- Erin Anderson
Soon we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. As you probably know, Jesus was not born on Dec. 25. In fact, no one is really sure when he was born — although some say he was definitely born on the 25th of an undetermined month. So why do we celebrate Christmas today?
Why — and how — has this religious holiday created by the Catholic church around 320 A.D. become a season-long secular occasion mixing Christian teachings with distinctly non-Christian symbols, from mistletoe to cookies and ornaments to 8-foot-tall inflatable snowmen?
In a way it is the story of Christianity coming head to head and, ultimately, to some kind of terms with ancient pagan rituals and the more modern secular celebrations, said Pastor Harry Riggs of First Baptist Church in Lincoln.
He views it as a postmodern era of religion — an era where churches need to accept that the mixing of religion and secularism “just is.”
“There are people who say it (secular celebrations) take away from the church,” Riggs said. “I don’t say that.”
Holiday traditions of cookie baking, candy house making and tree decorating are important and meaningful. They are rituals that center us in a world that is changing faster and faster, said Cindy Kaliff, counselor at Career & Life Options.
“It is an anchoring in a family, in a culture,” she said. “It is a way of having stability and an identity.”
If we didn’t have Christmas, we would have to invent it, said the Rev. Wayne Alloway of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church.
“There is something deep inside of the human psyche that needs a celebration where we celebrate light that overcomes darkness, where we put aside differences and try very hard to ignore the darker side of human nature — the baser side of who we are — and do good, love one another and be kind to one another.
“We need to be reminded of that on a regular basis — or at least on an annual basis,” Alloway said.
Christmas does that.
And even Alloway admits that aside from his religious celebration of Christ’s birth, one of his most favorite things about the holiday has no religious symbolism at all: filling his children’s stockings and watching their excitement as they wake up to discover what Santa left behind.
“There is nothing wrong with plain old joyful fun that goes with Christmas and has no profound symbolism with anything,” he said.
“It all points to love.”
So today as you gaze at the decorated tree, sip eggnog and dine on turkey, ham or roast goose, consider the history and folklore surrounding these customs and rituals.
The Christmas tree
The very first Christmas trees were oak.
The evergreen replaced the oak because it remains green throughout the long, cold winter — symbolizing enduring and renewed life.
The very first recorded display of a decorated Christmas tree was in 1510 in Riga, Latvia.
During the 16th century, Germans decorated fir trees both indoors and outdoors with apples, roses, candies and colored paper.
In 1848, Prince Albert, a native of Germany, brought the Christmas tree to his wife, England’s Queen Victoria. An etching of the family gathered around the tree in Windsor Castle soon turned the Christmas tree into a holiday tradition throughout Victorian England.
The Christmas tree’s arrival in the U.S. is a matter of dispute. The National Christmas Tree Association says Hessian mercenaries brought the tradition here during the Revolutionary War. But Christmas researcher Barbara Mikkelson and others say the Pennsylvania German immigrants brought it here in the late 19th century.
President Franklin Pierce brought the first tree into the White House in 1856.
About 50 years later, President Theodore Roosevelt banned the Christmas tree from the White House, saying that cutting down trees harmed the environment. However, legend has it that Roosevelt’s children had a secret tree that they hid in a closet whenever their father was nearby.
Today, 98 percent of real Christmas trees in America come from tree farms, according to the National Christmas Tree Association.
The wreath
A circle with no beginning or end, the wreath symbolizes eternity and is often placed upon tombs.
Because of its association with death, not all countries use the wreath at Christmastime.
But the wreath’s symbolism of eternal destiny makes it a fitting part of the Christmas celebration, Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of the Catholic Diocese in Lincoln wrote in The Southern Nebraska Register. The red holly berries and ribbons serve as a reminder of Christ’s blood being shed “to redeem us,” he wrote.
Gift giving
The custom of giving gifts in winter stretches back further than the celebration of Christmas. It is believed the people of ancient Rome and Northern Europe gave gifts on a special day to celebrate the end of the year, according to the World Book.
The Christmas story of Christ’s birth in a manger and the wise men bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh adds to the importance of gift giving. And, of course, Christian faith tells us that Christ was God’s gift to us.
Lights
Jesus is the light of the world, according to Christian faith.
But history credits Protestant reformer Martin Luther with adorning our Christmas trees with light. As the story goes, Luther was walking home on a December night when he was struck by the beauty of the stars shining through the branches of a fir tree. The sight inspired him to place small candles on the fir tree in his home.
Thomas Edison’s employee Edward Johnson was the first person to put actual lights on a Christmas tree. By the early 1900s lights were available to the public, but were expensive. Not until the 1920s when General Electric made them by machine, were most people able to afford them.
Animals
According to legend, farm animals are said to kneel in homage to Christ at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve and are momentarily blessed with the power of speech.
Other versions of this superstition limit the gift of gab to cats. But it is said one should not overhear their conversation, as eavesdropping is fatal.
Once upon a time it was believed dogs who howled on Christmas Eve were destined to go mad before the end of the year. Many healthy animals were destroyed because of this superstition, Mikkelson said.
Mistletoe
This plant that brings us kisses — and for single women promise of new love — is actually a parasitic plant that sucks the water from the trees its inhabits.
But why muddy the myth with unfavorable facts?
Mistletoe dates back to 200 years before the birth of Christ. Druid priests used it in their winter solstice celebrations.
Ancient Celtics believed mistletoe, which has no roots and remains green throughout winter, had magical healing powers. They used it as an antidote for poison and infertility and to ward off evil spirits.
Mistletoe is also a symbol of peace. According to legend, Roman enemies who met under mistletoe would lay down their weapons and embrace.
Scandinavians associated mistletoe with Frigga, the goddess of love, and are credited with creating the custom of kissing under the mistletoe for good luck and happiness in the coming year, according to Mikkelson.
Other legends say unmarried women would hide pilfered springs of mistletoe in their pillows to bring on dreams of their future husbands. Others would burn the mistletoe to see what it said of their future husbands — steady flames were a good sign, sputtering flames indicated a ill-tempered husband was in their future.
Holly
Ancient Northern Europeans believed holly held magical powers that could ward off the ghosts and demons howling in the winter winds, so they placed it over their doors to drive evil away.
It is said holly sprang from the footsteps of Christ as he walked the earth, the pointed leaves representing the crown of thorns he wore on the cross and the red berries symbolizing his blood.
Superstition says couples must be careful about the type of holly they bring into their home. Prickly holly means the man will reign over the home in the coming year, smooth holly means the woman will have the power.
“Prudent couples take care to bring both kinds in together to assure a balanced, harmonious home,” Mikkelson said.
The poinsettia
The poinsettia is named after Joel R. Poinsett, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico who brought the plant to the United States in 1829 after seeing it used in Mexican Christmas celebrations.
According to legend, a young Mexican boy was on his way to a village Nativity scene when he realized he did not have a gift to bring to the Christ child. He picked some pretty green branches he found on the way, much to the taunting of other children. But it is said that when the boy laid the branches upon the manager, a beautiful star-shaped flower appeared on each branch.
The plant is often misunderstood and even maligned.
The red petals are not really flowers, but upper leaves of the branch.
And poinsettias are not poisonous to humans.
The poinsettia poison myth started in 1919 when a 2-year-old child died of poisoning and it was incorrectly assumed to be a poinsettia leaf,” Mikkelson writes on her Web site.
But there has never been a verified recorded poinsettia poisoning death, she said. According to the POISONDEX Information Service, a 50-pound child would have to eat more than 1.25 pounds of poinsettia bracts (about 500 to 600 leaves) to exceed the experimental doses, Mikkelson said.
The American Medical Association states the worst side effects of ingesting the plant is occasional vomiting. Still, we do not recommend your turn your beautiful plant into a salad.
The stockings
The Christmas stocking dates back to the story of three poor sisters who had hung their stockings by the hearth to dry. It is said Saint Nicholas threw three coins down the chimney, with one coin landing in each of the girls’ stockings.
Today, we hang our stockings in hopes of good fortune.
Santa Claus
Jolly old Saint Nick has been around since the fourth century.
“Originally known as Saint Nicholas, the patron of children and sailors, the bishop was immortalized because of his generous and loving nature towards children,” ClassBrain.com states. He was said to bring joy to the poor by throwing gifts through their windows.
There are many stories about how Santa’s image became that of a jolly plump man in a red suit.
One myth credits Coca Cola with its advertising gimmick of the 1930s to promote drinking Coke in the winter.
But it is more likely he evolved over time from Clement C. Moore’s 1822 poem “The Night Before Christmas” and Thomas Nast’s 1863 caricature of him for Harper’s Weekly. Mikkelson’s research finds the image is actually the merging of two religious personages: St. Nicholas, the elflike gift bringer, and Christkindlein, the Christ Child.
Rudolph
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer really was born out of an advertising gimmick.
In 1939, Montgomery Ward writer Robert L. May created a Christmas story for the store to hand out during the holiday season.
The store distributed 2.4 million copies of the story that first year. In 1948 the story was made into a nine-minute cartoon.
May’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, turned the story into a song. And after many singers turned down the chance to croon the ditty because it conflicted with the more traditional Santa Claus legend, Gene Autry eventually agreed (at the insistence of his wife). Two million copies of the records sold in 1949. It remains the second bestselling Christmas song of all time. Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” is first.
Caroling
St. Francis of Assisi led songs of praise, which started the Christmas carol custom in the 13th century, according to ClassBrain.com.
Tradition holds that it is bad luck to send carolers away empty handed. It is customary to offer food, drink or even money to carolers.
It is also believed to be bad luck to sing Christmas carols at any other time of the year — so get your singing done quick.
Cookies
Children started leaving cookies for Santa sometime in the 1930s. According to legend, naughty children left cookies as last-minute bribery attempts, and good children left them to say thanks.
Of all the thousand types of Christmas cookies made each year, the Oreo is the most popular and common cookie left out for Santa, according to ClassBrain.com.
Eggnog
Made popular in the 17th century, the original “nog” was a strong ale made from beer, sugar, egg yolks, lemon rinds and cinnamon.
In the 19th century, North Americans took the French version of the drink called “Lait de Poule” made with milk sugar and egg yolks and added either brandy, rum or sherry.
Over the last 150 years, the recipe for eggnog has not changed except for the fact that it is now cooked to prevent the threat of salmonella, according to ClassBrain.com.
Fruitcake
Fruitcake has been popular in Europe since Roman times, when cooks mixed raisins, pine nuts and pomegranate seeds into barley mash, states Mikkelson. In the Middle Ages, honey, dried fruits and spices were added to bread dough for special occasions. At one time, fruitcake was considered semi-sacred — and 18th century European law restricted its making to celebrations such as Christmas, Easter, weddings and the like.
“It's impossible to age a fruitcake too long, say those in the know. If stored in an airtight container and basted occasionally with liquor, it'll keep indefinitely,” Mikkelson writes.
Candy canes
In 1670, the choir master at Cologne Cathedral asked that the white candy sticks be shaped like shepherd’s hooks so he could give them out to his choir children to keep them quiet during Christmas services.
In the 1920s, Bob McCormack made candy canes by hand for his friends and family. Thirty-some years later, his brother-in-law Gregory Keller invented a machine that could make lots of candy canes at the same time. Bob’s Candies Inc. became the largest maker of candy canes in the world.
Some say that the white of the candy cane represents Christ’s purity, the red is the blood he shed, and the candy cane’s three stripes represent the Holy Trinity.
Our sources:
Customs, folklore and even superstitions surrounding Christmas are centuries old — and sometimes their origination uncertain.
The information we share here comes from a variety of sources: Barbara Mikkelson of www.snopes.com and self-made historian of Urban Legends; The National Christmas Tree Association; World Book; AllThingsChristmas.com; ClassBrain.com; “’Tis The Season Christmas Trivia”; “Quiz the Season: The Book of Christmas Trivia” by Heather Revesz; and the writings of Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of the Catholic Diocese in Lincoln.
O
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
I’m Dreaming Of A Church…
-Perry Noble
Ephesians 3:20 keeps running over and over again in my mind…and I keep dreaming of a church (and churches…)
* That the ministry goes beyond the walls of the building and actually IMPACTS the community in a radical way.
* Where the broken, hurting and lost are received with open arms…and the religious are challenged to repent of their “perfection.”
* Where generosity is embraced.
* Where the staff and volunteers give their best to God in every task that they take on! (I don’t believe the church should look to organization like Disney and Apple for inspiration…I believe they should be looking at the church!!! Yes, they have great thinkers…we have the HOLY SPIRIT of the LIVING GOD! There is no excuse for half hearted, watered down effort in the Kingdom!)
* Where JESUS is exalted…NOT a denomination or a political party.
* Where Scripture, not Robert’s Rules of Order, govern the Body.
* Where people in the church REFUSE to ignore injustice…and EMBRACE that God has called the church to do more about it than simply pray…but rather to DIVE IN and do all we can to help all we can.
* That refuses to accept that the way things are is the way they have to be.
* That champions the next generation instead of teaching them they are insignificant until they can get a job and begin to tithe.
* That excitement and passion surrounds the Sunday services…and also an expectation that God is going to do something huge!
* That throws the desire to compete with other churches out the window…and does all that they can to help the body.
* That embraces the fact that Jesus originally called “unschooled, ordinary men” to change the world…and He’s STILL doing the same thing today. (See Acts 4:13)
The church’s best days are yet to come…and I can’t wait to see what Jesus does next. He loves His church way more than we do!!!
Ephesians 3:20 keeps running over and over again in my mind…and I keep dreaming of a church (and churches…)
* That the ministry goes beyond the walls of the building and actually IMPACTS the community in a radical way.
* Where the broken, hurting and lost are received with open arms…and the religious are challenged to repent of their “perfection.”
* Where generosity is embraced.
* Where the staff and volunteers give their best to God in every task that they take on! (I don’t believe the church should look to organization like Disney and Apple for inspiration…I believe they should be looking at the church!!! Yes, they have great thinkers…we have the HOLY SPIRIT of the LIVING GOD! There is no excuse for half hearted, watered down effort in the Kingdom!)
* Where JESUS is exalted…NOT a denomination or a political party.
* Where Scripture, not Robert’s Rules of Order, govern the Body.
* Where people in the church REFUSE to ignore injustice…and EMBRACE that God has called the church to do more about it than simply pray…but rather to DIVE IN and do all we can to help all we can.
* That refuses to accept that the way things are is the way they have to be.
* That champions the next generation instead of teaching them they are insignificant until they can get a job and begin to tithe.
* That excitement and passion surrounds the Sunday services…and also an expectation that God is going to do something huge!
* That throws the desire to compete with other churches out the window…and does all that they can to help the body.
* That embraces the fact that Jesus originally called “unschooled, ordinary men” to change the world…and He’s STILL doing the same thing today. (See Acts 4:13)
The church’s best days are yet to come…and I can’t wait to see what Jesus does next. He loves His church way more than we do!!!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
We Will Never…
We Will Never…
-Perry Noble
Here’s a list of 20 things I believe we will NEVER do…
#1 – We will NEVER be without a message as long as we are desperate for God’s voice.
#2 – We will NEVER make everyone happy; therefore, pleasing everyone should never be our goal.
#3 – We will NEVER be successful in ministry by immersing ourselves into full blown competition with other churches.
#4 – We will NEVER be content in life if we believe we have something to prove.
#5 – We will NEVER be able to serve Jesus to our maximum capacity if we are not actively obeying His commands to rest and disconnect. (See Isaiah 30:15)
#6 – We will NEVER accomplish what Jesus is calling us to accomplish if we are not willing to take risks.
#7 – We will NEVER do what God has called us to do alone…if He’s called us to accomplish something amazing then He will also surround us with the people to pull it off.
#8 – We will NEVER discover a strategy that has been the “secret” for church growth all along…because each church is different.
#9 – We will NEVER honor God by seeking to build “our brand” rather than building disciples.
#10 – We will NEVER achieve our maximum potential in ministry if our goal is simply to impress our online audience and, while doing so, neglect the people in our own community.
#11 – We will NEVER see people become who God is calling them to be if we make INFORMATION rather than TRANSFORMATION the goal.
#12 – We will NEVER see God’s power unleashed in our churches if we refuse to talk about Jesus and what HE did for us on the cross.
#13 – We will NEVER truly connect with the people we lead if we always pretend that we have it all together…people identify with our failures way more than our success’s.
#14 – We will NEVER be able to teach about self control with integrity if we are obese because we are gluttons.
#15 – We will NEVER be looked at as successful in ministry if we grow a great church, but sacrifice our family to do so.
#16 – We will NEVER see great things happen in our ministry if we believe that every great idea must come from us!
#17 – We will NEVER see staff members achieve their maximum potential if we don’t trust them…and if we don’t hold them accountable.
#18 – We will NEVER have a great staff if we make it their goal to serve us rather than serve Jesus!
#19 – We will NEVER successfully motivate the people we work with through manipulation and/or fear…if your vision isn’t enough motivation then there is a problem. (AND btw…if you take pride in the fact that people “fear you,” then it is obvious that there is no fear of God in you!)
#20 – We will NEVER honor God by compromising the vision He gave us in order to not ask so much of people.
-Perry Noble
Here’s a list of 20 things I believe we will NEVER do…
#1 – We will NEVER be without a message as long as we are desperate for God’s voice.
#2 – We will NEVER make everyone happy; therefore, pleasing everyone should never be our goal.
#3 – We will NEVER be successful in ministry by immersing ourselves into full blown competition with other churches.
#4 – We will NEVER be content in life if we believe we have something to prove.
#5 – We will NEVER be able to serve Jesus to our maximum capacity if we are not actively obeying His commands to rest and disconnect. (See Isaiah 30:15)
#6 – We will NEVER accomplish what Jesus is calling us to accomplish if we are not willing to take risks.
#7 – We will NEVER do what God has called us to do alone…if He’s called us to accomplish something amazing then He will also surround us with the people to pull it off.
#8 – We will NEVER discover a strategy that has been the “secret” for church growth all along…because each church is different.
#9 – We will NEVER honor God by seeking to build “our brand” rather than building disciples.
#10 – We will NEVER achieve our maximum potential in ministry if our goal is simply to impress our online audience and, while doing so, neglect the people in our own community.
#11 – We will NEVER see people become who God is calling them to be if we make INFORMATION rather than TRANSFORMATION the goal.
#12 – We will NEVER see God’s power unleashed in our churches if we refuse to talk about Jesus and what HE did for us on the cross.
#13 – We will NEVER truly connect with the people we lead if we always pretend that we have it all together…people identify with our failures way more than our success’s.
#14 – We will NEVER be able to teach about self control with integrity if we are obese because we are gluttons.
#15 – We will NEVER be looked at as successful in ministry if we grow a great church, but sacrifice our family to do so.
#16 – We will NEVER see great things happen in our ministry if we believe that every great idea must come from us!
#17 – We will NEVER see staff members achieve their maximum potential if we don’t trust them…and if we don’t hold them accountable.
#18 – We will NEVER have a great staff if we make it their goal to serve us rather than serve Jesus!
#19 – We will NEVER successfully motivate the people we work with through manipulation and/or fear…if your vision isn’t enough motivation then there is a problem. (AND btw…if you take pride in the fact that people “fear you,” then it is obvious that there is no fear of God in you!)
#20 – We will NEVER honor God by compromising the vision He gave us in order to not ask so much of people.
3rd Person Christian
Third-Person Christian
-Mark Betterson
I think some people are what I would call third-person christians. I'm not a grammarian, and I don't know if this metaphor holds up literally, but third-person christians read the Bible in the third-person. They think in terms of "they" instead of "me." They don't personalize it by reading it in first-person terms. And so Scripture is de-personalized.
Here's another example. Third-person christians attend church in the third-person thinking about the people in their life that "need to hear this message" rather than processing it personally! They talk about church in "they" terms instead of "we" terms.
Here's a thought. Simply insert the first-person "I" or "me" or "we" when reading the Bible. It helps you own Scripture. And more importantly, it helps Scripture own you.
-Mark Betterson
I think some people are what I would call third-person christians. I'm not a grammarian, and I don't know if this metaphor holds up literally, but third-person christians read the Bible in the third-person. They think in terms of "they" instead of "me." They don't personalize it by reading it in first-person terms. And so Scripture is de-personalized.
Here's another example. Third-person christians attend church in the third-person thinking about the people in their life that "need to hear this message" rather than processing it personally! They talk about church in "they" terms instead of "we" terms.
Here's a thought. Simply insert the first-person "I" or "me" or "we" when reading the Bible. It helps you own Scripture. And more importantly, it helps Scripture own you.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Evolution - Science or Religion?
Evolution - Science or Religion?
©2000 by Arlo E. Moehlenpah
When I wrote my book Creation Versus Evolution : Scientific and Religious Considerations, I pondered over several other possible titles. Among these were “Evolution - Hoax of the Centuries” and “Have You Been Brainwashed By Evolution?” I do not know how marketable the book would have been with one of these titles, but still feel these phrases have some merit. The reason I believe that the theory of evolution is a hoax is that the public has been brainwashed into believing that the theory of evolution is supported by scientific evidence. In most of the school boards and courts considering Creation versus evolution, the issue has been presented as religion versus science. They argue that Creation should not be taught in public schools because it is religion, but that evolution can be taught because it is science.
The theory of evolution is not scientific.
It is important that we know what science is and are able to distinguish between “science” and what is “falsely called science.” A typical definition of science is that it is a branch of study concerned with observation and classification of facts, especially with the establishment of verifiable general laws, chiefly by induction and hypothesis. Webster defines science as “systematized knowledge derived from observation, study, and experimentation…”. You can look at various dictionaries and get slightly different definitions but the key words will be “observation,” “experimentation,” “verifiable,” “testable,” and “repeatable.” In other words, if it cannot be observed, repeated, verified or subject to experimentation, then it is not scientific. Evolution has never been observed, repeated, verified nor has an experiment ever been performed regarding it. Thus evolution is not scientific.
The theory of evolution contradicts known scientific laws such as the law of biogenesis, the law of kinds and the second law of thermodynamics. The law of biogenesis is that life can only come from other life. Life does not spring from non-living things. This is what we observe and what the Bible teaches in Genesis 1, where various forms of life were created to reproduce. Perhaps the most difficult problem that evolutionists face is the question of how self-replicating life systems could form from non-living, non-replicating systems. Some evolutionists propose that in the beginning small inorganic molecules such as water, methane and ammonia, somehow by chance chemical reactions, formed amino acids. These amino acids supposedly combined to form proteins and eventually living cells. The idea that living creatures can be produced naturally from non-living substances is called spontaneous generation. Never has this been observed, repeated or verified, and thus this idea is not scientific. The law of kinds is that life reproduces after its own kind. The phrase after his kind is used at least ten times in the creation account (Genesis 1:11, 12, 21, 24, 25). This applies to both the plant and the animal kingdoms. Specifically mentioned are grasses, herbs, trees, fishes, birds , beasts and creeping things. What this means is that pear trees produce pears and not bananas or monkeys. Cows have calves and horses beget colts. In other words, “like produces like.” The theory of evolution contradicts the “law of kinds ” by saying that one kind of creature evolved into another kind.
The second law of thermodynamics shows that systems left to themselves go to a condition of greater disorder, probability and randomness. Hurricanes do not build buildings. Explosions in junkyards do not build airplanes. Earthquakes do not create living systems. Systems go from order to disorder. This contradicts evolutionary theory , which assumes that disordered particles eventually evolved to form ordered life. The second law of thermodynamics also contradicts the idea that a Big Bang Explosion could have produced an ordered universe. For an ordered pattern to occur, there must be a designer and energy. The orderliness of the universe and the complexity of living organisms confirm the work of a divine Creator. Our ordered universe could not have developed from chaos. There are no exceptions to the second law of thermodynamics. Evolutionists try to point out that snowflakes forming, trees growing and embryos developing are exceptions to the second law. Snowflakes and other crystals form because of the sizes and shapes of atoms, ions and molecules that predetermine the shapes of the crystals. For example, if you dropped some marbles on a Chinese checkerboard, the marbles would take the pattern of the indentations on the board. This “disorder to order” is really not that at all, but is rather that the marbles are falling into a pre-designed order. Likewise, the order of a growing tree or a developing embryo has been pre-encoded into the cells of these systems.
Both Creation and evolution are religious views. The issue is not religion vs. science, but religion vs. religion. Any concept regarding origins is not scientific, in that origins were not and cannot be observed, repeated or verified. Scientists can only deal with present evidence. The choice of which theory to accept becomes a matter of faith. To accept something without evidence requires faith. Hebrews 11:1-3 states, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” The Christian believes that God created the universe, life and man, while the evolutionist believes that the universe, life and man somehow evolved without any supernatural direction. “Evolution cannot be proved or tested, it can only be believed.” Considering the majesty, beauty and complexity of the earth and universe, it is relatively easy to believe in Creation. But to believe that dead matter could create life, and have absolutely no evidence, requires faith of another order. Some believe that a cosmic egg of energy exploded to form chemical elements, stars , galaxies and finally people. Some even have the faith to believe that life was planted on earth by an unknown civilization from outer space. Since evolution cannot be observed, repeated or verified, it is no more “scientific” and no less “religious” than Creation. One person was asked, “Why aren’t you an evolutionist?” His reply was, “I don’t have enough faith to believe that random particles arranged themselves into ordered life.”
The zeal of Darwinists to evangelize the world with their theory makes it also seem like a religion. They see evolution as a light which illuminates all facts. To them evolution is the god they worship. Christians however recognize that the great Creator became our Savior and all of God’s fullness dwells in Him. Jesus Christ is the Light of the world and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.
©2000 by Arlo E. Moehlenpah
When I wrote my book Creation Versus Evolution : Scientific and Religious Considerations, I pondered over several other possible titles. Among these were “Evolution - Hoax of the Centuries” and “Have You Been Brainwashed By Evolution?” I do not know how marketable the book would have been with one of these titles, but still feel these phrases have some merit. The reason I believe that the theory of evolution is a hoax is that the public has been brainwashed into believing that the theory of evolution is supported by scientific evidence. In most of the school boards and courts considering Creation versus evolution, the issue has been presented as religion versus science. They argue that Creation should not be taught in public schools because it is religion, but that evolution can be taught because it is science.
The theory of evolution is not scientific.
It is important that we know what science is and are able to distinguish between “science” and what is “falsely called science.” A typical definition of science is that it is a branch of study concerned with observation and classification of facts, especially with the establishment of verifiable general laws, chiefly by induction and hypothesis. Webster defines science as “systematized knowledge derived from observation, study, and experimentation…”. You can look at various dictionaries and get slightly different definitions but the key words will be “observation,” “experimentation,” “verifiable,” “testable,” and “repeatable.” In other words, if it cannot be observed, repeated, verified or subject to experimentation, then it is not scientific. Evolution has never been observed, repeated, verified nor has an experiment ever been performed regarding it. Thus evolution is not scientific.
The theory of evolution contradicts known scientific laws such as the law of biogenesis, the law of kinds and the second law of thermodynamics. The law of biogenesis is that life can only come from other life. Life does not spring from non-living things. This is what we observe and what the Bible teaches in Genesis 1, where various forms of life were created to reproduce. Perhaps the most difficult problem that evolutionists face is the question of how self-replicating life systems could form from non-living, non-replicating systems. Some evolutionists propose that in the beginning small inorganic molecules such as water, methane and ammonia, somehow by chance chemical reactions, formed amino acids. These amino acids supposedly combined to form proteins and eventually living cells. The idea that living creatures can be produced naturally from non-living substances is called spontaneous generation. Never has this been observed, repeated or verified, and thus this idea is not scientific. The law of kinds is that life reproduces after its own kind. The phrase after his kind is used at least ten times in the creation account (Genesis 1:11, 12, 21, 24, 25). This applies to both the plant and the animal kingdoms. Specifically mentioned are grasses, herbs, trees, fishes, birds , beasts and creeping things. What this means is that pear trees produce pears and not bananas or monkeys. Cows have calves and horses beget colts. In other words, “like produces like.” The theory of evolution contradicts the “law of kinds ” by saying that one kind of creature evolved into another kind.
The second law of thermodynamics shows that systems left to themselves go to a condition of greater disorder, probability and randomness. Hurricanes do not build buildings. Explosions in junkyards do not build airplanes. Earthquakes do not create living systems. Systems go from order to disorder. This contradicts evolutionary theory , which assumes that disordered particles eventually evolved to form ordered life. The second law of thermodynamics also contradicts the idea that a Big Bang Explosion could have produced an ordered universe. For an ordered pattern to occur, there must be a designer and energy. The orderliness of the universe and the complexity of living organisms confirm the work of a divine Creator. Our ordered universe could not have developed from chaos. There are no exceptions to the second law of thermodynamics. Evolutionists try to point out that snowflakes forming, trees growing and embryos developing are exceptions to the second law. Snowflakes and other crystals form because of the sizes and shapes of atoms, ions and molecules that predetermine the shapes of the crystals. For example, if you dropped some marbles on a Chinese checkerboard, the marbles would take the pattern of the indentations on the board. This “disorder to order” is really not that at all, but is rather that the marbles are falling into a pre-designed order. Likewise, the order of a growing tree or a developing embryo has been pre-encoded into the cells of these systems.
Both Creation and evolution are religious views. The issue is not religion vs. science, but religion vs. religion. Any concept regarding origins is not scientific, in that origins were not and cannot be observed, repeated or verified. Scientists can only deal with present evidence. The choice of which theory to accept becomes a matter of faith. To accept something without evidence requires faith. Hebrews 11:1-3 states, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” The Christian believes that God created the universe, life and man, while the evolutionist believes that the universe, life and man somehow evolved without any supernatural direction. “Evolution cannot be proved or tested, it can only be believed.” Considering the majesty, beauty and complexity of the earth and universe, it is relatively easy to believe in Creation. But to believe that dead matter could create life, and have absolutely no evidence, requires faith of another order. Some believe that a cosmic egg of energy exploded to form chemical elements, stars , galaxies and finally people. Some even have the faith to believe that life was planted on earth by an unknown civilization from outer space. Since evolution cannot be observed, repeated or verified, it is no more “scientific” and no less “religious” than Creation. One person was asked, “Why aren’t you an evolutionist?” His reply was, “I don’t have enough faith to believe that random particles arranged themselves into ordered life.”
The zeal of Darwinists to evangelize the world with their theory makes it also seem like a religion. They see evolution as a light which illuminates all facts. To them evolution is the god they worship. Christians however recognize that the great Creator became our Savior and all of God’s fullness dwells in Him. Jesus Christ is the Light of the world and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.
Expanding Your Praise Vocabulary
Expanding Your Praise Vocabulary
©2001 by Arlo E. Moehlenpah
Let's consider a hypothetical family of four persons - a father, a mother, a daughter, and a son. To this family of four was born a healthy, seemingly normal, baby boy. When the baby boy was 9 months old he said his first word, "Da-Da." The father was so proud and said, "That's my boy!" Months later the baby boy said, "Ma-Ma," and the mother was equally proud. A few months later the baby boy said "Sissy," and the older sister was pleased. Likewise the brother was delighted when a few months later the baby boy said, "Bubba." When the baby boy reached two years of age he could still only say four words "Da-Da, Ma-Ma, Sissy," and "Bubba." They did, however, teach him to say "Da-Da" and clap his hands at the same time. When he was three he could hop up and down and say "Ma-Ma. "When he was four he could run and say, "Sissy" at the same time. When he was five he could dance a little jig and simultaneously say, "Bubba." Later he could run and clap and say "Da-Da" all at the same time. When the little boy entered school and could still say only the four words, "Da-Da, Ma-Ma, Sissy," and "Bubba," the parents were embarrassed.
When I was in Junior High School I was put in an experimental group where they endeavored to teach Spanish to seventh graders. I learned to count, "Uno, dos, tres, quatro. Also I learned an introductory phrase, "Como esta usted?" The teacher repeatedly would say to me a phrase in Spanish that went something like "A-e-i-o-oo, el burro sab d mas que tu." I never learned to write it, and I never learned what it meant until many years later when our family went out to eat with the Robert Nix family who were missionaries to Peru at that time. I quoted this phrase, and they began to laugh. They then told me it meant, "A donkey knows more than you!" At another time when I visited my former pastor, Oliver Spencer, in New York City, I rode the subway to the church location and arrived there early before the doors were unlocked. A number of people were gathered near the front door to keep out of the rain. Assuming that they were Spanish and trying to be friendly I greeted them with my learned phrase, "Como esta usted?" They quickly replied using a host of words, but unfortunately, I didn't understand a one. When they saw that I didn't understand they said something like, "No comprehende." I figured that meant "no comprehension." So I replied, "No comprehende," and shrugged my shoulders. My vocabulary and knowledge of Spanish was totally inadequate. Juan Carlos Ortiz points out in his book Disciple that many Pentecostals have primarily learned only four phrases to praise the Lord. They are "Hallelujah," "Praise the Lord," "Glory to God," and "Amen." Just as the four-word vocabulary of the hypothetical boy was totally inadequate when he entered school, so is our limited praise vocabulary. Often when a person steps to a Pentecostal pulpit he begins by saying, "Praise the Lord." Instead of praising the Lord the audience repeats the command, "Praise the Lord." This is like having a person tell you "Please shut the door," and instead of shutting the door you repeat back, "Please shut the door." Part of our problem, I'm sure, is habit, but for many of us we need to expand our praise vocabulary.
It is very difficult for most of us to learn a new language. I personally have taken the equivalent of German I three times and still feel totally inadequate trying to converse in German. Ortiz says, "As far as God is concerned there are only two languages in the world. The Ianguage of his kingdom and the language of the kingdom of darkness. The first is the Ianguage of praise; the second is the language of complaint." Just as I quickly run out of words in Spanish and German, so it is with some Christians. We quickly run out of the few praise words that we have learned in the church and revert back to the language of complaining. We need to expand our praise vocabulary.
The word "praise" originally meant "to set a price on," that is, to appraise something. It means to commend the worth of or express approval. Four times in Psalm 107 the writer entreats us, "O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men." As my great-aunt Susie Malles used to say, "I have much to praise the Lord for." There are many things to praise the Lord for rather than just limiting yourself to "Hallelujah," "Praise the Lord," "Glory to God," and "Amen."
Who should praise the Lord? "Oh praise, the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people" (Ps. 117:1). "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord" (Ps. 150:6). Where should we praise the Lord? "Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders" (Ps. 107:32). "I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude" (Ps.109:30). When should we praise the Lord? "Seven times a day do I praise thee" (Ps. 119:164). "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth" (Ps. 34:1). How should I praise the Lord? "I will praise thee, O, Lord, with my whole heart" (Ps. 9:1). Psalm150 says to praise him with the trumpet, psaltery, harp, timbrel, dance, stringed instruments, organs, and cymbals. It seems to say, "Praise him with whatever you have available." Why should we praise the Lord? "Praise the Lord: for the Lord is good" (Ps.135:3). "Praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth" (Ps. 138:2). "Praise him for his mighty acts" (Ps. 150:2).
You only need to read the Bible to learn of the many wondrous things God has done for which we should praise him, but not only should we praise Him for what he has done, but for who He is. "Praise Him according to His excellent greatness" (Ps. 150:2).
When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray he taught them to begin and end their prayers with praise. I sincerely believe the Lord wants more than just a few repetitive, habitual phrases. The Bible speaks often of growing in grace and in knowledge. By just thinking and meditating we can expand our praise vocabulary. It was suggested to me once that we could praise God with words and phrases beginning with letters of the alphabet in order. For example, He is: Alpha and Omega, the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Almighty God, the Beginning and the End, bigger than all our problems, our Counselor, and Deliverer, the One in whom we delight, the Example that we should follow, our Friend, the Good' Shepherd, Great and Greatly to be praised, the Healer of all our diseases, high and lifted up, the Holy One of Israel, the great I Am, Jesus, Jehovah is become my salvation, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world, the Mighty God, (Oh, Magnify the Lord with me), Near, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, a Present help in the time of need, my Provider, the Prince of Peace, the Quickener of my spirit, my Redeemer, the Ransom that was paid for my redemption, my Savior and Soon coming King, the One in whom I trust, Universal, Victorious, and Wonderful. I have trouble thinking of something that begins with "X," but by this time in worship and prayer I no longer need a crutch to lean on; my soul is rejoicing in Him. I recognize that all the promises of God are "Yea," and "exceeding, great and precious" and the Zeal of the Lord fills my temple. By using a concordance you can find many other words and phrases to praise Him for, His "excellent greatness."
Sometimes I begin to thank and praise Him that "I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Ps. 139:14). I start with the visible parts of my body thanking Him for eyes to see, ears to hear, a mouth to speak, feet to walk, and so forth. Then I start thanking Him for the invisible parts of my body, especially thanking Him if I know the function of these parts. I thank Him for parts of the body such as my heart that pumps blood, my bones and muscles which enable me to move, and my brain which enables me to think, understand and talk. The more you know about the human body, the more you recognize God's greatness. In addition to the physical body I thank Him for the spiritual body, my brothers and sisters in the Lord.
I would like to challenge the readers of this article to begin praising God rather than repeating the phrase when someone says "Praise the Lord." I wonder what would happen if for the next 30 days you would purposefully try to use words other than "Hallelujah," "Praise the Lord," "Glory to God," and "Amen" to praise the Lord. There is nothing wrong with these words, no more than "Da-Da, Ma-Ma, Sissy, and Bubba,"or "uno, dos, tres, or quatro." I'm just trying to encourage you to expand your praise vocabulary. Peter said, "That you should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light" (II Peter 2:9). Let's do it!
©2001 by Arlo E. Moehlenpah
Let's consider a hypothetical family of four persons - a father, a mother, a daughter, and a son. To this family of four was born a healthy, seemingly normal, baby boy. When the baby boy was 9 months old he said his first word, "Da-Da." The father was so proud and said, "That's my boy!" Months later the baby boy said, "Ma-Ma," and the mother was equally proud. A few months later the baby boy said "Sissy," and the older sister was pleased. Likewise the brother was delighted when a few months later the baby boy said, "Bubba." When the baby boy reached two years of age he could still only say four words "Da-Da, Ma-Ma, Sissy," and "Bubba." They did, however, teach him to say "Da-Da" and clap his hands at the same time. When he was three he could hop up and down and say "Ma-Ma. "When he was four he could run and say, "Sissy" at the same time. When he was five he could dance a little jig and simultaneously say, "Bubba." Later he could run and clap and say "Da-Da" all at the same time. When the little boy entered school and could still say only the four words, "Da-Da, Ma-Ma, Sissy," and "Bubba," the parents were embarrassed.
When I was in Junior High School I was put in an experimental group where they endeavored to teach Spanish to seventh graders. I learned to count, "Uno, dos, tres, quatro. Also I learned an introductory phrase, "Como esta usted?" The teacher repeatedly would say to me a phrase in Spanish that went something like "A-e-i-o-oo, el burro sab d mas que tu." I never learned to write it, and I never learned what it meant until many years later when our family went out to eat with the Robert Nix family who were missionaries to Peru at that time. I quoted this phrase, and they began to laugh. They then told me it meant, "A donkey knows more than you!" At another time when I visited my former pastor, Oliver Spencer, in New York City, I rode the subway to the church location and arrived there early before the doors were unlocked. A number of people were gathered near the front door to keep out of the rain. Assuming that they were Spanish and trying to be friendly I greeted them with my learned phrase, "Como esta usted?" They quickly replied using a host of words, but unfortunately, I didn't understand a one. When they saw that I didn't understand they said something like, "No comprehende." I figured that meant "no comprehension." So I replied, "No comprehende," and shrugged my shoulders. My vocabulary and knowledge of Spanish was totally inadequate. Juan Carlos Ortiz points out in his book Disciple that many Pentecostals have primarily learned only four phrases to praise the Lord. They are "Hallelujah," "Praise the Lord," "Glory to God," and "Amen." Just as the four-word vocabulary of the hypothetical boy was totally inadequate when he entered school, so is our limited praise vocabulary. Often when a person steps to a Pentecostal pulpit he begins by saying, "Praise the Lord." Instead of praising the Lord the audience repeats the command, "Praise the Lord." This is like having a person tell you "Please shut the door," and instead of shutting the door you repeat back, "Please shut the door." Part of our problem, I'm sure, is habit, but for many of us we need to expand our praise vocabulary.
It is very difficult for most of us to learn a new language. I personally have taken the equivalent of German I three times and still feel totally inadequate trying to converse in German. Ortiz says, "As far as God is concerned there are only two languages in the world. The Ianguage of his kingdom and the language of the kingdom of darkness. The first is the Ianguage of praise; the second is the language of complaint." Just as I quickly run out of words in Spanish and German, so it is with some Christians. We quickly run out of the few praise words that we have learned in the church and revert back to the language of complaining. We need to expand our praise vocabulary.
The word "praise" originally meant "to set a price on," that is, to appraise something. It means to commend the worth of or express approval. Four times in Psalm 107 the writer entreats us, "O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men." As my great-aunt Susie Malles used to say, "I have much to praise the Lord for." There are many things to praise the Lord for rather than just limiting yourself to "Hallelujah," "Praise the Lord," "Glory to God," and "Amen."
Who should praise the Lord? "Oh praise, the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people" (Ps. 117:1). "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord" (Ps. 150:6). Where should we praise the Lord? "Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders" (Ps. 107:32). "I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude" (Ps.109:30). When should we praise the Lord? "Seven times a day do I praise thee" (Ps. 119:164). "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth" (Ps. 34:1). How should I praise the Lord? "I will praise thee, O, Lord, with my whole heart" (Ps. 9:1). Psalm150 says to praise him with the trumpet, psaltery, harp, timbrel, dance, stringed instruments, organs, and cymbals. It seems to say, "Praise him with whatever you have available." Why should we praise the Lord? "Praise the Lord: for the Lord is good" (Ps.135:3). "Praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth" (Ps. 138:2). "Praise him for his mighty acts" (Ps. 150:2).
You only need to read the Bible to learn of the many wondrous things God has done for which we should praise him, but not only should we praise Him for what he has done, but for who He is. "Praise Him according to His excellent greatness" (Ps. 150:2).
When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray he taught them to begin and end their prayers with praise. I sincerely believe the Lord wants more than just a few repetitive, habitual phrases. The Bible speaks often of growing in grace and in knowledge. By just thinking and meditating we can expand our praise vocabulary. It was suggested to me once that we could praise God with words and phrases beginning with letters of the alphabet in order. For example, He is: Alpha and Omega, the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Almighty God, the Beginning and the End, bigger than all our problems, our Counselor, and Deliverer, the One in whom we delight, the Example that we should follow, our Friend, the Good' Shepherd, Great and Greatly to be praised, the Healer of all our diseases, high and lifted up, the Holy One of Israel, the great I Am, Jesus, Jehovah is become my salvation, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world, the Mighty God, (Oh, Magnify the Lord with me), Near, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, a Present help in the time of need, my Provider, the Prince of Peace, the Quickener of my spirit, my Redeemer, the Ransom that was paid for my redemption, my Savior and Soon coming King, the One in whom I trust, Universal, Victorious, and Wonderful. I have trouble thinking of something that begins with "X," but by this time in worship and prayer I no longer need a crutch to lean on; my soul is rejoicing in Him. I recognize that all the promises of God are "Yea," and "exceeding, great and precious" and the Zeal of the Lord fills my temple. By using a concordance you can find many other words and phrases to praise Him for, His "excellent greatness."
Sometimes I begin to thank and praise Him that "I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Ps. 139:14). I start with the visible parts of my body thanking Him for eyes to see, ears to hear, a mouth to speak, feet to walk, and so forth. Then I start thanking Him for the invisible parts of my body, especially thanking Him if I know the function of these parts. I thank Him for parts of the body such as my heart that pumps blood, my bones and muscles which enable me to move, and my brain which enables me to think, understand and talk. The more you know about the human body, the more you recognize God's greatness. In addition to the physical body I thank Him for the spiritual body, my brothers and sisters in the Lord.
I would like to challenge the readers of this article to begin praising God rather than repeating the phrase when someone says "Praise the Lord." I wonder what would happen if for the next 30 days you would purposefully try to use words other than "Hallelujah," "Praise the Lord," "Glory to God," and "Amen" to praise the Lord. There is nothing wrong with these words, no more than "Da-Da, Ma-Ma, Sissy, and Bubba,"or "uno, dos, tres, or quatro." I'm just trying to encourage you to expand your praise vocabulary. Peter said, "That you should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light" (II Peter 2:9). Let's do it!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Disturbed
Disturbed! November 3, 2009
-Perry Noble
“Being filled with vision doesn’t always mean that God is inspiring us…but rather that He’s disturbing us!”
AND…I can’t get that thought out of my mind.
My fear for those of us in ministry is that we don’t want to be disturbed…we want things to come easy, for the dots to always connect and for the story to always have a happy ending.
BUT…the more I read the Scriptures the more I see that the visions that resulted in the biggest impact were the ones that were the most disturbing to the people who received them.
* Moses was DISTURBED that a nation was enslaved…and for 40 years he dedicated himself to God’s vision.
* David was DISTURBED that Goliath mocked God and Israel…and he walked where no one else was willing to walk to try what no one else was willing to try.
* Nehemiah was DISTURBED that the walls had been torn down in Jerusalem…and he established a plan and relentlessly followed through on all that God had put in his heart.
* Esther was DISTURBED that her people were going to be destroyed…and she placed personal preference and comfort aside and risked her life in order to do what was right.
* The prophets in the OT were DISTURBED that people were living in rebellion against the voice of the Lord…and were willing to be unpopular so that His truth could be proclaimed.
* Paul was DISTURBED that religion was trumping a relationship with God…and ultimately gave his life for the spreading of the message that Jesus, not religion, saves.
Great leaders are the ones who are willing to allow God to disturb them, to bother them…to make the vision so personal that they don’t just think about it…they feel it!!!
We aren’t called to seek comfort, affirmation from others, convenience, popularity, personal preferrences and safety! The leaders that we admire in the Scriptures didn’t…and JESUS NEVER modeled that for us!!!
We are called to be disturbed!
I am praying that God will raise up more and more leaders who lead out of a burden rather than boredom…
Who lead out of conviction rather than convenience.
Who lead out of vision and not just “wishin!”
Who lead with passion rather than apology.
We are called to be disturbed…to be broken over the things that break HIS heart!!!
Disturb us God!
-Perry Noble
“Being filled with vision doesn’t always mean that God is inspiring us…but rather that He’s disturbing us!”
AND…I can’t get that thought out of my mind.
My fear for those of us in ministry is that we don’t want to be disturbed…we want things to come easy, for the dots to always connect and for the story to always have a happy ending.
BUT…the more I read the Scriptures the more I see that the visions that resulted in the biggest impact were the ones that were the most disturbing to the people who received them.
* Moses was DISTURBED that a nation was enslaved…and for 40 years he dedicated himself to God’s vision.
* David was DISTURBED that Goliath mocked God and Israel…and he walked where no one else was willing to walk to try what no one else was willing to try.
* Nehemiah was DISTURBED that the walls had been torn down in Jerusalem…and he established a plan and relentlessly followed through on all that God had put in his heart.
* Esther was DISTURBED that her people were going to be destroyed…and she placed personal preference and comfort aside and risked her life in order to do what was right.
* The prophets in the OT were DISTURBED that people were living in rebellion against the voice of the Lord…and were willing to be unpopular so that His truth could be proclaimed.
* Paul was DISTURBED that religion was trumping a relationship with God…and ultimately gave his life for the spreading of the message that Jesus, not religion, saves.
Great leaders are the ones who are willing to allow God to disturb them, to bother them…to make the vision so personal that they don’t just think about it…they feel it!!!
We aren’t called to seek comfort, affirmation from others, convenience, popularity, personal preferrences and safety! The leaders that we admire in the Scriptures didn’t…and JESUS NEVER modeled that for us!!!
We are called to be disturbed!
I am praying that God will raise up more and more leaders who lead out of a burden rather than boredom…
Who lead out of conviction rather than convenience.
Who lead out of vision and not just “wishin!”
Who lead with passion rather than apology.
We are called to be disturbed…to be broken over the things that break HIS heart!!!
Disturb us God!
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