Archive for March, 2007

31
Mar

Near-Death Experience

By pasturescott 11 Comments
Categories: Christianity, Commitment, Consecration, Crucified Life, Jesus Christ and Trials

“The problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps jumping off the altar.”
–Warren Wiersbe

“Gethsemane” (Hebrew, gat shemanim)—oil press, place of crushing

Someone ran my wife off the road today. She’s okay, but there was eighty-some dollars worth of damage to the front passenger tire which had been replaced only days ago. Tholives2.jpgat’s all well and good, in the grand scheme, especially since my dear one is safe. What stewed my tomatoes was when she told me that the lady (really, I ask, should women ever have the wheel?) who ran her off the road laid on the horn to let her know for future reference and under no circumstance should Sandy ever be in front of her when she wants to change lanes. The mercury rose in my neck as I pictured my beloved being rammed into the sharp corner of some highway curbing by someone who evidently staked some kind of claim to said road.

I have to admit what my head was screaming when I got the full story. Lord, let the woman get stopped for moving violations five times between here and her home. May she just try to mouth off to one of those officers and spend a night sitting in a rank jail cell sandwiched between a throw-up drunk and a crazy person who claims to be Jesus and the easter bunny.

May her best friend betray her, Lord, and her favorite pet run away. May her mortgage company foreclose on her loan and may all four of her tires fall off her car for no apparent reason in the middle of a rainy night far from cellular service and may a sweaty, toothless guy named Tiny pull over to help her…

You see how depraved my mind can get when given ten seconds for unsupervised playtime?

And last night, at our weekly prayer fellowship, one of the guys praying was really digging in and said, “Lord, I thank You that in Your economy we don’t need to wait upon a Joshua for direction but we have all been made priests and Your instruction can come for this church from anyone…” My heart was amen-ing the context and truth of his prayer but immediately the specter of old Adam rose up in me and I found myself in a soulish struggle. Well, that’s true and all, but why can’t I be the ‘go-to’ guy? I like going to the tip of Sinai and bringing the people their instruction…oh, why do I still do it? Why must I repeatedly make sure I come out ahead? Why must I keep clawing through the sod so a dead man can get some air when what I really want is to be laid to rest in the death of Jesus? Why must I insist that the plan be mine, the credit be mine, that the roadmap be in my hand, the itinerary be according to my schedule, that the crowd come to me and not to so-and-so; why must I hurt so when I am rejected or passed over? Continue reading ‘Near-Death Experience’

29
Mar

It Must Be Armageddon

By pasturescott 6 Comments
Categories: Christianity, Culture, Hooters and Humor

I found this on Wittenburg Door’s website. And, in the interest of public decency I will not be posting ANY accompanying photos…

By Steven Scheer

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. restaurant chain Hooters, known for waitresses in low-cut blouses and short skirts, will open its first branch in Israel this summer, in the Mediterranean seaside city of Tel Aviv.

“I strongly believe that the Hooters concept is something that Israelis are looking for,” Ofer Ahiraz, who bought the Hooters franchise for Israel, told Reuters Monday. “Hooters can suit the Israeli entertainment culture.”

At Hooters, waitresses the company calls Hooters Girls serve spicy chicken wings, sandwiches, seafood and drinks.

Ahiraz said a specific location in Tel Aviv, Israel’s most cosmopolitan city, had yet to be chosen, but he said it would not open restaurants near large religious populations, and they would not be kosher.

He said his plan was to open as many as five Hooters restaurants in the next few years, including one in the southern resort city of Eilat.

The Tel Aviv version of Hooters is expected to mimic most of the chain’s other 430 restaurants in the United States and in 23 countries including China, Switzerland, Australia and Brazil.

Ahiraz said, however, he expected some minor modifications to meet Israeli tastes since U.S. chains have had a mixed response in Israel. Food chains such as Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts and Hard Rock Cafe failed, Kentucky Fried Chicken closed many locations, while others such as Burger King and McDonalds have thrived by altering their offerings to suit the Israeli market.

“It shows that if you are flexible and listen to your customers you can be a success story,” Ahiraz said.

The opening of Hooters in Israel is part of the chain’s global expansion. Privately held Hooters said it planned to open 17 restaurants in Colombia, Dubai, Guam, New Zealand and India in the next two years.

“International expansion is a major focus for our company, and we are very excited to add Israel to our family,” John Weber, executive vice president of franchise operations for Hooters of America, said in a statement.

© Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved.

Okay, just one picture… Continue reading ‘It Must Be Armageddon’

28
Mar

Getting It Right

By pasturescott 4 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized

Last night I sent Sandy and a friend to the Fabulous Fox in downtown Atlanta to see “Celtic Woman” and when she got home she was fairly brimming with glee, thanking me for getting her those primo tickets way back at Christmas. That’s me in your mental photo, wearing the goofiest grin on my face for getting it right for once. For five minutes I was the world’s best husband.

Then there’s the blunder I made a couple of weeks ago when, on a special anniversary, I thought it would be nice to mail Sandy a card. It was one of those shot-in-the-dark kind of things to find a card with one of the songs I romanced her with in 1983: Lionel Richie’s Truly. I mailed it and it came on the very day of our anniversary of my popping the question. Everything was just right! Only problem was, it came with postage due…

That’s me in your mental photo with egg on my face.

Anyway, enjoy a clip from a Celtic Woman singing one of history’s loveliest melodies…

28
Mar

Strangely Warmed By Strange Fire

By pasturescott 8 Comments
Categories: C.S. Lewis, Christianity, Church, Culture, Deception, Repentance and Worship

Dan Edelen, over at Cerulean Sanctum, posted this gut-check article which he has entitled, “Big Box Altars.” The whole article is worth the read but I share this portion of it as it called to mind the sons of Aaron who brought “strange fire” to the Lord. Much of what we call worship in our stainedglassfire.jpgcorner of the globe is nothing more than a stained-glass charade. It’s man’s best coming to the Lord by man’s own way, by his own rules, rife with self-indulgence and self-effort.  Such worship is too neat, too pretty, awfully scripted and hollow.  And it fizzles.

Does our worship even come close to what is shown in Scripture? Could you fall on your face in the aisle next Sunday without disrupting the agenda? Could you dance (not you Pentecostals…I’m talking to the Methodists) like David danced without getting eyeballed like David got eyeballed? Can you weep between the porch and the altar? Can you get so lost in worship that you forget there’s anyone else in the room? Hey, here’s one: when’s the last time you’ve seen an adult run from his car to the front door of the sanctuary just because he was excited to come in to the house of the Lord?

Enough of me, here’s Mr. Edelen’s thoughts:

I’ve got to believe there’s something wrong with a Church where week in and week out there’s no weeping before the altar of the Lord. If a man can go through an entire church year without once falling on his face weeping, without soaking the church carpeting with his tears, something’s desperately wrong with his church.

I’ve got to believe that a church will never amount to much for the Kingdom if it never once sees someone get up and dance during worship. I’ve got to believe that a church filled with people who just sit and nod their heads will be asleep when the Bridegroom comes. The Holy Spirit’s missing in a church that goes through the emotionless motions.

How can an unstirred church reflect anything resembling the abundant life?

In C.S. Lewis’s masterful book, The Great Divorce, he posits a heaven so substantial that all of life this side of it resembles a vapor. Massive, unearthly Christians fill that dense heaven, giants, heroes that shake the foundation of the world with their conquests. How then can it be that so little life fills believers today? Why is it that we cannot find succor for our souls on Sunday, but instead find our hearts strangely warmed—if only for a passing moment—by a 60″ plasma display rocking with the Final Four?

Have we Christians rendered Christ so inconsequential? Have we denied the power of YHWH for the power of LG?

What happened to passion and fire?

27
Mar

The Room

By pasturescott 2 Comments
Categories: Christianity, Conversion, Cross, Forgiveness, Jesus Christ and Salvation

Wanted to share this video with you today. It’s called “The Room” and you’ve probably read it in many forwarded emails the past few years. It is based on a dream of Josh Harris’ (“I Kissed Dating Goodbye” and “Stop Dating The Church”) that he had when he was 19 and in Puerto Rico for a Billy Graham crusade. It illustrates, as he says in the introduction, just how it is that Christ removes our sins. You can read some more interesting stuff about it on his website here.  I recommend the “authorship controversy” link he includes.

27
Mar

Choir In Chains

By pasturescott 2 Comments
Categories: Christianity, Encouragement, Hope and Persecution

This comes from the Persecution Blog at Voice of the Martyrs. Take heart and hope in the Lord in the midst of your suffering, and remember those in chains:

_________________________________

PRAISE IN PRISON 

“Why is it that so many Christians sing only once a week? Why only once? If it is right to sing, sing every day. If it is wrong to sing, don’t sing on Sunday.”

The pastor had spent several horrifying years in prison at the hands of the Communist authorities. He was jailed for his belief in Christ, and though he remembered the tortures there, he did not focus on them much. Instead he spoke of the times of joy in the presence of his Lord. He and his fellow Christian prisoners formed a community of praise—in the middle of prison.

“When we were in prison we sang almost every day because Christ was alive in us. The Communists were very nice to us. They knew we liked to praise God with musical instruments, so they gave every Christian in prison a musical instrument. However, they did not give us violins or mandolins—these were too expensive. Instead, they put chains on our hands and feet. They chained us to add to our grief. Yet we discovered that chains are splendid musical instruments! When we clanged them together in rhythm, we could sing, ‘This is the day (clink, clank), this is the day (clink, clank), which the Lord has made (clink, clank), which the Lord has made (clink, clank).’” What a joyful noise unto the Lord!

To those who have yet to experience it, persecution seems to focus entirely on loss. The loss of freedom. The loss of hope. Even losing one’s life. However, those who have suffered for their faith in Christ overlook what’s missing and focus on new discoveries. They relish what little freedoms they have instead of regretting what they lack. In this story, Communist captors robbed believers of most of life’s freedoms and dignity. However, these stout believers focused on what remained—their joy in the Lord. If it is good to sing to the Lord when you have everything—it is good to sing to him when you have lost it all, too. What will you do today to make sure you do not lose your Christian joy?

–Stacy L. Harp

26
Mar

Ten Ounces Of Rice

By pasturescott 8 Comments
Categories: Christianity, Compassion, Culture, Discipleship and Suffering

Sorry to be the fly in the ointment as we all begin our work week and presumably increase our wealth, but…

Economists tell us that nearly half the world’s population (2.7 billion) lives on ten ounces of rice and two dollars per day. Many of these are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

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My fellow Americans, we live as kings! Even if you live in a lower-scale neighborhood with bills spread out on your kitchen table, you are still the “big dog” on the block of humanity. And though we have our mitts on 90% of the world’s wealth, we still opine for more. But when is enough, enough? According to the World Bank, Americans are numero quatro in the world at per capita wealth, coming in at $513,000 per adult per year. How does it feel to be a half a millionaire? And if you rub your greenbacks with your spouse’s, you can call yourselves millionaires!

But before you crack open a bottle of Bordeaux, think about this: God’s vision for His people is “that there will be no poor among you since the Lord will surely bless you in the land…if only you listen obediently to the voice of the Lord your God to observe carefully all this commandment which I am commanding you today. If there’s a poor man with you, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land…you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother…” (Deuteronomy 15:4,5,7).

So today, let’s give thanks. Sure, of course.

Then, let’s give.

And with what’s left over, let’s give again.

Kings can afford to do that after all.

POST ALERT: today’s post is my 100th. (cue fireworks) This translates out to 98.9 who read each post, which is small potatoes to all you veteran bloggers out there, I’m well aware, but for me, it’s kind of cool. And quite unexpected.

So, I’d like to thank all the little people out there who made all this possible…

25
Mar

About Those Men Of Yours…

By pasturescott 5 Comments
Categories: Christmas, Church History, Discipleship, Jesus Christ and Ministry

What if it had been man’s job to choose the disciples…

To: Jesus, Son of Joseph
Woodcrafter’s Carpenter Shop
Nazareth 25922

letterj.jpg

From: Jordan Management Consultants

Dear Sir:

Thank you for submitting the resumes of the twelve men you have picked for managerial positions in your new organization. All of them have now taken our battery of tests; and we have not only run the results through our computer, but also arranged personal interviews for each of them with our psychologist and vocational aptitude consultant.

The profiles of all tests are included, and you will want to study each of them carefully.

As part of our service, we make some general comments for your guidance, much as an auditor will include some general statements. This is given as a result of staff consultation, and comes without any additional fee.

It is the staff opinion that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have the team concept. We would recommend that you continue your search for persons of experience in managerial ability and proven capability.

Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper. Andrew has absolutely no qualities of leadership. The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, place personal interest above company loyalty. Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale. We feel that it is our duty to tell you that Matthew had been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus definitely have radical leanings, and they both registered a high score on the manic-depressive scale.

One of the candidates, however, shows great potential. He is a man of ability and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind, and has contacts in high places. He is highly motivated, ambitious, and responsible. We recommend Judas Iscariot as your controller and right-hand man. All of the other profiles are self-explanatory.

We wish you every success in your new venture.

Sincerely,

Jordan Management Consultants

 

24
Mar

A Slumbering Giant Rouses

By pasturescott 6 Comments
Categories: Christianity, Church, Commitment, Confession, Culture, Discipleship, Persecution and Surrender

nazirali0.jpgAn Anglican bishop is speaking up. Tired of his church’s perceived impotence and irrelevance while England’s evangelical roots are being duly pulled up and supplanted with seeds of tolerant inclusivism, this Jack is shimmying up the beanstalk. Bishop Michael Nazir-ali of Rochester is taking off the proverbial gloves and serving notice to satan’s dark kingdom that it is high time for England to again reassert her Christian identity. Amid a “multi-faith mish-mash” the good bishop sees the bludgeoning and erasing of his own.

And it’s just plain ticking him off.

He is calling for the evangelical population to rise and be counted, to resist neutrality and irrelevance and is even calling out Prince Charles for wanting to be known as the “Defender of Faith” (i.e., all faiths) instead of guarding the sacred trust handed down to the Heir of the Throne as “Defender of THE Faith.” Ahem, Christianity.

Nazir-ali’s England now embraces “rooms for reflection” instead of hospital chapels and spaces previously set aside for Christian worship are known as “multi-faith venues.” The Bishop of Rochester is from Pakistan and knows well the price to be paid for being born Muslim and converting to Christ. It’s not for the faint of heart. And he knows all too well that too much blood has been spilled in the soil of his adopted homeland and the hallways of its history still echo with the voices of brave and gallant warriors of the faith.

Time will tell if his co-mingling voice will fall on deaf ears. There is more. A law may soon be passed making it illegal in England to refuse any kind of service to gays (are you paying attention, evangelical America?). If one’s moral and spiritual code compels them to refuse to rent a room to a gay couple at their bed-and-breakfast, the government will shut them down. If a pastor refuses to marry a gay couple, he will be fined and imprisoned. If a church school refuses to include curriculum that endorses the homosexual lifestyle as a viable alternative, there would be recriminations.

I guess the point of this is: what might God be stirring over there in the stiff-as-a-board Anglican institution? Bishop Nazir-ali is not alone. Other clerics are now joining ranks and crying from the rooftops. Could it be that satan has awakened a Sleeping Giant? Is a Wesley right now stomping the sleep out of his legs? Is a Wilberforce now rising to challenge the status quo? Is a Cranmer ready to cast off compromise and offer his hand to the fire?  Is there a new Latimer begging to be lit on fire for God? Is there a William Wallace itching to “pick a fight”?

We can only pray.

23
Mar

This Is Me, Folks

By pasturescott 10 Comments
Categories: Christianity, Discipleship, Personality Test and Random

I found a very interesting test online that maps your “personality DNA.” The graph below shows you who I am, and yours truly is amazed at how accurately it reflects my me-ness. According to its findings which cover a wide array and range of topics, I appear to be a “Generous Visionary” (I said generous, not genius). Honest, I’m not making this stuff up…

Here’s the graph (each square represents one of 13 various character traits):

personaldnamapphp.png

 

Generous Visionary

Note: the top boxes, left to right, are: Very High Empathy, Very Imaginative, and Slightly High Authoritarianism (doh!)…next row down, l to r: Average Attention To Style (!), Aesthetic (of course), and, finally, (and you’re gonna love this!) Slightly Low Masculinity!!!!!!! But I am rescued by that ‘olive’ box in the lower right which reflects a Slightly Low Femininity. All this means I walk with only one limp wrist, wear clothes from Wal-Mart, Daydream a lot and carry a big stick…but apologize profusely when I have to use it.

And here’s how my Generous Side and Visionary Side break down based on my answers to the survey:

You Are A Visionary:

  • Your imagination, self-assuredness and knowledge of the world combine to make you a visionary
  • You have clear notions of how things could be, and the confidence to try to make them that way
  • You enjoy having a routine and prefer comfort and familiarity to risk and adventure
  • Not needing others’ approval to forge ahead, you are confident in your designs for the future
  • Your imagination allows you to envision the world as a better place
  • You are better at thinking of the big picture than you are with details, and you can see wonder in abstract things
  • Style and appearance are important to you and you have a good eye for beauty
  • You are somewhat rigid in your beliefs which come from both confidence and an aversion to change (?!?Me?!?)
  • You are good at creating works of art in forms with which you’re familiar
  • You’re not the one to force your positions on a group and you tend to be fair in evaluating different options
  • You tend to believe that things happen for a reason, and that not everything is under our control (Duh!)

If you want to be different:

  • Appreciate the earthly, functional element of things
  • Your clarity of vision sometimes prevents you from being open to new ideas. Try expanding your horizon of experiences and experimenting with novel ways of doing things Continue reading ‘This Is Me, Folks’
22
Mar

Give Me Jesus

By pasturescott 22 Comments
Categories: Christianity, Church History, Commitment, Encouragement, Hope, Ministry, Suffering and Worship

fannycrosby.jpg

No, that’s not a Beatle. That’s Fanny Crosby, looking fly with the dark specs. Though blind from the time she was six weeks old, she wrote nearly 8000 hymns during her ninety-five years, asking the Lord that her songs be instrumental in saving a million men’s souls. In her later life she lived among the slums of New York, ministering to those poor souls whom life had spat upon. Once, a minister wondered why God would not give her sight when she had been showered with so many gifts. Fanny responded, “Do you know that if at birth I had been given one petition, I would have asked to be born blind?”

Amazed, the man of God asked, “Why in heaven would you have asked that?“

“Because when I get to heaven,” she stated simply, “the first Face that shall gladden my eyes will be the Face of my Savior!”

Kick back and give a listen today to this simple yet haunting melody that will stay with you through the day. The song is “Give Me Jesus” which she wrote (I’ve heard) for schoolchildren and probably best sums up the affections of her heart toward the One who was her lifelong Light and Vision.

20
Mar

A Sign Of Things To Come…

By pasturescott 4 Comments
Categories: Blogging, Children, Humor and Parenting

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20
Mar

No ‘Gangsta’ In This Rap

By pasturescott 9 Comments
Categories: Christianity, Culture, Discipleship, Humor, Jesus Christ, John Piper, Ministry, Psalms and Worship

curtisallenvoice.jpg

When David called for the singers and instrumentalists to make a joyful noise to the Lord in the Temple, I’m not so sure he had in mind the rapping and scratching of hip-hop in the House Band. For that matter, I’m not sure Paul envisioned the felt-needs-based, market-driven, seeker-friendly ministries emerging all over the modern landscape either. But, hey, I’ve been wrong before.

Which is why this post: when I happened upon this jaw-dropping testimony of a modern-day Christian rap artist, I had to rethink the David thing. The sweet singer of Israel may have given this guy a go on his worship team after all. Believe it or not, one of today’s most respected conservative pastors did.

Curtis (a.k.a., “Voice”) Allen, itinerant preacher and rapper, has found a way to propagate his Calvinist theology with the thumping baselines of hip-hop. One of the lyrics he belts is, “I been exposed to bright lights, the doctrines of grace, I’m elected, imputed perfected, becuz of the power of God resurrected and his gift of faith, that when we see his face we’re not rejected.”

And you thought you’d heard it all…

Don’t judge a book and all that, because Mr. Allen’s (’scuse me: Voice) true heart for Christ is seen all over this article he wrote for Boundless Webzine. I may just become a fan of the rap genre after this. “I’m a get-down preacher and a true God seeker, rollin’ with my wife cuz you know that I need her, been paralyzed for twenty-five years but ain’t no lie that He’s always been here…”

Am I white, or what?

Okay, okay, I won’t give up my day job…or maybe I’ll tackle the Arminio-Calvin genre of heavy metal, or bluegrass…yeah, bluegrass…

(if you want to see some of the actual performance at Piper’s church, with a cameo of Piper introducing Voice, go here)

 

18
Mar

The United Church of Soccer

By pasturescott 32 Comments
Categories: Children, Christianity, Church, Culture and Parenting

I’ll probably get some stern looks and cold shoulders for posting this, but, hey, I just calls it likes I sees it, even though I didn’t write it. But I should have.

Pardon me while I go check to see if I have any guts…

_________________________________

“THE NEW FAMILY TRUMP CARD” (Family Time v Church Time)
by Albert Mohler (www.albertmohler.com)

kids-soccer.jpg

Is “family time” encroaching on “church time?” Leadership, a publication in the Christianity Today family of magazines, surveyed 490 pastors last year, asking them about church life and family. A major theme — parents are taking their kids to soccer games rather than to church.

The soccer games are only an illustration, of course, but team sports loom larger and larger in the lives of many kids and families, often leaving little time for anything else.

From the Leadership report:

The phenomenon of overprogrammed kids in the last decade or so is well documented–to the point of satire. (A recent sitcom showed an alien begging off an invasion of Earth because his kid had “a thing.”) What isn’t so well documented is the effect this legion of extracurricular activities has on church life.

The pastors we surveyed report the overall busyness of families is keeping families away from church. Asked whether people are spending more discretionary time on family activities or church commitments, 76 percent said the scale tipped toward family activities. This contrasts with the perception of 62 percent of respondents that a generation ago, free time was more likely spent on church commitments. The balance has shifted.

(Read more)

17
Mar

(evangeli)ST. Patrick’s Day!

By pasturescott 0 Comments
Categories: Christianity and Church History

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AN IRISH BLESSING

May your neighbor respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And Heaven accept you.

Oh, while you’re celebrating (hopefully without beer!), check out the story of the REAL St. Patrick here.  Not Irish, nor was he Roman Catholic, Patrick the Evangelist was a British Celt who brought the Gospel to Ireland.

17
Mar

A Warrior’s Final Battle

By pasturescott 0 Comments
Categories: John Piper, Parenting and Suffering

Take a moment and read this entry in John Piper’s journal that narrates his father’s recent passing. It is quite moving…you might want to have a hankie handy…

HELLO, MY FATHER JUST DIEDbill_piper_and_jp_2.jpg

Tuesday, March 6, 2007. 2 a.m.

The big hospital clock in room 4326 of Greenville Memorial Hospital said, with both hands straight up, midnight. Daddy had just taken his last breath. My watch said 12:01, March 6, 2007.

I had slept a little since his last morphine shot at ten. One ear sleeping, one on the breathing. At 11:45, I awoke. The breaths were coming more frequently and were very shallow. I will not sleep again, I thought. For ten minutes, I prayed aloud into his left ear with Bible texts and pleadings to Jesus to come and take him. I had made this case before, and this time felt an unusual sense of partnership with Daddy as I pressed on the Lord to relieve this warrior of his burden.

For the rest of John Piper’s journal entry, click here.

*photo courtesy of Josh Harris’ website

16
Mar

A Marked Man

By pasturescott 7 Comments
Categories: Christianity, Commitment, Consecration, Crucified Life, Discipleship, Persecution, Reign of Christ, Repentance and Suffering

“A marked man.” Tonight at our weekly prayer fellowship, I heard these words take on life down deep. While others were offering up their petitions around me, these three little words were hatched in my spirit. I can’t say I heard them out loud but I can say with certainty that the “Still, Small Voice” found me yet again.

What could these tri-monosyllabic words mean? My mind did a google of its own and immediately snagged a couple of Scriptures burrowed in its vast storehouse of information. I believe the Spirit illuminated these texts and they hung there before my heart, flapping in the breezes of holy wind, awaiting my capitulation.

RORSCHACH AND ABEDNEGO?

First up was the reference that describes a holy man dressed in linen holding an inkhorn at his side. To this man, the Lord commanded he “go through the City and find those who cry and weep over the abominations of the land, and who seek Me, and put a mark on their foreheads.” The inkblot would stay the hand of judgment and let the wearer go free.

It is significant that the word “mark” in Hebrew is tav, the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The man was told to “put a tav” on their foreheads. Literally, put a cross there (written as an ‘x’ or ‘t’). It is also telling that in the midst of judgment (the six men) is this interlude of grace. The foreheads of these faithful ones were God’s canvas on which to paint His mark of redemption. When judgment came near, it was asked, “What do you see in this inkspot?” and if it saw the mark of a crucified life, it would pass on. Continue reading ‘A Marked Man’

13
Mar

Consider This A Warning

By pasturescott 7 Comments
Categories: Christianity, Church History, Commitment, Confession, Discipleship, Jesus Christ, Persecution, Reign of Christ, Repentance, Revival and Trials

beloved these are perilous days
when your culture is so set in its ways
that you will listen to salesmen and thieves
preaching other than the truth you’ve received
because they are telling lies
for they cannot circumcise your hearts

beloved there is nothing more
no more blessings and no more rewards
than the treasure of my body and blood
given freely to all daughters and sons

–from Derek Webb’s Beloved

We are in perilous days, beloved. It is clear from acerbic toxins that are polluting our culture that Christianity is being targeted by postmodernists as an extremist religious outfit whose intent in America is to wreak havoc, threaten the “liberties” of society and kill any and all who get in its way. Think that’s too over-the-top? Trot on down to your local Border’s and look up some of these titles (and some are best-sellers!): American Fascists by Chris Hedges; American Theocracy by Kevin Phillips; The Baptizing of America by James Rudin, et al (see other titles in Brent Steeno’s alarming post here)

This tactic of the enemy parallels what was instigated in Rome during the first century when the “cult of Christianity” was subjected to close scrutiny and suspicion. They were seen as ‘counter-cultural’ because they refused to pledge allegiance to Caesar and were thereby added to the list of undesirables and insurgents. Each year, all Roman subjects were to enter a temple and pay homage to the emperor, declaring their undying support of the empire with the words, “kurios kaisar” (Caesar is Lord). But those heroic saints, called ‘christians’ (followers of Christ) as opposed to ‘caesareans’ (worshippers of the emperor), knew who the real enemy was.

Two words. The confession could be said so quickly and confessor could be done and out the door for the year. They could even be whispered so long as a temple attendant could hear and attest to it. Two simple words. What damage could such a diminutive phrase do? And yet, many bold faith-walkers would never cave. Continue reading ‘Consider This A Warning’

11
Mar

Chasing Father

By pasturescott 0 Comments
Categories: Anniversary, Christianity, Humor, Ministry, Sandy and Surrender

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Sometimes dates can sneak up on you and smack you on the behind. This week I had two red-letter days and both of them hit me at the last possible moment; ironically, they each represent similar scenarios. Well, sort of. Let me explain.

On Wednesday I had chatted it up with a ministry friend who was taking his wife out for their anniversary that evening. (No, don’t get ahead of me…it’s not what you think…well, sort of) I hung up from that conversation happy as you please and not a clue in my head. A bit later another friend called me up to tell me he had tickets to a Derek Webb concert on the other side of Atlanta for that very night. I asked him to give me thirty minutes to see if I could clear my calendar, check with Sandy, etc. (and not in that order, either) Still, no clue. I’m obviously hitting the snooze button on my mental alarms that were relentlessly going off trying to get me to remember. Think, Scott. This is vital to your relationship. It’s why you have a relationship.

*snooze*

My friend calls back to tell me that the concert, it turns out, is not in an accessible location for wheelchairs, so, no dice. Bummer. Oh, well, I didn’t think it would work out for us at the last minute anyhow. Welp, thanks for the thought, and all that. Not a clue. The mice in my head are taking a siesta ’cause it still hasn’t hit me…but wait…wasn’t there something?…hmmm…now, what is it that is trying to come up for air in my noggin?…I return to the work on my desk and rifle through a couple letters when—finally—a light bulb goes on over my head. I quickly reach for my cell phone and dial the all-too-familiar number.

“Hey, Babe.”

“Hi. What’s up?”

“Do you know what happened twenty-four years ago today?” I put it suavely as if it had been my plan all along.

Sandy brightened at once. “I was hoping you’d remember!” Continue reading ‘Chasing Father’

10
Mar

And Joel Likes It Too!

By pasturescott 0 Comments
Categories: Christianity, Church and Humor

I fell out laughing at this…and that’s not a good thing when you are in a wheelchair! You can find this and other ginormously funny parodies and satires at tominthebox.blogspot.com

(Pastors, RUN, don’t walk, to buy this book!)

___________________________________

Every Pastor Needs One!

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It’s every pastor’s nightmare; the town infidel dies and he is called upon to preach the funeral. Perhaps the man was the town drunk, a drug dealer or a notorious womanizer, but the pastor is expected to “say something nice.”

Now, the Reverend Al Sharpton reveals his secrets of how to preach anyone into heaven, no matter how they lived their life.

Sharpton teaches his methods using real life examples from his years in the ministry, during which time he has been called upon to preach numerous funerals.

______________________________

CHAPTERS INCLUDE:
-The Town Drunk
-Joseph Stalin: Yes, You Can!
-Intolerance: The Only Unforgivable Sin

“The best book I’ve read since ‘Finding Jesus in Vishnu and the Krishna.’ A must-read!” - Bishop John Shelby Spong

“Super duper!” - Joel Olsteen

“Hey, I thought my picture was supposed to be on the front too!” - Jesse Jackson

$14.99

 

09
Mar

The Right Tool For The Right Job

By pasturescott 0 Comments
Categories: Humor

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09
Mar

Jesus Is My Nightlight

By pasturescott 3 Comments
Categories: Jesus Christ, Random and Sandy

Something weird and a bit unsettling happened just moments ago. Snugly nestled for the night, the house all peaceful and still with Maybell (our accidental canine) tucked in and Sandy at her late-shift place of work, I sighed and laid my head back. All alone. Suddenly from the front of the house, I heard a faint sound. I lifted my head off the pillow and craned my neck to listen more closely and a growing sickness rose within as it dawned on me what it was.

The CD player in the kitchen began playing.

There were the diminutive sounds of a piano at first, then the airy rising of the woodwinds—signature classical sound. Only, I wasn’t enjoying the music. My stomach knotted and my heart raced as I pictured a hockey-masked intruder with murder on his mind having some fun with a handicapped man. Too many gory thrillers from my youth, I know. As I peck this out, the music is still playing and I am still uncertain because this has never happened before. But I think I know what is going on. Sandy must’ve put a CD in the carousel and inadvertently programmed it to play at midnight. No, she is not a prankster, and, yes, she will be horrified to know she caused her husband untold fright. It’s all okay. I’ve got Jesus here with me and He’s my Nightlight (Ps 27:1). But not only that, He’s also my Bodyguard.

I could be wrong, but I think He likes classical music.

G’night…

P.S. The music just quit, and so did my heart. I’m not kidding. Just like that.

P.S.S. It’s now 2:30 a.m. and I’m being serenaded again…well, isn’t that just grand…

08
Mar

Well, Someone Had To Say It

By pasturescott 8 Comments
Categories: Christianity, Church, Commitment, Conversion, Discipleship, Gospel, Reign of Christ, Repentance, Salvation and Surrender

…Might as well be a Baptist preacher…

The following is an important article posted in a recent issue of Christianity Today. It is both daring and courageous, and I, for one, am glad someone had the guts to address this lingering issue in modern evangelical Christianity–or at least what passes for it.

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JESUS AND THE SINNER’S PRAYER
What Jesus says doesn’t usually match what we say
David P. Gushee

Is it permissible to reopen the question of salvation? If we do, how will Jesus’ teachings stand up to our inherited traditions?

These questions came to me acutely not long ago. I was getting ready to preach. As the worship leader was finishing the music set, he offered some unscripted theological reflections. He said something like: “The only thing required of us is to believe that Jesus’ blood saves us. Nothing more. It’s nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

In my Baptist context, we’ve heard these thoughts a thousand times. The problem was that I had in my pocket a message in which Jesus himself had a very different answer to the question of salvation.

The Big Question

In reading through Luke, I had discovered that twice (10:25, 18:18) Jesus is asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Continue reading ‘Well, Someone Had To Say It’

07
Mar

William Was A Force

By pasturescott 2 Comments
Categories: Christianity, Church, Church History, Commitment, Compassion, Gospel, Jesus Christ, Reign of Christ and Surrender

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The England of William Wilberforce was very much in the ballpark of Dickens’ “best of times and worst of times.” For the wealthy, there was the theater, the clubs, gambling, alcohol and women. Against the backdrop of such affluence were the indignities waged against the downtrodden and outcasts. The Industrial Revolution was ramping up and children were forced to labor in sweat shops for 16 hours a day. Only 25 percent made it to adulthood due to unsafe and unsanitary conditions. Youngsters were publicly executed for stealing scarves and such just to protect themselves against the miserable conditions of life.

And there was the slavery thing. Eleven million Africans were rent from their homeland and shipped across the ocean in four foot by eighteen inch berths. Chained. Covered in feces and vomit. Most died. Women were raped hanging upside down. And the England of Wilberforce was the chief buyer and seller in the damnable slave trade.

As the film “Amazing Grace” opens, you read how in such a time only a few dissented against such practice but even fewer dared speak up. William Wilberforce was one voice that God used to speak Life and Light into such a dark time. Each word from his mouth punched a separate hole in the darkness until, at last, the institution of slavery fell under the weight of Heaven’s veto and was abolished in England once and for all.

Cowper, the poet laureate of England, wrote of Wilberforce in a sonnet describing him as bringing “the better hour.” On a plaque where he is buried in Westminster Abbey, it reads:

In an age and country fertile in great and good men,
He was among the foremost of those who fixed the character of our times
because to high and various talents, to warm benevolence, and to universal candour
He added the abiding eloquence of the Christian life…

This was a man who gave away a quarter of his yearly earnings to the poor, tirelessly championed the causes of chimney sweeps, single moms, and orphans and did it all with a grace and humility befitting of such a call. He gave over forty years of his life to campaigning against slavery and, one month after his death, England’s Parliament passed the Slavery Abolition Act, thus granting every slave in the English empire their freedom. Truly, he fought to the end. He fought the good fight. With the passion of the Lord burning inside, he brought to the world a better hour.

Imagine with me, won’t you, what God could do with a single person, or a handful of devoted slaves of righteousness. It just takes one voice speaking what is on the Lord’s heart and the deal is done. Last time I checked, satan’s nefarious power is no match against the will of God and his empire is still marked for destruction.

07
Mar

Amazed By Grace

By pasturescott 2 Comments
Categories: Christianity, Church, Conversion, Gospel, Jesus Christ, Reign of Christ and Repentance

Went with the Mrs. to see “Amazing Grace” today. For me, the final scene was well worth the price of admission…or, hold on…ten bucks?…(oh, what am I complaining about? It could’ve been twenty except for the fact that Regal cinemas lets my wife get in free as my “attendant”, God bless them)…yeah, okay, I guess it was still worth it. Anyway, the scene I mentioned is a brigade of bagpipes playing the theme song complemented by horns and such…ooooh, can you say ’spine-tingly’?

Amazing that such a song can overpower you with its winding-river grace. I speak, of course, ofbagpipes.jpg the old hymn penned by a former slave trader, John Newton (who is also featured on my ‘biography page’). I discovered that Mr. Newton, though marking his own conversion to Christianity in the mid-1700s, remained in the slave industry for a number of years, but finally made a clean breast of things after falling in with the likes of John Wesley and George Whitfield. Afterward he became a preacher of the grace that so gently lifted him from the vomit bucket of the world. That’s right: this venerated clergy-poet had once, during the lowest abyss of his debauchery, offered himself to the service of satan.

It was during a giant storm at sea, Newton testified, that he heard the voice of God speaking to him out of the tempest, calling him to Himself. In the days leading up to the nor’easter, the Lord had been thawing out the sailor’s cold heart for He had him reading a Kempis’ book, The Imitation of Christ. But with the onslaught of the storm, the embittered slave ship captain’s ever so gradual turn to the Eternal Giver of Grace was hanging in the balance. With water filling his cabin and timbers being jerked free from the hull, Newton frantically pumped water alongside his crew but to no avail. Finally he lashed himself to the wheel, hoping to steer the ship through, but at the height of peril cried on the winds, “Lord, have mercy on us!”

In his journal Newton said of this very occasion that he promised God he would be “His slave forever” if only He would rescue them. God in His great mercy did just that. And John Newton, former slave ship’s first mate, former slave himself, and former slave captain, was ardently captured by Grace.

I also learned today (not from the film) that the Cherokee nation considers this song to be a national anthem of sorts as it was sung on the Trail of Tears by their ancestors. Same tune, slightly different words but still a testimony to redemption through God’s Son, Jesus Christ. It was also the most-oft sung hymn during the Civil Rights marches of the 1960s. Through many dangers, toils and snares indeed…

Amazing Grace. Go see it. The tagline of the movie says, “Behind the song you love is a story you will never forget.” How true. It is thought that the melody came from slaves songs which haunted Newton throughout the years of his herding innocent victims. It is a delicately simple tune, built on the pentatonic scale, and played on the black keys. Five notes. That’s it. But what an amazing song whose enduring message can change the world.

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