Paris Reidhead
The philosophy of the day became humanism and you can define humanism this way: Humanism is a philosophical statement that declares the end of all being is the happiness of man. The reason for existence is man's happiness. Now according to humanism salvation is simply a matter of getting all the happiness you can
out of life. This group of my people the fundamentalists that say:
"We believe in the inspiration of the Bible"
"We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ"
"We believe in hell, we believe in Heaven"
"We believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ"
And remember the atmosphere is that of humanism. Humanism says the chief end of being is the happiness of man. And so it wasn't long until we had this, the
fundamentalists knew each other because they said 'We believe these things.' They were men for the most part that had met God. But you see it wasn't long until having said 'these are the things that establish us as fundamentalists', the second generation said, "This is how we become a fundamentalist;"
"Believe in the inspiration of the Bible."
"Believe in the deity of Christ."
"Believe in His death, burial, and resurrection."
And thereby become a fundamentalist. And so it wasn't long until it got to our generation where the whole plan of salvation was to give intellectual assent to a few statements of doctrine. And a person was considered a Christian because he could say 'Uh huh' at 4 or 5 places that he was asked to and if he knew where to say 'Uh huh' someone would pat him on the back, shake his hand, smile broadly and say:
"Brother, you're saved." And so it had gotten down to the place where salvation was nothing more than an assent to a scheme or a formula. And the end of this salvation was the happiness of man because humanism has penetrated. And so if you were to analyze the fundamentalism in contrast to liberalism of a hundred years ago, as it developed, it’d be like this: The liberal says the end of religion is to make man happy while he's alive. And the fundamentalist says the end of religion is to make man happy when he dies.
Until we find something like this;
"Accept Jesus so you can go to Heaven, you don't want to go to that old, filthy, nasty, burning hell when there's a beautiful Heaven up there. Now come to Jesus so that you can go to Heaven." And the appeal could be as much to selfishness as a couple of men sitting in a coffee shop deciding they are going to rob a bank to get something for nothing. It becomes so subtle ... it goes everywhere. What is it?
In essence it is this: that this philosophical postulate that the end of all being is the happiness of man has been sort of, covered over with evangelical terms and Biblical doctrine until God reigns in Heaven for the happiness of man, Jesus Christ was incarnate for the happiness of man, all the Angels exist in the... Everything is for the happiness of man! And I submit to you that this is un-Christian!
Christianity says... "The end of all being is the glory of God."
Humanism says, "The end of all being is the happiness of man." This is the betrayal of the ages!! And it's the betrayal in which we live and I don't see how God can revive it! Until we come back to Christianity. Isn't man happy? And God intends to make you happy. But as a by-product and not a prime product. Now I ask you, what is the philosophy of mission? What is the philosophy of evangelism? What is the philosophy of a Christian? If you’ll ask me why I went to Africa, I’ll tell you I went primarily, to improve on the justice of God. I didn’t think it was right for anybody to go to hell without a chance to be saved. And so I went to give poor sinners a chance to go to Heaven. Now, I hadn’t put it in so many words. But if you’ll analyze what I just told you, do you know what it is? It’s humanism. But I was simply using the provisions of Jesus Christ as a means to improve upon human conditions of suffering and misery. And when I got to Africa, I discovered that they weren’t poor, ignorant, little heathen running around in the woods,
waiting for, looking for someone to tell them how to go to Heaven. That they were monsters of iniquity. They were living in utter and total defiance, of far more knowledge of God than I ever dreamed they had. They deserved hell
because they utterly refused to walk in the light of their conscience and the light of the law written upon their heart and the testimony of nature and the truth they knew. And when I found that out, I assure you, I was so angry with God that one occasion in prayer, I told him that it was a mighty, little thing He’d done, sending me out there to reach these people that were waiting to be told how to go
to Heaven and when I got there I found out they knew about Heaven, didn’t wanna go there. And they (were) loved their sin and wanted to stay in it.
I went out there motivated by humanism. I’d seen pictures of lepers. I’d seen pictures of ulcers. I’d see ``pictures of native funerals. And I didn’t want my fellow human beings to suffer in hell eternally, after such a miserable
existence on earth. But it was there in Africa that God began to tear through the overlay of this humanism. And it was that day in my bedroom, with the door locked, that I wrestled with God. For here was... I was coming to grips with the fact that the people I thought were ignorant and wanted to know how to go to Heaven, and were saying “someone come and teach us” actually didn’t wanna take time to talk with me or anybody else. They had no interest in the bible and no interest in Christ. And they loved their sin and wanted to continue in it. And I was to the place at that time where I felt the whole thing was a sham and a mockery and I’d been sold a bill of goods. And I wanted to come home.And there alone in my bedroom as I faced God honestly with what my heart felt, it seemed to me I heard Him say, “Yes, will not the Judge of all the earth do right? The heathen are lost and they’re going to go to hell not because they haven’t heard the gospel. They’re going to go to hell because they are sinners who loved... their ..sin.. and because they deserved hell. But, I didn’t send you out there for them, I didn't send you out there for their sakes." And I heard as clearly as I’ve ever heard though it wasn’t with physical voice but it was the echo of truth of the ages finding its way into an open heart. I heard God say to my heart that day something like this: “I didn’t send you to Africa for the sake of the heathen. I sent you to Africa for My sake. They deserved hell but I love them and I endured the agonies of hell for them. I didn’t send you out there for them. I sent you out there for Me. Do I not deserve the reward of My suffering? Don't I deserve those for whom I died?” And it reversed it all. It changed it all and righted it all. And I wasn't any longer working for my cup and ten shekels and a shirt but I was serving the living God.
________________________________________
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
The Haystack Revival
It was 1806 and divine circumstances were about to reveal to the world its new unlikely heroes. Samuel J. Mills, James Richards, Francis L. Robbins, Harvey Loomis, and Byram Green were about to decide their destiny. These five students at Williams College in Massachusetts found themselves in a time when revival and awakening were sweeping across America and this small college town. There were many prayer meetings being maintained by students. One, to which these five men belonged, met in Sloan’s meadow north of the college. On a hot Saturday afternoon in August these five left to pray and discuss William Carey’s small booklet, An Inquiry into the Obligation of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathen. It was a controversial book that laid on all believers the weight of responsibility of world missions. There were threatening clouds in the distance, but the group met faithfully despite the thunderstorm that was approaching.
As they discussed world missions and specifically the needs in China, their attention was focused so intently on their responsibility to the unreached that they failed to notice the speed with which storm had approached. The young men were too far away to run for adequate shelter and were soon trapped by the angry thunder clouds. Within minutes the sound of the thunder was deafening and the pouring rain and strikes of lightening drove the students to scramble for the first shelter available - a haystack. Even as the storm rolled over the five continued their building discussion. Beneath the cover of the haystack, Samuel Mills, the leader of the group, continued to insist that the gospel must be taken to the lost in Asia.
All were inspired to act by Mills’ passion except for Loomis, who argued that it was too dangerous in China. “We must wait until they are civilized,” he maintained. Samuel suggested that they make it an issue of prayer, and they began to pray over the wail of the storm. All prayed except for Loomis. Mills, remembering the objections of Loomis, prayed, “O God, strike down the arm, with red artillery of heaven, that shall be raised against a herald of the cross.”
Finally after singing a hymn, Mills looked at the others, and over the roar of the drenching rain, and with flashes of lightening reflecting in his eyes, cried out, “We can do this, if we will!” Something broke loose in that moment within the hearts of all five. All pointed back to that moment as the one that changed them forever. The five later consecrated themselves to full devotion to the Great Commission and taking the gospel to all the nations. They felt that it was the job of the American church to send its own missionaries and proposed to the General Association of Massachusetts that the first American missions agency be created, later given the name “The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions” in 1810. Adoniram Judson was among the first five men that the American Board sent to Calcutta, India. Mills went on to inspire the creation of several other mission agencies and works such as The United Foreign Missionary Society, the American Baptist Missionary Union, and the American Bible Society.
This Haystack Prayer Movement became known all over the surrounding area, especially among college students. Samuel had began a group in 1808 called the Society of Brethren, which bound its members together by the single-minded purpose of giving themselves to extend the gospel around the world. Several missions societies began to spring up on campuses all across the U.S. in the footsteps of Mills.
Years later, several women purchased with one gold dollar, the spot of land which Bryam Green identified as the location of the haystack that day. Today the Haystack Prayer Monument stands at Williams college as a reminder of what God did, not only in the lives of the five, but also in the life of Luther Wishard 80 years later. Luther, inspired by the Haystack Prayer Movement, initiated the mobilization of 100,000 college students through the Student Volunteer Movement. That moment in 1806 under the haystack was the spark for the greatest missionary movement that the world has ever seen.
They were ordinary young men - college students. Life forced them to search out their life purpose, maybe before it was too late; before the world had a chance to steal away their passion and talents into other great endeavors; before the roots of careers, and comfort grew too deeply into the American dream. These five had no idea that all of history was watching that day and what weight of responsibility lay on them. God uses moments like this, not to test our hearts, but to reveal them. He is unveiling to us what holds our true loyalty. Neil McClendon says, “Life’s interruptions are God’s invitations.” Heroes like this are made, not born. Let us press on to know Him deeply and know His heart so that in times of testing and interruption it might be revealed that our heart has been replaced with His. Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Out of the deepening of our passion for His renown and glory will come an overflow: our lives heralding a message to the world, “We can do this, if we will!”
As they discussed world missions and specifically the needs in China, their attention was focused so intently on their responsibility to the unreached that they failed to notice the speed with which storm had approached. The young men were too far away to run for adequate shelter and were soon trapped by the angry thunder clouds. Within minutes the sound of the thunder was deafening and the pouring rain and strikes of lightening drove the students to scramble for the first shelter available - a haystack. Even as the storm rolled over the five continued their building discussion. Beneath the cover of the haystack, Samuel Mills, the leader of the group, continued to insist that the gospel must be taken to the lost in Asia.
All were inspired to act by Mills’ passion except for Loomis, who argued that it was too dangerous in China. “We must wait until they are civilized,” he maintained. Samuel suggested that they make it an issue of prayer, and they began to pray over the wail of the storm. All prayed except for Loomis. Mills, remembering the objections of Loomis, prayed, “O God, strike down the arm, with red artillery of heaven, that shall be raised against a herald of the cross.”
Finally after singing a hymn, Mills looked at the others, and over the roar of the drenching rain, and with flashes of lightening reflecting in his eyes, cried out, “We can do this, if we will!” Something broke loose in that moment within the hearts of all five. All pointed back to that moment as the one that changed them forever. The five later consecrated themselves to full devotion to the Great Commission and taking the gospel to all the nations. They felt that it was the job of the American church to send its own missionaries and proposed to the General Association of Massachusetts that the first American missions agency be created, later given the name “The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions” in 1810. Adoniram Judson was among the first five men that the American Board sent to Calcutta, India. Mills went on to inspire the creation of several other mission agencies and works such as The United Foreign Missionary Society, the American Baptist Missionary Union, and the American Bible Society.
This Haystack Prayer Movement became known all over the surrounding area, especially among college students. Samuel had began a group in 1808 called the Society of Brethren, which bound its members together by the single-minded purpose of giving themselves to extend the gospel around the world. Several missions societies began to spring up on campuses all across the U.S. in the footsteps of Mills.
Years later, several women purchased with one gold dollar, the spot of land which Bryam Green identified as the location of the haystack that day. Today the Haystack Prayer Monument stands at Williams college as a reminder of what God did, not only in the lives of the five, but also in the life of Luther Wishard 80 years later. Luther, inspired by the Haystack Prayer Movement, initiated the mobilization of 100,000 college students through the Student Volunteer Movement. That moment in 1806 under the haystack was the spark for the greatest missionary movement that the world has ever seen.
They were ordinary young men - college students. Life forced them to search out their life purpose, maybe before it was too late; before the world had a chance to steal away their passion and talents into other great endeavors; before the roots of careers, and comfort grew too deeply into the American dream. These five had no idea that all of history was watching that day and what weight of responsibility lay on them. God uses moments like this, not to test our hearts, but to reveal them. He is unveiling to us what holds our true loyalty. Neil McClendon says, “Life’s interruptions are God’s invitations.” Heroes like this are made, not born. Let us press on to know Him deeply and know His heart so that in times of testing and interruption it might be revealed that our heart has been replaced with His. Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Out of the deepening of our passion for His renown and glory will come an overflow: our lives heralding a message to the world, “We can do this, if we will!”
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Evil in the World
Why is there evil in the world?
The terrorized and troubled world exists to make a place for Jesus Christ, the Son of God to suffer and die for our sins. The reason there is terror in the world, is so that Christ could be terrorized. The reason there is trouble in the world, is so that Christ could be troubled. The reason there is pain in the universe, is so that Christ could feel pain. This is the world that God prepared for the suffering and death of His Son. This is the world, that the best display of Divine love could happen.
-John Piper
Romans 5:8
But God shows his love towards us, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Two Dead, Two Wounded, After Gunman Opens Fire Inside Colorado Christian Missionary Center
The manhunt for a gunman who killed two people and wounded two others when he opened fire inside a Christian missionary training facility near Denver dragged on Sunday, as police appealed to the public for help catching a killer on the loose. The shooter entered a dormitory on the campus of Faith Bible Church, a Youth With a Mission training facility for Christian missionaries, in Arvada, Colo., a Denver suburb, at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday and shot four people, killing two of them, before fleeing on foot. The gunman, described by witnesses as a white male in his twenties wearing a dark skull cap and jacket, who may also have had a beard and eye glasses, remained at large, Arvada Police spokeswoman Susan Medina told Fox News.
Authorities used reverse 911 early Sunday to warn residents that an armed and dangerous gunman was on the loose and to lock their doors and windows and stay inside. Police were also asking residents to report any sightings of fresh footprints or disturbances in the snow. About four inches of snow had fallen overnight, and authorities were hoping tracks left in the snow would lead them to the shooter, Medina said.
The four victims were all YWAM staff members, Peter Warren, director of Youth With a Mission Denver, told KUSA-TV. YWAM identified the victims who have died as Tiffany Johnson, 22, of Minnesota and Peter Krause of Alaska. The third victim, a male in his 20s, sustained a bullet wound to the neck and was in critical condition; the fourth victim, also a male in his 20s, suffered gun shot wounds to his legs and was in stable condition. Both were being treated at area hospitals. According to YWAM's Web site, the victims' families had been notified.
Warren said the group was just finishing a Christmas banquet when the shooter entered the facility and asked staffer Tiffany Johnson if he could be housed for the evening. When Johnson told the man that they could not provide him with a place to stay, he opened fire, Warren said.
Warren said he did not think the victims knew the gunman, but that the campus was open to the public for worship services.
A search of the area, both by canine and patrol officer units, had failed to locate the suspect, Medina said. Medina said the search area was quite large, a mix of residences and businesses.
About 50 people were inside the center at the time of the shooting, Medina said. The 45 people remaining at the center were moved to an off-site facility for questioning.
"There's no blueprint for this, we're just going to be honest and pray for one another, cry with one another," Warren told KUSA-TV. "Who knows what was going on in this young man's life," he said.
Mimi Martin, who lives near the center, said she received the warning call at about 9 a.m. warning neighbors to keep their doors and windows locked.
"Why would anybody want to hurt those kids?" Martin said. "I just pray for their families."
People bundled up against freezing cold arrived for Sunday services at the sanctuary, about 300 yards from the dormitory.
Darv Smith, director of a Youth With a Mission center in Boulder, said people ranging from their late teens to their 70s undergo a 12-week discipleship course that prepares them to be missionaries.
He said the center trains about 300 people a year. Youth With a Mission was started in 1960 and now has 1,100 locations with 16,000 full-time staff, Smith said. The Arvada center was founded in 1984.
Praise God He is in control. I can read this and just rejoice and fall to my knees in worship, because of the fact that our Father is still on the throne, and that God had in view, His Son, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Why? For us. In all the horror, pain, terror, and lost in this world, Christ died for it. In a time as now, with the fear of terrorism, suicide, and all wickedness and evil that may come to pass, our treasure, our hope is in Christ. Nothing can separate us from the love of His who died. Christs passion, His duty was to die. To redeem His people, from a world as this. In all trials, Christ is all. He Himself, paid for it. God has a plan, and in that plan, His Son died. God, in that plan has allowed such things as terrorism, pain, trouble, so His Son could pervail over all the evil that this world holds. God has not let the reigns of humanity slip from His hands. His sovereignty is still reigning. His love, power, and holiness is still in charge. In times as this, God will be glorified. In life or by death, His glory will fill the earth and will scream from all creation, and in this....we can say thank you. Thank you Father for your grace and mercy that you have shown to poor sinners as us. In this very fact of His glory being the foundation of our lives as believers should push us to love Him more. His glory is being revealed from His creation, His grace, and even His glory is being set forth by the death of His only begotten Son.
Please pray for the families. Please pray for the man who fired the shots. Please pray that God will be glorifed and His Son will be honored.
The terrorized and troubled world exists to make a place for Jesus Christ, the Son of God to suffer and die for our sins. The reason there is terror in the world, is so that Christ could be terrorized. The reason there is trouble in the world, is so that Christ could be troubled. The reason there is pain in the universe, is so that Christ could feel pain. This is the world that God prepared for the suffering and death of His Son. This is the world, that the best display of Divine love could happen.
-John Piper
Romans 5:8
But God shows his love towards us, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Two Dead, Two Wounded, After Gunman Opens Fire Inside Colorado Christian Missionary Center
Sunday, December 09, 2007
The manhunt for a gunman who killed two people and wounded two others when he opened fire inside a Christian missionary training facility near Denver dragged on Sunday, as police appealed to the public for help catching a killer on the loose. The shooter entered a dormitory on the campus of Faith Bible Church, a Youth With a Mission training facility for Christian missionaries, in Arvada, Colo., a Denver suburb, at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday and shot four people, killing two of them, before fleeing on foot. The gunman, described by witnesses as a white male in his twenties wearing a dark skull cap and jacket, who may also have had a beard and eye glasses, remained at large, Arvada Police spokeswoman Susan Medina told Fox News.
Authorities used reverse 911 early Sunday to warn residents that an armed and dangerous gunman was on the loose and to lock their doors and windows and stay inside. Police were also asking residents to report any sightings of fresh footprints or disturbances in the snow. About four inches of snow had fallen overnight, and authorities were hoping tracks left in the snow would lead them to the shooter, Medina said.
The four victims were all YWAM staff members, Peter Warren, director of Youth With a Mission Denver, told KUSA-TV. YWAM identified the victims who have died as Tiffany Johnson, 22, of Minnesota and Peter Krause of Alaska. The third victim, a male in his 20s, sustained a bullet wound to the neck and was in critical condition; the fourth victim, also a male in his 20s, suffered gun shot wounds to his legs and was in stable condition. Both were being treated at area hospitals. According to YWAM's Web site, the victims' families had been notified.
Warren said the group was just finishing a Christmas banquet when the shooter entered the facility and asked staffer Tiffany Johnson if he could be housed for the evening. When Johnson told the man that they could not provide him with a place to stay, he opened fire, Warren said.
Warren said he did not think the victims knew the gunman, but that the campus was open to the public for worship services.
A search of the area, both by canine and patrol officer units, had failed to locate the suspect, Medina said. Medina said the search area was quite large, a mix of residences and businesses.
About 50 people were inside the center at the time of the shooting, Medina said. The 45 people remaining at the center were moved to an off-site facility for questioning.
"There's no blueprint for this, we're just going to be honest and pray for one another, cry with one another," Warren told KUSA-TV. "Who knows what was going on in this young man's life," he said.
Mimi Martin, who lives near the center, said she received the warning call at about 9 a.m. warning neighbors to keep their doors and windows locked.
"Why would anybody want to hurt those kids?" Martin said. "I just pray for their families."
People bundled up against freezing cold arrived for Sunday services at the sanctuary, about 300 yards from the dormitory.
Darv Smith, director of a Youth With a Mission center in Boulder, said people ranging from their late teens to their 70s undergo a 12-week discipleship course that prepares them to be missionaries.
He said the center trains about 300 people a year. Youth With a Mission was started in 1960 and now has 1,100 locations with 16,000 full-time staff, Smith said. The Arvada center was founded in 1984.
Praise God He is in control. I can read this and just rejoice and fall to my knees in worship, because of the fact that our Father is still on the throne, and that God had in view, His Son, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Why? For us. In all the horror, pain, terror, and lost in this world, Christ died for it. In a time as now, with the fear of terrorism, suicide, and all wickedness and evil that may come to pass, our treasure, our hope is in Christ. Nothing can separate us from the love of His who died. Christs passion, His duty was to die. To redeem His people, from a world as this. In all trials, Christ is all. He Himself, paid for it. God has a plan, and in that plan, His Son died. God, in that plan has allowed such things as terrorism, pain, trouble, so His Son could pervail over all the evil that this world holds. God has not let the reigns of humanity slip from His hands. His sovereignty is still reigning. His love, power, and holiness is still in charge. In times as this, God will be glorified. In life or by death, His glory will fill the earth and will scream from all creation, and in this....we can say thank you. Thank you Father for your grace and mercy that you have shown to poor sinners as us. In this very fact of His glory being the foundation of our lives as believers should push us to love Him more. His glory is being revealed from His creation, His grace, and even His glory is being set forth by the death of His only begotten Son.
Please pray for the families. Please pray for the man who fired the shots. Please pray that God will be glorifed and His Son will be honored.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
...worship...
Jesus Just Wants to Give You a Hug?
Over thirty years ago, the great philosopher Paul McCartney asked, “What’s wrong with silly love songs?” Having given this over three decades of serious consideration (OK, at least several months), I have Sir McCartney’s answer.
It depends.
If you want to fill the world with silly love songs, there’s nothing wrong with that. But if you want to fill the church with them, I say, “Stop it!”
Tune into your “get you through your day” Christian music station and you will hear grown men, whining like love sick puppies, “Nothing else can take your place, or feel the warmth of your embrace.” Who are they singing to? The One who holds the universe together by the power of His word, or a chick?
Take the Quiz
Here are six phrases from six contemporary songs. Can you pick which phrases belong to secular songs and which to the sacred?
1. All I need to do is just be me, being in love with you.
2. My world stops spinning round, without you.
3. I never want to leave; I want to stay in your warm embrace.
4. I’m lost in love.
5. Now and forever, together and all that I feel, here's my love for you.
6. You say you love me just as I am.
The first three are from a popular Christian band called Big Daddy Weave, the second half are from Air Supply.
More and more of our Christian music is sounding one note: Jesus loves you soooooo much. Do I doubt for a second that Jesus loves His children? Nope, but it depends on what your definition of “love” is.
God “agape” loves His children. Agape love is not an emotions based, warm and fuzzy kind of love. Agape love is a self sacrificing, “I will help you despite how I feel” love.
William Tyndale was the first translator to use the word “love” for agape. Prior to the 16th century, the word “charity” best described agape. Leaving that debate aside, since Tyndale’s time, the English definition for love has expanded. Our modern day use of love ranges from a love for an object to physical love/sex (eros love). I love that new car. I love that girl. I love that God. That God loves me.
Not only do we use “love” in romantic ways to sing about God, we have added other romantic phrases to our Christian music repertoire: hold me, embrace me, feel you, need you. This criticism is not new, in fact, it has existed since Godly men began endeavoring to sing anything but the Psalms.
John Wesley considered an “amatory phrase” to be language that was more feelings based love than self-sacrificing agape love. John deleted “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” from one of his brother Charles’ collections because it was too romantic sounding.
Amatory Phrasing
Not only are musicians guilty of writing amatory phrases, but they are singing with amatory phrasing. Christian men sing with such romantic longing and neediness it makes me want to scream, “Man up!”
Christian women are singing with such throaty breathiness you would think they had just run from their home to the studio. To whom exactly are they singing? Brad Pitt or the Savior?
There are two consequences to this “Jesus is my boyfriend/girlfriend” music. Needy, emotional women continue to need more counseling, self help books and conferences where they can spread their wings and soar. Men simply are not showing up for church. It is my belief they simply can’t stand the mood manipulating worship times designed to help them “feel the Lord’s embrace.”
Musical Mermaids
Without theology in music, we are offering fluff that will not comfort when bridges collapse and test reports are negative. Songwriters could provide true hope if they would write about the sovereignty of God rather than crying about “how safe I feel when Jesus is holding me.”
Charles Spurgeon had the same criticism of “Hymns for Heart and Voice” published in 1855. He condemned the hymns as being “little better than mermaids, nice to look at but dangerous because they cannot deliver what they promise.”
Is there anything wrong with being reminded that our God is our help from ages past? Of course not, the Psalms are loaded with promises of God’s comfort. But unlike the Psalms (and theology based hymns), contemporary music is void of the reason why we should not worry. We do not worry because someone purrs that we shouldn’t fret, but because God is our shelter in the stormy blast and our eternal home. Our comfort comes from knowledge, not caterwauling.
If you enjoy a silly love song now and then, knock yourself out. But leave them where they belong, in the world or in the bedroom, not in the church.
http://www.christianworldviewnetwork.com/article.php/2749/Todd_Friel
Jesus, Thank You
The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend
The agonies of Calvary
You the perfect Holy One, crushed Your Son
Who drank the bitter cup reserved for me
Your blood has washed away my sin
Jesus, thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied
Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table
Jesus, thank You
By Your perfect sacrifice I’ve been brought near
Your enemy You’ve made Your friend
Pouring out the riches of Your glorious grace
Your mercy and Your kindness know no end
Lover of my soul
I want to live for You
Sovereign Grace Music
Over thirty years ago, the great philosopher Paul McCartney asked, “What’s wrong with silly love songs?” Having given this over three decades of serious consideration (OK, at least several months), I have Sir McCartney’s answer.
It depends.
If you want to fill the world with silly love songs, there’s nothing wrong with that. But if you want to fill the church with them, I say, “Stop it!”
Tune into your “get you through your day” Christian music station and you will hear grown men, whining like love sick puppies, “Nothing else can take your place, or feel the warmth of your embrace.” Who are they singing to? The One who holds the universe together by the power of His word, or a chick?
Take the Quiz
Here are six phrases from six contemporary songs. Can you pick which phrases belong to secular songs and which to the sacred?
1. All I need to do is just be me, being in love with you.
2. My world stops spinning round, without you.
3. I never want to leave; I want to stay in your warm embrace.
4. I’m lost in love.
5. Now and forever, together and all that I feel, here's my love for you.
6. You say you love me just as I am.
The first three are from a popular Christian band called Big Daddy Weave, the second half are from Air Supply.
More and more of our Christian music is sounding one note: Jesus loves you soooooo much. Do I doubt for a second that Jesus loves His children? Nope, but it depends on what your definition of “love” is.
God “agape” loves His children. Agape love is not an emotions based, warm and fuzzy kind of love. Agape love is a self sacrificing, “I will help you despite how I feel” love.
William Tyndale was the first translator to use the word “love” for agape. Prior to the 16th century, the word “charity” best described agape. Leaving that debate aside, since Tyndale’s time, the English definition for love has expanded. Our modern day use of love ranges from a love for an object to physical love/sex (eros love). I love that new car. I love that girl. I love that God. That God loves me.
Not only do we use “love” in romantic ways to sing about God, we have added other romantic phrases to our Christian music repertoire: hold me, embrace me, feel you, need you. This criticism is not new, in fact, it has existed since Godly men began endeavoring to sing anything but the Psalms.
John Wesley considered an “amatory phrase” to be language that was more feelings based love than self-sacrificing agape love. John deleted “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” from one of his brother Charles’ collections because it was too romantic sounding.
Amatory Phrasing
Not only are musicians guilty of writing amatory phrases, but they are singing with amatory phrasing. Christian men sing with such romantic longing and neediness it makes me want to scream, “Man up!”
Christian women are singing with such throaty breathiness you would think they had just run from their home to the studio. To whom exactly are they singing? Brad Pitt or the Savior?
There are two consequences to this “Jesus is my boyfriend/girlfriend” music. Needy, emotional women continue to need more counseling, self help books and conferences where they can spread their wings and soar. Men simply are not showing up for church. It is my belief they simply can’t stand the mood manipulating worship times designed to help them “feel the Lord’s embrace.”
Musical Mermaids
Without theology in music, we are offering fluff that will not comfort when bridges collapse and test reports are negative. Songwriters could provide true hope if they would write about the sovereignty of God rather than crying about “how safe I feel when Jesus is holding me.”
Charles Spurgeon had the same criticism of “Hymns for Heart and Voice” published in 1855. He condemned the hymns as being “little better than mermaids, nice to look at but dangerous because they cannot deliver what they promise.”
Is there anything wrong with being reminded that our God is our help from ages past? Of course not, the Psalms are loaded with promises of God’s comfort. But unlike the Psalms (and theology based hymns), contemporary music is void of the reason why we should not worry. We do not worry because someone purrs that we shouldn’t fret, but because God is our shelter in the stormy blast and our eternal home. Our comfort comes from knowledge, not caterwauling.
If you enjoy a silly love song now and then, knock yourself out. But leave them where they belong, in the world or in the bedroom, not in the church.
http://www.christianworldviewnetwork.com/article.php/2749/Todd_Friel
Jesus, Thank You
The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend
The agonies of Calvary
You the perfect Holy One, crushed Your Son
Who drank the bitter cup reserved for me
Your blood has washed away my sin
Jesus, thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied
Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table
Jesus, thank You
By Your perfect sacrifice I’ve been brought near
Your enemy You’ve made Your friend
Pouring out the riches of Your glorious grace
Your mercy and Your kindness know no end
Lover of my soul
I want to live for You
Sovereign Grace Music
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
...it's the most wonderful...
Christmas...everybody loves Christmas. I mean... hot chocolate, family, Christmas movies, Christmas music, lights, snow(if your in Texas ..ice..) and the list goes on....but we all know the meaning of Christmas is Christ. right? I mean come on, we live in America where you can hear the name of Christ thrown around like a rag doll. Of course everybody knows we celebrate His birth on Christmas. Everybody knows about Jesus....(just go witnessing), but why is Christmas so lacking in the true message?
"A day" last week, Melissa asked me if I wanted to go to Wal Mart with her to buy some Christmas lights and etc. Well of course I said "yes", and I said yes to going into Wal Mart during one of the craziest times one could possibly imagine. Saturday...now Saturday in general is crazy...but Saturday after Thanksgiving...insane. But we went. Now Melissa can decorate anything, so the first place we went was of course the place where all the decorations were. I stood by the cart as she picked out some stuff. *Next we went somewhere else, then we picked out a card for "lil miss Holt" who was turning 9 that day. After that we walked around some more...and more...then we finally came to a stop. By this time...honestly I'm tired of people, I'm tired of walking....but over all the voices...over all the colors jumping out at your eyes...above everything else....there it was. A song...I dont even remember the name or the lyrics except "Christ is born, God's own Son." That was from God....for me...
Why is the true message missing? Because we can walk through Wal Mart and see all these pretty things with our eyes, get upset by all the people and not focus on the things above. God allowed me to go through Wal Mart to hear this song that touched my heart. That's Christmas. Who knew that God could reveal something to you in the middle of Wal Mart? I'm so thankful that we can celebrate the birth of Chrst. God Bless and Merry Christmas.
*(I'm more than likely adding more to it for the writing effect)
By the way...Melissa had fun!
"A day" last week, Melissa asked me if I wanted to go to Wal Mart with her to buy some Christmas lights and etc. Well of course I said "yes", and I said yes to going into Wal Mart during one of the craziest times one could possibly imagine. Saturday...now Saturday in general is crazy...but Saturday after Thanksgiving...insane. But we went. Now Melissa can decorate anything, so the first place we went was of course the place where all the decorations were. I stood by the cart as she picked out some stuff. *Next we went somewhere else, then we picked out a card for "lil miss Holt" who was turning 9 that day. After that we walked around some more...and more...then we finally came to a stop. By this time...honestly I'm tired of people, I'm tired of walking....but over all the voices...over all the colors jumping out at your eyes...above everything else....there it was. A song...I dont even remember the name or the lyrics except "Christ is born, God's own Son." That was from God....for me...
Why is the true message missing? Because we can walk through Wal Mart and see all these pretty things with our eyes, get upset by all the people and not focus on the things above. God allowed me to go through Wal Mart to hear this song that touched my heart. That's Christmas. Who knew that God could reveal something to you in the middle of Wal Mart? I'm so thankful that we can celebrate the birth of Chrst. God Bless and Merry Christmas.
*(I'm more than likely adding more to it for the writing effect)
By the way...Melissa had fun!
Sunday, October 28, 2007
...what is the Gospel...
1 Corinthians 15:1-4
What is the Gospel
For it is written, not to be ashamed of the Gospel,1 even though it is foolishness to those who are perishing,2 but God gives a yes through the preaching of the Gospel which brings glory to Him,3 because the Gospel is not of man,4 but it is the message of truth, in which we are sealed by the Holy Spirit,5 resulting in conducting ourselves in a manner only worthy of that truth,6 because it is working in us and helping us understand the grace of God,7 only because the Gospel is not of word only, but by the Holy Spirit which brings conviction,8 but also a vengeance from God to those who do not believe its truth,9 even though the Law is for the sinner to show sin, and makes the truth "good news",10 because God saves us, calls us according to His own purpose by the light of the Gospel which abolishes death,11 and brings eternal life,12 even though we will face suffering, pain, and trials for its truth,13 but by the power of Christ, it purifies us from our sin.14
1. Romans 1:16; 2. 1 Corinthians 1:18; 3. 2 Corinthians 1:19-22; 4. Galatians 1:11; 5. Ephesians 1:13; 6. Philippians 1:27; 7. Colossians 1:5-6; 8. 1 Thessalonians 1:5; 9. 2 Thessalonians 1:8; 10. 1 Timothy 1:9-11; 11. 2 Timothy 1:8-11; 12. Titus 1:1-3; 13. Philemon 1:13; 14. Hebrews 1:3
Thursday, October 25, 2007
...missionaries...
We here at GFA do a lot of work...outside of the country. As you know, our focus is Asia. But a problem has flooded my thinking. What about my own country? Some of the things I'm going to say in this blog may shock some of you, so be warned.
I'm reading a book now called Persecution. It is talking about how the modern American socieity has pushed Christianity aside. More or less, True Believers are the minority. We have some many differents things here to catch our attention. Even inside the church. I went a church...well i guess you could call it that. They taught out of the bible, but everthing else was all worldly, and carnal. From the music....100s in the choir, trumpets, timpini, strings...and the big dramatic, over emotion, song leaders. My first thought.....door to door sells men and women. Then comes the video bragging about the pastor and his ministry....they mention the name of our Savior twice. Then the message...."weak gospel, who wants to accept Jesus into their hearts, well if so say this prayer." Then everyone left this monster of a building. Where is the humility??
What would Luther, Spurgeon, Wesley, Calvin, Edwards think about this form of "christianity"? Guys that spent their lives fighting for Christ....Better yet....what would Christ think? What is that verse....Rev 3:15-16? Enough said
What are our motives? I or Christ?
Let's just make everyone feel good, while their dying in their sins....no big deal. Tell them God loves you, when the cross is foolishness to them. It is this "pop christianity" focus and what God can do for us. Or like John Macarthur called it the Madison Ave Jesus. The Gospel is about freedom from sin, hell, and the wrath of God....not getting me a fluffy feeling, or a buzz off of Jesus. Like america is preahing. I'm sure everyone has their own opinions about america....i'm not anti american. i'm thankful God out of His grace let me be born here. i'm not proud to be an american. that is pride...which is sin. i will not place my hand over my heart and pledge my allegiance to a flag. My allegiance is to God and God alone! In Christ alone! God has commanded us to submit to the government....as i do. That is my conviction. america needs it's own missionaries.
Just like Tozer along with Ravenhill
" One man who isn't afraid to be called a hertic and a fool " why....for the True Gospel of Christ.
I'm reading a book now called Persecution. It is talking about how the modern American socieity has pushed Christianity aside. More or less, True Believers are the minority. We have some many differents things here to catch our attention. Even inside the church. I went a church...well i guess you could call it that. They taught out of the bible, but everthing else was all worldly, and carnal. From the music....100s in the choir, trumpets, timpini, strings...and the big dramatic, over emotion, song leaders. My first thought.....door to door sells men and women. Then comes the video bragging about the pastor and his ministry....they mention the name of our Savior twice. Then the message...."weak gospel, who wants to accept Jesus into their hearts, well if so say this prayer." Then everyone left this monster of a building. Where is the humility??
What would Luther, Spurgeon, Wesley, Calvin, Edwards think about this form of "christianity"? Guys that spent their lives fighting for Christ....Better yet....what would Christ think? What is that verse....Rev 3:15-16? Enough said
What are our motives? I or Christ?
Let's just make everyone feel good, while their dying in their sins....no big deal. Tell them God loves you, when the cross is foolishness to them. It is this "pop christianity" focus and what God can do for us. Or like John Macarthur called it the Madison Ave Jesus. The Gospel is about freedom from sin, hell, and the wrath of God....not getting me a fluffy feeling, or a buzz off of Jesus. Like america is preahing. I'm sure everyone has their own opinions about america....i'm not anti american. i'm thankful God out of His grace let me be born here. i'm not proud to be an american. that is pride...which is sin. i will not place my hand over my heart and pledge my allegiance to a flag. My allegiance is to God and God alone! In Christ alone! God has commanded us to submit to the government....as i do. That is my conviction. america needs it's own missionaries.
Just like Tozer along with Ravenhill
" One man who isn't afraid to be called a hertic and a fool " why....for the True Gospel of Christ.
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