Redeem Christianity

April 23, 2012
2:50 pm
by: ScottJ

Seeker Sensitive, Welcoming, Easy Gospel

What’s wrong with telling people to simply pray a prayer of “repentance”, and “accept” Jesus into their heart to be saved for all eternity? What’s wrong with welcoming all people into the “Church”, no matter their belief or actions?

What’s wrong is that the result of this creates a society which fosters pride, hypocrisy, hate, and fear, to a degree far greater than that of predominately atheist societies. The result is lukewarm Christianity, a thing I dare say God hates more than unbelief.

“…All believers learn that God holds them responsible for their actions. So far so good, but for many, belief absolves them of all other responsibilities. Consciously or subconsciously, those who are “born again” or “chosen” have diminished respect for others who do not share their sect or their faith. Convinced that only the Bible offers “truth”, they lose their intellectual curiosity and their ability to reason. Their priority becomes not the world they live in but themselves.

The more people prioritize themselves rather than those around them, the weaker society becomes and the greater the likelihood of antisocial behavior…”

- Atheist Article

April 7, 2012
5:17 pm
by: ScottJ

Free will or election?

Countless books have been written on the subject, I propose to answer the riddle in a paragraph…

Arminius and Calvin had much similar beliefs, based on their books, than what the theologies of their followers have become. My personal opinion is that man chooses AND God elects based on nothing in man. God elects those he chooses, and therefore we are to worship his complete sovereignty and rest in His perfect will AND He commands us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. I think scripture gives room for this balanced, yet seemingly contradicting outlook when you consider Isaiah 55:8.

What if Calvinism and Arminianism actually say the same thing using different words?

Posted in Theology Tagged christian freedom, debating, election, free will, gift, God's love, surrender, theology

March 17, 2012
3:59 pm
by: ScottJ

The Love of Christ

“…to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge…”

Yesterday I was given an incredibly fresh revelation on the true love of Christ. Have you ever thought of Christ’s love as more of an external concept than a personal emotion? I would have to say that my concept has always been more of how a king might “love” his servant, in that, he provides food and shelter for him. This doesn’t even resemble Christ’s love. In reality, His love is full, complete, and tangible, the kind of love that we feel for ice cream.

Christ loves us like we love our best friend, or our favorite band’s best song – we always want more and it satisfies completely in the moment. In a similar way, we satisfy Christ, He loves us so much that his heart’s desire is to always be closer to us, He gets excited when we begin to worship and pray, as He knows that means we will allow Him to get close to us.

He was willing to give EVERYTHING on the cross with the faith to believe that the end result would allow us to come close to him.

What if we loved Him in a similar way……what if we loved others also….?

Posted in God's Love Tagged freedom, God's love, God's provision, hunger, Jesus, love, prayer, true Christian, true grace, worship

March 10, 2012
10:25 am
by: ScottJ

Satisfied limping in?

Have you ever noticed pastors saying, “I felt the spirit leading me to…”, and in the very next breathe, “God doesn’t speak to us anymore…”. I too have been guilty of this in the past, I fully believed that the spirit “led me to bible college”, yet I would have late night debates with “the Pentecostals” about whether God still speaks to us and whether or not the Spirit still gives us power.

I don’t remember any verse of scripture saying that the Holy Spirit is limited to speaking in gentle leadings. What I seem to remember from the New Testament is that the Holy Spirit will give us visions, dreams, prophecies, words of knowledge, and power. When I think back to my Bible college years, I would have to say that the primary reason I debated so vigorously the concept of cessationalism (the Holy Spirit gifts have ceased), would have had to have been fear. Fear of the unknown, fear I would be led astray. While these fears are absolutely valid, we must also trust our savior in believing that if we step out of the boat, He will be there to rescue us if we fall.

The reason for the Holy Spirit desiring to speak to us far more than most Christians want to believe is so that we might be strengthened and guided quicker and more directly toward fruitfulness and sanctification. Without the full power, and with only “gentle leadings”, we will undoubtedly plateau at a significantly unimpactful level, which really is one of enemies greatest strategies against The Church.

Posted in Theology Tagged cessationalism, debating, gift, God's provision, holy spirit, power, revival, rising kingdom, true Christian

March 8, 2012
9:03 am
by: ScottJ

Stop Manipulating – Stop Stressing

Two days ago I was sitting at a stoplight with so many cars in front of me that I knew the light would turn green, then red, then back to green and red before I made it to the intersection. As frustration began to well up, I heard God speaking out of left field about the concept of manipulation and forcing results.

We cannot force change in others, and manipulation is not from God. I work in sales and it can be so easy to become frustrated when rejection comes, when all of your work becomes void in one simple word, “no”. God never calls us to take on the challenges of this life in our own strength. He simply wants us to draw so close to him that, like Jesus, we do nothing unless the Father tells us to do it, we say nothing unless the Father tells us to say it. When we begin to walk in that place of divine guidance, there is no longer room for frustrating or stress, as God allows for both yeses and nos, according to His perfect will.

This concept doesn’t only apply to our careers, but also in our kingdom mission to make disciples and preach the gospel. Think about all the times you became frustrated when a close friend “fell away”, or when you tried to tell someone about the gospel and they laughed in your face. It is never our job to convert people, to bring people closer to God, or make them go to church. Our job is to listen to the Father, do what He tells us to do, and leave the results in His hands. Think of the freedom that will come when we fully embrace this truth. Maybe this is what Jesus really means when he states, “My burden is light, my yolk is easy”.

Matthew 11:30 – John 5:19

Posted in Dependence on God Tagged easy yolk, freedom, God's provision, holy spirit, Jesus, light burden, manipulation, rest, stress, submission to God, surrender

February 24, 2012
6:25 pm
by: ScottJ

Radical Prayer

What if we gathered the hungry hearts from churches around the city and began to pray, all day, every day for revival? We know revival is coming, but at the same time we know revival will only come to the degree to which we pray. Think of 100 christians you know…I imagine at least 4-5 of them are hungry to see revival through prayer. If there are 100,000 christians in your city, that is 4,000-5,000 desperate prayer warriors. What if we summoned that force to a common purpose, to cry to God to bring revival. Would each pastor of each church not be able to identify the hungry? Would those who are hungry not be willing to sign up for a 1 hour time slot?

Acts 1:¹⁴ These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers…..Pentecost

1792-1800 - This movement had started in Britain through William Carey, Andrew Fuller and John Sutcliffe and other leaders who began what the British called the Union of Prayer. Hence, the year after John Wesley died (he died in 1791), the second great awakening began and swept Great Britain. Out of that second great awakening, came the whole modern missionary movement and it’s societies. Out of it came the abolition of slavery, popular education, Bible Societies, Sunday Schools, and many social benefits accompanying the evangelistic drive.

In September 1857, a man of prayer, Jeremiah Lanphier, started a businessmen’s prayer meeting in the upper room of the Dutch Reformed Church Consistory Building in Manhattan. In response to his advertisement, only six people out of a population of a million showed up. But the following week there were fourteen, and then twentythree when it was decided to meet everyday for prayer. By late winter they were filling the Dutch Reformed Church, then the Methodist Church on John Street, then Trinity Episcopal Church on Broadway at Wall Street. In February and March of 1858, every church and public hall in down town New York was filled. More than a million people were converted to God in one year out of a population of thirty million. Effects were felt for forty years. Having begun in a movement of prayer, it was sustained by a movement of prayer.

Los Angeles: Azusa Street (1903-1906) – For three years 24-7 prayer continued, day-and-night at 312 Azusa Street until the summer of 1906 when Pentecostalism was finally born in an explosion of controversy…

Posted in Prophecy, Radical Change Tagged change, hunger, new church, prayer, prayer revival, radical prayer, revival, surrender, watchmen

February 18, 2012
3:28 pm
by: ScottJ

God’s master plan

As I gathered with a small group of hungry hearts and prayed for the great nation of America this morning, God spoke to me about what He is doing is the American church. What he has weaved and established is so much more glorious than I had ever previously thought. My whole life I have wondered why there are so many denominations, why there is so much fighting, if we are all truly ‘one body’ and if the book of Acts is accurate, why are we not of one spirit and one mind?

Well, we are. God has laid the framework for the largest revival this world has ever seen. He knew the culture of America, He knew how the ‘American dream’ caused men to establish organizations based on what they, individually, think is the best way to go about things. He allowed flawed men to build big buildings and organizations in order to prepare the hearts of a nation to receive the full outpouring of God’s voice.

Very soon we are going to see the shifting of the hearts of the leadership within the church. Very soon pastors of both big and small churches, CEOs of ‘Christian’ organizations, authors, bloggers, chairmen, and musicians are going to catch a glimpse of the true glory of our great God and their personal slants will melt away. When this happens, it will free the hearts of their followers to un-clench their religiosity and accept the fellowship of a creator who has been longing to have intimate communication with His bride.

Very soon revival is coming.

Prepare your hearts.

Get on your knees.

Posted in Prophecy Tagged encouragement, holy spirit, new church, prophecy, radical change, revival, revival is coming, watchmen

February 10, 2012
10:00 am
by: ScottJ

What are we living for?

In high school I was a ‘stoner’, I lived for the drug, I worked a part time job to pay for it, I spent my free time either pursuing it, or smoking it. School was fairly easy, so I did what I had to do to coast by. Typically I would smoke on my way to school, during my lunch break, after school, and before bed. My entire life revolved around one thing and little else was of concern. Oh, did I mention, during this time I also attended church every Sunday morning and went to youth group every Wednesday night.

How could a “Christian” who regularly attends church be so clearly living in such idolatry?

How can millions of people around the world do the same thing with different idols?

Think of the farmer who spends his his free time reading books about farming strategies and spends all his money on his family and saving for retirement. Think of the banker who spends his free time thinking of ways to increase his profits, and spends all his money on his family and saving for retirement. Oh, and both these people go to church weekly and give a “tithe” of their paycheck to their local church. How are these two lives any different from the life I experienced as a stoner in high school?

Matthew 6:17 “…when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face ¹⁸ so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. ¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; ²¹ for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ²² “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is ^[k]clear, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eye is ^[l]bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! ²⁴ “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and ^[m]wealth. ²⁵ “For this reason I say to you, ^[n]do not be worried about your ^[o]life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?….³³ But ^[s]seek first ^[t]His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be ^[u]added to you.”

Posted in Radical Change Tagged change, God's provision, hunger, radical change, relationship with Christ, righteousness, salvation, submission to God, true Christian

February 9, 2012
10:01 am
by: ScottJ

The Tree of Life – Is There a ‘Heaven’?

Last week God showed me two very similar passages and asked me to really think about my concept of heaven. Do I believe that God is more in the business of destroying, or restoring? Are we going to be taken away to a distant place we think of as ‘Heaven’, or is God going to redeem the earth?

God giving Ezekiel a vision of the restored Jerusalem….

Ezekiel 40:2 In the visions of God He brought me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, and on it to the south there was a structure like a city.

Ezekiel 47:12 By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”

God giving John a vision of what we often think of as ‘Heaven’….

Rev. 21:10 And he carried me away ^[g]in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

Rev. 22:1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, ^[a]clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of ^[b]the Lamb,² in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve ^[c]kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Posted in Theology Tagged debating, heaven, new church, new covenant, prophecy, theology, tree of life, watchmen

January 28, 2012
11:57 am
by: ScottJ

2011 was the year of decision 2012 is the year of results

In the scriptures, the number 11 is used very seldom, but when it is, it represents incompleteness, disorder, decisions, and judgement.

some examples…

Deuteronomy 1:2 There are eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea

After the eleven day journey, the Israelites chose not to trust in the Lord and were forced to wander for 40 years in the desert (killing off an entire generation). If they had chosen to trust in the Lord, they would have entered the promised land on the 12th day (speaking in terms of distance).

Another example of the use of 11 is found in story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife;

Joseph was eleven years in Potiphar’s house:

He was 30 years of age when he stood before Pharaoh (Genesis 41:46)		30
He was 17 years old when sold (Genesis 37:2,36)	17
He was 2 years in prison (Genesis 42:1)	2	19
30 minus 19 =		11

What would have happened if after 11 years of being a slave, he gave into temptation and slept with Potiphar’s wife?

In the new testament a powerful example of the 11/12 dynamic is in the beginning of the book of Acts. After Judas betrayed Jesus and killed himself, there remained only 11 disciples. Starting in Acts 1:15, we read; “…Peter stood up in the midst of the brethern…and said…it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us…one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection…”. Now read 1:26-2:4 “…Matthias…was added to the eleven apostles. When the day of Pentecost was being fulfilled, they were all together in one place…”. The day of Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit did not come until the incomplete group of 11 disciples became 12 again.

A few weeks ago on new years eve 2011, I was thinking and praying about what is coming for 2012, and God showed me these two verses…

Ezekiel 20:11 “I gave them My statutes and My ordinances…”

Ezekiel 20:12 “I gave them My sabbaths…”

The Mayans, scientists, conspiracy theorists, and Nostradamus tell us that the world is going to end in 2012. The world won’t end, but I do think that big change is coming. Large natural disasters are coming, and even larger revivals are coming to the church.

I write this not as a message of warning and fear, but rather a message of encouragement and exhortation to get ready, press in to God, and rejoice that a great harvest is soon coming!

Posted in Prophecy Tagged change, encouragement, end times, prophecy, rest, submission to God, surrender, watchmen