Wayne Bent, a.k.a. Michael Travesser, leader of the Strong City Lord, our Righteousness Church in New Mexico, is a winsome man, gentle in demeanor. He speaks thoughtfully, is outwardly loving towards the small group he leads, and claims to be the Messiah returned to earth, Divinity embodied! Over the last fifteen years, this former pastor in the 7th Day Adventist church, became increasingly bizarre to observers outside the cult sect he leads. He is obsessed with prophecy, setting dates for Christ's return, and using the symbolism of apocalyptic texts to support his own ends. He insists that his followers live in close communal relationships, giving up privacy, possessions, and even personal relationships to him. In 2000, he declared himself Messiah and asked those in the church to marry him. He took seven wives, including his own son's wife! He is now jailed on charges that allege inappropriate sexual contact with minors.
Is he insane, deluded, or just a self-serving manipulator of people? According to a secular journalist who produced a National Geographic documentary, Inside a Cult, Bent is all of the above! Bent's son, age 44, a former police officer, continues to defend the validity his father's visions, despite any and all evidence or argument to the contrary.
Believer, accounts like this must sober us. It is no laughing matter that deeply devout people, who are earnestly seeking to know and serve God can be led into such error. The root of this kind of deception is a misplaced focus from Christ Jesus to man. It flourishes when a person separates himself or herself from the larger Body of the Church, claims 'inside' information or private revelation, and asserts that his 'truth' supersedes that of the Scripture and the Church! The moment you hear any church leader say, "God revealed to me..." great caution is in order. Yes, I do believe that the Spirit speaks to us. He leads us, shows us His ways, and guides us; but not outside of the boundaries of the Scripture, nor as a singular voice, without accountability to His greater church.
Devotion and longing for spiritual assurance in the turbulent times in which we live must never relieve us of the need to discern, to critically consider the truthfulness and the source of revelation offered by anyone claiming to speak in God's Name.
Jesus left this warning for all of us. "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them." (Luke 21:8, NIV) Any prophet (someone who speaks for God or claiming God's authority) that uses that role to attract privilege, wealth, or attention to himself must be spurned. Even if the error is not so obvious as the one referenced above where the prophet now asserts that he is the messiah, Believers must be discerning to avoid being drawn into an ultimately destructive 'spiritual' experience.
The Word of God is not gentle nor kind to those who falsely claim to speak in God's name. Consider these words today and become a wise, Spirit-filled, discerning Believer, secured by Truth and Spirit against error.
"They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception. They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. They prove the truth of this proverb: "A dog returns to its vomit." And another says, "A washed pig returns to the mud." (2 Peter 2:18-22, NLT)
Amen!
Friday, May 09, 2008
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Tremble Before Him!
While watching a recent docu-drama created around the life of John Adams, 2nd President of the US, I saw a scene that helped my prayer life! Really! At the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, the American government appointed Adams as ambassador to Great Britain. He had to go through elaborate coaching about the protocols involved in meeting the king of England, including a deep bow in greeting that deeply offended Adams at first. When he finally was ushered into the throne room, the king stood regally at the end of a very large room. Adams was shaken by the majesty of the encounter and came to understand the power of symbols of power in a new way. For one of the few times in his life, the man who always had a ready answer found himself nearly speechless with awe!
Which scene better describes your attitude in prayer -
having a chat over a cup of coffee with a friend, or
an audience with a king?
The answer has a lot to do with your theology and spiritual experience; and is somewhat related to your personality. For those of us who grew up in the informality of evangelical churches with no liturgy, spontaneous prayers, and a theology largely shaped around the 2nd Person of the Trinity, prayer is mostly conceived of as a conversation with a Friend. The result is that our spirituality can be limited by a deficiency in the 'majesty' department!
It is wonderful that we as Believers know that God is accessible, that through Jesus Christ, we are invited near to find help in time of trouble. However, the Holy Trinity is not just Jesus, the son of Mary. God, the Father, the Awesome King of Glory is the head of that mysterious Being. There is a time when our mouth must be silenced by an encounter with the Lord of the Universe; when we grasp that He is Wholly, Holy Other- that He is not a man. When that image accompanies our love of Jesus, our Friend and Brother, we will find a better balance between awe and familiarity. This is important for the cliché is true - 'familiarity breeds contempt.' If we make God too small in our eyes, we will too easily argue with His will, disregard His call, and disobey His commands. Isaiah's encounter with His Majesty scared him nearly to death and made him realize, anew, the depth of his sinfulness. He cried, "It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies." (Isaiah 6:5, NLT) And God made him clean!
When God was shaping Israel into His people, when He was about to give them the Law; He brought them to Mt. Sinai. Strict regulations were put into place to prepare the people to hear the Words of God. To help them prepare their hearts, they went through symbolic cleansing, ritual consecrations, and were forbidden even to be intimate with their spouses for three days! (Exodus 19) God was coming with His Word. They needed to be ready. "Oh," you say, "but that so Old Testament." As you go your way today, ponder these words from Hebrews that apply that story to our Christian experience. And, may we learn to tremble before Him!
"You have not come to a place like Mount Sinai that can be seen and touched. There is no flaming fire or dark cloud or storm or trumpet sound. . . . You have now come to Mount Zion and to the heavenly Jerusalem. This is the city of the living God, where thousands and thousands of angels have come to celebrate. Here you will find all of God’s dearest children, whose names are written in heaven. And you will find God himself, who judges everyone. Here also are the spirits of those good people who have been made perfect. And Jesus is here! He is the one who makes God’s new agreement with us, and his sprinkled blood says much better things than the blood of Abel. Make sure that you obey the one who speaks to you. The people did not escape, when they refused to obey the one who spoke to them at Mount Sinai. Do you think you can possibly escape, if you refuse to obey the one who speaks to you from heaven?" (Hebrews 12:18-25, CEV)
__________________
Welcomed in to the courts of the King!
I've been ushered into Your presence.
Lord, I stand on Your merciful ground;
Yet with every step tread with reverence.
Who is there in the heavens like You?
And upon the earth who's Your equal?
You are far above,
You're the highest of highs.
We are bowing down to exalt You!
And I'll fall face down!
As Your glory shines around;
Yes, I'll fall face down!
As Your glory shines around.
So, let Your glory shine around.
Let Your glory shine around.
King of glory here be found,
King of glory!
Facedown
Matt RedmanCCLI License No. 810055
Which scene better describes your attitude in prayer -
having a chat over a cup of coffee with a friend, or
an audience with a king?
The answer has a lot to do with your theology and spiritual experience; and is somewhat related to your personality. For those of us who grew up in the informality of evangelical churches with no liturgy, spontaneous prayers, and a theology largely shaped around the 2nd Person of the Trinity, prayer is mostly conceived of as a conversation with a Friend. The result is that our spirituality can be limited by a deficiency in the 'majesty' department!
It is wonderful that we as Believers know that God is accessible, that through Jesus Christ, we are invited near to find help in time of trouble. However, the Holy Trinity is not just Jesus, the son of Mary. God, the Father, the Awesome King of Glory is the head of that mysterious Being. There is a time when our mouth must be silenced by an encounter with the Lord of the Universe; when we grasp that He is Wholly, Holy Other- that He is not a man. When that image accompanies our love of Jesus, our Friend and Brother, we will find a better balance between awe and familiarity. This is important for the cliché is true - 'familiarity breeds contempt.' If we make God too small in our eyes, we will too easily argue with His will, disregard His call, and disobey His commands. Isaiah's encounter with His Majesty scared him nearly to death and made him realize, anew, the depth of his sinfulness. He cried, "It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies." (Isaiah 6:5, NLT) And God made him clean!
When God was shaping Israel into His people, when He was about to give them the Law; He brought them to Mt. Sinai. Strict regulations were put into place to prepare the people to hear the Words of God. To help them prepare their hearts, they went through symbolic cleansing, ritual consecrations, and were forbidden even to be intimate with their spouses for three days! (Exodus 19) God was coming with His Word. They needed to be ready. "Oh," you say, "but that so Old Testament." As you go your way today, ponder these words from Hebrews that apply that story to our Christian experience. And, may we learn to tremble before Him!
"You have not come to a place like Mount Sinai that can be seen and touched. There is no flaming fire or dark cloud or storm or trumpet sound. . . . You have now come to Mount Zion and to the heavenly Jerusalem. This is the city of the living God, where thousands and thousands of angels have come to celebrate. Here you will find all of God’s dearest children, whose names are written in heaven. And you will find God himself, who judges everyone. Here also are the spirits of those good people who have been made perfect. And Jesus is here! He is the one who makes God’s new agreement with us, and his sprinkled blood says much better things than the blood of Abel. Make sure that you obey the one who speaks to you. The people did not escape, when they refused to obey the one who spoke to them at Mount Sinai. Do you think you can possibly escape, if you refuse to obey the one who speaks to you from heaven?" (Hebrews 12:18-25, CEV)
__________________
Welcomed in to the courts of the King!
I've been ushered into Your presence.
Lord, I stand on Your merciful ground;
Yet with every step tread with reverence.
Who is there in the heavens like You?
And upon the earth who's Your equal?
You are far above,
You're the highest of highs.
We are bowing down to exalt You!
And I'll fall face down!
As Your glory shines around;
Yes, I'll fall face down!
As Your glory shines around.
So, let Your glory shine around.
Let Your glory shine around.
King of glory here be found,
King of glory!
Facedown
Matt RedmanCCLI License No. 810055
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
It really is Good News!
Good parents create appropriate boundaries for their children. Those guidelines are not for the benefit of the parent. They exist to protect the child. If a parent makes rules just to make life easier for himself, he makes his child a rebel! However, if he guides the growth and development of his child with a firm, loving hand putting behavioral fences in place that are required, his child will eventually thank him for them. Of course, those fences are moved as maturity sets in. Imagine an overprotective parent telling a 16 year old son, "You have to play in our backyard!" That would be foolish, a rule that would give a sense of control and peace to the parent perhaps, but one that is not in the best interest of a teenager. Some parents mistakenly do enforce rules just to be the boss or because they allow their own fears to take over. But, the best parents use their godly authority to bless and guide the development of their children.
God, our Heavenly Father, has given us boundaries in life - and they exist for our protection. He is not arbitrary, making rules just to show us that He is boss! He wants you and me to live in a way that maximizes our joy, that keeps us from hurting ourselves and others, so He tells us how to live. "Don't lie. Don't sleep with another's wife. Don't steal. Love Me. Love others." Jesus makes it clear that the boundaries are a blessing when we regard them as a gift to us. One illustration is this statement, "The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27, NLT) God teaches us to set aside a day each week for worship and rest. "Take a break and look up," He says. Why? Does He need our attention? Is He just trying to complicate our lives? Not at all. God gave the gift of Sabbath because He knows our tendency to get wrapped up in the business of making a living. He knows that we are not at our best when the spiritual is neglected, so He gave us the gift of the Sabbath principle.
Thoughtfully read this passage.
"We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God. So don’t sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet!" (Hebrews 12:9-12, The Message)
In another translation, part of that passage says, "We submit to the Father of our spirits and live!" (Hebrews 12:9, NIV) It was so wonderful when my kids became more mature and started doing what I asked without whining and crying. When children are two and Mommy tells them to pick up their toys, they might cry and have a fit. No amount of reason can convince them that what Mommy wants them to do is training a good pattern of responsibility into them. So Mommy just puts up with their tantrums and firmly insists that they get it done. She doesn't take their mini-rebellions personally (unless she is really tired). With maturity, comes the expectation that the child will comply more readily, understanding that their parent guides them with love for their own good.
Do you truly love and trust your Heavenly Father?
Are you choosing to 'submit and live?' Grow up and stop resisting, rebelling, whining, and complaining. Believe the Word's promise that God is loving, good, and working for your good. Then, you will agree that His Word and His ways are really Good News! ________________________________
I'll say,"Yes, Lord, yes,"
To Your will and to Your way.
I'll say,"Yes, Lord, yes."
I will trust You and obey.
When the Spirit speaks to me,
With my whole heart I'll agree.
And my answer will be,"Yes, Lord, yes."
If I never knew the fullness
Of living in Your will,
I would never know how rich
My life could be.
Lord, my willingness to serve
Is the least that You deserve,
For the blessings
You have showered over me.
Yes, Lord, Yes
Lynn Keesecker© 1983 Manna Music, Inc. ARR UBP of Manna Music, Inc. (35255 Brooten Road, Pacific City, OR 97135)
CCLI License No. 810055
God, our Heavenly Father, has given us boundaries in life - and they exist for our protection. He is not arbitrary, making rules just to show us that He is boss! He wants you and me to live in a way that maximizes our joy, that keeps us from hurting ourselves and others, so He tells us how to live. "Don't lie. Don't sleep with another's wife. Don't steal. Love Me. Love others." Jesus makes it clear that the boundaries are a blessing when we regard them as a gift to us. One illustration is this statement, "The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27, NLT) God teaches us to set aside a day each week for worship and rest. "Take a break and look up," He says. Why? Does He need our attention? Is He just trying to complicate our lives? Not at all. God gave the gift of Sabbath because He knows our tendency to get wrapped up in the business of making a living. He knows that we are not at our best when the spiritual is neglected, so He gave us the gift of the Sabbath principle.
Thoughtfully read this passage.
"We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God. So don’t sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet!" (Hebrews 12:9-12, The Message)
In another translation, part of that passage says, "We submit to the Father of our spirits and live!" (Hebrews 12:9, NIV) It was so wonderful when my kids became more mature and started doing what I asked without whining and crying. When children are two and Mommy tells them to pick up their toys, they might cry and have a fit. No amount of reason can convince them that what Mommy wants them to do is training a good pattern of responsibility into them. So Mommy just puts up with their tantrums and firmly insists that they get it done. She doesn't take their mini-rebellions personally (unless she is really tired). With maturity, comes the expectation that the child will comply more readily, understanding that their parent guides them with love for their own good.
Do you truly love and trust your Heavenly Father?
Are you choosing to 'submit and live?' Grow up and stop resisting, rebelling, whining, and complaining. Believe the Word's promise that God is loving, good, and working for your good. Then, you will agree that His Word and His ways are really Good News! ________________________________
I'll say,"Yes, Lord, yes,"
To Your will and to Your way.
I'll say,"Yes, Lord, yes."
I will trust You and obey.
When the Spirit speaks to me,
With my whole heart I'll agree.
And my answer will be,"Yes, Lord, yes."
If I never knew the fullness
Of living in Your will,
I would never know how rich
My life could be.
Lord, my willingness to serve
Is the least that You deserve,
For the blessings
You have showered over me.
Yes, Lord, Yes
Lynn Keesecker© 1983 Manna Music, Inc. ARR UBP of Manna Music, Inc. (35255 Brooten Road, Pacific City, OR 97135)
CCLI License No. 810055
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Bring on Spring!
Not in recent memory can I remember anticipating the Springtime more than this year. I was ready for the greening of the earth, even though the budding of the trees brings on the sniffles of allergies. The limbs of the trees in my yard that poked skeletally into the sky are now in full leaf. The lawn that was patchy and brown is now lush and in need of mowing twice a week. Praise God for Spring and the new life that accompanies the change of the seasons. Having never lived in a tropical climate, I cannot imagine life without the cycle of Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. In the Winter, I hope for the Spring's greening. In the heat of August, I look forward to the crisp evenings of the Fall and the spectacular beauty of the changing leaves. As those same leaves pile up on the ground and I tire of keeping up the yard, I look forward to a blanket of snow covering the earth yet again. Each season has its own blessings.
In my spiritual life there are seasons, too. There are times of high productivity and times of quiet preparation. There are times when I lay foundations and times when I raise the roof! There moments of celebration and days of sorrow. This I know certainly; each season has its own blessings, if only we will remain open to the whisper of the Spirit while we live in them! To be sure, in the time of harvest rejoicing comes more naturally than in the time of planting. Yet, the season of harvest has its own sadness for it is reminder of the end of another cycle of life.
The Word urges us to steadiness: "let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." (Galatians 6:9, NKJV) I am living in a season of testing, a kind of winter of the soul, but I am convinced that God holds the seasons and cycles of life in His hands! As surely as Springtime follows Winter, the cold of trials will yield to the Lord's brightness and the Spirit will renew fruitfulness and life. Oh, for the faith to wait for the coming of Spring! Yes, in my spirit, I sense the winds of the Spirit bringing a new season of Life. I am ready, knowing that with the change there will be new challenges and new blessings.
So, Believer, what is the season in your life?
Are you, like me, feeling the cold grip of winter in your soul giving way to the Spirit's warm? Are you basking in the restful time of Summer, between the sowing and the reaping?
Are you reaping the benefit of a long season of planting and cultivating in a season of harvest? Enjoy the present season!
Give God the opportunity to do the appropriate work of that season in you, and to prepare you for the change that will come.
Ponder this wisdom of the Word. "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, NLT)
Then, pray that you will be faithful.
"I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. (in season and out of season!)Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage . . . " (2 Timothy 4:1-2, NLT)
______________________
When in the spring the flowers
Are blooming bright and fair.
After the gray of winter's gone,
Once again the lark begins its tuning
Back in the meadows of my home.
Lord, to my heart
bring back the springtime
Take away the cold
and dark of sin,
O, refill me now,
sweet Holy Spirit,
May I warm and tender be again.
Bring Back the Springtime
Kurt Kaiser © 1970 Word Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
In my spiritual life there are seasons, too. There are times of high productivity and times of quiet preparation. There are times when I lay foundations and times when I raise the roof! There moments of celebration and days of sorrow. This I know certainly; each season has its own blessings, if only we will remain open to the whisper of the Spirit while we live in them! To be sure, in the time of harvest rejoicing comes more naturally than in the time of planting. Yet, the season of harvest has its own sadness for it is reminder of the end of another cycle of life.
The Word urges us to steadiness: "let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." (Galatians 6:9, NKJV) I am living in a season of testing, a kind of winter of the soul, but I am convinced that God holds the seasons and cycles of life in His hands! As surely as Springtime follows Winter, the cold of trials will yield to the Lord's brightness and the Spirit will renew fruitfulness and life. Oh, for the faith to wait for the coming of Spring! Yes, in my spirit, I sense the winds of the Spirit bringing a new season of Life. I am ready, knowing that with the change there will be new challenges and new blessings.
So, Believer, what is the season in your life?
Are you, like me, feeling the cold grip of winter in your soul giving way to the Spirit's warm? Are you basking in the restful time of Summer, between the sowing and the reaping?
Are you reaping the benefit of a long season of planting and cultivating in a season of harvest? Enjoy the present season!
Give God the opportunity to do the appropriate work of that season in you, and to prepare you for the change that will come.
Ponder this wisdom of the Word. "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, NLT)
Then, pray that you will be faithful.
"I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. (in season and out of season!)Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage . . . " (2 Timothy 4:1-2, NLT)
______________________
When in the spring the flowers
Are blooming bright and fair.
After the gray of winter's gone,
Once again the lark begins its tuning
Back in the meadows of my home.
Lord, to my heart
bring back the springtime
Take away the cold
and dark of sin,
O, refill me now,
sweet Holy Spirit,
May I warm and tender be again.
Bring Back the Springtime
Kurt Kaiser © 1970 Word Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
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