is wrong. They do not do this to be mean, either. They do this because they love God and maybe even because they love you too. They are doing it to protect you from believing the wrong things.” Selah
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