Who Is God?

Well, PragueBlog readers, believe it or not, someone has requested that I write and post something about the character of God. So, in three installments (naturally), I will share some thoughts based upon Exodus 20:3.

The starting point for a satisfying and obedient life in Christ is our relationship to God, the Father. A correct understanding of His character is what’s necessary for a full life.

God Must Be Our God. Exodus 20:3 states simply and declaratively, "You shall have no other gods before me." God, in this verse, is making a claim on our allegiance. “I am your Lord and God,” He has already told us in v. 2. Now, this verse is an explanation of what that means.

He declares that He already is our God. Whether we acknowledge it or not, God is still God, He already is God. He doesn’t need our approval. He doesn’t need us to “create Him in our own image,” as so many have tried – which, in fact, all of us have tried to do at one time or another. There are a lot of more or less standard views about God circulating. You can be an Atheist, who claims to believe in no God, then spends a lot of time and energy debunking the God he/she says does not exist; a polytheist, who believes in many gods; a pantheist, believing that God is IN all things like in the trees they hug and the rocks and the mountains; or even an agnostic, one who is confused and undecided (as though it is up to him.her to decide on the existence of the Creator of the universe!). 

None of these stances change the truth a bit. Believing hard enough in something won’t make it real. I often use the illustration of the rungs on a ladder. If one believes that the third rung on the ladder is not rotted - although it is - it does not matter how fervently this person believes in the soundness of that rung. It will probably break under his/her weight.

No matter what we believe about God it does not change the fact that He is; and that he has been active. He’s the creator and sustainer of the universe. He’s the owner of the universe.

To Know Him is to Love Him. This is the title of an old song in the US.  IF you can’t love the God who is revealed in Scripture, then you do not know Him. You can’t; because He is lovable. What often gets in our way is the faulty perception we have of who God really is. Instead of reading, studying, searching the Scriptures for ourselves, we let others create for us our understanding of who God is and what He is like. But friends, to worship a made up God is to worship a false God.  

Psalm 9:7-18 reads this way:

7 But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice,

8and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness.9The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.10And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.11Sing praises to the LORD, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!12For he who avenges blood is mindful of them; he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.13Be gracious to me, O LORD! See my affliction from those who hate me, O you who lift me up from the gates of death,14that I may recount all your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in your salvation.15The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.16The LORD has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah17The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God.18For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.

 Next time: "God must be our only God."

Homeschoolers and College

So, it has been a while since I shared a humorous video (remember, humorous is in the eye of the beholder. But, it is August. Some homeschoolers will be headed to college for the first time in weeks. They NEED the sage advice offered here.

Views of the Bible, Part 3

Last installment in this quick look at views of God's Word.

It’s a goldmine of selfish platitudes about abundance. Sometimes the Church is its own worst enemy. Christianity is intended to be God-centered. Yet, we have turned it into a self-centered dispenser of good news about health, beauty and riches. Those who believe it is God's will that we all be rich are part of the movement generally referred to as the Prosperity Gospel. Yes, God has promised material blessings to some specific individuals in the Bible, specifically in the OT.  Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job -  are a few examples. The Lord promises Joshua for example, "Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you... then you will be prosperous and successful" (Joshua 1:7-8).

Denis Haack in "The Success Factor" describes a TV preacher declare as he pointed to his diamond rings and new Cadillac, that the difference between him and us is that "I have Cadillac faith and you have Volkswagen faith." Haack continues, "By the end of his message I was led to believe that to own anything less than the most expensive was not only an indication of anaemic faith, but a slap at the dignity and generosity of the God of Abraham. And Abraham happened to be, by the way, a very wealthy man." So what's so wrong with all this? Prosperity teaching undermines the teaching of the Bible in numerous ways.

1 Timothy 6
Love of Money 

³If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, ⁴he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions ⁵and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

God’s Word is not down on capitalism or possessions. But God makes no specific promises that we will all get rich. By spending time and energy  - and sending money to the preachers who promise to pray us into riches – we are elevating an idol, and perverting God’s Word.

So whats true?

It’s the authoritative manual for life. (This falls under the category of “What does Scripture say about itself?")

1 Timothy 3

¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Hebrews 4¹²For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-­edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ¹³Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

'Nuff Said. It's God's Word.

No Snooping Allowed - in Czech Republic

Citizens in the USA are fuming about revelations that governments agencies tasked with protecting them are actually spying on them. "Big Brother" is keeping current with the activities of the people, it seems (see this article, among many on the situation). 

Meanwhile, an short note appeared at the Prague Radio website, indicating that this sort of thing will not be tolerated here in the Czech Republic.

Personal data watchdog fines Post over making deliverers carry GPS devices
The Office for the Protection of Personal Data has fined Czech Post for monitoring the routes of postal delivery workers using devices equipped with GPS technology, Czech Television has reported. While the fine was a token CZK 80,000, the country’s postal service operator has changed its practices, no longer employing blanket monitoring of employees in the field and processing the data acquired differently, Czech TV said. Czech Post said it had introduced the system so as to be able to investigate complaints from clients who said delivery staff had not rung at their door when attempting to deliver a parcel. A spokesperson for Czech Post said it now used a system under which they can monitor whether deliverers reached a certain point a certain time.

So, the USA, with a splendid history of personal freedoms and constitutional protections, moves toward big-brotherliness. Meanwhile former Soviet-sphere state Czech Republic is taking steps to see to it that this does not happen here - again.

With regard to Edward Snowden, the US government analyst currently hiding out in the Moscow airport, I don't know what to think. A long time ago I worked in an allied field. I don't know whether he is a traitor or a hero. I don't suppose we in the general public will ever have enough information to make an informed opinion on that. But, just a few years ago, I would never have even considered the question. I would have assume he is a traitor. How things have changed.

Does anybody else see the emerging patterns here?

Thinking About the Bible, Part Two

Another (incorrect) take on God's Word.

It’s a great textbook on social injustice. This is the view of many who call themselves social activists or “liberation theologians.” One can certainly understand the motivation of these activists who wish to alleviate suffering as well as economic and social injustice. Certainly they do have Biblical data on their side: Just for a few examples of this we might read Isaiah 1:10-17 or Amos 5:21-24. But, unfortunately, this is often the full extent to which these “theologians” put their Bibles to use (prooftexting). Their blend of Marxism and Christianity is neither – though it is usually considerably closer to the former rather than the latter. 

When these activists are using their Bibles as a means to an end, we seldom hear such passages as: Romans 13:1-2 or 1 Peter 2:13-14; or Matthew 28:19-20; or Matthew 5:43-44. Understand that I am not advocating on behalf of sheeplike acceptance of injustice. I have seen the conditions of the people in many third-world countries – and many US ghettoes. I have no pat, well-formulated answers for those things (other than to reference sin, and man’s inhumanity toward man). But the activists simply use Scripture to fit their own perceived needs. They are truncating God’s Word to make it fit their own agendas.  

Eric Schlossberg, author of Idols for Destruction, wrote,                           

Paul Johnson, a former editor of The New Statesman, writes that if the biblical understanding of evil is driven from the field, "then the Chris­tian legitimation of social order, law, and communal self-restraint can­not be maintained very long either." Morality based on individual sentiment means anarchy and the disintegration of society. Humanists cannot have this, and their writings are filled with fervid arguments in favor of a powerful central state. Autonomous man, they find, needs leadership, and strong leadership is the hallmark of humanist society. Whether embodied in a committee or personalized in a leader, the elite dominates. Thus, far from bringing liberation, the anarchy of human­ism brings enslavement. The better educated he is, the more likely the humanist is to believe that people are like machines and need to be pro­grammed, and the more likely he is to believe that he should be one of the programmers. Given their premises, the logic of their position is invin­cible: Gods without power and wealth are an absurd contradiction.

Humanitarianism is saviorhood, an ethic perfectly suited to the the­ology that divinizes man. But the theology that divinizes man, it turns out, only divinizes some men. The objects of humanitarian concern be­come less than men, so that the humanitarian can exercise the preroga­tives of a god.

The god that failed is man.

2 Timothy 3:16 says that ALL Scripture is God-breathed. We can’t simply pick and choose what suits us.

More to come....

Cooperation in Christian Leadership

As we've looked at my first five characteristics of Christian leadership, we've covered:

1.    Calling
2.    Cost
3.    Commitment
4.    Confidentiality
5.    Communication

We're closing in on the final installment, the last two "Cs." Today, at number six, we come today to "Cooperation."

Leadership is not a "Lone Ranger" assignment.

It is a well-known leadership axiom that leaders won’t ask followers to do what they would not do. This certainly is the case with Jesus, who tells us to follow Him, and that there will be sacrifice involved. And He made the biggest sacrifice of all. 

But Christian leadership is not just about telling people what to do. It’s not just about getting a job done. Christian leadership is also about growth and development of gifts as we carry out tasks together. Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.

1. All gifts come from the same place, so none are to be despised.
2. All gifts are given for one reason, so that there will be no division.

The point is to be cooperating; making efforts which are not redundant; as we all grow toward maturity in the faith In Ephesians 4:11-16 we read

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,14so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.15Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,16from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.  

You see; no matter what the intermediate goal may be: church cleanup, making curtains; assembling a worship team; evangelizing; the ultimate goal remains the same. We are to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We grow as we work together; support one another; and abound in love toward one another. When we do this, the work is easier, and the goal is achieved: making Christ known.

Leaders Communicate

Communication. When I was having difficulties with a major computer company (not affiliated with fruit) a few years ago, the Case Manager I was speaking to told me that the best he could do was give me a prorated reimbursement for my computer because it was used. It was sitting in a box; it never come out of the box. I asked him if I could speak to his supervisor. He said “no.” I asked if he had any superiors. He said, “yes, but they don’t speak with customers.” As it turns out, Jim was wrong on all counts. I tell you that little story to point out that this is never the case with a Christian leader. We not only have a Supervisor, but we need to be in communication with Him – and – those who follow us can also be in direct communication with Him. Once again, I reiterate that the most important characteristic of a good Christian leader is that he/she be a good follower. We are called to follow Christ and those leaders He puts in our lives. Then we are to be leaders to others.

There are several levels of communication that are important to the Christian leader.

1. Communication with God. John 17:20-21. Jesus prayed often. He prayed for Himself and He prayed for His followers.
2. Communication with those with whom we work. We have many methods of communication open to us today in the church. We have the www, email, phones (of all kinds; we don’t even have to be home to use them). On a less technical level, we have bulletin boards; a weekly bulletin with order of service and announcements. Most of those announcements are also given verbally from the pulpit. And yet, almost every week, someone will stand there and ask the pastor: what time is the family Bible Study?, etc.

Your big word for the day is “perspicacity.” Something that is perspicuous is something that is clear or evident. The doctrine of perspicuity of scripture is that God has made clear in His Word all that is needed for us to come to Him for salvation.

This was an important to the reformers of the 16^th century. They wanted the Scriptures to be written in the language of the people – and accessible to them because they argued that access to the Bible gave the average person in the pew (or in the society, for that matter) access to God. The focal point of their argument was that the Scriptures, which brought God to the people, were perspicuous.  God’s communication to us is clear and unmistakable as to what He wants us to do. So must our communication with one another be clear and understandable.

How do we do that?

Some general rules of communication for Christian leaders.  

• Be clear. READ Rom. 1:19-20. Make sure that you as author, make clear what you want people to do and when it should be done; or when the party is; or what the format is.
• Be inclusive.  READ John 3:19. Make sure that everyone who needs to be included in your communication loop is, in fact, included. If an opportunity for service or fellowship is open to all then that needs to be communicated to all; publicly. When we just tell a few people; we restrict access to that blessing. (People hide things when they are ashamed or when they want their own little club. Light is the great disinfectant). Use the church bulletin – get announcements to the appropriate person in a timely fashion.
• Be repetitive. READ Galatians 1:9; Philippians 3:1, 4:4. Paul and his repetitions. People don’t get it if they hear it or read it just once.
• Be creative. Genesis 1:1-3, 27;   God is a creative God. We are made in His image….Find new ways of getting your message out. Again, you have many means: phone, email; mail. Create a newsletter; a website, a blog.