WHEN CHRISTIAN LEADERS FALL - PASTOR BOB COY RESIGNS DUE TO MORAL FAILURE

If you are, or ever have been a part of Calvary Chapel, you know former pastor Bob Coy.  Coy was the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale, a 20,000 member mega-church.  This past Sunday, Bob Coy's congregation was informed that he had resigned, citing "moral failure" as the reason.  Subsequently, unsubstantiated rumors and suspicions have been flying around the internet, rumors that will not be given any credence in this forum.  The news hit me last evening like a punch in the face, as I pondered all the ramifications of this news going public in a big way.

Those of you who know me, especially from Florida, know that Calvary Chapel was a very big part of my life for a number of years.  I did not serve at the Ft. Lauderdale church, but I was a deacon at a smaller Calvary across town, where I oversaw a myriad of ministries. During that time, I witnessed more than a couple "moral failures", many of which were swept under the rug.  I did attend Calvary Chapel Bible College classes at the Ft. Lauderdale church where I had occasion to meet Bob Coy and trade pleasantries.  We were vague acquaintances at best and were on opposite sides of a minor dust up over a church plant in Boca Raton.  Aside from all that, what I know about Bob Coy is what I have gleaned from the many sermons I have heard him preach on the radio and in person.  I have even been in the habit of listening to his sermons on the radio, here in Knoxville.

Having said all that, this news about former pastor Coy is devastating on a number of levels.  It is devastating to Coy as it has destroyed his image as a man of God, it is devastating to the Coy family as their pain and humiliation is on public display, it is devastating to any people who might be directly involved in Coy's "moral failure" and it is devastating to the ministry of Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale.   Moral failure is not a victim-less crime.  As I pondered the ramifications of this news, I felt physically sick, primarily because of the high profile black eye this gives to the church in the secular media.  This "moral failure" only goes to reinforce my conviction that the church needs to start policing itself and promoting holiness and sanctification within it's membership, a conviction I have been writing about for some time.

How do we react when christian leaders fail?  I have been reading a great deal of articles and comments on this story and have witnessed everything from anger towards Coy to full support.  What is the proper response?  At first, I felt a twinge of anger towards Bob Coy, but that was completely unwarranted.  Bob Coy did nothing to me personally and I have nothing to forgive him for or be angry with him about.  I certainly do not condone his actions that led to his resignation,  I applaud Calvary Chapel for not making light of this tragedy.  The thing that I keep coming back to is that an omniscient God knew this was going to happen 30 years ago when Coy and his family moved to Ft. Lauderdale to plant a church, just as God knew David would fail with Bathsheba, when David was anointed king over Israel.  This does not excuse "moral failure" in any way, but it does help put things in an eternal perspective.  Just as David suffered great loss over his sin with Bathsheba, so too will Coy, and rightfully so.  I do not know the nature of Coy's "moral failure" nor do I know the circumstances leading up to his confession and resignation, I do hope that he came forward of his own accord, not because he got caught and had no choice but to own up.  I find it hard to imagine a man who is in the pulpit up to 8 times per week could be engaged in a lifestyle of sin and continue to be effective in ministry.

Coy's failure is further evidence of the fallibility of man.  No one is immune to the attacks of the devil.  Coy, being such a high profile servant of God becomes a very high profile target of Satan as well.  Undoubtedly, Coy enjoyed rock star like accolades and praise heaped upon him by many of his congregants.  I imagine it would be hard to remain grounded in such an environment.  Moral failure is inexcusable for anyone, and even more so for a minister of the Gospel.  Calvary Chapel has reported that it is currently working towards Coy's restoration, I just hope that the people of God in his life do not sugar coat his behavior but take the time to minister to him in a meaningful way.

Romans 8:28 is still in play - All things work together for good, for those who love the Lord and who are called according to His purpose.  After all the hooplah in the press dies down, there is good that can come from this.  I would hope that at the very least, this will cause believers to examine their lives and submit to God privately, as God has demonstrated that He is not adverse to bowing our knees publicly.  Now is a time for prayer.  Prayer for Bob Coy, prayer for his family, prayer for any one directly impacted by his "moral failure" and prayer for Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale, but most of all, prayer for personal conviction and church wide revival.

GOD'S NOT DEAD - A MOVIE REVIEW

I went into this movie expecting great things and I was not disappointed!  First off., the story was well crafted and believable.  The main story revolves around a freshman college student who is asked to sign a statement that God is dead.  Due to the fact that the student is a christian, he refuses to sign the statement. He is tasked with defending his position to the rest of the class.  Many other sub plots surround the main story and every one is right on target. This review will be spoiler free so if you have not seen the film, I hope to encourage you to go see it.

I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of God is Not Dead. The acting was superb, with well known actors such a Dean Cain and Kevin Sorbo.  David A. R. White's presence lends weight and credibility to the production as well. The script and dialogue were also right on target.  This movie is a shining jewel among the lumps of coal currently marketed to the faith community,worthless  movies such as Son Of God, Noah and worst of all Heaven Is For Real.  God's Not Dead is a truly evangelical film that does not sugar coat the truth or water down the Gospel to make it more user friendly.  In God's Not Dead we find a strong presentation of the Gospel message, emphasizing the love of God but not neglecting His righteous judgement.  

If I were a professional movie critic, I would rate this film two thumbs up, 10 stars, and whatever other top rating the pros use to endorse a film.  Take the time to see it - bring an unbelieving friend if possible. This is a must see film!

WILL THE UNITED STATES ABANDON ISRAEL? IS PROPHECY HAPPENING BEFORE OUR VERY EYES?

Bible prophecy is very clear, in the last days, Israel will stand alone.  Just a few years ago, it was unfathomable that the United States would abandon Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East, yet the rhetoric coming from the current administration seems to suggest just such a scenario.   Weeks ago, President Obama told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that if Israel did not accept the peace deal offered by the U. S., Israel could find itself standing alone in the international community.  Friday, peace talks broke down between Israel and the Palestinians.  Secretary of State John Kerry announced, on Friday, that the peace talks have failed.  What does this mean for the relationship between Israel and the United States?  Will the president make good on his threat to abandon Israel in it's struggle for it's very existence?

Other questions must be asked, questions that at the moment have no solid answers.  Syria is a known threat to Israel, and the rebels fighting in Syria are not friendly toward Israel either, what will that scenario hold in store for Israel if the U. S. turns its back?  Can a flare up between these two neighboring countries lead to the total annihilation of Damascus, the capitol of Syria?  I believe it can.  In the past, when Israel has come under attack, the U. S. has called for restraint on the part of Israel, concerning retaliation.  If the U. S. steps back from Israel, will Israel feel the need for a strong response if attacked?   We know that Israel destroys Damascus at some future point, as the prophets Amos and Jeremiah both foretold it.

Iran continually maintains a threatening posture towards Israel, could a retaliatory strike on Damascus entice Iran and it's allies(namely Russia) to make a move against Israel leading to the Gog and Magog war prophesied in the Bible?  Could this failed attack on Israel lead to the fated treaty that will be signed between Israel and it's enemies, a peace treaty brokered by the man the Bible refers to as the Anti-Christ?  If so, the signing of this treaty will signal the final 7 years of life as we know it, on earth.

Many questions remain unanswered, many pieces need to fall into place, but the are some things that we do know for sure.  We know that at some point in the future, Israel will stand alone in the world. We know that at some point in the future, Israel will retaliate against an attack from Syria and destroy Damascus utterly and completely.  We know that at some point in the future Israel will be attacked by a coalition of nations led by Iran and Russia, an attack that Israel will survive due to supernatural intervention from God.  We know that at some point in the future, the Anti-Christ will broker a peace deal between Israel and it's enemies in the Middle East, marking the beginning of the 70th week of Daniel known as the Seven Year Tribulation.  We know that at some point in the future, Jesus Christ will return, rescue Israel, set up a kingdom in Jerusalem and reign for a thousand years.  We know all these things because the Bible tells us they will happen.

I believe, for a number of reasons, we are living in the days leading up to these events and we will see many of these events take place soon.  If you have not read my blog post A NEW POPE, A METEOR AND A REALLY GOOD BOOK... I encourage you to take a look.  If you are a regular reader of my blogs you will see that I am fairly convinced that Pope Francis is set to fulfill the role of the False Prophet foretold of in the book of Revelation.  In the aforementioned blog, you will find a link to a Youtube video featuring Rabbi Gary Cahn as he discusses his book the HARBINGER.(I strongly urge you to get this book and read it).  Also of interest is the upcoming Blood Moons, this year and next year.  A number of Bible Prophecy experts believe these Blood Moon occurrences, two this year and two next year, all four coinciding with major Jewish Feasts, are a signal of the immanent return of Christ for the Church.(here is a link to an interesting site regarding the Blood Moons and prophecy:
 http://www.bloodmoonprophecy.com/?gclid=CKbXmuvMyb0CFWEV7AodURMAHw  )
Much of the turmoil in the Middle East seems to be positioning prophetic events towards fulfillment.

What does all this mean for the believer in Christ?  The Bible tells us that no man knows the hour of Christ's return, but we are told to watch for signs of the times and that we should be able to discern the season of Christ's return.  It may well be that Christ could tarry another 100 years or more, though I highly doubt it. As always, we should sense the urgency of the Great Commission.  We ought to be living out our faith, pursuing holiness, learning our Bibles and preparing for our call Home.  We must remember that neither our entertainment, nor our leisure, nor the acceptance of our peers  is worth one lost soul.  It is time for the Church to wake up, clean it's own house and start loving people into the kingdom.

SELLING JESUS

"This Jesus thing is a smash hit..."  The lyrics to All Star United's SMASH HIT song are sad but true.  I find it very ironic that society seems to be moving further and further from God as so called faith based films, books and other paraphernalia sell like wildfire.  Sadly, it seems that if you want to make some money, all one needs do is  slap a christian saying on some cheap coffee mug and charge double.  Unfortunately, we seem to be selling out the very one we are selling.  I have watched Christian fads come and go, The Prayer of Jabez made millions with books, CDs, and every imaginable item with the words Prayer of Jabez emblazoned on it.  The Purpose Driven movement also made millions as it continues into creative marketing designed to point dollars to pockets rather than people to Christ.  I am anticipating an onslaught of Son Of God and Noah garbage filling the shelves at Wal-Mart and a Christian bookstore near you.  Check out my review on Son of God to see just how far we have sunk and what we are willing to accept as believers.


                                               

Selling Jesus has become a billion dollar industry and has allowed people to load up on "christian" merchandise without actually building a relationship with the Savior.  I fear that we live in a cliff note society where films like Noah and Son of God will replace true Biblical education.  These films are to Bible study as as the Daily Show is to real news, a humorous look from a liberal slant disguised as truth.  I recently read an article in which Paramount solicited a slew of "christian leaders" to endorse the Noah film.  The reviews from students of the Bible have been dismal but there is always someone willing to sell an endorsement if the price is right, even if the ultimate price is one's soul.  Make no mistake, films like Noah and Son of God have one purpose, to make money for the people who create them.  The shoddy scholarship is testimony to this fact.








Rick Warren has jumped on the Son of God band wagon, naturally, as he has graciously created a Son of God Bible study as an companion to the Son of God movie. This is a blatant money grab as the Son Of God movie has major chronological discrepancies and makes a mockery of many of Christ's foundational teachings (please read my review if you have not)  I find it hard to believe that any Bible teacher with any modicum of a conscience would stoop so low as to create a Bible study from a movie that that so blatantly disregards truth.  Rick Warren is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary, a so called Bible college that does not hold the Scripture to be literal or necessarily inspired.  No wonder Warren finds nothing wrong with the Son Of God Film.   How many millions will warren make from this study I wonder...



I am not against faith based films, music or books, just blatant attempts to make money off God without caring about truth or scholarship.  Believers need to be far more finicky when it comes to what we buy and endorse, not everything labeled "christian" is.  I am truly looking forward to God's Not Dead, a film made by evangelical Christians that deals with real life situations and points to the saving, life changing power of the Gospel.  I almost exclusively listen to faith based music and read all sorts of faith based books. These things are good.  My complaint is when some new craze comes along and suddenly we have Jesus Christ Bobble heads popping up or a heretic like Joel Osteen writes some psychobabble, calls it Christian and sells millions of copies to millions to people who are too lazy to read a Bible and  who would rather allow some clown who rejected Christ on Larry King tell them what the Bible says.




As I walk into the Christian book store, I look at all the overpriced knickknacks with a cross or a dove plastered on it and I cannot help but think of Christ overturning the tables in the Temple because they were robbing people by merchandising the sacrifice.  Are we not merchandising the sacrifice with cheap coffee mugs and key chains?  Are we not merchandising the sacrifice when a rip off film like Son Of God is endorsed by so called christian leaders so they can sell their Son Of God merchandise?  It is time for believers to study the Bible for themselves and not allow the millionaire God club to get richer selling us their version of the Gospel..

SON OF GOD - A MOVIE REVIEW

Tonight, my wife and I went to see the Mark Burnett and Roma Downey presentation of Son Of God.  I was not expecting to be wowed by this film as it was made by the same guy who produced American Idol and Survivor.  I also did not expect to be completely disappointed and angry, which I was after viewing this jumbled mess.  This movie blew it at almost every opportunity.  Major events of Christ's life were presented out of order,  important teachings and words spoken by Christ were changed to the point of irrelevant nonsense, and Roman Catholic mythology was prominently depicted.  Being a student of the Word, I got the sense that the screenplay was written by someone who grew up hearing the Gospel account but never actually read it for themselves.  The only good thing I can say about this film is that it accurately depicted Christ as God the Son of God.  From this point on, this review will contain spoilers - unfortunately, 85% of this film was spoiled for me.  I was planning on  keeping count of inaccuracies, but by the first 30 minutes or so, I lost count.  Because the Jesus of this film and the real Jesus seem so different in many scenes, I will refer to the film Jesus as the Burnett/Downey Jesus.

The film opens with John the Apostle on the Island of Patmos where he was commissioned by God to write his Gospel account.  The film began on a very promising note as John narrates the first lines of his Gospel, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God...."  As I listened to this, I became very hopeful that this film would be an orthodox rendering of the ministry of Christ.  Then it happened, the birth of Christ is depicted and what do we get treated to... three kings/wisemen traveling alone across the desert to arrive at the manger.  I leaned over to  my wife and said two strikes.  The common misconception is that there were three Wisemen/Kings due to the fact that there were three gifts presented to Christ.  In reality, the Magi were a company of men who would be more aptly referred to as magistrates and they would certainly not have traveled across the desert with out an armed escort.  So three lone Kings traveling across the desert was strike one and the first depiction of Roman Catholic mythology.  Next, we see these Three kings arriving at the manger immediately after the birth of Christ.  Strike two - the Bible clearly states that the Magi came to the house that Mary, Joseph and Jesus were living in.  Also, the narrative suggests that Jesus is somewhere between one and a half and two years old by the time the Magi arrive.

Next we cut to Burnett/Downey Jesus meeting Peter at the Sea of Galilee.  The dialogue is completely fabricated except when Burnett/Downey Jesus tells Peter He will make him a fisher of men.  Even the miraculous catch of fish is depicted wrong.  Instead of making one big catch that required help from other boats, as the Bible specifically states,  this film shows Peter pulling in net after net full of fish until he fills multiple baskets in his boat.  If you are going to reenact an event from the life of Christ, at least try to be true to the source material.  Later in the film we see Burnett/Downey Jesus walking across the water to a boat filled with the disciples.  As Burnett/Downey Jesus approaches the boat, he calls out to Peter and asks him to join him, hinting at the Roman Catholic mythology of Peter being Jesus' chosen successor and first Pope.
In the Biblical account, Peter requests that he join Jesus on the water.

From here, we see the Burnett/Downey Jesus roaming the country side as people follow him from place to place.  As he travels about, he spouts off partial lines from the real Jesus, except Burnett/Downey Jesus makes no point and has no good reason to say the things he says, reducing him to the role of an inane philosopher who just pops off with whatever happens to pop into his head at the moment.  In one scene, we see the Burnett/Downey Jesus walking along and then announcing to the crowd, "it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven."  Missing is the context in which this statement was made by the real Jesus and the event that led up to it.

Throughout the film, Pilate is depicted as a blood thirsty despot and we see scenes of Roman soldiers killing Jews for no apparent reason. This was historically inaccurate, as Rome's presence was meant to establish peace and order, not senseless chaos.  Without any historical foundation, we see the Jewish leaders turning against Burnett/Downey Jesus because they are afraid that Pilate will shut down the Temple.  This is completely fabricated for the movie.  The dialogue between Judas and the priests was also based on the vivid imagination of the screenwriter who I am sure never bothered to actually read the Gospel accounts for himself.

The feeding of the five thousand, which was a pivotal point in the ministry of Christ was depicted as a chaotic mob scene in which people just grabbed whatever food they could.  The Olivette discourse, in which two chapters are dedicated to Christ foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age,  is reduced to Burnett/Downey Jesus happily proclaiming to a little girl that not one brick of the temple would be left upon another.  The raising of Lazarus from the dead was not even close to the actual account.  In reality, Jesus calls Lazarus out of his burial cave and Lazarus comes out to an astonished crowd.  In Son Of God, Burnett/Downey Jesus goes into the tomb and kisses Lazarus on the head at which point Lazarus wakes up and exits the cave.  Why not just stick to what really happened?

As we come to the last supper, we find Burnett/Downey Jesus doing an ad hoc communion service completely missing the point of this being a Passover meal and this portion of the meal was actually part of the Passover tradition.  Also, for some uncanny reason, we see Judas present at the communion portion of the meal when scripture clearly states that Judas was sent out before Jesus broke the bread and passed out the wine.  In the film we see Burnett/Downey Jesus shoving the bread into Judas' mouth and then sending him out, only to see Judas coughing up the bread and spitting it out in the street.

Next we come to the Garden of Gethsemane, where the Bible tells us that Peter, James and John accompany Jesus to pray.  Not so for Burnett/Downey Jesus.  We see Burnett/Downey Jesus surrounded by all his friends, including Mary Magdalene, who becomes very vociferous when the crowd comes to arrest Jesus.  In the Son Of God, we see Peter getting roughed up by the mob and Burnett/Downey Jesus being led off with a hood over his head.

I was actually pleased with the depiction of the trials and crucifixion scenes.  This was the only part of the film that even came close to moving me.  While the flogging and actual crucifixion did not come close to the brutality shown in Mel Gibson's The Passion, it did evoke some emotion from me as I took the opportunity to thank God for loving me enough to endure such punishment on my behalf.  I did find the actual death scene to be anti climatic.  While Burnett/Downey Jesus died on the cross, we are shown the temple being rocked by an earthquake.  The Gospel account tells us that the curtain separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom.  This is a very thick drape, according to the instructions God gave Moses concerning the curtain.  In Son Of God, the curtain looks like a little shower curtain that simply falls to the ground during the shaking rather than the actual tearing from top to bottom.

The Roman Catholic mythology kicks into full swing after the resurrection of Burnett/Downey Jesus.  First we see Mary Magdalene running to tell the disciples that Christ had risen.  She focuses on Peter primarily, trying to convince him that Christ rose again.  In reality, Mary tells the disciples and John and Peter take off running to the tomb together.   Next we see Peter, back at the house where he is heading up a communion service, only to have Burnett/Downey Jesus show up and give his endorsement of Peter's new role as leader.  This event is made up out of whole cloth to push the Peter as first Pope lie of the Roman church.

Mercifully, this film finally ends with John on the Island of Patmos giving an epilogue.  As the movie ends, John finishes his narrative by stating Burnett/Downey Jesus left them to carry on his work with Peter as their leader.  The book of Acts states that James the brother of Jesus was he head of the church in Jerusalem.  Of course, this film could not include this fact because another bit of Roman Catholic mythology is that Mary was a virgin all of her life and never had any other children.

I would say that of all the movies depicting the life of Christ, this one is probably in the bottom three.  Only the Last Temptation Of Christ and Monty Python's Life Of Brian are worse.  This movie was void of any feeling or desire for historical accuracy.  It had the feel of something that was slapped together by people who had a vague idea of who Christ was, but did not have any real relationship with Him.  In my opinion, Burnett/Downey were more interested in selling movie tickets than presenting something of real spiritual value.  This movie was a waste of time, if you want to see a decent portrayal of the life of Christ, I suggest you watch the Jesus film that came out in the 1980's.

HAS THE CHURCH ACCEPTED SO MUCH SIN, WE HAVE BECOME IRRELEVANT IN TODAY'S SOCIETY

Once upon a time, the church had moral standing in America. Most people had a basic understanding of and belief in God, recognizing His moral requirements and judgements.  Today, society has forsaken any semblance of a fear of God and has embraced sin and evil, just as the Jesus  told us would happen in the last days.  Unfortunately, the church has accepted and participated in so much sin,, our message is becoming increasingly irrelevant to the lost.  Matthew records for us the teachings of Jesus concerning the future in Chapters 24 and 25.  See if this quote from Christ does not describe much of the world we live in today: 

Mat_24:12  And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

We cannot deny that lawlessness has become the de facto law of the land.  If you happened to turn on the Grammy awards this year, you would have seen, very clearly, how far our society has devolved.  The opening number was performed by Beyonce Knowles - who has openly admitted to being possessed by a spirit that empowers her to perform on stage. (she has even identified this spirit with a name)  The entire performance was dark and sensual - appealing to man's basic desire to please the flesh.  The performance of Katy Perry was unashamedly evil, representing demonic forces, blatant sex/magic depictions,and undisguised witchcraft.  Perry who at the age of 15 released a gospel album with the intention of following in the steps of Amy Grant has, on numerous occasions admitted to selling her soul for fame and fortune.  Many of the themes of her popular songs are demonic in nature.  Possibly the most blasphemous performance of all was the pro homosexual  rap performed by Macklemore.  The pro homosexual theme of the song is problematic enough from a Biblical standpoint, but add to that the fact that the performance was done in the setting of a church complete with a choir is a direct attack on God and his moral Law.  Things sink even further into depravity as numerous couples, both gay and straight take to the stage for a marriage ceremony performed by pop musician Queen Latifah.  At the close of the ceremony, occultist icon Madonna emerges on stage to sing "Open Your Heart".  Everything about this performance defies God and His order of things.  The book of Revelation tells us that Christ stands at the door and knocks, a clear reference to the door of our hearts.  Somehow I doubt Madonna is calling for us to open our hearts to the Lord.  What are we being told to open our hearts to?  It is the blasphemous religion of "tolerance" that endorses everything unholy and condemns all that is pure. (see my previous blog "what does the liberal say part 2).  

Why should I care what goes on at the Grammy awards?  These anti-God artists are selling millions of records to people who claim to follow Christ.  If you are a parent, how well do you police the entertainment your child buys and enjoys?  How can the church be holy as Christ is holy if we are continually filling ourselves with blatant celebrations of sin and evil.  Years ago, the messages from the entertainment industry were much subtler, but today, occultism and sin are right in our faces, unmasked and unapologetic.  

In the book of Acts, we see a town that was steeped in witchcraft come to Christ.  The people realized that the articles of witchcraft were not compatible with their new found Christian faith.  The people gathered and burned all the items that were in opposition to God and His Word.  I am not calling for book burning at the public library, or attacking record and video stores, what I am calling for is believers to cull through your CD collections, your books, your  DVD and VHS cabinets and see how much is displeasing to God and get rid of it.  Check your kids IPods and internet history.  Be involved in what you allow into your house and the things that may be influencing your children against God.

The Bible clearly states that this current world is under the dominion of Satan.  Satan's goal is and always has been, to be worshiped by God's creation.  The more we are influenced by his brand of entertainment, the more we slip into complacency.  If we truly believe the Bible, we cannot sit idly by while popular culture robs our blessings and poisons our children against God and His truth.  As those who claim to follow Christ continue to allow the influence of sin through our entertainment, we will allow more and more sin to remain unchecked in our congregations, and our message of transformation and salvation through Christ will become increasingly irrelevant to the very society we are called to evangelize and disciple.

THE TRANSFORMING WORD OF GOD

  The word of God is alive and sharper than any two edged sword!  Everything we do as believers should be based on the truth of God's word.  In fact, the apostle John tells us in his Gospel account that Jesus, Himself, is the WORD made flesh.   We should never neglect the transforming power of the word of God.  No great revival has ever started without the direct teachings of scripture.  So powerful is God's word, all the world regards the time when the word of God was kept from the common man as the Dark Ages.  It was not until the word of God was made available to people in their own language that the world transformed and innovation and invention increased exponentially.

Interestingly, recently, Bill Nye, (the science guy) claimed that America would be negatively impacted by faith in God and the Bible in the arena of innovation and ideas.  History proves the opposite to be true.  Unfortunately, many churches and so called spiritual movements have traded the foundational teaching of God's word for a gospel of positive thinking and worldly values.  The Emerging Church, the Purpose Driven model and the Power of Speech nonsense of Joel Osteen have robbed the church of truth and created a scenario in which it is hard, if not impossible, to distinguish between the believer and the unbeliever in American society.  Holiness has fled the American church because Pastors are afraid to apply Biblical standards to their congregations.

Nehemiah chapters 8 and 9 give, what I believe to be, the perfect model for how we should do church.  Most of the American church is doing only half of what God modeled for us in His word.  In Nehemiah, we find the Tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi back in the land after having spent 70 years in captivity in the land of Babylon.  In the 8th and 9th chapters we find that the Temple has been rebuilt under the leadership of Ezra the priest and Zerubabel the governor, and the wals have been rebuilt under the guidance of Nehemiah the Governor.  After the building has been complete, the people assembled before Ezra the priest and called out for the teaching of God's law.  A platform was erected and Ezra spent half the day reading the Word of God to the people.  After the Word was read, the people bowed in worship.  After a period of worship, Ezra and other of the Levites began to teach people based on the word that was read to them.  For the most part, this model is how we do modern church, we read the word, we worship and we have a time of teaching.

 According to Nehemiah, this is only half the formula for a healthy spiritual community.  On the first day, everyone assembled and worshiped together but on the second day, the men who were leaders gathered together to STUDY the Word together.  This is the element that is missing from the modern church.  Those who serve and minister need a time to grow and be instructed on a deeper level than the rest of the congregation.

Study of the word is not the ultimate goal, but the transformation that comes from the study of the Word.  As the people assembled to hear the teaching of the law, an amazing thing happened, the people became convicted of sin and began to mourn and cry over their rebellion against God. The people confessed their sin and national revival broke out.  The following day, as the leaders studied the Word together, they realized that the community had not been obedient to God for hundreds of years, regarding a certain matter.  The leaders immediately began correcting the wrong.  Until believers learn and apply God's word to daily life, we will never experience true victorious Christian living. Until church leaders begin to take the Word seriously and use it to confront sin in the church, the church will have no moral authority in the community.

Israel was transformed by the study and application of God's word and so can America be if we who claim to live by the word actually did.

JACHIN AND BOAZ - RELYING ON THE STRENGTH OF GOD

Recently, as I was reading in the book of I Kings, I came across the account of Solomon building the temple of YHWW(probably translated as "the LORD" in your Bible) in Jerusalem.  The building was according to very specific instructions, just as the Tabernacle before it.  In fact, the Temple of YHWH was designed to be an exact replica of God's throne room in heaven.  Interestingly, the pillars of the Temple, numbering 2, were given names.  Pillars are meant to uphold or support something. When we refer to someone as a pillar of the community, he is considered an upstanding citizen, a person of character, a person who contributes to the success of the community. Solomon named the two pillars in the front of the Temple Jachin and Boaz.  The pillars were symbolic as well as functional.  The names Solomon gave them are extremely important.  Jachin, pronounced Yaw-keen comes from the Hebrew root of God, Ya,  and keen meaning establishes - translation: God establishes.  The name Boaz means strength.  Jachin and Boaz loosely translates as "established by God's strength."

The Temple of YHWH in Jerusalem was a massive human undertaking, taking seven years of labor without the benefit of modern construction equipment.  Solomon named the pillars, the very first thing anyone would see on the approach to the Temple, Established by God's Strength to ensure that everyone in Israel would know where the true power of the temple resided, in God.  In fact, the very Glory of God resided in the Temple for many years, until the sin of Israel reached a level that God could no longer tolerate.  The symbolism of naming the pillars Jachin and Boaz demonstrated that all of Israel's purpose, faith and function was established and upheld by the power of God, not by human effort.


God reminds us throughout His word that it is He who empowers us to do His work and the results are supernatural.  In Zechariah 4:6 we find God telling the governor, Zeubabbel. as he is undertaking the rebuilding of Jerusalem and a new Temple: Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.
God's desire is for us to acknowledge Him that we may bring Glory to His name and that He may guide us and bless us.  Proverbs 3:6 states: In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.  God shows us through word, symbol and deed that He is the strength behind all of creatiion.

As in many of God's lessons to us, Jachin and Boaz has been co-opted by occultism and is used by Eastern mystics and especially Freemasons to infer a very different meaning.  These groups look to Jachin and Boaz to infer power and wealth to it's adherents through occultic power not associated with the God of scripture.  The true power of Jachin and Boaz is understanding that all the strength of the universe comes from God to be given to us at His pleasure and for His purpose.

Today, believers in Jesus Christ are each the Temple of the living God.  We are each indwelt by the Spirit of God and are His representatives on earth.  As our true home is yet to come, we are ambassadors  of Christ awaiting our call home.  While we are in this life, it is important that we understand Jachin and Boaz as God's establishing us, His holy Temples, through His strength.  Philippians 4:13 tells us: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  It is by the power of God that we are established and upheld, just as the Temple of YHWH was once established and upheld by the two pillars Jachin and Boaz.  As we remember that all our power and strength comes from God, we are apt to be more careful to pray for guidance and direction.  God wants us to acknowledge Him and come to Him for all of our needs.  

There is nothing mystical found in the names Jachin and Boaz except the concept that all good things are established by the power and strength of our Creator and Lord, Jesus Christ.  The meaning of Jachin and Boaz are foundational to our spiritual growth as believers.  The more we acknowledge God and the more we call on Him for guidance and the more we submit to His will and authority, the more we will experience peace and joy in our lives.  God desires so much for us and we can experience great spiritual blessing by understanding that He is our lives, not simply part of our lives.

THE SO CALLED TOLERANT CROWD SHOW NO TOLERANCE FOR CHRISTIAN RAPPER BIZZLE

Once again, the very crowd screaming the loudest about tolerance has shown just how intolerant they actually are.  In the marketplace of ideas, apparently only ideas that agree with a liberal agenda are welcome.  Christian Rapper Bizzle has recorded a song pointing out the hypocrisy of the gay rights movement and the sin of the homosexual lifestyle.  In return, the same group that rings the bell of intolerance every time someone dares disagree with them, has found it appropriate to spew hatred and violence against Bizzle and his viewpoint.  Bizzle  has a viewpoint that has been shaped by his faith and his life experience, but because it is not a politically correct viewpoint or in lock step with the vocal minority, his view point is considered hateful and worthy of death.  One comment left on his video stated, "I'm gonna chop your body up..."


As a christian, I find most of the lyrics of most popular music to be distasteful at best.  I disagree in the strongest sense to songs that glorify sin.  My response... I do not buy it and I do not listen to it.  I believe that much of what is perpetuated as entertainment is disgraceful in the eyes of God and blatantly rebellious toward Him.  I find the celebration of sin repulsive and am sickened over the influence the entertainment industry has had over America in driving our culture farther and farther from the godly values that this country was founded on.  I would never threaten nor condone the murder of those who create such entertainment.  I do pray for entertainers when I think of it and I do set boundaries for what is acceptable in my home and I do encourage other believers to stand up for morality in their personal lives, but I cannot even imagine calling for the death of someone who has a different belief system than mine.

The fact that someone can be threatened and bullied for a viewpoint that does not match the moral bankruptcy of today's culture is outrageous.  Christianity is becoming marginalized because believers refuse to act on their proclaimed faith.  Church has become a social club and faith a matter of rhetoric rather than practice.  We, meaning the Church, continue to buy music that defies God and His moral commands, we continue to look the other way when open sin is practiced in our congregations, and we seldom, if ever, act on our convictions when confronted with clear issues of right and wrong.  The Church has not lost it's voice in America, we have forfeited it by our refusal to live uncompromised lives.  The vocal minority may very well have become the majority.

Bizzle's song "Same Love (A Response)" was written as a rebuttal to a Rap song called "Same Love" which endorses the homosexual lifestyle and was performed live at this year's Grammy Awards.  Our society has been kidnapped by the values of hell and one man dared stand up for the principles found in the Bible. I challenge believers to put your faith into action, get off the pew and into the game.  We are heading for a modern version of Sodom and Gomorrah while the the people of God sit and complain.  I salute Bizzle and his stand for truth.  If more believers put faith into action, the Church would have a voice and influence on the culture rather than the culture corrupting the church.

THE LORD'S PRAYER - JESUS TEACHING THE LAW OF MOSES

As I continue to study the Old Testament Law,  and compare it to the Gospel accounts, I am struck by how much the teachings of Jesus are really the teaching of the Law.  Moses gave the letter of the Law but Jesus came and taught the spirit of the Law.  Ultimately, Jesus is the Lawgiver and Moses simply the writer and enforcer of the Law. God gave Moses the Law on Mt. Sinai and Moses gave it to the people.  Studying the teachings of Jesus, it becomes clear that Jesus, according to His own words, did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it, and in so doing, He explains the intent and purpose of the Law.  Jesus simplified the Law, if you will, making it applicable and liberating rather than difficult and restrictive.  Even the model for prayer that Jesus taught the disciples, commonly known as The Lord's Prayer, is a simplified version of the Song of Moses found in chapter 32 of Deuteronomy.  Where Moses used many words, Jesus brought it down to a personal level, presenting it to us as something we could personalize and understand.

Before we look at the comparisons between the Song of Moses and the Lord's model for prayer (Jesus' intent was not that we recite His words like some kind of mantra) we must first understand the purpose and intent of the Law.  God gave the Law and preserved it for us to this day for multiple reasons.  The first reason God gave the Law was to create a separation between His people and the rest of the pagan world.  The Law and it's prescribed methods of worship identified, clearly, the people of God. The second reason the Law was given was to protect the people. Many of the dietary laws and others concerning mold and disease, were meant to keep the people healthy and safe.  The third and most important reason for the Law, was to make man aware of his sin and reinforce the knowledge that man needs God but his sin separates him from God.  The Law was meant to, in the end, bring man, humbly, to God.  The Law was not meant to, nor could it, justify man before God.

Man took the Law and built on, making it burdensome, falsely believing that by following the letter of the Law, he could somehow be justified in the eyes of God.  Part of the ministry of Christ, was to show the people of Israel, for whom the Law was originally given, what He really meant when He gave the Law to Moses in the first place.  Jesus sought to liberate the people from the unwieldy and restrictive monstrosity created by thousands of years of lawyers and scribes.  King David, in the Psalms, spoke of his delight in the Law of God, the version of the Law that was practiced in the days of Christ was anything but delightful.  Jesus' mission was to explain the Law, showing that it's main intent was that we Love God and Love others, not with an emotional feelings based love, but with an active, intentional love that actually impacts the world around us.  The second part of Christ's mission was to reveal the sin nature of man, his inability to keep the Law, even in it's simplified form, and then to pay man's debt for failing to keep the Law.  Jesus gave the Law, Jesus explained the Law, Jesus fulfilled the Law and Jesus paid man's debt to the Law.

It is foundationally imperative that the follower of Christ reads and studies the full counsel of God, this includes the Old Testament, and yes, even the books of the Law.  When we study the Bible as a whole, we realize that God truly is the same today yesterday and forever.  Looking at Deuteronomy 32, we find Moses, at the end of his life, where he sang a song to the people of Israel.  The song of Moses goes on for 43 verses but covers the same basic ideas that Jesus taught with very few words.

Jesus taught "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name"
Moses spends the first 3 verses proclaiming the name or God and ascribing greatness to Him.

Jesus taught "thy kingdom come thy will be done"
Moses, in verses 4 - 9 describes God's establishing of His people and the ordering of the nations according to His will.

Jesus taught "Give us this day our daily bread"
Moses expounds on the provisions and blessings of God in verses 10 - 14

Jesus taught "forgive us our debts(sin) as we forgive our debtors"
Moses points out the sins of man and the consequences of those sins in verses 15 - 38 focusing on God's forgiveness.

Jesus taught "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"
Moses reveals that God is the only true deliverer

According to the King James Version Jesus said, "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, amen.
Moses dedicated the end of his song to rejoicing in God demonstrating worship

Today, we, the followers of Christ, are not bound to the letter of the Law.  The letter of the Law was specifically given to Israel for a specific purpose.  James, the brother of Jesus demonstrates this at the Jerusalem council.  We are, however, required to live by the spirit of the Law, even as we are called to live according to the Spirit of God... Love God, love others.  Jesus made it very simple for us.

We must always remember that Jesus is the lawgiver as well as the one who gives us freedom from the Law by the blood He shed on the cross.  Acknowledge your sin, place your faith in Christ, love God, love others - Wow, Jesus really did make it simple!