Lance Hickerson preaches on leadership principles from Psalm 23 and Ezekiel 34.

Here is a poster I adapted for the concept of Marriage Integrity.  In our current talking culture’s hourly attack on what is labelled traditional marriage, it is difficult to respond without being slandered by supposedly “progressive”  redefinitions.  For instance, to adopt their politically biased terminology and speak of a “ban” on X marriage is to forestall rational discussion of the issue.  To label someone as “banning X” is simply bald assertion and begging the question.   Nothing is being banned.  The integrity of marriage is simply being maintained.  Note the red equal sign on the thought police is there to mimic the “marriage equality” sign and movement whose talking class majority are swift to label and libel (meaning marginalize) those on the “wrong side” of political correctness.   The rainbow colored “marriage” is to show that natural marriage (joining a man and a woman) continues to unite men and woman across a rainbow of diversity.

Here is a poster I adapted for the concept of Marriage Integrity.  In our current talking culture’s hourly attack on what is labelled traditional marriage, it is difficult to respond without being slandered by supposedly “progressive”  redefinitions.  For instance, to adopt their politically biased terminology and speak of a “ban” on X marriage is to forestall rational discussion of the issue.  To label someone as “banning X” is simply bald assertion and begging the question.   Nothing is being banned.  The integrity of marriage is simply being maintained.  Note the red equal sign on the thought police is there to mimic the “marriage equality” sign and movement whose talking class majority are swift to label and libel (meaning marginalize) those on the “wrong side” of political correctness.   The rainbow colored “marriage” is to show that natural marriage (joining a man and a woman) continues to unite men and woman across a rainbow of diversity.

(Initial picture on Integrity before adaptation from site, “A Woman’s Journey to Life,”  March 22, 2013)

Youth Walk-a-Thon (09/29/2012):

Operation Christmas Child (11/18/2012):

Christmas Party (12/08/2012):

Spaghetti Dinner (02/16/2013):

Scavenger Hunt (03/09/2013):

[poor audio quality]

It was Wednesday night fellowship at church and I heard it–someone’s phone was “ringing” and the sound was the theme song of a greatly popular PBS series called “Downton Abbey.”   I know the tune well, for I have likewise become attached to the story.  It is about the goings-on in a lavish British manor house with its wealthy family and array of servants around and during the time of World War I.    The show is a wonderfully accurate period piece of the time in history properly called “post-Edwardian,” an era of great fashion, rigid social class, and political upheaval.

The show also illustrates the entrenched habits of the powerful period of English history that came just before Edwardian times, named in honor of the long reigning ruler of England, Queen Victoria (1837–1901).  Known as the Victorian Era, this time of great British influence implanted Victorian manners and style across the globe, including America.  Among the most striking of Victorian manners are strict social lines, low tolerance of crime, and marked RESTRAINT in matters of sexuality.   This led to an ideal manner of speaking and behaving that often made for persons to be inhibited and less emotionally direct.   The manner of emotional restraint became so ingrained that it was not simply expected; it was THE accepted and passed down manner of interacting.  It was so normal, that folks exercised restraint without consciously trying.    And restraint is certainly good.  But without “restraint on restraint,” there can be “over-restraint,” such that folks are shut down, inhibited and always holding back under all circumstances.

We might not realize it, but to be called “Victorian” used to be considered a high compliment.   Today, the label “Victorian” is most often used to insult people who seem stuffy, high mannered, and morally restrained.  This is because our age is a time of what could be called Expressionism.    As the latest western cultural fad, there is great emphasis on “expressing yourself,” “speaking out,” “coming out,” even acting out.”   These are all manners of expression.   For instance, a trendy behavior is that it matters not what you say, but that you say.  This is expressionism.   If the Victorians were sexually restrained, the Expressionists must be sexually UNrestrained.  Sound familiar?  We are living in the time of OVERREACTION to Victorian manners.  Yet the absurdity of Expressionism as a total way of life is lost on many who aren’t really listening but waiting to get their next word in (expression in) the conversation.  Expressionism is the natural enemy of and reaction to Victorianism.   But Expressionism is just as problematic for the person and society as Victorianism.   I will not go on about our current emphasis on “expression,” but the point is that I am not criticizing Victorian manners simply because it’s unpopular in our time of an equally extreme over-emphasis on expressing ourselves.

The apostle Paul laid down a wonderful principle in dealing with extremes like this.  He told the Galatian churches: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love” (Gal 5:6).   In Paul’s thinking, it is neither Victorianism or Expressionism that matters, but faith working through love.  Christians are not into extremes for the sake of reaction, but Christians are free to be extreme when the center of our life in Christ demands it.  We are not to be tossed to and fro in our common culture’s weary and frantic knee jerk reactions.  We act from higher principles, based in a Higher Person.

So what about Victorianism?  I want to suggest that for a large part of us at FH, the manners of Queen Victoria continue to hold a strong influence.  This is because many of us were born and raised in parts of the country where Victorian manners continue to be passed on.  And that is not all bad.  But what happens when we bring our Victorian Restraint into the worship service before God?   Is it possible that our inherited cultural restraint might become an inhibiting wall to worshipping the Lord?  I can answer that my confirmed Victorian background has definitely kept me from pouring out before the Lord.  It has meant that I have been just as concerned about holding back as about showing the Lord my worship and adoration.  I believe there are times when my restrained manners have kept me from intimacy with God.  In view of the vigorous Biblical worship of someone like King David, who danced before the Lord, I have to wonder whether my strict emotional thermostat is perceived by the Lord of Life as something close to frigidity.

So am I saying we should become “Pentecostals” or “Charismatics?”   No, and Yes.  The Biblical emphasis of both words must surely be true of us,:  1) that we are partakers of the Holy Spirit who came on the church at Pentecost, and 2)  that the Lord has given each one of the body “charismata” which are literally “little graces,” or “gracelettes”, which we call gifts or ministries of the Spirit.  Yet I am not saying we change the church sign, but I am saying there is much we can learn from the “Charismatic” churches about being emotionally available to God, especially in worship!   I am not recommending any particular manner of expression, such as raising hands or bowing down, but rather something more profound, and practical, because it is so basic to Christian life.  It starts with asking myself a question:  Is my emotional restraint more about me than the Lord?  In answering this question I find that the more I focus on the Lord, the less I am worried about managing impressions and privacy, and the more free I am to pour out worship before the God Who Is There—The Audience of One.

But what about the Scripture that says, “All things should be done decently and in order” (1Corinthians 14:40)?  The Scripture is certainly binding, but what is its context?   It was written to a church that was so highly expressive (yes Expressionism) that it was in danger of becoming chaotic.  As mentioned earlier–the extreme of Expressionism is just as problematic as Victorianism.   But a Scripture written to correct a hyper-drive, disorderly service does not necessarily teach the opposite extreme.  1 Corinthians 14:40 is only one Scripture on worship.  It is expedient that we consider others as well.  For instance, the Apostle Paul describes Four characteristics of the church to the believers in Philippi when he wrote:   For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—  (Philippians 3:3)  What does it mean to “worship by the Spirit?”  I doubt that if you asked Paul what he meant he would have said, “I mean raising your hands.”  No, Paul was speaking more profoundly of the very principle and power of Christian worship:  It is by-in-with-through the Holy Spirit of God.  So what does worshipping in the Spirit mean then?  Each one of us is given to grapple with this question before the Lord.  And the first One to ask for an answer is the Lord Himself:   “Lord, what do you mean by this?  Would you work this out in my life.”

The question is not simply for one point in life.  It is for all my life, for I am called to a growing  “worship relationship” with God in Christ.  It is properly “by-in-with-through” the Spirit.  Fortunately, worshipping in the Spirit can be done without my being fully aware or conscious of it, for He takes me out of myself and focuses me on the Lord with thanksgiving and awe.  I can worship by the Spirit and not even know an answer to the question.  But we can also be shown answers to the question, many in reflection (living forward, and thinking backward from the experience).  For instance, one “answer” for me was very simple yet important.  I started singing louder.  Yes that was it, but that was a big thing for me, and that is what I believe the Spirit was leading me into–more pouring out and expression in singing.  I do not believe the Spirit is finished answering.

So what is the bottom line of what I am trying to say here?  An answer cannot be some superficial list of practical remedies.  We are talking about an attitude of worship, and that is deeper, and ultimately the most practical.  Yet that is the Spirit’s work. I am asking if my holding back in worship is something that can actually cripple my worship and I think it’s true.  For the Spirit is leading us to pour out in worship before the Lord.  As with all worship issues, the question of allegiance comes to the fore.  Queen Victoria or the Holy Spirit?     LH

Kate was drawn to join in with Forest Home because of its similar prayer commitment.  She likes FH’s explicit competition with the national “news” by starting at 5:30 and holding up how “God is the News!”  While talking with Kate and her family, I learned a prominent Scripture that inspired her work, from Isaiah which reads: “Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter”  (59:14).  Truth fallen in the street is a powerful  image, and what is more, it directly applies as a word for our time.  Truth is not what it used to be.  For many younger among us, the temptation is to think of truth as like an interesting artifact in a museum, a relic from a primitive past, a quaint reminiscence for older folks, but not for those  “up-to-date enlightened ones” who can manufacture it ourselves and call it our own–truth easy, and  cheap.  Yet, more and more, the plastic toy truths of our time satisfy less and less.

“Truth fallen in the street,” assumes there is a place for truth to stand tall.  Higher truth that is; Truth that stands over the crowd and the lonely individual.  Even SomeOne standing over all.    But that is quite offensive to many moderns, who only admit a truth for the street, foot-level and fit only to be trampled by modern expediencies.  This is every modern person’s temptation, to trample truth in the street, to run over it on our way to a thousand other things.   The trampled turns to dust and blows away, with the next verse of Isaiah 59 coming true:  “Truth is nowhere to be found” (59:15).

Isaiah 59 reaches a high point of confession with “truth fallen (other versions say “stumbled”, 14) in the street.”   But much of the chapter unpacks just what “fallen, trampled truth” looks life.  Here are TEN of the timely but unfortunate cultural trends:

1.  Lying becomes socially acceptable, even expected (59:3) such that “No one calls for justice;
 no one pleads a case with integrity.
 They rely on empty arguments, they utter lies” (59:4).

2. Deception and Treachery become common on a personal and a governmental level.  It is like offering pure, white-shelled eggs which are in reality the eggs of vipers, ready to hatch and bite (59:5).

3.  Policies promoted and sold to the public as healthy are in reality poison (59:5,8).

4.  Innocent people get hurt, even suffering violence by a sin-permeated society  (59:3, 6, 7)

5.  Hope is a major social theme but the promised deliverance never comes (59:9, 11)

6.  There is social outpouring of anger (“growling like bears”; Occupy Protests?; 59:11)

7.  There is social outpouring of concern and mourning (“we moan like doves” 59:11)

8.  There is “rebellion and treachery against the Lord, turning our backs on our God” (59:13)

9.  There is social-political “inciting revolt and oppression” by manipulating the people through “uttering lies our hearts have conceived” (59:13).  The currently popular belief in the essential “goodness” of revolution is nothing new.

10.  Those who disagree with the “culture of lying” are persecuted:  “He who departs from evil makes himself a prey”  (59:15)

It is hard to deny the parallels between Isaiah 59 and our present time.  I have certainly tried to do so, as it is good and necessary to test with care whatever prophetic parallels we think we see.  But the prophetic parallels are strong indeed.  Just this morning, for instance, I learned of a serious breech of justice in Massachusetts as they charged a state crime lab chemist with lying about her non-existent chemistry degree and also of “faking drug results, forging signatures and mixing samples…”   She “tested more than 60,000 drug samples involving 34,000 defendants during her nine years at the lab. Defense lawyers and prosecutors are scrambling to figure out how to deal with the fallout.” (AP report).  The state attorney general said the “alleged actions corrupted the integrity of the entire criminal justice system …  There are many victims as a result of this.”  Telling for me, is that 25 years ago I would have been shocked by this, but I am not overly surprised today.

Truth has indeed fallen in the street for our general culture of lies.  But this culture is not the church.  We hold high the Infinite Personal God of the Bible.  Jesus lifted high on the cross and lifted high unto the throne of the Father —  these are high truths for us and our time.  We know who and whose we are.

So what do we do?  In the most important sense, only the Lord can redeem and heal a people (as expressed in 59:17 with the Lord Himself having put on battle armor to set things right).  But there is something highly significant for us as the Lord responds.  Isaiah 59:15–16 reports:  “The Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice.  He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede.”  The Bible does not often speak of what makes God wonder (or “appalled” or “astonished” as in other translations).  But verse 16 relates to us how the Lord Himself was “shocked that no one intervenes” (NET translation).  Hence the Lord’s astonished wondering is a question to us:  Where is someone to intercede?    Will it be said of our time as of Isaiah’s:  “There was no one to intercede?”   Since we have the advantage of the book of Isaiah, the example of the Lord Jesus, and the work of the Holy Spirit, how can we not be intercessors at a time like this?  The bare minimum we must do is also the most important thing we can do, and that is intercede.  Interceding means being before the Lord like Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, holding up a lost people, yes even ourselves, in fervent prayer.   Who will intercede?    LH

For the picture illustrations that go with the above please see the bulletin below.

FH Newsletter Aug 30th  (click to view)

If There Really is a God, Why Don’t People Notice? A Media Studies Approach   (link to article by Pete Lowman on line)

     Since we have witnessed two major political conventions within less than a month, we have a good context to understand the word and label:  Christian.  “The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch,”  “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name” (Acts 11:26; 1 Peter 4:16).  One may still find in print that the word “Christian” means “little Christ;” however, this is not accurate.  I find scholar John Polhill’s explanation most helpful:    “The term in Greek is Christianos  [Christianoi for plural].   It is a “Latin term in Greek disguise,” built on the Greek word for Messiah (Christos, “anointed one”), and the Latin suffix—ianus, which means “belonging to.”  A number of ianus formations are found in the contemporary Latin literature, generally referring to followers or partisans of someone.  For instance, the term Herodianoi  is found in Mark 3:6.  It refers to the partisans of King Herod.  The term Augustianoi came from the imperial title Augustus (“revered”).  It was borne by a group of avid young devotees of Nero in the early years of his reign.  The –ianus suffix was sometimes used of freedman to denote the patrons to whom they owed their liberty.”

The term “Christian” looks to be originally what outsiders called followers of Christ, perhaps mockingly as something like a “Christ sycophant.”  It’s political overtones show that Christians were perceived as enthusiastic and motivated devotees to the aims of the Jewish Messiah Jesus.  Considering the political flavor, the name is saying we are “Crazy for Christ.”  “Christ is our Cause,” and in good FH words, “We Choose Jesus.”  Wear the name well, for it says, “I’m affiliated, sold out, and proud to promote Jesus — the Real Lord, and King of Kings.”    We sometimes put a sign in our yard for a political candidate; Jesus asks us to put his sign in our life.     LH

Jean Frederic Oberlin (born Strasbourg, France, 1740 – d. 1826)  was an Alsatian churchman and a kingdom of God visionary.   [Alsace is an historic region of northeastern France]  He was educated at Strasbourg with the equivalent of a Ph.D. and in 1767 became pastor for a small village in the remote countryside of the nearby Vosges Mountains.  “There he spent the rest of his long life in labor for the material and spiritual improvement of his impoverished parishioners. He practiced medicine among them, founded a loan and savings bank, introduced cotton manufacture, helped the people build better roads, and brought in modern agricultural methods. His orphan asylums were the beginning of the many ‘Oberlinvereine” for the protection of children.” He established free schools, an itinerant library “…  and introduced the trades of masonry and blacksmithing throughout poor communities.”

”He was a man of rare spirituality, being frequently styled ‘a saint of the Protestant Church’, who preached each month three sermons in French and one in German.”

Oberlin’s visionary ways inspired two Americans to found a town and college in Ohio named in Oberlin’s honor.  The two friends shared a “mutual disenchantment with what they saw as the lack of strong Christian principles among the settlers of the American West. They decided to establish a college and a colony based on their religious beliefs, ‘where they would train teachers and other Christian leaders for the boundless most desolate fields in the West.’  They adopted ideas of Jean Oberlin who inspired them.  The college, founded in 1833, soon adopted the motto, “Learning and Labor.” In those days, tuition was free because students were expected to contribute by helping to build and sustain the community.   Of great social significance, the school founded by conservative evangelicals was the first American college to admit women as well as men. It also was the first college that promised to educate African-American men and women.   The college regularly admitted students of color beginning in 1835; the town and school strongly supported abolition of slavery and was a part of the “underground railroad.”   Although Oberlin would no longer likely be considered an evangelical school, its founding era is an inspiring picture of kingdom vision and values.  (sources various Oberlin education sites) LH

The man began to explain his perceptions of what was going on.  He had worked for the same company for the last 25 years or so.  Over time he had expanded the couple’s starter house into a mansion, while purchasing adjacent lands.  They were blissfully happy, at least so it appeared to him.  But despite all his budgetary expertise, there were constant discrepancies in the bank accounts.  When, for instance, he would make ready for one of his four fly fishing trips a year (his only real hobby), he would sometimes find less than adequate funds to make the trip, which he either postponed or cancelled.

When he got to the bottom of what was happening, he discovered each time that his beloved wife had made an “emergency” visit to Rodeo Drive to update her exceptional wardrobe.  She made exquisite purchases and wore them well, but budgetary matters were not on her radar.  She explained to her man her legitimate needs and how he was tempted to be scrupulously cheap, and how his problem-solving, penny-pinching attitude was robbing them of their blissful life together.  Nothing he could say would bring her to give a moment’s consideration of restraint.  Her common saying was, “You have bottomless pockets, dear.  Everybody knows that.   Spread some of that good stuff around.”

His wife did seem to be blissfully happy.  But deep down he expressed a gnawing insecurity that he was running his household the total opposite of his highly successful business, namely there is a basic rule about not spending more than you take in.   His wife insisted that his little  business rule did not apply at home, and that to speak of a budget was a means of withholding what belongs to her.  What is more, she insisted, and he quoted:  “To think there was a spending problem is a real problem.  That does not contribute to marital bliss.  You men always have to have a problem to solve.  There is no problem dear.  Sit down and enjoy the game on your 90” flat screen TV.”

The man sat forward in a grimaced sadness, “When I try to plan for our three children and college, it is definitely a challenge.  But tell me counselor, Do you think we have a problem?”

If you were the counselor, what would you say to the concerned man who has come to you for advice?  Should you simply send him on his way in “happy marital bliss?”   Consider well what you would say, for the dynamics of this marriage parallels a common dynamic between the citizens of America today.   If you are an American, you are in the “marriage.”   Pray for our country.  LH

What are the “big sins” of our day? No one is giving out “Scarlet Letters” these days, but society is still branding just the same. If I were to empty a tray of spent motor oil in the street gutter, I would experience outrage and likely more than verbal abuse. If I were identified “trying to convert someone” to Christianity, what would I experience? “Trying to convert someone” is not only unpopular, it is stigmatized. It is one of our society’s “big sins.” Attempting to convert someone is automatically (and unthinkingly) labeled as being bigoted, arrogant, and hateful. This is because our society’s default (unthinking) position is relativism. And when I “attempt to convert someone,” and I tend to buy into the label that evangelism involves being “arrogant, bigoted, and hateful”, and I feel ashamed and even curtail my evangelistic efforts, I am a closet relativist.

What is relativism? Here are some good insights from Boston area L’Abri Director Dick Keyes from a talk at Covenant Seminary of St. Louis back in 2003. “Relativism claims that we have a lot of people from different perspectives saying what they think ultimate truth is, but that these people are simply expressing their own beliefs. They are attempting to name what is not namable. Relativism claims that it does not make sense to talk about some religions being true and other religions being false; doing so brings the wrong categories to the discussion. To the relativist no religions are true or false. Certainly none are true in any way that would exclude any others being true. They are all true in that they do more or less the same job; they express the deepest human longings and are means for achieving social cohesion …”

So what is inauthentic (or “wrong”–that relatively forbidden word nowadays) about relativism? Number One: It claims the “Immaculate Perception.” Mr. Keyes points out that “relativism is an over-religion or a meta-religion that forces all religions into its mold. It sounds humble … but it produces a single vision of ultimate truth that excludes all other contenders. The relativist claims an immaculate perception of religious truth, but at the same time denies that anyone can have such a perspective.… . Relativism seems to have high moral ground. It seems to celebrate the plurality of religious beliefs and be tolerant, nonjudgmental, generous, and enlightened. It seems to celebrate the diversity of religious perspectives, but in fact the message of relativism is that it is the one exclusive and correct way to understand the full picture of religious diversity in the world. In fact, relativism is extremely absolutist! It assumes for itself the very status that it scorns when anybody else holds it.”

Number Two: Relativism is SLEEPWALKING! Mr. Keyes observes that “relativism … is very comforting. It tells us that it is impossible to be wrong in any way that matters. It is perfectly safe to be entirely wrong about God, or to totally ignore God and questions of God’s existence and relevance. Different views are differences only in preference – vanilla, chocolate, coffee, whatever. This way of looking at things encourages people to sleepwalk through the biggest choices of their lives.

It is relativism that is the opiate of the masses – especially in the modern university setting, where it deadens and discourages what could be enormously stimulating intellectual and spiritual discussion. Discussions of serious differences, however, too often are seen as dangerous and liable to offend somebody. Discussion of difference is put under the carpet as quickly as possible. But if we respect the plurality of religions, we are saying the choice between them is possible and necessary. God? No God? Which god? These are important questions that everybody ought to grapple with. We need an atmosphere that facilitates asking these questions and does not bury them in shame and fear of political incorrectness.… If everyone would admit to being an absolutist – and everyone with any conviction about God has to exclude somebody else’s view of God – there could be much more fruitful discussion.” Thanks Mr. Keyes for helpful insights. Relativism is a closet, with limited space and not much light. Come out.   LH

 Something of importance to me is nonprejudicial coverage of religious matters (under your category Faith and Values).  I was especially disappointed with the coverage of the Stand Up For Religious Freedom Rally on March 23rd.  There was some adequate On Line coverage the day of, but it did not appear to make the printed paper either that Saturday (next day) or Sunday.  Forgive me if I overlooked it that weekend.  Looking over the paper on both days, the layout and news values either day certainly appeared to have had room for this story.

But even of more concern, the story as reported (online March 24, April 1) was editorialized as an issue mostly about contraception, when the primary and stated reason folks came together was to defend and affirm the First Amendment Right of the free exercise of religion.   It was a 1) big and 2) interesting story because there were Catholics, Baptists, a Lutheran, a State Representative, a concerned medical doctor, and an African American Professor of Law from Vanderbilt speaking, singing, and praying in agreement.  That is unusual.  And not the typical “Conservative” thing as the (on line) story headline portrayed it.  I understand the need of some to label such matters this way, but this missed the logic and depth of what was going on.  Not that one had to agree with that logic, but it should at least be articulated such that such a rally with such diversity makes sense.

Furthermore, mentioning an alternate prayer vigil of a few days later at the capitol supporting the administration’s healthcare plan almost implied a sort of parity and balance to the Religious Freedom Rally.  With only about two dozen folks, it was not the same.  I understand the political need to frame matters as smaller (or bigger) than they really are–and with groups it’s called marginalization.  This most definitely happened in the reporting on the Stand Up For Religious Freedom Rally.  While covering the rally at the capitol the next day for Trayvon Martin, it was mentioned how other rallies occurred across the nation.  I find it a profound and neglectful oversight in failing to mention the other rallies that happened in connection with the Religious Freedom Rally in Nashville, to the order of 63,000 people at 143 different cites across nation   On a positive note,  a few of the prominent quotes were mentioned on line, but among the most interesting was not mentioned.  Quoting Roger Williams, the Baptist pioneer of American freedom from the 1600s: “To interfere with a person and his or her relationship with God is rape of the soul.”      

    The cry of rape is a strong claim and worthy of consideration.  I can’t help but think that if various groups associated with preferred agendas (that might fit a common and privileged secular narrative) had called “rape,” it would have been front page news the next day, and in the front section for several days following.

I realize it is difficult to report on Religion.    But there are many religious folks who deserve more even-handed treatment.   I cannot continue in my small way to support  this type of discrimination.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23

So that He (Jesus) might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:26–27

Do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ― You shall be holy, for I am holy.‖ 1Peter 1:14–16

Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. John 17:17

When we pray to be sanctified, are we prepared to face the standard of these verses? We take the term sanctification much too lightly. Are we prepared for what sanctification will cost? It will cost an intense narrowing of all our interests on earth, and an immense broadening of all our interests in God. Sanctification means intense concentration on God’s point of view. It means every power of body, soul and spirit chained and kept for God’s purpose only. Are we prepared for God to do in us all that He separated us for? And then after His work is done in us, are we prepared to separate ourselves to God even as Jesus did? “For their sakes I sanctify Myself.” The reason some of us have not entered into the experience of sanctification is that we have not realized the meaning of sanctification from God’s standpoint. Sanctification means being made one with Jesus so that the disposition that ruled Him will rule us. Are we prepared for what that will cost? It will cost everything that is not of God in us Oswald Chambers

Holiness extends to every part of our persons, fills up our being, spreads over our life, influences everything we are, or do, or think, or speak, or plan, small or great, outward or inward, negative or positive, our loving, our hating, our sorrowing, our rejoicing, our recreations, our business, our friendships, our relationships, our silence, our speech, our reading, our writing, our going out and our coming in—our whole man in every movement of spirit, soul, and body. Horatius Bonar

When God purifies the heart by faith, the market is sacred as well as the sanctuary. Martin Luther

Holiness is better than morality. It goes beyond it. Holiness affects the heart. Holiness respects the motive. Holiness regards the whole nature of people. A moral person does not do wrong in act; a holy person hates the thought of doing wrong.

F. B. Meyer was visiting in a Scottish home. It was washday, and the clothes were on the line. It began to snow, and soon the clothes did not look so white against the background of the snow. When Meyer remarked about it, the old Scottish landlady cried, “Mon, what can stand against God Almighty’s white!” When Isaiah saw the Lord in His holiness, he saw himself in his sinfulness and the people in their wickedness. A sense of God brought a sense of sin.

Pray not only against the power of sin, but for the power of holiness also. A haughty heart may pray against his sins, not out of any inward enmity to them, or love to holiness, but because they are troublesome guests to his conscience. His zeal is false that seems hot against sin, but is key–cold to holiness. A city is rebellious that keeps their rightful Prince out, though it receives not his enemy in. William Gurnall

I am not what I might be, I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I wish to be, I am not what I hope to be. But I thank God I am not what I once was, and I can say with the great apostle, ―By the grace of God I am what I am. John Newton

Develop a scriptural formula for holy living. Here is one possibility drawn from 1 Corinthians. When hesitant over a course of action, ask yourself:

Does this glorify God? (1Co 10:31)

Is this consistent with the Lordship of Christ? (1Co 7:23)

Is this consistent with biblical examples? (1Co 11:1)

Is this lawful and beneficial for me—spiritually, mentally, physically? (1Co 6:9, 10, 11, 12)

Does this help others positively and not hurt others unnecessarily? (1Co 10:33; 8:13)

Does this bring me under any enslaving power? (1Co 6:12) Joel Beeke

Ah, sirs, holiness is a flower that grows not in Nature’s garden. Men are not born with holiness in their hearts, as they are born with tongues in their mouths: holiness is a divine offspring: it is a pearl of great price, that is to be found in no nature but a renewed nature, in no bosom but a sanctified bosom. Thomas Brooks

There is nothing destroyed by sanctification but that which would destroy us. William Jenkyn

Holiness has love for its essence, humility for its clothing, the good of others as its employment, and the honor of God as its end. Nathanael Emmons

In the forests of northern Europe and Asia lives little animal called the ermine, known for his snow-white fur in winter. He instinctively protects his white coat against anything that would soil it. Fur hunters take advantage of this unusual trait of the ermine. They don’t set a snare to catch him, but instead they find his home, which is usually a cleft in a rock or a hollow in an old tree. They smear the entrance and interior with grime. Then the hunters set their dogs loose to find and chase the ermine. The frightened animal flees toward home but doesn’t enter because of the filth. Rather than soil his white coat, he is trapped by the dogs and captured while preserving his purity. For the ermine, purity is more precious than life. H.G. Bosch

He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.… Pursue holiness. Hebrews 12:10,14

Pursuing holiness opens the door for intimacy with the Lord and joy inexpressible. By nature it is costly on some levels. Holy living sets anyone apart, which means being different and thereby a target for derision and misunderstanding. This came out with talk about the praying NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, and it has recently made news with who might well be the female counterpart to Tebow—Lolo Jones. An Iowa native, Miss Jones is a 29-year old world class track star and Olympian who spoke out about being a virgin. On twitter she said, ―Yes I’m a virgin… I do so to honor God & future husband.‖ She explained in a TV interview this week, ―It’s just something, a gift that I want to give to my husband. But please understand this journey has been hard. If there’s virgins out there, I just want to let them know, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Harder than training for the Olympics, harder than graduating from college, has been to stay a virgin before marriage.‖ “I’ve been tempted. I’ve had guys tell me, they’re like, ‘Hey you know if you have sex it will help you run faster,’ ” Jones joked. Her response? “If you marry me, then yeah.”

Miss Jones takes it all in stride with quite a bit of humor, but her childhood was not so humorous. She grew up in deep poverty, more than once being homeless. Her parents were never married, and her father spent more than half his life in prison. Miss Jones has seen many hurdles, but has proven herself as an inspirational runner. This is especially so for those of us in the Christian race set before us (Hebrews 12). LH

It is encouraging to see how the events of redemption build upon one another. The Incarnation of Jesus as the firstborn son of Mary is a profound event of “God with us.” But the wondrous birth would mean little if Jesus did not live and minister among us as the Son of man and the Son of God. Jesus‟ lived a wondrous life, but His miracles and purity might benefit only a few had He not turned His heart toward Jerusalem as the Passover Lamb of God on the old rugged cross. But what would the cross have been without the Resurrection? It would have been a deafening defeat had Jesus not been raised in glory and designated God‟s beloved Son. The Resurrected Jesus went about 40 days, appearing to many folks, especially His apostles. Their hearts burned within them as they began to see how Jesus is the climax of the entire Covenant work of God as described in the Scriptures. They were full of worship. But was the redemption of God to stop at Resurrection? Certainly the Resurrection is a joyous cause of celebration on many counts, but there is yet another event of redemption—Jesus must be lifted up in ascension to the divine dimension (which we call heaven). While in no way negating His resurrection, and likely building on the deeper reality of what it means for the Son of God to be resurrected, Jesus ascends back to His Father.

So how does the Jesus‟ ascension enhance or complete the resurrection reality that proceeds it? It means that Jesus is accorded His full glory by being once again with the Father “sharing the glory they shared before the world existed.” (John 17:5). The ascension means that Jesus is not simply local and particular, but also universal and cosmic. He can truly claim to be Lord of Lords and King of Kings. He has risen and ascended to reign. He continues His royal ministry at the Father‟s right hand in living sacrifice, intercession, and Spiritual blessing as He calls us to participate as His new humanity and kingdom people in preparation for the New Heaven and New Earth when He comes again. LH

Here is a chart I found in a file (unsure of where it came from) showing an events of salvation timeline:

God’s Grandeur (1877)

by Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844–1889)

(This is an Italian sonnet having 14 lines, with the first eight on a subject and then a shift with the last six. It is necessary to understand the fourth line, which threw me for years: “Why do men then now not reck his rod?” This means: Why do humans not reckon, recognize or take into account the Lord‟s authority? The poem divides into three sections which are explained afterward.) LH

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.

It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;

It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil

Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?

—————–

Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;

And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;

And wears man‟s smudge and shares man‟s smell: the soil

Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

—————–

And for all this, nature is never spent;

There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;

And though the last lights off the black West went

Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs—

Because the Holy Ghost over the bent

World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

First section: The Lord’s presence is like an electric current (electricity was new at this time), a surging powerful flame. The grandeur is also reflected like light off foil, or rich like pressed olive oil.

Second section: Humans who may not “reck[on] His rod (consider the Lord’s authority) will continue the brokenness of the Fall with human detachment from nature and the attendant toil and ugliness.

Third section: The depth of nature still bears witness to the Lord’s creative ways in spite of brokenness. Note a reference to Genesis 1 and the Spirit of God brooding over creation

A prominent journalist was interviewing John Stott several years ago and thought it was unusual that the second most known preacher in the world (Billy Graham being most known) was an avid bird watcher. He asked Stott, “What does bird watching have in common with preaching?” Stott‟s answer is instructive for us all. LH

I think it t has this in common, that the God we believe in, the God of the Biblical Revelation, is the God both of nature and of Scripture. It was I think Sir Francis Bacon, one the early scientists, Christian scientists, who first said God has written two books, not just the book of Scripture, but the book of nature. Since He has written these books He wants us to read them, and to think His thoughts after Him, and therefore nature study and Bible study go hand in hand. I believe that many of us evangelical Christians have a good doctrine of redemption, but a bad doctrine of creation. We need to develop our doctrine of creation and take an interest in some branch of natural history. For me it’s birds, for others it could be butterflies, or insects, or botany, plants, flowers, or the stars, or anything–but something of the creation ought to occupy our

attention and He means us to think His thoughts after Him as we study both the natural world in science and the Biblical world. (Source: Bill Turpie).

John Wooden (1910–2010) lived within four months of being 100 and had a profound influence on those he coached.  He is famous for building the UCLA basketball dynasty that won 10 NCAA national championships (including seven in a row), eighty-eight straight games and four non-defeated seasons.  He was a public figure and a man of faith who made no apologies for being a Christian.  Wooden read the Bible every day, sometimes more than once.  He kept a New Testament on his desk which players sometimes thumbed through while waiting for him to get off a phone call.

Wooden’s  favorite passage of Scripture was 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter.  He was known to say, “Love is the greatest word in the English dictionary.”  He was living out one of his more common sayings:  “Drink Deeply from Good Books, Including THE Good Book.”

While basketball was obviously important to Coach Wooden, at the “same time he always tried to make it clear that basketball is not the ultimate.  It is of small importance in comparison to the total life we live.  There is only one kind of a life that truly wins, and that is the one that places faith in the hands of the Savior.” Wooden served for years as a deacon of the First Christian Church in Santa Monica.  Sundays were set apart for him as time for worship and family.

Over the years, Wooden distilled his thoughts into sayings which he called maxims.  “I have a fondness for maxims because they convey so much with so little.”  What follows are some of his influential maxims:

Don’t mistake activity for achievement.

Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.

I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know who holds the future. (quoting his father)

You’ll be much happier if you spend as much time thinking about your blessings as you do about your troubles.  In this regard, it is helpful to forget favors given and remember those received.

Make each day your masterpiece.

A player who makes the team great is better than a great player.

The best way to improve the team is to improve yourself.

Be quick, but don’t hurry.

If you keep too busy learning the tricks of the trade, you may never learn the trade.

Success is never final.  Failure is never fatal.  It’s courage that counts.  (quoting Churchill)

Don’t let making a living prevent you from making a life.

Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.

It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit.

Happiness begins where selfishness ends.

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.

There is nothing stronger than gentleness.

“I pray Thee, O God, that I may be beautiful within.” (Quoting Socrates)

Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.

He would quote a favorite Poem from Henry Van Dyke:

Four things a man must do /  If he would make his life more true / To think without confusion clearly /  To love his fellow man sincerely  / To act from honest motives purely / To trust in God and heaven securely.

Coach Wooden’s strong personal devotion is illustrated by a story he told:   “In 1943 when I was entering the Navy, my pastor gave me a little silver cross to carry with me.  I still have it and, in fact, held it in my hand for every single game I ever coached when I returned from the service—not for good luck, not to help us win, but to remind me of who I am.  When my final day arrives, if you search my pocket you will find that little silver cross.  It served me well.  I hope I served it equally well.”    LH

The Creation of the Community of Christ through the Holy Spirit Hand OUT

Slides for Sermon Not Like the Gentiles  (click to view)

     The Beatitudes were Jesus’ beginning statement in the Sermon on the Mount which began with, “Blessed are …..”    Do you recall the last Beattitude mentioned by the Lord?  It is in Matthew 5:11:  “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Jesus’ Beattitudes that began with “Blessed are the poor in spirit,”  reach a counter-intuitive crescendo.  It is only natural to ask for clarification:  “Lord, Do you mean 1) that You expect us to be reviled by others and persecuted, and 2) that we are to see this as blessed???”  I believe the Lord is saying YES to both.  Of course our natural human protests, “Isn’t everybody supposed to like us?”  And Jesus no doubt would say NO!  Instead, we should expect persecution and all types of verbal abuse.  One blessing of the persecuted is that it marks our authenticity as disciples (when we are truly persecuted “on His account” and not for our unfaithful caricatures of Jesus.)   The onslaught of verbal assassination and other persecution is one of the most sure indicators we are right in the middle of doing the Lord’s will.  And counterintuitively before the Lord, it becomes a strange form of encouragement.

Will we follow a Lord who calls us to this kind of social embarrassment and suffering?  It is not that we actively seek revilement, but that in the natural course of discipleship, following the earlier beatitudes for instance, we will provoke the ire of people who are “convicted” by our words and behavior.  The revilers reveal that they have alternate visions of what the kingdom of God looks like, conflicting views of what it means to show care and compassion, and ultimately different pictures of Jesus.

The current worldly picture of Christ here in America is “Jesus the Nice Guy who Cares.”  And there is truth to this picture, as in any caricature.  It is hard for Christians here to correct and deepen this picture of Jesus, for we are tempted daily to buy into it, to be nice like the world thinks Jesus is nice.  But this would ultimately lead to our denying the Christ who was an equal offender of the religious (Pharisees) and the worldly (Sadducess and Herodians) who together planned to kill Him.  One could just as accurately paint a portrait of Jesus on the other end of the spectrum, along the lines of “Christ the Controversialist.”  Sure enough, Jesus is nice and caring–BUT on His own terms.  He is not preoccupied as are his 21^st century disciples with being perceived as caring.  In fact, Jesus’ form of caring was often downright offensive and troubling.  Pure and authentic compassion has to be grounded enough in the Kingdom and the Word to take the risk of revilement.

Let me illustrate with a real but unnamed example of what a disciple looks like whose Jesus is the worldly caricature:  The Nice Guy who Cares.  This is a hard-working minister type involved in many good works.  Fine and good.  But his glory, what makes for music to his ears is not “Well done, good and faithful servant,” but a headline in the New York Times reading:  “Such and Such Church Gets Our Trophy for Caring!”  If we deep down want the world to like us and to think well of us, then we will be tempted in making Jesus just a nice and caring guy, who wouldn’t offend a soul or make anyone angry.  Compassion is indeed called for, but not capitulation to the culture’s mandate to call blue red, just so everyone can feel better and we can be given a “trophy for caring” by a culture that deep down really doesn’t like us.  Where would we display such a trophy?  Hopefully not in sight of the cross.

So the question at hand before the disciple is this:  Where is your holy ground?   You take off your shoes on holy ground, like Moses did when meeting the Lord at the burning bush.  Your culture has places it considers holy ground, whether matters sexual, political or ideological.  You are being asked to take your shoes off on this holy ground so that no feet are stepped on.  Where’s your holy ground?  The failure to recognize our culture’s holy ground will most assuredly mean our stepping on some feet.  And you will hear about it.  When this happens, Jesus calls you blessed.

No wonder Jesus said on another occasion:   “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.  (Luke 6:26)  LH

Acknowledgment to artists:  Courtney Schwartz & Justin on Coexalt–see at Zazzle; Painting“Mary Heard His Word”  by Walter Rane & “It is Finished” by Donna Pierce-Clarke; others sources unable to locate

Part of our reflections this Lent have involved reminding ourselves of the seven (even eight) deadly sins, those squid-tentacled sins that stick to us and ensure there are more entrapping arms to come.  We pondered what is THE deadly sin of America, and saw there are surely several strong candidates.  It came as a surprise to me, but the more I considered it, the more I came to see the “pedestrian” and “sleepy” sin of Sloth our greatest concern.  In a time of overwhelming busyness, it is tempting to neglect more important things as well as substitute lesser visions for greater and more demanding ones.  Among the greatest expression of sloth in our time is an unthinking dependence on Tolerance as an answer to our greatest social and moral problems.  This does not take away from the value and validity of the classic form of tolerance described as bearing with those whose beliefs and practices differ from our own in view of the common human dignity of being in the image of God and in view of the Lord’s example of patience and bearing with sinners (like ourselves).

The good and helpful classic tolerance has been remolded by many in the “talking class” (media/educators/politicians) as meaning not merely recognizing the right of others to hold differences but also the necessity to accept and even validate that all differences are equal in value and in truth.  This is a subtle but real form of dogmatic social engineering.  Here are some ways I describe the “new dogmatic tolerance”:

Toxic Tolerance:  tolerance to such a degree that truth suffers and is poisoned; regression to a moral stone age where folks impress themselves with the discovery of the wheel

Tolerance with a capital “T”:  Tolerance above all; what “thinking Americans” think before thinking, a means of coercion, experienced as bullying, thought control, condescension, manipulation & hypocrisy to those on the corrective end of the “Be tolerant” stick

Total Tolerance:  the illusory and impossible idealistic-modern-dream that one can be totally tolerant, maintained by the pretense of ignoring the many things that person or group will not tolerate

An alternative to the above morphed and massaged versions of tolerance can be described as:

Tolerance with a small “t”:  this is the classic tolerance mentioned above, which although admitting many failures in application, has been a part of the Christian teaching as early as Tertullian, the Christian apologist from Carthage who wrote around 217 A.D:

“It is a human law and a natural right that one should worship whatever he intends …  It is no part of religion to coerce religious practice, for it is by free choice not coercion that we should be led to religion.” (To Scapula 2.1–2)

Objections:  Some object that tolerance with the small “t” is not enough.  It takes the “Big T Tolerance” as THE method for getting along.  Coexist, right?  So tolerate is the answer.”  I quote University of Texas Professor of Government, J. Budziszewski, who reveals real problems in applying the Big T Dogmatic Tolerance:

“If you really believe that the meaning of tolerance is tolerating, then you ought to tolerate even intolerance. If you really believe that the best foundation for tolerance is to avoid having any strong convictions at all about right and wrong, then you shouldn’t have a strong conviction that intolerance is wrong. If you really believe that when you do have strong convictions you should refuse to express or act upon them, then your tolerance should be a dead letter; it should be one of the things you are pusillanimous (faint-hearted) about..…

What then is the truth about tolerance? The meaning of this virtue is not tolerating per se, but tolerating what ought to be tolerated. Practicing it means putting up with just those bad things that, for the sake of some greater good, we ought to put up with. We aren’t practicing the virtue when we fail to put up with bad things that we ought to put up with, such as the expression of false opinions in debate; nor are we practicing it when we do put up with bad things that we ought not to put up with, such as rape. But making such distinctions requires knowing the truth about goods, bads, and greater goods.”

Why then is the new Big T dogmatic Tolerance slothful?  Because Jesus calls us not to tolerance but to love.  Josh McDowell & Bob Hostetler put it this way:

Tolerance says, “You must approve of what I do.” Love responds, “I must do something harder; I will love you, even when your behavior offends me.”

Tolerance says, “You must allow me to have my way.” Love responds, “I must do something harder; I will plead with you to follow the right way, because I believe you are worth the risk.”

Tolerance seeks to be inoffensive; love takes risks. Tolerance is indifferent; love is active. Tolerance costs nothing; love costs everything.      Lance H

Genesis 1 Week 11

Genesis 1 Week 10

Genesis 1 Week 8 Slides

Web Resource: The Big Myth

Quest for Creation Stories of Ancient Near East

song-songs (link to Bible.org site for article)

Genesis 1 Week 5 Youth Group Notes

Genesis 1 Week 5 Slides

Genesis Week 4 Slides

Bibliography for Genesis Class Near Eastern Backgrounds

Grateful acknowledgement for photo of bear from Rose Kendall of Bible Pathways blog; photo of rocking man on tracks from John Mesirow of Legal Juice dot com; and painting of fish by Harry Wentworth entitled, “The Foolishness of Youth”

Grateful acknowledgements for art in this issue:  Lancaster Baptist Church in California with Ministry127  for Salt & Light bulb; snake photo from  band Wicked Wisdom and album cover of same name (dove added!); Wise Up Proverbs from The Table Community Church in Lancaster, PA; and photo for Wisdom from Above by Roberto Nuzzo, church steeple in Vicenza, Italy , 2011 entry for the Nat Geo photo contest & entitled “Dawn, Just Above the Fog.”

Notes & Slides from Class

Class Slides: Genesis 1 Week 2

Genesis Slides Week 01

Genesis Class Notes 01

Here is a link to a short mention of the book by Chuck Colson, of Prison Fellowship.

More God, Less Crime  (click to view)

Hannam Lecture  (click to hear and view)

More from James Hannam

Influence of Christianity on Music no imbeds

Melos Archaion (early Greek music)

ambrosian chant \“Kyrie\”

Gregorian chant \“Agnus Dei\”

O Pastor Animarum, Hildegaard Von Bingen

\“Aguns Dei\” from Le Messe de Notre Dame Guillaume de Mauchant

\“nunc Dimittis\” Giovanni Palestrina performed by Tallis Scholars

\“vigilate\” William Byrd Tallis scholars

Sanctus in D J S Bach

\“Sanctus from B minor Mass\” J S Bach

\“all we like sheep\” from Messiah G F Handel  (need to hear the last bars of this one for the pathos starting about minute 2:50)

\“I know that my Redeemer liveth\” From Messiah

\“in Paradisum\” Requiem Gabriel Faure

As bulletin articles are necessarily sketchy, the following link permits a more detailed engagement along these lines:

God: The Best Explanation by Paul Copan   (See especially the Worldview Chart pages 103–104 in the chapter)

For those seeking a more academic, scholarly level engagement: please enjoy the articles in The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology (2009) edited by William Lane Craig and J.P. Moreland.

Most of all, Pontius Pilate’s situational question is everyone’s question:  What will I do with Jesus?   For those grappling with Jesus in Historical context, two helpful, competent, and open-minded scholars writing in this area are N.T. Wright and Ben Witherington.  And of course, there is nothing like reading the Gospels.